Cricket
Pakistan May Pull Out Of Asia Cup After Hybrid Model Is Rejected: Report Left with no option after Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan backed out of their proposed Hybrid Model , hosts Pakistan may pull out of the Asia Cup in September. According to the Hybrid Model proposed by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi, Pakistan were to conduct 3 to 4 games of the Asia Cup in their country, while the rest of the matches involving India could be held at a neutral venue. The idea was floated after India refused to travel to Pakistan because of security concerns. However, it has become clear now that Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have all backed the BCCI s push for moving the tournament out of Pakistan.
It is just a formality now that the Asian Cricket Council executive board members meet virtually or a proper meeting is called later this month.
But the PCB is now aware that Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are not backing their hybrid model proposal for the Asia Cup, said a well-informed source aware of the developments.
The source said that Sethi was already in touch with his cricket management committee members and also with the relevant government officials to discuss Pakistan s stance if they do not get to host any matches of the Asia Cup at home.
Sethi has repeatedly said that if the tournament is moved to one neutral country from Pakistan, it will not take part in the competition and the source said it is on the cards that PCB will go for a boycott of the Asia Cup.
Pakistan only has two options. Play the tourney at neutral venue or withdraw, an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) source said.
In case Pakistan doesn t play, it will still be called Asia Cup but broadcaster will renegotiate the deal in absence of Pakistan. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and India have all taken the stance that it is not logistically or financially feasible to host the Asia Cup in Pakistan and some other country and it should be held in one country i.e Sri Lanka since India can t travel to Pakistan.
The source also said there is a possibility that the Asia Cup might be scrapped entirely this year and India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan could end up playing a multi-team event in 50-overs format before the World Cup.
There is every possibility the Asia Cup might not be held this year because without Pakistan and India matches the broadcasters are not likely to offer the same amount they were offering to the ACC with Pakistan included, the source said.
The source added that India is also preparing for a four or five nation event at home in the window which would be left open if the Asia Cup is not held.
What effect Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan s decision could have on the relations between these boards remains to be seen.
Pakistan has already rejected a proposal to play some ODI matches in Sri Lanka when it tours the country for a two-Test series after the island nation offered to host all the matches of the Asia Cup.
The source said the recent developments could force Pakistan to show its hand as far as its decision to send its team to India for the World Cup is concerned.
Don t Get Excited : Pakistan Great s Advice To Indian Pacers At WTC Final Pakistan legend Wasim Akram on Monday said the Indian fast bowling unit should not get carried away with the new ball and must be patient for success in the World Test Championship final against Australia, which starts on Wednesday. The world No. 1 side India will take on the second-placed Australia in the final of the WTC at The Oval here from June 7, as the 2021-2023 cycle of the competition comes to an end with the summit clash. Neither of the two teams have played Test cricket in the last two months as most of the players were busy in the IPL, and the change in format will be swift, along with the change from white Kookaburra ball to the red Dukes.
Akram hoped that the Indian fast bowling attack, with Mohammad Shami as the spearhead and the wily Mohammed Siraj as a certain starter, would be wise with their tactics on the field.
These guys are experienced, and they shouldn t get carried away (with the new ball). We all know it swings for 10 to 15 overs, so don t give away extra runs in the first 10 to 15 overs as a fast bowler, Akram was quoted as saying by the ICC.
(Early on) don t get too excited if there is a bit of bounce as that is what the Australians want, he added.
It is for the first time in 140 years of its history that The Oval, which usually hosts a Test late in the English summer, will be holding a match as early as in the start of June. Hence, the pitch as well as the conditions, combined with players recent assignments, make this contest even more intriguing.
This pitch normally favours teams from the sub-continent, but whenever we toured here... it was always at the end of August or start of September. This one is in June, the square is different, fresh square, and the ball is different altogether as a Dukes, said Akram.
While India middle-order mainstay Cheteshwar Pujara was the only player from his side plying his trade in the County Championship for Sussex, several Australians such as Marnus Labuschagne, fast bowler Michael Neser and even Steve Smith — who also played for Sussex — have recent experience of the conditions.
Oval Record To Selection Dilemma: Challenges For India Ahead Of WTC Final India will take on Australia in the final of the ICC World Test Championship at The Oval from June 7 onwards. While it is India s second successive final in the tournament and comes after plenty of good performances throughout the year, including against England in the UK, the title clash has brought with it a set of worries as well. India has some things that they will surely worry about, stay concerned about and look forward to rectify during the high-stakes match.
The poor record of middle-order batters at The Oval
Indian middle-order batters Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara have a worrisome record at this venue. Virat s record has not been very encouraging though it is modest at best. In his three matches at the venue, he has scored 169 runs at an average of 28.16, with just one half-century, a knock of 50. His six innings include two single-digit scores, including a duck.
Pujara, India s rock-solid number three has a shaky record at the venue as well. In three Tests, he has scored 117 runs at an average of 19.50, with just one fifty. His six innings, consist of three single-digit scores, including a duck.
