Cricket

Indian Cricket Team's Form Concerns Ahead of T20 World Cup 2024As the Indian cricket team gears up for the T20 World Cup 2024, concerns have been raised about the form of key players Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya. While Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah have been in impressive form, Sharma and Pandya have struggled in recent matches.Rohit Sharma, the team's captain, has been criticized for his poor run of form in the IPL 2024. Despite scoring 417 runs in 14 matches, he has had a string of low scores as an opener. This has raised questions about his ability to lead the team to victory in the upcoming World Cup.Hardik Pandya, who is considered a vital all-rounder, has also been inconsistent in the IPL 2024. While he has performed well with the ball in the latter stages, his overall performance has been below par. This has led to concerns about his fitness and ability to contribute effectively in the World Cup.Former BCCI president and ex-Indian cricket team coach Sourav Ganguly has expressed his concerns about the duo's form. However, he remains confident in Rohit Sharma's ability to perform at the highest level."Rohit is a great of the game, and if you see what he did in the 50-over World Cup, I am confident he will do that again. At this level, form is about a couple of games when you have that kind of quality," Ganguly said.Ganguly also highlighted the importance of Hardik Pandya playing more cricket to regain his form."Hardik is different because he doesn't play that much cricket, and that's a worry. I want him to consistently play cricket, for only then can he hit a rich vein of form," Ganguly said.Ganguly also addressed concerns about the form of Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh, two fast bowlers who have been inconsistent in the IPL 2024."I am not really worried. Again, you have to take into account the nature of pitches in the IPL, the ground dimensions, and the conditions on offer for the fast bowlers. The World Cup will be very different, and the conditions in the West Indies will not be anywhere near the IPL. Our bowlers shouldn't have an issue in the World Cup is my assumption," Ganguly said.As the T20 World Cup 2024 approaches, the Indian cricket team will need to address the concerns surrounding the form of Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya. If they can regain their form and perform at their best, India will have a strong chance of winning the tournament.

Hardik Pandya, the enigmatic all-rounder, faces a pivotal moment in his career as he prepares for the T20 World Cup. After a tumultuous IPL season as Mumbai Indians captain, Pandya must overcome recent challenges and rise to the occasion on the global stage.Pandya's situation is being carefully managed by Team India coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma. They recognize his importance as a seam-bowling all-rounder and vice-captain. Despite recurring injuries, Pandya has been retained in Grade A of the BCCI's central contracts list.However, Pandya's personal life and public persona have come under intense scrutiny. His flamboyant lifestyle and controversial comments have drawn criticism. The hostility he has faced from spectators during the IPL has been particularly unsettling.Some believe that Pandya's public persona has contributed to the backlash. Others point to the management's decision to overlook the optics of his appointment as MI captain. The transition from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians and the dethroning of Rohit Sharma have angered fans.Pandya's leadership style has also been questioned. Former cricketers have accused him of faking his way through the IPL campaign and lacking clarity. The public criticism of Tilak Varma and alleged dressing room showdowns have further clouded his tenure.Despite the challenges, Pandya remains a key player for Team India. His resilience and determination have been tested, but he has always bounced back. The calming presence of Rohit and Dravid may help to ease any lingering bitterness.Pandya's performance in the T20 World Cup will be crucial for India's chances of victory. He was their best performer with the bat in the semifinal defeat to England in 2022. If he can overcome the recent adversity and find his form, he could be a game-changer for Team India.

Team India's T20 World Cup preparations kicked off in earnest with an intensive three-hour training session in New York on Thursday. The squad, which arrived in the US on May 27, had a couple of days off to adjust to the time difference and weather conditions.The training session was a serious affair, with skipper Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav facing the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya in the nets. Hardik, in particular, had a grueling session, bowling for an hour before unleashing his power against the bowlers. He also engaged in a lengthy discussion with batting coach Vikram Rathour.Unusually, tailenders Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh focused on their batting skills, while all-rounders Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, and Hardik trained with both bat and ball. Yuzvendra Chahal, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Avesh Khan, and Rinku Singh, who arrived late in New York, participated in light training drills.The training session emphasized adapting to the pitch conditions, which offered considerable bounce. India's first warm-up game is scheduled against Bangladesh on Saturday.

