Cricket

Pace bowler Harshit Rana, who has been serving as a traveling reserve with the Indian Test team during their ongoing series against New Zealand, is set to be released to play for Delhi in the upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Assam. The decision comes after Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) requested Rana's services due to the unavailability of Navdeep Saini, who has been named in India A's squad touring Australia.Rana, who has not featured in the second Test against New Zealand, will be allowed to represent Delhi in the Ranji Trophy, as per reports from Times of India. The match between Delhi and Assam is scheduled to commence on Saturday, October 26, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.Rana's release from the Indian setup follows a similar move for Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was allowed to play for Andhra against Gujarat. Rana has played nine first-class matches to date, claiming 36 wickets and even scoring a century with the bat.Rana's inclusion in the Indian setup has been a regular occurrence since Gautam Gambhir took over as head coach, having previously mentored him at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during IPL 2024. However, Rana is yet to make his debut in any format for India.With Rana's release confirming that he will not make his India debut before October 31, it provides Kolkata Knight Riders with the opportunity to retain him as an uncapped player ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Uncapped players can be retained for as low as Rs 4 crore.Rana played a pivotal role in KKR's third IPL title triumph in 2024, claiming 19 wickets and finishing among the top five wicket-takers.

Virat Kohli's batting woes in Test cricket have reached alarming proportions, with the former Indian captain enduring a torrid time at the crease. In the recently concluded second Test against New Zealand, Kohli managed scores of 1 and 17, contributing to India's 113-run defeat.Kohli's struggles have become a major concern for the Indian team, as his presence in the middle order is crucial to their success. The 34-year-old has not scored a Test century since November 2019, and his average has plummeted to 26.50 in the last 10 innings.In a video that went viral on social media, Kohli was seen losing his temper and smashing his bat against a water box while walking back to the pavilion after his dismissal in the second innings. This incident highlights the frustration and pressure that Kohli is currently facing.India's defeat in the second Test marked their first Test series loss on home soil in over a decade. New Zealand's victory was largely due to the brilliance of left-arm spinner Mitchel Santner, who took 13 wickets in the match, including seven in the first innings.Santner's performance exposed India's vulnerability against high-quality spin bowling. The Indian batsmen, once regarded as the finest players of spin in the world, were outfoxed by Santner's variations and accuracy.The defeat ended India's run of 18 consecutive Test series wins at home. It was only the fourth time since 2000 that India had lost a Test series in their own territory.Kohli's poor form and India's Test series loss have raised questions about the team's future. The Indian team management will need to find a way to address Kohli's batting woes and improve their performance against spin bowling if they want to regain their dominance in Test cricket.

New Zealand's historic Test series victory in India, their first-ever on Indian soil, is a testament to their resilience, adaptability, and exceptional bowling performance. Led by captain Tom Latham, the Kiwis overcame challenging conditions and a formidable Indian team to secure a decisive 113-run triumph in the second Test in Pune.Latham's leadership was crucial throughout the series. He emphasized the importance of putting up runs early in the innings, a strategy that proved effective as New Zealand consistently set competitive totals. He also praised the exceptional bowling of Mitchell Santner, who claimed 13 wickets in the match and played a vital role in restricting India's batting.The varied conditions across the two Tests required New Zealand to adapt their approach. Latham commended his team's ability to adjust, saying, "Both surfaces were different, and we had to adapt, which we did very well."In the second Test, New Zealand's aggressive play on the third day allowed them to control the game. Latham explained, "The method we played with last night to put ourselves on the front foot was terrific."India, led by Rohit Sharma, presented a tough challenge, especially in the final session. However, New Zealand's bowlers remained disciplined and patient, eventually breaking through. Latham recounted the intensity of the final moments, saying, "Those last two wickets seemed to take forever, but when Tim took that catch, we were thrilled."This victory underscores a collective team effort, smart tactics, and adaptability, securing New Zealand's place in the record books with a series win in one of the most challenging cricketing environments worldwide.

