Cricket
Sunil Narine Says India Is Like My Second Home West Indies spinner Sunil Narine has said that India is like a second home to him and added that he would like to represent any team which is owned by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The spinner also said that the management and owners of KKR try to make players comfortable and feel at home. Any tournament where KKR is carrying a team in, I would like to be a part of that team. The money does not matter, I would just like to be a part of that team. The way they welcome you in India with arms wide open like they already know you as a human being, they try to make you comfortable, Narine said in a video posted by the official handle of KKR.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
When I am leaving for India, it s like I am leaving for my second home, from the day I reach, I feel comfortable. I feel everything is normal here, it s the closest thing to feeling at home playing in the CPL is the IPL, it s like family. I am missing the excitement of the IPL, he added.
The owners of KKR also have stakes in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) team Trinbago Knight Riders and Narine is a part of that side as well.
Narine has so far played 110 matches for the KKR, taking 122 wickets at an average of 23.31.
He has been one of the most economical spinners in the history of the tournament as he has an ecomony rate of just 6.67.
He would have been in action for the KKR in the IPL if the tournament had commenced from March 29.
However, the tournament has been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Watch: Virat Kohli Wows Fans With 180 Landings Workout Video Virat Kohli, Indian men s cricket team s captain, took to Twitter to share a video of him performing a 180 landings exercise. Virat Kohli, much like other cricketers, is spending time at home amid the coronavirus-enforced lockdown. The Indian skipper is not taking his fitness regime lightly and has been working hard to stay in shape even during the forced break from the game. In the video, Kohli can be seen landing on his feet after jumping 180-degree on the other feet as the India captain aces this tough exercise. My first shot at 180 landings. Top exercise, Kohli captioned the video on Twitter.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
My first shot at 180 landings. Top exercise pic.twitter.com/HmtR05OlNW
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) May 26, 2020Soon after Kohli shared the video, fans appreciated the hard work being put in by the India captain.
Keep inspiring Virat bhai.. you are legend, a fan said.
Oh my King everything you do is so ICONIC, another one joined in.
Indian cricketers are sweating it out at their homes to maintain their fitness as gyms across the country have been closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
On Tuesday, Harbhajan Singh shared a video of him working out, however, it was Virat Kohli s comment that took the cake.
Kohli, while taking a funny dig at Harbhajan, commented in Punjabi to leave fans in splits.
Well done paji. Building kampp rayi aa magar thodi thodi (the building is shaking a little), Kohli commented on Harbhajan s post.
Kohli, himself, is not leaving any stone unturned to maintain his fitness levels.
Recently, Kohli shared a workout video on Instagram where the India captain can be seen lifting heavyweights that not only caught the attention of his fans but also impressed his Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) teammate AB de Villiers.
Kohli would have been busy leading the RCB in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Board of Control for Cricket in India postponed the lucrative league indefinitely.
Krunal Pandya Calls Hardik His Source Of Motivation In Gym Photo The bromance between Krunal Pandya and Hardik Pandya has been on full display during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown and Krunal s latest photo is another testament to their close bond. The two brothers, who would have play together not only for India but also for Mumbai Indians, have been using their time to regularly hit the gym and keep their fitness levels up for when cricket does resume. Krunal Pandya tweeted a photo along with Hardik and captioned it: Gym time with my source of motivation .
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
Gym time with my source of motivation #PandyaBrothers @hardikpandya7 pic.twitter.com/ZgmHyNPMQD
— Krunal Pandya (@krunalpandya24) May 26, 2020Every since the lockdown was announced, the Pandya brothers, like many others, have become quite active on social media.
Every now and then they keep sharing videos of activities they are doing to kill time at home during this lockdown.
Earlier this week, Hardik took to Instagram to share a throwback picture from 2011 along with his older brother Krunal.
Last month, Krunal Pandya posted a video of them playing indoor cricket with their family members on Instagram.
We can have fun indoors too. Please stay home and be safe everyone, Krunal had captioned the video.
Under normal circumstances, both the brothers would be playing for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 right now but with the tournament now suspended indefinitely, they are left with no choice but to kill time at home.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has suspended the 13th edition of the cash-rich league until further notice after the nationwide lockdown was extended until May 3.
