Cricket

Mitchell Starc, Australia's premier fast bowler, made a triumphant return to first-class cricket on Monday, claiming six wickets for New South Wales against Victoria in Melbourne. Starc's impressive performance marks his successful re-entry into the game after a brief hiatus and bodes well for Australian cricket.During the second innings, Starc showcased his exceptional bowling skills, capturing six wickets for 81 runs in 17.5 overs. His victims included Ashley Chandrasinghe, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Sam Elliott, Fergus O'Neill, and Todd Murphy.Starc's return to form is particularly significant as he prepares to face India's formidable batting lineup in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series. The left-arm pacer is currently the third leading wicket-taker in the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, with 48 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 28.37.In the 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship cycle, Starc has taken four four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul, making him the joint third-highest wicket-taker alongside Pat Cummins. The leading bowlers in this WTC cycle are Ravichandran Ashwin with 59 wickets and Josh Hazlewood with 51 wickets.Starc's performance against Victoria is a testament to his unwavering determination and skill. He is now eyeing significant milestones in the upcoming Border Gavaskar series, including reaching 400 Test wickets and 700 international wickets. So far, he has claimed 358 wickets in 89 Test matches and a total of 678 wickets in 279 international matches.Starc's return to form is a major boost for Australia as they prepare to face India in a highly anticipated Test series. The Border-Gavaskar series, which begins on November 22, will be a crucial test for both teams as they aim to qualify for the World Test Championship final.

India's formidable fast-bowling duo, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, have established themselves as one of the most potent partnerships in world cricket. Their contrasting yet complementary skills have proven highly effective, particularly in Test matches.Bumrah, known for his unorthodox action and ability to generate high speeds, excels in bowling yorkers and seam movement. His accuracy and control make him a lethal force, especially at the death. Shami, on the other hand, focuses on seam position and swing, both conventional and reverse. His ability to maintain accuracy with both new and old balls makes him dangerous across all formats.In India's historic Test series triumph in Australia in 2018-19, Bumrah and Shami played pivotal roles. Bumrah emerged as the bowling mainstay, taking 21 wickets at an average of 17.00. His career-best figures of 9/86 in the Boxing Day Test cemented his status as a world-class bowler.Shami, too, made significant contributions, taking 16 wickets at an average of 26.18. His career-best haul of 6/56 in the second Test in Perth helped India bowl out Australia for 243 runs in their second innings.The ability of Bumrah and Shami to bowl in tandem makes them a formidable duo. Their contrasting styles complement each other, creating a challenging proposition for opposing batsmen. They have consistently delivered for India both at home and abroad, making them one of the most feared fast-bowling partnerships in modern cricket.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) sparked outrage among Indian fans after posting an inaccurate map of India on social media. The map, which was part of an announcement about the Kiwis' travel plans to Pune for the second Test against India, depicted incorrect borders of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh regions.The now-deleted post drew widespread criticism across platforms, with many fans expressing anger over the misrepresentation of India's northern borders. Users took to social media to demand corrections, tagging India's External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and calling for action."Please look at this map, posted by New Zealand Cricket handle. They are showing the wrong map of India," wrote one fan.Another user commented, "We can't imagine how you could post an incorrect map. Please correct this."A different fan added, "Do not post an incorrect map of India's northern border."Following the uproar, NZC promptly deleted the post, but the controversy continued to brew online. The incident comes after New Zealand's memorable eight-wicket win over India in the first Test at Bengaluru. The victory was New Zealand's first Test win on Indian soil since 1988.Rachin Ravindra, who was a standout performer in the match, anchored the chase with 39 not out, alongside Will Young's unbeaten 48. India's bowlers had briefly raised hopes on the final day after dismissing Tom Latham for a duck and trapping Devon Conway for 17, but the 75-run stand between Ravindra and Young sealed the game for the Kiwis.With the second Test starting in Pune on October 24, India will look to bounce back and level the series.

