Cricket

Akash Deep's Fiery In-swinger Stuns Tom Latham in Mumbai TestOn Day 2 of the third and final Test in Mumbai, Indian pacer Akash Deep unleashed a breathtaking in-swinger that left New Zealand skipper Tom Latham in awe. The incident occurred in the first over of the Kiwis' second innings, with Latham looking to drive the ball. However, Deep's delivery nipped back sharply from outside off, finding its way through the bat-pad gap and crashing into the stumps.Latham, who had survived a close lbw appeal on the previous ball, was left stunned by the sheer pace and precision of Deep's delivery. The dismissal was a testament to Deep's exceptional skill, as he breached the opener's defense with ease.Deep's ability to extract such movement off the pitch highlighted his immense talent. The delivery was a perfect example of fast bowling at its finest, leaving both fans and analysts impressed.Earlier in the day, spinner Ajaz Patel had taken five wickets as New Zealand bowled out India for 263. Overnight batsman Shubman Gill made a valiant 90 before the Kiwis ended the home side's reply to their 235 in the second session at Wankhede Stadium.With India leading by 28 runs, the match is poised for an exciting finish. Deep's fiery in-swinger has given the hosts a psychological advantage, and they will be looking to capitalize on it in the remaining days of the Test.

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."

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.

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.

The World Test Championship (WTC) has revitalized the five-day format by infusing every match with significance, according to New Zealand captain Tom Latham. Ahead of his team's decisive encounter against India, Latham emphasized the importance of the WTC in driving the Black Caps' performance.New Zealand's 2-0 lead in the ongoing Test series against India has reignited their hopes of reaching the WTC final at Lord's next year. This marks their first-ever Test series victory on Indian soil."From our perspective, there's a significant incentive at the end in the form of the World Test Championship," Latham stated. "As a result, every game is crucial for us."India's dominance at the top of the WTC standings has been challenged by their recent losses, with Australia, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand closing in. India has reached the finals of both previous WTC seasons, falling to New Zealand in the inaugural edition and Australia last year.Latham acknowledged the significance of winning the competition, stating, "It gives you a taste of what that success feels like." He added, "I believe that once you achieve it once, you want to do it again."In the second Test in Pune, New Zealand outplayed India at their own spin game, with Mitchell Santner claiming 13 wickets in the match. However, Latham cautioned against underestimating India, emphasizing that "two losses don't make them a bad team overnight."