28 days ago
Karnataka batter Karun Nair has taken a subtle but pointed swipe at South Zone after being overlooked for the playing XI in the ongoing Duleep Trophy final against East Zone at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Nair, who was part of the South Zone squad, was left out of the XI for both the semi-final and the final. After a post on X (formerly Twitter) described his omission as 'inexplicable', Nair reposted it with his own response.
'Inexplicable would be an understatement,' he wrote, accompanied by a laughing emoji.
The decision has gained further attention after South Zone endured a difficult first two days of the final, with East Zone piling up 708 runs before being bowled out.
Nair did not remain with the South Zone squad after learning that he would not feature in the final. Instead, he returned home to join the Karnataka State Cricket ******* ociation's pre-season red-ball camp.
The batter then made an immediate impact, scoring a century for KSCA Secretary XI against Chhattisgarh.
South Zone have not provided an explanation for Nair's omission from the playing XI for the final. His absence had already raised eyebrows before the previous match against North Zone, when captain Tilak Varma explained that Nair's exclusion was a tactical call.
At the time, Varma said Nair was 'just unlucky' after opting for Hyderabad's left-handed batter Kodimela Himateja in the middle order.
"Karun is just unlucky. He has scored a lot of runs in domestic seasons," Tilak had said while addressing the media at the CoE.
"I have chosen Himateja in place of Karun as they have good left-arm spinners. So we wanted a leftie in the middle order. He has also scored a decent amount of runs in domestic cricket. I was just backing him. As a youngster, he also has a good career. At the same time, it is very unfortunate for Karun."
However, Himateja's opportunity did not work out. He was dismissed for a two-ball duck and subsequently dropped for the final.
South Zone replaced him with another left-hander, Devdutt Padikkal, rather than bringing Nair back into the XI.
The omission of Nair has become an even bigger talking point after South Zone's bowling attack struggled to contain East Zone in the final.
East Zone resumed the second innings on 385/4 and continued to dominate from the outset. South Zone took the new ball after one over, hoping Mohammad Siraj and MD Nidheesh could make early inroads, but neither managed to break the partnership between Ishan Kishan and ******* ar Kushagra.
Kishan immediately attacked Siraj and Nidheesh, while Kushagra provided strong support from the other end. South Zone subsequently turned to Tripurana Vijay and Shreyas Gopal, but the change in bowling did little to halt the scoring.
Kushagra eventually completed his sixth first-class century, making 101 from 132 ******* with eight fours and five sixes before falling to Vijay shortly before lunch.
Kishan then took complete control of the innings.
The Ea
Nair, who was part of the South Zone squad, was left out of the XI for both the semi-final and the final. After a post on X (formerly Twitter) described his omission as 'inexplicable', Nair reposted it with his own response.
'Inexplicable would be an understatement,' he wrote, accompanied by a laughing emoji.
The decision has gained further attention after South Zone endured a difficult first two days of the final, with East Zone piling up 708 runs before being bowled out.
Nair did not remain with the South Zone squad after learning that he would not feature in the final. Instead, he returned home to join the Karnataka State Cricket ******* ociation's pre-season red-ball camp.
The batter then made an immediate impact, scoring a century for KSCA Secretary XI against Chhattisgarh.
South Zone have not provided an explanation for Nair's omission from the playing XI for the final. His absence had already raised eyebrows before the previous match against North Zone, when captain Tilak Varma explained that Nair's exclusion was a tactical call.
At the time, Varma said Nair was 'just unlucky' after opting for Hyderabad's left-handed batter Kodimela Himateja in the middle order.
"Karun is just unlucky. He has scored a lot of runs in domestic seasons," Tilak had said while addressing the media at the CoE.
"I have chosen Himateja in place of Karun as they have good left-arm spinners. So we wanted a leftie in the middle order. He has also scored a decent amount of runs in domestic cricket. I was just backing him. As a youngster, he also has a good career. At the same time, it is very unfortunate for Karun."
However, Himateja's opportunity did not work out. He was dismissed for a two-ball duck and subsequently dropped for the final.
South Zone replaced him with another left-hander, Devdutt Padikkal, rather than bringing Nair back into the XI.
The omission of Nair has become an even bigger talking point after South Zone's bowling attack struggled to contain East Zone in the final.
East Zone resumed the second innings on 385/4 and continued to dominate from the outset. South Zone took the new ball after one over, hoping Mohammad Siraj and MD Nidheesh could make early inroads, but neither managed to break the partnership between Ishan Kishan and ******* ar Kushagra.
Kishan immediately attacked Siraj and Nidheesh, while Kushagra provided strong support from the other end. South Zone subsequently turned to Tripurana Vijay and Shreyas Gopal, but the change in bowling did little to halt the scoring.
Kushagra eventually completed his sixth first-class century, making 101 from 132 ******* with eight fours and five sixes before falling to Vijay shortly before lunch.
Kishan then took complete control of the innings.
The Ea
28 days ago
Bengaluru: The BCCI's decision to send a full-strength squad to the Asian Games later this month has brought one name into focus - Jasprit ***** rah. The premier India pacer has not played for India since the second ODI against England in Cardiff in July, when he limped off after suffering an impact injury to his left knee. He has since been undergoing rehabilitation and is part of India's squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, although his participation is subject to fitness clearance.
With the Asian Games in ***** an beginning later this month, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes the tournament could provide ***** rah with valuable game time ahead of India's next major ***** ignment, the New Zealand tour.
The Asian Games, then, is the perfect opportunity for ***** rah to ease back into competitive cricket before that series. "There's a fair gap between the Asian Games and the New Zealand series, so playing ***** rah in the Asian Games is actually a good idea because he has to get some bowling under his belt. In Sri Lanka, we heard Mohammad Siraj was not quite in rhythm because he hadn't played enough in competitive matches. The bowlers need to get some overs and ***** rah getting them is very essential," Gavaskar said.
Although Shreyas Iyer has lost six of the seven T20Is he has led India in this year, Sunil Gavaskar backed him. "He's very experienced as a captain, having led Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings. I don't think there should be any pressure on him at the Asian Games. "
'Asian Games ***** le defence won't be easy'
Gavaskar was quick to add that the ***** le defence won't be an easy ride for India. "It's going to be tough because it's a T20 tournament. Bangladesh are in form, Pakistan are always dangerous and Sri Lanka are a terrific team, not to forget Afghanistan, so it's not going to be easy at all," he said. Gavaskar pointed out that the Asian Games will be a huge learning experience for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. "To be able to meet sportspersons from other sports from across Asia can be an absolute treat. For Sooryavanshi, I hope it turns out to be even more inspirational because he will get to rub shoulders with athletes who he's looked up to."
(This interaction was facilitated by Sony Sports Network)
#asian #easy #sunil #zealand
With the Asian Games in ***** an beginning later this month, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes the tournament could provide ***** rah with valuable game time ahead of India's next major ***** ignment, the New Zealand tour.
The Asian Games, then, is the perfect opportunity for ***** rah to ease back into competitive cricket before that series. "There's a fair gap between the Asian Games and the New Zealand series, so playing ***** rah in the Asian Games is actually a good idea because he has to get some bowling under his belt. In Sri Lanka, we heard Mohammad Siraj was not quite in rhythm because he hadn't played enough in competitive matches. The bowlers need to get some overs and ***** rah getting them is very essential," Gavaskar said.
Although Shreyas Iyer has lost six of the seven T20Is he has led India in this year, Sunil Gavaskar backed him. "He's very experienced as a captain, having led Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings. I don't think there should be any pressure on him at the Asian Games. "
'Asian Games ***** le defence won't be easy'
Gavaskar was quick to add that the ***** le defence won't be an easy ride for India. "It's going to be tough because it's a T20 tournament. Bangladesh are in form, Pakistan are always dangerous and Sri Lanka are a terrific team, not to forget Afghanistan, so it's not going to be easy at all," he said. Gavaskar pointed out that the Asian Games will be a huge learning experience for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. "To be able to meet sportspersons from other sports from across Asia can be an absolute treat. For Sooryavanshi, I hope it turns out to be even more inspirational because he will get to rub shoulders with athletes who he's looked up to."
(This interaction was facilitated by Sony Sports Network)
#asian #easy #sunil #zealand
28 days ago
CHENNAI: The road to the World Test Championship (WTC) final for India is getting tougher, with every series carrying greater significance. The task has become even more challenging after they failed to win the final Test against Sri Lanka recently.
India's next step takes them to New Zealand for a two-Test series, having not won there in a decade and a half. NZ's premier left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who is leading Edinburgh Castle Rockers in the ongoing European T20 Premier League (ETPL), told TOI in an exclusive chat that India's pace attack, led by Jasprit ***** rah, will play a major role in the final outcome of the series. Excerpts...
How crucial will it be for India to adapt to conditions given only a few players from the current set-up have played Tests in NZ?
The first thing is to try and understand the conditions as quickly as possible. A few players have been there before and done well. In Oct-Nov, the pitches can play differently compared to Feb-March. So, early in the season in New Zealand, the ball might move around a little bit. It is about getting your head around that.
What's your take on India's pace attack?
Bumrah leading the attack and being able to nip and swing the ball will hold the key. (Mohammed) Siraj has done it for a long time as well and (Prasidh) Krishna is obviously bowling well. There is a lot of variety, which is what you need.
Did you have a look at Manav Suthar?
He has been very impressive since he made his debut. He gets nice and tight to the stumps and gets good shape on the ball. He does bowl with good overspin when he needs to and that is the key in NZ, trying to get a bit of bounce especially if there is grass. I think there is still a role for a spinner in NZ, especially in Tests alongside the quicks, whether it is first or second innings when the pitch might be holding up. On days four and five, it could spin a bit. Whether it is Jadeja or Suthar, both are very good options.
What do you think about India's struggles in Test cricket recently?
I think it has always been a challenge. They always play the best teams, and then having to adapt to the conditions quickly is the main thing. But they have got all bases covered.
How important is ETPL for the European players, who don't always get to play a lot of top-quality cricket?
It is perfect for Scottish, Irish and players from Holland. It gives them more exposure and opportunity to play against some good players. We have seen how good they are in their own right. To be fair, in the last few years, we have had some great games against Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands. You throw a few overseas players in, and the tournament (ETPL) is really strong.
There is some great cricket on show already, which is good. And we are only halfway through.
#players
India's next step takes them to New Zealand for a two-Test series, having not won there in a decade and a half. NZ's premier left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who is leading Edinburgh Castle Rockers in the ongoing European T20 Premier League (ETPL), told TOI in an exclusive chat that India's pace attack, led by Jasprit ***** rah, will play a major role in the final outcome of the series. Excerpts...
How crucial will it be for India to adapt to conditions given only a few players from the current set-up have played Tests in NZ?
The first thing is to try and understand the conditions as quickly as possible. A few players have been there before and done well. In Oct-Nov, the pitches can play differently compared to Feb-March. So, early in the season in New Zealand, the ball might move around a little bit. It is about getting your head around that.
What's your take on India's pace attack?
Bumrah leading the attack and being able to nip and swing the ball will hold the key. (Mohammed) Siraj has done it for a long time as well and (Prasidh) Krishna is obviously bowling well. There is a lot of variety, which is what you need.
Did you have a look at Manav Suthar?
He has been very impressive since he made his debut. He gets nice and tight to the stumps and gets good shape on the ball. He does bowl with good overspin when he needs to and that is the key in NZ, trying to get a bit of bounce especially if there is grass. I think there is still a role for a spinner in NZ, especially in Tests alongside the quicks, whether it is first or second innings when the pitch might be holding up. On days four and five, it could spin a bit. Whether it is Jadeja or Suthar, both are very good options.
What do you think about India's struggles in Test cricket recently?
I think it has always been a challenge. They always play the best teams, and then having to adapt to the conditions quickly is the main thing. But they have got all bases covered.
How important is ETPL for the European players, who don't always get to play a lot of top-quality cricket?
