Cricket

Bengal's seamer Ishan Porel made a triumphant return to competitive cricket, scalping three wickets on the second day of the Ranji Trophy Group-C match against Kerala at the Jadavpur University ground.After a frustrating day of no play due to a damp outfield, the match finally commenced at 3:30 p.m. Bengal captain Anustup Majumdar wasted no time in putting Kerala in to bat, hoping to exploit the bowler-friendly conditions.Porel, playing his first match in nearly nine months after recovering from fitness issues, justified his captain's faith. In his fifth over, he trapped Rohan Kunnummal (23) in front and had B. Aparajith caught behind in consecutive deliveries.Left-arm spinner Pradipta Pramanik then accounted for Aditya Sarvate in the next over, leaving Kerala reeling at 38 for four. Captain Sachin Baby (4) and Akshay Chandran (9) were at the crease when bad light stopped play after about one hour and 20 minutes of play.Bengal coach L.R. Shukla expressed satisfaction with his team's performance, saying, "Ishan had put up a lot of hard work before this match. He bowled well. We had a target of taking three wickets today. Our bowlers showed a positive mindset, it's good to take four. There will be some assistance for the bowlers in the morning. Hopefully, we can do well."

Chhattisgarh, known for its gritty and determined approach, has taken a commanding lead in their third-round Ranji Trophy match against Tamil Nadu. On the second day of the contest at the Sri Ramakrishna College ground, Chhattisgarh posted a formidable total of 500 in their first innings, putting themselves in a strong position to secure a victory.The Chhattisgarh innings was anchored by a solid opening partnership between Ayush Pandey (124) and Rishabh Tiwari (46). However, it was the middle-order batters who truly shone, with Anuj Tiwari (84), Sanjeet Desai (82), and K.D. Eknath (52) all contributing substantial scores. Ajay Mandal's aggressive 64, which included two sixes, further boosted the team's total.Tamil Nadu's bowlers struggled to contain Chhattisgarh's relentless batting onslaught. Ajith Ram, the left-arm spinner, was the pick of the bowlers, claiming four wickets for 132 runs. However, his efforts were not enough to prevent Chhattisgarh from amassing a massive score.In reply, Tamil Nadu ended the day at 23 for one, with opener S. Lokeshwar falling cheaply to off-spinner Jeevesh Butte. The home team faces an uphill task in the remaining two days of the match, needing to score heavily and avoid a defeat.The pitch at the Sri Ramakrishna College ground has remained good for batting, but there were signs of the odd ball turning sharply in the final hour of play. This could provide some hope for Tamil Nadu's spinners as they look to restrict Chhattisgarh's lead.

MS Dhoni, the legendary Indian cricketer, has expressed his desire to savor the remaining years of his cricketing career. While his availability for IPL 2025 remains uncertain, Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan has expressed optimism about Dhoni's participation in the upcoming season."I just want to enjoy whatever last few years of cricket I'm able to play," Dhoni stated at a promotional event in Goa. "Like how during our childhood we used to go out and play at 4[pm], just enjoying the game. But when you play professional sport it becomes difficult to enjoy the game just like a game. So what I want to do is, there are emotions and commitments, but I want to enjoy the game for the next few years."Dhoni's eligibility for retention by CSK as an uncapped player stems from the IPL's reinstatement of a rule that considers players retired from international cricket for five years as uncapped. This rule change opens the door for Dhoni's retention, as he retired from international cricket in 2019.During IPL 2024, Dhoni batted lower down the order, facing only a limited number of deliveries. While workload management due to his knee surgery played a role in this decision, Dhoni also revealed that it was intended to provide game time to Indian players vying for a spot in the T20 World Cup."My thinking was simple, if others are doing their job well why do I need to come up the order," Dhoni explained. "If you're talking about last year (season) specifically, the T20 World Cup squad was going to be announced soon. So we have to give people who are fighting for a spot a chance. In our team (CSK) we had a few, [Ravindra] Jadeja was there, Shivam Dube was there so you give them an opportunity to prove themselves to get into the Indian team. There was nothing in it for me, no selection and other things. So I'm good behind [playing down the order] and my team was happy with what I was doing."Dhoni also expressed his admiration for the aggressive style of play known as "Bazball," which has become prevalent in Test cricket. He believes that the focus on results has made the format more exciting."You can give cricket any term that you want to, what we have seen is cricket has evolved," Dhoni said. "The way people are playing cricket is very different. There was a time when in ODIs something was considered a safe score, now that score is not safe in T20s too.""For me, the most difficult time during a Test match was the fifth day of a match which is the last day when you knew that 100% it is going to be a draw," he added. "I would still need to keep for nearly 2.5 sessions and that was the most tiring part. You see there is no result happening, you are just going through the motions. Yes, bowlers would like to take wickets, batters will try to score runs, [but] there is no result in the game. You think let's finish this and go, why do I have to be here. So I love the fact there's change in the way teams are playing Test cricket."

