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MI’s batting coach Kieron Pollard believes fans will ‘sing Hardik’s praises’ soon after another disappointing loss

S Sudarshanan15-Apr-20241:40

Pollard to Hardik’s critics: ‘Stop nitpicking’

Hardik Pandya looked forlorn. He had walked out to bat with Mumbai Indians’ asking rate just under 13, and by the time he was dismissed – for 2 off 6 balls – it had shot up close to 17. He paused on his walk back and joined the MI group that included the head coach Mark Boucher and batting coach Kieron Pollard as the timeout was taken.A couple of hours earlier, Hardik took the responsibility of bowling the last over for Mumbai and gave away 26 as MS Dhoni smacked three successive sixes to help Chennai Super Kings to an unlikely 206. That total proved to be enough for Super Kings to script a 20-run win despite an unbeaten 105 from Rohit Sharma.Pollard threw his weight behind MI’s under-fire captain Hardik and said everyone “will be singing his praises when time comes”.Related

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“I don’t know if it will affect his confidence. He is a confident guy, he has been great around the group,” Pollard said after Mumbai’s fourth loss in six outings in IPL 2024. “In cricket, you have good days and bad days and I am seeing an individual who is working bloody hard to improve his skills and plying his trade.”I am sick and fed up of [us] looking to pinpoint individuals; cricket is a team game at the end of the day. This is an individual that is going to represent the country in less than six weeks’ time, and all are going to cheer him and want him to do well. So high time we try to encourage and stop nitpicking and see if we can get the best out of one of the great allrounders India has produced. He can bat, bowl and field, and has a X-factor about him.”I hope very well deep down within my heart that when he comes out on top, I’ll sit back and watch everyone sing his praises.”After the pre-season IPL trade, Hardik has been the subjected to jeers from the fans in Ahmedabad (where his former team Gujarat Titans is based) and Hyderabad in their first two games, and a similar treatment has continued in Mumbai’s home games, too. But his form this season has been a concern.1:35

Gavaskar on Hardik: ‘Ordinary bowling, ordinary captaincy’

Returning from an ankle injury suffered during the ODI World Cup last year, he has scored 131 runs at a strike rate of 145.55 and picked up three wickets but at a high economy of 12. In his first stint with Mumbai – from 2015 to 2021 – Hardik averaged 27.33 with the bat but struck at 153.91. In his two years with Titans, whom he captained, his average shot up to 37.86 – he played in the middle order and anchored their innings – while the strike rate came down to 133.49.On Sunday, he pulled a short ball from Tushar Deshpande straight to Ravindra Jadeja at deep midwicket on the longer part of the ground.”As an individual you have to evolve,” Pollard said of Hardik’s batting methods. “When you are young, you have the youthful exuberance. You go out and do things in a certain manner. The older you get, accountability and responsibility kick in.”What I am seeing is the guy is evolving. We, as individuals, want to see certain things but sometimes the game does not demand certain things and [players] are going to make mistakes as you go along, as we all have done. The individual has put in the work and hard work pays off. So, all of us will be singing his praises when time comes.”Speaking on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut, former Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody felt Hardik has the right support staff at Mumbai.”As good a player Hardik Pandya is, he has got to earn the respect of the dressing room and his fans,” Moody said. “He’s finding that difficult because no one’s letting him in at the moment. What would have made it easier is if they would have won their first three games in a row, and it would have been business as usual. We wouldn’t be this far down the road with regards to talking about it.”It is a challenge. He has got a lot of good people around him though. You look in that dugout there’s a lot of experience around him – a lot of international experience, a lot of IPL experience and on the field. That’s what he needs to draw from. He needs to take onboard support from that experience and try to get this ship turned in the right direction.”

New Zealand name experienced 15-man squad with only Matt Henry and Rachin Ravindra set to play in their first T20 World Cup