Rahane is the worst-performing of all three on this ground. In six innings across three Tests, Rahane has scored only 55 runs at an average of 9.17, with the best score of 37.
The trio s overall records in England are not very great either.
Virat s overall record in England stands at 16 matches, 1,033 runs at an average of 33.32. He has scored two centuries and five fifties, with best score of 149. After a horror tour back in 2014, Virat bounced back in style during the 2018 tour to England, topping the run-charts with 593 runs in five matches, 10 innings at an average of 59.30, with two centuries and three fifties.
Pujara has played 15 Tests in England and has scored 829 runs at an average of 29.60, with one century and five fifties in 30 innings, with the best score of 132*.
In Tests in England, Rahane has scored 729 runs in 15 matches, 29 innings at an average of 26.03, with a century and five fifties.
Steve Smith s outstanding record at The Oval
The star Australian batter has an incredible record at The Oval and will be a player to watch out for. In three Tests, Smith has scored 391 runs at an average of 97.75. He has scored two centuries and a fifty in his five innings here.
Smith s Test record in England is just as intimidating. In 16 matches, Smith has scored 1,727 runs at an average of 59.55, with six centuries and seven fifties in 30 innings, with best score of 215. Indian bowlers will have to do something really magical to dismiss him and getting him early will be a key to win.
Select KS Bharat or Ishan Kishan?
Both Indian wicketkeeper-batters are in the team in the absence of star player Rishabh Pant. Pant has played a lot of impactful innings in his Test career so far and Team India will surely miss that impact. In England, Pant has scored 556 runs in nine Tests at an average of 32.70, with two centuries and two fifties in 17 innings, with best score of 146.
Though KS Bharat has some English experience, having scored 70* in a practice match during India s tour to England back in 2022 against Leicestershire, he is still inexperienced. In 4 Tests played so far, he has scored just 101 runs at an average of 20.20, with best score of 44. Kishan on the other hand, capable of hitting it big like Pant, would find it difficult to adjust to English conditions in Tests, a format he is yet to play. He has just played one T20I in England, in which he scored eight runs.
Both keeper batters are inexperienced and Team India cannot do anything about it, especially with KL Rahul, one of India s alternate keeper options, out due to injury. In nine Tests in England, Rahul has scored 614 runs at an average of 34.11, with two centuries and a fifty in 18 innings.
Kishan has scored 2,985 runs in 48 first-class matches at an average of 38.76 and six centuries and 16 fifties. On the other hand, in 90 FC matches, Bharat has 4,808 runs at an average of 37.27, with nine centuries and 27 fifties.
Australia ended at the top of the WTC table with 11 wins, three losses, and five draws in 19 matches whereas India ended in second position with 10 wins, five losses and three draws.
India s squad for WTC final: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk).
Suryakumar Yadav, Mukesh Kumar and Yashasvi Jaiswal have been named as stand-by players for the high-stakes match.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner
Standby players: Mitch Marsh, and Matthew Renshaw.
Ex-India Star s Son Super Happy After Meeting Dhoni. Here s The Reason Former Indian cricket team star Mohammed Kaif took to social media to share pictures from his sudden reunion with MS Dhoni at the airport. Both cricketers were there with their families and in the pictures posted on Instagram, all of them could be seen interacting. In his post, Kaif wished Dhoni a speedy recovery from his surgery and explained how the meeting made his son “super happy” as the ex-India skipper told him that he also used to play football in his younger days.
“We met the great man and his family at airport today. He was returning home after surgery. Son Kabir super happy as Dhoni told him he too, like him, played football as a kid. Get well soon, see you next season champion,” he wrote on Instagram along with pictures from their meeting.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Mohammad Kaif (@mohammadkaif87)
Dhoni successfully underwent a left knee surgery in a Mumbai hospital, raising hopes of playing in the 17th edition of Indian Premier League next year. Dhoni, who led Chennai Super Kings to their fifth IPL title, had flown to Mumbai from Ahmedabad after the final on Monday and consulted renowned sports orthopaedic surgeon Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, who is also on the BCCI medical panel and had performed surgeries on a number of top Indian cricketers, including Rishabh Pant.
Yes, Dhoni has had a successful knee surgery at the Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai on Thursday. He is doing fine and the surgery happened in the morning. I don t have details. I am yet to get all the details about the nature of surgery and other things, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan confirmed to PTI.
KKR Star Plays Cricket In Temple Complex In Kanchipuram. Internet Amazed Venkatesh Iyer had a great outing with the bat in the recently concluded IPL 2023. The Kolkata Knight Riders batter smashed 404 runs in 14 matches, which included a century and two half-centuries. He also became the first batter after Brendon McCullum to score a ton for KKR in the IPL. Despite his good performances, KKR failed to make it to the Playoffs and finished at the seventh spot on the points table. As IPL 2023 has now ended, the 29-year-old batter is enjoying a vacation in Tamil Nadu s Kanchipuram.
