Cricket

Varun Chakaravarthy's journey back to the Indian cricket team is a testament to his dedication and perseverance. After being dropped from the squad, Chakaravarthy went back to the drawing board and made significant changes to his bowling technique."I had to go to the drawing board and check out all my videos," Chakaravarthy said. "I figured out that I was bowling side spin, and it was not working out in the higher levels. So, I had to change everything about my bowling, and it took me two years and I started bowling in the local leagues and IPL also. So, it worked there, and I have started bowling it on the international stage and it's working out for me," he said exclusively on JioCinema after India's three-wicket loss to South Africa in the second T20I.Chakaravarthy's overhaul of his bowling technique involved a complete change in his action. He now bowls with a more upright stance and a higher release point, which has given him more control and accuracy."I had to change my whole action," Chakaravarthy said. "I had to change my run-up, my release point, and my grip. It took me a lot of time and effort, but I'm glad I did it."Chakaravarthy's hard work has paid off. He has been one of India's most consistent bowlers in recent months, and he played a key role in India's victory in the recent T20I series against South Africa."It's a great feeling to be back in the Indian team," Chakaravarthy said. "I'm just trying to do my best and help the team win."

Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of the Indian cricket team, has faced criticism on social media following the team's recent series loss to New Zealand. However, Gambhir remains unfazed, emphasizing the prestigious nature of his position and the need for honesty.Ahead of the team's departure to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Gambhir addressed the criticism during a press conference in Mumbai. "Social media makes no difference in my life or anyone's life," he stated. "When I took up this job, I knew it would be challenging and prestigious. I don't feel the heat because my job is to be absolutely honest."Gambhir highlighted the resilience and commitment of the Indian players. "There are incredibly tough people in that dressing room who have achieved great things for the country and will continue to do so," he said. "It's an absolute honor to coach them and coach India."Despite the recent setbacks, Gambhir remains focused on leading the team through challenges and achieving success on the global stage. India needs to win four Tests in Australia to qualify directly for the World Test Championships final at Lord's in June 2025.Gambhir's unwavering determination and emphasis on honesty reflect his commitment to the team's growth and success. As the Indian team embarks on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Gambhir's leadership and the players' resilience will be crucial in overcoming challenges and achieving their goals.

Jasprit Bumrah's leadership potential has been endorsed by former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who believes the Indian pacer has the qualities to effectively lead the team in Rohit Sharma's absence.With Rohit Sharma's availability for the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Perth uncertain due to personal reasons, Bumrah emerges as a strong candidate to captain India. Ponting, who has witnessed Bumrah's leadership skills firsthand during the rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston, acknowledges the challenges of captaincy, especially for a bowler.However, Ponting draws parallels to Pat Cummins, the Australian Test captain, who has successfully balanced his bowling responsibilities with leadership duties. He emphasizes that experienced players like Bumrah understand when to bowl and when to rest, and often thrive under pressure and responsibility."Guys like that tend to thrive on the extra pressure and the responsibility," Ponting said. "He's always been the leader of the attack for a long time anyway. Whether that's red ball, T20, or ODIs, he's the main man."Ponting also highlights the presence of senior players like Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rishabh Pant in the Indian team, who can provide valuable guidance to Bumrah."In that Indian team, there's a lot of experience around him," Ponting said. "And it's really important, I think, that you use the experience around you even when you are the captain, and just ask the appropriate questions at the right time."Ponting shares his own experience as Australia's Test captain, emphasizing the importance of seeking advice from experienced teammates. He credits Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, and Justin Langer as valuable sources of guidance during his captaincy."I liked to ask the questions of Gilchrist, Hayden, and Langer," Ponting said. "Ask them where they thought the game was, and what we needed to do. At the end of the day, as a captain, you're the one that's making that final decision, but whatever advice you can get along the way can only be good."With his experience, leadership qualities, and the support of senior players, Jasprit Bumrah is well-positioned to lead the Indian cricket team in Rohit Sharma's absence.

