Cricket

Shubman Gill, India's rising star in the batting order, anticipates an exciting and challenging Test series against Bangladesh. The two nations will face off in Chennai on September 19 and Kanpur on September 27.Gill, who has amassed 1492 runs in 25 Tests, believes Bangladesh poses a formidable threat. "Their fast bowlers and middle-order batters have shown impressive resilience in recent matches," he said. "We can't underestimate them."The series marks the return of Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli to the Test team. Gill, who has transitioned to the number three batting position, acknowledges the challenges it presents."When you play in a different position, you have to prove yourself," he said. "I had a slow start at number three, but I'm determined to convert my fifties into big hundreds."Gill's performance in the recent 4-1 Test series victory against England, where he scored 452 runs at number three, boosted his confidence. "It was a great experience and gave me a lot of belief," he said.The series against Bangladesh will provide Gill with another opportunity to showcase his skills and contribute to India's success. With his talent and determination, he is poised to play a pivotal role in the upcoming matches.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the Indian Test squad for the first Test against Bangladesh, scheduled to commence on September 19 in Chennai. The squad features the return of star wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant and the maiden call-up of left-arm pacer Yash Dayal.Pant, who last played a Test match in December 2022, makes a comeback after recovering from a road accident that sidelined him for several months. The 26-year-old has been in impressive form since his return to cricket, playing a key role in India's T20 World Cup triumph.Another notable inclusion is pacer Akash Deep, who has impressed with his performances in the Duleep Trophy. Virat Kohli also returns to the Test side after missing the five-match series against England earlier this year.The squad is led by Rohit Sharma, with Dhruv Jurel serving as the second wicket-keeper batter. India and Bangladesh have a long history in Test cricket, with India holding a dominant 11-2 win-loss record.The second Test of the series will be played at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur from September 27 to October 1. Bangladesh will enter the series with confidence after their historic 2-0 win over Pakistan in Pakistan. India, on the other hand, will be looking to continue their impressive home record, having defeated England 4-1 earlier this year.

Pakistan cricket is in a state of disarray following their humiliating 0-2 Test series defeat to Bangladesh at home. The loss marks the first time Pakistan has been swept at home by an Asian opponent, sending shockwaves through the cricketing fraternity.Captain Shan Masood has faced the brunt of the criticism, but head coach Jason Gillespie has defended his leadership. Gillespie believes Masood has led the team well, but the players have simply not performed."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," Gillespie said.Masood, for his part, remains confident in his ability to lead the team. He believes Pakistan is heading in the right direction, despite the recent setbacks."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.Masood also highlighted the need for more Test experience within the team. He pointed to the fact that Bangladesh had several players with over 70 Tests of experience, while Pakistan lacked such depth."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 defeat to Bangladesh has raised serious questions about the future of Pakistan cricket. The team has now lost six consecutive Test series, and their ranking has plummeted to ninth in the world.Gillespie and Masood have their work cut out for them if they are to turn things around. They need to find a way to improve the team's performance on the field, and they need to do it quickly. Otherwise, Pakistan cricket could be in for a long and difficult period.

India's premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has extended his support to Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood amidst the team's recent struggles. Pakistan suffered a historic 2-0 series sweep against Bangladesh, marking the first time they have lost a Test series to their neighbors.Ashwin acknowledged the challenges facing Masood, particularly with the absence of star batter Babar Azam from the leadership group. "Handling a Pakistan team at this point, where somebody like Babar Azam is not the captain and he's the poster boy of Pakistan, it cannot be an easy dressing room," Ashwin said.Despite the criticism directed at Masood, Ashwin believes he possesses the qualities of a capable captain. "Shan Masood is a very smart cricketer. I know that guy. He speaks a lot of sense. He can be a really good captain for Pakistan," Ashwin stated.Ashwin also commended Bangladesh's impressive performance in the series. "Bangladesh have come a long way. I don't take anything away from them. They have got a lot of experience in Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan, and they have also got some good young talent," he said.Meanwhile, Ashwin has been rested for the ongoing Duleep Trophy alongside other top Indian players. He is expected to return to action later this month when Bangladesh tours India for a two-match Test series.

