Cricket

India's batting woes continued in the third Test against New Zealand, with a series of questionable decisions and underperforming stars leaving pundits perplexed.On Day 1, Virat Kohli's reckless run-out set the tone for a topsy-turvy innings. The decision to send Sarfaraz Khan, who has been in scintillating form, down to No. 8 in the batting order sparked outrage among fans and former cricketers.Sanjay Manjrekar, a former India cricketer, questioned the team management's logic, stating that Sarfaraz's demotion made no sense given his recent performances. "A guy in form, has 3 fifties in his first 3 Tests, gets 150 in the Bangalore Test, a good player of spin, pushed back in the order to keep left & right combination?? Makes no sense," Manjrekar tweeted.Sarfaraz's brief stay at the crease ended in a 4-ball duck, adding to the frustration of fans who had witnessed his remarkable run at the Wankhede Stadium. In his last six innings at the venue, Sarfaraz has amassed 601 runs at an astonishing average of 150.25.The decision to send Mohammed Siraj (nightwatchman) and Ravindra Jadeja ahead of Sarfaraz raised eyebrows, especially considering their poor batting performances. Siraj and Jadeja were dismissed for 0 and 14 respectively.The Indian team's batting woes have been a recurring theme throughout the series. Despite Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant's heroics on Saturday, the team's overall performance has been inconsistent and error-prone.The team management's decisions have come under scrutiny, with many questioning the logic behind Sarfaraz's demotion and the batting order in general. As the series progresses, India will need to find a way to address their batting issues and regain their dominance on home soil.

India's batting duo of Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill put on a dominant display on the second morning of the Kanpur Test against New Zealand, guiding their team to a strong position at lunch.Resuming on 19 for 1, Pant and Gill added a quickfire 96 runs for the second wicket, bringing India within striking distance of New Zealand's first innings total of 235. Pant was particularly aggressive, scoring his half-century in just 36 balls, the fastest by an Indian against New Zealand.Pant's attacking mindset forced New Zealand to adjust their field placements, but he continued to find the boundaries with ease. He hit two sixes off Ajaz Patel and looked set for a big score before being dismissed lbw for 60 by Ish Sodhi.Gill, who was dropped on 45, played a more cautious innings but still managed to reach 70 off 106 balls at lunch. He and Ravindra Jadeja, who was promoted to maintain the left-right combination, saw India through to the break with a 15-run stand.New Zealand's bowlers struggled to contain the Indian batsmen, with Patel and Sodhi being the only ones to take wickets. Patel finished with figures of 2 for 76, while Sodhi claimed 1 for 42.India will be looking to build on their strong start in the afternoon session and take a first-innings lead. New Zealand, on the other hand, will need to find a way to break the partnership between Gill and Jadeja and restrict India's scoring rate.

Daryl Mitchell, the New Zealand batsman, attributed his team's remarkable turnaround on the first day of the second Test against India to the famed Kiwi resilience. After India's collapse from a promising 78/1 to a precarious 86/4, Mitchell's gritty 82 propelled the Black Caps to a position of strength.Mitchell emphasized the collective effort and unwavering determination that characterized New Zealand's performance. Despite the early onslaught from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, the Kiwis refused to succumb to pressure. "We were lucky today to build some pressure," Mitchell said. "There was a nice partnership going between Shubman and Jaiswal. But as it happens in Tests, you get one, you try and get two and you keep trying to put the pressure on the opposition."Mitchell lauded the contributions of his teammates, particularly Rachin Ravindra's tireless fielding and Matt Henry's sharp catch that dismissed Virat Kohli. "Our motto is to just keep giving to the team," he explained. "The way Rachin and some of the other guys chased the ball right to the boundary, that's the stuff that we pride ourselves on. It means everyone's engaged. It's nice that it paid off tonight."Despite their strong finish, Mitchell acknowledged the formidable challenge posed by India's world-class batting lineup. "We put a total on the board (and) hopefully now we can take a few more wickets," he said. "The game is evenly poised right at the moment."Mitchell also dismissed any concerns about the pitch conditions, stating that the Kiwis were well-prepared for the bounce and turn of the red soil. "It's the nature of the red soil," he said. "It's going to have bounce and a little bit of turn. We knew what to expect."

