India vs England: While the 2016 series was decisively in India's favour, England have more often than not held their own in India.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3oFJh4m
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
India vs England: The third and fourth Test match between India and England slated to be played at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad will have fans in attendance.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3j4Q5r6
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Virat Kohli's wife Anushka Sharma took to Instagram to share an adorable family picture and revealed the name of their daughter.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3toAJma
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Abu Dhabi t10: Nicholas Pooran's power-packed knock of 89 runs off just 26 balls (12 sixes) guided Northern Warriors to 30-run win over Bangla Tigers.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2Me2rBq
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Kolkata Knight Riders have hired England's white-ball analyst Nathan Leamon as their strategic consultant ahead of the IPL 2021.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3j4Nr4x
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
India is all set to host England in a four-match Test series, starting with the Chennai Test on 5th February. For Virat Kohli’s men, this will be their first home assignment after the long break due to COVID-19. The No 1 ranked Test side will be pumped up after successfully defending the Border Gavaskar Trophy, which ended with their historic Gabba triumph.
England, who suffered a 0-4 mauling at the hands of India in their last tour (2016/17), will once again start as underdogs.
While the Englishmen haven’t had much success on Indian soil, they have played some remarkable, career-defining knocks that will be cherished by their fans forever. Ahead of the Test series, we take a look at 10 such knocks by England batsman over the years:
1. Joe Root’s 124 (2016/17)
England were outplayed in their last India tour and suffered a 0-4 drubbing in the five-match series. The only Test which was fiercely fought was the first, which ended in a draw.
After opting to bat, England posted a mammoth first innings total of 537, courtesy centuries from Ben Stokes (128), Joe Root (124), Moeen Ali (117).
Moeen and Stokes are naturally attacking batsmen. However, in this Test, it was Root who scored at a much quicker pace than the two left-handers. And yet, the right-hander didn’t take risks as most of his shots were well controlled and played along the ground. Root, with a strike rate of 68.89, struck 11 fours and a maximum in his knock, the highlight being his cover drives against the spinners.
For India, centuries from Murali Vijay (126) and Cheteshwar Pujara (124) guided them to 488.
The visitors, led by Alastair Cook’s 130, declared their second innings at 260/3, which meant a target of 310 runs for the hosts. Eventually, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, unbeaten on 49 and 32 respectively, held their ground as the hosts salvaged a draw.
2. Kevin Pietersen's 186 (2012/13)
England did not start the 2012/13 series in India the way they would have liked. However, after suffering a nine-wicket drubbing in the opening Test at Ahmedabad, they bounced back in emphatic fashion, claiming a 10-wicket win in the Mumbai Test.
India, on winning the toss in the second Test, opted to bat and set a first innings total of 327, thanks to Cheteshwar Pujara (135) and Ravichandran Ashwin (68). Spinners Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann were too hot to handle for the hosts and picked up five and four wickets respectively.
In reply, England lost two wickets in quick succession, but skipper and opening batsman Alastair Cook provided some resistance with his century (122).
But it was No 4 batsman Kevin Pietersen, who hogged the limelight with his 186-run knock, which came at a strike rate of 79.83, much quicker than Cook’s strike rate of 45.19. The flamboyant right-hander played shots all around the park, striking 20 boundaries and four sixes. With a valuable 86-run lead, the hosts wasted little time and dismissed India for 142. Monty and Swann were at it once again, claming six and four wickets respectively. A target of 58 wasn’t going to bother the visitors, and as expected, they sealed a memorable 10-wicket win.
3. Alastair Cook's 190 (2012/13)
Both sides headed into the third Test with the series level at 1-1. The hosts still had no answer to Monty, who claimed a four-for, as they were bundled out for 316 in the first innings.
Cook had already shown the temperament to bat through extended periods and struck a fine century in the second Test. He took it up a notch higher in this Test, almost claiming a double hundred, where no batsmen managed to reach the triple figures. The left-hander consumed as many as 377 deliveries for his 190, which included 23 fours and two maximums.
Led by Cook’s 190 alongside three fifties from Compton, Jonathan Trott and Pietersen, England took a massive 207-run lead. India were on the backfoot in the second innings and could only manage an excess of 41 runs, resulting in a seven-wicket win for England.
4. Paul Collingwood's 134 (2005/06)
In the opening Test in 2006, England lost almost half their batting line-up, at 136/4, but No 5 batsman Paul Collingwood battled it out and struck a brilliant unbeaten century (134*), which included 13 fours and four sixes. Cook (60) and Flintoff (43) played handy knocks but Collingwood, who consumed 252 deliveries, was the glue around whom the batting line up revolved. After being dismissed for 393 in their first innings, England, led by Matthew Hoggard (6/57), dismissed India for 323.
Even in the second essay, Cook (104*) and Collingwood (36*) took responsibility in their hands as the visitors set a competitive target of 368. Meanwhile, for India, Jaffer (100) and Dravid (71) played handy knocks. Post their departure, the hosts avoided any risks and were happy to settle for a draw. The series too, was drawn as India and England claimed one win apiece in the final two Tests.
5. Andrew Strauss' 128 (2005/06)
In 2006, India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with a nine-wicket win in the second Test. The hosts, led by skipper Rahul Dravid, were favourites to final Test. However, England, despite missing six fronline players, sealed a memorable series-levelling win by 212 runs.
After being asked to bat, England posted 400 runs on the board, with Andrew Strauss top-scoring with a fine century (128).
On a Mumbai pitch where most batsmen, barring Owais Shah (88) and Andrew Flintoff (50), struggled for runs, Strauss showed his class. The left-hander struck 17 fours and a maximum, the highlight being his backfoot play against spinners Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble.
In reply, James Anderson starred with a four-for as the visitors were bundled out for 279. Notably, he effected the run out of top-scorer MS Dhoni and picked up the prized scalp of Dravid (52).
India put on a better bowling performance in the second innings, dismissing England for 191. And requiring 313 for a win, the hosts were skittled out for 100 in the face of superb bowling by Shaun Udal (4/14) and Flintoff (3/14).
While Strauss was the lone centurion in the Test, Flintoff bagged the Player of the Match and Player of Series for his all-round effort.
6. Ian Botham's 114 (1979/80)
India were dismissed for 242 in the first innings after opting to bat. No batsman failed to reach the 50-run mark as Ian Botham, the pick of the English bowlers, finished with figures of 6/58.
The Test, indeed, belonged to Botham, who got in the act once again, slamming a superb century at a time when none of the batsmen from his side managed to score a fifty. Notably, Botham’s 114 also came at a quick pace. He had a strike rate of 79.17, a rare sight as far as batting in the 1980’s concerned. Botham’s knock, studded with 17 fours, helped the victors gain a 54-run lead.
The Botham show wasn’t over yet as he produced even better bowling figures (7/48) in the second essay as India were bundled out for a paltry 149. Barring Dilip Vengasarkar, the right-arm seamer accounted for the entire top and middle order. England eventually chased India’s meagre target of 96 with 10 wickets in hand.
7. Dennis Amiss 179 (1976/77)
England thrashed India by an innings and 25 runs in the first Test of their 1976/77 tour. The five-match series followed a similar pattern in the remaining Tests as England clinched the series 3-1.
Led by Dennis Amiss’ 179 along with handy contributions from Alan Knott (75) and John Lever (53), England posted 381 on the board. At a time when life wasn’t easy for most batsman at the crease, Amiss looked a class apart. Consuming as many as 397 balls, the centurion struck 22 fours and a maximum.
In reply, India were bundled out for a paltry 122, thanks to John Lever, who bowled a clinical spell of 7/46. The follow-on was enforced, and although India batted slightly better in the second essay where they scored 234, it wasn’t enough. England batters didn’t have to walk out to the crease in second innings, resulting in a humiliating defeat for the hosts.
8. Ken Barrington's 172 (1961/62)
England lost the five-match series in 1961/62 with a 2-0 scoreline. And the margin of the series loss could have been far worse had Ken Barrington not come to their rescue on multiple occasions.
With three centuries and a fifty, the right-hander amassed 594 runs in the series, the most by an any English batsman in India till date. His best, however, came in the second Test at Kanpur, where India, led by Polly Umrigar’s 147, declared at 467/8 in the first innings. The visitors were in a precarious position after being bundled out for 244, thanks to Subhash Gupte, who claimed a five-wicket haul.
Following on, with a 223-run lead ahead of them, England finished the Test at 497/5. Led by Barrington (172 off 406 balls), who struck 26 fours, and handy centuries from Geoff Pullar (119 off 313 balls) and Ted Dexter (126* off 256 balls), the visitors salvaged a famous draw.
