Cricket
Sri Lanka s Dhananjaya De Silva And Kamindu Mendis Defy England In 3rd TestSri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva and the in-form Kamindu Mendis frustrated England with a unbroken century partnership on the second day of the third Test at the Oval on Saturday. The tourists collapsed to 93-5 before tea, but had recovered to 211-5 when bad light forced an early close. That left Sri Lanka 114 runs adrift of an England first-innings total of 325 built on Ollie Pope s 154 -- his first century as England captain. De Silva was 64 not out and left-handed batsman Kamindu Mendis, again down the order at number seven, 54 not out in an undefeated stand of 118 as Sri Lanka looked to salvage some pride at 2-0 behind in a three-match series.
It was a fine end to the day for Sri Lanka, who took seven wickets before lunch on Saturday to end England s innings.
For Mendis, currently boasting a staggeringly high Test batting average of over 85, this was the seventh time in six matches at this level the 25-year-old had passed 50 -- a run that also includes three centuries.
De Silva, however, should have been out for 23 but Test debutant Josh Hull dropped a simple catch at mid-on, the ball bursting through the towering fast bowler s giant hands following a miscued drive off spinner Shoaib Bashir.
England, 211-3 overnight, could have batted Sri Lanka out of the game.
But an improved Sri Lanka bowling display, allied to several England batsmen giving their wickets away, helped the tourists fight back.
Character
I think after what happened yesterday (Friday), we pulled ourselves back into the game, Sri Lanka coach Sanath Jayasuriya told reporters after stumps.
Getting seven wickets for about 100 runs was very good. The quicks and (off-spinner) De Silva bowled well.
Jayasuriya, who scored a superb double century in Sri Lanka s 1998 Test triumph at the Oval, also praised De Silva and Kamindu Mendis s batting by saying: These guys have shown character. They know that they are the last two recognised batters.
Sri Lanka scored 69 runs without loss in 17 overs of all spin bowling after tea on Saturday, with England deciding against deploying their pacemen in case the umpires halted play for bad light even earlier than they eventually did.
England quick Olly Stone defended Pope s tactics by telling Sky Sports: It was too dark for our seamers but we tried to take the positive option.
We thought we could take wickets with our spinners, added Stone, who had 2-28 in five overs at stumps. But Sri Lanka played well.
Sri Lanka s innings suffered an early setback when Dimuth Karunaratne (nine) was run out by Stone s direct hit from short cover after Pathum Nissanka set off for a rash single.
Nissanka completed a fine fifty when he punched the 20-year-old Hull for four through mid-off. But the 6ft 7 inch (2 metres) tall Hull took his first Test wicket by removing Nissanka for 64 when the opener s drive was well caught by a diving Chris Woakes at cover.
And 91-4 became 93-5 when Stone had Dinesh Chandimal lbw for a duck.
De Silva celebrated his reprieve by late-cutting Lawrence for four to complete an 81-ball fifty, while the stylish Kamindu Mendis reached the landmark in a mere 60 balls.
Joe Root was also given a couple of overs with his occasional off-breaks before, amid worsening natural light, play ended for the day.
Earlier, England lost their last six wickets for 35 runs after resuming on 221-3.
Pope was then 103 not out after managing a mere 30 runs in four innings since succeeding the injured Ben Stokes as skipper at the start of this series.
Sri Lanka s wayward four-man pace attack had failed to make the most of overcast conditions and a green-tinged pitch after De Silva won the toss.
Their performance improved markedly on Saturday, although Pope contributed to his own downfall by hooking left-arm quick Vishwa Fernando to deep square leg to end a 156-ball innings including 19 fours and two sixes.
England, who whitewashed the West Indies 3-0 earlier this season, are chasing their first home Test clean sweep since 2004, when Michael Vaughan oversaw seven successive wins.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
No Shift In Venue For England Series In Pakistan, Confirms PCB Chairman
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday brushed away reports regarding the non-availability of the venues for the upcoming home Test series against England and confirmed that the series will be in Pakistan. Earlier this week, reports surfaced on social media about a possible shift to the three-match Test series to Sri Lanka or the UAE. It was revealed that due to the ongoing renovation work at the stadiums for next year s ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
Naqvi cleared the air around such rumours and confirmed that the Tests will be held in Pakistan and told reporters, as quoted from Geo News, No Tests will be played outside [the country]. Multan and Rawalpindi venues are final.
In Pakistan s recently concluded two-match Test series whitewash against Bangladesh, PCB had to shift the second Test to Rawalpindi, which was originally scheduled in Karachi. PCB had already barred the spectators from the second Test in Karachi due to the renovation work.
The decision was taken after the construction experts advised PCB that the construction could continue during the playing hours. As a result, players could get distracted and disturbed due to the noise and dust produced during the construction work.
England all-format head coach Brendon McCullum on Thursday addressed this issue while speaking to reporters at The Oval and said, We don t know (what is happening in Pakistan), but we can t pick a team until we know where we re going to play, he said. It would be nice if, over the next couple of days, we found out. Then we ll sit down and make sure we ve got the right team for the right conditions and the right opposition.