India's Emerging Team continued their impressive run in the Emerging Teams Asia Cup, securing a dominant seven-wicket victory over UAE in Al Amerat, Oman. This triumph marks their second consecutive win in the tournament, following their narrow seven-run victory over Pakistan in the opener.Opener Abhishek Sharma played a pivotal role in India's success, smashing a scintillating half-century in just 24 deliveries. His blistering knock included five fours and four sixes, setting the tone for India's chase. Skipper Tilak Varma also contributed with a steady 21 off 18 balls.UAE, opting to bat first, struggled to gain momentum against India's formidable bowling attack. Seamer Rasikh Salam emerged as the star performer, claiming three wickets in his opening over. Ramandeep Singh also chipped in with two strikes, as India bundled out UAE for a meager 107 in 16.5 overs.UAE skipper Basil Hameed and Rahul Chopra provided some resistance with a 41-run partnership, but Abhishek's brilliance broke the alliance. Chopra's valiant 50 off 50 balls proved to be a lone bright spot for UAE.With a target of 108, India's chase was a mere formality. Ayush Badoni sealed the victory with a six and a four, completing the chase with 55 balls remaining.India's dominance in the tournament is evident, as they currently top Group B with four points. They will face hosts Oman in their final group game on Wednesday, aiming to maintain their winning streak and secure a place in the semifinals.

The 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is nearing its conclusion, with India and Australia emerging as the frontrunners for a rematch of the previous WTC final, which Australia won. Former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali believes that the final will once again feature India and Australia, but he has a suggestion for the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding future WTC cycles.Ali suggests that the ICC consider hosting India-Pakistan Test matches at neutral venues such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Dubai, or Abu Dhabi to include these two teams in the WTC cycle. He emphasizes that India and Pakistan should be part of the competition, as they are the only teams that do not play bilateral series against each other."The Indian government always says no, but they play in ICC events like the World Cup," Ali said. "If PCB gives a suggestion, then they (ICC and BCCI) don't take it seriously, which is wrong."Currently, India leads the WTC table, followed by Australia and Sri Lanka. New Zealand's recent victory over India in the first Test of their series in Bengaluru has kept their hopes of finishing in the top two alive. India will face Australia in a five-Test series after their three-Test series against New Zealand.Ali believes that the WTC final will likely be between India and Australia, given their current form. "Four teams are in the top half (of WTC table) -- India, Australia, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand. But according to me, there are only three -- India, Australia, and Sri Lanka. But the kind of cricket India and Australia are playing, the WTC final should be between these two teams," he said.

Former England captain Michael Atherton has drawn comparisons between India's recent collapse to 46 all out against New Zealand and England's infamous 46 all out against West Indies in 1994. Atherton, now a respected pundit, highlighted the unique distinction held by Virat Kohli, who has been part of two of India's three lowest-ever scores.Atherton noted that India's collapse occurred in the first innings of a home Test, where they had won the toss and elected to bat. In contrast, England's 46 all out came in the final innings of an away Test, where they had lost the toss.Despite these differences, Atherton identified some similarities between the two innings. Both teams were bowled out by pace bowling, and both collapses featured a number of soft dismissals. Atherton also pointed out that both India and England had been in strong positions before their batting collapses.Atherton welcomed India captain Rohit Sharma to "his world," as he had also experienced the ignominy of captaining a side bowled out for 46. He emphasized the pain and embarrassment that follows such a collapse, despite the adulation from fans.Atherton's analysis highlights the fragility of batting in Test cricket, even for the world's best teams. It also raises questions about India's batting lineup, which has been under scrutiny in recent months.

