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Tag: Cummins

  • World Cup 2023: Steve Smith is Ravindra Jadeja’s bunny, says Ravi Shastri after India’s win in Chennai

    Former India all-rounder and head coach Ravi Shastri has stated that Australia batter Steve Smith is India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s bunny. Jadeja dismissed Smith as India beat Australia by six wickets on the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, October 8.

    ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023: Full Coverage

    Speaking to Star Sports, Shastri stated Smith is Jadeja’s bunny, including that batters don’t know which ball will flip and which is able to keep straight. Jadeja dismissed Smith for the eleventh time in his profession throughout codecs.

    “Dream dismissal and he has dismissed him 10 to 12 times. He (Smith) is his bunny. It is not that easy to play such a delivery because of the speed at which he bowls. As a batter, you don’t know which ball is going to turn and which ball will go straight,” stated Shastri.

    Shastri went on to say that even Jadeja doesn’t know which ball will flip and which is able to go straight, so how will the batter know. Jadeja picked up three wickets towards Australia whereas giving freely simply 28 runs in his 10 overs.

    “He (Jadeja) himself said in the interview that he doesn’t know which ball will turn and which will go straight. If he doesn’t know, how will the batter know? So he plays inside the line at times and outside the line on other occasions,” Shastri added.

    He went on to say that if Jadeja will get a floor like Chennai, he turns into essentially the most tough bowler to face. Jadeja has now change into India’s third-highest wicket-taker in ODIs towards Australia, having claimed 37 wickets.

    “If he plays outside, he becomes leg-before and if he plays inside, it hits the stumps, just like it happened with Smith. It’s not easy as he will trouble anyone. If he gets a surface like this, he becomes the most difficult bowler because his every ball does not turn,” stated Shastri.

    Following their win over Australia, India will flip their consideration in direction of Afghanistan, with the 2 sides set to lock horns on the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on October 11.

    Edited By:

    Rounaq Sehrawat

    Published On:

    Oct 9, 2023

  • IPL 2022: Cummins makes up for misplaced time with batting mayhem

    Still early days, however Kolkata Knight Riders are trying superb. Historically, Mumbai Indians have been their bogey staff and when Andre Russell fell cheaply, it felt like the sport was performed. But KKR discovered a brand new hero, Pat Cummins with the bat. His 15-ball 56 not out – the joint-fastest IPL half-century with KL Rahul – took his staff over the road in a canter.

    Chasing 162 for victory, KKR gained by 5 wickets with 24 balls to spare. Venkatesh Iyer, too, scored a fairly useful half-century, 50-not out off 41 balls. In the context of the sport, although, he was diminished to a sideshow. Cummins’ knock shell-shocked the five-time champions.

    Cummins carnage

    As the Australian was strolling off the sphere after blowing away his opponents, he ran into Mahela Jayawardene. Both broke right into a smile. This was a knock that deserved all-round applause. When one thing particular like this occurs, one has to doff one’s hat and say ‘well played’. The MI head coach did that.

    Upstox Most Valuable Asset of the Match between @KKRiders and @mipaltan is Pat Cummins.#TATAIPL @upstox #OwnYourFuture #KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/b42Ces89kK

    — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 6, 2022

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    At 101/5, with Russell out on the primary ball of the thirteenth over, MI had the sting. Little did they know that Cummins would come out all weapons blazing. Rohit Sharma had held again Jasprit Bumrah for the latter half of KKR’s innings, Russell, to be exact. The Jamaican was gone, however the Aussie attacked MI’s finest bowler, setting the tone for KKR’s counter-attack. Daniel Sams was taken to the cleaners in a 35-run over, Cummins hitting 4 sixes and a few fours. It was his first sport on this IPL and the allrounder confirmed why the Kolkata-based franchise went all out and spent Rs 7.25 crore for him on the public sale. “Never expected him to come and play like that. Lot of credit to him for the way he played,” Rohit applauded the knock post-game.