India's Test series loss to New Zealand has raised concerns, but captain Rohit Sharma remains optimistic. Despite the disappointing defeat, Sharma believes there is no need for panic.India's 12-year home Test series winning streak came to an end with New Zealand's 113-run victory in the second Test. Mitchell Santner's 13-wicket haul played a crucial role in the Kiwis' triumph.Sharma acknowledged the team's recent struggles but emphasized the need to stay calm and focus on improvement. "We've had a great run for 12 years, and we've done great things during this period," he said. "We will think about what we didn't do well and what we can improve, but I don't need to open a medical kit and start doing things differently."India's defeat has impacted their World Test Championship (WTC) standings. They now lead Australia by a mere 0.32 percentage points. However, Sharma believes it's premature to focus on the WTC."It's too early to think of WTC," he said. "I am hurting because we lost the game. I can't think of what lies ahead and whether it affects our chances. I am hurting because we lost the series."Sharma highlighted the team's collective responsibility for the defeat. "If you lose a Test, it is because the collective unit failed," he said. "If you win, everyone deserves credit. If you lose, everyone needs to take the blame."Despite the setback, Sharma remains confident in the team's abilities. "We have won 18 series in a row at home," he said. "We have done a good job. In this series, we didn't bat as well as required. These things happen."Sharma emphasized the importance of trusting the team's plans and processes. "The New Zealand batters showed that," he said. "We used to do that. So, yeah, it happens."

India's Test dominance at home has been shattered by New Zealand, who secured their first-ever series victory on Indian soil in nearly 70 years. The crushing 113-run defeat in the second Test in Mumbai has exposed India's vulnerability against quality spin bowling, particularly against Mitchell Santner.Rohit Sharma, India's captain, expressed disappointment after the loss, acknowledging that his team failed to respond to the challenges posed by New Zealand. "We failed to capitalize on certain moments and respond to those challenges," Sharma said. "We didn't bat well enough to get runs on the board."Santner's dominance was evident throughout the match, as he claimed 13 wickets, including seven in the first innings. India's batters, once considered the best players of spin bowling, struggled against Santner's variations.In pursuit of 359, India's batting collapsed once again. Only Yashasvi Jaiswal (77) and Ravindra Jadeja (42) offered any resistance, as the hosts were bowled out for 245.This defeat marks India's first Test series loss at home since 2012-13, when England vanquished them. It is also only their fourth Test series defeat in their own backyard since the turn of the century.The Kiwis' victory has broken India's string of 18 consecutive Test series wins at home. It is a significant achievement for New Zealand, who have been touring India since 1955 but had never been able to break the Indian citadel.India will now look to salvage some pride in the third and final Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. However, they will need to address their batting frailties and find a way to counter Santner's spin if they want to avoid a series whitewash.

India's recent 113-run defeat to New Zealand in the Pune Test has raised concerns about the team's batting performance. Captain Rohit Sharma has identified the batters' inability to match New Zealand's first-innings total of 259 as the primary reason for the loss.Mitchell Santner's exceptional bowling performance, with 7 for 53 in the first innings and 6 for 104 in the second, played a significant role in India's collapse to 156 all out in their first innings. This deficit of 103 runs put India on the back foot for the remainder of the match.Despite a promising start in the second innings, with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring a brisk 77 off 65 balls, India fell short of the target of 359. Rohit acknowledged the team's failure to put up a competitive score in the first innings."We didn't put enough runs on the board in the first innings, and then we were behind in the game," Rohit said. "We came out thinking that we can chase that target, but again, the continuous pressure from both ends meant that we were not able to respond to those challenges."While the pitch conditions were challenging, Rohit believes that India's bowlers did a commendable job in restricting New Zealand to 259. However, he emphasized that the batters needed to step up and contribute more runs."We just didn't bat well enough," Rohit said. "Had we gotten closer to that score of first innings, things would have been slightly different."With the series deficit at 2-0, India faces the daunting task of preventing a whitewash in the third Test in Mumbai. They also need to secure enough points in the remaining matches to stay in contention for the World Test Championship final next year.Rohit remains optimistic about the team's ability to bounce back. "We want to show up well at Wankhede and try and win that Test match," he said. "Not thinking too far ahead. It's important that we focus on our next game, what better we can do as a unit because it's a collective failure."