Alex Malcolm29-Apr-2024Devon Conway has been named in New Zealand’s provisional 15-man 2024 T20 World Cup squad with Kane Williamson named as captain of an experienced squad, but fast bowler Adam Milne has been ruled out after requiring surgery on his injured ankle.The squad also features veterans Tim Southee and Trent Boult, with Southee named to play in his seventh T20 World Cup. Rachin Ravindra and Matt Henry are the only members of the squad who have not appeared in a T20 World Cup previously.Ben Sears has been named as the 16th travelling reserve.Conway had been recently ruled out of the IPL, as he was yet to recover from the thumb injury he had suffered in February. Despite being ruled out of the IPL, Conway has still travelled to India to train with Chennai Super Kings. He has returned to batting and has done some wicketkeeping sessions. He is set to be New Zealand’s first-choice keeper and opener at the World Cup.Williamson, meanwhile, returns to lead the side after missing New Zealand’s last two T20I series – the home series against Australia in February because of the birth of his third child and the Pakistan tour because of IPL duties.Milne was ruled out after requiring surgery on the injured ankle that saw him miss the tour of Pakistan. New Zealand coach Gary Stead said Milne’s injury, as devastating as it was, had made the selectors’ task easier in terms of picking the final 15.”I think the injury to Adam Milne was really tough on him but it probably made it easier for us in some ways in terms of getting the squad that we wanted,” Stead said.”We knew pretty quickly that it was surgery that he required on his ankle. Thankfully he’s had that now but he’s going to be out for I think it’s 10 to 12 weeks.”New Zealand squad for 2024 T20 World Cup•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Kyle Jamieson is also unavailable as he continues his long recovery from another stress fracture in his lower back.Finn Allen has recovered from the back injury that kept him out of the tour of Pakistan. Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, James Neesham and Ish Sodhi are the only players who went on that tour who have made New Zealand’s squad.Stead said it was difficult to tell some of the players who had performed well in the 2-2 drawn series in Pakistan that they had missed out on the World Cup but stressed that it bodes well for New Zealand’s future.”I think when you go to World Cups you want experience and you want people that know what it’s like,” Stead said. “That certainly doesn’t exclude those that have really put their hand up. I think that what’s been really exciting about the tour to Pakistan. We’ve seen some performances from some younger players, that’s really exciting for our future. And the message I had to them was, look, you haven’t been selected in the side, but in two years there’ll be another World Cup and that should be certainly a big enough carrot for you guys to put pressure on these guys that are here now.”Stead confirmed that the selectors had discussed the possibility of recalling veteran batters Colin Munro and Martin Guptill despite both being full-time franchise players. But the selectors opted to stick with a group that has been together regularly in recent times.”Those guys were discussed because of the experience they have,” Stead said. “But when you look at the group of batters that we’ve selected, there was no room for them.”New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ben Sears (travelling reserve)

Fast bowler’s vital over to Pooran derailed West Indies’ acceleration to set up eight-wicket win

Andrew Miller20-Jun-2024It was the decisive intervention in what turned out to be a remarkably comprehensive eight-wicket victory over the hosts, West Indies, in St Lucia.Liam Livingstone’s previous over had just been dispatched for 20 runs by West Indies’ captain Rovman Powell, and though his dismissal to the final ball of the same over redressed the balance a touch, West Indies’ intentions had been made abundantly clear going into their final five overs at an ominous 137 for 2.Enter Jofra Archer, for an over that the man himself has described as “one of those times when you just nail it” – an exquisitely targeted over of wide yorkers, outswinging at a pace that climbed steadily through the gears to a peak of 150kph/93mph.Nicholas Pooran, fresh from a matchwinning knock of 98 from 53 balls against Afghanistan, slashed the third of those deliveries past Mark Wood at gully to become the first batter in the tournament to reach 200 runs, but that was as far as he would get. The sixth ball of the same over was dragged back half a yard, and Jos Buttler snaffled the thinnest of edges to accelerate a crucial collapse of 3 for 6 in 12 deliveries.West Indies were unable to regain their hold on the contest despite a bright finish from Sherfane Rutherford, and even after Phil Salt and Jonny Bairstow had powered England to victory with 15 balls to spare in an unbroken stand of 97 in 44 balls, it was clear where the credit truly belonged.”I was just glad I executed,” Archer said after the match. “It was everything that we talked about in the bowling meetings – that’s one of the times you just nail it, execution was almost perfect. If Woody had dived, he might have caught that one as well. I’m really glad that over was probably the turning point.”Archer’s impact was heartening for England on several levels. It showed that his tactical nous has not been diminished by his long absences from international cricket, while his raw pace was further proof of the success of his recovery from those long-standing elbow and back injuries.”You don’t really get the chance to run in and bowl fast [in T20 cricket],” he said, acknowledging that a lively St Lucia pitch had encouraged him to crank up his speed in a manner that might not have worked previously in the tournament.”Usually everyone sits back and tries to use the pace, so I feel from the Pakistan series [onwards] I’ve been trying to mix the pace, not be too predictable. Obviously at the back end you bowl a bit more pace-on, but in the powerplay you mix it up, so you don’t get lined up.”Pooran had been threatening a decisive innings, having made 98 against Afghanistan•AFP/Getty Images

