Cricket

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has sparked a debate over the treatment of Rinku Singh by Team India. Chopra has questioned the team's strategy of placing Rinku lower in the batting order, suggesting that he should be given the opportunity to bat at number four instead of number six.Chopra believes that Rinku has not been given the optimal platform to showcase his capabilities. "Are we being fair to Rinku? It's a very important question," Chopra said on his YouTube channel. "He was in your team against Bangladesh and before that as well. Whenever you have sent him up the order or he has got to bat in the powerplay, he has scored runs every time."Chopra emphasized that Rinku has consistently performed well when given more overs to bat. He highlighted that the left-hander has emerged as a reliable player for India in critical situations, scoring crucial runs at a commendable strike rate. "He has scored a half-century every time. He has emerged as a crisis man. He scored those half-centuries at very good strike rates," Chopra added.Rinku, having scored 490 runs at a strike rate of 173.14 in 20 T20I innings, remains a promising prospect for India. Chopra proposed that Tilak Varma could have been shifted to the number six position, allowing Rinku to bat at number four and affording him more time to settle in and make a significant contribution."I feel you could have played him at No. 4 in Durban. In fact, you could have done that in this entire series and moved Tilak Varma down because someone has to go at No. 6," he explained.While acknowledging Rinku's finishing abilities, Chopra pointed out that the 27-year-old doesn't fit the mold of a typical power-hitter like Andre Russell or Hardik Pandya. He believes that Rinku's batting style, which prioritizes timing over sheer power, would be more effective if he were given a higher batting position."I am asking this question only because Rinku can finish but he is not just a finisher. This is my understanding. I feel he knows how to drive the game. He is hitting sixes but he is not someone who muscles the ball. He is not Andre Russell and he is not Hardik Pandya as well," Chopra said.

Indian Test captain Rohit Sharma's recent struggles have raised concerns among cricket pundits. Despite his impressive record in limited-overs cricket, Rohit's Test batting has been underwhelming, particularly in the recently concluded series against New Zealand.In the three-match series, Rohit managed only 91 runs across six innings, with three dismissals coming from fast bowlers on spin-friendly tracks. Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria has attributed Rohit's poor form to his batting position and has suggested a change in order.Kaneria believes that Rohit should move down to the number three position, allowing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill to open the batting. He argues that Rohit has struggled against the moving ball in India and that the conditions in Australia, where India will tour later this year, will be even more challenging."Just see if Rohit Sharma is still comfortable opening or if he should come in one-down and change his order a little bit because he has been struggling with the track in India," Kaneria said. "The Indian top order should be Jaiswal and Shubman as openers, Rohit coming one-down, and Virat two-down."Kaneria's suggestion aligns with the growing consensus that Rohit's batting style is better suited to the middle order. As an opener, he faces the new ball and is more vulnerable to swing and seam bowling. By moving down the order, he would have the opportunity to settle in and play his shots more freely.Rohit's captaincy has also come under scrutiny following India's 3-0 whitewash against New Zealand. This is the first time India has been clean swept in a Test series of three or more matches at home. Kaneria believes that head coach Gautam Gambhir needs to manage the team's batting lineup more effectively, particularly in the absence of injured all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja."Gambhir needs to manage the long Indian batting line-up, as Ashwin and Jadeja are there, so they have a deep batting line-up," Kaneria said.Whether Rohit and Gambhir heed Kaneria's advice remains to be seen. However, it is clear that Rohit's Test form and captaincy are in need of improvement if India is to regain its status as a dominant force in the longest format of the game.

Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald has revealed the strategic decision to move Steve Smith back to his familiar batting position at number four in Tests. This shift comes after a brief experiment with Smith opening the batting, which yielded limited success.McDonald explained that the decision was made collectively by the leadership group, including captain Pat Cummins. They believed that Smith's return to number four would benefit the team's overall balance and performance."We felt it was best for the team for him to make that shift away from opening," McDonald said. "We've got different challenges this summer, and that was a collective decision."With Usman Khawaja set to open in Tests, the race for his opening partner is heating up. Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, Matthew Renshaw, and Sam Konstas will all be vying for the spot in the upcoming round of Sheffield Shield matches.McDonald emphasized that all four players are in contention for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, which begins on November 22. He noted that Konstas' impressive performance in the first Shield game has earned him a place in the Australia A squad."We've got a bit of an eye to the future in some of the (Australia A) selections, and a bit of an eye to here and now," McDonald said. "We've got some left-handed options, some right-handed options, and some guys that have piled on runs over a period of time."McDonald stressed that the decision will not be based solely on batting performance but will also consider other factors. "It's not a bat-off," he said. "We've got to reward what we see at that point in time."