It is perfect for Scottish, Irish and players from Holland. It gives them more exposure and opportunity to play against some good players. We have seen how good they are in their own right. To be fair, in the last few years, we have had some great games against Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands. You throw a few overseas players in, and the tournament (ETPL) is really strong.
There is some great cricket on show already, which is good. And we are only halfway through.
#players
28 days ago
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may have been among the early contributors for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy final, but it was captain Ishan Kishan who eventually stole the show with a breathtaking double century against South Zone at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Sooryavanshi opened the innings for East Zone and made a brisk 44 off 37 deliveries. During the match, former India cricketer and commentator Vivek Razdan used Kishan's remarkable innings to offer some advice to the teenage batter.
"Sooryavanshi sahab, now you have to learn from players like Ishan Kishan. Once you are set, you have to learn how to play a long innings," Razdan said on commentary.
The message came as Kishan continued to pile on the runs and turn the final into a one-sided contest.
Resuming on 385/4, East Zone's batters showed little sign of slowing down. South Zone turned to the new ball in search of wickets, but Mohammad Siraj and MD Nidheesh struggled to make an impact.
Kishan immediately put pressure on the bowlers, collecting consecutive boundaries against Siraj before taking on Nidheesh. ***** ar Kushagra also joined the ***** ault as South Zone rotated between pace and spin.
Kushagra eventually completed his sixth first-class century, scoring 101 from 132 ***** with eight fours and five sixes. His dismissal shortly before lunch finally gave South Zone a breakthrough.
Kishan, meanwhile, remained in complete control.
The East Zone captain repeatedly found gaps in the field and punished anything loose. Even when South Zone introduced part-timers Devdutt Padikkal and Shaikh Rasheed, the flow of runs did not stop.
Kishan brought up his double century from 270 ***** and continued attacking thereafter. He raced beyond 250 before fatigue briefly forced him to retire from the field.
East Zone continued marching towards a massive total, eventually crossing 600 and then 700. When Mohammed Shami was dismissed for a quick 28, Kishan returned to the crease with the possibility of reaching an extraordinary triple century.
Kishan's pursuit of 300 ultimately came to an end when he was caught near the long-on boundary. The left-hander departed for a monumental 270 from 334 ***** , having smashed 30 fours and seven sixes.
His innings was the eighth-highest individual score in Duleep Trophy history and formed the backbone of East Zone's mammoth 708 all out.
Razdan had earlier highlighted not just the quality of Kishan's batting but also the physical demands of staying at the crease for such an extended period.
"Every person who is present here at this time stood up and applauded this innings. Because this is not just technique, this is not just temperament, this is also match fitness. To stay out there for so long in such heat and play an innings like this. What an innings by Ishan Kishan."
Kishan's marathon effort, alongside Kushagra's century, ensured East Zone posted more than 700 for only the third time in first-class cricket history at Chepauk.
Sooryavanshi opened the innings for East Zone and made a brisk 44 off 37 deliveries. During the match, former India cricketer and commentator Vivek Razdan used Kishan's remarkable innings to offer some advice to the teenage batter.
"Sooryavanshi sahab, now you have to learn from players like Ishan Kishan. Once you are set, you have to learn how to play a long innings," Razdan said on commentary.
The message came as Kishan continued to pile on the runs and turn the final into a one-sided contest.
Resuming on 385/4, East Zone's batters showed little sign of slowing down. South Zone turned to the new ball in search of wickets, but Mohammad Siraj and MD Nidheesh struggled to make an impact.
Kishan immediately put pressure on the bowlers, collecting consecutive boundaries against Siraj before taking on Nidheesh. ***** ar Kushagra also joined the ***** ault as South Zone rotated between pace and spin.
Kushagra eventually completed his sixth first-class century, scoring 101 from 132 ***** with eight fours and five sixes. His dismissal shortly before lunch finally gave South Zone a breakthrough.
Kishan, meanwhile, remained in complete control.
The East Zone captain repeatedly found gaps in the field and punished anything loose. Even when South Zone introduced part-timers Devdutt Padikkal and Shaikh Rasheed, the flow of runs did not stop.
Kishan brought up his double century from 270 ***** and continued attacking thereafter. He raced beyond 250 before fatigue briefly forced him to retire from the field.
East Zone continued marching towards a massive total, eventually crossing 600 and then 700. When Mohammed Shami was dismissed for a quick 28, Kishan returned to the crease with the possibility of reaching an extraordinary triple century.
Kishan's pursuit of 300 ultimately came to an end when he was caught near the long-on boundary. The left-hander departed for a monumental 270 from 334 ***** , having smashed 30 fours and seven sixes.
His innings was the eighth-highest individual score in Duleep Trophy history and formed the backbone of East Zone's mammoth 708 all out.
Razdan had earlier highlighted not just the quality of Kishan's batting but also the physical demands of staying at the crease for such an extended period.
"Every person who is present here at this time stood up and applauded this innings. Because this is not just technique, this is not just temperament, this is also match fitness. To stay out there for so long in such heat and play an innings like this. What an innings by Ishan Kishan."
Kishan's marathon effort, alongside Kushagra's century, ensured East Zone posted more than 700 for only the third time in first-class cricket history at Chepauk.
29 days ago
Ishan Kishan led from the front with a superb unbeaten century as East Zone finished Day 1 of the Duleep Trophy 2026 final on 385/4 against South Zone at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday.
After winning the toss and opting to bat, Kishan anchored a strong batting display from East Zone, scoring 111 not out off 135 ****** . His innings featured 14 fours and two sixes as he took control of the contest in the final session.
Kishan found an excellent partner in ****** ar Kushagra, who remained unbeaten on 63 off 75 ****** . The pair added an unbeaten 144-run partnership for the fifth wicket off 160 ****** , completely taking the game away from South Zone towards the end of the day.
East Zone made a solid start through Abhimanyu Easwaran (72) and teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (44). Easwaran and Sooryavanshi gave the side a strong platform before both departed. Sudip ****** ar Gharami was then dismissed for 6, bringing Shikhar Mohan to the crease. Mohan played a composed knock of 85 off 120 ****** , helping East Zone build another important partnership before Chama Milind ended his innings at 241/4.
That dismissal brought Kishan and Kushagra together, and the pair ensured there were no further setbacks.
Kishan accelerated as the innings progressed and brought up his century in style, remaining unbeaten at the close. His knock was particularly important given his role as captain, with East Zone now firmly in control after the opening day.
South Zone's bowling attack found little ****** istance from a placid batting surface, while the bowlers also struggled with consistency. Chama Milind was the most successful bowler, finishing the day with figures of 2/56 from 13 overs. Tripurana Vijay picked up one wicket but conceded 114 runs from his 22 overs.
Mohammed Siraj, meanwhile, went wicketless despite bowling 14 overs and conceded 96 runs. East Zone also benefited from a late surge, scoring 74 runs without losing a wicket in the final 10 overs. Kishan and Kushagra's partnership allowed them to finish the day strongly at 385/4.
With Kishan unbeaten on 111 and Kushagra on 63, East Zone will resume on Day 2 with an opportunity to push towards a total of 400 and beyond. South Zone, meanwhile, will desperately need early wickets with the second new ball to prevent East Zone from building an even bigger first-innings total.
#balls
After winning the toss and opting to bat, Kishan anchored a strong batting display from East Zone, scoring 111 not out off 135 ****** . His innings featured 14 fours and two sixes as he took control of the contest in the final session.
Kishan found an excellent partner in ****** ar Kushagra, who remained unbeaten on 63 off 75 ****** . The pair added an unbeaten 144-run partnership for the fifth wicket off 160 ****** , completely taking the game away from South Zone towards the end of the day.
East Zone made a solid start through Abhimanyu Easwaran (72) and teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (44). Easwaran and Sooryavanshi gave the side a strong platform before both departed. Sudip ****** ar Gharami was then dismissed for 6, bringing Shikhar Mohan to the crease. Mohan played a composed knock of 85 off 120 ****** , helping East Zone build another important partnership before Chama Milind ended his innings at 241/4.
That dismissal brought Kishan and Kushagra together, and the pair ensured there were no further setbacks.
Kishan accelerated as the innings progressed and brought up his century in style, remaining unbeaten at the close. His knock was particularly important given his role as captain, with East Zone now firmly in control after the opening day.
South Zone's bowling attack found little ****** istance from a placid batting surface, while the bowlers also struggled with consistency. Chama Milind was the most successful bowler, finishing the day with figures of 2/56 from 13 overs. Tripurana Vijay picked up one wicket but conceded 114 runs from his 22 overs.
Mohammed Siraj, meanwhile, went wicketless despite bowling 14 overs and conceded 96 runs. East Zone also benefited from a late surge, scoring 74 runs without losing a wicket in the final 10 overs. Kishan and Kushagra's partnership allowed them to finish the day strongly at 385/4.
With Kishan unbeaten on 111 and Kushagra on 63, East Zone will resume on Day 2 with an opportunity to push towards a total of 400 and beyond. South Zone, meanwhile, will desperately need early wickets with the second new ball to prevent East Zone from building an even bigger first-innings total.
#balls
30 days ago
CHENNAI: There are five India 'A' 'Test' matches over the next two months against the Aussies at home and New Zealand away. The Duleep Trophy final here between East and South Zone here starting Sunday is an audition for that and the national selectors, including chairman Ajit Agarkar, will be in Chennai to check the performances of the aspirants.
The BCCI also wanted to add a bit of star quotient to the marquee domestic match with KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal and Mohammed Siraj being asked to join the South sq-uad. While Padikkal and Siraj will play the game, Rahul made himself unavailable. Padikkal is coming on the back of a superb series in Sri Lanka and South captain Tilak Varma confirmed on Saturday after a practice session that the left-hander will bat at No. 3.
"Padikkal will strengthen our batting line-up, especially with the kind of form we have seen from him in the last few games. He has done really well, so it will be a big boost for us," Tilak said.
The final carries massive historic weight for East Zone, who reached the ****** le match after a gap of 14 years. Coincidentally, their last final appearance was also in Chennai, a match they won. This fixture also marks red-ball cricket's return to MA Chidambaram Stadium after two years.
"Yes, after 14 years. I was not part of each and every year, but I am part of East Zone this year, and we are in the finals...We played like an unit and cared for each other," East Zone skipper Ishan Kishan said. There's a lot of hype around 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who struck a crucial 92 in the semifinal against Central Zone.
#zone #east #match
The BCCI also wanted to add a bit of star quotient to the marquee domestic match with KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal and Mohammed Siraj being asked to join the South sq-uad. While Padikkal and Siraj will play the game, Rahul made himself unavailable. Padikkal is coming on the back of a superb series in Sri Lanka and South captain Tilak Varma confirmed on Saturday after a practice session that the left-hander will bat at No. 3.
"Padikkal will strengthen our batting line-up, especially with the kind of form we have seen from him in the last few games. He has done really well, so it will be a big boost for us," Tilak said.
The final carries massive historic weight for East Zone, who reached the ****** le match after a gap of 14 years. Coincidentally, their last final appearance was also in Chennai, a match they won. This fixture also marks red-ball cricket's return to MA Chidambaram Stadium after two years.
"Yes, after 14 years. I was not part of each and every year, but I am part of East Zone this year, and we are in the finals...We played like an unit and cared for each other," East Zone skipper Ishan Kishan said. There's a lot of hype around 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who struck a crucial 92 in the semifinal against Central Zone.
#zone #east #match
1 month ago
NEW DELHI: India captain Shubman Gill on Thursday ruled out any injury concern for Mohammed Siraj after the pacer appeared to be below his best during the drawn second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
Siraj bowled at a reduced pace and often used a shorter run-up during the Test. His fitness also came under the scanner after he landed heavily while trying to take a catch in Sri Lanka's first innings.
Gill, however, made it clear that Siraj was not carrying an injury.
Gill said Siraj had not been feeling his best even during the first Test in Galle and was also returning to international cricket after a break.
