Chennai, Jun 10 (Cricket News) R Ashwin turned up for his club team days after a gruelling IPL season and the star India spinner says he did that to get into the red ball cricket mode ahead of the rescheduled fifth Test in England beginning July 1.

The Indian Test team is likely to depart for England on June 15. It will play a warm up game Leicestershire before the Test at Edgbaston.

Ashwin chose to turn out for his club side MRC 'A' in the TNCA First Division semifinal and final just days after being part of the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL final.

"The purpose of playing these games (First Division) is to shift from 20 overs to this (red-ball) format...All these things are workload management. As you grow older, you play more and play smarter.

"I am trying to do that. I am enjoying my game. I just want to go there (England) and take it as it comes. I feel I can contribute with the bat and bowl well. I want to keep ticking on my fitness and keep working," the 35-year old spinner told reporters after leading MRC 'A' to their maiden First Division title.

Asked if he had set any targets for himself, Ashwin, who recently overtook the legendary Kapil Dev (434) to become the second highest wicket-taker for India (with 442 scalps) behind ace leg-spinner Anil Kumble (619), he said: "I have worked incredibly hard on my game. I think a lot.

"I have done all these things over the years that I feel I am in a position where I can take it as it comes. I am happy playing the kind of cricket I am playing. I do not want to think too far ahead." Ashwin, who has been keen to ensure Tamil Nadu get back to their dominant ways in the Ranji Trophy, said steps need to be taken to revive the red-ball culture in the state and wished to see the TNCA revert to the three-day or four-day format for the First Division league next year. It is now played on a two-day format.

"I would like to see the First Division go back to the days when I started playing. There was seriously good quality. I wish the TNCA pushes the game to three or four days next year.

"Only if these quality players play back to back against each other, there will be more competition for places. Tamil Nadu cricket, yes, we have done superbly well in the white-ball game.

"If we have to revive the red-ball culture, the First Division is the place where we start. I believe I am giving my 1 per cent by coming back and playing here. With our team, there has been a lot of hard work. There have been a lot of disappointments," he added.

Tamil Nadu, though successful in the white-ball formats (T20 and 50-overs) have not been able to get past the league stage in the last couple of Ranji seasons.

"If you are serious about playing good red-ball cricket, both our fast bowling and our batting against fast bowling definitely need to go up. There are no two ways about it.

"At the moment, there is intent. Our fast bowlers are struggling to find the right length and balance. We have got spin by a dozen; we can manage and all that. In the Ranji Trophy also, when spin comes into play, we come to our own. We know how to do it. Fast bowling is something that we definitely need to work on," he added. 

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News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) After a 15 year wait the RR fans can finally celebrate going into their second final and believe that they can go on to win the trophy for the late Shane Warne. On the other hand, Gujarat Titans in their first season have exceeded all their expectations and reached their maiden final, they will play in front of the home crowd where almost 1 lakh people will witness the biggest ever final.

For RR they have been riding on Josh Buttler and Yuzvendra Chahal’s brilliance, both have been the lynch pin for their franchise. Yesterday, RR was in a spot of bother but up stepped Josh Butler to score his fourth hundred of the tournament and equaling Virat Kohli’s record of 4 hundreds in a season. Although he is quite far from Virat Kohli’s unbelievable 973 runs in 2016, this season for Butler will go down in the history books for RR. The same can be said for Chahal, who has already picked up the most wickets by leg spinner with 26 wickets. He along with Ashwin have formed a deadly bowling partnership as when they tend to pick three wickets or more, they have gone on to win all the games. In the seam department, Prasidh Krishna brilliantly bounced after David Miller took him to the raptors and produced a match winning spell of 3-22 in the last match while on the other hand Trent Boult bowls the perfect line and length which makes it difficult for the batters to get going.

GT has been the surprise package this season. Before the start of the IPL all the experts and former players didn’t give them a slightest chance to reach the final but their team spirit and togetherness have brought them this far. Along with that, Hardik Pandya has led his team brilliantly and has instilled a never say die attitude in them. GT have won 7 matches in the last over this season which indicates their attitude. Miller who is now in the middle of his best IPL season has amassed a total of 449 runs at a strike rate of 141.19 at an average of 64.14 and has established himself as the backbone of the Gujarat Titans middle order. 

At the top of the order, Shubam Gill and Wriddhiman Saha have formed a very stable partnership, which builds a foundation for the middle order batters to finish the job as this season, Saha has scored the most runs in the powerplay. In the bowling department, Shami has led the bowling from the front and has guided them brilliantly. Rashid Khan will be the key against Josh Buttler as their battle will be one to watch out for.

Pitch and weather report: The Narendra Modi Stadium pitch is often a good scoring venue for batters as the outfield tends to be quick. The bowlers have to hit the right length and line to stop the batters from scoring freely. The temperature is going to hover around 38 degrees as no rain is expected tomorrow, dew factor may come into play in the second innings.

Interesting facts:

• Prasidh Krishna requires 2 wickets to reach 50 wickets in the tournament. 
• Yuzvendra Chahal needs two wickets to surpass Amit Mishra (166) and become the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL history
• Hardik Pandya needs to take four wickets to reach 50 wickets in the IPL
• Mohammed Shami (98) is two wickets away from reaching the landmark of 100 wickets in the tournament.
• Alzarri Joseph needs two wickets to get to 50 wickets in T20 cricket
• R Ashwin (156) needs to take one wicket to overtake Piyush Chawla as the second-leading wicket-taker spinner in the IPL.

Also read: Change in mindset against spinners key to IPL 2022 success: Miller

Probable XI for GT:

1 Shubman Gill, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Matthew Wade, 4 Hardik Pandya (capt), 5 David Miller, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 R Sai Kishore, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Yash Dayal

Probable XI for RR:

1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Jos Buttler, 3 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 4 Devdutt Padikkal, 5 Riyan Parag, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Trent Boult, 9 Prasidh Krishna, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Obed McCoy
 

(Cricket news) For RCB fans, their team are just two matches away from finally saying “Ee sala cup Namde”. Perhaps RCB can now dream of winning some silverware after a 15 year wait in the IPL? They certainly have all the momentum going into Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals. On the other hand RR need to find some extra motivation to beat this spirited RCB team as Josh Butler and Yuzvendra Chahal need to lead this team from the front.

RCB suddenly looks like a formidable side with the top three batters in exceptional form. Incidentally, this season, the three times Rajat Patidar has come out to bat after an RCB opener has been dismissed for no score, he has gone on to make a huge score. In the last match, he played one of the knocks of the season as he single-handedly took the game away from LSG. Dinesh Karthik and Glenn Maxwell have added the finishing touches to the foundation that top order batters have made. In the bowling department, Hasaranga will be the key as he has accounted for Samson's wicket five times and has given away a mere 18 runs. In the seam department, Josh Hazelwood will have fresh memories of conceding 64 runs but since then he has corrected his line and length which has resulted in a bunch of wickets. Harshal Patel was brilliant last as he kept his cool and calmly took his side home, he is again expected to do the same thing this match.

RR's last match came undone because of some David Miller magic as they too are seeking only their second ever final in their history of the franchise. Jos Buttler would once again be the player in the RR camp as this season he hasn't just aggregated the most runs this season but has hit the most sixes in the tournament with 39 sixes. Sanju Samson has been in good form lately while Shimron Hetmyer had been the main destroyer of the bowling attacks in the slog overs, in the first half of the season as he has found runs hard to come by in the second half of the IPL scoring just 77 runs in his last six innings. 

In the bowling department, the spin duo of Yuzi Chahal and Ashwin didn’t pick a single wicket against GT as subsequently the RR's spinners whenever they have bagged three or more wickets in an innings, they have gone on to win on eight occasions in this season's IPL. Prasidh Krishna provides the side with a hit the deck option bowler while Trent Boult gives them the left-arm angle. However, Prasidh needs to bounce back after getting hit for three sixes against Killer Miller.

Pitch and weather report: The Eden Gardens pitch has been a batters delight as there have two high scoring games. The ground has six red soil and five black soil pitches. So the nature of the pitch will come down to the characteristics of the soil. The temperature is going to hover around 29 degrees as it seems like the storm has passed Kolkata and we can expect no rain today.

Interesting facts:

• RCB have conceded a record 137 sixes
• RR have hit the most number of sixes - 123
• Karthik has been dismissed thrice in ten outings by Chahal and averages just 12.66 against him in T20s.
• Jos Buttler is two sixes away from completing 350 sixes in T20 cricket
•  Harshal Patel needs to take three wickets to reach 100 wickets in the IPL.

Also read: Trailblazers beat Velocity by 16 runs in Women's T20 Challenge

Probable XI for RCB:

1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Rajat Patidar, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Mahipal Lomror, 6 Shahbaz Ahmed, 7 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Mohammed Siraj

Probable XI for RR:

1 Jos Buttler, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 4 Devdutt Padikkal, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Trent Boult, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Obed McCoy, 11 Prasidh Krishna
 

Ahmedabad, May 26 (Cricket News) Rajasthan Royals will need to shake off an ordinary bowling performance in their last outing when they clash with Royal Challengers Bangalore, a team which seems to be peaking at the right time, in the high-stakes IPL Qualifier-2 here on Friday.

Having sneaked into the play-offs, RCB seem are on a roll and a tight win over Lucknow in the Eliminator has fuelled expectations for a long-awaited trophy.

They take on Rajasthan, a team which has all bases covered but still came up short against Gujarat in Qualifier 1.

The IPL caravan moves to Ahmedabad after a couple of high-scoring games in Kolkata.

It has been a quick turnaround for RCB but they won't mind that as they look to ride the momentum.

"The best thing is that we have one day and we play again. Cannot wait to be in Ahmedabad and take the field again. We are so excited and happy with how things have gone. Hopefully, two more games and we all can celebrate," star RCB batter Virat Kohli told the IPL website after the win over LSG. Rajat Patidar, who played the innings of his life on Wednesday, will be a man with supreme confidence in another high-pressure knockout fixture.

For someone who went unsold in the IPL auction and came into the RCB squad as a replacement player, it has been a career-changing season for him.

Both the high-profile openers, Kohli and Faf du Plessis, are big match players and will be itching to make an impact after low returns in the previous game. Dinesh Karthik has managed to maintain consistency in a tough role and the team management would be also hoping for more runs in the back end of the innings from Glenn Maxwell.

The team is likely to stick to the winning combination. While Wanindu Hasaranga has shown the courage even when he has been taken to the cleaners, Harshal Patel has been the go-to pacer in slog overs.

Mohammad Siraj returned for the LSG game and bowled well with the new ball. Josh Hazlewood enhanced his reputation as a death bowler with a match-deciding penultimate over and with the addition of a yorker in his armoury, has only become tougher to score of.

RCB bowlers will have to be on the top of their game against a formidable Rajasthan batting line up which rely heavily on Jos Buttler and skipper Sanju Samson. Both scored against Gujarat but it did not prove to be enough.

Samson will be eager to convert his 30s and 40s into a substantial knock and lead from the front.

It remains to be seen how the bowlers comeback after a forgettable outing. R Ashwin had a rare off day against Gujarat while Prasidh Krishna paid the price for bowling length balls to David Miller in the final over.

Squads: Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (captain), Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Riyan Parag, KC Cariappa, Navdeep Saini, Obed McCoy, Anunay Singh, Kuldeep Sen, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel, Tejas Baroka, Kuldip Yadav, Shubham Garhwal, James Neesham, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rassie van der Dussen, Daryl Mitchell, Corbin Bosch.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Faf du Plessis (captain), Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Josh Hazlewood, Shahbaz Ahmed, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Behrendorff, Suyash Prabhudesai, Chama Milind, Aneeshwar Gautam, Karn Sharma, David Willey, Rajat Patidar and Siddharth Kaul Match starts at 7:30 pm. 

Also Read : I don't shy away from bowling in slog overs: Harshal Patel

News Source : PTI

Kolkata, May 24 (Cricket News) India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin says he has "found a purpose in life", which is pushing the experimental boundaries without worrying much about the criticism that comes your way when you choose an uncharted terrain.

Ashwin is relishing one his "happiest IPL seasons" even as his 11 wickets and 183 runs won't exactly describe the kind of impact he has made on Rajasthan Royals' campaign.

Ashwin, the T20 batter has been as much a revelation as Ashwin, the bowler, who bamboozled the dangerous Andre Russell with a gem that can easily be counted as one of the best deliveries this season.

"This is one very different year as far as I am concerned as a cricketer and a person. Truth be told, this has easily been one of the happiest years of my experience at the IPL," Ashwin told Rajasthan Royals social media team in an interview.

For Ashwin, this year has been about exploring less traversed areas, whether it was growing as a finisher with the bat or give the team a blazing start as pinch hitter. "Nothing to do with performance and qualifications. It is about how much I have enjoyed in terms of performance. The day I stop experimenting, the day I stop losing the passion for that, is the day I will be done with game," Ashwin, India's second highest wicket-taker in Tests, said.

"I have been able to my thought processes to a different level this year. How do I coin this, it's tricky? They call it freedom of expression," said current Indian team's only "cricket scientist".

The delivery he bowled from round the wicket to beat Russell neck and crop in a tense game against KKR was a signal that "some things are just meant to be." "I am one of those very lucky few people who have found the purpose of life. The happiest moment for me was dismissing Russell in the KKR game. I genuinely believed that turned the tide.

"Previous day at practice, I worked on running from different angles over the wicket. First time I executed that, the game was in balance and he got out, then Yuzi hattrick happened. From that moment I felt things are meant to be," he said.

But the experiment could have gone south but Ashwin was ready for that.

"Earlier, I have tried this and it didn't work and people questioned. I don't know how people would have reacted if it didn't work, but it worked." "It's been a journey, I have made lot of mistakes. Years ago we had this head coach Duncan Fletcher and I would go and ask him, how do I improve this, how do I improve that, how do I get get better? He said only way you get better is by making mistakes and failing in front of people." "That's I have done all my life. I have received a lot of criticism from people on how I have tried to expand beyond the realms sometimes people may feel, 'Why the hell is he doing such things? Is he over ambitious, is he trying to do too much? "But that's just me, if you try to take that out of me you won't get this person. So I come with a lot of problems. If I am utilised and given the form of expression I require, I think I can explore boundaries," he said.

Royals played the season with "no expectations" ---------------------------------------------------- For Ashwin, the "greatest strength of this team has been playing with freedom and no expectations." "We should continue that and put a lot of pressure on whoever is coming up against us in rest of games that's left for us." He feels that the team might be onto something special. "It's a good beginning. Last time we qualified was when Shane Warne was around. Looks like we are on to something special. It's been a great effort if I look back at season.

"We have had our low moments but we have been pretty standard in how we have managed our inner space. Honeymoon with RR has been very good and hope it continues," he said. 

Also Read : Path is going to be challenging, continue to work hard: Sachin tells son Arjun

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The IPL playoffs are about to begin with Qualifier 1 between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals. The winner of the match will go straight into the finals while the loser will get another opportunity as they will face the winner of the Eliminator for a place in the final. Both GT and RR have had incredible seasons and will be looking to reach the final without the hassle of the 2nd qualifier. The match being at Eden Gardens will bring a different challenge to both the teams.

GT led by new captain Hardik Pandya have surprised everyone with their performances. Initially there were a lot of doubts regarding their squad on paper. The team has fared very well in the tournament so far winning 10 out of 14 games. The only worrying point is that they have lost 3 of their last 5 matches meaning that they are not coming into the playoffs with the best of momentum. Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Mohammed Shami have been incredible this tournament and they will have to be at their best for the playoffs.

After so many disappointing seasons, Rajasthan Royals are back in the playoffs after 3 seasons. Sanju Samson and Kumar Sangakkara have created a completely balanced side that has had an incredible season. Orange cap holder Jos Buttler and Purple Cap holder Yuzvendra Chahal have been absolutely crucial. Ravichandran Ashwin along with his bowling has also been incredible with the bat. The pace battery of Kuldeep Sen, Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna have wreaked havoc. 

Buttler had an incredible first half of the season but has since dropped off. Tonight will be the perfect time for him to start firing again but he will have the challenge of Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson and Rashid Khan in front of him. The attack of Kuldeep Sen, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin will be very tricky for Gujarat batters to handle. Hardik Pandya will be very crucial, what number he bats at will be interesting to see. Whether Matthew Wade is dropped or given another opportunity will be interesting to see.

The weather is likely to play a huge role as there are heavy rains predicted. According to reports, Qualifier 1, Eliminator and Qualifier 2 results will be determined on a Super Over if there's rain interruption. If no Super Over is also possible then League Stage Table standing will be considered. 

Interesting facts:

- Titans have won all their six chases in the final over - the most by a team in a season in IPL.

- RR used the fewest overs of spin in IPL 2021, and this year, sit on top of the spin charts.

- Chahal is the leading wicket-taker in death overs this season while Rashid is among the most economical bowlers in this phase.

-Miller has had his most productive season since 2013 as ue averages 83.5 against spin, this season.

-Buttler has been dismissed four times by Rashid Khan in seven innings, while managing a strike rate of 60 in the five overs he has played off him. Overall, he has struck at 131.16 in the powerplay.

-Titans have successfully chased down targets six times out of seven. The only instance where they missed out was when Daniel Sams defended nine off the final over for Mumbai Indians.

-Titans' run rate of 11.6 between overs 16-20 in a chase is the highest this season. Essentially, it means they've backed themselves to score big in the final few overs. Royals run rate of 8.3 is the lowest.

-Saha missed the first five games, but since his entry into the season, only Buttler (357 runs) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (333) have scored more than his 312 runs.
Royals are the only team to have three batters (Buttler, Samson, Hetmyer) to have hit 20 plus sixes this season.

-Samson's eight wins after losing tosses is the most for a captain in a season.

Probable XI for GT:

1 Shubman Gill, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Matthew Wade, 4 Hardik Pandya (capt), 5 David Miller, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 R Sai Kishore, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Yash Dayal

Probable XI for RR:

1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Jos Buttler, 3 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 4 Devdutt Padikkal, 5 Riyan Parag, 6 Daryl Mitchell, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Trent Boult, 9 Prasidh Krishna, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Kuldeep Sen

Also read: Takeaways from India's squad for T20I series against South Africa

Mumbai, May 14 (Cricket News) In impressive form throughout the season, Lucknow Super Giants would look to bounce back from their previous match defeat and register a win to confirm their IPL play-offs berth when they face another aspirants, Rajasthan Royals, here on Sunday.

LSG were on top of IPL points table with four wins on the trot before relinquishing that position after losing to Gujarat Titans in their previous match.

The KL Rahul-led side, which is now at second spot with 16 points, would not want to lose another game just before the start of the knockout round.

The Royals would also look to make amends for their all-round failure in their comprehensive eight-wicket defeat at the hands of Delhi Capitals in their last match.

With 16 points from 12 matches, a win for LSG on Sunday will confirm their play-offs berth. For the Royals too, a victory will take them on the verge of securing a last-four stage spot.

Captain Rahul and his opening partner Quinton de Kock will have to score the bulk of runs once again for LSG. Both fell cheaply against the Titans and they would look to bounce back against the Royals.

Rahul, the tournament's second most prolific batter with 459 runs from 12 matches, has been in impressive form with two centuries and as many half centuries.

De Kock has scored three half centuries to accumulate 355 runs from 12 outings.

Deepak Hooda is another batter who is in form with 347 runs and three half centuries, and he has the ability to make a difference.

The Royals will rely heavily on England wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler, who has scored 625 runs from 12 matches with the help of three centuries and as many half centuries. His team-mates though have not been in the best of form.

Captain Sanju Samson has, again, failed to realise his full potential though he has not done bad either. He has scored 327 runs from 12 matches with two half centuries.

The good news for the Royals is that Devdutt Padikkal (295 runs from 12 matches) has shown some consistency with 31 and 48 in the last two matches though he is yet to make a big one.

The same is the case with Shimron Hetmyer (291 from 11 matches), who has shown a lot of promise but is yet to fire, though his 31 not out off 16 balls was instrumental in the Royals' six-wicket win over Punjab Kings.

Ravichandran Ashwin was the top-scorer for the Royals in their previous match against Delhi Capitals and his utility as a batter can be exploited by the Royals.

The Royals will once again depend on spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who is at joint top among wicket-takers with 23 scalps from 12 matches, to deal with the likes of Rahul and de Kock, even as R Ashwin, Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna look to chip in.

For LSG, bowling is the weaker department and the likes of Avesh Khan and Jason Holder will have to step up to restrict Buttler and other RR batters.

Both were among wickets against the Titans while Mohsin Khan was economical with figures of 1/18 in four overs. The teams (from): Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (c), Manan Vohra, Evin Lewis, Manish Pandey, Quinton De Kock, Ravi Bishnoi, Dushmantha Chameera, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, Ankit Rajpoot, Avesh Khan, Andrew Tye, Marcus Stoinis, Kyle Mayers, Karan Sharma, Krishnappa Gowtham, Ayush Badoni, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya. Jason Holder.

Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (c), Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Riyan Parag, KC Cariappa, Navdeep Saini, Obed McCoy, Anunay Singh, Kuldeep Sen, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel, Tejas Baroka, Kuldip Yadav, Shubham Garhwal, James Neesham, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rassie van der Dussen, Daryl Mitchell.

Match Starts at 7:30pm. 

Also Read : Do or die game for KKR and SRH in match number 61

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Navi Mumbai, May 11 (Cricket News) Riding on Mitchell Marsh's all-round heroics, Delhi Capitals got their act together in the nick of time to upstage Rajasthan Royals by eight wickets and keep their IPL playoffs hopes alive here on Wednesday.

After their bowlers restricted RR to 160 for six, Marsh's 62-ball 89 and David Warner's unbeaten 52 off 41 balls helped the Capitals complete the task with 11 balls to spare for their sixth win of the season that saw the team suffer setbacks both on and off the field, including multiple COVID-19 cases in its camp.

With the ball, Marsh had picked up the two important wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal (19) and Ravichandran Ashwin (50). Then, he smashed seven sixes and five fours to emerge as the night's hero.

DC lost Srikar Bharat in only the second ball of their innings to Trent Boult, who conceded just one run in the first over. That was followed by a maiden over by Prasidh Krishna and then the Kiwi speedster bowled another economical over as DC struggled to force the pace early on, reaching five for one in three overs.

The introduction of Ashwin saw Marsh launching the off-spinner over long-off for a six. Marsh did the same to Prasidh, hitting him for a maximum over fine-leg to give the much-needed impetus to the DC innings.

There was more to come from the willow of Marsh as he smashed Kuldeep Sen for two sixes and a similar treatment was given to Ashwin as the ball, despite Jos Buttler's effort in the deep, sailed over long-on for a maximum, bringing up the Australian all-rounder's fifty.

By the time the 143-run stand was broken by Yuzvendra Chahal with the wicket of Marsh, the match was almost in DC's bag.

Earlier, striking at better than most of the top batters, premier off-spinner Ashwin recorded his first half-century in T20 cricket. Ashwin made a 38-ball 50, while Devdutt Padikkal struck 48 in 30 deliveries after RR were asked to bat first.

The Capitals were off to fine start as left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya (2/23), playing the must-win game in place of Khaleel Ahmed, dismissed RR's top batter Jos Buttler (7) cheaply in the third over.

Looking to play it over the infield, Buttler hit a fairly full-length delivery straight to Shardul Thakur.

With Buttler gone early, DC were on top and looked to assert their dominance at the DY Patel Sports Complex. They gave very little away and kept RR to 43 for one in the six power play overs.

This was after DC skipper Rishabh Pant decided against a review despite a strong appeal by Sakariya for a caught behind in the first over. Replays confirmed that Pant was right in not opting for a review.

Coming off his blazing half-century in the previous game, Yashasvi Jaiswal produced a lovely on-drive off Anrich Nortje (2/39) and then smashed the South African pacer for a six over third man.

Jaiswal (19) impressed again, but not for long as Mitchell Marsh (2/25) cramped him up for room with a bouncer, paving the way for the left-handed Devdutt Padikkal to join Ashwin in the middle.

Looking confident after having hitting a few boundaries, including two maximums and a ramp shot over keeper Pant, Ashwin went along nicely and brought up his half-century in 38 balls.

However, the premier off-spinner got out soon after reaching the landmark with Marsh coming back into the attack to give DC the breakthrough.

Meanwhile, Padikkal smashed Axar Patel for two sixes -- one over deep backyard point and another over long-on -- as RR looked to force the pace.

Padikkal then scored two successive fours off Marsh, even as Nortje had RR skipper Sanju Samson (6) caught by Shardul Thakur at mid-wicket. As the DC players rejoiced, Kuldeep Yadav was seen walking off the ground holding his left shoulder, having hurt himself while going for a catch in the previous over.

Riyan Parag hit Nortje for a massive six before Sakariya cut short his brief stay in the middle, and Padikkal too followed suit, thanks to brilliant catch running by substitute fielder Kamlesh Nagarkoti. 

Also Read : Nothing wrong in losing but everything wrong in giving up: Gambhir tells LSG players after 82 all-out

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The Delhi Capitals have played 11 games so far in the tournament, and such has been their inconsistency that they are yet to win back-to-back games. On the other hand Rajasthan lost two matches to the two bottom side but bounced back to winning ways against PBKS, RR will be without their star player Shimron Hetmyer for this crucial encounter.

For the RR management there might be a selection headache as Rassie van der Dussen or Jimmy Neesham could be given a go in his absence with RR having played only three overseas players in 4 of the 11 matches so far this season. In the batting department the inclusion of young Yashasvi Jaiswal paid off as he went on to score a 68 which ultimately turned out to be the turning point in the match, if his form persists then RR might just have a deadly opening partnership alongside Jos Butler. In the bowling department all three pacers, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Sen will play a crucial role in restricting them to a low score. RR could bring in Ashwin to bowl in the powerplay to counter the Warner threat with him having dismissed him 5 times. Purple cap leader Yuzvendra Chahal’s battle with fellow leggie Kuldeep Yadav will be one to watch out for as both of the spinners eye a comeback into the T20 side.

DC have been one of the most underperforming teams this season considering the plethora of talent they have in their team. For DC to qualify they can potentially stay in control of their own fate should they win their last three games and in that scenario, their better net run rate could give them an edge when it comes to crunch situations. DC's pacers have been very underwhelming as they have only managed to take 10 wickets in the powerplay, and 13 wickets in the death. Shardul Thakur has been underwhelming with the ball which has hurt the team but they've found respite in Khaleel, who has carried the weight of the bowling attack on his shoulders. He has returned 16 wickets in 32 overs, conceding at 7.75 rpo. In the batting department the majority of the weight is being carried by David Warner as he has scored 375 runs in 9 innings but along with him Rovam Powell is finally showing the world why he is so highly rated as he is playing the finisher role in the squad brilliantly.

Pitch and weather report: In the last two matches at the DY Patil teams defending targets have won as toss won’t be a factor in today's match. The batting becomes difficult as the ball gets old and the trend will likely continue. The temperature is going to hover around 31 degrees with 10% chance of rain as dew shouldn’t play a factor in the second innings.

Interesting facts:

• Prasidh Krishna has dismissed David Warner two times in three innings while conceding 28 runs off 21 balls.
• Jos Buttler has taken Kuldeep Yadav for 54 off 33 balls at a strike rate of 163.63 while being dismissed just once in the IPL.
• Royals have struck 102 sixes, the most by a team this IPL
• In 8 innings against  RR, Pant has scored 344 runs, averaging 57.33, striking at 166.69.
• No spin attack has more wickets than Royals' 32 this season
• Axar Patel is one strike away from 100 IPL wickets.

Also read: Rashid, Gill star as GT beat LSG by 62 runs to seal play-off berth

Probable XI for RR:

1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Jos Buttler, 3 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 4 Devdutt Padikkal, 5 Riyan Parag, 6 Jimmy Neesham/Rassie van der Dussen/Daryl Mitchell, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Trent Boult, 9 Prasidh Krishna, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Kuldeep Sen

Probable XI for DC:

1 David Warner, 2 KS Bharat/Prithvi Shaw, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), 5 Rovman Powell, 6 Ripal Patel/Lalit Yadav, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Khaleel Ahmed

Navi Mumbai, May 10 (Cricket News) Delhi Capitals will aim to quickly recover from their loss in the previous match to stay in the IPL play-offs race while Rajasthan Royals will be eager to hold on to their winning momentum when the two teams clash here on Wednesday.

The Capitals have lost six of their 11 games and although they are fifth on the points table, they are bunched alongside Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings, who also have 10 points from as many games.

Delhi has the advantage of a positive Net Run Rate (+0.150) but the Capitals need to win all their remaining three matches for a shot at the playoffs.

Rajasthan, on the other hand, are sitting on the third spot with 14 points and need just two wins to be certain of qualification. They have a healthy 0.326 NRR, which could come in handy even if they lose their remaining games.

DC have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the league this season as they have struggled to keep the winning momentum going.

After a moral-boosting win against Sunrisers, they were handed a 91-run thrashing by CSK.

Their bowlers looked clueless against Devon Conway, who was hitting boundaries and sixes at will as CSK set a 200 plus target.

Delhi's bowling department hasn't inspired confidence. While Kuldeep Yadav is having a good season, the left-arm spinner has gone for runs aplenty in the previous two games.

The return of pace spearhead Anrich Nortje has also not made much of a difference as the South African hasn't been able to replicate his fiery performance from the previous seasons.

Khaleel Ahmed has been economical while Axar Patel has bowled well.

In the batting department, David Warner has enjoyed a good run but the Australian has got little assistance from his opening partners, who have ranged from Prithvi Shaw to Mandeep Singh to Srikar Bharat.

This biggest downer for Delhi has been Rishabh Pant's form. He has shown glimpses of his destructive power but the team would want more from its skipper who can single-handedly turn around any game.

The Capitals will have to fire on all cylinders against a formidable Rajasthan side.

The Royals have arguably the best bowling side in the competition.

With 22 wickets at 14.50, Yuzvendra Chahal leads the bowling charts this season and alongside R Ashwin, Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna, the Rajasthan attack has the ability to defend any total.

One of the positives for the Royals is that have been able to break the overdependence on Orange Cap holder Jos Buttler, who has had a quite couple of outings.

Given a chance to play after over a month, young Yashasvi Jaiswal shone with a fine half-century against Punjab Kings, providing the otherwise faltering batting department a boost.

But going ahead skipper Sanju Samson and Devdutt Padikkal need to shoulder more responsibility.

The Royals will miss the services of the big-hitting Shimron Hetmyer who flew back to Guyana for the birth of his child.

The last time the two sides met drama ensued in the final over due to the no-ball controversy. RR ended up winning the clash and Delhi would hope they can be on the right side of the result this time round.

Teams: Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant (C), Ashwin Hebbar, David Warner, Mandeep Singh, Prithvi Shaw,Rovman Powell, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Khaleel Ahmed, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Kamlesh Nagarkoti,Lalit Yadav, Mitchell Marsh, Pravin Dubey, Ripal Patel, Sarfaraz Khan, Vicky Ostwal, Yash Dhull, KS Bharat and Tim Seifert.

Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (C), Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Riyan Parag, KC Cariappa, Navdeep Saini, Obed McCoy, Anunay Singh, Kuldeep Sen, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel, Tejas Baroka, Kuldip Yadav, Shubham Garhwal, James Neesham, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rassie van der Dussen, Daryl Mitchell.

Match starts 7.30 IST. 

Also Read : LSG and GT fight it out in a bid to secure top spot in match no 57

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, May 5 (Cricket News) Virat Kohli has not been able to score fluently in the IPL this season and it is a matter of concern that he is getting out to different types of bowlers, observed former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop.

Kohli has managed just 175 runs with a top score of 58 at a strike rate of just 111.09, which is the third lowest among batters with at least 150 runs this season.

On Wednesday, Kohli was cleaned up by Mooen Ali after a laboured 30 off 33 balls and Bishop said he is concerned about Kohli's struggles against spin, especially off-spin.

"For a while, for 10 or 15 runs, he wasn't even going at a run-a-ball, or he was just going at a run-a-ball," Bishop said on ESPNcricinfo's 'T20 Time Out'.

"He didn't get ahead, and there wasn't much intent. He hit one (six) over extra-cover off the seamer, and that was when he just went ahead to a run-a-ball and then he came back.

"This is something we've been seeing with Virat, not just this season. Even last season, I remember, and even sometimes internationally, he'll fly out - he didn't fly out tonight - and then he'll slow down again. So, I'm concerned." Overall, Kohli played 16 dot balls against Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday.

"If you're not getting ahead of the rate and going at a run-a-ball, you need to bat deep into the innings," he said.

"And he isn't going deep into the innings either. So those deliveries don't come back to you. Even if RCB won, that wasn't an innings, even given the difficulties of the pitch, that you could say caused a match-winning total." Pointing out Kohli's struggles against spinners, Bishop said: "Roston Chase got him out in the West Indies series (at home in February), we saw him getting out to the off-spinner in Test matches. So, I'm concerned about ... and I'm a Kohli fan.

"I tune in to watch cricket when Kohli's at his best, so it isn't criticism but an observation that I am concerned that a number of types of bowlers are getting him out and he's not getting ahead of the rate." Kohli was out to a Ali delivery that was tossed up outside the off stump and turned past the inside edge to disturb his woods.

Making his observations, former New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori said: "I can think of the likes of a R Ashwin or a Harbhajan (Singh) bowling really quickly to him in the powerplay and him just looking for singles, and potentially not dominating them. But this is different.

"This is Moeen Ali trying to spin the ball, wide of off stump and I feel like I can see that dismissal a few times in Test matches.

"And that is a huge amount of credit to Moeen Ali and his style of bowling - the fact that he was able to hit those areas with a little bit of drift, then that quick spin. So, this type of bowling seems to have troubled him (Kohli) a little bit as of now," he added. 

Also Read : I'm not concerned: CSK coach Fleming on Jadeja's poor form

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, May 2 (Cricket News) Kolkata Knight Riders restricted Rajasthan Royals to a modest 152 for five, despite rival skipper Sanju Samson's half-century in an Indian Premier League match here on Monday.

For RR, Samson's 54 off 49 balls was the only saving grace, as wickets tumbled at regular intervals.

KKR bowlers justified skipper Shreyas Iyer's decision to ask the opposition to bat first with quick wickets.

A late onslaught by Shimron Hetymar (27 not out off 13 balls) took Rajasthan beyond the 150-run mark.

RR lost opener Devdutt Padikkal (2) cheaply as pacer Umesh Yadav (1/24) grabbed a return catch in the third over.

Samson, who hit seven boundaries and a six, joined in-form Jos Buttler (22 off 25 balls; 3x4s) and the duo tried to rally the innings, sharing 48 runs for the second wicket as KKR bowlers didn't allow RR batters to free their arms.

Samson carved through the point to get his first four in the fourth over as RR crawled to 12 for one.

Samson and and Buttler tried to break the shackles in the fifth over, which fetched RR 15 runs. The duo hammered Umesh for three boundaries, with the skipper hitting two of them.

Samson lofted Anukul Roy (1/28) over deep extra cover for his first maximum as RR amassed 11 runs in the sixth over, scoring 38 runs in power-play. The RR skipper then cut Sunil Narine (0/19) for another boundary.

But RR slipped to 55 for two after pacer Tim Southee (2/46) removed a rusty looking Buttler, who was caught by Shivam Mavi at long on.

Samson struck two successive boundaries off Mavi (1/33) but was devoid of partners. He was able to add only 35 runs with Karun Nair (13) and 25 with Riyan Parag (19).

Karun (13), Parag (19) and Samson fell in quick succession as RR slipped to 115 for five from 90 for three.

While Nair became left-arm spinner Roy’s only victim, Parag was caught by Roy at deep-mid wicket off Southee.

Samson, in a bid to score quickly, gave a skier to Rinku Singh at deep-midwicket.

Hetymar and R Ashwin (6 not out) added unbeaten 37 runs in 18 balls to push RR's total beyond the 150-run mark. 

Also Read : Way Rinku maintained his calm under pressure was outstanding: KKR skipper Iyer

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) For Kolkata Knight Riders, one more loss would mean an early exit from the tournament and one more defeat and they'll equal their 2019 record of six successive losses. On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals are also coming off a disappointing loss to MI. With KKR there have been too many changes in the playing XI and that has hampered the consistency of the squad.

For KKR they need to find a solution quickly if they are to make the playoffs after five consecutive defeats. Amidst all the chaos, Andre Russell has become undroppable despite blowing hot and cold. For them, three of their four retained picks have underperformed as captain Shreyas Iyer and the experienced Umesh Yadav have been their side's driving forces, with Knight Riders missing an outstanding contributor this season. In the bowling department Sunil Narine has been very economical but he hasn’t been able to pick up the majority of the wickets this season. Varun Chakravarthy has been very disappointing for the KKR franchise picking up just 4 wickets and being very expensive in the process. The matchup against Chahal  with Andre Russell will be one to watch out as the batter has a strike rate of 216.22, averages 80 against Chahal and has made 80 runs in the 37 balls he's faced from Chahal. 

For RR they will look to consolidate their position in the top four with a victory as they will be seeking some consistency from the likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Sanju Samson and some solid contributions at the top of the order from Devdutt Padikkal. Their batting has been carried all by Jos Buttler, who leads the scoring charts, while Yuzvendra Chahal sits atop the wicket-takers' list. For RR, they have had plenty of silent performers who have slowly gone in the tournament doing their business quietly as the likes of Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Sen and Ashwin have been key contributors to the amazing season they have been having. The onus will be on Boult, Krishna and Sen to ensure they bag early wickets and keep the KKR batting unit under pressure like the other teams have done in the previous matches.

Pitch and weather report: The Wankhede pitch is proving to be a strange dilemma for the captains. The pitches have sometimes proved to be amazing for batting and the next game we see the ball swing around early on. The last two matches there have been won by teams chasing at this venue. The temperature is going to hover around 30 as there is 10% of rain tonight.

Interesting facts:

• After nine matches, Butler has 566 runs. During the same stage, in his sensational 2016 season, Virat Kohli had made 561. 
• Knight Riders' average opening stand this season has been 14.2 runs, the second-lowest behind Chennai Super Kings' 12.6
• Sunil Narine has dismissed Sanju Samson thrice in IPL history
• Andre Russell needs 73 runs to complete 2000 runs in IPL
• Sunil Narine needs 19 more to complete 1000 runs in the league.
• Jos Butler has already broken RR’s record for the most runs in a single season as the previous best was Rahane's 560 in 2012

Also read: Running out of time, Punjab face a team to beat Gujarat Titans, who have Play-offs spot in mind

Probable XI for KKR:

1 Aaron Finch, 2 Venkatesh Iyer, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Sunil Narine, 6 B Indrajith (wk), 7 Rinku Singh, 8 Andre Russell, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Harshit Rana

Probable XI for RR:

1 Jos Buttler, 2 Devdutt Padikkal, 3 Sanju Samson (capt, wk), 4 Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Trent Boult, 9 Prasidh Krishna, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Kuldeep Sen
 

Mumbai, May 1 (Cricket News) Guilty of making too many changes at the top, Kolkata Knight Riders would like to find a winning combination against Rajasthan Royals and snap their five-match losing streak in the IPL here on Monday.

The form of Venkatesh Iyer, who is experiencing second season blues, has a lot to do with the changes KKR have been forced to make regularly at the top of the order.

Venkatesh's performances have been underwhelming to say the least after a season that helped him get into the Indian team. After his struggles at the top, the team tried him in the middle-order but that too did not work.

The southpaw was back opening alongside Aaron Finch in the last game but runs deserted him again.

Making the play-offs from here looks improbable for KKR who desperately need to find their best XI and stick with it for the remainder of the competition.

"A lot of chopping and changing is happening, it's been difficult to set up the right combination, with all injuries not helping as well. We need to stick together, play some fearless cricket, not be conservative with the bat.

"Five more matches remaining, we need to play well, show belief and give something back to the team and the management, forget about the past, start fresh and back your instinct," said skipper Shreyas Iyer after the last game.

Shreyas has had a decent run as a batter with 290 runs at 36.25 but he has not got enough support from his teammates. In his first season as KKR captain, Shreyas has shown promise but needs to inspire his troops to script a turnaround.

Alongside Venkatesh, the dismal run of another retained player Varun Chakaravarthy has hurt the team. However, the move to drop him in the previous game did not yield the desired results as KKR lost their fifth game in a row.

The trio of Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav and Sunil Narine has been impressive and will be aiming to keep the in-form Jos Buttler quiet.

Rajasthan rely a lot on Buttler and his 566 runs at 70.75 are a big reason why they find themselves in the top-four. As the Englishman can't be expected to fire in every game, skipper Sanju Samson needs to step up and be more consistent.

They are arguably the best bowling side in the competition but could not defend 159 in their previous game against Mumbai Indians due to heavy dew.

With 19 wickets at 13.68, Yuzvendra Chahal leads the bowling charts this season and alongside R Ashwin, Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna, the Rajasthan attack has the ability to defend even below-par totals.

However, Royals will be looking for a much-improved batting effort to minimise the dew factor.

Teams (from): Kolkata Knight Riders: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Aaron Finch, Abhijeet Tomar, Ajinkya Rahane, Baba Indrajith, Nitish Rana, Pratham Singh, Rinku Singh, Ashok Sharma, Pat Cummins, Rasikh Dar, Shivam Mavi, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Aman Khan, Andre Russell, Anukul Roy, Chamika Karunaratne, Mohammed Nabi, Ramesh Kumar, Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Sam Billings, Sheldon Jackson.

Rajasthan Royals squad for 2022 IPL: Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Riyan Parag, KC Cariappa, Navdeep Saini, Obed McCoy, Anunay Singh, Kuldeep Sen, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel, Tejas Baroka, Kuldip Yadav, Shubham Garhwal, James Neesham, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rassie van der Dussen, Daryl Mitchell.

Match starts 7.30 IST. 

Also Read : If dew hadn't played a part, 158 would've been enough: Ashwin

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) RCB will hope that this time they put up a better performance and forget about the horror show they produced last match against SRH. It also left them with the worst Net-Run-Rate among the teams around them - a factor that could prove decisive in the run-in. On the other hand , RR have been banking heavily on their two star players in Jos Butler and Yuzvendra Chahal to win them matches.

RCB endured one of their heaviest defeats against SRH last time out and will be hoping that they will bounce back from that crushing defeat. In terms of batting the RCB management will be hoping that Virat Kohli finds his batting mojo back after two back to back ducks as Anuj Rawat hasn't quite set the batting charts on fire for his new team, and is in danger of losing his place. The one thing that has been their recipe to success is their lower middle order which has flourished in pressure situations and often bailed their team out from the clutches of defeat. The battle between Dinesh Karthik and Chahal will be one to watch as the leg spinner has dismissed him thrice in nine innings, with Karthik scoring at a strike rate of only 83. In terms of bowling, Wanindu Hasaranga will be the key as he has dismissed Sanju Samson four times in five innings and will be an obvious plan of attack against the Royals captain.