Virat Kohli's struggles in Test cricket continued in 2024, as he was dismissed for a duck in the first innings against New Zealand. Despite his poor form, Kohli's decision to promote himself to No. 3 in the batting order due to Shubman Gill's absence drew praise from former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar.Manjrekar hailed Kohli's willingness to sacrifice his usual No. 4 slot, claiming that it set him apart from legendary players like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. According to Manjrekar, Tendulkar and Ganguly were reluctant to move up the order in Tests, unlike Kohli."Hats off to Virat Kohli!" Manjrekar posted on social media. "Coming out to bat at no. 3 because the team needed it. Ganguly, Tendulkar were very keen to open in white ball cricket, but never wanted to go up the order in Tests. That's a true champion right there for you!"However, Manjrekar also criticized Kohli's aggressive approach from the first ball, which he believes has contributed to his recent struggles."Have said this before will say it again," Manjrekar tweeted. "Virat has compounded his problems by wanting to be on the front foot to every ball. No matter the length. Today's dismissal ball could have been comfortably tackled off the back foot."Manjrekar's comments sparked a debate about the batting positions of Tendulkar and Ganguly. While Tendulkar primarily batted at No. 4 in Tests, Ganguly had a significant number of innings at No. 3 earlier in his career.Tendulkar scored the vast majority of his Test runs at No. 4, with only 15 runs coming from the top three positions. Ganguly, on the other hand, scored 752 of his 7,212 Test runs at No. 3, while only 11 runs came as an opener.Ultimately, the decision of whether to move up the order in Tests is a personal one for each player. While some, like Kohli, are willing to sacrifice their preferred position for the benefit of the team, others may prefer to stay in their comfort zone.

Australian opener Usman Khawaja has sparked a debate over Steve Smith's batting position in the Test team ahead of the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. Smith has been promoted to the top of the order following David Warner's retirement, but his performance as an opener has been inconsistent.Khawaja believes that Smith should return to his previous position at No. 4, arguing that it is his "best spot" and that it provides the best balance for the team. He pointed out that Australia's scores have declined since the lineup change, with the team surpassing 300 runs only once in the eight innings following Warner's retirement."I feel like the best balance for our team is (Marnus) Labuschagne three, Smith four," Khawaja said. "I feel like that's his best spot."Smith's individual performance as an opener has also been underwhelming, with just one fifty in eight innings and an average of 28.50, compared to his impressive average of 61.51 at No. 4.Khawaja's comments have reignited the debate over Smith's ideal batting position. Some experts believe that he is best suited to the top of the order, where he can set the tone for the innings and take advantage of the new ball. Others argue that his experience and technique make him more valuable in the middle order, where he can anchor the innings and guide the younger players.The Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia will begin on November 22, with the first Test at Perth. The second Test will feature the exciting day-night format under the lights at Adelaide Oval, while the third Test will be held at The Gabba in Brisbane. The customary Boxing Day Test will take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and the fifth and final Test will serve as the series climax at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald has sparked speculation regarding Steve Smith's batting position in Tests ahead of the upcoming five-match series against India. Smith, who has been opening the innings with Usman Khawaja since David Warner's retirement, has struggled for consistency in the role.Smith's average as an opener stands at 28.50, significantly lower than his career average of 56.97. This has raised concerns within the team, prompting discussions about a potential change in his batting order."That's the question on everyone's lips, isn't it?" McDonald told SEN. "Whilst we've got an eye to it, we haven't made any firm decisions around that one. There's plenty of speculation around that. But in the background, I'd be lying if I said the conversation wasn't happening."McDonald emphasized that Test captain Pat Cummins would play a key role in the decision-making process. "Clearly, Patty Cummins as the captain is a big part of that," he said. "We've already had some chats in Sydney initially around what we're thinking for the summer."The coach also acknowledged the potential impact on other players if Smith's batting position changes. "If we make a shift with Steve Smith, then someone else will have to go to the top," McDonald said. "We've seen Cameron Green be really successful at number four as well. So that sort of adds layers to the decision-making."The first Test between India and Australia will be played in Perth from November 22. The decision on Smith's batting position is expected to be made before the series begins.