Pakistan cricket is facing a severe crisis, with the national team's recent 0-2 Test series defeat to Bangladesh at home being labeled as their worst performance in the longest format. One of the primary reasons for Pakistan's struggles has been the underperformance of star batter Babar Azam.Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has advised Azam to get married, believing it will improve his performance. "Babar Azam, talk to your parents and get married. He will be a completely different man after that," Ali said. "I know how a player feels when he is not performing well. I request Babar's parents to get him to marry."Azam's poor form has been evident in recent series. In the three-match Test series against Australia last year, he scored 126 runs at an average of 21. In the four T20Is against England before the T20 World Cup, he managed 68 runs at an average of 34.00. In the T20 World Cup, he scored 122 runs in four matches at an average of 40.66, but was criticized for his low strike rate of 101.66.In the recent Test series against Bangladesh, Azam scored just 64 runs in four innings. Former cricketer Rashid Latif believes this defeat should serve as a wake-up call for Pakistan cricket. "This is a wake-up call for Pakistan cricket. They can't go lower than this. Now, it's the time to rise and open your eyes," Latif said. "If you still don't open your eyes after losing to Bangladesh, play Test series only against Nepal and Afghanistan."Azam's struggles have raised concerns about his leadership and the team's overall direction. Pakistan cricket is at a crossroads, and it remains to be seen whether Azam and the team can turn things around.

Pakistan's former wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal has launched a scathing attack on the national team management and captains for their lack of faith in spinners during home Test series. Akmal believes that spinners have been consistently marginalized and denied adequate opportunities to showcase their abilities over the past three years.Akmal's criticism comes in the wake of Pakistan's 0-2 loss to Bangladesh in their recent home series. He pointed out that Pakistan has a strong track record of winning home matches when they employ a balanced attack of fast bowlers and spinners. However, he believes that the team has been overly reliant on pacers in recent years, which has led to their downfall.Akmal expressed concern over the exclusion of experienced spinners from the team. He mentioned players like Yasir Shah, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Bilal Asif, Zahid Mahmood, and Usman Qadir, who he believes should not have been overlooked without proper justification."When Babar (Azam) was captain, he kept some spinners in the squad but never bothered to play them regularly. Unless spinners get constant exposure, how will they come through?" Akmal said.Akmal also highlighted the struggles of Pakistan's batters against fast bowlers. He believes that the batters are comfortable facing pacers bowling at 130-140 kmph, but they struggle against bowlers who bowl at 140 kmph or more."Our batters are comfortable against pacers bowling at 130-140 kmph, but when they face a pace of 140 kmph or more, and they see that on the scoreboard during the match, their legs start to give way," he said.Akmal emphasized that players should prioritize domestic cricket rather than solely focusing on overseas leagues. He believes that the lack of commitment towards domestic cricket is leading to inconsistent performances at the international level."They prefer to go and play in useless foreign leagues to earn money and this is not helping them develop their skills. This lack of commitment towards domestic cricket is leading to inconsistent performances at the international level," he said.Akmal also commented on Babar Azam's recent form slump. He believes that Azam is struggling due to some technical flaws."He is unsure of himself and his off-stump early on and has this tendency to leave his leg stump exposed. Balls that should be played towards cover are being played straight, and the bat doesn't go towards the ball's direction," he said.

