Cricket

Delhi's batting woes continued on day two of their Ranji Trophy clash against Assam at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Despite several players getting starts, the home side found themselves trailing by 116 runs with four wickets remaining in their first innings.Skipper Himmat Singh top-scored with 55, while Yash Dhull and Sanat Sangwan contributed 47 each. However, none of them could convert their starts into substantial scores, unlike Sumit Ghadigaonkar, who had scored 162 for Assam.Delhi's innings began disastrously with Gagan Vats dismissed for a duck off the very first ball. Dhull and Sangwan steadied the ship with a 66-run partnership for the second wicket, but Dhull's dismissal just after lunch proved costly.Himmat and Sangwan looked assured at the crease, but their efforts were not enough to lift Delhi out of trouble. The frustration was evident as the home side failed to capitalize on their opportunities.Earlier in the day, Delhi's bowlers had done their job by taking the remaining four Assam wickets fairly quickly. Himmat's catch to dismiss Mukhtar Hussain was a highlight, as he ran back a few meters while following the trajectory of the ball and completed an excellent catch.Harshit Rana claimed his five-for with a full ball to Mrinmoy Dutta that clattered the stumps, wrapping up Assam's innings at 330.Delhi now faces an uphill battle to even claim first-innings honors when play resumes on Monday. Their batting has been underwhelming throughout the season, and they will need to find a way to turn things around if they want to avoid defeat.

India's hopes of a comeback in the second Test against New Zealand at the MCA Stadium in Pune appear bleak, according to former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali. The visitors have taken a commanding lead of 301 runs at the end of day two, thanks to a brilliant performance by left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner.Santner's 7-53 dismantled India's batting lineup, bowling them out for just 156 in response to New Zealand's 259. India's batting woes continued from their 46 all-out debacle in Bengaluru, with Ravindra Jadeja top-scoring with 38."If Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli score runs, there might be a possibility (of a comeback)," said Basit Ali on his YouTube channel. "But the chances are very low right now. New Zealand are in a very strong position to win the match."New Zealand extended their lead to 198-5 in their second innings, with Tom Latham scoring a solid 86. Wicketkeeper Tom Blundell (30 not out) and Glenn Phillips (9 not out) remained unbeaten, steering New Zealand closer to a historic Test series win in India.India's bowlers, led by Washington Sundar, showed some resistance. Sundar picked up four wickets, bringing his match tally to 11, while Ravichandran Ashwin chipped in with a key breakthrough. However, New Zealand's batters extended their lead, leaving India in a tough spot."Before the Australia tour, this is not a good sign for India," added Basit Ali. "Let's see what happens."India's batting collapse has exposed their vulnerabilities, particularly against spin. Santner's dismissals of Virat Kohli for just one and Sarfaraz Khan for 11 were crucial.With New Zealand already 1-0 up in the three-match series, India face an uphill task to level the series. Their struggles with the bat are particularly concerning ahead of their upcoming Australia tour.

India's batting woes have been laid bare in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand, with two embarrassing collapses highlighting the team's struggles on challenging surfaces.In the series opener in Bengaluru, India were bundled out for a paltry 46 on an overcast morning, their lowest total on home soil in Tests. Captain Rohit Sharma admitted that the team "misread" the pitch, with the ball doing tricks in the air and off the surface. However, the batters showed little intent to battle it out, with five ducks and only two batters reaching double digits.The visitors would have felt at home in the Bengaluru setting, but the Indian batters lacked a plan and collapsed like a pack of cards. Even a fightback in the second innings couldn't cover up for the horror morning, and India found themselves 0-1 down in the three-Test series.In the second Test in Pune, India's batting woes continued. Despite the opposition winning the toss and opting to bat, the Indian spinners ran through the New Zealanders, making it India's day. However, the second morning in Pune was a different story.With the sun out in full glory, the Kiwi spinners spun into action and the Indian batters underwent another trial by spin. The mischief of the surface started the moment Tom Latham introduced spin, but it was the recklessness of the batters that came as a rude shock.Not one player trusted their defense and were shockingly wild in their shot-selection. They played across the line, off the backfoot, and slogged mindlessly, despite the pitch not being conducive to such shots.The batters' approach has come under scanner twice this series. Twice, India have capitulated in contrasting conditions, highlighting their struggles on challenging surfaces. With one more innings in Pune and one more Test before they head off to Australia for the five-match series, the batters need to up their game to avoid further embarrassment.

