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Tag: world test championship

  • Sri Lanka eyeing one other shot at WTC remaining in Pakistan assessments

    Sri Lanka was in competition for the World Test Championship remaining till March. That prospect has whetted its urge for food to get there within the new cycle.

    The marketing campaign begins on Sunday, when Sri Lanka performs Pakistan in Galle within the first of two assessments.

    “We had a pretty good campaign in the last World Test Championship and at one point we had a chance to make it to the finals,” Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne mentioned. “We would have liked to finish things off better but our last series in New Zealand didn’t go the way we want. But this is a new opportunity and we are looking forward for the challenge.” Left-arm fast Shaheen Afridi returns for Pakistan after a yr out of the take a look at aspect because of a knee damage, and the guests are pinning their hopes on him.

    When these groups met on the similar floor final yr, Afridi claimed 4 wickets within the first innings however suffered a severe proper knee ligament damage whereas fielding within the second innings. He aggravated the damage months later on the T20 World Cup. Pakistan nonetheless received that first take a look at however misplaced the second. They are mirroring the identical sequence this yr.

    “Very pleased with the return of Shaheen Afridi,” Pakistan skipper Babar Azam mentioned. “Besides his wicket-taking abilities, his presence always motivates and lifts the side. I know Shaheen has badly missed red-ball cricket and is hungry for test cricket.” Shaheen is on 99 take a look at wickets and set to change into the fourth quickest Pakistani fast to 100.

    Sri Lanka will miss the companies of seam bowler Asitha Fernando, who’s recovering from dengue fever.

    Kasun Rajitha and Vishwa Fernando are anticipated to share the brand new ball though they’ve within the squad uncapped left-arm fast Dilshan Madushanka, who was extremely spectacular throughout the Asia Cup final yr when his wickets included Virat Kohli.

    Sri Lanka’s key weapon shall be left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who has an enviable report in Galle of 46 wickets from 5 assessments together with six five-wicket hauls.

    Both groups have settled sides with Pakistan carrying 13 gamers within the squad who had been in Sri Lanka 12 months in the past.

    The vacationers may even be hoping for an uptick in fortune throughout the sequence. Since the start of 2022, Pakistan has received solely certainly one of 10 assessments. Even so, it’s sixth on the planet rating, one place greater than Sri Lanka.

  • WTC loss: Let’s not idiot ourselves, India gave up on Test cricket lengthy again

    India doesn’t take too lengthy to recover from Test match defeats. Unlike the lengthy spell of nationwide self-loathing after a World Cup or World T20 setback, the mourning of a World Test Championship loss is far shorter and extra silent.

    There is outrage however no effigy-burning. There is the standard name for mass sacking of seniors however these voices lack sting. There are these obligatory post-mortems however the scrutiny isn’t intense nor does it throw up any credible options.

    Since WTC finals observe the IPL, fingers do get pointed on the T20 league nevertheless it stays the cat that may’t be belled. The cricket neighborhood too has a way of guilt. After sitting spell-bound until the wee hours to look at MS Dhoni elevate the trophy, you’ll be able to’t overly blame IPL.

    So who’s guilty for the WTC debacle? Every defeat wants a scapegoat and in addition a comforting thought to cover the staff’s apparent inadequacies. So conveniently, the scheduling, workload, fatigue, and situations turn into the proverbial bushes that the decision-makers and followers beat round.

    Australia’s David Warner walks off the pitch as India’s Shardul Thakur (54) celebrates taking his wicket caught behind on the primary day of the ICC World Test Championship Final between India and Australia at The Oval cricket floor in London. (AP)

    The ever-growing reputation of the perpetually bloating IPL signifies that the cricket ecosystem has made peace with franchise cricket undercutting and undermining Tests. The jam-packed stands in any respect IPL video games, and the empty seats for the sport’s oldest kind on the similar venues, are reveals that make the followers prepared co-conspirators within the alleged slow-death of Test cricket. This has been an outdated case, it takes one virtually 50 years again.