9. Mike Gatting's 207 (1984/85)
England’s tour of India in 1984/85 was evenly poised, with a win apiece in the first two Tests and a draw in the third. But the visitors took a lead in the fourth Test at Chennai with a nine-wicket win.
Half centuries from Mohinder Amarnath (78) and Kapil Dev (58) could only take India as far as 272. Neil Foster, the pick of the English bowlers, claimed a six-for.
In reply, opener Graeme Fowler tired the Indian bowlers, scoring a brilliant double ton (201 off 409 balls). Still, Fowler didn’t finish as the top-scorer as No 3 batsman Mike Gatting struck a much quicker double ton (207 off 309 balls). Eventually, the visitors posted a mammoth (652/7 declared), gaining a sizeable lead of 380.
India put on a much better show in the second innings but 412 is all they could manage, courtesy Mohammed Azharuddin’s 105 and Amarnath’s 95. Foster once again came to England’s rescue, claiming a five-for and setting up an easy chase of 33.
Leading England’s batting line-up, Gatting finished with a mind-boggling average of 95.83 in their 2-1 series win.
10. Colin Cowdrey's 151 (1963/64)
England’s Test tour of India in 1964 was a unique affair as all five matches ended in a draw. From the visitors’ perspective, it was a memorable tour for Colin Cowdrey, who did not feature in the first two Tests but struck two centuries in the remaining tour.
After opting to bat, India managed 344 in the first innings, largely thanks to Hanumant Singh’s 105. In reply, England’s Brian Bolus (58) and Peter Parfitt (67) looked good but the best was yet to come for England.
Coming into the fourth Test on the back of a ton, Cowdrey made the most of his fine form and stuck a brilliant 151, a knock studded with 23 fours and a maximum.
England’s first innings total of 451 meant a 107-run lead but Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi’s 203* and Chandu Borde’s 67* halted visitors’ victory march post a century by Budhi Kunderan, resulting in a draw.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Toggle between the tabs to switch between live scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
Toss update: Tamil Nadu won the toss and opted to bowl first.
Preview: Last year’s runners-up Tamil Nadu, led by the experienced Dinesh Karthik, will hope to go one better when they take on a buoyant Baroda in the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel Stadium on Sunday.
Both Tamil Nadu and Baroda topped their respective groups with 20 points each, and most importantly, without losing a single game, but the side from south India start as favourites thanks to their perfect blend of youth and experience in their squad. TN’s N Jagadeeshan leads the tournament’s batting charts with 350 runs (Strike rate of 142) from seven matches this season, with four half-centuries while Baroda stand-in skipper Kedar Devdhar is behind him in second spot with 333 runs.
Murugan Ashwin is Tamil Nadu’s leading wicket-taker with 10 scalps, while for Baroda it is Lukman Meriwala with 14 wickets.
Despite a strike-rate of 161, Dinesh Karthik has not had the best of his tournaments, scoring just 161 runs from seven games. He is yet to score even a half-century, but will be looking to deliver at the right time for his team.
Baroda meanwhile, hit by a controversy just before start of the tournament when all-rounder Deepak Hooda stormed out of the team camp on the eve of the tournament-opener alleging ‘misbehaviour’ from skipper Krunal Pandya. Later, on 22 January, Hooda was suspended for the remainder of the domestic season for bringing ‘disrespect to the game’.
Krunal Pandya, meanwhile, suffered a tragic personal loss when his father passed away on 16 January, and had to leave the Mushtaq Ali bio-bubble to mourn his death.
However, Baroda were flying high in the tournament, beating the likes of Maharashtra and Gujarat as they reached the quarter-final. They then went onto beat Haryana and Punjab in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively.
Tamil Nadu, meanwhile, had it easy in most of their games, beating the likes of Hyderabad and Bengal in the group stage, while they overcame Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively.
Playing XI
Tamil Nadu: Dinesh Karthik(Captain), Hari Nishanth, N Jagadeesan, Baba Aparajith, Shahrukh Khan, Arun Karthik, Sonu Yadav, M Mohammed, Murugan Ashwin, Manimaran Siddharth, R Sai Kishore.
Baroda: Kedar Devdhar(Captain), Vishnu Solanki, Karthik Kakade, Atit Sheth, Ninad Rathva, Smit Patel, Bhanu Pania, Babashafi Pathan, Abhimanyu Rajput, Bhargav Bhatt, Lukman Meriwala.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Kolkata: India wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav on Sunday said he likes to "reflect on the errors" when things don't go his way as he is geared up for the first two Tests against England in Chennai beginning 5 February.
The 26-year-old has fallen out of favour in recent times, having made a sole appearance in the Canberra ODI during India's recent tour of Australia.
Kuldeep, who has played only six Tests for India, stands a chance to make it to the playing XI at the Chepauk with allrounder Ravindra Jadeja not available for the first two Tests due to an injury.
"At some point you won't do well and that's the time you reflect and gain experience so that you don't repeat those errors in future," the left-arm spinner, who grabbed 5 for 99 against Australia in Sydney in 2019 in his last Test, said in a video posted by KKR on its website.
Things have gone from bad to worse for Kuldeep in IPL as well as he featured in nine games for Kolkata Knight Riders and returned with only four wickets in 2019, while he took just one wicket in four games last year in UAE.
"I have been playing for KKR for seven years now, and being a senior player, I need to perform consistently," said Kuldeep, who has been retained by KKR ahead of the 2021 IPL auction.
"It is challenging but then you need to keep upgrading yourself so that you can maintain a standard always. It's actually important because franchise cricket is tough with all the expectations from the fans."
Kuldeep said the pressure of expectations make him nervous.
"It is a kind of pressure, and of course, that makes me nervous because I want to give my best to my franchise in each game. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't...
"It teaches you a few lessons too as you stay relaxed when you do well and when you don't play well, you get a chance to reflect on the errors. This is how you learn and cricket is a game where you can't keep performing well always," he said.
Talking about initial days of his career, the UP spinner said he always wanted to be a fast bowler but his diminutive stature became a hurdle and so he turned to spin bowling on his coach's insistence.
"I think I was good at fast bowling. I could swing the ball both ways even at the age of 10-11 years. Even my coach used to feel the same because my wrist work was neat," he said.
"But the hurdle was my lack of growth (height). So, he asked me to switch to spin bowling. I was pretty angry initially because I never liked spin and always wanted to be a fast bowler.
"I skipped going to the ground for 10 days as I was determined to continue with only fast bowling. But my coach told me that if I really wanted to play cricket, I had to take up spin."
Kuldeep said chinaman came naturally to him.
"When my coach asked me to try out spin, I didn't know why I chose to bowl chinaman. It just came naturally to me. My coach felt it was a rare quality in me, so he kept working on it," he concluded.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Cheteshwar Pujara said the recent Test series win in Australia was a tad more special than the 2018-19 victory as Team India had a weaker team with so many youngsters.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/36JZijR
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
For a state team regular without a bare minimum IPL contract (Rs 20 lakh), a full season of Ranji, Vijay Hazare, Mushtaq Ali, Duleep Trophy would mean earnings of around Rs 15 to 20 lakh per season and this time it will be less than half.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/36rpCz1
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Lahore: In-form batsman Mohammad Hafeez and struggling opener Fakhar Zaman are absentees from the Pakistan squad named by selectors on Sunday for the Twenty20 international series against South Africa in February.
The 40-year-old Hafeez is in the form of his life, scoring 502 runs in his last 12 Twenty20 internationals at an average of 100.40 with a strike rate of 153.
But chief selector Mohammad Waseem said the senior batsman was not available for the series.
"There are no questions over Hafeez's performance, but he has not given his availability on 3 February when the squad will go in a bio-secure environment," said Waseem while announcing the squad.
Hafeez is currently featuring in the T10 league in Abu Dhabi, which finishes on 6 February.
Pakistan and South Africa will play three Twenty20 matches— all in Lahore— on 11, 13 and 14 February.
Waseem said current form, as well as this year's Twenty20 World Cup in India, were considered for selection.
Zaman was in a poor form, having managed just 97 runs in his last ten matches. He also missed the Twenty20 series in New Zealand in December following a positive COVID-19 test.
Babar Azam will lead the squad, which also sees comebacks for pacer Hasan Ali, all-rounder Aamer Yamin and batsman Asif Ali.
Uncapped leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood, all-rounder Amad Butt and batsman Danish Aziz are also part of the 20-man squad, while pacer Wahab Riaz is left out.
Pakistan lead the two-match Test series 1-0 after beating South Africa by seven wickets in Karachi on Friday.