Bangladesh's historic victory over Pakistan in the second Test at Rawalpindi has dealt a significant blow to the hosts' hopes of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final. Pakistan's consecutive Test losses have dropped them to eighth place in the WTC points table, leaving them with an uphill battle to qualify for the prestigious event.Despite their recent setbacks, Pakistan still has a mathematical chance of finishing in the top two, which would secure their place in the WTC final. However, this requires them to win all their remaining matches in the current WTC cycle.Pakistan's upcoming challenges include a three-match Test series against England at home, followed by two-match series against South Africa and the West Indies. If they can secure victories in all seven upcoming Tests, their PCT% will rise to 59.52.However, the upcoming five-match series between India and Australia could potentially open up an opportunity for Pakistan to finish in the top two. If India and Australia draw or lose any of their matches, it could create a scenario where Pakistan can qualify with a strong performance in their remaining fixtures.On the other hand, if Pakistan fails to win any of their remaining seven Tests, their chances of qualifying will be severely jeopardized. They may be eliminated from contention if other teams perform well in their respective series.Pakistan's recent Test defeats have highlighted the need for improvement in their batting and bowling departments. The team has struggled to post competitive totals and has been unable to consistently take wickets.As they prepare for their upcoming challenges, Pakistan will need to address these weaknesses and find a way to regain their winning form. The WTC 2025 final remains a distant dream, but it is still within their reach if they can turn their fortunes around.

Pakistan cricket has hit a new low after suffering a humiliating 2-0 whitewash at the hands of Bangladesh in a recently concluded Test series. The defeat marks the first time Bangladesh has ever won a Test series against Pakistan, and it has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world.Shan Masood, Pakistan's Test captain, has become the first captain from the nation to lose his first five Test matches. He was appointed as skipper in November last year after Babar Azam stepped down from the role. Masood's record is even worse than that of Javed Burki, who lost his first three Test matches as Pakistan captain.Masood has acknowledged the need for consistency in selection and the importance of finding players who can be automatic selections based on current form. However, he has also expressed confidence in his ability to make the necessary changes to improve the team's performance."I am not worried for my job security," Masood said. "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 in that direction, I will be content."Pakistan's Test ranking has also plummeted to its lowest point in nearly six decades, falling to eighth place after the defeat to Bangladesh. The team now has no bowlers ranked in the top 10, and only one batter, Mohammad Rizwan, remains in the top 10.The defeat has raised serious questions about the future of Pakistan cricket. The team has struggled for consistency in recent years, and the loss to Bangladesh has exposed some deep-seated problems. Masood and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will need to work together to find solutions and rebuild the team's confidence.

Pakistan's dismal performance in the recent Test series against Bangladesh has sparked widespread criticism and raised concerns about the state of the team. Former captain Ramiz Raja has called for an explanation from red-ball captain Shan Masood and senior players, while the media has expressed dismay at the team's lackluster display.The series, which Bangladesh won 2-0, marked a new low for Pakistan, who have now slipped to eighth in the ICC World Test Championship standings. Masood, who took over the captaincy earlier this year, has come under fire for his leadership and team selection.Critics have pointed to the team's lack of fitness and long gaps between Test matches as contributing factors to the debacle. Masood himself admitted that the team was not prepared for the challenge posed by Bangladesh, who played with greater intensity and determination.Raja, in particular, has been vocal in his criticism of Masood's captaincy. He believes that Masood has failed to inspire the team and has not held senior players accountable for their poor performances."It's the job of the leader to fight," Raja said. "Agreed he (Masood) is a young captain, agreed the bowling attack was young, but he had picked up this bowling attack."Raja also questioned Masood's own batting form, noting that the left-hander has not scored a century in Test cricket since 2020."He has to answer about his own performance," Raja said. "He is not scoring and the way Bangladesh squeezed, somebody has to be called for explanation, senior players needs to explain."The decline in Pakistan's Test cricket performance has been a cause for concern for fans and experts alike. The team has struggled to find consistency in recent years, and the Bangladesh series has only served to highlight the depth of the problems.With a three-Test series against England looming next month, Pakistan has little time to recover. Raja believes that the players need to take responsibility for their performances and show a greater sense of urgency."They (players) have to take onus," Raja said. "This is the season to make a name. You have to get yourself up mentally and there are no excuses. … When there’s no blame game, only then you can go upward.”