    It was within the Nineteen Eighties that India first fell in love with limited-overs cricket. The thunderbolt that hit Indian cricket in 1983 had an impression on the collective cricket consciousness of the nation. Test matches misplaced their adhesive, it may now not be glued into the minds of followers for eternity. Days-cricket would lose its archival worth and face an id disaster. The new racy format would seize the creativeness of the cricketing world.

    With time, Indian cricket’s playlist would see a rewrite, ODIs and T20s would push out Tests from the mind banks, even nostalgia was in technicolour now. For the fan on the road, the slide-show that outlined Indian cricket’s 50-year journey would have all limited-overs cricket highs – Kapil Dev’s Devils, Ravi Shastri’s Audi, Sachin Tendulkar’s desert storm, Joginder Singh’s final ball, and MS Dhoni’s six. The Test specials – VVS Laxman’s 281 and Rishabh Pant’s Brisbane – would get honourable mentions however stayed on the margins. To be a focus for the Indian cricket followers, with a definite bias in direction of the sport’s shorter varieties, a Test cricketer must give you a once-in-a-lifetime never-seen-before efficiency.

    Momentary ache

    There is one other indicator which reveals that the shorter model had larger emotional funding. For the die-hards, the injuries that fester most are from an ODI defeat not a Test loss. Tendulkar getting out to Saqlain Mushtaq’s doosra within the 1999 Chennai Test that India misplaced to Pakistan doesn’t harm as a lot as Javed Miandad’s last-ball six off Chetan Sharma.

    India’s Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill throughout a coaching session at The Oval cricket floor. (AP)

    The nation’s bragging rights are additionally concerning the ODI and T20 codecs. Does it matter to followers that India, up to now, has by no means received a Test collection in South Africa and the final triumphant tour of England was a few years again? Not actually. Most cricket issues, and in addition the rationale for many main sackings in Indian cricket, have been concerning the staff’s lack of ability to win ICC’s shorter model trophies.

    There’s extra proof that means that even popular culture distances itself from Tests and Test cricketers. Known for having their hand on the heart beat of the nation, Bollywood’s alternative of topic for a cricket movie tells a narrative.

    The 2001 India vs Australia Test collection had a riveting storyline. A younger new-look staff underneath an inspiring and gutsy captain completed the inconceivable to win again the belief of the followers within the post-match fixing period. Sourav Ganguly one loss away from getting sacked, a horrible begin to the Test, the Laxman-Rahul Dravid revival and teenage spin sensation Harbhajan Singh’s magical hat-trick – the Kolkata Test in itself was a dream script hand-crafted to be captured on celluloid.

    But it didn’t fairly encourage any film-maker. Not to say that the Cinderella story of Indians on the World Cup in 83 didn’t deserve the big-screen adaptation, however so was 2001 and Ganguly’s boys. ODIs had bought the higher of Tests as soon as once more. Despite the gravitas of the Test triumph at Eden Gardens, it was no match to the World Cup victory in England.

    There was this different time additionally when a World Cup win bought Bollywood interested by cricket. The 2011 title win was the climax for MS Dhoni, the Untold Story. There have been equally epoch-making Test victories in Indian cricket however there’s nobody round to inform these tales on display screen. Like Dhoni’s official biopic, this cricket-crazy nation deserves to listen to many extra untold tales.

    World No 1 Test bowler R Ashwin was not picked for the WTC closing. (FILE)

    Historically, Test specialists have been Indian cricket’s unsung and undersold stars. Their performances don’t get endorsements. In a rustic of 1.4 billion-plus, the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin do have a loyal fan base however they’re removed from being the preferred cricketers. When world cricket’s most constant match-winner says he feels uncared for and unloved, it’s a unhappy commentary on India’s cricket tradition. When Ashwin returned house after as soon as once more sitting out a Test, and the collective anger from followers was lacking, he went public together with his long-standing angst. He mentioned he shouldn’t have been a bowler and spoke concerning the trauma of being under-appreciated.

    Others who care

    But isn’t this a world downside, isn’t the world turning its again on Test cricket? Not actually. The ongoing Ashes collection – between two nations that worth Test cricket probably the most – breaks that fantasy. Australia stored their high gamers away from the IPL. And there was Mitchell Starc, somebody who may have made round $10 million had he entered the public sale. But the left-arm pacer confirmed that when the Aussies discuss concerning the delight of carrying the Baggy Green, they imply it.