Taking to Instagram, Iyer shared a video where he was seen playing cricket with young Veda Pathshala students in Kanchipuram.
The love for the game is unbelievable. Had a great time with all the young Veda Pathshala students in Kanchipuram, the caption of the post read.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Venkatesh R Iyer (@venkatesh.iyer2512)
Kids sure had a dream come true moment, commented a fan.
Respect increases 10000000000000 percent, commented another fan.
In his entire IPL career, Iyer has played a total of 36 matches and scored 956 runs. He has smashed a century and seven half-centuries. Apart from this, he has played two ODIs and nine T20Is for Team India.
Earlier during IPL, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh had lavished praise on Iyer after he smashed his maiden century against Mumbai Indians.
Venkatesh Iyer is a special player and proved that with his maiden IPL century. Batters like David Warner and KL Rahul should learn a couple of things from his innings, he said.
Iyer didn t just strengthen his team after the fall of an early wicket but also scored runs with a strike rate of more than 200.
Kohli On Cusp Of Records In WTC Final; Can Surpass Tendulkar, Dravid As India s ICC World Test Championship final against Australia comes close, all set to start on June 7 at The Oval, all eyes are on star batter Virat Kohli, who roared back to form across all formats from late 2022 onwards. His eyes are set on the prestigious Test Championship mace, for which he will have to be at his best against Australia, an opponent he loves playing against. Virat indeed loves playing against Australia. In 24 Tests against Australia, he has scored 1,979 runs at an average of 48.26, with eight tons and five fifties. His best score is 186. Across all formats against Australia, Virat has played 92 matches, in which he has scored 4,945 runs at an average of 50.97. His best score is 186. He has scored 16 centuries and 24 fifties against Aussies.
As he prepares to play a big knock in the title clash, let us look at some of the records Kohli might break during the match.
Most runs by a player in ICC tournament knockout matches
Virat currently has a total of 620 runs in ICC tournaments knock-out stage matches. In his 16 innings across 15 knockout matches, Virat has scored 620 runs at an average of 51.66. He has scored six fifties in the knockout matches, with best score of 96*. In case he scores big, he will surpass legends like Sachin Tendulkar (657 runs in 14 knockout innings with one century and five fifties) and Ricky Ponting (731 in 18 innings with three centuries and a fifty) to become the King of ICC knockout matches.
Most Test runs against a bowler
Cheteshwar Pujara holds this record. He has scored a total of 570 runs against Nathan Lyon. Virat sits on fourth with 511 runs against the same bowler, with Steve Smith (520 runs against Stuart Broad) and Kumar Sangakkara (531 runs against Saeed Ajmal) above him. A massive score will see Virat leapfrog these superstars and take the throne.
Most international runs by an Indian batter in England
Currently, Rahul Dravid has the most international cricket runs in England by an Indian player. In 46 matches, England has scored 2,645 runs at an average of 55.10 in England, with a total of eight centuries and 15 fifties. Sachin is in second place with 2,626 runs in 43 matches with seven centuries and 12 centuries. Virat is in third place with 2,574 runs in 56 matches with three centuries and 18 fifties at an average of 40.85. Virat needs just 72 more runs to climb to the top in this aspect.
Virat s will touch two milestones against Australia
In Tests against Australia, Virat has scored 1,979 runs at an average of 48.26, with eight centuries and five fifties in 24 matches. He needs just 21 runs to get 2,000 runs in Test cricket against Australia. In international cricket, Virat has scored 4,945 runs at an average of 50.97 in 92 matches against Australia. He needs to score 55 more runs to touch the 5,000-run mark against Australia.
Most ICC knockout stage matches
Australian batting great Ricky Ponting has played the most number of ICC knockout stage matches in various tournaments like the 50-over World Cup, 20-over World Cup and the Champions Trophy. He has played a total of 18 such matches. Yuvraj Singh has played 17 such matches while Virat, Sachin and MS Dhoni have played 15 knockout matches each. Virat will leapfrog above Sachin and Dhoni to become the player with the third-highest ICC knockout match appearances.
950 fours in Test cricket
Virat has currently hit 941 fours in the longer format. He has to hit nine more to touch 950-mark. Sachin Tendulkar (2,058 fours) has the most fours in Test cricket.
Most Test centuries by an Indian against Australia
Sachin Tendulkar currently has 11 Test centuries against Australia, the most by any Indian. Sunil Gavaskar and Virat have eight each. In case Virat scores a century, Virat will become the Indian player with the second-highest Test centuries against Australia, a total of nine.
Most international centuries by an Indian in SENA countries by age of 34
South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia are SENA countries where Indians do not have a very good record historically. But by the age of 34, Sachin had hit 22 centuries across these nations, while Virat is at 21. He needs one more century to equal Sachin s record and two back-to-back tons in the WTC final to go over Sachin to become India s master in overseas conditions.
