Cricket

BCCI's Contract Termination for Domestic Neglect: A Step to Protect First-Class CricketLegendary Indian cricketer Kapil Dev has lauded the BCCI's decision to terminate central contracts for players who prioritize international cricket over domestic commitments. This move, he believes, is crucial to safeguard marquee first-class events like the Ranji Trophy.The BCCI recently excluded Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from its central contracts after they ignored the board's directive to participate in the Ranji Trophy. The decision sparked mixed reactions, with some former players supporting the duo. However, Kapil Dev has unequivocally backed the BCCI's stance."Yes, a few players will suffer, but let it be," said Kapil. "Nobody is bigger than the country. Well done."He emphasized the importance of domestic cricket in nurturing and developing players. "I was sad to see domestic cricket being given the skip by players once they had established themselves in international cricket," he observed.The BCCI's decision is intended to send a strong message that domestic competitions must be given due importance. Kishan, despite not being on national duty, chose to focus on IPL preparations instead of playing for Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy. Iyer, on the other hand, made himself unavailable for Mumbai's Ranji quarterfinal after being dropped from the Indian team.Kapil believes that established stars have a duty to support domestic cricket, as they owe their success to their respective states. "International players should make themselves available to play for their states," he said. "It helps them extend their support to domestic players and pay back for the services rendered by the state association."The BCCI's move has also been welcomed by former cricketers who have benefited from the enhanced pension scheme. Kapil expressed his gratitude for the increase in monthly pensions, which has provided much-needed relief to families of yesteryear players.

Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh, two formidable teams in Indian domestic cricket, will clash in the first semifinal of the Ranji Trophy at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur on Saturday. Vidarbha, riding high on their quarterfinal victory over Karnataka, will aim to deny MP a second final appearance in three years.MP, under the guidance of former Vidarbha coach Chandrakant Pandit, scraped a narrow four-run win against Andhra to reach the semifinals. Pandit's presence adds an intriguing subplot to the contest, as he led Vidarbha to back-to-back Ranji Trophy titles in 2017/18 and 2018/19.MP's batting has been led by Himanshu Mantri and Yash Dubey, who have both scored over 500 runs this season. However, their middle-order has been inconsistent, with Venkatesh Iyer often bailing them out of trouble. Iyer, a left-handed all-rounder, has scored 528 runs at a strike rate of 82.28.Vidarbha, on the other hand, will rely on Atharva Taide, who scored a century against Karnataka in the quarterfinals. Imports Dhruv Shorey and Karun Nair will also be key contributors to their batting. Captain Akshay Wadkar has also been in good form, scoring six half-centuries.In the bowling department, MP will look to Kumar Kartikeya, their leading wicket-taker with 38 scalps. Avesh Khan and Kulwant Khejroliya will provide support with their pace bowling. Vidarbha's bowling attack is led by Aditya Sarwate, who has taken 37 wickets this season.The match promises to be a close contest between two evenly matched teams. Vidarbha will be looking to reach their first Ranji Trophy final since 2018, while MP will be aiming to repeat their title triumph of 2022.

The Ranji Trophy semifinals are set to ignite with a tantalizing clash between Mumbai and Tamil Nadu, two cricketing powerhouses with a rich history. While the absence of star players has garnered attention, the presence of several notable figures has elevated the anticipation for this marquee matchup.Tamil Nadu, after a sluggish start to the season, has found its rhythm and received a significant boost with the addition of B. Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar. Sai Sudharsan, who recently completed rehabilitation for a back injury, joined the squad on Thursday, while Sundar arrived after being released from India's Test squad. The duo engaged in an extensive training session on Friday morning.Mumbai, on the other hand, also had a lengthy practice session. Shreyas Iyer, who missed the quarterfinal against Baroda and was omitted from the BCCI's central contracts list, will be under scrutiny. The aggressive batter had a lengthy batting stint in the nets on Thursday but took it easy on Friday. Iyer will replace Suryansh Shedge in the Mumbai lineup.Mumbai may consider bringing in wicketkeeper Prasad Pawar for opener Bhupen Lalwani. Hardik Tamore, despite his impressive batting performance in the quarterfinal, struggled behind the stumps, prompting Mumbai to consider bolstering its depth.Tamil Nadu, besides the inclusion of Sai Sudharsan and Sundar, may also field pacer Kuldeep Sen in place of M. Mohammed. The green-looking surface at the Bandra-Kurla Complex facility could favor Sen's pace, complementing captain R. Sai Kishore's skillful left-arm spin.