Building Kampp Rayi Aa : Kohli s Hilarious Take On Harbhajan s Workout The coronavirus pandemic has left people locked inside their houses, making it difficult for them to maintain their fitness. While it is difficult to maintain fitness with gyms around country closed, cricketers like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have all been posting workout videos on their social media platforms. Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Tuesday joined in the long list of fellow cricketers and shared a workout video on Instagram. Exercise Must, Harbhajan captioned the video. While the workout video showed Harbhajan sweating hard, it was something else that caught Indian skipper Virat Kohli s attention. Well done paji. Building kampp rayi aa magar thodi thodi, Kohli replied to Harbhajan s post.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );}); View this post on Instagram
Exercise Must
A post shared by Harbhajan Turbanator Singh (@harbhajan3) on May 25, 2020 at 10:16pm PDT
Apart from Kohli cricketer Madeep Singh also commented on the video and wrote: oh yeah earth is shaking .
Responded to Mandeep s comment, Harbhajan replied: oh ki aa eh bhuchaal aa gya .
Harbhajan Singh, who has not been part of the Indian team since long, was supposed to play for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.
But his plans didn t go as he would have liked as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) postponed the 13th edition of the cash-rich league indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Harbhajan believes that the IPL is the most difficult competition in terms of T20 cricket and said that after performing in this tournament, he believes that he can make a comeback into the Indian side.
The off-spinner had last played for India in 2016 when he featured in a T20I game in the Asia Cup.
I am ready. If I can bowl well in IPL, which is a very difficult tournament for bowlers because the grounds are smaller, and all the top players in world cricket play in the IPL, ESPNCricinfo quoted Harbhajan as saying.
It is very challenging to bowl against them and if you can do well against them in IPL, you can do well in international cricket. I have bowled predominantly in the powerplay and middle overs and got wickets, he added.
Moves Like Jagger : Warner, Daughters Show Off Thumkas In Latest Video David Warner and his daughters Indy Rae and Ivy Mae showed off their thumkas in his latest TikTok video. Got the moves like jagger, yeah right , the left-handed opening batsman tweeted along with the video, quoting the Maroon 5 song about the legendary Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, who is renowned for his dance moves on stage. In the video, Warner and his two daughters can be seen shaking their hips in perfect sync as they groove to the song.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
Watch the video here:
Got the moves like jagger, yeah right #thumka #cricket pic.twitter.com/FQD8I0vRSt
— David Warner (@davidwarner31) May 26, 2020Amid the coronavirus-enforced quarantine, Warner has been hooked to TikTok. The Australian has been regular at uploading quirky video after quirky video, in an attempt to keep fans engaged.
From eating corn off a drilling machine to disappearing acts while shadow batting, Warner has done it all. He has even invited India captain Virat Kohli to join the video-sharing platform.
But some of Warner s teammates feel the destructive batsman needs to turn it down a notch.
Not too long back Warner s former teammate Mitchell Johnson had brutally trolled him after watching one of his many TikTok videos.
I would say you ve officially lost it but not sure you ever had it Bull, Johnson had commented on a video which showed Warner pumping up the jam -- if one can call it that.
Australian pacer Pat Cummins, who is the number one-ranked Test bowler in the world, wasn t too impressed by Warner s antics either.
During a chat on KKR s Twitter handle, when asked about Warner s TikTok videos, Pat Cummins, said you are enjoying them are you?
You won t see me doing that but good on him. He s always high energy and he does have a funny side to himself, so I think you have seen it coming out in the few videos.
But I ll tell you what, if we can back on tour and he s trying to put me into the leotard to fit in the video, I am not going to yes, Cummins said.
ICC Has Successfully Finished Cricket In Last 10 Years : Akhtar The ICC has successfully finished cricket in the last 10 years and brought it down to its knees, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has insisted in a scathing criticism of the sport s global body. During a conversation with Sanjay Manjrekar for ESPNcricinfo s podcast, Akhtar expressed his anguish at some of the playing conditions in white ball cricket, which has made it a game only for the batsmen. Akhtar was sharp in his criticism after Manjrekar asked for his take on a trend that fast bowlers are going a bit slow in limited overs games, especially T20s, while spinners are bowling faster.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
Can I tell you something bluntly? They (ICC) are finishing the cricket. I am openly saying that in last 10 years, ICC has successfully finished cricket, and I would say job well done guys. Jo socha thaa apne woh kiya (You did what you intended to), Akhtar said in his inimitable style.