India Falls to Pakistan in Hong Kong Sixes OpenerIndia suffered a disappointing six-wicket defeat to arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening match of the Hong Kong Sixes 2024 at the Tin Kwong Road Cricket Ground on Friday.Despite a valiant effort from Bharat Chipli, who smashed 53 off 16 deliveries before retiring hurt, India could only muster 119 for 4 in their allotted six overs. Captain Robin Uthappa also contributed 31 off eight balls.Pakistan's batters, however, proved too strong for India's bowlers. Asif Ali played a pivotal role, blasting 55 off 14 balls to lay the foundation for a comprehensive victory. Muhammad Akhlaq (40 not out off 12) and Faheem Ashraf (22 not out off 5) completed the chase with one over to spare.The Hong Kong Sixes 2024 kicked off with an electrifying start, featuring explosive performances from batters across the board. Hosts Hong Kong and South Africa engaged in a thrilling encounter, with both teams showcasing aggressive batting. Hong Kong posted 92/0 in 6 overs, while South Africa chased down the target with 3 wickets in hand in just 4.4 overs.Nepal stunned England in the day's second match, clinching a 6-wicket victory after chasing down a target of 98 in just 4.2 overs. Captain Sundeep Jora led the charge with a blistering 50 off 12 balls.Pakistan continued their winning ways, edging past UAE by 13 runs. Led by Faheem Ashram, Pakistan posted 128/0 in 6 overs, with Muhammad Akhlaq and Asif Ali both retiring after half-centuries. UAE's Muhammad Zuhaib responded with a quickfire 53 off 14 balls, but Asif Ali's final over, yielding only 6 runs and taking two wickets, shifted the game in Pakistan's favor.Sri Lanka secured a comfortable 4-wicket win over Oman, while Hong Kong redeemed themselves by defeating New Zealand.

Virat Kohli's Costly Run-Out Marred India's Day One in Mumbai TestIndia's hopes of salvaging a consolation win in the third and final Test against New Zealand suffered a major setback on Friday as they stumbled to 86 for four at stumps on the opening day in Mumbai. The hosts found themselves in a precarious position, trailing the Kiwis by 149 runs, after a series of unfortunate events, including a crucial run-out of star batter Virat Kohli.With just minutes remaining in the day's play, Kohli made a fatal error in judgment that resulted in his dismissal. Attempting to steal a single off a flighted delivery from Rachin Ravindra, Kohli pushed the ball towards mid-on and set off for a run. However, Matt Henry's quick reflexes and accurate throw caught Kohli short of his crease.The run-out was a major blow to India, who had already lost Yashasvi Jaiswal and nightwatchman Mohammed Siraj in the penultimate over of the day. Jaiswal was bowled around his legs by Ajaz Patel, while Siraj was trapped plumb in front for a golden duck.Earlier in the day, India's bowlers had put up a strong performance to dismiss New Zealand for 235. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar shared nine wickets between them, with Jadeja claiming 4 for 44 and Sundar taking 5 for 45. Daryl Mitchell top-scored for the BlackCaps with a gritty 82.With New Zealand already holding an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, India will need to produce a remarkable turnaround in the remaining two days to avoid a clean sweep. However, the loss of Kohli and the team's fragile batting lineup make that task appear daunting.

Ravindra Jadeja, India's premier all-rounder, has expressed his disappointment over India's recent Test series loss at home against Bangladesh. This marks the first time India has lost a Test series at home since 2012, when Jadeja was a rookie in the team.Jadeja, who has been a key figure in India's Test success over the past decade, admitted that the loss was a bitter pill to swallow. "I was scared of this. I didn't want to lose a single series in India until I played, but it has happened," he said.The left-arm spinner, who picked up his 14th five-wicket haul in the series, believes that the team's mindset played a role in their downfall. "When you are down in the series and such a situation comes up, obviously it feels like if you are down 2-0 in the series, that's why you panicked and you made a mistake," Jadeja explained.Jadeja also pointed out that India's high expectations may have contributed to their struggles. "We have raised our expectations so high that we have not lost a single series for 12 years, and in 12 years, I have been involved in only five losses at home. As a team, it is a lesson. We need to pick up positives from this."Despite the disappointment, Jadeja remains optimistic about India's future. "We have a young team and we have a lot of potential. We just need to learn from our mistakes and come back stronger," he said.