India's World Test Championship (WTC) aspirations have suffered a significant setback following their historic home series defeat to New Zealand. After losing the first Test in Pune, India succumbed to a 113-run defeat in the second Test, marking their first home Test series loss since 2012.The second Test witnessed India collapsing to 245 all out in their second innings, handing New Zealand a series victory. Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal's valiant 77 off 65 balls, India crumbled under the relentless pressure of Mitchell Santner, who claimed 13 wickets over two innings. A promising 62-run stand between Jaiswal and Shubman Gill had raised hopes, but New Zealand's disciplined bowling proved too much for the Indian batting lineup.India's position in the WTC standings has taken a hit. Before the second match, Rohit Sharma's team led the table with a percentage (PCT) of 68.06. However, back-to-back losses to New Zealand have dropped their PCT to 62.82, narrowing their path to the final. Australia sit close behind at 62.50, followed by Sri Lanka at 55.56.To stay on course for the WTC final at Lord's next summer, India must perform impeccably in their remaining fixtures. They have one more match against New Zealand before heading to Australia for a crucial five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Winning at least four of these six remaining games will give them a strong chance of securing a spot in the final.However, if India falter, they'll have to rely on favourable outcomes from other series. Australia, Sri Lanka, and South Africa's upcoming clashes will heavily influence India's prospects. Notably, Sri Lanka's matches against Australia and South Africa could make or break India's hopes.Though the road ahead is steep, India remain in the hunt. Success against Australia will be critical if they aim to reach their third consecutive WTC final. The team now faces the challenge of rediscovering form and maintaining consistency under pressure.

New Zealand's historic Test series triumph in India has sent shockwaves through the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) standings, casting doubt on India's hopes of reaching a third consecutive WTC final.India's 0-1 series defeat to the Black Caps has left them precariously perched atop the WTC table with 62.82 percentage points, a mere 0.32 points ahead of Australia. This setback has significantly diminished India's chances of securing a direct berth in the 2025 WTC final.The WTC standings are now wide open, with several teams vying for the top two spots. South Africa, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand are all within striking distance of India and Australia. The upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia has become even more crucial for India, as they will likely need to win the series to ensure their place in the final.New Zealand's victory has propelled them to fourth place in the WTC standings with 50.00 percentage points, overtaking South Africa. Sri Lanka remains in third place with 55.56 points.Meanwhile, Pakistan's decisive nine-wicket victory over England in the third Test in Rawalpindi has moved them up to seventh place with 33.33 points. England, who lost the series 2-1, now sit just above Pakistan with 40.79 points.India's hopes of reaching the WTC final now hinge on their performance in the third and final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai, starting November 1. A win is imperative for India to maintain their chances of qualifying for the final.The WTC standings are set to undergo further changes in the coming months, with several key series scheduled to take place. The outcome of these series will determine which teams will ultimately qualify for the 2025 WTC final.

Sam Konstas, the 19-year-old batting prodigy, has emerged as a potential Test debutant for Australia in the upcoming home series against India. His mentor, former all-rounder Shane Watson, believes that the current circumstances present a "perfect storm" for Konstas to make his international debut.Konstas' twin centuries for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield earlier this month have propelled him into contention for a Test berth. He will feature for Australia A next week alongside Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris, as the selectors weigh their options.Watson, who has worked with Konstas for four years, highlights the player's exceptional talent and dedication. He believes that Konstas' age and the aging nature of the current Australian team make this an ideal time to inject young blood into the side."The whole situation is, in my mind, a perfect storm to be able to give him an opportunity to be able to play Test cricket," Watson said. "For me, this is an opportune time, knowing that the bowlers are aging, there's Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja as a starting point who are aging."Watson draws parallels between Konstas and Cameron Green, who made his Test debut at 21 on India's last tour of Australia. He emphasizes the importance of giving young players early opportunities to learn and develop."Australian cricket always did incredibly well was see someone who is different from all the younger stars coming through and get them into the Australian set-up, as early as they can within reason, to be able to help them learn," Watson said.Konstas' batting predecessors, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh, were both given their Test debuts at the age of 20. Watson himself played ODI cricket as a 20-year-old, which he believes significantly accelerated his development."There's no doubt that my one-day cricket would never have evolved to the heights that it did without me being around the Aussie team [at a younger age]," Watson said.Konstas' single-minded dedication to his craft has impressed Watson. "From the first moment that I met Sam, the thing that jumped out at me the most was his desperate desire to be the best that he possibly could be," Watson said.With the Test series against India approaching, Konstas' chances of making his debut are growing. The selectors will have a tough decision to make, but Watson believes that the young prodigy is ready for the challenge.