Akhtar feels that the number of bouncers per over should be increased as there are two new balls and only four fielders outside the circle for the better part of an ODI game.
I have been saying repeatedly that change bouncer rule (one per over). You have two new balls and four fielders outside. Please ask ICC whether in last 10 years, quality of cricket has gone up or gone down. Where are those Sachin versus Shoaib contests?
Speaking about Tendulkar, Akhtar said that he is one with whom he never got aggressive, as there was a lot of respect for the world s best batsman.
But yes, I would try to out-think him. Like in the 2006 tour of Pakistan, I knew he had tennis elbow problems and he can t hook or pull me, so I bowled a barrage of bouncers to keep him quiet, Akhtar said.
Talking about pull shots, the speed merchant said that at his peak Virat Kohli would have found it difficult to play that shot against him because of his express pace.
I would have come wide off the crease and tried to shape that new ball out and lured him into driving. Something that James Anderson has done with him. Having said that he would have scored as many runs as he scored now had I also played.
Akhtar thought that it would have been a treat to watch if Kohli was pitted against Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shane Warne in their prime.
He could have judged himself where he stood in front of these bowlers, he said.
Manjrekar asked him whether the culture of producing tearaway quicks is still there in Pakistan or they are happy producing fast medium bowlers.
People like me should have been in PCB and I would have produced fast bowlers. Fast bowlers should be like leopards which would hunt down its prey.
I would have produced 12 fast bowlers and prepared them on every aspect, technique, mannerism, studies, diet, what to do with the body.
I would have built a complete brand. You don t get fast bowlers from people who are by nature ghulaam (subservient).
Sri Lanka Cricket Suspends Madushanka For Alleged Possession Of Drugs Sri Lanka s cricket board Tuesday suspended pace bowler Shehan Madushanka from all forms of the game, two days after he was arrested allegedly in possession of heroin. The right-arm bowler was stopped while driving with another person in a car on Sunday and found to have two grams of the drug, police said.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
He took a hat-trick against Bangladesh on his one-day international debut in January 2018. He also played two T20 matches against Bangladesh in 2018, but has not played an international since due to injuries.
Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Mohan de Silva said they suspended the 25-year-old pending an internal disciplinary inquiry. He was remanded into custody on Monday.
We have suspended him with immediate effect and he also cannot take part in any form of the game, de Silva said.
Dean Elgar Would Consider South Africa Test Captaincy If Offered To Him South Africa batsman Dean Elgar has expressed his desire to captain Proteas in the longest format of the game. The left-handed batsman also said that leadership comes naturally to him and he has ample experience of leading a team. If I was asked to do the captaincy it s definitely something I d think long and hard about because it would really mean a lot to me, Sport24.co.za quoted Elgar as saying. It s definitely not an easy journey being a Test captain but I think leadership is something that comes extremely naturally to me, he added.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
Elgar is the most experienced player in the squad at the moment. The 33-year-old batsman has previously captained the South African side in the absence of Faf du Plessis.
I ve captained teams in the past, right up from school level to the provincial level and then at a few franchise teams. I really enjoyed it, said Elgar
Captaincy is not a job interview, you re not handing in a CV. You ve got to respect the people making the decisions and whichever way they choose, it s ultimately their choice and you respect it. But yeah, I ll definitely have a think about it if it s in any way up for negotiation, he added.
Earlier, spinner Keshav Maharaj had said that he would be more than willing to lead the side in all three formats of the game. Maharaj has some leadership experience behind him as he was the captain of the domestic side Dolphins during the One-Day Cup this season.
After Faf du Plessis stepped down as the captain of South Africa, Quinton de Kock replaced him as the ODI skipper of the Proteas. De Kock also led South Africa in the T20I series against England and Australia this year.