    Surya’s return

    With Mumbai Indians middle-order crying out for high quality, Suryakumar Yadav’s return from harm was well timed. Individual battles in a staff sport provide intrigue. The match-up between Surya and Sunil Narine within the 18th over of MI’s innings was connoisseurs’ cricket. Narine bowled full-on middle-and-leg, Surya despatched it 10 rows again over deep sq. leg boundary. The spinner dragged again his size and bowled flatter outdoors off. The batsman cracked it previous level for a 4. No batsman has handled Narine with such disdain on this IPL but. But only a few batsmen might be as modern as Surya.

    WATCH – SIX: Launched into the night time sky by SKY.

    An wonderful uppercut and the ball sails over for six!

    📽️📽️https://t.co/aoncJE5J7A #TATAIPL #KKRvMI

    — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 6, 2022

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    In his first sport of the IPL this time period, Surya’s problem was to seek out rhythm quick. He most popular a sluggish burn, hitting his first 4 after dealing with 17 balls. The boundary towards Umesh Yadav was adopted by a six off the bowler – leaping within the crease and ramping a brief ball. Once Surya acquired into his 360-degree groove, he held courtroom.

    His fifty got here off 34 balls and Surya’s 83-run fourth-wicket partnership with Tilak Verma was the explanation – Pollard’s five-ball 22 not out deserves honourable point out – why MI might submit a really difficult complete. Verma remained unbeaten on 38 off 27 deliveries, using on an Ajinkya Rahane clanger.

    Brevis’ spark

    The MCA Stadium pitch in Pune resembled a little bit of Wanderers and 18-year-old Dewald Brevis, a Johannesburg native, discovered house consolation. He performed a cameo, 29 off 19 balls, offering sufficient spark to contemplate him a star for the long run.

    Brevis thrived on bravery. On a pitch the place Rohit was in critical discomfort towards Umesh Yadav’s tempo and motion earlier than being bounced out, and Ishan Kishan struggled to get going, {the teenager} straightaway took the assault to the opposition. He additionally believed in brevity, for Brevis largely stood and walloped, besides a 4 towards Yadav, when he made room to free his arms. KKR’s bowling assault acquired meatier with the inclusion of Cummins. Brevis oozed the irreverence of youth, bat-speed being a standout characteristic.

  • Cummins’ goes berserk with the bat; Umesh harries Rohit and Rahane goes for an unlucky skier

    Pat comes Cummins thudding response

    Pity Tony Grieg isn’t alive to supply probably the most deserved BGM for Pat Cummins: that euphoric cry of whaddaaplayaaa! He leaked runs in the long run in his first recreation this IPL and did he sit and sulk about it? Nah… he equalled KL Rahul’s quickest IPL fifty in 14 balls. They mentioned Andre Russell can hit, Venkatesh Iyer will hit, Sam Billings can too. But it was the Australian captain Pat Cummins who blasted the residing daylights out of Mumbai.

    Player of the Match is none apart from @patcummins30 for his stupendous knock of 56* off simply 15 deliveries as @KKRiders win by 5 wickets.

    Scorecard – https://t.co/22oFJJzGVN #KKRvMI #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/0WI5Y81XgL

    — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 6, 2022

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    Unlike Russel who can get all stiff when the bouncer both angles away from him or rears at his physique, Cummins does this fluid upper-body-twist to get into proper positions whilst he will get into his murderous swings. Tymal Mills tried bouncing him at his physique, however with that twist and extraordinary hand-eye coordination, he biffed ’em away. When Jasprit Bumrah tried to catch him napping with fuller ones, he blasted it into the stands. And what are you able to say about poor Daniel Sams who bled 35 runs within the fifteenth over. He tried all lengths, and angles, and noticed the ball being thrown again from stands. Cummins used the lengthy deal with, used the short-arm pull, deployed side-shuffles and stored smashing that white ball to oblivion. In the post-match interplay, Rohit Sharma was bemused, nearly speechless – the one befitting response to that homicide on the outskirts of Pune.

