Cricket

Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has cautioned against underestimating Bangladesh ahead of India's upcoming series against the Asian side. Raina believes Bangladesh possesses a formidable bowling attack and that the series will serve as valuable practice for India's upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy.Raina, speaking at a Legends League Cricket (LLC) event in Delhi, emphasized the importance of red-ball cricket in preparing for Test matches. He praised the BCCI's initiative to include top players in the Duleep Trophy, which will begin on September 5, 2024."You cannot take Bangladesh lightly as they have a fine spin bowling attack and some good players who have done well for a long time," Raina said. "This series will be a fine match practice for the tour to Australia."The Duleep Trophy will feature star Indian batters such as Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, and Shubman Gill. India will then face Bangladesh in a two-match series from September 19 to October 1, with Bangladesh's spinners, including Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, expected to pose a significant challenge.Raina also lauded Rishabh Pant's performance in India's T20 World Cup triumph, highlighting his passion, hard work, and determination. Pant was India's third-highest run-getter in the tournament, amassing 171 runs and contributing with 14 dismissals behind the stumps.Regarding the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Raina expressed his preference for traditional cricket with 11 players. He believes the rule adds complexity to the game but prefers the simplicity of the old school approach.Legends League Cricket will be played in India and Qatar from September 11 to October 5 this year.

R. Sai Kishore, the left-arm spinner from Tamil Nadu, is determined to enhance his red-ball skills to seize opportunities that come his way. His impressive performances in the previous Ranji Trophy (53 wickets) and the ongoing Buchi Babu tournament (14 wickets so far) are a testament to his dedication and talent.Sai Kishore believes that being prepared will increase his chances of selection. "If I am ready for something, the opportunity will come my way. In terms of confidence, I think that I am ready. I consider myself a tool, the tool is doing its best to be ready. If there is an opportunity somewhere, they could call me," he said after the third day's play against Mumbai in the Buchi Babu tournament.The Tamil Nadu player will have a significant role in the upcoming Duleep Trophy for India-B, as fellow left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja will not be participating. Sai Kishore expressed his satisfaction with his decision to play in the Buchi Babu tournament before the more challenging assignments."There was an option to go to the NCA in Bengaluru for a spinners camp. I felt ‘if I cannot handle the pressure in Buchi Babu, how will I handle it in Duleep Trophy’. So I looked at Buchi Babu as a good preparation. No practice is equal to playing a match. Luckily, it has panned out very well," he said.Sai Kishore's determination and hard work are paying off. He is eager to prove his worth and contribute to his team's success. With his impressive performances and unwavering focus, he is well-positioned to make a mark in the upcoming Duleep Trophy and beyond.

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed his opinion that star players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah should have been included in the first round of the Duleep Trophy. The tournament, which marks the beginning of India's domestic season, will commence on September 5 in Bengaluru and Anantapur.Manjrekar's suggestion stems from the fact that these players have had ample rest in recent times. He pointed out that Rohit Sharma has played only 59% of India's 249 international matches in the last five years, while Virat Kohli has played 61% and Jasprit Bumrah has played only 34%."I see them as well-rested India players. Could have been selected for the Duleep trophy," Manjrekar said on 'X'.The BCCI has announced that Ravindra Jadeja has been released from participation in the Duleep Trophy without providing a reason. Additionally, Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik will not feature as they are recovering from recent illness. Navdeep Saini and Gaurav Yadav have been named as replacements.The Duleep Trophy is crucial in identifying key players for India's packed Test calendar and their readiness for the World Test Championship final. India's home season will commence with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting on September 19 in Chennai, followed by a second game in Kanpur beginning on September 27. Following this series, India will play three Test matches against New Zealand in Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai. Subsequently, the team will travel to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which begins on November 22 in Perth.

