Cricket

Dhruv Jurel's impressive performance in the second unofficial Test against Australia 'A' has put him in contention for a spot in India's playing XI for the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Perth.Jurel, who made his Test debut against England earlier this year, has shown his mettle with a fighting knock of 80 off 186 balls against Australia 'A'. With Rishabh Pant firmly established as India's first-choice wicketkeeper, Jurel's chances of playing as a wicketkeeper are slim. However, his batting prowess could earn him a spot as a specialist batsman.With captain Rohit Sharma likely to miss the first Test due to injury, KL Rahul is expected to partner Yashasvi Jaiswal as an opener. Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has also been in contention for the opening spot, has failed to impress against Australia 'A'.This leaves the middle order as a potential opening for Jurel. Sarfaraz Khan, who has been in and out of the Test team, has not been in the best of form lately. His brittle temperament could also be a concern against the aggressive Australian bowlers.Jurel, on the other hand, has shown his ability to handle pressure and play long innings. His 90 in the Rajkot Test against England is a testament to his batting skills.If coach Gautam Gambhir decides to include Jurel in the playing XI, he could replace Sarfaraz Khan in the middle order. Jurel's experience at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where the first Test will be played, could also be a factor in his favor.

KL Rahul's inconsistent form continues to haunt him as he failed to impress in the opening day of India A's four-day contest against Australia A at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Opening the batting, Rahul was dismissed for a mere four runs, putting his hopes of earning a spot in the India XI for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in jeopardy.Rahul's dismissal came at the hands of Scott Boland, who angled the ball into the off stump region and found the edge. The 32-year-old had started strongly, hitting a boundary off his first ball, but his innings was cut short after just seven deliveries.Michael Neser emerged as the destroyer-in-chief for Australia A, taking 4 wickets for 27 runs in the first innings. Dhruv Jurel top-scored for India A with 80 runs, while Devdutt Padikkal (26) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (16) also contributed. Beau Webster claimed three wickets for the hosts, running through the lower order.Rahul's latest single-digit outing is a setback in his bid to seal a spot in the Indian team for the Perth Test, which begins in 15 days. Dropped for the second and third Tests against New Zealand, Rahul needs to make a mark at the MCG to impress selectors, coach Gautam Gambhir, and captain Rohit Sharma.Inconsistency has been a major concern for Rahul, who has struggled to find his rhythm in recent times. He scored 38 and 68 in the two Bangladesh Tests and had produced 86 runs against England in Hyderabad. His last Test century, 101 runs, came versus South Africa at Centurion.Prior to that knock, Rahul had gone past the 25-run mark only once in 12 innings. His record in Australia is also not encouraging, with the batter averaging just 20.77 in five Tests.Despite his struggles, Rahul's experience and ability to bat at the top of the order or in the middle could still earn him a recall to the Indian team. However, he will need to produce a significant performance in the remaining three days of the match to convince the selectors that he deserves a place in the XI.

The recent India A vs Australia A warm-up match has been marred by allegations of ball tampering against the visiting team. During the match, the umpires informed India A players that the ball had been changed due to tampering. Umpire Shawn Craig brought the development to Indian players' notice during the first unofficial Test.In a statement, Cricket Australia said that the ball had to be changed "due to deterioration", while both the managers and the captains were informed of the decision before the start of the day's play.Now, Fox Cricket has released a video of the exact stump mic conversation. Here's how it went:Shawn Craig: When you scratch it, we change the ball. No more discussion. Let's play. This is not a discussion.Ishan Kishan: So we are going to play with this ball?Craig: You're playing with that ball.Ishan: That's a very stupid decision.Craig: Excuse me. You will be on report for dissent. That is inappropriate behaviour. Because of your actions we changed the ball.Kishan: Thank you!Following that, a discussion took place in the Fox Cricket panel. The panel agreed that the way the Indian players showed dissent proved the 'might and force of India' in world cricket. David Warner's wife, Candice, was also part of the discussion. She said, "It just goes to show the power of India and how strong they are. A lot of these umpires want to be part of the IPL."One of the panelists then added: “India run the game. Every dollar that is raised in cricket, is raised by India. This change over the last few decades has been extraordinary.”According to a report in The Indian Express, a player, requesting anonymity, denied tampering allegations, suggesting a "nail from the sideboards may have brushed the ball."According to Cricket Australia's code of conduct, players involved in the ball tampering incident could be handed bans if the team is found to have intentionally changed the condition of the ball."Any action(s) likely to alter the condition of the ball which are not specifically permitted under Law 41.3.2 may be regarded as unfair," Cricket Australia's code of conduct reads.After the controversy spiralled up, Cricket Australia issued a statement saying, the ball change happened "due to deterioration."