Pakistan will host England for a three-match Test series, which is a part of the ongoing International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle. The first of the three Tests will begin on October 7 in Multan. The second Test will be played in Karachi, beginning on October 15, and the third red-ball clash is in Rawalpindi on October 24.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
PCB To Hold Connection Camp To Discuss Captaincy Changes And...: Report
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to hold a Connection Camp, a meeting and workshop of the board s top brass that will decide the future course of actions of Pakistan cricket, sources told Geo News. The sources also informed Geo News that Pakistan white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten, red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie, senior cricketers, senior board officials, heads of high-performance centres, and international and domestic directors will attend the camp meeting presided over by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
The meeting is expected to take place on September 22. The sources said the red-ball and white-ball cricket coaches will hold a separate meeting among themselves.
Sources also informed Geo News that ideas will be exchanged regarding replacing captains of all formats of the games.
On Friday, sources told Geo News that wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan is the top contender to replace Babar Azam for the white ball captaincy. Test skipper Shan Masood s captaincy will also be assessed.
The recent developments come after Pakistan hit rock bottom and dropped to eighth position in the latest ICC Test Rankings, their lowest since 1965.
It was the first instance when Pakistan tasted the sour flavour of defeat against Bangladesh in red-ball cricket. Bangladesh left Pakistan speechless on their home soil and wrapped up the series with a 2-0 whitewash.
Their latest slump marked their lowest ranking in the Test format, barring the period where they did not have a place in the rankings due to an insufficient number of matches.
After enduring yet another defeat, Pakistan will host England for a three-match Test series, which is a part of the ongoing International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle. The first of the three Tests will begin on October 7 in Multan. The second Test will be played in Karachi, beginning on October 15, and the third red-ball clash is scheduled in Rawalpindi on October 24.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Watch: Rishabh Pant Takes Kuldeep To Cleaners In Fiery Duleep Trophy Knock
After scoring just seven runs in the first innings, India B star Rishabh Pant was back to his best in the second innings of a Duleep Trophy match against India A in Bengaluru. Pant, who is playing his first red-ball game in nearly two years, got out cheaply in the first innings after mistiming his shot. However, the wicketkeeper-batter helped India B keep a stronghold on the proceedings against India A as he smashed a 34-ball half-century. Pant hit nine 4s and two maximums before falling on 61 (47) to Tanush Kotian.
Pant started his knock with some exquisite strokes off India A pacers Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed, who got him out in the first innings.
He also hit Kuldeep Yadav for a four and six in the 21st over before taking a single to reach the 50-run milestone.
Watch: Rishabh Pant back to his best in Duleep Trophy
Spidey Rishabh Pant is back in red ball cricket and back with scoring runs.
Made brilliant 61 of 47 balls, his form is very crucial before going into BGT, Good to see him scoring runs, the way he used to be.pic.twitter.com/T6jX2l5yPu
Rishabh Pant vs Kuldeep Yadav pic.twitter.com/zbsBbnkJlF
— PantMP4. (@indianspirit070) September 7, 2024Rishabh pant taking revenge from khaleel pic.twitter.com/ckfxvNErg6
— PantMP4. (@indianspirit070) September 7, 2024Meanwhile, Pant last played a First Class match in December 2022 when India played Bangladesh in a two-match Test series.
The star wicketkeeper-batter suffered a life-threatening car crash later that month, sustaining career-ending injuries.
However, Pant made his comeback to cricket earlier this year in the Indian Prermier League (IPL), before featuring for India in the T20 World Cup-winning campaign.
Pant is one the several stars featuring in the Duleep Trophy, hoping to secure a place in India s squad for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, starting September 19.
Pant s half-century might just be enough to secure his place in the team, especially with the squad likely to be announced after the first round of matches.
At the end of Day 3, Pant and Sarfaraz Khan helped India B waddle past persistent India A pacers to post a momentum grabbing second innings total of 150 for six.
India B are now ahead by 240 runs with Washington Sundar (6) at crease after bowling out their rivals for 231 in their first innings to take a 90-run lead.
(With PTI Inputs)
Not McCullum Or Stokes, Eng Great Points Out Star At The Heart Of Bazball
Former England captain Nasser Hussain said Ben Duckett s astonishing knock of 86 on day one of the third Test against Sri Lanka was yet another example of why the left-handed opener is at the heart of the side s risk-taking attitude while batting. At The Oval, Duckett set the tone for England making 221/3 by hitting nine fours and two sixes in a 79-ball 86 to leave Sri Lanka dazed. “Let s be honest, Sri Lanka were poor. It was almost like they d never bowled to a left-hand, right-hand combination before, but Duckett never let them settle at all.”
“They kept bowling on the legs early on, or even outside the line of the pads, and then when they over-corrected, they were short and wide. Where does Duckett like the ball the most? Short and wide outside off-stump. He put them to the sword.”
“Later, after the rain delay, he started scooping and upper-cutting fours and sixes. Yes, scooping was his downfall in the end, but so be it, because it is his role in the side. I like his attitude because there have been plenty of opening batters before him that have come unstuck when not playing shots.”
“Sometimes coaches over-talk. One of yesteryear might have asked: why did you play that shot? A hundred was there for the taking. Not Brendon McCullum, though. They have an ingrained attitude to risk taking and Duckett is at the heart of it,” wrote Hussain in his column for Daily Mail on Saturday.