India's batting woes continued in the second Test against New Zealand in Pune, leading to a humiliating 113-run defeat and their first home series loss in 12 years. Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar expressed his disappointment, highlighting the team's inability to handle spin.Manjrekar pointed out that Shubman Gill, despite his talent, lacks the "feel for spinners" and struggles on turning pitches. He also criticized Virat Kohli for misreading the length of Mitchell Santner's delivery and Rohit Sharma for lacking confidence against spin."The top three of India's top four are short of confidence against spin," Manjrekar said. "On pitches like these, it is difficult to bat vs spin in the first session and a half. India should have backed their defense more and not lost early wickets."New Zealand's spin attack, led by Santner, proved too strong for India. Santner took 13 wickets in the match, including 7/53 in India's second innings. Glenn Phillips also contributed with 2/26.India's batting woes were evident in both innings. In the first innings, they were bowled out for 156, with only Ravindra Jadeja (38) offering some resistance. In the second innings, they were bundled out for 245, despite a promising start from Yashasvi Jaiswal (77).The defeat marks a significant setback for India, who had won the first Test in Kanpur. It also raises questions about the team's ability to handle spin, a crucial factor in Indian conditions.

Virat Kohli's dismissal on Day 3 of the second Test against New Zealand proved to be a pivotal moment in India's eventual 113-run defeat in Pune. The batting maestro was visibly heartbroken after being dismissed for 17 by Mitchell Santner, a dismissal that sparked an India batting collapse.With a mammoth target of 359 in front of them, India needed Kohli to stand tall with Rohit Sharma and others already back in the hut. While Kohli did get a decent start, he was undone by a beautiful delivery from Santer, who got it to zip quickly off the surface. The ball hit him straight in front of the leg stump and umpire Richard Illingworth raised his finger.Kohli was quick to review the call, but the ball tracking showed that the ball would've gone on to clip the leg stump, meaning the decision couldn't be overturned. Kohli, of course, did not like the decision one bit. He was visibly disappointed at the call and hurled a mouthful after hesitating to walk back to the dressing room.Now, a day after India's loss, a fresh video of Kohli's reaction following his dismissal has gone viral. In the video, Kohli looked visibly dejected as New Zealand players were celebrating his wicket.Chasing 359, India started strongly with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who shared a 62-run partnership with Shubman Gill (23 off 31 balls, four boundaries). However, after Jaiswal's dismissal for 77 off 65 balls (nine fours, three sixes), India couldn't recover, succumbing to the Kiwi spinners and being bowled out for 245, resulting in a 113-run defeat. This series loss marks India's first home series defeat in 12 years.Santner, with a remarkable 13 wickets in the match (6/104 in the second innings), emerged as the star of the game, with Phillips and Ajaz Patel chipping in to wrap up the Test two days early.Rohit and his men will aim to bounce back in the third and final Test, starting November 1, before the all-important tour of Australia next month. India will play five Tests Down Under, with the series likely to decide their fate as far as the World Test Championship (WTC) final is concerned.

After the disappointing loss in the first ODI, the New Zealand women's cricket team bounced back with a strong performance in the second match, posting a competitive total of 259 for nine. Skipper Sophie Devine led from the front, scoring a superb 79 off 86 balls, making up for her bizarre run-out in the previous game. She was ably supported by Suzie Bates, who contributed 58 off 70 balls, and Georgia Plimmer, who added 41 off 50 balls.The middle order also chipped in with valuable contributions. Maddy Green played a fine knock of 42 off 41 balls, while Amelia Kerr added 28 off 32 balls. The Indian bowlers struggled to contain the New Zealand batters, with Radha Yadav being the most successful with four wickets for 69 runs. However, it was her brilliant fielding that caught the eye, as she pulled off a stunning catch to dismiss Bates.Deepti Sharma also bowled tidily, taking two for 30 from 10 overs, while the other bowlers conceded runs at an economy rate of around five or more. India's chase got off to a shaky start, as they lost Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma cheaply. Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur steadied the innings with a 50-run partnership, but both fell in quick succession.Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma then put on a 40-run stand, but the Indian innings faltered after Ghosh's dismissal. India eventually fell short by 30 runs, with Radha Yadav remaining unbeaten on 25. The New Zealand bowlers shared the wickets, with Jess Kerr and Hayley Jensen taking two each.The victory gives New Zealand a 1-1 draw in the three-match ODI series. The final match will be played on October 29, with India needing a win to clinch the series.