"Firstly, Siraj is not injured. He didn't feel well even in the first match (at Galle). He last played against Afghanistan in June…so he was playing almost after a couple of months. It takes time for someone to come back to the rhythm.
"Even in the first Test, we felt that his pace was slow. But sometimes when you play more, you come back to the rhythm. But as far as the injury is concerned, there is nothing," he said.
Siraj's lack of his usual pace was noticeable as India struggled to finish off Sri Lanka on the fifth day. The hosts batted through the final day, with Sonal Dinusha scoring an unbeaten 133 to secure a draw.
India had reduced Sri Lanka to 229/6 by the end of the fourth day but could not force the remaining wickets on the final day.
"It gets very frustrating. We attacked a lot in the beginning. But I think as the match went on, the wicket got slower. It was not like the ball was not moving and when the ball was spinning, the wickets were not in play. It was not like the wicket was very flat," said Gill at the post-match press meet.
The India captain said Sri Lanka's defensive approach made it difficult for his bowlers to create chances.
"Unless you are playing a shot and looking to make a run, then it is difficult to take a wicket. We tried all that we could, and I don't think there was any lack of intensity or the efforts that we put in. The spinners bowled 50-60 overs on the trot for three days.
"Fielding for three days is not an easy task in these conditions. I would say 10 out of 10 for the effort and the intent. They also played really well," he added.
Gill also felt India could have been in a better position if they had taken their chances on the fourth day.
"On day 4, we thought we had created chances. If there was a little more pressure, the wickets would have come and then maybe the result would have been better. But as long as we still have a chance to qualify for the World Test Championship (final), it's fine."
Gill was pleased with the progress made by Prasidh Krishna.
"I think he's been in the pick of our bowlers. When things are not happening, he's been our go-to bowler, especially this season. He's created chances, which is what I want as a captain. We want a go-to bowler when wickets are not guaranteed. I think he did that brilliantly," he said.
#India #siraj
Siraj bowled at a reduced pace and often used a shorter run-up during the Test. His fitness also came under the scanner after he landed heavily while trying to take a catch in Sri Lanka's first innings.
Gill, however, made it clear that Siraj was not carrying an injury.
Gill said Siraj had not been feeling his best even during the first Test in Galle and was also returning to international cricket after a break.
"Firstly, Siraj is not injured. He didn't feel well even in the first match (at Galle). He last played against Afghanistan in June…so he was playing almost after a couple of months. It takes time for someone to come back to the rhythm.
"Even in the first Test, we felt that his pace was slow. But sometimes when you play more, you come back to the rhythm. But as far as the injury is concerned, there is nothing," he said.
Siraj's lack of his usual pace was noticeable as India struggled to finish off Sri Lanka on the fifth day. The hosts batted through the final day, with Sonal Dinusha scoring an unbeaten 133 to secure a draw.
India had reduced Sri Lanka to 229/6 by the end of the fourth day but could not force the remaining wickets on the final day.
"It gets very frustrating. We attacked a lot in the beginning. But I think as the match went on, the wicket got slower. It was not like the ball was not moving and when the ball was spinning, the wickets were not in play. It was not like the wicket was very flat," said Gill at the post-match press meet.
The India captain said Sri Lanka's defensive approach made it difficult for his bowlers to create chances.
"Unless you are playing a shot and looking to make a run, then it is difficult to take a wicket. We tried all that we could, and I don't think there was any lack of intensity or the efforts that we put in. The spinners bowled 50-60 overs on the trot for three days.
"Fielding for three days is not an easy task in these conditions. I would say 10 out of 10 for the effort and the intent. They also played really well," he added.
Gill also felt India could have been in a better position if they had taken their chances on the fourth day.
"On day 4, we thought we had created chances. If there was a little more pressure, the wickets would have come and then maybe the result would have been better. But as long as we still have a chance to qualify for the World Test Championship (final), it's fine."
Gill was pleased with the progress made by Prasidh Krishna.
"I think he's been in the pick of our bowlers. When things are not happening, he's been our go-to bowler, especially this season. He's created chances, which is what I want as a captain. We want a go-to bowler when wickets are not guaranteed. I think he did that brilliantly," he said.
#India #siraj
1 month ago
TimesofIndia.com in Colombo: With the handshake looming, Shubman Gill introduced himself into the attack. Judging by their body language, India had already checked out of the fixture with Sri Lanka's lead over 200 runs and little time remaining. A result in India's favour was almost out of the equation and the visitors were waiting for the formalities to be completed. Yashasvi Jaiswal was introduced from the other end, and even Dhruv Jurel rolled his arm over as the writing was on the cards. India would rue drawing a Test they were in a very good position of winning, squandering the opportunity to bolster their World Test Championship (WTC) final chances.
Sometimes, draws feel like wins and Sri Lanka must have a similar feeling in Colombo. With chips down and backs to the wall, Sonal Dinusha produced a performance for the ages, who had an equally stubborn lower-order for company. He has been the rockstar for the hosts in this series and made India dance to his tunes when he battled for close to two days to eke out a hard-fought draw. The 25-year-old's sequence of scores in the series read 100, 84, 103 and 133*, and across the four innings his compact technique, composure and solid temperament stood out.
It wasn't easy; whenever he came out to bat, the team was in a spot of bother and he mostly had the lower-order and tail for company. In the second Test alone, he spent nearly 147 overs out in the middle, facing 71 overs, frustrating the visitors and keeping the win out of their reach.
It didn't help that Mohammed Siraj wasn't running in with the steam he would have liked and the pitch offered turn but not enough threat. The tone was set by the pair of Keshara Nuwantha and Dinusha for over 40 overs and the former ended up playing 150 deliveries in the process. Lahiru ***** ara and Asitha Fernando followed the drill and India just carried on in hopes of things miraculously falling into place.
The 116th over of the Sri Lankan innings was significant in more ways than one. Siraj patiently waited to bowl as Sarfaraz Khan suggested field changes to Shubman Gill before the fast bowler began. The short-ball trap was set. After trying it for two deliveries, which Sonal Dinusha ducked safely, the bowler walked up to the stumps and flipped the bails. This was India's second attempt, followed by a very creative field setting, likely the first of its kind that day.
The entire field moved towards the off-side, placing enough men in catching positions for a miscued drive. Dinusha had been pushed back for most of the over and here Siraj was trying to induce a false shot from the most consistent batter of the series. The plan didn't work but India's attempt to finally make things happen brought success when Prabath Jayasuriya was dismissed in the very next over while driving against Ravindra Jadeja. India, even after picking up two wickets in the first hour after Lunch, were still two wickets away from beginning their chase but that 12-ball perio
Sometimes, draws feel like wins and Sri Lanka must have a similar feeling in Colombo. With chips down and backs to the wall, Sonal Dinusha produced a performance for the ages, who had an equally stubborn lower-order for company. He has been the rockstar for the hosts in this series and made India dance to his tunes when he battled for close to two days to eke out a hard-fought draw. The 25-year-old's sequence of scores in the series read 100, 84, 103 and 133*, and across the four innings his compact technique, composure and solid temperament stood out.
It wasn't easy; whenever he came out to bat, the team was in a spot of bother and he mostly had the lower-order and tail for company. In the second Test alone, he spent nearly 147 overs out in the middle, facing 71 overs, frustrating the visitors and keeping the win out of their reach.
It didn't help that Mohammed Siraj wasn't running in with the steam he would have liked and the pitch offered turn but not enough threat. The tone was set by the pair of Keshara Nuwantha and Dinusha for over 40 overs and the former ended up playing 150 deliveries in the process. Lahiru ***** ara and Asitha Fernando followed the drill and India just carried on in hopes of things miraculously falling into place.
The 116th over of the Sri Lankan innings was significant in more ways than one. Siraj patiently waited to bowl as Sarfaraz Khan suggested field changes to Shubman Gill before the fast bowler began. The short-ball trap was set. After trying it for two deliveries, which Sonal Dinusha ducked safely, the bowler walked up to the stumps and flipped the bails. This was India's second attempt, followed by a very creative field setting, likely the first of its kind that day.
The entire field moved towards the off-side, placing enough men in catching positions for a miscued drive. Dinusha had been pushed back for most of the over and here Siraj was trying to induce a false shot from the most consistent batter of the series. The plan didn't work but India's attempt to finally make things happen brought success when Prabath Jayasuriya was dismissed in the very next over while driving against Ravindra Jadeja. India, even after picking up two wickets in the first hour after Lunch, were still two wickets away from beginning their chase but that 12-ball perio
1 month ago
If it's Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel that have emerged as India's batting stars of the future in this series, Sonal Dinusha is making a similar statement for Sri Lanka. The left-hander followed his scores of 100 and 84 in Galle with an unbeaten 85 (137b, 2x6) to lead a gritty fightback on a rain-hit third day of the second Test at SSC on Tuesday.
Dinusha found an able ally in fellow youngster Pasindu Sooriyabandara, who struck 80 (133b, 9x4) in only his second Test innings, as Sri Lanka frustrated India for large parts of the day before ending on 265 for eight. The hosts still require 38 runs to avoid the follow-on after India posted 503 for nine declared, but the resistance shown by their young batting brigade has ensured they remain in the contest.
Dinusha, now the leading run-scorer of the series with 269 runs at 134.50, was closing in on a second Test century in as many matches when rain and bad light forced an early finish to the proceedings. Together with Lahiru **** ara (8 batting), he added an unbeaten 35-run stand for the ninth wicket, after earlier sharing a crucial 57-run partnership with Keshara Nuwantha (18).
The 25-year-old has now registered three consecutive 80-plus scores in the series, underlining his credentials as a long-term solution to Sri Lanka's batting woes in the middle order. With Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal unavailable, Dinusha has shouldered responsibility admirably.
India had appeared well placed to secure a sizeable lead and potentially enforce the follow-on after reducing Sri Lanka to 216/7. However, Dinusha and the lower order displayed plenty of resolve to blunt the visitors' bowling attack.
Earlier, Sri Lanka showed intent from the outset. Sooriyabandara and Kamindu Mendis (32) stitched together an 87-run third-wicket partnership, helping the hosts add 122 runs while losing only two wickets in the opening session. Sooriyabandara brought up his maiden Test fifty off 76 **** before falling to Ravindra Jadeja while attempting a late cut.
Prasidh Krishna was India's standout bowler, returning figures of 3/57. The pacer provided the early breakthrough when debutant opener Kamil Mishara (19) gloved a sharply rising delivery to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel. Prasidh later removed Kamindu with another short ball.
Manav Suthar then dismissed captain Dhananjaya de Silva for 8 with a delivery that spun away sharply, while Mohammed Siraj accounted for Niroshan **** wella, who gloved a leg-side catch to wicketkeeper Jurel for a duck.
Yet, Sri Lanka refused to surrender. Aided by interruptions and determined lower-order resistance, Dinusha ensured India were left waiting for the final two wickets.
#dinusha #batting
Dinusha found an able ally in fellow youngster Pasindu Sooriyabandara, who struck 80 (133b, 9x4) in only his second Test innings, as Sri Lanka frustrated India for large parts of the day before ending on 265 for eight. The hosts still require 38 runs to avoid the follow-on after India posted 503 for nine declared, but the resistance shown by their young batting brigade has ensured they remain in the contest.
Dinusha, now the leading run-scorer of the series with 269 runs at 134.50, was closing in on a second Test century in as many matches when rain and bad light forced an early finish to the proceedings. Together with Lahiru **** ara (8 batting), he added an unbeaten 35-run stand for the ninth wicket, after earlier sharing a crucial 57-run partnership with Keshara Nuwantha (18).
The 25-year-old has now registered three consecutive 80-plus scores in the series, underlining his credentials as a long-term solution to Sri Lanka's batting woes in the middle order. With Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal unavailable, Dinusha has shouldered responsibility admirably.
India had appeared well placed to secure a sizeable lead and potentially enforce the follow-on after reducing Sri Lanka to 216/7. However, Dinusha and the lower order displayed plenty of resolve to blunt the visitors' bowling attack.