    Australia’s Mitchell Starc throughout observe. (Reuters)

    Before the Ashes, Starc instructed The Guardian his purpose for selecting to play for his nation and saying no to the IPL riches. “Money will come and go, but I’m very grateful for the opportunities I’ve had. Over a 100 years of Test cricket and there’s been less than 500 men who have played it for Australia. That in itself makes it very special to be a part of it,” he mentioned.

    Most high cricketers publicly profess their love for Test cricket, however there are few like Starc who stroll the discuss. In these occasions of franchise cricket, it’s modern to be seen caring for Tests – it manufacturers one as a cricket connoisseur. But the seasonal sanctimonious outrage about Test cricket’s decline that emerges from India, after the final two WTC closing defeats, sounds hole. These outpourings are hypocritical, this has been our doing. As a nation, we gave up on Tests lengthy again, so let’s finish the charade. We have prioritised IPL over WTC, so there will likely be repercussions.

    With the WTC closing behind us, within the coming days, India will resume common service once more. Back once more will likely be debates on cricket’s thorny subject. Can Rohit Sharma win the ODI World Cup at house? Will Hardik Pandya break India’s ICC jinx on the T20 World Cup subsequent 12 months? Does Dhoni have it in him to play yet one more IPL season? Can Kohli ship an IPL title for RCB?

    By the time these questions get answered, will probably be 2025 and chances are high India may attain the WTC closing once more. And the identical outdated query will confront them. Will the IPL-fatigued Indian staff alter to situations in every week’s time and win the title at Lord’s? Who are we fooling, the reply us apparent.

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  • Australia braced for England storm with Ashes on the road

    England’s barnstorming model of take a look at cricket has shredded the textbook of the game’s longest format however so-called ‘Bazball’ faces its greatest examination but as they search to regain the Ashes towards world champions Australia beginning on Friday.

    Conventional cricketing knowledge has been turned the wrong way up by England coach Brendon ‘Baz’ McCullum and captain Ben Stokes in a scintillating run of 11 victories from 13 checks.

    Scoring at a head-spinning common of just about 5 runs an over beneath McCullum, England’s risk-takers have re-imagined the strategy to check cricket and remodeled the nation’s fortunes after a run of just one win from 17 checks beforehand.

    It has bamboozled India, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan. England made a first-day document 506 runs in 75 overs within the first take a look at towards Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

    And towards New Zealand at dwelling final 12 months, they made daunting fourth innings victory targets of 277, 299 and 297 look as demanding as a stroll in park.

    The huge query, nevertheless, because the opening take a look at looms at Edgbaston on Friday is whether or not England will play with the identical virtually reckless abandon towards an Australia facet possessing arguably one of the best tempo assault on the earth.

    Stokes and McCullum have given no trace at reeling it in in the course of the build-up to probably the most eagerly-awaited collection for the reason that traditional 2005 version gained by England.

    Whether Australia, who reclaimed the Ashes in 2018 with a 4-0 dwelling win, retained them with a 2-2 attract England in 2019 earlier than one other 4-0 dwelling rout in 2021, attempt to battle hearth with hearth is one other matter.

    Pat Cummins’ facet should not precisely shrinking violets and can start quest for a primary collection win in England since 2001 filled with confidence after convincingly beating India in London to win the World Test Championship.

    Steve Smith, so typically a thorn in England’s facet, scored a century within the first innings towards India and together with Marnus Labuschagne will kind the bedrock of Australia’s batting whereas Travis Head might be a handful for England’s bowlers.

    But how their bowling unit of Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood react when confronted with ‘Bazball’ for the primary time might be the important thing to the result.

    “Every Ashes series gets the juices flowing but there’s added excitement this time around,” former England skipper Nasser Hussain informed The Metro.

    “That’s because of the brand and style of cricket this England side are playing. There’s that question we all have: can they turn up and do to Australia what they have done to every other side they’ve come up against?”

