Tarouba (Trinidad), Jan 19 (Cricket News) Ireland skipper Tim Tector won the toss and opted to bowl against India in a Group B Under-19 World Cup match at Brian Lara stadium, here on Wednesday.

India have surprisingly rested their regular skipper Yash Dhull and Nishant Sindhu is leading the side in his place.

Shaik Rasheed is also not playing as Garv Sangwan and Aneeshwar Gautam made it to the playing XI.

India won their first match against South Africa by 45 runs.

Teams: India U19: Nishant Sindhu (C) Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Harnoor Singh, Raj Bawa, Kaushal Tambe, Dinesh Bana, Garv Sangwan, Vicky Ostwal, Aneeshwar Gautam, Rajvardhan Hangargekar and Ravi Kumar.

Ireland U19: Tim Tector (C), Liam Doherty, David Vincent, Jack Dickson, Joshua Cox, Philippus le Roux, Scott MacBeth, Nathan McGuire, Matthew Humphreys, Jamie Forbes and Muzamil Sherzad. 

Also Read : South Africa post 296-4 against India in 1st ODI

News Source : PTI

Paarl (South Africa), Jan 19 (Cricket News) Opting to bat, South Africa posted a challenging 296 for four against India in the first ODI of the three-match series here on Wednesday.

Skipper Temba Bavuma hit a restrained 110 off 143 balls, while Rassie van der Dussen blasted an entertaining 129 not out off 96 balls to lift South Africa from 68 for three to close to 300-run mark.

The duo added 204 runs for the fourth wicket.

For India, Jasprit Bumrah (2/48) and Ravichandran Ashwin (1/53) were among the wicket-takers.

Brief Scores: South Africa: 296 for 4 in 50 overs (Rassie van der Dussen 129 not out, Temba Bavuma 110; Jasprit Bumrah 2/48). 

Also Read : Gaby Lewis named in ICC Women's T20I Team of the Year

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Irish cricketer Gaby Lewis has been named by the International Cricket Council in the Women’s T20I Team of the Year. The 20 year old scored 325 runs in T20I matches in 2021 with an average of 40.62. She has already played 48 T20 Internationals since her debut in 2014 and was also a part of the Southern Brave that won the inaugural The Hundred competition and joined the Southern Vipers for the latter part of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy campaign.

Lewis said: “It’s very humbling to be recognised alongside some of the world’s best players in the T20 format. While it is pleasing personally, international cricket is a team game and we have a great squad in the Irish set up - the players I play alongside deserve as much credit for their commitment and performance over the last year. This has been a big year for Irish women’s cricket, not only were there three series wins - home and away - but we have qualified for the first time for the ICC Women’s Championship. We’re all looking forward to 2022, which will hopefully be a new chapter in our sport.”

Also read: Laughable to blame The Hundred for England's Ashes defeat, says limited overs skipper Morgan

Dubai, Jan 19 (Cricket News) Star India opener Smriti Mandhana was on Wednesday named in the ICC T20 women's Team of the Year for her superlative show in the format in 2021 but no Indian made the men's side.

The stylish Southpaw, who is the Indian team's vice-captain in the format, was the country's highest scorer in the format in 2021 with 255 runs at an average of 31.87.

The 25-year-old scored two fifties in the nine matches she played and got her team off to rapid starts regularly, as evident up by her strike-rate of 131.44.

While Mandhana was the only Indian, several members of the English side feature in the team with Nat Scriver being named captain.

The experienced England all-rounder produced many impactful performances throughout the year. Batting in the middle-order, Sciver scored a total of 153 runs, including one fifty, and she also picked up 10 wickets at an excellent average of 20.20.

Accompanying Mandhana at the top is England's Tammy Beaumont. The 30-year-old's reliable presence at the top of the order helped England off to steady starts regularly. She played nine matches and amassed 303 runs at an average of 33.66, including three fifties.

Danni Wyatt, wicketkeeper Amy Jones and spinner Sophie Ecclestone are the other English players in the side.

Gaby Lewis of Ireland, South African trio of Laura Wolvaardt, Shabnim Ismail and Marizanne Kapp and Zimbabwe's Loryn Phiri make up the rest of the playing XI.

No Indian in the ICC Men's T20 Team of the Year ============================== There was no Indian representation in ICC Men's T20I Team of the Year 2021, which featured three Pakistanis including skipper Babar Azam, who has been named captain.

Apart from Azam, opener Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi, who had a sensational T20 World Cup were name in the squad.

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh and pacer Josh Hazelwood, who played a vital role in winning Australia's maiden T20 World Cup title, featured in the team while the trio of South Africans Aiden Markram, David Miller and Tabraiz Shamsi also made it to the playing XI.

Flamboyant wicketkeeper batter Jos Buttler was the sole member of the England team in the ICC side.

Teams: Women: Smriti Mandhana (India), Tammy Beaumont (England), Danni Wyatt (England), Gaby Lewis (Ireland), Nat Sciver (c) (England), Amy Jones (England), Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa), Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Sophie Ecclestone (England), Loryn Phiri (Zimbabwe), Shabnim Ismail (South Africa).

Men: Jos Buttler (England), Mohammad Rizwan (Paksitan), Babar Azam (c) (Pakistan), Aiden Markram (South Africa) , Mitchell Marsh (Australia), David Miller (South Africa), Tabraiz Shamsi (South Africa), Josh Hazlewood (Australia), Wanindu Hasanranga (Sri Lanka) , Mustafizur Rahaman (Bangladesh, Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan). 

Also Read : Kohli, Pant and Bumrah move up in latest ICC Test rankings

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Jan 19 (Cricket News) Indian star Virat Kohli on Wednesday moved up two places to seventh after scores of 79 and 29 in his last Test as captain in the latest ICC rankings for batters in the five-day format.

Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant's unbeaten century in the second innings of the series-deciding third Test against South Africa lifted him 10 places to 14th, while fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah's six wickets in Cape Town took him back to the top 10 in the bowling chart.

Kohli decided to quit Test captaincy a day after India lost the three-match series against South Africa 1-2, ending his seven-year reign at the helm.

In the latest weekly update that takes into account the third match of the South Africa-India series in Cape Town which the hosts won by seven wickets to clinch the World Test Championship (WTC) series, Keegan Petersen has shot up 68 places to 33rd after match-winning scores of 72 and 82.

He scored the maximum runs to claim the Player of the Series award, his 276-run aggregate helping him surge up after starting the series in 158th position.

Temba Bavuma (up seven places to 28th) and Rassie van der Dussen (up 12 places to 43rd) are the other South Africa batters to advance while fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada (up two places to third) and Lungi Ngidi (up six places to 21st) have also made notable progress.

Australia's Travis Head has reached a career-best fifth position among batters after his Player of the Match performance in the fifth match of their Ashes series against England.

Head, who scored 101 in the first innings in Hobart to finish with a series topping 357 runs that also got him clinch the Player of the Series award, has advanced seven spots to joint-fifth with India's Rohit Sharma.

Head's previous best ranking was the 10th position that he occupied last month.

All-rounder Cameron Green is another Australia player to gain after the 146-run victory that helped Australia win the series 4-0 and climb to second in the WTC points table.

Green was up 23 places to joint 66th after his scores of 74 and 23 and has also moved up 13 places to 62nd in the bowlers' list. Scott Boland has moved from 49th to 43rd with four wickets in the match.

England opener Jack Crawley has progressed nine places to 68th after scores of 18 and 36. Among their bowlers, Stuart Broad has moved up two places to 12th position after finishing with six wickets in the match while Ollie Robinson (up one place to 24th) and Mark Wood (up seven places to 31st) have also advanced.

In the ODI player rankings that consider performances from the last two matches of the West Indies-Ireland series and the first two of the Sri Lanka-Zimbabwe series, Ireland off-spinner Andy McBrine has gained 17 slots to move into the top 10 with two four-wicket hauls.

West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein has moved up two places to joint-59th.

In other major movements, Zimbabwe's Sean Williams has advanced eight places to 40th after scores of 100 and 40 and Sri Lanka batter Kariyawasa Asalanka's knocks of 71 and 23 have helped him move up 16 places to 52nd. 

Also Read : Laughable to blame The Hundred for England's Ashes defeat, says limited overs skipper Morgan

News Source : PTI

Barbados, Jan 19 (Cricket News) Limited overs skipper Eoin Morgan feels it's "laughable" to use The Hundred as an excuse for England's recent Ashes debacle and insisted that Test cricket has "always been the priority." England's Test side slumped to 0-4 Ashes series defeat in Australia last week. They were completely outplayed in four games by the hosts, while Joe Root and his men managed a draw in the fourth Test by the skin of their teeth.

Morgan's comments come after Test skipper Root urged the ECB to 'prioritise' his side following the Ashes defeat, implying there has been too much focus on limited-overs cricket since 2015.

“People that use that as an excuse don’t watch cricket,” Morgan told 'talkSPORT'.

“Test match cricket has always been the priority – it’s the format for our elite players. Obviously times at the moment have been tough down in Australia during the Ashes but they always are. We’ve lost the last two series 4-0," he added.

Root has argued for changes in the domestic structure to incorporate more red-ball matches at the height of summer when The Hundred -- the ECB's professional franchise 100-ball cricket tournament -- takes place.

“It’s laughable to point the finger at The Hundred. The Hundred is an unbelievable success," Morgan said.

He added that the domestic structure in England is similar to that of Australia's.

“Our formats in county cricket and the Hundred, in the way they’re structured, are exactly the same as Australia’s.

“People need something to blame so they’ll point at probably the furthest point to reality because nobody wants to say, ‘You know what, we’ve not had the prep we’d have liked, we probably haven’t played as we’d have liked, and we’ve lost.’ “That happens in all formats, but I stress Test match cricket has always been the priority." It has been claimed that Morgan has been given full-strength squads throughout the last two years in preparation for T20 World Cups but the limited overs skipper pointed out that the white ball side has often not had the luxury of a full strength team available.

“As a white-ball group, we’ve gone on tours and played in series at home where we haven’t had our full-strength side available – that’s been a constant theme for a number of years now. Obviously Test matches take priority and always do." Morgan also said that for a "majority" of his cricketing career, limited-overs cricket was second fiddle, an "afterthought".

“... 95 per cent of the time was spent around planning and prep for Test match cricket and then when we got to a World Cup, it was like, ‘Well, if we do well, great, but if we don’t, it’s fine’.

“With the skill level that guys are producing now on a consistent basis, proven over a long period of time, we’re considered one of the best in the world. Trust me, I’d much rather be considered that than an afterthought,” he added.

England are scheduled to take on West Indies in a five match T20 series, starting Saturday. 

Also Read : SA win toss, opt to bat against India in ODI series opener

News Source : PTI

Paarl (South Africa), Jan 19 (Cricket News) South Africa captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bat against India in the first One-day International here on Wednesday.

India handed debut to all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer.

Left-arm pacer Marco Jansen, who excelled in the Test series, made his debut for South Africa.

Teams: India: KL Rahul (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal.

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Janneman Malan, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma(c), David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi.

Also Read : Afghanistan to play ODI series against Netherlands in Qatar

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Qatar will host a three match ODI series between Afghanistan and Netherlands starting from 21st January. All the matches will be played in West End Park International Cricket Stadium at Doha, the stadium has so far hosted 6 T20 matches and this will be the first 50 over game in the venue. Both teams will play each other after a decade long gap, the last time these sides met was in 2012 at Sharjah which Afghanistan won. They have played 6 matches overall in which Afghanistan leads with four victories. The players should be ready to start the season with a victory as Netherlands will also be seeking a win. Here are the top four players from Afghanistan to watch out for in the series.

Rashid Khan

Rashid is the leading wicket taker for the side in all the formats. The spinner will be leading the attack and will make sure the pitch is ready for some magical deliveries. The 23 year old is 10 wickets away from becoming the first bowler from his side to take 150 wickets in ODI’s or any in format. If he manages to do it in the first two matches then he can break Mitchell Starc’s record of 150 wickets in 77 matches, Rashid has 140 in 74 matches.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman

The finger spinner has been the next superstar after Rashid, Rahman is the fourth highest wicket taker for the side and had made his debut four years ago. He is the youngest player to pick up a five wicket haul in the 50 over format. The 20 year old can pick up wickets every time he bowls and has a lethal carrom ball which can put the batters in a maze.

Hashmatullah Shahidi

Shahidi will be leading the side in the series for the first time and has led the side through the batting exploits. The left hander usually bats in at number 4 or 3 and can stay in the crease until the team is out of danger. The team is fielding youngsters as Mohammad Nabi is also not playing, it will be a tough first assignment for Shahidi as he will try to inspire his teammates to get going during the matches.

Rahmat Shah

Rahmat has been the best batter for the side in recent times, the 28 year old has scored 5 centuries in the format which is only 1 behind Mohammad Shahzad who leads the list. Rahmat has been a consistent batter and has been involved in four of the seven 150 plus partnerships in the team’s ODI history. The right hander walks in at number 3 and can form a heavy run scoring partnership with Shahidi just like they did against Ireland last year.

Also read: On this day a year ago, India conquered fortress Gabba against all the odds

(Cricket news) It's been exactly a year since India defeated Australia at the Gabba to clinch the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the 2nd consecutive time against all the odds. To some Indian fans the match seems like it was yesterday and to some it seems like an eternity ago. 

After securing a fighting draw at Sydney to keep the series alive at 1-1, India went to the Gabba with barely 11 players fit. India's lead bowlers Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin were both out of the game. Net bowlers Shardul Thakur, T Natarajan and Washington Sundar were added to the Playing XI. India started the game with absolutely nothing to lose as their main strike bowler with the most experience was Mohammed Siraj who himself had played only two Test matches. 

Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. Marnus Labuschagne's century guided Australia to 369 runs in the 1st innings. Matthew Wade, Tim Paine and Cameron Green also contributed with their small cameos. Shardul Thakur, T Natarajan and Washington Sundar picked up their maiden Test wickets and ended the innings with 3 wickets each. Despite their inexperience, Indian bowlers didn't let the Aussies run away with the game. Ajinkya Rahane's captaincy was spot on with good bowling changes and appropriate field setting. 

In the 2nd innings India found themselves in deep trouble as they lost 6 wickets for just 180 runs. Sundar and Thakur came out to bat and put together 123 runs for the 7th wicket. India were all out for 336 but it could've been much worse if it hadn't been for the partnership between the two newcomers. Australia came out to bat with a lead of 33 runs. Mohammed Siraj picked up 5 wickets while Shardul Thakur picked up 4 as Australia were all out for 294 runs.

Chasing 328 runs, India were given a good start by Shubman Gill who scored 91 runs off 146 balls. Cheteshwar Pujara occupied the crease 211 balls scoring 56 runs and fought very hard despite being hit by multiple body blows. Rishabh Pant played a match winning knock of 89* supported by Sundar's cameo. India ended up chasing the total with 3 wickets in hand and 18 balls to spare.

India's victory, although fresh in people's memories, has already acquired a legendary status. It has been taken to mythical proportions and deservedly so. Everyone loves a good underdog story and this was the ultimate underdog story where the Indians tackled injuries, bio-bubble, racism and sledging to create history.

Also read: Docu series 'Down Underdogs' will leave Indian cricket fans in nostalgic tears

(Cricket news) With the IPL mega auction set to take place in mid February, the new franchises have limited time to select their three mandatory draft picks as the Ahmedabad franchise have finalized Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill as their draft picks. Along with that the Ahmedabad team also finalized their coaching set up as they will be led by former India fast bowler Ashish Nehra and former South Africa batter and head coach Gary Kirsten. Former England batter Vikram Solanki will be the team director. This is the second instance where the trio of Nehra, Kirsten and Solanki will work together, the previous instance was at Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Ahmedabad have decided to pay both Hardik and Rashid INR 15 crore. It is most likely that Hardik will be Ahmedabad’s captain, which is going to be a first experience for the allrounder in the IPL. The third player will be Shubman Gill who will be paid INR 7 crore. The Ahmedabad franchise will go into the auction with a purse of INR 53 crore. This is the first time Hardik Pandya and Rashid Khan will play for another team. 

Hardik's rise since he was bought as an uncapped player for INR 10 lakh in 2015 has been exponential. Hardik, by the time of the 2018 season had already established himself as the best allrounder in India and Mumbai Indians subsequently retained him as their second pick at the auction that year, paying INR 11 crore. In the next two seasons the Mumbai Indians won the title twice in succession as Hardik had scored 762 runs and taken 32 wickets in 29 games. He is also a four-time IPL winner, winning it in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020.

Also read: K L Rahul set to lead Lucknow IPL franchise

For Gill, this will be his second team in the IPL, having been picked by Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2018 auction for INR 1.8 crore after he had a terrific U19 World Cup. The 22-year old has already played 10 Tests and three ODIs and has been regarded as one of the brightest young talents of this generation who at one point it looked like he was the future captain of the Knight Riders. The Knight Riders had several other options when it came to retention and couldn’t afford to keep Gill in the squad. It will be an interesting watch to see how the new franchise comes along as they opted for youngsters rather than taking in the experienced pros. It will be also interesting to see what the other new franchises do as the Lucknow team have till now only confirmed KL Rahul as their marquee player.

(Cricket news) It was a captain’s day out in the 2nd ODI of Zimbabwe’s tour of Sri Lanka. Both the team captains led the team from the batting front but it was Zimbabwe's chance to take the reins this time to level the series. The decider will be held on 21st January as the first two matches have seen the batters prosper.

Zimbabwe won the toss again and chose to bat as they wanted to set things right for a win. The openers again had a 50 plus partnership but could not take it ahead as Jeffrey Vandersay again claimed the wickets of both opening batters. Captain Craig Ervine and Sean Williams kept the crease guarded for over 20 overs as the Lankan bowlers had a tough time navigating through the pitch. It was Vandersay once again who gave the breakthrough as he spun the ball and Williams wanted to just defend it but was stumped by Kusal Mendis.

Ervine missed out on a 4th hundred when he was bowled by Maheesh Theekshana and the team still needed 50 more runs to cross the 300 mark. Sikandar Raza took on the responsibility to score his 19th half century and was dismissed in the final ball of the innings by Nuwan Pradeep.

The men in blue had a bad start like the previous game as Tendai Chatara bowled Kusal Mendis in the 5th over of the innings and in the next over Pathum Nissanka too joined his opening partner at the bench. Kamindu Mendis scored his 1st half century in his 6th match as the runs finally started pouring but wickets were also falling down at the other end. Captain Dasun Shanaka’s maiden century couldn’t have come at a better time as he struck a high full toss by Chatara for a six but was dismissed on the very next ball. The team needed runs but his presence was more needed as he walked back with the team needing 56 runs from 33 balls.

Chamika Karunaratne was running between the wickets as he did not want to take risks losing the ball onto the boundary. The right hander was then run out in the final ball of the 47th over as the team now needed 38 of 18 balls. After Karunaratne’s departure the team could only score 16 runs in 3 overs as Zimbabwe kept the series alive with a powerful comeback.

Zimbabwe: 302/8 in 50 overs

Sri Lanka: 280/9 in 50 overs

Man of the match: Craig Ervine (91 off 98 balls, 10x4)

Also read: Rabada released from South Africa squad on eve of India ODI series

Sydney, Jan 19 (Cricket News) "Content" after guiding Australia to its maiden T20 World Cup title and a dominant Ashes victory, head coach Justin Langer is looking forward to the impending contract discussion with the country's cricket board which has been subject to a lot of speculations.

Langer was appointed head coach in the aftermath of the ball-tampering scandal in 2018 to overhaul the team's culture and regain the respect of the Australian public. His contract is due to end in June.

"I'm never edgy (about his future)," Langer told 'SEN Radio' on Wednesday.

"Before the World Cup and before the Ashes, we've never ever been better prepared. So it's not a coincidence I don't think that we've had the success that we've had," he said.

Langer faced criticism for his coaching methods from the players but in the past four months, he has guided Australia to a maiden Twenty20 World Cup title and a 4-0 Ashes series victory.

"Whatever happens from now on, we can all be incredibly proud of this little period. We had two missions: To win the World Cup and to win the Ashes," he said.

"To do that in such a short period is a monumental effort and we're all really satisfied with that, we're all really happy about that, we're all really, really proud of that." Langer says he feels "really content" about Australia's recent achievements.

"I sit here at the moment feeling really content with the last two series," Langer said.

The former Test opener's job had been under the scanner since Australia's disappointing loss to India in Tests last year but he was backed by Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive officer Nick Hockley.

There were also reports of a rift between the players and Langer and all talk of a contract extension was put on hold by CA until after the Ashes series.

"People don't seem to believe this, but the absolute truth is before the World Cup and the Ashes, we all committed to the end of the Ashes to sit down and have some conversations," he said.

"It's been four really big years and it's an all-encompassing job and it's a tough gig...that's just the truth.

"We all said that we'd sit down after the Ashes. So in the next little bit, I'm sure those conversations will start to be had. There's plenty to be spoken about," Langer added.

Last month, the 51-year-old had hinted that he would seek an extension to his four-year contract.

Australian greats Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh, Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist have backed Langer to continue, while his predecessor Darren Lehmann, who stepped down after the ball tampering episode, has urged his former teammate to walk away on a high.

"I can't see how he's not (offered another contract)," Ponting told cricket.com.au " I know there was a bit of noise created the last couple of weeks and Cricket Australia giving no assurances to him continuing on.

"The way that I would equate it is if Justin is not to be offered another deal on the back of the best coaching year of his life, that's like (Ashes player of the series) Travis Head not getting offered a contract next year," the former skipper added.

Langer will oversee Australia's upcoming tour of Pakistan with three Tests, three ODIs and a T20I slated across March and early April. 

Also Read : NZ's white-ball tour of Aus postponed indefinitely over quarantine-free home return

News Source : PTI

Christchurch, Jan 19 (Cricket News) The Black Caps' white-ball tour of Australia scheduled to start from January 30 has been postponed indefinitely after the New Zealand government could not guarantee relaxation in mandatory hard quarantine upon return of players back home in view of COVID-related restrictions.

The tour comprising three ODIs and one Twenty20 International was scheduled to be played between January 30 and February 8, but it now stands postponed until further notice as there is no guarantee as to when the players could return to New Zealand.

A change of stance from the New Zealand government to impose a hard 10-day mandatory quarantine in response to the Omicron wave of COVID-19 infections meant New Zealand Cricket could not secure guarantees that the Black Caps players would be allowed back into the country.

"The BLACKCAPS tour of Australia, initially scheduled for January 24-February 9, has been postponed until further notice, due to the lack of certainty over when the squad would be able to return to New Zealand," the country's cricket board said in a statement.

The players were originally scheduled to depart on Monday. No tour squad had been announced.

No managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) spots had been booked for the players and team management when the tour was confirmed last year, in anticipation of quarantine-free travel between the two countries in February.

"Despite a proposal from New Zealand Cricket and Cricket Australia to extend the length of the tour so that the BLACKCAPS could return home at a time more manageable for the MIQ process, the Government confirmed today it had no capacity to meet the request," the NZC added.

Discussions are now continuing with Cricket Australia over when the postponed fixtures will be played.

NZC and Cricket Australia officials had discussed the possibility of rescheduling the matches to push back the date the Black Caps would be looking to return home in the hope of either an easing of restrictions or increased availability in spots in the country's overburdened managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) system.

NZC chief executive David White said the tour was initially scheduled last year, after the Government signalled its intention to relax MIQ restrictions relating to the trans-Tasman border.

“As we now know, the advent of Omicron prompted a change of strategy from the Government, resulting in a hard 10-day mandatory isolation period being imposed on all incoming travellers,” said White.

“NZC and CA had explored a proposal to expand the tour and to push out the date on which the squad might return to New Zealand, in the hope that might be more achievable for the Government.

“But we received advice this morning that they could not provide certainty over this, either,” he added.

The New Zealand government delayed the planned reopening of the country’s borders late last year as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 surged around the world.

On Tuesday night, the government also announced a pause on new MIQ slots, effectively shutting the border to anyone without a reservation.

It is the third successive summer that Australia and New Zealand have had white-ball fixtures postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic.

According to reports, South Africa’s tour of New Zealand next month, however, remains on track with MIQ spots already booked for the tour party. The two Tests are scheduled for Christchurch from February 17 and Wellington from February 25. 

Also Read : England make 320/7 against Canada, SA stopped at 231/9 by Uganda despite Brevis hundred

News Source : PTI

Basseterre (St Kitts), Jan 18 (Cricket News) Captain Tom Prest struck a run-a-ball 93 as former champions England piled up a massive 320 for seven against minnows Canada in a group A league match of the ICC U-19 World Cup here on Tuesday.

Prest hit 10 boundaries in his entertaining innings though he missed a century by just seven runs after 1998 edition winners England were asked to bat first.

Coming at number three after England were 26 for 1 in the seventh over, Prest shared a 90-run stand for the second wicket with opener George Thomas (52) to lay the foundation of a big total. William Luxton (41 off 32 balls) and George Bell (57 off 37 balls) played aggressive innings down the order to take England well past the 300-run mark.

For Canada, Kairav Sharma was the most successful bowler with three scalps for 51 runs while Sheel Patel (2/52), Parmveer Kharoud (1/34) and Ethan Gibson (1/63) were the other wicket takers.

Brevis hundred in SA's 231/9 against Uganda ============================ Dewald Brevis smashed a century but South Africa were restricted to 231 for nine by Uganda in their group A match in Port of Spain.

One-down Brevis, who struck 11 fours and one six during his 110-ball knock, played a lone hand as he did not get any support from his team-mates except for his captain George Van Heerden (36) after South Africa opted to bat.

The duo stitched 74 runs for the third wicket to ensure that South Africa reach close to 250-run mark.

Pascal Murungi and Juma Miyaji took three wickets apiece while Yunusu Sowobi, Joseph Baguma and Edwin Nuwagaba got one each. PNG bowl Afghanistan out for 200 ====================== Katenalaki Singi grabbed four wickets as PNG shot Afghanistan out for 200 in a group C match at Diego Martin.

Singi (4/18) ripped through the Afghanistan middle-order after Rasan Kevau (3/23) rocked the top-order with three wickets upfront.

Opting to bat first, the Afghans suffered a batting collapse as they were reduced to 40 for three in the eighth over.

A 105-run stand between captain Suliman Safi (62) and Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai (45) for the fourth wicket revived their innings, but the lower-order batters fell in quick succession and the team was all out in 38.2 overs. 

Also Read : First India-South Africa ODI is Earsmus' 100th, 3rd South African to achieve milestone

News Source : PTI

Paarl, Jan 18 (Cricket News) Marais Erasmus will become only the third South African umpire to stand in 100 ODIs when he officiates in the first match between the Proteas and visiting India here on Wednesday.

The 57-year-old Erasmus, widely considered as one of the best umpires in the world, will join the duo of Rudi Koertzen and David Orchard when he steps out at Boland Park here for his milestone assignment.

Koertzen held the world record of 209 ODIs -- a mark set between 1992 and 2010 -- until he was recently overtaken by Pakistan's Aleem Dar (211), who is still going, while Orchard umpired 107 matches between 1994 and 2003.

Erasmus has been officiating at the highest level since 2007 and has also been the man in the middle for 70 Tests, 35 T20Is and 18 Women's T20Is.

"I'm very proud to have survived long enough to get to this milestone. It's a tough environment to survive because we're under scrutiny all the time, so to have gotten through that period fills me with pride," Erasmus was quoted as saying in the Cricket South Africa website.

"We are all servants of the game, but sometimes when milestone are reached, we are recognised, which is really nice." Erasmus said that getting to 100 ODIs was never something he thought about when his journey first began in Nairobi on October 18, 2007 -- in a match between Kenya and Canada.

"When you start out, you never look that far ahead. It's obviously a new thing and you try to enjoy those moments, which is what I've done.

"But as you get on to the third and fourth and fifth year, you naturally then think about reaching 50 or whatever landmark is closest. So getting 100 is fantastic, but it's not part of the goal-setting. You just want to be there and do the best job you possibly can." Erasmus, who will become the 18th umpire in the world to officiate in 100 ODIs, said he and his family have sacrificed a lot to get to where he is. He said his wife Adele left her job to look after their twin boys.

"And now in Covid times where I've been in a bubble for six weeks, she's alone for Christmas, so it's been tough at times. But umpiring has given us so many opportunities. We've travelled the whole world as a family, so there's been more good things than bad." He said it's nice to hear good things about his umpiring but at the same time "there's a certain level of expectation" which puts him under a little bit more pressure "because we all have pride in our performance".

"We don't want to be talked about and normally when that happens it's because we made a mistake. I'm just really happy that things have gone the way they have." So, does Erasmus have any preference when it comes to umpiring? Like players, he concedes that Test cricket is the most gruelling and can be tough on the officials too.

"Umpiring Test matches are definitely more challenging because of the length of games and the type of pressures that go with it. So, it is far more taxing, but that's not to say that ODIs and T20Is aren't.

"With the limited overs, if you have a bad day you know you don't have to be on the field tomorrow, but with a Test you know you have to come back and that is just psychologically challenging, especially if you have a bad start. You know it can be a long five days.

"They all bring different challenges, the different formats, but I've enjoyed everything about international cricket so far. I'm really motivated to continue... I'm still keen to do another two or three years." 

Also Read : Rabada released from South Africa squad on eve of India ODI series

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 18 (Cricket News) South Africa's lead pacer Kagiso Rabada was on Tuesday released from the team for the three-match One-Day International series against India as part of its workload management.

The series starts in Paarl on Wednesday.

"Proteas seam bowler, Kagiso Rabada, has been released from the team for the Betway One-Day International (ODI) series against India due to high workloads over a sustained period of time and the need for him to recover prior the outbound Test series against New Zealand next month," Cricket South Africa (CSA) said in a statement.

The board said no replacement will be brought in for Rabada as there is an extended squad in place in the Bio-Secure Environment (BSE), but George Linde has been retained from the Test team as an extra spin-bowling option for the series.

Squad: Temba Bavuma (captain) Keshav Maharaj (vice-captain) Quinton de Kock (wk), Zubayr Hamza, Marco Jansen, Janneman Malan, Sisanda Magala, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, George Linde, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne. 

Also Read : Pakistan pacer Mohd Hasnain's bowling action reported during BBL: Report

News Source : PTI

Lahore, Jan 18 (Cricket News) Pakistan pacer Mohammad Hasnain's bowling action has been reported by umpires in the Big Bash League in Australia and he is set to undergo a test here.

The 21-year-old Hasnain has just finished a productive five-game stint with Sydney Thunder but will now undergo the test at the ICC-accredited biomechanics laboratory in Lahore, according to a report in ESPNcricinfo.

Hasnain, who once bowled a 155kph delivery in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), has played eights ODIs and 18 T20 Internationals after making his Pakistan debut in 2019.

Coming in as a replacement for English pacer Saqib Mahmood, he made a strong impact in his debut season at the BBL, taking seven wickets from five matches at an average of 15.71 and an economy of 6.00 per over.

Hasnain was due to undergo a test on his bowling action on January 19 in Australia, but because he was due to return to Pakistan at the end of his stint, it was decided he would get tested at the ICC-accredited testing facility here.

If he is found to have an illegal action, Hasnain could be suspended from bowling in international and domestic cricket. In that case, he could be doubtful for the Pakistan Super League which begins in less than 10 days. He plays for Quetta Gladiators in the PSL. 

Also Read : Sehwag to lead 'Indian Maharaja' in Legends League

News Source : PTI

Muscat, Jan 18 (Cricket News) All eyes would be on swashbuckling former India opener Virender Sehwag when he leads 'Indian Maharaja' in the opening edition of the Howzat Legends League Cricket T20 tournament beginning here on Wednesday.

Sehwag, who led the Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab in Indian Premier League, will have Mohammed Kaif as his deputy and former Australia World Cup winning coach John Buchanan as his coach, it was announced on Tuesday.

Former stylish Pakistani batter Misbah Ul Haq will lead the Asia Lions team which will have a mix of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan players.

The top names include Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohd. Hafiz, Umar Gul, Sanath Jayasurya, T Dilshan, Chaminda Vaas, Habibul Bashar among others.

Asia Lions have appointed Tillakaratne Dilshan as a vice captain, while 1996 ICC world cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga will be there coach.

Former Caribbean skipper Darren Sammy will lead the World Giants team.

Sammy was the captain of St. Lucia Zouks team in Caribbean Primer League and he will have former New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori, Aussie pacer Brett Lee, stylish English batter Kevin Pietersen, South African spin ace Imran Tahir under his disposal.

Former South African batsman Jonty Rhodes will be the player cum mentor for the World Giants Team.

"I can't wait to work closely with LLC T20 tournament. It's loved to see all the super stars comes together and fighting for the inaugural title of the league.

"This players are retired but they still very passionate about the cricket. I am sure they will show their extra skills for their teams in next 10 days," LLC T20 Tournament Commissioner Ravi Shastri said.

"I am excited to see how everyone is involving together and use their hundred percent to win the trophy for their team. It's going to be super thrilling experience for all cricket fans in Oman and all across the globe," said Raman Raheja, CEO of Howzat LLC T20 league.

Recently, Howzat Legends League Cricket (LLC) announced its partnership with SONY Pictures Network.

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) to live telecast all the matches of the league on SONY TEN 1 and SONY TEN 3 channels as well as livestream the matches in India on SPN’s premium OTT platform, Sony LIV. 

Also Read : Virat has already set a standard for all of us and team India: Rahul

News Source : PTI

Paarl (South Africa), Jan 18 (Cricket News) Stand-in skipper KL Rahul on Tuesday said India did "some phenomenal things" under Virat Kohli, who has raised the bar for everyone in the team during his seven-year tenure at the helm.