India A's hopes of a Test recall for KL Rahul and other candidates suffered a setback as Australia A's Michael Neser wreaked havoc on their batting lineup on the opening day of their four-day clash at the MCG.Sent in on a green, bouncy pitch, India A collapsed to 65 for 5 at lunch, with Neser claiming 4 for 16 from eight overs. The damage began in the opening over when Neser dismissed Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan in consecutive deliveries.Rahul, who was hoping to impress as an opener, was caught behind for four by Scott Boland. Ruturaj Gaikwad also fell cheaply, edging Neser to second slip.Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel steadied the innings with a 43-run partnership, but Neser broke the stand with a superb delivery that induced Padikkal to slice a catch to gully.Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney rotated his bowlers effectively, with Nathan McAndrew, Beau Webster, and Corey Rocchiccioli providing support to Neser and Boland.India A's batting woes continued after lunch, with Jurel (24*) and Sarfaraz Khan (12*) holding on amidst the carnage. However, the visitors still face an uphill battle to recover from their disastrous start.

David Warner has urged Cricket Australia (CA) to provide a thorough explanation regarding the controversial ball change incident that occurred during the final day of the Australia A-India A match in Mackay. The incident sparked outrage among Indian players, particularly wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan, who vehemently protested the umpires' decision to replace the ball.Audio captured by the stump microphone revealed umpire Shawn Craig informing Kishan that the previous ball had scratches and that he would be reported for calling the decision "stupid." Craig stated, "You scratch it, we change the ball. There will be no more discussion, let's play."Hours after the match concluded, CA released a statement claiming that the ball had "deteriorated" and that no further action would be taken. The statement added that both teams' captains and managers had been informed of the decision before play resumed.Warner, who admitted to not having witnessed the entire incident but had observed the on-field exchanges, suggested that the issue had been swiftly addressed ahead of India's impending arrival for the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He emphasized the need for CA to provide a comprehensive explanation, stating, "The ultimate decision is with CA isn't it? I think they have obviously squashed it as fast as they could, given that India is coming out here this summer."Warner also expressed his belief that the match referee should address the umpires' actions and stand by their decisions. He added, "I think the match referee should be coming out and addressing his own staff which are the umpires. And if they're sticking by the umpire's decisions, you have to stand up for that."It is understood that no footage exists of any untoward behavior involving the ball. According to the laws of the game, a five-run penalty is imposed if the umpires determine that the ball has been unfairly altered. However, CA's playing conditions include an additional clause that allows the umpires to change the ball without imposing penalty runs if the cause of the damage is unclear.Warner's comments came on the same day he was announced as the captain of the Sydney Thunder following the overturning of his lifetime leadership ban imposed for his involvement in the Newlands ball-tampering scandal in 2018. He acknowledged the severity of his punishment and expressed his acceptance of it, stating, "The punishment that was handed down was there for a reason and I thoroughly accept that."Warner emphasized his desire to share his knowledge and experience with the Thunder's younger players, hoping to inspire them to become future leaders in the sport.

Nathan McSweeney's impressive performance in the first four-day match against India A has solidified his position as a leading contender for the vacant opening spot in Australia's Test side. The Australia A captain will open alongside Marcus Harris in the second match at the MCG, a clear indication of their status as frontrunners.McSweeney's standout performance in Mackay, where he guided Australia A to victory with an unbeaten 88, has earned him high praise. "I'm really confident in my game," he said. "I'm progressing and I'm batting some of the best innings I've played."The 24-year-old has never opened in his first-class career, but his recent form has made him a viable option. Another possibility is for him to bat at his usual No. 3 spot, with Marnus Labuschagne moving up the order."You could do," said captain Pat Cummins. "Maybe once we we kind of start discussing who's in the side, then you start looking at the batting order."The Australia A XI for the second match includes three specialist openers: Harris, McSweeney, and Cameron Bancroft. Harris' 36 in the second innings was the highest score among them.The selectors will use the second match to gather final information before announcing the Test squad for the Border-Gavaskar Series. Australia will name a 13-player squad with two batting spots up for grabs.McSweeney's strong performance has put him in a prime position to earn a Test debut. If selected, he will be eager to prove his worth and cement his place in the Australian team.