He also talked about how Duckett is different from other England batters as he attacks balls outside off-stump rather than leaving them. “By the time he had added 86 runs to his tally, Duckett had swelled his tally of balls played at this series to 197 of 198.”
“Contrast that to players like Graham Gooch and Michael Atherton, two more predecessors as England openers who would ignore deliveries outside off-stump and make the bowlers bowl in areas they wanted them to. Or compare Duckett to any other modern Test opener for that matter. There is literally daylight between him and the rest.”
“His career leave percentage is 1.7%, making him nearly five times as likely to play than Pakistan s Abdullah Shafique, the next man on the list with 8.3%. India s Yashasvi Jaiswal is next with 8.9%. Also consider that Dom Sibley and Rory Burns, two of the openers in the previous England regime, boasted 25.3% and 21.5% respectively.”
“When everything is in the bowlers favour, that is exactly how the England team management want him, Duckett to play - putting pressure back on the opposition. Leaving might be a high percentage choice for others. Not him. He always sticks to his guns.”
Hussain signed off by suggesting Australia will use Duckett s attacking instincts to outside off-stump balls as a point to exploit but felt the batter won t change his style of playing down under during the Ashes.
“With batsmen, however, your strengths can also be your weaknesses and I expect Australia to play on this in next year s Ashes. They will bowl at fourth stump, with a deep point, because they know that he hits it there a lot.”
“Equally, if a player is playing that kind of shot every ball - with the extra bounce on Australian surfaces - they could nick off. But I can t see him changing. He will give it a go and that aligns with the constant messaging from the England dressing room.”
“If a player scores runs with a particular shot, they do not want them to put it away if they get out to it. He got out reverse sweeping at Lord s last week; scooping this. They just want it played better next time, Hussain added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Musheer s Strong Mindset Will Make Him Good Option For Team India: Dahiya
Former India wicketkeeper Vijay Dahiya hailed Musheer Khan for his strong mindset and said the young batter will be an asset for Indian team in future if he maintains consistency. Musheer impressed everyone, making a valiant 181 for India B against India A in the on-going Duleep Trophy at Bengaluru on Friday. His innings and a 205-run alliance with Navdeep Saini for the eighth wicket helped India B come back from a precarious 94 for seven and post 321 in the first innings.
What makes Musheer different is his mindset, which is very strong. I can t predict the future but if he keeps on scoring runs consistently, he could be a very good option for the Indian team, Dahiya told PTI videos.
Dahiya was in awe of Musheer s consistency.
The standout thing about his batting is his consistency. He started off from where he left the last season. He scored runs in the Ranji Trophy semifinal and final and then a hundred on the opening day of domestic cricket in 2024, Dahiya said.
Musheer started off as a left-arm spinner and eventually his transformation to batting reflects that, Agar aap mehnat se kisi cheez ke peeche pad jaaye, shiddat se kisi cheez ke peeche pad jaaye to wo zarur milti hai (if you work hard for something, you will get it eventually , he said.
Dahiya, who is the head coach of Purani Dilli 6 in the ongoing Delhi Premier League, said interacting with seniors like Rishabh Pant and Ishant Sharma was a learning experience for budding talents in the DPL.
Rishabh Pant played just a match but the time he spent with boys in the hotel and in the practice motivated them.
Ishant attended all the practice sessions and spent time with each of the boys. Unfortunately, he couldn t play due to an injury, he said.
All the boys praised Rishabh and Ishant because they never let them feel inferior to them. Instead, they felt a sense of belongingness and it calmed their nerves, he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Duleep Trophy: Pant, Sarfaraz Give India B Control Against India A
The audacity of Rishabh Pant, who made a fifty, and Sarfaraz Khan helped India B waddle past persistent India A pacers to post a momentum grabbing second innings total of 150 for six after Day 3 of the Duleep Trophy match in Bengaluru on Saturday. India B are now ahead by 240 runs with Washington Sundar (6) at crease after bowling out their rivals for 231 in their first innings to take a 90-run lead. Pant was the headliner of the day with a 61 off 47 balls (4x9, 6x2). But that lead suddenly looked so feeble when pacers Khaleel Ahmed (2/56) and Akash Deep (2/36) combined to reduce India B to 22 for three inside eight overs, overall lead standing at 132 at that point.
Skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran and first innings centurion Musheer Khan (0) fell to Akash Deep, while Yashasvi Jaiswal perished to Ahmed, and all three catches were taken by stumper Dhruv Jurel. India B went to tea at 33 for three.
In that context, it would not have been entirely out of place to imagine for Pant and Sarfaraz (46, 36b, 7x4, 1x6) to knuckle down and take their team to safer ports as the ball was still darting around appreciably.
However, both of them were irreverent to the situation, conditions, and bowlers.
The right-left combination hammered 72 runs from a shade over nine overs to tilt the balance of the match completely in favour of their team.
Sarfaraz was brutal on Akash, smoking him for five consecutive fours around the park while Pant neutralised Ahmed with a late cut and punch through the covers that galloped to the fence for boundaries.