In a stunning upset, New Zealand defeated India by 10 wickets in the first Test in Bengaluru, marking their first Test victory on Indian soil in 36 years. The Kiwis' historic win was fueled by a dominant bowling performance that dismissed India for a paltry 46 in the first innings, their lowest team total at home.New Zealand capitalized on their advantage, piling up 402 in their first innings to take a massive 356-run lead. India responded with a spirited second innings, overhauling the deficit, but faltered in the final session on the fourth day.The Kiwis then chased down a below-par 107 in the morning session on the final day, securing their first Test win in India since 1988. The match witnessed several notable records being broken:* New Zealand's only third Test win in India, after 36 years.* India's second home Test loss in the same year in the last 20 years.* New Zealand's first successful chase of a 100-plus target in India in 24 years.* Rishabh Pant's unfortunate dismissal on 99, making him the third Indian batter to be dismissed most times in the 90s in Tests.* India's lowest team total at home, with 46 all out.* The Indian team becoming the first to hit over 100 sixes in a calendar year.* Virat Kohli reaching the 9,000-run mark in Tests, becoming the fourth Indian to do so.* The 356-run lead taken by New Zealand, the fifth biggest ever by a visiting team in India.* The 137-run partnership between Rachin Ravindra and Tim Southee, the second highest for the 8th wicket or lower on Indian soil.The victory was a testament to New Zealand's resilience and determination, while India will be looking to bounce back in the remaining two Tests of the series.

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has identified a significant weakness in the Indian cricket team following their 8-wicket defeat to New Zealand. Ali highlighted concerns not only with the batting lineup but also with the bowling attack.Ali praised Jasprit Bumrah's bowling, comparing him to legendary Pakistani pacers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. However, he emphasized the need for a strong pace bowling partner to complement Bumrah."Bumrah's eight-over spell reminded me of Akram and Younis," said Ali. "But India needs to consider having two pace bowlers alongside him when they tour Australia. Currently, he lacks a reliable pace bowling partner."Ali pointed out the absence of Mohammed Shami, who has been a key member of India's pace attack in recent years. "Shami's fitness ahead of the Australia tour is crucial for India," he added.While Akash Deep has emerged as a potential option, India has also included Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna in their reserves for the New Zealand Test series.Ali also expressed curiosity about how newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir will handle such a defeat, especially after India's lowest-ever total at home."Now that India has lost a Test, all eyes will be on KL Rahul," said Ali. "Let's see how Gambhir tackles this. Rahul Dravid handled it well. This defeat serves as an eye-opener for Gambhir ahead of the Australia tour."Despite the setback, India still has a chance to salvage the series against New Zealand with two Tests remaining. However, the defeat has raised questions about the team's batting and bowling capabilities, particularly the lack of a reliable pace bowling partner for Bumrah.

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has criticized skipper Rohit Sharma's tactical decisions following India's first Test defeat to New Zealand in Bengaluru. Rohit faced significant backlash for his captaincy, particularly after New Zealand managed to add 137 crucial runs for the eighth wicket in their first innings. The criticism continued on Day 5 of the match.With New Zealand needing 107 runs to win, Rohit opted to bring on Ravichandran Ashwin, India's most successful bowler at home, only after 10 runs had been scored. Instead, he utilized Mohammed Siraj, who remained wicketless across two spells totaling seven overs, yielding no results."The thing with pacers, you might get wickets, but there are always runs coming through edges. I was a bit surprised, I think tactically for Rohit Sharma, this Test match wasn't his greatest. I can understand Siraj getting one or two overs and Bumrah getting a long spell. But Siraj getting 6 overs in that forespell, I think that is far too many and already a lot of runs on the board, and you had that little margin to chase," Manjrekar said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo."And another part is Aswhin. When there is no lavish turn on the pitch, the captain tends to use him with a new ball. He would have been tough for the Kiwi batters had he started off with Bumrah, and even if he had come in the fourth over of the inning," he added.Manjrekar highlighted India's significant tactical errors on the final day. This victory marked New Zealand's first Test win in India since 1988 and only their third overall.Despite the unexpected eight-wicket loss, Rohit Sharma praised his team's resilience, particularly their fightback in the second innings. Trailing by a substantial 356 runs after the first innings, India showed remarkable determination, scoring 462 to set a target of 107 for New Zealand."It was a good effort with the bat in the second innings. We didn't bat well in the first innings. So knew what was ahead and couple of guys stood out. When you are 350 behind you can't think too much about it. just got to see the ball and bat. Couple of partnerships were really exciting to watch and got us back in the game. We could have easily been bowled out cheaply but proud of the effort," Rohit said at the post-match presentation.To maintain their impressive home Test series winning streak of 18, India must avoid defeat in the upcoming two Tests. The second Test between India and New Zealand is set to begin in Pune on October 24.