Archer finished with figures of 1 for 34 in four overs, but said he had taken just as much pleasure from getting stuck into every aspect of the contest, not simply his own contribution with the ball.”Coming back into the team, you just feel you want to give back,” he said. “I didn’t think about it too badly. The first two overs, that’s when you run around trying to make something happen. Giving back to the team makes it easier for everyone else … so bat, ball, fielding, I’m just trying to help. That’s just the person I am.”I wouldn’t say enjoy [bowling the pressure overs] but it’s my job … from the first time I debuted at Sussex, the times I bowl haven’t really changed. You just have to get on with it.”After more than a year on the sidelines, and only a handful of England appearances since 2021, the timing of Archer’s return has been serendipitous. This latest match happened to be the first time he had faced West Indies in a T20I, but he insisted – having ‘had a little cry’ while playing in front of his friends and family in his native Barbados – there had been no mixed emotions at taking on his former countrymen.”This is my first time playing in St Lucia, last week was my first time in Antigua,” he said. “I haven’t really played in the Caribbean apart from St Kitts, so just like the other day, I was just finding my feet and getting used to conditions.”The significance of overcoming the hosts in front of a passionate St Lucia crowd, and ending their run of eight consecutive wins, was not lost on Archer. However, given the doom and gloom that had surrounded England’s campaign after their rain-affected group-stage campaign, he insisted the squad was not about to get carried away by their revived fortunes.”Yeah, it’s probably going to be one of the toughest games we play in this tournament,” he said. “A great opposition in their backyard as well with the crowd … so to come out on top when, I wouldn’t say it didn’t look possible, but it was always going to be a tricky chase, so really glad we were able to chase such a high total so early in the tournament. If we do get in trouble [in future games] we know we can do it.”Everyone loves to win and to win a close game, so confidence will be high .. but it’s only the first game, we have another four to go, so this is lovely but it’s also business as usual.Related

• Jofra Archer: 'I had a bit of a cry' on return to action in Barbados

• Warner on Wood and Archer: 'Just have to use their pace'

• Salt and Bairstow take West Indies down with ease

• 'Mature, senior player's innings' – Buttler on Bairstow's knock

• WI coach Sammy: 'This loss will not dampen our spirits'

“We had a good night with bat and ball but it’s only one, the first game of the Super Eight. In the last group stage we were struggling a bit – obviously it was weather dependent. We just take every game in our stride.”England have barely 36 hours to digest the West Indies win before their next match against South Africa – the team that delivered them a crushing 229-run defeat in Mumbai in October, arguably the nadir of their terrible 50-over World Cup defence.Archer, however, put that on-field disappointment into context as he recalled the reasons why he didn’t have any abiding memories of the match.”Honestly, I didn’t get to watch it as I was heading back to the UK,” he said. “I know it wasn’t a great tournament for the boys but we have put it past us. It happens and we just look forward.”It’s the same challenge as any other team … every team has a 1-6 that is packed with batters, so it doesn’t really change. We just need to come up with a plan that works.”

Charith Asalanka had been appointed their T20I captain just before the ongoing series against India