Ravindra Jadeja's excitement for Team India's upcoming T20 World Cup debut in New York is palpable. The tournament, scheduled from June 1 to 29 in the West Indies and USA, will see India face Bangladesh in a warm-up game on June 1 at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York."First time we gonna play cricket in New York, it's gonna be fun," Jadeja exclaimed in a video shared by the BCCI.The Indian team's first training session in the US revealed that the players are adjusting to the new time zone and easing into their routines. Strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai said, "We came in the day before yesterday and we just eased into our routines here, the players are just getting used to the time zone. Today we are having our first ground session."Star pacer Jasprit Bumrah commented on the pleasant weather and expressed his anticipation for the upcoming matches. "We have not yet played cricket, came here for a team activity today. Hopefully, it will be good. The weather is really good, so we are looking forward to it."Vice-captain and allrounder Hardik Pandya praised the vibrant atmosphere in New York, while Suryakumar Yadav highlighted the growing popularity of cricket in the US. "Very exciting to be here in New York, has a good vibe, bright sun out," Pandya said. "I heard the cricket is growing here in the US, so we are really excited and the first day here was amazing, so very excited for the few days coming up," Yadav added.India's T20 World Cup journey begins on June 5 against Ireland at the newly built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. The highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan is scheduled for June 9, followed by matches against tournament co-hosts USA (June 12) and Canada (June 15) to conclude their Group A fixtures.The Indian team will be determined to end their ICC trophy drought, having last won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. Despite reaching the finals and semifinals of various ICC tournaments since then, including the 50-over World Cup, ICC World Test Championship, and T20 World Cup, India has yet to secure a major ICC trophy in recent years.

Hardik Pandya, India's all-rounder and vice-captain, has been under intense scrutiny lately due to personal and professional challenges. Despite the adversity, Pandya has joined Team India in New York for the upcoming T20 World Cup, signaling his readiness for the mega event.Pandya's recent struggles include a disappointing Indian Premier League season as captain of the Mumbai Indians. The team's failure to qualify for the playoffs and their last-place finish drew criticism from fans, leading to Pandya being booed during matches.Amidst the speculation and scrutiny, Pandya's post on social media announcing his arrival in New York for Team India's training session has been met with mixed reactions. Some fans have expressed support for Pandya, while others remain skeptical about his ability to lead the team to success.The Indian cricket team has begun their preparations in New York for the ICC 2024 T20 World Cup, scheduled to start on June 2. The first batch of players, including captain Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and head coach Rahul Dravid, arrived in New York a few days ago and have now started their training sessions.India has been placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, USA, Ireland, and Canada. They will begin their World Cup campaign against Ireland in New York on June 5. Before the main event, the Indian team is set to play a warm-up game against Bangladesh on June 1.India's only T20 World Cup victory came in 2007 under the leadership of MS Dhoni. The current squad is eager to replicate that success and bring the trophy home once again.

Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed empathy for Hardik Pandya, who has endured a challenging phase in his career. Pandya's forgettable IPL season as captain and player for Mumbai Indians, coupled with incessant fan jeering, has raised concerns about his form and mental state.However, Harbhajan believes that Pandya will find redemption at the upcoming T20 World Cup. "When he wears that blue jersey, he will be a different Hardik Pandya," Harbhajan said. "He has gone through a lot, and I wish him all the best to have a very good tournament for India."Harbhajan attributed Pandya's struggles to the pressure of captaincy, the team's poor performance, and the change in leadership from Rohit Sharma. He urged the team management to bring Pandya and Rohit on the same page and create a cohesive unit.Regarding India's pace attack, Harbhajan expressed concern about the reliance on Jasprit Bumrah. "Bumrah is in a different league," he said. "He will win you games on any kind of pitch. But other bowlers like Arshdeep and Siraj would need help from conditions."Harbhajan dismissed the significance of IPL form in the T20 World Cup. "This is what counts the most," he said. "If I was in their shoes, I would be looking for this opportunity to showcase that I have been better than what I have been doing."Harbhajan praised Virat Kohli's improved T20 batting, noting his increased strike rate. He emphasized the importance of Kohli and Rohit scoring quickly in the Powerplay while respecting the conditions in the USA and West Indies.Regarding the speculation about Gautam Gambhir becoming India's head coach, Harbhajan said, "The biggest thing a coach can do is to bring everyone together." He ruled out his own candidacy, citing family commitments.