    England warmed up with a predictable thrashing of Ireland at Lord’s, with bowler Stuart Broad pushing his case for choice with 5 wickets within the first innings whereas Ollie Pope scored a run-a-ball double century to cement his place.

    Broad is battling for a beginning spot together with previous strike accomplice James Anderson, Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood whereas Moeen Ali, again within the take a look at fold after England’s go-to spin Jack Leach suffered a again damage, is prone to begin regardless of having not appeared in a take a look at since 2021.

    Moeen, a confirmed match-winner on his day, stated answering Stokes’ name was a straightforward determination.

    “To be part of it is amazing. It’s such a big series and the guys have been playing exciting cricket,” he stated.

    With the climate set honest, the opening skirmish guarantees fireworks as each side search to grab the momentum.

    “I think England are marginal favourites just because Australia haven’t won over here for such a long time but it’s very hard to call. All I know is there won’t be too many draws,” former England captain Michael Atherton stated.

  • Mitchell Starc’s wicket-taking skill is essential for Australia’s Ashes tempo assault: Coach Andrew McDonald

    By India Today Sports Desk: Australia coach Andrew McDonald reckons that Mitchell Starc’s wicket-taking skill is crucial to the stability of Australia’s tempo assault within the upcoming Ashes sequence in opposition to England.

    Starc took 4 wickets however averaged 5.34 runs per over, the costliest efficiency in his 78-Test profession, at The Oval in London, the place Australia received by 209 runs, with Scott Boland impressing a lot of the Australian seamers.

    While Pat Cummins stays captain, a fit-again Josh Hazlewood would compete with Starc and Boland for the remaining two spots in Australia’s tempo assault for the primary Ashes Test later this week. McDonald said that Starc was not the one bowler who went for runs in opposition to India and that the 33-year-old aided their tempo assault by offering stability.

    “Most of our bowlers went at above what they’d usually go, and we’ve just got to get our heads around that the tempo will be slightly different,” McDonald advised reporters earlier than Australia moved to Edgbaston, which hosts the primary take a look at from Friday.

    “Mitch went at a bit more than he generally goes at, but they complement each other really, really well. His wicket-taking ability is second-to-none. We’ve got to weigh all that up when we make decisions.”

    Cummins additionally backed Starc, predicting that he’ll play a key function within the five-Test sequence in England.

    “He did a role for us that we know Starcy can do after 80 Test matches,” Cummins stated after Sunday’s win in opposition to India.

    “He has got a huge tour ahead of him and will play a huge role for us. The English side sets up slightly differently as well. There are a few more left-handers. The wicket is going to be a bit different. I’m really happy with where Starcy is.”

  • Oval monitor wasn’t totally ready for a sport like WTC remaining: Shami

    After Shardul Thakur, senior speedster Mohammed Shami has mentioned that the pitch getting used for the World Test Championship remaining towards Australia was not totally prepared for a sport of that magnitude.

    The pitch continues to supply variable bounce however behaved higher on day 4 than the primary three days.

    “In Test matches, pitches tend to get slower as the game goes on. But I don’t think this pitch was fully prepared for World Test Championship final. It was not fully ready but day by day it does change in a Test match,” mentioned Shami after stumps on day 4.

    India have been 164 for 3 chasing a report 444 with Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane within the center.
    Shami thinks his staff has likelihood of making historical past on Sunday.

    “Test matches ought to be selected day 5 and within the final session. That is what known as a correct Test.

    In the final 4 years, we have now performed nicely towards Australia. Both have fought exhausting. We must bat nicely tomorrow.” India gained a again to again collection in Australia in 2021 after staging exceptional comebacks in Sydney and Brisbane.

    Asked if India will take confidence from these memorable video games, he mentioned:”We consider we will win the match. We have carried out nicely abroad not simply in England. We will come collectively to win this. 280 runs if you happen to bat nicely it’s gettable.” Rahane didn’t take the sector in second innings after being hit whereas batting on Friday. But Shami mentioned he’s totally match to bat.

    “He is batting well. In sports, you get hurt but you keep playing.” Shami too is ready to make a lower-order contribution if the necessity arises.