They begin the second Test in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Hussian Talat, Danish Aziz, Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Zafar Gohar, Faheem Ashraf, Aamer Yamin, Amad Butt, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hussain, Hasan Ali, Usman Qadir, Zahid Mahmood
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Pakistan named their squad for the three-match T20I series against South Africa in Lahore.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/36sLauU
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
New Delhi: There are times when balls faced matter a lot more than runs scored and the recent tour of Australia was all about that for India's Test batting mainstay Cheteshwar Pujara, who finds the "strike-rate talk" overrated.
Pujara had collected a lot more runs (521 at 41.41 strike rate and three hundreds) in his player of the series performance to ensure a historic triumph in Australia two seasons ago but considering the "extraordinary circumstances" of the recent showdown that just went by, he rates his effort (271 at 29.20 and three half-centuries) equally special.
"Both tours have been fantastic for the team and personally I did well on both tours but the circumstances were completely different. This time I was starting up after a long time, almost eight months (due to COVID-19), there were no first class games also," Pujara told PTI before entering the bio-bubble for the upcoming home series against England.
The 31-year-old stood like a rock through the series, quite literally in the final Test in Brisbane, where he took multiple blows on the body to keep a relentless Australian attack at bay.
"It wasn't easy at all in terms of preparation and the Australian team had a thorough game plan for each of us. To get back into rhythm took a little bit of time but luckily all went positive in the end.
"Numbers wise, it may not look like a very, very good series for me but if you look at the pitches, not many runs were scored this time. It was more challenging than last time without a doubt."
The 81-Test veteran said the balls faced, 928 to 1258 two years ago, mattered more than runs scored, given the challenging pace attack, nature of pitches and barrage of injuries that the Indian team suffered through the four games.
"Very difficult to compare both the tours but this one is a tad more special considering we had a weaker team with so many youngsters. But I wouldn't say this is the only best series I have been a part of.
"Even the last series in Australia was tough and the home series too in 2017-18 was among the toughest I have been a part of."
As often is the case, Pujara's strike-rate was a constant subject of debate as he wore down the trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc to make things slightly easier for the batsman at the other end.
"There are times when strike rate hardly matters. Every batter has a role to play. The team management completely understands that. Whether it was Ravi bhai (coach) or Vicky bhai (batting coach) or Ajinkya, they just told me to keep batting the way I bat.
"The batting coach also mentioned that Aussies were not giving anything away. So, it wasn't that I wasn't batting well but they hardly bowled any loose balls.
"I had to take extra time to score those runs. I always saw the bigger picture because I knew that it would be tough for the bowlers to run through the side if I was around at the other end."
For someone who takes his time to accelerate, Pujara feels the strike-rate is bound to improve if one spends time in the middle.
"Even my batting changes according to the situation. I don't play only in one way. There are times when pitches are good to bat on, then I will keep rotating the strike.
"You can't just bat in one way. It is good to have stroke players like Rohit and Rishabh at the other end so I just need to bat the way I do," said the Rajkot-based cricketer, who became only the 11th Indian cricketer to cross the 6000-run mark in Tests during the Australia series.
He is currently 10th on the list with 6111 runs at an average of 47.74.
"It is a great feeling. Statistically it is a good achievement but I still feel there is still lot to play for and lots to achieve."
Pujara was hit on multiple occasions by the Australian pacers on day five at the Gabba with the blow on his finger off Hazlewood being the most painful.
"I am much better now. There are still bruise marks but nothing serious. I have almost recovered," said the soft-spoken cricketer.
Talking about playing in bio-bubbles as the Australia tour was his first one in a controlled environment, Pujara added: "It is not easy, especially the quarantine, it is the toughest one for all players where you can't even meet each other.
"It is also not easy for guys who are used to going out on tours. Someone like me, who lives a simple life, it is still okay but the way the players (who also played IPL) have explained, it is anything but easy."
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Mumbai: India opener Prithvi Shaw and budding left-arm pacer Arjun Tendulkar have been named in the list of 104 Mumbai players picked by Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) for a camp ahead of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
The MCA released the names of these players on its website on Saturday.
Arjun, son of batting great Sachin Tendulkar, recently made his Mumbai senior debut in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy when he played against Haryana, albeit in a losing cause.
The 21-year-old has bowled to the Indian team in the nets in the past.
Shaw was part of the India's squad which won the Test series in Australia 2-1. He, however, featured only in the Adelaide Test which India lost by eight wickets.
Besides Arjun and Shaw, India batsman Shreyas Iyer, all-rounder Shivam Dube, Suryakumar Yadav, Aditya Tare, Siddhesh Lad, young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan and Arman Jaffer have been named in the list of 104 players.
Experienced pacer Dhawal Kulkarni was also named for the camp beginning on Monday.
"All the above selected players are requested to report at MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy, Bandra Kurla Complex on Monday, 1st February 2021 at 8.00 am in coloured clothing," MCA secretary Sanjay Naik and Joint Secretary Shahalam Shaikh said in a statement.
The BCCI will not be conducting Ranji Trophy this year with the parent body opting for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the U-19 National One Day tournament and the Women's national 50-over tournament.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
PM Narendra Modi, on his 'Mann Ki Baat' address, praised the Indian team's grit and resolve and the way players fought back to clinch a series win in Australia, after "initial hiccups".
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/39wFAJS
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has made an "uneventful recovery" and will be able to do all his normal activities within the next few days, said Dr Aftab Khan of Apollo Hospital.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/36sgtGk
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Indian Cricket Team for the way they bounced back to win the Test series in Australia.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2Mavp59
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Nicholas Pooran's blistering half-century and Wayne Parnell's hat-trick helped Northern Warriors register a 32-run victory over Delhi Bulls in the Abu Dhabi T10 on Saturday.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2MIm04l
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Jasprit Bumrah is known for bowling toe crushing yorkers and sharp bouncers, but who knew that the pacer can pretty much ace the bowling action of Anil Kumble.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3oBbNE6
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
T Natarajan on Sunday took to Twitter to share a picture of him in front of a temple.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2YykuEA
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
India's "exhilarating victory" against Australia, coupled with the return of some key players like Virat Kohli, Ishant Sharma and Hardik Pandya make them favourites in the Test series against England, Ian Chappell said.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2L3AifA
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
New Delhi: Former Australia captain Ian Chappell reckons India will start as favourites in the Test series against England owing to a quality pace attack with plenty of depth and a top order that is more consistent than the visitors'.
What should also bolster the home team is the addition of captain Virat Kohli to a strong batting line-up and their incredible recent triumph in Australia.
"India will start as favourites after an exhilarating victory over Australia, overcoming all obstacles. When you add the name Virat Kohli to the batting order, the team suddenly assumes a bulletproof cloak," Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo.
"In also adding the names R Ashwin, Hardik Pandya and Ishant Sharma to the list of available players, India take on an unbeatable appearance."
The big-ticket series starts in Chennai on 5 February.
Chappell feels India's formidable top order may tip the scales in favour of the home team, despite England's 2-0 sweep of Sri Lanka recently.
"...The availability of a premium player in Ben Stokes who, like (Hardik) Pandya, provides all-round ability and selection flexibility, albeit at a higher level than the Indian, is a big plus. And Jofra Archer adds substantially to the quality of an already strong pace attack.
"However it's the top of the England order, where another returning player, Rory Burns, will reside, that the scales tip in India's favour.
"India's top three feature an impressive Shubman Gill, a talented but flawed Rohit Sharma and the indomitable Cheteshwar Pujara, which places them well ahead of England's top order."
He says it will add a lot of pressure on Joe Root if the duo of Dom Silbey and Rory Burns fails.
"Dom Sibley possesses the grit and determination required for success at the highest level but there are questions about his technique against the best international bowlers.
"Burns is another in the same category as Sibley, and if both players fail the challenges England will be in trouble unless Joe Root continues to score at his current freakish level.
"Zak Crawley, like his Indian counterpart Gill, is talented and has great potential. Nevertheless his failure to contribute in Sri Lanka raises concerns that need to be put to rest quickly and there's no better place or time to do that than in India."
He also spoke about the bowling attack of both the teams, saying there is not much difference in that department.
"The presence of Archer, along with the skill and experience of stalwarts Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, would normally provide England with an advantage in the pace department.
"However India's improvement in that category is amply illustrated by their performance in matching Australia's much-vaunted pace attack in two successive away series.
"Not only does India now have quality pace bowling but they also have it in comforting quantities following the depth displayed in Australia."
Even the middle order of both teams is equally strong, according to Chappell.
"Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant and the possible addition of Pandya have India well placed to take full advantage of any good start.