The Ranji Trophy quarterfinals are set to begin across India from Friday, with eight teams vying for a spot in the semifinals. Among the contenders are familiar faces like Mumbai, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, as well as giant-killers Vidarbha and Baroda.Mumbai, the 41-time champions, will face Baroda in a depleted state, missing key players like Shreyas Iyer and Shivam Dube. However, they will be bolstered by the inclusion of U-19 World Cup star Musheer Khan. Mumbai will rely on their in-form opener Bhupen Lalwani and key weapon Mohit Avasthi to lead their charge.Vidarbha, the only team apart from Mumbai to have recorded five wins in the group stage, will take on a formidable Karnataka side. Vidarbha will miss the services of seasoned campaigner Faiz Fazal, but they will be confident playing in their backyard. Skipper Akshay Wadkar, Dhruv Shorey, and former Karnataka batter Karun Nair will be key for Vidarbha, while Aditya Sarwate and Aditya Thakare will handle the bowling responsibilities.Karnataka, who finished second in Group C behind Tamil Nadu, will feel the absence of Devdutt Padikkal, but they have capable batsmen like Manish Pandey and Sharath Srinivas. Pacer Vysakh Vijaykumar's all-round brilliance will also be a crucial factor for Karnataka.Saurashtra, led by Cheteshwar Pujara, will be confident against Tamil Nadu, who have made it to the Ranji Trophy knockouts for the first time in six years. Pujara has been in prolific form this season, amassing 780 runs, while skipper Arpit Vasavada and Prerak Mankad have also contributed with the bat. Saurashtra's Dharmendrasinh Jadeja is in contention for the most wickets this season, with 39 scalps.Tamil Nadu, who finished second behind Vidarbha in Group A, will rely on Narayan Jagadeesan and Baba Indrajith for runs. Spinners R Sai Kishore and S Ajith Ram have been their key wicket-takers.At the Holkar Stadium in Indore, hosts Madhya Pradesh will face a dangerous Andhra side, who are coming off a three-match unbeaten run. Ricky Bhui has been the season's best performer with the bat, while Hanuma Vihari has also made vital contributions. Andhra finished second behind Mumbai in Group B, indicating their form and confidence.Madhya Pradesh, the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy winner, have been unbeaten this season. Venkatesh Iyer and Kumar Kartikeya have been their standout performers.With so much talent on display, the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals promise to be an exciting and closely contested affair.