In the absence of Rohit Sharma, Rahul is leading the team in the three-match ODI series against South Africa, starting here on Wednesday.

"Look, Virat like I said under him, team India has done some phenomenal things, we won series outside of India, which hadn't been done before.

"We have gone to every country and won a series, so he has done a lot of things right and he has already set a standard for all of us and team India," Rahul said during a virtual press conference on the eve of the first ODI.

Last Saturday, Kohli dropped a bombshell by announcing his decision to quit Test captaincy, a day after India suffered an unexpected series-defeat against South Africa.

Kohli signed off as India's most successful captain with 40 wins from 68 Tests after being given the reins of the side in 2014 when M S Dhoni stepped down during a series against Australia.

Rahul said the team would look to build on the legacy created by Kohli.

"I think, it is all about, for me or for the group going forward is to build on that and we obviously know what it takes for us to be champion team...

"... So just to keep improving as individuals and trying to stay as disciplined and as determined as we can and go out there and enjoy your cricket," added the 29-year-old right-handed batter.

According to Rahul, he would like to emulate Kohli's ability to get the best out of his teammates.

"When it comes to leadership, Virat had this amazing ability to get the best out of everybody, he pushed everybody and you know made us believe that we can do special things, so that is something I have learned from him, and hopefully, I can do that with the team as well," added Rahul.

Arguably the biggest ambassador of the five-day game, Kohli took India to new heights in his tenure, which saw the team become a force to reckon with in all conditions.

Rahul, who captained India in the second Test against South Africa in Johannesburg, also felt that the self belief within the team is largely due to Kohli.

"The things I have learned from Virat regarding captaincy has been the whole world knows how passionate he is about Test cricket, and in general about cricket. And he has led from the front, he put a lot of changes in the team.

"The current winning belief, which is there in the team, (it) is largely because of Virat as a leader and he has made us believe in ourselves and believe that we can go outside of India and beat any team.

"So, I want to continue that and obviously build on it and get better as a team," said Rahul.

This is the first time that Rahul is leading the side in a full series. 

Also Read : 'KL Cues': Skipper will open, try Venkatesh as 6th bowling option, Dhawan likely to be preferred over Ruturaj

News Source : PTI

Paarl (South Africa), Jan 18 (Cricket News) India skipper KL Rahul on Tuesday hinted that all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer is likely to be groomed as the additional pace bowling option that the team has lacked ever since Hardik Pandya's back injury while declaring that he will open alongside veteran Shikhar Dhawan in the first ODI against South Africa here.

Rahul's media interaction was a clear indication that Ruturaj Gaikwad might have to wait for his turn and the pitch at Boland Park might prompt the team management to play both specialist spinners -- Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal.

"In the past 12-15 months, I have batted in various positions because that is what the team needed of me then and now with Rohit (Sharma) not being there, I will bat at the top of the order," the skipper informed ahead of the opening game.

We are looking to develop Venkatesh as sixth bowling option ===================================== A sixth bowler, preferably seam or pace option, has been India's major headache for past two and half years due to Pandya's injury and now the team management is "excited" looking at what Venkatesh brings to the table with his multiple skill-sets.

"Yes, Venkatesh Iyer has been very exciting since the time he has played for KKR in the IPL and then he joined us for the T20 series against New Zealand and he did well," Raul said.

"Yes, fast bowling all-rounders are always an asset and we are always looking for fast bowling all-rounders as they balance the team out. It's a great opportunity for Venkatesh as he is looking good in the nets," the skipper added.

He made it clear that in coming days, the lanky MP man would be bowling a lot in white-ball games.

"We are trying to develop Venkatesh (as the sixth bowling option) and we will give him that chance. He has done decently and he gives us that option as the sixth bowler." Want Shikhar to remain in good head space =========================== Shikhar Dhawan currently plays only ODIs and it becomes difficult not to question his place in the side after a few failures but the stand-in captain wants the senior pro to remain in a good head space and play like only he can, by dominating the bowlers.

"He is a senior and experienced player and understands what is expected out of him. He is in a great space and has come out here and having fun, enjoying his cricket "...and I mean yeah as a captain, it will be about trying to keep him in that space and give him that confidence to go out there and do what he has been doing and just to enjoy his cricket and giving Team India the starts that he has done," Rahul was all praise for the oldest playing member of the touring party.

At a personal level, Rahul loves Dhawan's approach towards batting.

"I have personally been someone, who has enjoyed seeing Shikhar play in ODIs and how he takes down bowlers. and I just want him to continue doing what he has been doing," he said.

Might play both Ashwin and Chahal in first two games ================================= India have practised for two days and it seems that the track at the Boland Park will assist spinners more than the ones they they got during the Test series at the Centurion, Wanderers and Newlands.

Rahul wants to pick both spinners during the first two games.

"We have quality spinners and Ashwin is coming back into the ODI team, and we all know what quality he brings in," he said.

"Chahal has been doing it for years now and been a great performer for us for years now and it's been great and hopefully we can exploit that in the first two games, since the pitch looks like it will offer bit of spin so they both become very important." 

Also Read : Good to have Quinton back in team, he will have a point to prove: Bavuma

News Source : PTI

Paarl (South Africa), Jan 18 (Cricket News) South Africa's white-ball captain Temba Bavuma on Tuesday said Quinton de Kock, after his sudden retirement from Test cricket, will have a point to prove in the three-match ODI series against India.

The series start here on Wednesday.

"It is good to see Quinny again. We obviously miss him in the Test team. He has made his decision (to quit) and it is a decision that we respect. Having Quinny again within team is good. Knowing Quinny, he will have a point to prove," Bavuma said during a virtual press conference.

"I am sure he is also as excited as we are, to be in the team," added Bavuma in response to a question on how was it like to have de Kock back in the team after the drama surrounding his retirement from Tests in the middle of the series against India.

The dashing left-handed batter-wicketkeeper had announced his retirement from the longest format of the game after the first Test of the series which India won, saying he wants to spend more time with his growing family.

During last year's T20 World Cup, when Cricket South Africa (CSA) mandated players to take the knee, de Kock initially refused and missed the game against West Indies as a result. He subsequently apologised and has taken the knee since.

As the focus shifted to the ODI series against India, Bavuma said they are up against a strong side but ready for the challenge.

"In terms of India, it is a strong white ball team. The ODI squad they put out... we will give the respect they deserve like we do to any other team. We know it is going to be tough considering the Test series.

"Yeah, we have been preparing as well as we can to be ready for the challenge that comes up," Bavuma said.

He also said lanky left-arm pacer Marco Jansen has been drafted into the ODI squad and is in contention.

"Marco has obviously been drafted into the ODI squad. The world has seen what cricketing abilities he has. That was a really a no-brainer to get him into the white ball squad and see him display his skills. He comes into contention," Bavuma said of Jansen.

With regard to the likely bowling combination for the ODIs, the SA skipper said conditions in Paarl (where the first two matches will be played) would be taken into consideration and that the spinners would have a role to play.

"In terms of bowling combination, we have to consider the conditions in Paarl. It is a lot different to the highveld wickets. Paarl is a bit more on the lower side, a bit more skiddier.

"Guys like Lungi (Ngidi), Jansen, they come into the picture. Guys who can exploit the conditions. Paarl is quite friendly towards the slower bowlers. Shamsi, Keshav, Linde all come into the picture. Everyone within the squad comes into contention," Bavuma said.

The South Africa batters have been preparing to play spin for some time now, he said about tackling Indian spinners.

"Preparation has been happening for the past year actually. The positive result the guys displayed in Sri Lanka during the series there last year. You must have seen in the T20 WC as well.

"Coming up against India, spin bowling is a strength of them, we will try to prepare as well as we can to mitigate that," he added.

Asked if there was pressure on him to perform, Bavuma said, "There is always pressure. There is no bigger motivation for this group of guys than coming up against a strong outfit which the Indian team is. Come tomorrow we must make sure we pitch up and need to do what we do." Bavuma, who did well in the recent Test series that South Africa won, said he felt like his feet were moving well and he was hitting the ball nicely.

"Yeah, look the Test series went well for the team and me. I think the feet seemed to move well. I would like to carry on with the same feeling. To be honest I have been doing the same things. Maybe it is just a period of good form for me.

"At the moment, my feet are moving quite well and I am hitting the ball quite well," he signed off. 

Also Read : Docu series 'Down Underdogs' will leave Indian cricket fans in nostalgic tears

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) It's been almost a year since the Indian cricket team against all the odds defeated Australia in an away Test series. Now Sony Sports has released a 4 part docu series on India's triumph where they won 2-1 away against the mighty Australia despite numeral setbacks. The series is available to watch on SonyLiv

In the docu series, viewers will see players Hanuma Vihari, Mohammed Siraj and Marnus Labuschagne talking about their experiences. Former cricketers turned commentators Sunil Gavaskar, Sanjay Manjrekar, Nick Knight, Isa Guha, Vivek Razdan, Lisa Sthalekar, Micheal Clarke, Jason talked about the series and also their own experiences in similar situations. Journalists Harsha Bhogle, Ayaz Memon, Joy Bhattacharjya, Gaurav Kapoor and Rajdeep Sardesai highlighted several points about the series and the historical context of it.

The topic of the documentary was such that fans of Indian cricket would enjoy it regardless of the quality of the end product because it is still fresh in people's mind and the memories of it would trigger the nostalgic factor in people's brain who have experienced the series even if it is through their T.V screens. Each episode focused on the 4 Test matches titled Adelaide Aberration, Melbourne Magic, Sydney Siege and Brisbane Breached.

Throughout the series there were stories and anecdotes about players like Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, T Natarajan and Washington Sundar. The series brilliantly portrayed important parts of the series like Virat Kohli leaving after the first Test, Ravichandran Ashwin's battle with Steve Smith, Ajinkya Rahane's hundred, India's multiple injury woes, racist abuse, the unexpected debuts of inexperienced Indian players and Tim Paine's sledging. 

The main thing missing was that Marnus Labuschagne, Hanuma Vihari and Mohammed Siraj were unable to enlighten the viewers about their mindset during and before the games. What the atmosphere was inside the changing room was not really talked about. The main takeaway from the series was that it depicted the beauty of Test cricket and why it is the best format of the game and must be preserved. Overall the series is definitely a must watch for all the cricket fans. The high drama along with the ebbs and flow of the Test series is highlighted and enhanced in the docu series. 

Also read: India begin preparations for the 2023 World Cup with 1st ODI Vs South Africa

(Cricket news) The Indian side will be waiting to take the lead in the ODI series in the tour of South Africa. The Proteas denied history to India in the Test series a few days earlier but in the 50 over format things may look different. The men in blue obviously are bringing in a lot of experience when both the sides meet in the first ODI which will be held tomorrow at Boland Park. Here are the top four players to watch out for in the three match series.

Virat Kohli

The right hander will be the most experienced player from both the sides and played well in the Test series. Although many questions have been raised about the captaincy issue, his performance should matter in the series as the team needs it. He will again try to bring in some stability in the batting order just like he did in previous matches and has experience playing Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi.

Janneman Malan

Malan was the leading run scorer for the proteas last season, he scored over 500 runs in 7 innings with 2 centuries and half centuries. The right hander has been in form and has played 11 matches so far. Malan can make an impact on the team which needs consistent players especially in the 50 over format and needs to get on the attack along with the pacers.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

One of the top swing bowlers on the side, Kumar will need to get the ball to move in a pitch where the highest target chased is 250. It is a bowler friendly pitch, although he played only 5 matches last year he restricted the run scoring especially against England at Pune. He will be needed especially during the overs where he has proven to bowl down a couple of perfect yorkers, swing and not speed is the enemy.

Kagiso Rabada

Rabada has been the go to pacer for the team in all three formats. The 26 year old has the talent to outsmart the batters and will need to strike early. The last time he played against India, the pacer only gave away 39 runs in 10 overs while taking two wickets. Rabada will take full control of the home conditions and will need to provide a breakthrough for batters to collapse like in the Test series.

Also read: Not looking for anything but if it happens, will try my best to take team forward: KL Rahul on Test captaincy

Paarl (South Africa), Jan 18 (Cricket News) He hasn't given a serious thought to the idea of being India's full-time Test captain but KL Rahul on Tuesday said if chosen for the coveted job, he would try to take the "team forward" as best as he can.

"To lead the country is a dream come true for any player and something special that he will cherish for a long time. I am no different," Rahul, who is the stand-in ODI captain for the series against South Africa, said on the eve of the first match here.

"It will be exciting but I am not really looking for anything at this time but if it happens to come, I will try my best to carry Team India and Indian cricket forward to the best of my abilities," he added.

With Virat Kohli stepping down from Test captaincy after their team's 1-2 series defeat, Rahul, who led the team in Johannesburg in former's absence said that he didn't pay too much heed about his name cropping up as possible successor till articles started getting published.

"I hadn't given it a thought till the articles with names started doing rounds." 

Also Read : Unmukt Chand becomes first Indian cricketer to play in a BBL match

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jan 18 (Cricket News) Former U-19 World Cup winning skipper Unmukt Chand on Tuesday became the first Indian cricketer to play in Australia's Big Bash T20 League as he made his debut for Melbourne Renegades.

The 28-year-old Chand, a right-handed batsman, made his BBL debut against Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL.

"The new colours suit you, @UnmuktChand9," Renegades tweeted. Chand, under whose leadership India had won the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2012 in Australia, retired from all forms of Indian cricket in August last year, making him eligible to play leagues overseas.

After the Under-19 World Cup success, Chand led the India A team as well but never really graduated to the senior level. 

Also Read : K L Rahul set to lead Lucknow IPL franchise

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 18 (Cricket News) K L Rahul will captain the yet-to-be-named Lucknow franchise in the upcoming IPL, a league source told PTI on Tuesday.

It is learnt that Rahul is one of the players Lucknow has picked from the draft ahead of the mega auction on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru.

The other two are likely to be Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and uncapped leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi.

"Rahul will captain Lucknow. The team is deciding on the other two draft picks," an IPL source told PTI.

Rahul led Punjab Kings for the past two seasons but did not want to stay at the franchise. Bishnoi was also with Punjab while Stoinis represented Delhi Capitals.

RPSG Group had shelled out Rs 7090 crore to buy the Lucknow franchise.

Rahul is currently the stand-in captain of the Indian ODI team in South Africa in the absence of an injured Rohit Sharma. 

Also Read : Former IPL cricketer R Sathish claims 'fixing approach' during TNPL 2021

News Source : PTI

Lucknow, Jan 18 (Badminton News) India's HS Prannoy entered the second round of the men's singles competition at the Syed Modi International badminton tournament after registering a straight-game win over Ukraine's Danylo Bosniuk here on Tuesday.

On a comeback trail, the fifth seeded India took just 36 minutes to get the better of Bosniuk 21-14 21-18 in his opening clash.

A former top-10 player, Prannoy, who gave a good account of himself before being stopped by 20-year-old Lakshya Sen in the quarterfinals of the India Open last week, will next meet compatriot Priyanshu Rajawat, who got a first round walkover from Rahul Yadav Chittaboina.

However, the tournament was over for fourth seed Sameer Verma after he retired hurt against Ireland's Nhat Nguyen.

Sameer was training 2-7 in the first game before he decided to concede the match due to a calf muscle injury, which he had sustained in October last year.

Subhankar Dey also conceded his match against compatriot Kartikey Gulshan Kumar due to an injury when he was trailing 2-9 in the opening game.

Among women, Ashmita Chaliha gave a first round walkover to Malvika Bansod, while Aakarshi Kashyap defeated Mugdha Agrey 21-13 21-14 and Anupama Upadhyaya eased past Rituparna Das.

Two-time Olympic medallist and top seed PV Sindhu will open her campaign against compatriot Tanya Hemanth on Wednesday, while London Games bronze medallist Saina Nehwal, seeded fourth, will test her fitness when she takes on Czech Republic's Tereza Švábíková in the first round. 

Also Read : More relieved than happy to have pulled off Indian Open: BAI secretary general Singhania

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 18 (Cricket News) Former first-class and IPL cricketer Rajagopal Sathish was allegedly offered Rs 40 lakh to fix matches during the Tamil Nadu Premier League 41-year-old Sathish was part of Chepauk Super Gillies squad that won the TNPL last season. The former Tamil Nadu player has also been part of Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. A person named Bunny Anand made the offer to Sathish via Instagram.

"He informed us as well as the International Cricket Council earlier this month that he was offered money through social media. Since we are only facilitators in such cases, we advised him to lodge a police complaint. He has done that and now police will investigate and do the needful," BCCI ACU chief Shabir Khandwawala told PTI.

The complaint has been filed with Bengaluru Police.

The TNPL was played from July 19 to August 15 last year.

Asked why Sathish chose to approach the BCCI only now, the ACU chief said: "Whatever the circumstances were, it needs to be seen by the police.

"We don't want to discourage him. If he has decided to come out, our duty is to show him the way," Khandwawala, who is a former Gujarat DGP, added.

Sathish has also played 41 first-class games and 57 List A games. He was also a part of the now defunct unsanctioned Indian Cricket League. 

Also Read : We hope to break down Iran defence to start with a win: Dennerby

News Source : PTI

Paarl (South Africa), Jan 18 (Cricket News) Fast-rising India pacer Mohammed Siraj considers Virat Kohli his "superhero" and says the batting ace will always remain his skipper despite his captaincy tenure ending in all formats of the game.

Kohli, whose limited-overs leadership stint ended last year, stunned all by relinquishing Test captaincy on Saturday, a day after India lost a three-match Test series to an under-strength South Africa 1-2.

Siraj took to social media on Monday to thank Kohli for "trusting and believing" in his capabilities.

"To my superhero, I cannot be thankful enough for the support and the encouragement that I got from you. You have always been my great brother.

"Thank you for trusting me and believing in me for all these years. For seeing the great at my worst. You will be always be my captain King Kohli @virat.kohli," Siraj wrote in an Instagram post.

Siraj made his debut in Test, ODI and T20 cricket under Kohli and is also the former skipper's teammate in IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The 27-year-old pacer from Hyderabad played eight Tests under Kohli, scalping 23 wickets at an average of 27.04.

Both Kohli and Siraj will be seen in action during the ODI series against South Africa starting Wednesday in Paarl. 

Also Read : India begin preparations for the 2023 World Cup with 1st ODI Vs South Africa

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) India will take South Africa in the 1st of 3 ODIs at Boland Park. The Test series loss was certainly a tough one to take for the Indian camp after which Virat Kohli gave up Test captaincy just a month after he was sacked from ODI captaincy. India will work towards the 2023 World Cup trying to build a strong team with a good core. 

India's possible playing XI:

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul(C), Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Shardul Thakur, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal

Will KL Rahul open the batting or not is the big question mark. India's combination is also not set at this moment in time because Ravindra Jadeja is injured. The number 7 position is the one which is the one which will give Rahul Dravid headaches. Shardul Thakur and Venkatesh Iyer seem to be the two prominent contenders in this series. Ravichandran Ashwin is set to return to the ODI side for the first time since 2017.

South Africa possible playing XI:

Quinton de Kock (wk), Janneman Malan, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma(C), Rassie van der Dussen, Dwaine Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi

Only two out of Markram, de Kock and Malan can open the batting and it will be interesting to see who ends up doing it. Anrich Nortje's absence is a big blow Marco Jansen could make his debut at some point but there are people ahead of him in the pecking order. Temba Bavuma who had a good Test series will be very crucial as a batter and as a captain.

Pitch report:

Seamers will get that extra bounce in typical South African fashion. Spinners job will be to keep things tight in the middle overs as the pitch is batting friendly. The outfield at Boland Park is usually lightning quick which means that game is likely to be a high scoring one. The team winning the toss is likely to bat first and get a big total on the board.

Also read: Takeaways from Australia's dominant performance in the 4-0 Ashes win

(Cricket news) The first ODI match in the Zimbabwe tour of Sri Lanka saw the hosts winning in a high scoring encounter. Zimbabwe are in a must win situation entering the second ODI today in the same pitch as Sri Lanka will look to continue their form from the earlier match.

Zimbabwe scored their fourth highest score against Sri Lanka in the first match when they piled up 296 on board. Sean Williams scored his 5th century and also bowled a tight spell as he was the most valuable player on the team. Regis Chakabva and Takudzwanashe Kaitano had a strong opening partnership with debutant Kaitano impressing on debut but only three batters managed to score more than 20 runs and stay for more than 25 balls. Captain Craig Ervine needs to get the runs for the team along with Sikandar Raza as their experience could not help the team in the batting front.

Among the bowlers, Richard Ngarava picked up three wickets but bowled 8 wides which was three more than the Lankan team put together. He picked up two important wickets, Dinesh Chandimal and Charith Asalanka in successive overs as both of them scored 70 plus runs. Wellington Masakadza only gave away 29 runs in his 6 overs and will be looking to bowl more overs in the upcoming match. Three bowlers bowled 9 overs and all of them were pacers as Sean bowled 8 overs while giving 43 runs. The bowlers were not expensive but the score was just not enough to restrict the Lankan batters, the men in red will need their batters to fire and will need to use their spinners more as they were more economical even though three of them together took one wicket.

The Sri Lankan side needs to strengthen their batting line up as only three batters scored more than 30. Dinesh Chandimal stood at the crease for some time as Pathum Nissanka gave the team a good start and Charith Asalanka added more fuel to the fire. The batters need to put up a collective effort as they turned out to be lucky in the previous match.
 

Maheesh Theekshana was the most effective bowler for the side as he only gave away 40 runs in his 10 overs and stopped the run flow. Chamika Karunaratne picked up three wickets including two in the last over and Jeffrey Vandersay dismissed the opening batters. Vandersay and Captain Dasun Shanaka could not control the run scoring much.

The hosts are the favorites to win the match as they have a well balanced team which can do even better. While Zimbabwe will need their batters to save them for losing the series, they know the pitch and now have to stay longer in the crease while giving more power to the spinners. 

Also read: U-19 World Cup: India eye improved batting performance against Ireland

Tarouba (Trinidad and Tobago), Jan 18 (Cricket News) In-form batter and captain Yash Dhull will be expecting a much improved batting effort from his team when record four-time champions India take on Ireland in their second Group B match of the ICC U-19 World Cup here on Wednesday.

Having started their campaign with a 45-run win over South Africa, the Indians are brimming with confidence and are expected to steamroll Ireland at the Brian Lara Stadium.

Both India and Ireland have registered wins in their openers. While India beat South Africa, Ireland defeated Uganda by 39 runs.

Dhull single-handedly anchored the Indian innings against the Junior Proteas as they lost both their openers -- Harnoor Singh and Angkrish Raghuvanshi early after being put into bat.

Dhull added vital 71 runs with Shaikh Rasheed (31) for the third to resurrect the Indian innings first and then stitched valuable contributions with Nishant Sidhu (27), Raj Bawa (13) and Kushal Tambe (35) to give his bowlers a decent target to defend.

But come Wednesday, Dhull would be looking for more support from his openers to ease the pressure on middle and lower-order going into the knockout stages of the tournament.

If Indian batters were not upto the mark against South Africa, it was completely contrasting performance from the bowling unit.

Left-arm spinner Vicky Ostwal (5/28) turned out to be the star performer with the ball while right-arm fast bowler Raj Bawa (4/47) gave the perfect support from the other end as India bowled out South Africa for 187 runs.

Jalandhar-born left-handed opener Harnoor, who was India's leading run-getter in the Asia Cup with 251 runs in five games and struck an unbeaten 100 against Australia in the team's final warm-up game on January 11, is expected to score a bagful of runs in the tournament but managed only 1 in the opener.

Right-arm pacer Rajvardhan Hangargekar (1/38), who has played senior cricket for Maharashtra and impressed with his raw pace in the Asia Cup, and left-arm fast bowler Ravi Kumar both had ordinary outings against South Africa.

Meanwhile in the other match of the day, Australia will take on Scotland in a Group D game in Basseterre.

Squads (from): India: Yash Dhull (c), Harnoor Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, SK Rasheed (vc), Nishant Sindhu, Siddarth Yadav, Aneeshwar Gautam, Dinesh Bana, Aaradhya Yadav, Raj Angad Bawa, Manav Parakh, Kaushal Tambe, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Vasu Vats, Vicky Ostwal, Ravi Kumar, Garv Sangwan.

Ireland: Tim Tector (c), Diarmuid Burke, Joshua Cox, Jack Dickson, Liam Doherty, Jamie Forbes, Daniel Forkin, Matthew Humphreys, Philippus le Roux, Scott MacBeth, Nathan McGuire, Muzamil Sherzad, David Vincent, Luke Whelan, Reuben Wilson.

Match Starts at 6:30 PM IST. 

Also Read : For first time in seven years, all eyes on Kohli the batter as India take on SA in ODIs

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

London, Jan 17 (Cricket News) World's premier all-rounder Ben Stokes has opted out of this year's Indian Premier League in order to manage his workload and remain mentally fresh for England's next home season, according to reports in British media.

Stokes had an underwhelming Ashes, having scored only 236 runs and picking only four wickets in England's 0-4 thrashing at the hands of Australia.

With lot of England stalwarts including former skipper David Gower already starting their annual criticism of the cash-rich T20 league, it is understood that Stokes, who could have again fetched bug bucks, has decided to stay away.

"Stokes will sit out this year's tournament, which will feature 10 teams for the first time and be preceded by a mega-auction in which there are plenty of spaces to fill," London's Evening Standard reported.

"Stokes has had a tumultuous time over the last couple of years, with the death of his father Ged 13 months ago preceding a long break in 2021 to prioritise his mental health and fix a finger badly broken at the IPL," it wrote.

Stokes was a part of Rajasthan Royals squad during the 2021 edition and during the postponed first leg fractured his finger and was ruled out of the tournament. When the tournament resumed in September, post COVID-19 induced break, Stokes didn't come back.

"Sitting out represents a significant financial sacrifice but should also allow him some time off to mentally refresh between England's tour of the Caribbean in March and the international summer in June," the paper reported.

Among the sought-after English players, only Moeen Ali (who has retired from Tests) and Jos Buttler were retained by their franchises, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan respectively.

Last summer, ECB allowed England players, who were at the IPL to sit out the early-season Tests against New Zealand, something that led to a lot of criticism as the rotation policy put in place hurt the team's composition according to many. 

Also Read : Sri Lanka restrict Australia to 175; Pakistan ride on Haseebullah ton to score 315/9 vs Zimbabwe

News Source : PTI

Basseterre (St Kitts), Jan 17 (Cricket News) Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage scalped five wickets as Asia Cup runners-up Sri Lanka bowled out Australia for 175 in a group D league match of the ICC U-19 World Cup here on Monday.

Wellalege had brilliant figures of 10-1-28-5 and got ideal support from off-spinner Treveen Mathew (2/32) and pacer Matheesa Pathirana (2/34) on a slow track where Australian batters struggled to force the pace of the innings.

Opener Campbell Kellaway (54 off 77 balls) was the only significant contributor for the Australians as the next best score was William Salzmann's 22.

The only significant stand was 46 for the fourth wicket between Campbell and Tobias Snell (19).

West Indies bowl out Scotland for 95 ======================= Pacer Siva Sankar took three wickets while off-spinner Onaje Amory got two in his kitty as West Indies bundled out Scotland for 95 in another group D league match at the Basseterre.

Opener Oliver Davidson was the top scorer for Scotland with 43 while as many as nine players failed to reach double figures. The second highest score was 11 by Muhaymen Majeed.

Haseebullah scores ton as Pakistan pile up big total ================================ Opener-keeper Haseebullah Hameed smashed 135 off 155 balls with 10 fours and four sixes while No. 4 Irfan Khan made 75 as Pakistan piled up a mammoth 315 for 9 against Zimbabwe in a group C match held at Diego Martin in Trinidabd and Tobago island.

Haseebullah and Irfan added 189 runs for the third wicket to lay the platform for a big score. For Zimbabwe, medium pacer Alex Falao was the most successful bowler with 5 for 58. 

Also Read : Having picked Hardik and Rashid, Ahmedabad prefer Shubman Gill over Ishan Kishan

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 17 (Cricket News) The Ahmedabad IPL franchise on predictable lines have signed Hardik Pandya and Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan but preferred young India opener Shubman Gill for the upcoming season of Indian Premier League.

PTI was the first to report on January 10 that Pandya is all set to captain the Ahmedabad franchise for the season and they have also finalised Rashid Khan, who otherwise would have gone for a "bomb" at the auctions.

However, their third choice Ishan Kishan didn't work out and they zeroed in on Gill, who could also be seen as a potential captaincy candidate.

"Ahmedabad has decided on its players and accordingly informed the BCCI about their draft picks. Hardik, Rashid and Shubman are the three choices," a senior IPL official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"They wanted Ishan Kishan badly but it is understood that Ishan is more interested in going back to the auction and there is a high chance that MI might buy him at a premium price." 

Also Read : Indian bowling attack by far most challenging one for me: Petersen

News Source : PTI

Paarl, Jan 17 (Cricket News) Rookie South Africa batter Keegan Petersen admits the world class Indian bowling attack was by far the most challenging he has faced but said he would not have wanted another way to build his nascent career.

The 28-year-old was named player of the series after his outstanding exploits with the bat against India in the three-match contest which South Africa won 2-1.

The stylish right-hander was the top run-scorer from either sides in the series, amassing 276 runs at an average of 46.00. He was the only player to notch-up three half-centuries, recording scores of 72, 82 and 62, whilst his slip fielding was another hallmark of the series.

"It was by far the most challenging bowling I have come across in my career, whether it’s been in first-class cricket or any form of cricket," Petersen was quoted as saying in Cricket South Africa website.

"It hasn’t been an easy introduction for me to international cricket, but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way," he explained.

"My journey's unique and it's my story to tell as well." Petersen has now played five Tests for South Africa, although his previous three innings -- all against West Indies -- did not yield too many runs.

"It hasn't completely sunk in yet. I still can't explain how it feels completely despite it being two days already. Myself, my family and everyone close to us are still trying to get over it somehow. It was a challenging series against one of the best bowling attacks in the world." Petersen said he's proud to be a part of a team that is trying to start something new in South African cricket.

"Whether I bat in first couple of overs or whether I bat after 50 overs, I'm just grateful to have the opportunity to be there, playing amongst a group of guys who are also trying to start something new in South African cricket.

"We are also trying to tell a new story as a team together as well." South Africa lost the first Test by 113 runs in Centurion, before storming back with successive seven-wicket victories in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

It was the biggest win for the Proteas since Dean Elgar was appointed Test captain and Petersen has hailed the leadership of the new skipper.

"Deano as our captain, he's going to, he has and he is going to achieve great things as well as a captain. He's a brilliant leader and we wouldn't want anyone else to lead us," said Petersen.

"The achievement for us as a squad, we know the chips were down and the odds were against us especially after the first game where we were beaten. It wasn't a good scenario, but we had a couple of strong chats after the game looking at ways to bounce back.

"It's just our personalities and character as South Africans, even though we’re the underdogs, we always come back fighting. That’s just how we are and we showed that during this series. Hopefully, it carries on for years to come.” The two teams will now move on to the three-match ODI leg of the tour that begins on Wednesday here. 

Also Read : Would love to see Shakib playing all formats: Habibul

News Source : PTI

Muscat, Jan 17 (Cricket News) Shakib-Al-Hasan may be mulling on retiring from Test cricket to prolong his white-ball career, but former Bangladesh skipper and current national selector Habibul Bashar said they still need the star all-rounder in all the three formats.

Bangladesh created history recently beating reigning World Test Champions on their home soil at Bay Oval to bag their first-ever win in New Zealand and the win came without Shakib, who had decided to opt out of the series.

"I would love to see Shakib in all formats definitely. But the problem these days is playing in bio-bubble with so much cricket happening all around the world... These guys some times also need time out," Bashar said in a media interaction organised by the Legends League Cricket here.

The 34-year-old ace all-rounder Shakib plays all three formats for Bangladesh but recently he said it's time to "think about Test cricket" as he's seen taking frequent breaks from International cricket over the last few years.

Shakib is Bangladesh's most-successful batsman (12,523 runs across formats) in International cricket and is their leading wicket-taker in Tests (215), ODIs (277) and T20Is (117).

He's played 59 Tests, 215 ODIs and 94 T20Is since his debut in 2006.

"It's not easy for a player. They also have family. Playing three formats with these guys is a bit difficult these days. He's been more than six months away from his family. Sometimes you got to understand. But I would love to see Shakib playing all the three formats," the current national selector said.

The first Test win for Bangladesh ended the Black Caps' 17-match unbeaten run on home soil.

"The boys did a fantastic job beating NZ in NZ. Our team is going through a rebuilding process. We had a young side. New Zealand also came back very well in the second Test. But I see a good future for these boys. When the senior players join in, we will have an exciting year ahead." Talking about Bangladesh cricket, Habibul said: "We still have a long way to go. But this win will give a big confidence going forward.

"We still need to win more matches outside Bangladesh. We are in the right process, I see a bright future ahead, and hope to win more matches. We need to win major tournaments. We still have not won any tournament, barring our final appearance in the Asia Cup. But cricket is going in the right process. We have an exciting future ahead." Indian Maharajas will be a step ahead ======================== The first season of Legends League Cricket will have former cricketers from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, England, among other cricket nations divided into three teams representing India, Asia and Rest of the World.

Cricket fans all across the world will get to see the legends of cricket roll back the years and sweat it out on the field again.

The 49-year-old former star Bangladeshi skipper will join hands with the likes of explosive batters like Shahid Afridi and Sanath Jayasurya among others in the Asia Lions Team in the Legends League Cricket to be played here from January 20-29.

They will be up against the Indian Maharajas featuring the likes of Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and the Pathan brothers (Irfan and Yusuf) among others.

The World team boasts of Kevin Pietersen, Daren Sammy, Daniel Vettori, Brett Lee and Jonty Rhodes among others.