Earlier, Sri Lanka showed intent from the outset. Sooriyabandara and Kamindu Mendis (32) stitched together an 87-run third-wicket partnership, helping the hosts add 122 runs while losing only two wickets in the opening session. Sooriyabandara brought up his maiden Test fifty off 76 **** before falling to Ravindra Jadeja while attempting a late cut.
Prasidh Krishna was India's standout bowler, returning figures of 3/57. The pacer provided the early breakthrough when debutant opener Kamil Mishara (19) gloved a sharply rising delivery to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel. Prasidh later removed Kamindu with another short ball.
Manav Suthar then dismissed captain Dhananjaya de Silva for 8 with a delivery that spun away sharply, while Mohammed Siraj accounted for Niroshan **** wella, who gloved a leg-side catch to wicketkeeper Jurel for a duck.
Yet, Sri Lanka refused to surrender. Aided by interruptions and determined lower-order resistance, Dinusha ensured India were left waiting for the final two wickets.
#dinusha #batting
1 month ago
Sarfaraz Khan made a big impact as a substitute fielder for the injured Rishabh Pant on Day 3 of India's second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
His constant chatter from short leg appeared to unsettle Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva and wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan ******* wella, with both eventually getting out.
Before Manav Suthar bowled to Dhananjaya, the Sri Lankan captain stopped play because of movement behind the bowler's arm. Sarfaraz used the moment to distract him, telling him to focus on the ball instead.
"Nothing is there, bro. You are looking there. You are just wasting time, bro. Don't be scared. You are the captain. Come on, bro," he was heard saying on the stump mic.
Watch:
"Why are you worried about that side. Look straight," he added.
The tactic seemed to work soon after. Suthar dismissed Dhananjaya in the same over when the batter edged a tossed-up delivery. Dhruv Jurel's gloves deflected the ball towards slip, where KL Rahul eventually completed the catch. Dhananjaya was out for 8.
Sarfaraz continued his chatter when Niroshan ******* wella came to the crease. India also used short-pitched deliveries against the wicketkeeper-batter, a strategy that had worked in the first Test.
Despite the exchanges being accompanied by smiles, Sarfaraz had the final say when ******* wella gloved a delivery from Mohammed Siraj through to Jurel. His dismissal further strengthened India's position.
Earlier, India declared their first innings at 503/9. Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel scored centuries, while Asitha Fernando was Sri Lanka's best bowler with four wickets.
#sarfaraz #dickwella #niroshan #dhruv
His constant chatter from short leg appeared to unsettle Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva and wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan ******* wella, with both eventually getting out.
Before Manav Suthar bowled to Dhananjaya, the Sri Lankan captain stopped play because of movement behind the bowler's arm. Sarfaraz used the moment to distract him, telling him to focus on the ball instead.
"Nothing is there, bro. You are looking there. You are just wasting time, bro. Don't be scared. You are the captain. Come on, bro," he was heard saying on the stump mic.
Watch:
"Why are you worried about that side. Look straight," he added.
The tactic seemed to work soon after. Suthar dismissed Dhananjaya in the same over when the batter edged a tossed-up delivery. Dhruv Jurel's gloves deflected the ball towards slip, where KL Rahul eventually completed the catch. Dhananjaya was out for 8.
Sarfaraz continued his chatter when Niroshan ******* wella came to the crease. India also used short-pitched deliveries against the wicketkeeper-batter, a strategy that had worked in the first Test.
Despite the exchanges being accompanied by smiles, Sarfaraz had the final say when ******* wella gloved a delivery from Mohammed Siraj through to Jurel. His dismissal further strengthened India's position.
Earlier, India declared their first innings at 503/9. Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel scored centuries, while Asitha Fernando was Sri Lanka's best bowler with four wickets.
#sarfaraz #dickwella #niroshan #dhruv
1 month ago
It was one of the riskiest singles Dhruv Jurel would have taken in his Test career. Anxious to complete his second Test century — and first overseas hundred — after being stranded on 99 for 12 ******* and made to wait by rain while on 95, Jurel punched the ball towards mid-off and sprinted for a single that just wasn't on.
The ball travelled quickly to the fielder after bouncing. But luck smiled on the 25-year-old batter. The fielder missed the direct hit and Jurel dived to complete the run and his century, which came off 171 ******* and had the entire Indian dressing room applauding as they shared the tension. Mohammed Siraj celebrated wildly, giving Jurel a bear hug.
Powered by Jurel's composed and flawless unbeaten 115 off 177 ******* , with nine fours and two sixes, and Rishabh Pant's entertaining 63 off 89 ******* , with six fours and two sixes, India declared at 503 for nine. Then, they reduced Sri Lanka to 8/2 on Day Two of the second and final Test in Colombo on Monday.
The hosts were clearly unhappy about being asked to bat in fading light. Yashasvi Jaiswal pulled off a brilliant diving catch at gully to send back Lahiru Udara for one off Prasidh Krishna in the second over.
In the third over, the hosts suffered another blow when nightwatchman Prabath Jayasuriya was trapped LBW for two by a fast, full delivery from Manav Suthar. Jayasuriya's agitated reaction after being dismissed reflected Sri Lanka's unhappiness at being asked to bat so late in the evening.
Kamil Mishara was batting on five when stumps were drawn at 5:51pm after an extended session. Shubman Gill and Co. deserve credit for their bowlers' early blows, as they did not leave the field even when the covers were being brought on because of the dark, wet conditions a few minutes earlier.
With the hosts trailing by 495 runs, India are now in control of the Test.
Jurel was involved in two vital partnerships, adding 112 for the seventh wicket with Pant, which lifted India from 307 for six, and 39 for the eighth with Manav Suthar. During his stand with Pant, Jurel played the ideal foil, reaching a patient fifty off 97 ******* .
Like Devdutt Padikkal, Jurel has enjoyed a breakout series. Having arrived in Sri Lanka without a fifty in eight innings and under pressure from Sarfaraz Khan for the No. 6 spot, he made a crucial 51 in the first Test and now has 173 runs in two Tests at 86.50.
Rishabh Pant, meanwhile, struck his 21st Test half-century and became India's leading run-scorer in World Test Championship history, surpassing Shubman Gill. Pant now has 2,948 runs in 42 WTC Tests, ahead of Gill's 2,917.
Earlier, India resumed on 300 for five and lost debutant Saransh Jain early for six.
#jurel
The ball travelled quickly to the fielder after bouncing. But luck smiled on the 25-year-old batter. The fielder missed the direct hit and Jurel dived to complete the run and his century, which came off 171 ******* and had the entire Indian dressing room applauding as they shared the tension. Mohammed Siraj celebrated wildly, giving Jurel a bear hug.
Powered by Jurel's composed and flawless unbeaten 115 off 177 ******* , with nine fours and two sixes, and Rishabh Pant's entertaining 63 off 89 ******* , with six fours and two sixes, India declared at 503 for nine. Then, they reduced Sri Lanka to 8/2 on Day Two of the second and final Test in Colombo on Monday.
The hosts were clearly unhappy about being asked to bat in fading light. Yashasvi Jaiswal pulled off a brilliant diving catch at gully to send back Lahiru Udara for one off Prasidh Krishna in the second over.
In the third over, the hosts suffered another blow when nightwatchman Prabath Jayasuriya was trapped LBW for two by a fast, full delivery from Manav Suthar. Jayasuriya's agitated reaction after being dismissed reflected Sri Lanka's unhappiness at being asked to bat so late in the evening.
Kamil Mishara was batting on five when stumps were drawn at 5:51pm after an extended session. Shubman Gill and Co. deserve credit for their bowlers' early blows, as they did not leave the field even when the covers were being brought on because of the dark, wet conditions a few minutes earlier.
With the hosts trailing by 495 runs, India are now in control of the Test.
Jurel was involved in two vital partnerships, adding 112 for the seventh wicket with Pant, which lifted India from 307 for six, and 39 for the eighth with Manav Suthar. During his stand with Pant, Jurel played the ideal foil, reaching a patient fifty off 97 ******* .
Like Devdutt Padikkal, Jurel has enjoyed a breakout series. Having arrived in Sri Lanka without a fifty in eight innings and under pressure from Sarfaraz Khan for the No. 6 spot, he made a crucial 51 in the first Test and now has 173 runs in two Tests at 86.50.
Rishabh Pant, meanwhile, struck his 21st Test half-century and became India's leading run-scorer in World Test Championship history, surpassing Shubman Gill. Pant now has 2,948 runs in 42 WTC Tests, ahead of Gill's 2,917.
Earlier, India resumed on 300 for five and lost debutant Saransh Jain early for six.
#jurel
1 month ago
NEW DELHI: India made one change to their playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Sunday, with Kuldeep Yadav missing out after failing to fully recover from a viral infection and Saransh Jain making his Test debut.
India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bat first, with the hosts also handing Test debuts to Kamil Mishara and Pasindu Sooriyabandara.
India entered the second Test with an unassailable 1-0 lead after their 165-run victory in the series opener at Galle. However, Kuldeep's absence meant India had to alter their combination, with Jain coming into the XI as the spin-bowling allrounder.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Kuldeep remains unavailable for selection but could still be used in a specific situation.
"Mr Kuldeep Yadav has not fully recovered from his viral illness. He was unavailable for selection in the Playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka. However, he can take the field as a concussion substitute, if required," the BCCI said.
Gill also addressed Kuldeep's absence after winning the toss, confirming that an infection had ruled out the left-arm wristspinner.
"[Playing XI] Kuldeep, unfortunately, had some infections, so he misses out, and Saransh makes his debut for India," Gill said.
With Kuldeep unavailable, Jain received his first opportunity at Test level. The 33-year-old was presented his India cap by Ravindra Jadeja during the team's huddle before the start of play.
Jain becomes the first India player to make his international debut after turning 33 since Robin Singh in 1998.
Gill opted to bat after ******* sing the Colombo surface and felt it offered better batting conditions than the pitch in Galle.
"Batting first, yes. [On the pitch] It looks like a much harder, much better surface compared to Galle. Galle was also a very good wicket, but I think as the game went on, it got a little bit slower and the ball started to turn. We're expecting the same, but I think for the first two or three days, I think it'll be a really good wicket to bat on," Gill said.
Reflecting on India's dominant win in the first Test, Gill rated the team's performance highly but admitted there was still room for improvement.
"[How he would rate the Galle win] I would say probably a nine, because there's always room for improvement, and I think we played a pretty good match, a decent match. And obviously there were some areas where we could have got a little bit better, but, you know, this is Test cricket. It's very, very difficult to be able to have a near-perfect game because you're playing for five days, and to play that dominant and consistent cricket, especially in Test, is hard. But I think overall we had a pretty good match," Gill said.
India Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Saransh Jain, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Sri Lanka P
India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bat first, with the hosts also handing Test debuts to Kamil Mishara and Pasindu Sooriyabandara.
India entered the second Test with an unassailable 1-0 lead after their 165-run victory in the series opener at Galle. However, Kuldeep's absence meant India had to alter their combination, with Jain coming into the XI as the spin-bowling allrounder.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Kuldeep remains unavailable for selection but could still be used in a specific situation.
"Mr Kuldeep Yadav has not fully recovered from his viral illness. He was unavailable for selection in the Playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka. However, he can take the field as a concussion substitute, if required," the BCCI said.
Gill also addressed Kuldeep's absence after winning the toss, confirming that an infection had ruled out the left-arm wristspinner.
"[Playing XI] Kuldeep, unfortunately, had some infections, so he misses out, and Saransh makes his debut for India," Gill said.
With Kuldeep unavailable, Jain received his first opportunity at Test level. The 33-year-old was presented his India cap by Ravindra Jadeja during the team's huddle before the start of play.
Jain becomes the first India player to make his international debut after turning 33 since Robin Singh in 1998.
Gill opted to bat after ******* sing the Colombo surface and felt it offered better batting conditions than the pitch in Galle.
