Cricket

Sanju Samson's recent batting performances have been a tale of two extremes. After a remarkable run of form with consecutive hundreds, the Indian batter has unexpectedly found himself on the opposite end of the spectrum, recording back-to-back ducks.The shift in performance has taken fans by surprise, as Samson was previously celebrated for his consistent and impactful scoring. During the second match of the series at Gqeberha, Samson's stumps were rattled by fast bowler Marco Jansen. The wicketkeeper-batsman struggled against the left-arm quick Jansen, who dismissed him in a similar fashion during the third encounter on Wednesday.In contrast, Samson's performance in the first game of the series in Durban was nothing short of explosive. He delivered an impressive 107 off just 50 balls, striking at an impressive rate of 214.00. His innings featured seven fours and ten towering sixes.Prior to this, Samson had scored his maiden T20I century against Bangladesh in the third and final match in Hyderabad last month. In the process, Samson, who got to his hundred in 40 balls, also surpassed skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who did it in 45 balls, to become the second fastest Indian to get to the landmark.Samson's recent struggles have raised questions about his consistency and ability to handle pressure. However, the wicketkeeper-batter remains confident in his abilities. "I feel honestly, I have faced a lot of failures in my career. Actually, I have had more failures than success in my career. When you go through that fear, you tend to doubt yourself a lot. People will say a lot and social media will play its role. But you also think a lot about yourself...," Samson said.The wicketkeeper-batter added that he has shot-making ability against spin and pace. "But with my experience, I know my abilities. If I spend some time on the wicket, I have the shot-making ability against spin and pace. I know I can help the team with my contributions. So I always used to tell myself that, even if you have lows, the upside is also good," he added.It remains to be seen whether Samson can regain his form and help India secure a series victory against South Africa. However, his recent struggles serve as a reminder that even the most talented players can experience setbacks.

Abhishek Sharma, once hailed as a rising star in Indian cricket, now faces intense scrutiny due to his recent batting struggles. After a promising start to his T20I career marked by a sensational century, his form has plummeted, raising questions about his future in the squad.Abhishek's international T20 debut was far from ideal, with a first-ball duck against Zimbabwe. However, he quickly redeemed himself with a blistering 46-ball century, showcasing his explosive potential. Since then, however, his form has been inconsistent.In the ongoing four-match T20I series against South Africa, Abhishek has been given multiple opportunities to open alongside Sanju Samson. However, his performances have been disappointing, with scores of 7 and 4 in the first two matches. Both dismissals came via bouncers, exposing his tendency to play hurried shots.Despite the mounting pressure, Abhishek's father and coach, Raj Kumar Sharma, remains optimistic. He believes his son is not out of form but needs one strong innings to regain his confidence. He also highlights Abhishek's ability to bounce back from setbacks, citing his century after a duck on his debut.With tough competition in the Indian squad, Abhishek's place in the team could be at stake if he doesn't find form soon. The third T20I might be his last chance to prove his worth and secure his spot.

Delhi's batting woes continue to haunt them as they prepare to face Chandigarh in the Ranji Trophy clash starting Wednesday. Despite individual contributions in the first three matches of the season, the team has yet to witness a collective show of strength from its top six batters.In the opening encounter against Chhattisgarh, almost all of Delhi's specialist batters squandered promising starts. The notable exception was Jonty Sidhu, who combined effectively with the lower order to secure a first-innings lead and reach his third First Class century.The draw against Tamil Nadu saw Yash Dhull play a lone hand with an unbeaten century in the first innings, while Sanat Sangwan shouldered much of the responsibility in the second essay. Even in the victory over Assam, the turnaround was engineered by Harshit Rana, Sumit Mathur, and Siddhant Sharma, all bowling all-rounders who made handy contributions lower down the order against a tiring attack."We need bigger partnerships between the openers. In the middle order, hundreds are important," said Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh after the previous game.The return of Anuj Rawat and Ayush Badoni to the squad bolsters Delhi's batting options. All-rounder Hrithik Shokeen is also available, having been absent from the previous two matches due to commitments with India-A in the ACC Men's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Oman.The other notable change in the squad is the omission of Rana, who is set to fly out with the Indian team for the Test tour of Australia. The 22-year-old pacer had taken a fifer and scored a half-century for Delhi before joining up with the India squad as a reserve for the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai.Since losing to Railways in the opening round, Chandigarh, led by Manan Vohra, has registered emphatic victories against Assam and Jharkhand.

