Cricket

Ravichandran Ashwin, India's prolific spinner, has etched his name in the annals of Test cricket history by equaling the record for most 'Player of the Series' awards. His stellar performance in the recently concluded Test series against Bangladesh earned him his 11th such accolade, drawing him level with Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan.However, a recent revelation by the Indian Express has shed light on an administrative oversight that could have seen Ashwin break the record even earlier. During India's tour of the West Indies in 2023, Ashwin's exceptional performance with both bat and ball went unrecognized when the 'Player of the Series' award was inexplicably omitted.India emerged victorious in the two-match Test series, with Ashwin emerging as the standout performer. His tally of 15 wickets placed him among the frontrunners for the award. However, at the conclusion of the second Test, the award was conspicuously absent.Had Ashwin received the award in the West Indies, he would have equaled Muralitharan's record at that time. The subsequent award against Bangladesh would have then seen him claim the world record.The Indian Express reached out to Cricket West Indies (CWI) for an explanation, but the organization claimed that the award was the responsibility of an Indian agency. However, the agency in question stated that they were only responsible for the commercial aspects of the series, while the 'Man of the Series' award fell under CWI's purview.Despite the administrative error, Ashwin remains on the cusp of history. He will have the opportunity to claim the world record when India takes on New Zealand in a three-match Test series starting October 16. The Indian team will also travel to Australia later in the year for a five-match Test series, and Ashwin's current form suggests that he will be a key member of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad.

Ravichandran Ashwin, India's premier off-spinner, has etched his name further into the annals of cricket history by equaling the record for most Player of the Series awards in Test cricket. Ashwin's stellar performance in the recently concluded Test series against Bangladesh earned him the prestigious accolade, bringing his tally to 11, matching the legendary Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.Ashwin's dominance in the series was evident from the outset. In the first Test in Chennai, he played a crucial role with both bat and ball. His magnificent century in the first innings rescued India from a precarious position, while his six wickets in the second innings helped seal a comprehensive victory.In the second Test in Kanpur, Ashwin continued his impressive form, claiming five wickets in the match. His ability to extract turn and bounce from the pitch proved too much for the Bangladeshi batsmen. Ashwin's consistent performances throughout the series earned him the Player of the Series award, a testament to his exceptional skills and match-winning contributions.Ashwin's achievement is a testament to his longevity and consistency at the highest level. He has been a key figure in India's Test success in recent years, playing a pivotal role in numerous victories. His ability to adapt to different conditions and outsmart opposing batsmen has made him one of the most respected bowlers in the world.Equaling Muralitharan's record is a significant milestone in Ashwin's illustrious career. Muralitharan, widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time, held the record for most Player of the Series awards for over a decade. Ashwin's achievement places him among the elite spinners in the history of the game.As India looks ahead to the upcoming World Test Championship final, Ashwin's experience and skill will be invaluable. His ability to control the game with his spin bowling will be crucial in India's quest for their maiden WTC title.

England's Test captain, Ben Stokes, has hailed the remarkable impact made by Gus Atkinson in his debut Test summer. Atkinson, a fast bowler, has taken 30 wickets and scored a maiden Test century at Lord's, earning him the Player of the Series award against West Indies.Stokes believes Atkinson's success is a testament to his talent and the team's belief in him. "I earmarked him as someone I thought could be successful at Test cricket on the India tour even though he didn't play a game," Stokes said. "I watched him train for basically two months, and he bowls at a high pace and is a very skillful bowler."Atkinson's batting ability has also impressed Stokes. "Seeing him bat before, I knew he had potential, and that 100 he got at Lord's, to say I wasn't surprised is a bit of an overstatement, but I have always known he has talent with the bat," Stokes said.Stokes believes Atkinson's success is a result of the team's encouragement to express himself. "If you see someone with a bit of talent, with the skillset and armoury he has as a player, and tell them to go out and express themselves and be who they want to be, it is amazing what results you can get from that," Stokes said.England are looking to complete a clean sweep of their Test matches this summer when they face Sri Lanka in the final match of their series starting at The Oval on Friday. Stokes, who is recuperating from a hamstring injury, believes the side has it in them to complete a winning clean sweep."It would be great to finish off the summer with another win and say we have won all six games we have had this summer," Stokes said. "A summer of Test cricket is hard, six games is a lot. We feel like we have been pretty compact and there hasn't been too much break between the games.""Winning six Test matches in one summer is no mean feat, so it would be great to finish off the summer in the last match against Sri Lanka with a win," Stokes concluded.

Suryakumar Yadav, the newly appointed permanent T20I captain of the Indian cricket team, has embarked on a journey to become a true leader, inspiring and guiding his team beyond the responsibilities of a captain. In his first series as captain, Suryakumar showcased his exceptional skills, earning the prestigious 'Player of The Series' title with two outstanding performances in the initial matches.However, his contribution extended further when he claimed two crucial wickets with his off-spin bowling during a nail-biting Super Over victory, adding an extra layer of satisfaction to his achievements. "Like I said before the series, I don't want to be the captain, I want to be the leader," Suryakumar said at the post-match presentation ceremony.He expressed endless admiration for his fellow players, who demonstrated immense courage and determination while safeguarding a humble total of 137 runs. "The amount of skill they have, self-confidence, it makes my job easy. The positivity, the care for each other is unbelievable. After the last game, I told few boys will be rested and they were ready to sit out."The Indian skipper said that just as people enjoy high scores of 220 or 230, they should also start appreciating low-scoring games, as it brings balance to the sport. "More than the last over, I feel when we were around 30/4 and 48 for 5, how the boys showed character, 140 was a par score on that track. I told, if we put our heart in it, we could pull it off."Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka couldn't explain what went wrong with the middle-order in all three games. "Definitely, really disappointed, especially the middle-order and lower-middle order. Very bad shot selection. The thinking was spinners were bowling and that's why Wanindu Hasaranga came up the order and we gave him the license to hit one or two boundaries," Asalanka said."I think especially we played some wrong shots and when the ball gets old, the shot selection has to be spot on. We can't give excuses and we have to do more than this."I want to see good batting performance in ODIs and I think the boys will do better," the dejected Lankan skipper added.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, the Player-of-the-Series in the recently concluded five-Test rubber against England, attributed his remarkable success to his fearless approach as an opener. Jaiswal amassed 712 runs, including two centuries and three fifties, averaging 89 and striking at 80."My mindset was to attack the bowlers and not back down," Jaiswal stated during the post-series presentation. "I wanted to put pressure on them from the outset."Despite his historic achievement, Jaiswal remains grounded. "I'm trying to take it one game at a time and focus on contributing to the team's success," he said.Skipper Rohit Sharma echoed the need for humility and focus. "Yashasvi has a long way to go, but his talent is undeniable," Sharma said. "He's a tough competitor who thrives on challenges."Kuldeep Yadav, who was named Player of the Match for his seven-wicket haul and a crucial 30 down the order, emphasized the importance of maintaining a good length. "I focused on keeping the ball on a good length, which is essential for a spinner in this format," he explained.Yadav singled out his dismissals of Ben Stokes and Zak Crawley as his favorites from the series. "I bowled well in Ranchi, and the Stokes wicket was a highlight," he said. "I also enjoyed the Crawley wicket in Dharamsala, where I bowled a beautiful ball."Sharma praised Kuldeep's work ethic. "He's a player with immense potential," Sharma said. "He's put in a lot of effort, and his improved batting is a testament to his dedication."