Cricket South Africa is yet to name the skipper of the Test side. South Africa was slated to tour Sri Lanka for three ODIs and three T20Is, but the series was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Test Pace Quartet Will Shine For At Least Two More Years : Bharath Arun India s highly successful pace quartet will be on top of its game in Tests for at least two more years even as coaches and selectors collectively zero in on the next batch of potent match-winners, feels national bowling coach Bharat Arun. Ishant Sharma (297 wickets from 97 Tests), Mohammed Shami (180 wickets from 49 Tests), Umesh Yadav (144 wickets from 46 Tests) and Jasprit Bumrah (68 wickets from 14 Tests) were exceptional in home and away Test matches during 2018 and 2019 seasons. The next nine Tests (four vs Australia Down Under and five against England) could well be the last hurrah for this quartet as a pace unit in red-ball cricket with only Bumrah (26 years) being in the early days of his career.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
The present attack has done exceptionally well and I don t see any problem in them continuing as a group for at least two more years. If they remain fit and strong, they can well continue after that as a group but yes certainly two years at least, Arun said.
Arun, who has overseen the golden era of Indian fast bowling, believes that a lot of exciting fast bowlers are coming through the ranks and coaches, along with selectors, should be identifying the next batch in earnest.
Yes, an exciting crop of fast bowlers is coming through and it will require a joint effort of the selectors and coaches to identify the next batch so that there is a healthy bench strength, Arun, himself a former India medium pacer, said.
The need to identify the bench strength is necessary to have a solid rotational policy which increases longevity of speed merchants.
...also we can use fast bowlers as per rotation policy depending on their respective workloads. This is required as you want your prime fast bowlers to be ready for the best occasions.
That is precisely the reason why Arun wants that when the camp is held after the lockdown, even the domestic and India A performers should get a chance to train with all the contracted fast bowlers.
I would like all the contracted fast bowlers to be in the camp, also some of the promising bowlers (fast and spin) who have done well in domestic cricket as well as for India A to be included in the camp, he said.
The camp will also be an opportunity for the players to try and inculcate the habit of not using saliva on the cricket ball, which would require some conditioning.
Use of saliva is a very difficult habit to get over. We will make a conscious effort to get over this habit during our practice sessions, he said.
As given in ICC guidelines, Arun also feels that for white-ball cricket, a minimum six to eight weeks will be required for fast bowlers and more time for Test match fitness.
Getting ready for Test matches means more number of overs under their belt, whereas it will be a little quicker for T20 games. You need to go through a process and it will take 6 to 8 weeks, he said.
Coming back from a forced lay-off without a chance to do full-fledged skill-based training for three months could lead to injuries but Arun feels that the work ethic of this current group is such that it won t be a cause of concern.
Honestly, I won t say I am worried about anything as bowlers have worked really hard to get stronger and that augurs extremely well for our boys.
Skillwise we just need to sharpen ourselves, the biggest challenge is how quickly you can get the bowlers match ready, he concluded.
Learnt A Lot From Bowling In High-Pressure Situations In IPL: Cummins Australia pacer Pat Cummins believes that players tend to learn a lot from playing the Indian Premier League (IPL). He also said that playing IPL helped in fast-tracking his growth as he bowled the last overs of a T20 inning and it helped him to grow and develop his game. In IPL auction 2019, Cummins became the most expensive foreign player as he was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping price of INR 15.5 crore. In previous IPL stints I was in a position where I was bowling the last couple of overs in a situation where it could either win or lose the match and that s just a huge experience, it just really fast-tracked me, cricket.com.au quoted Cummins as saying.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
Rahul Dravid was my coach, I have played with Jacques Kallis, Wasim Akram was a bowling coach at Kolkata. You get to spend some time with amazing cricketers and get different insights and at the same time be put in some high-pressure situations. Each time I ve played, I ve felt like I ve learnt a lot in those six or seven weeks, he added.
Cummins is currently the number one ranked bowler in the ICC Test rankings.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) was scheduled to commence from March 29, however, the tournament has been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The reason it (IPL) was so important for so many players this year was leading into a T20 World Cup and even if that does get moved, it s still going to be on at some stage. You look at what s the best opportunity for your cricket and what you re going to get the most out of, Cummins said.
Australia is slated to host the T20 World Cup in October-November this year, however, it might be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) might also look to schedule the Indian Premier League (IPL) in October-November if the T20 World Cup gets postponed.
