Cricket

Virat Kohli, the former captain of the Indian cricket team, is set to rejoin his teammates ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up game against Bangladesh. Kohli had taken a break from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to spend time with his family.Kohli's return to the team comes as a relief to the Indian management, who were concerned about his availability for the warm-up clash. However, it has now been reported that Kohli will be ready for the practice game."He will reach New York before the warm-up vs Bangladesh on June 1. Whether he plays or not in the warm-up will be management's call - whether they feel there is enough gap between him landing and the warm-up fixture," a source was quoted as saying by News 18.The likes of Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rishabh Pant have already reached New York. The second batch of players, including stars left on Monday morning while a few others like Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal will be joining the squad soon.India's T20 World Cup campaign begins on June 5 against Ireland at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. India versus Pakistan clash will take place on June 9. They will later play tournament co-hosts USA (June 12) and Canada (June 15) to wrap up their Group A matches.In the tournament, India will be aiming to end their ICC trophy drought, having last won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. Since then, India has reached the 50-over World Cup final in 2023, semifinal in 2015 and 2019, the title clash of the ICC World Test Championship in 2021 and 2023, T20 WC final in 2014, semifinals in 2016 and 2022 but failed to secure a big ICC trophy.India will be aiming to win their first T20 WC title ever since they won the inaugural edition of the tournament back in 2007 in South Africa. In the last edition held in Australia in 2022, India lost to England by 10 wickets in the semifinals.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has received an overwhelming response to its search for the next head coach of the Indian men's cricket team, with over 3,000 applications pouring in. The BCCI invited interested candidates to apply through a Google form earlier this month, and the deadline for submissions closed on May 27.However, the BCCI now faces the challenge of sifting through numerous fake applications, with imposters using the names of cricketing legends like Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni, as well as prominent political figures like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah."Last year too, the BCCI received such a response where imposters applied, and the story is similar this time," an unnamed BCCI official told the Indian Express. "The reason the BCCI had to invite applications on Google forms is it's easy to scrutinize the names of applicants in one sheet."Despite the influx of fake applications, the BCCI has confirmed that Rahul Dravid, the current head coach, has opted not to reapply for the role. Dravid's tenure will conclude after the T20 World Cup 2024, and he has expressed a desire to prioritize spending time with his family.While the BCCI has not yet disclosed the names of genuine applicants, speculation abounds regarding potential candidates. Former cricketers like Gautam Gambhir, VVS Laxman, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting, and Stephen Fleming are reportedly under consideration.The new head coach will have a three-and-a-half-year term, starting from July 1, 2024, and ending on December 31, 2027. The job description outlines the need for a willingness to meet the work expectations and pressures associated with handling marquee athletes, underscoring the magnitude of the position.

The Indian cricket team's wicket-keeping position for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 has been a subject of intense speculation. After considering several contenders, the selectors opted for Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant, leaving out KL Rahul, a prominent opener for Lucknow Super Giants.India's captain, Rohit Sharma, and chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, emphasized their preference for middle-order batters while selecting wicket-keepers, which led to Rahul's exclusion. Former Indian wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel weighed in on the debate between Samson and Pant for the playing XI in the T20 World Cup."Sanju Samson's leadership and run-scoring prowess in the IPL this season are undeniable. However, Rishabh Pant offers a different dimension. Our batting lineup needs a left-hander, and at this point, Pant seems to be the favorite. Both players are highly capable," Patel stated at an event in New Delhi.Earlier, former Indian batter Yuvraj Singh also expressed his preference for Pant over Samson. "I would lean towards Rishabh. Sanju is in excellent form, but Pant is a left-hander, and I believe he has the potential to win games for India, as he has done in the past, especially in Test cricket. He can be a match-winner on the big stage," Yuvraj told ICC.Yuvraj also highlighted the importance of Suryakumar Yadav's performance for India's success in the T20 World Cup. "Suryakumar Yadav is India's key player. He can change the game's complexion in just 15 balls. He is a crucial factor in India's chances of winning the T20 World Cup," Yuvraj said.

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.

The Indian cricket team's wicket-keeping conundrum for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 has been resolved, with the selectors opting for specialist wicket-keeper batters Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson. However, with the team's composition, it's likely that only one of them will make the playing XI.Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh weighed in on the selection, expressing his admiration for Pant's return from a near-fatal car accident. However, he ultimately chose Samson as his pick due to his exceptional form in the ongoing IPL 2024."Rishabh Pant played well in the IPL. He has come out of his injuries. He looked fit, batted well, and did some nice wicketkeeping. But Sanju played really well. I would like to see him get a chance. He has been performing consistently. He has been scoring 60s and 70s and is not the old Sanju anymore who would score just 30s and 40s," Harbhajan said.Another notable exclusion from the 15-member squad was Rinku Singh, who was named in the reserves list. Harbhajan believes Singh should be added in place of a spin option."The World Cup team has been selected. The batting is good. I think we are one fast bowler short. One player that I think we will miss is Rinku Singh, because he is someone who can win the match single-handedly for us. He can chase down 60 runs in 20 balls. I think selecting four spinners is a bit too much. Three would have been enough. I wish Team India all the best, hope they bring the cup," Harbhajan said.Regarding the spin options, Harbhajan believes India will likely field three spinners in a game, with Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal being the most likely candidates.Harbhajan expressed confidence in India's chances against Pakistan in their highly-anticipated T20 World Cup match on June 9. "I am sure we will win against Pakistan, we have a great track record against them and have a better team," he concluded.