    Sriram Veera

    Mills & Boom comes Rohit’s genie

    Tymal Mills was Rohit Sharma’s wicket-producing genie. Every time, he needs for a wicket, he would simply summon Mills for a spell, despatched to some far-flung outpost on the sphere, and he would grant the want. He would simply trundle in, then steam in and pinch the wicket from nowhere, normally off the primary ball of a brand new spell. Wicket No 1: Ajinkya Rahane. Though removed from fluent, he might anchor chases, particularly a pursuit of 160. So Mills simply bowls a staple quick ball. Rahane pulls into the palms of the deep square-leg fielder.

    Tymal Mills picks up his second wicket and this time it is the massive one in every of Andre Russell.

    Live – https://t.co/22oFJJzGVN #KKRvMI #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/YBCu1ZDjA4

    — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 6, 2022

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    Wicket 2: Andre Russell. He appeared in a rampaging temper, however Mills slips in one other quick ball. Russell pulls too, however top-edges to level. Rahane was hurried; Russell was made to attend for the ball. Mills comes with the status of possessing a deadly military of short-pitched balls. The lifter, the rib-tickler, the sluggish bouncer, the quick bouncer, the bouncer that hustles previous batsmen, the bouncer that stops at batsmen. Little marvel that he was Sharma’s wicket-producing genie.

    Sandip G

    Umesh renders Sharma No-hit

    Umesh Yadav has turned on the Beast Mode this IPL. The finest a part of his fiery bowling is that he has managed to intimidate batsmen with basic outswing bowling at tempo. The matchup vs Rohit Sharma was all the time going to be fascinating as he has taken out the India opener 4 instances earlier than this recreation. Rohit tried every thing on this recreation to distract Umesh of his energy.

    .@y_umesh at it once more. Gets the wicket of #MI Skipper, Rohit Sharma.

    Live – https://t.co/22oFJJzGVN #KKRvMI #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/oVLimEYUIn

    — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 6, 2022

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    He charged down the monitor, he tried to hit on the up however Umesh caught to his weapons. And then he served a cracking quick ball to one of the best puller in Indian crew however he cleverly served it outdoors off stump. Rohit tried to fetch it from there and it was all the time going to be a shedding trigger because it kicked up at tempo and unsurprisingly he top-edged a skier to the wicketkeeper. “White or red, the skill lies in swinging the ball, na? I can do it as I have done it. Of course, the lengths will vary and that is obvious and down to cricketing intelligence. I can prove myself as a wicket-taking bowler. I haven’t been used properly by selectors,” Umesh as soon as advised this newspaper and if he continues like this, the selectors can’t proceed to disregard.

    Sriram Veera

    Brevisixes begin raining down

    In his first IPL outing, Dewald Brevis, dubbed the ‘Baby AB’, betrayed nerves, however he additionally dropped flashes of aptitude that might make him a future star. Though not fairly a duplicate of Mr 360— he has but to achieve his sophistry and vary and technique-wise he’s fairly completely different too — he demonstrated that he has the strokes to seize the eyeballs and set the center racing. One of them was a flicked six of Varun Chakravarthy. Unfazed by the latter’s thriller quotient, he nonchalantly wristed the primary ball he confronted over vast long-on.

    Reading the variation, judging the trajectory, he pressed ahead, picked the ball and simply whirled his wrists to coax it over the ropes with an effortlessness that was extra paying homage to Herschelle Gibbs than de Villiers. A number of balls earlier than that, he slapped Umesh Yadav’s quick ball via long-on too, after he had cuffed Rasikh Salam via long-on. Eventually, Chakravarthy avenged for the six, having him stumped 4 balls later. But there was an irrepressible spunk concerning the 19-year-old that makes him a expertise to maintain an in depth watch on.