For RR in the batting department it has been the Jos Butler show, he has scored 491 runs in 7 matches including 3 centuries, at this rate he is well on course to break Virat Kohli’s historical 2016 season where he scored 4 hundreds and scored over 900+ runs. Shimron Hetmyer and Sanju Samson have also been in good form as they have been finishing the innings really well. In the bowling department, despite having Yuzvendra Chahal in flying form, the Royals have conceded 192, 210 and 207 in their last three games, which could be a cause of concern for the RR management. We saw in the last match how Marco Jansen caused havoc in the RCB batting lineup, the same way RR can throw Trent Boult and Obed McCoy to poke at their opposition's insecurities. 

Pitch and weather report: The MCA Pune pitch has been brilliant for batting but the venue will be used after a long time as this might just restart the trend of winning the toss and bowling first. Pacers will get some assistance in the powerplay and the spinners will play a massive role in the middle overs. The temperature is going to hover around 28 degrees as there is no chance of rain.

Interesting facts:

• Wanindu Hasaranga has completed his full quota of overs only once in the last four matches
• Buttler is 58 runs ahead of where Kohli was in the 2016 season when he scored the record-setting 973 runs.
• Among batters with more than 200 runs in the league, only Dinesh Karthik (200) and Liam Livingstone (182.26) have a higher strike-rate than Shimron Hetmyer 179.20
• Faf du Plessis' teams have won 70% of matches where he has made 30 or more.

Also read: Punjab Kings PBKS beat Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs

Probable XI for RCB:

1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Anuj Rawat/Rajat Patidar, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Shahbaz Ahmed, 6 Suyash Prabhudessai, 7 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Josh Hazlewood

Probable XI for RR:

1 Jos Buttler, 2 Devdutt Padikkal, 3 Sanju Samson (capt, wk), 4 Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Karun Nair, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Obed McCoy, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal
 

Pune, Apr 25 (Cricket News) Royal Challengers Bangalore will be aiming to halt the Jos Buttler juggernaut when they take on Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League here on Tuesday.

Attention will be on Virat Kohli as well following his second consecutive first ball duck in the competition.

RCB would be hoping their star batter to be back among the runs besides a much improved performance by the batting unit after a shocker in the previous game.

While the Challengers come into the match on the back of a demoralising nine-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan have had two successive wins and are one of the in-form teams this season.

While the focus would be on Kohli, RCB have also power-hitters in captain Faf Du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik and Shahbaaz Ahmed, who can be destructive on their day and if they fire in unison, the RR attack would have a tough time.

Du Plessis, the highest run-scorer for his team, has blown hot and cold with the willow but remains a vital cog for the team.

Karthik too with his hitting abilities is playing the finisher’s role to near perfection.

They are up against Rajasthan’s varied attack, led by Trent Boult, who has troubled Kohli in the past with the delivery that comes in.

Prasidh Krishna and the spin duo of wily Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal can also pose problems for the RCB batters. Chahal, with 18 wickets so far, can turn the game on its head.

And ditto for Ashwin, who can be the opposition's nemesis on his day. Add to it the four overs by Obed McCoy; Rajasthan have a decent attack.

For Rajasthan, opener Jos Buttler has been in sublime form, having already hammered three hundreds this season.

Opener Devdutt Padikkal and skipper Sanju Samson have also been toying with opposition attacks and are among the runs. And so is Shimon Hetymar, who can compound the bowling team’s woes with his brutal onslaught.

RR would be hoping that the top order delivers once again at the MCA Stadium, which has witnessed high-scoring games.

The weak links in Rajasthan’s batting are Karun Nair and Riyan Parag and the duo would need to step up and deliver.

For RCB, they have the best death bowler in Harshal Patel, but he would need support from Mohammed Siraj and Josh Hazlewood.

The four overs by Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who has eleven wickets, could also change the match’s fate.

Teams (From): Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Faf du Plessis, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Josh Hazlewood, Shahbaz Ahmed, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Behrendorff, Suyash Prabhudesai, Chama Milind, Aneeshwar Gautam, Karn Sharma, David Willey, Rajat Patidar, Siddharth Kaul.

Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Shubham Garwal, Dhruv Jurel, Kuldip Yadav, Kuldeep Sen, Tejas Baroka, Anunay Singh, KC Kariappa, Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, Rassie Van der Dussen, Nathan Coulter Nile, Jimmy Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, Karun Nair, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Match starts at 7.30 PM. 

Also Read : We haven't batted well enough in tournament, more responsibility needs to be taken: Rohit Sharma

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Apr 22 (Cricket News) Opener Jos Buttler struck his third century of the ongoing IPL to power Rajasthan Royals to a 15-run win over Delhi Capitals in a drama-filled match here on Friday.

Buttler and Devdutt Padikkal shared a 155-run stand for the opening wicket to help RR to the highest team total of the season, 222 for two, after being sent into bat. Buttler, enjoying the form of his life, smashed 116 off 65 balls with the help of nine boundaries and as many hits over the fence to lay the foundation of the imposing total in the company of Padikkal, who hit 54 off 35 balls with seven fours and two sixes.

It turned out to tall task for DC as RR restricted them to 207 for eight.

Chasing the imposing total, DC made a brisk start with Prithvi Shaw (37) and David Warner (28), adding 43 runs in 4.3 overs before the latter edged a Prasidh Krishna delivery to skipper Sanju Samson behind the stumps.

Shaw and skipper Rishabh Pant (44 off 24 balls) then added 51 runs off 29 balls for the second wicket to keep DC abreast with the asking rate.

But just when it seemed the partnership was blooming, R Ashwin struck a vital blow in the form of set Shaw, who was holed out at the deep to Trent Boult as DC reached 99 for three after 10 overs.

Pant raised DC's hopes before being holed out to Padikkal off Krishna in the 12th over.

Axar Patel (1) also failed with the bat, so did Shardul Thakur (10) as Lalit Yadav (37 off 24) waged a lone battle before perishing.

Rovman Powell (36 off 15) struck a few lusty blows towards the end to raise DC's hopes.

With 36 needed off the last over, Powell clobbered Obed McCoy for three consecutive sixes in the first three deliveries to raise the hopes of an improbable win for DC before the West Indian bowler got his acts together to take his side home.

But the win came after a bit of drama as the DC team argued with the onfield umpires, claiming for a possible waist-high no ball but to no avail.

Earlier, Pant's decision to field first backfired big time as the duo of Buttler and Padikkal struck 155 runs in 15.5 overs for the opening stand.

After reaching 50 in 6.5 overs, the duo opened up. Buttler started slowly before picking up the pace and dealt mostly in fours and sixes against the DC spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel to bring up his fifty in 36 balls.

It was raining fours and sixes for both Buttler and Padikkal as both the batters played confidently to deny success to DC bowlers.

Buttler looked in ominous form and was particularly severe on Yadav, hitting the off-spinner for two sixes and one four to pick up 18 runs from the 13th over.

DC's spin attack cut a sorry figure as Axar and Kuldeep too leaked runs with Buttler and Padikkal going hammer and tongs.

Padikkal brought up his fifty in 31 balls with a boundary, cutting Axar behind square on the off side. High on confidence after two centuries in the ongoing edition of the IPL, Buttler continued his onslaught, smacking in-form Kuldeep Yadav for two maximums in consecutive balls and a four in the 15th over.

Power-hitting was at its best display as Buttler, in particular, treated all the DC bowlers with disdain.

Padikkal soon perished, caught plumb in front of the wicket by Khaleel Ahmed in the 116th over as DC got their first breakthrough, albeit late in the innings.

Buttler finally got out in the penultimate over, holing out to David Warner at long-on off Mutafizur Rahman.

Towards the end, skipper Sanju Samson (46 not out off 19 balls) played a little cameo to help RR cross the 200-run mark and register the highest score of the season. 

Also Read : Rajasthan Royals post 222 for 2 against Delhi Capitals

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) After the mini covid scare Delhi Capitals bounced back in emphatic fashion when they beat Punjab Kings in the last match. On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals will be on cloud 9 after a thrilling victory over KKR in a high scoring encounter. Both teams will be looking for back to back victories and give their season the much needed momentum.

The Delhi Capitals have been heavily reliant on Prithvi Shaw and David Warner to give them good starts as they have been arguably the most destructive and in-form opening pair in the tournament but that is masking their problems in the middle order. Rishabh Pant has played a couple of cameos but Rovman Powell's form is a serious concern for the DC management . In five innings this season, Powell has scored only 31 runs, at an average of 6.20 and a strike rate of 100.00. In the bowling department the left arm bowlers have been brilliant for them, as they have held a sway over the oppositions batting lineup. Shardul Thakur has the edge over Devdutt Padikkal, dismissing him three times in 19 balls, as the Wankhede pitch will offer a lot of assistance to the left arm swing bowlers early on. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel will be the key against Shimron Hetymer who is circumspect against  wrist spin.

Rajasthan Royals this season have been reliant on three players, Jos Butler, Shimron Hetmyer and Yuzvendra Chahal to win them matches this season. If Buttler has been the chief  power-anchor, then Hetmyer has ensured Royals have finished their innings with a crescendo. Among those who have scored at least 200 runs this season, Hetmyer has a strike rate of 179.83 which is the third-highest and both of them have scored more than 57% of Royals' total runs. With the bowl, Chahal is spinning webs around the opposition batters, having picked up 17 wickets in 7 matches already this season. Prithvi Shaw's struggles against Trent Boult as he has been dismissed thrice in 18 balls. The battle between Ashwin and Warner will be one to watch out as the offspinner has dismissed Warner five times in 127 balls while conceding 159 runs.

Pitch and weather report: The trend of winning the toss and bowling first will continue as the Wankhede pitch offers uneven bounce and pace up front, also the dew factor will come into play later on. Defending totals seems to be feasible at the Wankhede as the last two matches were won by teams defending a total. The temperature is going to hover around 33 degrees with no chance of rain.

Interesting facts:

• Royals have the best economy rate (6.72) in the powerplay this season
• Khaleel's economy rate so far this season is 7.15. It is the first time in five IPL seasons that he has gone for less than eight.
• Prithvi Shaw averages just 18.29 against Rajasthan Royals
• No team has hit as many sixes as Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2022
• Rajasthan have batted first in five matches this season as Sanju Samson has only won  one toss
• Delhi's openers - Warner and Shaw - have put on four consecutive 50-plus stands in IPL 2022
• Also read: M.S Dhoni rolls back the years with thrilling last ball win over MI

Probable XI for DC:

1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 David Warner, 3 Sarfaraz Khan, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), 5 Lalit Yadav, 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Khaleel Ahmed.

Probable XI for RR:

1 Jos Buttler, 2 Devdutt Padikkal, 3 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 4 Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Karun Nair, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Trent Boult, 9 Obed McCoy, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal.

(Cricket news) After their blistering start to the campaign for KKR, their season has somewhat derailed with two successive heavy defeats as a victory against the high flying Rajasthan Royals is a must. On the other hand, RR have similar woes but will start as favourites for this clash, their talisman bowler Trent Boult might be back for this all important clash.

KKR started off the season with a bang but in the last two matches their weaknesses were exploited very badly by Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad. KKR’s top order this season have scored the least amount of runs at a very poor strike rate. For KKR, they need Venkatesh Iyer to perform as he has only passed the 20 run mark once this season. The team management needs to make a call whether to continue with Aaron Finch at the top or promote someone like Billings who missed the last match due to illness. Against Chakravarthy, Buttler has only scored 12 runs in 8 balls, and has been dismissed twice. Samson, meanwhile, has fallen thrice to Umesh and Narine, striking at 79.67 and averaging 15.67 against the West Indian off spinner. KKR may also look to push Shreyas Iyer down the order to tackle the Chahal threat in the middle overs.

Rajasthan Royals have been heavily reliant on the top order to get the majority of the runs. Shimron Hetmyer has been RR’s trump card this season, he has strike rate of 262.00 which is the best strike rate of any batter who has faced at least 20 balls in this phase this season. In the bowling department all eyes will be on the two spinners Chahal and Aswhin, as both have the edge over Aaron Finch and Nitish Rana. Ashwin may be given a few overs in the powerplay, while they could  hold Chahal back for when Rana comes to the middle, with the leg spinner getting the middle-order batter 4 times. Rana averages just 14 against Chahal, striking at 109.80. For them the absences of Trent Boult played a major role in the last defeat as the New Zealand pacer will be the key in the death overs to negate the threat of Andre Russell.

Pitch and weather condition: The Brabourne Stadium has been the highest scoring venue this season and even big targets are not safe considering the boundaries are very small. Dew plays a major role at this venue considering the high humidity that is there. The temperature is going to hover around 30 degrees with no chance of rain.

Interesting facts:

• Sunil Narine will play his 150th match for KKR
• Samson is 49 runs away from the 5000 mark in T20 cricket.
• Trent Boult has returned 78 wickets in 58 games, averaging 21.71 with an economy rate of 7.69.
• After scores of 55 & 30 to start the season, Samson has scored 32 runs in the next 3 innings.
• Andre Russell has the highest strike rate for anyone with any one having 1500 IPL runs. His strike rate is at 178.61 with 1879 runs.

Also read: Miller magic seals three-wicket win for Gujarat Titans against CSK

Probable XI for KKR:

1 Venkatesh Iyer, 2 Aaron Finch/Sam Billings, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Sheldon Jackson (wk), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Sunil Narine, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Aman Khan, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Varun Chakravarthy.

Probable XI for RR:

1 Jos Buttler, 2 Devdutt Padikkal, 3 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 4 Rassie van der Dussen, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 James Neesham/Trent Boult, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Prasidh Krishna, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Kuldeep Sen.
 

(Cricket news) Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans will be looking to make 4 wins out of 5 as little separates both the teams after four games in this year’s IPL are tied on 6 points with three wins and a loss. Both the captains have won just the one toss as RR are yet to chase in the tournament. In the last match, GT were outplayed by Kane Williamson’s side and will be looking to bounce back in style by going top of the table.

Gujarat Titans had all their bases covered till the last match where Lockie Ferguson proved to be expensive but the GT team management have found a perfect balance in the bowling area with Mohammed Shami getting the new ball to move around, Rashid Khan has four bankable overs and Hardik Pandya is completing his quota. The only area of concern in the bowling department is the fifth bowler as Darshan Nalkande is relatively inexperienced and Rahul Tewatia hasn’t bowled much over the last year or so. In the batting department the two overseas left handers have been disappointing as Matthew Wade is not being able to give his side those blistering starts that he used to give Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash and David Miller although hasn’t come out to bat much, he needs to prove his mantle by finishing the innings. Wriddhiman Saha, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Alzarri Joseph and Dominic Drakes are among the players who can replace them.

Rajasthan Royals are enjoying one of the best starts to the season after a long time as the team is finally performing as a collective unit. RR's pacers have picked up 8 wickets, averaging 14.25, Prasidh Krishna and Trent Boult have formed a good partnership with the ball as both of the bowlers are picking up wickets at regular intervals. Young quick Kuldeep Sen showed on his debut why he is rated highly by the RR management and cricketing experts, after he successfully defended 14 runs in the final over bowling to Marcus Stoinis. RR’s batting has been on fire courtesy of Josh Butler and Shimron Hetmyer, both have scored 218 and 168 respectively and both of them are averaging above 70. Both the spinners Chahal and Ashwin will fancy their chance to break into the middle order early as Miller has got out thrice by both the spinners.

Pitch and weather report: The DY Patil stadium experienced a run fest in the last match, with the wicket being so dry that the dust on it was palpable. The spinners played a massive part as they took wickets at regular intervals, we can expect the same thing this match. The temperature is going to  hover around 32 degrees, with no chance of rain.

Interesting facts:

• Only Bumrah has taken more wickets than the duo of Rashid Khan and Yuzvendra Chahal in the middle overs, the two spinners sit on top of the wicket charts.
• Hetmyer has the second-highest strike-rate in death overs. He strikes at 195.95 with a boundary percentage of 27.3.
• Rashid is one strike away from becoming the fourth overseas player to 100 IPL wickets
• Buttler (15) and Hetmyer (14) are the top six-hitters of the competition
• Royals for the first time in franchise history, have both the Orange Cap holder [Buttler] and Purple Cap holder [Chahal].

Also read: PBKS hand MI 5th consecutive defeat courtesy of Dhawan and Agarwal

Probable XI for GT:

1 Shubman Gill, 2 Matthew Wade/Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Sai Sudharsan, 4 Hardik Pandya (capt), 5 David Miller, 6 Abhinav Manohar, 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Darshan Nalkande

Probable XI for RR:

 1 Jos Buttler, 2 Devdutt Padikkal, 3 Sanju Samson (capt, wk), 4 Rassie van der Dussen, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Trent Boult, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Kuldeep Sen

New Delhi, Apr 13 (Cricket News) R Ashwin feels the IPL is already late in using "retired out" as a tactical move and after becoming the first one to do so, the India spinner expects to see a lot more of it in the near future.

Ashwin batted at No. 6 for Rajasthan Royals against Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday but left the field after two balls in the 19th over to make way for Riyan Parag. He had scored 28 off 23 before retiring himself out.

"T20, as a sport, is heading towards where football has reached. Just like how they're using substitutions, I did something similar (retiring out). Already we're late, but I believe this will happen a lot in the coming days.

"I don't think it will be a stigma like running someone out at the non-striker's end," said Ashwin on his Youtube channel.

However, he thinks the move might not work always.

"It might work sometimes and it might not work sometimes. These things happen constantly in football, and we haven't cracked T20 cricket fully yet. This is a millennial sport. This is the next generation's sport.

"In fact, if you see in football, Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo score goals frequently. But their team's goalkeeper should also save goals and their defenders should defend well. Only then, a Messi or Ronaldo will be in the limelight." Since he was not able to get the desired boundaries in the slog overs, Ashwin thought it was best to make way for Parag.

"It was just a tactical move. In fact, Riyan Parag has been batting very well and when the (K) Gowtham over (16th over) ended, I gave myself some time - five to six balls - to see whether I can hit a six or two fours.

"There were a few balls in the slot, I tried to hit, and mistimed a bit. I threw the kitchen sink at everything, but I couldn't get the timing going. Someone like Riyan Parag was in the shed and there were only ten balls remaining. If he comes and hits even two sixes, we could get a good score. It was a tactical decision." Ashwin was also the first in the IPL to effect a run out of a non-striker backing up when he controversially dislodged the bails to dismiss Jos Buttler in 2019.

In a recent update, the custodians of laws of cricket, MCC, moved the run out dismissal while backing up to Law 38 (run out) from Law 41 (unfair play).

"The bowler is always painted as the villain but it is a legitimate way to dismiss someone and it is the non-striker who is stealing the ground," Fraser Stewart, MCC Laws Manager, told the Times after the rules were reframed.

"It is legitimate, it is a run-out and therefore it should live in the run-out section of the laws," he had said. 

Also Read : Mumbai Indians need to be ultra-aggressive like CSK to win, says Swann

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Apr 10 (Cricket News) Shimron Hetmyer lived up to his Rs 8.5 crore price tag with a six-hitting exhibition before Yuzvendra Chahal and Trent Bout displayed their wizardry with the ball as Rajasthan Royals outwitted Lucknow Super Kings by three runs in an IPL game here on Sunday.

Invited to bat, star West Indies batter Hetmyer smashed an unbeaten 36-ball 59 to lift RR from 67 for four to 165 for six in 20 overs.

Trent Boult (2/30) then struck twice in a sensational opening over, while Chahal (4/41) picked up four wickets to achieve the feat of claiming 150 IPL victims but Marcus Stoinis blasted two fours and four maximums in his unbeaten 38 off 17 balls to conjure up hopes of a turnaround.

But Kuldeep Sen, making his IPL debut, showed great nerves as he defended 15 runs in the last over as RR limited LSG to 162 for eight.

With this win, RR bounced back from their four wicket loss to RCB in the last match to take the top position in the IPL standings, while LSG slipped to fifth spot.

Defending the total, Boult produced a ripping late inswinging yorker to dismiss KL Rahul for a first-ball duck, before trapping Krishnappa Gowtham plumb in front in the opening over as LSG slipped to 1 for 2.

Prasidh Krishna then got rid of Jason Holder with a back of a length delivery which took a top-edge and balloned to Ravichandran Ashwin at mid-on.

Madhya Pradesh pacer Sen made an impressive IPL debut as he disturbed the woods of Deepak Hooda to leave LSG at 52 for four.

The wily Chahal then got into the act as he first foxed young Ayush Badoni (5), and then had Quinton de Kock (39) holed out to Riyan Parag and knocked back the leg stump of Krunal Pandya (22) as RR put one foot in the door.

Needing 34 runs off 12 balls, Stoinis accumulated 19 of Krishna in the puenltimate over but Sen held his nerves and gave away just one run in the first four balls to shine on his debut.

Earlier, Jos Buttler (13) and Devdutt Padikkal (29) added 42 runs in five overs but they lost three wickets in a 15-ball burst to be reduced to 67 for four at one stage.

If Buttler was castled by Avesk Khan in his first ball, Gowtham produced a two-wicket burst, removing Devdutt Padikkal and Rasie Van der Dussen (4) in a space of five balls on a track where the ball was holding.

Paddikal, who replaced Yashsavi Jaiswal at the top, lived dangerously before paying the price for a reverse sweep as his top-edge landed in the safe hands of Holder, handing Gowtham also a first-ball wicket.

The left-handed batter survived an LBW appeal in the first over off Dushmantha Chameera before being dropped by Ravi Bishnoi (0/29).

Sanju Samson (13) played two nice shots before being stuck on the pads by a full toss from Jason Holder (2/50).

RR could have been in more danger but Krunal Pandya dropped a dolly at long-on in the 14th over to hand a reprieve to Hetmyer.

It allowed the West Indian join hands with Ashwin to rebuild the innings with a 68-run stand before the latter was strategically retired out by the RR camp in the slog overs.

The West Indian paced his innings well before going for the shots at the back end as RR amassed 50 runs in the last three overs.

Hetmyer launched into compatriot Holder in the 18th over, clobbering him over deep mid-wicket to bring up the 50-run stand, before sending one fine down the leg-side and then plundering him down the ground. The over yieled 18 runs.

He next hit two sixes of Avesh, before launching Holder for another maximum in the last over.

Rayan Parag, who came in after Ashwin was retired out, also deposited one over deep square leg as the last two overs yielded 16 runs each. 

Also Read : Shimron Hetmyer's unbeaten fifty takes RR to 165 for 6 against Rajasthan Royals

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The Rajasthan Royals have ticked all boxes this season as they have convincingly won their first two matches, on the other hand Royal Challengers Bangalore will look to take the confidence after their victory over KKR in the last match. Rajasthan Royals have turned it on already this IPL, winning two matches and posting mammoth scores of 193 and 210.

Last year RR finished second from bottom with just five wins from 14 matches but this year they just look like a completely different team, having fixed their gloring holes in the squad. Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson have hit a total of 16 sixes and they also have the likes of Devdutt Padikkal and Shimron Hetmyer who are contributing heavily with the bat as they can notch up big hits without spending too much time in the middle. While other teams have taken a pragmatic approach in the middle overs, Royals have scored at 10.07 runs per over in this phase, the highest for any team in IPL 2022. The biggest storyline will be Chahal facing his old team as he will hold the key to make breakthroughs in the slog overs. Both Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna will also play a crucial role in the powerplay and mainly stop the likes of Faf and Virat to settle in.

RCB will be without Glenn Maxwell, who will be available for selection from 9th April but will have the Australian quicks Jason Behrendorff and Josh Hazlewood available for selection. If RCB are to put on a big total or even chase a big score then Virat Kohli needs to be in form, as he has an exceptional record against Prasidh and Boult and his strike rate jumps to 140 or above against these pacers. Kohli has the edge over Ashwin as well, as he has gotten out to Ashwin only once in 20 innings and averages 162 against the offspinner and will be looking to dominate again. Hasaranga had a good start to the season with five wickets, but the key battle will be against the in-form Sanju Samson as has troubled him in the past, dismissing him thrice in four T20s in the span of 11 balls. Butler also has little success against Hasaranga, he is yet to hit a boundary in the 23 balls that he has faced from him in the T20s.

Pitch and weather report: The three games played at the Wankhede have been won by the teams chasing. There has been a lot of assistance for the pacers with Umesh Yadav (twice) and Mohammed Shami being certain examples. Any captain winning the toss will likely bowl first as the dew factor plays a vital role in the second innings. The temperature is going to hover around 30 degrees with no chance of rain.

Interesting facts:

• Faf du Plessis has hit 30 sixes since IPL 2021 which is the second most since last year
• Hetmyer has a strike rate of 248.14 in this years IPL,
• Chahal has picked up 23 wickets in 17 matches since IPL 2021
• Rajasthan Royals have hit 58 boundaries and 25 sixes in the two matches they have played
• Harshal Patel (69) needs four more wickets to become the second highest wicket taker for Royal Challengers Bangalore

Also read: KL Rahul, Deepak Hooda and Avesh Khan lead LSG to victory over SRH

Probable XI for RR:

1 Jos Buttler, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Sanju Samson (capt, wk), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Navdeep Saini, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Probable XI for RCB:

1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Anuj Rawat, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 5 Sherfane Rutherford, 6 Shahbaz Ahmed, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Harshal Patel, 9 David Willey, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Akash Deep
 

(Cricket news) Mumbai Indians' trend of losing the first match continued as they lost to Delhi Capitals, on the other hand Rajasthan Royals produced a clinical display against SRH to win their first match. The certain sub plots of Mahela Jayawardene vs Kumar Sangakkara & Lasith Malinga, Rohit Sharma vs Sanju Samson, Kieron Pollard vs Shimron Hetmyer, Jasprit Bumrah vs Trent Boult, M Ashwin vs R Ashwin surely promises to be a mouth-watering one.

Mumbai Indians have always been slow starters as they gradually grow into the tournament and it looks like that the trend is continuing this season as well. Suryakumar Yadav is back and fit again to be back in the playing XI after having missed Mumbai's opening game against DC because of a hairline fracture he suffered during the series against West Indies last month. The key for MI will be to get early wickets if they are to stop their swashbuckling openers from scoring big as Jasprit Bumrah leading the bowling attack can be the kryptonite against this batting line-up. Bumrah has an exceptional record against the two talisman for RR, Jos Buttler averages 12.67 against him with three dismissals, while Samson and Padikkal 24 and 4 respectively with 2 dismissals each. Heading into the match the batting looks very solid for MI but wouldn’t want more from Tim David, who had a below par first game for them as the team management requires him to finish matches for his franchise.

Rajasthan Royals made the perfect start to the season with a huge win over SRH as the Royals have also been Mumbai's bogey team. Since IPL 2018, they have won five of the eight games between the two sides in the last four years but this season their bowling attack ticks all boxes, and their batting line-up boasts of dynamic T20 players as the only concern heading into the match would be the number 7 spot. In the last match, Nathan Coulter Nile was given an opportunity but was taken out of the park by Washington Sundar, if needed then can call upon Jimmy Neesham or Daryl Mitchell to do the job for the team. If RR are going to win then the spinners could hold the key, Ishan Kishan averages just 15 against Chahal, as both the RR spinners, Ashwin and Chahal will be crucial in the middle overs. Kieron Pollard holds an average of just 15 and 16 against them respectively. 

Pitch and weather report: In the two matches at the DY Patil, teams chasing have gone on to win just like the trend in this IPL. The trend of winning the toss and opting to chase is likely to continue. However, since it's a day game, dew won't be a factor going into the game. The temperature is going to hover around 35 degrees as there is no chance of rain

Interesting facts:

• Trent Boult has the edge over  Rohit Sharma in T20 cricket, getting him out four times in 47 balls for 66 runs
• Hetmyer has struggled against Bumrah in T20s, getting out to him three times in six innings while averaging 4.0 and striking at 92.30
• Samson is to feature in his 200th T20 game 
• Ishan Kishan last four IPL innings: 81* vs Capitals, 84 vs Sunrisers, 50* vs Royals, 72* vs Capitals.
• Sanju Samson has won Player of the Match in his second match of a season on four occasions (2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020).

Probable XI for MI:

1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Ishan Kishan (wk), 3 N Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Tim David, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Daniel Sams/Fabian Allen, 8 M Ashwin, 9 Tymal Mills, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Basil Thampi

Probable XI for RR:

1 Jos Buttler, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 Nathan Coulter-Nile/Jimmy Neesham, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Also read: Russell and Umesh Yadav star as KKR bounce back with win over PBKS
 

(Cricket news) Both the sides will desperately want to perform this season after not performing to their fullest potential in the last IPL. RR had a tremendous auction this IPL and hopefully fully capitalise on the plethora of talent they have, on the other hand SRH’s Kane Williamson, who was retained ahead of the mega auction, has the charge of the Orange Army as the franchise is trusting him to get the IPL trophy back to Hyderabad.

Sunrisers will be without Rashid Khan and David Warner for the first time since 2017 but have tried to get able replacements for those two talisman in the squad. If SRH have a fit squad then their bowling lineup looks quite potent as Washington Sundar could do a holding role with the new ball or after the powerplay as the seam trio of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan and Umran Malik can offer 12 very different kinds of overs to the oppositions. Bhuvneshwar with his  swing at the top, Natarajan with his signature yorkers at the death and Malik with his raw pace can trouble the batters. Marco Jansen, the tall, left-arm seamer, could also be an option if SRH want their lineup to be pace heavy. SRH will heavily rely on the young Indian core to perform as the likes of Rahul Tripathi and Abhishek Sharma will be open, setting a platform for Williamson and Nicholas Pooran to build upon.

Royals have perhaps the best death-bowling options in the IPL this year as Trent Boult can do a job with the older ball along with being lethal at the top with him swinging the new ball one into the right-hander. Prasidh Krishna, who over the past year has been putting brilliant performances for the Indian Cricket team will likely partner Boult in the powerplay, and hopefully build a successful partnership. Going into the tournament, RR possibly have the best two spinners in R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal and they could capitalise on it to strangle the opposition in the middle overs. They retained the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson and now have Devdutt Padikkal who is most likely to bat at No. 3. Rassie van der Dussen, who has enjoyed a purple patch for South Africa recently along with Shimron Hetmyer are probably vying for one spot in the middle order.

Pitch and weather report: The MCA Pune pitches are known for supporting batters and spinners as the game progresses but again, the trend of winning the toss and bowling first will continue as chasing teams have had an advantage here. No chance of rain is expected at the venue as the temperature would hover around 33 Degrees.

Interesting facts:

• In the IPL Sanju Samson has averaged 54.50 with a strike rate of 145.33 and Jos Buttler has averaged 43.00 with an unbelievable strike rate of 159.25) .
• Royals have the most successful IPL seamer and also spinner in the powerplays. No seamer has taken more power play wickets than Boult (21) and no spinner has taken more wickets in the phase than Ashwin (8).
• With Sunrisers retaining a similar fast-bowling unit to 2021,Padikkal has scored at a strike-rate of only 94.21 against SRH
• Boult and Krishna both last season went above 10 runs a over in the death overs
• Romario Shepherd picked up 18 wickets in 9 matches in the CPL.

Probable XI for SRH:

1 Rahul Tripathi, 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 5 Aiden Markram, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Marco Jansen/Romario Shepherd, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 T Natarajan, 11 Umran Malik

Probable XI for RR:

 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Jos Buttler, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Sanju Samson (capt, wk), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 James Neesham/Nathan Coulter-Nile, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Prasidh Krishna

Also read: Sensational Shami leads Gujarat Titans to 1st ever IPL win

Mumbai, Mar 27 (Cricket News) Lalit Yadav played the innings of his life with an unbeaten 48 while Axar Patel smashed 38 not out off just 17 balls as a depleted Delhi Capitals started their IPL campaign with a stunning four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians here on Sunday.

Chasing a challenging 178, Delhi were down 72 for 5 inside 10 overs but the lesser-known Delhi all-rounder Yadav stayed calm during his 38-ball unbeaten knock to take his side home.

India all-rounder Patel chipped in with a quick fire 17-ball 38 not out as DC overhauled the target with 10 balls to spare. Yadav smashed four boundaries and two sixes, while Patel had two hours and three maximums as the duo stitched a match-winning 75-run partnership from 30 balls for the seventh wicket.

After an ordinary day with the ball (4-0-40-0), Patel kept his best for the run chase after Delhi lost their key batters -- Prithvi Shaw (38), Rishabh Pant (1), Rovman Powell (0) -- cheaply.

Mumbai looked ordinary in their pace attack with Jasprit Bumrah returning wicketless (3.2-0-43-0).

They were also sloppy on the field as Patel made full use of his dropped catch by Daniel Sams on 15.

Sams also leaked 24 runs in the 18th over with Yadav hitting him for back-to-back four and six, while Patel hammered a monstrous six in the final ball to seal the chase, reaching 179 for 6 in 18.2 0vers.

With their star Australian recruit David Warner unavailable for initial few matches, Kiwi recruit Tim Seifert sizzled in his new opening role for Delhi.

He took on Bumrah up front, and lofted the India's pace spearhead over his head for a boundary. Seifert dished out another stunner against Bumrah, this time a lofted drive over cover in a shot that had class written all over it.

At the other end, Shaw started it off with a six off Basil Thampi as DC cruised to 30 in three overs.

Rohit introduced leg-spinner Murugan Ashwin (4-0-14-2) in the fourth over and that move paid dividends.

Ashwin deceived Seifert with a wrong one to clean up the Kiwi wicketkeeper-batter through the gate.

He next had Mandeep Singh in the space of one delivery with the batter gifting his wicket off a high full toss.

After Ashwin's twin breakthroughs, Thampi (4-0-35-3) rocked Delhi with his triple strikes -- Shaw, Rovman Powell and Shardul Thakur.

Earlier, wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan showed immense maturity as he anchored Mumbai innings to a fighting 177 for 5 with an unbeaten 81.

The 23-year-old opener, who became the most expensive buy of the IPL 2022 auction when MI bought him back for Rs 15.25 crore, proved his worth as he smashed 11 fours and two sixes in his 48-ball unbeaten knock.

After playing a second-fiddle to his skipper Rohit Sharma (41) inside the Power Play, Kishan came on his own to smash his third fifty in a row for MI, and 10th overall.

Delhi put on the brakes in the middle overs, riding on Kuldeep Yadav's fine bowling effort of 4-0-18-3 which included the prized wickets of Rohit and Kieron Pollard (3).

But Kishan held fort even as wickets fell around him before exploding in the death with Mumbai scoring 59 runs in the final five overs.

Mumbai debutant Tilak Varma also impressed in his 22 off 15 balls, but it was the Jharkhand batter who stepped on the gas in the death overs and also displayed a helicopter shot to prop up the total. 

Also Read : Punjab Kings win toss, opt to bowl against Royal Challengers Bangalore

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Mar 21 (Cricekt News) He has had his moments in IPL but Karun Nair, one of the only two triple centurions for India in Test cricket, has not quite gone on to become a T20 mainstay.

Not that his Test career took off in the manner it was expected to after the monumental 303 against England in 2016.

As far as IPL is concerned, being asked to play different roles at different teams did not help his cause, Nair reasoned.

Despite having had a great start to his IPL career, scoring 330 runs for Rajasthan Royals at a strike rate of 142.24 in 2014, and having played for a few more franchises subsequently, Nair has been unlucky when it comes to establishing himself as a mainstay in T20 cricket.

Smiling, Nair on Monday explained why he could not attain a high degree of success in the shortest format.

"In my opinion, the reason behind that is that I've never been the kind of a main player in a team in T20 cricket. If you see, whenever I score runs, there's someone else who scores better in the same match (laughs)," Nair said in a press release issued by his IPL franchise, Rajasthan Royals.

"...But I'm not really bothered about that at all -- all I care about and why I play matches is to help the team win." "On a more serious note, why people don't see me as a T20 specialist is because I've been asked to play different kind of roles over the years, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But I'm hoping to have a great season with the Royals and just focus on whatever I'm told to do," Nair added.

Having had a strong relationship with Rajasthan Royals over the past few years, batter Nair is back in the RR camp for IPL 2022 and is looking forward to contributing to the team's success.

"Obviously a lot of things have changed since when I was here (at the Royals) first, but this team always feels like home to me. We have a well-balanced side, and I'm enjoying getting to know all the guys here.

"It's an exciting phase in the history of this franchise and I'm looking forward to playing an exciting brand of cricket, which I know the Royals always strive to do," said 30-year-old Nair, who has also recently become a father.

Having played with Royals' skipper Sanju Samson before in the IPL, Nair is excited to play with his "good friend".

"I've always loved playing with Sanju so I can't wait to reconnect with him on the ground. We've had some really good partnerships over the years and I'm really happy to know Sanju, along with Kumar (Sangakkara) and Zubin (Bharucha), have shown the faith in me to bring me back into the team." Nair's teammate at Rajasthan Royals, spinner KC Cariappa is also chuffed to be playing alongside the phenomenal Ravichandran Ashwin in the upcoming IPL, viewing it as an opportunity to learn as much as possible from the veteran tweaker.

This time at RR, Cariappa will also have India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for company.

Cariappa, who has spent the last two seasons with the franchise, is looking forward to working with two of India's leading spinners.

"I've known Yuzi for a long time and have enjoyed interacting with him over the years. Whereas, with a legend like Ashwin bhai in the team, it's a great thing for me to learn and improve my bowling by taking inputs from him," said Cariappa.

"It's obviously good to be back at the Royals -- my second home. There's a new feeling around the camp, which is obviously also down to the fact that we've got a solid team," added the 27-year-old from Karnataka. 

Also Read : Worked on few new shots during rehab at NCA, you might see few cheeky shots in IPL: Shubman Gill

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Mar 17 (Cricket News) Rajasthan Royals director of cricket and head coach Kumar Sangakkara believes they have a "very competent" squad at their disposal to script a turnaround after three dismal IPL seasons.

Rajasthan finished 7th, 8th and 7th in the last three seasons. The IPL's upcoming edition begins on March 26.

"We know we had quite a bit of work to do in the off-season with regards to our team. I think we managed to identify the key areas which needed our attention and having had a proper process when it comes to selecting players at the auction, we managed to kind of hit the markers that we set for ourselves," said the Sri Lankan legend in a team statement.

"I think the franchise has done an amazing job to put this exciting and strong squad together," he added.

Commenting on the make-up of his squad, Sangakkara said the presence of Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin will make a huge difference.

"We've got the two best spinners in the IPL in terms of off-spin and leg-spin in Chahal and Ashwin. We have Boult, Prasidh, Saini, Coulter-Nile, McCoy, which makes up for a very exciting pace unit supported by of course the retentions of Yashasvi, Samson and Buttler.

"We have secured depth in every department, with Neesham, Mitchell and van der Dussen being exciting cricketers. We've got some really exciting and young cricketers from India as well. The main thing is that we have a very competent side. We tried to get the core right and get the right players for the roles.

"But now, the main thing irrespective of what the squad is, is actual match performance on the field, and how we can give everyone the freedom to go out there and perform," expressed Sangakkara.

Asked what the team learned from last season's disappointing second part of the campaign, Kumar said, "I think there were a lot of different reasons for that, not just one or two.

"Whether it was player availability, split tournament, bigger break, and not the best of match performances in terms of batting or bowling. But that is all in the past now, and that's why the squad has changed." Explaining the additions of his compatriot Lasith Malinga and Paddy Upton to the Royals' coaching staff, the former Sri Lankan captain added: "My job really is to add value to the franchise through myself or through people that I would recommend.

"It's first about what value that person brings and how constantly they can help us improve. It's pretty obvious for everyone to see the standards of both Lasith and Paddy. They've had stellar careers with their respective teams in their jobs and can prove to be vital elements in our quest for the title." He also paid tribute to former Royals captain Shane Warne, who passed away earlier this month.

"He's a great loss for the cricket world, a great loss for cricketers around the world, because he was such an approachable guy, who had great knowledge. He was a very good friend, and I really enjoyed my time with him, the conversations we used to have. I think everyone will miss him."

Also Read : Captain Rishabh Pant, Axar and others join Delhi Capitals squad

News Source : PTI

Jaipur, Mar 16 (Cricket News) Excited to share the dressing room with Ravichandran Ashwin, young Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Riyan Parag said he wants to "pick the brains" of the ace Indian off-spinner in the upcoming IPL.

Ashwin has been one of the star additions to RR's squad as he was bought by the inaugural IPL champions for Rs 5 crore after an aggressive bidding war with Delhi Captials.

Playing his fourth season for the Royals, the 20-year-old Parag said he is eagerly looking forward to work with Ashwin.

"That will definitely be Ashwin... If not the best ever, he's like one of the best off-spinners going around in the world," said Parag, a spin bowling all-rounder said in a release issued by his franchise.

"I'll definitely try to carry a red ball with me in the tournament so that I can get a few tips.

"But even with the white ball, I think if I can pick his brains on the varieties and all the mysteries. I think my white-ball bowling is going to be much better after the season," he added.

The all-rounder from Guwahati already has 30 IPL matches under his belt, and is ready to make the most of his fourth season in the league.

"I started my IPL journey at the Royals, and I'm delighted that I was bought back. I know there were four teams involved in the bidding and it was nice to see that because that means I've been doing something right," said Parag, who was bought back By RR for Rs 3.80 crore.

The youngster, who has recently appeared in his graduation exams, said he always wanted to return to the Royals squad.

"Why this team means so much to me is because of the very family vibe, where everyone takes care of you, everyone is very friendly and approachable," he said while quarantining ahead of the season.

In the recent Ranji Trophy, the Assam cricketer scored 293 from six innings at an average of 48.83 with his highest being 91 (vs Uttar Pradesh). He also took seven wickets at an average of 24.42.

But Parag conceded that it was an "average" domestic season going by the standard he has set for himself.

"I missed a few 100s, I think I was in good nick and was batting well. In terms of bowling too, I got my first five-for.

"So yes, there is still huge scope for improvement. The focus now is on prepping up for the IPL as I've played less white ball cricket in the last month or so, but a few sessions of good practice should help in preparing," he said.

The youngster hopes to finish more matches for his franchise in the upcoming IPL.

"I think a lot of people will tell you this, the role that I play is the toughest one in T20 cricket, batting at 6 or 7, finishing off games.

"I know I haven't produced as many performances as I would have liked, but I think now I understand myself much better as a player and understand what my strengths are. So, I hope it's going to be my year," Parag signed off. 