Virat Kohli, India's star batter and former captain, recently shared an amusing anecdote from his early days in the Indian cricket team, involving his first encounter with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.The story, now viral in a video, took place in 2008, when Kohli was part of the Indian team that played against England in a series just before the tragic 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Kohli had previously played for India, but this was the first time he had the opportunity to meet and play alongside Tendulkar, who had missed the earlier tour of Sri Lanka.Kohli revealed that some of his teammates had planned a prank on him, although Tendulkar was not part of it. "He [Tendulkar] was not involved. We were playing against England in India before the Taj incident [Mumbai attack] in 2008. I have played for India before but Sachin paaji was not there in Sri Lanka. He had taken a rest, and I got an opportunity to be a member of the squad. And the only thing I was looking forward to in the next series was to play with him," Kohli said with a smile."So, the first time I met him and this happened, main toh pairon me gir gaya, maine kaha karna padta hoga. Toh woh piche hat rahe,'yeh kya kar raha he tu?'. Main unko bhi nahi bol pa raha hoon ki paaji bola gaya hai karna padta hai yahaan pe. Main kar raha hoon."Kohli went on to reveal the masterminds behind the prank, pointing out that Irfan Pathan and Munaf Patel were the key culprits, with Munaf enthusiastically encouraging him from the background. "Then he gave all these guys a little bit..I think Irfan bhai was there...ofcourse Munaf Patel. He [Munaf] used to be the one cheering from behind ki karo karo with his unique voice. So, unhone sabne mereko fasaya," Kohli laughed, reminiscing about the moment.The light-hearted prank was a memorable introduction for Kohli to the dressing room dynamics of the Indian cricket team.

Virat Kohli, the legendary Indian cricketer, celebrated his 36th birthday on Tuesday with a low-key celebration at home with his family. In a recent conversation with host Gaurav Kapoor during a promotional event in Mumbai, Kohli shared details of his intimate birthday celebration."This was probably the most chilled-out birthday I've had through all these years," Kohli said. "It was just Anushka (Sharma) and our two kids at home. It was very relaxed."Despite turning a year older, Kohli joked that he didn't feel any wiser. "I don't know about being wiser, but I'm older for sure," he quipped.Kohli's birthday celebration was primarily focused on his daughter, Vamika. "The birthday was basically for my daughter. Happens so when you have kids," he added.The Indian cricket team captain is now preparing to join the squad for their upcoming five-match Test series against Australia, which begins on November 22nd in Perth. Kohli has an impressive record in Australia, averaging 54.08 with 1352 runs from 13 matches, including six centuries and four half-centuries.However, Kohli's recent form has been a cause for concern. He faced criticism after a disappointing series against New Zealand, where he managed only 93 runs. With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on the horizon, Kohli will be expected to rediscover his aggressive side and inspire India to bounce back from their whitewash against New Zealand.

Indian cricket team's star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have faced intense criticism following their team's dismal performance in the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand. Both players failed to deliver with the bat, contributing to India's 0-3 series defeat.Rohit Sharma, who captained the side, managed only 91 runs in the series, averaging a meager 15.16. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, scored 93 runs at an average of 15.50. Their poor form has raised concerns among fans and experts alike.Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has been particularly critical of the duo, comparing their struggles to those of Pakistan's Babar Azam. "After Babar, Rohit and Virat are also in the same situation, poor form," Ali said on his YouTube channel.Ali pointed out specific instances where Rohit's footwork was lacking, such as when he missed two deliveries and then stepped out to hit a four. "This shows that his feet are not moving, form is not good," Ali said.Ali also emphasized the importance of domestic cricket for players like Kohli and Rohit, who have been exempted from playing in the Ranji Trophy. "Virat Kohli, out of touch, not in form at all. He needs to play domestically before flying to Australia, Rohit also. Test match practice cannot be seen," Ali said.He added that the mandate of making players available for domestic cricket to be eligible for India selection should be strictly enforced. "Everyone played, all of them performed in patches - Shubman Gill, Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal...but these two (Rohit and Virat) were given a free hand and allowed to exclude themselves," Ali said.The criticism of Kohli and Rohit comes at a crucial time, as India is set to tour Australia for a four-Test series later this year. The duo's poor form has raised doubts about their ability to perform in challenging conditions.