Fastest to 76 centuries
Virat is currently at 75 international centuries. If he hits his 76th ton against Australia in the WTC final, he will reach this landmark in 555 innings, faster than Sachin (587 innings).
Most international hundreds against a team
Sachin has 20 international tons against Australia, which is most by any player against a team. Legendary Australia batter Don Bradman has 19 against England while Sachin has 17 against Sri Lanka. Virat sits fourth with 16 centuries against Australia. He will need one century to level Sachin s century tally against Sri Lanka, while two back-to-back tons will take him to the third spot with 18 tons.
First Indian after Sourav Ganguly to score century in an ICC final
Ganguly scored a century for India in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2000. Since then, no Indian has been able to hit a century in the final of an ICC tournament. Virat could be the one to break this century drought.
Australia ended at the top of the WTC table with 11 wins, three losses, five draws in 19 matches whereas India ended in second position with 10 wins, five losses and three draws.
Wasim Akram Compares Shubman Gill To Sachin Tendulkar. Salman Butt Reacts Young batter Shubman Gill became the talk of the town after he gave back-to-back brilliant performances in the recently concluded IPL 2023. The Gujarat Titans batter smashed 890 runs in 17 matches and emerged as the highest run-scorer of the season, with three centuries to his name. Before shining in the IPL, Gill had already made a big name in international cricket, having hit centuries in all three formats of the game, including a double hundred in ODI. Seeing his consistent good performances, former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram went on to compare the youngster to India legend Sachin Tendulkar.
When I bowl to a player like Gill, even in T20 format, it s like I am bowling to Sachin Tendulkar in one-day cricket in the first 10 overs, when only two fielders were allowed (outside the 30-yard circle), Akram had said.
Agreeing with Akram s comparison, former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt praised Gill and stated that the 23-year-old batter has earned it as he has been outstanding in the last few months.
“Wasim bhai has said that bowling to Gill is like bowling to Tendulkar. I think everyone has their own way of showering praises. Lot of big [former] cricketers compare youngsters with legendary players from a previous era because they can relate to it, said Butt on his YouTube channel.
“These are deserving comments for him. A proud moment for Gill that Wasim Akram, regarded as one of the world s best bowlers, has said this. He has earned it. His batting has been outstanding in the last few months. He has been on top of his game and he is looking as the standout batter in the game at present.”
After a successful IPL stint, Gill will now be featuring in the World Test Championship final, where India will be squaring off against Australia at The Oval from June 7.
Not Thinking About Opposition : Steve Smith Ahead Of WTC final vs India Ahead of the high-octane ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final 2023, Australia s star batter Steve Smith said he is not thinking much about The Ultimate Test and hoped that the summit clash will be a good game of cricket. The WTC Final is all set to be played at The Oval from June 7-11. Australia, led by Pat Cummins, will face off against India, captained by Rohit Sharma, for the coveted Test Mace.
Smith believed that Australia can beat India and there will be a good game of cricket in the WTC final. We believe we can do well and beat India. We have played good cricket over the years. We obviously played some good cricket in the last few years. They also played really good cricket. The two best teams playing in the final are great. Hopefully, it is going to be a good game of cricket. I am not thinking about the opposition too much. It is a big week for both India and Australia, Smith said at the pre-match press conference.
Spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin loom as key players, especially after the duo dominated as India retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 2-1 series triumph over Australia earlier this year. The spin twins were separated when Jadeja was preferred over Ashwin for all five Tests - including the fourth match at The Oval - the last time India toured England in 2021-22.
While the pair made the most of pitches suited to spinners in that series, Ashwin has also shown he can perform in all conditions to gather the third-most wickets in the current WTC cycle with 61 scalps in 13 Tests.
Experienced seamers Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj are almost certain to share the new ball for Rohit Sharma s side, while Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat are also in contention alongside recalled all-rounder Shardul Thakur.
India have got a good mix of Seam and swing bowler and their spinners as well. They have gots good attack. Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj are the two main guys.....and there are spinners as well who found these conditions well. So India have a good attack and we have to play very well against them, the Australia batter said.
Every game you play for your country is important. Every series is important. 50 over World Cup is far away but we will focus on that later but we would want to win it. Test cricket still remains. It stays in mind for some time to come, he added.
And Josh Hazlewood s replacement in the Australia squad, Michael Neser, has all the skills to come straight into the XI and make a big impact if called upon, according to the former Aussie captain.
(I ve got) so much faith, he is a quality performer. I faced him against (County side) Glamorgan a couple of weeks ago and he bowled beautifully. He has got great skills and he s added some of the inswingers we have seen him bowl when the wicket is a bit flatter. So he has got loads of skills and is batting nicely as well, so he is a great package. If he gets an opportunity he will certainly do a very good job, Smith said at The Oval.