Sarfaraz, who was dropped on 28 by Ahmed off his own bowling, creamed a flat six off the left-arm seamer over cover, evoking a wowing response from a good holiday crowd.
But he soon fell to Avesh Khan, snicking a climbing delivery on the off-stump to Jurel behind the wicket.
However, Pant did not slow down at the other end and brought up his fifty in just 34 balls. The left-hander moved from 43 to 49 with an overhead six off Kuldeep Yadav, and a ball later he brought up the mini milestone with a single.
But Pant fell to Tanush Kotian, scooping a simple catch to substitute Kumar Kushagra in his attempt to sweep the spinner.
By that time, Pant, who was tidy behind the wicket, also dispelled any lingering doubt about the first-choice wicketkeeper batter for the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh.
Earlier, pacers Navdeep Saini (3/60) and Mukesh Kumar (3/62) shared six wickets among them equally as India A were bowled out for 231 after resuming from overnight 134 for two.
Their biggest hope to close the gap with India B was the presence of KL Rahul (37) and Riyan Parag (30).
They looked determined too in their 89-run alliance for the third wicket despite the bowlers giving them some troubles from both ends.
As was the trend in the match, Parag gave a catch down the leg side to Pant off Yash Dayal and Rahul soon followed the suit, missing a sweep off off-spinner Washington to get bowled.
The wicket reduced India A to 169 for five and they had a big distance still to cover.
Shivam Dube (20) played some typically powerful shots, but his edge off Mukesh ended in the hands of Nitish Kumar Reddy at slips as India A went into the lunch at a wobbly 208 for seven.
In the whole of first session, they made 74 runs in 27 overs losing five wickets.
Kotian, a handy lower-order batter from Mumbai, tried to steer the ship with a 71-ball 32, but left-arm spinner Sai Kishore induced a thin edge for Musheer to take a good reflection catch at forward short leg.
It also ended their fight for the innings.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Duleep Trophy 2024: Manav Suthar s Seven-For Rattles India D As India C Win
Taking up from where he left off in the first innings, young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar grabbed seven wickets to engineer India D s batting collapse and fashion a four-wicket win for India C in the Duleep Trophy in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh on Saturday. Chasing 232 on Day 3, the India C top-order got the job done with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (36), Aryan Juyal (47) and Rajat Patidar (44) playing vital knocks. India D resumed the day at overnight score of 206 for eight, with Axar Patel and Harshit Rana at the crease.
The pair added 30 runs on the day before Suthar dismissed Axar (28) and Aditya Thakare (0), as India D ended their second innings at 236.
Beginning the chase, Gaikwad and Sai Sudharsan (22) forged a 64-run opening stand before Saransh Jain got rid of the latter to break the partnership. Four overs later, Gaikwad also fell prey to the same man.
However, the duo of Juyal and Patidar stitched an 88-run stand for the third wicket to ensure that their side stayed on course.
It was Jain again who broke the alliance by getting rid of Patidar, while Juyal fell to Arshdeep Singh six runs later.
India D, then, left India C in a spot of bother at 191 for six and tried to come back into the game. But Abishek Porel (35 not out) and Suthar (19) had other ideas and saw their team home.
For India D, Jain grabbed four wickets.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
When You Want To Judge... : Ex-India Star On Big Names In Duleep Trophy
The ongoing Duleep Trophy campaign has seen some of the biggest cricketing stars of the country participate in the season-opening Duleep Trophy. One of the biggest reasons behind this was the pressure put by the Board of Central Cricket of India (BCCI). In an exclusive conversation with IANS, former India cricketer Vijay Dahiya lauded the players for playing the Duleep Trophy. “Domestic tournaments are absolutely important for the game. I can understand when players are playing a heavy schedule and they opt to sit out but this year s Duleep Trophy was a season opener. When you want to judge a youngster coming into the side the value of the runs is higher if it s against strong bowlers. I am happy to see the amount of talent that are playing in this year s Duleep trophy,” Vijay Dahiya told IANS.
Dahiya is currently in the capital serving his tenure as the head coach of the Purani Dilli-6 in the inaugural season of the Adani Delhi Premier League. His side roared to third place in the points table despite not getting off the best starts in the tournament. The team lost against South Delhi Superstarz, their semifinal opponent, in the season-opener but the head coach believes all the previous form goes out of the window as it is a knockout game.
“Confidence is absolutely important especially when you are making a comeback. You have to realise that it is a very fast-paced tournament and you will lose games but what s important is how many you end up winning. Confidence is not important just when you re losing, it is also important when you re winning. The support staff tried to build an environment to raise confidence where they can perform to their level best,” he added.
“I don t think so, the main purpose of the tournament was to reach the top four and we have done that. We re in the knockout stage and it s a knockout game for them as well. They have two batters who have been batting exceptionally well so we need to counter them. Ayush Badoni and Priyansh Arya are the main pillars of their team so we need to get them out early,” said Dahiya.
The Adani Delhi Premier League (DPL) Season One has been a major success. It has provided youngsters with a great platform to impress on a televised platform which is highly beneficial.