India's dominance on home soil has been challenged in recent times, as visiting teams have exploited the spin-friendly conditions to their advantage. In the ongoing Test series against New Zealand, the hosts found themselves on the receiving end of Mitchell Santner's spin wizardry.After dismissing New Zealand for 259, India's batting lineup crumbled to a mere 156 runs, conceding a substantial 103-run lead. The dismissals of key players Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja highlighted India's vulnerability against spin.This is not an isolated incident. In the past, India has fallen into its own trap by preparing turning tracks for opponents. Here are some notable examples:India vs Australia, 3rd Test, 2023, Indore:Australia secured a nine-wicket victory on a spinning track at Indore's Holkar Stadium. Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann exploited the conditions, bowling India out for just 109 in their first innings. Despite a fightback from India's spinners, Lyon's eight wickets in the second innings sealed the match for Australia.India vs England, 1st Test, 2024, Hyderabad:England clinched a 28-run victory at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Tom Hartley's spin proved too much for India, who collapsed for just 202 runs in their chase. Earlier, Ollie Pope's brilliant 196 had set India a challenging target.India vs England, 1st Test, 2021, Chennai:England secured a comprehensive 227-run victory in Chennai. Joe Root's double-century helped England post a formidable 578 in their first innings. India's batting struggled against Dom Bess and Jack Leach, who spun the hosts out for 337 and 192 runs, respectively.These instances demonstrate that India's reliance on spin-friendly tracks can backfire. Opponents have adapted to the conditions and exploited India's weaknesses against spin. The team needs to find a balance between preparing pitches that favor their spinners while also ensuring that their batters can cope with the turning ball.

India's batting woes continued in the second Test against New Zealand in Pune, as they were bowled out for a paltry 156 in their first innings, handing the visitors a commanding 103-run lead. This marks the second consecutive home Test where India has conceded a lead of over 100 runs, a feat not seen in 23 years.The collapse began on Day 1, when India lost captain Rohit Sharma for a duck, leaving them at 16/1 overnight. On Day 2, the top-order showed some promise, with Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal taking the score to 50/1. However, Gill's dismissal triggered a catastrophic collapse, with India losing nine wickets for 106 runs in just over 24 overs.Mitchell Santner led the charge for New Zealand, claiming career-best figures of 7 for 53. Ravindra Jadeja's late resistance of 38 off 46 balls was the only notable contribution from the Indian batters.This latest batting failure follows India's shocking collapse in the previous Test in Bengaluru, where they were bowled out for 46, their lowest home total. The back-to-back collapses have raised concerns about India's batting depth and resilience.The last time India conceded 100-plus leads in back-to-back home Tests was in 2001 against Australia. Despite this unwanted record, India famously came back to win that series, and they will be hoping for a similar resurgence against New Zealand.However, the task ahead is daunting. New Zealand's substantial first-innings lead has put India in a difficult position. The hosts will need to bat with much greater determination and resilience in their second innings to stay competitive in the match and series.

Bangladesh's batting woes continued in the Dhaka Test against South Africa, with the top four batsmen failing to deliver. The team's total of 105 runs in the match was their worst performance this year, highlighting the need for improvement.The collapse on the first day of the match proved costly, with only the lower order, led by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, preventing an innings defeat. Mehidy's 97 in the second innings forced South Africa to bat again, but it was not enough to salvage the match.Mehidy attributed the team's struggles to poor decision-making and a lack of runs on the board. He emphasized the importance of the top order contributing to the total, as it makes life easier for the rest of the batters."We did it in Pakistan where the top four were contributing to the total," Mehidy said. "When the openers start well, it makes life easier for the rest of the batters."Mehidy also acknowledged the pressure on the bowlers when the batters fail to score. "Batters have to take more responsibility," he said. "Lack of runs on the board makes life difficult for the bowlers."Despite the team's struggles, Mehidy remains optimistic about the future. He is leading Bangladesh's batting charts in this World Test Championship cycle and is confident that the team can improve."I am mentally trying to prepare myself to score runs," he said. "I am always trying to get better."Bangladesh have four days to prepare for the Chattogram Test, where they will have one last opportunity to get a score in familiar conditions before embarking on assignments in the UAE and the West Indies.