IND vs AUS: 2 Days Before WTC Final This Is How Oval Pitch Looks Like The Indians are taking the Mitchell Starc threat very seriously and if one goes by their second training session at The Oval ahead of the World Test Championship final, they are yet to decide between Ishan Kishan and KS Bharat as their wicket-keeping choice. Australia trained in the morning in cold and overcast conditions, but the Indians brought sunshine to The Oval when they turned up in the afternoon session. Though it was an optional session, the majority of the members showed up barring Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and reserve player Suryakumar Yadav.
In the two-and-a-half-hour session, skipper Rohit Sharma closely tracked the proceedings with coach Rahul Dravid and only took throwdowns after all the main batters had a long hit in the nets.
Two days to go for the #WTCFinal and this is how the pitch looks like
What is your playing XI gonna be? pic.twitter.com/wLyYHr4vcy
While Scott Boland and Pat Cummins can do a lot of damage with their seam bowling, the Indians spent most of their time playing left-arm pace.
Squad member Jaydev Undakat, net bowler Aniket Choudhary and a local pacer gave the batters plenty of practice with their left-arm bowling.
Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shubman Gill and Mohammed Shami were the first ones to get a hit. Shami batted for more than 30 minutes, showing that he takes his batting very seriously.
The Oval, London
Prep mode for #TeamIndia #WTC23 pic.twitter.com/SHEHCkzKAi
Virat Kohli hit some balls against spinners before moving to the adjacent net to face Shami and Unadkat. After that he got some crucial catching practice in the slips alongside Rahane and Gill.
Delhi offie Pulkit Narang, one of the net bowlers travelling with the side, bowled a long spell with batters using him for the tougher battles against Nathan Lyon.
India need to decide between two spinners or a fourth pace option and one could not come to a conclusion two days before the game. Ravindra Jadeja had a bowl while Ashwin only came out to bat.
Another tough choice they need to make is in the wicket-keeping department.
Both Bharat and Kishan did their wicket-keeping drills before moving to the batting nets.
The experts are divided in their choice with many backing Kishan for his better batting abilities. Bharat is being pushed as a superior wicket-keeping option. One will have to wait till the final practice session to arrive at a conclusion about the playing eleven.
You Make A Comeback And... : Rahul Dravid s Major Hint On Ajinkya Rahane Ahead Of WTC Final Ajinkya Rahane is set to play his first Test in 18 months and a failure in the game could potentially be career-ending. India coach Rahul Dravid had a word of advice for the experienced batter. Firstly it s good to have him. We ve had a few injuries which have probably led to him having the opportunity to come back into the squad. Great for us to have someone of his quality back, Dravid said.
He brings obviously a lot of that experience, he brings proven performance in overseas conditions. Even in England he s played some terrific innings for us.
He brings terrific catching in the slips as well to the group. He just brings his personality to the group as well which is really important. He s led the team to considerable success. And again, I wouldn t want him to approach this as just a one-off. Dravid said the 82 Test veteran might go on to play many more five-day games for the country.
Sometimes you get dropped from teams and you make a comeback and you can play for as long as you re playing well and as long as you re performing. It s not written in stone or rule that you only get one match. He puts in a good performance, really shows what he s got.
Who knows, even when people come back from injury, you never know what can happen. So again, from my point of view, it s not really only about this match. Yes this match is important but then in the larger context of things there s a lot of cricket to be played further down the road as well, he said.
On Zlatan s Retirement, Jasprit Bumrah s Lion-Hearted Tribute AC Milan star, Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his retirement from football in an emotional speech after side s final game of 2022-23. Indian pace Jasprit Bumrah took to Twitter to pay tribute to the legend. Bumrah tweeted to thank Ibrahimovic for inspiring him to become a better sportsman, For being a constant source of inspiration for me and helping me discover that lion-hearted never-back-down attitude, thank you. You ve made outstanding memories through your time in the game that ll live on, Bumrah tweeted.
The Swedish striker s contract with the team was going to expire at the end of June but he announced his retirement on Sunday, The time has come to say goodbye to football . Ibrahimovic was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
Ibrahimovic has scored 511 goals in 866 club games as well as 62 goals in 122 games for his country. The ex-Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain player has made four appearances this season.
Ibrahimovic is Sweden s all-time top scorer with 62 goals in 121 matches, Ibrahimovic quit the national team after Euro 2016 but returned in 2021 for their unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign.
On the other hand, Bumrah has been notably out for the last eight to nine months due to a back injury. In April, Bumrah underwent surgery on his lower back in New Zealand. The medical procedure was successful and helped Bumrah get free from pain. He also missed the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Extreme Transition From IPL To Tests: EX-CSK Star s Warning To India Legendary Australian all-rounder Shane Watson believes that the rapid shift from the fast-paced Indian Premier League (IPL) to the rigours of high-level Test cricket with the red ball in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final will be difficult. The WTC Final is all set to be played at The Oval from June 7-11. Australia, led by Pat Cummins, will face off against India, captained by Rohit Sharma, for the coveted Test Mace.
The IPL, which finished on May 29, featured many players from the Indian side as well as a few from Australia. Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Shami, as well as captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, and Ravichandran Ashwin, competed in the final WTC final in England in June 2021, following the IPL.