"England are similarly placed with Stokes and Jos Buttler as their lethal weapons. The possible return of Ollie Pope would add some dependability to the threatening nature of that section of the batting order.
"However Buttler's departure after just one Test and the possible return of Ravindra Jadeja to the Indian line-up would swing the scales further in favour of the home team."
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Kolkata: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly was discharged from hospital on Sunday morning, three days after he underwent a fresh round of angioplasty to clear clogged coronary arteries, officials said.
The 48-year-old cricket legend was hospitalised on Wednesday for the second time in a month due to his cardiac condition.
On Thursday, two more stents were implanted during the surgery conducted by a team of doctors, including noted cardiologist Dr Devi Shetty and Dr Ashwin Mehta.
"Ganguly is doing fine and his heart is as strong as a normal person. He had an uneventful recovery and we are hopeful that within the next couple of days, he will be able to return to normal life," a senior doctor of the private hospital, where he was admitted, said.
The former India captain is required to follow a strict routine and needs to be on medication for a few months, he added.
The batting great suffered a mild heart attack earlier this month and was diagnosed with Triple Vessel Disease. He had undergone an angioplasty procedure during which a stent was inserted into one of the blocked arteries.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Chennai: England all-rounder Moeen Ali doesn't know how they are going to tackle Virat Kohli in the upcoming Tests against India and feels the batting maestro will be extra motivated to fire after missing his team's incredible triumph in Australia.
Kohli, who had returned home after the opening Test debacle against Australia for the birth of his child, is back to captain the side in the four-match series against England, beginning on 5 February.
"How do we get him out? He's obviously an amazing player, world-class, he's very motivated to do well and I'm sure he'll be even more motivated after they did well in Australia and he had to leave for the birth of his child," Moeen told reporters during a video conference.
"I don't know how we're going to get him out because I don't think he has any sort of weakness but we have a good bowling attack, some pace in the line-up.
"He's a great guy and a good friend of mine — we don't talk too much about cricket. We do a little bit but not too much."
Back in the fold after recovering from COVID-19, Moeen said he has still got "match-winning performances" in him and is ready to take on India.
Besides the Tests, India and England will play three ODIs and five T20Is.
Moeen said playing Test cricket is his "biggest motivation" and he has "little targets", which he wants to achieve in the upcoming series.
"Whether or not I get picked is another matter... in terms of being ready to play, I think I'll be fine to play, I'll be ready. I've waited long enough," he said.
"I still feel I've got wickets and runs in me and match-winning performances within me. I have little targets I want to achieve first. I am not too far away from getting 200 wickets.
"I know people say they don't look at these things but it would be something I would look at. Then I would set another target after that."
The 33-year-old had tested positive for COVID-19 upon the England team's arrival in Sri Lanka and missed the two Tests there, which the visitors won for a series sweep.
"I'm all right now. Once I tested positive, I just wanted to get it over and done with really. It has been tough but I'm a big believer in 'after hardship comes ease'. Hopefully, there is ease after this," said Moeen, who had just five or six net sessions due to the time he had to spend in quarantine.
Moeen, who has 181 wickets and 2782 runs in Test cricket, had taken a break from the traditional format after missing out on a full contract in 2019.
"I enjoyed the break and played a few leagues around the world ... but ultimately it was Test cricket that I missed.
"When you're playing Test cricket, you're on top of your game in terms of your batting and bowling; your technique. I don't think it's great when you're just playing white-ball," he said.
Moeen said red-ball cricket makes for a better T20 cricketer.
"When you are playing red-ball cricket, you are hitting a lot more balls, you're bowling a lot more too. With T20I cricket, as much as it is hitting sixes, fours etc, the basis of your technique has to be good," he said.
"It doesn't surprise me that Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes are the two best T20 players around and they play Test cricket. Their defence is pretty solid and it gives you more confidence. When I was playing all forms, I felt I was better with my white-ball game."
He also asked people to not pay any heed to conspiracy theories and get vaccinated for the virus.
"There's a lot of conspiracy theories out there but it's just medicine evolving. In our community, people are sometimes a bit cautious. But for things to get back to normal, it's important that we do," he said.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Sourav Ganguly has been discharged from Apollo hospital in Kolkata following his angioplasty.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3rbttIr
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
BBL: Mitchell Marsh has been charged for showing dissent at an umpire's decision during their Qualifier match against Sydney Sixers on Saturday.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3oyJNBk
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
The Mumbai Cricket Association selected 100 players for the probable players' camp for Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/39wLCu4
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
The BCCI president Sourav Ganguly is likely to be discharged from hospital on Sunday morning as his health condition is stable
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3rc85Tn
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
India vs England: Moeen Ali said that Indian skipper Virat Kohli doesn't have any sort of weakness and it will be a challenge for his team to get him out.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3r6LSWB
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
The BCCI posted a video in which Jasprit Bumrah can be seen bowling leg-spin in the nets, emulating spin great Anil Kumble's action.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2NPtDXv
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Bangladesh vs West Indies: Shakib Al Hasan has been included in his side's upcoming two-match Test series, and it will be his country's first assignment in the longest format since their innings victory against Zimbabwe at home in February 2020.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3j0rHqB
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
India vs England: Jos Buttler would be returning home after the first Test against India, and will then be expected to appear in the white-ball series.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3cwW32y
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Pakistan vs South Africa: Aiden Markram accepted that he is not a finished product and is still looking for ways to improve his game.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3pxGaNd
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Cheteshwar Pujara, in an exclusive chat with NDTV, said that the Indian team had a strategy in mind to counter Australian bowling unit's game plan that led to a historic Test series win Down Under.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2NPhmCp
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Big Bash League: Josh Inglis slammed 69 runs to help Perth Scorchers set a target of 168 runs vs Sydney Sixers in their ongoing playoff match. His knock included an unbelievable shot in the 17th over, against Ben Dwarshuis.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/36rg86D
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Ben Stokes' comment came as Mitchell Marsh got a horrendous decision from the on-field umpire during the ongoing BBL Qualifier match between Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3cmEa6z
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
India vs England: Jos Buttler said that Joe Root picks length brilliantly and has many shots that help him score runs quickly against spinners.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2YqNPB5
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
ICC Test Rankings: Cheteshwar Pujara has leapfrogged Babar Azam to jump to the sixth spot in the latest ICC Test batting rankings released, with Ajinkya Rahane moving up a place.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/39wIqyJ
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Cheteshwar Pujara spoke to NDTV about India's historic win in Australia, the upcoming series against England at home and also expressed his interest in playing in the IPL.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3r1lmxZ
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Ahmedabad: A formidable Tamil Nadu team with oodles of experience in its rank and file will have a head-start over an unheralded Baroda which shrugged off the off-field controversies to set up a promising grand finale of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament on Sunday.
The Tamil Nadu side with right blend of youth and experience under Dinesh Karthik, has hardly looked in any sort of trouble since their group stage encounters with dominating victories while chasing.
Baroda, under their battle-hardened stand-in captain Kedar Devdhar, had won some one-sided matches but also a cliff-hanger against Haryana in the quarter-final where Vishnu Solanki hit a last-ball helicopter shot to win the match.
Baroda's performance is more praiseworthy after their premier batsman Deepak Hooda stormed out after his differences with skipper Krunal Pandya, who also had to leave after his father's death.
Tamil Nadu were also in a spot of bother in the quarter-final against Himachal Pradesh but some big-hitting by Shahrukh Khan and a composed knock by Baba Aparajith saw them through.
Veteran KB Arun Karthik then played a beautiful knock of 89 against Rajasthan to take his state to the final.
Opener N Jagadeesan (350 runs) tops the run-scorers list while his opening partner C Hari Nishaanth's form has tapered off after a bright start.
Skipper Dinesh Karthik hasn't played a big knock but has been a stabilising influence in the middle-order during tricky run-chases.
Shahrukh will be eager to impress talent scouts in what will effectively be his last chance before the IPL auctions in February.
Lanky left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (eight wickets so far) will have to play a big role on Sunday along with leggie M Ashwin and Aparajith, who has been more than useful with his off-breaks.
Medium-pacers Mohammed Mohammed and R Sonu Yadav have played their parts but Tamil Nadu think-tank might be tempted to drop a misfiring Aswin Crist, who came in for Sandeep Warrier and bring G Periyasamy into the playing XI.
For Baroda, a title triumph will mean their third national trophy in shortest format.
And for that to happen, burly opener Devdhar, the highest run-getter for the team with 333 runs, will have to score big again.
Apart from Devdhar, Baroda will relay on one-down Solanki, who pulled off a last over heist against Haryana in the quarter-final. He, however, failed to make an impact on the semi-final and will be keen to add to his tally.