Also Read : Women's WC: Inconsistent India suffer second defeat, lose to England by 4 wickets

News Source : PTI

Bengaluru, Mar 14 (Cricket News) India captain Rohit Sharma on Monday said Shreyas Iyer had big shoes to fill following the axing of stalwarts like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane but he grabbed the opportunity with both hands in the Test series against Sri Lanka and will only get better with more opportunities.

India swept the two-match series against the islanders 2-0 on Monday with a 238-run win in the second Test here. Iyer, who replaced Rahane in the eleven, scored a fine 92 and 67 in a low-scoring game. Hanuma Vihari replaced Pujara at number three.

Other star performers of the series were Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin. Rohit said he is mighty pleased with what they brought to the table.

"It's been a good run, and I have enjoyed it personally and as a team. We wanted to achieve a few things as a team, and we have done that," said Rohit, who led India for the first time in Tests.

On the individual performances, he said, "We have seen Jadeja grow as a batter, and he seems to get better and better. He strengthens the team, and he's also improving as a bowler. And he's a gun fielder, so he is a complete package.

"Shreyas just carried on from where he left off in the T20 series against Sri Lanka. He seemed to carry that form into the Test series.

"He knew he was stepping into the big shoes of guys like Rahane and Pujara, but he has everything that he requires. He will be better now when he starts travelling.

"Rishabh seems to get better with each game that he plays. Especially in these conditions. We saw it in the England series (last year) and now. A couple of catches and stumpings showed how confident he is." Ashwin became the first bowler to take 100 wickets in the World Test Championship and Rohit said the seasoned performer has delivered every time the ball has been thrown at him.

"(On Ashwin) It was personally my feeling (that he is an all-time great). Whenever we give him the ball, he comes up with match-winning performances. He's got a lot of years left in him. We have lots of occasions to look forward to.

"I have to ensure he's in a good mind space. Pink-ball Tests are challenging. We never knew what it was like to play with the pink ball in India, but we are learning to make those adjustments. The crowd just makes it more special," said Rohit.

Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne scored a fine hundred on Monday but his team failed to compete in the two-match series. He acknowledged the shortcomings.

"I would have been happier if we had won the match. Once I got in, I knew I could get a big one. As a team, we know we are a decent team. We didn't get enough good starts to capitalise. And as a bowling unit, we gave too many loose balls," Karunaratne said.

"(On Suranga Lakmal) One of the best I have see in my career. I am very happy for him that he's going to county cricket and I know he will do very well there as well." Player of the Series Pant added: "As a cricketer you want to evolve. In the past, I have made a few mistakes, but I want to keep improving...it was a difficult pitch and I decided I had to attack the bowling early on.

Pant said his keeping is also improving thanks to his growing confidence.

"I think it's more about confidence. I used to think too much about what I might miss. Now I am focusing on my process." 

Also Read : India complete 2-0 series sweep against Sri Lanka (Second and final Test)

News Source : PTI

Bengaluru, Mar 14 (Cricket News) India hammered Sri Lanka by 238 runs in the second and final Test here on Monday to complete a 2-0 series whitewash.

Resuming the third day at 28 for one, Sri Lanka ended their second innings at 208 all out after captain Dimuth Karunaratne scored a fine 107.

Pacer Jasprit Bumrah (3/23) and spinner R Ashwin (4/55) shared seven wickets among themselves for India. Sri Lanka had reached 151 for 4 at tea while chasing a mammoth target of 447 runs.

Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis (54) shared 97 runs for the second wicket.

Brief Scores: India: 252 and 303 for 9 declared.

Sri Lanka: 109 and 208 all out in 59.3 overs (Dimuth Karunaratne 107, Kusal Mendis 54; R Ashwin 4/55, Jasprit Bumrah 3/23). 

Also Read : Close-knit, family-oriented structure makes you feel safe in MI: Archer

News Source : PTI

Bengaluru, Mar 14 (Cricket News) Sri Lanka were 151 for 4 at tea on the third day while chasing a mammoth target of 447 runs to win the second Test against India here on Monday.

Captain Dimuth Karunaratne (67 not out) and Kusal Mendis (54) shared 97 runs for the second wicket before Sri Lanka lost tree wickets in quick succession.

At the break, Niroshan Dickwella (10 not out) was giving Karunaratne company at the crease with the visitors still needing 296 more runs for an unlikely win.

Ravichandran Ashwin picked up two wickets in the opening session of the day, while Ravindra Jadeja accounted for the other visiting batter as Sri Lanka added 123 runs to their overnight score.

India are leading the two-match Test series 1-0 after winning the first game by an innings and 222 runs.

Brief Scores: India: 252 and 303 for 9 declared.

Sri Lanka: 109 and 151 for 4 in 39 overs (Dimuth Karunaratne 67 batting, Kusal Mendis 54; R Ashwin 2/40). 

Also Read : All-round South Africa beat England to register hat-trick of wins in ICC Women's WC

News Source : PTI

 

Mohali, Mar 6 (Cricket News) Ravindra Jadeja stood tall with his all-round brilliance as he complemented his unbeaten 175 with nine wickets in India's innings and 222-run win against a Sri Lankan team that looked anything but Test class in a match that ended inside three days.

After being bowled out for 174 in the first innings, Sri Lanka, who lost 16 wickets on the day, were dismissed for 178 in their second essay. In the first innings, they were one short of Jadeja's individual score and in the second they were three more, which speaks about their plight.

India lead the two-match series 1-0, and will like to gain full 24 points from the rubber by winning the Pink Ball Test in Bengaluru, starting March 12.

The match as a contest was over on the first day when India scored 357 and then piled on Sri Lanka's misery with Jadeja toying with a depleted bowling attack.

It is after 60 years that an Indian has scored 150 runs and taken five wickets in an innings. Vinoo Mankad, in 1952 against England at Lord's, and Polly Umrigarh in 1962 versus West Indies at Delhi, are the other owners of this rare feat.

If that wasn't enough, India got as many as 16 wickets on the third day to wrap up the match with a cumulative bowling effort of 125 overs across two innings.

Jadeja (175 not out, 5/41 and 4/46) made the match his own while Ravichandran Ashwin (4/47 in 21 overs) also had a satisfying run, replacing Kapil Dev (434 in 131 games) as India's second highest wicket-taker with 436 victims. He is now only behind Anil Kumble's 619 scalps.

One of the contemporary greats, Ashwin achieved the feat in his 85th Test match compared to Kapil's 131 games.

While the generations and the conditions between the times of Kapil and Ashwin can't be compared and more so because they possessed different skill-sets but, based on pure numbers, the Tamil Nadu man's achievement is phenomenal.

Such was the regularity of getting wickets that there was hardly any cause for celebrations and excitement as it seemed a foregone conclusion.

There was no stomach for a fight by this Sri Lankan team and some of the players, like old guard Angelo Mathews and the controversial Niroshan Dickwella (first innings dismissal), seemed primarily disinterested during their stay at the crease.

The wicket had its bit of turn and uneven bounce but nothing much to trouble the batters, but the Lankans made a heavy weather during their two stints, making both Jadeja and Ashwin look more menacing than they actually were.

In fact none of the Lankan batters could understand which of Jadeja's delivery will be a straighter one and which ones will turn. The mess in their minds caused mess in their approach too.

While the World Test Championships have added a context to every series, lopsided matches against teams who aren't skilled enough to compete for long periods of time makes it a bad advertisement for Test cricket.

After Rohit Sharma asked Sri Lanka to follow-on after dismissing them for 174, 400 runs adrift of India's first-innings score of 574 for eight, the visitors were in trouble again after Lahiru Thirimanne became Ashwin's 433rd victim.

Post lunch, it was first-innings half-centurion Pathum Nissanka whose outside edge to a delivery that didn't turn much, was snapped by Rishabh Pant to complete a memorable feat for Ashwin.

In between, Mohammed Shami got Dimuth Karunaratne (27) to edge one to Pant, who took a low diving catch, while Ravindra Jadeja got his sixth scalp of the game by removing Dhananjaya de Silva (30).

Mathews (27 batting) and Charith Asalanka (20 batting) hit some lusty blows to entertain the Sunday crowd.

Earlier, Jadeja's superb all-round show helped the hosts end Sri Lanka's first innings in the first session itself.

Virat Kohli's 100th Test and Rohit Sharma's first game as skipper turned out to be Jadeja's match as his 5 for 41 in 13 overs had the islanders crashing in just 45 overs.

Worse, Sri Lanka lost six wickets for 13 runs as they were 161 for four after the first hour, with Pathum Nissanka (61 no off 133 balls) and Charith Asalank adding 58 runs.

It all changed after Jasprit Bumrah (2/36 in 14 overs) got one to straighten and trapped Asalanka leg-before.

The batters who came in after that didn't show enough application to stick around and some of the shot selections, to say the least, were atrocious.

Dickwella's (2) slog sweep off Jadeja was the most indiscreet as he top-edged it to Shreyas Iyer at square leg.

Suranga Lakmal survived a DRS but soon jumped out to only offer a skier to Ashwin and then it was just a matter of time before their first innings folded.

Ashwin (2/49) and Mohammed Shami (1/27) also got their names on the wickets column with the islanders not even looking like being in the context. 

Also Read : Sri Lanka reach 120/4 at tea against India on day three

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Feb 19 (Cricket News) White-ball skipper Rohit Sharma was on Saturday officially named captain of the Indian Test team for the upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka, starting March 4.

Senior batsmen Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, who are battling poor form, were dropped.

Senior wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha and experienced pacer Ishant Sharma were also left out of the Tests as the All India senior selection committee named squads for the Sri Lanka series.

Sri Lanka's tour will begin with a three-match T20 series starting February 24 and will be followed by the five-day matches from March 4.

Rookie Uttar Pradesh left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar was the only new face in the 18-member squad.

Ahead of the T20 series, the selection committee, headed by Chetan Sharma, decided to give Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant a break, while Shardul Thakur was rested for the entire Sri Lanka series.

Meanwhile, Washington Sudar and KL Rahul were ruled out of the entire series.

Ravichandran Ashwin will be available subject to his fitness, while Axar Patel is still recovering and is expected to be fit for the second Test.

"The selection committee deliberated a lot on Rahane and Pujara. We told them we will not consider them against Sri Lanka but doors are open for them. We told them to go and play Ranji Trophy," Selection Committee chairman Chetan Sharma told reporters during a virtual press conference.

India Test squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, KS Bharat, R Ashwin (fitness), Ravi Jadeja, Jayant Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Saurabh Kumar.

India T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Bhuveshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Mohammad Siraj, Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan. 

Also Read : India win last over thriller against West Indies to seal T20 series

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Feb 19 (Cricket News) The BCCI has given Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant a 10-day break, following which they left the Indian team's bio-bubble for their respective homes before Sunday's third T20 International against the West Indies.

Both Kohli and Pant hit attractive half-centuries in Team India's series-clinching win in the second T20I in Kolkata on Friday.

As reported by PTI, Kohli and also Pant will not be playing in the three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka beginning on February 24 in Lucknow, followed by two more games at Dharamsala on February 26 and 27.

"Yes, Kohli and Pant both had left home on Saturday morning as India have already won the series.

"As it has been decided by BCCI, it will be a policy to give all the regular all format players periodic breaks from the bubble to ensure that their workload management and mental health is taken care of," a senior BCCI official privy to the development told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

The Indian team for the Sri Lanka series will be picked later in the day.

For both Kohli and the flamboyant Pant, Test cricket is of prime importance and both will be back for the two matches against Sri Lanka in Mohali (March 4-8) and Bengaluru (March 12-16) respectively.

Test specialists like Mayank Agarwal, R Ashwin, Hanuma Vihari will all enter the bubble in Chandigarh at the end of the month along with Kohli and Pant.

The match at Mohali will be Kohli's landmark 100th Test and the BCCI wants him to be fit and fresh for the momentous occasion.

Both Kohli and Pant have played most of the games from the start of the South Africa tour.

Kohli has so far played two Tests, 6 ODI and two T20 Internationals since the start of the away tour against South Africa. He had missed one Test match due to back spasm and played all the games since the third Test in South Africa.

Pant, on his part, played three Tests, six ODIs and two T20 Internationals and was also in need of a bubble break having constantly played post his two-Test break against New Zealand in early December.

"It's never easy playing continuously with bubbles but when I started playing, this is what I wanted to do," Pant said at the post-match presentation ceremony after winning the Man of the Match award on Friday.

Senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has a good chance of being Rohit Sharma's deputy although the selectors may not name anyone.

Pant and Kohli's absence also opens two slots in the batting order where two among Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda and Ruturaj Gaikwad will be fitted in.

Skipper Rohit Sharma is currently playing as he he had a month and half break during the South Africa series.

However, the India players might be given exemption from the bubble-to-bubble transfer post March 16 as there is an 11-day gap between the end of Sri Lanka series and the start of the Indian Premier League.

There is a good possibility that all India players will get at least five days off before they join their IPL team bubble which will continue for nearly eight weeks. 

Also Read : We plan to try out as many options as possible before T20 World Cup: Pant

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 24 (Cricket News) India off-spinner R Ashwin on Monday said former Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor's stunning disclosure about being blackmailed into accepting money for spot-fixing by an Indian businessman should be a cautionary tale for all and it's important to simply "fold and leave table" when the other option is "bet".

In an explosive revelation on Monday, Taylor said he is facing a multi-year ban from the ICC for failing to report a corrupt approach by an Indian businessman in 2019.

"Spread the awareness!! Most times the hand dealt to us at the poker table gives us an option to bet or fold!! Its important to fold and leave the table! All strength to Brendan and his family," Ashwin tweeted.

Taylor claimed that he was invited by the businessman to India to discuss "sponsorships" and potential launch of a T20 event in Zimbabwe besides an offer of USD 15,000 in October 2019. He did not name the businessman in question.

The 35-year-old, who played 205 ODIs, 34 Tests and 45 T20s before retiring last year, now expects the ICC to ban him for not reporting the incident back then. The game's governing body is yet to comment on the matter.

Taylor said he was also given a part payment to spot fix matches.

"I was handed the USD 15,000 but was told this was now a 'deposit' for spot fixing and that an additional USD 20,000 would be paid once the 'job' was complete.

"I took the money so I could get on a plane and leave India. I felt I had no choice at the time because saying no was clearly not an option. All I knew was I had to get out of there.

"When I returned home, the stress of what had taken place severely impacted my mental and physical health. I was a mess. I was diagnosed with shingles and prescribed strong anti-psychotic medication - amitriptyline," he said.

Taylor then decided to report the matter to the ICC four months later and said he delayed it to protect his family. 

Also Read : My performance in T20 WC win against India was most memorable: Shaheen Afridi

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 22 (Cricket News) Indian team's strategy is expected to undergo paradigm shift with some players getting a subtle yet stern message to lift their games as they face an embarrassing possibility of a clean sweep against South Africa in the third ODI, here on Sunday.

India's strategy looked completely out of sync with modern day white ball game as the batters failed to keep the momentum in the middle overs and more importantly the bowlers, save Jasprit Bumrah, looked club class and without ideas of getting breakthroughs.

In two matches, India have been only able to pick up seven wickets -- four in the first game when Proteas batted first and only three in the second.

Ravichandran Ashwin and especially Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the two senior-most bowlers looked far from threatening and the young Proteas batters like Rassie van der Dussen, Janneman Malan along with seniors like Quinton de Kock have feasted on the pedestrian stuff dished out by them.

With the two having flopped completely, it needs to be seen whether Rahul Dravid, the man who is currently calling all the shots as far as tactics is concerned, takes a dim view and at least try out Jayant Yadav and Deepak Chahar in the next game which would lend some freshness to the attack.

Worse, the first two games were played on a Boland Park strip that didn't have a lot of pace and bounce and even skipper KL Rahul admitted that conditions were more familiar with what they get back home, compared to what they are used to getting in South Africa.

However at Newlands, there will be more pace and bounce on the track and the Indian team that has been perennially struggling would want to avoid the ignominy of a 0-3 loss.

For skipper Rahul, the whole tour, save his match-winning hundred in the first Test, has been a nightmare. Although he is being seen as a long-term future leader, there hasn't been any spark whatsoever in his leadership that would make anyone sit up and feel that he is the one cut out for the job.

There hasn't been any tactical improvisations in the two games so far which would inspire confidence in his leadership abilities.

Add to that, his own style of batting at the top of the order is outdated in modern ODIs and his inability to rotate the strike for the better part is also creating pressure on the later batters, who aren't as adept at maneuvering the strike.

It is a foregone conclusion that once Rohit Shara is back in action, Rahul will lose his spot at the top of the order with Shikhar Dhawan scoring runs and at a better clip compared to his younger partner.

Virat Kohli's energy missing in Rahul ================== Virat Kohli may have scored 51 in the first game but what is visible is his lack of energy on the field having been sacked from ODI captaincy.

He is doing his routines without getting too involved. While it is fair that he wants Rahul to grow into the job somewhere the infectious energy that he brings into the field and which normally rubs off on other younger players has been missing in the two games.

Rahul would do well to imbibe some of it from his former captain.

'Mr' and 'Mr' Iyer ============= The two Iyers -- Shreyas in batting and Venkatesh as an all-rounder haven't yet set the stage on fire and the main problem has been their inability to force the pace in the middle overs.

England became a solid ODI outfit by scoring consistently in the middle overs and this young South African team has also followed that template in the series which is missing in Indian game.

In all, massive improvement required in order to be competitive.

India: KL Rahul (captain), Jasprit Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, Md. Siraj, Jayant Yadav, Navdeep Saini.

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Keshav Maharaj, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Zubayr Hamza, Marco Jansen, Janneman Malan, Sisanda Magala, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne.

Match starts 2 PM IST. 

Also Read : Shreyas, Chahal, Warner expected to be top draws in IPL mega auction next month

News Source : PTI

Paarl, Jan 22 (Cricket News) South Africa batter Janneman Malan was all praise for senior opener Quinton De Kock, whose attacking batting at the onset made it easier for him during the the middle over during their seven-wicket chase.

"Quinton made it easy for me at the start. I just tried to give him as much strike as possible because I just wanted to let him go do his thing. He played a couple of ridiculous shots, which are good signs," said Malan, who hit 91 as South Africa chased down 288 to take a winning lead in the second ODI of the three-match series against India here on Friday.

"He is one of the best batters in the world when he gets going, so it was good to bat with him," the right-handed opener said of the flamboyant De Kock, who hammered a quickfire 78 (66 balls, 7 fours, 3 sixes) to put South Africa on the road to victory.

Steady partnership became key =================== The ability of the Proteas batters to put in partnerships of significance, Malan, who hit 8 boundaries and 1 six in his 91, said was also a factor in their successes in this series.

"We were happy to have two hundreds in the previous game, and maybe we could have had me or Quinny getting to a hundred here, but I'm very proud of the partnerships we had," said Malan, who had a 80-run stand with his skipper Temba Bavuma.

"We had a hundred partnership and two 50 partnerships, which means the batters are coming in with good plans and good intent and building nice partnerships to make it easier for each other. So...very good signs," he added.

Not concerned about Mark Boucher 'racism' controversy =================================== Asked if the issue of head coach Mark Boucher being accused of racism and being charged with 'gross misconduct' in the findings of the Social Justice and Nation Building report was a distraction, Malan said it was not the case, adding "I just tried to focus on the game and playing for everyone on the team and the country." "I don't wanna sound ignorant or uninterested...It is an important series... for me, I just tried to focus on the game and playing for everyone on the team and the country," he added.

To a question as to how it felt to face the India attack which included the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin among others, Malan said, "a guy like me, have seen them bowl in IPL, international games and it is good to get game time against them.

"It is kind of a challenge for me to do so in the first and second games...It is not the best bowling conditions, it is a slowish wicket. They are a world class team and bowlers, it is good to get a challenge against them," he added. 

Also Read : They batted better than us in middle overs but not having played lot of ODIs was also a factor: Pant

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Jan 20 (Cricket News) The flamboyant Rohit Sharma featured as opener, Rishabh Pant as wicketkeeper and R Ashwin as the lone specialist spinner in the ICC men's 'Test Team of the Year' but no Indian player was included in the global body's ODI XI for 2021.

After going unrepresented in the ICC men's 'T20 Team of the Year' due to a disastrous World Cup campaign in the UAE, it was no surprise to see the Indians miss out in the apex body's ODI side as well after playing just six matches, even as the list featured two players from minnows Ireland.

India, the world number one in Tests, however have three representatives in the year's best team for the game's longest format, with New Zealand talisman Kane Williamson as its skipper.

Overall, India played 14 Tests in 2021 and managed to win eight out of them. They lost three Tests last year, including the heart-breaking defeat in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand.

Rohit, who was recently elevated as India's white-ball captain as Virat Kohli's successor, cracked 906 runs in the calendar year at an average of 47.68 with two centuries.

Both of Rohit's centuries were memorable knocks in contrasting conditions against England -- one in Chennai and the other in overcast conditions away from home at the Oval.

Pant, who established himself as India's first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in all the three formats, scored 748 runs in 12 matches at an average of 39.36 with one memorable ton against England at Ahmedabad. He also accounted for 39 dismissals in 23 innings, with his glovework continuing to improve.

The seasoned Ashwin scalped 54 wickets in nine matches at an average of 16.64, making a big impact in the home series against England and New Zealand. He also chipped in with 355 runs at an average of 25.35, which included a vital century against England in Chennai.

Besides the Indian trio and Williamson, the ICC Test team has one Sri Lankan in Dimuth Karunaratne, one Australian in Marnus Labuschagne, England captain Joe Root, New Zealand's Kyle Jamison and three Pakistanis in Fawad Alam, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Afridi.

Leading the 2021 ICC Test Team of the Year, Williamson was an influential captain for New Zealand, leading them to glory at the inaugural World Test Championship Final against India in Southampton.

He was also steady with the bat, scoring 395 runs in 4 matches at an average of 65.83 with one century.

Besides the absence of India players, the ODI team also doesn't have anyone from Australia, English, New Zealand or West Indies.

The team, which has Pakistan's Babar Azam as its captain, has two of his team-mates, including Fakhar Zaman.

South Africans Janneman Malan and Rassie van der Dussen, Bangladeshis Shakib Al Hasan, Mustafizur Rahaman and Mushfiqur Rahim, who is also the designated wicketkeeper, Sri Lankans Wanindu Hasaranga and Dishmantha Chameera along with Irishmen Paul Stirling and Simi Singh form the rest of the squad.

India, in the year 2021, played six ODIs and won four while losing two.

The non-selection of Indian players in the XI is more to do with lack of matches rather than poor show since they have won both the series that they played in 2021.

The only Indian player who has played all the ODI matches in 2021 is veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan, who had 297 runs from six games.

The likes of Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma only played three ODIs in 2021 and ditto for premier bowlers, who also didn't play all the six games.

Buvneshwar Kumar was there in five of those six games with his tally of wickets not in double digits (9 from 5 matches).

In order to make it to the team of the year, there has to be enough impactful performances to earn points which Indians didn't have.

Ireland's Stirling had a whopping 705 runs in 14 ODIs in 2021 with an average of 79.66 which made him an automatic selection.

Proteas opener Janneman has scored 509 runs in 8 games with an average of nearly 85.

Babar, who has played least among the 11 players, also has 405 runs in six games with two hundreds while team-mate Zaman has 369 runs in the year. 

Also Read : ICC ODI men's Team of The Year: After T20s, no Indians in this one too

News Source : PTI

Paarl (South Africa), Jan 20 (Cricket News) KL Rahul will have to show drastically improved leadership acumen when he leads India against a buoyant South African side in the second ODI on Thursday, with the three-match series and his long-term Test captaincy ambitions both at stake.

Rahul was at best mediocre in terms of "on-your-feet-thinking", something that's basic to art of captaincy, and also didn't look the part with the bat in a deflating 31-run defeat in the opening ODI where India were outplayed for the better part of the game.

The middle-order, which had been a problem since Virat Kohli's heady days as captain, is still sticking out like a sore thumb and no one knows what exactly the solution is.

Once again, it was a case of one opener -- Shikhar Dhawan on this occasion -- and the indomitable Kohli holding fort before the middle-order caved in on a slower pitch where there was turn and the ball gripped, making a run-of-the-mill seamer Andile Phehlukwayo look formidable.

South Africa crushed India both strategically as well as on skills and therein lay serious questions about Rahul's wares as captain.

The most dominant query was what exactly was Venkatesh Iyer doing in the team if he was not bowling at least four to five overs as the sixth bowler when Yuzvendra Chahal and Shardul Thakur were being taken to the cleaners by Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma? If Venkatesh is playing as a specialist batter at No.6 then why not use Suryakumar Yadav, who is more experienced with a better range of strokes under pressure? The next question that arose was whether Rahul spoke to Chahal or Ashwin when Van der Dussen and Bavuma started playing the sweep shots -- both conventional and reverse sweep on a good batting strip.

There wasn't a singular inspired bowling change unlike Proteas who introduced Aiden Markram's off-breaks first-up and bottled up the Indian skipper.

When India batted, the game was lost at the halfway stage once Dhawan and Kohli were out in quick succession following their 90-plus stand. Suddenly, the strip where batting looked easy became difficult.

Shreyas Iyer's well-documented struggles against the short ball were again exposed on the day and the Mumbaikar would know that a place in the Indian playing XI comes at a premium and he can't go on wasting chances like a millionaire.

But going by Rahul Dravid's template, he would get his share of chances.

On a slow track, where rotating the strike is a must, the likes of Rishabh Pant and the two Iyers will have to play a bigger role.

Similarly, Shardul Thakur, despite his fifty which came when the match as a contest was over and there was no pressure of a target, will have to measure up as a bowler which is his primary skill.

Going for 70 plus runs in his 10-over spell with too many loose balls didn't help the team's cause and even Bhuvneshwar Kumar looked insipid on his return to the national playing eleven after the tour of Sri Lanka.

The difference between the two sides was how the spinners fared -- Ashwin and Chahal in their combined 20 overs gave away 106 runs for a single wicket while Markram, Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj bowled 26 overs between them for 124 runs and snared four wickets between them.

"It was a sort of wicket that we get back home. It was not a typical South African wicket. There was turn (on offer) in the wicket, and the ball was also keeping straight, so it wasn't easy for the new batsmen to score runs," senior batter Dhawan had said after the match.

"The plan of the set batsmen was to take it deep, but unfortunately I got out on the ball which turned a lot and I didn't expect that, but yes that happens," he said.

Test captaincy is a different ball-game compared to white ball but Rahul only knows too well that when it comes to decision-making, the top brass will fall back on references they have.

And a series defeat against South Africa isn't going to do his case any good unless the head coach is bent on trying to make a leader out of him.

Squads India: KL Rahul (captain), Jasprit Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, Md. Siraj, Jayant Yadav, Navdeep Saini.

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Keshav Maharaj, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Zubayr Hamza, Marco Jansen, Janneman Malan, Sisanda Magala, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne.

Match starts 2 PM IST. 

Also Read : Tough times made me stronger but needed calm and clarity: Shikhar Dhawan

News Source : PTI

Paarl (South Africa), Jan 18 (Cricket News) The mighty Virat Kohli's presence in the Indian playing eleven as a mere player for the first time in seven years will be keenly followed while his potential successor in red-ball cricket, K L Rahul, will be judged for his captaincy in the three-match ODI series against South Africa beginning here on Wednesday.

Whether he is batting in the middle or fielding at the boundary line, Kohli's every move is tracked but some of that attention will now have to be shared by Rahul.

More importantly, will he be at his usual animated best on the field or will the cricketing world see a rather subdued Kohli after his stunning resignation from Test captaincy brought an end to his innings as official leader of the team across formats? He did not want to leave ODI captaincy after relinquishing the role in the shortest format and it led to a war of words with the BCCI on how the entire matter was handled.

His supporters and Indian cricket in general will be hoping that Kohli has put his differences with the BCCI firmly behind him and come Wednesday, he starts a new innings with his willow doing most of the talking. A highly desired century after two years would be cherry on top.

Rahul, who is leading the side in the absence of an injured Rohit Sharma, is expected to turn to Kohli for advice during the series. Not only Kohli has a major role to play as a batter, but as vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah said on the eve of the series, the star "will always be a leader" in the team.

With the new leadership and support staff, India will look to win the series with one eye on preparations for the 2023 World Cup and also make up for the disappointment of unexpectedly going down in the Tests last week.

The last time a full strength India played an ODI series was at home against England in March before a second string squad travelled to Sri Lanka in July.

Rahul batted in the middle-order against England but it remains to be seen if he moves back to the top alongside Shikhar Dhawan.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, who made the squad following an exceptional domestic season, might have to wait longer for his ODI debut.

It will be crucial three games for the seasoned Dhawan, who has already lost his place in the T20 side.

The southpaw has thrived under pressure in the past and will be looking to solidify his position as the first-choice opener alongside Rohit when the latter returns from injury.

Kohli will bat at his usual number three spot while there will be a toss-up between Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer for the number four position.

Rishabh Pant is expected to come at number five while Venkatesh Iyer is likely to make his 50-over debut as the all-rounder at six, having shown promise in the T20s against New Zealand.

The two spinners likely to play are Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin, who has made a comeback after more than four years.

Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will share the load in the pace department while for the third pace option, the management could pick Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur or Prasidh Krishna.

Mohammad Siraj, who injured his hamstring during the Test series, is also fit as suggested by Bumrah on Monday.

On the previous tour, India hammered the hosts 5-1 in ODIs and they will draw confidence from that.

South Africa will be in high spirits after a memorable victory in the five-day format.

Skipper Temba Bavuma played a few crucial in the preceding Tests and he will carry that confidence into his batting as well as his leadership.

Quinton de Kock, who retired from Test cricket after the series opener against India, starts his life as a white-ball only player.

Tall left-arm pacer Marco Jansen, who excelled in his maiden Test series, is expected to trouble the Indian batters with his extra bounce and variations in the short format after earning a maiden call-up.

If Tests were any indication, the ODIs would be an intensely-fought affair.

Squads: India: KL Rahul (captain), Jasprit Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, Md. Siraj, Jayant Yadav, Navdeep Saini.

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Keshav Maharaj, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Zubayr Hamza, Marco Jansen, Janneman Malan, Sisanda Magala, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne.

Match starts 2 PM IST. 

Also Read : Ben Stokes opts out of IPL auctions to stay fresh for English home summer: Reports

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 17 (Badminton News) Newly-crowned India Open champion Lakshya Sen on Monday pulled out of the Syed Modi International Super 300 tournament after feeling "exhausted" following his participation in back-to-back tournaments since October last year.

The 20-year-old from Uttarakhand had stunned world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in the finals to clinch his maiden Super 500 crown at the season-opening India Open on Sunday.

"Since completing the India Open 2022 tournament in Delhi last night, I am feeling very exhausted and suffering from tiredness. In these circumstances, I am afraid I will not be able to do justice to my participation in the event," Sen said in his letter to the organisers.

"Therefore, after consulting my coaches, my physios and family, I have decided it would be best for me to withdraw from the Syed Modi International 2022 tournament so that I can take some much needed rest and recuperate, before I start training in earnest for the upcoming events from March onwards,” he added.

The youngster has competed in nine tournaments since October last year.

He entered the finals of the Dutch Open, reached the semifinals at Hylo and entered the knockout stage at World Tour Finals on debut before sizzling at the World Championships with a bronze last year.

"My sincere apologies for the short notice to withdraw from the event. I trust you will understand my position and appreciate your support in this matter. I hope the tournament goes off smoothly, and I wish all participants, especially my fellow participants from India, all the very best in the event,” Sen added.

A hectic season awaits Indian shuttlers with big-ticket events such as Commonwealth Games, Asian Games lined-up this year apart from the regular BWF World Tour events, including the World Championships and All England Championships Sen, who had emulated his mentor Prakash Padukone by winning the World championship bronze in Huelva, Spain last month, will now look to claim the All England Championships in March.

Top men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also decided to give the Super 300 tournament a miss after becoming the first team from the country to win the India Open crown.

Among other Indians, top seed Kidambi Srikanth, top women's doubles player Ashwini Ponnappa and men's doubles player Manu Attri have confirmed to PTI their withdrawal from the tournament.

Srikanth, Ashwini and Attri were withdrawn from the India Open after testing positive for COVID-19 last week. 

Also Read : Sen now needs to work on tactical acumen and endurance for consistent run: Vimal

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 16 (Cricket News) "Your legacy as a captain will stand for the kind of benchmarks you have set," veteran spinner R Ashwin summarised Virat Kohli's spectacular Test captaincy stint as other members of the Indian cricket team also hailed the integrity and the vision of the talismanic leader.

Kohli, who took over from MS Dhoni midway through the Australian tour back in 2014-15, on Saturday announced his decision to quit Test captaincy.

The 33-year-old leaves as the most successful India captain in Test cricket with 40 wins from 68 matches with the highlight being the wins in Australia and England last year.

It was under Kohli that team India become a force to reckon with in all conditions and won overseas.

"Cricket captains will always be spoken about with respect to their records and the kind of triumphs they managed, but your legacy as a captain will stand for the kind of benchmarks you have set. There will be people who will talk about wins in Australia, England , Sl etc etc," Ashwin tweeted.

"Wins are just a result and the seeds are always sown well before the harvest! The seeds you managed to sow is the kind of standard you set for yourself and hence set the expectations straight with the rest of us.

"Well done @imVkohli on the headache you have left behind for your successor and that's my biggest takeaway from your stint as captain. We must leave a place at such an altitude that the future can only take it higher from there on," Ashwin added.

Senior India and Delhi pacer Ishant Sharma, who has played with Kohli since childhood, recalled a conversation during the 2017-18 tour of South Africa when Kohli had told him that India needs to start winning in overseas conditions.

"Thank you for all the memories I've shared with you in dressing room & on & off the field since childhood, where we never thought that you would be our captain & I'll play 100 test matches for India. All we did was just play cricket with all our heart & things worked out well.

"I still remember back 2017 in South Africa, where u told me it's high time to win series in these countries. Yes, we didn't win 2017-18 series in Africa, but we went to Australia & beat them in Australia. In England 2017-18 series we lost, but we know as team how close we came! "So cheers to your most successful Test Captaincy for India and thanks for the amazing memories as a Captain you have given us," Ishant wrote.

Kohl's decision to quit Test captaincy caught everyone by surprise and India's limited overs skipper Rohit Sharma was no different.

"Shocked?? But congratulations on a successful stint as Indian captain," Rohit wrote in his Instagram post while also wishing Kohli the best for the future.

India's fast bowling revolution in Tests began under Kohli, who always backed his pacers. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami were quick to thank the former skipper for his contributions.

"Integrity, insight and inclusivity. Your contribution to the team as captain is invaluable, you've been a great leader to this side. It's been a pleasure playing under you," Bumrah said.

"The epitome of leadership. The man who galvanised a team to win overseas Congratulations on a brilliant run as Team India captain. Looking forward to more from you with the bat - Go well Virat," Shami tweeted.

Openers Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal also congratulated Kohli on an illustrious captaincy stint.

Congratulations on taking the Indian team all the way to the top! Been a pleasure playing under your leadership, Virat!," Dhawan tweeted.

"A leader in every sense. Can't thank you enough for all that you've done, Skip," said Rahul.

"Congratulations Virat Kohli on a fantastic term as captain. It was an absolute honour playing under your leadership. Someone who led by example. You have created a winning mentality in everyone. Your passion and dedication towards the game is an inspiration. Thank you, Skips," Agarwal said. 

Also Read : Arindam steps down as East Bengal captain

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) After winning the 1st Test in Centurion, India lost the next two Tests against South Africa. The series concluded 2-1 with South Africa playing some really good and resilient cricket. Keegan Peterson was named player of the series for scoring 276 runs in 3 matches. India were 2nd best in important moments where the matches got away from them.

Here are the 3 takeaways from the series:

1. Middle order desperately needs changes:

It may be time to finally move on from Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. Drastically dropping them from the squad wouldn't make sense but dropping them to the bench certainly would. India has way too much talent on the bench to keep giving the veterans so many opportunities. Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer are eagerly waiting on the bench. Virat Kohli clearly said that the batting needs to be looked at and the with a big home season coming up it might be time for Pujara and especially Rahane to be dropped

2. 5 bowlers formula needs to be looked at:

It is pretty clear that Virat Kohli likes to play 5 bowlers. After Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the series it looked like India may revert back to just 4 bowlers but didn't. Neither of Ravichandran Ashwin and Shardul Thakur are good enough to bat at number 7 and India clearly lack a batting all-rounder in the Test set-up. The fact that Ravichandran Ashwin didn't bowl too many overs and picked up only 3 wickets proves the point. In the absence of Ravindra Jadeja no other all-rounder can play at number 7, he has to be a batter who can bowl a few overs like Hanuma Vihari. 

3. Injuries lead to India's downfall:

There has been a lot of hype about India's depth over the past year and rightly so. This series is a proof that the absence of a few key players can take a toll on any given team. Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja missing the entire series was a very big blow for the Indians. Virat Kohli missing the 2nd Test; Mohammed Siraj missing the 3rd and not being fully fit in the 2nd also played its part in India's downfall. India may have incredible bench strength but too much disturbance and changes in the side does come with a price. 

Tags

India, South Africa, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Arzan Nagwaswalla, Ravindra Jadeja, Shubman Gill and Axar Patel

(Cricket news) After winning the 1st Test in Centurion, India lost the next two Tests against South Africa. The series concluded 2-1 with South Africa playing some really good and resilient cricket. Keegan Peterson was named player of the series for scoring 276 runs in 3 matches. India were 2nd best in important moments where the matches got away from them.

Here are the 3 takeaways from the series:

1. Middle order desperately needs changes:

It may be time to finally move on from Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. Drastically dropping them from the squad wouldn't make sense but dropping them to the bench certainly would. India has way too much talent on the bench to keep giving the veterans so many opportunities. Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer are eagerly waiting on the bench. Virat Kohli clearly said that the batting needs to be looked at and the with a big home season coming up it might be time for Pujara and especially Rahane to be dropped

2. 5 bowlers formula needs to be looked at:

It is pretty clear that Virat Kohli likes to play 5 bowlers. After Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the series it looked like India may revert back to just 4 bowlers but didn't. Neither of Ravichandran Ashwin and Shardul Thakur are good enough to bat at number 7 and India clearly lack a batting all-rounder in the Test set-up. The fact that Ravichandran Ashwin didn't bowl too many overs and picked up only 3 wickets proves the point. In the absence of Ravindra Jadeja no other all-rounder can play at number 7, he has to be a batter who can bowl a few overs like Hanuma Vihari. 

3. Injuries lead to India's downfall:

There has been a lot of hype about India's depth over the past year and rightly so. This series is a proof that the absence of a few key players can take a toll on any given team. Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja missing the entire series was a very big blow for the Indians. Virat Kohli missing the 2nd Test; Mohammed Siraj missing the 3rd and not being fully fit in the 2nd also played its part in India's downfall. India may have incredible bench strength but too much disturbance and changes in the side does come with a price. 

Also read: DRS controversy gave us a window to chip away at target: Elgar

(Cricket news) South Africa have clinched the 3 match series 2-1 with a 7 wicket victory in the 3rd Test at Cape Town. The day started with South Africa needing 111 runs with 8 wickets in hand. Keegan Peterson unbeaten on 48 was joined by Rassie van der Dussen.

The pair batted out the tricky first hour or so really well. Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah came out all guns blazing but the Proteas were very resilient. The pair put together 54 runs and by the time Shardul Thakur dismissed Peterson on 82 it seemed like South Africa had already ran away with the game. India failed to take another wicket as Temba Bavuma and van der Dussen guided South Africa to victory. India bowled well just like they have done for the entire series but in the end they kept giving a few looseners which are too costly especially while defending a small total.

India's batting were just not up to the mark in this series. KL Rahul in the first innings of the first Test and Rishabh Pant in the last innings of the last Test were the only big innings by an Indian. Their bowlers failed to rescue them this time around. This might be the last time we see Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane play Test cricket for India and for the better. It might be time to give more chances to Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari. 

The fact that India were favourites going into the series and even before the last Test shows the prowess of this Indian side. Having said that they did lose this series convincingly which clearly shows that there is a lot of work to be done. India had a lot of bad luck especially in the last Test which has led to the downfall. The decision of going with 5 bowlers and not giving Ashwin a lot of overs has also had its effect on the result. India will now look to put all this behind and prepare for the ODIs.

Also read: KKR rope in Bharat Arun as bowling coach

(Cricket news) After losing both their openers late on day 2, India started day 3 on 57/2 with a lead of 70 runs. Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara had played 39 and 31 balls respectively. Marco Jansen started things off and picked up Pujara's wicket on the 2nd ball of the day. Pujara gloved a ball down the leg side and the diving catch was taken by Keegan Peterson in fantastic fashion.

Ajinkya Rahane continued his poor run of form as he only managed 1 run before falling prey to Kagiso Rabada. Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant stitched a very important partnership of 94 runs. Pant scored the majority of those runs as Kohli was being extra careful. The Indian skipper's resilience was ended by Lungi Ngidi as he was dismissed on 29. Ngidi got rid of Ravichandran Ashwin shortly after before picking up Shardul Thakur's wicket. Rabada dismissed Umesh Yadav while Jansen dismissed Mohammed Shami on ducks. 

Rishabh Pant played a fantastic knock of 100 off 139 balls. He was dropped by Keshav Maharaj on 88 and by Temba Bavuma on 94. He did play aggressive strokes like he always does but was very watchful and picked the right balls to do so. The gloveman took on Maharaj and scored a bulk of his runs against the spinner. Had it not been for Pant India would've lost the game comfortably. The innings displayed his character as it came after he threw his wicket away in the last Test match and was heavily criticised.

South Africa came out to bat with a target of 212. Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar put together 23 runs in 7 overs before Mohammed Shami picked up Markram's wicket. Dean Elgar's luck continued to shine as he played and missed more in this game than any batsman in the whole series. He edged the ball a couple of times but it fell short of the slip fielders. The big moment came in the 21st over when Ravichandran Ashwin trapped him in front. After deliberation Elgar hesitantly reviewed it. During the replays the dismissal looked absolutely plum but the hawkeye showed that the ball had comfortably bounced above the stumps. 

The Indian team was shocked beyond belief even the on field umpire was heard saying "That's impossible" after he was made to reverse his decision. The stump microphone caught the Indian players saying a lot of things which could land them in trouble with the match referee. Ashwin was heard saying ''You should find better ways to win Supersport (The broadcasters)". KL Rahul commented on the situation saying ''Whole country is playing against 11 guys''. Indian captain Virat Kohli leaned towards the stump mic and said “Focus on your team as well when they shine the ball.. and not just the opposition, trying to catch people all the time." The Indian team were clearly frustrated with the game and the series slipping away from them.