All international cricket has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Watch: Rohit Trolls Chahal s Fielding, Draws Parallels With Workout Video Rohit Sharma, who suffered an injury while playing in T20I series in New Zealand, is working extremely hard to regain full match fitness. Apart from working on his fitness, the right-handed batsman has also been quite active on the social media, especially Instagram, where he keeps interacting with fellow cricketers on a regular basis. On Tuesday, Rohit Sharma took to Instagram to post a home workout video of himself, using which he trolled leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal s fielding efforts. That s my little boy Chahal when he is fielding (jumping all around ) @yuzi_chahal23, Rohit wrote on Instagram.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );}); View this post on Instagram
That s my little boy Chahal when he is fielding (jumping all around ) @yuzi_chahal23
A post shared by Rohit Sharma (@rohitsharma45) on May 26, 2020 at 12:47am PDT
Rohit Sharma was one of the standout performers for India in both One-day Internationals (ODIs) and Test cricket last year. He broke the record of the greatest number of centuries in a single edition of 50-over World Cup, breaching three-figure on five occasions during 2019 World Cup.
He was also the top-scorer in the tournament with 648 runs in nine games at a staggering average of 81.00.
Rohit Sharma, during a Facebook live session last week, said that he has fully recovered from the calf injury which he sustained in February.
Before the lockdown happened, I was almost ready to play. That whole week was going to be my fitness test but that s when the lockdown happened and I had to push back everything now, Rohit told LaLiga s Facebook live session on Saturday night.
Once everything opens up, I have to first go to the centre (NCA) and give my fitness test and once I pass the fitness test, I will be allowed to go and resume my duties with the team.
The 33-year-old opener, who resides in Mumbai, said during this coronavirus-forced lockdown, he has focussed on his diet and also managed to do some running.
Watch: David Warner Tries Hilarious Life Hack In New TikTok Video David Warner is one of the most active cricketers on social media platforms at the moment. Warner with his regular posts on his social media handles has made sure that his fans are entertained during the lockdown. David Warner joined TikTok last month, and since then the Australian batsman has made it a point to share videos on a regular basis. In the latest video shared by him on Instagram, David Warner hilariously tries to eat corn which is placed on a drilling machine. As the video nears its end, Warner acts as if he lost his tooth in the process. Warner in the caption of his post wrote, Don t try this at home .
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );}); View this post on Instagram
Don t try this at home ???????? #lifehack #donthateappreciate
A post shared by David Warner (@davidwarner31) on May 25, 2020 at 10:11pm PDT
The Australian batsman has managed to entertain his fans on a daily basis from around the world, In the process, Warner has gained a lot of followers on his social media accounts because of his posts.
The left-handed Australian batsman like many other cricketers from around the world is spending time with his family as the world battles against the coronavirus pandemic.
David Warner has over 3 million followers on his Instagram account. Recently, Warner shared a post on Instagram in which he thanked his fans for their support.
The Australian cricketer has featured in 84 Test matches and 123 ODIs for his country. In Test cricket, Warner has scored 7,244 runs with an average of 48.94. In ODIs, Warner has 5,267 runs to his name with an average of 45.80. In T20Is, David Warner has featured in 79 T20Is for Australia and has 2,207 runs with an average of 31.52.
Fans Call On Virat Kohli After Kevin Pietersen Posts New TikTok Video Kevin Pietersen and Virat Kohli s banter on social media has become the stuff of legends. The former England star and the current India captain have had numerous back-and-forths, leaving fans in splits. Latest in the saga was when Pietersen once again asked Virat Kohli to shave off his beard after the Indian cricket star posted a throwback picture on Instagram. Kohli, like he has done many times to bowlers on the field, hit Pietersen for a six with an epic comeback, saying it was better than your TikTok videos .
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
On Tuesday, Pietersen shared another one of his TikTok videos on his official Twitter handle but fans didn t seem to impressed by it.
Tuesdays #TikTok game on point!pic.twitter.com/ZttYEGT4rM
— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) May 26, 2020While some users trolled the former cricketer, others called on Virat Kohli to give his take on the video.
vk ki bat nh Mani
— Isolated Doctor (@IsolatedDoctor) May 26, 2020@imVkohli bhai kuch bolo isko phir
— lazy oreo (@baatladanny) May 26, 2020@imVkohli
— Yash Patel (@chelseayash) May 26, 2020Delete your tiktok account
— Shrikant Pandey (@Shrikant052001) May 26, 2020pic.twitter.com/knrnUJCS5W
— Jitendra (@hydbadshah) May 26, 2020ACT YOUR AGE
— Russell (@RussBear82) May 26, 2020Someone lift this lockdown asap. We can t let this happen with remaining few good stars. First @imVkohli then @KP24
— Ankit Garg (@ankitkumargarg) May 26, 2020next level stupidity
—Riyuu( 3) (@peachworld26) May 26, 2020Friendly banter aside, Pietersen seems to share a great bond with Kohli and that was plain to see when the duo did an Instagram Live where they spoke about a range of subjects, including the Indian skipper s lowest point in his career.