India's vice-captain Hardik Pandya is set to join the Rohit Sharma-led squad in New York on Sunday afternoon ahead of the upcoming Men's T20 World Cup. Pandya's absence from the first batch of Indian players and support staff departing for New York on Saturday night had raised eyebrows.According to Cricbuzz, Pandya had been vacationing overseas after Mumbai Indians' disappointing IPL 2024 campaign ended with a defeat to Lucknow Super Giants. He is now on his way to New York to link up with the Indian team for the showpiece event starting from June 1.Pandya's IPL 2024 performance was underwhelming, with the all-rounder struggling with both bat and ball. He managed only 216 runs in 14 matches at an average of 18 and a strike-rate of 143.05. With the ball, he picked up 11 wickets at an economy-rate of 10.75 and average of 35.18.As a leader, Pandya failed to inspire Mumbai Indians, who finished at the bottom of the points table. This was a stark contrast to his successful stint as captain of Gujarat Titans, who won the IPL title in 2022 and finished runners-up in 2023.Other players who will join the Indian team later include Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Avesh Khan, who played for Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2024. Traveling reserve Rinku Singh, who will be playing in the IPL title clash on Sunday night, will also join the squad. Virat Kohli has reportedly sought permission to join the team late.Apart from Rohit, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and traveling substitutes Shubman Gill and Khaleel Ahmed, left for New York from Mumbai on Saturday night.India is set to play their lone warm-up game against Bangladesh at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 1. Their Men's T20 World Cup campaign begins on June 5 against Group A opponents Ireland in New York, followed by a highly-anticipated clash against Pakistan on June 9.India will then face co-hosts USA on June 12 in New York, before going to Florida to take on Canada on June 15 to wrap up their Group A league matches. India were the inaugural winners of the Men's T20 World Cup in 2007 and are aiming to claim the silverware for just the second time through the upcoming tournament.

Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic: Rumors of Separation Swirl Amidst Social Media SpeculationIn recent days, rumors have circulated on social media alleging a separation between Indian cricket all-rounder Hardik Pandya and his wife, Natasa Stankovic. The speculations arose after Natasa removed the "Pandya" surname from her Instagram handle.The rumors gained traction when a post on Reddit claimed that Natasa had been absent from Pandya's IPL 2024 matches and had not posted any recent photos with him. The post also noted that she had not wished him on his birthday."This is just speculation. But both of them aren't posting each other on stories (Instagram Stories). Earlier, Natasa used to have Natasa Stankovic Pandya on her Instagram, but now she completely removed his name," the post stated."Her birthday was on 4th March, and there was no post from Hardik on that day; she also removed all recent posts of her and Hardik except the one where Agastya was with them. Also, she isn't seen in stands this IPL or post stories regarding the team. While Krunal and Pankhuri still comment on her posts, something is definitely off between both of them," it added.However, it is important to note that these rumors remain unconfirmed by either Hardik or Natasa. As of now, they are merely speculations based on social media observations.Upon examining Natasa's Instagram page, it is evident that she still has photos of herself with Hardik and their family. Therefore, the reports of her deleting all pictures with him are inaccurate.Despite a disappointing IPL 2024 season with Mumbai Indians, Hardik Pandya is preparing for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, where he will serve as the vice-captain of the Indian cricket team.

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has expressed his unwavering support for Hardik Pandya, who has faced recent struggles, predicting that Pandya will deliver an exceptional performance for Team India in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup. Yuvraj emphasized the crucial role of Pandya's fitness and bowling prowess in the team's success.As the ambassador of the T20 World Cup, Yuvraj shared his insights on the Indian team's prospects. India has announced a formidable 15-member squad led by Rohit Sharma, along with four traveling reserves, for the tournament. The team aims to reclaim the T20 World Cup title, having triumphed in the inaugural edition in 2007.Yuvraj, a pivotal member of that victorious 2007 team, expressed his eagerness to witness India lift the trophy once again. Despite showing signs of regaining his bowling form in the IPL, Pandya, the captain of the Mumbai Indians, endured a disappointing batting performance, scoring only 216 runs in 14 matches. This slump followed his return from a prolonged injury layoff that forced him to withdraw from the ODI World Cup last year.However, Yuvraj remains steadfast in his belief that Pandya will shine in the tournament, expressing confidence that the all-rounder will deliver something extraordinary. "The selection has been made based on players' performances in international cricket and the IPL," Yuvraj said. "While Hardik's IPL form has not been impressive, his past contributions to India cannot be overlooked. His bowling and fitness will be crucial, and I believe he has the potential to make a significant impact in this World Cup."Yuvraj's endorsement of Pandya highlights the importance of experience and versatility in the T20 format. Pandya's ability to contribute with both bat and ball makes him a valuable asset to the Indian team. His return to form will be a major boost for India's title aspirations.