The Baroda team management will be more than happy that Kartik Kakade has roared back to form and that gives the middle order a strong look. They can continue to open with Ninad Rathva, so that he can put pressure on Tamil Nadu bowlers, with Smit Patel coming down the order.
Also, Babashafi Pathan, will be another important cog in their wheel, with both the bat and ball.
Baroda's impressive pace duo of Atit Sheth and Lukman Meriwala, will try to make early inroads. Meriwala picked up three wickets in the semi-final but conceded some runs towards the end, something he would be keen to change.
However, the duo would be up against a formidable TN batting line up, and hence the challenge would be much more.
The role of the spin trio of left-arm spinners Bhargav Bhatt, Ninad Rathva and offie Kartik Kakade, will also be vital in the middle overs and in deciding the match's fate.
Come Sunday, Baroda can spring a massive surprise. Match starts at 7 PM.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Final: Tamil Nadu's Shahrukh Khan will be aiming to impress talent scouts, when his side faces Baroda in the final.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3t9iqB3
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Australia opener David Warner on Saturday took to Instagram to share a picture of his daughter Indi, posing with a special gift from Indian skipper Virat Kohli.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3pwCNWU
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
The doctors are scheduled to conduct a few medical examinations on Sourav Ganguly to decide whether he is fit to be discharged from the hospital.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2YpWqUF
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Ajinkya Rahane's gestures off the field, whether it be presenting Nathan Lyon with a signed jersey or refusing to cut a cake with a kangaroo on it, made the headlines and earned him widespread praise.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3t7r7vP
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Australia vs India: According to the report, Aussie cricketers have developed an affinity for assistant coach Andrew McDonald, who they feel is more approachable. Justin Langer refuted claims that his relationship with players has degraded.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3cnbb2u
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Kolkata: BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly is stable and he is likely to be discharged from the hospital on Saturday if the results of the medical examinations to be conducted on him return normal, an official of the establishment where he is being treated said.
"Ganguly''s health condition is stable. He slept well on Friday night and had light food in the morning," the official told PTI.
Doctors are scheduled to conduct a few medical examinations on the 48-year-old former India captain to decide whether he is fit to be discharged from the hospital, he said.
Ganguly had on Thursday undergone a fresh angioplasty and two more stents were implanted to clear his clogged coronary arteries.
He was hospitalised on Wednesday for the second time in a month due to his cardiac condition.
He had suffered a mild heart attack earlier this month and was diagnosed with Triple Vessel Disease. He had undergone an angioplasty procedure during which a stent was inserted to clear a blocked artery.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Melbourne: Australia head coach Justin Langer's intense "micro-management" coaching style has apparently not gone down well with a lot of players even as the former opener termed the insinuations as something that "couldn't be further from truth".
The fissures in the Australian camp have come out in the open after an under-strength India came back from behind to hammer Australia 2-1 in their own den.
According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald quoting multiple sources close to the Australian set-up, some players are apparently not happy with Langer's management style because of his intensity and mood swings.
The report suggested that Langer is no longer able to cope up with demands of being a three-format coach.
"Dressing-room sources say that over a gruelling summer, Langer's management style wore thin with some players, who on top of having to live in a bubble for months on end say they have become drained by his intensity and mood swings," the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
"...some senior players are frustrated at the atmosphere in the team being brought down by the coach's shifting emotions and what they see as too much micro-management. They say that has extended to bowlers being bombarded with statistics and instructions about where to bowl at lunch breaks including during the fourth and final Test against India at the Gabba," the report further read.
Langer, however, refuted the claims that his relationship with players had soared. "Couldn't be further from the truth," adding that "leadership isn't a popularity contest."
"If players just want someone to tickle their stomachs all the time then I'm not doing my job.
"It's actually the opposite of what happens. I never talk about statistics to the bowlers, ever. I don't go to any of the bowlers' meetings. That's what the bowlers' coach is meant to be doing," he said.
"I don't do any of that. I never, ever, ever speak to any of the bowlers about any of that sort of stuff. And the learnings of the last few months are I should start looking at that more."
Langer still has 18 months left in his contract and the 50-year-old former handed opening partner of Matthew Hayden said he has no problems with his workload.
"There are stresses to the job. It's a big job," he said.
The report further states many Australian current team players now have developed an affinity for assistant coach Andrew McDonald, who they feel is more approachable.
"Players believe Langer means well and respect his legacy in the sport but some have turned more and more to assistant coach Andrew McDonald for support because they increasingly don't know where they stand with the boss," it read.
"During the Brisbane Test, Langer ordered a player not to persist with a habit of jamming a toasted sandwich in his pocket to eat on the field."
"...the coach's headmaster-like manner and difficulty coping with pressure were in the summer increasingly incompatible with a team consisting largely of experienced players in their late 20s or 30s."
But Langer defended the decision, saying such a habit was unacceptable from a national cricketer as the team was in pursuit of a Test match victory over a side like India.
"You're walking on against India, we're trying to win a Test match and one of our players walks on with a toasted sandwich in his hand," Langer said.
"I spoke to (the player) about it at length yesterday. I said, 'How do you reckon it looks, mate?' Is that not something I should say?" he said without divulging the name of the player.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Chennai: Premier all-rounder Ben Stokes, pacer Jofra Archer and reserve opener Rory Burns on Saturday had their first training session at the Chepauk after successfully completing six days of hard quarantine, while other members of the squad cleared their second COVID-19 test.
The trio were not a part of the Sri Lanka Test series with Stokes and Archer being rested for workload management purpose while Burns skipped the previous tour due to the birth of his first child.
The trio had reached India earlier than their colleagues and having already cleared their three RT-PCR tests could hit the nets on Saturday.
"The first group of players – Archer, Burns and Stokes – will practice each morning for the next three days. They are limited to a two-hour session," England's media manager Danny Reuben informed.
"The entire England touring party received their second PCR COVID-19 test yesterday. All results returned negative results," he added.
The full England squad is scheduled to start its training from 2 February ahead of the series opener against India, starting 5 February.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Mitchell Starc Birthday: The International Cricket Council (ICC) shared a video of some of the best yorkers bowled by the Australian fast bowler.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/36pMjU6
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
The BCCI will also host the U-19 National One Day tournament for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy and the Women's national 50-over tournament.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2L4YSNe
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
India vs England: The trio will practice in the morning at the MA Chidambaram Stadium for the next three days to get into the groove ahead of the Test series.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2YqgHcH
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
New Delhi: The BCCI will not be conducting its premier first-class domestic tournament Ranji Trophy for the first time in 87 years as the parent body opted for the Vijay Hazare Trophy as per the wishes of majority of the state units.
The BCCI will also host the U-19 National One Day tournament for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy and the Women's national 50-over tournament as per a letter sent by BCCI secretary Jay Shah to the state units.
While BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Shah were keen to have the blue riband tournament that pays the maximum match fee (Rs 1.5 lakh per game approx) for the players, it is understood that a two-month long bio-bubble even for a truncated two-phased Ranji Trophy in times of the COVID-19 pandemic wasn't feasible.
"I am extremely happy to inform you that we are going to conduct the Senior Women's One Day tournament simultaneously with the Vijay Hazare Trophy and follow it up with Vinoo Mankad Trophy Under-19. This has been decided after having received your feedback on the domestic season 2020-21," Shah wrote a letter to state units, which is in possession of PTI.
It is understood that BCCI will probably follow the same groupings and bio-bubble for the Hazare Trophy that will start next month.
Shah in his letter spoke about how difficult it was to plan out the domestic calendar for the season in the post COVID world.
"As you are aware, we have lost a lot of time and consequently, it has been difficult to plan the cricket calendar on account of the precautions that are necessary for the safe conduct of the games," Shah wrote.
The BCCI during its AGM had decided that players will be compensated in case there is a truncated season and with players missing out on Ranji Trophy match fees, it is expected that the board will devise a mechanism by which the premier domestic cricketers of the country are taken care of financially.
Shah, in his letter, thanked the state units which successfully conducted the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament.
"I write this with some satisfaction and whole lot of gratitude towards the state associations and staff of the BCCI for the successful conduct of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament so far after having delivered a flawless IPL earlier," Shah wrote.
He also informed the members that preparations for the England series is in full swing.
