Cricket

Tamil Nadu's C. Andre Siddarth is set to embark on a journey to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the Indian team for the ACC Men's U19 Asia Cup 2024. The 18-year-old batsman received the unexpected news on Wednesday night and immediately shifted his focus to the upcoming tournament.Despite the excitement of the selection, Siddarth remained grounded and prioritized the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Railways. He played a crucial role in TN's first-innings lead, scoring a valuable 78 runs."The selection is not that important for me right now. This match was more significant because we needed to take the lead," Siddarth said after the second day's play. "When the time comes to travel and compete there (UAE), I'll shift my focus to that. Wherever I'm playing, that side comes first."Siddarth's maturity and dedication are evident in his approach to the game. He believes in honing his skills through both successes and setbacks."Performances are not always up to me. Some days you just get a good delivery... For me, each and every ball is a kind of test, and it's like writing an answer to a question," he said.Siddarth's selection for the U19 Asia Cup is a testament to his talent and hard work. He has consistently performed well at the domestic level and is now ready to represent India on the international stage.The U19 Asia Cup will be a major test for Siddarth and his teammates. They will face some of the best young players in Asia and will need to perform at their best to achieve success.Siddarth is confident in his team's abilities and is eager to contribute to their success. He believes that the team's focus and determination will be key to their performance."We have a good team and we're all working hard together. We're confident that we can do well in the tournament," Siddarth said.The U19 Asia Cup will be held in the UAE from December 14 to 28, 2024. India will be looking to defend their title and Siddarth will be hoping to play a key role in their success.

KL Rahul's batting performance in the upcoming second unofficial Test against Australia A will be closely scrutinized by the Indian national selection committee as he prepares to showcase his skills ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Rahul, who was dropped midway through the home Tests against New Zealand, has been sent to the 'A' Test along with reserve keeper Dhruv Jurel to gain match practice before joining the senior team in Perth on January 11.The India A team will face a stern test against Australia A, which includes seasoned pacer Scott Boland. Boland's presence will provide a challenging environment for the Indian batters, including Rahul, who will likely bat at No. 5 or 6. Rahul's ability to handle quality fast bowling in bouncy conditions will be crucial, as he aims to prove his worth for a spot in the Test series.During the practice session at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Rahul looked in good touch. With Abhimanyu Easwaran and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad expected to open, Rahul's batting position will be similar to what it would be in the Indian Test XI.The Indian selectors believe that Rahul's experience and success in overseas conditions, including centuries at Lord's, Oval, Sydney, and Centurion, make him a more suitable choice than domestic doyen Sarfaraz Khan, despite Khan's impressive 150 against New Zealand in Bengaluru.The India A team will make four changes to the squad that played the first 'unofficial Test' at Mackay, which they lost by seven wickets. Rahul will replace Baba Indrajith, while Jurel will take the place of Ishan Kishan. Navdeep Saini will make way for left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed, and off-spinner all-rounder Tanush Kotian will replace slow left-arm orthodox Manav Suthar.

Joe Root's remarkable batting form since stepping down as England captain will face a stern test in the upcoming series against India and Australia, where his skills against both pace and spin will be thoroughly scrutinized, according to Australian cricket legend Ian Chappell.With 10 centuries in just 54 innings over the past two and a half years, Root has surpassed Sir Alastair Cook as England's highest Test run-scorer. However, Chappell believes that Root's true mettle will be tested in the upcoming challenges against India and Australia."Root's phenomenal run-making will again be tested when first he faces India at home and then Australia away. In those two series, Root will be facing the best attacks in Test cricket, and his technique against both pace and spin will again be fully scrutinised," Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNCricinfo.India is scheduled to tour England for a four-match Test series next summer, while the Three Lions will face the daunting task of regaining the Ashes later next year in Australia."Those are difficult challenges that Root and England will face in the future. Currently, they're desperately involved in a bid to win after Pakistan levelled their three-game series with a spin-revolution victory against a clueless England," Chappell added.The Ben Stokes-led side is currently under pressure after Pakistan leveled the three-match series 1-1. The third Test begins on October 24."As the most technically gifted, Root will have the task of convincing his fellow team-mates that numerous versions of the sweep shot aren't the ideal way to combat good spinners. Despite Root's proven talent, that will be a very difficult task," Chappell noted.Since his remarkable 73 on debut Test versus England, Root has emerged as the England batting mainstay, but he has yet to score a century in Australia. Chappell feels his vulnerability to being caught behind suggests a need to reassess his approach to extra bounce on Australian pitches."Root was born to make runs. He's a joy to watch, as he balances a solid technique with the desire to score at every opportunity," Chappell wrote. "One of the few anomalies in Root's record is his failure to score a Test century in Australia despite having played 27 innings there. His last chance to rectify that statistic will likely come in 2025-26, when - barring injury or retirement - he will play another Ashes series.""It's not as though Root has performed poorly in Australia, as his average of around 35 is respectable. However, the lack of a century despite making nine scores in excess of 50 is most unlike Root.""In Australia, the four main bowlers have dismissed Root a number of times and this could be pointed to as a weakness. Nevertheless there's an easy answer: if you're going to be dismissed, it's preferable to get out to a good bowler.""The more worrying Root statistic in Australia is the number of times he's been caught behind. Keepers have had a bonanza as ten times they've clasped Root's edges in just 27 innings. While he could counter with "you've got to be good enough to nick 'em", it does suggest he needs to re-assess the extra bounce Australian pitches provide," Chappell added.