Andrew Fidel Fernando30-Jul-2024Sri Lanka’s selectors have appointed Charith Asalanka as the new ODI captain, replacing Kusal Mendis. Asalanka had been named T20I captain as well, ahead of the ongoing series against India after Wanindu Hasaranga had resigned from the role following Sri Lanka’s early exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup.The same set of selectors had appointed Mendis as the ODI captain in December 2023, though he had also led Sri Lanka in several matches in last year’s World Cup in an acting capacity. Though Mendis has been in good touch with the bat, and Sri Lanka won six of the eight completed ODIs under his leadership, the selectors opted to go in a different direction. Under Mendis’ captaincy Sri Lanka had won five consecutive home matches against Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, but lost 2-1 away to Bangladesh.Asalanka’s elevation to the T20I captaincy was expected following Hasaranga’s resignation, but a change in the ODI leadership was somewhat unexpected, largely because Mendis has not been in the position long. Nevertheless, Asalanka has been one of Sri Lanka’s more consistent ODI batters, averaging 43.59 with a strike rate of 90 across 52 innings.Test batter Nishan Madushka, 24, has also been included in Sri Lanka’s squad for the three ODIs against India on August 2, 4 and 7, while the likes of Akila Dananjaya and Chamika Karunaratne receive recalls.Seamers Dilshan Madushanka and Asitha Fernando, who were only added to the T20I squad after Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara were ruled out, will stay on for the ODI series. Left-arm spinning allrounder Dunith Wellalage has also found a place.The remainder of this squad is largely as expected. Illness continues to keep Chameera out, while a fractured thumb makes Thushara’s participation impossible. In addition to Madushanka and Asitha, Matheesha Pathirana is the only other specialist seamer. This is understandable given Khettarama stadium in Colombo, where the three matches will be played, tends to be spin-friendly. There is no room for Lahiru Kumara or Pramod Madushan, who had played in Sri Lanka’s most-recent ODI series, against Bangladesh.On the spin-bowling front, Sri Lanka have plenty of options, between Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dananjaya and Wellalage. Kamindu Mendis and Asalanka himself can send down some part-time spin as well.The top order seems fairly set. Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, and Mendis are likely to form the top three. Kusal Perera has not been included, despite some good T20 performances recently. Sadeera Samarawickrama, Janith Liyanage, and Kamindu are in the mix to be in the middle order. Captain Asalanka will likely bat at No. 5.

Sri Lanka squad for ODIs vs India

Charith Asalanka (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Nishan Madushka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando

Rockets recover from back-to-back defeats with clinical 22-run win over London Spirit

ECB Media07-Aug-2024Alex Hales wound back the clock to fire Trent Rockets back into the top three of the Hundred men’s competition with a 22-run win over London Spirit at Trent Bridge.The 35-year-old T20 World Cup winner cleared the ropes five times in a typically powerful innings of 68 from 42 balls, before Rashid Khan claimed three wickets in his first six balls to effectively ice the game, save for a couple of massive blows from Andre Russell.”The most important was pitching the ball in the areas I wanted to,” Rashid said, adding of his battle with Russell: “That’s what makes this competition beautiful: playing against the best in the world. I always enjoy such competition with the good batters and that’s true about Russell.”Rockets, who had lost their previous two games after botching run chases, posted 166 for 4 with Tom Banton and Joe Root providing hard-hitting support of their own for Hales.Hales had not passed 38 in his previous 11 innings in the competition but found his groove as the Rockets added 93 from the second 50 balls of their innings – the only moment of concern coming when Hales was temporarily felled by a Nathan Ellis beamer.Alex Hales on his way to fifty•ECB via Getty Images

Banton thrashed 36 from 25 balls to set a platform while Root’s enduring know-how ensured a strong finish to the innings with 32 from 23 balls.Afghanistan legspinner Rashid then made an immediate impact with the ball on his way to figures of 4 for 24.Spirit skipper Dan Lawrence’s attempt to attack Rashid early backfired, picking out Rovman Powell on the rope from his second ball, before Shimron Hetmyer was judged lbw on review from the next.Keaton Jennings hit 31 from 18 only to direct his normally reliable reverse sweep into the gloves of Banton as Rashid again showcased the match-defining qualities that has made him a star in white-ball competitions across the world.Russell responded by dispatching Rashid out of Trent Bridge with a mighty six that got the 10,564 fans off their feet. The Jamaican allrounder crunched another massive blow into the stands while John Turner had to be removed from the attack as a second beamer hit Russell.But just as the hosts had started to feel the pressure, Luke Wood expertly produced a slower ball that kept low and found Russell’s off stump.Matt Critchley offered some late hitting, with 37 from 30 balls, but Sam Cook closed him out and there was too much left to do as defeat left Spirit with just one win from their five games and their hopes of reaching the knockout stage all but over.