“It has been fantastic. The DPL is a brilliant concept and I think as far as white ball cricket is concerned there are so many players who were waiting for something like this as it provides more opportunity to around 200 players. Credit must be given to Rohan Jaitley (President DDCA) for the way it has been organized, I think the tournament is going to go up from here and fans will be waiting for the second edition,” concluded Dahiya.
I Call Him Sir : Ex-Pak Star s Praise For Most Honest And Kind Sachin
Former Pakistan cricketer Saeed Ajmal opened up on dismissing legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar in international cricket, saying that it was a very happy moment for him after taking the wicket of the former batter. Sachin is a great cricketer. The most honest and kind in the world. He is a legend. I call him Sir. He is worthy of that. In cricket, when you go to the ground, there is nothing like Sir, but I have played with him in it, it is a matter of honour for me. I have got him out, it is a matter of happiness for me. I will always remember this and whenever I played with him, I played as a human with respect, Ajmal said while speaking to the GloFans High School Cricket Cup launch which will take place in Sharjah and Ajman.
The 46-year-old further asserted that once Tendulkar advised him to bowl dusra in order to dismiss former right-hand batter Kevin Petersan.
I never got angry. I played with him in a league in 2010. He told me to get Petersan out by doing dusra . Then I got Petersan out by doing dusra. He was very happy. Then when I took 4 wickets in 4 overs, Sachin told me that now the match has 6 wickets left, you should not finish it too early. He has always respected us. He is a very good man, the former leg-spinner added.
With 34,357 runs in 664 international appearances at an average of 48.52, Sachin is the highest run-scorer in international cricket. He has scored 100 centuries and 164 half-centuries, most in international cricket. He is the only player to have a century of centuries.
Apart from Test cricket, Sachin has created numerous records in the ODI format as well.With 18,426 runs in ODIs at an average of 44.83, 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries, and 15,921 runs in Tests at an average of 53.78 with 51 centuries and 68 fifties, Sachin has the highest runs in both formats as well. The Master Blaster is also the first-ever cricketer to have hit a double hundred in ODIs and to have played a total of 200 Test matches.
Tendulkar is part of the Indian Team which won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011. After his World Cup debut in 1992, his dream to win the prestigious trophy came true in 2011 when India defeated Sri Lanka in the final by six wickets.Sachin was also the part of Mumbai Indians franchise from 2008-13 as a player and won the IPL in 2013.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
No Intent, No Runs : Rahul Brutally Trolled After Failure In Duleep Trophy
As fight for places in the Indian Test cricket team gets heated, ahead of the two-match series against Bangladesh, star batter KL Rahul s recent form has raised a few eyebrows. Rahul, who is playing for the Shubman Gill-led India A in the Duleep Trophy, scored 37 of 111 balls before being dismissed by India B star Washington Sundar on Day 3. Rahul s clumsy knock raised a few eyebrows, with fans taking to social media to troll the star batter.
The squad for the Bangladesh Test series is likely to be announced after the first round of matches in Duleep Trophy. However, Rahul didn t do himself any favours and had to face the wrath of the fans.
Here s how internet reacted:
NO Intent NO runs, on a Pitch which has eased out for batting!! All bows Legend KL RAHUL
— Kushagra (@BabaKushagra) September 7, 2024If you want someone to discourage themselves from watching cricket, tell them to watch KL Rahul batting. I bet you will go in depression. pic.twitter.com/pv1tqcVIm8
— Ctrl C Ctrl Memes (@Ctrlmemes_) September 6, 2024Sarfaraz playing T20 here. KL Rahul almost convinced me that this is a slow wicket and scoring is tough.
— Bhavesh_30 (@Bhaveshbin11920) September 7, 2024KL Rahul playing in the Tests and ODIs in the same way pic.twitter.com/002VkxcUvQ
— DJAY (@djaywalebabu) September 7, 2024This man has lost his confidence that he can make runs also.
— Manoj Tiwari (@ManojTiwariIND) September 7, 2024Choked
— (@Abbasi_0101) September 7, 2024At what point do we stop labeling it as Bad luck and actually blame him for his failures????
— Ashwin (@Sudharsan_ak) September 7, 2024Rahul was the top-scorer for India A as they were bowled out for 231 in the first innings on Saturday. They trailed India B by 90 runs.
On Day 2, Navdeep Saini reminded of his presence among the fringe pacers with a quality new ball spell that helped India B to keep India A in check at 134 for two in the first innings.
India B needed their bowlers to carry on the excellent effort of Musheer Khan (181, 373b, 16x4, 5x6) that powered B to 321 in their first innings.
Saini, who is out of favour since the 2021 away series against Australia, showed some spark to eke out the wickets of India A skipper Shubman Gill (25) and his opening partner Mayank Agarwal (36).
The right-arm quick broke the first-wicket alliance 57 between Gill and Agarwal at the stroke of tea to give his side the first breakthrough.
(With PTI Inputs)
England vs Sri Lanka 3rd Test, Day 2 Highlights
England vs Sri Lanka 3rd Test, Day 2 Highlights: Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva and the in-form Kamindu Mendis frustrated England with a unbroken century partnership on the second day of the third Test at the Oval on Saturday. The tourists collapsed to 93-5 before tea, but had recovered to 211-5 when bad light forced early stumps. That left Sri Lanka 114 runs adrift of an England first-innings total of 325 built on Ollie Pope s 154 -- his first century as England captain.
