Cricket

India's recent 0-3 Test series defeat against New Zealand at home has raised concerns about their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship Final. Despite the setback, former opener Shikhar Dhawan remains optimistic about India's prospects in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.Dhawan believes that India has a strong chance of completing a hat-trick of series wins in Australia, having triumphed in the previous two tours under Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane. He highlights the experience of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah, who have played extensively in Australia and can guide the younger players.Dhawan also praises the confidence and motivation of the current Indian team, which includes a mix of experienced and emerging stars. He believes that the batters are well-prepared to handle the pace and bounce of Australian pitches.Regarding Rishabh Pant, Dhawan notes that the wicketkeeper-batter has returned to the field with renewed gratitude and positivity after his car accident in 2022. He commends Pant's mental strength and his ability to bring joy to fans with his fearless batting.Despite the recent loss to New Zealand, Dhawan remains confident in India's ability to bounce back and secure a historic victory in Australia. He believes that the team has the talent, experience, and determination to overcome the challenges and emerge victorious.

India's recent loss to New Zealand in the World Test Championship (WTC) has raised concerns about the team's batting performance. Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria believes that India captain Rohit Sharma should consider changing his batting position to address the team's struggles.Kaneria, in an exclusive interview with TimesofIndia.com, expressed his concern over the form of India's top order, particularly Rohit and Virat Kohli. He suggested that Rohit should move down to the middle order, possibly at number three, to improve his performance."Rohit has been struggling with the track in India. In the recent series, Southee got him out twice, and the ball will move more over there in Australia, so you have to see how you go with that," said Kaneria.Kaneria believes that the Indian top order should consist of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill as openers, followed by Rohit at number three and Kohli at number four. He emphasized that the success of the team depends on the performance of the top order."Indian batters need to click; that's the only concern. If the bowlers take wickets, then the batters need to click. A Test is won by bowlers, so Indian batting needs to click as their top order, where Rohit and Kohli are struggling with runs," explained Kaneria.Kaneria also pointed out that the rise of T20 cricket has negatively impacted Indian batters' ability to face spin bowling. He believes that the team needs to address this issue to improve their performance in Test cricket.India's loss to New Zealand has dropped them to second place in the WTC standings. To secure a spot in the next WTC final, India will need to win at least four matches in their upcoming five-match Test series against Australia.

Former Indian cricket team spinner Anil Kumble has expressed surprise over the BCCI's decision to cancel the practice game ahead of the first Test match against Australia in Perth starting November 22. The Indian cricket team was going to play a practice match against India A, but following the Test series whitewash against New Zealand, the BCCI decided to scrap the encounter.Kumble, during a discussion on JioCinema, said that the practice match would have been ideal preparation for Rohit Sharma and Co. He added that such match practice cannot be achieved by just net sessions."I'm a bit surprised that India don't have a practice match going into the first Test because that would have been an ideal preparation. No matter how much you practice in the nets, going out in the middle and facing a few bowlers in the match is totally different," he said.Right-handed batter KL Rahul and wicketkeeper-batter Dhurv Jurel are on their way to link up with the India A squad ahead of their second four-day game against Australia A, set to begin at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from November 7.Sources told IANS that Rahul and Jurel left for Melbourne on Sunday night after the third Test ended at the Wankhede Stadium, which India lost by 25 runs to New Zealand and suffered a 3-0 series defeat.As per the sources, Rahul and Jurel will join the India 'A' squad by Tuesday and get to play in the second four-day game, with an eye to give them some game time before linking up with the main Test team to prepare for the all-important Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, starting on November 22 in Perth. It will be followed by games in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney till January 7, 2025.Rahul played three Tests in the Indian home season, with his last game coming via the hosts' series opener against New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. After making scores of 0 and 12 in that game, where India lost by eight wickets, he didn't feature in the remainder of the series.On the other hand, Jurel didn't get a game to play in the five Tests India played at home, though he did get to feature as a substitute wicketkeeper in the first Test at Bengaluru after Rishabh Pant hurt his knee while being on keeping duties.The first four-day game saw India A, captained by Ruturaj Gaikwad, suffer a heavy seven-wicket defeat at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay, Queensland, with left-handed batters B Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal along with pacer Mukesh Kumar being the standout performers.

Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has expressed his views on India's chances in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia. While acknowledging India's recent dominance over Australia in Test cricket, Gavaskar believes that a 4-0 victory for India in Australia is unlikely.Gavaskar emphasized that India's focus should be solely on winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, rather than on qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. He stated, "Don't talk about the World Test Championship final. Now just focus on trying to win the series in Australia."Gavaskar's prediction is based on the formidable nature of the Australian team in their home conditions. He believes that India can realistically aim for a 3-1 victory, but a 4-0 sweep is an ambitious target.India has won the previous four Test series against Australia, all by a margin of 2-1. However, Gavaskar believes that Australia will be a different proposition in their own backyard.Despite Gavaskar's cautious optimism, India's recent record against Australia provides some hope. India has won two Test series in Australia in the past decade, including a historic 2-1 victory in 2018/19.The WTC scenario is also complex. While India needs four wins to guarantee qualification for the final, it is unlikely that they will need to win all. Other nations in contention for the WTC final, such as Australia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and New Zealand, will face each other and potentially hamper each other's results.Overall, Gavaskar's prediction reflects a realistic assessment of India's chances in Australia. While a 4-0 victory may be a stretch, India has the potential to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and continue their recent dominance over Australia in Test cricket.

Rohit Sharma, the Indian cricket team's captain, has been under immense scrutiny following India's humiliating 0-3 Test series loss to New Zealand. The defeat has raised questions about Rohit's leadership and his ability to inspire his team to perform at the highest level.Rohit's struggles with the bat have been particularly concerning. In six innings during the series, he managed only 91 runs, averaging a meager 13.30. This is a far cry from the prolific run-scorer he has been in recent years. Rohit's poor form has put pressure on the rest of the batting lineup, which has also failed to deliver consistently.Compounding Rohit's batting woes, his decision-making as captain has also been criticized. In the first Test in Kanpur, he opted to bat first on a pitch that was clearly more suited to bowling. This decision backfired spectacularly, as India was bowled out for just 124 runs in their first innings.Rohit's decision to field first in the second Test in Mumbai was also questionable. The pitch was expected to deteriorate over the course of the match, and batting first would have given India the advantage of setting a large total. However, New Zealand batted first and scored 325 runs, putting India under pressure from the outset.Rohit's captaincy has also been criticized for its lack of aggression. In the past, India has been known for its attacking style of play, but under Rohit's leadership, the team has appeared more cautious and conservative. This has led to accusations that Rohit is too risk-averse and that he is not inspiring his players to play to their full potential.Rohit's struggles have come at a time when India is facing a crucial period in its Test cricket history. The team is currently ranked fourth in the World Test Championship standings, and it needs to win the remaining four Tests in the series against Australia to qualify for the final.Rohit's form and leadership will be under intense scrutiny in the upcoming Tests. If he can rediscover his batting touch and inspire his team to victory, he will silence his critics and prove that he is still the right man to lead India. However, if he continues to struggle, India's chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship final will be in jeopardy.

New Zealand's historic 3-0 Test series sweep over India has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world. Former Kiwi batter Ross Taylor expressed his astonishment at the team's remarkable achievement, stating that a clean sweep was beyond their wildest dreams.The visitors dominated the series from start to finish, showcasing their superiority in all departments. Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner wreaked havoc with the ball, while Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, and Devon Conway led the charge with the bat.Taylor hailed the team's performance as a testament to their hard work and determination. "I think the way they played throughout the whole series... I think we hoped more than thought we were going to win," he said. "But a clean sweep - I think it still hasn't quite sunk in among the New Zealand public, probably for the players as well."The series victory has provided a much-needed boost to cricket in New Zealand, a nation where rugby reigns supreme. "Cricket is fighting for an audience," Taylor noted. "After losing in Sri Lanka, the press after that has changed around completely. I don't think we've had scenes like this since winning the (last) World Test Championship."Taylor believes the team's success in India will inspire future generations of Kiwi cricketers. "It just tells you how high the New Zealand cricket public holds the Indian cricket team and what it's like to go and win over there," he said. "After winning the first Test, it gave the team as well as the public some belief, but I don't think even in our wildest dreams we imagined a clean sweep."New Zealand's triumph is a testament to their resilience and adaptability. They overcame challenging conditions, including India's spin-friendly pitches, to secure a historic victory. The series sweep will undoubtedly go down as one of the most memorable moments in New Zealand cricket history.