Veteran sports organiser Ahmed Sajjadul Alam alleges “government interference” for removal as BCB director

Mohammad Isam21-Aug-2024 • Updated on 23-Aug-20240:41

Faruque Ahmed wants ‘to improve the image of Bangladesh’

Faruque Ahmed has been elected the BCB president after a board meeting in Dhaka on Wednesday following Nazmul Hassan’s resignation. Faruque is the first BCB president to have played any competitive cricket. He played seven ODIs between 1988 and 1999 and led Bangladesh in the ICC Trophy in 1994.Faruque joined the BCB directors’ meeting after the National Sports Council (NSC) nominated him and Nazmul Abedeen Fahim as their directors in the board.The NSC had replaced their incumbent directors Jalal Yunus and Ahmed Sajjadul Alam with Fahim and Faruque; Yunus resigned on Monday but Alam didn’t resign, asking the NSC to take their due course of action.The BCB meeting, held at the NSC office, was attended by directors Mahbubul Anam, Khaled Mahmud, Akram Khan, Salauddin Ahmed, Kazi Inam Ahmed, Iftekhar Ahmed and Fahim Sinha. The other 16 directors, including Hassan, have been missing from Dhaka since the Awami Leauge government fell on August 5.Related

• New BCB chief wants to 'find someone better than' Hathurusinghe as Bangladesh coach

• ICC moves women's T20 World Cup out of Bangladesh to the UAE

• Jalal Yunus steps down as BCB director

During the meeting, Fahim was inducted as the second NSC-nominated director. After that, one of the BCB’s signatories was changed from Ismail Haider Mallick to Fahim Sinha. Mallick was considered Hassan’s closest ally in the board, and the most powerful director. He was the finance committee chair, marketing committee vice-chair, and secretary of the BPL governing council. Mallick is one of 16 board directors missing from Dhaka.The directors were also informed about the change of venue for the Women’s T20 World Cup from Bangladesh to the UAE, but the BCB remains the hosts of the tournament.BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury informed the attendees that Hassan had officially resigned from his position as president. Shortly afterwards, the present directors unanimously elected Faruque as the new chief.After his playing days, Faruque served two terms as chief selector. He was in charge from 2003 to 2007. He was credited for ushering in a new era in Bangladesh cricket, giving breaks to Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, among other young players. He returned as chief selector in 2013 but resigned in 2016 when Hassan decided to expand the selection panel to include coach Chandika Hathurusinghe and Bangladesh team manager Khaled Mahmud in the selection panel.Hassan, who has also been the country’s sports minister since this January, was one of the several board officials who had direct political connections with the Awami League. Hassan has been a member of parliament since 2009.Among the 16 board directors missing, Shafiul Alam was a serving Awami League MP, Naimur Rahman was a former MP, and AJM Nasir Uddin was Chattogram’s mayor. Two of the board directors, Najib Ahmed and Sheikh Sohel, are cousins of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.Hassan took office as the BCB chief in 2012 after AHM Mustafa Kamal left the role to take the ICC vice-president’s post. A year later, he became the BCB’s first elected president after the board amended its constitution following a Supreme Court ruling, paving the way for the president to be elected by the board of directors. Previously, the government appointed the BCB president.

Sajjadul Alam alleges ‘government interference’ for removal as BCB director

Ahmed Sajjadul Alam has alleged “government interference” for his removal from the role of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director.Alam, a veteran sports organiser in Bangladesh, refused to resign after the National Sports Council (NSC), the body that oversees all sports federations, asked him and Jalal Yunus – BCB directors nominated by the NSC – to step down as directors on August 19. This was after the country’s new sports adviser Asif Mahmud called for reforms in the BCB and other sports federations. Yunus resigned immediately. Alam refused.”The National Sports Council’s decision [to remove me] is government interference,” Alam told ESPNcricinfo. “I am shocked with their decision. It is completely unacceptable. I have been made a councillor and subsequently a director for four years. I would have wanted to serve cricket for the rest of my term.”On Friday, the BCB issued a press statement saying that it has changed the nominated directors on the basis of “philosophy of jurisprudence”.”These nominations are made on the basis of philosophy of jurisprudence with the utmost careful application of prevailing rules,” the BCB said. “The government is committed to keep the activities of all federations/associations, including the Bangladesh Cricket Board, smooth, efficient, active and uninterrupted. The cooperation of all quarters is sought in the progress of advancing the country’s sports arena.”