Here are the highlights from England vs Sri Lanka 3rd Test, Day 2:That s Reality : Pak Coach s Honest Take On Shan Masood s Captaincy
The Pakistan cricket team seems to be on a downward spiral that is showing no signs of change. The 0-2 defeat against Bangladesh in the home Test series has sent the cricketing fraternity in Pakistan in a state of shock, with fans and former cricketers coming out all guns blazing against the current team, leadership, as well as the management. Pakistan captain Shan Masood has understandably been in the line of fire, but the team s head coach, Jason Gillespie, refused to put bulk of the blame on him.
In the press conference after the conclusion of the series, Gillespie continued to back Masood, saying he has led the team well but the players just haven t played good cricket.
Shan, I feel, has led the side very well. We just haven t played well as a team and that s the reality. We need to sharpen up on certain areas and we will sharpen up. I want to back and believe in these players, they are good enough, he stated.
Earlier, Masood was also asked about his position in the team as a captain. The top-order batter said that he is not worried about losing the leadership role and still feels that the team is heading in the right direction.
I am not worried for my job security. I took this job to make the changes we believe will help this team. If I believe this team can go in a certain direction, even if my personal failure takes Pakistan to that direction, I will be content. However much time I get, I ll be grateful for and do my best, Masood said.
Bangladesh have two players who have played 70-90 Tests (Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahman), and Litton [Das] and Mehidy [Hasan Miraz] have played close to 40. We need the same level of red-ball exposure. Test cricket is the ultimate format of the game. You need experience. It s obvious we need more Test and red-ball cricket, he added.
The 0-2 Test defeat against Bangladesh is the first time that Pakistan suffered a sweep at home against an Asian opponent.
Watch: India Star s Nasty Delivery Hits Fellow Player. This Happens Next
The Duleep Trophy has so far seen several top Indian in action. The domestic tournament is being seen as a dress rehearsal for the upcoming India vs Bangladesh Test series. The general view is that a good performance here will help in getting into the Indian cricket team that will play Bangladesh, Starting September 19. The India A vs India B is one such match which has seen stars like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Musheer Khan, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Shubman Gill, Kuldeep Yadav play against each other.
On Saturday, a delivery from India B s Mukesh Kumar hit Akash Deep s chest. Akash Deep has played one Test for India while Mukesh Kumar three Tests, six ODIs and 17 T20Is for India. Akash Deep looked to be in pain when the ball hit him. Mukesh immediately went and check on him after the incident.
Real captain of India B : Rishabh Pant. pic.twitter.com/hIc6XkCnfZ
— PantMP4. (@indianspirit070) September 7, 2024Meanwhile, former India wicketkeeper Vijay Dahiya hailed Musheer Khan for his “strong mindset” and said the young batter will be an asset for Indian team in future if he maintains consistency.
Musheer impressed everyone, making a valiant 181 for India B against India A in the on-going Duleep Trophy at Bengaluru on Friday.
His innings and a 205-run alliance with Navdeep Saini for the eighth wicket helped India B come back from a precarious 94 for seven and post 321 in the first innings.
“What makes Musheer different is his mindset, which is very strong. I can t predict the future but if he keeps on scoring runs consistently, he could be a very good option for the Indian team,” Dahiya told PTI videos.
Dahiya was in awe of Musheer s consistency.
“The standout thing about his batting is his consistency. He started off from where he left the last season. He scored runs in the Ranji Trophy semifinal and final and then a hundred on the opening day of domestic cricket in 2024,” Dahiya said.
“Musheer started off as a left-arm spinner and eventually his transformation to batting reflects that, “Agar aap mehnat se kisi cheez ke peeche pad jaaye, shiddat se kisi cheez ke peeche pad jaaye to wo zarur milti hai (if you work hard for something, you will get it eventually”, he said.
Dahiya, who is the head coach of Purani Dilli 6 in the ongoing Delhi Premier League, said interacting with seniors like Rishabh Pant and Ishant Sharma was a learning experience for budding talents in the DPL.
“Rishabh Pant played just a match but the time he spent with boys in the hotel and in the practice motivated them.
“Ishant attended all the practice sessions and spent time with each of the boys. Unfortunately, he couldn t play due to an injury,” he said.
“All the boys praised Rishabh and Ishant because they never let them feel inferior to them. Instead, they felt a sense of belongingness and it calmed their nerves,” he added.
I Worked On... : Gill Reveals Strategy To Improve In Test Cricket
Shubman Gill credited working on his defensive batting as key to his turnaround in Test fortunes during the England series earlier in the year. The 24-year-old has an average of 35.52 after playing 25 Tests, and he smashed 452 runs in the home series against England. I worked on my defence a little bit more, especially against the spinners, Gill told ESPNCricinfo, as quoted by the ICC. Currently, Gill is playing in the Duleep Trophy as captain of the India A side.
He displayed an average performance in India A s first innings as he scored 25 runs from 43 balls at a strike rate of 58.14. The 24-year-old hit three fours during his time on the crease at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Gill added that one should be able to defend more when they are playing on a turning track. He revealed that his main focus during the five-match Test series against England was to play more defensive shots.