"Batting first, yes. [On the pitch] It looks like a much harder, much better surface compared to Galle. Galle was also a very good wicket, but I think as the game went on, it got a little bit slower and the ball started to turn. We're expecting the same, but I think for the first two or three days, I think it'll be a really good wicket to bat on," Gill said.
Reflecting on India's dominant win in the first Test, Gill rated the team's performance highly but admitted there was still room for improvement.
"[How he would rate the Galle win] I would say probably a nine, because there's always room for improvement, and I think we played a pretty good match, a decent match. And obviously there were some areas where we could have got a little bit better, but, you know, this is Test cricket. It's very, very difficult to be able to have a near-perfect game because you're playing for five days, and to play that dominant and consistent cricket, especially in Test, is hard. But I think overall we had a pretty good match," Gill said.
India Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Saransh Jain, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Sri Lanka P
1 month ago
Portugal have found a rather unexpected way to avenge their FIFA World Cup heartbreak against Spain.
Just over a month after Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. were knocked out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by their neighbours, Portugal got one back — not on a football pitch, but on a cricket field.
Portugal defeated Spain by 57 runs in the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Sub Regional Qualifier C in 2026, ending Spain's campaign and keeping their own dream of reaching the 2028 T20 World Cup alive.
The football defeat had come in July, when Spain edged Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington, USA. Mikel Merino scored the decisive goal in stoppage time of regulation time, sending Ronaldo's Portugal out of the tournament.
This time, though, it was Portugal celebrating at Spain's expense.
Led by former Australia international Moises Henriques, Portugal produced a composed performance to claim the crucial qualifying victory.
Spain captain Christian Munoz-Mills won the toss and chose to field, but Portugal built a competitive total of 160/6.
Dhavalkumar Norotam made 23 and Christopher De Freitas scored 39 as Portugal made a steady start without quite managing to dominate the Spanish attack. Henriques, meanwhile, contributed 18 but could not convert his start into a substantial innings.
Portugal accelerated late in the innings through Craig Cachopa, who struck 25 off 21 ****** , while Carlos Nunes added 15 off nine. Jeremy Martins provided an important final push with an unbeaten 18 off just eight deliveries.
Yasir Ali and Lorne Burns were Spain's best bowlers, taking two wickets apiece.
Spain's chase initially threatened to become interesting, but Portugal's bowlers quickly put the brakes on the pursuit.
Sebastian de Oliveira made the breakthrough early, while Martins also chipped in as Portugal reduced Spain to 32/3. Yasir Ali and Daniel Doyle Calle then began rebuilding the innings and gave Spain hope of mounting a serious chase.
Siraj Ullah Khadem changed the complexion of the contest in the 11th over when he bowled Yasir for 29.
With the pitch making life difficult for incoming batters, Portugal steadily tightened their grip. Khadem finished with impressive figures of 2/19, while Edward Fleming delivered the decisive blow with a three-wicket haul for just 13 runs.
Spain's promising chase soon turned into a procession, and Martins completed the job by bowling Lorne Burns as Portugal wrapped up a 57-run victory.
The triumph sends Portugal into the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier in 2027, putting them one step closer to a place in the global qualifying tournament for the 2028 T20 World Cup.
Portugal join Jersey and Denmark in the Europe Qualifier, while Scotland enter directly because of the exceptional circumstances surrounding their participation in the 2026 T20 World Cup. Italy and the Netherlands, meanwhile, advance directly to the Global Qualifier.
For Portugal,
Just over a month after Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. were knocked out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by their neighbours, Portugal got one back — not on a football pitch, but on a cricket field.
Portugal defeated Spain by 57 runs in the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Sub Regional Qualifier C in 2026, ending Spain's campaign and keeping their own dream of reaching the 2028 T20 World Cup alive.
The football defeat had come in July, when Spain edged Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington, USA. Mikel Merino scored the decisive goal in stoppage time of regulation time, sending Ronaldo's Portugal out of the tournament.
This time, though, it was Portugal celebrating at Spain's expense.
Led by former Australia international Moises Henriques, Portugal produced a composed performance to claim the crucial qualifying victory.
Spain captain Christian Munoz-Mills won the toss and chose to field, but Portugal built a competitive total of 160/6.
Dhavalkumar Norotam made 23 and Christopher De Freitas scored 39 as Portugal made a steady start without quite managing to dominate the Spanish attack. Henriques, meanwhile, contributed 18 but could not convert his start into a substantial innings.
Portugal accelerated late in the innings through Craig Cachopa, who struck 25 off 21 ****** , while Carlos Nunes added 15 off nine. Jeremy Martins provided an important final push with an unbeaten 18 off just eight deliveries.
Yasir Ali and Lorne Burns were Spain's best bowlers, taking two wickets apiece.
Spain's chase initially threatened to become interesting, but Portugal's bowlers quickly put the brakes on the pursuit.
Sebastian de Oliveira made the breakthrough early, while Martins also chipped in as Portugal reduced Spain to 32/3. Yasir Ali and Daniel Doyle Calle then began rebuilding the innings and gave Spain hope of mounting a serious chase.
Siraj Ullah Khadem changed the complexion of the contest in the 11th over when he bowled Yasir for 29.
With the pitch making life difficult for incoming batters, Portugal steadily tightened their grip. Khadem finished with impressive figures of 2/19, while Edward Fleming delivered the decisive blow with a three-wicket haul for just 13 runs.
Spain's promising chase soon turned into a procession, and Martins completed the job by bowling Lorne Burns as Portugal wrapped up a 57-run victory.
The triumph sends Portugal into the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier in 2027, putting them one step closer to a place in the global qualifying tournament for the 2028 T20 World Cup.
Portugal join Jersey and Denmark in the Europe Qualifier, while Scotland enter directly because of the exceptional circumstances surrounding their participation in the 2026 T20 World Cup. Italy and the Netherlands, meanwhile, advance directly to the Global Qualifier.
For Portugal,
2 months ago
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a 15-member squad for India's two-match Test series against the hosts on their tour of Sri Lanka in August.
With Jasprit ******* rah ruled out and Auqib Nabi set to earn his maiden senior national team call-up, and the Test squad captained by captain Shubman Gill, India return to action on August 15 as they take on Sri Lanka in the first Test of the series at Galle.
The squad includes experienced players like Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj, and the pacer from Jammu and Kashmir, Nabi, has been selected on the basis of his impressive domestic performances.
Although ******* rah was initially in the squad, he is not available because he continues to recover from his left knee injury sustained in the ODI series against England. Participation of Sai Sudharsan is subject to clearance from the medical team of BCCI.
Add The Sporting News as a preferred news source
#squad #test
With Jasprit ******* rah ruled out and Auqib Nabi set to earn his maiden senior national team call-up, and the Test squad captained by captain Shubman Gill, India return to action on August 15 as they take on Sri Lanka in the first Test of the series at Galle.
The squad includes experienced players like Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj, and the pacer from Jammu and Kashmir, Nabi, has been selected on the basis of his impressive domestic performances.
Although ******* rah was initially in the squad, he is not available because he continues to recover from his left knee injury sustained in the ODI series against England. Participation of Sai Sudharsan is subject to clearance from the medical team of BCCI.
Add The Sporting News as a preferred news source
#squad #test
2 months ago
Mohammed Siraj finishes off in style: Pacer hits 16 runs in final over as India beat Sri Lanka Cricket XI originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Mohammed Siraj smashed three sixes in the final over to finish India's warm-up chase in style.
India beat the Sri Lanka Cricket XI by six wickets in the Colombo practice match.
Devdutt Padikkal's unbeaten 142 was the standout batting performance of the game.
Mohammed Siraj is renowned for his new-ball spells, but it was his batting that provided the flourish as India wrapped up their warm-up match against a Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo. The pacer walked in late and smashed three consecutive sixes to seal the chase emphatically.
#Cricket #siraj #lanka #pacer
Mohammed Siraj smashed three sixes in the final over to finish India's warm-up chase in style.
India beat the Sri Lanka Cricket XI by six wickets in the Colombo practice match.
Devdutt Padikkal's unbeaten 142 was the standout batting performance of the game.
Mohammed Siraj is renowned for his new-ball spells, but it was his batting that provided the flourish as India wrapped up their warm-up match against a Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo. The pacer walked in late and smashed three consecutive sixes to seal the chase emphatically.
#Cricket #siraj #lanka #pacer
2 months ago
NEW DELHI: Flustered by the frequent injury breakdowns of players in the Indian team, the medical team at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru is looking to resurrect its fitness programme. TOI understands that the CoE is finally working on standardising base fitness parameters after it emerged that the non-definitive customised fitness tests for players were identified as a core reason for the drop in the overall fitness standards.
The Indian team went through a change in fitness testing drills after Adrian Leroux replaced Soham Desai as the strength and conditioning coach last year. It is learnt that the BCCI medical team, which includes the CoE and the Indian team, has struggled to work in sync to ***** s the fitness of players. Since Leroux took over, it was decided that the Bronco test would be the primary test to judge fitness instead of the Yo-Yo test.
The Bronco test, which is a more agility driven test, didn't have a base parameter till now. TOI has learnt that the BCCI medical team has rolled out a figure of 5.15-5.20 minutes as a base figure to complete the ***** orted drills to be declared fit enough to be selected after the debacle in white-ball tour of Ireland and England. Earlier, the BCCI had set 16.5 as a marker to clear the basic Yo-Yo test. The CoE has also set 9-10 minute mark to complete the 2 km running test which is known as the 2K test.
"The Indian players are not used to the Bronco test. Over the last year, the CoE had set different base parameters for players. It has now emerged that certain senior players were given much comfortable targets to meet to clear fitness tests. The CoE staff had also cleared players like Harshit Rana and Nitish ***** ar Reddy to make sure it was delivering players according to team management's needs," a BCCI source told TOI.
TOI has learnt that the team management and BCCI, led by secretary Devajit Saikia, has questioned Team India physio Kamlesh Jain for the repeated breakdowns and overall dip in the fitness standards. The team management is also not happy with players cramping so frequently even in the favourable English weather.
"Kamlesh has been told that he shouldn't worry about any player's stature and flag anything that he doesn't find satisfactory. It has been seen that the mobility of some of the players in the field has been questionable. Senior batters are struggling to push their running between the wickets as they bat longer. The number of slow fielders has increased," the source said.
It has been observed that regular India players have not been prepared for the new fitness drills. For instance, someone like Mohammed Siraj was recently caught off guard by the sudden fitness tests at CoE before leaving for Sri Lanka.
"It is only now that contracted players have been handed the base parameters of the new tests. The Test regulars were caught off guard by the programme given to them at CoE. The players who are not part of the Test team are now starting t
The Indian team went through a change in fitness testing drills after Adrian Leroux replaced Soham Desai as the strength and conditioning coach last year. It is learnt that the BCCI medical team, which includes the CoE and the Indian team, has struggled to work in sync to ***** s the fitness of players. Since Leroux took over, it was decided that the Bronco test would be the primary test to judge fitness instead of the Yo-Yo test.
The Bronco test, which is a more agility driven test, didn't have a base parameter till now. TOI has learnt that the BCCI medical team has rolled out a figure of 5.15-5.20 minutes as a base figure to complete the ***** orted drills to be declared fit enough to be selected after the debacle in white-ball tour of Ireland and England. Earlier, the BCCI had set 16.5 as a marker to clear the basic Yo-Yo test. The CoE has also set 9-10 minute mark to complete the 2 km running test which is known as the 2K test.
"The Indian players are not used to the Bronco test. Over the last year, the CoE had set different base parameters for players. It has now emerged that certain senior players were given much comfortable targets to meet to clear fitness tests. The CoE staff had also cleared players like Harshit Rana and Nitish ***** ar Reddy to make sure it was delivering players according to team management's needs," a BCCI source told TOI.
TOI has learnt that the team management and BCCI, led by secretary Devajit Saikia, has questioned Team India physio Kamlesh Jain for the repeated breakdowns and overall dip in the fitness standards. The team management is also not happy with players cramping so frequently even in the favourable English weather.