Giving the Indian Legends side a bit of an edge, Habibul said: "Yes definitely, they will be a step ahead with other teams. They played together for a very long time and know each other so well." "But we also know each other well. We have played together. It will be an exciting contest." Talking about the tournament, he said: "It's a wonderful opportunity for all of us to play each other again. There was a lot of tension between us during our playing days when we're representing our countries.

"Now as we all are retired, doing our zone but we still have that competitive feeling. I'm so excited to play against my old colleagues again. I'm sure we will have a wonderful time in the middle," he concluded. 

Also Read : No hard feelings, we're good friends: Jansen on heated moments with Bumrah

News Source : PTI

Paarl, Jan 17 (Cricket News) South Africa pacer Marco Jansen on Monday said he has no "hard feelings" with his IPL side Mumbai Indians team-mate Jasprit Bumrah even though the duo engaged in some heated exchanges during the Proteas' 2-1 Test series triumph.

Jansen and Bumrah shared some heated exchanges during the second Test at Wanderers which South Africa won by seven wickets and again during the third match at Newlands where the hosts sealed a remarkable Test series win.

"I've played with Bumrah in the IPL and we're good friends. You're not going to back down when you're playing for your country and sometimes on-the-field things get heated," the 21-year-old said in a media interaction on Cricket South Africa Twitter handle.

"He obviously did the same and there are no hard feelings because it was in the heat of the moment, because it was two players giving their all for their countries." Despite his fiery persona on-the-field, Jansen said he's very introverted.

"I'm a bit of an introvert off the field. But I want to express myself on the field in the sport I love the most. I show the passion and love for the game. If there's one place I want to show my passion, it's got to be on the field." Not underestimating India in ODIs ===================== Next up is the three-match ODI series beginning here on Wednesday. The last time India came to South Africa in 2018, they won the six-match ODI series 5-1.

It was also India's first-ever ODI series win in South Africa.

"We hope to carry forward the momentum from the Test series. But we are not underestimating at all. We have to bring our A game and will be looking to take the fight to them," Jansen said.

"We have to work on our preparation and be as prepared as possible, give our all in the field. It will be very, very nice to get an ODI series win," he said.

Never expected an ODI call-up =================== With the experienced pacer Anrich Nortje missing the ODIs as well after being left out of the Tests due to a hip injury, Jansen has got a maiden ODI call-up in the squad led by Temba Bavuma.

"It wasn't a call-up I expected, but I'm very glad and honoured to be selected in the squad," Jansen said.

"I just want to learn as much as possible as it is my first call-up to the ODI squad. If I get an opportunity, I'll hope to make the most of it and take it with both hands." Having made a lacklustre debut in the Centurion Test, the lanky left-armer bounced back strongly to finish with 19 wickets, just behind their top wicket-taker Kagiso Rabada (20) with an superb average of 16.47.

"I've been in the Test squad previously, before this series, but obviously never expected to be selected. It was an honour.

"I didn't start the way I wanted to do. I was very, very nervous. It's normal to get nervous in your first Test. Just after that I was glad to come back well in the second innings and contributed to the team," Jansen, who got five wickets in his Test debut, said.

My identical twin is my best friend ===================== The player from Potchefstroom has also a left-arm seamer identical twin in Duan, who was also part of the Mumbai Indians squad, albeit as a support player.

"We grew up together, know everything about each other. He's my best friend. It is not weird, but weird in some ways that we have the same traits. Sharing the journey with him is something very special. We love each other very much. I'm a bit taller than him," Jansen said.

"In the IPL, he came along as a support player and practiced with us. It was a great experience for him and for us. Our parents are very proud of us, back us all the way and are very, very supportive." 

Also Read : Won't judge Virat's decision, it's a personal one and we respect that: Bumrah

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Ireland Men have won their first-ever one-day international series away from home over an ICC Full Member after recording a two-wicket victory over the West Indies at Sabina Park in Kingston today. For the third time in succession, Ireland won the toss and chose to bowl first.

Shai Hope went on the attack, blasting balls to all parts of the stadium. Hope was particularly aggressive with Josh Little, feeding off the extra pace and width on offer. He brought up his half-century off just 37 balls, with 9 fours and a six.

Hope’s dismissal caused a middle-order collapse with West Indies losing 7-57 in the next 17 overs. Young claimed two wickets, but the chief destroyer was off-spinner Andy McBrine. He had Nicholas Pooran and Shamarh Brooks both trapped in front, and set up the perfect delivery to Kieron Pollard, who was caught by William Porterfield.

George Dockrell chipped in for a wicket to dismiss the dangerous Romario Shepherd – Dockrell’s 150th List A wicket – and the home side’s innings was seemingly adrift at 119-7 in the 28th over. It was then that former West Indian captain Jason Holder took the responsibility – he and Akeal Hosein put on 63 for the eighth wicket in a face-saving stand for the Caribbean side.. Gareth Delany with a superb flat throw from deep square leg and Neil Rock’s quick hands catching the tall Barbadian all-rounder short of his crease.

The West Indian side were bowled out for 212 in the 45th over - the third time in the series Ireland has dismissed the home side before they batted out their allotted overs. This is the first time Ireland Men have bowled out a Full Member in three successive matches. Bowling honours once more went to Andy McBrine – the off-spinner finished with 4-28 from 10 overs. McBrine’s series haul of 10 wickets at 11.6 apiece was an excellent return. Having lost fellow spinners Simi Singh and Ben White for the series due to Covid infections, Ireland needed McBrine to stand up – and that he did, with two four-wicket hauls the last two matches.

With 213 the target, Ireland lost opener Porterfield from the first ball of the innings – upper-cutting a ball from Joseph that flew straight to Hosein at Third. Stirling regained momentum with a quickfire 44 from 38 balls. Aided by the more circumspect McBrine, the pair put on 73 for the second wicket from 77 balls. However, looking certain to register his 27th ODI half-century, Stirling missed a tossed up ball by spinner Hosein and was trapped in front. Given not out, the bowling side sought a review, which shortly after saw the Irish skipper walking back to the pavilion.

McBrine was joined by the in-form Harry Tector who had scored six half-centuries in his last nine innings. McBrine looked increasingly confident as his innings grew and he brought up his second career ODI half-century from 89 balls. Shortly after, the left-handed McBrine flashed at a bouncing ball outside off stump and edged through to the keeper, out for 59 but the victory was at sight.

Tector registered his third half-century of the series, but there was again danger lurking as the score went from 190-4 to 208-8. It was nervous times for all Ireland’s fans as Mark Adair and Craig Young stood at the crease. Fortunately, Young steered the winning runs away to the boundary off Shepherd and the Men in Green had won their first ODI series win away from home against a Full Member.

Andy McBrine said after the game:

“It means a lot to the team – the last 3 to 4 weeks hasn’t been easy on us, but there’s a fighting spirit left in us and we showed that today. There was a nice bit of spin in the pitch today – I  just had to change up my lengths and keep it as simple as possible and force them to make mistakes – and that has happened in the last three games. I struggled a bit to get my timing with the bat, I just ground it out and waited for my ball as much as I could. Harry and I kept things simple, we were always up above the required rate, so didn’t need to lapse into anything we didn’t need to. “Player of the Series” means a lot personally, but I’m firstly just trying to contribute what I can to the team.”

After the match, Stirling said:

“We’re delighted, it’s not every day we go on away trips and turn over a side like the West Indies. Really proud of the lads that we can go 1-nil down in the series and come back to win the next two games and take the series. We may have been fortunate to win the toss three times, but we still had to go out and perform, so we’re delighted. We’re a pretty tight unit, we always have been, it’s one of our strengths.

West Indies Men v Ireland Men, 3rd ODI, Sabina Park, Jamaica, 16 January 2022  

West Indies 212 (44.4 overs: S Hope 53, J Holder 44; A McBrine 4-28, C Young 3-43)

Ireland 214-8 (44.5 overs: A McBrine 59, H Tector 52, P Stirling 44; A Hosein 3-59)  

Ireland Men won by 2 wickets

Also read: Won't judge Virat's decision, it's a personal one and we respect that: Bumrah

Paarl, Jan 17 (Cricket News) Virat Kohli's decision to quit Test captaincy needs to be respected, said India's stand-in ODI vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, who believes that the former skipper would continue to be a "leader in the group".

Kohli announced his decision to step down via social media, a day after India lost a three-match Test series 1-2 to the weakest South African side in recent times.

When asked how Kohli informed the team, the normally reticent Bumrah said that the star batter called a meeting to announce his decision to quit.

"Obviously, as a team unit, we are closer, so we came to know earlier, that he would step down from Test captaincy and we respect his decision and valued his leadership. We congratulated him for his contribution as a leader, we wished him all the best. That was about it." Asked how he sees this decision, Bumrah said he wouldn't want to comment on a personal call.

"I am no one to sit in judgement of his decision. It's a personal decision and we respect his decision. He knows how his body is reacting and what frame of mind he is in.

"It's been an immense pleasure to play under his captaincy and I made my Test debut under him. As I have spoken earlier also that he (Kohli) will always be a leader in the group and his contribution has been immense and will be immense," the speedster added.

So what has been the biggest takeaways from Kohli's captaincy? The fast bowler's instant reply was the superb fitness culture that he brought into the team.

"He has been leader of the team. He brought the fitness culture and everybody got fitter as a team and his contribution has been immense," he said.

"He has been a very important leader in the group and captain for such a long period of time. His knowledge will be used by us and as a team, his contribution and suggestions will always be important.

"We have always looked up to him and it will be same going further as well," Bumrah added. 

Also Read : If given an opportunity, it will be an honour to captain India: Jasprit Bumrah

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) After a disappointing 2-1 loss in the Test series, India will now gear up for the 3 match ODI series against South Africa. This will be India's first ODI series since the one March 2021 against England. KL Rahul will lead the side with Jasprit Bumrah as his deputy. Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are injured while Washington Sundar who was initially named in the squad picked up Covid. It goes without saying that the 2023 World Cup will be in the minds of the players and the coaching staff during the series. This will be the beginning of the experimental phase where the side is figuring out the best playing XI going forward.

Here's India's ideal playing XI:

Openers: Shikhar Dhawan and Ruturaj Gaekwad

After his performance against England in the last ODI series, Dhawan is guaranteed to open the batting at least in the near future. Whether KL Rahul opens the batting remains to be seen. Rahul has batted primarily in the middle order in the ODIs. Gaekwad's performance in the Vijay Hazare where he was the highest run scorer along with his Orange cap winning IPL makes him too difficult to drop. Ishan Kishan is the other option in the opening spot.

Middle order: Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Surya Kumar Yadav

Virat Kohli is a no contest selection to bat at number 3. Now that he isn't the captain in any format he will concentrate on his batting. The other way to look at it would be that now he has to perform with the bat to stay in the side. Having said that, sooner rather than later is bound to become the invincible batter who wins games single handedly. KL Rahul will have the added responsibility of being the skipper and should be comfortable batting at 4. Surya Kumar Yadav gets into the team with his flexibility being the biggest asset. He can bat anywhere between 3-7. Ishan Kishan, Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer are the other two options but these 3 would make the strongest middle order.

Wicket keeper: Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant is another must have player in the side. He will be high on confidence due to his ton in the last Test match along with his performance in the 3rd ODI against England. The gloveman could bat anywhere between 4-7 depending on the situation. The alternative would be Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul who can both keep wickets but if Pant is in the side he will be behind the stumps even and not in the outfield.

All-rounder: Venkatesh Iyer

Venkatesh Iyer is very likely to make his debut. He is possibly the only proper All-rounder in the team. The balance of this team is very tricky as none of the top 6 batters are handy with the ball like Kedar Jadhav was a couple of years back. If Iyer is going to bat at number 7 he will have to bowl 10 overs. He performed well with both the ball and the bat in the Vijay Hazare trophy which would boost his selection. The absence of Ravindra Jadeja is an opportunity for him to push into the side as Jadeja is likely to bat at number 7 once he is back. There is a chance that Shardul Thakur or Ravichandran Ashwin are selected to bat at 7 which would allow KL Rahul to have 5 pure bowlers but it would make the tail longer. Iyer would then have to fight for a spot in the top 6 as a batting All-rounder. How the team management uses Iyer is the big question mark going into the series.

Spinners: Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin

If India are to play two spinners which would be likely, Chahal and Ashwin are the two. Jayant Yadav is the other option now that Washington Sundar is unavailable. It is unlikely for India to go in with one spinner especially when there isn't a bankable part time spinner in the squad. The combination of wrist and finger spin could be a deadly one. 

Seamers: Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Jasprit Bumrah is undroppable even more so now that he is the vice captain. Picking the other seamer would be the most difficult choice in this selection Bhuvneshwar Kumar was India's best bowler in theri last ODI series against England. Despite not having a good IPL his selection would be justified. Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini and Deepak Chahar are the other options. Mohammed Shami is rested for the series and he will be at the top of the pecking order once he is back. India clearly have a lot of options in the seam bowling department which might suggest that they will play 3 seamers once Ravindra Jadeja is back.

Also read: Takeaways from Australia's dominant performance in the 4-0 Ashes win

Paarl (South Africa), Jan 17 (Cricket News) India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah on Monday said he is not averse to leading the national team if an opportunity comes knocking at his door in the near future.

With Virat Kohli's captaincy tenure in all formats coming to an end following his resignation from Test leadership, there are questions about who could be his long-term successor considering that Rohit Sharma will be 35 next year.

"If given an opportunity, it will be an honour and I don't see any player would say no and I am no different. Be it any leadership group, I always look to contribute however I can, to the best of my abilities," Bumrah replied to a query from PTI in a press conference ahead of the ODI series against South Africa starting Wednesday.

Bumrah would be the vice-captain during the series and said taking responsibility and helping teammates comes naturally to him.

"I look at this situation in the same manner...taking responsibility and talking to players and helping them out has always been my approach and it will always be my approach going further keeping any situation in mind." Bumrah also that the team respects Kohli's decision to give up Test captaincy and was duly informed by the star batter. 

Also Read : Takeaways from Australia's dominant performance in the 4-0 Ashes win

News Source : PTI

It is alway important to rise back when you fall down. An athlete needs a support system to stay on top of the game, injuries are the major reasons for their downfall. Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation helps them to get back in shape for the game. Dr. Richa had always wanted to go into the medical field and her love for sports turned out to be a perfect match. She runs the Kinesis- Sports rehab and physiotherapy clinc at Pune.

In this exclusive interview with SPOGO, Dr. Richa Kularni speaks about her passion for sports since childhood, the importance of rehabilitation, being mentally fit and her experience with the Timor-Leste national soccer team.
 

Q 1) How did your fitness journey begin? What inspired you to pursue a career in sports rehabilitation and physiotherapy?

My fitness journey started at the age of 7 years. We had a strong family background of sports wherein my father was a cricketer and mother was into athletics, so they knew the importance of having sports in an individual’s life. They made sure that we 3 siblings enjoy the liveliness and enthusiasm a sport gives in one's life right from our childhood. Uptill now I have played almost all the games but in the end, Badminton is my game and passion which has kept me fit to date.

I always aspired to go into the medical field but also wanted some association of sports in it. I started doing research on how I could fuse my two passions into my profession and that's when I got to know about the field of Physiotherapy which had the perfect combination of sports and medicine. 

Q 2) According to you, how can sports rehabilitation be made accessible to athletes across all levels of sports, i.e from the grassroots to professionals?

Nowadays, Sports Rehabilitation is a Subject which is talked about quite frequently between the athletes and their parents. Awareness of Sports Rehabilitation is quite grown as now athletes know the importance of it. There are certified Sports Physiotherapists who run private clinics or there are Rehab centers where an athlete can undergo rehabilitation post injury. Also many clubs and sports associations have their own Sports Physiotherapists in house for the athletes. Whereas in tournaments on field and off field Sports Physiotherapy is always made available to the athletes.

Q 3) How much of a role does sports physiotherapy play in increasing the longevity of an athlete’s career? 

Sports Physiotherapy plays a vital role in increasing the longevity of an athlete’s career. A Physiotherapist helps an athlete to prevent and manage injuries on field. As well as a physio helps an athlete on safe participation of his/her sport on field which enhances their performance in the game. Sports Rehabilitation helps and supports faster recovery of the injuries which happened as well as through guided rehab protocols one can prevent major injuries on the field which helps in top notch performance in the respective sports.

Q 4) How was the experience of being the sports physiotherapist for the National Soccer Team of U-23 and Senior Men's team of Timor-Leste at FIFA World-Cup pre-qualifiers in Malaysia 2019 and AFC Championship at Myanmar 2019?

 It was phenomenal, superb, mind blowing. It was a dream come true moment. As I said earlier, I did physiotherapy for being associated with sports and medicine. This was the prestigious moment which I was waiting for years in my career. It had a huge responsibility of handling and managing the entire team. There were moments wherein there was so much pressure to handle and treat the injured players and make them play on field. But all the efforts were rewarded at the end when my injured players performed their best on the field with the immediate recovery and preventive measures instructed and followed as told.

Q 5) What can be done to raise awareness about the importance of sports rehabilitation amongst athletes?

To increase the awareness of Sports rehabilitation amongst athletes, first of all educating them about this concept is of utmost importance. Following we can take camps for the athletes where they can understand how to prevent an injury as well as how to take care of it through a guided rehab. Also we can promote and endorse sports rehab on social platforms to increase the awareness through educational videos where we can show how recovery is done post injuries in a rehab.

Q 6) While physiotherapy is mostly dealing with the body, how important is mental fitness according to you? What can be done to ensure an athlete or an individual remains both mentally and physically healthy?

A sport is a combination of the physical and mental well being of an individual, so I think mental fitness is equally important as being physically fit. You need to be mentally sound enough when you play any sport so you give your 100% in your performance by being completely focused. For example, while playing Badminton you need to be physically fit but at the same time you are nervous and have high anxiety levels then it becomes difficult to give your 100%. These conditions will lead to losing matches which may lead to depression and irritation ultimately leading to poor performance. So along with Sports Rehab and Physiotherapy, Sports Psychology also plays a major role in an athlete’s sports career.

Also read: Our main goal is to make India an Asian powerhouse in basketball - Suresh Kumar Ranot, member of national selection committee

(Cricket news) Australia comprehensively beat England 4-0 to win the Ashes. The series could've easily been a whitewash as England managed to draw the 4th Test with just 1 wicket left. The result was because of a combination of Australia being good and England being underwhelming.

From the Australian point of view it was a perfect performance despite having the home advantage and England not being their best version. It is very clear that Australia are on the right track to getting back to their best even though they are not there yet. Australia are smoothly transitioning in new quick bowlers into the side as Scott Boland had a fantastic debut series. Micheal Neser and Jhye Richardson did well in the 1 game they played. The Aussies are working on the depth of their bowling and it's reaping rewards already.

The big plus point was Cameron Green's outstanding performance. The All-rounder made his debut in 2020 against India. He had a few decent performances with the bat but failed to take a wicket. In the Ashes he picked up 13 wickets and scored 238 runs with the willow. New captain Pat Cummins did his usual bit with the ball as he was the highest wicket taker with 21 wickets. His captaincy also was very good and didn't affect his bowling as people thought it would.

Travis Head was named player of the series for being the highest run scorer with 357 runs in 6 innings with a strike rate of 86.02. He scored two match winning hundreds and has now stamped his authority on the number 5 spot. Usman Khawaja came in as his replacement in the 4th Test and hit two tons. He was then asked to open the innings which is an area of concern for Australia. They have been unable to find a steady opening partner for David Warner. Overall Australia have a lot of positives they can take into the rest of the WTC cycle.

England on the other hand have had a long, hard and disappointing tour. Mark Wood's performance was possibly the only positive of the series. The seamer picked up 17 wickets in 7 innings but often had no support. England are well and truly missing the presence of Jofra Archer. Now might be the time for England to start phasing out James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Ben Stokes had a few decent periods in the series but wasn't good enough overall. This is his first tour since returning to the international scene and soon he should be back to his best. The opening slot is a big area of concern as all English openers look very inconsistent. Jack Leech who is the lead spinner also had very few good spells in the 3 games he played. England desperately needs a revamp in the entire structure. Their next red ball series will be away against the West Indies.
 

Also read: KL Rahul should be made Test skipper: former BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale

New Delhi, Jan 17 (Cricket News) India's white ball captain Rohit Sharma is recovering well from his left hamstring injury and has a bright chance of making a comeback for the six-match home white-ball series against the West Indies next month.

Rohit, who was also the designated Test vice-captain for the tour of South Africa, sustained a left-hamstring strain during a net session just prior to the team's departure for the tour and had to pull out.

He was subsequently also forced to skip the ODIs in South Africa, starting this Wednesday, as he couldn't attain full fitness before the selection committee announced the team.

"Rohit's rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy is going pretty well. He is expected to be okay for the West Indies series. It's still close to three weeks from now before the first ODI is played in Ahmedabad from February 6," a BCCI source privy to developments told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

The series against the West Indies comprises three ODIs and as many T20 Internationals. The one-dayers will be played February 6 to 12, followed by T20Is from February 15 to 20.

For Rohit, the hamstring has been a recurrent problem which also forced him to miss the first two Test matches as well as the white-ball leg of the tour of Australia in 2020-21.

He did make a comeback for the final two Tests after serving a two-week hard quarantine in Sydney for the last two Test matches.

Currently, as per BCCI's policy, each and every player has to mandatorily appear for fitness tests at the NCA before being awarded 'fit to play' certificates. The selection committee is informed about their availability only after this exercise.

With Virat Kohli now having relinquished captaincy even from the Test format, there is greater need for Rohit to remain injury-free in the current set-up.

An Acceptable choice among players ======================== It has been an open secret in recent years that apart from being one of the best performers across formats, Rohit has been a few notches above his peers in terms of acceptance of one and all in this team.

Having learned the ropes of captaincy handling Mumbai Indians in the IPL, Rohit's man-management is seen closer to MS Dhoni's style.

While KL Rahul, because of his age, is being considered a long term all-format leader, something which might also have the backing of head coach Rahul Dravid, what will go in Rohit's favour, despite the fitness and age concern, is his excellent form across formats.

"Rohit Sharma should be the bridge before BCCI is confident about the next young India captain that they want the team to lead for at least five years.

"This ICC World Test Championship cycle should be about giving it to an experienced hand rather than someone, whose leadership credentials aren't proven enough," a senior BCCI official said. 

Also Read : KL Rahul should be made Test skipper: former BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale

News Source : PTI

Indore, Jan 17 (Cricket News) Former BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale believes that K L Rahul should be handed over the Indian Test cricket team's captaincy as the 29-year-old batter can provide long-term leadership after Virat Kohli's stunning decision to step down.

Kohli on Saturday dropped a bombshell by quitting Test captaincy, a day after India suffered a Test series defeat to a second-string South Africa.

The Delhi player signed off as India's most successful captain with 40 wins in 68 Tests after taking over back in 2014 when M S Dhoni stepped down in the middle of the series against Australia.

"I feel that the next India Test captain should be the one who can take the responsibility for a longer period of time. So accordingly, I would suggest KL Rahul’s name as the next test captain," Jagdale, who was also an office-bearer with Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA), told PTI.

The BCCI has not yet announced the next Test captain. Rohit Sharma was named Kohli's deputy before the Test series against South Africa and Rahul took over captaincy duties during the second Test after both Kohli and Rohit suffered injuries.

The 71-year-old Indore-based Jagdale feels that Rahul has performed in all the three formats of the game.

Jagdale also stressed that the BCCI and the selectors should ensure that the IPL "power centres" do not interfere in policies of Indian cricket.

Kohli took India to new heights in his tenure which saw the team become a force to reckon with in all conditions.

However, in the past few months, Kohli endured tense relations with the BCCI which removed him as ODI skipper after the star batter decided to leave T20 captaincy.

Jagdale, who also played 53 first-class matches, hailed Kohli's contribution.

"Nobody can ignore Kohli's contribution in Test cricket," Jagdale, one of the veteran administrators of the game, signed off. 

Also Read : Root 'sacrifices' opportunity to enter IPL mega auction

News Source : PTI

Hobart, Jan 17 (Cricket News) England skipper Joe Root has "sacrificed" the opportunity to enter the IPL mega auction to "throw" all his energy into reviving the fortunes of his under-fire Test team.

Considered one of the modern greats of the game, Root is yet to play in the Indian Premier League after going unsold in the 2018 auction.

Last week, Root said he was considering entering the mega auction but added he would look to play in the tournament only if it does not distract him from his Test career.

However, the wait to see the 31-year-old feature in lucrative league increased further as he has decided to prioritise the English Test team, which just succumbed to an embarrassing 0-4 Ashes defeat.

"There's a lot that we need to do for this team, which deserves all of my energy," Root said at the post-match conference after his side's 146-run loss to Australia in the fifth Test on Sunday.

"I'll keep sacrificing as much as I can because I care so much about Test cricket in our country and trying to get us to where we want to be," added the star batter, confirming he has turned down the chance to enter the auction.

England's below par performance in Test cricket this past year has led to questions on his leadership but Root has expressed his desire to continue as the English red ball captain.

"It's very difficult when you get beaten as heavily as we have done on this tour to convince people I'm the right man.

"But I can tell you one thing for sure – as long as I have the opportunity to captain this team, I will throw everything into it and give everything - for everyone supporting us, for the guys around me, for the players – to try and provide an environment that allows us to be successful," Root said.

The IPL has expanded to 10 teams starting this year and the mega-auction ahead of the upcoming season is scheduled to be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. 

Also Read : PCB asks Pakistani players in BBL to return home immediately for PSL 7

News Source : PTI

Karachi, Jan 16 (Cricket News) Pakistan Cricket Board has asked all the national players participating in the ongoing Big Bash League in Australia to return home immediately in order to give themselves ample time to prepare for the seventh edition of PSL, which begins here from January 27.

The PCB has asked Muhammad Hasnain, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan to return home immediately ahead of the upcoming Pakistan Super League.

The Board has also confirmed that the PSL would be held as per original schedule in two phases at Karachi and Lahore.

The PCB had already released the match schedule for the tournament, which begins at the National Stadium here, before the event is being shifted to Lahore from February 9.

Having signed enhanced new broadcast and title sponsorship deals for the PSL 7, the PCB is banking on the league to be a major success despite the rising number of positive COVID-19 cases in the country.

The PCB has written to the franchises employing the Pakistani players that they are all required to return home for the PSL preparations. 

Also Read : U-19 WC: England register seven-wicket win over Bangladesh

News Source : PTI

Basseterre (St Kitts and Nevis), Jan 17 (Cricket News) Defending champions Bangladesh suffered a seven-wicket loss against England in a lop-sided contest to make a poor start to their campaign at the ICC U-19 World Cup here.

Opting to bat, Bangladesh were bundled out for a paltry 97 by England, who then returned to overhaul the target in 25.1 overs.

England produced a lethal bowling effort to reduce Bangladesh to 51 for nine in the 25th over at Warner Park in the Group A match.

No.11 Ripon Mondol hit 33 not out in a spirited last-wicket stand of 46 with Naimur Rohman (11) to drag Bangladesh close to the 100-mark.

Left-arm pacer Joshua Boyden was the pick of the bowlers for England with figures of four for 16, while right-arm fast bowler Thomas Aspinwall scalped two wickets, giving away 18 runs.

Besides, Tom Prest (1/5), Fateh Singh (1/29) and James Sales (1/29) took a wicket each.

In reply, England lost opener George Thomas (15) and captain Tom Prest (4) but Jacob Bethell (44) and James Rew (26 not out) put on 65 before the former was run out just shy of the finish line as England cruised to victory.

Earlier, Bangladesh's decision to bat first backfired as they lost wickets at regular intervals and slumped to 26 for five by the 14th over.

Bangladesh made a slow start to their innings before losing their first wicket -- Mahfijul Islam -- in the fifth over.

Bangladesh's struggle from the onset can be gauged from the fact that only four of their batters managed double digit scores, with last man Mondal top-scoring with a 41-ball unbeaten knock which was studded with five boundaries and one six.

Chasing the total, England got off to a slightly nervy start as Bethell survived a run-out scare when SM Meherob could not gather the ball at the stumps with only five on the board.

He survived a close lbw appeal off Ashiqur shortly after before opening partner Thomas began to up the ante after a cautious start.

But having hit three fours, Thomas perished for 15 when he miscued another attacking shot off Ripon to leave England 20 for one in the ninth over.

That breakthrough gave Bangladesh a small glimmer of hope but when the English captain Prest nicked one behind off his counterpart Rakibul for four soon after, the game was very much on.

However, Rew joined hands with Bethell and together they batted superbly, counteracting the Bangladesh spin attack to alleviate any potential English nerves.

Bethell eventually was run out by Ariful but by then the game was all but over.

William Luxton strode out to the crease and promptly hit his first ball down the ground for six before hit the winning runs off the first ball of the 26th over.

England thus picked up a comfortable two points to go top of Group A ahead of their match against Canada on Tuesday, while Bangladesh will look to bounce back on Thursday against the same opponents, who lost to the UAE in their opener on Saturday.

Brief scores: Bangladesh: 97 all out in 35.2 overs (Ripon Mondol not out 33; Joshua Boyden 4/16, Thomas Aspinwall 2/18).

England: 98 for 3 in 25.1 overs (Jacob Bethell 44; Rakibul Hasan 1/13). 

Also Read : ODI series win against India would give us lot of confidence going ahead: Bavuma

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 16 (Cricket News) South Africa's white-ball skipper Temba Bavuma believes that a series win over India in the upcoming three-match ODI rubber will give the home team a "hell lot of confidence" going ahead.

The last time India came to South Africa in 2018, they won the six-match series 5-1. It was also their first-ever ODI series win in the Rainbow Nation.

"We will have to get things right in the next ODI series against India. I'm not too worried about what happened in that 2018 series. I'm more concerned about establishing our own style of play and implementing our strategy to good effect.

"An ODI series win against India would give us a helluva lot of confidence, and some momentum ahead of the games to follow," Bavuma was quoted as saying by 'Daily Maverick'.

Bavuma, who was a part of the Proteas' triumphant campaign in the just-concluded three-match Test series, feels their campaign in the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup helped change perception about South Africa's white-ball squads.

In the mega event in the UAE, South Africa had won four out of their five group matches, only to miss the semi-finals on the basis of net run-rate due to their loss in the tournament opener against Australia.

"Perceptions are changing about this South African white-ball team. In the past, it was said that we lacked the ability to take on spin and that we struggled in overseas conditions. I feel like we proved a lot of people wrong at the T20 World Cup.

"We've just got to keep building towards that next T20 World Cup in Australia, which will require another shift in mindset." He said the ODI squad must look to take heart from the T20 team's showing during the World Cup in the UAE.

"Perhaps we should take heart from what the T20 side has accomplished in recent times. That team didn't place much emphasis on results, but rather on the process.

"We really came to grips with how we wanted to play. There was a lot of energy and intensity, especially with regard to our fielding," he said.

"Then we start to win consistently. Since the beginning of the West Indies series last June, we've won 13 out of 16 T20s. It's something we want to replicate across the formats. If we bring the same energy to our ODI approach, we will build more confidence and momentum, and the big results will come." 

Also Read : Virat Kohli: Captain who went for win at all costs

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 16 (Cricket News) Going for the win at the risk of losing and playing five bowlers were two non-negotiables for Virat Kohli, India's most successful Test captain.

Having taken up Test captaincy from M S Dhoni in the middle of a series in Australia back in 2014, Kohi changed the way India played the five-day game.

Filling in for the injured Dhoni in the Adelaide Test, Kohli not for once thought about a draw with India needing 364 runs in 98 overs on day five. His aggressive approach rubbed off on to the entire team as the visitors got agonisingly close to a famous win before losing the game by 48 runs. "At no point did we not think about chasing the score down. We have come here to play positive cricket. No sort of negativity is welcome in this group. That's the kind of belief we have come here with," Kohli said after the loss that sowed the seeds of many famous wins overseas during his seven-year tenure as captain.

"This has been one of our strongest performances overseas in the past two-three years, and I am really proud the way the boys played in this game." 'Lions at home, lambs abroad' was the tag associated with past teams but Kohli ensured India became the team for all conditions, he took out the place and pitch out of the equation.

Five-bowler theory that reaped rich rewards =========================== Before Kohli, winning a Test overseas was considered a big deal but when he shocked the cricketing world by stepping down from captaincy on Saturday, his rich legacy included a team mentality which did not settle for anything less than a series victory. What enabled Kohli to win Test matches overseas regularly was the fast bowling resources he had at his disposal. The likes of Mohammad Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah flourished under his leadership, turning into India's most fearsome bowling attack of all times. Former chief selector MSK Prasad, whose majority of the tenure coincided with Kohli's reign as captain in all three formats, explained how the champion batter contributed to India's stellar success across formats.

"First of all I feel he built a wining culture in the side, especially away from home. He introduced the five bowler theory and fitness culture he had helped change before that," Prasad, who thought Kohli had another three four years of captaincy left in him, told PTI.

"He brought aggression into the side. Kohli along with the rest of the stakeholders created a bench strength of fast bowlers which helped us take 20 wickets when we were travelling." Fast-tracking Bumrah's Test debut ===================== Kohli had managed to build a strong pace attack for all conditions but the x-factor was missing, which was eventually provided by Jasprit Bumrah, who since making his Test debut in South Africa four years ago, has become of the one of the best bowlers in the world. "I still remember in 2017 we had decided to groom Bumrah for an away series. We gave him rest from limited overs cricket and told him to focus on his red ball cricket. He took a six wicket haul in the Ranji semifinal that year and that convinced Virat and all of us that he could excel in Test cricket," recalled Prasad.