Pakistan all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed has expressed frustration over his fluctuating batting position in the team, referring to himself as a "tailender" in a recent media interaction. The 34-year-old has been frequently shuffled around the batting order in both T20Is and ODIs, a situation that seems to have left him dissatisfied.Iftikhar, who has primarily batted between No. 5 and No. 7 in his 66 T20Is, stated, "I am not a middle-order batter, I am a lower-order batter. I am not an all-rounder, I am a tailender. If you see, I bat at No. 7 or 8. And if you look at the all-rounders and middle-order batters around the world, you'd see they bat at No. 4 or 5. But I play at No. 7 and 8 and I think of myself as a tailender."His comments suggest a growing discontent with his role in Pakistan's lineup. Iftikhar has faced challenges with his form in recent months, with his last half-century for Pakistan coming in August 2023 against Nepal during the Asia Cup. Despite his experience, he has struggled to find consistency at the international level, particularly with the bat.In his T20I career, Iftikhar has scored 998 runs at an average of 24.34 and a strike rate of 129.10, including four half-centuries. In ODIs, he has amassed 614 runs across 28 matches, averaging 38.37 with a strike rate of 106.59, with one century and one fifty to his name.Primarily known for his power-hitting and off-spin, Iftikhar's statement suggests that his current role does not align with his self-perception of his batting and playing potential. His candid comments highlight his dissatisfaction with his batting order, indicating that he may feel underutilized or misplaced in the team's strategy.The Pakistan team management's decision to frequently move Iftikhar around the order might be an attempt to leverage his skills in different match situations. However, it appears that Iftikhar himself is not content with this approach, as seen from his latest statements.

The upcoming Women's Asia Cup in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, presents a crucial opportunity for India to solidify their plans ahead of the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in October. As the defending champions, India aims to retain their title while addressing the conundrum of their number three batting position and determining the ideal batting order for Jemimah Rodrigues.Jemimah Rodrigues, India's former number three batter in T20Is, missed the T20I tour of Bangladesh due to a back injury. In her absence, all-rounder Dayalan Hemalatha has occupied the number three slot, showcasing her strong bottom-hand and big-hitting skills against spinners.The question remains: who will become India's number three batter in the Asia Cup? Former India captain Anjum Chopra believes it would be fair for Jemimah to return to her previous position. She highlights Jemimah's versatility as an opener and her ability to adapt to different batting positions.Despite being a long-time number three batter for India, Jemimah has demonstrated adaptability by scoring an unbeaten 53 off 30 balls as a number five batter in the series opener against South Africa at Chennai. Her power-packed shots and ability to move across the crease add firepower to the Indian middle-order.Anjum suggests that the number three position could depend on the team's starting lineup and the availability of an all-rounder. If India plays with an all-rounder, Jemimah could bat at three. However, if not, she could still occupy the position.Anjum personally prefers captain Harmanpreet Kaur to bat at number three but acknowledges that Harman may prefer her usual number four position. She emphasizes the importance of having Harman and Jemimah bat alongside each other, either at three and four or four and three.After the third T20I at Chennai, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana stated that playing Hemalatha at number three was a calculated move, potentially allowing Harmanpreet and Jemimah to remain at four and five respectively.However, Anjum believes that Hemalatha is not the ideal batter at number three, arguing that the team should field their best batter as early as possible. She suggests that Jemimah, Harman, or Richa Ghosh should be promoted to the top order, with Pooja Vastrakar potentially taking up a finisher role.

MI New York vs WSF Live Score: Monank Patel's Resurgence Sparks Batting Order ReshuffleThe upcoming clash between MI New York and Washington Freedom promises to be a captivating encounter, pitting two formidable sides against each other. With both teams boasting a wealth of talent, the match has the potential to be a thrilling spectacle.Monank Patel's recent resurgence in form has raised eyebrows and could lead to a shake-up in MI New York's batting order. Patel's impressive performance against TSK has demonstrated his ability to anchor the innings and provide stability. His return to form could prompt the team management to reconsider their batting lineup.On paper, MI New York and Washington Freedom appear evenly matched. Both teams possess a strong batting lineup, with MI New York boasting the likes of Chris Lynn and Colin Munro, while Washington Freedom can count on the experience of Hashim Amla and the explosive power of Andre Russell.The bowling departments of both sides are equally impressive. MI New York's pace attack, led by Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah, is renowned for its accuracy and ability to generate swing. Washington Freedom, on the other hand, has a formidable spin duo in Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who can bamboozle batsmen with their variations.The match is expected to be a close contest, with both teams having a genuine chance of victory. MI New York will be looking to maintain their winning momentum, while Washington Freedom will be eager to prove their mettle against one of the tournament favorites.The outcome of the match could have a significant impact on the standings, with both teams vying for a top-four finish. MI New York currently sits in second place, while Washington Freedom is just one point behind in third. A win for either side would strengthen their position in the race for the playoffs.