  • WTC last: Pitch was below ready going into day one says Shardul Thakur

    India all-rounder Shardul Thakur has referred to as The Oval pitch below ready, saying it is vitally totally different from the floor they performed on again in 2021.

    India had received that sport by 157 runs in September 2021 with Thakur getting a fifty in every innings.

    Thakur copped two nasty blows on Friday however managed to attain a vital 51. He and Ajinkya Rahane shared a helpful 109-run stand to take India to 296 in reply to Australia’s first-innings whole of 469 within the World Test Championship last.

    “The pitch is unquestionably totally different. Last time we performed the pitch was doing one thing and everybody is aware of if there’s cloud cowl in England the ball strikes round.

    “As the game went forward last time and the team started taking rollers it became flat. But this time it was not anything like that. It was under prepared I felt going in to the game. Like we saw yesterday and today it was a bit up and down,” Shardul stated.

    From one explicit finish, the ball took off from size and the Australian pacers exploited that successfully.

    “If we see yesterday’s play additionally, pitch modified slightly. Ball was onerous and bouncing from odd size. With six wickets down on the board, not too many runs, below strain, sure you’ll say the hardest hour although I’ve performed handful of sport however felt like welcome to Test cricket.

    “There is an space from the place the ball is developing, there’s a little grass across the crack and the size is such that batsmen can’t depart the deliveries simply. You must play, commit as a result of we noticed as we speak many balls saved down and I imply that’s an space of fine size, and I imply, that space is at a great size, slightly wanting size.

    “So that’s the area where the batsmen can’t immediately see and leave the ball. You have to play it. And if it bounces from there – then good luck for the batsmen. It was bouncing from the other end too – but from a bit behind, so the batsmen were getting time to adjust,” stated Thakur.

    Thakur asserted that India stay very a lot within the sport regardless of trailing Australia by 296 runs.

    “Cricket is a funny game. You can never say what is the right total, especially in an ICC final. One good partnership and you can chase down 450 or maybe more than that. We saw last year England chased 400 here and they did not lose too many wickets.” He was all reward for Rahane who made a gritty 89 in his comeback Test.

    “Ajinkya is one of the top players in the world. He has scored runs in England Australia and South Africa. It did not seem that he was batting badly though he wasn’t getting the runs (before being dropped). Even today he was using all his experience of batting in English conditions.”

  • ‘Did India overthink things?’: Damien Fleming raises questions on Ashwin’s omission

    Former Australia cricketer Damien Fleming and broadcaster Gerard Whateley reckon India could have overthought their choice to incorporate R Ashwin of their taking part in XI for the WTC last.

    “Did India overthink things?” Whateley requested on Australia’s SEN. “Did they outsmart themselves? The previous 34 times India had won the toss they’d elected to bat. They left Ashwin out of the team and by the end of the day, they could really have used him.”

    Fleming believes India ought to have included Ashwin and that pacers Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur couldn’t construct sufficient stress for the Australian batters.

    “They should have played Ashwin,” Fleming mentioned.

    “I think their selection forced their hand, winning the toss (and choosing to bowl) because of little bit of grass,” he mentioned. “My worry for India is, I think they’re short on batting.”

    “KS Bharat is batting at six who only averaged 20 in that series against Australia and then you’re relying on the bowling all-rounders in Jadeja.”

    “I thought Ashwin would play and in hindsight, he should have, because I thought Yadav and Thakur just didn’t beat build pressure, did they? In good conditions for them.”

    Fleming thinks Australia might have had an ideal likelihood to place the Test out of attain early if had determined to bowl first, and that the Indians ought to have been forward on Day 1 for his or her choice to take action to be justified.

    “I can see why they bowled first as I said with the short batting line up,” Fleming mentioned.

    “But they needed to be ahead of the game on day one hoping that Jadeja would play a big part in the second innings for Australia.”

    “But if Australia gets 500 here, I just can’t see Australia losing the game. That pitch to me looks like it’ll move at least for the next two days.”

    “By the end of day two, if we get early wickets and get into Bharat at number six and Jadeja at seven … they could be batting for a second time very quickly,” he added.