Rohit Sharma the opener proved to be a masterstroke ================================= Though the decision to push Rohit at the top of the order to resurrect his Test career was suggested by head coach Ravi Shastri, Kohli bought into that idea completely.

It not only revived Rohit's Test career and also gave the team the strokemaker, the team was looking for at the top of the order. Kohli wanted his bowlers to take 20 wickets and his batters to go for runs and not just survive.

The bowlers delivered on that promise more often that not but the batting remains a work in progress with star studded line-up coming a cropper overseas on multiple occasions, most recently in South Africa. 'One of the best captains of all times' ======================= Former India captain and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar, who gave his Kohli his big break in international cricket after tracking his career since the U-16 level, feels it would be difficult to match Kohli's exemplary record as captain.

"40 wins in 68 Tests (fourth highest in overall wins category). The records speak highly of his captaincy. His positive outlook to the game, he always looked to play five bowlers which sometimes could backfire but that is the way he played the game. In the end, the team won many matches with that approach," said Vengsarkar.

Kohli endured his fair share of lows along with the historic highs. He led the team to Test wins in England and South Africa besides the series win in Australia but could not get his hands on the ICC World Test Championship trophy despite being the best team in that two-year cycle.

India won a series in Australia for the first time ever in 2018-19 besides scaling new heights in limited overs cricket.

"The success rate under him across formats is outstanding. We were number one in all formats of the game. We beat every side in their own backyard in limited overs cricket.

"However, one low point would certainly be is not being able to win series in South Africa and England in 2018. Both series were closely fought but we ended up on the wrong side," lamented Prasad. 

Also Read : India-South Test series involved emotion, Ashes lacked it: Ian Chappell

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jan 16 (Cricket News) Australian great Ian Chappell feels the just-concluded Test series between India and South Africa involved the kind of emotion that the lop-sided Ashes lacked completely.

Beaten comprehensively in the three-match series opener, South Africa bounced back in style to claim the rubber 2-1 after convincing victories in the second and third Test against their fancied opponents.

"South Africa surprisingly defeated India in an old-fashioned dogfight that included some enthralling cricket. It also involved ample emotion of the sort that has notably been missing from an Ashes contest that has been surprisingly uncontroversial so far," Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo.

The former Australia captain added, "The South Africa series featured bowling domination on pitches that were probably too much in favour of the fielding side, but there was also some exquisite batting." While both teams fought hard to outdo each other throughout the series, the Ashes series between traditional rivals Australian and England turned out to be completely one-sided with the former dominating their beleaguered visitors.

The hosts sealed the five-match series with three successive wins before England just about managed to halt the Australian juggernaut in the fourth Test with a hard-earned draw. Australia won the fifth Test with two days to spare, to take the series 4-0.

"The Australia-versus-England series has often been frustratingly one-sided. It was apparent again when the ebullient Travis Head, aided by Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green, launched a defiant counterattack in Hobart.

"In the first three Tests it was mainly the home side displaying the grit and application that five-day cricket requires. That led to 12 days where Australia steamrolled their way to a series victory, while English cricket was exposed for all its ineptitude," Chappell said.

He added, "It was only when Joe Root's batting skill was duplicated and England finally applied some bowling nous that a Test was saved. Even then it was a close call.

"At the SCG, Australia were still by far the better side, expertly led and prepared to expend the required energy, but at least England unearthed some much needed fight." Chappell also believed that the administrators should start valuing the selectors more highly than coaches.

"A good Test selector is capable of including both considerations in his choices and that is why they are highly regarded. When it comes to financial rewards, cricket should start valuing selection more highly than coaching; it would make a pleasant and worthwhile change," Chappell said.

Speaking on the role of selectors, Chappell cited as example the 28-year-old South African Keegan Petersen, who had played just two Tests coming into the series against India.

However, he showed a lot of composure against the strong Indian bowling attack and was unfortunate to have not got a century after scoring three fifties in the series.

"... In particular, Petersen's sudden rise to fame has been a revelation and raises the question of where he has been all this while. This example exposes one of the mysteries of Test cricket: do some selectors know what they should be looking for? "Petersen is in his prime, at 28, but he has only played five Tests. Despite lacking experience he has all the requirements of a Test No. 3, including a wide range of shots that he is prepared to play, plus a solid defence.

"So why is he only playing now? Sometimes players deserve an opportunity on potential and temperament alone and this is where good selection stands out," Chappell pointed out. 

Also Read : Gavaskar wants Rishabh Pant to succeed Kohli as Test skipper

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 16 (Cricket News) The legendary Sunil Gavaskar wants Rishabh Pant to succeed Virat Kohli as the next India Test captain as he believes a sense of responsibility will make the glovesman a better cricketer in all forms of the game.

Kohli surprised the cricket fraternity by quitting Test captaincy on Saturday evening, a day after losing the Test series in South Africa 1-2 to draw the curtains on a successful seven-year reign.

Gavaskar said he preferred Pant as he is an automatic choice for selectors across all formats of the game.

"It's going to be quite a debate as far as the selection committee is concerned as to who should be taking Indian cricket forward. First of all, it should be someone who is an automatic pick across all formats of the game. Once that happens, it will be a lot easier," Gavaskar told India Today.

"If you ask me, I am still staying, I would look at Rishabh Pant as next India captain.

"For one reason only, just like Rohit Sharma was given the captaincy of Mumbai Indians when Ricky Ponting stepped down, look at the change in his batting after that. Suddenly the responsibility of being captain made him convert those beautiful cameos of 30s, 40s and 50s into hundreds, 150s and 200s.

"I think that sense of responsibility given to Rishabh Pant will help him score many more of that wonderful hundred he scored at Newlands," he added.

Further explaining the rationale behind his pick, Gavaskar cited the example of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, who achieved great success after taking over the captaincy at a very young age.

"Yes, I am saying that. Tiger Pataudi was captain at the age of 21 under adverse circumstances when Nari Contractor was injured. Look what he did after that. He took to captaincy like duck to water.

"I think what we have seen with Rishabh Pant as the captain of Delhi Capitals in the IPL, I do believe he has the capability of taking Indian cricket forward and making it a very exciting team to watch," he said.

Limited-overs skipper Rohit Sharma has emerged as the front-runner to take over Test captaincy from Kohli although he was not part of the South Africa series due to an injury. Rohit was recently made Test vice-captain, replacing Ajinkya Rahane. In Rohit's absence, KL Rahul was Kohli's deputy in South Africa. 

Also Read : Thank you for supporting Test cricket so passionately: Warne to Kohli

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jan 16 (Cricket News) Spin legend Shane Warne has thanked star batter Virat Kohli for "passionately supporting" Test cricket, a day after he stepped down as skipper of the Indian Test team.

Kohli on Saturday ended his seven-year reign as India's most successful Test captain, the move coming a day after an unexpected 1-2 series loss to South Africa.

Under Kohli, India won 40 out of 68 Tests, a record which made him one of the most successful Test captains in world cricket.

"Congrats @imVkohli on what you and your team has achieved under your leadership and thankyou for supporting test cricket so passionately and insuring that it stays the number 1 form of the game," Warne tweeted.

Kohli has been the most successful Test captain India has ever produced. After taking over the reins from Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he led India in 68 Test matches and secured 40 victories at a win percentage of 58.82.

As Test captain, he registered his first series win against Sri Lanka in 2015, a victory that India registered in the Emerald Island after 22 years.

Last year, Warne was all praise for Kohli after his team beat England by 157 runs in the fourth Test at The Oval to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Warne had then called Kohli the biggest superstar in world cricket.

However, the Australian great was not too pleased with the Indian maestro after he let it rip on the stump mic following the DRS episode that gave Dean Elgar a lifeline during the third and final Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

"Look it is an interesting one, I am not sure that should be happening from a captain of an international team.

"But sometimes frustration overflows, you just get so frustrated and that's why I said I wonder if that has happened three or four times through the series, and that was like okay that is enough now we can't have it anymore," Warne had said. 

Also Read : Your legacy as captain will stand for benchmarks you set: Ashwin

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

New Delhi, Jan 16 (Cricket News) Virat Kohli is "one of the finest captains" and "once in a generation" cricketer, BCCI said in its rich tribute after the star batter quit as Test captain and asserted that it was a personal decision which the cricket body respects.

Kohli on Saturday ended his seven-year reign as India's most successful Test captain, a day after an unexpected 1-2 series loss against South Africa.

Under Kohli, India won 40 out of 68 Tests, a record which made him one of the most successful Test captains in world cricket.

"I personally thank Virat for his immense contributions as captain of the Indian cricket team. Under his leadership, the Indian cricket team has made rapid strides in all formats of the game. His decision is a personal one and the BCCI respects it immensely," BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said in a statement.

EVERY GOOD THING COMES TO AN END ========================= "He will continue to be a very important member of this team and take this team to newer heights with his contributions with the bat under a new captain. Every good thing comes to an end and this has been a very good one," Gnaguly added.

Kohli's strained relations with the BCCI recently made headlines when the star batter quit T20 captaincy and was later sacked as ODI captain. Ganguly had said they had requested Kohli to stay back till the T20 World Cup, a claim which Kohli contradicted. Kohli has been the most successful Test captain India has ever produced. After taking over the reins from Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he led India in 68 Test matches and secured 40 wins at a win percentage of 58.82.

As Test captain, he registered his first series win against Sri Lanka in 2015, a victory that India registered in the Emerald Island after 22 years.

"Virat Kohli has been one of the finest captains to have ever led the Indian cricket team. His record and contribution towards the team as a leader has been second to none. To lead India in 40 Test wins is proof that he led the side with aplomb," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said.

"He led the team to some of its finest Test match wins in India and overseas – including Australia, England, West Indies, Sri Lanka and South Africa – and his efforts will inspire the fellow and upcoming cricketers who aspire to represent the country.

"We wish Virat the best for the future and hope that he will continue to make memorable contributions on the field for the Indian team." Under Kohli's leadership, India also registered their first Test series win in Australia in 2018, clinched series in the West Indies, attained the No.1 spot in Test rankings and later in the subsequent years marched into the maiden ICC World Test Championship Final in 2021.

Kohli also holds the impeccable record of winning 24 out of the 31 Tests played at home as captain, having lost only two Tests.

"A cricketer like Virat comes once in a generation and Indian cricket is fortunate to have him serve the team as a leader," said BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla.

"He captained the side with passion and aggression and played a pivotal part in many of India’s memorable wins at home and abroad. We wish him the best for his career ahead." While Kohli is India's most successful Test skipper, MS Dhoni is second in the list with 27 victories in 60 games and Ganguly comes third with 21 wins.

Kohli also ranks fourth in the list of most victories as Test captain behind South Africa's Graeme Smith (53) and Australian duo of Ricky Ponting (48) and Steve Waugh (41).

"With his never-say-die attitude, Virat gave his all to the side as leader and his fabulous record as a captain speaks for that. From the moment he became India’s Test captain, he made sure that India always strives for excellence and dominates world cricket," said Arun Singh Dhumal, BCCI Treasurer.

"While Virat – the batsman – remained a powerhouse, Virat – the captain – did not leave any stone unturned, powering the team to some of its finest performances across the globe. I wish him all the very best for the future." It is expected that Rohit Sharma will now lead India in Tests apart from captaining the side the white-ball games. 

Also Read : U19 World Cup: UAE, Ireland and Zimbabwe open campaign with comfortable wins

News Source : PTI

Basseterre, Jan 16 (Cricket News) Skipper Mihir Patel scored a combative 96 but his innings went in vain as Canada were handed a 49-run defeat by UAE in their opening Group A clash of the U-19 World Cup here.

Opting to bat, UAE rode on Punya Mehra (71) and Ali Naseer's (73) knocks to reach 284 for seven in their designated 50 overs. Their bowlers then performed as a cohesive unit to bowl out Canada for 235 in 46.5 over to open their campaign with a win on Saturday.

Naseer's destructive 73 off just 50 balls did the maximum damage for Alishan Sharafu's side after Mehra's well-judged 71 had put the wheels in motion for a strong first innings total.

The Canadians had UAE reeling at 47 for 3 but Mehra, Nilansh Keswani (39) and Sharafu (37) helped them recover to 174 for five.

And then came all-rounder Naseer's late innings pyrotechnics, as his brutal knock – at a strike rate of 146 – catapulted his team to a sizeable total.

Patel’s Canada rallied with the captain leading from the front as his fine innings of 96 off 105 balls kept them continually in contention.

Wicketkeeper Anoop Chima (46) and lower-order batter Kairav Sharma (43) also offered resistance but two wickets each for Keswani, Sharafu, Adhitya Shetty and Jash Giyanani helped bowl Canada out for 235 to complete a hard-fought 49-run victory.

Cox catapults Ireland to comfortable win over Uganda ================================= Wicketkeeper Joshua Cox scored a well-timed century before spinner Matthew Humphreys spun a web around Uganda as Ireland registered a 39-run win in the second match of the day.

After arriving at the crease with the score at 40 for two, Cox compiled a superb 111 not out off 113 balls to haul his team up to a total of 236 for nine.

Two wickets apiece for Juma Miyaji (2/56), Pascal Murungi (2/44), Joseph Baguma (2/34) and Matthew Musinguzi (2/35) sought to reel the Irish in but ably assisted by Philippus le Roux (32), Cox put his team in a commanding position at the interval.

Ugandan captain Murungi offered the underdogs a consistent glimmer of hope in the run chase but his knock of 63, bolstered by bowler Miyaji's blockbuster 38 at No.9, proved insufficient in causing a Group B upset.

Left-arm spinner Humphreys – who opened the bowling for Ireland – starred with the ball for Tim Tector's team as his four wickets for just 25 runs helped halt the Ugandan momentum and cap a 39-run triumph.

Zimbabwe thrash Papua New Guinea by 228 runs ============================== In another match, Zimbabwe’s firepower proved too much for Papua New Guinea as the former galloped to a massive 228-run victory in their Group C clash.

Opting to bat first, skipper Emmanuel Bawa (100) scored a superb century while David Bennett played a 58-run knock.

The Zimbabweans racked up a formidable total of 321 for nine from their 50 overs before a polished all-round bowling performance bundled out Papua New Guinea for 93 to complete a comprehensive 228-run victory in Port of Spain.

Papua New Guinea bowler Junior Morea dismissed opener Steven Saul early on but after Bawa entered the fray at 15 for one, he never looked back as his majestic hundred – off just 95 balls – helped haul his team to a match-winning score.

Bawa and Bennett compiled a century stand for the third wicket while opening batter and wicketkeeper Panashe Taruvinga (36), along with Victor Chirwa and Connor Mitchell – who both scored 35 – also made contributions.

Barnabas Maha’s team never got going in response, with no batter mustering more than 15 runs as the wickets were shared equally among the Zimbabwean attack.

Ngenyasha Zvinoera, Brian Bennett and Victor Chirwa -- all took two scalps apiece as Bawa’s side bowled the underdogs out with 15 overs remaining to crank up for Monday's clash with Pakistan in perfect fashion.

Also Read : His decision is personal, BCCI respects it: Ganguly

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 16 (Cricket News) BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has lauded Virat Kohli for taking the team forward in all forms of cricket during his stint as India skipper but said his decision to quit Test captaincy was a personal one.

Kohli on Saturday ended his seven-year reign as India's most successful Test captain, a day after an unexpected 1-2 series loss against South Africa.

Under Kohli, India won 40 out of 68 Tests with memorable series wins in England and Australia being the highlight.

"Under Virat's leadership Indian cricket has made rapid strides in all formats of the game ..his decision is a personal one and bcci respects it immensely ..he will be an important member to take this team to newer heights in the future. A great player. well done .. @BCCI @imVkohli," Ganguly tweeted.

While Kohli is India's most successful Test skipper, MS Dhoni is second in the list with 27 victories in 60 games and Ganguly comes third with 21 wins.

Kohli also ranks fourth in the list of most victories as Test captain behind South Africa's Graeme Smith (53) and Australian duo of Ricky Ponting (48) and Steve Waugh (41).

Kohli, who was given the reins of the Test side back in 2014 when Dhoni stepped down in the middle of the series against Australia, made the announcement in the backdrop of his tense relations with the BCCI which removed him as ODI captain after the star batter himself decided to leave T20 captaincy.

A massive controversy had erupted when BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and chief selector contradicted Kohli's claims that that he was not asked to stay back as T20 captain. 

Also Read : U19 WC: India beat South Africa by 45 runs; start campaign on winning note

News Source : PTI

Georgetown, Jan 16 (Cricket News) Four-time champions India dished out a clinical show to start their U-19 World Cup campaign on a winning note, thrashing South Africa by 45 runs here.

Put in to bat at the Providence stadium on Saturday, India rode on skipper Yash Dhull's responsible 82 to post a fighting 232 allout and then bundled out the opposition for 187, with left-arm spinner Vicky Ostwal (5/28) and pacer Raj Bawa (4/47) doing bulk of the damage.

Chasing 233, South Africa colts lost opener Ethan John Cunningham (0) in the first over as he was trapped in front by pacer Rajvardhan Hangargekar (1/38).

But Valintine Kitime (25) and Dewald Brevis (65), who idolizes AB de Villiers, then rallied the innings with a 58-run stand.

The duo played patiently and hit the loose balls away as South Africa cantered to 38 for 1 after 10 overs.

Kitime then took on left-arm medium pacer Ravi Kumar (0/30) in the 10th over, hitting him for a boundary and a six as South Africa amassed 10 runs off it.

Brevis and Kitime then hammered Bawa, amassing 17 runs of the 11th over. But Ostwal broke the stand after removing Kitime, who edged to stumper Dinesh Bana in the 12th over.

It soon became 83 for 3 as Ostwal struck again, this time dismissing GJ Maree (8), who was caught by Bana in the 21st over.

Thereafter, India did not allow any other South African batter to settle down. Bawa sent back a well-set Brevis, who was caught by rival skipper Dhull in the 36th over and that triggered a collapse for the rainbow nation.

Skipper George Van Heerden (36) tried to take the game deep but he was devoid of partners as Bawa and Ostwal wrecked havoc on the middle and lower order.

The South African innings eventually folded in 45.4 overs.

Earlier, Dhull helped India recover from a poor start and his knock laid the cornerstone of India's fighting total.

The start of play was delayed by around 40 minutes due to rain and amid the prevailing conditions, South Africa decided to put India in to bat.

Left-arm pacer Aphiwe Mnyanda rocked the Indian top-order by trapping in-form opener Harnoor Singh (1) and his partner Angriksh Raghuvanshi (5) in front of the stumps.

Left-handed Harnoor, who was India's leading run getter in the Asia Cup and scored a century in the warm-up game against Australia here, fell to a ball that nipped back in. Raghuvanshi played around Mnyanda's inswinger and was plumb in front, leaving India for 11 for two.

With India in trouble, skipper Dhull and Shaik Rasheed (31) got together to resurrect the innings. They shared a 71-run stand before Rasheed missed a sweep shot off left-arm spinner Liam Alder to be adjudged LBW.

Rasheed, who was dropped on 17 at second slip off Andile Simelane, played some impressive strokes in his 54-ball knock, including an aerial pull and an on drive off pacer Matthew Boast to break the shackles.

Delhi batter Dhull then shared a 44-run stand with Nishant Sindhu (25) to take the innings forward. The skipper ended up with 11 fours and it took a brilliant direct hit from Simelane to dismiss him.

Kaushal Tamble added 35 valuable runs towards the end of the innings to take the team past 200.

Boast was quick to clean up the lower-order, removing Tambe and Rajvardhan Hangargekar in successive deliveries as India were all out in 46.5 overs.

The Dhull-led side, who have also won the Asia Cup, will now take on Ireland on Wednesday.

Brief Scores: India U19: 232 allout in 46.5 overs (Yash Dhull 82, Kaushal Tambe 35; Matthew Boast 3/40) beat South Africa U19 187 allout in 45.4 overs (Dewald Brevis 65, George Van Heerden 36; Vicky Ostwal 5/28) by 45 runs. 

Also Read : Alone and cornered, Kohli had no option but to quit Test captaincy; Rohit Sharma set to be Test captain

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 15 (Cricket News) Virat Kohli wasn't pushed but he decided to jump.

It was a twitter message on September 16 when he informed the world about his decision to quit T20 captaincy, keen to focus all his energies on Test cricket and ODI format keeping the 2023 World Cup in mind.

Exactly, one day short of four months, the 33-year-old has now joined the list of former India captains, having announced his decision of stepping down for the second time, this time from the traditional format.

In between, he was sacked from the 50-over format, much to his dismay and from there started his "Journey to the Centre of Earth" from the "Top of the World", where he spent at least six and half year of his seven-year captaincy tenure.

Rohit Sharma set to be new Test captain ========================= Rohit Sharma was the designated Test vice-captain for the tour of South Africa and there won't be any change to that hierarchy that BCCI has set in place. By natural progression, if all goes well and he is fit, Rohit Sharma will be leading India in Test match cricket with KL Rahul being his deputy.

The home series against Sri Lanka will be first assignment for Rohit. However with two World Cups in two years and so much of cricket, Rahul could be seen leading the team from time to time as and when Rohit takes a break as a part of workload management.

Where did it go wrong for Virat? =================== His relations with the BCCI having reached its lowest ebb, it can be safely concluded that Kohli has "retired hurt", the decision only accentuated by a shock defeat against the weakest South African Test side in recent times.

If BCCI sources are to be believed, there has been no prior discussions with any of the top brass as he had burnt his bridges in the pre-departure press conference that became his undoing.

It was his and his decision alone. The establishment for once had no inclination to stop him from stepping down. However before putting out a formal statement, he had informed the BCCI biggies that he is tired.

Rahul Dravid is creating a succession plan and the roadmap ahead. This team has moved beyond Virat Kohli - The Leader. It will now only be about Virat Kohli-The Batter.

So it wasn't surprising at all when BCCI secretary Jay Shah congratulated Kohli on his decision, which was in one way, an immediate acceptance of his resignation.

"Congratulations to imVkohli on a tremendous tenure as TeamIndia captain. Virat turned the team into a ruthless fit unit that performed admirably both in India and away. The Test wins in Australia & England have been special," Shah tweeted.

The series defeat and lack of runs have also pushed him to a corner and with all his support system in and outside the team gone, one of the world's finest batters had lost the zeal.

But how did it happen? Here's the back story.

Quitting T20 captaincy and an insinuation ========================= When Kohli had decided to quit T20 captaincy, just prior to that, he had a meeting with BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, secretary Jay Shah, five selectors. Even Rohit Sharma was present in that meeting.

Kohli referred to this "very meeting" where he had expressed his desire to quit T20 captaincy and which he said was accepted well by everyone.

And this is the same meeting which Ganguly had referred to when he said that he had requested Kohli to stay back as captain.

In between what no one spoke about was how Kohli had come with a proposal of having KL Rahul as his deputy in ODIs while Rohit remained captain in only T20 format.

That proposal was immediately shot down as it would have meant Rohit would have missed the ODI captaincy despite being a deserving candidate for the job.

In this back-drop, Kohli had miscalculated one aspect. He never expected that the BCCI would sack him from ODI captaincy on the pretext of "too much leadership".

Someone who has played all his cricket under MS Dhoni, a man who has lived and left on his own terms, Kohli found the sacking difficult to digest.

Not known to pull his punches, he made a calculated insinuation at BCCI president Ganguly, accusing the former stalwart of lying (without naming) that the fomer skipper had asked to him stay back as T20 captain till the World Cup. That was his first brush with the establishment.

Having ended with a bloody nose, BCCI waited and then unleashed its chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma to defend the establishment.

The former pacer on his part completely contradicted Kohli, making it a case of "your word versus mine".

Kohli wasn't a fool not to read the writing on the wall when he would have learnt that BCCI has thrown a counter-punch on a 31st night when the team was celebrating.

He knew that he needed to win the Test series in order to hold his ground.

Respect for batter but for captain? ===================== Ask any of his teammates, Virat Kohli the batter has the highest respect for his heady achievements and the manic consistency but there was a point between 2017-19 when Committee of Administrators was in power and the Indian skipper with coach Ravi Shastri by his side had the carte blanche as far as his team building was concerned.

Yes, there were whsipers of "lack of communication," players at times "didn't feel secure enough" and those who were struggling for form weren't given "an arm of assurance".

Somehow, the batter Kohli earned a lot of respect but leader Kohli stood in a 'Lonely Planet' and unlike an Imran Khan, who had complete devotion from his team, Kohli perhaps found himself in a tight corner.

When Jasprit Bumrah on the second day's end was asked how much has been captain Virat Kohli's hand in his development, the pacer had replied: "A bowler's development also depends on his own hard work". A simple line but said a lot.

Microphone chatter and jaded final press meet ============================ Virat Kohli won't be seen in a press meet for the Indian team in near future. That's a certainty. He looked jaded, tired and spent on Friday when he came for the media interaction.

The answer to a very valid and pointed question on losing focus due to unnecessary stump-mic chatter was a more a gibberish one where he only knew what he was trying to explain.

In his farewell note, there wasn't any thank you note for Rahul Dravid, which he had reserved for Ravi Shastri. Perhaps, he hadn't struck that chord yet.

All captains have a shelf life and better placed are those who judge earlier that it's time to leave. Kohli judged it but only after damage was done. 

Also Read : South Africa ask India to bat in U-19 World Cup

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 15 (Cricket News) Virat Kohli's unexpected decision to quit Test captaincy stunned the cricketing world, which lauded the Indian star batter for taking his team to new heights.

Kohli ended his seven-year reign as India's most successful Test captain with memorable series wins in England and Australia being the highlight. "Although I also am shocked by @imVkohli sudden decision, I respect his call. I can only applaud him for what he has done for world cricket & India. Easily one of the most aggressive and fittest players India has had. Hope he'd continue to shine for India as a player," tweeted former teammate Suresh Raina.

Kohli took India to the top of world rankings and made them a formidable force in all conditions.

"When Virat took over as Test captain, India winning a test overseas was an achievement, now if India lose an overseas test series it is an upset. And that's how far he has taken Indian cricket forward, and that will be his legacy. Congratulations on successful reign," wrote former India opener Wasim Jaffer.

The great Virender Sehwag wrote: Many Congratulations #ViratKohli on an outstanding career as India's Test Captain. Stats don't lie & he was not only the most successful Indian Test Captain but one of the most successful in the world. Can be very proud @imVkohli & looking forward to watch u dominate with the bat." "It’s always an honour to lead the dynamic Indian team. And the decision to step down is an emotional heavy moment. A journey well travelled," added former India skipper Mohamad Azharuddin. Former India pacer Irfan Pathan wrote: "Whenever the talk of Indian cricket captains will arise in test cricket @imVkohli's name will be up there,not only for results but the kind of impact he had as a captain. Thank you #ViratKohli." 

Also Read : South Africa ask India to bat in U-19 World Cup

News Source : PTI

Georgetown (Guyana), Jan 15 (Cricket News) South Africa skipper George Van Heerden won the toss and opted to field against India in the U-19 World Cup here on Saturday.

The start of the match was delayed by around 40 minutes due to rain.

Teams: South Africa U19: Ethan John Cunningham, Valintine Kitime, Dewald Brevis, GJ Maree, George Van Heerden(c), Andile Simelane, Kaden Solomons(w), Mickey Copeland, Matthew Boast, Liam Alder, Aphiwe Mnyanda.

India U19: Harnoor Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shaik Rasheed, Yash Dhull(c), Nishant Sindhu, Raj Bawa, Kaushal Tambe, Dinesh Bana(w), Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Vicky Ostwal, Ravi Kumar. 

Also Read : Virat Kohli steps down as Test captain after unexpected defeat against South Africa

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 15 (Cricket News) Virat Kohli on Saturday dropped a bombshell by quitting Test captaincy following the unexpected series defeat against South Africa.

Kohli was appointed Test captain back in 2014 when M S Dhoni stepped down in the middle of the series against Australia.

"Every thing has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it's now. There have been many ups and also some downs along the journey but there has never been lack of effort or lack of belief," Kohli wrote in a statement which he posted on Twitter, taking everyone by surprise. His shock announcement came a day after India lost the Test series in South Africa 1-2.

Kohli led India to the top of world rankings and during his tenure, the team recorded a memorable series win in Australia.

The 33-year old had recently quit as T20 captain and was later sacked at ODI captain by the BCCI. 

Also Read : England get late wickets to stay in the game after another batting collapse

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Day 2 of the 5th and final Ashes Test match started with Australia batting in the 1st innings on 245/6 with Mitchell Starc and Alex Carey at the crease. The day started half an hour early due to rain interruption yesterday. 

Mark Wood picked up the wickets of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc early on. Chris Woakes dismissed Alex Carey. Nathan Lyon came in and swung his arms around as he scored 31 runs off 27 balls hitting 1 four and 3 sixes. Stuart Broad finally bowled him as the Australian innings came to an end with 303 runs on the board. Rory Burns who came back into the side after sitting out the last two Tests was run-out without scoring a single run. The wrong call was given by his batting partner Zak Crawley but Burns didn't even bother to dive. Bruns and Malan both were out after edging the ball but the umpire didn't give it out and the Aussies decided not to review it. 

Pat Cummins picked up the wicket of Zak Crawley. The Australia captain then came back and bowled a fiery spell in which he picked up the wickets of Joe Root and Dawid Malan who were building a partnership. Lyon took a stunning catch off Mitchell Starc's bowling to dismiss Ben Stokes as England were in deep trouble on 88/5. Scott Boland joined the party as he dismissed Ollie Pope. He then produced the edge of Chris Woakes twice but the catches were dropped by David Warner and Usman Khawaja. Sam Billings and Woakes added 42 valuable runs before Cameron Green. Starc was brought back into the attack and he got rid of Woakes and Broad while Cummins cleaned up Mark Wood. England were bowled out for 188.

Warner and Khawaja walked out to bat with a lead of 115 runs. Warner just like the first innings was dismissed for a duck this time by Broad. Woakes got rid of Marnus Labuschagne shortly after while Mark Wood's brutal bouncer got the wicket of Khawaja. Scott Boland came in as night watchman and showed great resilience to survive. Australia ended the day on 37/3 with a lead of 152 runs.

Also read: 3 Takeaways from India's Test series loss in South Africa

New Delhi, Jan 15 (Cricket News) The World Cup-bound Indian women's cricket team will assemble in Mumbai on Sunday for a week of quarantine before its travel to New Zealand.

The players had gathered in Dehradun recently for team bonding and youngsters in the team were also assigned tasks to develop leadership skills.

The 15-squad members and three reserves have now been asked to report to Mumbai where they will isolate for a week. The team is expected to depart for New Zealand on January 24 and the players will have to undergo another quarantine upon arrival.

India play a five-match series and one off T20 against hosts New Zealand beginning February 11 before the ODI World Cup in March-April.

The team management wanted a week long training camp before departure but it could not be arrange due to rising COVID-19 cases across the country.

India reached the final of the 2017 edition giving a massive boost to women's cricket in the country. The Mithali Raj-led squad is expected to go all the way this time.

Seasoned names like Shikha Pandey, Jemimah Rodrigues and Punam Raut were dropped from the World Cup squad, triggering a controversy. 

Also Read : Shubman Gill likely to be middle-order enforcer, Vihari and Iyer to fight for other slot

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 15 (Cricket News) The supremely-talented Punjab batter Shubman Gill will lend solidity to the Indian middle-order when a major reshuffle is expected to force struggling Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane out of the Test team.

The reshuffle is likely to happen in the wake of India's shock 1-2 defeat against an unfancied South Africa.

India's next Test assignment is a two-match series against Sri Lanka, starting February 25 in Bengaluru and at least two middle-order slots will be up for grabs.

Rohit Sharma is expected to be fit for that Test series and will take up his opening slot alongside KL Rahul.

Gill has mostly played as an opener but once he recovers from his shin injury and makes himself available, it is expected that both team management and the selectors will pick him as a specialist middle-order batter.

Pujara and Rahane's exit from the national side is certain. They can only save their places if coach Rahul Dravid puts his foot down and asks the selection committee to give the out-of-form duo one last chance.

But if that happens, it is understandably going to cause a lot of heartburn to all the deserving youngsters, who might feel severely let-down for not getting the break at the right moment in their respective careers.

"I think both Pujara and Rahane will be dropped from the team for the Sri Lanka series. Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari will both play," Sunil Gavaskar said while commentating on India-South Africa series.

"We'll have to see who plays at number three. Hanuma Vihari may take Pujara's place and Shreyas Iyer could be number five in place of Rahane, but we will have to see. Nevertheless, I think there will certainly be two spots up for grabs against Sri Lanka," Gavaskar was also heard saying.

However team management's school of thought might just be divergent from the legendary former India opener.

With Rahane and Pujara bringing in the same type of game into play during past two years, where it was more about self preservation and less about keeping the scoreboard ticking (save the second innings at Wanderers), the Indian team will need a free-flowing batter in that middle-order, who has the ability to take the game away in one session.

In terms of skills, technique, temperament, Gill is the solution to the problem. In fact, had KL Rahul not opted out of New Zealand home series due to niggle and fatigue, Gill would have played in the middle-order.

If Gill plays at number five, he can exploit the conditions when the ball becomes old and the attack is tired. Also, he has the range to take on the bowlers when the second new ball will be in operation.

Two way battle between Vihari-Iyer ====================== The trickier choice is for the other middle-order slot where Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari will be locked in an intense battle. Both have been impressive -- Iyer in his short two-match career and Vihari giving his all in one overseas Test he has competed in.

Vihari is a defensive player, who brings in technical solidity and a sense of calm which is a pre-requisite in Test cricket, especially as the conditions and flow of the game keep changing.

It makes him a good choice for number three as Pujara's replacement but if positive intent and x-factor is considered, Iyer is certainly a far better choice.