New Zealand's stunning 3-0 series sweep over India at home has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world, leaving Australia wary ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under.Australia's pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood believes the embarrassing loss could serve as a wake-up call for India, who are now facing a confidence crisis. "It might awaken a sleeping giant, so to speak," Hazlewood told Sydney Morning Herald. "We will see that when they come out."The Kiwis' triumph marks India's first-ever 3-0 whitewash at home, exposing glaring weaknesses in their batting lineup. In the Bengaluru Test, India collapsed to a dismal 46 runs in the first innings, followed by another batting failure in the second innings.The second Test saw a similar pattern, with India's batsmen failing to capitalize on a strong bowling performance. Chasing 359 runs for victory, they were dismissed for 245 runs.The final Test in Mumbai was another low-scoring affair, with India set a target of 147 runs. Despite a fighting half-century from Rishabh Pant, the batting lineup crumbled once again, bowled out for 121 runs.Hazlewood acknowledged the Kiwis' exceptional performance, stating, "Credit to the Kiwi boys. They played outstanding cricket. To win 3-0 in India is unbelievable."The India vs Australia series commences on November 22 with the first Test taking place in Perth. Adelaide Oval will host the second Test from December 6th to 10th, featuring the captivating day-night format under lights. Brisbane's Gabba will be the venue for the third Test, scheduled from December 14th to 18th. The traditional Boxing Day Test, slated for December 26th to 30th at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, will mark the penultimate stage of the series. The series will culminate with the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3rd to 7th.India's squad for the Border-Gavaskar Series includes Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, and Washington Sundar.

India's humiliating 3-0 series defeat at home against New Zealand has cast a shadow over their upcoming tour of Australia, which begins on November 22. The loss has raised concerns about the team's preparedness for the high-profile series, especially given the short turnaround time.Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has criticized India's spin-centric approach against New Zealand, arguing that it has compromised their ability to handle pace bowling. He has also questioned the decision to cancel the warm-up game ahead of the first Test in Perth.Gavaskar believes that the Australia tour will be a significant challenge for India, particularly for the younger players who are traveling Down Under for the first time. He has urged the team management to reconsider their decision and arrange some warm-up games, even if it means playing against state A teams.The Indian team has a daunting task ahead of them. To qualify for the World Test Championship Final, they must win four out of five matches in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The first Test against Australia is scheduled for November 22-26, followed by a two-day warm-up game in Canberra and the Adelaide Test. The remaining three Tests will be played in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.

Ravichandran Ashwin, India's premier spinner, has been a formidable force in home conditions throughout his Test career. However, during the recent India vs New Zealand series, Ashwin's form dipped significantly, contributing to India's unprecedented 3-0 series loss.In the six innings he played against New Zealand, Ashwin managed only nine wickets, averaging over 41. This was in stark contrast to his recent performances at home, where he had been instrumental in India's 18 consecutive home series wins.In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in 2023, Ashwin picked up 25 wickets in four matches, averaging an impressive 17.28. Against England in 2024, he bagged 26 wickets in five Tests, including two five-wicket hauls. And in the series against Bangladesh in September, he took 11 wickets in two Tests, averaging 19.27.Ashwin's struggles against New Zealand were particularly surprising given the conducive conditions for spin bowling. However, the BlackCaps' bowlers, including the less experienced ones, were able to exploit the conditions better than him.While Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar bagged 16 wickets each in the series, Ashwin turned out to be the least effective among India's spinners. This dip in form has raised concerns about Ashwin's ability to continue as India's lead spinner in home conditions.It remains to be seen whether Ashwin can regain his form and help India regain their home dominance. However, the New Zealand series has shown that even the most experienced bowlers can struggle when their form deserts them.