Bhui, Padikkal and Bharat also scored fifties as India D ended the opening day on 306 for 5

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2024Shreyas Iyer bagged his second duck in as many Duleep Trophy games but half-centuries from Sanju Samson, Devdutt Padikkal, KS Bharat and Ricky Bhui helped India D gain the upper hand against India B in Anantapur.Samson stayed unbeaten on 89 off 83 balls at stumps, taking India D to 306 for 5 in 77 overs. He had Saransh Jain for company on 26.After India B had elected to bowl, their bowlers were in for an early toil with Padikkal and Bharat stitching a 105-run stand for the opening wicket in 31.1 overs. Padikkal having scored fifties in both Duleep Trophy games so far added a third during a knock in which he hit eight fours. Bharat, who was promoted up the order, also cashed in stroking 52 off 105 balls with nine fours.Padikkal was the first to depart edging Navdeep Saini through to the wicketkeeper. Bharat followed suit soon after, caught behind off Mukesh Kumar. Nishant Sindhu and Ricky Bhui then added a 53-run stand for the third wicket but when Rahul Chahar struck twice in quick succession, India D found themselves in a spot of bother.The legspinner first had Sindhu caught in the 47th over. In his very next over then, he sent back Iyer for a five-ball duck as India D slipped to 175 for 4.Bhui, fresh from a fourth-innings 113 in the previous match, continued his good form to become the third half-centurion of the innings. But like his other team-mates, he also fell in the fifties with Chahar grabbing his third wicket of the day. Bhui departed for 56 off 87 balls with nine fours.Samson, however, made sure to carry on. He struck ten fours and three sixes in his quick half-century, dominating an unbroken 90-run stand off 109 balls with Jain.For India B, Chahar was the most successful bowler picking up 3 for 60 in 13 overs while Mukesh and Saini chipped with a wicket apiece.

Yash Dayal, who was in the squad for Bangladesh series, misses out

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Oct-20242:16

Bangar: If Shami is unfit for Aus tour, there could be space for Mayank

India will go into the home Test series against New Zealand with pretty much the same squad that took on Bangladesh in September – that means Mohammed Shami hasn’t recovered in time for what will be India’s last red-ball action ahead of the five-Test series in Australia to close out this year. Yash Dayal, who had received his maiden Test call-up for the Bangladesh series, also missed out.Jasprit Bumrah has been named vice-captain for the three Tests against New Zealand. With Rohit Sharma in doubt for the first Test against Australia, which begins in Perth on November 22, there is now more focus on India’s vice-captain.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

India did not have a designated vice-captain for their most recent Test series against Bangladesh but Bumrah has performed the role for India in the past when he was the vice-captain in the two-Test home series against Sri Lanka in March 2022. Later, he served in the position in the two-Test tour of South Africa in 2023-24 and then in the five-Test series earlier this year against England.Bumrah has also led India once in the one-off Test in England in 2022, when Rohit was forced to sit out after having tested positive for Covid-19.Related

• Rohit wants to expand India's fast-bowling bench strength

• Rohit: Shami had a 'recent setback', don't want him 'undercooked' in Australia

• 'If you play only one way, you don't grow' – for Gambhir, it's adaptability above all else

As for Shami, he is working his way back from an ankle injury for which he required surgery. He last played a competitive match in November 2023 – the ODI World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad. It was hoped he would return to full match fitness during India’s ongoing home season, ahead of the marquee series in Australia.Tearaway Mayank Yadav, who made his T20I debut for India earlier this month against Bangladesh, will join the squad as a travelling reserve along with Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna and Nitish Kumar Reddy.India play three Tests against New Zealand, the first of which begins on October 16 in Bengaluru. That’s followed by Tests in Pune and Mumbai. New Zealand have a major injury concern going into the series, with Kane Williamson picking up a groin issue.India are currently on top of the World Test Championship (WTC) points table, with 74.24 percentage points from 11 Test matches. Wins in each of their remaining eight Tests (three against New Zealand at home and five away against Australia) will take them to 85.09%, but the more realistic aim for them will be to make sure that they get enough points to seal their place in the WTC final regardless of other results.

India Test squad for the New Zealand series

Rohit Sharma (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-capt)Travelling reserves: Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mayank Yadav and Prasidh Krishna

Starc’s career-best figures of 6 for 48 saw India fold for 180 before the batters kept Bumrah and Co at bay