    Sandip G

    One skier to floor all of them

    The ball skied between the wicketkeeper Sam Billings and the stumps. Fairly excessive, it hung up there lengthy and everybody within the floor and past would have identified that it was the ‘keeper’s catch. Except Ajinkya Rahane. It was Umesh Yadav’s final over and he had hurried the left-handed Tilak Verma with a pointy bouncer. The pull was late, the ball was too quick, and it flew proper up. For some purpose, Rahane selected to intervene from level. Billings ran in the direction of the stumps, Rahane ran in the direction of the stumps, Umesh jogged in the direction of it and abruptly chaos erupted.

    Billings stopped quick. Rahane nearly paused. Heart-rates should have escalated on the sphere, absolutely. Then Rahane lunged on the final minute to clang the catch. Billings shook his head, Rahane seemed like a forlorn pet and Umesh winced. And that cliche of rubbing salt to the injuries, Suryakumar Yadav, who had crossed over, slapped a 4 and higher minimize a six off the subsequent two balls.

    Sriram Veera

    Big Dong of the Surya six

    Have you ever performed that recreation Stick Cricket? Remember the sound a strong hit used to make there? If you haven’t, simply replay the six that Suryakumar Yadav hit off Sunil Narine. It was simply the second six that Narine gave this IPL and what a cracking sound it made. Tonk doesn’t do justice or any of the Batman wham bham expressions. Stick cricket is the closest to it. Surya went down on his knee and disposed.

    That’s a FIFTY for @surya_14kumar 👌👌

    Back within the aspect and immediately makes a mark 👏👏

    Live – https://t.co/22oFJJzGVN #KKRvMI #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/ytjVM50o07

    — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 6, 2022

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    A surprising slog sweep, that candy sound, and off the white ball flew over midwicket. Surya had walked right into a mini-crisis and seized the sport in his customary counter-attacking fashion. If he and Shreyas Iyer proceed to have a great IPL with the bat, the strain will escalate on Virat Kohli to activate the runs faucet to keep off any strain on his spot within the Indian T20 crew.

    Sriram Veera

    Yours disdainfully, Tilak Varma

    Teenager Tilak Varma is busy shattering reputations. After he tore Trent Boult and Ravi Ashwin aside throughout his breakout knock (61 off 33 balls) the opposite evening, he tucked into Pat Cummins and Varun Chakravarthy on Wednesday. He greeted Cummins with probably the most audacious of scoops. Varma shuffled throughout outdoors the off-stump, hunkered down and simply when the ball reached him, twirled his bat, making contact simply on the excellent second, his physique sustaining the leaning tower of Pisa pose all via the execution of that stroke.

    The stability was astonishing— batsmen so simply tumble. As had been his dexterous fingers. Even Cummins stared admiringly at him; Shreyas Iyer blew his cheeks in exasperation. Varma was not completed slaying the strapping Australian captain. Three balls later, he cleared his entrance leg and simply pile-drove him down the bottom. The shot was so livid that it was like a slap on Cummins’s face. The latter by no means recovered from the bruising, whilst Varma continued constructing his CV. Chakravarthy was disdained for a pair of fours and a six in an over, Andre Russell was muscled over mid-off for a 4. More to come back from the 19-year-old.

    Sandip G

    Iyer breaks the shackles

    Off the twenty ninth ball he confronted in his start-stop knock, Venkatesh Iyer had his benediction. He bent on one knee and heaved Murugan Ashwin over deep sq. leg. He might lastly smile, and smile heartily he did. He watched the ball till it sunk into the stands and seemed skywards, respiratory deeply. For till that second, it has been a wrestle for Iyer to copy that stroke-full contact of final version. This season, he has been scratchy and streaky, unfastened and petulant, unable to pierce the gaps and infrequently crease-stuck. Static ft have resulted in him throwing his fingers at nearly each supply. Bowlers have been fast to pounce on one other flaw of his—his front-foot doesn’t stride out a lot, and he finally ends up stabbing at good-length balls veering away from his physique. Resultantly, his first two outings yielded solely 13 runs. But generally, all it takes is one shot to hit the straps. That six appeared that one shot.