Basil Thampi, the Kerala fast bowler, has rediscovered his mojo this season, emerging as a potent force with the new ball and leading his team to several crucial victories. After struggling in the past two seasons following the departure of his long-time bowling partner Sandeep Warrier, Thampi has undergone a remarkable transformation, fueled by improved fitness and a revamped bowling action.During the off-season, Thampi spent three months at the MRF Pace Academy, working with coach Senthilnathan to enhance his strength and refine his bowling technique. The focus was on increasing his release point, transitioning from a side-arm delivery to a straighter trajectory. This adjustment has yielded positive results, as Thampi has found greater accuracy and consistency in his bowling.The results of Thampi's hard work were evident in the recent domestic season, where he finished as the second-highest wicket-taker for Kerala in the Ranji Trophy, claiming 24 wickets at an average of 24.20. He played a pivotal role in Kerala's victory over Bengal, delivering a match-winning spell, and nearly guided his team to victory against Andhra with an incisive spell with the old ball after tea.Thampi's resurgence has been a major boost for Kerala, providing the team with a reliable and effective new-ball bowler. His ability to bowl long spells, maintain a fine rhythm, and create early breakthroughs on flat wickets has been instrumental in Kerala's success this season.Reflecting on his improved performance, Thampi attributed his success to enhanced fitness and a change in his bowling action. He acknowledged the impact of his absence from Warrier, but emphasized that his focus on fitness and technical adjustments have been key to his resurgence.Thampi also expressed satisfaction with his overall performance, highlighting his five-wicket haul against Assam and his impressive spell against Mumbai, where he dismissed Ajinkya Rahane in the opening over. He credited his teammates M.D. Nidheesh, N.P. Basil, and Akhin Sathar for maintaining pressure from the other end.While Kerala narrowly missed out on qualification for the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals, Thampi remained optimistic about the team's progress. He acknowledged that luck was not on their side in certain matches, but expressed confidence that with improved toss luck, the outcome could have been different.

The Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad witnessed a historic moment as the home team, Hyderabad, clinched a thrilling five-wicket victory over Meghalaya in the final of the Ranji Trophy Plate Group on Tuesday. The triumph marked a remarkable end to a season filled with consistent performances and unwavering determination by the Hyderabad cricketers.Resuming the fourth day at 71 for one, Hyderabad needed 198 runs to secure victory. G. Rahul Singh, known for his aggressive batting, played a pivotal role in the chase, scoring a quickfire 62 runs off just 40 deliveries, including eight boundaries and two sixes. However, his dismissal in the 12th over of the morning brought captain Tilak Varma and Rohit Rayudu to the crease.The duo forged a crucial 82-run partnership, dashing Meghalaya's hopes of a comeback. Varma, in particular, looked set for another century this season but was unfortunately caught in the slips off a leading edge, just seven runs short of the milestone. Rayudu, too, departed soon after, giving a leading edge to a delivery from left-arm spinner Aryan Bora.Despite these setbacks, Hyderabad remained focused on the task at hand. K. Nitesh Reddy and Chandan Sahani steadied the innings, guiding the team to victory with an unbroken partnership of 12 runs. Sahani sealed the deal with a six over mid-on, sparking jubilation among the Hyderabad camp.The victory was a testament to the team's resilience and fighting spirit throughout the season. Hyderabad President A. Jagan Mohan Rao, along with officials from the Meghalaya Cricket Association, presented the prizes to the winning team. Rao announced a cash incentive of ₹10 lakh for the Hyderabad team and individual rewards for outstanding performances.

Mumbai's Ranji Trophy quarter-final aspirations have been dealt a significant blow with the news that key players Shreyas Iyer and Shivam Dube will miss the crucial knockout match due to injuries. Iyer, who has been battling back spasms, will be sidelined, while Dube is out with a side strain.Iyer's absence is particularly disappointing, given his impressive form in recent months. The talented batsman had a strong showing in the Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup, amassing 530 runs in the latter tournament with an impressive average of 66.25. He also made a solid start to the Ranji Trophy season, scoring 91 runs in his only appearance.Dube, on the other hand, has been a revelation for Mumbai this season, striking two centuries and two half-centuries in his six Ranji innings. His aggressive batting style has been a major factor in Mumbai's success, and his absence will be keenly felt.The injuries to Iyer and Dube have left Mumbai with a depleted squad for the quarter-final against Baroda, starting on February 23. The team will be led by Ajinkya Rahane, with Prithvi Shaw, Shardul Thakur, and Dhawal Kulkarni as the other experienced players in the side.However, the absence of Iyer and Dube will undoubtedly weaken Mumbai's chances of progressing to the semi-finals. The team will need to find a way to compensate for the loss of their two key players if they are to maintain their title challenge.