Deivarayan Muthu06-Dec-2024Mitchell Starc’s sizzling spell with the pink ball headlined the opening day of the day-night Test in Adelaide as Australia responded to their 295-run drubbing in Perth by dismissing India for 180.Jasprit Bumrah then got rid of Usman Khawaja in the twilight but the under-pressure Marnus Labuschagne and rookie opener Nathan McSweeney navigated a tricky passage of play to guide Australia to stumps without any further damage. Their unbroken 62-run partnership helped Australia cut their deficit to under 100 and ensured that the first day belonged to them.The first ball from Starc was a portent for what was to follow. He struck in the first over of each of his three spells, asserting his supremacy in pink-ball Tests. He came away with career-best Test figures of 6 for 48, which extended his pink-ball tally in Australia to 72. It is twice as many as Pat Cummins (36) has taken and 29 more than what Nathan Lyon, Starc’s closest contender in pink-ball Test cricket in the country, has managed.It all started with that first ball to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had told Starc that he was “coming on too slow” in Perth. On Friday in Adelaide, Starc let rip a full, fast one that threatened to angle down leg before swerving back into the line of the stumps and seaming in the other direction off the pitch to beat the attempted flick and thud into front pad. It was so plumb that Jaiswal didn’t even bother to review. Starc roared at the departing Jaiswal and had the Adelaide crowd, which grew to 50,186 by the close of play, roaring with him.Related

• India meet the Australia of their expectations

• Starc gives Australia just the day they needed

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Shubman Gill, who returned to India’s Test XI after missing the Perth Test with a hand injury, and KL Rahul then briefly settled India’s innings with a 69-run stand for the second wicket. Gill showed little signs of rust and laid into drives whenever Australia’s quicks veered away from their lengths and the stumps.At the other end, Rahul was more circumspect, playing out Cummins for three maidens, before fending at Scott Boland’s first ball, which reared up to threaten the shoulder of his bat. Rahul walked off, thinking he had nicked it behind but a front-foot no-ball from Boland earned him a reprieve. There was nothing on the Snicko either. Five balls later, Boland hit Rahul’s outside edge but Khawaja grassed the chance at first slip.Rahul’s luck, however, ran out when Starc returned for his second spell and struck with his fourth ball. He extracted extra bounce and had Rahul edging to gully for 37 off 64 balls. In his next over, Starc took out Virat Kohli for seven off eight balls with a similar prancing delivery. Soon after, Boland nipped one into Gill’s pads as India lost 3 for 12 in a chaotic 15-minute period before the dinner break.India’s slump continued after resumption, with Boland pinning Rohit Sharma’s pads this time. Playing in his first Test match in over a year, in place of the injured Josh Hazlewood, Boland kept it on a good length, or just back of it, and kept gleaning seam movement. Rohit, who had slid down the order to No. 6 to accommodate Rahul at the top alongside Jaiswal, fell for 3 off 23 balls.Cummins then joined the fun when he bounced Rishabh Pant out, with a back-of-a-length delivery that kicked up at his ribs, for 21 off 35 balls. It meant so much to Cummins that he celebrated it with a big roar. The Australia captain had looked underdone in Perth and wasn’t at his sharpest with the new ball on Friday, but redeemed himself with the big scalp of Pant.Nitish Kumar Reddy pulled a Joe Root on Scott Boland•Getty Images

Despite wickets falling at the other end, Nitish Kumar Reddy remained unfazed and rolled out the big hits. When Starc pitched one too full, Reddy audaciously drilled him over extra-cover for six and in the next over he lined up Boland for a sequence of 6,4,6. The first six was jaw-dropping reverse-swat over the slip cordon, which cleared one of the biggest boundaries at the ground at deep third. It even put a smile on Bumrah’s face, but the joy was short-lived as Starc combined with Cummins to wrap up India’s innings.After having top-scored for India in his debut innings in Perth, Reddy did the same in the first innings in Adelaide, finishing with 42 off 54 balls, including three fours and a six. Reddy was the last Indian batter to be dismissed, with Starc having him hole out to mid-off.R Ashwin, who was picked ahead of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, looked good during his run-a-ball 22 before Starc made him look silly with an inch-perfect inswinging yorker with a 39-over-old ball. The blow to his foot kept Ashwin off the field for the start of Australia’s innings, but India’s team management must have been relieved when he bowled the penultimate over of the day without any apparent discomfort.Bumrah was potent with the new ball and produced India’s only breakthrough on the day when he went around the wicket and had Khawaja jabbing behind with a beauty for 13 off 35 balls. India also had a chance to dislodge McSweeney cheaply when Bumrah found his outside edge, but a diving Pant shelled it. Rohit, at first slip, couldn’t grab it on the rebound either, with the ball hitting his wrist and going down.McSweeney was on 3 at that point, having got off the mark after 17 balls. At the other end, Labuschagne, who is facing considerable heat for his recent lean run, took 19 balls to get off the mark. A freebie on his pads from an erratic Mohammed Siraj then got him going.Harshit Rana lobbed some verbal volleys at the Australia batters and banged the pink ball into the pitch. But McSweeney was ready to fight fire with fire and firmly pulled the chirpy Rana over midwicket for four. After having seen off the new-ball spells of Bumrah and Siraj under twilight, McSweeney picked away five fours off Rana and Reddy and set Australia up for a batting day against the older ball under natural light on Saturday.