However the jury is still out on one aspect of Iyer's batting which the selectors as well head coach Rahul Dravid will be keenly assessing -- the Mumbaikar's ability to handle short balls.

Any chance of comeback for Pujara-Rahane =========================== In Indian cricket, you can never say never. Both are 33 years old and perhaps need to go back to the drawing board and revisit what they have been doing wrong.

The problem with professional cricketers is that if a technical flaw crops up in midst of a series, rectifying it is tough and they just work their way around that flaw.

It's a kind of temporary option but with no dedicated off-seasons like what players of yesteryears enjoyed, probably a break from the national team will give them enough time to work on their flaws and comeback stronger.

It would have been great had the Ranji Trophy not been put on hold once again as it would have given them quality match practice and ability to correct mistakes in live game situation which is always the best option.

If not, they might play for English county but to be fair, county stint during the earlier phase wasn't of great help to either Pujara or Rahane.

Therefore, it doesn't look too bright for the duo as some serious talent is waiting in the wings. 

Also Read : Sri Lanka to start 2022 season against Zimbabwe in three match ODI series

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) - After a  long hiatus, Zimbabwe will be playing against Sri Lanka in a three match ODI series. Sri Lanka is back in action after a month, all the three matches will be held in Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Zimbabwe is heading with a handful of experienced batters who can overthrow the young hosts but in the bowling unit the team in red falls behind. The pitch is bowler friendly but can throw in surprises.

Craig Ervine, the captain of the Zimbabwe team is set to play his 100th match in the 50 over format. Ervine was the second highest run scorer in the series against Ireland with two half centuries in three matches, the team will be needing the captain to take the lead again as they will be up against a tougher bowling attack. Sean Williams, the most senior side on the player is also expected to guide the team with the bat and ball. Sean is 5 runs away from becoming the 7th player from his side to score more than 4000 runs in ODI’s.

Among the bowlers for the team in red, Blessing Muzarabani will be leading the bowling attack alongside another pacer Richard Ngarava. Even though both don't have much experience they can be a cause of concern with their pace and are backed up by experienced team mates. Tendai Chatara, one of the fastest bowlers in the team is 4 wickets away from being the 6th bowler to take 100 wickets in the format.

Sri Lanka team is also building up their pace numbers with the entry of three uncapped players in the squad. Nuwan Pradeep and Dushmantha Chameera will be the forefront of speedsters in the team and have the advantage of playing at home. Spinner Praveen Jayawickrama had a splendid debut in Tests for the team last year and now he will need to strike in this format as he has played 5 ODI so far.

The hosts have batters who can bring a few twists and turns in the plot. Charith Asalanka is having a good run since making his debut last year with three half centuries in 8 matches, the left hander can set the tone in the first few overs for the team. Dinesh Chandimal is also a handy top order batter who has had 5 years of experience playing at this level and can form a steady partnership with Kusal Mendis. The first one day is scheduled to start tomorrow as the players complete their pandemic protocols.

Also read: Ireland U19 captain Tim Tector shares his views before the start of the World Cup

(Cricket news) With Ireland’s U19 team set to face Uganda at the ICC Under-19s Men’s Cricket World Cup today, captain Tim Tector speaks about the difficult qualification campaign, defeating arch-rivals Scotland in back-to-back matches and playing the four match warm up series against Zimbabwe. The 18 year old emphasized that despite the 3-1 defeat in the warm up series, the team is acclimatizing to the conditions well ahead of the World Cup.

Speaking from the team hotel in Georgetown, Tector said: “It’s certainly a privilege to captain Ireland at this Under-19s World Cup. It’s definitely a strange feeling being the third brother to play for our country - knowing that Jack and Harry have already been on this journey. And for all three of us to captain is even harder to get your head around, but I know that we are all extremely honoured to have captained our country at this level, and our parents are very proud of us all.

“Having two older brothers who have been there and done it does help, and I know I can seek their advice about issues or concerns. I was actually fortunate to travel out to see Harry captain at the Under-19s World Cup in New Zealand in 2018, so it was great to experience a World Cup from outside the ropes and see how all the teams go about their business. Jack played in Bangladesh in 2016, and they played India on TV as well, so he just told me a few things about playing a game of that calibre and how his side went about that game.

“We often talk about cricket together - whether it’s around the dinner table, in the car or even on the golf course there is always cricket spoken about. It’s not one of those things that needs to be forced, as it’s something that we all love, so it’s just something that is in our daily conversations.”

About the tournament, Tector said: “I’ve been lucky enough to captain Ireland right through the levels starting from Under-13 to now at Under-19, and the squad hasn’t changed a huge amount - so we are lucky in the sense that everyone knows each other very well and we all get along really well.

“The World Cup Group we are in is a challenging one. To get through to the Super 8’s means we have to beat Uganda, then either India or South Africa. That will be a tough ask but we’re here to compete, so we will go into these games as prepared as we can be.

“There’s no easy game in our group. Uganda are no different to us, in that we have both won our regional qualifier and have earned our spot in this World Cup. We’ll have to play well to beat them.

“Opportunities to play teams like India and South Africa don’t come around often so we have to make the most of them. We know that they are going to come at us hard so we have to be prepared for that.

“When talking about expectations, I don’t want to put in place one goal for the tournament, and then if we don’t achieve that then our campaign goes down as failure. I would rather us, as a team, play the best cricket that we can play, and if we do that then we hopefully will get the rewards that we deserve.”

Ireland Under-19s played two official warm-up matches this week – a loss to Sri Lanka and a win over Scotland – and will now meet Uganda at 9am (local time) or 1pm (GMT) tomorrow at the Everest Cricket Club in Guyana.

Also read: 3 Takeaways from India's Test series loss in South Africa

Ireland Under-19s Group Stage fixtures are:

15 January: Ireland Under-19s v Uganda Under-19s (Everest Cricket Club, Guyana)
19 January: Ireland Under-19s v India Under-19s (Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago)
21 January: Ireland Under-19s v South Africa Under-19s (Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago)

The Squad

The core World Cup squad consists of 15 players, while one travelling reserve and two non-travelling reserves have also been named in line with Covid-19 protocols.

The Ireland Under-19s Men’s squad is:

Tim Tector (captain) (YMCA), Diarmuid Burke (Malahide), Joshua Cox (Paul Roos Gymnasium), Jack Dickson (Instonians), Liam Doherty (St. Andrew’s School), Jamie Forbes (YMCA), Daniel Forkin (Merrion), Matthew Humphreys (Lisburn), Philippe le Roux (Railway Union), Scott Macbeth (St. Johnston), Nathan McGuire (Rush), Muzamil Sherzad (North Kildare), David Vincent (Clontarf), Luke Whelan (North County), Reuben Wilson (YMCA).

Travelling reserve: Robbie Millar (Eglinton)

Non-travelling reserves: Ryan Hunter (CSNI), Ewan Wilson (Muckamore)

The coach and support staff are:

Peter Johnston (Head Coach), Beth Healy (Team Manager), Jay Shelat (Performance Analyst), Darren Nicol (Physiotherapist), Simon Johnston (Assistant Coach), Albert van der Merwe (Assistant Coach).

The concept of sports has existed in the world since centuries. Over the years, it has kept evolving and today is a major part of our lives. As defined, sports entails engaging physical and mental abilities for competitive or casual endeavor. Sporting activities help in improving emotional, physical and mental quotient. Any sporting activity performed either alone or in front of the crowd, offers entertainment.  

It has also been found to be a wonderful way to make friendships. In fact, it has been proven that participating in high school athletics gives long-lasting, definitive benefits, especially when athletic leaders create an environment that challenges and rewards the growth mindset.

There are various forms of sports – from individual, groups or those requiring two participants. Classic examples include cricket, hockey, football, basketball, polo and so many more. Going beyond just the physical aspect, several competitive, but non-physical, activities claim recognition as mind sports such as chess and bridge. 

At Orphicy our focus is on a 360-degree learning template wherein equivalent weightage is given to extra-curricular activities, personality development and sports. Engaging in any sport helps in building a strong and focused mindset; two qualities needed to develop competitive spirit. 

By playing sports you are exposed to team building activities that give a better understanding of player strengths and the overall team dynamic. You end up developing trust, learn to respect one another, challenge each other to the highest standards, commit to doing your best, hold each other accountable, focus on the bigger picture and share the same vision or goals with the whole team. Sports builds robust personality that aid in performing all the tasks with perfection, ease and confidence. 

Successful teams in sports add a layer of rivalry not seen in other kinds of teams. This kind of competition pushes a person to test their limits and make the most of their potential that sets them up for success in other areas of life as well.

It is very popularly said that, “play is the highest form of research” and when a child in its formative years starts playing sports, it positively impacts personality and brain development.

A lot of studies have been conducted for centuries on how sports help in building resilience and strength. Like studies on athletics conducted in early years focusing on how they ushered in community pride by winning laurels. Collective or individual wins have fostered a sense of pride for the participant and his community at large. 

These studies progressed to explain how participation ushered in improvements in physical health, academic benchmarks and stress management. Today, there are numerous studies that focus on all types of participation benefits, when participants are supported in this way, they develop lifelong habits that transcend high school.

Of course, positive outcomes do not happen accidentally, and coaches play a huge role in athletes realizing the benefits of high school athletics. In many ways, coaches play the most significant role in setting the tone and standard of any sporting program.

In our dynamic, ever-changing, instant gratification environment, high school athletic contests are metaphorical classrooms that deliver eloquent learning for the students and athletes enrolling for them. Team building activities help build a critical foundation for students and the impact to the participants can be long-lasting and beneficial.

It is very rightly said that “talent may win games, but teamwork gets you the championship.” Teamwork and interacting with each other helps one learn that you have to benefit each other because you’d never be able to achieve anything individually. 

By being in a team or playing against one, you also get exposed to the advantages of being in a competition not just with others but with yourself as well. It is hard to find progress in a place where there is no competition. Sports gives you the ideal platform to compete and become the best version of yourself.

Also read: Our main goal is to make India an Asian powerhouse in basketball - Suresh Kumar Ranot, member of national selection committee

Athletics transform and improve after each game. They learn about their limitations, decisions and physical strength. These choices have an impact on the game, the team and themselves. This journey of self-discovery helps them to gauge their strength, weakness, and opportunities. 

These athletes also understand the kind of sacrifices they needed to make to accomplish a common goal, the kind of support they can give to teammates, and individually they need to modify their game and hold themselves responsible. The situations that athletes experience allows them to have an accurate understanding of goal setting and what they can attain as they move into the collegiate world and to professional sport.

Being in an athletic team also enables students to develop their empathetic skills, aiding them to understand themselves, the team, and others. At the start students may not have a clear understanding of how their participation will affect themselves or their team members. However, later they learn about themselves and even experiment in visualizing what they can attain. After which athletes have the potential to experience their perceived limitations and push past what they think they can accomplish.

In conclusion, by providing an atmosphere that encourages your children to engage in sports, you will set them to maintain great lifelong habits that will carry them closer to achieving success in all walks of life. Sports imbibes just the qualities required to create a perfect balance and break away from the chaos that surrounds us each day.

By Vipul Tyagi
CEO and Co-founder
EdTech Startup Orphicy

About the Author

Vipul Tyagi, CEO, and Co-founder of EdTech Startup Orphicy. An electronics and telecom engineer, Vipul co-founded Orphicy along with 3 academicians in 2020. The startup offers live online coaching for the school curriculum (Classes 5-10) and also helps students prepare for NTSE/ Olympiads and other competitive exams and has started enrollment for new sessions. The learning modules are designed with a holistic approach focusing on extracurricular activities along with academics. Orphicy is Vipul’s second entrepreneurial venture. His first business venture already rakes in revenues to the tune of 100 million INR.

(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

New Delhi, Jan 15 (Cricket News) India's seven-wicket loss to South Africa in the series-deciding third Test has cost them a top four spot as Virat Kohli and his men slipped to the fifth position in the World Test Championship standings.

India, the runners up of the inaugural edition of the WTC, are currently placed fifth in second cycle with a 49.07 percentage of points won (PCT), which is taken into account rather than the points earned.

India have played nine Tests in the second cycle of WTC, winning four, losing three and drawing two. They have 53 points, the highest among all teams so far.

After the second Test India were in fourth position with 55.21 PCT and South Africa were one slot behind with a PCT of 50.

But the win in the Newlands Test has helped South Africa (66.66 PCT) rise to the fourth spot.

Currently, Sri Lanka leads the standings with a 100 PCT followed by Australia (83.33) and Pakistan (75).

Reigning champions New Zealand, who drew a two-match series with Bangladesh at home earlier this week, are placed sixth with a PCT of 33.33. 

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

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 15 (Cricket News) South African skipper Dean Elgar said the DRS controversy offered them a "window" to have a go at the target with the Virat Kohli-led Indian team getting distracted by their on-field chatter during the series-deciding third Test.

The left-handed opener's LBW decision by umpire Marais Erasmus was overturned after HawkEye showed the ball trajectory going over the stumps.

It led to tempers fraying in the Indian camp with skipper Kohli along with his deputy KL Rahul and senior offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin mocking the South African broadcasters 'SuperSport" on stump microphone.

Chasing 212 in tough Newlands conditions, South Africa were 60 for one in the 21st over when Elgar got the reprieve but with the Indian camp busy with the DRS controversy the hosts went on to score 40 runs in the next eight overs.

"That obviously gave us a little bit of a window period, especially yesterday (Thursday) for us to score a little bit freer and obviously, chip away at the deficit that we needed or the target that we needed," Elgar said after their series-clinching seven-wicket win here on Friday.

"It worked out well in our hands, it played nicely into our hands. For a period of time, they actually forgot about the game and they were challenging a bit more of the emotional side of what Test cricket has to offer." Asked about the controversy, Elgar said: "Loved it. It was obviously maybe a team that was under a little bit of pressure and things weren't going the way which they obviously were quite used to of late.

"Yeah we're extremely happy. We still had to execute our skills with the bat (on day three and four) knowing that the wicket was playing a bit in the bowlers' favour and we needed to be extra disciplined out there and execute our basics." Guys woke up after 113-run defeat, and responded in style ======================================= South Africa had started the series with an embarrassing 113-run defeat in the Boxing Day Test at Centurion where they had never lost.

So Elgar took upon the responsibility to pull the team together with some "hard chats" with his teammates, who responded well.

"Losing the first game of a home Test series is never ideal. I think it's a South African trait that you always have to start slow and we almost have to be 0-1 down to actually wake up and realise that you know we were up against it and our backs against the wall and the guys responded beautifully to that." Asked about the change room conversations, the Proteas skipper said: "I think that ties into the conversations I had with the team prior to the second game. Guys taking responsibility and valuing their wicket a lot more. A few soft dismissals and lapses of concentration can hinder your series and ultimately that's what got us the loss in the first game." Elgar said he is "very happy that the guys responded well." "They responded to fulfil those roles, especially from a batting point of view. We needed guys to stand up from a character point of view, make a bit more of a conscious effort and be a lot more aware of the position that they have within the side, purely to bring the best out of the player.

"Ultimately bringing the best out of the player will obviously influence the environment. So yeah, I'm glad and very, very relieved and very, very thankful of the guys for responding the way they did.

"It's a proper squad effort, even the guys who didn't play stood up in the right occasions for us." After losing the first Test, it took a lot of character from South Africa to stage a comeback and Elgar showed the way with an unbeaten 96 to chase down 240 to level the series at Wanderers.

"The momentum is something that we gained from Wanderers. Another thing is confidence especially from our batters point of view. We haven't had a lot of that.

"But showing the guys that these guys are beatable. They're also human beings. We are human beings playing a bloody tough sport.

"You need to get that confidence within your setup. I'd say momentum and confidence is a big thing that we've gained out of the Wanderers victory," he said about their turnaround.

Thick-skinned captain, showing little emotions on camera ====================================== Leading an unheralded side, short on experience, against the world number one Indians, many had written off Elgar at the start of the series.

But he went about his role quietly to lead a remarkable coming-from-behind series win.

"I think my skin is pretty thick when it comes to on-field matters and matters that value the team in a big way." Talking about his learnings as a skipper, Elgar said: "I don't want to show my emotions too much on camera. So I think from that point of view, it's something that I've actually learned quite quickly.

"I haven't had a lot of time to actually sit down and bottle everything up. I think from a captaincy point of view it definitely helped me from being a little bit more calm with regards to not panicking too soon," he concluded. 

Also Read : Great world player in the making, reminds of Gundappa Viswanath: Shastri on Petersen

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 15 (Cricket News) Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has lavished rich praise on Keegan Petersen, saying the South African batter reminded him of the legendary Gundappa Viswanath.

Petersen proved to be a crucial member of the South African team that defeated India 2-1 in the just-concluded Test series.

The batter scored twin fifties in the third Test in Cape Town and was adjudged the Player of the Match as well as the Player of the Series.

"Keegan Peterson (KP). Excellent initials (@KP24). A great world player in the making. My childhood hero Gundappa Vishwanath comes to mind #SAvIND," Shastri tweeted.

Regarded as one of the best batters during his era, the right-handed Viswanath, who played 91 Tests and 25 ODIs for India, possessed supple wrists which he used to great effect in playing square cuts. The 28-year-old Petersen is also equally wristy.

Shastri also said 'KP' was a great initial, referring to the former England skipper Kevin Pietersen, one of the most captivating batters.

Petersen ended the three-match series with 276 runs in six innings, including three crucial half-centuries. 

Also Read : Australia bowl out hosts West Indies for 169 in U-19 World Cup opener

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Georgetown (Guyana), Jan 14 (Cricket News) A disciplined Australian bowling unit bundled out hosts West Indies for a paltry 169 after skipper Ackeem Auguste top-scored with a 67-ball 57 on the opening day of the U-19 World Cup here on Friday.

Opting to bat after winning the toss, the West Indies were off to a disastrous start as they found themselves reeling at 12 for three in the sixth over at the Providence Stadium, with pacer Tom Whitney and leg-spinner William Salzmann doing the damage.

Auguste joined wicketkeeper Rivaldo Clarke (37 off 42 balls) in the middle and the two stitched together a partnership of 95 runs for the fourth wicket, steadying the innings in the process.

However, the home team suffered another collapse following the dismissal of Clarke by Indian-origin spinner Nivethan Radhakrishnan (3/48) in the 22nd over.

Radhakrishnan struck two more blows, sending back Anderson Mahase and Johann Layne in quick succession to leave the West Indies at 131 for eight in only the 32nd over.

Cooper Connolly, who is leading the Australian team in the age-group tournament, too bagged three wickets including the significant one of Auguste, after which the hosts struggled to recover.

Opening the Australian bowling, Whitney too, returned impressive figures of 3/20 in 8.1 overs.

Batting at number nine, McKenny Clarke struck 29 off 35 balls, with the help of three sixes and two fours to stretch the innings and add some valuable runs to the West Indies total.

Brief scores: West Indies: 169 all out in 40.1 overs (Ackeem Auguste 57, McKenny Clarke 29; Tom Whitney 3/20, Nivethan Radhakrishnan 3/48, Cooper Connolly 3/17). 

Also Read : It will rank up there in history of Test cricket in South Africa: Boucher

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 14 (Cricket News) South Africa head coach Mark Boucher on Friday ranked the remarkable, come-from-behind 2-1 series win against World No. 1 India as one of the best in their history of Test cricket.

Trailing 0-1 after losing the Boxing Day opening Test at Centurion, the Dean Elgar-led side showed immense resilience to win back-to-back matches at the Wanderers and Newlands to upset the firm favourites.

"To put it into perspective we have lost three tosses. A lot of people, including some of the media, had written us off after day one of the first Test of the series," Boucher said at the post-match media interaction.

"So, to come back after losing the first Test badly and then to win the second Test and now win the third Test is pretty incredible.

"It will rank up there -- in top five must be. Where we've come from, the on-field and off-field stuff... It's good to get some good results.

"The way the whole Test series was played was hard fought, some good cricket, it must be up there with some of the best Test series to have played in South Africa." Will take a lot of confidence from this triumph ============================= Going into the series, the hosts were short on experience as they played their first Test in six months at Centurion. They played just six Tests under new captain Elgar as Australia opted not to travel for a four-match series last March.

Elgar started his journey with a 2-0 win over the West Indies before losing to India in the Boxing Day Test.

"It's certainly something that we can take a lot of confidence from. This team is on a mission, really. We've been through some tough times of late and they have driven in a way that is pretty special.

"I'm incredibly proud of where they come from in a short period of time and the results are starting to come through now which is fantastic.

"Our feet are firmly on the ground. We know that we're not the finished product. We've got goals ahead of us. So we will enjoy this win," Boucher said.

Going into the fourth day's play, South Africa started from 101 for two and finished the task with as many as seven wickets in hand.

"These guys deserve it. They've been through a lot together as a unit. So it's just nice to see that.

"It's a close knit group of guys. The World Cup was a massive disappointment, although we played some good cricket throughout.

"It is just something that was really needed in our dressing room to put the hard work in." Not surprised with the character shown ======================== In both the Tests, the inexperienced side under Elgar were set tricky targets of over 200 in bouncy conditions.

Elgar showed the way in Johannesburg, helping the side chase down 240 in a seven-wicket win.

Here, Keegan Petersen top-scored with 82 -- his third successive Test fifty -- as the hosts chased down the 212-run target.

"It doesn't surprise me because you got Dean as well who's that sort of character who leads from the front.

"You've got Temba (Bavuma) as the vice-captain who is the same fighter with that spirit in him, so you've got two leaders like that who the guys are going to follow.

"The guys stood up with regards to their own games as well." Boucher added, "To put these things into perspective about where this team is and where the Indian team is... They are probably the best team in world cricket Test-wise at the moment.

"They've gone over to England, beat England, beat Australia in Australia. So this is something that our boys won't take for granted." Loss for words for Keegan ================= For South Africa, Petersen and 21-year-old lanky left-arm pacer Marco Jansen were the finds of the series.

Heaping praise on the duo, Boucher said: "You get two youngsters who have just come into the side. Both of them deserve their little spotlights." Petersen, who was playing only his second series after a lacklustre debut against the West Indies in June, impressed with his solidity and composure at No. 3.

The 28-year-old scored three fifties in four innings and each time bettered his score to be adjudged Man of the Series. He was also the Man of the Match in their series-clinching win here.

"Keegan probably didn't start off as well in the West Indies as he would have liked. Then he didn't start off too well at the Supersport Park.

"But he's always shown signs of the player that we are seeing right now. He just stuck to his guns. He's in a good position to have a guy like Dean next to him. He (Dean) really backs him.

"He's a tough nut and batting at No. 3 in Test cricket, you have got to be tough, you got to know your game, technically you got to be sound as well. Hopefully he just gets better, better and better.

"It's a very tough position to play in South Africa in our conditions, batting at No. 3. The way that he's come through the series, I'm at a loss for words. In a big series, against big players and to get the Man of the Series, he fully deserved it," Boucher said of Petersen.

Found a superstar in Jansen ================== Uncapped left-arm seamer Jansen was a revelation and grew from strength to strength after an unimpressive debut in the Boxing Day Test.

"When you lose out a guy like Andre Nortje (hip injury), it was a big loss for us but then you get Marco coming to the side. We are really in a good space at the moment." "A lot of people questioned his selection in the first Test. He didn't start off too well and the media jumped on him a bit, which I thought was quite unfair," he said of Jansen.

"But we saw what he had in Pakistan. He was with us in the West Indies, and it was just a matter of time before he came through because we can see the skillset that he's got and the variation." Averaging a superb 16.47, Jansen finished with 19 wickets, behind their top wicket taker Kagiso Rabada (20).

"Now when we look at him and probably everyone's looking the same, what a find we've got, another addition to our bowling attack. He has a lot of cricket to learn. We find a superstar in him as well. He's only going to get better," he said.

We've turned the corner quite a while ago ========================== The head coach further went on to say that they have turned the corner after some forgettable performances in the recent past including a group-stage exit in the 2021 T20 World Cup.

"I believe that we've turned the corner quite a while ago. Our results have been pretty solid over the last six months to a year.

"We had the chance to try a few players. I think that's starting to come good now because we started to get a depth of cricketers that we can turn to," he signed off. 

Also Read : You probably have to speak to selectors what they've in mind: Kohli on Pujara and Rahane's future

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 14 (Football News) A crestfallen India captain Virat Kohli's defence of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane lacked conviction as he put the ball on selection committee's court with regards to the future of the two out-of-form senior batters.

Pujara and Rahane failed in five out of six knocks and haven't made any tangible contribution throughout the year, save a knock here and there, and after the shock 1-2 series defeat against South Africa, it seems to be all over for the veterans of 95 and 82 games respectively.

"I cannot sit here and talk about what's gonna happen in the future. That's not for me to sit here and discuss. You probably have to speak to the selectors, what they have in mind. This is not my job," a jaded Kohli said when asked what message is being given to younger players waiting in the wings to replace Rahane and Pujara.

With Pujara and Rahane being his log-time teammates -- the former in fact made his Test debut before him -- it was difficult for Kohli to walk down the treacherous slope where he had to admit that these two are now past their sell by date.

"As I have said before, I will say again, we will continue to back Cheteshwar and Ajinkya because of the kind of players they are, what they have done in Test cricket for India over the years, playing crucial knock in the second innings (in Johannesburg) as well. These are kind of performances we recognise as a team," the skipper said but, unlike other times when Kohli forcefully drove home a point, here the words seemed like mere afterthought.

And then it came with a rider.

"What the selectors decide to do, I obviously will not comment sitting here." Disappointed but no point harping on 'ifs' and 'buts' ================================ Kohli admitted that not being able to beat South Africa in South Africa is disappointing but he has never believed in 'what if' concepts.

"We are certainly very disappointed as it's natural part of sport, specially for a team that's so driven and believe we can win anywhere in the world. Having done that, it's even more disappointing not to get the result we wanted. That's part of sport. Accept and move on." But when pointed out that the two defeats doesn't really reflect the amount of fight India had put in, Kohli said: "That's part of sport. I can't say what would have happened if this would have happened or that would have happened. It's a fact that we lost 1-2, those balls didn't take edges and didn't come to slips..

"So ifs and buts have no place in sport as it such a beautiful thing that you play one moment at a time and when that moment passes away there's no point thinking about it as there are more and more moments that follow and you have to make sure that you stay in present and capitalise on all those moments individually." For Kohli, if they were meant to win, they would have won it.

"I won't look back at things that could have gone our way as if it had to go our way, it would have gone our way. I don't think there's any point focusing on it anymore." Pant's knock was a high quality one ====================== Rishabh Pant's hundred kept India in the third Test and the skipper had a special mention.

"It was a high quality knock. That's the talent he possesses and we understand the quality he has. He is special talent and can do special things." On ODIs, I can talk from player's point of view ============================= Even amidst all the disappointment, Kohli didn't lose his wry sense of humour as he reminded one and all that he is no longer the ODI captain when asked how will this series defeat affect the team morale in the upcoming three-match 50-over series.

"I can talk from a player's point of view," Kohli said and it wasn't difficult to understand what he meant.

"Driven and motivated to perform in ODI series. I don't think we will take this into ODIs." 

Also Read : Travis Head's quickfire ton rescues Aussie innings after minor collapse on day 1

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(Cricket news) England and Australia started the 4th and last Test of the Ashes tour at the Blundstone Arena. England captain Joe Root won the toss and put the Aussies into bat. England made four changes as Rory Burns, Ollie Pope, Sam Billings and Ollie Robinson came in for Haseeb Hameed, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow and Jack Leech. Australia on the other hand replaced Marcus Harris with Travis Head. 

The new Australian opening pair had a wobbly start as England bowlers were on fire. Ollie Robinson came through and got rid of David Warner in the 6th over for a duck which was Warner's first in a home Ashes series. Robinson then produced an edge off Marnus Labuschagne but the catch was dropped in the slips. Stuart Broad who had been bowling well finally got his reward as he dismissed Usman Khawaja on 6. Steve Smith was dismissed for a duck on his second ball by Robinson leaving Australia 3 down for just 12. Labuschagne and Travis Head began to counter attack and put runs on the board in quick succession. The pair played some very aggressive strokes including aerial ones which wasn't ideal given the situation but paid off.

Labuschagne was dismissed by Broad on 44 in bizarre fashion after he failed to judge the ball and left his stumps exposed, falling on the floor in the process. Travis Head scored his 2nd hundred of the series in just 113 balls hitting 12 boundaries in the process. After completing his ton he was dismissed off the very next ball after chipping Mark Wood's ball straight to Robinson. Cameron Green to very well made 74 consisting of 8 fours before getting out to Mark Wood. After 59.3 overs rain decided to spoil the party as stumps were called with Australia on 241/6.

Also read: South Africa win Cape Town Test to clinch series 2-1 in grand fashion

Cape Town, Jan 14 (Cricket News) There is "no running away" from India's batting collapses every now and then, captain Virat Kohli said on Friday after his team squandered a 1-0 lead and a golden opportunity to script a maiden Test series win in South Africa.

Besides the batters' failures, Kohli listed inconsistency, lack of application, lapse in concentration and their inability to seize the crunch moments as reasons for the team's loss in the three-match rubber. The hosts prevailed 2-1.

"The batting has to be looked into, no running away from that. Having collapses every now and then not a good thing," Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony after South Africa emerged winners by seven wickets in the series-deciding third Test here.

"No excuses there. It's really disappointing for sure. We know how far we've come as a team. That people expect us to beat South Africa in South Africa is testimony to how far we've come. We haven't done it, that's the reality, accept it and come back as better cricketers." India won the series-opener in Centurion by 113 runs but surprisingly caved in against an inexperienced South African team in the remaining two matches, with their batters letting them down on more than one occasion.

Kohli though gave credit to his opponents for the manner in which they staged the turnaround, a day after losing his cool over a DRS decision.

"We had a great first game but South Africa did amazingly well. In both Tests they won, they were clinical with the ball in crunch moments. Lapse of concentration cost us key moments and they seized those moments; South Africa were absolutely deserving winners in the end." The star-studded Indian team thus failed to add to its incredible triumph in Australia last year, and Kohli attributed it to its inability to grab the key moments and capitalising on the momentum.

"As I said, one of the challenges we've faced touring abroad is make sure capitalising on momentum, when we've done that we've won Tests away from home. When we haven't, they've cost us quite bad." Speaking about the areas that require immediate attention and where they lost out to the Proteas, Kohli said, "Have had a few collapses that have cost us important moments and Test matches. It's batting; can't pin-point any other aspect.

"People talk about pace and bounce, considering their heights, they were able to get much more off the wickets in all three Tests. They applied pressure long enough for us to make mistakes. It's the understanding of conditions for them which they know very well." Kohli was impressed by KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant's centuries, counting them as the positives from the series.

I threw down the challenge after first game and guys responded: Elgar =========================================== South Africa captain Dean Elgar said his squad didn't give up despite losing the first Test by a big margin.

"I think it will sink in in a day or two, maybe this evening. Couldn't be prouder of the group. The guys responded brilliantly. After the first loss, had a lot of hope knowing we can still win this.

"I asked the players to respond in a better nature, better way and they responded brilliantly. Challenging your players within the group, need character to stand up." Elgar lavised praise on his inexperienced bowling attack that kept on asking tough questions of the Indian batters.

"The way our bowling unit delivered throughout the series is brilliant. I threw down the challenge after the first game and the guys responded brilliantly.

"It's unreal to see how a group that doesn't have the repertoire or names can gel together as one. If you want to operate at a high performance level, have to have tough chats. If guys don't like it, it's up to them to deal with.

"I've got an old-school mentality with new-school twist. Laid down challenges to senior players as well, great to see them take it on board and deliver. Would like to think I gave us the best message for us to go out and perform.

Also Read : South Africa beat India by seven wickets, win series 2-1

News Source : PTI

(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

Cape Town, Jan 14 (Cricket News) South Africa beat India by seven wickets to win the third Test and secure the series 2-1.

Resuming the day 101 for two, South Africa go the job done in 63.3 overs with major contributions coming from Keegan Petersen (82), Rassie van der Dussen (41 not out) and Temba Bavuma (32 not out).

Petersen was the only one dismissed on the day as he played one on to his stumps off Shardul Thakur.

India had won the opening Test in Centurion by 113 runs before the hosts bounced back in Johannesburg with a seven wicket victory.

The contest was seen as India's best chance to win their maiden series in South Africa.

Brief Scores: India: 223 and 198 all out.

South Africa: 210 and 212/3 for 3 in 63.3 overs. (Keegan Petersen 82, Rassie van der Dussen 41 not out; M Shami 1/41, Jasprit Bumrah 1/54). 

Also Read : KKR rope in Bharat Arun as bowling coach

News Source : PTI

Kolkata, Jan 14 (Cricket News) Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun has now taken up the same role at Kolkata Knight Riders, the IPL franchise announced on Friday.

Making the announcement of his appointment, Venky Mysore, CEO & MD of KKR said, "We are very excited to have someone of the calibre of Bharat Arun joining us as our bowling coach. He will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to KKR's strong support staff. We are delighted to welcome him to the Knight Riders family." Arun was the bowling coach of the Indian team under Ravi Shastri until recently and worked alongside B Sridhar as the fielding coach.

As a player, he represented India in two Tests and four ODIs and was a successful domestic player for Tamil Nadu.

"I'm very excited and looking forward to becoming part of a highly successful franchise, such as the Knight Riders," Arun said in a statement.

"I have admired the Knight Riders franchise for not only being very successful in the IPL and around the world in T20 leagues but also for the way it is very professionally run." Arun started his coaching career with the Tamil Nadu domestic team and became the chief bowling coach at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.

He then took over as head coach of the India Under-19 squad and, under him, India won the U-19 World Cup in 2012 in Australia.