  • WTC Final: Sunil Gavaskar baffled by R Ashwin’s omission from India’s beginning eleven vs Australia

    By India Today Sports Desk:

    Sunil Gavaskar has said that he was left baffled by India’s choice to depart R Ashwin out of the beginning eleven for the World Test Championship remaining towards Australia on the Oval.

    India opted to bowl on Day 1 of the WTC 2023 remaining after profitable the toss and the choice didn’t yield the specified end result as Australia made 327 for 3 on the opening day, forcing Rohit Sharma and his males to be on the backfoot.

    WTC 2023 Final, Day 1 highlights

    Ashwin is third on the listing of the best wicket-takers in the course of the WTC 2021-23 cycle with 61 wickets to his title. The off-spinner can also be the No.1 ranked bowler within the ICC Test rankings. Ashwin had tormented Australia earlier within the yr in the course of the Border-Gavaskar trophy as he picked up 25 wickets and shared the Player Of The Series award with Ravindra Jadeja.

    Following India’s robust day within the workplace on Day 1 of the WTC Final, many questions had been raised about India’s name to drop Ashwin for the match.

    Gavaskar has now given his opinion on the matter and advised that India ought to have picked the off-spinner and the decision to depart him out of the facet baffled him.

    “Well, first and foremost, they could have R Ashwin in the team (what India could have done differently on Day 1?). It really bafflesâ€æirrespective of what the conditions are, the No. 1 bowler in the ICC rankings is not able to find a place in the Indian playing XI. That is something that has baffled me all the time whenever it’s Ashwin. Even the last time when India were here (in England), they were just not picking him,” mentioned Gavaskar.

    Gavaskar mentioned that Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur had been undercooked coming into the competition as a result of their restricted bowling time within the recently-concluded IPL. Umesh bowled 14 overs and was wicketless whereas conceding 54 runs. Shardul picked up one wicket in his 18 overs whereas conceding 75 runs.

    “Sometimes, you get a little carried away. If you have 4 quality seam bowlers, it’s a different thing. Top-quality seam bowlers.”

    “Two of our seam bowlers were undercooked. One is Umesh Yadav, who did not play in the last few matches for KKR and Shardul Thakur. Both of them who hadn’t bowled a lot. On the other hand, you had two bowlers who played every single game for their franchises. They might have been little overcooked despite it being a 4-over spell,” mentioned Gavaskar.

    Gavaskar additionally mentioned that with so many left-handers within the Australian batting lineup, India missed a trick by not having Ashwin within the beginning eleven for the match.

    “With so many left-handers in the Australian XI, an off-spinner should have been there. I think that’s where India missed a trick,” mentioned Gavaskar.

  • WTC Final: Australia favourites on paper nonetheless Indian players have edge in match well being, says Ravi Shastri

    By India Today Sports Desk: Australia on paper are favourites on a bouncy Oval flooring, nonetheless every Ravi Shastri and Ricky Ponting think about that the Indians are increased prepared for the World Test Championship final, which begins on Wednesday, with IPL game-time beneath their belts.

    Shastri, Ponting, and Pakistan veteran Wasim Akram all think about that the Oval observe is perhaps brisker than common on account of the venue has on no account hosted a Test match in June in its 140-year existence.

    Shastri, a former India head coach who led the group to the inaugural World T20 final in 2021, believes that if Jasprit Bumrah had been present, India would have started on an equal footing, if not as favourites.

    “I would say if you look at pace attack, if Bumrah was there, I would say it was equal with an attack of Mohammed Shami, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. But that Aussie attack with Starc, Cummins, may be the match fitness that will come into play,” Shastri talked about on the ICC’s ‘Afternoon with Test Legends’ event.

    Even though it was solely two months of T20 cricket, Shastri believes that sport time makes a distinction. Both Ponting and Akram agreed with Shastri.

    “Match fitness might come into play,” Shastri reckoned.

    “You need some cricket behind you and staying in the park for six hours for five days is different from bowling in nets for two hours every day,” he talked about.

    “Shami might be key as he has been playing a lot of cricket,” Shastri added.