Fast Bowlers Siraj, Malik Ruled Out of Duleep Trophy OpenerFast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik have been ruled out of the first round of the Duleep Trophy due to illness. Navdeep Saini will replace Siraj in the India B squad, while Gaurav Yadav will take Malik's place in the India C squad.All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has also been released from the India B squad, but no replacement has been named. Nitish Kumar Reddy's participation remains subject to fitness as he recovers from sports hernia surgery.The first round of the Duleep Trophy will be played simultaneously in Anantapur and Bengaluru from September 5. The tournament, which was originally a zonal competition featuring six teams, will have only four teams this year.The second round of the Duleep Trophy will clash with the home Tests against Bangladesh starting September 19. As a result, players selected for the Test series will be replaced in the Duleep Trophy.Revised Duleep Trophy Squads:India A: Shubman Gill (capt), Mayank Agarwal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel (wk), KL Rahul, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Tanush Kotian, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Vidwath Kaverappa, Kumar Kushagra, Shaswat RawatIndia B: Abhimanyu Easwaran (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Musheer Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy (subject to fitness), Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini, Yash Dayal, Mukesh Kumar, Rahul Chahar, R Sai Kishore, Mohit Awasthi, N Jagadeesan (wk)India C: Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Abishek Porel (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, B Indrajith, Hrithik Shokeen, Manav Suthar, Gaurav Yadav, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Anshul Khamboj, Himanshu Chauhan, Mayank Markande, Aryan Juyal (wk), Sandeep WarrierIndia D: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Atharva Taide, Yash Dubey, Devdutt Padikkal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ricky Bhui, Saransh Jain, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Aditya Thakare, Harshit Rana, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Sengupta, KS Bharat (wk), Saurabh Kumar

Umran Malik Recovers from Dengue, Eyes Duleep Trophy GloryIndian fast bowler Umran Malik has made a full recovery from dengue and is now intensifying his preparations for the upcoming Duleep Trophy, a prestigious domestic red-ball tournament. The 23-year-old pacer, who made his international debut in 2022, has been sidelined due to the illness but has now joined the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to regain his fitness and sharpness."I am feeling much better now and my focus is entirely on preparing for the Duleep Trophy at the NCA," Malik told ANI. "I am confident that I will perform well for my team this season."Malik's return to action is a significant boost for his team, which will be looking to make a strong impact in the Duleep Trophy. The tournament, which begins on September 5, features some of the top international stars and emerging talents from India. It provides a platform for players like Malik to showcase their skills ahead of the international season.Malik has impressed with his raw pace and wicket-taking ability since making his international debut. In 10 One Day Internationals (ODIs), he has claimed 13 wickets, while in eight Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), he has taken 11 wickets. His performances have earned him praise from former cricketers and experts, who believe he has the potential to become a world-class bowler.The Duleep Trophy will be a crucial test for Malik as he looks to cement his place in the Indian team. The tournament will provide him with an opportunity to showcase his skills in red-ball cricket, which is considered the ultimate test for a bowler.Malik's recovery from dengue is a testament to his determination and resilience. He is now fully focused on preparing for the Duleep Trophy and is confident of making a significant contribution to his team's success.

Ishan Kishan's rollercoaster year continues as he earns a spot in the Duleep Trophy squad, reigniting hopes of a national team return. Despite being omitted from the BCCI's central contracts, Kishan's impressive century in the Buchi Babu tournament has caught the attention of selectors.However, former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali believes Kishan's chances of a comeback are slim, advising him to focus on the IPL instead. Ali suggests that Kishan's return is unlikely until the Australia series or even the Champions Trophy.Meanwhile, Ali expresses concerns about India's upcoming Test series against Australia, highlighting the absence of Cheteshwar Pujara. He emphasizes Pujara's ability to tire bowlers and create scoring opportunities for his teammates.Pujara played a pivotal role in India's Test series triumph in Australia in 2021-22, but has since lost his place due to poor form. Ali believes that despite India's potential to win the series, Pujara's absence will be felt.Kishan's inclusion in the Duleep Trophy squad indicates that the BCCI is willing to give him another chance to prove his worth. However, with the national team's focus on the upcoming Test series and the IPL, Kishan's path back to the Indian side remains uncertain.