"The preparations for the England tour of India which commences on 5th February onwards, are in full swing and there is a lot of excitement around it after the historic tour of Australia where, as you are aware, the team had performed miraculously under extremely trying circumstances," he said.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Pakistan batsman Fawad Alam, who scored a century in the first innings to put the hosts on top in the first Test against South Africa, said he is enjoying his time in the dressing room.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2L5nKVa
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Paddy Upton feels extroverts seem to be more affected by the restrictions of staying in a bio-bubble, and it depends on a lot of factors.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3atNx23
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
KB Arun Karthik led Tamil Nadu into their second successive Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final with an unbeaten 89-run knock that shaped their seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan in the first semi-final on Friday.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3j4OH7R
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Karachi: South Africa's captain Quinton de Kock on Friday put down his team's defeat in the first Test against Pakistan to soft dismissals, saying his players had enough time to adjust to the slow nature of the pitch here.
Spinners Nauman Ali and Yasir Shah bamboozled the South African batsmen to help Pakistan win the series opener by seven wickets inside four days.
"Obviously our first innings batting performance let us down, there were a couple of soft dismissals and it led to our losing the game," de Kock said after the match.
This is only Pakistan's fifth win over South Africa in 27 matches.
De Kock said his team had not taken too long to adjust to conditions in Pakistan despite the COVID-19 situation.
"We let ourselves down in the first innings. Obviously, when you bat first you need more than 220 and then we had them something like 40 for four, but we allowed them to come back into the game."
Talking about recent batting collapses by South Africa in Test cricket, he said the team was trying to work out why they were happening.
"Trust me if we knew it would not be happening."
He said when the batsmen got bogged down they tried to play shots, but on this pitch, playing patiently was the requirement.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said it is his ambition to see his team start winning overseas.
"I think, at home, you are expected to do well because conditions suit you, but we need to start winning overseas as well.
"I think we need to show more trust in our players and our top performers. We can't discard players after just one or two bad performances, we need to have belief in them."
Babar said scoring runs abroad gave him more confidence than amassing big numbers at home.
He termed the win over South Africa as "very necessary for the team".
"I think this victory came through because all the 11 players contributed and especially the way Nauman Ali bowled in this match. It was his debut and there was pressure on him against a good team, but he delivered. We need to trust our players."
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
New Delhi: Former India mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton on Friday implored sports bodies across the globe, including the BCCI, to conduct extensive studies and prevent athletes from developing mental illnesses due to extended stay in bio-secure bubbles.
Living in a bio-bubble has become the new normal for international athletes after sporting action resumed amid the COVID-19 pandemic and several cricketers, footballers and tennis players have spoken about the issue of mental health in a world scarred by the health crisis.
Upton said sports' governing bodies are not doing enough research to address the issue.
"Because we haven't done enough research to get feedback from different players — what were their unique challenges — we have all these medical people saying we can't approve this drug and that drug until we done the trials, but have we gathered the research?
"There have been a lot of bio-bubble around the world but I haven't seen a large-scale interventions where the ICC, badminton guys, football people or BCCI say lets do an extensive study to get feedback from players to understand the dynamics," Upton said.
"I don't think we have seen the fallout yet. There is a potential we will see more fallouts with more mental problems and illness because of extended bio-bubble.
"I think some of them are preventable but we are not doing all we can to prevent them, so we have to wait until that happens which is unfortunate for the athletes."
Upton said though extroverts seem to be more effected by the restrictions of staying in a bio-bubble, it depends on a lot of factors, which need research.
"If players are left alone, your mind goes all over the show. If you have the discipline to find a good distraction or you get caught up in anxiety and emptiness, especially extroverts are struggling more in a bio-bubble because they need people, introverts are happy in their own space," he said.
"Young players who are grateful for playing in a tournament like IPL in the beginning of their career, they bring enthusiasm and easily navigate through the bio-bubble. But senior players who are used to travelling, have families, introvert or extrovert, they are really struggling. It is so much more difficult.
"Also if a young player is new in team who haven't integrated, it makes it more difficult to integrate and some of the youngsters have had very lonely experience because each person is in survival mode, so there are a number of factors."
Upton cited the example of batting legend Rahul Dravid to emphasise how a positive culture can help youngsters achieve success.
"The culture around an athlete is the strongest influence on a player's mind. That system and environment is constantly influencing their behaviour and that is created as a result of how senior leaders manage and conduct themselves," he said.
"So if you have a coach and captain who shouts and screams and gets disappointed when someone makes mistake, I will show you a team that is filled with fear of failure.
"Conversely for example, the U-19 players that are coming through Rahul Dravid and we are really seeing the benefits of it in the cricket world."
Batting great Dravid received a lot of praise for grooming the next generation of players, including Washington Sundar and Rishabh Pant, who played a vital role in the 2-1 Test series win in Australia recently.
"For someone like (Dravid) who doesn't get upset about mistakes, he is allowing mistakes and really freeing mind of the players to express and perform and if they make mistakes, have a good conversation, so there is a equanimity and calmness," he said.
"And that is what then conditions those players' mind. We have seen in the last Test match (in Brisbane), these youngsters coming in high-pressure situation, I think having come through Dravid is a significant part of their success."
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Karachi: Debutant Nauman Ali took five wickets and fellow spinner Yasir Shah grabbed four to give Pakistan a seven-wicket victory in the first Test against South Africa in Karachi on Friday.
Nauman finished with 5-35 and Yasir took 4-79 as South Africa slumped to 245 all out in their second innings on the fourth day on a wearing National Stadium pitch that favoured spin bowlers.
Pakistan, needing 88 for victory, lost openers Abid Ali, Imran Butt and Babar Azam for a total of 52 runs before achieving the target in 22.5 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
The second Test starts on February 4 in Rawalpindi.
Azhar Ali was 31 not out while Fawad Alam —who hit a fighting hundred in the first innings— hit the winning boundary.
It was only Pakistan's fifth victory against South Africa in 27 Tests.
Anrich Nortje bowled Abid in the first over after lunch and then had Butt caught behind to finish with figures of 2-24.
Azam, on his Test captaincy debut, was dismissed leg before by Keshav Maharaj.
It was a spinners' battle on a brownish wicket, allowing Nauman to record figures of 7-73 and Yasir 7-133. In contrast, South Africa's spinners managed just four wickets.
Pakistan had taken a crucial 158-run first innings lead, thanks to a fighting century from Fawad and half centuries from Faheem Ashraf and Azhar.
The writing was on the wall as South Africa lost nightwatchman Maharaj on the first ball of the day, bowled for two by pacer Hasan Ali.
South African skipper Quinton de Kock had a miserable 50th Test as he followed his 15 in the first innings with just two runs as he was caught off a lazy push off Yasir.
emba Bavuma, who scored 40, added 42 for the seventh wicket with George Linde before being the last man out as Nauman took the last four wickets in a rapid 22 balls.
He dismissed Linde for 11, Kagiso Rabada for a single run, and Anrich Nortje for a duck, before removing Bavuma, to become the 12th Pakistani bowler to take five wickets in an innings on his debut.
South Africa are on their first tour of Pakistan for 14 years.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Ahmedabad: KB Arun Karthik led Tamil Nadu into their second successive Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final with an unbeaten 89-run knock that shaped their seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan in the first semi-final, on Friday.
Arun Karthik's 89-run partnership with skipper Dinesh Karthik (26 not out) meant that Tamil Nadu overhauled the 155-run target with eight balls to spare.
TN had lost the summit clash by just one run to Karnataka, last year.
Rajasthan's decision to bat first at the Sardar Patel stadium seem to be working well but Tamil Nadu restricted them to a sub-par 154 for nine despite skipper Ashok Menaria's 51 off 32 balls.
Rajasthan lost opener Bharat Sharma (0) in the first over, as Baba Aparajith took a diving catch off left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (2/16).
Tamil Nadu march into the final! đź‘Ťđź‘Ť
The @DineshKarthik-led unit beat Rajasthan by 7⃣ wickets to seal a place in the summit clash. đź‘Źđź‘Ź #TNvRAJ #SyedMushtaqAliT20 #SF1 | @TNCACricket
Scorecard 👉 https://t.co/Y5DkQ6696D pic.twitter.com/XSDihUgY3E
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 29, 2021
Aditya Garhwal (29) took on medium pacer Aswin Crist, striking successive boundaries in the third over but he was unable to convert his start and perished in the fifth over.
Menaria launched into Crist, hammering three boundaries and a six, in the sixth over.
The left-handed Menaria, whose knock was laced with five fours and two sixes, took on the Tamil Nadu bowlers as he and Arjit Gupta (45 off 35 balls) raised a 83-run third wicket stand.
Tamil Nadu, initially, were sloppy in the field and dropped three catches, including one of Menaria.
Tamil Nadu pegged back Rajasthan by taking two quick wickets. First Sai Kishore dismissed well-set Menaria and in-form Mahipal Lomror (3) also fell cheaply as Rajasthan slumped to 129 for four.