India did finally get Elgar's wicket with the last ball of the day as he edged Bumrah's ball down the leg side. South Africa ended the day on 101/2 as they needed 111 more runs and had 8 wickets in hand with 2 days still left to play. South Africa are clear favourites to clinch the series on day 4 of the 3rd Test. India once again need their bowlers to rescue them with a miracle.

Also read: Pant got runs when team needed them most and that's important: Mhambrey

Cape Town, Jan 13 (Cricket News) South African pacer Lungi Ngidi on Thursday said the Indians were clearly "frustrated and under pressure" as a controversial DRS call saved home skipper Dean Elgar, triggering angry reactions from the visiting camp on day three.

Elgar was caught plumb by spinner R Ashwin in front of the stumps and umpire Marais Erasmus raised his finger. But the decision was overturned with the ball tracker suggesting that the ball would have gone over the stumps.

There was drama and constant chatter by captain Virat Kohli, his deputy KL Rahul and ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who seemed to suggest that broadcaster Supersport TV rigged DRS on stump mic.

"Reactions like that show a bit of frustration. And sometimes teams capitalise on that. You never really want to show too much emotion, but I guess we could see clearly right there that emotions were high," Ngidi said during the media interaction after the end of the third day's proceedings.

A fuming Kohli showed his anger at the end of the over, going up to the stumps and saying: "Focus on your team as well when they shine the ball eh, not just the opposition. Trying to catch people all the time." Ashwin was also caught saying: "You should find better ways to win Supersport", while India vice-captain was heard commenting: "Whole country playing against XI guys" Ngidi said it was clear that Indian camp was rattled.

"That probably tells us that maybe they are feeling a little bit of pressure. That was a good partnership for us as well. So they really wanted to break that partnership.

"Those feelings ended up showing there. But at the end of the day, I think everyone reacts differently to certain situations and probably what we saw there, probably how those guys were feeling at the time." Ngidi said.

We trust DRS ========= Backing the DRS system, he further said: "Yes (we trust DRS)." "I mean, we've seen it on numerous occasions being used all around the world. It's a system in place and that's used in cricket," he added.

Mach evenly-poised ============ Chasing 212, Elgar and Keegan Petersen (48 batting) put on a crucial 88-run stand for the second wicket before the skipper got out to Jasprit Bumrah at the stroke of stumps on day three.

South Africa now need 111 runs with eight wickets in hand.

"I think everyone's still in the game to be honest with you. If we would have a 60-run partnership upfront tomorrow morning that puts us in a good position.

"But if they take a wicket then the balance shifts to them. So I think it's perfectly poised at the moment. Tomorrow's morning session is going to be really important." "We all know batting in South Africa is not easy. It's going to be tough, but I think the team that does the best will come out on top," he added.

Talking about the pitch, he said: "I think the ball is doing something the entire Test series. There're patches on the wicket where if you hit it, it does something more than others." "But all in all, I think we could see with patience, guys can get to score hundred out there. There's been two 70s already.

"With the right application, there are runs on the wicket. But that's not to say as a bowler if you hit the right areas you get wicket as well. So it's a good cricketing wicket. Everyone's in the game. It's pretty evenly matched in my opinion." We are not a team of superstars =================== Earlier Indian collapsed from being 152/4 to 198 losing six wickets in 46 runs. It was Ngidi, who triggered the collapse by taking the prized scalp of Virat Kohli who got out after a dogged 143-ball 29.

"We're not going out there with a team full of superstars, we have got good cricketers, good cricketing brains. It's always a team effort," Ngidi, who returned with figures of 3/21 from his 14 overs, said.

"From the first Test match that was the type of language we were speaking in the change room, there are going to be moments where someone's gonna have to put up their hand.

"If someone's not taking wickets then you have to keep the runs down. And, if it's your day, you make sure you cash in on that session. For me it was my session and you run with it as long as you can. On other days, it's been KG who kept it down. So it's been an all around effort," he concluded. 

Also Read : South Africa 101/2 in chase of 212 in series-deciding 3rd Test

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 13 (Badminton News) Two-time Olympic medallist shuttler PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy advanced to the quarterfinals but Sania Nehwal's campaign ended at the Yonex-Sunrise India Open here on Thursday.

Former champion and 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Saina suffered a 17-21 9-21 straight game loss to compatriot Malvika Bansod.

Malvika, ranked 111th, took 34 minutes to see off the former world number 1.

Earlier, the top seed Sindhu had no problem dispatching fellow India Ira Sharma 21-10 21-10.

She will meet compatriot Ashmita Chaliha, who got the better of french shuttler Yaelle Hoyaux 21-17 21-14, in the quarterfinal.

Malvika will next take on fellow Indian Aakarshi Kashyap in the quarterfinals.

Aakarshi had defeated compatriot Keyura Mopatin 21-10 21-10 in another women's singles second round match.

Prannoy received a walkover as his opponent Mithun Manjunath withdrew from the tournament after testing positive for COVID-19.

The men's top seed Kidambi Srikanth, doubles player Ashwini Ponnappa, Ritika Rahul Thkar, Treesa Jolly, Simran Aman Singh and Khushi Gupta are the other players who had to withdraw from the tournament due to the positive COVID-19 results, which led to several walkovers.

Prannoy will meet the winner of the second round clash between third seed Lakshay Sen and Felix Burstedt of Sweden.

Sameer Verma's campaign also came to an end in the men's singles as he retired midway during his second-round match against Brain Yang of Canada due to calf strain. 

Also Read : India Open: Srikanth, six other players withdrawn after testing positive for COVID-19

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Day 2 of the decider at Cape Town started with South Africa 17/1, trailing by 206 runs. South Africa had the upper hand in the game but it all changed as the day progressed and the fightback was led by India's star talisman Jasprit Bumrah.

Bumrah who picked up Dean Elgar's wicket late on day 1 came in steaming and knocked over Aiden Markram in the 2nd ball of the day. Markram didn't offer a shot to Bumrah's in-swinger and was cleaned up. The night watchman Keshav Maharaj was starting to frustrate the Indian bowlers. He was clean bowled by Umesh Yadav on 25 as South Africa were 45/3. Keegan Peterson and Rassie van der Dussen formed a very crucial partnership as they added 67 runs. India created a few edges but they all either fell short or dropped wide. India seamers were also inconsistent with their lines while Ravichandran Ashwin was inconsistent. 

Umesh Yadav finally got the breakthrough as his full length ball got an edge of Van der Dussen's bat. Temba Bavuma provided good support to Keegan Peterson but Mohammed Shami came through. He dismissed both Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne in the same over to bring India right back in the contest. Marco Jansen walked into bat and was bombarded by Jasprit Bumrah. Jansen negotiated with the series bouncer well but eventually played all over Bumrah's in-swinger just before tea. 

Keegan Peterson played a fantastic knock of 72 off 166 balls before falling prey to Bumrah. Shardul Thakur picked up the wicket of Kagiso Rabada who was in counter attacking mode. Bumrah dismissed Lungi Ngidi to complete his fifer as he finished with the figures of 5/42. The Indian openers couldn't hold on for the rest of the day as Mayank Agarwal was dismissed by Rabada before Marco Jansen picked up KL Rahul's wicket. Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli negotiated the remaining overs well as India ended the day on 57/2.

Now is the time for India's batting to show up and give their bowlers a good target to defend. The Indian bowlers have carried the side for a while but now the batting needs to do a job. The game is very even and India's middle order needs to bat long. Kohli and Pujara played well in the 1st innings but they need to play a big knock in the 2nd innings.

Also read: I wasn't angry, just focussed on my job: Bumrah

Mumbai, Jan 12 (Cricket News) Indian off-spinner Washington Sundar was on Wednesday ruled out of the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa after testing positive for COVID-19 and Jayant Yadav was named as his replacement for the assignment starting January 19.

Pacer Navdeep Saini was also added to the ODI squad as a backup for pacer Mohammed Siraj, who is recovering from a hamstring injury.

"Team India off-spinner Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the forthcoming ODI series against South Africa after testing positive for COVID-19 during the camp in Bengaluru," the BCCI said in a statement.

"Sundar was supposed to travel to Cape Town with the ODI members on Wednesday and join the rest of the squad ahead of the ODI series starting January 19th," it added.

The five-member selection panel, headed by former India pacer Chetan Sharma, has named Jayant as Washington's replacement.

Siraj is still recovering from his hamstring injury that he sustained in the second Test against South Africa in Johannesburg.

The ODI series against South Africa begins in Paarl on January 19. The second ODI is scheduled at the same venue on January 21, following which the team will travel to Cape Town for the series-finale.

Squad: KL Rahul (Captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, Md. Siraj, Jayant Yadav, Navdeep Saini. 

Also Read : South Africa reach 100/3 at lunch on day 2

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) In the 3rd and the decider Test at Cape Town, India won the toss India elected to bat first. South Africa went into the game unchanged while India welcomed back Virat Kohli who replaced Hanuma Vihari while Umesh Yadav came in place of the injured Mohammed Siraj. South Africa managed to restrict the visitors to 223 which without question is below par especially after winning the toss. Jasprit Bumrah got rid of Dean Elgar late in the day as the Proteas are 17 for 1 and trail by 206 runs.

KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal started off with a few plays and misses along with edges that didn't carry. The pair slowly started playing their shots and took India to 31. The Proteas then turned it around as they bowled 24 dot balls. The pressure was built and KL Rahul succumbed to it as he edged Duanne Olivier's ball. Kagiso Rabada picked up Agarwal's wicket in the very next over. Cheteshwar Pujara got off to a good start with some of his trademark shots.

He fell just 7 runs short of his fifty as Marco Jansen angle in and seam away ball nicked his bat. Ajinkya Rahane's inconsistent performances continued as he was dismissed by an absolute beauty from Rabada. Just like Pujara, Rishabh Pant also got a start but couldn't convert as he was dismissed by Jansen after he tried to take on a short ball. The tall left arm seamer got rid of Ravichandran Ashwin shortly after. Keshav Maharaj finally joined the party as he got the wicket of Shardul Thakur. Rabada bowled a beautiful bouncer to get rid of Jasprit Bumrah.

Virat Kohli was the lone warrior as he scored 79 off 201 balls. The innings was one of the most resilient one the Indian skipper has ever played. Kohli was extremely disciplined and gritty in his approach. He got beaten quite a few times but continued fighting. Even though he didn't get his long awaited century, Kohli saved his team and anchored the innings. His duel with Rabada was a very entertaining one which the bowler eventually won by dismissing Kohli. The Indian innings came to an end as they were all out on 223.

Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar came out to bat for a few overs before stumps. Jasprit Bumrah struck in the 5th over getting the wicket of Elgar. Keshav Maharaj was sent in as a night watchman and did a good job as he held on. South Africa will start day 2 on 17 for 1 trailing by 206 runs

Also read: Game is in the balance, batters will have to grind: Rabada

(Cricket news) Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town is all set to host the series decider between India and South Africa. India won the opening Test at Centurion while South Africa came back with a gritty victory in Johannesburg. India have a chance to win a Test series in South Africa for the first time. Virat Kohli will once again lead the side after missing the last game.

India's Possible Playing XI:

KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma.

Virat Kohli has recovered from his injury which means Hanuma Vihari has to unfortunately miss out despite his decent performance in the last game. Despite being under the scanner for throwing his wicket away, Rishabh Pant should retain his place in the side. Mohammed Siraj is unavailable due to the injury he picked up in Johannesburg. India have the option of Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav which is a difficult choice to make. Ishant Sharma is likely to get the nod due to his experience especially in South African Conditions.

South Africa's Possible Playing XI: 

Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Keegan Peterson, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Marco Jansen.

South Africa wouldn't like to change the winning combination unless it's a forced one. Keshav Maharaj may play a more important role in this game as he may be asked to bowl more overs. Dean Elgar's scintillating performance in the last game would've inspired the entire team. Peterson, van der Dussen and Bavuma showed great signs in the last game. The absence of Mohammed Siraj would be a great plus for the Proteas.

Pitch and Weather Report:

The pitch is expected to be fast bowler friendly and tough work for the spinners. Ravichandran Ashwin might once again look like a surplus but India have been stubborn in their choice of picking 5 bowlers. All 5 days are expected to have a cloud cover with chances of a slight drizzle.

Also read: Biggest game for us in last 10-15 years: Dean Elgar on series decider

Cape Town, Jan 10 (Cricket News) Ravichandran Ashwin can play the all-rounder's role in any conditions, India skipper Virat Kohli said on Monday, impressed by the premier off-spinner's consistency with both bat and ball in recent years.

Kohli said Ashwin has filled in the void left by the injured Ravindra Jadeja in an outstanding manner.

After their setback in Centurion, the hosts South Africa bounced back strongly in the second Test at Wanderers to chase down a tricky 240 and level the three-match series at 1-1.

"Jadeja's value everyone understands and what he has done for the team, but I think Ash has been playing that role pretty well for us," Kohli said on the eve of the third and final Test here.

"Ash knows that his game has come forward by leaps and bounds especially bowling overseas. He understands that himself from Australia onwards." Ashwin played a stellar knock of 46 from 50 balls and was the team's second highest scorer, after stand-in skipper KL Rahul's 50, as India managed 202 all out in the first innings of the second Test.

While Ashwin returned wicket-less in the first innings, the off-spinner bagged 1/26 from his 11.4 overs in South Africa's second essay, as they hosts secured a seven-wicket win to restore parity.

"If you look at his batting contribution in the last Test and the way he bowled in the second innings I think that's an outstanding contribution to the team.

"He's in a very comfortable space where he's willing to contribute to the team and he's doing so in the right intention, in the right way," Kohli said, giving full support the senior player.

Jadeja had suffered a right forearm injury during the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur and after undergoing scans, he was diagnosed with a swelling on his forearm that ruled him out of the South Africa tour.

Kohli said it does not really matter to him when he has either Ashwin or Jadeja at his disposal.

"When you have these two quality cricketers one or the other it really doesn't matter. Unfortunately, Jadeja has had an injury.

"But Ash has obviously done the job in his absence and we have full faith that Ash can continue to play that role of spinning all-rounder for us in any condition that we play," he asserted.

Kohli was ruled out of the first Test because of a sore back and in his absence KL Rahul stepped in to lead the team.

The selectors had made Rahul Kohli's deputy for the tour, keeping mind Ajinkya Rahane's indifferent form and to groom the Bengaluru player as future India captain.

KL is a balanced captain ================================== Giving his take on his Rahul's leadership, Kohli said he had a balanced approach but the Proteas outplayed India with their superlative chase "He (Rahul) has handled it in a balanced way. What I saw from his plans and field placements that he tried his best to get wickets and breakthroughs in the second innings.

"But the situation was such that South Africa played well to chase the runs. I don't thing anything much could have done." Rahul was smart with his decisions but he certainly missed Kohli's on-field aggression.

"Everyone has different styles in captaincy. I would have done a bit differently too but the intent would have been to get the wickets. I think he worked in a balance manner," Kohli concluded. 

Also Read : Transition in teams happens naturally and you can't force conversations: Kohli on Rahane-Pujara form

News Source : PTI

Johannesburg, Jan 7 (Cricket News) Rahul Dravid never believed in "rocking the boat" and is certainly not going to change his template of giving the longest rope possible to Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane even if Hanuma Vihari's wait for regular chances gets a tad longer.

Vihari, Indian cricket's 'Tough Runs Man' has never had it easy in terms of chances as he has played only one of his 13 Tests at home and it was skipper Virat Kohli's back spasms and Shreyas Iyer's stomach bug that opened the door for another chance.

The Hyderabad man did his bit in the second innings with an unbeaten 40 in India's target of 240 for the Proteas.

"Firstly I must say Vihari played really in both innings. In first innings he got a nasty one and unfortunately for him, it popped up and fielder just got his finger tips to it and really got a good catch, he batted beautifully in the second innings and that gives us confidence you know," Dravid was effusive in his praise for Vihari.

He also took the opportunity to praise Shreyas Iyer, another strong middle-order contender.

"Shreyas (Iyer) obviously done that two or three Test matches ago and he has obviously done that and they have just got to take heart from the fact that whenever they are getting opportunities, they are doing well and hopefully their time would come." But that doesn't mean that he will be preferred over and above a Rahane or a Pujara in this set-up with Kohli set to comeback in the next game, Dravid made it pretty clear.

In fact, without naming, he cited examples during his playing days when the middle-order was jam-packed and guys like Kohli, Pujara and Rahane had to wait for a year or two before being Test team regulars.

"If you look at some of our guys now senior players and being sort of considered, senior players, they have also had to wait for their time and also have had to score a lot of runs at the start of their careers." Dravid does have a transition and phase-out plan but like everything has its own opportune time, this will also have to wait.

"So it happens (wait) as its nature of the sport," he said adding, "We can take a lot of heart from the manner Vihari batted in this game and that should give him a lot of confidence and that should give us a lot of confidence." Siraj doubtful for Cape Town Test ========================== Dravid confirmed that fast bowler Mohammed Siraj hasn't recovered from the hamstring injury sustained during the second Test and it can't be said with certainty that he will be available for the final game starting in Cape Town from January 11.

"Siraj is not fully fit and we need to check going forward what is his fitness status. In the next 4 days, whether he can get fit and physio will be doing scans." "As far as Hanuma Vihari's on-field hit is concerned, I am not in a position to tell the extent of injury as I haven't had a detailed chat with the physio." Siraj's injury did pose a problem while defending a neither here nor there kind of target which 240 was.

"Losing Siraj (was a factor) as he wasn't 100 percent in the first innings," said Dravid while lauding the fast bowler's heart to even bowl when he was injured.

"We had the fifth bowler and we couldn't use him as much as we would have liked in that first innings and it did affect our strategy." Used Ashwin first-up on 4th afternoon to exploit "dry ball" =================================== Starting the fourth afternoon's proceedings with Ravichandran Ashwin did draw a lot of flak but the head coach defended the decision.

"I guess we saw the ball spinning on third day for Ashwin and we wanted to get him into action till the ball was dry and see if he gets some spin in first few overs.

"As ball got wet (due to wet outfield), it was difficult for a spinner to get into the game. He (Ashwin) bowled a really good spell on the third day. The gamble was to try and give him the dry ball," the coach explained.

Not having practice game isn't an excuse ========================= Dravid, who had already spoken about how batters should seize key moments, didn't agree that not having practice match could be an excuse.

"We prepared as well as we could in these Covid situations and fact that we didn't have a three-day game, ...really dont have excuses apart from fact that we played well in first Test and SA outplayed us in this game."

Also Read : AISCD gets approval to hold first World Deaf T20 Cricket championship in 2023

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) At the end of day 3 South Africa have the advantage and are looking the most likely team to win. India started day 3 on 85 for 2 with Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara on the crease. The pair made the best possible start with their run scoring intent. 

Two of India's most senior batters played a few aggressive strokes and came in with the intent of scoring quick runs. Both reached their half centuries and took India's lead to 128. South African bowlers looked out of place for a while as they failed to trouble the batters. Kagiso Rabada then came through and got a double breakthrough as he produced an edge of Rahane on 58 for Kyle Verreynne to catch before trapping Pujara plum in front. Rishabh Pant came into bat and was hit on the helmet by Rabada while facing his 2nd ball. The next ball Pant hastily came down the track and tried to smash the ball but only managed to nick it. Pant's recklessness put India in a spot of bother at 167 for 5 with a lead of only 140.

Ravichandran Ashwin just like the others tried to get quick runs before edging Lungi Ngidi's ball down the leg side to the keeper. Shardul Thakur in classic Shardul Thakur fashion scored a quickfire 28 at less than a run a ball with powerful shots all over the field. He then gave his wicket away as he pulled Marco Jansen's ball straight to deep square leg. Jansen then got rid of Mohammed Shami and got into a heated confrontation with fromer Mumbai Indians teammate Jasprit Bumrah. Ngidi picked up the wicket of Bumrah shortly after. Hanuma Vihari who had been playing sensibly at the other end, started to play his shots with only one wicket in hand. He got himself to 40 before Ngidi bowled Mohammed Siraj. 

Aiden Markram started really aggressively with 240 to chase, playing a range of shots while Dean Elgar was cautious at the other end. While on 20 his edge of Bumrah fell just short of 2nd slip. KL Rahul responded by bringing on 1st innings hero Shardul Thakur straight after the tea break. Markram hit a four off the 2nd ball of Thakur's 2nd over. He then struck Markram on his pads in the 3rd ball but was not given out due to height. The 4th ball was similar but this time was going down the leg side. He beat the outside edge on the 5th ball and struck him plum on the back leg in the last ball to get India the breakthrough. 

Keegan Peterson joined his skipper in the middle and added 46 important runs before Ravichandran Ashwin got him out LBW. Rassie van der Dussen then came out to bat. Indian bowlers turned the heat on Elgar and hit him with a lot of body but the Proteas captain fought hard and held on. South Africa ended the day on 118 for 2 with 122 more runs needed with 2 days left. South Africa are favourites now but India have won games from worst situations in the past year with these same set of bowlers. Two early wickets is all it will take for India to get right back in the contest. Dean Elgar looked well winded at the end and it will be interesting to see if he feels the effects of it on day 4. If Elgar and Van der Dussen bat out the first hour it will be difficult for India to bounce back. Day 4 will almost certainly be the last day of this enthralling Test match.

Also read: Jemimah, Shikha dropped from Mithali Raj-led India squad for ICC Women's World Cup in New Zealand

Johannesburg, Jan 5 (Cricket News) Coming out with a strong response in pursuit of a challenging 240-run target, South Africa ended the day three of the second Test against India at 118 for two, here Wednesday.

Skipper Dean Elgar (46), who took many a blow on his body, and Rassie van der Dussen (11) will resume the home chase on Thursday morning. They need 122 more runs to level the series.

India removed opener Aiden Markaram (34) and Keegan Petersen (28) but the home batters ensured there were no more setbacks after that.

Earlier, resuming at 85 for two, India put on board 266 runs. Cheteshwar Pujara (53), Ajinkya Rahane (58), Hanuma Vihari (40 not out) and Shardul Thakur (28) defied the Proteas attack.

Pacers Lungi Ngidi (3/43), Marco Jansen (3/67) and Kagiso Rabada (3/73) shared nine wickets between them.

India are leading the series 1-0, having won the Centurion Test by 113 runs.

Brief Scores: India: 202 and 266 in 60.1 overs (A Rahane 58, C Pujara 53; K Rabada 3/73, M Jansen 3/67, L Ngidi 3/43).

South Africa: 202 and 118 for 2 in 40 overs. (D Elgar 46 batting, A Markaram 34, R Ashwin 1/14, S Thakur 1/24).

Also Read : India set South Africa 240-run target to win second Test

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) South Africa started day 2 of the 2nd Test against India at Johannesburg at 35/1 in reply to India's 202 in the first innings. The good news for India was that Mohammed Siraj was on the field despite limping off with a hamstring injury on day 1.

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami started with their spells and didn't give Keegan Peterson and Dean Elgar any bad deliveries whatsoever. Despite creating so much pressure and bowling wicket taking balls Peterson and Elgar managed to hold on. Siraj came into bowl and it was pretty evident that he wasn't fit as his pace was significantly lower than usual. There was even a catching chance where he had to run backwards but couldn't. Had he been fully fit or had there been any other fielder the catch would've been taken. The Proteas batters got a few boundaries off Siraj and later Ravichandran Ashwin. 

Then entered Shardul Thakur who got rid of Dean Elgar with a beautiful ball from over the wicket. Keegan Peterson got himself to his maiden Test fifty showing incredible quality and grit but was dismissed on 62 by Shardul Thakur. Rassie van der Dussen was given out caught behind off Mohammed Shami. The decision was overturned after a review and the replays showed that the ball hadn't carried to Rishabh Pant despite the keeper claiming the catch. Moments after during the last over before Lunch Van der Dussen edged Thakur's ball which was caught by Pant. The umpire signaled out and Van der Dussen walked off but the replay showed that the ball had hit the grass. 

Van der Dussen was not called back and two new batters Temba Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne walked out to bat. Bavuma scored his 2nd consecutive half centuryThe pair added 60 runs playing exquisite strokes before Thakur once again came in and picked up both their wickets. Shami came into the attack and picked up Kagiso Rabada's wicket. Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj got South Africa past India's total with their aggressive approach. Jasprit Bumrah picked up his first wicket of the match as he clean bowled Keshav Maharaj. Shardul Thakur got the last two wickets of Jansen and Lungi Ngidi as he finished with the figures of 7/61 his best in Test cricket. It was also the best figures by an Indian bowler against South Africa.

KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal came into bat as India trailed by 27 runs. Jansen picked up Rahul's wicket while Mayank Agarwal didn't offer a shot to Duanne Olivier's in-swinger and was given out LBW. Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya who are potentially playing for their place in the side negotiated the rest of the overs very well and played some good strokes in the process. India ended the day on 85 for 2 with a lead of 58.

Also read: The progression of KL Rahul as a Test cricketer over the last year

(Cricket news) The big news at the toss was that it was KL Rahul who walked out in a blazer instead of Virat Kohli who was ruled out due to an upper back spasm. India elected to bat after winning the toss as Hanuma Vihari replaced Kohli. South Africa replaced the now retired Quinton de Kock with Kyle Verreynne while Duanne Olivier came in place of Wiaan Mulder. 

India had a decent start as the Karnataka boys Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul looked comfortable at the crease. The first chance for South Africa came in the 11th over when Kagiso Rabada's in-swinger caught Agarwal's inside edge onto the pad and fell just short of forward square leg. Three overs later, Marco Jansen got rid of Agarwal with an outswinger. Cheteshwar Pujara came in to bat and soon edged a short ball that once again was wide of leg gully. Olivier got rid of Pujara on 3 towards the end of the session. Ajinkya Rahane walked out to bat at no. 4 in the absence of Virat Kohli and got a golden duck. He chased Olivier's ball outside the line and edged it to 3rd slip. 

Hanuma Vihari came into bat and should have been dismissed on 9 by Ngidi but the catch was dropped by Temba Bavuma. He eventually got out on 20 as Rabada's bouncy ball caught his inside edge straight to short leg. All this while KL Rahul remained resilient and watchful. He reached his fifty in 128 balls but threw his wicket away straight after that as he tried to pull Jansen's ball but found Rabada fine leg who took a good catch. Ravichandran Ashwin straight away took the aggressive approach scoring at a run a ball. India lost Rishabh Pant and Shardul Thakur in quick succession after tea and India were in a spot of bother on 157-6. Rabada got rid of Shami before he could do much damage. Ashwin played really well as he played all kinds of strokes but was dismissed on 46 by Jansen. Jasprit Bumrah had his fun for a while as he scored 14 of 11 balls hitting 2 fours and a big six. Rabada dismissed Mohammed Siraj to end India's innings at 202.

Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar played a couple boundaries to get South Africa to 14 for no loss in under 4 overs. Mohammed Shami got the first breakthrough as his in-swinger trapped Markram plum in front. India couldn't manage to get another wicket as Elgar and Keegan Peterson held on. The pair was incredibly lucky on multiple occasions. Peterson was dropped on 12 by Pant off Bumrah. Elgar had more than his fair share of luck as he played and missed way too many balls mostly from Siraj who towards the end of the day walked off the field as he looked to have pulled his hamstring. The day ended with South Africa on 35-1, just 167 runs behind India. The Proteas are now in the driver's seat and would be confident that they could level the series.


Also read: Australia look for a whitewash against bruised England in Sydney

Johannesburg, Jan 3 (Cricket News) India's premier spinner R Ashwin termed his team's first innings score as slightly below par on a "two paced" Wanderers pitch but might be enough with their bowling arsenal to make a match of the second Test against South Africa.

India finished their first innings at 202 with Ashwin scoring a crucial 46 towards the end of the innings on a testing pitch after stand in skipper K L Rahul (50) opted to bat.

Asked what's a tricky total, Ashwin replied: "" (what is a) good total in South Africa has been tricky, especially in the first innings. It's always a good thing to win the toss and bat first and you want to post a good score in excess of maybe 260 or 270 which is around about score.

"South Africa always batted first (in the past) and got in excess of 250 and dominated games. Maybe we are a bit short. But I still think we've got with our entire bowling arsenal available tomorrow. Fingers crossed. We can definitely make something out of this total," he said hoping Siraj will be fit to bowl on Tuesday.

The champion off spinner also hoped that the pitch to quicken up on day two.

"I just felt the pitch was a little two paced. Generally Wanderers has the tendency to start a bit slower and start getting quicker. It did quicken up a bit but it just feels a little different to a typical wanderers pitch so we'll have to wait and see how it responds tomorrow." Regained his batting flow =============== Ashwin scored at an impressive strike rate of 92 in his innings including six fours and was not afraid to attack the pacers.

For someone, who saved a Test match in Sydney alongside Hanuma Vihari earlier this year, Ashwin feels he has got flow back in his batting.

"Look, I think in between somewhere for a couple of years, trying to you know sort of get very technically right or whatever it is to try and build on scores, I think I lost a bit of my flow with respect to getting into good positions at the crease and I've always I knew even before that I've always batted at a good clip.

"So it's not been a conscious effort to go out there and keep playing those shots. If it's there, it's there. For me, I get into positions where I can play some of those shots, which may be some of the other specialist batters might not be able to play but this freedom is what gave me success in the past," he said.

Success of Rahul, there can't be one formula =========================== Rahul has been stand out batter for India in the series, carrying on his good work in England.

Ashwin said Rahul has cracked his own formula to succeed in the longest format.

"In Test cricket there is no one formula for success. Teams are analysing there's a lot more footage available. There is a lot more technical assessment and breakdowns that go on in today's world and Test cricket is all about you responding to the different sort of questions that are being thrown at you.

"...and K L has found that solution to what's what he probably thought he needed to respond to and it's working for him and he's one of those players who's got the game we all know that he's got the game he's got the raw material so it's all about how you keep finding out and keep answering these constant questions that are being thrown at you.

"Since the England series, he has looked the part," Ashwin added. 

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News Sources : PTI

Johannesburg, Jan 3 (Cricket News) South Africa were 35 for one at stumps in response to India's 202 all out on the opening day of the second Test against South Africa here on Monday.

Dean Elgar and Keegan Petersen were batting on 11 and 14 respectively at close of play.

India, who reached 146 for five at tea, added 56 runs for the loss of five wickets during the final session.

Stand-in skipper K L Rahul (50) was the top-scorer for the visitors while R Ashwin (46) played a crucial knock towards the end of the innings.

Left-arm pacer Marco Jansen (4/31) was the pick of the South Africa bowlers while Duanne Olivier (3/64) and Kagiso Rabada (3/64) also played their part in wrapping up Indian innings.

Brief Scores: India 1st innings: 202 all out in 63.1 overs. (Mayank Agarwal 26, KL Rahul 50; Duanne Olivier 3/64, Marco Jansen 4/31, Kagiso Rabada 3/64). South Africa 1st innings: 35 for 1 in 18 overs (Dean Elgar batting 11, Keegan Petersen 14; Mohammad Shami 1/15). 

Also Read : India all out for 202 on day one of 2nd Test

News Source : PTI

Johannesburg, Jan 3 (Cricket News) India were all out for 202 on the opening day of the second Test against South Africa here on Monday.

India, who reached 146 for five at tea, added 56 runs at the loss of five wickets during the final session of the day.

Stand in skipper K L Rahul (50) was the top-scorer for the visitors while R Ashwin (46) played a crucial knock towards the end of the innings.

Left-arm pacer Marco Jansen (4/31) was the pick of the South Africa bowlers while Duanne Olivier (3/64) and Kagiso Rabada (3/64) also played their part in wrapping up Indian innings.

India lost two wickets in the post-lunch session -- that of Rahul and Hanuma Vihari (20 off 53) and three in the morning session after electing to bat.

Brief Scores: India 1st innings: 202 all out in 63.1 overs. (Mayank Agarwal 26, KL Rahul 50; Duanne Olivier 3/64, Marco Jansen 4/31, Kagiso Rabada 3/64). 

Also Read : India reach 146 for 5 at tea as Rahul falls for 50

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) After a dominating 113 run win in the 1st Test, India will play the 2nd and potentially deciding Test in Johannesburg. A victory would mean that Virat Kohli's men will become the first Indian side to win a Test series in South Africa. The Proteas on the other hand would be looking to come back with a win. 

India's Possible Playing XI:

KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

India do not have a reason to make any changes in the side. They have been persistent with the 5 bowlers theory and are expected to continue with the same. Ajinkya Rahane's decent performance in the first may just keep him in the side ahead of Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari. India have the option of Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma in case any of the seamers need to be rested or have niggles. Bumrah did twist his ankle in the 1st innings but still bowled extremely well in the last innings. There is a chance that Bumrah could sit out the game.

South Africa's Possible Playing XI: 

Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Keegan Peterson, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier.

Quinton de Kock unexpectedly announced his retirement from Test cricket after the first Test concluded. Kyle Verreynne should come into the side for his 3rd Test match, Ryan Rickelton is the other option. Marco Jansen had a decent debut at Centurion but the Proteas attack was missing something which Duanne Olivier could bring in.

Also read: Takeaways from India's squad for ODIs against South Africa

Weather report:

Weather is likely to intervene from the 2nd day onwards as the first day is predicted to have cloud cover but no rain. The cloud cover would be good news for the seamers. The captain who wins the toss will be looking to field first and give his seamers something to work with. 

South Africa had a few very good periods in the game where they could have turned it around. Their batters weren't able to cope with India's relentless pace battery. The Proteas just need a few things to go their way. India just need to do the things they have been doing for the past year. The only thing that has room for improvement is the middle order. Pujara, Kohli and Rahane need to get among the runs to make up for playing 5 bowlers. At this point it is difficult to see India losing the game but the Proteas could take advantage of the home conditions and cause an upset.
 

New Delhi, Dec 31 (Cricket News) Captain Rohit Sharma was on Friday ruled out of India's upcoming ODI series in South Africa due to a hamstring injury, forcing the selectors to appoint KL Rahul as skipper of an 18-member team for the white-ball leg of the tour.

All-rounder Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja were also not selected as they were not fit while senior pacer Mohammed Shami, who is in the team for the ongoing Test series, was rested.

Pacer Jasprit Bumrah was named as vice-captain of the team.

"Rohit is not fit, he is in rehab. We never wanted to take chance with him,' BCCI chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma said.

"We are looking to groom KL Rahul. He has proved his leadership qualities. KL is the best one who can handle the side." The three ODIs will be played at Paarl and Cape Town on January 19, 21 and 23 respectively.

The Squad: KL Rahul (Capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaekwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Y Chahal, R Ashwin, W Sundar, J Bumrah (VC), Bhuvneshwar Kumar,Deepak Chahar, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj. 

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News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) India have put themselves in a good position after early troubles on day 3. India started the day on 272/3 with centurion KL Rahul on the crease along with Ajinkya Rahane. 

After a wicketless and underwhelming day 1, Kagiso Rabada came in all guns blazing as he got rid of KL Rahul, Ravichandran Ashwin and Shardul Thakur in quick succession. Lungi Ngidi on the other end took the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane when he was on 48 along with Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Shami. Debutant Marco Jansen picked up his maiden Test wicket in the form of Jasprit Bumrah. India's lower middle order collapsed like a pack of dominoes. Jasprit Bumrah was the best Indian batter on day 2 as he scored 14 and hit 2 glorious boundaries in the process. The Proteas changed things around very quickly as Ngidi finished with figures of 6/71 while Rabada finished on 3/72. Ngidi was the pick of the bowlers and was constantly troubling the Indian batters.

Skipper Dean Elgar walked out to bat with Aiden Markram and Jasprit Bumrah did what he always does. The seamer was on song from the very first ball as he got rid of Elgar in the very first over with a beautiful delivery. Keegan Peterson and Markram looked comfortable as the Proteas were 22/1 on lunch. Mohammed Shami started things off in the 2nd session and ran straight through the Proteas batters. He jagged the ball through the gate of Peterson before knocking Markram's top of off stump in quick succession. India had a set back in the 11th over as Jasprit Bumrah nastily twisted his ankle during his follow through. He was immediately taken off the field and returned on the field just before the tea break. 

Also read: Australia retain the Ashes after emphatic innings victory over lousy England

Mohammed Siraj got the outside edge of Rassie van der Dussen as the ball was caught by Rahane at Gully. Shortly after he got Quinton de Kock's outside edge but the catch was dropped by KL Rahul at 3rd slip. De Kock along with Temba Bavuma stitched together a very crucial 72 run partnership. De Kock looked a little nervous but Bavuma played some exquisite strokes as he reached his half century. Ravichandran Ashwin had a tough day as he constantly missed his length, often dropping the ball too short and getting punished as he went wicketless. Shardul Thakur got the massive wicket of Quinton de Kock and broke the partnership.

Shami came back into the attack and picked up the wickets of Wiaan Mulder and Temba Bavuma. Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada had some fun in playing a few good shots before Shardul Thakur once again broke the partnership as he trapped Jansen in front. Shami dismissed Rabada, completing his 5 wicket haul and picking up his 200th Test wicket in the process. Jasprit Bumrah came back to ball without any visible pain in his ankle and picked up the final wicket of Keshav Maharaj as South Africa were all out on 197 which was 130 runs short of India's total. 

Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul came into bat but this time couldn't get a big opening partnership as debutant Jansen got rid of Agarwal with a fine outswinger from over the wicket. Shardul Thakur came in as night watchman and survived as India ended the day on 16/1. India will be looking to set a decent total on day 4 before having a crack at the South African batting on day 5. 
 

Dubai, Dec 28 (Cricket News) Seasoned India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was on Tuesday shortlisted as one of the four nominees for the ICC Test Cricketer of the year award.

The 35-year-old from Chennai snapped 52 wickets from eight Tests at an average of 16.23 and also contributed 337 runs with the bat at 28.08 with one century in the last one year.

Besides Ashwin, England skipper Joe Root, New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson and Sri Lanka opener Dimuth Karunaratne were the others to be nominated for the prestigious award, which recognise the outstanding achievements and feats in cricket over the past year.

The winner of the award will be announced on January 24.

"One of India's greatest match-winners in the longest format, R Ashwin again asserted his authority as one of the world's finest spinners in 2021. Apart from his wizardry with the ball, Ashwin also made invaluable contributions with the bat," the ICC said in a release.

Ashwin started the year on a high, scoring a patient 128-ball 29 against Australia in the Sydney Test. His partnership with Hanuma Vihari helped India achieve a memorable draw that kept the series level at 1-1.

At home against England, Ashwin was adjudged the Player of the Series after he claimed 32 wickets from four matches at 14.72, while also contributing 189 runs with the bat.

The off-spinner had also picked up four wickets in the ICC World Test Championship Final against New Zealand on a seam-friendly wicket in Southampton.

After sitting out of all four Tests in England, Ashwin shone bright in the home series against New Zealand, winning another Player of the Series award after picking up 14 wickets in two matches at 11.36 while also chipping in with a couple of handy knocks in the Kanpur Test.

The ICC Awards will comprise a total of 13 individual recognitions in all, as well as five Team of the Year announcements for each format across both men's and women's cricket.

The other individual categories include Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for men's Cricketer of the Year, Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for Women's Cricketer of the Year, men's ODI Cricketer of the Year, women's ODI Cricketer of the Year, men's T20I Cricketer of the Year, women's T20I Cricketer of the Year, Emerging men's Cricketer of the Year, Emerging women's Cricketer of the Year, Men's Associate Cricketer of the Year, women's Associate Cricketer of the Year, Spirit of Cricket Award and Umpire of the Year.

"The nominees for each of the first seven categories will be announced from 28 December to 31 December," ICC said.

"Each of those seven categories will have a shortlist of four nominees, comprising players who have had the most impactful performances in the period under consideration -- January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021.

"The nominees will be decided by the Awards panel, comprising prominent cricket journalists and broadcasters from across the globe along with Geoff Allardice, the ICC's CEO." The apex body said that "the winners for each category will be announced in January", while "the official ICC Teams of the Year are set to be announced on 17 and 18 January." "The individual awards pertaining to women's cricket will be announced on 23 January. The men's awards, as well as the Spirit of Cricket and Umpire of the Year award, will be announced on 24 January," it further stated. 

Also Read : South Africa reach 21/1 at lunch in reply to India's 327 on day three

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Dec 27 (Cricket News) The BCCI has decided to delay the selection committee meeting for the ODIs in South Africa till the end of this month to get a clear picture on new white-ball captain Rohit Sharma's left-hamstring injury status.

Rohit has been doing his rehabilitation programme at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) but it could still take some time for the Indian captain to regain full fitness.

"The team selection meeting will happen after the first Test. It could be on December 30 or 31st but the BCCI is yet to take a final call. Rohit is pulling all stops to get fit but hamstring injuries are a bit different from other injuries.

"It has been learnt that Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are unavailable for selection. About Rohit, a call will be taken closer to the selection date," a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Jadeja and Axar's unavailability has opened the door for R Ashwin to make an ODI comeback after four years.

Earlier, the selection meeting was supposed to be held just after Hazare Trophy but it has been pushed back only to ensure that Rohit gets a chance to pass the fitness test.

In case Rohit is not fit in time for the the ODIs, KL Rahul will be leading India for the first time in a bilateral series.

"It could well happen that Rohit is not fit by the time of selection cut-off but then with the first ODI still three weeks away, he could get enough time to be with the team and regain full fitness closer to the date.

"In that case, he can be selected subject to fitness. These are things that chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma needs to check," the official said.

As of now, Venkatesh Iyer and Ruturaj Gaikwad are the two youngsters who will be part of the ODI squad on the basis of their performance in Vijay Hazare Trophy.

M Shahrukh Khan's name, who has impressed one and all as a finisher during the Hazare Trophy, might come up for discussion.

It needs to be seen whether selectors pick him for this tour or keep him ready for the home series against Sri Lanka and West Indies as a T20 option.

Shikhar Dhawan, the veteran opener despite his poor run of form in the domestic event, might be retained. 

Also Read : Hope I can repeat my success in England and Australia in South Africa too: Shardul

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) India had a very successful boxing day as they are 272 for 3 at the end of day 1. Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first. India has taken a very big gamble by playing only 6 pure batters followed by Shardul Thakur and Ravichandran Ashwin. There was no place for Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari as Ajinkya Rahane kept his place. South Africa handed a debut to tall left arm seamer Marco Jansen instead of going for the in-form Duanne Olivier.

KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal gave the blues a perfect start to the tour with a 117 run opening partnership. Later, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane accompanied Rahul as India steadied their way to a good score at the end of day 1. As good as KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal batted in the early parts of the innings, it is safe to say that the South African bowling was not up to the mark. Kagiso Rabada looked completely unlike himself as he kept missing his line with very less pace than usual. Debutant Jansen was hammered by the Indians throughout the day as he couldn't find his shape and consistency. He did manage to get a few good balls in but always bowled a loosener to release the batter of any pressure. Jansen did produce an edge of Agarwal when he was on 36 but the difficult catch was dropped by Quinton de Kock. The openers left the balls outside off stump really well and also punished the bad balls.