Indian cricket is at a crossroads, facing an inevitable transition that will likely result in a period of indifferent results both at home and overseas. The team's batting lineup, once a formidable force, now struggles against spin bowling, even on home soil. Key players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have been the backbone of the team for years, are showing signs of decline and seem reluctant to acknowledge their limitations.Despite the alarming signs, the Indian team management remains optimistic, with coach Gautam Gambhir claiming that the team's skill against spin has not diminished. However, the evidence on the field suggests otherwise. In the recent Test series against New Zealand, India's batters were repeatedly outplayed by the visiting spinners, resulting in a historic clean sweep on home soil.The team's struggles are not limited to the batting department. The bowling attack, once a potent force, is also showing signs of aging and inconsistency. The absence of experienced pacers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami has left a void that has yet to be filled.The upcoming tour of Australia will be a major test for the Indian team. The Aussies are known for their aggressive and relentless style of play, and they will be looking to exploit India's weaknesses. The series could be a watershed moment for the Indian team, either marking the beginning of a new era or exposing the extent of their decline.The Indian cricket board has a difficult task ahead of them. They need to make bold decisions and invest in young talent. Players like B Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, and Mukesh Kumar have shown promise and could be the future of Indian cricket. However, they need to be given opportunities to prove themselves at the highest level.The transition period will be painful for Indian fans, who have become accustomed to success. However, it is a necessary step for the team to rebuild and regain its former glory. The future of Indian cricket depends on the ability of the team management to make the right decisions and embrace the challenges ahead.

Virat Kohli's batting woes in Test cricket have reached alarming proportions, with the former Indian captain enduring a torrid time at the crease. In the recently concluded second Test against New Zealand, Kohli managed scores of 1 and 17, contributing to India's 113-run defeat.Kohli's struggles have become a major concern for the Indian team, as his presence in the middle order is crucial to their success. The 34-year-old has not scored a Test century since November 2019, and his average has plummeted to 26.50 in the last 10 innings.In a video that went viral on social media, Kohli was seen losing his temper and smashing his bat against a water box while walking back to the pavilion after his dismissal in the second innings. This incident highlights the frustration and pressure that Kohli is currently facing.India's defeat in the second Test marked their first Test series loss on home soil in over a decade. New Zealand's victory was largely due to the brilliance of left-arm spinner Mitchel Santner, who took 13 wickets in the match, including seven in the first innings.Santner's performance exposed India's vulnerability against high-quality spin bowling. The Indian batsmen, once regarded as the finest players of spin in the world, were outfoxed by Santner's variations and accuracy.The defeat ended India's run of 18 consecutive Test series wins at home. It was only the fourth time since 2000 that India had lost a Test series in their own territory.Kohli's poor form and India's Test series loss have raised questions about the team's future. The Indian team management will need to find a way to address Kohli's batting woes and improve their performance against spin bowling if they want to regain their dominance in Test cricket.

Sri Lanka's disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup has left head coach Rumesh Ratnayake frustrated and searching for answers. After losing all three of their matches, Sri Lanka's hopes of reaching the semi-finals have been extinguished.Ratnayake has attributed the team's struggles to a lack of skill and poor execution. "It was bad playing through and through this tournament," he said. "They've been doing poor cricket, and that is not acceptable."The team's batting has been particularly concerning, with captain Chamari Athapaththu failing to score in double figures in any of the three innings. Athapaththu's struggles have been a major factor in Sri Lanka's inability to post competitive totals.Ratnayake believes that the team's preparation was adequate, but that they have failed to execute under pressure. "Our preparation was really good back home," he said. "We played on various types of wickets. We simulated some of those similar situations, but winning those moments, winning those appropriate situations, decision-making along with the skill hasn't been backed up."Despite the setbacks, Ratnayake remains confident in the team's potential. "In the past 22 months, we've worked hard on creating an environment which is conducive for learning," he said. "So we are not only building up in confidence but building up in confidence so that we would back ourselves with the skill as well."Sri Lanka will have one final chance to salvage their tournament when they face New Zealand on Saturday. Ratnayake has described the match as a "prime objective" and has demanded an improved performance from his team.

