Cricket

Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, opted to field first after winning the toss in the second T20I against USA at Prairie View in Texas on Thursday. The decision came after Bangladesh's disappointing five-wicket loss in the first game.To bolster their lineup, Bangladesh made two changes to their XI. Litton Das and Mahedi Hasan were replaced by opening batter Tanzid Hasan and medium pacer Tanzim Hasan. Meanwhile, USA, co-hosts of the upcoming T20 World Cup, brought in allrounder Shadley van Schalkwyk for left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige.USA's historic victory over Bangladesh on Tuesday marked their first triumph against a top-ten side in the ICC T20I team rankings. The match also saw Bangladesh concede a record-breaking 54 runs in the last four overs.Harmeet Singh played a pivotal role in USA's victory, smashing an unbeaten 33 off just 13 balls, including three sixes and two fours.

India Doesn't Need Separate Coaches for Limited Overs and Test Formats, Says Graeme SwannFormer England spinner Graeme Swann believes that a team like India, which doesn't have players competing year-round in T20 leagues worldwide, doesn't require separate coaches for limited overs and Test formats.Swann expressed his views at the launch of the Legends Intercontinental T20 league on Thursday, stating, "For a nation like India, because of the IPL and the fact the players don't play other leagues, people are based in India whole year round. You don't need split (separate) coaches."With the BCCI inviting fresh applications for the head coach position, and Rahul Dravid unlikely to continue after the T20 World Cup, former India opener Gautam Gambhir has emerged as a front-runner for the role. Reputed overseas coaches like Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer, and Andy Flower have ruled themselves out of contention.While England, South Africa, and Pakistan have adopted split coaching, Swann believes that India doesn't need it. "A good coach is a good coach, he's the right man for all three forms so be it. If the guy is specialist in white ball cricket and he's available then you can use him," he added.Former wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel believes that India has an abundance of talented coaches and sees no need for overseas coaches. "There are a lot of coaches from NCA that have joined Indian team, I don't see the need for overseas coaches," Parthiv said.He cited the success of India's U-19 team and the performance of India A team on overseas tours, all coached by Indians, as evidence of the country's coaching talent. Parthiv also mentioned Chandrakant Pandit as a prime example of a successful Indian coach.With National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman regularly stepping in for Dravid, Parthiv emphasized that the coaching staff extends beyond just two individuals, stating, "We have seen when Rahul Bhai is coach, Laxman bhai filling in for him. Though it's not just the two coaches as there are other NCA coaches."

Trent Boult, the star pacer for Rajasthan Royals, has emerged as a pivotal figure in the team's quest for the IPL 2024 title. Beyond his exceptional on-field performances, Boult has also embraced Indian culture, immersing himself in the vibrant festival of Holi."My first time celebrating Holi was an amazing experience," Boult remarked. "It's always fun to experience the culture in India."Boult's surname, with its cricketing connection, has also garnered attention. "My parents chose my name, and I chose my career," he said. "I'm fortunate to have a name like Boult when it comes to bowling. It's always a funny pun when 'Lightning Boult' comes out."On the field, Boult has been instrumental in Rajasthan's success. In a crucial play-off match against Bengaluru, he restricted the opposition to 172-8, paving the way for Rajasthan's victory.Bengaluru's title drought continues, while Rajasthan advances to face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final play-off. The winner of that match will face Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL final on May 26.Rajasthan, under the guidance of Shane Warne, won the inaugural IPL edition in 2008. After a challenging start to the 2024 season, the team has rebounded with a series of impressive performances.Bengaluru's remarkable run came to an end after they surged from the bottom of the table to win six consecutive matches and secure a play-off berth.

As the T20 World Cup 2024 looms on the horizon, Team India embarks on a quest to break their ICC trophy drought. The tournament, co-hosted by the USA and West Indies, commences on June 1, with India aiming to reclaim the title they last won in 2007.Despite impressive performances in recent years, India has endured disappointing exits in the past two editions of the T20 World Cup, crashing out in the league stage in 2021 and the semi-finals in 2022. Ahead of the upcoming event, former England cricketer David Lloyd has sparked controversy with his assessment of India's chances.Speaking to talkSPORT, Lloyd labeled India as a "predictable team" that lacks the necessary threat to challenge for the title. "The shackles are not off," he remarked. "I would think the opposition would accept the quality... But they ain't taking a risk with bat or ball."India's preparations for the tournament will begin with a warm-up match against Bangladesh in the USA on June 1. The venue and timing for this match are yet to be confirmed. The ICC has scheduled warm-up games from May 27 to June 1 across the USA and Trinidad and Tobago, involving 17 of the 20 participating teams. These matches will not carry T20I status, allowing teams to field all members of their 15-player squads. Teams can opt to play up to two warm-up matches, depending on their arrival schedule.India's path to the title will be a challenging one, with the tournament featuring some of the world's top T20 teams. The team will need to find a way to overcome their recent struggles in ICC events and play with the freedom and aggression that has characterized their best performances.