The Duleep Trophy, the premier domestic cricket tournament in India, is set to kick off the 2024/25 season with a star-studded lineup. The tournament, scheduled from September 5 to 24 in Anantapur, will feature top Indian players, excluding Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravichandran Ashwin.Shubhman Gill, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Shreyas Iyer will lead the four squads in the tournament. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has emphasized that the absence of Rohit and Virat is due to workload concerns, as they will be preparing for the upcoming home Test series against Bangladesh.Shah stressed that injured players aiming to return to the national team must prove their fitness through domestic cricket. He cited the example of Ravindra Jadeja, who returned to the team after playing for Saurashtra. However, Shah believes it is unnecessary to burden Rohit and Virat with domestic cricket, as they are already facing a heavy workload."We have been little strict. When Ravindra Jadeja had got injured, I was the one who called him and asked him to play a domestic game. It's certain now, whoever gets injured and goes out, can only come into the Indian team after proving his fitness in domestic cricket. But it doesn't make sense to add to Virat and Rohit's load by asking them to play domestic cricket. They run the risk of getting injured. You also need to look at England and Australia. None of their top players play domestic cricket. We must treat our players respectfully and not treat them like servants," Shah said.The Duleep Trophy will provide an opportunity for young and emerging players to showcase their talent and stake a claim for a spot in the national team. The tournament will also serve as a platform for players returning from injury to regain match fitness and form.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the squads for the first round of the Duleep Trophy 2024-25, scheduled to commence on September 5. Notably, India's wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will make his return to red-ball cricket in the tournament.Pant has been included in 'Team B' but surprisingly, he has not been appointed as the captain. Instead, Abhimanyu Easwaran has been entrusted with the leadership role. This decision has raised questions from former India cricketer Aakash Chopra, who believes Pant should be considered for the Test captaincy."Rishabh Pant is not a captain. He has been selected in Abhimanyu Easwaran's team. He is playing under Abhimanyu Easwaran's captaincy, which is absolutely okay. However, is Rishabh Pant not even a candidate for Test captaincy? I am a little surprised," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.Chopra emphasized Pant's exceptional performance in Test cricket, highlighting his centuries in South Africa, England, and Australia. He believes Pant's consistency and aggressive style of play make him a suitable candidate for the captaincy."I am not aligned with this personally because the best avatar of Rishabh Pant you have seen is as a Test cricketer. He is the only wicketkeeper in the history of Indian cricket who has scored centuries in South Africa, England, and Australia in Test matches. The way he plays in Test cricket and the consistency with which he scores, he was the captaincy candidate in my opinion," Chopra added.Chopra also expressed curiosity about India's head coach Gautam Gambhir's views on Pant's captaincy potential. "However, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, and even Abhimanyu Easwaran are captains, but Pant is not a captain, and that is a huge takeaway in my opinion," he said."A new era has started. So I will be very curious to know what Gautam's opinion is with regards to Rishabh Pant the captain," added the ex-India batter.

Ishan Kishan, the wicket-keeper batter, is making a strong comeback to red-ball cricket with impressive performances in the Buchi Babu Invitation Cricket Tournament. Having been included in the India C squad for the Duleep Trophy, Kishan is determined to regain his place in the Indian team.In the match against Madhya Pradesh, Kishan showcased his exceptional wicket-keeping skills, taking three well-timed catches. His final catch, a stunning diving effort to dismiss Ramveer Gurjar, was the highlight of the day. Kishan's other two catches, off the bowling of Chanchal Rathore and Aditya Singh, demonstrated his presence of mind and quick reflexes.Kishan's return to form is a welcome sign for the Indian selectors, who have been monitoring his progress closely. After a disappointing IPL season with Mumbai Indians, Kishan was left out of the BCCI's central contract list. However, his inclusion in the Duleep Trophy squad indicates that he is still in contention for a national call-up.The Duleep Trophy, a prestigious domestic tournament, will provide Kishan with an ideal platform to showcase his skills and prove his worth to the selectors. If he continues to perform at a high level, he could earn a recall to the Indian team for the upcoming series against Australia.Kishan's journey back to the Indian setup has been a challenging one. However, his determination and resilience have been evident throughout. With his impressive performances in the Buchi Babu Invitation Cricket Tournament, Kishan has taken a significant step towards achieving his goal of representing India once again.