Pietersen has also spoken very highly of the Indian run-machine on numerous occasions, the latest being when he was asked by Pommie Mbangwa to choose between Kohli and Australia s Steve Smith.
Pietersen, without even batting an eyelid, picked Kohli over Smith, even going on to say that the former Australia captain doesn t even come close to the Indian superstar.
Kohli, hands down. Freakshow. His record chasing, winning games for India with the amount of pressure he consistently lives under, Smith doesn t even come close, said the former England batsman.
Mbangwa took it a step further and prodded the England batting star again by asking him to choose between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, and once again Pietersen didn t shy away.
Again Virat because of his chasing numbers. His chasing numbers are frightening. He averages 80 in chases, all his one-day hundreds come when chasing. He consistently wins games of cricket for India. He just keeps on turning the numbers, chasing, chasing, chasing.
That s what drives me. My man of the match performances. It was not the way that I played or how I played. How many man of the match performances and how many games that you win for England. And he does that for India. Unreal numbers, added Pietersen.
SLC Set To Suspend Drug-Charged Player Shehan Madushanka s Contract Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is planning to suspend the contract of medium-pacer Shehan Madushanka after he was arrested for possessing heroin. SLC CEO Ashley de Silva said, We have not been officially informed on this yet. He is a contracted player. We will take action to suspend his contract if he carries a drug charge. Madushanka s arrest was the first time a contracted player was remanded over a drug charge. The cricketer and his friend were arrested on May 23 for possessing heroin. The magistrate at Kuliyapitiya in the north-western province ordered him to be remanded till June 2.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
The 25-year-old broke into the international scene in early 2018 with an ODI hat-trick on debut against Bangladesh, making the fourth player in one-day history to achieve the feat.
His international appearances have been limited to his debut ODI and two T20 internationals, also against Bangladesh.
Watch: James Anderson Returns To Training At Old Trafford In Manchester England pacer James Anderson has said that he is enjoying being back as he has started training again. Anderson posted a video of himself on Instagram, in which the pacer can be seen running in and then delivering the ball. I ve missed this place! Slowly easing through the gears but enjoying being back, Anderson wrote as the caption. The 37-year-old has played 151 Tests so far and has managed to take 584 Test wickets. He is on the fourth spot in the list of most wickets taken in Test cricket.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );}); View this post on Instagram
I ve missed this place! Slowly easing through the gears but enjoying being back ☀️????❤️
A post shared by James Anderson (@jimmya9) on May 25, 2020 at 11:50am PDT
Anderson has the most number of wickets for an English bowler in Test cricket and he has also taken most wickets for a pace bowler in the longest format of the game. Last week, Stuart Broad, Ben Stokes, and Chris Woakes also took part in training sessions.
All international cricketing action across the globe has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, England is looking to play Test series against West Indies and Pakistan in July-August this year.
Earlier, the ECB allowed its players to resume training this week as the country plans for a return of international cricket.
With this, England became the first nation to commence training for its players after being hit by the coronavirus.
The board said by utilising venues across the country for individual sessions, it will be able to provide a controlled environment that ensures adherence to safety protocols and social distancing measures for players and staff as set out by the government.
If England and West Indies indeed go ahead with the Test series, then it can be a first international cricket series since March this year.
Can Be As Good As Bradman : Brett Lee Picks Between Kohli And Smith Former Zimbabwe cricketer and current commentator Pommie Mbangwa has had numerous chats with some big names on Instagram Live and his latest guest was former Australia pacer Brett Lee. One question that is a mainstay of Mbangwa s chat is when he asks his guests to pick between two of the current greats of the game -- Virat Kohli and Steve Smith. This time was no different as Mbangwa put Brett Lee on the spot and asked him the million-dollar question. Lee, to his credit, decided against sitting on the fence and while he was full of praise for both batting stars, he said at the moment , he would pick Smith over Kohli.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
Look, it is so hard to pick because there are a lot of qualities in both that I enjoy. I try and look at from the bowling point of view, are there any flaws that I would try and exploit and there are very little.