India, the birthplace of cricket's most lucrative and popular league, the Indian Premier League (IPL), has yet to translate its domestic dominance into international success. Despite boasting the world's richest and most-watched T20 league, the Indian national team has struggled to replicate its IPL success on the global stage.As Rohit Sharma's India team embarks on the T20 World Cup in the United States and the Caribbean, the pressure is mounting to break a prolonged title drought. The IPL, with its vast financial resources and abundance of talent, attracts the world's top cricketers. However, since its inception, India has failed to win a major ICC tournament.India's last ICC title came in the 2013 Champions Trophy in England. In the 50-over format, they last won the Cricket World Cup in 2011. Last year, India suffered a double blow, losing to Australia in the World Test Championship final and the 50-over World Cup final.The T20 World Cup represents a chance for redemption for Sharma and his star batsman Virat Kohli, who are likely playing in their final T20 tournament for India. Sharma has been a member of every Indian squad at the T20 World Cup, while Kohli is making his sixth attempt at winning the championship.Both players missed all of India's T20 international matches between the 2022 World Cup semifinal loss in Australia and January of this year, raising doubts about their participation in the 2024 World Cup. However, chief selector Ajit Agarkar and BCCI secretary Jay Shah have dismissed such concerns.Kohli's strike rate has come under scrutiny, but Agarkar has defended his experience and ability to handle the pressure of a World Cup game. The batting order remains a topic of debate, with Kohli potentially opening the innings with Sharma or batting at number three.India's bowling arsenal is led by pace leader Jasprit Bumrah and includes four spinners, including Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzendra Chahal, and Kuldeep Yadav. Sharma has emphasized the importance of all-rounders and the variety of combinations available to the team.India's World Cup campaign begins on June 5 against Ireland, followed by a highly anticipated clash with Pakistan in New York on June 9. The pressure will intensify as the tournament progresses, with India aiming to overcome their title drought and cement their status as the world's leading cricket nation.

IPL's most formidable power-hitters, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, will face a formidable challenge in the form of seasoned spin twins Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin when Sunrisers Hyderabad takes on Rajasthan Royals in a high-stakes second Qualifier on Friday.Head and Sharma, affectionately known as "Travishek" by fans, have redefined power-hitting with their exceptional performances. Head has amassed 533 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 199.62, while Sharma has contributed 470 runs at an equally impressive strike rate of 207.04. Together, they have unleashed a barrage of 72 sixes and 96 boundaries.However, the Chepauk pitch, known for its slow and sticky nature, poses a different challenge for the power-hitters. The ball tends to stop and stroke-makers face difficulties in hitting through the line.Ashwin, a master of his craft at this ground, has an intimate understanding of the pitch's behavior. His form has also improved significantly towards the latter stages of the tournament. With the country's premier leg-spinner, Chahal, as his partner, Royals will be hoping to neutralize Head, Sharma, and their explosive teammate Heinrich Klaasen (413 runs at 180) early on.SRH's bowling attack will once again rely heavily on T Natarajan, their leading wicket-taker this season. Playing on his home turf, he will be eager to exploit the conditions. The experienced duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Pat Cummins also have a crucial role to play, especially since Kumar has been wicketless in his last two outings.SRH's weakness lies in their lack of quality spinners. Mayank Markande is considered mediocre at best, while Shahbaz Ahmed's primary skill is batting rather than bowling.In contrast, RR has found its rhythm after a five-game winless streak, thanks to a comprehensive performance against RCB. The top-order, particularly Yashasvi Jaiswal, displayed positive signs and will be keen to continue their form ahead of the T20 World Cup in the Americas.However, skipper Sanju Samson needs to improve his performance, having failed to cross the 20-run mark in his last three contests. Dhruv Jurel, in the middle order, will be under pressure after failing to reach double digits in his last two outings.The side will also rely on its Caribbean game-changers, Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell, for some of the power-hitting they showcased against RCB. Riyan Parag, who has been in impressive form this season, is another bankable batter for RR.