"Kamlesh has been told that he shouldn't worry about any player's stature and flag anything that he doesn't find satisfactory. It has been seen that the mobility of some of the players in the field has been questionable. Senior batters are struggling to push their running between the wickets as they bat longer. The number of slow fielders has increased," the source said.
It has been observed that regular India players have not been prepared for the new fitness drills. For instance, someone like Mohammed Siraj was recently caught off guard by the sudden fitness tests at CoE before leaving for Sri Lanka.
"It is only now that contracted players have been handed the base parameters of the new tests. The Test regulars were caught off guard by the programme given to them at CoE. The players who are not part of the Test team are now starting t
2 months ago
NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir seamer Auqib Nabi earned his maiden call-up to the Indian team after senior pacer Jasprit ******* rah was ruled out of the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka. TimesofIndia.com had earlier reported that the J & K pacer was the frontrunner to replace the 32-year-old in the squad, who has not yet fully recovered from the left knee injury sustained during the ODI series against England.
"The Men's Selection Committee has named Auqib Nabi as ******* rah's replacement. The Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler earns his maiden call-up to the senior national team," A BCCI release said.
Nabi claimed 104 wickets across the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, including 60 wickets in the 2025-26 campaign, playing a pivotal role in Jammu and Kashmir's maiden Ranji Trophy triumph.
He was also part of the India A squad that toured Sri Lanka recently, where he claimed six wickets in two first-class matches.
The first Test will be played in Galle from August 15 to 19, while the second Test will be held in Colombo from August 23 to 27.
The series is part of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
132822556
Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain, Auqib Nabi.
*Subject to fitness clearance
#nabi #test #jammu #maiden
"The Men's Selection Committee has named Auqib Nabi as ******* rah's replacement. The Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler earns his maiden call-up to the senior national team," A BCCI release said.
Nabi claimed 104 wickets across the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, including 60 wickets in the 2025-26 campaign, playing a pivotal role in Jammu and Kashmir's maiden Ranji Trophy triumph.
He was also part of the India A squad that toured Sri Lanka recently, where he claimed six wickets in two first-class matches.
The first Test will be played in Galle from August 15 to 19, while the second Test will be held in Colombo from August 23 to 27.
The series is part of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
132822556
Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain, Auqib Nabi.
*Subject to fitness clearance
#nabi #test #jammu #maiden
2 months ago
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a 15-member squad for India's two-match Test series against the hosts on their tour of Sri Lanka in August.
With Jasprit ******* rah ruled out and Auqib Nabi set to earn his maiden senior national team call-up, and the Test squad captained by captain Shubman Gill, India return to action on August 15 as they take on Sri Lanka in the first Test of the series at Galle.
The squad includes experienced players like Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj, and the pacer from Jammu and Kashmir, Nabi, has been selected on the basis of his impressive domestic performances.
Although ******* rah was initially in the squad, he is not available because he continues to recover from his left knee injury sustained in the ODI series against England. Participation of Sai Sudharsan is subject to clearance from the medical team of BCCI.
Add The Sporting News as a preferred news source
#series
With Jasprit ******* rah ruled out and Auqib Nabi set to earn his maiden senior national team call-up, and the Test squad captained by captain Shubman Gill, India return to action on August 15 as they take on Sri Lanka in the first Test of the series at Galle.
The squad includes experienced players like Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj, and the pacer from Jammu and Kashmir, Nabi, has been selected on the basis of his impressive domestic performances.
Although ******* rah was initially in the squad, he is not available because he continues to recover from his left knee injury sustained in the ODI series against England. Participation of Sai Sudharsan is subject to clearance from the medical team of BCCI.
Add The Sporting News as a preferred news source
#series
2 months ago
Chennai: As India look to usher in a new generation of fast bowlers, Australian great Glenn McGrath believes Prasidh Krishna has all the ingredients to become Jasprit ****** rah's long-term pace partner.
The legendary fast bowler, who is the director of coaching at the MRF Pace Foundation, has closely followed Prasidh's rise and feels the tall Karnataka seamer has transformed his potential into performances.
"I'm a big fan of Prasidh," McGrath said. "If he gets his length right, he's got everything going for him."
"He has really matured. He's tall, bowls in good areas, generates bounce and has genuine pace. Occasionally he's a little short, but apart from that, I think he's the whole package. He's really developed and put his potential into performance," he said.
India have handed opportunities to several young quicks during the recent tours of the UK and Zimbabwe as they prepare for a demanding cycle of white-ball cricket, with the ODI and T20 World Cups to be played in South Africa and Australia-New Zealand respectively. It means India will need a strong pace attack firing on all cylinders, and McGrath believes the transition phase they are going through will not be easy.
"You've got ****** rah, who's a class bowler, and Mohammed Shami, who's world-class as well. Mohammed Siraj has been around for a long time too. You can't just expect to pick up straight where you left off. It's always going to be a transitional period," he said, referring to the Australian team, which will also go through a similar phase.
"Other than Pat ****** mins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, hardly anybody gets a chance... So it's not going to be easy for Australia either."
McGrath also pointed out that ****** rah's unconventional action demands careful workload management.
"The way he powers through those last few steps probably puts more stress on his body than most bowlers. It'll be interesting to see how he manages himself," McGrath said.
While India appear keen to fast-track younger bowlers, McGrath insisted experienced pacers still have an important role to play.
"It's always good to have experience there. Young bowlers learn by playing alongside senior guys. I was fortunate to watch Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes. That's where you really learn. I'd always pick an experienced team over a potential team," he said.
On whether veterans such as Shami or Bhuvneshwar ****** ar could still mount a comeback, McGrath said the decision rested on their bodies, motivation and the selectors.
"If they're prepared to put the work in and their body allows it, then why not? As fast bowlers get older, the work only gets tougher. Ultimately, it's up to them and the selectors."
McGrath also called for a rethink in the way fast bowlers are rehabilitated after injuries, arguing that modern systems often "wrap bowlers in cotton wool" instead of making them physically stronger.
132677427
"The best way is to get stronger. Even when you're in
The legendary fast bowler, who is the director of coaching at the MRF Pace Foundation, has closely followed Prasidh's rise and feels the tall Karnataka seamer has transformed his potential into performances.
"I'm a big fan of Prasidh," McGrath said. "If he gets his length right, he's got everything going for him."
"He has really matured. He's tall, bowls in good areas, generates bounce and has genuine pace. Occasionally he's a little short, but apart from that, I think he's the whole package. He's really developed and put his potential into performance," he said.
India have handed opportunities to several young quicks during the recent tours of the UK and Zimbabwe as they prepare for a demanding cycle of white-ball cricket, with the ODI and T20 World Cups to be played in South Africa and Australia-New Zealand respectively. It means India will need a strong pace attack firing on all cylinders, and McGrath believes the transition phase they are going through will not be easy.
"You've got ****** rah, who's a class bowler, and Mohammed Shami, who's world-class as well. Mohammed Siraj has been around for a long time too. You can't just expect to pick up straight where you left off. It's always going to be a transitional period," he said, referring to the Australian team, which will also go through a similar phase.
"Other than Pat ****** mins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, hardly anybody gets a chance... So it's not going to be easy for Australia either."
McGrath also pointed out that ****** rah's unconventional action demands careful workload management.
"The way he powers through those last few steps probably puts more stress on his body than most bowlers. It'll be interesting to see how he manages himself," McGrath said.
While India appear keen to fast-track younger bowlers, McGrath insisted experienced pacers still have an important role to play.
"It's always good to have experience there. Young bowlers learn by playing alongside senior guys. I was fortunate to watch Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes. That's where you really learn. I'd always pick an experienced team over a potential team," he said.
On whether veterans such as Shami or Bhuvneshwar ****** ar could still mount a comeback, McGrath said the decision rested on their bodies, motivation and the selectors.
"If they're prepared to put the work in and their body allows it, then why not? As fast bowlers get older, the work only gets tougher. Ultimately, it's up to them and the selectors."
McGrath also called for a rethink in the way fast bowlers are rehabilitated after injuries, arguing that modern systems often "wrap bowlers in cotton wool" instead of making them physically stronger.
132677427
"The best way is to get stronger. Even when you're in
2 months ago
TimesofIndia.com in London: The summer of cricket continues unabated in England. The men played three Tests against New Zealand and five T20Is and three ODIs against India. As for the women, there was the T20 World Cup and the one-off Test between India and England. And now, it is the turn of The Hundred, which began on July 21.
The Hundred, the unique tournament featuring 100-ball innings, is back with its sixth edition. Much has changed, and yet not a lot has changed. It still has eight teams, still features 100-ball innings where bowlers can bowl spells of five or 10 consecutive ****** , and is still objectively meant to quicken the game and feature double headers - men and women - on the same day.
On the opening day, defending men's champions MI London beat Sunrisers Leeds at The Oval. In the day's first game, Sunrisers edged MI London by 7 wickets in the women's competition. A day later, in Southampton, Southern Brave women narrowly got the better of Welsh Fire. And the men's match later in the day had the reverse outcome.
What's changed is the ownership, the team names, and the kit designs. After an influx of £520 million into The Hundred, the Ambani family acquired Oval Invincibles (now renamed MI London), Sun Group purchased Northern Superchargers (now SunRisers Leeds), and RPSG Group bought Manchester Originals (now Manchester Super Giants). GMR Group, co-owners of the Delhi Capitals, have taken a 49% stake in Southern Brave.
On the opening day of the season at The Oval, the mood was as relaxed as one would expect at this time of year. The sun was out, and it was a pleasant day, away from the baking heat that this country had seen in the last couple of months. Even though it was a weekday, families were out in numbers, making the most of numerous entry points that get you into this cricket stadium in Kennington.
A venue that has seen three consecutive Test defeats for the hosts. It was here just a month ago that New Zealand walloped England by 253 runs. And it was here just about a year ago that Mohammed Siraj bowled with great fire to help India secure a series-levelling win by just 6 runs.
But now, on a Tuesday, The Hundred got underway, and the buzz was equal parts cricket, family and entertainment. A father, holding the hands of two of his kids, walked around and sought the support of a steward in finding the “family section.” Unlike international cricket, where tickets get sold for £100 or more, The Hundred hopes to bring in the masses with reasonable pricing.
With kids two and under going free, tickets for 3-15-year-olds are worth £5, and tickets for adults start from as little as £14. So, an entire young family could see two consecutive cricket matches, spanning about five hours or over, for £30-40.
To unwind after a long day at work, numerous food carts, kiosks and drinks stalls came to the rescue. From Middle Eastern to fast food to Indian, everything was on offer to suit the palates of the patrons. To
The Hundred, the unique tournament featuring 100-ball innings, is back with its sixth edition. Much has changed, and yet not a lot has changed. It still has eight teams, still features 100-ball innings where bowlers can bowl spells of five or 10 consecutive ****** , and is still objectively meant to quicken the game and feature double headers - men and women - on the same day.
On the opening day, defending men's champions MI London beat Sunrisers Leeds at The Oval. In the day's first game, Sunrisers edged MI London by 7 wickets in the women's competition. A day later, in Southampton, Southern Brave women narrowly got the better of Welsh Fire. And the men's match later in the day had the reverse outcome.
What's changed is the ownership, the team names, and the kit designs. After an influx of £520 million into The Hundred, the Ambani family acquired Oval Invincibles (now renamed MI London), Sun Group purchased Northern Superchargers (now SunRisers Leeds), and RPSG Group bought Manchester Originals (now Manchester Super Giants). GMR Group, co-owners of the Delhi Capitals, have taken a 49% stake in Southern Brave.
On the opening day of the season at The Oval, the mood was as relaxed as one would expect at this time of year. The sun was out, and it was a pleasant day, away from the baking heat that this country had seen in the last couple of months. Even though it was a weekday, families were out in numbers, making the most of numerous entry points that get you into this cricket stadium in Kennington.