The India vs Australia rivalry is one of the most intense in cricket, and the upcoming series is already heating up. India A, currently touring Australia, has been accused of ball tampering during a practice match against Australia A.Ahead of the start of play on Sunday, match officials informed India A players that the ball had been changed due to tampering. Umpire Shawn Craig told the Indian players, "When you scratch it, we change the ball. No more discussion, let's play."India A's wicket-keeper batter for the match, Ishan Kishan, was furious at the umpire's call, calling it a "stupid decision."Cricket Australia released a statement saying that the ball had to be changed "due to deterioration," and that both managers and captains were informed of the decision before the start of play.However, an anonymous India A player has denied the tampering allegations, suggesting that a "nail from the sideboards may have brushed the ball."According to Cricket Australia's code of conduct, players involved in ball tampering could face bans if the team is found to have intentionally changed the condition of the ball."Any action(s) likely to alter the condition of the ball which are not specifically permitted under Law 41.3.2 may be regarded as unfair," the code of conduct states.Cricket Australia has since issued a statement saying that the ball change happened "due to deterioration."The incident has sparked controversy, with some accusing India A of cheating. However, the team has denied the allegations, and Cricket Australia has stated that the ball change was due to natural wear and tear.

Former Australian wicket-keeper Ian Healy has raised suspicions about the India A team's involvement in the controversial ball change incident during their four-day match against Australia A. Healy believes that India A may have been attempting to manipulate the ball for reverse swing, which could have given them an advantage in the match.The incident occurred on day four of the match when umpires changed the ball due to a scratch. India A wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan expressed his disapproval of the decision, leading to a warning from the umpire. However, Cricket Australia later stated that the ball was changed due to deterioration and no action would be taken.Healy, however, remains skeptical. He believes that India A's complaints about the ball change and their subsequent refusal to attend a post-match press conference are suspicious. He also criticized India A's decision to skip an intra-squad game at the WACA in Perth and instead opt for center wicket stimulation practice.Healy believes that Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney should open the batting for Australia in the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against India. McSweeney scored 39 and 88 not out in the seven-wicket win over India A and has been in impressive form.Healy also expressed concern about India's preparation for the Test series, especially after their 3-0 defeat to New Zealand at home. He believes that India should have played more competitive matches in the lead-up to the series.

Australia A emerged victorious in the first unofficial Test against India A, securing a seven-wicket win at Mackay on Sunday. The triumph gives Australia a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.India A, after winning the toss and electing to bat, were dismissed for a paltry 107 runs in their first innings. Devdutt Padikkal (36), Sai Sudharsan (21), and Navdeep Saini (23) were the only batsmen to reach double figures. Brendan Doggett was the star performer for Australia A with a six-wicket haul, while Jordan Buckingham, Todd Murphy, and Fergus O'Neill chipped in with one wicket each.In response, Australia A posted 195 runs, taking an 88-run lead. Nathan McSweeney (39), Beau Webster (33), and Cooper Connolly (37) made significant contributions. Mukesh Kumar and Prasidh Krishna were the tormentors for India A, claiming six and three wickets, respectively.India A's second innings saw a resurgence as Sai Sudharsan (103) and Devdutt Padikkal (88) forged a 200-run partnership. Ishan Kishan also contributed with a solid 32. India A was eventually bowled out for 312, setting Australia A a target of 225 runs.Australia A's chase got off to a shaky start as they lost three early wickets. However, McSweeney (88) and Webster (61) steadied the ship with a crucial partnership. McSweeney's innings was particularly impressive, lasting 178 balls and featuring nine boundaries. Webster's contribution of 61 runs in 117 balls helped Australia A secure the victory with seven wickets to spare.