“She can accelerate as well as play the defensive role, which is great as a batter to have”

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jan-2025Pratika Rawal has made one of the strongest starts to an ODI career by any batter, male or female. No woman has scored as many runs in their first six innings as Rawal has – 444 at an average of 74.00 – and only one man, South Africa’s Janneman Malan, has done better.On Wednesday, Rawal made her biggest splash yet, stroking 154 off 129 balls, adding 233 with her opening partner Smriti Mandhana, and helping India smash multiple records – including their biggest ODI total, 435 for 5 – during the third ODI against Ireland.Related

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Mandhana, India’s stand-in captain in the absence of Harmanpreet Kaur, was full of praise for Rawal after the match, and noted her versatility as one of her biggest strengths.”Yeah, really pleased with the way she’s batting,” Mandhana said of Rawal. “I feel [she] has a really calm head on her shoulders, knows what she’s doing, has I think both sort of games, where she can accelerate as well as play the defensive role, which is great as a batter to have.”To see her rise from the first one-dayer against West Indies [last month] to now is really nice, and good runner between the wickets as well, converts the ones into twos, which always helps in one-day cricket. So really happy for her, and I hope she keeps continuing her form, because it’s a big year for us [India are due to host the ODI World Cup in August-September].”‘Sometimes you have to go out and respect the conditions, but [on] wickets like these – if it’s in your slot, you have to go for it’•BCCI

India’s batters enjoyed a hugely productive series against Ireland, chasing down 239 in less than 35 overs in the first ODI and posting 370 in the second before Wednesday’s record-obliterating events. Mandhana felt that the Rajkot pitch was the kind where batters could play their shots with utmost freedom, and she certainly did on her way to scoring India’s fastest-ever ODI century, off 70 balls, and finishing with 135 off 80 balls.”I would love to carry this wicket [everywhere I go] as a batter for sure, but as a captain I don’t know. It’s a hard wicket to bowl on. But for me it was very clear than I wanted to go out and try and play shots which are in my arc, because it’s not every day that you get the opportunity to do that as an opening batter, because sometimes you have to go out and respect the conditions and play, but [on] wickets like these and the outfield – if it’s in your slot, you have to go for it.”There was no clear plan. I just said, if it’s in my arc, I’m going to go for it. Some days it comes off, some days it doesn’t. Today I’m happy that it came off.”Having posted a record total, India went on to defend it with aplomb, with spinners Deepti Sharma, Tanuja Kanwar and Minnu Mani sharing six wickets and help bundle Ireland out for 131. The 304-run win was India’s biggest in ODIs.Tanuja Kanwar picked up 2 for 31•BCCI

Ireland had batted through their 50 overs in the first two ODIs, but Mandhana felt India’s bowlers had been just as good in those two games – it was just that there was a bit more help for the spinners in the third ODI, with the same pitch being used through the series, and that Ireland’s batters had tried to play more shots in pursuit of their steep target.”I think today the wicket also gave a lot of assistance to our spinners, because it was the same wicket which was used in the first two ODIs as well, so there was a little bit of spin on offer,” Mandhana said. “I think first two one-dayers, there was not much in it, and also today they came out and were trying to play some shots, and sometimes, when the batters play shots, that’s the best time to get opportunity to get them out.”In the first two one-dayers I thought they were just trying to take a single or double, which again… it’s a hard wicket to bowl and try and get them out. I wouldn’t say that the bowlers did not do [well] in the first or second ODI. I think they bowled brilliantly in the first and second ODI as well, but today there was a little bit more in the wicket for them and, as I said, the batters playing shots helps.”For all the damage the spinners did, it was fast bowlers Titas Sadhu and Sayali Satghare who set the tone, taking two of the first three wickets to begin Ireland’s slide.”Yeah, I think they both bowled really well, got us the first two early wickets, which is always good to get with the new ball, sets the foundations for the spinners to come,” Mandhana said. “Saima [Thakor], Sayali, Titas, all three bowled really well throughout the three ODIs, and it’s a pretty difficult wicket and outfield to bowl [on], so really happy for them.”