    Sandip G

  • Pat Cummins not involved in white-ball captaincy

    Pat Cummins is targeted on doing justice to his appointment as Australia’s new Test captain and believes limited-overs management can be “too much” for him, the 28-year-old stated on Saturday.
    Cummins is the primary Australia paceman to steer the workforce in 65 years after Tim Paine stood down earlier this month following a “sexting” scandal.
    Limited-over skipper Aaron Finch led Australia to their maiden Twenty20 World Cup title earlier this month, and Cummins reckoned split-captaincy suited them.
    “It’s probably too early to say, mainly because I start this role and see where we go,” Cummins was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press.
    “My intestine feeling and desire in the intervening time is to have separate captains.
    “I believe it’s an excessive amount of to ask, definitely of me. I’d love to only focus on check cricket.
    “Aaron’s doing a fantastic job,” Cummins stated, saying it was finest to have “someone who can take the white-ball squad teams to make it their own, take it in their own direction”.
    “At the moment I’m purely focused on tests, that will stay the same” for the foreseeable future.Finch, 35, is eager to steer the workforce at the least till the 50-overs World Cup in India in 2023, after which Australia might have to search out his successor.
    Cummins, who has insisted he doesn’t need to miss check cricket, stated he has been flooded with messages since touchdown the check captain’s function however the feeling had not sunk in but.
    “Probably not fully,” he stated after a observe session on the Gold Coast.”I believe till I stroll out on the Gabba and see a giant residence crowd, pull on the Baggy Green (cap) and exit for the toss – that’s when it’ll most likely hit me. It’s a little bit of a bizarre feeling.”

    The Gabba Stadium in Brisbane will host the primary Ashes check in opposition to England from Dec. 8. Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth are the opposite venues of the five-match sequence.

  • Bancroft’s bowling colleagues deny realizing 2018 ball-tampering plot; name for finish to innuendo

    Australian bowlers, together with high pacer Pat Cummins, on Tuesday asserted that they had been unaware of the 2018 ball-tampering plot after being caught in a storm triggered by incident protagonist Cameron Bancroft’s current feedback hinting at their involvement.
    Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon, who had been all a part of the staff throughout the ill-fated collection in opposition to South Africa, issued a joint assertion to assert innocence and name for an finish to “rumour-mongering and innuendo”.
    “We pride ourselves on our honesty. So it’s been disappointing to see that our integrity has been questioned by some journalists and past players in recent days in regard to the Cape Town Test of 2018,” the assertion learn.
    “…we feel compelled to put the key facts on the record again: We did not know a foreign substance was taken onto the field to alter the condition of the ball until we saw the images on the big screen at Newlands.”
    Bancroft, in a current interview, had claimed that staff’s bowlers might have been conscious of the unlawful plot. He has since backtracked from his assertion after Cricket Australia supplied a reinvestigation.
    The quartet added that each umpires officiating on the sector — Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth — had inspected the ball and didn’t see any injury.
    “The umpires during that Test match, Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth, both very respected and experienced umpires, inspected the ball after the images surfaced on the TV coverage and did not change it because there was no sign of damage,” they mentioned.
    The 4 bowlers mentioned they realized worthwhile classes and it’s time to transfer on from the problem.
    “None of this excuses what occurred on the sector that day at Newlands. It was incorrect and it ought to by no means have occurred.
    “We’ve all realized worthwhile classes and we’d wish to suppose the general public can see a change for the higher by way of the best way we play, the best way we behave and respect the sport.
    “We respectfully request an end to the rumour-mongering and innuendo.It has gone on too long and it is time to move on.”
    Bancroft had been caught on digicam utilizing sandpaper on the ball within the third Test in opposition to South Africa in 2018. The trio of Bancroft, then skipper Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner had been banned for his or her roles within the scandal.
    While Bancroft was handed a nine-month ban, Smith and Warner had been suspended for a yr every.