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Agarwal played the aggressor during the opening partnership as he kept collecting boundaries with his powerful stroke play. He reached his half century just after lunch in 89 deliveries. The Proteas turned it on in the 2nd session as they began to find their lines much better but the Indians continued to maintain a good scoring rate. Lungi Ngidi finally got a perfect ball to jag back into Agarwal's pads when he was on 60 and got the wicket after a successful review. He wasn't done then as he got rid of Cheteshwar Pujara on a golden duck in the very next ball to turn the game on it's head. Ngidi's ball hit Pujara's bat and pad and went straight to forward short leg.

The Indian captain then joined his newly appointed deputy and the pair stitched an 82 run partnership. There was some intricate stroke play in the process as India were 157/2 at tea. It was going well after tea but Kohli decided to throw his bat on Ngidi's loosener way outside off which took a thick outside edge straight to first slip. Former vice captain Ajinkya Rahane walked out to bat under a lot of pressure. Rahane didn't show any pressure and looked in fine touch as he took on the bowling by putting away the boundary balls. KL Rahul on the other hand was silently going on about his business as he reached triple figures. He became only the 2nd Indian opener after Wasim Jaffer to score a ton in South Africa. 

The day ended with India 272 for 3 with Rahul and Rahane unbeaten on 122 and 40. India will be looking at 500 considering the position they are in. The pitch will get quicker as the days progress which could mean that India's decision to trust their 6 batters and play 5 bowlers is paying off. 
 

(Cricket news) India will be back in red ball action after becoming the no. 1 Test team in the world following their win against New Zealand. They now face a tough challenge to an unconquered territory of South Africa. Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid will be hoping to get India their first ever Test series win in South Africa. India are missing several key players in Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Shubman Gill and Axar Patel. South Africa on the other hand will be without Speedster Anrich Nortje. 

India Possible Playing XI:

KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

Ajinkya Rahane will be under a lot of pressure as this might be his last chance. The big call is the combination of the team. India could go and pick Shardul Thakur instead of Hanuma Vihari to play 5 bowlers. But the above team is very balanced especially with the Indian tail showing in England that they can contribute a little with the bat. Ishant Sharma is another close call who has a lot of experience bowling in South Africa.

Also read: Shreyas Iyer or Hanuma Vihari? Who should get a chance first in South Africa?

South Africa possible playing XI:

Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Keegan Peterson, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier.

Rabada and Ngidi will be key for the Proteas with their seam bowling. The opening combination of skipper Elgar and Markram will have India's potent new ball attack. Olivier will have to step up and fill the shoes of Anrich Nortje.

Weather forecast and pitch report:

Day 3 and day 4 are expected to be sunny while the other days could have a fair bit of delay due to rain and bad light. The team that wins the toss will be looking to bat first mainly due to the weather conditions on day 1 and day 2. Centurian is usually a batting pitch as the ball comes on to the bat right from the beginning of the game. It will assist fast bowlers more than spinners but spinners could get some turn and bit going into day 4 and day 5. 

India would've been outright favorites had Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja not been injured. The visitors' chances have now taken a massive hit but they are still favorites to win the series and winning the first game would be a massive statement from this Indian side.
 

Johannesburg, Dec 21 (Cricket News) South Africa captain Dean Elgar feels the Indian pace attack has improved immensely, especially overseas, and Jasprit Bumrah is best placed to exploit the "spicy" conditions in the rainbow nation.

India, who lost the series 1-2 back in 2018, are primed for their maiden Test series win in South Africa.

The home team also lacks in experience with the likes AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn, Faf Du Plessis, Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander, who were all part of the 2018 series, retired from the game.

Bumrah hade made his Test debut in that series and has gone on to become one of the leading bowlers in international cricket. In a virtual media interaction, Elgar acknowledged the Bumrah threat but said the whole Indian attack will be tough to face.

"He (Bumrah) is a world class bowler. If there is one bowler who can exploit South African conditions pretty well, it would be him. But again, we don't focus on one guy. India as a whole is a pretty, pretty good side.

"They've been a pretty good side for the last two to three years and have toured very well of late," said Elgar, who was the only one alongside Virat Kohli to average more than 40 in the 2018 series.

Elgar said senior bowler R Ashwin has not had too much success in South Africa but he remains one of the best spinners in world cricket.

South Africa had their training at the Wanderers till Tuesday while the Indians trained in Centurion.

"India has been an immensely improved bowling line up especially playing away from home as well. We're very mindful of what we're going to be up against.

"Being in South Africa I would like to think we're a lot more accustomed to our home conditions. So I rather be sitting here knowing that than possibly sitting in Indian dressing room knowing that they have to face our bowlers." South Africa have been dealt a big blow ahead of the series opener with Anrich Nortje being ruled out due to injury. Kagiso Rabada will lead the attack in the company of Duanne Oliver, who has returned to play for South Africa after the end of Kolpak deal in the UK, and Lungi Ngidi.

Elgar hopes the weather will clear up ahead of the first Test and expects pitches to have enough spice for the bowlers.

"There's always a little bit of spice in South African wickets, especially in highveld region. I wouldn't see too much change (from last series). If you apply yourself as a batter, if you nail down your skills and your disciplines, you can really score runs in Centurion.

"Again, with the ball in hand you can exploit the conditions if you got pace and bounce and if you got some skill and be a little patient from a bowling point of view," he said when asked about the match up of both the pace attacks.

Talking about the inexperience in the batting line-up, he said: "Professional cricket is about taking your opportunities and making the position your own...if they don't, there'll be other guys knocking on the door.

"But it's always going to be tough playing against the best side in the world. They've got a very good bowling lineup and we are aware of it." On the return of Oliver, who had quit South Africa to play county cricket in the UK, said he has been received well by the players.

"There's no bad feelings about what's happened in the past. I want to win cricket matches and series for South Africa. I'm pretty sure I've got 100% backing when it comes to that.

"So, it's nice to have him back. He's learned a lot playing in the UK. And so he's bringing a lot of knowledge and experience back into the change, which is something that we need at the moment.

"He is a match winner and if he can win cricket matches for us I'm all for having him back." Elgar is also disappointed that the series will be played in front of empty stands with the rise in COVID-19 cases in South Africa following the emergence of Omicron variant. 

Also Read : David Lloyd announces retirement from commentary, invokes Elton John

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) India are all set to take on South Africa in a 3 match Test Series. The first one will be played on boxing day in Centurion. Rohit Sharma, Shubhman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are not in the squad due to injuries which is a very big loss to India. India has never won a Test series in South Africa and this could be their best chance of doing so.

India's ideal playing XI:

Openers: Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul

Without Gill and Rohit, the opening combination becomes very obvious with KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal. The pair have a very good understanding as they have played with each other since the under-19 level. Agarwal comes into the tour on the back of a match winning ton against New Zealand in Mumbai. Rahul on the other hand has had a fantastic tour of England and has been made the vice captain of the side. Priyank Panchal is a backup incase there is an injury but it is fairly clear that the two will play all the 3 games. 

Middle order: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari

Despite the three most experienced batters in this side not being in great form they need to be backed especially while touring South Africa. Rahane is the one who is under pressure after losing his vice captaincy. He is likely to be given at least one game to try and get some runs and strengthen his position in the team for at least this tour. After being dropped for the home series against New Zealand, Hanuma Vihari went to South Africa with India A and had a good series. Vihari is experienced in playing overseas and should be preferred over Shreyas Iyer who had a dream debut against New Zealand. Virat Kohli likes to play 5 bowlers which will be very difficult to do without Jadeja and Axar. Hanuma Vihari's off spin could come in handy unless they play Rishabh Pant at 6 with Ravichandran Ashwin and Shardul Thakur as bowling all-rounders. Playing 5 bowlers would massively affect the batting depth of the side and the risk.of a collapse increases. 

Wicket keeper: Rishabh Pant

Despite Wriddhiman Saha having a good series against England, Rishabh Pant's place was never in danger. He will slot straight back into the side. This will be the gloveman's first tour of South Africa which is possibly the toughest country to bat in. After multiple good performances in England and Australia, Pant will be keen to showcase his talent in South Africa as well.

Also read: Richardson stars as Australia win despite Buttler and Woakes' resilience

Spinner: Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin didn't play a single game in England but with Jadeja injured he will almost definitely play all 3 games and will be very crucial in India's chances of winning. He will also have to contribute with the bat as he has done multiple times in the past. Stitching small 50 partnerships and getting 20-30 runs here and there could be a difference maker in South Africa. Jayant Yadav is a good backup option to have

Seamers: Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj

India are stacked in their fast bowling options. Shami and Bumrah pick themselves after recent performances. Siraj has rarely disappointed in Indian colours and has become a very lethal bowler. Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur are very reliable options to have on the bench. There is a chance that Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid decide to back Ishant Sharma at least for the first Test because of his experience of bowling in South Africa which Siraj doesn't have. There are 3 Tests in a space of 21 days which means that there is a high possibility that the seamers will be rotated according to the situation and combination of the side. 
 

New Delhi, Dec 21 (Cricket News) India's premier off-spinner R Ashwin has revealed that he felt like he was being "thrown under the bus" after a remark by former head coach Ravi Shastri left him "crushed" during a torrid phase in his career when he contemplated retirement multiple times.

In an interview with 'ESPNcricinfo', Ashwin was asked how he felt when then coach Shastri anointed Kuldeep Yadav as India's No. 1 spinner overseas after he had taken a five-for in the 2019 Sydney Test against Australia.

Ashwin said he was genuinely happy for Kuldeep as he knew how difficult it is to take five wickets as a spinner in Australia but Shastri's remarks left him "absolutely crushed".

"I hold Ravi bhai in high esteem. We all do. And I understand we all can say things and then retract them. In that moment, though, I felt crushed. Absolutely crushed," Ashwin said.

"We all talk about how important it is to enjoy your team-mates' success. And I was happy for Kuldeep. I have not been able to get a five-for but he has a five-for in Australia. I know how big it is. Even when I have bowled well (at other times), I haven't ended up with a five-for. So I am genuinely happy for him. And it's an extremely happy occasion, to win in Australia.

"But if I have to come and partake in his happiness, and the success of the team, I must feel like I belong there. If I feel like I am being thrown under the bus, how am I supposed to get up and come for a party to enjoy the team's or team-mate's success?" Ashwin, however, still made it to the celebration party that was organised following the Indian's team's historic series triumph Down Under.

"I went back to my room and then I spoke to my wife. And my children were there. So we were able to, you know, shrug it off, and I still made it to the party, because, end of the day, we had won a massive series." The 35-year-old said that recurring injuries meant that he was playing under "excruciating pain" when he took three wickets in each innings to lead India to victory in the first Test.

Shastri's remark was quite too much for Ashwin after he played a role in the team's win in the series opener.

"The first Test seemed like a distant memory by then. I had taken three of the first four wickets in the first innings after we were bowled out cheaply, and then when it got really flat in the final innings, I plugged away for 50-plus overs and took three wickets despite what turned out to be a grade three abdomen tear.

"In my mind, I had done something great for the team in excruciating pain, but all I heard was, "Nathan Lyon took six, Ashwin took three".

"As it is, I was frustrated with my body for letting me down when I was in really good bowling form. The last thing I needed was these comparisons and insinuations. Between that reaction and Sydney, it didn't feel like I had played any part at all," Ashwin said.

Ashwin has been a great asset for India in both home and away conditions in the longer format of the game.

The spinner has so far taken 427 Test wickets, making him the third-highest wicket-taker from the country after Anil Kumble and Kapil Dev in the red-ball format.

But there was a phase between 2018 to 2020 when he almost quit playing.

"Between 2018 and 2020, I contemplated giving up the sport at various points. I thought, 'I have put in a lot of effort, but it is not coming through.' "The harder I tried, the farther it felt. Especially with athletic pubalgia and the patellar tendonitis - I used to bowl six balls and then I used to be gasping for breath. And there would be pain all over the place.

"So you needed to make adjustments. When the knee pain got excruciating, the next ball I would probably jump less. When I jumped less, obviously the force needs to be produced through the core and the back and the shoulders, so the pubalgia (a chronic groin lesion) would act up.

"So the third ball I would be extra side-on to try to use the hips. By the time I was done with six balls, I would be like, 'I need a break here'," Ashwin recalled.

He also said that an injury breakdown in overseas assignments is often sneered at by the game's observers, an attitude that reflects the lack of empathy in cricketing community.

"Only when it hits them personally do they have the empathy. Empathy is being able to put yourself in others' shoes, and feel, 'Hey what if it happens to me?' I feel as a cricketing community, we lack that," he lamented. 

Also Read : If you can't influence bowlers, what are you doing on field? Ponting questions Root's leadership

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) India have named the 18 man squad for the 3 Tests in South Africa. The 1st Test starts boxing day- 26th December at SuperSport Park, Centurion. South Africa is the only place India has never won a Test series. Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid would like to tick off that box and there is no better time to do so. The Indian red ball team is at the peak of its powers right now, having already conquered Australia and England this year.

Squad: Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma (VC), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (WK), Wriddhiman Saha (WK), R Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj.

Standby Players: Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Arzan Nagwaswalla.

The squad doesn't have any controversial snubs as such. Hanuma Vihari has returned to the side on the back of a decent South Africa tour with India A. Shreyas Iyer and Jayant Yadav keep their place in the side. Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, KL Rahul and Shardul Thakur are back in the team as expected. 

Also read: I am 100% committed to doing my best at the Vijay Hazare Trophy - Indian cricketer Yash Nahar

The big call is stripping Ajinkya Rahane off the vice captaincy. The decision comes just 11 months after Rahane led India to a legendary series win in Australia. The decision has to do with Rahane's form rather than his role as vice captain. The decision is a clear indication the South Africa series will be Rahane's last chance and a failure would lead to him being dropped from the side. Rohit Sharma is more than capable of being vice captain. Kohli and Rohit were skipper and deputy in white ball cricket for a long time.

BCCI also announced that Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Shubman Gill were unavailable for selection because of injuries. The absence of Jadeja and his like for like replacement is a big blow. Washington Sundar is fit and playing the Vijay Hazare trophy but still hasn't been selected. It leaves India with Jayant Yadav, Shardul Thakur and Ravichandran Ashwin as bowlers who can bat. India are clearly missing a proper all-rounder in the side which means they will almost certainly have to go for 7 pure batters and 4 bowling options.

India will be looking to find the right combination from the get go which is easier said than done. Ashwin's place is pretty much guaranteed at this point. Whether Mayank Agarwal is rewarded for his ton in Mumbai or do India go back to Rohit and Rahul up top remains to be seen. Vihari and Iyer will be up against each other if a pure batter's place opens up. At this moment in time Bumrah, Shami and Siraj look like India's strongest pace trio.

New Delhi, Dec 8 (Cricket news) Virat Kohli was on Wednesday removed as India's ODI captain with the national selection committee making Rohit Sharma the sole white-ball leader of the team till the 2023 50-over World Cup.

In another significant development, Ajinkya Rahane was removed from Test vice-captaincy, a position which was also given to Rohit.

The BCCI announced the 18-member squad for the three Test series which doesn't include all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, spinner Axar Patel, and opener Shubman Gill due to various injuries.

Hanuma Vihari has made a comeback in the main squad while Ishant Sharma has been able to retain his place despite poor form.

Squad: Virat Kohli (Capt),Rohit Sharma(vc), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant(wk), Wriddhiman Saha(wk), R Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Md. Siraj.

Standby Players: Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Arzan Nagwaswalla.

Also Read : Ashwin rises to 2nd, Mayank Agarwal jumps 30 places to 11th in ICC Test rankings

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The match schedule for Ireland Men’s tour to West Indies has been confirmed by Cricket West Indies (CWI) with the two sides playing three CG Insurance One-Day Internationals (ODI) and one T20 International (T20I) at Sabina Park, Jamaica from Saturday, January 8 to Sunday, January 16.

The ODI’s will start at 9:30 am local time while the T20I will begin at 4 pm local time.

Match schedule – at Sabina Park

January 8: 1st CG Insurance ODI – 9.30am (10.30am Eastern Caribbean / 2.30pm Ireland)
January 11: 2nd CG Insurance ODI – 9.30am (10.30am Eastern Caribbean / 2.30pm Ireland)
January 14: 3rd CG Insurance ODI – 9.30am (10.30am Eastern Caribbean / 2.30pm Ireland)
January 16: T20I International - 4pm (5pm Eastern Caribbean / 9pm Ireland)

A warm-up match prior to the first ODI will be announced in due course.

Richard Holdsworth, High Performance Director of Cricket Ireland, said: “We are pleased to be returning to the Caribbean where we have so many great memories. The World Cup Super League is a crucial set of fixtures for Ireland as we attempt to qualify for the next Cricket World Cup, and – if the series in 2020 is anything to go by - we look forward to a highly competitive series in January.”

Johnny Grave, CEO of Cricket West Indies, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming Ireland back to the West Indies in January. They last visited the Caribbean in 2020 and we had some exciting encounters, so we can anticipate a competitive series to start the new year.”

Also read: Was fortunate to get 10-fer: Ajaz Patel in interview to R Ashwin

Mumbai, Dec 7 (Cricket news) India-born New Zealand cricketer Ajaz Patel is not sure if his rare 10-wickets-in-an-innings feat would prove to be life-changing but he is hoping that it would help him play 80-90 Tests for his adopted homeland.

The 33-year-old Mumbai-born etched his name in history books last week when he took all 10 wickets in India's first innings in the city of his birth, becoming only third cricketer to do so after Jim Laker and Anil Kumble.

Ajaz, who still has big family presence in Mumbai, looked back at that unforgettable week in a media interaction ahead of New Zealand's return back home following a 0-1 series loss to India on Monday. He is not expecting a cash windfall following his heroics but hopes that he has inspired kids of Asian origin to take up the sport back in New Zealand, preferably spin bowling.

"I'm not too sure to be honest with you. I'm very much in the present at the moment," said the left-arm spinner when asked if he expects his life to change.

"Yes, I've achieved something amazing, but it's a new day and there's more cricket to come. So for me, it's about staying grounded as the person that I am, down to earth and nothing's really changed.

"And it's not going to really impact me too much because I know there's a lot more left in my career. And if you look at my career, I'm 11 games in and I hope to be one of those cricketers that's played 80 or 90 games for New Zealand by the end of my career," said the soft-spoken New Zealander.

In what was his response to a hypothetical question, Ajaz said he would never want to play for another country than New Zealand though he feels a strong connect with India.

"New Zealand is a place that I've been brought up. It's a place where I've learned my craft. It's a place where I've been given the opportunities to develop as a cricketer and be the person that I am and the cricketer that I am and without New Zealand cricket, I probably wouldn't have the career that I have now.

"So I wouldn't change it for the world. And yes, I also call myself an Indian by heritage and I'm proud of that too." Ajaz, who is a devout Muslim, also spoke his mind on a sensitive topic like racism and how the 2019 terrorist attack at a mosque in Christchurch impacted him.

At a time, when English cricket has been rocked by racism allegations levelled by British Asian cricketer Azeem Rafiq, Ajaz said he did not face discrimination in New Zealand.

"We speak about diversity and racism now from a sporting perspective, but I don't think it's something that so much influenced me particularly in my culture, but that or in my upbringing, but I won't say it doesn't exist.

"I've actually through my journey have felt quite comfortable in New Zealand. I've been very, very grateful than the Blackcaps environment as soon as I came and they've been very very respectful about my culture, my beliefs, my rituals like for me if I need halal food though they will source it from anywhere if they have to.

"I remember my debut season (in 2018) they sent someone along with me to the masjid so that I could pray and also in the change room so if I need to pray, guys are very respectful and give me the space and the time to pray." He also recalled a touching gesture from his neighbours back home following the Christchurch attack.

"When that happened it impacted the Muslim community a lot. We all were scared at that time. But the way our government handled it and the entire community, we received a lot of love," Ajaz said.

"My mother walks out of home in a burqa, there is no judgement there. When the attack happened, the construction in our new house was going on.

"The neigbours must have seen my mother in a burqa (and found that we were Muslims), what our neighbours did was the put a plant on the staircase and there was a letter which said 'we support you and you are part of our community'." He also credited his coach Rowland Barrington, a former Karnataka cricketer who moved to New Zealand, for his growth as a cricketer.

He concluded the interaction by talking about the 10-wicket haul.

"To be honest, I wasn't thinking about it at all until I got the ninth wicket because I was so long into my spell. As a spinner you focus on one ball at a time and you don't try and get too far ahead of yourself.

"So my main focus was just to bowl the best ball that I could one ball one at a time. I knew that it would be a special achievement if I'd got all 10. So there was a bit more pressure on that last over with Siraj facing and me only having about four balls left."

Also Read : Was fortunate to get 10-fer: Ajaz Patel in interview to R Ashwin

News Source : PTI

Brisbane, Dec 7 (Cricket news) England have decided to rest senior pacer James Anderson for the first Ashes Test beginning here on Wednesday as part of their workload management.

By not playing the series opener, the team management feels Anderson can be better prepared for the subsequent pink-ball Test in Adelaide.

"Jimmy is fit to play, and is not carrying an injury. With five Tests in six weeks the plan was to get him ready for the second Test in Adelaide," the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement.

The decision also took into account England's "limited" preparations ahead of the first Test with the weather playing spoilsport.

"With the limited build-up we have had so far on the tour, both him and the management didn't want to take the risk of him playing after what had happened in 2019 at Edgbaston, when he broke down on the first morning," the statement read.

"He bowled at full capacity yesterday for just short of an hour and was in a good place physically. He will do the same again today at practice. He will stay with the Test group this week and work with the coaches at the Gabba rather than playing for the Lions." Anderson has to play a key role if England are to win the Ashes Down Under for the first time since 2010-11. He had taken 24 wickets at 26.04 when Andrew Strauss led England won the Ashes in Australia more than a decade ago.

Also Read : Was fortunate to get 10-fer: Ajaz Patel in interview to R Ashwin

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Dec 6 (Cricket news) New Zealand left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel considers himself "fortunate" to be just the third Test cricketer ever with 10 wickets in an innings as all he tried doing in that magical performance against India was putting the ball in the right areas for a long period of time.

The 33-year-old Mumbai-born Patel, who migrated to New Zealand as a seven-year old, said it has been a "dream come true" to be able to play at the city of his birth and come up with a historic feat.

"It has been a special outing for me. It's dream to come here and play at Wankhede and be able to do something like that (historic feat) is very special. Not only for me but also for my family back home," Patel said in an interview by senior India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

"I will count myself as fortunate. I thank God to have (got) this opportunity but it was about putting the ball at good areas for a long period of time," he said in a video uploaded by the BCCI.

"As a spinner, sometimes you really have to work. I have to bowl 47 overs or something. In the end I am very exhausted, 72 or 73 overs in three days." India won the series 1-0 with a 372-run thumping of the visitors in the second Test here, the same match in which Patel made history.

He also admitted that he was put under a lot of pressure by the Indian batters.

"It is about playing that long games especially when the wickets suited you and giving something to you. We knew that you guys are amazing players of spin. You guys put a lot of pressure on me.

"I was trying to be on the money every ball because as soon as I miss, you guys would be on top. So, it has been a bit of mind game. It was about sticking and trusting what you are doing is the right thing." Ashwin, on his part, lauded Patel and presented to him, a jersey signed by Indian players as a mark of respect to the Kiwi bowler.

"A middle class Indian family, parents migrated to New Zealand. His father started a workshop. It is an amazing journey (for Patel)," Ashwin said.

"He (Patel) was a fast bowler, I don't think you would fancy to be one here." Patel said he is content with his choice of switching to spin bowling after initially wanting to be a pace bowler.

"In New Zealand, I definitely wanted to be a seamer first up, even now sometimes I wish to bowl seam. But I don't really have the height of a fast bowler and so I made a great choice switching to spin bowling about two years ago.

"It has been a lot of hard work but I am very grateful to be where I am right now in cricket," said Patel who took 14 wickets in the second Test.

He said Ashwin was one of the players he looked up to because of his excellent command on the craft.

"As you know, it takes a lot of time to develop the craft. It has been amazing watching your journey and the amount of wickets you have taken in different conditions around the world.

"For me, it was just about trying to emulate some of the best and you are definitely out there." Talking about his memories in India, he said, "Early on in India, it was just like playing cricket in Maidan just because you enjoy playing with the rubber ball or heavy tennis ball, way to go.

"But in New Zealand, probably it is more structured. In our family, Indians are cricket mad and we still play in the backyard every hour, crazy times, just cricket mad family really."

Also Read : Technique won't guarantee runs all the time, but will to fight is key: Mayank

news Source : PTI

Mumbai, Dec 5 (Cricket news) India's middle-order worries going into South Africa series remained but that didn't deter Ravichandran Ashwin from turning the heat on as his three quick blows left New Zealand tottering at 140 for five in pursuit of an impossible 540 on day three of the second Test.

While Daryl Mitchell (60 off 92 balls) and Henry Nicholls (36 batting) added 73 runs for the fourth wicket, there is no denying that India in all likelihood will finish it early on the fourth day with Ashwin (3/27) looking menacing after every passing over.

What will hurt New Zealand team most in this defeat is the fact that this is the game where one of its own -- Ajaz Patel, equalled the world record and grabbed a match-haul of 14 wickets, something that no one has ever done against India in Test cricket.

The tall Mitchell at least tried to use his reach to counter Ashwin and also attack Jayant Yadav and Axar Patel but looked more like the last man standing, trying to delay the inevitable before a rush of blood saw him being holed at deep extra cover. Tom Blundell had a suicidal runout going for a non-existent single.

But it was Ashwin, who again got the new ball and immediately got into the act by removing skipper Tom Latham with an angular delivery while Will Young gave bat pad to forward short leg and Ross Tayor, who has been a walking wicket, failed miserably in his attempt to slog sweep the wily off-spinner.

There was one over where Ashwin literally toyed with left-handed Nicholls who couldn't gauge which one would turn away like a classical off-break and the one that will straighten or come in with the angle.

But there will be some issues that would need coach Rahul Dravid's urgent attention.

For India, even in what could be a facile victory, the wobbly middle-order would keep them worried going into the South Africa series.

Ajinkya Rahane failed in the first Test and had to be dropped on pretext of a hamstring niggle. Cheteshwar Pujara had three bad innings and one where he looked better but that was after the pressure was released by the bowlers.

Skipper Virat Kohli, whose primary aim of not enforcing follow-on was to get some batting time under his belt, also didn't look confident during a scratchy innings of 36 off 84 balls.

India declared their second innings at 276 for 7 after Axar hit four sixes and three fours in his 41 off 26 balls to prop up the innings towards the end.

Their confidence already shattered, the New Zealand bowlers conceded as many as 25 fours and 11 sixes in the 70 overs they bowled in the second innings. In fact, all Indian batters save Wriddhiman Saha hit at least one six.

Kohli's idea of batting again was partially successful because Pujara did look good during his 47 and Mayank Agarwal (62, 108 balls) did his cause no harm by smashing another half-century to top up his first innings score of 150.

The duo added 107 runs for the opening stand to add insult to New Zealand's injuries and it was compounded by another 82 runs that Shubman Gill (47) added with Kohli.

Save a six that he hit off opposition's weakest link, Will Sommerville, Kohli for the better part of his 84 balls didn't look convincing before playing on to a friendly left-arm spin from Rachin Ravindra, who also had three wickets.

Agarwal was looking good for his second hundred of the game but in his bid to hit another six off Patel he could not reach to the pitch of the delivery and Will Young comfortably took the catch at long-off.

For Pujara this was the best chance to get a fifty and increase his confidence before the tour of South Africa.

He survived a strong DRS appeal but then one delivery that was pitched slightly fuller and turned, got his outside edge and went to Taylor's safe hands in the slips.

Also Read : India set New Zealand 540-run target

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Dec 3 (Cricket news) India captain Virat Kohli opted to bat after winning the toss against New Zealand in the second Test here on Friday.

While Kohli came in place of injured and out of form vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who is out with hamstring niggle, off-spinner Jayant Yadav, playing his first test in nearly five years, came in place of Ravindra Jadeja, out with right forearm niggle.

Ishant Sharma is also ruled out with Mohammed Siraj coming in his place.

For New Zealand, Daryl Mitchell replaced injured skipper Kane Williamson, who is out with left elbow problem.

The Teams: India: Virat Kohli (capt), Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shreyas Iyer, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Axar Patel, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.

New Zealand: Tom Latham (capt), Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Ajaz Patel.

Also Read : Williamson out of 2nd Test with elbow injury, Latham to lead

news Source : PTI

(Cricket news) With two new franchises coming to the IPL next year, there was bound to be some major changes as a total of 27 players were retained by the eight existing franchises. A total of 269 crores were spent to hold on to these 27 players, which included 19 Indians, four uncapped players and eight foreigners. Let us take a look at the players retained by each franchise:

1) Chennai Super Kings

Retained - Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali, Ruturaj Gaikwad

MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja were the first names for the defending champions as both have been a part of the franchise since 2011, the only point of discussion was which place would Dhoni take but eventually they selected him as the top pick because it would swell their purse ahead of the next auction, if he retires after the 2022 season. Jadeja was retained for 16cr and took the second spot with 12cr. The third slot was the most debated as the CSK management opted for Moeen Ali over Faf Du Plessis. In most likelihood, Moeen’s all round skills and his plethora of T20 experience swung the scale his way, he was retained for 8cr. The final spot went to the highest run getter from last year as Ruturaj Gaikwad as he was retained for 6cr. It has been learnt that the Super Kings have earmarked the Maharashtra and India batter as a future captain too.

Major players released: Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo, Suresh Raina, Deepak Chahar

2) Kolkata Knight Riders

Retained - Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine 

The runners up from last season opted for continuity and promoting promising talent like Venkatesh Iyer and Varun Chakravarthy who have subsequently become mainstays of the team. While Russell and Narine have been loyal players for Knight Riders for a while as they were relatively quick to sign fresh contracts, Chakravarthy and Iyer were keen to bargain for better financial packages. Ultimately Andre Russell was retained for 12 cr, followed by Venkatesh Iyer for 8cr, Varun Chakravarthy was allotted the spot for a price of 8cr and Sunil Narine occupied the last spot as he was retained for 6cr.  KKR will enter the auction with a purse of 48cr in the mega auction next year.

Knight Riders' chief executive officer Venky Mysore said, “Leaving out Shubman Gill was a tough choice, but the franchise felt Iyer and Chakravarthy possessed skills that are not easily found in the auction”.

Major players released: Eoin Morgan, Shubman Gill, Dinesh Karthik, Lockie Ferguson

3) Delhi Capitals

Retained - Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Prithvi Shaw, Anrich Nortje

Delhi Capitals have been the most consistent side over the last three years as they have made the playoffs in every season under the guidance of Ricky Ponting. All four players retained by DC have been match winners over the last two or three years as the franchise saw the quartet as the core group around which the rest of the unit could be assembled during the auction. The only talking point for them is the absence of Shreyas Iyer as he will now look to captain one of the two new franchises that is going to enter next year. DC retained Pant for 16cr, followed by Axar Patel for 9cr, then Prithvi Shaw for 7.5cr and Anrich Nortje for 6.5cr.

Major players released: Shreyas Iyer, Avesh Khan, R Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada

4) Royal Challengers Bangalore

Retained - Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj

The Royal Challengers Bangalore retained only three players as they are heading into a new era with Virat Kohli not being the captain of the franchise. Glenn Maxwell, for the first time in his IPL career was retained, getting the second slot at Royal Challengers while Mohammed Siraj was the third. While it came as a surprise that RCB didn’t retain a fourth player especially when they had the trio of Chahal, Devdutt Padikkal and Harshal Patel to choose from. The only logical thinking could be that they wanted a larger purse to go after a high profile player who could come in and lead this franchise, RCB have a purse of 57cr after retaining Kohli for 15cr, Maxwell for 11cr and Siraj for 7cr.

Major players released: Devdutt Padikkal, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal

5) Mumbai Indians

Retained - Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard

Mumbai Indians always had two slots booked for Rohit and Jasprit but the dilemma for the MI management was the other two remaining retention spots. MI have been a champion side winning two titles in a row with a very talented group of players but when given a choice to retain only four players it becomes difficult. The MI management opted to go with Suryakumar Yadav as the third retained player because the team management felt Kishan had more impact mainly batting in the top order as opposed to Suryakumar who is not just a 360-degree batter but also can float around the batting order. With the fourth retention MI showed their loyalty to their most loyal foreigner Kieron Pollard as they retained him for 6 cr.

Major players released: Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Trent Boult, Rahul Chahar, Krunal Pandya

6) Punjab Kings

Retained - Mayank Agarwal, Arshdeep Singh

The Punjab Kings are again going through a rebuild next season as they will enter the 2022 auction with the strongest purse of INR 72 crore. The Punjab Kings management didn’t dwell too much after learning KL Rahul doesn’t want to be a part of this franchise, they moved in quickly to start negotiations with Mayank Agarwal, a potential captaincy candidate. While Arshdeep was logical second choice as he not only impressed everyone with his skill set but also showed that he can play under pressure.

Major players released: KL Rahul, Ravi Bishnoi, Nicholas Pooran

7) Rajasthan Royals

Retained - Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal

The major question was will the Rajasthan management retain the English trio, as they eventually decided to retain Jos Buttler and let go off Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. The Royals have shown faith in Sanju Samson and made him their first retention for 14cr followed by Buttler for 10cr and Yashasvi Jaiswal for 4cr as they enter the auction with a healthy purse of 62cr. 

Major players released: Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer

Also read: Kohli, Maxwell, Rohit, Dhoni retained ahead of IPL mega auction

8) Sunrisers Hyderabad

Retained - Kane Williamson, Abdul Samad, Umran Malik

The major question everyone had on their mind was how did they let Rashid go? It is understood that he was second on the list of retention, however he wanted a better deal and test the waters of the mega auction next year. One thing the SRH management stuck with was their captain Kane Williamson as they have identified him to lead the franchise through this mini rebuild. The Sunrisers have also held on to two uncapped Indian players, both from Jammu & Kashmir in aggressive batter Abdul Samad and fast bowler Umran Malik who made his IPL debut this season and showed extreme pace, touching 150kph. Despite Rashid's absence, one thing favouring the Sunrisers at the auction is a big purse of 68 crore

Major players released: David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar

(Cricket news) Taijul Islam has been one of the rising bolwers for the Bangladesh team. The 29 year old spinner has already taken 141 wickets in 34 matches, he can become the second bowler after Shakib Al Hasan to take more than 150 wickets in Test matches for Bangladesh. He is the only player from Bangladesh to take 8 wickets in an innings of a Test match. 

After a solid domestic season in 2013–14, Taijul was selected for Bangladesh A and made his Test debut for the country during its 2014 tour of the West Indies. On debut, he took a five-wicket haul, and later that year, when Zimbabwe toured Bangladesh, he took 8/39, the highest figures by any Bangladeshi in a Test match. Later in the series, he made his ODI debut and scored a hat-trick, becoming the first player to do so on debut.

Taijul is currently playing against Pakistan and took the fifth best figures for the side in the first innings of the ongoing test. He took 119-7 which included the top three batters and has supported the team even without their leading bowler Shakib. Shakib is expected to play in the second Test which will prove to be a major boost to the side.

Bangladesh side will need bowlers like him as the side has seen many pacers and still has them but spinners have remotely found success with the team. Taijul has picked up 27 wickets this season in Test matches which is the most in his side, he is the third bowler this year to take a 7 wicket haul after Rashid Khan and Lasith Embuldeniya. Taijul so far has the best figures of this year in a Test innings with his performance against Pakistan in the 1st innings.

This year has been most rewarding for spinners as Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel and Embuldeniya have played an important role for their respective teams. Taijul is the 8th highest wicket taker this year along with Kyle Jamieson and Kemar Roach. Amongst the spinners, Taijul is the fourth highest after Ashwin, Axar and Jack Leach.

Taijul will look to strike again in the second innings as Pakistan look to chase 202 in the final day of the 1st test. Pakistan are currently 109 without loss as they are on course for a comfortable victory unless Bangladesh sets up a miraculous comeback. Maybe take some inspiration from New Zealand who thrived in the dark on the final day.

Also read: Axar Patel in line to break 134 year old Test record of Charlie Turner

Kanpur, Nov 29 (Cricket News) Two Indian-born cricketers, Ajaz Patel and Rachin Ravindra, showed remarkable resilience under fading light and on a deteriorating track to defy India's famous spinners, eking out a thrilling draw for New Zealand in the opening Test here on Monday.

Indian spinners, led by Ravindra Jadeja, put up one of their most persevering performances in recent times but Mumbai-born Patel (2 off 23 balls) and Karnataka-born Ravindra (18 not out off 91 balls) consumed 8.4 overs after the fall of the ninth wicket to keep New Zealand on even keel in the two-match series.

A lot of credit should also go to night-watchman Will Somerville (36 off 110 balls), who played the entire fifth morning and to first raise visions of the improbable draw.

A match lasting five days on an Indian spin-friendly track impressed newly-appointed national head coach Rahul Dravid, who announced Rs 35,000 as a token of appreciation for the ground staff.

"We were bowling in good areas, we knew we had time but light was always going to come into play in the last session. It happened every day of the match," senior India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said after the exhausting day.

A victory target of 284 was always out of question but the gutsy New Zealanders didn't lose any wicket in the first session of the last morning before the Indian spinners, who had saved their best for the last, finally showed their skills but couldn't end on a winning note.

The result at Green Park is the first time that New Zealand has gone 10 Test matches undefeated (eight wins, two draws) with the current streak starting against India at the start of 2020.

The last half an hour was a thriller with umpires Nitin Menon and Virender Sharma checking light and Ravindra appreciating Patel for every copybook forward defensive stroke.

Ashwin (30-12-35-3), Jadeja (28-10-40-4) and Axar Patel (21-12-23-1) had to really push hard but it once again showed that Indian spinners might not be completely effective on tracks that don't start cracking from at the least second day.

There was low bounce for sure but the slow turn made it easy to negotiate and also the failure of the two senior pacers put immense pressure on the spin troika who still took 17 of the 19 Kiwi wickets to fall. But they couldn't take the all-important final one.

It was one of India's most hard-fought Test matches at home in recent times and no one would grudge the 'Good Men' from New Zealand again showing their wares in adversity.

The only thing that went in favour of India was the low bounce as defending for very long period wasn't an option.

After this draw, there are some probing questions for the team going into the next Test.

There will be serious question marks regarding stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane's place in the playing eleven with skipper Virat Kohli coming back in the next game.

Veteran pacer Ishant Sharma (22 wicket-less overs in match) is looking completely off-colour since England and his place in the eleven ought to be questioned.

Tom Latham (52 off 146 balls) scored his second fifty and, along with Somerville, became the key man to in taking the game deep into the fifth day.

In the final context, even Kane Williamson's (24 off 112 balls) would mean a lot and so would Tim Blundell and Kyle Jamieson playing 30-odd balls each.

These were little contributions that mattered and in the end, a little bit of luck also went their way.

The first session was the key when Somerville confidently negotiated Umesh and Ishant to set the tone during the 76-run stand.

The second session certainly belonged to India as Umesh Yadav (1/34 in 12 overs) removed the night-watchman with a short ball immediately after resumption. It was Shubman Gill who took a fine catch diving forward at long leg boundary.

Williamson looked way more confident that his first innings effort as he hit a cover drive off Ishant, who was completely off-colour on the day while Latham also played his defensive game pretty well.

However, the low bounce did him in as he dragged one back during the post lunch. With that scalp, Ashwin in his 80th Test, crossed Harbhajan Singh (417 in 103 games) to become the third highest wicket-taker for India in the five-day format.

"I would like to congratulate Ashwin on his milestone. Well done and hope he wins many more matches for India," Harbhajan told PTI.

"I never believed in comparisons. We played our best cricket in different times, against different opposition. I had done my best for the country back then and ditto for Ashwin, he did his best now," the former India spinner said.

But this will be one milestone that he won't enjoy much as the team failed to win. 

Also Read : Ashwin goes past Harbhajan as Williamson keeps New Zealand in fight

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Nov 29 (Cricket News) Some will unveil their core, while others might just go with a clean slate when the deadline to retain players ends on Tuesday for the eight existing IPL franchises.

Most of the teams have been making last ditch efforts to keep players of their choice in the lead up to the mega auction next year.

After the eight teams finalise their retention plans, new franchises -- Lucknow and Ahmedabad -- will pick a maximum of three players between December 1 and 25 before the mega auction in January.

The existing teams can retain a maximum of four players, not more than three Indians and not more than two overseas recruits.

PTI explores likely retentions ahead of the deadline.

Delhi Capitals: ========= The franchise is all set to retain skipper Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Axar Patel and South African pacer Anrich Nortje. They had to make the tough call of releasing other consistent performers like R Ashwin and Kagiso Rabada, who they might look to buy back in the auction.

Another star player, Shreyas Iyer, is leaving Delhi after he didn't get his captaincy back following his return from a shoulder injury.

Mumbai Indians: ========== The five-time champions will build the side around their two pillars -- skipper Rohit Sharma and lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

Suryakumar Yadav and veteran Kieron Pollard are next in their pecking order. It might well be a toss up between Suryakumar and Ishan Kishan, both of whom went on to play for India after their exploits for Mumbai Indians.

Hardik Pandya is not the all-rounder he used to be due to his inability to bowl regularly and he might be one of the players the franchise tries to buy back on the auction table.

Chennai Super Kings: ============= The four-time champions have more or less figured out their four players. Leader M S Dhoni picks himself and so does Ravindra Jadeja and the prolific Ruturaj Gaekwad, who was instrumental in the team's triumph this season following an early exit in 2020.

The tough call they need to make is in the overseas retention with the battle between the all-round Moeen Ali and team's longtime recruit Faf du Plessis.

Punjab Kings: ======== With skipper K L Rahul set to go back into the auction, the franchise may look for another fresh start. Over the past two seasons, they lost crucial games they should have won and it cost them a play-off spot.

The team is keen on retaining its uncapped players Arshdeep Singh and Ravi Bishnoi, whom the side has groomed from their younger days.

Among the capped players, the team needs to decide its retentions among Mayank Agarwal, Mohammad Shami and Nicholas Pooran.

Kolkata Knight Riders: ============= They are likely to retain Varun Chakaravarthy, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer and Sunil Narine. But that would mean letting go of World Cup winning skipper Eoin Morgan and Shubman Gill, who too can be their leader going forward.

Under Morgan, KKR made a remarkable comeback in the UAE leg of the 2021 edition by working their way into the final. Considering his proven leadership skills, it will be hard for the team to release him.