They are two different players. You think about Kohli, technically sound, hits through the V. He used to knick off number of years ago, but tightened that up and doesn t knick off as much now and is a lot more disciplined. Super fit, a great lead of his side. Kohli is definitely right up there, the fast bowling great said of Kohli.
Steve Smith captained the Australian team until he was suspended for 12 months over a brazen attempt to alter the ball with sandpaper under his watch during a Test in Cape Town in 2018.
After a year in exile, Smith came back strongly and left his mark as Australia retained the Ashes 2019. Smith was the leading scorer in the Ashes in England with a whopping 774 runs in four matches.
Steve Smith has been through a lot in the last couple of years, that rise back to stardom with the way he has played over the last 12 months. He is a different batsman as well, very flamboyant, he is so fidgety, just relax that s what you think to him but that s what makes him the player he is, Lee told Mbangwa.
At the moment, I would go with Steven Smith because of what he has actually been through. You ask me this tomorrow and I might go Kohli. They are so hard to split mate, like splitting hairs and they are two great players.
He (Smith) could have been as good as (Don) Bradman and still may be that. He s had some time out of the game but he was talked about him doing as well as Bradman in terms of his numbers, added the ex-Australian pacer.
Wish Kohli Had Played Against Wasim And Waqar : Shoaib Akhtar Virat Kohli is one of the few batsmen who has managed to confidently tackle most of the bowlers around the world. However, former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar believes that the Indian captain would have enjoyed himself if he had played against the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shane Warne. I wish Virat Kohli had played against the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shane Warne. Even Virat would have enjoyed himself, Shoaib Akhtar said on an ESPNCricinfo video podcast with Sanjay Manjrekar.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
The 44-year-old Pakistani cricket star was full of praise of Virat Kohli and said the two would have been the best of friends if they had played together.
Virat Kohli and I would have been the best of friends. We both are Punjabi, we both have quite a similar nature, Akhtar said.
He seems like he has a lot of heart, and even though, he s a lot junior to me, I really respect him, he added.
Akhtar was quick to add that despite the similarities between the pair, the two cricketers would have been the best of enemies on the field.
We would have been the best of friends. But on the field, we would have been the best of enemies, he said.
I would initially get into Virat Kohli s head. I would tell him that there s no way he can cut or pull me off my bowling, Akhtar added.
Akhtar claimed 178 Test wickets in 46 matches, 247 wickets in 163 One-day Internationals and 19 wickets in 15 T20 Internationals for Pakistan before retiring from international cricket in 2011.
Playing In Bio-Secure Environment Is Unrealistic, Feels Rahul Dravid Former India captain Rahul Dravid feels the ambition to resume cricket in a bio-secure environment is unrealistic , giving a thumbs down to the concept primarily floated by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Seeking to restart its cricket season after weeks of inactivity owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ECB recently announced that it would have in place bio-secure venues to host Pakistan and the West Indies later this summer. But batting great Dravid is not convinced with the concept.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
It is a bit unrealistic to have things at the level, the ECB is talking about. Obviously, the ECB is very keen to conduct these series because they have had no other cricket..., Dravid said during a webinar conducted in support of YUVA, a non-profit organisation.
Even if they are potentially able to create a bubble and manage it in that way, I think it will be impossible for everyone to do it with the kind of calendar that we have, with the travelling that you do on tours and the number of people involved, he added.
Not just the ECB, even South Africa has suggested that the scheduled tour by India can be tried out in a bio-secure environment.
All of us are hoping that things will evolve with time and get better once we have better medication.
In case of the bio-bubble, you do all the testing, the quarantine and then on day two of the Test match, what if one player tests positive? What happens then? The rules, as they stand now, will see the Public Health Department coming in and putting everyone in quarantine.
That will mean an abrupt end to proceedings in the Test match.
...that ends all the expenses that were made to get everyone there and create that environment.
We re going to have to work with the Health Department and Government authorities to find out a way in which even if a player tests positive, the whole tournament isn t cancelled, Dravid, who heads the National Cricket Academy, added.
Cricket, like all other global sports, has come to a screeching halt owing to the pandemic that originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei province. Players have been confined to their homes due to the lockdowns enforced to contain the pandemic.