Avesh Khan's mantra of "eat, sleep, bowl, and repeat" has propelled him to success in this year's IPL. With 16 wickets in 15 matches, an economy rate of 9.81, and exceptional control at the death, Khan has emerged as a formidable bowler.Khan attributes his success to simplifying his approach to cricket. "I have to sleep well, eat well, and bowl well. There's nothing else to it," he said. By focusing on the basics and minimizing distractions, Khan has found a winning formula.After a demanding domestic season and IPL last year, Khan realized the importance of analyzing his strengths and weaknesses. He worked with his coach, Anand Rajan, to refine his bowling action and establish effective training and recovery routines.Khan's move from Lucknow Super Giants to Rajasthan Royals has also benefited him. The larger ground and supportive team environment have provided him with the margins he needs as a bowler.While acknowledging the value of mental toughness, Khan believes that nothing beats the experience of facing challenges repeatedly. "You can do whatever you can to build mental toughness, but until you're in a position to have faced the challenges repeatedly, you cannot overcome them," he said.In the Eliminator against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Khan witnessed the tense atmosphere in the Rajasthan Royals dugout. However, he recalled head coach Kumar Sangakkara's message before the game: "Either we win or go back home. We had to give it our all."Khan's performance in key games for Rajasthan Royals has earned him a spot among India's reserve players for the upcoming T20 World Cup. His simplified approach, technical improvements, and unwavering determination have made him a valuable asset to both his team and the national squad.

Ricky Ponting, the legendary Australian cricketer, has revealed that he was approached to become India's next head coach. However, despite expressing interest in the role, Ponting has stated that it is an "unlikely" option for him at present due to the significant time commitment it would require.Ponting, who is currently the head coach of Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and a television commentator in Australia, said that he has ambitions to coach a national team in the future. However, he emphasized that the timing is not right for him to take on the India job, given his other commitments."I'd love to be a senior coach of a national team, but with the other things that I have in my life and wanting to have a bit of time at home…everyone knows if you take a job working with the Indian team you can't be involved in an IPL team, so it would take that out of it as well," Ponting explained.He added that the role of a national head coach requires a significant time commitment, which does not align with his current lifestyle. "Also, a national head coach is a 10 or 11-month of the year job, and as much as I'd like to do it, it just doesn't fit into my lifestyle right now and the things that I really enjoy doing," Ponting said.Despite his initial reluctance, Ponting did leave the door slightly open to the possibility of taking on the India job in the future. He revealed that his young son, Fletcher, had expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of moving to India."My family and my kids have spent the last five weeks over at the IPL with me and they come over every year and I had a whisper to my son about it, and I said, 'Dad's been offered the Indian coaching job' and he said, 'Just take it dad, we would love to move over there for the next couple of years,'" Ponting said.However, Ponting emphasized that his current lifestyle and commitments make it unlikely that he will accept the India job at this time. He is currently the head of strategy at Hobart Hurricanes in Australia's Big Bash League and the head coach of Washington Freedom in the MLC tournament in the United States.The BCCI has set a deadline of May 27 for applications for the India head coach role, which will cover all three formats of the game for a period of three and a half years, starting from July 2024.

MS Dhoni's IPL Future Uncertain as Experts Predict RetirementFormer Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni's future in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has become a subject of intense speculation following Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) elimination from the 2024 playoffs. Dhoni, who has been a key figure for CSK since the tournament's inception, has faced questions about his longevity due to a reported knee injury and his team's recent struggles.Legendary Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram has expressed his belief that Dhoni may not return to the IPL next season. "I have a gut feeling he'll be done after this," Akram said on Sportskeeda. "Players like him come in a lifetime, it all depends on him."Akram's sentiments were echoed by former Australian batter Matthew Hayden, who stated, "I think this is it. I do believe that this will be the last time that Dhoni will play." Hayden added that he expects Dhoni to remain involved with CSK in an official capacity, possibly as a mentor.Dhoni's performance in the 2024 IPL season has been a topic of discussion. While he has not been as prolific as in previous years, he has still made valuable contributions to CSK's batting lineup. However, his struggles with the bat and his team's overall performance have raised questions about his ability to continue playing at the highest level.Dhoni's leadership and experience have been invaluable to CSK, but the team's recent struggles have put pressure on him to deliver. The franchise has not won an IPL title since 2021 and has failed to reach the playoffs in two of the last three seasons.As Dhoni approaches the twilight of his career, it remains to be seen whether he will continue playing in the IPL. His decision will likely depend on his physical condition, his team's performance, and his own personal aspirations.