A venue that has seen three consecutive Test defeats for the hosts. It was here just a month ago that New Zealand walloped England by 253 runs. And it was here just about a year ago that Mohammed Siraj bowled with great fire to help India secure a series-levelling win by just 6 runs.
But now, on a Tuesday, The Hundred got underway, and the buzz was equal parts cricket, family and entertainment. A father, holding the hands of two of his kids, walked around and sought the support of a steward in finding the “family section.” Unlike international cricket, where tickets get sold for £100 or more, The Hundred hopes to bring in the masses with reasonable pricing.
With kids two and under going free, tickets for 3-15-year-olds are worth £5, and tickets for adults start from as little as £14. So, an entire young family could see two consecutive cricket matches, spanning about five hours or over, for £30-40.
To unwind after a long day at work, numerous food carts, kiosks and drinks stalls came to the rescue. From Middle Eastern to fast food to Indian, everything was on offer to suit the palates of the patrons. To
4 months ago
Ahead of the third and final ODI against Afghanistan in Chennai, India ******* istant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said Nitish ******* ar Reddy is emerging as the "natural successor" to Hardik Pandya as the team continues to build its all-rounder options for the future.
India have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. In recent years, the team has added several all-rounders to its pool, with Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Harsh Dubey providing spin-bowling all-round options.
Among the pace-bowling all-rounders, Nitish has made a strong case for himself and is being seen as a long-term option behind Hardik.
Speaking about the team's all-rounder depth, ten Doeschate said most of the available options are still bowling all-rounders.
"And when Hardik plays, he obviously brings a different element because he is such a strong batter, such a strong finisher. A sort of role scarcity is difficult to find a finisher who gives you overs as well," he said.
"So those guys are all tracking really nicely. Like I said with Nitish, for the last 18 months, he's shown glimpses of how important he can be to this team, particularly in this format. And I feel his body's getting stronger and stronger, and I sort of feel he is the natural successor or backup to Hardik," he added.
The ******* istant coach also said it was encouraging to see several all-rounders contributing with both bat and ball, especially with an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.
"Even someone like Gurnoor (Brar) and Harsh (Dubey), they are all bowling all-rounders. But the fact that we feel we've got guys who can hold the bat at number nine, obviously looking forward for the next 14, 15 months, that is going to be very important. Especially in South Africa, when you want to play three proper out-and-out seamers, those guys are going to need to bat. A lot of good signs on the all-rounder front and also on the fast-bowling front," he said.
Ten Doeschate also expressed satisfaction with the emerging pace-bowling group that is developing behind senior bowlers Jasprit ******* rah and Mohammed Siraj, both of whom are missing this series.
"It's fantastic. Like I say, one of the big things when this coaching staff started was always going to be the transition of the bowlers, particularly with guys like Shami not playing anymore. This week or a couple of weeks ago when we got together in Chandigarh to see those three young guys coming in fold, it was literally like a Wow moment.
"The way Gurnoor (Brar) has bowled in his first two games, to see a young Indian pacer hit 147, 148, it's like, I'm sure you guys are all excited as we are. Obviously the T20 was a big lead up for the next 15 months and to balance the experience that this team has,” he said.
With the 2027 World Cup cycle underway, India's management appears focused on building depth in both the all-rounder and fast-bowling departments, and Nitish is among the players being clo
India have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. In recent years, the team has added several all-rounders to its pool, with Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Harsh Dubey providing spin-bowling all-round options.
Among the pace-bowling all-rounders, Nitish has made a strong case for himself and is being seen as a long-term option behind Hardik.
Speaking about the team's all-rounder depth, ten Doeschate said most of the available options are still bowling all-rounders.
"And when Hardik plays, he obviously brings a different element because he is such a strong batter, such a strong finisher. A sort of role scarcity is difficult to find a finisher who gives you overs as well," he said.
"So those guys are all tracking really nicely. Like I said with Nitish, for the last 18 months, he's shown glimpses of how important he can be to this team, particularly in this format. And I feel his body's getting stronger and stronger, and I sort of feel he is the natural successor or backup to Hardik," he added.
The ******* istant coach also said it was encouraging to see several all-rounders contributing with both bat and ball, especially with an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.
"Even someone like Gurnoor (Brar) and Harsh (Dubey), they are all bowling all-rounders. But the fact that we feel we've got guys who can hold the bat at number nine, obviously looking forward for the next 14, 15 months, that is going to be very important. Especially in South Africa, when you want to play three proper out-and-out seamers, those guys are going to need to bat. A lot of good signs on the all-rounder front and also on the fast-bowling front," he said.
Ten Doeschate also expressed satisfaction with the emerging pace-bowling group that is developing behind senior bowlers Jasprit ******* rah and Mohammed Siraj, both of whom are missing this series.
"It's fantastic. Like I say, one of the big things when this coaching staff started was always going to be the transition of the bowlers, particularly with guys like Shami not playing anymore. This week or a couple of weeks ago when we got together in Chandigarh to see those three young guys coming in fold, it was literally like a Wow moment.
"The way Gurnoor (Brar) has bowled in his first two games, to see a young Indian pacer hit 147, 148, it's like, I'm sure you guys are all excited as we are. Obviously the T20 was a big lead up for the next 15 months and to balance the experience that this team has,” he said.
With the 2027 World Cup cycle underway, India's management appears focused on building depth in both the all-rounder and fast-bowling departments, and Nitish is among the players being clo
4 months ago
NEW DELHI: A heartwarming moment involving India captain Shubman Gill has gone viral following India's dominant victory over Afghanistan in the one-off Test at the New PCA Stadium in Mullanpur.
In a video that has been widely shared on social media, a young ball boy stationed near the boundary ropes was seen touching Gill's feet as the India skipper walked back to the pavilion after scoring a superb century.
Gill, who led from the front with a brilliant 126, acknowledged the youngster's gesture before continuing towards the dressing room. The touching interaction quickly became one of the standout moments of the match.
Manav Suthar steals the show on debut
While Gill's century and the viral video grabbed attention, the match ultimately belonged to debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who enjoyed a dream start to his Test career.
— rushiii_12 (rushiii_12)
The Rajasthan spinner claimed seven wickets in the match, including a sensational 6/33 in Afghanistan's first innings, as India completed their biggest-ever victory in Test cricket by an innings and 300 runs.
After electing to bat, India posted a massive 564/8 declared. Alongside Gill's 126, KL Rahul scored 100, while Sai Sudharsan and Rishabh Pant contributed 81 each. Washington Sundar added the finishing touches with an unbeaten 52.
Afghanistan unable to recover
Afghanistan resumed Day 3 on 113/5 and were eventually bowled out for 152 despite a fighting 60 from Rahmat Shah. Suthar ripped through the lower order to register the second-best bowling figures by an Indian on Test debut.
Asked to follow on, Afghanistan showed some resistance through Abdul Malik and Sediqullah Atal, who added 42 runs for the opening wicket. Atal looked comfortable during his knock of 42, but India's bowlers gradually tightened their grip on the contest.
Mohammed Siraj provided the breakthrough before Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav joined the wicket-taking spree. Afghanistan slipped from 74/1 to 98/5 as Sundar removed Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Atal.
India complete historic win
The visitors never recovered from the collapse. Suthar added another wicket, Sundar finished with four wickets in the innings, and Kuldeep cleaned up the tail as Afghanistan were bowled out for 112.
131624804
The emphatic victory gave India their largest-ever win in Test cricket in terms of innings and runs.
While the hosts dominated with both bat and ball, it was a simple gesture from a young ball boy towards Gill that captured fans' imagination and became one of the most talked-about moments from an unforgettable Test match.
In a video that has been widely shared on social media, a young ball boy stationed near the boundary ropes was seen touching Gill's feet as the India skipper walked back to the pavilion after scoring a superb century.
Gill, who led from the front with a brilliant 126, acknowledged the youngster's gesture before continuing towards the dressing room. The touching interaction quickly became one of the standout moments of the match.
Manav Suthar steals the show on debut
While Gill's century and the viral video grabbed attention, the match ultimately belonged to debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who enjoyed a dream start to his Test career.
— rushiii_12 (rushiii_12)
The Rajasthan spinner claimed seven wickets in the match, including a sensational 6/33 in Afghanistan's first innings, as India completed their biggest-ever victory in Test cricket by an innings and 300 runs.
After electing to bat, India posted a massive 564/8 declared. Alongside Gill's 126, KL Rahul scored 100, while Sai Sudharsan and Rishabh Pant contributed 81 each. Washington Sundar added the finishing touches with an unbeaten 52.
Afghanistan unable to recover
Afghanistan resumed Day 3 on 113/5 and were eventually bowled out for 152 despite a fighting 60 from Rahmat Shah. Suthar ripped through the lower order to register the second-best bowling figures by an Indian on Test debut.
Asked to follow on, Afghanistan showed some resistance through Abdul Malik and Sediqullah Atal, who added 42 runs for the opening wicket. Atal looked comfortable during his knock of 42, but India's bowlers gradually tightened their grip on the contest.
Mohammed Siraj provided the breakthrough before Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav joined the wicket-taking spree. Afghanistan slipped from 74/1 to 98/5 as Sundar removed Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Atal.
India complete historic win
The visitors never recovered from the collapse. Suthar added another wicket, Sundar finished with four wickets in the innings, and Kuldeep cleaned up the tail as Afghanistan were bowled out for 112.
131624804
The emphatic victory gave India their largest-ever win in Test cricket in terms of innings and runs.
While the hosts dominated with both bat and ball, it was a simple gesture from a young ball boy towards Gill that captured fans' imagination and became one of the most talked-about moments from an unforgettable Test match.
4 months ago
MUMBAI: One of Indian cricket’s worst-kept secrets became official on Saturday as BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia announced Shreyas Iyer as India’s new T20I captain. In a cruel twist of fate, Suryakumar Yadav, who had led India to a third T20 World Cup ***** le just three months ago, now finds himself out of the squad altogether.
It’s the first time a world ***** le-winning skipper has been axed for the team’s next international ***** ignment, though some — like Imran Khan in 1992 and Rohit Sharma, who quit T20Is in 2024 — chose to retire on a high while savouring their triumph.
The Rajasthan Royals opener forced his way into the team after a stunning IPL season in which he smashed 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.3, with a record 72 sixes.
The appointment as captain marks a remarkable comeback for Shreyas, who has not played a T20I since Dec 2023. The 31-year-old will now lead India into a new T20 cycle that includes the 2028 Olympics and T20 World Cup.
‘Shreyas was standout candidate’
Tilak Varma has been named vice-captain, replacing Axar Patel, who served as deputy during India's 2026 World Cup triumph. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said Shreyas’s leadership record and consistency made him the standout choice.
“We have seen what he has done over the last few years, leading different franchises. He won the IPL with KKR and then handled a tougher season this year after a great start. His own performances have been really good. He was quite close to making the World Cup squad as well. In my opinion, he is a standout candidate with enough experience now of having led in the T20 format,” Agarkar said.
Agarkar acknowledged that Surya’s form and longterm planning influenced the decision. “With regard to Surya, it’s a tough one, having just won the World Cup. But after every World Cup, you reassess the best way forward. Partly his own form and partly looking at the next two-year cycle, we thought this was the best way forward,” he said. Agarkar was effusive about Sooryavanshi. “We have seen what he can do. Even in the playoffs, he almost singlehandedly carried Rajasthan Royals. For a young kid to perform in such a high-pressure environment and be such a game-changer is commendable,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal has replaced the injured Virat Kohli in India’s ODI squad for the three-match series against Afghanistan.
Delhi pacer Prince Yadav has been retained for the Ireland and England tours after earning an ODI call-up against Afghanistan.
Squads for Ireland and Eng tours: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish ***** ar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammad Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
India squad for Asiad: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish ***** ar Reddy, Axar Patel
It’s the first time a world ***** le-winning skipper has been axed for the team’s next international ***** ignment, though some — like Imran Khan in 1992 and Rohit Sharma, who quit T20Is in 2024 — chose to retire on a high while savouring their triumph.