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has expressed support for current coach Gautam Gambhir despite India's Test series loss to New Zealand. This marks India's first home Test series defeat in 12 years.Shastri emphasized that Gambhir is still in the early stages of his coaching tenure and has ample time to improve. He acknowledged that the Indian batters were outplayed by New Zealand's spin attack, led by Mitchell Santner, who claimed 13 wickets in the match.In the first Test, New Zealand posted a competitive 259 thanks to half-centuries from Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra. Washington Sundar then took seven wickets to dismiss the visitors. India, in response, were bowled out for 156, with Santner claiming seven wickets.In the second innings, New Zealand extended their lead to 358 runs, with Tom Latham scoring 86. India's chase of 359 began well, but after Yashasvi Jaiswal's dismissal, the hosts collapsed, losing by 113 runs. Santner once again starred with six wickets, taking his match tally to 13.Shastri believes that Gambhir will learn from this experience and improve as a coach. He urged patience and support for the new coach.

Radha Yadav's Fielding Brilliance Shines in India's ODI TriumphIn the second One-Day International against New Zealand Women at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India's experienced spin bowler Radha Yadav showcased her exceptional fielding prowess. Her stunning catches played a pivotal role in India's victory, disrupting New Zealand's batting momentum and securing a crucial breakthrough.In the 16th over of New Zealand's innings, Radha Yadav pulled off a breathtaking catch to dismiss in-form opener Georgia Plimmer. Deepti Sharma's well-flighted delivery tempted Plimmer to flick it to the on-side, but Radha Yadav, diving to her right, executed a spectacular catch, preventing a potential boundary.Radha Yadav's fielding brilliance continued as she took another breathtaking catch to dismiss Brooke Halliday. Halliday attempted to loft debutant Priya Mishra down the ground but only managed to sky the ball towards the extra cover region. Radha Yadav sprinted back, executing a full-length dive, and expertly reached the ball with both hands, ensuring it stayed secure after hitting the grass.Earlier, New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine won the toss and elected to bat. India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur returned to the side after missing the series opener due to a niggle, while the hosts handed a maiden cap to young Priya Mishra. For New Zealand, Fran Jonas and Lea Tahuhu came in for injured Amelia Kerr and Molly Penfold.India lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first ODI by 59 runs. Radha Yadav's fielding brilliance, coupled with Deepti Sharma's bowling prowess, proved instrumental in India's victory, setting the stage for an exciting series finale.

Former Indian batsman Manoj Tiwary has expressed his concerns over the Indian cricket team's recent Test series loss to New Zealand, criticizing captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir for their approach and team selection.Tiwary believes that India's downfall began with Rohit's decision to bat first in the rain-affected series opener in Bengaluru. "India's biggest enemy was the weather in Bengaluru, because they had prepared a turning track. After winning the toss India had the opportunity to field, but I don't know why they opted to bat first, and that is where it all started," Tiwary told Cricbuzz.He also criticized the team selection, particularly the inclusion of Washington Sundar over Kuldeep Yadav and the omission of Akash Deep in the first Test. "You already have a spin-bowling all-rounder in Axar Patel, who picked up wickets in spinning conditions previously. But you ignored him and then benched Kuldeep in the second Test. You did not play Akash Deep in Bengaluru, but included him in the second Test, where you did not give him the ball in the second innings. Then you did not start with Jasprit Bumrah in the attack. All these things will backfired," he added.Tiwary warned that these selection calls could lead to disturbances and even cracks within the team. "What this will lead to is in the coming days there will be a lot of disturbances in the team, there will be cracks in the team," he said.Rohit and Gambhir will be under pressure to turn things around in the third and final Test, starting November 1, before the crucial tour of Australia next month. India will play five Tests Down Under, with the series likely to determine their fate in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.