Chamari Athapaththu, the Sri Lankan captain, has been grappling with questions about her team's batting struggles after disappointing performances against Pakistan and Australia in the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup. Despite a historic series win against England and an Asia Cup triumph, Sri Lanka now faces elimination.Athapaththu has been under scrutiny for her low scores of three and six in the recent matches. She acknowledges the challenging conditions in Sharjah but emphasizes the need for adaptation and fearless cricket. "We can't blame anyone. I ask myself why I can't play," she said.The Sri Lankan batters have struggled to make an impact, with only Nilakshika Silva managing scores of 23 and 29. Athapaththu has sought advice from her teammates, particularly those with experience in adapting to different conditions."I talked to a few batters, and because they have good experience, I said to them: 'if Tazmin Brits can play, if Laura can play, why can't we play?'" she said. "We have to rethink, and adaptation is most important."Athapaththu admires the way England's Nat Sciver-Brunt and South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt have played in the tournament. She believes that Sri Lanka can emulate their success by playing with confidence and focusing on one ball at a time."We have to play fearless cricket. And the most important thing is one ball at a time. If we take too much pressure on our shoulders, if we take too much information, it's too hard to play cricket," she said.Athapaththu has fond memories of her previous encounter with India, where she scored a 43-ball 61 in Sri Lanka's historic Asia Cup chase. However, she admits that indecision has hampered her game and hopes to play more aggressively."I just want to play my natural game freely," she said.Despite India's own batting struggles, Athapaththu believes that Sri Lanka has nothing to lose. "We are going with the underdog tag all the time. So we [want to] keep it simple and I want to play my best cricket and fearless cricket all the time," she said.

Bangladesh's batting woes continue to haunt them as they struggle to consistently post competitive totals in T20 cricket. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has acknowledged the team's shortcomings, admitting that they lack the skills and mentality to score 180-plus runs on a regular basis.Shanto believes that the lack of high-scoring wickets in Bangladesh has contributed to their batting struggles. "We play on 140-150 wickets at home. Our batters don't know how to score 180 runs," he said. "I won't blame just the wickets, but we have to consider skills and mentality."The team's powerplay approach has also come under scrutiny, with the opening stands contributing only 69 runs in the last eight innings. Shanto emphasized the importance of a strong start, saying, "Powerplay is definitely a worry. The approach we talked about (before the game), it will be successful if we make a good start with the bat."Shanto defended his team's performance against India, saying, "We are a better team than this. We haven't done well in this format for a long time, but I don't believe we are such a bad team." However, he acknowledged the need for improvement, particularly in shot selection.The captain also praised Indian pacer Mayank Yadav, who made an impressive debut on Sunday. "He is a good bowler," Shanto said. "But we have some similar fast bowlers in the nets. I don't think we were too worried about (Mayank Yadav)."Bangladesh will need to address their batting issues if they want to compete with the top teams in T20 cricket. Shanto and his team have a lot of work to do, but they remain confident that they can turn things around.

Virat Kohli's recent batting struggles have raised concerns ahead of the second Test against Bangladesh, starting on Friday. In the first Test in Chennai, Kohli managed only 6 and 17 runs, sparking doubts about his current form.Kohli's difficulties were evident during a net session at Green Park Stadium, where he faced challenges against both pace and spin. Indian Express reported that Kohli struggled against India's top pacer Jasprit Bumrah in a 15-ball spell.Initially, Kohli appeared confident, hitting a few strokes. However, Bumrah soon gained the upper hand, beating Kohli four times, including forcing an edge and hitting his pads. Bumrah teased Kohli further, saying, "You are plumb" and "The last one would have been caught at short leg." Kohli responded with a smile, acknowledging his difficulties.Kohli's struggles were even more noticeable against India's spin trio — Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel. While facing Jadeja, Kohli tried to play inside-out but missed the ball three consecutive times, visibly showing his frustration. In his final practice session, Axar Patel bowled him out, indicating Kohli's ongoing difficulties with spin.Kohli's poor form has become a talking point, with fans and experts expressing concern. Some have attributed his struggles to a lack of match practice, as he missed the five-match series against England for personal reasons. Others have suggested that Kohli may be suffering from a technical flaw or a loss of confidence.As India gears up for the second Test, all eyes will be on Kohli to see how he adjusts and performs. Fans are eager to see if the talented batter can regain his form and make a significant contribution to the team in the long Test season ahead.