Rajasthan Royals: =========== Making Sanju Samson the captain did not change their fortunes but Royals are likely to retain him alongside star England wicketkeeper batter Jos Buttler.

The team is in two minds about retaining Ben Stokes, who missed a majority of the 2021 season due to injury and mental health concerns, and Jofra Archer, who has had fitness issues in the past.

Uncapped opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is also in the fray.

"I am very tempted for Yashasvi Jaiswal because he's a young guy, who’s shown a lot of potential, and he could be the guy you could invest in," former cricketer Irfan Pathan told Star Sports about his take on the likely retentions.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: ================== Virat Kohli, who has stepped down from captaincy, will be retained alongside Yuzvendra Chahal. Glenn Maxwell too did enough this season to win the team's trust.

Harshal Patel, who made a successful India debut following a memorable IPL, and Mohammad Siraj are fighting for one retention spot. Opener Devdutt Padikal too would be hard to let go of for the perennial underachievers.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: ============= For a team that remained in the news for the wrong reason this year after a fallout with former captain David Warner, only two players -- Kane Williamson and Rashid Khan -- look set to be retained.

They also need to decided if they want to build the pace bowling line up around Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan or start afresh. 

Also Read : Ashwin goes past Harbhajan as Williamson keeps New Zealand in fight

News Source : PTI

Kanpur, Nov 29 (Cricket new) Senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Monday became India's third highest wicket-taker in Test cricket as New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson stood between hosts and victory, taking his team to 125 for 4 at tea on the final day of the series opener.

New Zealand now need 159 runs to win in 31.5 overs but Williamson (24 batting 97 balls) will be looking at a draw which will be creditable enough for the Black Caps, as they go into final session with six wickets in hand.

If the first session completely belonged to New Zealand who didn't lose a single wicket, the second session certainly belonged to India as Umesh Yadav (1/3in 12 overs) removed night-watchman Will Somerville (36 off 110 balls) with a short ball immediately after post-lunch resumption.

It was Shubman Gill who took a fine catch diving forward at long leg boundary.

Williamson looked way more confident that his first innings effort as he hit a cover drive off Ishant Sharma (0/20 in 7 overs), who was completely off-colour on the day.

Ross Taylor (2) never looked comfortable and at stroke of tea, Ravindra Jadeja (1/21 in 11.1 overs) finally bowled one that had his number.

Tom Latham (52 off 146 balls) scored another half-century before Ashwin's (20-6-28-2) delivery kept low and he dragged one onto the stumps.

With that scalp, Ashwin in his 80th Test, crossed Harbhajan Singh (417 in 103 games) to become the third highest wicket-taker for India in the five-day format.

"I would like to congratulate Ashwin on his milestone. Well done and hope he wins many more matches for India," Harbhajan told PTI.

"I never believed in comparisons. We played our best cricket in different times, against different opposition. I had done my best for the country back then and ditto for Ashwin, he did his best now," the former India spinner said.

In the morning, Somerville displayed a lot of character defying the Indian bowling attack alongside senior opener Latham as they added 76 runs.

One Jadeja delivery turned back sharply into Latham after being pitched on the rough created outside the off-stump by bowler's footmarks. India took a DRS but replay showed that it didn't pitch in line.

Otherwise the duo wasn't really perturbed by the Indian spinners, who found it difficult to create too many chances.

It also didn't help that two fast bowlers Ishant and Umesh bowled in complete contrast to what their Kiwi counterparts Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson did on this very pitch.

Just like he looked in England, Ishant's run-up was again gingerly and not for once during the morning spell did he look in rhythm.

He and Umesh tried the short-ball tactic to the unfancied Somerville but he swayed and ducked without any discomfort and also played the rising delivery with soft hands.

Also Read :  India A face South Africa A in 2nd unofficial Test amid threat of new COVID-19 variant

News Source : PTI

Kanpur, Nov 28 (Cricket news) The declaration may have come a tad too late owing to the team management's assessment of the Green Park pitch as unresponsive but debutant Shreyas Iyer backed his spinners to secure an Indian victory on the final day of the opening Test.

India declared their second innings at 234 for seven, having extended their overall lead to 283 runs on the fourth and penultimate day of the match.

In the four overs that were possible before bad light forced an early stumps, R Ashwin dismissed Will Young to leave the Kiwis at four for one and with an improbable task of chasing down a record score in the country since the West Indies' 276 for five way back in 1987.

"To be honest, there wasn't much happening on the wicket. We needed to get to a competitive total, maybe around 275-280," Iyer said at the end of the day's play.

Iyer followed up his first-innings century with a 65 in the second to signal his arrival on the Test arena with a bang.

"The talk was to get to a competitive total and I feel that it's a really good total. We have real spin power, so hopefully we can get the job done tomorrow. We have spin power.

"We have to have faith in our spinners and know they can really put them under pressure on the final day," Iyer said.

The Mumbai batter though added that the team would also have been content with anything above 250.

"I thought 250-odd including the lead was more than enough on this wicket, and fortunately we got some more." His innings bailed the team out from 51 for five in the second innings. He had faced a similar situation during a make-or-break Ranji fixture against UP at the same venue seven years ago. He had prevailed then, and he prevailed on Sunday, too.

"I have been in these situations before, but not with the Indian team. I used to do this in Ranji games. The idea was to play session by session. I was aware I am the first Indian to score a century and a fifty.

"In the end we have to win the match, and that would be the most important thing for me. Rahul sir said that I need to stay out in the middle for as much as possible and build on the score," he said.

"Mindset was to play the session and play as many balls as possible. I wasn't thinking too far ahead, was just focusing on the present," Iyer said.

Also Read : Day 4: Debutant Iyer, gritty Saha set up an intriguing final day

News Source : PTI

Kanpur, Nov 27 (Cricket news) Thirty two wickets in only seven Tests innings is no mean feat and Axar Patel says the secret of his success lies in enjoying his craft and believing that he can't be 'pigeon-holed' as a T20 specialist.

The left-arm spinner took 5 wickets for 62 runs to bring India back in the first Test against New Zealand.

It was his fifth fifer in just seven completed Test innings, an incredible feat in its own way even if he bowled in spin-friendly conditions.

"Whenever I have played first-class or India A, I have done well. I have never seen myself as a white ball specialist," Patel made it clear that he doesn't like being bracketed.

For the left-arm orthodox from Gujarat, it's all in the mind.

"It's all in mind-set as to what you perceive yourself as – a white ball specialist or red ball specialist. I always had the belief that whenever I get a chance I will do well.

"Obviously, I give credit to team members for having faith in me and I have been able to stand up to their expectations." But does he feel extra pressure that two world class spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are also in the same eleven? "Whenever I go to the ground, I try and enjoy and not think about whether Ashwin bhai and Jaddu are there," he made his thought-process clear.

"When I have ball in my hand, I just try and see to it that I am enjoying my bowling, trying to read the wicket and understand what’s happening, how it's behaving and plan accordingly," he elaborated.

He is not at all bothered whether he has a lead role or a supporting one.

"I don’t think about whether my role is a lead one or whether there are senior bowlers around me, I only think about my bowling and what is required to be done in that particular spell," he added.

Using the crease =========== Axar made subtle changes while bowling on Saturday compared to his first spell on the second day and the key was to play with varied angles, mixing the pace of his deliveries. "I used the crease much more today and I didn’t use the crease a lot in the 10 overs that I bowled yesterday.

"I was using the crease by going wide and coming near the stumps, creating various angles, and that helped me get a lot of purchase," he said when asked about what kind of changes he brought about on Saturday.

Cracks haven't opened much ================= Patel assessed that the pitch isn't as difficult as it may seem as only the odd ball is turning or keeping low but at the same time reminded that patience will be the key.

"Our batters were present at the ground and they also have a fair idea. We were discussing that cracks haven't opened much and only the odd ball is doing a bit, if you play the ball on its merit, there won't be much trouble," he said.

"There isn't any uneven bounce as such. An odd ball is either turning or keeping low. If they start bowling a disciplined line and keep patience then only our batters can face some trouble. I will advise our batters to keep patience and put the bad balls away," he said.

Rahul sir and Ajju bhai were calm when wickets weren't coming ======================================= Patel is happy that stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane and head coach Rahul Dravid helped in keeping a calm dressing room when the team did not get any wicket for 67 overs.

"Obviously, if you don't get wicket for 67 overs, it's tough but dressing room was calm as Ajju bhai and Rahul sir kept a calm environment. They said we have to keep patience because if we get one, we will get a few more and then we can make inroads," he said.

"We got the reward for our persistence in the first and second session," he signed off.

Also Read : Day 3: Axar takes five to bowl out New Zealand for 296, India 14 for 1

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Ravichandran Ashwin is currently playing his 80th test match and is only four wickets away from becoming the third highest wicket taker for India. He is playing in the ongoing test against New Zealand and will look to surpass Harbhajan Singh’s record of 417 wickets. Ashwin is the only player in the top five wicket takers in India to have played less than 100 Test matches, he also has the second most five wicket hauls among Indians only behind Spin legend Anil Kumble. Kumble has taken 35 five wicket hauls while Ashwin has taken 30 and is only 1 behind Kumble in most 10 wicket hauls with 7 of them.

Ashwin is also the leading wicket taker along with Shaheen Afridi in Tests this year as both of them have taken 38 wickets. Afridi is currently playing his 8th match of the season as for Ashwin he is playing his 7th match. Ashwin is the only active bowler to have taken more than 70 Test wickets in a season, he did it in 2016 where he took 72 wickets in 12 matches. From 2015 to 2017 he played 32 matches and took 190 wickets which was his prime period as he led the bowling department. He is the fastest bowler to take 250 wickets as he did it in 45 matches, fastest to 300 which he only took 54 matches, joint fastest to 350 along with Muthiah Muralidaran as they both took 66 matches.

It has been 10 years since Ashwin had made his debut for India against West Indies. He took three wickets in the first innings and took 6 in the second to finish the match with 9 wickets and a man of the match award. In the third test, he again took a five wicket haul and took four in the second innings to win the man of the match as well as man of the series award.

Apart from being a world class bowler, Ashwin has also scored 5 centuries and 11 half centuries. Among the five matches he scored a century, he took a five wicket haul in three of them thus proving himself as an all rounder in the longest format. The 35 year old has been a part of the Indian team since 2010 although he has not been a regular part of the shorter formats, he is indeed one of the best bowlers the country has ever produced in test matches.

Also read: Kyle Jamieson: the latest bowling sensation from New Zealand

Bali, Nov 24 (Badminton news) India's double Olympic medallist P V Sindhu showed great determination to outwit her opponent in the women's singles opening round, while B Sai Praneeth and Kidmabi Srikanth also advanced to the men's singles second round of the Indonesia Open Super 1000 event here on Wednesday.

After a slow start, Sindhu, the reigning world champion, engineered a turnaround to register a hard-fought 17-21 21-17 21-17 win over a tenacious Aya Ohori of Japan in one hour 10 minutes.

With the win, Sindhu improved her impressive record against the Japanese shuttler to 11-0.

World number seven Sindhu, who made a semifinal exit after suffering a straight game defeat to Japan's Akane Yamaguchi here last week, will meet 23-year-old German shuttler Yvonne Li in the second round.

It will be the first meeting between the third seed Indian and world number 26 Li.

In the men's singles, world number 16 B Sai Praneeth clinched a 21-19 21-18 win over France's Toma Junior Popov.

In a repeat of last week's Indonesia Masters quarterfinal, Srikanth once again got the better of compatriot HS Prannoy.

The former world number one Srikanth, who is coming off two back-to-back semifinal finishes at Hylo Open and Indonesia Masters, continued his good run of form as he eked out a 21-15 19-21 21-12 victory over Prannoy in 56 minutes.

While Praneeth will next take on Christo Popov of France in the second round, Srikanth will meet the winner of the first round clash between Tokyo Olympics gold medallist second seed Dane Victor Axelsen and Japan's Koki Watanbe.

The mixed doubles pairing of N Sikki Reddy and Dhruv Kapila, however, made a first round exit, falling to the Japanese duo of Kyohei Yamashita and Naru Shinoya, 7-21 12-21.

It was a bad day in the office for Reddy who made a first round exit in the women's doubles event as well.

Reddy and veteran shuttler Ashwini Ponnappa went down 27-29 18-21 to the fifth seeded Bulgarian duo of Gabriela Stoeva and Stefani Stoeva.

Also Read : Indonesia Open: Sindhu advances to second round with hard-fought win

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) India defeated New Zealand by 73 runs to whitewash the Black Caps in the 3 match T20I series. Rohit Sharma's first series as the permanent T20I captain was a convincing win and the skipper was named the Man of the Series for scoring 159 runs in the 3 games.

India once again won the toss but this time decided to bat first. Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan started the game well by putting together 69 runs before Kishan was dismissed by Santner. The left arm spinner then got rid of both Suryakumar Yadav and Rishabh Pant cheaply to swing the game in New Zealand's favour. Rohit Sharma scored his 2nd consecutive half century before Ish Sodhi took a blinder catch off his own bowling to dismiss the Indian skipper. The Iyers- Shreyas and Venkatesh stitched an important partnership together. Adam Milne got rid of Shreyas while Iyer was caught after failing to pick Trent Boult's slower delivery. Deepak Chahar and Harshal Patel fired some late shots to take India's total to 184.

Also read: My running days are over, says Akhtar before going for knee replacement

Martin Guptill started the chase very well, scoring 51 off just 46 balls. On the other end Axar Patel dismantled the Kiwi top order by getting rid of Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman and Glenn Phillips. After being hit all over the park by Guptill, Chahal came back strongly to get rid of the veteran on his return to the side. None of the other Kiwi batters got going and Ishan Kishan displayed some good quality fielding to inflict two run outs. Harshal Patel picked up two wickets while Deepak Chahar got one. Venkatesh Iyer was finally given the ball for the first time in the series and picked up a wicket. New Zealand were bowled out for 111 runs as India inflicted their biggest win against New Zealand in T20 cricket by runs margin. 

Shreyas Iyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel along with the coaching staff will join the Test specialist's team in Kanpur. India doesn't have a white ball game scheduled before January in South Africa.

Kolkata, Nov 21 (Cricket news) New Zealand batter Ross Taylor believes playing India in their own backyard is one of the toughest challenges for any side but refused to give insights about their plan to tackle premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin during the upcoming Test series.

India and inaugural World Test champions New Zealand will square off in a two-Test series beginning on January 25 in Kanpur.

The contest is part of the second WTC cycle.

"Definitely looking forward to, definitely going to be a challenge. I think there is no harder assignment than playing India at home or Australia away. They are probably the two toughest challenges in Test cricket at the moment.

"But as group we are looking forward to that and we know we are the underdogs but we will be looking foward to putting in a good performance," Taylor said on Sunday.

"Any time you play India at home, you will always gonna be the underdogs whether you are world no.1 or not." The veteran Kiwi batter said tacking Indian spin duo of Ashwin and Axar Patel will be key to New Zealand's success in the Test series.

"I don't want to give my secrets away just here (on being asked what's his plan for Ashwin). I don't know what lineup India decide to go with, Axar Patel played a big role against England," Taylor said in a virtual press conference.

"Now they are going to play three spinners or two spinners, obviously Ashwin will be one of them. They are very good bowlers, especially in these conditions and how we will play them, will play a big part in how the series is gonna go." He also advised New Zealand batters to be wary of India's pace attack.

"Fast bowling still remains a main element with the new ball and reverse swing. But spin more often plays a big part over here, so we could be naive if we assume only spin will play a key part.

"We still gonna have to face a quality seam bowling lineup and reverse swing. I think we should also be worried about that but spin is gonna play a big proportion of how we will be going to play the Test," Taylor said.

"You have to put some pressure back on the bowlers. If I get the opportunity, I could bring back the slog sweep shot every now and then." Taylor feels adapting to the conditions will also play a big role in deciding their fate in the series.

"They are resting a couple of players but they are still a formidable side. The way we adapt to these conditions is going to be the key. This conditions are not foreign to us, some of the guys have played many times here before. We will be Looking forward to hopefully use those experience but we know its gonna be tough."

Also Read : Angelo Mathews named in Sri Lanka squad in two Test series against West Indies

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) India defeated New Zealand by 7 wickets with 16 balls to spare in the 2nd T20I to seal the series. New Zealand were once again put into bat first by Rohit Sharma. The Kiwis could only manage 154 which was comfortably chased by India.

New Zealand started off really well as they were 48 for no loss after just 4 overs. Martin Guptill unlike in Jaipur started to attack right from the front scoring 31 off 15 before Deepak Chahar once again got rid of him. Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips both got past 30 before being picked up by debutant Harshal Patel. The Black caps couldn't manage to get clean hits through. A lot of the aerial efforts didn't even make it to the fielders in the deep but dropped short instead. Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Axar and Ravichandran Ashwin all picked up a wicket each while Harshal Patel got 2 scalps.

Also read: Whatever I have achieved is because of hard work - Indian domestic cricketer Rahul Singh

Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul engineered India's chase in grand fashion. The skipper and his deputy put together 117 runs before Rahul got out on 65. Venkatesh Iyer was promoted to no. 3 and scored a composed unbeaten 12 off 11. Rohit Sharma scored 55 runs while Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed cheaply. Tim Southee picked up all three wickets as he finished with the figures of 3/16. Rishabh Pant hit back to back sixes to finish off the game and wrap up the series in style.

The 3rd T20I in Kolkata presents a great opportunity for Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid to test out Ishan Kishan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Avesh Khan who haven't played a game yet. New Zealand will look for a consolation win while India will definitely be aiming for a whitewash.

(Cricket news) After winning the first T20I in Jaipur, team India will be looking to seal the series in the 2nd T20I. New Zealand have a chance to bring it back on level terms to set up a cracking decider in the 3rd T20I. The match will be played at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi. 

India's Possible Playing XI:

Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal.

India wouldn't want to fiddle around with their batting line up much. Shreyas Iyer is the only player who can potentially miss out. There could be experimentation in the bowling line up. This line-up would mean that Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel are dropped and Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan & Harshal Patel still have to wait for their opportunity. India would love to seal the series in order to give the newbies a chance in the 3rd game.

Also read: Australia's ideal playing XI for the first Ashes Test at the Gabba

New Zealand Possible Playing XI:

Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert (w), JImmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee(c), Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult

Ish Sodhi should be back in the side instead of Tod Astle who didn't have the best of games last time. Jimmy Neesham has recovered from his illness and gets straight back into the side to give a much needed 6 bowling option.

This will be the first T20I to be played in Ranchi since 2017. The pitch is expected to be a good one to bat on. The dew factor will come into play but not as much as it did in Jaipur. India should use their home advantage and win this match to seal the series.

Ranchi, Nov 18 (Cricket news) India will look to clinch the series albeit with a more impactful batting performance from the middle-order in the second T20 International here on Friday.

For coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Rohit Sharma, there couldn't be a better start than a series win against an old nemesis, which help them hit the right chord at the beginning of their partnership.

A superlative display by their top-order and controlled bowling at the back-end ensured a five-wicket victory against Black Caps, ending 'Men in Blue' seven-match losing streak across formats.

For Rohit, before he gets a much-needed two and half week break from the game, he would like to close the deal at Ranchi and go for the jugular when the teams meet in Kolkata for the final game of the series.

In absence of Virat Kohli, currently on leave, Suryakumar Yadav made full use of the opportunity at number three with a match-winning 62 off 42 balls.

While there is absolutely no necessity to press the panic button, but Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant's scratchy batting did slightly mess up the chase although it was never out of control.

Shreyas, who is playing a match for India after a long break, did look rusty as he found it difficult to middle the ball. He also didnt look too keen on farming the strike with singles and twos when big shots weren't coming off.

Shreyas scored 5 off 8 balls before being dismissed in the penultimate over by Tim Southee, but thanks to India's healthy run-rate the chase did not go out of their hands.

However silver-lining certainly was Suryakumar, whose precision hits delighted the capacity crowd at Sawai Man Singh Stadium.

The other big positive was the performance of senior bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ravichandran Ashwin, who were brilliant in terms hitting the right areas while some of the inexperienced bowlers leaked runs at the other end.

With his concern about his form, the new management under Rohit and Rahul gave veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar a a lifeline after he was dropped due to indifferent form in their loss against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup.

By his standards, Bhuvneshwar was going through the toughest phase in his career and had returned with just three wickets in six games at an average of 54 and economy rate of 7.04 for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

But the 31-year-old delivered in style and exploited the swing on offer at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium before cleaning up Daryl Mitchell with a a perfect inswinger to return with 2/24 which was second to Ashwin's 2/23 India were also brilliant at the death and conceded just 41 runs taking three wickets which denied the visitors a good 15-20 runs.

"At one stage, it was looking like 180-plus so a great effort from a complete bowling performance. A good game for us, especially when we're missing a few players, so it was an opportunity for the other guys to show their ability," Sharma said.

The lower middle-order also may become a cause of concern for the skipper as it remains to be seen if he is tempted to tinker his batting line-up.

Having already committed to giving his players a long rope, it is unlikely that Rohit will disturb the batting line-up just after one game.

Although in bowling, there could be a forced change as Indian pacer Mohammad Siraj has suffered a split left webbing after being hit by Mitchell Santner in the final over of the New Zealand innings.

With dew becoming a factor towards the evening, toss could also play a crucial role in a must-win match for the touring Black Caps.

If losing the toss was crucial for the visitors under Tim Southee, Mark Chapman (50-ball 63)'s return after being on the sidelines for seven months would be a bright spot for Kiwis.

Southee would look for course correction from the bowling lineup which would be keen to restrict the flow of runs especially in the Powerplay.

Teams (from): India: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel and Mohammad Siraj.

New Zealand: Tim Southee (captain), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert and Ish Sodhi.

Match starts 7 PM IST.

Also Read : The Rohit-Dravid era starts with a T20I win against New Zealand thanks to Suryakumar Yadav's 64

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) India defeated New Zealand by 5 wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the 3 match T20I series. Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid's reign has got a decent start. The match should've been won comfortably for India but a few quick wickets at the death made it a little complicated for the men in blue.

New Zealand were put into bat first after losing the toss. Bhuvneshwar Kumar rolled back the years as he bowled two out swingers and then swung one into Daryl Mitchell to knock over his middle stump in the very first over. Martin Guptill scored a 42 ball 70 after a slow start. Mark Chapman got his first international half century as he scored 63 off 50 deliveries. Ravichandran Ashwin continued his great T20 form by picking up the wickets of Chapman and Glen Phillips, giving away just 23 runs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished with figures of 2/24. Deepak Chahar and Mohammed Siraj picked up a wicket each as the Black caps could only manage 164/6 in 20 overs. 

Also read: WBBL: Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana play stellar unbeaten knocks against each other to ensure last ball thriller

In reply India were 50 for no loss after 5 overs. Rohit Sharma took on the attack and smashed Trent Boult all over the park. Mitchell Santner did provide the Kiwis with a much needed breakthrough as he got rid of KL Rahul. Suryakumar Yadav walked in at number 3 and scored a magnificent 64. Boult did make a good recovery as he got rid of both SKY and Rohit. Shreyas Iyer couldn't hit the bowl cleanly and was dismissed by Tim Southee with India requiring 10 off the last over. Venkatesh Prasad was on strike in his international debut. He hit a boundary of his first ball but was dismissed in the very next one by Daryl Mitchell. In the end Rishabh Pant's run a ball 17 was enough to get India over the line.

The next game is on 19th November in Ranchi where India will be looking to wrap up the series. Jimmy Neesham who missed the first game due to an illness could be back. It will be interesting to see if India test out any of the newbies in the 2nd match or wait for the 3rd one.

(Cricket news) India are all set to take on the T20 World Cup runners up New Zealand in the first of 3 T20Is. The match will be played at the Sawai Mansingh Indoor Stadium in Jaipur and is likely to be a high scoring one with heavy due coming into play in the 2nd innings. The toss will be crucial as both the sides will be looking to bowl first and chase down the target.

India have a lot of inexperienced players who they might want to test out. Having said that, New Zealand are a formidable team despite the absence of Kane Williamson.  Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid wouldn't want to start their era by losing a home series. Here is India's ideal playing XI

1) Openers: KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma

Despite not performing in the first 2 games the pair had a decent T20 World Cup. The Indian squad have Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Venkatesh Iyer as the other opening options but Rahul and Rohit are captain and vice captain who are likely to open the batting. There is an outside chance that either of them bats in the middle order but it would be best for the team to start then up top and leave the experimentation for later.

2) Middle order: Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant

Surya Kumar Yadav didn't have a good World Cup but has been very good in the limited opportunities given to him at the international stage. With Virat Kohli not in the side it is a good opportunity for SKY to bat at number 3 and put in some good performances. Shreyas Iyer would've been guaranteed in the T20 World Cup squad and the playing XI if not for his shoulder injury which is why he could only make it to the standby list. He is back now and is expected to be slotted straight back into the playing XI. Iyer's flexibility in the middle order will be a huge asset to the team. Rishabh Pant will once again don the gloves in the shortest format. The decision to rest Pant for the 2 Tests against New Zealand is an indication that he will play all 3 matches

All-rounders: Venkatesh Iyer, Axar Patel

It is a great opportunity for the Indian side to groom Venkatesh Iyer in the middle order to try and have a plan B if Hardik Pandya's form and fitness doesn't improve. All Indian fans will be hoping they Iyer gets more opportunities than Shivam Dubey and Vijay Shankar. Axar Patel is a direct replacement for Ravindra Jadeja. These two are the only All-rounders in the Indian squad. The batting becomes very deep with Axar Patel batting at 7.

Spinners: Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal

Along with Axar Patel, Ashwin and Chahal are very likely to be the spinners in the squad unless the conditions are too fast bowler friendly. Chahal's absence was clearly felt in the T20 World Cup and now he has to cement his place in the side. Ashwin's return to T20Is has been welcomed and extended. The finger spinner will be looking to continue his good performance and get back to playing all three formats of the game.

Quicks: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Siraj

India has a plethora of options in the seamers department. It wouldn't be too surprising if Rohit and Dravid use all the seamers at their disposal. The rest given to Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Shardul Thakur presents a great opportunity for the likes of Avesh Khan, Deepak Chahar and Harshal Patel. The likely combination for the first match is Bhuvneshwar and Siraj. Bhuvneshwar being the senior player who has to play in order to get back to his best. Siraj had a good IPL but him playing well in the T20Is could also give him confidence which will benefit India in the upcoming Tests. 

Bench: Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Also Read : Now captain and coach, Rohit and Dravid recall their first interaction in 2007

Jaipur, Nov 16 (Cricket news) After a rude reality check in the T20 World Cup, India will aim to press the reset button for the 2022 edition under new captain Rohit Sharma and an illustrious head coach in Rahul Dravid, starting with the three-match series against New Zealand beginning here on Wednesday.

The duo in the next 11 months will underline the 'Men In Blue''s template and philosophy in the shortest format after it became clear that some rejigging will be needed as a part of course correction. The disappointment in the UAE edition has forced India to look beyond Hardik Pandya, who for long has not been able to bring his all-round skills to the table.

Star IPL performer Venkatesh Iyer has been brought in as Hardik's replacement and the three games is likely to give an indication if he can be groomed for the much needed fast bowling all-rounder's slot.

India can also do with more power hitters in the batting department and Venkatesh, who played for KKR this IPL, has shown his ability to hit long and big. The other IPL performers who have been picked in the squad are Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan and Yuzvendra Chahal, who makes a comeback after controversially being left out of the World Cup squad.

With Jasprit Bumah rested for the series, India will be looking to find another pacer, who can consistently clock 140kmph and above. As it was seen in the UAE, the extra pace always comes in handy, bringing Avesh and Mohammad Siraj into the picture.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who was not at his best in the UAE, has been given another opportunity to find his A game.

The think tank comprising skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid will also assess a player's utility keeping the Australian conditions in the mind as the country hosts the World Cup in less than 12 months time.

There are five shortest format openers in the side and slotting them in various middle-order position will be a challenge.

Rohit and vice-captain K L Rahul are expected to open on Wednesday but India might be tempted to experiment in the presence of more options like Ishan Kishan and Gaikwad. In fact, even Venkatesh got all his runs opening for KKR but he is set to bat in the middle-order.

Suryakumar Yadav could not find his rhythm during the World Cup but he is one player India would be looking to groom at number four, especially for the true pitches in Australia. In the absence of rested Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel can fill the spin bowling all-rounder slot while R Ashwin is expected to retain his place in the playing eleven after an impressive white-ball comeback in the UAE.

India had only five bowlers to choose from for most part of the World Cup while other top teams had up to seven options. Therefore, one might see one of the specialist batters rolling his arm over.

Their opponents New Zealand, who effectively knocked India out of the World Cup, have reached Jaipur on a chartered flight from Dubai with little time to reflect on their loss to Australia in the title clash.

Head coach Gary Stead has already spoken about how the challenges his team faces, having to regroup so quickly after a draining event like the World Cup. Skipper Kane Williamson has been given rest for the T20s so that he is fresh for the following Test series. Seasoned pacer Tim Southee will lead the team in his absence.

However with Trent Boult for company and dangerous Daryl Mitchell in the top-order, New Zealand will be more than a handful in this series. New Zealand could give opportunities to players who did not have much to do in the UAE including Kyle Jamieson who only played the warm-up games.

One of the interesting match-ups will be skipper Rohit against Ish Sodhi as the India captain has had problem against wrist spinners in the past.

Squads: India: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Mohammad Siraj.

New Zealand: Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee (captain).

Match starts 7 PM IST.

Also Read : New Zealand team arrives in Jaipur for India tour day after T20 World Cup final loss

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Nov 11 (Cricket News) India's newly-appointed T20 captain Rohit Sharma is set to be rested from the two-match Test series against New Zealand while Virat Kohli will miss the opening match as a "mentally and physically exhausted" Team India gets down to workload management during the home assignment.

Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane will lead the side in the opening Test in Kanpur as Kohli extends his break after opting out of the three-match T20 series starting November 17 in Jaipur.

It is learnt from a reliable BCCI source that the squad has been finalised after a meeting of the selection committee on Thursday but a formal announcement is still awaited.

Other bigwigs who will sit out both the Tests, to be held in Kanpur and Mumbai, are wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, and the pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.

Rohit will take this break after leading the team in the T20 series. The Tests are scheduled to start on November 25 in Kanpur.

Kohli will be back for the second game in Mumbai from December 3. The Indian Test and ODI captain has spoken extensively about the bubble fatigue and how it has been taking a toll on the players mentally.

In Pant's absence, Wriddhiman Saha will take over the wicket-keeping duties with KS Bharath acting as the second keeper for the series.

The 28-year-old Bharath, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, has only played in the IPL, signed up by Royal Challengers Bangalore, this year.

He was among the five standby players for the home Test series against England this year.

The rest of the squad comprises the usual suspects with Test regulars like Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara and Mayank Agarwal expectedly finding their way in.

New support staff checks in: ================= As was expected, Paras Mhambrey will join the team as the new bowling coach replacing Bharat Arun, whose tenure ended with India's campaign in the T20 World Cup.

Arun and head coach Ravi Shastri's stint came to a halt with the team's last group stage match against Namibia.

Mhambrey is close to new head coach Rahul Dravid and was part of the support staff during a second-string India's tour of Sri Lanka in July this year where Dravid served as head coach.

Vikram Rathour has been retained as the batting coach after he reapplied for the position, while T Dilip is the new fielding coach.

Dravid, it is learnt, wanted Abhay Sharma to be the fielding coach but the Cricket Advisory Committee has gone with Dilip, who had travelled with the Indian team during the July tour of Sri Lanka.

The 39-year-old was the fielding coach of the Hyderabad team and has also worked with the India A side in the past.

Likely squad for Test series against New Zealand: ============================== Ajinkya Rahane (captain), K L Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, KS bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja. 

Also Read : Happy to repay team's faith in me: Wade

News Source : PTI 

(Cricket news) After the disappointing early exit from the T20 World Cup, India have named their first T20I squad of the Rohit-Dravid Era. India will take on New Zealand for 3 T20Is and 2 Tests and Virat Kohli has been rested for the T20Is and is also expected to miss the 1st Test.

India Squad for 3 T20Is against New Zealand:

Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj.

The squad has only 6 players who were in the T20I World Cup squad. Out of the players dropped Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja have definitely been rested. There are question marks on whether Mohammed Shami and Shardul Thakur are rested or dropped due to their performance. Other dropped players include Varun Chakravarty, Hardik Pandya and Rahul Chahar.

Also read: Ravi Shastri's legacy as the coach of the Indian men's team cricket team

Out of the players in the squad only Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant actively play all three formats which means that they will be rested in upcoming tours. Venkatesh Iyer has been selected ahead of Hardik Pandya despite having 4 other openers in the squad. Iyer might be groomed to play in the middle order. His medium pace may come in very handy as he has been impressive with the ball in the Syed Musthaq Ali trophy.

IPL 2021 Purple cap and Orange cap winners Ruturaj Gaikwad and Harshal Patel have been given an opportunity with the blues. Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal and Deepak Chahar are back in the squad while Bhuvneshwar Kumar surprisingly keeps his place. India still don't have a left arm seamer in the squad. Arshdeep Singh would've been a good pick after good performances in the past 2 IPL seasons.

The 3 T20Is will be played in Jaipur, Ranchi and Kolkata on the 17th, 19th and 21st of November. With the bio Bubble fatigue coming into play, it will be interesting to see who New Zealand play and rest. Trent Boult and Colin de Grandhomme have already made themselves unavailable for the Test series but there has been no word on the T20Is.

New Delhi, Nov 9 (Cricket News) Rohit Sharma was on Tuesday was officially anointed India's new T20 captain replacing Virat Kohli, who has been rested from the three-match series against New Zealand starting November 17 in Jaipur.

The new-look team also has IPL's highest run-getter Ruturaj Gaikwad and top wicket-taker Harshal Patel in the squad of 16 along with Venkatesh Iyer, who is seen as a potential all-round replacement for the injury-ravaged Hardik Pandya.

Pandya has been dropped from the squad after failing to make an impact during the T20 World Cup. Ruturaj has already played for India in the Sri Lanka series.

Senior leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal rightfully got his place in the squad back while Mohammed Siraj, who has played a few T20Is in the past, is also in the mix.

Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel and Deepak Chahar, who were in the T20 World Cup reserves are now in the main squad.

Rohit's appointment was a formality and KL Rahul will be his new deputy in shortest format.

Pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and spinner Ravindra Jadeja have also been given much-needed rest for the short series.

However, Pandya, who didn't actually provide an honest picture of his fitness status has been dropped from the squad.

India's T20I squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Mohd. Siraj. 

Also Read : Hooda's 75 help Rajasthan beat Haryana by 30 runs, qualify for knockout stage

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) In a dead rubber match India will take on a spirited Namibian side who showed the world that they actually belong in the biggest stage of all. With Afghanistan losing yesterday, this became their weakest performance in an ICC event since 2012 and it also marks Virat Kohil’s final game as T20 captain.

For India, the players will treat this match as a dress rehearsal for the upcoming New Zealand series, Rahul Chahar could be included in the playing XI as he is the only squad member not to get playing time. Going hard at the top has been a revelation for the team in the last two matches, both KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma are utilizing the powerplay to their advantage. In the bowling department, India will most likely go into the match with three spinners, with the match held in Dubai the spinners will get more assistance off the pitch. One thing Indian batters need to be wary of is Namibia’s reliance on their pacers, with three of their four best performers in the Super 12s being left-arm quicks.

Namibia should take pride as they have pushed the big teams to their limits and punched way above their calibre. The tall and scrappy fast bowler Ruben Trumpelmann could ruffle a few feathers against the India openers if swing is on the offer, we have seen KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma being susceptible against left arm bowlers. David Wiese will again be the man to lead them from the front with the wealth of experience he has playing this format, his allround performance is something that the Namibian side have not only relied on in the qualifier but also in the super 12s. 

Head to head: This is the first time India will face Namibia in T20’s, the only other time they faced each other was in the 50-over World Cup of 2003.

Pitch and weather report: The Dubai pitch has thrown some curveballs but the trend of winning the toss and batting second will likely continue. India's bowling coach Bharat Arun is not on board with "Toss should not be of any consequence in a short format like this," he declared, 
There could be some swing on offer with the new ball and as the ball gets older spinners will come into the game. The temperature is going to hover around 32 degrees as dew may come into factor in the second innings.

Interesting facts:

• India will be playing their 150th T20I match
• India have averaged less than 15 and have scored at only 5.7 per over against left-arm pace in the powerplay since 2020
• Namibia pacers have bowled almost 74% of the total overs in the super 12s
• Rohit Sharma needs 18 runs to become the third batter to complete 3000 T20I runs
• KL Rahul is set to bat in his 50th T20I innings

Also read: India ousted as New Zealand clinch semifinal spot with comprehensive win over Afghans

Probable XI for India:

1 KL Rahul, 2 Rohit Sharma/Ishan Kishan, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Mohammed Shami/Shardul Thakur, 10 Jasprit Bumrah/Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Rahul Chahar/Varun Chakravathy

Probable XI for Namibia:

1 Stephan Baard, 2 Michael van Lingen, 3 Craig Williams, 4 Gerhard Erasmus (capt), 5 David Wiese, 6 JJ Smit, 7 Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, 8 Zane Green (wk), 9 Jan Frylinck/Karl Birkenstock, 10 Ruben Trumpelmann, 11 Ben Shikongo/Bernard Scholtz
 

Abu Dhabi, Nov 4 (Cricket news) India vice-captain Rohit Sharma says R Ashwin's presence in the playing XI is always an advantage as the seasoned off-spinner is on the lookout for wickets at all times.

Playing a T20I after a gap of four years, Ashwin picked up two wickets while giving away only 14 runs in a fine spell in India's must-win match against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup here on Wednesday.

Like Rohit did with his 47-ball 74, Ashwin too contributed in India's 66-run win.

"He's a quality bowler, without a doubt. He's played so much cricket and taken so many wickets, obviously playing for India in limited overs. He also knows that it was a challenge for him because he was playing after three or four years," Rohit said after the game.

"He's someone who's a wicket-taking option. Any time you give him the ball, he comes to take wickets. He's not there to survive or just to bowl his six balls and get away.

"He's always looking to take wickets, and when you have someone like him in the squad and in the playing XI, it gives that advantage that you have someone in the middle who can take wickets." During his spell against Afghanistan, Ashwin took the wickets of Gulbadin Naib and Najibullah Zadran.

Rohit added, "That's the quality of him. He understands his bowling really well and has bowled really well in IPL. He's coming off good form as well, so I'm glad that he could contribute to our success today, and I hope he can do the same in the next few games." Back to winning ways after suffering two big loses against Pakistan and New Zealand, India are now looking to continue in same vein in the remainder of the matches, even as their fate also hinges on results of other games.

"It was necessary for our batters to score runs and I am happy that along with me, KL (Rahul) played a good innings and the opening partnership was crucial for our team.

"If the top 3-4 batsmen are in form, if they play more ball, it is necessary that they are in form, and I feel that our 4-5 batsmen are in good form and in the first two games, batsmen got out and they weren't consistent, but today it was a good opportunity for us to score runs." A long road awaits India but he was still asked about a possible India-Pakistan final, and Rohit's response was on expected lines.

"You are speaking about the final, for us, that road is far, the Afghanistan-New Zealand match, who wins or who losses, at present we cannot think so far ahead.

"We have to think about our next match and before that there is the Afghanistan and New Zealand match, that is very crucial match for us. We are not playing but still it is a crucial match for us, after that is our game, so the road to final is very far," Rohit said.

After failing miserably in the first two matches, the Indian batting finally fired in the tournament, posting a 200-plus total.

Having been on the road for long, the Indians looked jaded and out of sorts in the first two matches and it was attributed to the preceding IPL, but Rohit disagreed.

"Not really, to be honest. All these guys, if I look at the top six, seven batters, myself, KL (Rahul), Virat (Kohli), (Rishabh) Pant, Surya (Suryakumar Yadav), Hardik (Pandya) and then Jadu (Ravindra Jadeja), these guys have been playing for a long time, so they don't need to be told what they need to do in the Indian team.

"What they do for their franchise is their lookout, but when they come here, they know their role. It's not that they're playing the first game or the second game for the team. They've been here for a long time now, so they understand their roles, what they need to do, what they do for their franchise is really not my concern," he said.

"What they do here at the moment is my concern, and we have laid out the role pretty clearly as to what they have to do when they go out in the middle." The India opener added, "These seven batters that I took names of, we've been batting consistently for a long period of time now, and nobody needs to tell what they need to do when they go to bat. It's pretty simple.

"These guys are all experienced, and when you have experience in the team, it's just about going in and adapting to the situation as quickly as possible." Rohit struck eight fours and three sixes during his innings and put on 140 runs with Rahul (69), laying the foundation for an imposing total.

"Firstly it was important for us to get off to a good start, if we talk about our batting, which didn't happen in the first two games, so that's where we struggled a little bit, to create that momentum in the first six overs.

"So there was a conscious effort, we were talking, myself and KL, we were talking about it that, we need to get the team a good start and how we can do that by playing our game, whatever that maybe, however we want to play, we took our chances in the middle, it came off, that’s the whole game," he said.

"You take your chances, it comes off, if it doesn't come off, you know you have to start again from the scratch, the batter who comes in has to start again from the scratch. We wanted to take some risks because it was important for us."

Also Read : Life is a full circle, don't want to read too much into lulls that happened: Ashwin

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Nov 4 (Cricket news) Batting great Sachin Tendulkar says Afghanistan had no answer to R Ashwin's 'back-flip' ball -- seam facing the leg slip -- during India's must-win T2O World Cup match here in Abu Dhabi.

With an excellent return of 2/14 from his full quota of four overs, Ashwin, who was playing a white-ball game after four years, was one of the architects of India's 66-run win against Afghanistan, which kept their slim chance of reaching the semifinals alive.

"Talking about our bowling we saw Ashwin after a long, long time and what he was able to execute was superb," Tendulkar said in his analysis of India's victory.

"Ashwin's variation ball, the 'back-flip ball', if you see the ball's seam position it was facing towards leg slip. The ball Ashwin developed in the nets no one probably got it. This is one of the reasons that Ashwin ended up bowling four overs but did not concede a single boundary in those four overs.

"Batters need to practice against this delivery and I can tell you that Afghanistan batters were not comfortable against Ashwin." Tendulkar called the scintillating partnership between Hardik Pandya and Rishab Pant the game changer as it helped India post an imposing total, win with a big margin and boost their net run-rate.

"The partnership between Hardik and Pant was tremendous, in the last 3.3 overs India scored 63 runs, which is a strike rate of 300. That was actually a game changer for me, because that was the difference between scoring 195 runs and 210 runs. The bigger the margin of victory the better for us. That was critical for the Indian team." One of the greatest to have played the game, Tendulkar liked the manner in which the opening duo of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul went about their task during their 140-run stand.

"The way Rohit and Rahul batted was brilliant. Afghanistan got it wrong by starting with spinners from both ends. I know (Mohammad) Nabi bowls in the beginning but there was bit of grass in today's wicket, it was hard so the ball was coming on to the bat.

"In such conditions I would say the seamers bowling upfront, using the hardness of the seam, then there is a slight possibility of getting something off the surface." Rohit smashed 74 off 47 balls with eight fours and three sixes, while Rahul made 69 in 48 deliveries, hitting six boundaries and two maximums.

"What I really liked about Rohit's batting was the way he played inside out to off-spinner Nabi. Rohit has showed his experience, he did not try to hit across the line, he went inside out and showed the full face of the bat. So was the case with KL Rahul, very calm and composed and played some exquisite shots whenever there was an opportunity.

"There running between the wickets was very aggressive, in the first six overs when the batters think about sixes and fours, then a lot of times they miss out on singles but that was not the case today.

"Even inside the circle when the ball was played towards mid on and mid off they were running quick singles. I liked that approach." He was impressed with the way their fast bowler Hamid Hassan operated initially.

"I would give full marks to Hamid in the first six overs, he gave just six runs in two overs. When batters of the calibre of Rahul and Rohit are looking to hit the ball, giving only six runs requires a special effort.

"His plus point was he was bowling fast, straight and full up so when you are bowling full up getting the elevation right for the batter by going behind the ball becomes difficult. He was successful in bowling those good yorkers consistently.

"When their main bowler Rashid (Khan) came on to bowl, our batters put pressure on him by taking the singles and attacking him with fours and sixes.

"How many times do we see Rashid giving 36 runs in four overs without taking a wicket, that's very rare. That was only because India batted exceptionally well." Coming off successive defeats at the hands of Pakistan and New Zealand, India kept alive their semifinals prospects with the mauling of Afghanistan.

"All in all, a huge victory like this was needed for us, the way we played and finished the game was remarkable. Well done," Tendulkar signed off.

Also Read : T20 World Cup preview: India take on Scotland in match no 25

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) India’s slim chance of qualification relies on this match as they not only need to win against Scotland but they need to win big against them to stand any chance of progressing to the semi finals. Scotland on the other hand will be playing for pride, they have shown that they are capable of causing an upset, like we saw in the last match against New Zealand where they produced very gritty batting performances.

India finally got their batting strategy right, their goal was batting with relentless pressure and allowing the big hitters in the end overs to go all guns blazing. With Ashwin coming into the side it gave more wicket taking impetus for the Indian bowling lineup, in a tricky Dubai pitch Ashwin and Jadeja will again have to play a key role in getting a huge victory. The concern heading into the match would be the form of Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli as they need to start scoring runs and help the team increase their net run rate. The positive for India last match was the return to form by Hardik Pandya, his elbow was a cause of concern briefly but he went to bowl a couple overs afterwards indicating the injury wasn’t serious and also giving the team management an option of a sixth bowler.

Scotland will take a lot of positives from their performance against New Zealand as they batted brilliantly against a very good bowling line up. For Scotland there will be slight concern as their star bowler Josh Davey may not be available for this important clash, this puts pressure on Bradley Wheal and Safyaan Sharif to take crucial wickets. Michael Lesk will again be on the spotlight after he scored 42*(20) against New Zealand, giving the much needed momentum they needed in their batting line up. For them to pull off an upset, they need the likes of Kyle Coetzer and Calum MacLeod to step up, as they so far have failed to create an impact in the T20 World Cup.

Head to head: India are yet to play Scotland in a completed T20I, only for the game to be washed out without a ball bowled.

Pitch and weather report: The toss again is set to play an important role in the match result as Dubai heavily favours the team chasing. The spinners will again have a massive say as the old ball will tend to grip a bit more and it won’t be a surprise if India go in with three spinners. The temperature is going to be around 32 degrees, the temperature is going to drop as the evening progresses, with dew being a factor in the second innings.

Also read: Bangladesh out of ICC T20 World Cup with 5th consecutive loss

Probable XI for India:

1 KL Rahul, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

Probable XI for Scotland:

1 George Munsey, Kyle Coetzer (capt), 3 Calum MacLeod, 4 Richie Berrington, 5 Michael Leask, 6 Matthew Cross (wk), 7 Chris Greaves, 8 Mark Watt, 9 Safyaan Sharif, 10 Alasdair Evans, 11 Brad Wheal
 

Dubai, Nov 4 (Cricket news) After enduring a frustrating four-year wait to play white ball cricket and spending his time on the sidelines during the Test series against England, spinner Ravichandran Ashwin says 'life is a circle" and there is nothing better than embracing humility during periods of success.

Ashwin made an impressive comeback to limited overs cricket by taking two wickets for just 14 runs against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup on Wednesday.

Before that match, he played shorter-format for the national team way back in 2017.

Incidentally, it was Ashwin's first competitive match for India since he competed in the World Test Championship against New Zealand after which skipper Virat Kohli didn't show much faith in present Test team's most decorated match-winner.

"Fortunately, I believe life is a full circle. For some people. it's a small one and for some people, it's a large one," Ashwin said, on eve of the T20 World Cup game against Scotland.

The key to maintaining sanity during the dark phases is staying humble and that's something that has worked for him.

"Understanding patterns is something I have done very well in my life over last couple of years.

"Whenever I have had very good stretches of form or whenever it has been the other way, I have always had some deep trenches, long periods of lull that one has to go through," Ashwn said, the obvious reference being benched for Tests in England where he wasn't even played at the Oval.

"I don't want to read too much into it as to why those lulls have happened but definitely it's a pattern, I have embraced in my life.

"So staying humble through periods of success is a statement that a lot of people in my fraternity make, but I have firmly embraced it and lived it." Ashwin feels that Shane Warne's philosophy of having more failures than success in an entire career is an apt observation.

"I believe success is like what Shane Warne had once said. 'You only get success 33 percent of the times and even Sachin (Tendulkar) had also echoed at some stage of his career. If they are saying, who am I? I am no different." The 35-year-old, who is only the fourth Indian bowler to take 400 Test wickets said that he is not the sort, who will grumble about things that aren't in his control.

"It's easy to lose motivation and lose hope and close those doors, hide behind it and keep complaining, something that I will definitely not do," the articulate Chennai man said.

So what's the solution when someone is out with no fault of his? "Easiest way is to go through a professional circle and keep preparing, keep working hard and expecting that an opportunity will turn up at your door step one day.

"And when it happens, you have all the options to break open doors and break open latches, locks and that's what life is all about. So look for those days and keep preparing like that day would come." As a servant of the game, he feels that what he has done for the sport is more important than what are his returns from it.

"For me, it's not what the game has given me but what I have given to the game and how much I have enjoyed playing the game.

"If I am asked to put three stumps anywhere and play a game , I will do it with utmost enjoyment." I have evolved as T20 bowler since I was dropped in 2017 =================================== "Circles are never completed. They keep going in loops, I can't say if it's come around or not," Ashwin replied when asked if he and Ravindra Jadeja playing together for the first time in four years in white ball cricket means that finger spinners are back in demand.

At one time, wrist spinners like Kuldeep yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal were preferred options.

But he did elaborate what he meant about "perception" about finger spinners.

"The perception of finger spin needs to change," he said.

"Ever since 2017, I was going through a great phase in my Test career and I felt like I was bowling amazing stock balls (primary ball, off-break for Ashwin) at that point in time..

"Like I said, circle stops and it has stations at every single place and that Champions Trophy final in 2017 was one such station where I had to halt and think about my cricket." In fact, a lot of experts still can't figure out subtle changes in angles and refer to his famous carrom ball.

"Ever since that I have evolved as a T20 bowler, bowled a lot more deliveries that are so subtle that people are still terming them as carrom balls, arm balls but those are very subtle. I am trying to create different angles and seam positions.

"The delivery that got Gulbdin Naib was anything but a carrom ball. I worked on it. I have got so many more options than what I particularly had at that point." Ashwin has a simple formula while bowling.

"When I bowl to a right hander, I think like a left-arm spinner and when I bowl to left handers, I think like an off spinner. So thinking creates intent and intent is eventually translated into practice. There is a lot of work that has gone there and it's only the consumption of what I do has changed." Lot of people's understanding of game is backward =============================== Ashwin couldn't hide his sarcasm while speaking about some of the expert opinion that one bumps into on various platforms.

"For a lot of people who are consuming this game and giving expert opinions on the game, I sometimes feel sorry for them," the inimitable Ashwin said.

"I have been playing this format since 2007-08, every two years the game leaves our realms and teaches us something. Because the game is so fast-paced that people are trying to get that one percent advantage through various technologies." Picking wickets is also a process and not a one-off thing, he explained.

"I feel the understanding of the game is backward in so many ways. ...More often than not wicket-taking is seen as something that just happens, but it is not. "For every wicket that a bowler is picking, there is an over bowled before or after that's created it. It's a result of dot balls bowled by another bowler. I think I expect too much from people watching the game but that's how I play the game." For Ashwin, 24 deliveries in T20 game is equivalent to '24 events' ======================================== "There are 24 events in a game, cliched terms used by people inside and outside the team, but I take it very seriously. I have 24 events and I have to win every event. What is victory? That victory is direct related to what my team needs not what I need."

Also Read : T20 World Cup preview: India take on Scotland in match no 25

News Source : PTI

Sharjah, Oct 14 (Cricket news) Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting "knows" that only three-four players would be retained by his franchise before IPL's mega auction but given a chance, he wouldn't mind entering the next season with almost the same team that he has at his disposal now.

The Australian great though had no qualms in admitting that his team was outplayed by Kolkata Knight Riders in the second IPL qualifier here on Wednesday.

"I'd love to keep everyone," he quipped.

"To be honest, we have got... it is a terrific group of people at the Delhi Capitals, playing staff and the coaches have done an amazing job for the last couple of seasons. And I think our performances sort of speak for themselves there." After being restricted to 135 for five, DC lost to KKR by three wickets.

"We're just disappointed that this season has finished the way that it has. But yeah, so obviously we know that we will probably only be able to retain maybe three or four players." "So, a lot of players will go back into the auction, and then I'll be doing everything I can certainly to bring as many people back into the Delhi Capitals family as possible, because as I said, it's been incredibly enjoyable, for the last three seasons, really for me.

"To bring everyone or most of the guys back together again, will be certainly a goal of mine," the former Australian skipper said.

Ponting singled out the lack of enough runs as the biggest factor in the team's defeat, saying the power-play was the difference.

Rahul Tripathi struck a stunning six in the penultimate delivery after opener Venkatesh Iyer's brilliant half century to help KKR chase down DC's target of 136 and enter the IPL final.

"To be totally honest, looking back at this whole season, I think today really is the only game that I feel we have been outplayed in," Ponting said at the post-match press conference on Wednesday night.

"We didn't bat well enough today, we didn't get enough runs in the power-play, we lost wickets regularly through the middle of our batting innings." KKR needed 10 runs from the last two overs but Anrich Nortje removed captain Eoin Morgan (0) with the final ball of the 19th over, leaving the Knight Riders seven runs to get from the final six balls.

Shakib Al Hasan (0) and Sunil Narine (0) were then removed in the third and fourth balls before Tripathi hit a six off R Ashwin in the fifth delivery to see his team home.

"If it wasn't for (Shimron) Hetymer and Shreyas (Iyer) at the end, we weren't looking anywhere near 130, so we have been outplayed, so we will talk about that when we get back into the rooms after this.

"It is disappointing for us to certainly finish the way that we have," said the former Australian World-Cup winning skipper.

Two-time champions KKR will face three-time winners Chennai Super Kings in the summit clash in Dubai on Friday.

According to Ponting, the power-plays in both the innings was the difference between the two sides.

"Yeah. Look, I think the power-plays in both innings was probably the difference in the game. I don't think we got enough in our power play with the bat.

"I think we were 37 at the end of our power-play, which was probably, you know, eight to 10 runs short of where we wanted to be," he added.

Ponting lavished praise on KKR opener Iyer, saying he looks like someone who could be a "terrific player" for the Knight Riders and maybe for India in the future.

Also Read : We will dissect what happened in last four overs: Morgan

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The clash between these two heavyweights will be an interesting match up as both teams at this moment are equally matched. With KKR scripting an amazing comeback story, DC on the other hand will be trying to avenge their last year's loss in the final against Mumbai Indians. With the match played at Sharjah, both sides will look to capitalize on the slowness of the pitch as the spinners of both the teams will be key

For KKR this might be the perfect occasion for them to reach their third final as they are playing a second successive knockout game in the same venue against a side that has lost two matches in a row. Eoin Morgan has hailed the ‘Baz-mantra’ of playing fearless cricket as KKR have completely turned their season around in the second half. Their game plan at this particular venue has been simple, to play with freedom and mostly taking advantage of the shorter boundaries by hitting straight down the ground, a trend which is going to continue. The KKR spinners hold the key to their success like we saw in the last match where Varun and Shakib choked the batsman for runs and Narine picked up the big wickets, the battle between the DC middle order batsman and KKR spinners will be crucial.

Prithvi Shaw averages 64 at a strike rate of 172 against KKR and his matchup against Lockie Ferguson and maybe Shakib in the powerplay will be an intriguing watch. On the other hand Nitish Rana holds a very good record against DC as has made 277 runs in 9 matches with a strike rate of 144 and also holds the upper hand over Ashwin, having scored 76 runs from 45 balls. The KKR batsman need to evade the threat of Avesh Khan as he has picked up six wickets in two matches at Sharjah also.

DC will likely assess the situation on Marcus Stonis’ injury as he might replace Tom Curran in the playing XI if he is fit. The DC pacers have grabbed the headlines but the DC spinners have done the job quietly as they have picked up the third most wickets behind KKR and RCB. Although Axar Patel has picked up 15 wickets this season, Ashwin has only managed 5 wickets and hasn’t even bowled his full quota of overs in the last two matches. One area for concern for DC will be the form of Kagiso Rabada as he hasn’t picked up a single wicket in the last 4 matches and not taking wickets has meant that he's on the expensive side in the death overs.

Anrich Nortje enjoys a good record against Narine as he has got him out twice in eight balls and if KKR decide to use Narine as a pinch hitter then he could be brought into the attack. The DC management need to find a solution for the death overs as they have conceded 10.20 rpo between 16 to 20 overs which is the second most in the IPL this year.

Pitch and Weather report: In terms of the pitch it is going to remain the same like the last match as the shiny new ball will come on for the batters in the powerplay but as soon as the ball turns a bit old the spinners will get a lot of assistance from the pitch. The trend of winning the toss and batting second will continue as 6 out of 9 games in this venue have been won by teams batting second. The temperature will hover around 35 degrees as it will gradually get less as the evening goes on, as of now there is no chance of rain.

Head to head: DC 12 - 15 KKR, last time they met KKR won by 3 wickets as they chased down 128 in 18 overs.

Interesting facts:

• KKR and DC are the only teams with an all Indian top 4
• Except Shivam Mavi all the KKR bowlers have gone under a run a ball in Sharjah.
• Capitals have hit the most number of fours (227) and the least number of sixes (60) for any team in IPL 2021. 
• KKR have played three matches at Sharjah and have not conceded a single sixes in two matches against DC and RCB
• In the IPL playoffs, including finals, Pant has scored 199 runs in six innings, at an average of 49.75 and a strike rate of 151.91.

Also read: Our bowlers have shown us the way, says KKR skipper Morgan

Probable XI for KKR:

1 Shubman Gill, 2 Venkatesh Iyer, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Eoin Morgan (capt), 7 Shakib Al Hasan, 8 Sunil Narine, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Shivam Mavi

Probable XI for RCB:

1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Marcus Stoinis/Tom Curran, 7 Axar Patel, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Avesh Khan

Dubai, Oct 5 (Cricket news) Senior Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has sought to end the controversy surrounding his on-field showdown with England skipper Eoin Morgan over an extra run during an IPL match, saying it was not a personal battle but a difference of opinion on how the game should be played.

During last week's IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders, which is captained by Morgan, Ashwin tried to take a run after a throw ricocheted off his batting partner Rishabh Pant's body.

Morgan and Ashwin then had an altercation with the England white-ball skipper calling the Indian a "disgrace" and accusing him of not adhering to the 'Spirit of Cricket' despite the fact that MCC rules allow scoring of runs after rebound from a batsman's body.

England had benefitted from such a rebound not so long ago when they were awarded four runs after a throw from the deep struck Ben Stokes' bat during the 2019 World Cup final, and the umpire signalled overthrows, leading to their title triumph.

"Look, I think it's definitely not a personal battle or one on one battle and I wouldn't deem it like that at all. People who want attention may be taking it that way, but I am not looking at it that way at all," Ashwin said after last night's game against Chennai Super Kings.

"...I was not the one who was aware that it had hit Rishabh (Pant). So I just felt like they had already decided they were going to have a go, and that is one of the reasons why I said the words that were used were not in the right direction and not in the right space," he explained.

He was referring to his Twitter posts after that game in which he asked Morgan and Tim Southee to not use "derogatory" words and lecture him on 'Spirit of Cricket' by taking a moral high ground.

After Ashwin's dismissal in that match, fast bowler Southee had apparently rebuked the senior India star by saying, "That's what happens when you cheat". Ashwin was then seen charging towards Morgan and Southee, prompting Dinesh Karthik to intervene and douse the fire.

"I think we need to understand that culturally everybody is different right, the way people are taught to play cricket in England and in India, the way one thinks is completely different," Ashwin said.

"I wouldn't say that there is anybody that is wrong here. It is just that the way the game was played in 1940s, cannot be the same way that you want somebody else to apply it (now)," he said.

Also Read : Hetmyer's efforts being recognised in dressing room: Ashwin

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Delhi and Chennai both have been in excellent form and could well be the favourites for this year's IPL trophy. Chennai after their first loss in the second leg of the IPL will look to consolidate their top two position with a win. On the other hand Delhi too sealed their place in the playoffs by beating Mumbai and will be eyeing their maiden IPL title.

CSK have found a hidden gem in Ruturaj Gaikwad who has been a revelation for CSK this season so much so that Suresh Raina plays a completely different role in the team. CSK success this season has been the left-right middle order combination which allows them to be aggressive in the middle overs. CSK will again rely on Josh Hazlewood and Dwayne Bravo to pick up the majority of wickets up front as well as in the death overs. Ravinder Jadeja has been the key for CSK in the second leg with bat and also with bowl, he’ll again be the key to CSK’s success if they win the match. 

DC will again be without Marcus Stoinis for the third straight match. Delhi might give opportunities to the likes of Umesh Yadav and Amit Mishra to give some valuable playing to the so called benchwarmers. Avesh Khan this season has been a game changer for the Delhi side picking up 21 wickets at an average of 15.00. In this match Ashwin and Axar will be key to restrict the opening batsmans as they tend to play the spinners very tentatively. 

Head to head: CSK 15 - 9 DC , the last time they played Delhi won by seven wickets as Shikhar Dhawan scored 85(54).

Pitch and Weather report: The pitch is set to be used for the second time in as many days. If yesterday's game gave any indication then the influence of the spinners will be massive. The batting will be difficult as the captains would prefer to chase on this venue. The temperature will be around 34 degrees as there could be chances of dew in the second innings. As of now there is no chance of rain.

Interesting facts:

• Deepak Chahar has dismissed Prithvi Shaw five times in 50 balls
• Shikhar Dhawan has won the man of the match the last two times they have faced each other.  
• Ruturaj Gaikwad is just 20 runs away from reclaiming the orange cap from KL Rahul
• DC are one win away from 100 franchise wins in IPL
• Faf Du Plessis has been dismissed 3 times by Ashwin in 45 balls and also Rabada in 28 balls

Also read: Morgan admits that he has been 'short of runs' but expects some round the corner

Probable XI for CSK:

1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Moeen Ali, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 Suresh Raina, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Dwayne Bravo, 9 Shardul Thakur, 10 Deepak Chahar, 11 Josh Hazlewood/Sam Curran

Probable XI for DC:

1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Rishabh Pant (capt & wk) 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Axar Patel, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Avesh Khan  

Dubai, Sep 30 (Cricket news) An angry Ravichandran Ashwin on Thursday asked Eoin Morgan and Tim Southee to not use "derogatory" words and lecture him on 'Spirit of Cricket' by taking a moral high ground after their on-field bust-up over an extra run during an IPL game.

During Tuesday's IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders, Ashwin tried to take a run after a throw from the deep by Rahul Tripathi had ricocheted off his partner Rishabh Pant's body.

Morgan and Ashwin then had an altercation with the England white-ball skipper calling the Indian a "disgrace" and accusing him of not adhering to the 'Spirit of Cricket' despite MCC rules allowing runs after rebound from a batsman's body.

England were also awarded four runs after a throw from the deep had rebounded off Ben Stokes' bat during the 2019 World Cup final, and the umpire had signalled overthrows, leading to their title triumph.

On Tuesday, after Ashwin was dismissed by fast bowler Southee, the bowler had apparently rebuked the senior India star by saying, "That's what happens when you cheat".

Soon Ashwin was seen charging towards Morgan and Southee, prompting Dinesh Karthik to intervene and douse the fire.

In a series of tweets, Ashwin clarified his stand and made it clear that he would again run if the ball hit a fielder's body.

"1. I turned to run the moment I saw the fielder throw and dint (didn't) know the ball had hit Rishabh. 2. Will I run if I see it!? Of course I will and I am allowed to. 3. Am I a disgrace like Morgan said I was? Of course NOT," Ashwin said.

He then told Morgan and Southee that 'Spirit of Cricket' can't be different strokes for different folks.

"Did I fight? No, I stood up for myself and that's what my teachers and parents taught me to do and pls (please) teach your children to stand up for themselves.

"In Morgan or Southee's world of cricket they can choose and stick to what they believe is right or wrong but do not have the right to take a moral high ground and use words that are derogatory," he further wrote.

Ashwin is not liking that people have got down to passing judgements because of this incident.

"What's even more surprising is the fact that people are discussing this and also trying to talk about who is the good and bad person here!" The Indian off-spinner with 400-plus Test scalps then said that all 'Old School' proponents of the gentleman's game should allow different perspectives to co exist.

"There are millions of cricketers with several thought processes that play this great game to make it their careers, teach them that an extra run taken due to a poor throw aimed to get you out can make your career and an extra yard stolen by the non striker can break your career," he wrote.

He also requested people to not judge on the basis of on-field cricketing decisions, saying that all those who criticise are the ones who have made a living out of it.

"Do not confuse them by telling them that you will be termed a good person if you refuse the run or warn the non striker, because all these people who are terming you good or bad have already made a living or they are doing what it takes to be successful elsewhere." "Give your heart and soul on the field and play within the rules of the game and shake your hands once the game is over. The above is the only 'spirit of the game' I understand," he said.

Also Read : Delhi Capitals looking at a safe passage into the playoffs in Indian Premier League

News Source : PTI
 

(Cricket news) After two huge victories over Mumbai and Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders would be hoping to maintain their winning momentum as these few remaining matches will be crucial for their playoff credentials. On the other hand, Delhi Capitals will be vying for the top two spot as they are virtually guaranteed of a playoff position.

KKR may lose their talisman Andre Russell for this crucial encounter, last match against CSK Russell heard something pop in his hamstring and subsequently hobbled out of the field, this may be huge blow to the KKR side as he not only brings his explosive batting skills but this season he has been more effective with the ball picking up 11 wickets for his side. KKR need to deal with the DC openers as Prithvi Shaw in last five innings against KKR has scored four half centuries with a strike rate of 140.91. The KKR management will look to their two spinners to provide important breakthroughs, Sunil Narine has dismissed Dhawan twice in 64 balls conceding only 69 runs in the process and last year Varun Chakravarthy wrecked havoc by claiming 5 wickets. The captain himself Eoin Morgan also needs to find his form to provide the right bases to attack in the death overs.

DC will also be without Marcus Stonis who picked up a leg injury against SRH, another concern for the DC management is that also picked an injury in that game and maybe out. DC will breathe a sigh of relief with Russell’s unavailability as the all rounder has an bowling average of 13,4 and batting strike rate of 190.21 in eight innings. All the bowling onus will be on Rababa and Nortje to take wickets up front and in the death overs. Ashwin also might get a game due to the slow and sluggish pitches in Sharjah as he might be key in the middle overs to stop the batsman from scoring runs.

Head to head: KKR 14 - 12 DC, the last time they met DC comfortably chased down 154 runs in 17 overs as they won by 7 wickets.

Pitch and weather report: The relaid Sharjah Stadium pitch has always been a batters paradise but this season the pitches have been on the slower side as it will assist the spinners. The temperature will hover around 38 degrees with zero chances of rain.

Interesting facts:

• DC have won 4 of their last five encounters against KKR
• Shubman Gill has bettered his batting average in the UAE leg and also bettered his boundary from 17 to 22.9%
• Rishabh Pant needs 24 runs to overtake as DC’s highest run scorer
• Sunil Narine claimed his 150 wicket for KKR when he dismissed Rayadu in the last match.
• DC and KKR have been the two most expensive bowling teams at the death this IPL season, conceding 10.38 and 10.22 runs per over respectively

Also read: Iyer's return has allowed us to play ideal line-up: Hopes

Probable XI for KKR:

1 Shubman Gill, 2 Venkatesh Iyer, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Nitish Rana, 6 Eoin Morgan (capt), 7 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 8 Sunil Narine, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Varun Chakravarthy

Probable XI for DC:

1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt/wk), 5 Lalit Yadav, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Axar Patel, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Avesh Khan
  
 

(Cricket news) The main question the Hyderabad setup needs to answer is, will they bring back David Warner back into the playing XI? He was stripped off his captaincy midway through the season and then axed from the playing XI against Rajasthan Royals which has meant that he has suffered his worst IPL season by some distance. For SRH, chances of qualification look really grim with Kane Willamson and co needing to win all their matches to even stand a chance for qualifying for the playoffs. On the other hand Delhi Capitals will look to reclaim top spot from CSK, the welcome return of Sheryas Iyer might act as a boost for the team.

SRH's biggest miss is going to be their best batsman this season's Jonny Bairstow as he opted to focus on the T20 World Cup and Ashes. They have brought in West Indies explosive batsman Sherfane Rutherford as his replacement. Another major concern for SRH is their middle order as they haven't really shown any impetus to score runs or even take the team home in run chases. With Bairstow not playing, SRH management can use either Mohammad Nabi or Jason Holder to fill that void in the team. In the first leg SRH were hampered with injuries especially to their bowlers, this unwanted break might act as a blessing in disguise as they have near full strength bowling line.

The Delhi Capitals side will be looking for their maiden IPL trophy as this team almost have all the bases covered. They lost Chris Woakes but have replaced him with Ben Dwarshuis for the rest of the season, while left arm seamer Kulwant Khejroliya replaces M Siddharth. The DC management opted to stick with Rishabh Pant as the captain even though Sheryas Iyer is back to full fitness. The return of Iyer will be a boost for the team, and the balance of the team improves as he can play no 3 which could mean that they could bring back the South African duo of Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada back together in playing XI. Warner vs Rabada will be a key battle to watch out for as Rabada has dismissed him 3 times in 39 balls but he has also conceded at a rate of 9.38.

Head to head: SRH 11 - 8 DC, the last time they played Delhi prevailed in a humdinger of a contest as the match went into a super over.

Pitch and Weather report: The Dubai International Stadium is a batting friendly surface like we saw in the last match and is expected to assist the batters again, pacers might get some assistance towards the latter half of the game and wrist spinners in both the sides might play a big role.The temperature will  hover around 39 degrees as the humidity will be 55% with no chance of rain as of now. The dew factor could play a major role in the second innings.

Also read: Captain Samson fined Rs 12 lakh for RR's slow over rate against Punjab

Interesting facts:

• Amit Mishra will become the first player to feature in 100 matches for Delhi in the IPL if he plays 
• Amit Mishra is only 4 wickets behind Lasith Malinga’s tally of 170 wickets to become the highest wicket taker in IPL history
• Rashid Khan has picked up 17 wickets in 12 matches in Dubai at an economy rate of 4.55
• DC have hit the fewest sixes (32) but have hit most fours also (132)
• Ashwin needs only one wicket to take 250 T20 wickets and in doing so he’ll become the only the third Indian bowler to do so.  

Probable XI for DC:

1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Axar Patel, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Avesh Khan   

Probable XI for SRH:

1 David Warner, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Kane Williamson (capt), 5 Kedar Jadhav, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Jason Holder/ Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 T Natarajan, 11 Sandeep Sharma   .       

New Delhi, Sep 15 (Cricket News) England big-hitter Dawid Malan feels Indian bowlers are subtly different from each other, making it nearly impossible for batsmen to fully get used to them.

The India pacers were better than their English counterparts in the recent intensely-fought Test series and the visitors were leading 2-1 before the fifth match was called off following multiple COVID-19 cases in the Indian camp.

Malan, who made a Test comeback in the series after three years, said the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami and Mohammad Siraj are different from each other and batsmen struggle to cope when they bowl in tandem.

"They've all been pretty tough. I think the one thing about this Indian attack is they're all slightly different. They all have different release points and different things they do with the ball, which makes it so challenging you know you can never get used to (them)," Malan told PTI in an interview.

"If you think you are getting used to one of them, they just come at you with different challenges all the time so you know it's really tough to pick them. They've all been really, really good this series," the batsman, who has pulled out of the IPL ahead of the T20 World Cup, said.

The southpaw, who lent much needed solidity to England's struggling batting line-up, was also happy that R Ashwin was not part of the series.

"It's not because he's not a great bowler, he is a serious bowler. He is one of the best spinners that's ever played the game, but you know, it's hard for me to comment on why he wouldn't be playing," he said when asked if he was surprised about Ashwin missing all the four Tests.

"...If you look at the conditions and if you were playing two spinners he would probably be tougher (Ravindra Jadeja). I guess the captain, or the leadership of the Indian team probably had the decision to make between Jadeja or Ashwin and they went the other way.

"They led 2-1 so you know you can't really argue (with that decision). I'm quite happy as a left hander that he did not play, which is pretty good," said the world's number one T20 batsman.

Talking about his Test comeback, Malan wasn't completely satisfied with his performance though he looked assured in the middle from the word go.

"Yes and no. You know, to get a score in that first Test was good.. disappointed not to (have) capitalised on that one to score a hundred. It was a really good batting wicket so to get out the way I did this was obviously disappointing," he said.

"And then the first innings at The Oval. To get to 30 once again on a wicket that was playing well and to get out was tough, was disappointing from my point of view. You know I've come in, I feel like I've hit the ball well I've moved well," he added.

The interaction was arranged by Gonuts which claims to be "India's largest and most influential platform for fandom and celebrity commerce."

Also Read : Slinger Malinga announces retirement from all forms of cricket

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 8 (Cricket news) India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has gained a place to be ninth in the ICC Test rankings for bowlers following his match-winning spell in the fourth Test against England at The Oval.

Bumrah had bowled Ollie Pope and Jonny Bairstow in a sensational spell of reverse swing that tilted the game decisively in India's favour.

Australia pacer Pat Cummins leads the standings while premier India spinner R Ashwin remains second while not being part of the four Tests against England.

There is no change in the top-10 batsmen with Joe Root leading the pack. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are fifth and sixth in the standings.

Also read: Bumrah becomes fastest Indian pacer to reach 100 Test wickets mark

Ashwin has dropped a spot to be fifth in the all-rounders' rankings with Ravindra Jadeja staying on third place. West Indies' Jason Holder is the leading all-rounder.

News source: PTI

(Cricket news) India are 2-1 up in the series against England with 1 game to go. Having secured at least a draw, India are also favourites to win the upcoming game in Manchester. India has gone with the exact same combination of 4 seamers and Ravindra Jadeja. The combination has worked very well for Virat Kohli but Ravichandran Ashwin has been a victim to it.

Ashwin is the best spinner in the world right now and has been for a long time. Virat Kohli has been bombarded with questions about Ashwin's absence throughout the series but has maintained a standard explanation. The captain has often said that 4 seamers come very handy in English conditions and Jadeja's ability with willow makes him undroppable. It is pretty much clear that Ashwin will never play at no. 7. India will have to go with 2 spinners for Ashwin to make the side unless Kohli decides to go with 7 pure batsmen.

Also read: Bowler's heroics earn India first Oval win in 50 years to go 2-1 up with 1 match to go

The Oval was one ground where Ashwin was the most needed. A lot of experts and fans opined that England wouldn't have a chance on day 5 if Ashwin was in the side. India ended up winning the match comfortably in the end but Ashwin's presence would've ended the game sooner. The likelihood that Ashwin plays the last Test is very less as Old Trafford will not assist the spinners any more than the Oval. The Indian camp will not be too keen on changing the winning combination unless injuries and fatigue play a part.

Ashwin's selection has been in the center of debate but India have decided to respect the conditions more than the personal. Even England haven't played a specialist spinner which might change as Jack Leech has been added to the 5th Test squad. There is absolutely nothing that Ashwin has done wrong. For Ashwin to make the side, India need a proper fast bowling all-rounder like Ben Stokes or Jacques Kallis. Shardul Thakur is almost there but there are still question marks if his prowess with the willow is good enough to play number 7.

London, Sep 1 (Cricket news) Wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik feels the time is ripe for R Ashwin to play his first match of the ongoing five-Test series between India and England.

India have gone with four pacers and a specialist spinner in Ravindra Jadeja so far in the series but that could change in the fourth Test beginning here on Thursday.

"I believe the time is ripe for Ravichandran Ashwin to make his first appearance of the series. Traditionally, The Oval has thrown up some of the flattest pitches in England, and it has been no different this season.

"Three of Surrey’s five matches at home in the County Championship have ended indecisively, and ten hundreds have been registered in those games," Karthik wrote in 'The Telegraph'.

Karthik feels Ashwin's versatility will help India at The Oval.

"If I was Virat Kohli, I’d like to bring a new dimension into play in this crucial Test. As Ashwin has shown in his storied career, he hasn’t necessarily relied on assistance from the surface to make an impact. England have two left-handers in their top three and three in the top seven." "The off-spinner’s record against lefties is second to none, and he is more than handy against the right-handers, who he tests with the knuckle ball and the floater that he has mastered through hours of diligent practice away from the harsh spotlight of the international game." Karthik, who will be playing in the upcoming IPL, said the conditions will suit Ashwin's style of bowling.

"In Australia, Ashwin got excellent drift with the Kookaburra ball, getting it to curl away from the right-hander in the air and break back on pitching. That’s how he had Steve Smith caught at leg-slip in the second Test in Melbourne.

"He is equally comfortable switching to around the stumps and getting the ball to go away with the angle, a trick that netted him the prized scalps of Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, Australia’s two best batsmen.

"Like the Australian tracks, The Oval boasts bounce, which is Ashwin’s greatest ally away from home. He is willing to try to buy wickets because he is always focused on getting batsmen out," Karthik wrote.

Skipper Virat Kohli can also open the bowling with Ashwin.

Also read: Karnataka speedster Prasidh Krishna added to main Test squad

"One of Ashwin’s specialties is that he lets the ball hang in the air; because he has big fingers, he imparts a lot of revs, which makes him particularly venomous whilst bowling to the lefties.

"At Headingley, as early as day one Moeen Ali got the ball to turn off shallow footmarks during his brief spell to Ajinkya Rahane. What it reiterates is that England can aid turn if there is moisture, if the surface is a little damp.

"Ashwin is adept at bowling with a new or newish red ball, so Virat can use him even in the first hour if there is dampness to be exploited. As the match progresses, of course, Ashwin will become a more potent weapon," added Karthik. 

News source: PTI

London, Sep 1 (Cricket news) Moeen Ali is a "little" surprised that R Ashwin is yet to feature in the ongoing Test series but if India do stick to the one specialist spinner strategy, the England offie's pick will be the "amazing" Ravindra Jadeja.

Jadeja has been preferred over Ashwin so far due to his batting but that could change at The Oval on Thursday.

"Yeah a little bit (surprised over Ashwin not playing) but I also feel Jadeja is an amazing cricketer, he is one of my favourite characters in the world," Moeen said ahead of the fourth Test beginning here on Thursday.

"I would always have Jadeja in my team and I think India after winning at Lord's would have gone with four seamers (at Headingley) and Jadeja did a great job. He is batting really well. I am sure Ashwin has been considered and will be considered for tomorrow." Moeen, who has been named England vice-captain in the absence of Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, expects the pitch to turn a bit later in the game. The all-rounder has taken a hat-trick at The Oval, having done so against South Africa in 2017.

"Most grounds in England tend to spin a little bit anyway, some obviously more than others, but there's always a bit of spin.

"I am not expecting a hat trick (again) but expecting little bit of spin towards the end. It does look a bit more green than what you normally see here. It's always a good wicket for batting and bowling and towards the end of the game the spinners (get into the game)," he said.

The Lord's Test against India earlier this month was Moeen's first at home in two years. He has been in and out of the team but England making him vice-captain even for one game shows that he is now part of the leadership group.

Moeen, however, doesn't think he has cemented his place in the side yet though he called his appointment a huge honour.

"Yeah sounds amazing, to captain or vice-captain England in any form is huge, and I'm just very excited. I'm obviously not hoping for Joe (Root) to go off the field but if he does go off I'm looking forward to the role." On not being settled in the Test team and now getting to play regularly, he said: "I think that's the beauty of sport in one way, but also I know that obviously Ben and Jos are not here. I am pretty realistic in terms of that. But yeah, things can change quickly and to be given the role I think is great." He hopes to inspire more people from the British Asian community to play the game.

"Whenever you are playing for England you are representing your people. For me, for example, I feel like I'm representing them and to be given the chance, I feel maybe they'll be also be thinking about cricket, you know chances are good, if you do the right things and you're showing the right attitude towards the game." Moeen also expressed the desire to travel for the Ashes Down Under if the big series does go ahead in COVID-19 times later this year.

"I want to cement my spot in the team having couple of games under my belt I feel I have found the rhythm of the game.

"Looking forward to the next two games against India to put in some performances to keep my spot in the the team and then Australia.

"A lot more information is needed for players and families to think about going ahead. If the tour takes place I am quite to keen to go and cement my place," he said.

Also read: Moeen Ali named vice-captain in place of Jos Buttler for 4th Test vs India

Moeen feels England were able to win at Headingley and level the series because the players remained focussed on the job and didn't engage in too many verbal battles with opposition like it was seen at Lord's.

"Expecting India to come up with the intensity they have shown thus far. We had a great first day at Headingley and for the rest of the match we played really well. Just think were were really focused last game and concentrated on our own performances.

"The one thing we are really good at as a team, I think, is coming back from behind. Now going forward is really about putting in the performance than can take us ahead. We're quite confident and in particular against India having done so in 2014, I think," he added.

News source: PTI

London, Sep 1 (Cricket news) Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane's wretched form and senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's probable inclusion will have the most significant impact on the Indian team's efforts to move on from its Leeds debacle when it takes on a stronger England in the fourth Test at the Oval starting Wednesday.

The high of an inspirational victory at the Lord's was followed by back-to-back batting debacles at Headingley and the penultimate game at Oval would certainly have an impact on both sides as the series heads towards its busin1ess end.

Skipper Virat Kohli had said that a victory at Lord's didn't guarantee a win in the next Test and a defeat at Headingley doesn't mean that an encore would happen at the Oval with the series locked at 1-1.

Not the one to believe that outside noise (fans and experts) should be given much credence, the Indian captain, in his heart of hearts, knows that all is not well with his batting unit and the biggest problem is the performance of its three middle-order stalwarts -- the skipper himself, Cheteshwar Pujara and his deputy Rahane.

Pujara might have redeemed himself with a knock of 91 which was high on "intent quotient" but the same can't be said about Rahane, whose form is shaky despite a crucial 61 in the second innings at the Lord's.

In all likelihood, Rahane would get another chance but over the past two years, his inconsistency has hurt this team badly.

What many people have found baffling is that even a hundred at Melbourne or a fifty at the Lord's hasn't inspired confidence and he has never looked like getting back into some kind of form.

A total of 95 runs in five innings at an average of 19 is not an indicator of Rahane's qualities but a spunky strokeplayer like Suryakumar Yadav or an orthodox batter like Hanuma Vihari might bring in a bit of freshness in the middle-order.

If Rahane is dropped at all, then Vihari has a better chance of coming in as he also bowls off-spin.

However, skipper Kohli has shown that he can be dogmatic even if suggestions to contrary come from some of India's biggest cricketing legends including Sunil Gavaskar, who feels that playing an extra batsman might help them.

An exhibit of it is his decision of not compromising with the five-bowler theory despite batting failures save for openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul (who had a poor third Test).

Ravindra Jadeja in this series, with two wickets from three games, has played primarily as a No.7 batsman whose willow-wielding skills are considered to be far better than Ashwin, who is perhaps the world's best spinner at the moment.

The Oval track has traditionally helped spinners and therefore Ashwin, who had a six-wicket haul in a county game for Surrey (vs Somerset) might just bring in his 400 plus wicket experience to trouble the English batters who have been wary of him in the past.

But Kohli, whose fascination for four pacers is well documented, might want to replace an off-colour Ishant Sharma with Shardul Thakur, who is more of an all-rounder and it remains to be seen if Ashwin comes in place of Jadeja, who hasn't been penetrative enough.

Similarly, the skipper has indicated looking at the workload of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, both of whom have bowled over 100 overs in the series so far.

If their middle-order is a cause of concern, the other aspect that's bound to give them sleepless nights is the form of rival skipper Joe Root, who has already tallied over 500 runs in just three games with a hat-trick of hundreds.

Also read: We are prepared against world class Ashwin: Root

If Ashwin gets a look-in, Root versus Ashwin will be a contest that a lot of cricket fans will be looking forward to.

For England, Dawid Malan, in his comeback match, was in good touch. Add to it, Mark Wood's blistering pace and Chris Woakes's incisive swing bowling and it is enough to ensure a bit of workload management for James Anderson.

Jonny Bairstow is expected to keep wickets as Jos Buttler has taken a break with his wife expecting their second child.

However, England have enough resources in their arsenal to trouble India.

Teams India: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mayank Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav, Shardul Thakur England: Joe Root (C), Moeen, Anderson, Bairstow, Billings, Rory Burns, Sam Curran, Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Malan, Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

Match starts 3.30. 

News source: PTI

London, Aug 31 (Cricket news) Skipper Joe Root, who led England to a series-levelling win at the Headingley, expects an Indian backlash in the penultimate Test and said they're ready for all combinations including facing the "worldclass" R Ashwin at Oval.

India had grabbed a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after beating England by 151 runs at Lord's but England came back to level the series with an innings and 76 run win in the third Test.

"A world class team like India, led by Virat (Kohli) I expect nothing less than a response and we'd be naive to think otherwise," Root said during a virtual press-conference.

"That's why I think it's really important that we don't get too comfortable, we don't think that we've achieved anything at this point, we've just got ourselves back to level playing." Trusting Ravindra Jadeja's batting ability more than Ashwin, India skipper Virat Kohli had ignored the ace offspinner for the first three Tests but heading into the Oval Test from Thursday, the call for his inclusion has once again gained voice.

"His record speaks for itself, he's a world class player. We've seen him score runs and take wickets against us, we know what he's capable of in Test arena," Root said when asked if he's surprised that Ashwin did not play the first three Tests.

Ashwin, who is four wickets shy of joining Harbhajan Singh as the second best Indian spinner in Tests behind Anil Kumble, last month took a six-wicket haul in a County Championship game for Surrey at the Oval.

He was also India's best bowler in the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in Southampton in June.

"We will certainly be making sure that we're prepared for the challenges that he poses coming into this Test match, along with other combinations that they might throw at us," Root said.

"But, ultimately, you can get wrapped up and you can end up playing the player. So it's really important that you just play the delivery and to the situation that you find yourself in.

"Whoever it is that we face up against this week, it's about playing the ball that's right in front of you and not to the reputation." Kohli is in the middle of a rare lean patch as the Indian skipper has managed just one half-century and Root credited his bowling group to keep him "quiet".

"A lot of credit has to go to our bowling group. First and foremost, Virat is world class, there is no doubt about that," Root said.

"That's why the credit has to go to our bowlers, to keep him as quiet is an extremely good effort from the bowling group, it's something we have to continue to do if we want to win the series.

"For now, we have found ways to get him out so we got to keep trying to find ways of building pressure and keep in him quiet. Hopefully that relentless pressure is something that we can contain moving forward." After their embarrassing defeat at the Lord's, England put up a ruthless display in the third Test to rout India for 78 runs and then Root's majestic 121, his third hundred of the series, sealed a 76-run win for the hosts.

"More than anything, we were very pleased with how we've grown into the series," he said.

"We've worked extremely hard to get to one-all in the series. We got to look to go even further, dig a little bit deeper, and really start to go through the gears.

"From the bowling perspective we were pretty much flawless, we hit the right lengths early on and then managed to do that for long periods of time throughout the whole game." Root will have a selection headache with the return of injured pacers Mark Wood and Chris Woakes, while their regular wicketkeeper Jos Buttler will miss the penultimate Test to be with his wife, who is expecting their second child.

In Buttler's absence, Jonny Bairstow will don the wicket keeping gloves and it remains to be seen if Ollie Pope fills up the vacant spot at his home venue.

"It's fantastic to have both (Woakes and Wood) available and it adds strength to what has been a very confident squad right now. We will see how they pull up and take a call taking account of the conditions." The win against India made Root the most successful Test captain for England with 27 wins in 55 games, surpassing the likes of Michael Vaughan (26), Andrew Strauss (24) and Alastair Cook (24).

Vaughan, however, has commented recently that you won't be considered a truly great captain, until you win the Ashes which "matters above all else".

England's last away Ashes victory came in 2010-11 under Strauss. Under the 30-year-old Root, who took over from Cook in February 2017, they are yet to get their hands on the Urn either at home or away.

"In terms of what other people think of me as a captain is sort of irrelevant. My job is to do the best I possibly can for the period I'm in the role and that will never change," Root said.

Also read: Trinbago Knight Riders looking for a record fifth title, Guyana Amazon Warriors start with a historic victory

"I think as an England captain, you are always judged on how you do in the Ashes. I think more than anything I need to make sure that we try and win this series first. It's a huge series for us. And then we'll turn our attention to Australia, something that we've been planning for a long time." Root said the Ashes is something which every captain aspires to win.

"It's certainly something that everyone wants to do is to go to Australia, it's something you're always desperate to have as part of your career.

"I'll give everything to the team, everything to the squad of players and if at the end of it, that's not good enough for some people, but I've done everything I can, I can be proud of that," he signed off. 

News source: PTI

(Cricket news) The 1st Test at Trent Bridge ended in a draw after rain stopped play for the entire last day. The rain robbed cricket fans of what would've been an exciting end to the first test. India did have the upper hand but had to settle for a draw. Team India registered an iconic victory in the 2nd Test match at Lord's by 151 runs. Indian bowlers put in a 4th innings masterclass to successfully get 10 wickets in less than 60 overs.

The 3rd Test at Headingley presents India with a great chance to take a 2-0 series lead. India will not get a better chance of winning a Test series in England. The England squad is massively underpowered due to injuries and players being out of form. Virat Kohli on the other hand has a full powered Indian side at his disposal.

England have called David Malan in the squad to replace out of form Dom Sibley and Zac Crawley. Mark Wood is out of contention with a shoulder injury and is likely to be replaced by Craig Overton or Saqib Mahmood. Haseeb Hameed is likely to open the innings and Ollie Pope could get a chance to play.

Aa for India, Shardul Thakur is available for selection again after missing the 2nd Test through injury. India's top 6 is likely to remain unchanged but the 5 bowlers could be chopped and changed. Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri would not be too keen on changing the winning combination unless the pitch and conditions really demand it.

Also read: Can Virat Kohli make any changes to this Indian side for the 3rd Test? Does Ravichandran Ashwin get a place?

India's only issue is their middle order which has been short of runs. Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara's 100 run partnership eventually won the 2nd Test match for India therefore it wouldn't make any sense to drop any of them. Virat Kohli is the one batsman who is truly short of runs but if there is any player in the world who can turn things it is the Indian skipper.

India's combination of four pacers and Ravindra Jadeja has brought great success in the 1st two games. Having said that, it is tough to keep Ravichandran Ashwin out of the team if the conditions favour the spinner even in the slightest. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are undroppable after their performances so one of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja will have to make way for Ashwin or Shardul or maybe both.

Player to look out for: Virat Kohli

The Indian captain has earned the title of the best batsman in this generation. The tag has faded away in the last few years. Kohli hasn't scored an International century since November 2019 against Bangladesh. There are reports that the pitch at Headingley is going to be a flat one which will be perfect for Kohli to get some runs under his belt. 

Leeds, Aug 24 (Cricket news) India captain Virat Kohli on Tuesday said there is no reason to change the winning combination but did not shut the door on R Aswhin's inclusion in the playing XI, saying pitch can bring the seasoned off-spinner back into the picture in England.

There has been a debate on benching the senior off-spinner Ashwin till now but Kohli made it clear that he is not deliberating any change in the winning XI for the match beginning Wednesday.

"We have got no reason to change anything, unless people have niggles which we have not encountered since we finished the last Test. You do not want to disturb the winning combination, especially when the team achieved such an incredible win in the second Test," he said.

However, he also added that India might try playing Ashwin because of the pitch.

Also read : You need to keep ego in pocket while batting in England: Kohli

He said that the team management will assess the pitch on how it could behave on the third and fourth days before making a call on Ashwin.

"As far as Ashwin playing in concerned we are quite surprised to see the pitch the way it was. We could see a lot of surface which honestly I did not expect would be the case.

"I thought there would be lot of grass on the pitch. It will be more spicy and lively. But it won't be the case," said Kohli.

The four-pronged Indian pace attack that ran through the England batting line-up on the fifth day of the second Test at Lord's may have discouraged the home team from leaving grass.

"... So anything is possible," Kohli said.

"We always name a 12 and then on the day we have a look at the pitch and what it could become on Day 3 and Day 4 and accordingly we will go in with the right combination," he added.

If Ashwin comes in, it is going to be at the expense of left-arm spinning all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who played in the first two Tests.

India beat England by 151 runs in the second Test to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. 

News source: PTI

Leeds, Aug 24 (Cricket news) Senior England pacer James Anderson has hinted that Jasprit Bumrah was not trying to get him out during the Lord's Test in which the Indian fast bowler rattled him with a barrage of bouncers.

Bumrah bowled a 10-ball over mostly comprising bouncers and one of them hit Anderson on the helmet. Words were exchanged following that incident and Anderson was not pleased about the Indian's tactics.

"I got caught off guard a little bit because all the batters coming in were saying how slow the pitch was. Banged in short; it was really slow. When I came out to bat, Joe Root said Bumrah was not bowling as quick as he normally does," Anderson said on the BBC Tailenders Podcast.

"And then, the first ball was 90 miles an hour and on the money, wasn't it? And it felt like, I haven't felt like this ever in my career. I felt he wasn't trying to get me out.

Also read: High-flying India eyeing unassailable series lead and a big knock from Virat Kohli

"He bowled an over, maybe 10, 11, 12 balls (10). He was bowling no-ball after no-ball, bowling short. I think he bowled two on the stumps which I managed to dig out." The following day Bumrah got the taste of his own medicine but the Indian handled the England pacers rather well and shared an 89-run stand with Mohammad Shami to set up a big win for the visitors.

R Ashwin, who did not play that game, also spoke about that incident between Bumrah and Anderson.

"England took that Anderson incident very personally. Bumrah said he didn't even know what happened but all of us got together and told him what Anderson said to him and that riled us up. What happened next was extraordinary," said Ashwin on his Youtube Channel.

News source: PTI

Leeds, Aug 24 (Cricket news) A supremely confident India will look to tighten the noose around a struggling England and captain Virat Kohli will be expected to overcome his prolonged lean patch when the third Test of the five-match series begins here on Wednesday.

Kohli's last international hundred came in November 2019 and though he has scored a couple of 40s in the series so far, the expectations have always been sky high from the modern great.

He looked a tad vulnerable around the off-stump in the first two Tests and one can expect him to present a tighter technique when the ball is pitched on the fourth stump at Headingley.

The form of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane had also been a cause of concern for India but that has been put to rest after the experienced duo batted for almost 50 overs on day four of the Lord's Test and were responsible for taking the game to the final day before the Indian pacers scripted a famous win.

The performance of openers Rohit Sharma and K L Rahul has been the biggest plus for India in the batting department. Both have showed remarkable temperament and technique in testing conditions to give the team a solid start.

Rahul, who was drafted into the team in place of injured Mayank Agarwal, has grown in confidence with each innings and seem to be sure about which balls to play and which ones to leave, which is critical for success in English conditions. Rohit too has looked in sublime touch and only needs to figure when to play his trademark pull shot, having fallen to that stroke twice in the series so far.

Rishabh Pant will play the way he plays and Ravindra Jadeja has also done a decent job at number seven. It can be said that he is playing in the team more as a batsman than as a left-arm spinner.

Also read: Virat's team will play how it plays, we will not get drawn into anything that's not honest: Joe Root

With conditions expected to be cold and favourable for the pacers at Headingley, India are expected to retain the four-prong pace attack, leaving no space for R Ashwin once again. Shardul Thakur is fully fit but it is unlikely that Kohli will make any changes in the pace attack which won India the game on day five at Lord's.

Ishant Sharma, who had not played the opening Test, was really impressive at Lord's and the hugely experienced pacer is likely to be preferred over Thakur, who is the lesser bowler compared to Ishant but the better batsman.

The potency of the world-class attack has been increased by Mohammad Siraj, who was sensational on day five and has impressed many with his relentless accuracy. India last played here in 2002 when they registered a famous win by an innings and 46 runs. None of the current players have the experience of playing on this ground and it will be interesting to see how they adapt to the challenge.

England, on the other hand, will be hoping their batting woes will subside with the inclusion of white-ball specialist Dawid Malan. Malan last played a Test three years ago but is expected to deliver considering his rich first-class experience.

The southpaw will bat at number three, moving Haseeb Hameed up the order to open alongside Rory Burns. England batsmen have to find a way to score and help skipper Joe Root, who has made of the bulk of the team's runs so far.

Mark Wood, who troubled the Indian batsmen with his extra pace, is injured and that puts Saqib Mahmood in good position to make his Test debut on Wednesday.

Ahead of the game, Root confirmed that barring Wood, the team is not facing any fitness issues with lead pacer James Anderson also in good shape.

Root has also hinted that his players will not be drawn into needless exchanges with the opposition players after things got heated up at Lord's with India getting more out of the verbal battles. Teams (from): India: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mayank Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav.

England: Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Sam Curran, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson.

Match starts 3.30

News source: PTI

Cricket news: After a disappointing loss to New Zealand in the World Test Championship final, team India gear up for a five match test series in England. The five tests will be played at Trent Bridge, Lords, Headingley, The Oval and Old Trafford respectively. The entire series will be played in front of a full capacity crowd. The series will inaugurate the 2nd World Test Championship cycle.

Pre math:

Since the last time India toured England, Virat Kohli’s men have lost only one out of eight test series which was away to New Zealand. India since then created history by winning the Border Gavaskar trophy away against Australia followed by a thumping series win against England at home. The blues in the process booked a place in the World Test Championship final ahead of Australia and England  but came short in the final against New Zealand.

England on the other hand have had problems with the red ball team. After winning the away series against Srilanka, Joe Root’s team were outclassed by India in a series which was massively overshadowed by heated debates about the quality of pitches. The loss meant that England missed out on a chance to play the World Test Championship final in their backyard. To make matters worse England lost a home series against New Zealand for the first time since 1999. Former England captain Nasser Hussain heavily criticized the technique English batsman and the intent of the team as a whole.

Squads:

England(first two tests)

Joe Root (c), Craig Overton, Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley, Jos Buttler, Mark Wood, Sam Curran, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Dominic Bess, Stuart Broad, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson.

Ben Stokes was initially named in the squad but was replaced by Craig Overton after the all-rounder took an indefinite break from all forms of cricket to focus on his mental wellbeing and continue his recovery from a finger injury.

Other notable absentees include Jofra Archer is likely to miss the entire summer of cricket due to an elbow injury he has been dealing with since the start of 2020. All-rounder Chris Woakes will also miss the series because of a heel injury. Ben Foakes and Olly Stone are two other players sidelined due to injuries.

England has rarely played their strongest XI in a test match for the past year or so while their white-ball team continued to be at full strength. Captain Joe Root said that he hopes to play his strongest possible side against India and put an end to the rest and rotation policy. 

Also read:  Everything that you need to know about the upcoming India vs England Test Series 2021

India:

Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara,  Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav

Shubhman Gill and Washington Sundar were in the squad but had to withdraw due to injuries. Pacers Prasidh Krishna and Arzan Nagwaswalla are standby players. Another standby player Avesh Khan was sent back after suffering an injury in a warm-up match.

In cricket news Opening batsman Mayank Agarwal was hit on the helmet by Mohammed Siraj while batting in the nets. Agarwal is ruled out of the first test due to a concussion.

India have been forced into changes due to injuries, especially in Australia. The injuries have made way for some youngsters to make their mark. Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel have taken the opportunity to put in excellent performances whenever called up.

Whether India will repeat what they did in the World Test Championship final by playing both Jadeja and Ashwin is the biggest question mark as far as team selection goes. As for England, the opening pair is something that remains unclear.

Schedule:

1st Test: 4-8 August 2021, Trent Bridge, Nottingham

2nd Test: 12-16 August 2021, Lord’s, London

3rd Test: 25-29 August 2021, Emerald Headingley, Leeds

4th Test: 2-6 September 2021, Kia Oval, London

5th Test: 10-14 September, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester

Prediction:

India’s last series win in England came in 2007 under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy. Since then India have never come close to winning in England. After winning a back to back away series against Australia, a win in England looks very achievable. The pacers at Virat Kohli’s disposal are some of the best India has ever had. With Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja as spin bowling all-rounders, the Indian bowling attack is incredibly well balanced. 

England will be keen to bounce back and start the World Test Championship in the best possible way.  While Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes are prominent absentees their replacements aren’t too bad. Ollie Robinson in particular has shown good potential in his recent test debut against New Zealand.

England without question enters the series as favourites majorly due to the home condition. The major battle throughout the series is going to be between India’s middle-order trio of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane and England’s pacers. This battle will undoubtedly have a large impact on the end result. 

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has made a bold prediction by saying that the visitors will comfortably win the series because of England being a very depleted side as seen against New Zealand in June. While Alistair Cook believes that England has what it takes to get the better of India.

Nottingham, Aug 3 (Cricket news) The toughest four months of Virat Kohli's eventful leadership career start here on Wednesday when his strategic acumen will be tested while selecting a perfect Indian combination to take on a good England side in the first Test of a five-match series.

Kohli announced his playing XI for the World Test Championship final against New Zealand couple of days before the game and drew flak for not respecting the conditions.

However, on Wednesday, he will have to think overtime about the balance of his squad with a long tail, often bushy with runs, and just two openers -- one untested (Rohit Sharma) but very capable and another supremely talented (KL Rahul) but highly reluctant starter.

Rahul, with 2000 plus Test runs, looks a logical choice to partner Rohit after Mayank Agarwal's concussion but the lack of Hardik Pandya and the utility of two specialist spinners does come into the question.

Bengal's Abhimanyu Easwaran had last played a first-class game in March, 2020 and that too after enduring a horrendous season. Will the team risk him? It would be a huge call.

That brings into the equation Hanuma Vihari, the team's 'All-Purpose Player', who had once faced the new ball in Australia.

His handy off-spin, along with that of automatic choice Ravichandran Ashwin, could also pave the way for Shardul Thakur's entry as the bowling all-rounder in place of an experienced Ravindra Jadeja.

Mohammed Shami is still a wily customer and Ishant Sharma still possesses a big heart but they are ageing.

Jasprit Bumrah, since his lower back stress fracture in 2019, is hardly the Test bowler one has come to know but his success in the last series may ensure a start for him.

But where does it leave India's fastest and most in-form bowler Mohammed Siraj, whose raw pace ousted a concussed Agarwal from this Test match? It would probably require a leap of faith from the skipper to ignore Siraj's calibre.

Kohli's team selections in England last time left a lot to be desired as Kuldeep Yadav was picked to play on a Lord's green top where he looked like a lamb for slaughter.

Similarly baffling was his decision to ignore a pacer in overcast conditions in his bid to shore up the batting with Jadeja's presence even though he had to be under-bowled.

Rahul's hundred in the last first-class game and adequate preparation time would keep him in good head space.

He was also in fine form during the intra-squad match and perhaps would fancy the idea of game time irrespective of his slot rather than wearing a red India bib (extra player's vests) and carrying drinks.

He is a better player than that.

India have been a formidable side at home where they have demolished one opposition after another on spinner-friendly pitches and their lion-hearted efforts in Australia have added to the legend.

But if one looks at this team's performance in England, India have lost 11 out of 14 Tests across the last three tours with Mahendra Singh Dhoni being captain in two of them.

Kohli was a part of the 2014 team when it lost 1-3 and the then vice-captain had a torrid time with the bat.

He came back determined in 2018, scored truckloads of runs but a poor team choice at the Lord's and one bad batting session in Southampton meant that under him, India lost 1-4.

As the Indian captain walks out with his band of men against a side that has two artists of red Dukes at work in James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Also read: Shardul can bat among bowlers, others are showing interest in net sessions: V Capt Rahane

The veterans will be complemented by one of the world's fastest bowlers in Mark Wood and a smart apprentice in Ollie Robinson.

The job for Kohli and his seasoned top-order would be easier said than done on a grassy Trent Bridge pitch.

So Cheteshwar Pujara, whose middle-name critics would want to be "intent", and Ajinkya Rahane, who at times has looked a better Test match captain, would have to do something special.

There is still no danger to their places in the squad contrary to popular belief but if there are options like Suryakumar Yadav (he boarded the flight from Colombo today) and these players don't perform, it will be difficult to keep talented men out of the team.

For Joe Root, in a gruelling Test series, Broad and Anderson would certainly be rotated keeping their age in mind but even the England captain would be quick to acknowledge that Ben Stokes' absence due to "mental health issues" would be a very big factor.

The likes of Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Dan Lawrence, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope at times don't inspire the highest level of confidence and it could be interesting as to how they counter Ashwin's mastery and Shami's guile.

Trust Root and Buttler to do the heavy-lifting.

Squads: India: Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav.

England: Joe Root (capt), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Dom Sibley, Mark Wood.

Match Starts 3:30 pm.

News source: PTI

Karachi, Jul 20 (Cricket news) Former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq wants the International Cricket Council (ICC) to review its existing 15-degree arm/elbow extension law for bowlers.

Saqlain, who is presently head coach at the Pakistan Cricket Board’s High Performance Centre in Lahore, said the law is discouraging youngsters from taking up the art of off-spin bowling.

"I would like to know how the ICC experts reached this conclusion of allowing only 15-degrees latitude to bowlers. Did they do research on Asian players, Caribbean players, others because everyone is different.

"Asian players' bodies are different, they tend to have more flexibility in their arms and some have hyper mobile joints. If you look at Caribbean or English players their bodies are different," Saqlain said in an interview.

He noted that even carry angle, meaning flexibility in arms while in standing posture, is different in Asian players.

"I think the ICC should review this law because the 15-degrees latitude is too little. It is discouraging players from the art of off-spin bowling.” "I personally believe that one can bowl off-breaks, doosra and top spin even within the law but since it came out I have seen players who used to bowl off-spin now becoming leg-spinners or wrist spinners,” he said.

Saqlain, who ended an illustrious career with 208 Test and 288 ODI wickets and made the Doosra ball famous, believed that a off-spinner can also be successful in white ball formats if he has a good set of skills and it is not necessary to be able to bowl the doosra to be effective.

Saqlain also felt that teams were not relying on specialist off-break bowlers in white ball formats because of an increasing trend of using wrist spinners.

"It is an ongoing trend in white ball formats that teams want to have maximum wrist spinners like India has Chahal and Yadav, Australia has Adam Zampa and Stephenson, England has Adil Rashid etc…And this is discouraging players from taking up the art of off-spin bowling.” He noted that it was only in Test cricket mainly that some countries still employed specialist off-spinners successfully like Nathan Lyon was a regular for Australia and R Ashwin for India while Moeen Ali has done his bit for England.

Saqlain, 44, who has worked as spin consultant/coach with different teams including England, West Indies, New Zealand urged countries to have budgets to have regular permanent spin coaches with their teams.

"Their is also a need to have permanent spin coaches at domestic level and the junior levels." Saqlain had no doubt that spinners would have a vital role to play in the upcoming World T20 Cup in UAE and Oman provided the conditions remained dry.

"Role of spinners in the subcontinent and UAE is always vital but there is no dew factor because a lot of matches are held under lights.

"If there is no dew factor they will dominate in dry conditions but to do this they must be class bowlers with a very good set of skills. It is all about bowlers who try to get away with just bowling economically and those who try to take wickets as well.” Saqlain said that a spin bowler loses his bite, drifts in dew conditions and it becomes difficult to also grip the ball.

Also read: ICC Rankings: Mithali back on top of WODI list, Mandhana No. 3 among T20 batters

To a question, he had no doubt that India’s surgence in world cricket was due to the number of A team tours they arranged for their fringe players in the last 10-years.

"Pakistan cricket has suffered a lot because of no international cricket at home but India has done the right thing by investing on its under-19 and A team tours. I remember I was working in England for like four summers and once in Australia and every year I saw some Indian team touring those countries."

News source: PTI

Chennai, Jul 16 (Cricket news) Former leg-spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan is impressed by the positive attitude and variations of young leggie Rahul Chahar and said he will keep an eye on his performance during the white-ball series in Sri Lanka.

The 21-year old Chahar, who has played three T20Is for India, was named in the ODI squad for the Sri Lanka series and might make his debut in the 50 over format in the upcoming three-game series, beginning on Sunday.

"Rahul Chahar seems to be a very attacking bowler. His body language is good, he has got all the variations. He doesn't mind getting hit. He doesn't get perturbed if he has gone for a four or six. This is something I like," Sivaramakrishnan told PTI.

Asked about the qualities of Chahar, Sivaramakrishnan pointed out "his positive attitude, line, and length, variation of pace, his ability to try and get a batsman out." "In the middle overs, you have to get wickets otherwise batsmen will take you for runs towards the end... That's why he is making a big difference for MI by picking up wickets in the middle overs," he said of Chahar, who plays for Mumbai Indians in IPL.

"He is a new commodity like Varun, so nobody knows the variations that he has, how he sets up a batsman, how he is going to bowl." Sivaramakrishnan, who would be doing commentary for the India-Sri Lanka series, said he was looking forward to seeing the spinners perform in the series.

"Well, there is always excitement when India plays. So I am looking forward to the series. Lots of young talent in the spin bowling department. Am looking forward to seeing the spinners doing really well," said the 55-year-old.

"Of course I would like to see Chahal do well...I would like to see Kuldeep Yadav do well. But I will also keep an eye on Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Chahar." One of the stars of India's triumph in the World Championship of Cricket tournament in Australia in 1985, Sivaramakrishnan feels the series will also be a good opportunity for mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy.

"He (Varun) has to play and prove himself. Luckily he is getting a break against Lanka, who have not done well in the recent past. So they won't be high on confidence," he said.

"With the right guidance and the right strategy set up for Varun, I think if he does well against Sri Lanka that will also give him confidence." Eyes will also be on senior spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, whose fortunes have waned of late with a series of below-par performances.

"They have been around for a long time, I get a feeling that a lot of people have analysed their bowling styles and are playing them much better these days," Sivaramakrishnan said.

The former India spinner feels Kuldeep, who has 170 international wickets from 91 games, needs to keep adding variations to his bowling.

"You have got to keep adding variations to your bowling every year, every season. When you saw Shane Warne, (Muttiah) Muralitharan, and Anil Kumble succeed, they developed variations over a period of time, so that they did not get predictable," he said.

"When you get predictable it gives the batsmen that more chance of succeeding. He knows what the bowler is going to do.

"To be successful as a bowler for a long time, your bowling speeds have to change, your mindset has to change. You have to know where to bowl to which batsmen. All these need to be analysed very very quickly." Asked if too much limited-overs cricket was making things difficult for spinners, Sivaramakrishnan said: "I am saddened by that... But do these cricketers aspire to play for India in Test matches or are they quite happy playing white-ball cricket, that's the big question for me..." Sivaramakrishnan also said that he would like to see more spinners knock at the doors of Test cricket.

Also read: Players were on leave, wearing mask not possible all the time: Cricketer Ganguly

"There are a lot of talented spinners in the white-ball cricket. I would like to see a lot more emerge, ...and knock at the doors of Test cricket. We should nurture spinners who can come and take their places (of Test ace R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja).

The first ODI between India and Sri Lanka will be aired on Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 3 and Sony Six and Sont Ten 4 (in Tamil and Telugu) on July 18 from 3 PM.

Sivaramakrishnan will be commentating in English and Tamil.

News source: PTI

Chennai, Jul 7 (Cricket news) The fifth season of the Tamil Nadu Premier League T20 tournament will begin on July 19 as the state government has given the event its clearance.

All the matches in the eight-team league, including the final, will be played at the M A Chidambaram Stadium here, Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) secretary R S Ramasaamy said.

"The Tamil Nadu government formally approved holding the TNPL 2021 tournament on July 1 subject to no spectators and strict Covid protocols. After discussions with all the stakeholders, it was decided to start the 2021 edition of TNPL from July 19 to August 15," Ramasaamy was quoted as saying in a release on Wednesday.

The teams are currently in quarantine at a city hotel and will begin practice on July 9, the TNCA secretary said.

"The teams are starting their practice on July 9 at Chepauk after extensive testing, quarantine and following strict bubble rules. The BCCI Anti-corruption team will be in place for the tournament for education and monitoring," Ramasaamy added.

Some of Tamil Nadu's leading players -- R Ashwin, M S Washington Sundar, R Sai Kishore, Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier -- would not be available for the tournament as they are busy with national commitments.

Experienced stumper-batsman Dinesh Karthik is away in the UK on commentary duties and is also likely to miss the event.

India all-rounder Vijay Shankar is among the notable names who will be seen in action.

The 2020 edition of the TNPL was not held owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown.

The T20 league features eight teams -- defending champions Chepauk Super Gillies, Dindigul Dragons, LYCA Kovai Kings, Salem Spartans, iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans, Ruby Trichy Warriors, Nellai Royal Kings and Siechem Madurai Panthers.

All 32 matches, including the final, will be played at MA Chidambaram Stadium here. There will be seven double headers in the league phase, which will be held without a break.

The matches will be broadcast by Star India on its various channels including Star Sports Tamil.

Also read: Only in India commentary is seen as post-retirement option, I want to break that stereotype: Cricketer Dinesh Karthik

News source: PTI

London, Jul 7 (Cricket news) Premier India spinner R Ashwin could play a first-class game for Surrey as early as July 11 ahead of next month's Test series against England if he is able to get his work visa in time.

Ashwin, who is on a break in the UK like the rest of his India teammates after the World Test Championship final, has played for Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire in the past.

If he is able to get the visa for Surrey's game against Somerset at The Oval, Ashwin will get valuable match practice before the five-Test series against India starting August 4.

The Oval will host the fourth game of the India-England series.

A report in ESPNcricinfo claimed that "both parties (Ashwin and Surrey) are confident it will be done in time for the match starting July 11".

After losing the WTC final to New Zealand, India skipper Virat Kohli had said that the team had asked for a first-class match before the title clash but didn't get it for reasons not known to him.

India are hoping to get a warm up match before the England series. The England and Wales Cricket Board has already stated that plans are afoot to have a practice game for India against a combined counties team before the Test series.

Currently on a 20-day break, India players will reassemble on July 14.

Also read: Cricketer Rashid Khan to captain Afghanistan in T20Is

News source: PTI

Sydney, Jul 3 (Cricket news) The lack of match practice ahead of the upcoming multi-format home series against "emerging supergiants" India will make the Australian women's team "vulnerable", according to head coach Matthew Mott.

The two sides are slated to play a full series, comprising three ODIs, as many T20Is, and an one-off Test, from September 19 to October 11 in Australia.

"(India) are an emerging supergiant in the game, they have a lot of great players and they will be tough opposition," Mott was quoted as saying by 'cricket.com.au' on Friday after signing a two-year extension that will see him remain with the side until after the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in South Africa.

Also read: BCCI to recommend cricketers Mithali Raj, R Ashwin for Rajeev Gandhi Khel Ratna Award

"They are playing over in England at the moment and, if anything, we'll be a bit vulnerable because we won't have had a lot of cricket. So that's at the forefront of our mind," he added.

The Indian team will head to Australia after playing a full series against England.

Five of India's top players, including Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, will also feature in the inaugural season of The Hundred.

On the other hand, the home series against India will be Australia's first fixture since their tour of New Zealand in April.

Nine out of the 10 CA contracted players have also pulled out from The Hundred. Mott, who was set to coach Welsh Fire, has also withdrawn from the tournament.

"It would be great to get everyone back together face to face, have a really strong camp in Brisbane at the National Cricket Centre with fantastic new facilities out there, and just for some of the (players from) southern states to train outside in good weather.

"So fingers crossed the borders open up and we're free of COVID as much as we can be and we navigate around," Mott added.

News source: PTI

In sports news, New Delhi, Jun 30 The BCCI has decided to recommend women's cricket great Mithali Raj and premier spinner R Ashwin for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, country's highest sporting honour. For Arjuna Award, the Board will send the names of senior batsman Shikhar Dhawan, who was ignored last year, K L Rahul and pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

"No women cricketer has been nominated for Arjuna. Mithali's name has been recommended for Khel Ratna," a BCCI official told PTI on Wednesday. It remains to be seen if Mithali is chosen by the Sports Ministry-appointed panel in an Olympic year.

She completed 22 years in international cricket last week. The 38 year-old is also the leading run getter in ODIs with more than 7000 runs.

Ashwin, who is already an Arjuna awardee like Mithali, has also been a consistent performer for India in Test cricket. He has taken 413 wickets in 79 Tests besides 150 and 42 scalps in ODIs and T20s though he doesn't play for India in the shorter formats.

Dhawan, who will be captaining India in the upcoming limited overs series in Sri Lanka, is a frontrunner for Arjuna.

The 35-year-old southpaw has scored 5977 runs in 142 ODIs besides 2315 and 1673 Test and T20 runs respectively. News source: PTI

New Delhi, Jun 25 Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar is "amazed" after knowing that Virat Kohli and his men will be on a "three-week holiday" before the start of England Test series after "poor preparation" cost them the World Test Championship final against New Zealand.

Vengsarkar, also a former chief selector, feels India played well over the two-year WTC cycle but their preparation for the final was far from ideal.

Quarantine restrictions allowed India to play only one intra-squad game before the marquee clash against a well prepared New Zealand.

"I enjoyed watching Test cricket over this cycle. India did extremely well over this cycle but the what cost them in the final was their poor preparation. They went into such a game without any practise games. "New Zealand on the other hand were match fit having already played two games (against England)," he told PTI on Friday.

The players have a three-week break before they reassemble in the UK on July 14 for the five Tests against England beginning in Nottingham from August 4. The scheduling has left Vengsarkar amazed.

It must be mentioned that the six-week break between WTC final and first England Test is due to travel restrictions and COVID-19 protocols for any Indian traveller going to the UK.

"I don't know how we approach this kind of an itinerary. Where you go for a holiday in between and then come back to play Test matches. One week break was enough post the WTC final. The thing is you need to play continuously. I am amazed this itinerary was approved." Skipper Kohli had spoken about the need for the batsmen to show more intent for scoring runs when conditions are tough for batting like they were in Southampton.

Vengsarkar said the Kohli and Co should have also shown intent in their preparation.

"If he is talking about intent, then why didn't the team prepare properly for this match? Where was the intent then? They should have have played at least two four-day games.

"You want to know whether the players are match fit or not by playing those games. The fast bowers will know what lengths to hit straightway only in those practice games." Vengsarkar said India announced the best available playing eleven two days before the game despite having the option to play an extra seamer when play began in the rain hit game.

"You see, we had beaten Australia with a similar combination more or less. It was the best team they picked under the circumstances. Whether you announce it on the day of the game or day before it doesn't make much difference. You have an idea about the conditions anyway." India missed a fast bowling all-rounder in the eleven and played two specialist spinners, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, also because of their batting abilities.

With Hardik Pandya not fit enough to bowl regularly in the format, the selectors ignored him for the UK tour. " "If he is not available then you think about somebody who is available. In cricket, nobody is indispensable. Unfortunately, BCCI doesn't have a proper talent spotting team. They should pick someone from the U-19 level and groom him," said Vengsarkar, who was the chairman of BCCI's Talent Research & Development Organization (TRDO).

India are yet to win an ICC title under Kohli's leadership and that remains a mystery for Vengsarkar. "To be honest, beating Australia earlier this year was a great achievement. I give lot of importance to such wins. This WTC they just started, I don't know how long they would continue with it.

"I feel if you play in countries like England, you should play best of three games to know where the team stands. Because after this Test, if we have had two more games, the outcome of the final could have been different with India having already played a game.

"I don't know why they are not able to (win an ICC title). They have the combination and the players do it." For the moment, Vengsarkar also doesn't see any merit in the split captaincy debate.

"If Virat is good enough to play in all formats which he very much is, than he should continue leading the side. He should only be replaced if he doesn't merit a place in the side.

"ODI captain playing under Test captain and vice versa, I dont believe in that. If Joe Root is playing under Morgan in ODIs, I don't agree with that because he is also good enough to lead that side," the 65-year-old added. News source PTI 

Southampton, Jun 19 New Zealand captain Kane Wiliamson won the toss and elected to bat against India under overcast conditions in the World Test Championship final here on Saturday.

The day one of the title clash on Friday was washed out.

India didn't change their playing XI announced two days back with both specialist spin bowling all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin adding to their batting depth.

New Zealand are going with an all seam attack with medium pacer Colin de Grandhomme, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Kyle Jamieson.

Teams: India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Capt), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

New Zealand: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson (Capt), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult. News source PTI

Southampton, Jun 17 India on Thursday went for tried and tested players, preferring veteran Ishant Sharma over Mohammed Siraj in the playing eleven for the World Test Championship final against New Zealand.

On expected lines, the team picked two specialist spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin, who are also more than handy with the bat.

The three pacers are Ishant, Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, leaving no space for the impressive Siraj. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant will bat at number six.

The match will begin on Friday at the Ageas Bowl.

India's Playing XI: Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Mohammad Shami. News source PTI

Southampton, Jun 17 Virat Kohli carries the expectations of a billion while cricket romantics will pin their hopes on Kane Williamson when India and New Zealand engage in a battle to create a lasting legacy in pristine whites in the inaugural World Test Championship final starting here on Friday.

For the connoisseurs of the glorious game, Test cricket is the ultimate format and despite its aura, the 144-year-old history needed a facelift along with a context which the World Test Championship provided despite various bottlenecks, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

For Kohli, India's most successful Test captain, a trophy-less cabinet doesn't do justice to the champion performer that he has been for a decade.

Lest one forgets, he has been a fine leader in his own right even though Mahendra Singh Dhoni may forever remain a sentimental favourite.

Kohli needs a global triumph. Every captain needs it but perhaps the Indian captain wants it more.

It's how history will remember him just like it remembers Dhoni with a lot of respect and utmost fondness for those heroic World title wins.

Williamson stands in his way with a bunch of fine cricketers and the most amiable set of players that one would come across in international cricket.

They are India's rivals but when Williamson hits those cover drives, Devon Conway teases a Ravichandran Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja, Trent Boult gets one banana inswinger aimed at Rohit Sharma's bootlaces, the crazy fans of a cricket-mad nation wouldn't possibly be able to hate them.

These are 'Gentlemen Cricketers' who have grown on the fans bit by bit with their cricket and their conduct. It's difficult not to love them, especially after their gut-wrenching World Cup defeat at the Lord's two summers back.

If Williamson happens to stand with the ICC Test Mace on the Hampshire Bowl balcony, one might just smile and think that perhaps "Nice guys don't always finish last".

But after two years and half a dozen series later, a battle-hardened Indian team will give its all in a match, from which the winning team will also walk away with a USD 1.6 million windfall.

There are a number of cricketers, who wouldn't practically have a shot at any other global trophy and for them it's their 'World Cup' which they want to lay their hands on.

Cheteshwar Pujara would be ready to take more bruises on his body if Neil Wagner starts bowling short. Ajinkya Rahane has grown in stature after a series for the ages and he will squeeze that extra ounce of energy to make it count.

Ravichandran Ashwin is unlikely to play a white ball World Cup again and wouldn't mind one bit if he can fool Williamson, Ross Taylor or the dogged Henry Nicholls with a carrom ball or a slider.

Ishant Sharma has grown 14 years older since that epic WACA spell to Ricky Ponting and India's senior-most player deserves to win a World Championship as much as anyone else.

Man to man, there is very little to choose between the two teams even though playing New Zealand in conditions that aid seam and swing isn't the easiest of tasks.

England found it out recently by losing a Test series and India have had a torrid experience, albeit in New Zealand where they lost two Tests inside three days.

But a final has its own set of pressures and no one would feel it more than Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, who would have the hardest job currently in Test cricket.

They would face the most under-rated but perhaps the best new ball pair in the business in Boult and Southee, who would make the new ball jag around and the old ball talk.

Rohit has had lot of success in India but the real battle would start with the WTC final followed by the England Test series where both his technique and temperament will be tested big-time.

Kyle Jamieson hasn't been played till now but Williamson knows what kind of a nightmare he was with his steep back-of-length bounce generated from his 6 feet 9 inch frame.

If that's not enough, Wagner will pound it in with stuff aimed at rib-cage enticing the batters to go for the hook and pull shots or take it on the body.

In fact, Wagner versus Rishabh Pant could be one intriguing battle, knowing his love for the fallen hook shot.

Pant's self control and Wagner's relentless probe will make for a great contest.

Similarly, New Zealand's new star Conway would face a very different kind of challenge that Jasprit Bumrah will pose with awkward angles and the late swing that will be generated by Mohammed Shami.

Conway has, in fact, also prepared for Ashwin and Jadeja by sprinkling kitty litter on the practice pitches back to create rough which helps in getting the ball to turn and bounce.

This match could be one for the keeps unless pacers from either sides engineer an anti-climax.

Teams (from): India: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk).

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (C), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner BJ Watling and Will Young.

On-field Umpires: Richard Illngworth, Michael Gough Match Referee: Chris Broad Match Starts: 3:30 pm IST. News source PTI

New Delhi, Jun 14 Former pacer Venkatesh Prasad feels that a high-on-resources India has got all bases covered to get past a high-on-confidence New Zealand in the World Test Championship final beginning June 18 at Southampton.

Unlike his playing days, Prasad feels India now have a third or a fourth seamer who can maintain pressure built by the new ball bowlers. At the same time, he feels the team has the batting to put 350 runs on the board irrespective of the conditions.

"Two best teams are playing the final. India have got a lot of options as their bench is also very strong," Prasad told PTI on Monday.

"Be it a batting or seaming track, India have got the upper hand for the simple reason: In early 90s and later 2000s, there will be two good seamers but the team did have not a third or fourth option.

"Now the squad has got the strength of that and a couple of very good all rounders. We always had world class spinners but now we also have a world class pace attack." Prasad formed the new ball pairing alongside the great Javagal Srinath in his heydays. Prasad said he expects India to dominate the game.

"And we also have the batting to 350 runs on the board. Now we have got everything covered. It doesn't matter what sort of a pitch it would be. It should be India all the way," he said.

New Zealand look like the team to beat after they humbled hosts England in a two-match series. It was their first triumph on English soil in 22 years.

Talking about the playing eleven, Prasad said it will be a straightforward decision for captain Virat Kohli.

He himself wants to play both R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja with three pacers -- Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.

"Ashwin and Jadeja and three fast bowlers seem to be the best combination. Bumrah, Shami and Ishant sharma have the experience of playing in different conditions, they know their roles very well.

"The strategy is very simple. Who can make use of the new ball better? Both Bumrah and Shami have got an amazing seam position and great control over line and length.

"I am surprised that Ishant is considered number three even after playing 100 Tests. He also has a lot of experience of playing county cricket in England." Prasad said he rather not pay too much attention on the opposition's strengths.

"I hope to see the game go to fifth day. Especially in India we didn't see it go beyond third or fourth day. It should reach day five but in English conditions, the Dukes ball does something more often than not.

"The batsmen will have to adapt quickly and the bowlers will need to figure out the end which is more suited to them," said the 51-year who played 33 Tests and 161 ODIs.

He also feels India have got enough time to prepare though New Zealand have a slight advantage having already played two Tests.

Asked if he too wants to see a best of three final like India head coach Ravi Shastri, Prasad added: "See most sports it is just one final. It is also about having the window to play three finals.

"If you do that it is going to 25 days of cricket with three days of gap in between. Where is the window to do that?" he aked. New source PTI