There s no doubt that this transition period for the guys, I think, is going to have to be extreme. Get as much volume as they possibly can facing new balls, trying to get the nets as spiced up as possible, Watson told ESPNcricinfo.
That s the only way you can get your game back into hitting the ball under your eyes. Yes, you need that positive, aggressive intent but still understanding what balls you can score off and what balls are higher risk, he added.
Watson feels that no time should be wasted during the players training sessions. The thing you ve got to understand is what you really need to work on if you ve only got a couple of days, Watson said.
Watson discussed how batters might become acclimated to the Dukes ball in England. For me, the biggest thing came down to most importantly my defence. I ended up having to just work on facing the moving ball, making sure I was batting against bowlers with the moving ball or was getting throws against the moving ball and then just making sure I was locking in with my defence. Also just starting to get your head around leaving the ball again. What are the danger areas, more so the lines that bowlers would bowl and especially. The biggest challenge for all these guys and to Cameron Green is going to be around the Dukes ball because it swings so consistently, the former Australian all-rounder said.
Women s Jr Asia Cup: India Register Hard-Fought 2-1 Win vs Malaysia Indian team came from behind to register a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Malaysia as it continued its winning momentum in the women s Junior Asia Cup hockey tournament in Kakamighara on Monday. Mumtaz Khan (10th minute) and Deepika (26th) turned out to be the saviour for India after Malaysia took an early lead in the sixth minute through Dian Nazeri. The win meant India remained on top of Pool A following their thumping 22-0 win over Uzbekistan in the tournament opener. India went on the offensive from the start and in the process secured a couple of penalty corners but failed to capitalise on them.
Malaysia, on the other hand, were intent on keeping a better share of ball possession initially but switched into counter-offensive mode soon and it paid off as an unmarked Nazeri scored an field easy goal to hand her side the unexpected lead.
But Malaysia s joy was short-lived as four minutes later as Mumtaz scored the equaliser for India from a penalty corner.
India continued to play attacking flair of hockey in search of the lead in the second quarter and the plan worked as they won a penalty stroke four minutes from half time and Deepika made no mistake.
The third quarter started in the same fashion as India continued to dominate the game and pose threat on Malaysia s defence but failed to find the back of the net.
The fourth and final quarter started in opposite fashion as compared to first three as India went on the defensive and were contend on keeping the possession, while Malaysia raised their level in search of the equaliser.
But the Indians soon realised the ploy won t last long and changed gears with the play mostly around Malaysia s half but goals eluded them.
India will next play Korea in their third pool match on Tuesday.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
England s Preferred Bowlers would be... : Mark Butcher Ahead Of Ashes Former England cricketer Mark Butcher believes England would prefer to go into the upcoming Ashes series against arch rivals Australia with the redoubatble pace trio of James Anderson, Ollie Robinson, and tearaway Mark Wood. The high-stakes Ashes series will start from June 16. We think England s preferred choice of bowling attack would be Anderson, Robinson, Wood, in terms of the three quicks. We still don t know what [Ben] Stokes status is. I m sure he will be absolutely fine, but if that isn t the case, Stuart Broad today looked a little bit on the tardy side, a little slow and lacking in penetration when the ball was a little bit older, Butcher told Sky Sports.
England have already set sights on the Ashes series after trouncing England in a one-off Test, while Australia will go into the prestigious red-ball series after playing India in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The WTC final would get underway at the Oval in London on June 7.
Butcher, the former England opener, also had his say on young pacer Josh Tongue, who got himself on the Lord s Honours board with brilliant spell of 5/66 in his debut Test against Ireland.
Until Josh Tongue got the ball back in his hand, and England went to a slightly more orthodox method of operating - going away from the short ball - there were one or two concerns. The main one being Jack Leach s difficulties in bowling to left-handers, he told Sky Sports.
England have announced a 16-member squad for the first two matches of the Ashes series, retaining the same group from the one-off Test against Ireland. Josh Tongue found a place alongside James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, both of whom were ruled out of the Lord s Test.
England have asked for flat pitches in the Ashes, haven t they? They ve not asked for green seamers; they want to take Australia on at their own game, be able to go out there and compile big runs. So, if there was one slight concern, it was that with tailenders in essentially they were made to look pretty ordinary for a long period of time during that afternoon session, Butcher said.
England squad for first two Ashes Tests: Ben Stokes (c), Ollie Pope, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Joe Root, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Jack Leach, Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Dan Lawrence, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Josh Tongue.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Growing In Confidence : Lyon On Australia Teammate Ahead Of WTC Final Cameron Green s game-changing potential is well documented among his Australian teammates, who feel that his presence in the dressing room has got a new meaning following his success in Indian sub-continent in the last four months. Green scored his first Test century during his maiden Test tour of India earlier this year. He hit an aggressive 114 of just 143 balls in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Ahmedabad in March this year.