If you re playing on a turning track, you should be able to defend a lot more, then you play your scoring shots. I feel it [batting-friendly tracks in white-ball games] takes away a little bit of your defensive game over a period of time. So that was my focus in the England series, he added.
Gill made his Test debut against Australia in 2020. Following that, he has played 25 long-format matches and 46 innings, where he has scored 1492 runs at a strike rate of 59.37.
He went on to make a crucial hundred in Vizag in the second Test and finished the series against England with an average of 56.5.
India will be playing a two-match Test and three-game T20I series against Bangladesh at home from September 19 to October 12. This will be followed by a three-match test series against New Zealand from October 16 to November 5.
These two series will pave India s preparation for the Border Gavaskar Trophy later this year.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Can Be Fatal... : Ashwin s Interesting Take On Batting Technique Amid DRS
Veteran India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said the decision to bring in the Decision Review System (DRS) in this domestic cricket season will help the batters to improve their techniques. The ongoing first round of the 2024 Duleep Trophy has the DRS available for matches at Bengaluru (India A v India B) and Anantapur (India C v India D) respectively. Ashwin illustrated his point by talking about India D batter Ricky Bhui s batting technique of keeping the bat behind the pad playing a part in his dismissal at Anantapur.
On day two s play, Bhui was trapped lbw by India C left-arm spinner Manav Suthar. Initially, the on-field umpire did not give it out, but India C skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad opted for the DRS and the decision was changed to out.
“DRS for domestic cricket is not just for the right decisions to be made. Ricky Bhuvi s dismissal last evening against Manav Suthar is a classic case of a batter who will get away with this technique 10/10 times in FC cricket. This was not a faulty technique pre DRS but now it is.”
“Back in the day batters were given not out just because they managed to get on the front foot. Now, keeping your bat behind the pad can be fatal, imagine someone making the climb to international cricket without getting this experience Ricky got yesterday.”
“He could very well take an entire test series to understand what he needs to work on and his career could well be over. This is a fab experience for more than just one reason,” wrote Ashwin on ‘X .
Former India A, U19 and Bengal wicketkeeper-batter Shreevats Goswami also made a point around this topic on ‘X . “Full DRS in Ranji is a must !! Coming back to this point, there s also a lot of not outs‘ given out vice versa (poor decision) which has defined careers in the past or have a lasting impact. Feel more than the technique batters/ bowlers/captains can play freely with DRS.”
Ashwin will be next seen in action when India begins its home Test season with two games against Bangladesh, followed by three matches against New Zealand before the Rohit Sharma-led side leaves for Australia to play five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy from November 22 to January 7, 2025.
Watch: Rishabh Pant Takes Stunning Catch On Return To Red Ball Cricket
India B wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant took a stunning catch to dismiss India A opener Mayank Agarwal in their ongoing Duleep Trophy match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Pant last played a First Class match in December 2022 when India played Bangladesh in a two-match Test series. The star wicketkeeper-batter suffered a life-threatening car crash later that month, sustaining career-ending injuries. However, Pant made his comeback to cricket earlier this year in the Indian Prermier League (IPL), before featuring for India in the T20 World Cup-winning campaign.
After a gap of almost two years, Pant was back in the whites as he took the field for the Abhimanyu Easwaran-led India B.
While he might ve failed to perform with the bat, hoping to impress the selectors for the upcoming Tests against Bangladesh, Pant showcased his brilliant gloverwork on Day 2.
The incident happened in the 16th over of India A s innings when Navdeep Saini bowled a length ball, which angled down to the leg side.
Agarwal, the batter, tried to glance it down the leg side, but got the faintest of touch on the ball. Pant dived down the leg side, before taking a stunning catch with both hands.
You can t keep away Rishabh Pant from Game
what A Catch by Spider Man Rishabh Pantpic.twitter.com/ttMi9kHXPa
Meanwhile, Saini reminded of his presence among the fringe pacers with a quality new ball spell that helped India B to keep India A in check at 134 for two in the first innings on Day 2.
India B needed their bowlers to carry on the excellent effort of Musheer Khan (181, 373b, 16x4, 5x6) that powered B to 321 in their first innings.
KL Rahul (23, 80 balls) and Riyan Parag (27, 49 balls) are at the crease at stumps, with India A in arrears by 187 runs.
Saini, who is out of favour since the 2021 away series against Australia, showed some spark to eke out the wickets of India A skipper Shubman Gill (25) and his opening partner Mayank Agarwal (36).
The right-arm quick broke the first-wicket alliance 57 between Gill and Agarwal at the stroke of tea to give his side the first breakthrough.
(With PTI Inputs)
Afg Star Explains Why They Hold Edge Over NZ Ahead Of Greater Noida Test
Veteran Afghanistan batter Rahmat Shah said his team s past experience of playing in India will give them an edge over New Zealand in the one-off Test, beginning in Noida from Monday. Shah was a part of the Afghanistan sides that played Tests in Bengaluru (2018 vs India), in Dehradun (2019 vs Ireland) and in Lucknow (2019 vs West Indies). “Our past experience in India will help us. We had our home ground in Noida and in Lucknow, and we have played a lot of matches here and done a lot of camps here.