Team India's batting woes continued on Day 2 of the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru, as they were bundled out for a paltry 46 runs, their lowest Test total on home soil. The collapse was triggered by a devastating bowling performance from Matt Henry and William O'Rourke, who shared nine wickets between them.Rohit Sharma's decision to bat first backfired spectacularly, with four of India's top seven batters dismissed for ducks, including star batsman Virat Kohli. The Indian batting lineup was unable to cope with the New Zealand bowlers' relentless pressure, with only Shreyas Iyer (10) and Ravichandran Ashwin (13) reaching double figures.Former India captain Anil Kumble criticized the team's batting approach, particularly the decision to bat Kohli at number three. Kumble argued that Kohli should have batted at his usual position of number four, while a solid player like Cheteshwar Pujara should have been brought in at number three to tackle the new ball."Virat Kohli should have batted at No. 4, he is your number one batter at that position. For the number three position, [you need] someone like Cheteshwar Pujara, who did so well for so many years playing there. 100 Test matches because he would have been there today, then I don't think he would have gone looking to hit the ball," Kumble said.Kumble also criticized the Indian batters' lack of patience, saying they were trying to play every ball. "He would allow the ball to come on and that's where you miss someone like that (Pujara). Kind of an approach today. And India is certainly in a spot of bother here," he added.Meanwhile, New Zealand took a commanding lead of 134 runs on Day 2, thanks to a solid batting performance led by opener Devon Conway, who scored 91 runs. Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell were unbeaten on 22 and 14, respectively, when bad light stopped play in an extended session.

India's Humiliating Collapse: Lowest Test Total at HomeThe Indian cricket team endured a catastrophic collapse on Thursday, registering their lowest-ever Test total at home against New Zealand in Bengaluru. After rain washed out the opening day, India opted to bat first in overcast conditions, a decision that proved disastrous.The Indian batting lineup crumbled under the relentless pressure of New Zealand's pace attack. Five batters—Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and R Ashwin—were dismissed for ducks, while openers Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal managed only 2 and 13 runs, respectively.Rishabh Pant emerged as the top-scorer with a meager 20 runs, highlighting the team's abysmal performance. The collapse sparked widespread criticism on social media, with fans and pundits calling for the return of veteran batters Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara.At lunch, India was reeling at 34 for 6, and their slide continued after the break. R Ashwin and Pant fell in quick succession, followed by Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav, who contributed only 1 and 2 runs, respectively.The humiliating collapse has raised serious questions about India's batting depth and the team's ability to perform under pressure. The selectors' decision to move on from Rahane and Pujara has come under scrutiny, as the younger players have failed to live up to expectations.

New Zealand's batting woes continued on day four of the first Test against Sri Lanka, despite valiant efforts from Glenn Phillips and Tom Blundell. The visitors resumed on 249 for 5, trailing by 353 runs, but lost three wickets in the first session to slip further behind.Phillips and Blundell, who had both scored half-centuries overnight, added 64 runs for the sixth wicket before Peiris dismissed them both. Phillips was caught at long-on for 78, while Blundell was trapped lbw for 60.Mitchell Santner then joined forces with Phillips to put on another 64 runs for the seventh wicket. Santner struck 48 not out off 56 balls, including two sixes and a four.However, New Zealand's lower order could not provide the necessary support, and they were eventually bowled out for 335, still 179 runs behind Sri Lanka's first-innings total of 602 for 5 declared.Peiris was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, finishing with figures of 5 for 155. He was ably supported by Prabath Jayasuriya, who took 3 for 77.New Zealand now face an uphill battle to save the match. They need to bat out the remaining two days without losing any further wickets, a task that looks increasingly unlikely given their fragile batting lineup.