India's T20 World Cup Squad: Harbhajan Singh Raises ConcernsFormer Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed his thoughts on India's squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. While acknowledging the team's overall strength, he raised concerns about the absence of middle-order batter Rinku Singh and the inclusion of four spinners.Singh believes that Rinku, known for his explosive batting, could have been a valuable asset to the team. He highlighted Rinku's ability to chase down large totals quickly, making him a potential game-changer.Regarding the spin department, Harbhajan suggested that three spinners would have been sufficient. He expressed doubts about India fielding four spinners in any given match, predicting that Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal would be the most likely combination.Harbhajan also discussed the upcoming Super Eight phase of the tournament, where India will face formidable opponents like Australia and New Zealand. He emphasized the importance of the group stage clash with Pakistan on June 9, stating that a victory could set the momentum for India.While acknowledging Rishabh Pant's strong performance upon his return from injury, Harbhajan advocated for Sanju Samson to be given a chance. He praised Samson's consistent performances and improved batting average.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has initiated the search for a new head coach for the Indian cricket team, with the tenure of current coach Rahul Dravid set to expire after the 2024 T20 World Cup. The deadline for applications is May 27, and the successful candidate will hold the position until December 31, 2027, effectively covering the 2027 ODI World Cup.Several prominent names have emerged as potential candidates, including Stephen Fleming, Ricky Ponting, and Gautam Gambhir. According to reports, the BCCI has informally approached Fleming, who has extensive experience as the coach of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, it remains uncertain whether Fleming will apply for the role, given the requirement for the coach to spend 10 months of the year with the Indian team.CSK has denied any rumors of Fleming's departure, with CEO Kasi Viswanathan stating that there has been no communication between Fleming and the franchise regarding the Indian coaching position. Despite CSK's denial, the team recently posted a tribute to Fleming on social media, acknowledging his guidance and support.The BCCI has outlined specific qualifications and experience requirements for the head coach position. Candidates must have played a minimum of 30 Test matches or 50 ODIs, or have served as the head coach of a full member Test-playing nation for at least two years. Alternatively, they must have been the head coach of an associate member/IPL team or equivalent international league/first-class teams/national A teams for a minimum of three years. Additionally, candidates must possess a BCCI Level 3 Certification or equivalent and be below 60 years of age.The BCCI has stated that the remuneration for the head coach is negotiable and will be commensurate with experience. The operating environment for the coach is described as demanding, requiring the ability to handle the expectations and pressures associated with managing elite athletes.

The Indian cricket team, along with its extensive support staff, will embark on their journey to the Twenty20 World Cup in New York on May 25. The remaining players will depart after the May 26 IPL final.Initially, players from teams eliminated from the IPL playoffs were scheduled to leave for New York on May 21, two days after the final league game on May 19. However, plans have been revised, and the first batch will now depart on May 25."Players like Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Arshdeep Singh, and Axar Patel, along with support staff, are expected to leave on May 25," a BCCI source revealed on condition of anonymity."The departure date for the first batch was originally May 21, but since India is only playing one warm-up game (against Bangladesh on June 1), the players will have extra time at home," the source added.Only players participating in the IPL final will remain and depart for New York on May 27. This will provide the squad with ample time to adjust to the time difference and have several quality net sessions before the Bangladesh warm-up match.India will begin their World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5 in New York, followed by the highly anticipated clash against Pakistan on June 9.

Rohit Sharma, the current captain of the Indian cricket team, has faced the daunting task of succeeding Virat Kohli, one of the most iconic cricketers of all time. In a recent interview, Sharma shared his insights on leading the team and his captaincy philosophy.Sharma expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to captain India, acknowledging the legacy of previous captains. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the team's direction and ensuring that all players contribute to the team's success.Regarding his captaincy philosophy, Sharma highlighted the role of data analysis in modern sports. He believes that data can help teams understand their strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of their opponents.Sharma's primary focus as captain has been to foster a team-oriented approach. He believes that individual goals should be secondary to the team's overall success. By aligning everyone's efforts towards a common goal, he aims to create a cohesive unit capable of achieving great things.Sharma's leadership has been tested in major tournaments, including the ICC World Test Championship final and the ODI Cricket World Cup final in 2023. While India lost both title clashes, Sharma remains determined to lead the team to glory in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.