Gautam Gambhir's tenure as head coach of the Indian men's cricket team has hit a rough patch, with the team suffering a humiliating whitewash in a home Test series against New Zealand. This setback comes after a disappointing ODI series loss to the same opposition.Gambhir, who took over from the highly successful Rahul Dravid in July, was expected to continue the team's winning ways. However, the team's recent performances have raised concerns about his coaching abilities.One of the main challenges facing Gambhir is the lack of experience in coaching at the First Class or international level. Despite this, he was given a long-term contract and allowed to handpick his coaching staff.The team's poor performance has led to murmurs of discontent within the squad, with some players reportedly unhappy with the coaching staff's methods. However, captain Rohit Sharma has defended Gambhir and his team, emphasizing the need for players to support the coaching staff."The coaching staff have been good. They have just come in. It's not been a lot of time for them. They are also understanding how this team operates, and how the player operates," Sharma said after India's loss in the third Test."It's the players' responsibility to make their job or make their life easier because it's never easy for anyone to come in and start doing what they are doing because there are a lot of different individuals here and they operate slightly differently."Gambhir has admitted that the team's recent losses are a setback, but he remains confident in his ability to turn things around."I never expected a very easy run for me because international cricket is never easy and I believe that. I know that we lost in Sri Lanka, we have lost at home as well against New Zealand. It's not a great place to be in but all we can do is be honest to ourselves and keep working hard."Gambhir's coaching staff includes Paras Mhambrey, who was an integral member of Dravid's coaching team. Mhambrey has said that it took him and his colleagues almost a year to get used to the methods of the various individuals in the Indian team.With the team set to tour Australia for a two-month Test series, Gambhir will be under immense pressure to deliver results. The Border Gavaskar Trophy will be followed by a limited overs leg culminating with the ICC Champions Trophy.

The upcoming India vs Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy has sparked much anticipation, with the squad announcement revealing both expected and surprising inclusions. While the Rohit Sharma-led side boasts debutants Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy, the absence of veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara has raised eyebrows.Pujara, known for his resilience and ability to anchor the Indian batting line-up, has been a key figure in India's recent Test series victories against Australia. However, he was overlooked for the upcoming tour, prompting speculation about his future in the national team.In a recent social media post, Pujara shared a video of his training session, accompanied by the caption "Sore today, strong tomorrow." The post has garnered significant attention, with fans expressing their support and urging the selectors to reconsider their decision.Former India batsman Hanuma Vihari, who played a crucial role in India's back-to-back series wins in Australia, believes Pujara's absence will be a significant loss. "Pujara will be a big miss. He was the backbone of the batting line-up in the last two series for Team India," Vihari said.Vihari highlighted Pujara's ability to absorb pressure, bat for extended periods, and provide stability to the batting order. He questioned who would fill that role in the current Indian team, which features a more attacking batting line-up.Despite the absence of Pujara, India's squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy includes a mix of experienced and promising players. Rohit Sharma will lead the side, with Jasprit Bumrah serving as vice-captain. Other notable inclusions include Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Ravichandran Ashwin.The series is expected to be fiercely contested, with both India and Australia aiming to assert their dominance in Test cricket. India will be looking to extend their winning streak against Australia, while the visitors will be determined to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Mohammed Shami, India's premier fast bowler, has expressed his disappointment on social media after being overlooked for the upcoming Test series against Australia. Shami has been sidelined since the ODI World Cup 2023 final due to an ankle injury and subsequent knee swelling.Despite recently declaring himself pain-free, the selectors opted to exclude him from the squad. Shami took to Instagram to share a video of his training, expressing his determination to regain match fitness and return to the red-ball format.Australia head coach Andrew McDonald acknowledged Shami's absence as a significant loss for India. However, he emphasized that his team will not underestimate the replacement pacers, citing India's victory in the Gabba Test in 2021.McDonald also hinted at the possibility of Shami joining the Indian team for the second half of the Australia tour if he proves his fitness in Bengal's upcoming Ranji Trophy matches. India has a strong record in Australia, having won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in their last two visits.Shami's injury has opened the door for other bowlers to stake their claim in the Test team. The likes of Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, and Jaydev Unadkat will be eager to impress and cement their places in the squad.The absence of Shami is a blow to India's bowling attack, but it also presents an opportunity for other bowlers to step up and prove their worth. The upcoming Test series against Australia promises to be a fiercely contested battle, and the outcome could hinge on the performances of the bowlers from both sides.