The Rajasthan Royals opener forced his way into the team after a stunning IPL season in which he smashed 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.3, with a record 72 sixes.
The appointment as captain marks a remarkable comeback for Shreyas, who has not played a T20I since Dec 2023. The 31-year-old will now lead India into a new T20 cycle that includes the 2028 Olympics and T20 World Cup.
‘Shreyas was standout candidate’
Tilak Varma has been named vice-captain, replacing Axar Patel, who served as deputy during India's 2026 World Cup triumph. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said Shreyas’s leadership record and consistency made him the standout choice.
“We have seen what he has done over the last few years, leading different franchises. He won the IPL with KKR and then handled a tougher season this year after a great start. His own performances have been really good. He was quite close to making the World Cup squad as well. In my opinion, he is a standout candidate with enough experience now of having led in the T20 format,” Agarkar said.
Agarkar acknowledged that Surya’s form and longterm planning influenced the decision. “With regard to Surya, it’s a tough one, having just won the World Cup. But after every World Cup, you reassess the best way forward. Partly his own form and partly looking at the next two-year cycle, we thought this was the best way forward,” he said. Agarkar was effusive about Sooryavanshi. “We have seen what he can do. Even in the playoffs, he almost singlehandedly carried Rajasthan Royals. For a young kid to perform in such a high-pressure environment and be such a game-changer is commendable,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal has replaced the injured Virat Kohli in India’s ODI squad for the three-match series against Afghanistan.
Delhi pacer Prince Yadav has been retained for the Ireland and England tours after earning an ODI call-up against Afghanistan.
Squads for Ireland and Eng tours: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish ***** ar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammad Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
India squad for Asiad: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish ***** ar Reddy, Axar Patel
4 months ago
The BCCI has officially announced India's squad for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England, with several notable changes grabbing attention. Shreyas Iyer has been appointed captain, replacing Suryakumar Yadav, while 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has earned his maiden senior India call-up. Tilak Varma has been named vice-captain.
However, the biggest talking point from the squad announcement was the absence of two of India's most experienced white-ball stars - Jasprit **** rah and Hardik Pandya.
Jasprit **** rah has been rested for the Ireland and England T20I tour as part of India's workload management plans ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. While he is not part of the T20I squad, the premier fast bowler has been included in India's squad for the Asian Games, indicating that the management is carefully managing his schedule rather than sidelining him completely.
Unlike **** rah, Hardik Pandya was not considered for selection as he is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained that the management's primary focus is to have Hardik fully fit and available for the ODI format, particularly with the long-term goal of preparing for the 50-over World Cup.
"He's part of the ODIs. Like Jasprit **** rah, the main objective is to see if he can start playing well and stay healthy for the 50-over World Cup," Agarkar said in Press conference.
India's squad for the Ireland and England T20Is features a blend of established performers and exciting young talent:
Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain), Nitish **** ar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Bumrah, meanwhile, remains part of India's plans for the Asian Games, where Shreyas Iyer will also lead the side.
India's Asian Games squad: Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish **** ar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jasprit **** rah.
However, the biggest talking point from the squad announcement was the absence of two of India's most experienced white-ball stars - Jasprit **** rah and Hardik Pandya.
Jasprit **** rah has been rested for the Ireland and England T20I tour as part of India's workload management plans ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. While he is not part of the T20I squad, the premier fast bowler has been included in India's squad for the Asian Games, indicating that the management is carefully managing his schedule rather than sidelining him completely.
Unlike **** rah, Hardik Pandya was not considered for selection as he is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained that the management's primary focus is to have Hardik fully fit and available for the ODI format, particularly with the long-term goal of preparing for the 50-over World Cup.
"He's part of the ODIs. Like Jasprit **** rah, the main objective is to see if he can start playing well and stay healthy for the 50-over World Cup," Agarkar said in Press conference.
India's squad for the Ireland and England T20Is features a blend of established performers and exciting young talent:
Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain), Nitish **** ar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Bumrah, meanwhile, remains part of India's plans for the Asian Games, where Shreyas Iyer will also lead the side.
India's Asian Games squad: Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish **** ar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jasprit **** rah.
4 months ago
Shreyas Iyer was announced as the new India T20I captain when the men's senior selection committee chaired by Ajit Agarkar picked the squads for the tours of Ireland, England coupled with the Asian Games. Iyer replaces Suryakumar Yadav who failed to find a spot in the squad altogether. Tilak Varma has also been elevated as vice-captain in the T20I setup, which doesn't see many changes from the squad that won the T20 World Cup earlier this year.
Jasprit ****** rah wasn't picked for the T20Is against England and Ireland but was included in the Asian Games squad, which will be held in Aichi–Nagoya, ****** an. Mohammed Siraj made way for ****** rah and Prince Yadav in the 15-member squad for the multi-games event.
Both Siraj and Yadav are likely to feature in the ODIs against the West Indies which will overlap with the Asian Games.
In a notable change, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was picked in both squads with selectors expressing a combination of excitement and apprehension to see what he offers on the big stage.
Addressing a query on why Iyer was picked and appointed as captain, Agarkar said, "We have seen what Shreyas Iyer has done in different seasons with different teams. He was close to getting to the World Cup squad as well. He is a standout candidate with enough experience. It's a tough one on SKY [Suryakumar Yadav]. You try and reassess after a World Cup; this was best way forward".
Hardik Pandya, undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI CoE, wasn't considered for the T20I series because the management, similar to their approach with ****** rah, want to preserve the premier all-rounder for the 50-over World Cup.
"He is part of the ODIs. Like Jasprit ****** rah, the main objective is to see if he can start playing well and stay healthy for the 50-over World Cup," explained Agarkar.
India squad for Ireland and England T20Is: Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vc), Nitish ****** ar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
India squad for Asian Games: Shreyas Iyer (C), Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish ****** ar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun C, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jasprit ****** rah
Jasprit ****** rah wasn't picked for the T20Is against England and Ireland but was included in the Asian Games squad, which will be held in Aichi–Nagoya, ****** an. Mohammed Siraj made way for ****** rah and Prince Yadav in the 15-member squad for the multi-games event.
Both Siraj and Yadav are likely to feature in the ODIs against the West Indies which will overlap with the Asian Games.
In a notable change, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was picked in both squads with selectors expressing a combination of excitement and apprehension to see what he offers on the big stage.
Addressing a query on why Iyer was picked and appointed as captain, Agarkar said, "We have seen what Shreyas Iyer has done in different seasons with different teams. He was close to getting to the World Cup squad as well. He is a standout candidate with enough experience. It's a tough one on SKY [Suryakumar Yadav]. You try and reassess after a World Cup; this was best way forward".
Hardik Pandya, undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI CoE, wasn't considered for the T20I series because the management, similar to their approach with ****** rah, want to preserve the premier all-rounder for the 50-over World Cup.
"He is part of the ODIs. Like Jasprit ****** rah, the main objective is to see if he can start playing well and stay healthy for the 50-over World Cup," explained Agarkar.
India squad for Ireland and England T20Is: Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vc), Nitish ****** ar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
India squad for Asian Games: Shreyas Iyer (C), Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish ****** ar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun C, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jasprit ****** rah
5 months ago
Yesterday IPL match result: Finn Allen blitz, Sunil Narine magic keep KKR playoff hopes alive
KOLKATA: The New Zealand batter’s breezy 93 off just 35 **** helped Kolkata Knight Riders stay alive in this IPL by recording a 29-run victory at the Eden Gardens against Gujarat **** ans here on Saturday. They jumped one spot to seventh with 11 points from 12 games. GT, who suffered their first defeat after five wins, were left waiting for a playoff spot with one match to go. The opener brought back memories of his belligerent knock where he smashed the fastest century in T20 World Cup history in the semis against South Africa off just 33 **** at this same venue in March.
Allen fell short of his second ton of this season, but helped KKR put up 247 for two, their highest total in this IPL, after being asked to bat first on losing the toss against GT. GT’s inform openers Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill raced to 42 off the first three overs while chasing the target, but their stand ended a little painfully when Sudharsan retired hurt after suffering a blow to the elbow off a delivery from pacer Kartik Tyagi.
Gill played another classic knock, finding boundaries without playing too many risky shots before falling to KKR’s most successful bowler of the evening, Sunil Narine, for 85 that came off 49 **** . Jos **** ler did give his skipper able support, but could not take the side home as GT finished at 218 for four. Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana, playing his first match for KKR, came in as an impact player, bowled just eight deliveries before walking out sustaining a calf injury.
Earlier, KKR made GT pay for some sloppy fielding after losing skipper Ajinkya Rahane (14), who became Mohammed Siraj’s 200th T20 victim. Allen, too, could have departed for 14 had Jason Holder managed to hold on to a tough chance at cover. The right-handed batter, however, got an easy life again at 33, when Siraj dropped a sitter at long on off Holder.
However, the 27-year-old was unperturbed and continued to play his shots. Allen greeted Rashid Khan with consecutive sixes and a four to reach his 50 off 21 **** with the help of three fours and four sixes. He added two more sixes off Holder’s next over to help KKR reach 100 in nine overs.
The 95-run second-wicket stand between Allen and Angkrish Raghuvanshi finally came to an end when Allen played a lofted shot off Sai Kishore to be caught by Rashid at the mid-wicket boundary. The opener hit four boundaries and 10 sixes. Cameron Green too got a life when Arshad dropped him at 33 off Rashid. The Australian also got a 50 off 26 deliveries.
Raghuvanshi was dropped by Washington Sundar on 52 and ended up remaining unbeaten on 82 off 44 **** .
https://sports.yahoo.com/a...
KOLKATA: The New Zealand batter’s breezy 93 off just 35 **** helped Kolkata Knight Riders stay alive in this IPL by recording a 29-run victory at the Eden Gardens against Gujarat **** ans here on Saturday. They jumped one spot to seventh with 11 points from 12 games. GT, who suffered their first defeat after five wins, were left waiting for a playoff spot with one match to go. The opener brought back memories of his belligerent knock where he smashed the fastest century in T20 World Cup history in the semis against South Africa off just 33 **** at this same venue in March.
Allen fell short of his second ton of this season, but helped KKR put up 247 for two, their highest total in this IPL, after being asked to bat first on losing the toss against GT. GT’s inform openers Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill raced to 42 off the first three overs while chasing the target, but their stand ended a little painfully when Sudharsan retired hurt after suffering a blow to the elbow off a delivery from pacer Kartik Tyagi.
Gill played another classic knock, finding boundaries without playing too many risky shots before falling to KKR’s most successful bowler of the evening, Sunil Narine, for 85 that came off 49 **** . Jos **** ler did give his skipper able support, but could not take the side home as GT finished at 218 for four. Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana, playing his first match for KKR, came in as an impact player, bowled just eight deliveries before walking out sustaining a calf injury.
Earlier, KKR made GT pay for some sloppy fielding after losing skipper Ajinkya Rahane (14), who became Mohammed Siraj’s 200th T20 victim. Allen, too, could have departed for 14 had Jason Holder managed to hold on to a tough chance at cover. The right-handed batter, however, got an easy life again at 33, when Siraj dropped a sitter at long on off Holder.
However, the 27-year-old was unperturbed and continued to play his shots. Allen greeted Rashid Khan with consecutive sixes and a four to reach his 50 off 21 **** with the help of three fours and four sixes. He added two more sixes off Holder’s next over to help KKR reach 100 in nine overs.
The 95-run second-wicket stand between Allen and Angkrish Raghuvanshi finally came to an end when Allen played a lofted shot off Sai Kishore to be caught by Rashid at the mid-wicket boundary. The opener hit four boundaries and 10 sixes. Cameron Green too got a life when Arshad dropped him at 33 off Rashid. The Australian also got a 50 off 26 deliveries.
Raghuvanshi was dropped by Washington Sundar on 52 and ended up remaining unbeaten on 82 off 44 **** .
https://sports.yahoo.com/a...