“We are also accustomed with the weather and pitch conditions of India, so we certainly have an edge,” Shah told Cricbuzz.
Shah, the leading run-scorer for Afghanistan in Tests and ODIs, wanted to give the Kiwis, the inaugural WTC champions, a tough time.
“We will try to give them a tough time. They have won the ICC Test Championship and we tried to have the best of preparations and we are looking forward to the challenge that is lying ahead,” he said.
The 31-year-old top-order batter said he has made some technical changes to adapt to the conditions here.
“I just tried to concentrate more and practice more (to make technical adjustments). Earlier my shoulder used to get open and I tried to make it sideways and tried to straighter my alignment.
“When the fast bowler used to come, I used to move towards off stump a bit more and as a result I used to fall down.
“I used to play my shot through my wrist but now I am trying to take my feet and just worked hard to get it into my batting template,” Shah added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Babar To Be Sacked Again, Report Claims Pakistan s Captaincy To Change
After Pakistan s recent Test series loss against Bangladesh at home, the criticism has been widespread. What is worse is that this is not a one-off loss.Pakistan cricket team has been suffering from poor form for the last few months. Right from the ODI World Cup 2023 to the 2024 T20 World Cup, Pakistan s performance has not been satisfactory. There have been too many changes at the top with Babar Azam being removed as captain only to be reinstated few weeks later as white-ball skipper. Now, according to a report in Cricket Pakistan, Babar Azam may be sacked yet again and Mohammad Rizwan will be made the white-ball captain.
The report also claimed that Rizwan cane become the captain in all three formats.
The cricket-mad nation was left in despair after losing the second Test in Rawalpindi by six wickets on Tuesday as Bangladesh swept the series 2-0. It was the 10th winless home Test in a row for former powerhouses Pakistan and came hard on the heels of failing to get out of their groups at both the 50-over and T20 World Cups in the past year.
It s a huge setback and our cricket is at a crossroads, former Pakistan captain and legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram told AFP. For a former player and captain, and a lover of the game, I was left embarrassed at the way they have lost from good positions. I simply don t get it.
We are losing consistently on home turf and that says a lot about the quality of our cricket, added Akram, who played 104 Tests and 356 one-day internationals for Pakistan.
The defeat to Bangladesh comes hard on the heels of chastening losses against Afghanistan and the USA in the ODI and T20 World Cups respectively. Pakistan also have a dismal record in Tests at home in the past three years -- six defeats and four draws, including England s first-ever 3-0 series sweep there in 2022.
Ominously, in-form England are Pakistan s next visitors and will play three Tests beginning in Multan on October 7. Pakistan are not faring any better away from home, they lost all three Tests in Australia earlier this year -- their sixth successive whitewash there since 1999
Watch: Very Rare Type Of No Ball Hogs Limelight In T20 Blast Last 8
A rare incident took place during a T20 Blast quarter-final match between Somerset and Northamptonshire on September 5. It happened during the first innings. Somerset batter Lewis Gregory was deceived by Saif Zaib, a left-arm orthodox spinner, outside the off stump. The Northamptonshire bowler beat the batter s outside edge and wicketkeeper Lewis McManus did the stumping. Umpire sent the decision upstairs only to find out that McManus had crossed the line of the stumps before collecting the ball and effecting the stumping. As a result it was given a no-ball.
Watch it here:
A very rare type of no ball pic.twitter.com/j5QYoDeihC
— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) September 5, 2024As per article number 27.3.1 of Marylebone Cricket Club, the custodian of the laws of cricket, the wicket-keeper shall remain wholly behind the wicket at the striker s end from the moment the ball comes into play until a ball delivered by the bowler - touches the bat or person of the striker or passes the wicket at the striker s end or the striker attempts a run.
After leading Sussex to Blast Finals Day in his first season as T20I captain, Tymal Mills expressed his frustration about star pacer Jofra Archer being unavailable for the clash.
The Blast Finals Day will see the two semi-finals and final being played back-to-back at Edgbaston on September 14. During that period, England will be involved in a three-match home T20I series against their arch-rival, Australia.
The second and third T20Is will be played on September 13 and 15, and as a result, some of the England players are bound to miss the Blast Finals Day. According to ESPNcricinfo, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is working through scenarios, but players will only be released if they are not needed for the final two matches.
Mills expressed frustration about losing one of his prime pacers, Archer, before the final and believes it is pretty stupid.
As far as I m aware, no England players will be available - which is pretty stupid, to be honest. Obviously, no England players will be there from any side, but it is a real shame for us to lose a player like Jof (Archer). Whoever comes in for him will have big boots to fill, Mills said after captaining Sussex to an eight-wicket win over Lancashire, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
Surrey will be worst affected in this scenario, with all-rounder Jamie Overton called up by England as injury cover. He will join Sam Curran, Will Jacks, and Reece Topley in the T20I squad.
Surrey are also waiting for confirmation of the availability of their four-Test players, including Gus Atkinson, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, and Jamie Smith.
Warwickshire will miss the presence of uncapped all-rounders Dan Mousley and Jacob Bethell, who are also in England s T20I squad.
(With ANI Inputs)