  • If T20 World Cup is unsafe in India, higher not play over there: Pat Cummins

    Australian tempo spearhead Pat Cummins believes if internet hosting the ICC T20 World Cup amidst raging COVID-19 pandemic is a “drain on Indian resources” or is “unsafe”, it will be prudent to shift it to the United Arab Emirates.
    The postponement of Indian Premier League after a number of circumstances of COVID-19 contained in the bio-bubble has led to a giant question-mark on whether or not the marquee ICC occasion needs to be held in India the place a 3rd wave is anticipated round that point.
    “If it’s going to be a drain on resources or it’s not going to be safe, then I don’t think it’s right to play it over here. That’s the first question which needs to be answered,” Cummins was quoted as saying by the ‘Age’ newspaper.
    Cummins mentioned cricket authorities ought to verify with Indian authorities and do what’s greatest.
    “It probably too early to say. It’s six months away. The priority should be for cricket authorities to work with the Indian government to see what’s best for the Indian people,” Cummins mentioned.
    Cummins feels hindsight all the time offers higher perspective like many who really feel that IPL may have been held in UAE this time additionally.
    “The IPL in the UAE last year was brilliant, it was really well run, but millions of people were saying it should have been played in India, so what do you do? You can see both sides. They set up this tournament with all the best advice.”
    Cummins, who has himself donated USD 50,000 to India’s COVID-19 combat, has a number of empathy for what the nation is presently dealing with.
    “Around the hotel there is less staff and when you hop in the bus to go to training there is normally a few hundred people waiting. There’s no one out there now and no crowds at games.”
    He spoke about how half of the KKR’s Indian squad has had COVID-19 sooner or later final yr.
    “Close to half our [KKR] squad has had it at some point over the last year,” Cummins mentioned.
    “Their households are all presently in lockdown in numerous cities throughout India. Quite a lot of the household buildings are totally different to Australia, the place you’ve obtained three generations all dwelling within the one place.
    “They [Indian teammates] always try to stay upbeat and positive, but it’s really tough out there. We’re always checking in with them to see how they’re going.”
    Being in a bubble retains individuals indifferent however once they see the sufferings, they’re sure to really feel helpless, mentioned world’s premier Test bowler.
    “I’ve felt quite helpless and quite detached from it all being kept in comfortable hotels. We were playing games and training like every other year. It just felt that I should be doing more for the people around us.”
    In truth, when Cummins was coming to India for the IPL, he had divergent opinions thrown at him.
    “The first thing I wanted to do was make sure playing the IPL was the right call. Speaking to people back home, some had the view that it didn’t see right cricket was going on over here in amongst all the COVID cases,” he mentioned.
    “But the response I used to be getting from individuals in India was the other. They all mentioned that with so many individuals in lockdown they actually respect the truth that for 3 or 4 hours every night time they’ll watch the IPL.
    “It gives people a routine, it helps to keep them in homes. Everyone thought it was a positive the IPL was still going on.”

  • Shubman Gill stays relaxed and takes the sport on: Pat Cummins

    Kolkata Knight Riders tempo spearhead Pat Cummins is an enormous fan of Shubman Gill and stated he likes the best way the younger India opening batsman stays relaxed whereas taking the sport on.
    “He’s good, he’s young. He wants to take the game on and is really relaxed,” the star Aussie pacer stated in an Instagram reside by KKR within the build-up to their opening IPL match towards Sunrisers Hyderabad right here on Sunday.
    “He doesn’t take cricket or life too seriously. So it’s good fun to be with him,” the world’s no 1 Test pacer added, hailing the India teen because the duo could be seen enjoying collectively, months after their thrilling duel within the Test collection Down Under.
    The 21-year-old was one of many architects of India’s epic Test collection win Down Under, in what was his debut outing.
    Gill hit a counter-attacking 91 within the second innings of the fourth and closing Test in Brisbane, one thing that arrange India’s epic chase of 328 on the Gabba en path to their 2-1 collection triumph.
    “I get along really well with Shubman. It was a great debut for him last summer in Australia. We had some good contests out in the field. I really feel happy for him, he had a great start to his Test career,” Cummins stated.
    Amid the COVID-19 scare, IPL will comply with a caravan format and for the primary time the franchises will probably be disadvantaged of dwelling benefit as KKR too would miss enjoying on the iconic Eden Gardens.
    “Just wanting ahead to enjoying for you guys this season. I do know, sadly, we’re not going to rise up to Kolkata and see you in particular person however yeah give us all of the love on social media.
    “We see it all and we absolutely love it, and we’ll be trying our best for you, so stick with us and yeah hopefully see you all soon,” Cummins stated in a message to the followers.