Green carried on his form in this year s IPL, scoring 452 runs from 16 innings at a strike rate north of 160 for Mumbai Indians, which also includes a 47-ball ton that took the five-time champions to the play-offs.
His (Green) presence around the around the team has definitely changed after being a part of that IPL and after scoring that hundred in Ahmedabad, senior Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon told cricket.com.au ahead of the World Test Championship Final against India.
He s growing in confidence and being himself more, coming out of his shell a little bit more around the team.
I think that just comes from being able to hang in there and play the IPL and be around the likes of (Mumbai and India Test captain) Rohit Sharma and these guys to learn off them, he added.
The WTC Final between India and Australia will be played at The Oval starting Wednesday.
Australia opener Usman Khawaja, who witnessed Green from close quarters during their 208-run stand for the fifth wicket in Ahmedabad in March this year, feels that knock completely transformed the youngster.
I know what it s like – it took me nine or 10 (goes) to get my first hundred over the span of like four years and I know what the feeling was to be able to achieve that, he said.
After I got my first one, the floodgates just opened and it s always the case. You get the first one and the next few just happen because you ve been there, you ve done it. And I think as teammates, we all knew that.
He s (Green) such a legend, he s such a nice guy. You only want the best for him, so I really enjoyed it, Khawaja added.
Concerned About Future Of Test Cricket : Smith Ahead Of WTC Final Star Australia batter Steve Smith on Monday expressed his concerns over the future of the five-day game ahead of the World Test Championship final against India beginning at The Oval on Wednesday. The rapid growth of franchise cricket around the world has put pressure on the international schedule. The smaller nations are not playing enough Test cricket, with India, Australia and England effectively driving the longest format. It was, though, ironical that Smith spoke about the uncertain future ahead of the biggest game in Test cricket -- the WTC final.
“Yes, I am slightly concerned. But, hopefully Test Cricket still stays alive and well. I think it s in a good place at the moment, he said ahead of the title clash against India.
“Some of the games we ve seen recently have been pretty amazing. So, for me as, I suppose, a traditionalist, someone that loves Test cricket, I hope it still remains at the front of all the Board s mind and stays alive and well for some time to come.”
The Australians had a lengthy first training session here on Monday and there were enough signs that Scott Boland will play in place of injured Josh Hazlewood. All-rounder Cameron Green will be the fourth pace bowling option besides Mitchell Starc and skipper Pat Cummins.
London was witnessing sunny weather over the last week but Monday was cold and overcast through the day.
Smith is currently one of the best batters of Test cricket with a total of 8792 runs in 96 matches.
Recently, former captain Aaron Finch stated that he will put his money on Smith even though Australia will also need to get rid of star India batter Virat Kohli as early as possible during the WTC final.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
They Will Come Very Hard... : Virat Kohli On Australia Ahead Of WTC Final Star India batter Virat Kohli said on Monday that his motivation to do well increases while playing against Australia because of their competitiveness and high level of skill set. Ahead of India s ICC World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval from June 7 onwards, Virat did an interview with Star Sports where he said, Australian team is a very competitive side that if you give them even a small window, they will come very hard at you and capitalise. Their skill set is really high. That is the reason my motivation increases even more and I had to take my game to the next level against them. I have to rise and elevate my game against Australia to beat them.
Virat indeed loves playing against Australia. In 24 Tests against Australia, he has scored 1,979 runs at an average of 48.26, with eight tons and five fifties. His best score is 186. Across all formats against Australia, Virat has played 92 matches, in which he has scored 4,945 runs at an average of 50.97. His best score is 186. He has scored 16 centuries and 24 fifties against Aussies.
Virat said that the conditions at The Oval will be tough in the final. We would not get a flat wicket and batters need to be cautious. We need more focus and have to adapt to the situation and conditions. We will need more focus and discipline while batting, added Virat.
The batter said that in swinging and seaming conditions of England, it is important how you choose the ball to attack and it is the toughest part of batting there.
The toughest part about in seaming and swing conditions in England is about choosing the ball you need to hit, defend or leave. Playing with solid technique is important. The balance is very important while batting, said Virat.
Virat said that Adaptability is the key during the WTC final.
Whichever team is able to adjust and adapt to the conditions, the pitch will win the match, added Virat.
Virat also talked about the rivalry between India and Australia, which is one of the most fierce rivalries of the sport, no matter the game is being played in India, Australia or a neutral venue.
The batter said that after India won two-Test series against Australia in their own backyard, the rivalry turned to respect.
In the beginning, the rivalry was seen between India and Australia. But after we won two-Test series in Australia, the Rivalry has turned into Respect. Now when you play against Australia, The respect is visible, that they (India) beat us back-to-back in Tests, said Virat.
India and Australia have faced off in 106 Tests. India has won 32 matches, Australia has got 44 wins, while 29 matches ended in a draw and one in a tie. With India s two-Test series wins in Australia over the last few years and their domination at home against the Aussies, India s record in the last few years has seen improvement.
Out of 16 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia since 1996-97, India has won 10 series, while Australia has won five, with one ending in a draw.
Australia ended at the top of the WTC table with 11 wins, three losses, five draws in 19 matches whereas India ended in second position with 10 wins, five losses and three draws.
Loss Of Lives Is Painful : Pakistan Star Cricketer On Odisha Train Crash Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Rizwan extended his condolences and prayers to the victims of the horrific train accident in Odisha. The devastating train accident in Odisha s Balasore district on Friday evening has resulted in the death of at least 275 people and injuring around 1000. The train crash, involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train, is one of the deadliest such accidents since independence. Rizwan prayed for all the victims of the accident.
Taking to Twitter, Rizwan wrote, Loss of human lives is always painful as we are all one ummah. My heart and prayers goes to the people affected by the train accident in India.
Loss of human lives is always painful as we are all one ummah. My heart and prayers goes to the people affected by the train accident in India. pic.twitter.com/8Rsq2TSEoD
— Muhammad Rizwan (@iMRizwanPak) June 4, 2023Earlier on Sunday, former India batter Virender Sehwag announced that his school will be offering free education and boarding facility to children who lost parents in the accident.
Former India captain Virat Kohli and Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, among several other sportspersons, expressed their anguish over the devastating train accident.
Officials in Bhubaneswar said 200 ambulances, 50 buses and 45 mobile health units were working at the accident site, besides 1,200 personnel. The bodies were being taken to the hospitals in all kinds of vehicles, including tractors.
Kohli, who is in England with the India team for the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval from June 7, wished for the speedy recovery of the injured.
India s first individual Olympic gold medallist, rifle shooter Abhinav Bindra, he had been left heartbroken by the news of the accident.
(With PTI inputs)
Dhoni Would ve Told... : Akram On Rift Rumour Between CSK Captain, Jadeja Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni were two pillars on which Chennai Super Kings fifth IPL title win campaign stood. While Dhoni led the team with his tactical genius and calm head, Jadeja provided solidity in the middle order. With CSK needing 10 runs off the last two balls in the final against Gujarat Titans, Jadeja hit a six and a four to take the team to its fift title. During the IPL 2023, there were some social media rumours of Jadeja not being happy in the CSK camp. Former Pakistan star Wasim Akram has dismissed any such rumours.
Dhoni is a gem of a cricketer, gem of a captain. He has won the IPL five times for a single tam. It s a massive deal. Whatever team he is given, he takes them to the final. I think he has got the experience, calmness, cool head, cricketing sense, physically fit and is passionate. No matter how fit you are, if you are not passionate, the results won t be there, Akram said on Sportskeeda.
He was then specifically asked about the rumours of rift between Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja.
All these social media rumours...nowadays people write some story sitting at home and it becomes viral. Such idle we are. As far as Jadeja is concerned, the guy to bring him in, make him play, give him confidence is Dhoni...he has played for so many years under him. Why would Jadeja have any rift with him. Knowing Dhoni, if there was a priblem, he would have clearly told him, beta idhar aao (son come here) and sort out things, Akram said on Sportskeeda.
Jadeja even said that his captain was behind his performances. This is what is called leading from the front. We must laud Dhoni and CSK for winning the IPL five times, which is one of the most difficult tournaments in world cricket. After leaving cricket, Dhoni will remain in CSK as a mentor.
Watch: Shaheen Afridi Rattles Jos Buttler s Stumps In T20 Blast Match Nottinghamshire registered a victory by five wickets over Lancashire in their previous T20 Blast 2023 match on Sunday. Playing at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire bundled out Lancashire at 145 after Matthew Carter took a three-wicket haul. Later, the Steven Mullaney-led side chased the target with five wickets and seven balls in hand. It was a collective bowling effort from Nottinghamshire, which helped them clinch the win but one dismissal which definitely grabbed a lot of attention was that of Jos Buttler s by Shaheen Afridi.
On the final ball of the fifth over of Lancashire s innings, Buttler got completely bamboozled by the blistering pace of Shaheen and got clean bowled. The intensity of the delivery was such that off-stump went flying away. Buttler departed after scoring 23 runs.
Stick it on repeat. Then in the textbook. #TheEagle has landed.
Watch #TrentBridgeLive https://t.co/yDigGw70U5 pic.twitter.com/O20NqnPdeC
For Lancashire, skipper Liam Livingstone was the highest scorer with 34 runs, followed by Daryl Mitchell with 31. For Nottinghamshire, Carter took three wickets while Shaheen, Jack Brooks, and Calvin Harrison took two wickets each.
Later, Joe Clarke played a crucial knock of 42 off 24 balls and took his side across the line.
Nottinghamshire will now be squaring off against Durham in their next T20 Blast 2023 match on Thursday while Lancashire will be facing Worcestershire on Wednesday. Buttler recently played in the IPL 2023 for Rajasthan Royals.