At a professional level, players will adjust and not let it affect their performances much. A professional, once he or she gets on to the field, has a lot of pride in oneself.
So they will find a way to deal with that. But the experience at the end of the day is not going to be the same.
He said sportspersons will definitely miss the experience of performing in front of packed stands if sport goes behind closed door.
Players love to perform in front of a crowd, engage with their fans and that adds incredible complexity to a sport. I think that s what a player will definitely miss. There is a personal self-satisfaction when you perform in front of a large crowd.
Dravid advised the players to only focus on things that are within their control, like ways to regain their skills after such a long and unforeseen hiatus.
As sportsmen, we are used to dealing with a lot of uncertainty during our careers. Everything doesn t fall into place. You tend to get scared and worried about stuff but I think one of the things that I would have done is think about things I can control.
All you can control is your preparation, practice, emotional and mental well-being. You cannot control your results or performances...maybe it would take a bit of time to catch up to their original skill level. But that won t take long. It is just like riding a bicycle.
Mitchell Starc Wants Australia To Play Pink-Ball Test Against India Australia pacer Mitchell Starc on Tuesday said that it would be great to have a pink-ball Test against India later this year. His remark comes as India and Australia are slated to play a four-match Test series later this year. All international cricket has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, both BCCI and Cricket Australia have shown interest in going ahead with the series. Yeah, I think, absolutely the series against India is a great thing, the fans love it, it creates a different aspect of the game, the bat and ball are closer as well in that contest, Starc said in a video posted by cricket.com.au on its website.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
India has played a pink ball test in India, they are not foreign to it, we do have a good record with the pink ball at home, I think it would be great to have a pink-ball Test against India, and with what I have heard, India is also open to it, he added.
India played their inaugural day-night Test last year against Bangladesh in 2019.
The side managed to record a victory and after that Test, speculations rose as to whether India will play a day-night Test against Australia or not.
However, the BCCI president Sourav Ganguly in February this year confirmed that the side would indeed play a day-night Test against Australia.
During the 2018-19 series against India, Australia was without the services of David Warner and Steve Smith as the duo was facing a one-year ban for their role in the ball-tampering scandal against South Africa.
During 2018-19, India managed to defeat Australia at home for the first time in a Test series.
In the four-match series, Pujara scored three centuries in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney and was the backbone of India s 2-1 series victory.
Earlier this year, Australia displaced India as the number one team in the ICC Test rankings.
In the World Test Championship (WTC) standings, India is at the pole position while Australia is placed second.
Mitchell Starc Feels Saliva Ban May Make Cricket Pretty Boring Australian paceman Mitchell Starc warned Tuesday that cricket risks becoming pretty boring if ball-tampering rules are not relaxed in response to a coronavirus-linked ban on using saliva to shine the ball. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to implement the ban in June after receiving medical advice that spit poses a COVID-19 transmission risk. Bowlers traditionally get the ball to move in the air, deceiving the batsman, by shining one side using sweat or saliva. Starc said swinging the ball in such a manner was a crucial part of the contest between bowler and batsman.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display( adslotNativeVideo );});
We don t want to lose that or make it less even, so there needs to be something in place to keep that ball swinging, he told reporters in an online press conference.
Otherwise people aren t going to be watching it and kids aren t going to want to be bowlers.
In Australia in the last couple of years we ve had some pretty flat wickets, and if that ball s going straight it s a pretty boring contest.
Anil Kumble, chairman of the ICC cricket committee, said this week that the saliva ban was only intended to be a temporary measure during the coronavirus crisis.
The former Indian Test spinner suggested cricket regulators did not want to open the door to using foreign substances to alter the condition of the ball.
Starc said he understood such reluctance, given the clear rules that exist against ball tampering.
But he said if bowlers were disadvantaged by a saliva ban, they should be given more leeway elsewhere.
The 30-year-old said ground staff could be ordered not to produce batsman-friendly flat wickets, or ball-tampering rules could be changed allowing a substance such as wax could be applied to the ball.
It s an unusual time for the world and if they re going to remove saliva shining for a portion of time they need to think of something else for that portion of time as well, he said.
(Either) with the wickets not being as flat or at least considering this shining wax.
Australian cricket ball manufacturer Kookaburra is developing a wax applicator that allows players to shine the ball without using saliva.