  • Australia Skipper Paine Dismisses ‘mental Scars’ For Team India Ahead Of Boxing Day Test

    Australian Test skipper Tim Paine feels the hosts cannot take their foot off the pedal against India going into the Boxing Day Test on Saturday.

    Team India who had suffered a humiliating defeat at the Adelaide Oval last week will be without the services of skipper Virat Kohli who has returned to India on paternity leave.

    At the same time, the Australian Test stumper also added that the visitors have plenty of dangerous players who can chip in when required and therefore, his side must be prepared for another five-day battle.

    “We know that some of the players they’re talking about coming into their side, like a KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant, are dangerous players who like to take the game on and will play positively. If we give players like that an inch they will take a mile, so we need to be bang on the mark tomorrow as we were in Adelaide and be prepared to turn up for another five-day battle”, Paine said. 

    Apart from Kohli’s absence, the Indian team will also have to deal with frontline pacer Mohammed Shami’s exclusion from the squad. Shami’s tour of Australia was cut short after he ended up fracturing his bowling wrist. The speedster was struck on his right wrist by an awkward delivery from his Aussie counterpart Pat Cummins as a result of which the tail-ender was in no position to bat and had to walk off the field. The 30-year-old did not even come out to bowl in the fourth innings where Kohli & Co. were defending a paltry total of 89.

    This is a must-win encounter for India as a loss here would mean that the Aussies end up taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series. A win at the iconic MCG will help the hosts in securing the series irrespective of the outcome in the final two Tests in Sydney and Brisbane respectively. 

  • M Starc to P Shaw, WICKET!!! P Shaw is out b Mitchell Starc

    India won the toss and has elected to bat first against Australia in Adelaide.  Australia has played and won 7 matches under lights, four of them at the Adelaide Oval. India, on the other hand, played its first and only win late last year against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens.

    The first Test of the four-match series is played with pink-ball while the rest of the series will be played with red-ball. Virat Kohli-led side announced their playing XI a day before the game which included Prithvi Shaw and Wriddhiman Saha.

    The visitors have opted for three seamers and one spinner in the first Test. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, and Umesh Yadav are the three pacers while Ravichandran Ashwin has been chosen as the lone spinner.

    On the other hand, Tim Paine-led side has handed a debut Test cap to all-rounder Cameron Green before the toss. Pacer Pat Cummins presented the 459th Australian Test cap to Green.

    1st Test. 0.2: WICKET! P Shaw (0) is out, b Mitchell Starc, 0/1

    Team India have won the toss and captain Virat  declares we are batting first

    India playing XI for the 1st Test against Australia: P Shaw, M Agarwal, C Pujara, V Kohli, A Rahane, H Vihari, W Saha, R Ashwin, U Yadav, M Shami, J Bumrah

    1st Test. Australia XI: J Burns, M Wade, M Labuschagne, S Smith, T Head, C Green, T Paine, P Cummins, M Starc, N Lyon, J Hazlewood

  • India in desperate search of wicket as Warner, Finch motor along

    Australia won the toss and opted to bat first against India in the first One Day International (ODI) here at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.

    The much-anticipated India’s tour of Australia will get underway as both sides lock horns in the first of the three-match ODI series. India begin their ICC Cricket World Cup Super League campaign as the men in Blue resume international cricket.

    The first two games of the ODI series will be played in Sydney with the action shifting to Canberra for the final game.

    India last played ODI cricket earlier this year in New Zealand, where they lost all three matches.

    Aaron Finch(c), David Warner, Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

    India Playing XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli(c), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini