Cricket

Gujarat Titans have appointed former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel as their assistant and batting coach for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Patel brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Titans, having played 17 years of international cricket for India.As assistant coach, Patel will work closely with head coach Ashish Nehra to provide strategic guidance and support to the team. His insights into batting techniques and strategies will be invaluable in enhancing the players' skills and performance.Patel's appointment is a significant boost for the Titans, who are looking to build on their impressive debut season in the IPL. The franchise reached the playoffs in their first year, and they will be hoping to challenge for the title in 2023.Patel's experience as a mentor and talent scout will also be beneficial to the Titans. He has a proven track record of developing young players and helping them reach their full potential.This is Patel's first coaching role in the IPL, but he has a strong understanding of the game and the league. He will be a valuable asset to the Titans as they look to make a deep run in the tournament.

Parthiv Patel, the former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman, is set to join the Gujarat Titans as their batting mentor for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. This move comes after Gary Kirsten, the previous batting coach and mentor, left the franchise to become the white-ball head coach of the Pakistan cricket team.Patel's appointment is a significant addition to the Gujarat Titans' support staff, which is led by former India cricketer Ashish Nehra. Patel brings a wealth of experience to the role, having played 25 Tests, 38 ODIs, and 2 T20Is for India. He also has extensive experience in the IPL, having played for teams such as the Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Chennai Super Kings.As batting mentor, Patel will be responsible for guiding and developing the Titans' batting unit, which includes the likes of Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, and David Miller. His experience and knowledge will be invaluable to the team, especially considering the Titans' disappointing performance in the previous IPL season.Patel's appointment is a clear indication of the Gujarat Titans' ambition to improve their performance in the upcoming IPL season. With a strong support staff and a talented squad, the Titans will be hoping to make a significant impact in the tournament.

Virat Kohli, the Indian batting maestro, continues to endure a prolonged lean patch in international cricket. His recent performances in the first Test against Bangladesh, where he managed scores of 6 and 17, have further fueled concerns about his form.Kohli's struggles have drawn criticism from some quarters, but former India opener Parthiv Patel has come to his defense. Patel believes that Kohli is facing immense pressure due to the high standards he has set for himself."I don't think he's feeling that kind of pressure. And as you rightly mentioned that. I don't think Smith or Joe Root or Williamson can even think of the type of pressure he must be feeling. The pressure of expectation, that is huge. He has set his standard so high that even if he scores 60 or 70, that comes across as a failure. Because every time he walks in, we expect him to score 100. We expect him to play with that kind of intensity, which he has always been playing," Patel said ahead of the second Test between India and Bangladesh.Kohli's poor form has been evident across all formats this year. In 15 matches and 17 innings, he has scored just 319 runs at a sub-par average of 18.76, with only one half-century to his name. In Tests, his average has dropped to an eight-year low of 48.74.Despite his recent struggles, Kohli remains one of the most prolific batsmen in the world. In 114 Tests, he has amassed 8,871 runs, including 29 centuries and 30 fifties. His ability to score runs consistently at the highest level is undeniable.However, Kohli's current form has raised questions about his longevity in the game. At 34 years old, he is entering the twilight of his career. It remains to be seen whether he can rediscover his old form and continue to dominate international cricket.

Hardik Pandya, India's swashbuckling all-rounder, has sparked speculation about a potential return to Test cricket after posting a video of himself practicing with a red ball on Instagram. However, former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel has cast doubt on the possibility, citing Pandya's injury history and the physical demands of the longest format.Pandya, who hasn't played a Test match since September 2018, underwent back surgery in 2019. Patel believes that Pandya's body may not be able to withstand the rigors of four-day and five-day matches."I'm not looking at Hardik Pandya (in Tests)," Patel said on Jio cinema show during the second India vs Bangladesh Test in Kanpur. "He was practicing with the red ball only because the white ball wasn't available. I don't think his body allows four-day and five-day matches. He has to play at least one first-class game (before being considered for selection in Tests), which is very unlikely."Last year, Pandya was offered a place in the World Test Championship final against Australia but declined, stating that he did not want to be a regular Test player.Pandya's last first-class appearance was in December 2018. He also skipped this year's Duleep Trophy due to workload management.Patel's comments echo concerns raised by other experts about Pandya's fitness and durability. The all-rounder has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, including back, shoulder, and hamstring issues.If Pandya does not return to Test cricket, it would be a significant blow to India's hopes of regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from Australia in the upcoming series. Pandya's all-round abilities, including his aggressive batting and effective medium-pace bowling, would be a valuable asset to the team.However, it appears that Pandya's focus will remain on limited-overs cricket, where he has established himself as one of the world's leading all-rounders.

Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel has suggested that left-arm pacer Yash Dayal could be considered for a place in the Indian Test team for the second Test against Bangladesh, starting on Friday in Kanpur. Patel believes that Dayal, who has "tremendous potential," could replace either Jasprit Bumrah or Mohammed Siraj, giving India an opportunity to field a left-arm pacer."This will be a great chance to see a left-armer. It has been a while since India had a left-arm seamer, so I feel if he gets the chance, it will be good. We will know. Yash Dayal has tremendous potential. So I don't think there is harm in trying," Patel said.Patel's suggestion comes in the wake of India's emphatic 280-run victory in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. Skipper Rohit Sharma had earlier indicated that the team would be monitoring the workload of their pacers throughout their busy Test schedule, which extends until January next year.Another aspect that will be closely watched in the second Test is the middle-order setup of the Indian team. Sarfaraz Ahmed and Dhruv Jurel impressed during India's 4-1 series triumph over England earlier this year, but with the return of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, Patel believes it may be difficult for them to break into the playing XI."I don't think Sarfaraz and Dhruv will make a comeback to the side. Rishabh has just made a comeback. Both of them are very very talented players and very much ready for Test cricket. But they will have to wait for their chances," Patel added.Jurel and Dayal have been included in the Rest of India squad for the upcoming Irani Cup, while Sarfaraz has been selected in Mumbai's squad. If they are unable to make it to the playing XI against Bangladesh, they will have the opportunity to feature in the Irani Cup.

RCB's Individualistic Culture Hinders Team Success, Reveals Parthiv PatelFormer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has shed light on the franchise's team culture, which he believes has prioritized individual brilliance over collective success.Patel, who played for RCB in two separate stints, observed that the team's focus revolved around three key players: Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle. During his initial stint in 2014, when the trio was at their peak, Patel witnessed firsthand the special treatment accorded to these star players.Upon his return to RCB in 2018, Patel noticed that the team culture had not changed. Despite the absence of Gayle, Kohli and de Villiers continued to receive preferential treatment, creating a divide within the squad."The team is always about individuals, it's not about the team," Patel said on the Cyrus Says Podcast. "So they were given the kind of special preference always so there the team culture was not there."Patel believes that this individualistic approach has been a major factor in RCB's failure to win an IPL title. "You can see clearly when they are playing, and that is the reason why they haven't won the trophies. That's the fact," he added.Patel's comments highlight the importance of fostering a cohesive team environment in sports. When individual egos take precedence over the collective goal, it can hinder the team's ability to perform at its best.

India Doesn't Need Separate Coaches for Limited Overs and Test Formats, Says Graeme SwannFormer England spinner Graeme Swann believes that a team like India, which doesn't have players competing year-round in T20 leagues worldwide, doesn't require separate coaches for limited overs and Test formats.Swann expressed his views at the launch of the Legends Intercontinental T20 league on Thursday, stating, "For a nation like India, because of the IPL and the fact the players don't play other leagues, people are based in India whole year round. You don't need split (separate) coaches."With the BCCI inviting fresh applications for the head coach position, and Rahul Dravid unlikely to continue after the T20 World Cup, former India opener Gautam Gambhir has emerged as a front-runner for the role. Reputed overseas coaches like Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer, and Andy Flower have ruled themselves out of contention.While England, South Africa, and Pakistan have adopted split coaching, Swann believes that India doesn't need it. "A good coach is a good coach, he's the right man for all three forms so be it. If the guy is specialist in white ball cricket and he's available then you can use him," he added.Former wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel believes that India has an abundance of talented coaches and sees no need for overseas coaches. "There are a lot of coaches from NCA that have joined Indian team, I don't see the need for overseas coaches," Parthiv said.He cited the success of India's U-19 team and the performance of India A team on overseas tours, all coached by Indians, as evidence of the country's coaching talent. Parthiv also mentioned Chandrakant Pandit as a prime example of a successful Indian coach.With National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman regularly stepping in for Dravid, Parthiv emphasized that the coaching staff extends beyond just two individuals, stating, "We have seen when Rahul Bhai is coach, Laxman bhai filling in for him. Though it's not just the two coaches as there are other NCA coaches."

Former Indian cricketer Parthiv Patel has sparked controversy by labeling Royal Challengers Bangalore all-rounder Glenn Maxwell as the "most overrated" player in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Patel's criticism stems from Maxwell's underwhelming performance in RCB's recent match against Gujarat Titans, where he scored a mere four runs from three balls.Despite Maxwell's poor showing, RCB emerged victorious with a four-wicket margin. However, Patel took to social media to express his dissatisfaction with the Australian's performance, writing on X (formerly Twitter), "Glenn Maxwell....HE IS THE MOST OVERRATED player in the history of ipl."Maxwell's performance in the ongoing IPL season has been inconsistent. In eight matches, he has scored 104 runs at an average of 17.33 and a strike rate of 125.61. He has also taken five wickets with an economy rate of 8.33.Patel's criticism has drawn mixed reactions. Some fans have agreed with his assessment, citing Maxwell's lack of consistency and big-match temperament. Others have defended Maxwell, pointing to his all-round abilities and his contributions to RCB's success in previous seasons.In the match against Gujarat Titans, RCB elected to field first and restricted GT to 147 runs in 19.3 overs. Yash Dayal, Vijaykumar Vyshak, and Mohammed Siraj were the standout bowlers for RCB, each taking two wickets.In the run chase, RCB got off to a strong start with Faf Du Plessis and Virat Kohli putting up a 92-run partnership. However, a brilliant spell from Joshua Little (4/45) and Noor Ahmed (2/23) put RCB in trouble. Dinesh Karthik (21*) and Swapnil Singh (15*) eventually guided the team to victory with 38 balls remaining.Patel's criticism of Maxwell has reignited the debate about the Australian's value to RCB. While he has undoubtedly been a match-winner in the past, his recent performances have raised questions about his consistency and ability to perform under pressure. It remains to be seen whether Maxwell can silence his critics and prove his worth in the remaining matches of the IPL season.