Rajasthan then suffered a collapse as the southern side stormed back into the contest by picking regular wickets and pacer M Mohammed (4/24) doing bulk of the damage. In the final five overs, Rajasthan lost five wickets and added only 24 runs as Tamil Nadu bowlers stamped their authority.
Chasing 155, TN lost C Hari Nishanth (4) early when he was trapped in front of the wicket by Tanveer-Ul-Haq (1/22). Tamil Nadu were in spot of bother at 17/2 after Aparajith (2) was caught in the slip cordon.
But a determined Narayan Jagadeesan (28) and Arun Karthik came to the rescue as they put together 52 runs for the third wicket and took the game away from Rajasthan.
Young leggie Ravi Bishnoi (1/32) tried to bring Rajasthan back into the game by removing Jagadeesan, who holed out in the deep, as TN lost its third wicket on 69.
But then Tamil Nadu cruised as skipper Dinesh Karthik joined Arun and the duo tore apart the Rajasthan attack.
Arun Karthik hammered nine boundaries and three sixes, in his match-winning knock and fittingly finished the game with a boundary.
Brief Scores:
Rajasthan 154/9 (Ashok Menaria 51, Arjit Gupta 45, M Mohammed 4/24, R Sai Kishore 2/16) lost to Tamil Nadu 158/3 (Arun Karthik 85 not out, Narayan Jagadeesan 28; Tanveer-Ul-Haq 1/22, Aniket Chaudhary 1/29) by 7 wickets.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Big Bash League: Ben Laughlin of Brisbane Heat completed a one-handed screamer during the Eliminator against Adelaide Strikers.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/36jKVSU
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
West Indies head coach Phil Simmons feels that unlike the ODIs the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh will be be a lot more competitive.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3iZFdeg
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Nauman Ali took five wickets in his debut match, helping Pakistan win the first Test match against South Africa.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/39rwVZe
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Sana Mir featured in 226 international matches for Pakistan, including 137 as captain from 2009 to 2017.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/3pwgTCW
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Preview: Rajasthan won the toss and they have elected to bat first against Tamil Nadu in the first semi-final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Ahmedabad.
Sandeep Warrier is not playing today for Tamil Nadu because he has been released from the squad to fly back to Chennai and join the Indian team as a net bowler. For Rajasthan, Aditya Garhwal replaces Ankit Lamba.
Last year's runners up, Tamil Nadu will once again look to book a spot in the final, which is set to be played on 31 January and clinch the title. Last time, they lost the trophy against Karnataka by just one run.
Key player for Tamil Nadu is their batsman Shahrukh Khan while N Jagadeesan is their highest run-getter this season. Rajasthan's strength is their bowling with the likes of Ravi Bishnoi, Khaleel Ahmed and Aniket Chaudhary need to step up again against a strong batting line-up.
Playing XI:
Rajasthan: Bharat Sharma (wk), Aditya Garhwal, Ashok Menaria (c), Mahipal Lomror, Rajesh Bishnoi, Arjit Gupta, Chandrapal Singh, Aniket Choudhary, Ravi Bishnoi, Khaleel Ahmed, Tanveer-Ul-Haq
Tamil Nadu: Hari Nishanth, N Jagadeesan, Baba Aparajith, Arun Karthik, Sonu Yadav, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Shahrukh Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, M Mohammed, Murugan Ashwin, Aswin Crist.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Toggle between the tabs to switch between live scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
Day 3 report: Pakistan spinners Yasir Shah and Nauman Ali grabbed three wickets in the space of 10 runs shortly before the close to halt South Africa's fightback on Day 3 of the first Test in Karachi on Thursday.
It looked as though South Africa would end the day at parity after wiping out Pakistan's big 158-run first innings lead, but Yasir struck twice and Nauman once to leave the tourists on 187-4 at close, a lead of just 29 with six second-innings wickets in hand.
Nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj was unbeaten on two and skipper Quinton de Kock was yet to score.
Earlier, the Pakistan tail wagged effectively as they added a further 70 before South Africa could take their final two wickets.
Pakistan's 378 all out gave them a crucial first-innings lead of 220.
South Africa were off to a confident start with Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar defying Pakistan's attack, and were 37 without loss at lunch.
Elgar, in visible discomfort after being hit on the left hand by a rising delivery from pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, was caught by diving wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan off Yasir for 29.
Markram then added 127 for the second wicket with Rassie van der Dussen and at 175-1, South Africa looked to be ready to take control.
But Yasir changed the scenario by dismissing Dussen for a solid 64, inducing him to pop up a soft catch for Abid Ali at silly mid-off. He then trapped Faf du Plessis LBW on the back foot for 10.
In between, Markram pushed forward uncertainly to Nauman, offering another soft catch for Abid in the same position, as three wickets fell in the space of 33 balls.
Markram, who had a leg before decision overturned when he was on four and survived a chance to Babar Azam off Yasir on 27, had batted with some polish, hitting 10 crisp boundaries in his 74, his eighth Test fifty.
Both Yasir and Nauman will be major threats for South Africa on a fourth-day National stadium pitch which produced 14 wickets on the first day, four on the second and six on the third.
Rabada 200
In the morning Pakistan resumed on 308-8 but the tail frustrated the Proteas bowlers who were looking for wrap up the innings quickly.
South Africa's 25-year-old pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, playing in his 44th Test, bowled Hasan Ali for 21 to reach 200 wickets — the eighth South African to reach the landmark in Test cricket.
Pakistan were 323-9 at that point, but Yasir and Nauman added 55 valuable runs for the final wicket.
Yasir, who scored a Test century in Australia in 2019, hit a six and four fours in his 38 not out, while debutant Nauman scored three boundaries before falling leg before to left-arm spinner Maharaj for 24.
Rabada with 3-70 and Maharaj, who took 3-90, were the pick of the South African bowlers.
With inputs from AFP
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
India vs England: Indian skipper Virat Kohli posted a workout video on Instagram while in quarantine in the team hotel ahead of England Test series.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/39t9O0A
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
New Delhi: India's three ICC-panelled umpires will be up for their biggest assignment so far in next month's four-Test series against England during which Virender Sharma and Anil Chaudhary are set to make their on-field debut in the longest format.
While Chaudhary and Sharma are part of the ICC Emirates Panel, they will be joined by India's Elite Panel representative Nitin Menon, who has already officiated on-field in a previous Test match, a BCCI source told PTI.
Due to the travel restrictions with regards to COVID-19, the ICC approved home team's match officials for all the World Test Championship matches. The India-England series starts 5 February in Chennai.
The logic given was that with teams availing three Decision Review System (DRS) appeals and being able to retain them in case of Umpires' Call, the risk of wrong decisions affecting a game has reduced considerably.
PTI had reported in November last year that due to restrictions, it could be a blessing in disguise for the Indian umpires, who hardly get a chance to officiate in the marquee Test series as most of the times, the country has only one representative in the Elite Panel.
Earlier, it was Tamil Nadu's Sundaram Ravi but he was dropped from the panel after consistent poor performances in the Test arena.
Menon is one of India's youngest umpires and considered a bright talent.
While Sharma has officiated in two ODIs and a single T20 International, Chaudhary has 20 ODIs and 28 T20 Internationals as on-field umpire in his kitty.
Menon has stood in three Test matches along with 24 ODIs and 16 T20 Internationals.
All three umpires have regularly featured as match officials in the Indian Premier League.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
India vs England: Virender Sharma and Anil Chaudhary are set to make their on-field debut in the longest format.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/36mAhL3
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Pakistan vs South Africa: Kagiso Rabada said that it was hard and relentless work, which helped him become the third-fastest Proteas bowler to reach 200 Test wickets.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/39t8H0F
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Delhi Bulls brilliantly chased down Bangla Tigers' impressive total of 128 runs with seven balls to spare in their opening match of Abu Dhabi T10.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2MxvuPZ
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Pakistan vs South Africa: Heaping praise on South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, former Indian Test batsman Wasim Jaffer said considering his young age it's scary to think what he can achieve in the coming years.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2NMo0cA
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Sourav Ganguly's health condition is stable and he had a good sleep on Thursday night, while doctors are planning to carryout requisite medical examinations on him on Friday.
from Latest Cricket News, Cricket Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com https://ift.tt/2MffQJ9
Posted in Labels: Cricket Info, Latest Cricket News, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
Preview: Rajasthan won the toss and they have elected to bat first against Tamil Nadu in the first semi-final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Ahmedabad.
Sandeep Warrier is not playing today for Tamil Nadu because he has been released from the squad to fly back to Chennai and join the Indian team as a net bowler. For Rajasthan, Aditya Garhwal replaces Ankit Lamba.