India's No-Ball Woes Mar Impressive Start in Mumbai TestThe third and final Test between India and New Zealand in Mumbai got off to a lively start, with the Indian bowlers making early inroads but also struggling with a surprising number of no-balls.Off-spinner Washington Sundar led the Indian attack with two wickets, while Akash Deep claimed the first breakthrough. However, the bowlers' performance was marred by a series of no-ball infractions, with Sundar alone responsible for five. Jadeja and Akash also contributed three no-balls, bringing the total to eight by the middle of the second session.The no-ball problem drew the attention of commentator Ravi Shastri, who quipped that former Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar would have been furious. "Sunil Gavaskar was having lunch. He chucked the plate on the wall," Shastri said. "Thank god he's (Gavaskar) not fielding in the slip otherwise Washington would have been close to Washington DC."Gavaskar, who became the first cricketer to score 10,000 Test runs, has been a vocal critic of no-balls in cricket.Despite the no-ball issues, the Indian bowlers managed to restrict New Zealand to 92 runs for the loss of three wickets at lunch break. The visitors opted to bat first after winning the toss, hoping to sweep the series.The Indian bowlers' struggles with no-balls will be a concern for captain Virat Kohli, who will be keen to avoid a repeat of the second Test in Kanpur, where India conceded 39 no-balls.

New Zealand's stunning 2-0 Test series victory over India has left the hosts reeling, according to wicketkeeper-batter Tom Blundell. The Black Caps' historic triumph marks their first-ever Test series win in India and the first by a visiting team in 12 years.Blundell believes the Indian team has been caught off guard by New Zealand's unexpected dominance. "They're a little bit shell-shocked," he said. "When we first came over, they had a slogan on TV saying five-nil for their home summer. I'm pretty sure they wrote us off coming after Sri Lanka."The Black Caps' success has been built on a combination of strong batting, disciplined bowling, and astute captaincy. Blundell praised the team's ability to adapt to the challenging conditions in India. "We've come out and competed and played some really good cricket to beat these guys - one of the best teams in the world," he said.Despite their commanding lead, New Zealand is not taking anything for granted in the third and final Test in Mumbai. Blundell said the team is determined to complete a series sweep. "We've got a possibility of beating them 3-0," he said. "But regardless of that, we're pretty chuffed."The victory in India has given New Zealand a major boost ahead of their home summer, which includes three Tests against England. Blundell said the team will be filled with confidence after their historic achievement. "What we've achieved here is pretty immense," he said. "We're excited. We've got a possibility of beating them 3-0. But regardless of that, we're pretty chuffed."

Indian cricket team's star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai due to a viral illness. The decision was announced by India skipper Rohit Sharma at the toss, with Mohammed Siraj replacing Bumrah in the playing XI."We understand that we haven't played well in this series. Looks like a good pitch. Hopefully we can restrict them as quickly as possible. Our focus is on this Test match. Bumrah is not well, Siraj comes in for him," Rohit said.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also confirmed Bumrah's absence on social media. "Mr Jasprit Bumrah has not fully recovered from his viral illness. He was unavailable for selection for the third Test in Mumbai," the BCCI tweeted.New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to bat first. "We are gonna have a bat. Looks a reasonably good surface, hopefully put some runs on the board again and put a little bit of pressure later on. Definitely focusing on this game," Latham said.Latham also announced two changes to his team, with Ish Sodhi replacing the injured Mitch Santner and Matt Henry coming in for Tim Southee.The teams for the third Test are as follows:New Zealand: Tom Latham(c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell(w), Glenn Phillips, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Ajaz Patel, William O'Rourke.India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj.The third Test between India and New Zealand is crucial for both teams, with India looking to avoid a series defeat and New Zealand aiming to clinch the series. The match is expected to be a closely contested affair, with both teams boasting strong batting and bowling lineups.