    In actuality, Ponting gave the impression to be confused about whether or not or not being latest with out a great deal of video video games is preferable to having fun with some arduous T20 cricket.

    “Some of the Aussies have done nothing and not played anything. Coming in fresh, is that better? Or coming tired slightly jaded but playing lot of cricket, what is better,” talked about Ponting, with no specific reply.

    Akram’s perspective on the workload downside has been fixed over time.

    “I, as a player, like having cricket (games) behind me. Format doesn’t matter as long as I am playing. It’s better to have tournament like IPL.”

    Shastri, who was throughout the Indian dressing room after they misplaced the rain-soaked final in Southampton in 2021, acknowledged that this cycle has been radically utterly completely different.

    “When you don’t win, it hurts as you are not there to fill in numbers. But if I look in hindsight, compared to that World Test Championship cycle, it’s chalk and cheese.

    “There was COVID-19, quarantines. It was arduous on players, 14 days in isolation after which seven days of teaching. Here every teams have had time to arrange and this one is perhaps an excellent contest,” he said.

    A June Test match at the Oval would present its own set of challenges for Akram, who has played more than a decade of county cricket in England, primarily for Lancashire, a side he has captained.

    “In Oval, you play a Test match each in ultimate week of August or all through first or second week of September when the pitch is bone dry. But this time it’s a latest pitch and it’s early June.

    “There will be a lot more bounce. The Dukes swings lot more and for longer time and stays a lot harder than Kookaburra. I think Australia will be slightly favourites,” the ‘Sultan of Swing’ talked about.

    For former Australia captain Ponting, the circumstances on the Oval in June, with the promise of shiny local weather, are supreme. He says it reminds him further of his residence nation than of English.

    “Never been in a Test match held at the Oval in June (since 1880). The pitch should be perfect. It’s a neutral ball (Dukes and not Kookaburra or SG Test) at neutral venue and it (Dukes) does (seam and swing) longer (periods of time).

    “You check out this venue, it is further like an Aussie venue than English. Conditions barely favour Australia,” he talked about.

    — ENDS —

    – Podcast video embed code – IPL final

  • WTC Final: Don’t suppose Indian bowling assault is any a lot much less to Australia, says Greg Chappell

    By India Today Sports Desk: Former India coach Greg Chappell feels that the Indian bowling assault isn’t any a lot much less as compared with that of Australia ahead of the World Test Championship closing between both facet on the Oval from 7-11 June.

    India will possible be missing the service of tempo spearhead Jaspirt Bumrah for the competitors as Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat are the first quick bowlers to pick from.

    R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will as quickly as as soon as extra be the first spinners to call on for the match. Speaking on the Backstage with Boria current on Revsportz, as quoted by NDTV, Chappell acknowledged that he doesn’t suppose the Indian bowling assault is any a lot much less as compared with the Aussies.

    “I don’t think the Indian bowling attack is any less to Australia. Shami is a very good bowler and Siraj has been in very good rhythm in the IPL. They will pose as much difficulty for the Australians as the Australians will for the Indians,”

    The former coach moreover instructed India to enter the match with every Ashwin and Jadeja of their lineup. Chappell acknowledged that Jadeja will preserve one end up and his batting might also be helpful for India.

    Chappell acknowledged that Ashwin can have a slight psychological edge over the Aussies from his outing inside the Border-Gavaskar trophy earlier this 12 months.

    “If you ask me I think India should go in with two spinners. Ashwin and Jadeja have both been fantastic for India and you need to go in with your best bowlers. And even if Jadeja doesn’t pick too many wickets, he will not leak runs and hold one end up. That will give the fast bowlers the breather they need. And Jadeja’s batting has been fantastic at the Test level in the last few years. Coming to Ashwin, he is one of the best of this generation. He thinks deep and that stands him apart.”

    “With Starc bowling from over the wicket, Ashwin will also have the footmarks to use from day 3 onwards. Also, he has a slight mental edge over the Australians from the last Border Gavaskar Trophy. And when you add his batting at number 8, he is a key player for India and I think they should play both spinners for the simple reason that they are both quality players with plenty of experience,” acknowledged Chappell.