Arun will replace Kyle Mills in the KKR coaching setup under head coach Brendon McCullum.

"A warm welcome to B Arun to the KKR coaching staff. With a strong and successful pedigree in the international game, I'm sure Arun will complement the current staff we have and I look forward to working with him.

"His experience at international level and the ability to give confidence and clarity to our bowling group will be important, as we attempt to quickly align a new group of players to the values and style of play for KKR," McCullum said. 

Also Read : South Africa on course for series win against India

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 14 (Cricket News) South Africa were 171 for three at lunch on day four, chasing 212 in the third Test against India here on Friday.

Keegan Petersen (82) was the only batter dismissed in the session with Shardul Thakur being the successful bowler.

Temba Bavuma (12) and Rassie van der Dussen (22) were in the middle at the break with South Africa needing 41 runs for a famous series win.

South Africa had resumed the day at 101 for two.

The series is tied a 1-1.

Brief Scores: India: 223 and 198 all out in 67.3 overs.

South Africa: 210 and 171 for 3 in 55 overs. (Keegan Petersen 82, 0; M Shami 1/41, Jasprit Bumrah 1/54). 

Also Read : Ireland Men level ODI series against West Indies with five wicket victory

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The second one-day international at Sabina Park in Kingston saw Ireland level the ODI series 1-1 after a comfortable five wicket victory over the West Indies. The result came largely due to the heroics of Andy McBrine and Harry Tector at a cricket ground where the Irish fans have enjoyed many happy memories over the years.

McBrine’s bowling was inspiring as he claimed four wickets and scored 35 runs with the bat to help Ireland secure the win. Tector continued his red-hot form in the 50 over format, hitting his sixth ODI half-century in nine innings. His 54* was an almost perfect performance. It was evident that Ireland’s batters had learnt their lessons from the first ODI. Tector controlled the innings, coming to bat at 60-2 and showed great maturity in the way he played.

Ireland’s captain Andrew Balbirnie had been sidelined due to a COVID-19 infection and stand-in captain Paul Stirling won the toss and elected to bat. Stirling has already captained six T20 Internationals but it was the first time he was captaining an ODI match. Three early wickets fell with two of them being overturned on review after being given not out. Craig Young claimed 3-12 in his first 4 over spells and nicked off Shari Hope (17), Justin Greaves (10 and Nicholas Poorna (1).

After a steady 48 run stand between Shamarh Brooks and Royston Chase, Stirling took a spectacular catch off Chase from Andy McBrine’s delivery. In the last match, Ireland had West Indies at 62-4 but the hosts recovered to score 269 runs. The Irish team was adamant of not repeating history once again. Kieron Pollard could not replicate his 69 from the last match as off-spinner McBrine switched over-the-wicket and claimed Pollard for just 1 run. Pollard fell with the score on 93-5 and was followed by all-rounder Jason Holder who was nicked off Josh Little for three runs.

Stirling was then rewarded with Brooks’ wicket at 43 when he was trapped for LBW but Romario Shepherd (50 off 41 balls) and Odean Smith (49 off 19 balls) scored some late runs for a ninth wicket stand of 58 from 27 balls. The partnership carried West Indies beyond 200 and gave their side a good chance on a pitch that was looking good for batting. West Indies scored a total of 229 runs with a mammoth 27 wides contributing to the score line. McBrine’s 4-29 was his second-best bowling figures in ODI cricket and moved him into fifth place in the all-time ODI wicket-taking list for Ireland.

Also read: Rishabh Pant's century keeps India's hopes alive amidst DRS controversy

Ireland’s batting response was positive with Stirling (21) and Porterfield (26) scoring 37 runs in 30 balls before Stirling edged it to Holder at first slip. In this innings Stirling became the first Irish batter to score 5,000 ODI runs. Porterfield maintained his aggressive start, scoring three boundaries and his dismissal on the last ball of the 10th over left Ireland at 60-2. However, McBrine and Tector stabilised the innings. Curtis Campher eventually joined Tector to put on 53 runs with Tector scoring 37 from the partnership before Campher was bowled by Hosein. Tector scored his sixth ODI half-century off 61 balls before rain intervened. After play resumed, the adjusted target was 168 runs which meant Ireland needed 11 runs from 28 balls. They achieved the score comfortably with Tector scoring 54*

Player of the Match, Andy McBrine said: “This means a lot to us. The last week has been ridiculous, but we stuck at it, we stuck together as a group and showed we’ve got a fighting spirit left in us.”

After the match, Stirling said: “It means a lot – we’re delighted with how the lads responded, coming from a tough loss the other day where we thought we were really in the game a lot of the time, and to come and put on a performance like this after the off-field activities that have gone on. We’re delighted to get the win today, we really are. Craig Young is bowling really well – he used to be given the new ball not so long ago, but he’s been given a different task to come in when it’s tougher as a bowler usually. He still gets a lot out of the wicket – the wicket that he got bowled today nipped a lot. When he gets it right he’s fantastic for us.
 
“Harry, I can’t say high enough praise for him – he’s been in world class form. He keeps backing up performance after performance, and that’s all we can ask. We’ve got a small-enough pool of players, so when people like that stand up like that at a young age – he’s only going to get better and better. I really look forward to seeing where he’s at in five years’ time. Look, it’s consistency is all that we ask from our lads, we have struggled with that in the past, but we’ve got a real opportunity here to make our stamp on the series and win it. There’s no doubt we got the best end of the stick twice with winning the toss – so we’ll go away now, we’ve a few things to think on – we’re not the finished article, because if it is then we’re in trouble. The last 10 overs in our bowling innings we can hopefully do a lot better – if we make that better today, then we make the run chase even easier. There’s a lot to improve on, but that makes it exciting as well.”

The two sides will face each other for the third World Cup Super League match on Sunday at Sabina Park. 

MATCH SUMMARY  

West Indies Men v Ireland Men, 2nd ODI, Sabina Park, Jamaica, 13 January 2022  

West Indies 229 (48 overs: R Shepherd 50, O Smith 46; A McBrine 4-36, C Young 3-42)

Ireland 168-5 (32.3 overs: H Tector 54*, A McBrine 35; A Hosein 2-51)  

Ireland won by 5 wickets

New Delhi, Jan 14 (Cricket News) Virat Kohli's outburst against a controversial DRS decision during the third Test against South Africa was "immature" and with such "exaggerated" reaction, the India skipper will never be a role model to youngsters, feels former opener Gautam Gambhir.

Kohli, his deputy KL Rahul and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin made some unsavoury comments about umpiring and technology in stump mic after rival skipper Dean Elgar got a massive reprieve due to a contentious DRS decision in the last hour on day 3.

"This is really bad. What Kohli did, going near the stump mic and reacting in that manner, that is really immature. This is not what you expect from an international captain, from an Indian captain," Gambhir told Star Sports.

Gambhir pointed out that Mayank Agarwal too had got a reprieve during the first Test in Centurion but it didn't invite similar response from the South African skipper. "Then technology isn't in your hand. Then you have reacted in the same manner when there was a caught-behind appeal on the leg-side, neither did Dean Elgar react in that manner. During that Mayank Agarwal appeal, it looked OUT from the naked eye, but Elgar did not react in that manner," he said.

In the 21st over, Elgar was adjudged LBW by the on-field umpire Marais Erasmus when he was hit on the pads by an Ashwin delivery. However, the decision was overturned on review.

Livid with the decision, a fuming Kohli went up to the stumps and said: "Focus on your team as well when they shine the ball eh, not just the opposition. Trying to catch people all the time." Rahul and Ashwin also expressed similar reactions. “It’s the whole country against 11 guys,” said KL Rahul, while Ashwin slammed the broadcaster: "You should find better ways to win, SuperSport." "No matter what you say, stuff like he plays with his heart on his sleeve, this reaction was an exaggerated one and you can't be a role model in this manner. No budding cricketers would want to see this kind of a reaction, especially from the Indian captain," Gambhir said.

"No matter the result in this Test match, this is not what you expect from a Test captain who has led the team for so long. I hope Rahul Dravid has a word with him, because the type of captain Dravid was, he would have never reacted in this manner." Former South African batter Daryll Cullinan also slammed Kohli for his outburst, saying for too long he has got away with such behaviour.

"This is the typical Virat’s untouchable, he behaves the way he wants to behave. The rest of the cricket world just bows down to Virat. The powerhouse is India. I hate to say this but it’s been going on for years," he said.

"It’s just the big suck up towards India and anybody who plays for India. They are untouchable, so everyone will laugh it off." The 54-year-old, who has scored 4554 runs in 70 Tests and 3860 runs in 138 ODIs, feels Kohli should be reprimanded for his behaviour.

"I love Virat Kohli, I love his cricket, I love the way he plays. But there has to be a line drawn somewhere to say ‘hang on, you must be severely punished’.

"If anything, it was a mistake. I just cannot believe that they could think along those sort of lines. For too long Virat has got away with behavior which is unacceptable on a cricket field. But he’s Kohli and I don’t like it, quite frankly." 

Also Read : Rishabh Pant's century keeps India's hopes alive amidst DRS controversy

News Source : PTI

(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) Extremely pleased with the way Rishabh Pant batted in India's second innings, teams' bowling coach Paras Mhambrey on Thursday said the stumper-batter got the runs when the team needed them the most. Pant produced a combative unbeaten hundred in face some some hostile bowling by the home bowlers in difficult conditions. India set Proteas a 212-run target, thanks to Pant's fearless approach.

"It was a fabulous innings that really got us back in the game. From a personal perspective there is pressure on him (Pant), obviously in a couple of innings didn't get runs but getting runs at a crucial stage for the team, that is important," Mhambrey said after the end of third day's play.

Pant faced criticism for his poor shot selection in the his previous innings but came up with a stunning knock on Thursday.

"And it really set the game (up) nicely for us and I think really happy with the way he played. It wasn't an easy wicket to bat on but (he) showed a lot of character out there, really pleased," Mhambrey said.

The coach was pleased that Pant responded to the situation in the best possible manner as he did not play any rash shot stayed focus on building partnerships.

"At that stage, you wanted a partnership ideally and you have someone like Virat (Kohli) at the other end, you wanted to stitch a nice partnership, which was going on.

"At that stage, as a batsman, you will (have to) sometimes take a back seat as well and assess the conditions and say what is the right thing at that stage. In terms of going ahead for the game and in that sense he (Pant) batted very well." Mhambrey said Pant realised that after skipper was dismissed, Pant took the leader's role at the crease.

"Once you lost Virat, he had to take that leading role and which he did and then stitched partnership with the tail-enders as well. He batted very sensibly, given us a great opportunity to win a test from here." Mhambrey was hopeful that conditions would allow his pacers a fair chance for fight and all they need is to just hit the right lengths.

"It is not an easy wicket, I think there is a little awkward bounce on a patch, which has been created, but it is not going to be an easy wicket.

"We still know that even today in the later stages, a couple of balls did kick up, hit the glove, hit the chest. Keep it simple, hit the right areas and be patient about it," the bowling coach signed off. 

Also Read : Reactions like that showed India were frustrated, under pressure: Ngidi

News Source : PTI

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

Cape Town, Jan 13 (Cricket News) Chasing 212 to win the series, South Africa were 101 for two at stumps on the third day of the third match against India, here on Thursday.

Mohammed Shami removed Aiden Markram (16) early but skipper Dean Elgar (30) and Keegan Petersen (48) batted superbly.

The South African skipper fell towards the end.

Rishabh Pant scored a combative unbeaten 100 in India's second innings that folded for 198 as pacers Marco Jansen (4/36) Kagiso Rabada (3/53) and Lungi Ngidi (3/21) shared all wickets between them.

Struggling Cheteshwar Pujara (9) and Ajinkya Rahane (1) failed yet again while Virat Kohli (29 off 143 balls) did his best to stay at the crease as long as possible before Ngidi dismissed the skipper.

Brief Scores: India: 223 and 198 all out in 67.3 overs. (R Pant 100 not out, V Kohli 29; Marco Jansen 4/36, K Rabada 3/53).

South Africa: 210 and 101 for 2 in 29.4 overs. (K Petersen 48 batting, D Elgar 30; M Shami 1/22). 

Also Read : Pant makes 100, India set South Africa 212-run target to win 3rd Test

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 13 (Cricket News) Rishabh Pant scored a combative unbeaten 100 to help India set a 212-run target for South Africa in the series-deciding third Test, here on Thursday.

India's second innings folded on 198 as pacers Marco Jansen (4/36) Kagiso Rabada (3/53) and Lungi Ngidi (3/21) shared all wickets between them.

The umpires called for tea break at the fall of the last Indian wicket.

Struggling Cheteshwar Pujara (9) and Ajinkya Rahane (1) failed yet again while Virat Kohli (29 off 143 balls) did his best to stay at the crease as long as possible before Ngidi dismissed the skipper.

Brief Scores: India: 223 and 198 all out in 67.3 overs. (R Pant 100 not out, V Kohli 29; Marco Jansen 4/36, K Rabada 3/53).

South Africa: 210 all out. 

Also Read : Can England take confidence from the draw in Sydney to win the 5th Test?

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) After the thrilling draw in Sydney, England will look to finish what has been a disappointing tour with a win. Australia on the other hand would be very keen to make sure they win the match and jump higher in the WTC table. The way England fought in Sydney will give the side a lot of confidence. They just need a few things to go their way in order to convert their efforts into victory at the Bellerive Oval.

Australia Possible Playing XI:

David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Lyon.

Pat Cummins has already confirmed that Usman Khawaja will open the innings to make way for Travis Head in the middle order with Marcus Harris being dropped. Khawaja's two centuries in Sydney have made him undroppable. Josh Hazelwood has been ruled out of the match while Scott Boland will have a late fitness Test. Jhye Richardson could get another opportunity in the side. Mitchell Starc will be the main man because of his incredible record with the pink ball.

England possible playing XI:

Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Sam Billings, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, Jack Leach, James Anderson.

Jos Buttler has been sent back home after a finger injury which puts last games centurian Bairstow incharge of the gloves with Sam Billings all set to make his Test debut. The only other player whose position is in doubt is Haseeb Hameed but England don't have any other opener apart from Rory Burns who was himself dropped due to poor form. 

Weather and Pitch report:

The first 3 days have cloud cover and showers predicted. The last two days are expected to be mostly sunny. This will only be the 14th Test match at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart. The pitch is expected to be a good one to bat on as the ball should come onto the bat nicely. The surface at Hobart doesn't have much assistance for the bowlers. 

England desperately needs this victory but it won't come easy. Australia have an excellent record in pink ball Tests while England have been unimpressive with the pink ball.

Also read: Virat Kohli puts in a masterclass at Cape Town displaying sheer grit

Despite its immense popularity in North America, basketball is a sport that is still finding its feet in India. While the Indian audiences are familiar with many NBA teams and the legendary Michael Jordan, the sport has yet to enter the ‘mainstream’ and get adequate participation at the grassroots to develop world class basketball players for the future. However, India has had a few athletes who have made some serious accomplishments in the sport, one of them being Suresh Kumar Ranot who has won 20 Senior Nationals Championships, 5 national games and 7 Federation Cup Championships.

In this exclusive interview with SPOGO, Suresh Kumar Ranot speaks about his journey in basketball, the most memorable moments in his career, overcoming challenges, being in the national selection committee, the evolution of the sport and his goals for 2022.

Q1) How did you start playing Basketball and what was the inspiration behind it?

I first started when I was studying in 10th class. We had a very good basketball team in my school and my seniors encouraged me to play and that is how I started playing. From the year 1987-1991 we had a very good team in Mysore and were district champions. I was heavily inspired by my seniors. When I started playing, I never thought I would play for my country for such a long time. 

Q2) During your career from 1994 to 2005, what are some of your most prized moments?

There are quite a few moments which I cherish. In my very first school championship I won the best player award which made me think that I can do something more. Then I went to the state championship and then I was selected for the national camp which was the turning point. I was the first person from my state to get selected for the national camp. There are a lot of good memories like when I went to South Korea to play for the country. Winning the national championship and the national games are also some good moments that I experienced.

Q3) What were some of the most challenging times you had faced when you were a player and how did you overcome it?

One of the most challenging times I had faced was from 1999-2001. I had varicose veins in my legs, the doctor advised me to quit Basketball as it becomes difficult to jump and even wearing socks was a painful task. At that time, I did not want to leave the team as the pressure was building inside but also had to think of my future. After 2005, I got a surgery on my right leg which made me gradually step away from the game and it was needed so that no complications occur further. My career still went on till 2013 and it was a challenging part to come out from that phase.

Also read: If UAE gets the right exposure against the bigger teams, they can become a force to be reckoned with - Anis Sajan, Vice Chairman of Danube Group

Q4) Being in the national selection committee since 2018, how do you think the competition has increased in the sport?

In the last two and half years the sport has not been very active due to the pandemic as schools, colleges are closed and events are getting cancelled. Now the exposure has increased in the sport with social media coverage and many more people are involved with the sport. Even the facilities have increased for the players who have a great chance to improve themselves, players also attain fame in a short period of time which may have a positive or negative impact. The longevity of the players was much more during my playing days as it is tough for a sport like this and as a part of a committee we are discussing how to bring back certain qualities to the present players.

Q5) What do you feel about the players in the current women and men’s team; how have things changed in the last decade?

When we were playing there was a certain discipline but nowadays that is not present in the current generation of players. In this current set of players so many people are taking medicines, supplements or taking proteins but during our times these things weren’t available, if you see hard work is associated with results and that's why we aren’t able to beat the Asian teams also. Nowadays skills are talented but during our time we had a skill set of players playing in their preferred positions but now any players play at any position he likes. I would personally say that the current players are lacking the motivation and the vigour to work hard.   

Q6) What are some of your goals for the 2022 season and how do you plan to achieve them?

We had a senior championship in Chennai but that got postponed due to the Covid situation, so this tournament might be hosted in March. Our main goal is to motivate the players to work hard as there’s a men's senior qualification tournament going for the senior World Cup but in all honesty the main goal is not the World Cup but to perform and become an Asian powerhouse in basketball. We as a group had all the focus on the juniors because they are the future that is going to represent our country.

New Delhi, Jan 13 (Cricket News) A few days back, after their umpteenth failure, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were trending on social media with the hashtag being 'PuRane' (Old).

Now, social media is a platform for outrage almost 24x7 and it is very easy to call the latest trend as the "proverbial outside noise", which the Indian cricket team management does not like taking note of.

But after five failures in six completed knocks in South Africa, the two veterans surely seem to have played their last Test for India for some time.

It will be a travesty if two among the trio of Hanuma Vihari, Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill (recovering from a shin injury) don't make it to the playing eleven in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka in February-March.

Rahane's tally stands at 136 at an average of 22.66 and Pujara is even worse with only 124 at 20.66. In all likelihood, the statistics will be the final nail in the coffin when Chetan Sharma and his colleagues pick the squad for the next Test series in India.

More than anyone else, the duo knows that time indeed has run out for them. Never ever has Indian cricket establishment given such a long rope to two individuals like the one being given to Rahane and Pujara.

In last two years, they have failed consistently and found success not even sporadically whereas it should have been the other way round.

It seemed that team management as well as selectors were bent on giving them every chance to succeed. And they have been blowing those away.

Perhaps now stake-holders would think that it's time Vihari and Iyer get half of those chances to fail. One can vouch they wouldn't do much worse than what Rahane and Pujara have done.

So what is the problem with Pujara and Rahane? It's a two-fold issue of technical issues which have also been compounded by mental cobwebs.

The most abused word in Indian cricket is 'process' and perhaps the favourite of most cricketers when questions that are difficult to address are thrown at them.

"I trust my process," is a catch-phrase that one hears often in Indian cricket.

But in case of Rahane and Pujara, it can be said that the process has clearly not worked for a while now.

Perhaps it's only fair to give them a break and look at other options which will benefit Indian cricket.

Both of them have been getting out in the same fashion match after match but there seems to be no corrective measures taken and at times it seems they have no clarity as to how they want to play -- fearless cricket or defensive .

In case of Pujara, whose range of strokes is very limited, bowlers have worked him out providing him with very little room to play the square cut and over time, he has now missed out on half volleys which used to be duly patted back to the fielders at cover or mid-off.

His mode of dismissals is also pretty similar as thrice since the Kanpur Test against New Zealand, he has been cramped for room with short balls on his rib cage and he has been slow in trying to get away from that awkward line.

Add to it, the go-slow approach that worked in earlier years isn't working as batters around him aren't scoring as many runs which is also putting him under more pressure.

Pujara's approach and his struggles in the middle make other players in the dressing room feel that there are demons on the track when in reality there's none.

In case of Rahane, the footwork is in a mess, as pacer after pacer bowling slightly back of length on the off-stump channel is able to get him out without much effort.

As a result, he has become a walking wicket and perhaps fit to be axed in the next selection meeting.

However, in Indian cricket, strange things have happened even though one will have to rub their eyes in disbelief if Pujara and Rahane add to their 95 and 82 Tests respectively.

If that happens, it will be a disservice to the Iyers and Viharis, waiting for some semblance of security. 

Also Read : Pant, Kohli take India to130 for 4 at lunch, overall lead by 143

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 13 (Cricket News) Rishabh Pant scored a crucial half-century while skipper Virat Kohli was resolute in his defence as they took India to 130 for four at lunch after early morning blows on the third day of the series-deciding third Test, here on Thursday.

Pant was unbeaten on 51 off 60 balls while Kohli (28 batting off 127 balls) added only 14 runs to his overnight score of 14 as India's overall lead now stands at 143.

This was after Cheteshwar Pujara (9) and Ajinkya Rahane (1) were dismissed cheaply in the first half an hour.

However, the early setbacks didn't deter Pant from playing his natural game as he hit four boundaries and a six while adding 72 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket stand with his skipper, who showed remarkable composure in playing second fiddle to Pant, who went for the jugular as and when situation permitted.

Pant, who had received flak for his poor shot selection under pressure during the second Test, respected the good deliveries but wasn't shy of treating the bad ones with disdain. He was aggressive without being reckless, fearless without being careless.

A case in point was lofting left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj for a six over long-on in the penultimate over of the session, signalling his positive intent.

The best shot however was a square cut on the rise off Kagiso Rabada. A smashing cover drive off Marco Jansen was equally good.

However, it was another failure for Rahane and Pujara, who might well have played their last Tests for India.

Pujara was again cramped for room on the leg side and the tickle of his bat was brilliantly taken by Keegan Petersen at leg slip, diving to his right and snapping it up inches ahead of the ground.

In case of Rahane, Rabada bowled a terrific one which kicked from length and took his gloves and Dean Elgar at first slip caught it after keeper Kyle Verreynne had managed to tip it up with his gloves. 

Also Read : Joe Root considering entering Indian Premier League auction

News Source : PTI

Hobart, Jan 13 (Cricket News) England's Test captain Joe Root has revealed that he is considering entering the upcoming IPL auction, four years after going unsold in the auction for the lucrative T20 league.

Considered one of the modern greats of the game, Root is yet to play in the IPL after going unsold in the 2018 auction.

The 31-year-old batter, however, said he would look to play in the tournament only if it does not distract him from his Test career.

"Time is ticking but I have a lot to weigh up," Root said, according to ESPNcricinfo.com.

"Will it have a negative impact on me playing Test cricket? If I don't think so then I will put myself in the auction. But I will never do anything that will detract from playing Test cricket for England. It's so important to make sure that is the priority for me and other players as well." Root had expressed his desire to play in the IPL earlier too even though he had decided against entering the auction.

The mega-auction ahead of the upcoming season is scheduled to be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru.

On Wednesday, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc said he was also contemplating making a comeback to the IPL after a lengthy hiatus despite a hectic schedule that includes touring the subcontinent and the T20 World Cup title defence at home later this year.

Starc, who last played in the IPL in 2015, said he hasn't made the decision yet but entering his name for the league's mega auction, the nominations for which close on Friday, is "certainly on the table." Starc clinched a contract worth Rs 9.4 crore with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2018 but had to be released because of an injury.

Despite being one of the most valuable T20 bowlers, the left-arm pacer has featured in just two seasons of the IPL due to injury and workload management.

In the 27 matches that he played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2014 and 2015, Starc snared 34 wickets at an economy rate of 7.16 and an impressive strike rate of 17. 

Also Read : Jasprit Bumrah leads India comeback with a fifer as game hangs in the balance

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

The United Arab Emirates has become a go-to destination for cricketing events, especially during the pandemic. Whether it’s the Indian Premier League or the World Cup, the presence of three cricketing grounds in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah combined with the ICC Academy means that it has infrastructure that can be considered at par with the best in the world. 

Mr. Anis Sajan, Vice Chairman of Danube Group, more popularly known as Mr. Cricket UAE has played an integral role in the development of the sport, having mentored Team Bengal Tigers and then Team Delhi Bulls in the Abu Dhabi T10 league. Moreover, he was honored with the Hon. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Bharat Puraskar award for Sports category and kept the world entertained with ‘Cricket Unplugged’, featuring interviews with cricketers from around the world during the lockdown.

In this exclusive interview with SPOGO, Mr. Anis Sajan speaks about his interest in cricket, how the sport has evolved in the last two decades, being a mentor for Bengal Tigers and Delhi Bulls, the potential of UAE to become a cricketing powerhouse, importance of yoga during the pandemic and launching Cricket Unplugged.

Q 1. Being a businessman, when and how did you cultivate your interest towards cricket?

My passion for the sport began — like the many millions in India — after the team under Kapil Dev won the Prudential Trophy in 1983. That triumph by the rank outsiders against the mighty West Indies gave everyone in the country the belief that India could be a force to reckon with. There was no looking back for me after that. Everyone who knows me is aware of the fact that I eat, sleep and breathe cricket. So much so that my wife started calling me Mr. Cricket UAE and that name has stuck with me till date. I feel I am fortunate to be able to live this passion for the game and share it with all other cricket lovers through various activities. 

Q 2. You have been contributing so much to the sport for the past two decades, what do you think has changed a lot about cricket?
 
Cricket has become more fast paced, there have been more results in Test cricket. Secondly the big 3, i.e. India, England and Australia get to play more matches than any other countries and the most important thing happening for India after the evolution of IPL, there is a lot of talent emerging.

Q 3. How was your experience being the mentor for Bengal Tigers and Delhi Bulls in the Abu Dhabi T10 league?
 
It was a great learning experience for me.  Not only did I get a chance to associate with some of the biggest names in the cricket fraternity but also learnt quite a few lessons both on and off the field. Got to understand all the hard work that goes behind the game, how decisions are taken by the coaches as well as the temperament of the players.

Also read: Our primary goal is to empower physically impaired individuals through sports - Noor Nahain, Founder and President, Bangladesh Wheelchair Sports Foundation

Q 4. With the ongoing historic US vs Ireland series, what other countries including the UAE do you think will enter the mainframe formats next?
 
To my knowledge I don’t see any other country, because they do not get enough exposure. UAE has the best infrastructure when it comes to cricketing grounds, be it the Dubai Cricket Stadium, ICC Academy, Sharjah & Abu Dhabi stadium. If they get the right exposure of rubbing shoulders with bigger teams, they can be a force to reckon with.

Q 5. How has Yoga been a part of fitness and why do you think people need to practice it especially during the pandemic?

Without an iota of doubt, I can say that Yoga has been my life savior. I have been a strong advocate of yoga for a good 7-8 years now, especially since I have personally experienced the benefits of it. As a daily routine, I practice yoga for 2 hours; first 45 minutes of proper yoga asana, 15 min brisk walking and then Aqua Yoga exercises for 30 minutes, followed by 20 minutes of meditation and 20 minutes of pranayama. This regime keeps me refreshed, energetic, youthful and full of life. In this pandemic, I would urge people to at least do the Pranayama, i.e breathing exercises daily. Studies have shown that the most common problem experienced by covid patients is breathing difficulties. Practicing pranayama for twenty minutes daily helps in passing oxygen to lungs and makes your immunity strong and in this battle to fight Covid.

Q 6. What made you launch Cricket Unplugged and are there more cricket ventures in the making?

Well to be honest, Cricket Unplugged was started during the pandemic when the world had come to a standstill and everyone was stuck at home. With no games happening either, I thought why not keep the spirit of the game alive and started Cricket Unplugged, where I would have conversations with international players and known sporting personalities. The interactions would revolve around historical moments as well as unveiling personal memories of the interviewed players during their respective careers. Till date, I have had the honour to interview the likes of Dinesh Karthik, Shane Watson,Dwayne Bravo, Eoin Morgan, Virendra Sehwag, Micheal Hussey, Harpreet Brar, Zaheer Khan, Jason Roy, Muhammed Nabi, Angelo Mathews, Wasim Jaffer, Harpreet Brar and many others.

Dubai, Jan 13 (Cricket News) Afghanistan's late arrival into the Caribbean has forced the ICC to "rework" the fixtures in Group C for the 2022 U-19 World Cup, to be held in the West Indies from Friday.

"After successfully obtaining the necessary visas for travel, Afghanistan will arrive in the West Indies and undergo their required quarantine period," the ICC said in a statement.

The changes in the schedule were approved by the Event Technical Committee which comprises Chris Tetley, ICC Head of Events (Chair); Ben Leaver, ICC Senior Event Manager; Fawwaz Baksh, Tournament Director; Roland Holder, WICB Representative; Alan Wilkins and Russel Arnold.

"We are delighted that the Afghanistan squad have received the necessary visas and will be able to travel to participate in the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2022," Tetley said.

"We have reworked the fixtures for group C to ensure that all matches can take place within the allocated time frame and would like to thank the participating Members for their flexibility in finding a solution," he added.

To ensure all fixtures could be completed, four out of the six Group C matches in Trinidad and Tobago have been rescheduled as follows: January 15 - Zimbabwe v PNG -- Queens Park Oval. Rescheduled from January 20.

January 17 - Pakistan v Zimbabwe -- Diego Martin Sporting Complex. Rescheduled from January 22.

January 18 - Afghanistan v PNG -- Diego Martin Sporting Complex. Unchanged.

January 20 - Pakistan v Afghanistan -- Brian Lara Cricket Ground. Unchanged.

January 22 - Pakistan v PNG -- Queens Park Oval. Rescheduled from January 15 January 22 - Afghanistan v Zimbabwe -- Diego Martin Sporting Complex. Rescheduled from January 16. 

Also Read : U-19 World Cup: Australia skipper optimistic despite warm-up defeat to India

News Source : PTI

Georgetown (Guyana), Jan 13 (Cricket News) Australia might have suffered a heavy defeat to India in their sole 2022 ICC U-19 World Cup warm-up match but skipper Cooper Connolly believes the side are in good shape ahead of the tournament.

The tournament is being held in the West Indies from January 14 to February 5.

Despite the captain making 117 in the clash in Guyana, the Aussies were beaten by nine wickets by the four-time champions.

Connolly, who was part of the Australia team that went out in the quarter-finals two years hosts, is confident that the team will be ready for their opening game against the hosts, the West Indies, in Providence on Friday.

"I think as a team we are shaping up quite well. (The India defeat) was a reality check for us against one of the strongest sides, maybe the favourite. But our team is checking out really well and I feel like we're in good shape for the first game," he told the ICC.

"We can't start off really easy, we've got to beat the West Indies and come out with a strong mindset. Hopefully we can knock them over.

"From the last World Cup, the aim was to make this. I looked forward to the opportunity that I might play in two, and then another thing was to get the captaincy. That's unbelievable..." Defending champions Bangladesh were comfortable winners in their most recent warm-up game against Zimbabwe, with their opening Group A game coming against England in St Kitts and Nevis on Sunday.

Skipper Rakibul Hasan, who was part of the victorious 2020 squad, revealed that the squad is starting to adjust to the conditions in the Caribbean.

"The conditions in St Kitts are not that tough, we have been here for two weeks now, so we have adjusted to the conditions and also playing two practice games is good preparation for us, so we are looking forward to playing England and hopefully we can get off to a good start.

"Our senior team has done well in New Zealand which is inspiration for us, so hopefully we will do well in the tournament." Bangladesh are not the only team looking to their senior men's side for inspiration, with Pakistan having captured the imagination on the way to the semi-finals of the 2021 Men's T20 World Cup.

And those displays have clearly rubbed off on the younger generation, with captain Qasim Akram saying: "The fighting quality the senior team showed at the T20 World Cup in the UAE was an effort that inspired the entire nation including our players." Qasim is appearing in his second ICC U19 Men’s CWC, and like Rakibul, believes that the wickets will suit Pakistan, who are in Group C along with Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea and Zimbabwe.

"The pitches are quite similar to those in Karachi, as they offer turn and generally similar to what we see across most of Pakistan.

"The pitches feel familiar which is helping the team prepare well and I feel we have adapted well to the conditions." 

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

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 12 (Cricket News) Jasprit Bumrah understands that there will be varied opinions about his bowling and there is no point losing one's cool on outside noise on which he has no control.

Bumrah had a reasonably disappointing outing in India's defeat at the Wanderers and his performance came under a lot of scrutiny.

"Nothing out of ordinary and I wasn't giving extra attention. I was not really too angry and I was focussed on the present and did what I had to," Bumrah, who took five for 42 in the third Test, said at the end of day's play.

Someone asked if outside noise really bothers the team, Bumrah smiled wryly.

"Basically, you summed up the question and answered it as well. Theirs success is by product and basically what we do is to have a routine and follow that. Some days I would get wickets, some days somebody else will get wickets," said Bumrah,who now has seven five-wicket haul.

Criticism or praise doesn't overtly bother Bumrah.

"There will be doubters and there will be people praising you and that is something that an individual has to decide. I don't really pay attention to outside noise as it doesnt really help.

"When I bowl, I have it in my control and I try to bring in my perspective towards bowling, try to avoid what's going on, may be some people might like my bowling and some people might not," India's pace spearhead was pragmatic.

No Magic number but this pitch is on flatter side ================================ Bumrah said that he won't quote any "Magic Number" which could challenge the South Africans but maintained that compared to the first two Tests, this one at Newlands is on the flatter side and batters will get value for their shots once the ball gets old as the strip remains "true" in terms of bounce.

"It is a new ball wicket, it swings with the new ball and as seam goes down, batting becomes relatively easy. We have seen that trend and we will try to stitch up a partnership and capitalise from there on." Bowler's development is more bout individual's hard work ==================================== Normally someone who gives very cliched answers, the recluse Bumrah for once got out of his shell when a scribe asked how much of credit should Virat Kohli deserve considering that a bowler's development is directly linked with a captain's faith in his abilities? "Bowler's development also depends on how hard the bowler works as well," Bumrah's answer very significant considering that during the previous regime it became almost like mandatory to credit the erstwhile support staff for team's bowling success.

Mohammed Shami bucked the trend during the first Test when he said that "credit should go to the individual who is actually putting in hard yards." Bumrah on the day followed suit.

However, he did say that it has been a "wonderful experience" to play under Virat Kohli. 

Also Read : Kohli, Pujara have been headache for us: Petersen

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 12 (Cricket News) Indian skipper Virat Kohli and No 3 Cheteshwar Pujara have been a "bit of a headache" for South Africa and the team will look to get them early on day 3 of the series-deciding third Test, said Proteas batter Keegan Petersen here on Wednesday.

India lost both their openers cheaply once again in the second innings but Pujara (9) and Kohli (14) thereafter took charge of the proceedings and saw through the second day to take their overall lead to 70 runs.

"The key would be to pick up a few early wickets tomorrow morning... The two batting now have been a bit of a headache for us in the last couple of innings," Petersen said in the media interaction after the end of day two's proceedings.

In the first innings, Kohli top-scored with a well-crafted 79 off 201 balls, while Pujara gave a fine assistance with a 77-ball 43 to steady the proceedings after KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal were dismissed early.

"He's (Kohli) one of the best batters in the world and he's showed that time and again. Yes, he will be the big wicket tomorrow and if we can get his wicket early, it will open up the game." Petersen, who hit 72 off 166 balls, was the top scorer for the home side as they were dismissed by India for 210, conceding a 13-run first innings lead.

"We would have been happy if we overcame the deficit and got a bit of a lead. That was the plan coming into the game today," he said.

Indian attack most challenging in my career ==================== Petersen brought up his second fifty of the series on Wednesday against some top class Indian pace bowling.

The 28-year-old led South Africa's fightback after Jasprit Bumrah removed the openers early in the series-deciding third Test.

"It's (the Indian pace attack) extremely challenging. It's the most challenging I've had in my whole career. You have to be focused and on your mark all the time or else they will expose you.

"They test you in terms of scoring, there's not much of scoring opportunities. They have not given us much. They are arguably one of the best bowling attacks in the world. We knew that coming into the series, it's been challenging, we just got to deal with it," Petersen said.

On missing out on a century for the second time in the series, he said: "To be honest, it's not lack of trying. It's just eluding us at the moment. Yes, I got close but let the team down by not getting there. But I think it will come eventually." 

Also Read : Steyn suggests introduction of free hit in Test cricket

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 12 (Cricket News) Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn has suggested introducing the free hit rule in Test cricket, saying it will help the tail-enders "survive" the longer overs when the bowlers bowls no-balls.

In limited overs cricket, a free hit is awarded to the batting side if the bowler bowls a foot fault no ball.

For any free hit, the striker can be dismissed only under the circumstances that apply for a no ball, even if the delivery for the free hit is called wide ball.

"Free hit for No Ball in Test Cricket…What you think? Will definitely help the bowlers (when batting) survive those extended 7/8 and sometimes 9 ball overs we’ve seen happen before…," Steyn tweeted on Wednesday.

"6 balls is Hard enough for the tail-enders facing a top class life threatening fast bowler." Steyn's comments came during the series-deciding final Test between India and South Africa.

The 38-year-old also lauded Indian pace ace Jasprit Bumrah, who registered the figures of 5/42, for his fifer.

"Anyway, makes for a interesting discussion. Serious Test Match happening here, well bowled Bumrah for the 5," Steyn said. 

Also Read : India 57-2 at stumps on day 2, lead South Africa by 70 runs in 3rd Test

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 12 (Cricket News) India were 57 for 2 in their second innings at stumps on day two after dismissing South Africa for 210 in the series-deciding third Test here on Wednesday.

Cheteshwar Pujara (9) and skipper Virat Kohli (14) were at the crease at the draw of stumps with India leading South Africa by 70 runs.

Both the openers KL Rahul (10) and Mayank Agarwal (7) were back in the pavillion.

Keegan Petersen, who scored 72 off 166 balls, was the top scorer for the home side as they were dismissed by India for 210.

Jasprit Bumrah (5/42) was the pick of the Indian bowlers, while Mohammad Shami (2/39), Shardul Thakur (1/37) and Umesh Yadav (2/64) also played their part in wrapping up the South African innings.

India had scored 223 all out in 77.3 overs in their first innings.

Brief Scores: India 1st innings: 223 all out in 77.3 overs. (Cheteshwar Pujara 43, Virat Kohli 79; Kagiso Rabada 4/73).

South Africa 1st innings: 210 all out in 76.3 overs (K Petersen 72; J Bumrah 5/42, Mohammad Shami 2/39).

India 2nd innings: 57-2 in 17 overs (Virat Kohli 14 not out; Marco Jansen 1/7). 

Also Read : South Africa all out for 210 on day 2 of 3rd Test

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 12 (Cricket News) South Africa were all out for 210 on the second day of the series-deciding third Test against India here on Wednesday.

South Africa, who reached 176 for seven at tea, added 34 at the loss of three wickets during the final session of the day.

Keegan Petersen, who scored 72 off 166 balls, was the top scorer for the home side.

Jasprit Bumrah (5/42) was the pick of the Indian bowlers, while Mohammad Shami (2/39), Shardul Thakur (1/37) and Umesh Yadav (2/64) also played their part in wrapping up the South African innings.

Resuming from 17/1, South Africa lost four wickets in the post-lunch session and two in the morning session.

South Africa trail India by 13 runs.

Brief Scores: India 1st innings: 223 all out in 77.3 overs. (Cheteshwar Pujara 43, Virat Kohli 79; Kagiso Rabada 4/73).

South Africa 1st innings: 210 all out in 76.3 overs (K Petersen 72; J Bumrah 5/42, Mohammad Shami 2/39). 

Also Read : South Africa 176/7 at tea on day 2 of 3rd Test

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 12 (Cricket News) Keegan Petersen remained unbeaten on 70 to take South Africa to 176 for seven at tea on the second day of the series-deciding third Test against India here on Wednesday.

Petersen, who is unbeaten in 70 was in the middle when tea was called.

It was a productive session for the visitors as the Indian bowlers snared four wickets. Mohammad Shami snared two wickets while Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah picked a wicket apiece.

South Africa trail India by 47 runs.

Brief Scores: India 1st innings: 223 all out in 77.3 overs. (Cheteshwar Pujara 43, Virat Kohli 79; Kagiso Rabada 4/73).

South Africa 1st innings: 176/7 in 62.2 overs (K Petersen 70 batting; J Bumrah 3/29, Mohammad Shami 2/39). 

Also Read : Jayant, Saini added to India ODI squad for South Africa tour; Washington ruled out

News Source : PTI

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) Cricket West Indies and Cricket Ireland have announced the changes to the match schedule for the ongoing CG Insurance One-Day International Series. The second CG Insurance ODI will now take place on Thursday 13 January while the third and final ODI is set to take place on Sunday 16 January at Sabina Park.

The change in schedule has occurred due to five COVID-19 positive cases as well as injuries in the Ireland camp ahead of the second CG Insurance ODI which was originally set to be held on 11th January. As a result, the one-off CG Insurance T20 International has been cancelled to accommodate the revised schedule to avoid impact on the West Indies team’s travel plans and subsequent fixtures.

The ODI matches between Ireland and West Indies form part of the ICC World Cup Super League with both teams having the opportunity to win points to gain automatic qualification for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. As things stand, West Indies lead the series 1-0 after their 24 run victory in the first CG Insurance ODI on Saturday.

REVISED MATCH SCHEDULE (at Sabina Park)

January 8: 1st CG Insurance ODI – West Indies won by 24 runs
January 13: 2nd CG Insurance ODI (9.30am local time)
January 16: 3rd CG Insurance ODI (9.30am local time)

Also read: Virat Kohli puts in a masterclass at Cape Town displaying sheer grit

Cape Town, Jan 12 (Cricket News) South Africa lost both overnight batters before reaching 100 for three at lunch on day two of the series-deciding third Test against India, here on Wednesday.

Aiden Markram (8) was cleaned up by Jasprit Bumrah while Keshav Maharaj (25) became a victom of Umesh Yadav after the hosts resumed at 17 for one.

Keegan Petersen (40) and Rassie van der Dussen (17) were the unbeaten batters at the crease.

South Africa still trail India by 123 runs.

Brief Scores: India 1st innings: 223 all out in 77.3 overs. (Cheteshwar Pujara 43, Virat Kohli 79; Kagiso Rabada 4/73).

South Africa 1st innings: 100/3 in 35 overs (K Petersen 40 batting, K Maharaj 25; J Bumrah 2/16, U Yadav 1/29). 

Also Read : Need to be more consistent with work we did in last 12 months: Mithali Raj

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 12 (Cricket News) India skipper Mithali Raj has stressed on the need to be "more consistent" in the areas they worked on over the last 12 months besides talking about the scope of improvement in her own batting ahead of the Women's World Cup in March-April.

To cap off the "best possible" preparation for the ODI World Cup amid COVID times, India will play a five-match series against hosts New Zealand, starting February 11.

The World Cup will begin in the same country from March 4.

India introduced plenty of fresh faces in England and Australia. The likes of Sneh Rana, who made successful comeback into the team, Meghna Singh, Yastika Bhatia and Richa Ghosh were tried in those two series.

Top-order batter Yastika, wicketkeeper batter Richa and pacer Meghna made their ODI debuts Down under and all of them made an impact.

Though India lost the three-match series 1-2, they were able to push the mighty Australians to the limit.

Speaking to PTI from Vijaywada where she is training, Mithali looked back at the positives from the two tours and what her side needs to do in New Zealand.

"We will definitely be looking to fix our combinations for the World Cup (in ODIs against New Zealand) and try out a few compositions and also get a little more consistent in the things that worked for us in the last year," said the captain after being named Jacob's Creek brand ambassador.

We have enough firepower in middle-order now ============================= India needed more firepower in the middle and lower order, which has been provided by Ghosh and Pooja while swing bowlers Meghna and uncapped Renuka Singh have been a welcome addition to the pace department.

"The lower middle order contributed in Australia and we would want it to be a little more consistent. And it definitely showed that they have the potential to contribute and and all-rounders like Pooja and Sneh Rana have done well in England and in Australia.

"Richa definitely showed that she has the strength and the calibre to sort of go big in the in those last few overs that we actually wanted someone like that.

"She gives us edge in batting while Taniya (Bhatia) has better glove work - it’s good to have good competition for spots and we have a 5 match to series to try out the combinations.

"The seamers off course (have done well) but a little more work is needed in the spin department but that is an experienced lot that we have," added the leading run getter in 50-over cricket.

India were able to score in excess of 250 consistently in Australia with the help of the lower-order and Mithali feels the contribution down the order becomes even more crucial against top teams.

"That's what I meant in terms of being more consistent in those areas because that is what will be crucial in the World Cup when you're playing good sides. Yes, the top order definitely has to perform.

"But more often you see the matches which are close, you need those few runs from the lower-order. That has been a big takeaway from the Australia series." 'Have picked areas I can do better as a batter' ========================= Star openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma will have to play a big role if India are to do well in World Cup while Mithali will be expected to pile on the big runs in the middle-order.

The veteran batter recorded four 50 plus scores in the six games in England and Australia but her strike rate, especially early in the innings, became a talking point.

Mithali said it is an area, she has been working on since the Australia series in September.

"There are always areas that as a player you feel you need to work on, no matter how many years you put in at that level. Because there are always teams and bowlers trying to come up with strategies and you need to counter that. That's what international cricket is all about.

"There are a few things that I have seen (from my innings) in England in Australia that I can really work on. I tend to sort of cut down the innings that I play in the first stage, the middle stage and how I can accelerate in the end.

"And I've seen where I could have done better or what sort of bowlers that I can actually attack." Mithali, however, emphasised on playing to one's strengths and not look at what works for teams like England and Australia.

"Well, yes, definitely (the constant need to change). The standard definitely keeps increasing in women's cricket. Many times people tend to compare with the other teams, but I would say that as Indian team, we have our own strengths.

"If we can stick to that and be more consistent in playing with our strengths and at the same time work on things that require a little more growth as a team, then there is more possibility of a progress rather than comparing ourselves and trying to sort of fit in things where we don't have that sort of players yet." Women's cricket in India got a major shot in the arm when the team reached the final in the 2017 edition in England. Aiming to go full distance this time, Mithali said her team could not have prepared better for the mega event.

On her plans after the World Cup, Mithali, 39, said: "Let's focus on the World Cup, the next two months are going to be crucial." The squad recently had a week long camp in Dehradun to build "team bonding". A few activities were also organised to develop leadership skills of the younger players. 

Also Read : No change in Test rankings of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Jan 12 (Cricket News) Out-of-action India opener Rohit Sharma and skipper Virat Kohli continue to remain static at the fifth and ninth positions respectively in the latest ICC Test rankings, issued on Wednesday.

While Rohit has 781 rating points, Kohli is just inside the top-10 with 740 points.

The batting list is being headed by Marnus Labuschangne of Australia with 924 points, while England skipper Joe Root (881) and Steve Smith (871) are in the second and third spots respectively.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (862) is at the fourth position.

Mayank Agarwal has dropped a rung and is the next best-placed Indian in the 13th spot.

Among Indian bowlers, veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has managed to hold on to his second spot with 861 rating points.

No other Indian features in the top-10 rankings of the Test bowlers list. The Test bowlers rankings is being headed by Australia skipper Pat Cummins, followed by Ashwin and Kyle Jamieson of New Zealand, who has moved up six places.

Ashwin also held on to his second spot in the Test all-rounders rankings, which is being led by West Indies Jason Holder.

Among others, after twin hundreds in the fourth Ashes Test at the SCG, Usman Khawaja has rocketed back into the Test batting ranking fray, re-entering at 26th place.

The left-hander made 137 and 101 not out across the two innings at the ground he made his Test debut 11 years ago, though the Australians were unable to take the last wicket for victory in the fourth Ashes Test in Sydney. 

Also read : It's certainly on the table: Starc on returning to IPL

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Virat Kohli's long wait for 71st ton continues but his innings of 79 will be remembered as one of the best of his career. The Indian skipper was the lone wolf for India in many ways and displayed grit, determination and discipline. Kohli was the lone warrior for India in the 1st innings of the Cape Town Test. 

Kohli came in when his side were 2 down for 33 for 2. The overcast conditions combined with the bouncy pitch and the fast bowling prowess of South Africa made it tough for batting. Virat Kohli was very watchful and didn't chase balls outside off stump. It took him 16 balls to get off the mark with a fantastic trademark cover drive. Kohli and Pujara put together a 62 run partnership which more or less rescued the Indian innings. Virat Kohli batted and scored 79 runs in 201 balls as India were bowled out for 223 runs. 

Kohli's battle with Kagiso Rabada displayed Test cricket of the highest class. Rabada was the one who eventually got Kohli out chasing a ball outside off. Things would've been different had someone stuck with Kohli for a little longer. Virat Kohli tweaked a few technical things where he didn't look to chase deliveries on 4th/5th stump lines which were seen in his footwork. He did put the bad balls away with some exquisite strokes as he hit 12 boundaries and a maximum.

Kohli has had problems with wide deliveries for a while and this could be the innings that turns it around. Before the series new head coach Rahul Dravid said that Virat Kohli is one good innings away from getting back in form and this could be that innings. Kohli could have a massive role to play in the 2nd innings after which there are the ODIs. Now that he doesn't have to worry about captaincy in white ball, Kohli can concentrate on his batting.

Also read: It's certainly on the table: Starc on returning to IPL

Hobart, Jan 12 (Cricket News) Australian pacer Mitchell Starc is contemplating making a comeback to the IPL after a lengthy hiatus despite a hectic schedule that includes touring the subcontinent and the T20 World Cup title defence at home later this year.

Starc, who last played in the IPL in 2015, said he hasn't made the decision yet but entering his name for the league's mega auction, the nominations for which close on Friday, is "certainly on the table." Starc clinched a contract worth Rs 9.4 crore with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2018 but had to be released because of an injury.

The mega-auction ahead of the upcoming season is scheduled to be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru.

"I've got two days to get my paperwork in, so that might be something to do today before training," Starc was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

"I've not put my name down just yet, but I've got a couple more days to decide on that. It's certainly on the table regardless of what the schedule has got coming up," he added.

Despite being one of the most valuable T20 bowlers, the left-arm pacer has featured in just two seasons of the IPL due to injury and workload management.

In the 27 matches that he played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2014 and 2015, Starc snared 34 wickets at an economy rate of 7.16 and an impressive strike rate of 17.

However, workload will once again become a key factor as the 31-year-old takes a call.

As a multi format player, Starc will have to juggle a packed schedule. After the fifth Ashes Test, Australia have a three-match ODI series and one-off T20I at home against New Zealand.

A five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka is scheduled for next month followed by a full series comprising three Tests as many ODIs and a T20I in Pakistan, starting March.

"I haven't been for six years or so," Starc said "Obviously with a heavy weighting towards T20s over the last period of time and the World Cup coming up later this year, that's one to take into consideration as well," he added.

While the IPL, which has expanded to 10 teams this year, is expected to start in April and go on till June. Australia is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka for a Test and limited-overs series in June and July.

"There's a bit going on with scheduling and what-not to get our heads around, certainly for us multi-format players.

"The schedules are quite jam-packed when you throw in all the tours, we've got a couple of white-ball series post the Ashes before that Pakistan tour, then you take into consideration the IPL and the Sri Lanka tour after that.

"So it's a massive six months of cricket for everyone," Starc said. 

Also Read : India's Test triumph Down Under last year is one of greatest: Gavaskar

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Jan 12 (Cricket News) Recalling India' incredible Test triumph in Australia last year despite being ravaged by injuries, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar said the performance ranks among the team's "greatest wins" of all time and can be considered a "golden chapter" in the country's cricket history.

India, led by Ajinkya Rahane, defeated Australia 2-1 in a closely-fought four Test rubber winning in Melbourne and then breaching fortress Gabba in Brisbane last year after Australia had outplayed the visitors in the Day-Night Test at Adelaide.

Heroics of Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin had helped secure a draw for the visitors in the Sydney Test.

"India's win in Australia early last year will go down as one of the greatest wins in Indian cricket history," Gavaskar said.

"To pick themselves up after the dismissal with their lowest ever test score of 36 and then to beat a rampant home team is a tribute to the determination shown by the players and the leadership roles played by the captain, coach Ravi Shastri and his support group "I was privileged to be there and see a golden chapter being written in the history of Indian cricket," added the 72-year-old former right-handed opener.

To commemorate the one-year anniversary of India's win, 'Sony Sports Network' has produced a special docu-series titled "DOWN UNDERDOGS - INDIA'S GREATEST COMEBACK" that will premiere on January 14 and Gavaskar gave his comments to the channel.

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke, who led Australia to the 2015 ODI World Cup win, said India deserved all the credit for fighting it out after the morale-shattering opening loss.

"India picked an attack that worked," said Clarke.

"Different bowlers - not everyone bowls the same, different tactics, different skills, different weapons, so the credit goes to India for their execution but also Australia might have taken for granted their success in the first test," added the former right-handed batter. 

Also Read : PCB chief Raja proposes 4-nation T20 series involving India, Pakistan

News Source : PTI

Karachi, Jan 12 (Cricket News) Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja says he will propose to the ICC, an annual four-nation T20 International series involving his country, arch-rivals India, Australia and England, the revenue from which will be shared by all members of the world governing body.

Raja said as per his proposal, the tournament will be hosted on a rotational basis by the four participating countries.

"Hello fans. Will propose to the ICC a Four Nations T20i Super Series involving Pak Ind Aus Eng to be played every year,to be hosted on rotation basis by these four.

"A separate revenue model with profits to be shared on percentage basis with all ICC members, think we have a winner," Raja tweeted.

The PCB chief's proposal can be seen as an attempt to revive India-Pakistan cricket rivalry on a regular basis.

However, there is no space for such a tournament in the next Future Tours Program cycle, which has already been finalised, and India have stopped playing tri-nation and quadrangular series for close to a decade now The two neighbouring countries have not played against each other outside ICC tournaments or the Asia Cup since 2013.

The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was held in 2012-13 when India hosted their neighbours for a T20 rubber.

Most recently, the two teams played each other last year in the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE, where Pakistan beat India for the first time in an ICC event. 

Also Read : Hanoor's ton scripts India's nine-wicket thrashing of Australia in U19 World Cup warm up game

News Source : PTI

Providence (Guyana), Jan 12 (Cricket News) Opener Hanooor Singh's unbeaten 100 negated Cooper Connolly's 117 as India mauled Australia by nine wickets in a warm-up game ahead of the Under-19 World Cup here.

Australia posted 268 runs before being all out in 49.2 overs, with 18-year-old captain Connolly making 117 studded with 18 boundaries.

Hanooor led India's charge with his century that had 16 fours. He was well supported by Shaik Rasheed, who scored 72.

Both players retired hurt but captain Yash Dull (50 not out) took the side past the finish line with 15 balls to spare on Tuesday at the Providence stadium here.

The tournament proper will begin on Friday and India will open their campaign against South Africa on Saturday.

In other matches, Bangladesh, England and Pakistan also recorded impressive victories.

Bangladesh posted a decent total of 277 after a tricky start when opener Iftakher Hossain edged to slip in the third over departing for just 1.

But Aich Mollah got his side back on track, making 82 from 82 deliveries with three sixes along the way.

Wicketkeeper Mohammed Fahim also chipped in with a timely 33, before captain Rakibul Hasan went after the Zimbabwe attack, hitting 36 before being run-out.

Tailender Ripon Mondol then managed a quickfire 39 from 26 balls to take the 2020 champions up to their final total.

Zimbabwe's reply didn't start on solid ground when opener Panashe Taruvinga went for a duck.

The next man in Steven Saul launched a counter-attack, scoring 39 from 45 deliveries, but once he outside edged to Fahim his team were facing an uphill task. They were eventually bowled out for 110 runs.

England produced a middle-order rally to beat UAE in an exciting finish by two wickets.

Batting first, the UAE posted a credible 191-9 in their innings, even with losing openers Kai Smith for a duck and Shival Bawa for just eight runs.

However, Dhruv Parashar and captain Alishan Sharafu hit a combined 62 to keep Emiratis in the contest. Josh Boyden was the pick of England’s bowlers with figures of 5-42.

But Sharafu's team refused to go quietly, with tailenders Adihya Shetty and Jash Giyanani scoring 21 and 15 respectively. Set 192 to win, England’s response got off to a bad start when George Thomas was bowled by Sharafu with the first ball of the innings.

Lancashire rookie George Bell then took centre stage to steer England back on track. Arriving at the crease with his team at 23-3, Bell produced a wonderful 75 not out from 120 balls.

Assisted by James Sales (29) and Tom Aspinwall (33), the 19-year-old helped his team secure a narrow two-wicket win.

Pakistan put up an impressive display against Canada. The men in Green reduced them to 31-4.

Ethan Gibson offered some resistance with a stubborn 55, but Mihir Patel’s team were eventually bowled out for 164.

Pakistan's response started poorly when Haseebullah departed for just 3, but his opening partner Mohammad Shehzad scored 67.

He was joined at the crease by Abdul Faseeh who hit 72 unbeaten, to help his team to an eight-wicket victory. 

Also Read : You don't need to sledge or try to impress someone, just be yourself: Cummins to his players

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

Melbourne, Jan 12 (Cricket News) Australia Test skipper Pat Cummins has told his players to just be themselves instead of resorting to sledging just because "it might have been done like that in the past." Ever since the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, the Australian cricketing culture has undergone a serious review for its win-at-all-cost approach in the past. Not a single untoward incident has been witnessed in the ongoing Ashes series, for which Cummins credited his teammates and not just his leadership style.

The England players applauded Usman Khawaja's effort of two hundreds in the Sydney Test and likewise the Australians appreciated the good performers in the visitors camp.

Cummins, the first Australian fast bowler to lead a Test side, said his approach to leadership is quite similar to England's Eoin Morgan.

"I look at different leaders and someone like Eoin Morgan. I like his outlook on captaincy and how he brings the team together. I have worked with Eoin in the IPL for the last couple of years and we have very similar outlooks on life," Cummins was quoted as saying by the 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

"You have to be aware of it. From a couple of years ago it was obvious the world wanted all cricket teams, particularly the Aussie cricket team, to tone it down a little bit.

"I keep encouraging all of our players to be themselves. They do not have to try to impress anyone or sledge just because it might have been done like that in the past. Just be themselves.

Cummins said he has been quite proud of the team's conduct.

"No doubt, the first Tests have been pretty smooth sailing and it (sledging) is something to keep an eye on...You lead by your actions in this space. If I need to pull someone up (for sledging) I will, but everyone is an adult here.

"They have heard it loud and clear from the outside what is expected of us and from cricket fans in Australia. I will not be taking all the credit, the boys have been fantastic themselves." Cummins said the Test format itself is such that inspires players to be at their best in every aspect.

"For just about every cricketer growing up in Australia, it is their preferred format. Test cricket means something in Australia. It is where history is made," he said.

"Ashes series 12 months out, you bump into people in the street and they are already saying they can't wait for the Ashes. It brings everyone together and gives us the chance to stamp our own legacy on the game." And he is relishing the challenge of being Australia's Test skipper and won't mind if bowlers continue to lead the side.

Very few pacers have led their teams like Bob Willis (England), Kapil Dev (India), Courtney Walsh (West Indies) and Pakistan's Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Imran Khan.

"I've always thought bowlers can be captains. I'm not sure if it is the start of a trend, but why not? My experience of being a bowler is really valuable when I'm in the field talking to other bowlers, trying to make bowling changes and setting fields.

"I feel like I can draw on my own experiences a lot. There is no reason why there can’t be more bowling captains going forward." 

Also Read : Advantage South Africa after day 1 despite Virat Kohli masterclass

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 11 (Cricket News) India batting coach Vikram Rathour on Tuesday said Virat Kohli reaped the rewards for being more disciplined in his off-side play before calling his team's performance one day one of the third Test "below par".

India skipper Kohli was a picture of patience and perseverance in his well-crafted 79 but South Africa gained the upper hand by bowling out the visitors for an underwhelming 223 on day one of the series-decider.

“There was never concern with the way he (Kohli) was batting, I mean he was always batting well, I thought as a batting coach, I was never concerned that he is not batting well, he was looking very good in the nets, he was looking very good in the game also, he was getting starts.

“One good change today, he was more disciplined, I agree with that, so he really looked good, really good solid and with a bit of (more) luck, he could have converted into a big one, but I am happy (with) the way he played,” elaborated Rathour at the post day media interaction. Kohli had been found wanting in the off-stump corridor heading into the third Test.

On the overall batting performance, Rathour did not sound too pleased.

“These are challenging conditions, not easy conditions to score runs in, but you are right, we are below par. We could have scored 50/60 more runs, that’s what we were at-least expecting,” Rathour said.

According to the batting coach, there were soft dismissals in the later part of the innings and the batters could have done a better job.

"Virat played a phenomenal innings...Pujara was looking really good, but then they bowled a good spell in the morning, the conditions were overcast and they were challenging (for batting), but again I thought there were some soft dismissals in the later part of the innings, we could have done better definitely,” admitted Rathour. The 52-year-old former India batter also said that they would hope to restrict South Africa to a low total on day two.

“The lesser the runs, I hope it will be an equal innings and they won’t get a big lead," he signed off. 

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

News Source : PTI 

Cape Town, Jan 11 (Cricket News) South Africa may have bowled India out for 223 in their first innings here but ace speedster Kagiso Rabada on Tuesday said their batters will have to dig deep to win the series-deciding third Test.

India got the important wicket of South African skipper Dean Elgar cheaply (3) towards the close of play as the hosts reached 17 for one at stumps on the opening day with Aiden Markram (8) and night-watchman Keshav Maharaj (6) in the middle.

"The game is in the balance. Obviously, we would have liked to win the toss. But we did well to restrict them for 223 but we are going to have to bat well," Rabada said in the media interaction after the day's play.

"I think our biggest strength is that we're just relentless and resilient and that forced us to learn quickly. You're always going to learn when you're playing opposition. So I think that holds us in good stead for the future." Talking about the conditions, he said: "There's still a quite a bit in that wicket. We don't have any control over the conditions. It looks a perfect Test wicket where batters have to grind. I think it's not going to change much tomorrow." Playing in his 50th Test, Rabada was outstanding with figures of 4/73 which included the prized scalp of India captain Virat Kohli (79).

"I wouldn't say a perfect day, very seldom you get a perfect day. I had a good day and things went my way.

"Generally, what we try to do is to be consistent as possible going into every game. Just tried to do the same things, nothing changes.

"Today things went my way I think I'm feeling good about the way I bowled. I was feeling decent out there," he said.

Rabada had a riveting battle with the Indian skipper, who faced 55 of his deliveries and scored 24 runs, including three boundaries, before getting out to the pacer.

Battle against Kohli ===================== Rabada said the plan was to bowl straight or swing away from the Indian captain.

"The plan was to bowl good line and length.

It was pretty obvious to try to swing away as he was going out that way. He was very patient at leaving the ball. He batted extremely well, well done to him." Jansen has got the X-Factor ============================= Rabada got fine support from rookie left-arm pacer Marco Jansen, who snared 3/55 in his third Test appearance.

"He's got a burning desire to play here. He's got the x-factor. He's got a tough character, that's the first thing you look for in a cricketer. The natural talent is there and he has the ability to win matches. He's an exciting prospect for South Africa," Rabada said of Jansen. 

Also Read : SA 17/1 at stumps in reply to India's 223 all out

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 11 (Cricket News) South Africa were 17 for one at stumps in reply to India's first innings total of 223 all out on the opening day of the series-deciding third Test here on Tuesday.

Opener Aiden Markram and night-watchman Keshav Maharaj were batting on 8 and 6, respectively, at the close of play. Jasprit Bumrah dismissed the home team skipper Dean Elgar (3) cheaply after the Indian innings ended in 77.3 overs.

Batting first, India's returning captain Virat Kohli top-scored for the visitors with a 79 off 201 balls, hitting 12 boundaries and a six in the process.

Playing in his 50th Test, Rabada finished with impressive figures of 4/73, while Marco Jansen snared 3/55.

Brief Scores: India 1st innings: 223 all out in 77.3 overs. (Cheteshwar Pujara 43, Virat Kohli 79; Kagiso Rabada 4/73).

South Africa 1st innings: 17/1 in 8 overs. 

Also Read : India all out for 223 after skipper Kohli's 79

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 11 (Cricket News) India were all out for 223 in their first innings on the opening day of the third Test against South Africa here on Tuesday.

Batting first, India's returning skipper Virat Kohli top-scored for the visitors with a 79 off 201 balls, hitting 12 boundaries and a six in the process.

Cheteshwar Pujara made 43 off 77 balls.

Kohli, who had missed the second Test due to a back injury, looked on course for his first Test century in over two years until South Africa's lead pacer Kagiso Rabada cut short his innings.

Playing in his 50th Test, Rabada finished with impressive figures of 4/73, while Marco Jansen snared 3/55.

Brief Scores: India 1st innings: 223 all out in 77.3 overs. (Cheteshwar Pujara 43, Virat Kohli 79; Kagiso Rabada 4/73). 

Also Read : India 141/4 at tea on day one of 3rd Test against South Africa

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 11 (Cricket News) India were 141 for four at tea on the opening day of the series-deciding third Test against against South Africa here on Tuesday.

Skipper Virat Kohli (40) and Rishabh Pant (12) were at the crease when tea was taken.

Duanne Olivier removed KL Rahul while Kagiso Rabada sent back Agarwal. In the second session, India lost the wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.

The series is currently tied 1-1.

Brief Scores: India 1st innings: 141 for 4 in 54 overs. (V Kohli 40 batting). 

Also Read : GC approves new teams' entry into IPL, will get 10-14 days to pick players

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 11 (Cricket News) The IPL Governing Council on Tuesday decided to issue the Letter of Intent to new IPL franchises Lucknow and Ahmedabad, formalising their entry into the world's biggest T20 league.

RPSG Group and private investment firm CVC had successfully bid for the Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchise, respectively, last October. However, the LOI got delayed after it emerged that CVC had links with betting companies outside India.

The BCCI, with the help of its legal team, took its time to probe the issue before deciding to approve the CVC bid.

"The bids were approved by the GC today, LOI will be issued soon," IPL chairman Brijesh Patel told PTI after the meeting.

The issuance of LOI means the two teams are formally part of the IPL, allowing them to pick players ahead of the auction on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru.

Both the franchises have already recruited the support staff and they can now go ahead and sign up to three players each from the draft pick ahead of the mega auction. K L Rahul is expected to lead Lucknow and Hardik Pandya Ahmedabad.

New teams will get 10-14 days to pick players: Patel. The IPL chief said the GC plans to give them 10-14 days to pick the players before the auction.

"We have been talking to the new teams, we are planning to give them 10 days to two weeks," said Patel, adding that there has been no change in the date and place of auction.

With India experiencing a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BCCI is exploring back-up options for the IPL, expected to be held in April-May, and it includes hosting the entire event in one state.

However, Patel said it is still too early to decide on the matter.

"We would like to play in India but we have to see the situation," he added.

The entire edition of 2020 was held in the UAE due to the pandemic. The tournament returned to India the following year but had to be suspended in May amid a devastating second wave in the country. The rest of the IPL had to be completed in the UAE in September-October.

"As of now, we are hosting it in India but the situation is fluid. It is too early to think about shifting it outside," added a BCCI official. 

Also Read : Washington Sundar tests positive for COVID-19, in doubt for ODI series in South Africa

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 11 (Football News) Former AIFF Women's Player of the Year Kamala Devi on Tuesday said the chance to earn a maiden World Cup qualification will be a "huge" motivating factor for the Indian team when it competes in the upcoming AFC Women's Asian Cup.

The continental tournament will be held across three venues in Maharashtra from January 20 to February 6.

She reckoned that a good run for India in the competition could go a long way in popularising women's football in the country.

"The Asian Cup will be a special moment for us all. All eyes will be on us. So if we perform well, that can inspire more girls to come forward and take up the sport," Kamala told the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

"The World Cup Qualification is a big motivation for us." While the Indian team plans to take it one step at a time, the larger goal of getting closer to qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2023 remains in sight.

A quarterfinal appearance could take India one step closer to that.

At the age of 29, mid-fielder Kamala is one of the more experienced players in the Indian squad and has seen both the ups and downs.

"I used to play a number of sports as a kid, like cricket, hockey, football and sepak takraw. But I went towards football eventually, probably because it was a much cheaper sport to sustain," said the mid-fielder.

"My father did not want me to play football in my younger days. But my aunt came forward and helped me with that. But my dad realised that I could do something with football, once I started doing well in a few local tournaments." Sadly, Kamala's father did not live to see his daughter make the national team.

"I understand why he stressed more on me studying than playing football. He wanted me to be self-sufficient. But if he were still alive, he would have been proud of me. Football has given me a living," she said.

While Kamala's aunt stuck by her side, not everyone in her village, except for her footballer friends and childhood coach, liked the fact that a girl was playing the sport.

However, receiving the AIFF Women's Player of the Year Award in 2017 changed things for better.

"Very few people supported me to play football at first. My coach Biren was one of those who convinced my father to let me play football," recalled Kamala.

"But ever since I was given the player of the year award, things have changed. Now, those who used to be against me, ask their kids to take football tips from me, whenever I go back home. And I am more than happy to oblige. There's a certain victory in that," she said. 

Also Read : Kerala Blasters aiming for 10 wins in a row in match against Odisha FC

News Source : PTI

Chennai, Jan 11 (Cricket News) India all-rounder Washington Sundar has tested positive for COVID-19 and is doubtful for the three-match ODI series against South Africa starting January 19.

The 22-year old Tamil Nadu player tested positive for the virus in Bengaluru and has not yet joined the other white-ball cricketers in Mumbai, who are scheduled to leave for South Africa in a day or two.

"Washington has tested positive for COVID-19 and is yet to join the other white ball specialists in Mumbai. He was in Bengaluru (at the National Cricket Academy) when he tested positive," BCCI sources said.

It is learnt that Washington will not be able to travel in the chartered flight along with the other selected players and it is not yet clear if he would be individually flown to South Africa by the BCCI at a later date.

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.

Washington, who has been out of action since the tour of England last year due to an injury, returned to domestic cricket and did well for his state team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where Tamil Nadu reached the final. 

Also Read : India 75/2 at lunch on day one of 3rd Test against South Africa

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 11 (Cricket News) India lost openers KL Rahul (12) and Mayank Agarwal (15) before reaching 75 for two in their first innings at lunch on the opening day of the series-deciding third Test against against South Africa here on Tuesday.

Skipper Virat Kohli (15) and Cheteshwar Pujara (26) were at the crease lunch was taken.

Duanne Olivier removed KL Rahul while Kagiso Rabada sent back Agarwal.

The series is currently tied 1-1.

Brief Scores: India 1st innings: 75 for 2 in 28 overs. (C Pujara 26 batting, V Kohli 15 batting, D Olivier 1/14, K Rabada 1/30. 

Also Read : NZ pacer Jamieson fined for using 'inappropriate language' during 2nd Test against Bangladesh

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Jan 11 (Cricket News) New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson was on Tuesday fined 15 per cent of his match fee for using "inappropriate language" after dismissing Yasir Ali during the just-concluded second Test against Bangladesh in Christchurch.

According to an ICC statement, Jamieson was found to have breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match." In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to the disciplinary record of Jamieson, for whom it was the third offence in a 24-month period, taking his cumulative demerit points to three.

Jamieson's previous breaches were on March 23, 2021 during an ODI against Bangladesh in Christchurch, and on December 28, 2020 in a Test match against Pakistan in Tauranga.

The incident occurred in the 41st over of Bangladesh's first innings on Monday, when Jamieson used inappropriate language after dismissing Yasir Ali, the ICC stated.

Jamieson admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Jeff Crowe and ratified by the ICC Cricket Operations department as per the COVID-19 interim playing regulations.

On-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Wayne Knights, third umpire Chris Brown and fourth umpire Shaun Haig levelled the charge.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player's match fee, and one or two demerit points.

New Zealand won the second Test against Bangladesh by an innings and 117 runs to level the series and hand a befitting farewell to veteran batter Ross Taylor, who retired from the red-ball format on Tuesday after having represented the Kiwis 112 matches. 

Also Read : Documentary on Aussie spin legend Warne to be available on BookMyShow in India

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) After losing the first Test, New Zealand came back to register a mammoth victory against Bangladesh by an innings and 117 runs. Skipper Tom Latham was named player of the match for his splendid innings of 252. 

New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first. Tom Latham's 252 led New Zealand to a total of 521/6 declared. Devon Conway scored 109 to follow the 122 he scored in the last game while Will Young and Tom Blundell scored half centuries. Shoriful Islam and Ebadot Hossain picked up 2 wickets while captain Mominul Haque chipped in with a scalp. 

In reply Bangladesh could only manage 126 runs as it was the Trent Boult show. Tim Southee picked up 3 wickets while Kyle Jamieson got 2 dismissals but Trent Boult was the pick of the bowlers with the figures of 5 for 43. Yasir Ali (55) and Narul Hasan (41) were the only batters to reach double figures. With a lead of 395, Latham enforced the follow on to try and bowl out Bangladesh.

Bangladesh were bowled out for 278 runs as New Zealand won the game in just 3 days. Liton Das scored a gritty century but no other batter could provide adequate support. Kyle Jamieson picked up 4 wickets while getting 3 important scalps. Tim Southee and Daryl Mitchell chipped in with a wicket each while Ross Taylor in the final game of his career picked up the last wicket and won the game for New Zealand. 

The series ended in a 1-1 draw which is a very big result for Bangladesh. They are 7th on the WTC points table while New Zealand jumped to the 6th spot. The Kiwis will now prepare for the 3 ODIs and a T20I in Australia while Bangladesh will play 3 ODIs and a Test in South Africa.

Also read: South African all-rounder Chris Morris retires from all forms of cricket

New Delhi, Jan 11 (Cricket News) 'Shane', a documentary film on Australia spin legend Shane Warne, will be available for Indian fans on BookMyShow Stream from January 15.

Reliving the spinner's glorious cricketing journey over the years, cricket enthusiasts will get a glimpse of Warne's life through the documentary.

Warne will also shed light his special connection with India after winning the maiden season of the Indian Premier League, his close bond with his peers and Indian cricketing legends like Sachin Tendulkar.

"I'm super excited to be releasing my documentary 'Shane' which will be exclusively available on BookMyShow Stream," Warne said in a statement.

"In the film, I will talk all about my career, including the highs, like taking the Rajasthan Royals to win the inaugural IPL, way back in 2008 as well as interviews from some cool people who have been part of my journey...

"...those whom I consider very close friends including Sachin Tendulkar, Manoj Badale, owner of the Rajasthan Royals, Ed Sheeran as well as one of my closest friends Chris Martin." 

Also read : Tata group to replace Vivo as IPL title sponsors from this year

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 11 (Cricket News) One of India's largest business conglomerates, the Tata Group, is all set to replace Chinese mobile manufacturer Vivo as the Indian Premier League's title sponsor from this year, the event's governing council decided in a meeting on Tuesday.

"Yes, Tata group is coming in as IPL title sponsor," IPL chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed the development to PTI.

Mr. Jay Shah – Honorary Secretary, BCCI said, “This is indeed a momentous occasion for the BCCI IPL as the Tata Group is the epitome of global Indian enterprise with an over 100 year old legacy and operations in more than 100 countries across six continents. The BCCI like the TATA Group is keen to promote the spirit of cricket across international borders and the growing popularity of the IPL as a global sporting franchise, bears testimony to the BCCI’s efforts. We are truly happy that India’s largest and most trusted business groups has believed in the IPL growth story and together with the Tata Group, we will look to take Indian cricket and the IPL forward to greater heights.”

Vivo had a deal of Rs 2200 crore for title sponsorship rights from 2018-2022 but after the 2020 Galwan Valley military face-off between the Indian and Chinese Army soldiers, the brand took a break for a year with Dream11 replacing it.

However, Vivo were back as IPL tittle sponsor in 2021 even as speculation raged that they were looking to transfer the rights to a suitable bidder and the BCCI approved the move. 

Also Read : South African all-rounder Chris Morris retires from all forms of cricket

News Source : PTI

Johannesburg, Jan 11 (Cricket News) South Africa all-rounder Chris Morris on Tuesday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket and is set to take up a coaching role with domestic side Titans.

The 34-year-old cricketer made the announcement on social media.

"Today I announce my retirement from all forms of cricket! Thanks to all who have played a part in my journey whether it be big or small…it's been a fun ride! Delighted to be taking up a coaching role at @titanscricket #lifebeginsnow," Morris wrote on his Instagram page.

A right-arm pacer and explosive batter, Morris made his Test debut as late as 2016 and featured in only four games in traditional format, making 173 runs and taking 12 wickets.

He represented South Africa in four Tests, 42 ODIs and 23 T20 Internationals, picking up 48 and 34 wickets respectively.

With the bat in hand, Morris scored 467 runs in ODIs and 133 in T20s respectively.

Morris played for Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings franchises in the IPL.

He turned out to be the biggest beneficiary among South African cricketers in the IPL when he was bought by Chennai Super Kings for a whopping Rs 3.32 crore in the 2013 players' auction. 

Also Read : India win toss, opt to bat against Proteas in series-deciding 3rd Test

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 11 (Cricket News) India skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat against South Africa in the series-deciding third and final Test, here on Tuesday.

India have made two changes to their playing XI with pacer Umesh Yadav replacing Mohhamed Siraj and Hanuma Vihari making way for skipper Kohli, who missed the second Test due to back spasm.

South Africa are unchanged.

The series is tied 1-1 with India winning the opener in Centurion while the hosts won the second game in Johannesburg.

India have never won a Test series in South Africa.

Teams: India: Virat Kohli (C), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav.

South Africa: Dean Elgar (C), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Duanne Olivier and Lungi Ngidi. 

Also Read : It was great to finish off career with win and a wicket, says emotional Taylor

News Source : PTI

Christchurch, Jan 11 (Cricket News) A wicket with the final delivery of his Test career along with a series-levelling win over Bangladesh, veteran New Zealand batter Ross Taylor couldn't have asked for a more befitting farewell after a 15-year-long journey in red-ball cricket and the star agreed it was "great".

A talisman of New Zealand cricket, Taylor ended his Test career by dismissing Ebadot Hossain to help the hosts beat Bangladesh by an innings and 117 runs to level the series 1-1 here on Tuesday.

"It's great to finish off your career with a win and a wicket, I wanted to finish off with a win and the guys did it. Bangladesh put us under a lot of pressure a number of times, it's only fair that we share the series," an emotional Taylor told the official broadcasters after the match.

After the fall of Bangladesh's ninth wicket, the crowd present at the Hagley Oval chanted for Taylor to be given the ball and New Zealand skipper Tom Latham obliged.

The 37-year-old veteran of 112 Tests couldn't have imagined a better end to his five-day career by inducing a false shot from Hossain with only his third ball and Latham did the rest to give Taylor only his third Test wicket.

Taylor's previous two victims were Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth during New Zealand's tour of India in 2010.

Taylor had previously bowled only 16 overs in his entire Test career -- the last time being eight years ago.

"The series was great – I was wondering if we need to come back tomorrow, but the boys were fantastic. It became a bit funky towards the end, I chunked it up and Tom (Latham) said it was the most precious thing I did over the whole game," Taylor said about the wicket.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed representing my country, have played a lot here (in Christchurch), spent a lot of time and it's a great way to finish," he added.

Taylor, a former New Zealand captain, was accorded a standing ovation by the crowd. He was presented the match ball and was given a guard of honour by the Bangladeshi players. 

Also Read : Virat Kohli to return for the series decider against South Africa in Cape Town

News Source : PTI

(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

In 2020, Australian wheelchair tennis champion Dylan Alcott won the golden slam, becoming the first male in the history of the sport to win all major titles and the Paralympic/Olympic gold. However, it was not always a smooth ride for Alcott who admitted he “hated himself” due to his disabilities and sports completely transformed his life. It sent a clear message that sports is more than just a hobby or a recreation for many, it’s a lifestyle that can empower and transform lives, even for those who are physically challenged.

In this exclusive interview with SPOGO, Noor Nahain, Founder and President of Bangladesh Wheelchair Sports Foundation speaks about his primary goals and objectives, the standard of wheelchair cricket in Bangladesh, overcoming challenges, participation of women in Wheelchair Cricket, future goals and more!

Q 1) As Founder and President of the Bangladesh Wheelchair Sports Foundation, what are your primary goals and objectives to improve the status of disabled cricketers in the country?

On April 27, 2018, Bangladesh Wheelchair Sports Foundation started the journey. As Founder and President of the Bangladesh Wheelchair Sports Foundation, our primary goals are to establish all physically impaired persons with disability into the mainstream of society through participation in all types of para-sports such as cricket and other sports. We want to create a professional para-sports sector to improve livelihood, social prestige and build leadership capabilities so that other physically impaired persons with disabilities come forward and get inspired so that they can break free from the shell of disbelief that they are not able, that they can do anything they set their mind to.

Q 2) As vice-captain of the Bangladesh Wheelchair Cricket team, what would you consider the standard of wheelchair cricket in the country to be on par with other countries?

As a representative of wheelchair cricket in Bangladesh, I believe that the standard of wheelchair cricket in our country is good. We have a lot of talented cricketers, and many are joining us. Wheelchair cricket is spreading over the whole country, and we are glad many are coming forward to join us. 

Q 3) What are some of the major challenges that you face as the President of the Bangladesh Wheelchair Sports Foundation? Are sponsorships a perennial issue in this format of the sport?

Challenges will always be there, but I believe that you have to keep on knocking at the doors of opportunities and keep moving forward. If you knock enough the doors will open. Sponsorship is a perennial issue of any kind of sport, in the beginning, it was not so different but now we get regular sponsorships. As I already said we have to keep knocking on the doors of opportunity.

Also read: Our goal is to create opportunities for recently retired cricketers - Raman Raheja, Co-Founder and CEO of Legends League Cricket

Q 4) What is your role as Co-Founder and Administrative Director at Wheelchair Cricket Welfare Association Bangladesh?

In 2015, we founded the Wheelchair Cricket Welfare Association Bangladesh for working in the wheelchair cricket sector in Bangladesh. As a former Administrative Director at Wheelchair Cricket Welfare Association Bangladesh, I had the responsibilities to oversee the development of player’s skills, to conduct the training sessions, to select players for the team as well as player management.

Q 5) Tell us about the participation of women in Wheelchair Cricket? How was the reception of the 1st BWSF Women Indoor Wheelchair Cricket Championship 2021?

The participation of women in wheelchair cricket is much less than male participants. Bangladesh Wheelchair Sports Foundation has taken initiatives to promote women wheelchair cricket in Bangladesh through indoor wheelchair cricket and we organized the 1st BWSF Women Indoor Wheelchair Cricket Championship 2021 in the ‘Jatir Pita Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Para Sports Carnival 2021’. After this championship, more physically impaired women with disabilities have got the inspiration to participate in the sports.

The reception was great. In the closing ceremony of ‘Jatir Pita Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Para Sports Carnival 2021’, the hon’ble state minister of ministry of youth and sports, Mr. Md. Zahid Ahsan Russel MP was the chief guest of the program. He appreciated our  initiatives that we have started women wheelchair cricket besides the men wheelchair cricket and handed over the champion and runner up trophies of the 1st BWSF Women Indoor Wheelchair Cricket Championship 2021. At this time, the general secretary of National Paralympic Committee of Bangladesh. Engi. Md. Maksudur Rahman, the advisers of BWSF Dr. Aminur Rahman Sultan and Dr. Ahmed Wasif Reza were present. 

Q 6) What are your future goals and ambitions with regards to Wheelchair Cricket? How do you plan to achieve them?

When I started work in the wheelchair cricket sector, I always wanted the Bangladesh Cricket Board to recognize our initiative to make wheelchair cricket part of the board. Recently, we have got good news that our Bangladesh Cricket Board has officially created a physically challenged cricket committee for the persons with disabilities which is going to be the mother organization of all cricket. Mr. Akram Khan, former captain of Bangladesh National Cricket Team is the chairman of the committee. A few days ago, I met with him on behalf of Bangladesh Wheelchair Sports Foundation and told him about our wheelchair cricket. He has appreciated our initiatives and has told us that the physically challenged cricket committee will start cricket activities.

Cape Town, Jan 10 (Cricket News) South Africa captain Dean Elgar on Monday signalled that the gloves are off in the series decider against India and said Virat Kohli's return for their biggest Test in the "last 10-15 years" will make the battle more intense.

The second Test at the Wanderers saw quite a few heated exchanges between the players and with a fit-again Kohli back for the all-important game, Elgar feels more verbal blows will be traded at the Newlands.

"Virat brings a different dynamic to the game. I don't think I missed him. But I think potentially his team missed him, no doubt just from a captaincy point of view and maybe from a strategy point of view.

"He is a world class player and very experienced within their squad. His name speaks for itself and it's one of the more respected cricketers around so I wouldn't say I missed him... But it doesn't matter who are playing against. We as a team, we need to focus on us," said Elgar on the eve of the third Test.

"Biggest game in last 10-15 years" ==================== Elgar, known for his steely resolve, took multiple blows on the body on his way to a match-winning 96 in the second Test.

For a team going through transition and mired in off-the-field controversies, a series win against India will be a massive boost.

"This test is potentially the biggest we've had in 10 years, maybe even 15 years. And I think that speaks for its own respect. Test cricket is always going to have intensity, me as a player harbouring the intensity as well. So I don't think it's going to lack intensity.

"Test cricket still demands quite a high level of intensity and you have to maintain that throughout five days. I know it's not always possible to maintain that throughout five days. But you have to be pretty consistent with regards to implementing the intensity throughout. That's why it's so important to switch off when you can switch off.

"We saw in the Wanderers the minute we brought the intensity it seemed to almost flush the Indians quite a lot. And when that can play in our favour and it would be silly for us not to try and replicate that or even bring even more intensity into the next game," said Elgar.

Elgar said it would also be the biggest win of his career.

"... Obviously that comes with the leadership in captaincy. Now having a bit more influence with regards to our players group. But I think just from a player's point of view, it would be massive for us. I think we've put in so much hard work the last few months.

"We've been playing actually pretty good cricket up until now. We've had a lot of things that go our away because you need some momentum and they're on your side. And we've been doing everything right.

"For us winning the series 2-1 one is huge, beating the world number one side even though it's in your back garden, it's still going to speak massive amounts for our players group going forward in the Proteas batch," said Elgar.

"Pitch will last for five days" =============== Talking about the pitch at Newlands, Elgar predicted that the game will last five days.

"I've seen it from a domestic (match) point of view. Looks a little bit different. Yeah, they've done quite a lot of work after that game we had domestically and the condition is actually pretty good. I think it's the best I've seen Newlands in quite some time.

"The conditions look actually quite welcoming for us. They're just trying to prepare a good Test wicket because I think they obviously want the wicket to deteriorate over time into day four and five.

"That just calls on basics with regards to the kind of deterioration, wear and tear that the wicket can offer but it does look like a relatively good cricket pitch." "If you aren't feeling a little sore, you are not working hard enough" ========================================= For someone who gives his 100 percent on the field and is always up for a fight, Elgar confirmed that everyone is fit for selection in his own inimitable style.

"I don't think there's any hiccups with regards to fitness of players... obviously, there's always niggles when you play in a series, especially Test cricket pushes your body to the limit.

"... And I mean if you're not a little bit sore, and if you're not a little bit bruised, then the bowlers feet are not sore then obviously they're not working hard enough," he added.

He also lauded his lead pacer Kagiso Rabada ahead of his 50th Test.

"Playing 50 Tests for your country is massive. When he started he was extremely raw and he had express pace and I think he's come of age in that period of time. He's influenced our group in such a big way on and off the field.

"And he is only 26. He's still got so much more cricket (in him) from a Test point of view." 

Also Read : If Australian players are going to Pakistan, I will go with them: ACA chief

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, Jan 11 (Cricket News) Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) chief Todd Greenberg has assured the country's cricketers that he will travel to Pakistan with them if the tour gets final approval but would respect if "one or two" backs out of the trip. If the team gets security clearance to travel, it will be Australia's first tour to Pakistan since 1998, when Mark Taylor's side won the three-Test series 1-0.

"I've made an assurance to the players that they won't go alone. If they're going to Pakistan, I'll be going with them and I think that's important. It's an opportunity to show the players that we're in this together," Greenberg told The Sydney Morning Herald.

"The ACA accompanied Cricket Australia on a pre-tour of Pakistan late last year, and the reports were all very positive.

"But we'll continue to take the advice of DFAT and other government organisations, as we need to be able to satisfy not just the players, but their families, that it's safe to tour." International teams have been reluctant to travel to Pakistan since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009.

However, international players have competed in Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the West Indies also travelled to Pakistan in December 2021 for a Twenty20 series.

Greenberg understands that despite security assurances, a few cricketers might be unwilling to travel to Pakistan but he won't force anyone.

"There may be one or two players who won't be comfortable despite the best advice we give, and that's OK, we need to respect that." CA chief executive Nick Hockley is also planning to travel to Pakistan for at least some of the tour, while the interim chair Richard Freudenstein may visit for a period to meet with his counterpart Ramiz Raja, unless a new permanent chair is chosen by then, according to the report in SMH.

New Zealand and England had called off their tours to Pakistan ahead of the T20 World Cup last year, much to the disappointment of cricket establishment in that country.

PCB chief Ramiz Raja had emphasised that cricketing nations need to back each other but rued that "western bloc" was not helping the cause. He said he was expecting Australia to do the same what Englanbd and New zealand did to them.

Greenberg said while they are keen to fulfil their international commitments, they would allow players to make their own choices.

"We have to be kind and patient with each other, and there'll be a player or two who say, 'You know what, this is not for me at this particular point in my life and career, I'm not comfortable going'.

"If that’s the case, we need to have great respect for that," Greenberg told SEN Radio during the SCG Test match. 

Also Read : I am absolutely fit but can't risk Siraj as he isn't ready to play 3rd Test: Virat Kohli

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 10 (Cricket News) India captain Virat Kohli on Monday said he will return to the team for the series-deciding third Test against South Africa here as he is "absolutely fit" but ruled out the participation of pacer Mohammed Siraj.

Kohli, who missed the second Test because of an upper back spasm, had nets with the rest of the team at Newlands on Sunday. He batted without any visible discomfort, lunging forward to play the drives.

"I am absolutely fit," Kohli said at the pre-match press conference.

However, he added that Siraj will not feature in the game after he suffered a hamstring injury in Johannesburg, where India lost by seven wickets.

"Siraj is obviously recovering from the (hamstring) niggle he had in the last game and at present, I don't think he is match-ready to take the field in the third Test.

"You cannot obviously risk a guy who is not at 110 per cent as a fast bowler and we know how important that is as the little niggle he had can extend into an injury," the skipper said.

"Siraj is not up to the mark," he added.

However, the skipper did not say whether Ishant Sharma will get the nod ahead of Umesh Yadav.

"As I said, we are yet to sit down, myself, the head coach and vice-captain to decide what we want to do about replacement," he said.

"And I say that because of our bench strength and it's difficult for us to figure out as everyone is bowling well, batting well, these things become a point of contention and we need to have a healthy discussion on a decision on that and just that everyone feels balanced (okay) about it," he explained.

"But I am happy being in this position sitting here trying to decide who is going to play rather than having other options." Team India will look to bounce back in the third and final Test of the series, which is scheduled to begin here Tuesday.

India kicked off the South Africa tour on a perfect note, crushing the hosts by 113 runs in the series-opener at Centurion.

However, the Proteas won the second game to leave the three-match series level at 1-1. 

Also Read : Ashwin can continue to play spin all-rounder's role in any conditions: Kohli

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Jan 10 (Cricket News) The CVC-owned Ahmedabad franchise will be appointing senior India all-rounder Hardik Pandya as captain for its maiden season in the Indian Premier League, for which it has got the all-clear from the BCCI.

One of the world's leading venture capitalists, who bought the Ahmedabad IPL team for INR 5625 crore, the owners had to wait longer for the BCCI to give them the Letter of Intent as legal vetting was required.

The delay in getting the green light was due to CVC's investments in betting firms in Europe and although they have no such operations in India where betting is illegal, the country's cricket board wanted to be sure about the legal ramifications before giving them the go-ahead.

"Yes, Ahmedabad franchise has received their Letter of Intent. However, they have been doing their back-room work for some time as it's a huge process. As far as we know, Hardik has been zeroed in on as the captain of the franchise," a senior IPL source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

The two new franchises (Lucknow being the other) have the right to choose three players (two Indian and one foreigner) from the pool of available players as part of the draft pick before the mega auction.

"Hardik with his local connect and being a proven IPL performer for Mumbai Indians for so long was an obvious choice as captain and premier player.

"The franchise has almost finalised its deal with Afghan spin sensation Rashid Khan and dashing keeper-batter Ishan Kishan as their second and third picks from the draft. As of now, that's what is finalised unless there are changes at the last moment," the source said.

The Ahmedabad franchise has already appointed Ashish Nehra as its head coach along with Vikram Solanki as director of cricket and Gary Kirsten as team mentor.

This year's tournament will be sort of a comeback trail for Hardik, who has been out of favour since the completion of the ICC T20 World Cup, where India were knocked out in the league phase.

The main contention has been his bowling as he hasn't been the same potent, skiddy fourth seamer in the line-up that he used to be before his back surgery and, of late, he hasn't bowled much even in white ball cricket.

It is now an accepted fact that Pandya in order to prolong his white ball career might not play the longer version for India again but for the white ball team, he remains a vital cog going into this year's World T20 in Australia, and hence, a good show for Ahmedabad as leader cum captain might change the scenario for him. 

Also Read : Ashwin can continue to play spin all-rounder's role in any conditions: Kohli

News Source : PTI

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

Cape Town, Jan 10 (Cricket News) India captain Virat Kohli on Monday made it clear that the current team management is not thinking of phasing out under-pressure senior players Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane as "transitions" can't be forced on individuals based on mere "conversations".

While both the senior players have found some form with fifties in the lost second Test against South Africa but prolonged inconsistency has given rise to questions on whether it is becoming unfair on the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari, who are forced to sit out despite decent performances.

With Iyer scoring a hundred and fifty on debut in the hone series against New Zealand and Vihari hitting an unbeaten 40 in his comeback Test in Johannesburg, Kohli was asked whether conversations have started on how to handle the transition phase and the skipper nipped it in the bud.

"Well, I obviously can't pinpoint when we will have a talk on transition. The game itself pans out in a way that transitions happen. It can't be forced by individuals," Kohli put forth his point pretty succinctly.

He came in defence of his senior teammates.

"If you look at the last Test, the way Jinx and Pujara batted, in second innings, that experience is obviously priceless for us, especially in series like these where we know that these guys have done the job in the past.

"These guys have performed in Australia the last time we were there. In the last Test, they played crucial knocks in crucial situations and that has a lot of value." The skipper was of the opinion that conversations regarding transitions with individuals (no names taken) could be tricky and one should let that happen organically.

"I feel, transitions do happen and they happen naturally. Conversations can't be forced around transitions is what I feel.

"When the transition happens, everyone knows which direction the team is going, that's a very natural progression and I think we should leave transition to unfold itself and not necessarily force individuals in tricky or difficult situations," he said.

That shot from Pant and "golden words" from MSD once upon a time ========================================== Acceptance of mistake is the first sign of improvement, feels the Indian Test captain as he spoke extensively about Rishabh Pant's rash shot in the second innings at Johannesburg and put it in context with a piece of advice received from his predecessor Mahendra Singh Dhoni which became a thumb rule for him.

"MS Dhoni, at the start of my career, had given me a fabulous piece of advice. Between your first and second mistake, there should be a minimum gap of seven to eight months and then only can you prolong your career.

"That got ingrained in my system that I will not repeat the same mistake," Kohli said in reference to Pant's dismissal while trying to give Kagiso Rabada the charge in Johannesburg.

But he did mention that he and coach Rahul Dravid have had some serious conversations with Pant about that mode of dismissal.

"We have had conversations with Rishabh at practice. When a batter plays a particular stroke, he is the first one to know whether it was a correct shot to play in that particular situation," the skipper's answer was clear enough as to how he felt.

"As long as an individual, one accepts the responsibility, I think, then only can you make proper progress. We have all been out at some point at important stages of a match in our careers.

"Sometimes because of pressure, sometimes because of our own mistake and some other times when a bowler shows quality skills. You need to understand what was the mind-set at that particular moment when you took a certain decision," he explained.

"The more we learn to accept our mistakes, the better players we become. We improve and ensure that (mistakes) are not repeated," Kohli said.

He is confident that Pant will not repeat his mistakes and make his opportunities count.

"He will make sure that next time in an important situation, he will stand up and take responsibility and give an impact performance." 

Also Read : BCCI postpones Cooch Behar Trophy knockout games after massive COVID-19 outbreak

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Jan 10 (Cricket News) The BCCI on Monday postponed the knockout games of U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy following a massive COVID-19 outbreak among the participating teams.

As as many as 38 cases (32 players, 6 support staff) across eight teams were detected ahead of the knockout stage beginning in Pune on Tuesday, PTI has learnt.

"The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday announced the postponement of the knockout stage matches of the Cooch Behar Trophy following some positive COVID-19 cases within the team environment.

"Keeping everyone's health and safety in mind, the knockout matches to be held in Pune have been put on hold until further notice. The BCCI had conducted 93 matches across 20 venues in the league stage.

"The Board will continue to monitor the situation and identify a new window once the situation improves," said the BCCI in a statement.

Last week, the BCCI was forced to postpone all domestic events including the premier Ranji Trophy due to a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country.

"The decision was taken after 38 positive cases were found, the report came last night and a decision to postpone the tournament was taken this morning," said a BCCI source.

The tournament was to be played across four venues in Pune.

A total of 1,79,723 new cases were reported in India on Monday. 

Also Read : On cusp of 50th Test, Rabada says 'he's nowhere near done'

News Source : PTI

Cape Town, Jan 10 (Cricket News) When Kagiso Rabada takes the field against India on Tuesday, he will complete a significant milestone of playing 50 Test matches, but the pacer says "he is nowhere near done" and hopes to serve South African team for a long time.

Rabada, 26, already has 226 Test wickets in his kitty and is spearheading the Proteas pace attack. He is also the fastest South African bowler and fourth fastest overall in terms of age to get to 200 wickets.

"As much as it is about taking wickets, it's about being the best I can be and there's no limit to that. I feel like I'm nowhere near done," Rabada was quoted as saying by the Cricket South Africa website.

"It's just about coming back and playing the next game. You can never take international cricket for granted.

"For me it's about the longevity and not doing it for just a short amount of time. It's about doing it for a long time and that's what keeps driving me," he added.

Rabada, who was unaware of reaching the landmark until the end of the previous match, said it's a milestone which is close to his heart.

"It's quite special. I didn't even know how many games I was on and only found out after the last Test match that this would be my 50th.

"It kind of really goes by without noticing. But it's something special for me, I've always wanted to represent my country, so this is definitely a personal milestone and one that I'll hold dear to my heart." It has not been an easy path for the pacer since he made his Test debut in India in 2015.

"There's been lots of ups and downs, it's definitely been challenging to keep good performances going for a long amount of time.

"It's been tough navigating your way through the lows -- I think that's been quite difficult -- and then also trying to get through the external pressures that can influence your game and also influence the team space.

"Those are things you have to get used to dealing and things you constantly learn how to deal with.

"At the end of the day you almost have to remind yourself to keep enjoying it and remember yourself as this youngster who just wanted to represent your country and show the world what you're about." A vital cog in South Africa's scheme of things, Rabada bowled a stunning spell on the third day of the second Test, which helped South Africa post a memorable seven-wicket win against India to level the series.

The right-hander counts the 2015 ODI series win in India and the Test series victory against Australia in 2016 as highlights of his career.

"The tours that stand out were when we visited India in 2015 and we became the first South African touring team to beat India in an ODI series away from home.

"Also when we went to Australia in 2016 when a lot of our players were kind of retiring and we really had to dig deep and ended up winning the series 2-1 away from home.

"Australia is a big challenge away from home and those two series were the highlights of my career thus far." 

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News Source : PTI