Last year's runners up, Tamil Nadu will once again look to book a spot in the final, which is set to be played on 31 January and clinch the title. Last time, they lost the trophy against Karnataka by just one run.
Key player for Tamil Nadu is their batsman Shahrukh Khan while N Jagadeesan is their highest run-getter this season. Rajasthan's strength is their bowling with the likes of Ravi Bishnoi, Khaleel Ahmed and Aniket Chaudhary need to step up again against a strong batting line-up.
Playing XI:
Rajasthan: Bharat Sharma (wk), Aditya Garhwal, Ashok Menaria (c), Mahipal Lomror, Rajesh Bishnoi, Arjit Gupta, Chandrapal Singh, Aniket Choudhary, Ravi Bishnoi, Khaleel Ahmed, Tanveer-Ul-Haq
Tamil Nadu: Hari Nishanth, N Jagadeesan, Baba Aparajith, Arun Karthik, Sonu Yadav, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Shahrukh Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, M Mohammed, Murugan Ashwin, Aswin Crist.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Toggle between the tabs to switch between live scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
Day 3 report: Pakistan spinners Yasir Shah and Nauman Ali grabbed three wickets in the space of 10 runs shortly before the close to halt South Africa's fightback on Day 3 of the first Test in Karachi on Thursday.
It looked as though South Africa would end the day at parity after wiping out Pakistan's big 158-run first innings lead, but Yasir struck twice and Nauman once to leave the tourists on 187-4 at close, a lead of just 29 with six second-innings wickets in hand.
Nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj was unbeaten on two and skipper Quinton de Kock was yet to score.
Earlier, the Pakistan tail wagged effectively as they added a further 70 before South Africa could take their final two wickets.
Pakistan's 378 all out gave them a crucial first-innings lead of 220.
South Africa were off to a confident start with Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar defying Pakistan's attack, and were 37 without loss at lunch.
Elgar, in visible discomfort after being hit on the left hand by a rising delivery from pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, was caught by diving wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan off Yasir for 29.
Markram then added 127 for the second wicket with Rassie van der Dussen and at 175-1, South Africa looked to be ready to take control.
But Yasir changed the scenario by dismissing Dussen for a solid 64, inducing him to pop up a soft catch for Abid Ali at silly mid-off. He then trapped Faf du Plessis LBW on the back foot for 10.
In between, Markram pushed forward uncertainly to Nauman, offering another soft catch for Abid in the same position, as three wickets fell in the space of 33 balls.
Markram, who had a leg before decision overturned when he was on four and survived a chance to Babar Azam off Yasir on 27, had batted with some polish, hitting 10 crisp boundaries in his 74, his eighth Test fifty.
Both Yasir and Nauman will be major threats for South Africa on a fourth-day National stadium pitch which produced 14 wickets on the first day, four on the second and six on the third.
Rabada 200
In the morning Pakistan resumed on 308-8 but the tail frustrated the Proteas bowlers who were looking for wrap up the innings quickly.
South Africa's 25-year-old pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, playing in his 44th Test, bowled Hasan Ali for 21 to reach 200 wickets — the eighth South African to reach the landmark in Test cricket.
Pakistan were 323-9 at that point, but Yasir and Nauman added 55 valuable runs for the final wicket.
Yasir, who scored a Test century in Australia in 2019, hit a six and four fours in his 38 not out, while debutant Nauman scored three boundaries before falling leg before to left-arm spinner Maharaj for 24.
Rabada with 3-70 and Maharaj, who took 3-90, were the pick of the South African bowlers.
With inputs from AFP
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
Kolkata: Bengal senior batsman Manoj Tiwary suffered a knee injury and will miss the team's camp beginning at the Jadavpur University second campus ground at Saltlake from Friday.
Bengal on Thursday named 32 players for the camp under batting consultant VVS Laxman.
"Manoj is nursing an injury and will not be attending the camp for now. He will join as soon as he is able to resume practice," joint secretary Debabrata Das said in a statement.
Tiwary said he sustained the cartilage injury on his left knee in the beginning of the season.
"The injury has aggravated. I have been advised rest and will be back as soon as my rehab is complete," Tiwary said.
Meanwhile, Cricket Association of Bengal president Avishek Dalmiya said pacer Jhulan Goswami will be the first woman cricketer to be the signatory in their blood donation camp which will be held at Eden Gardens and districts on 3 February.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
New Delhi: He was among the key plotters of England's historic 2012 Test triumph in India and former coach Andy Flower sees no reason why an encore is not possible this year as he believes the visitors have enough "formidable players" to challenge the upbeat hosts.
The spin duo of Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar, along with the magnificent Kevin Pietersen, were the architects of England's 2-1 series win that year, the only victory by an overseas team in India during the last decade.
Flower, a former Zimbabwe captain and one of England's most successful coaches in recent history, didn't want to get into predictions but cited India's remarkable Test conquest of Australia to assert the point that visitors are no longer underdogs in the longest format.
"India won a T20 series, the Melbourne and Brisbane Tests this year and a Test series a couple of years ago in Australia, which goes to show that there are ample opportunities for visiting squads to make a mark," Flower told PTI in an interview.
"The nature of cricket has changed, as both batsmen and bowlers have become more athletic, backed by an aggressive outlook. It must be viewed through the lens of changes taking place around us, and it will not be so monotonous anymore as we shall begin to see patterns," he said.
Asked to pick a favourite for the four-Test series starting 5 February in Chennai, Flower declined.
"It would be premature to declare the direction in which the fortunes of any team would swing. However, the English side has a formidable combination of players who can set themselves into comfortable or winning situations," Flower said.
He was obviously referring to the likes of skipper Joe Root along with the pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, and not to forget that powerhouse of all-round talent called Ben Stokes.
Flower said that the series, like every other contest, would be about how one seizes critical moments.
"A lot will depend on the game day, and the star performers' ability to convert critical opportunities. The English squad has some amazing players who have excelled in all formats of the game," the Zimbabwean said.
A lot of England's Test success can be credited to the champion pace bowling duo of Broad and Anderson, who between them, have a whopping 1,100-plus Test wickets.
Flower admitted that once the two leave, it will be hard to fill in their big shoes.
"All teams undergo such periods of transition when they have to replace star performers that are phasing out," said Flower.
"Building a fierce bowling attack often takes some amount of time, and both Anderson and Broad have dominated the pace attack for England for little over a decade.
"They will be leaving a memorable legacy behind, and the new set of bowlers have large shoes to fill," said the gritty left-hander of yesteryears, who himself enjoyed a lot of success in the sub-continent.
Asked to identify the successors, Flower came up with the very dynamic Jofra Archer's name among others.
"...bowlers like pacer Jofra Archer, newer entrants like Ollie Robinson, Sadiq Mahmood, and all-rounder Sam Curran etc. need to be given the necessary support to create a depth in bowling."
England would be coming into the series after beating Sri Lanka in their own backyard, a confident build-up to what is likely to be a gruelling assignment next month.
India, on the other hand, can't be faulted if they are still a bit giddy after that epic win over Australia in Brisbane, which earned them all-round praise and respect.
Flower feels that in the past few years, the game's traditional format has become way more competitive and interesting.
"...as we can now see matches being decided or ending in result. This is in contrast to Test cricket at least until a decade ago when drawn matches were more commonplace, and batsmen played longer innings," he pointed out.
In recent times, there has been a trend of top batsmen playing express pace well but coming up short against swing bowling.
These include Indian players who haven't done well against Anderson, Broad or a Trent Boult for example.
"It is not necessarily true for all international batsmen, as it has got more to do with preparation for a series and reading the bowlers' tactics right,' said Flower, who played 63 Tests and 213 ODIs for Zimbabwe.
He then cited the factors that, at times, lead to questionable technique.
"It could be due to the players not adjusting to the conditions, (not) taking the right guard while batting, or even the movement of feet, head weight and body," he explained.
"It often takes long and arduous preparation to adjust to swing, and it is not undoable."
Flower, who has been one of the coaches in the Kings XI Punjab set-up during the last IPL, is now in Abu Dhabi where he is the coach of the Delhi Bulls team in the T10 league starting Friday.
"I have done one year of coaching in franchises as coach and assistant coach, including Kings XI Punjab, and it was exciting to confront challenges and resolve situations.
"I shall be looking at another year of that and probably assess where my coaching career will go from that point."
So is he game if BCCI offers him a job in near future?
"Obviously, India is one of the greatest Test nations in the world, and it would be an honour for anyone to coach such an impeccable side," he concluded.
Posted in Labels: Firstpost Firstcricketnews Latest News
