Cricket

Star Indian batter Yashasvi Jaiswal has lauded his elder brother Tejasvi Jaiswal for his maiden First-Class half-century in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. Tejasvi, a left-handed batsman and right-arm medium pacer, scored 82 runs in his only innings and claimed a wicket for Tripura against Baroda at Agartala.Tejasvi's knock helped Tripura establish a substantial lead of 252 runs in the first innings, although the match ultimately ended in a draw. Baroda posted 235 before Tripura declared at 482/7. Baroda resumed their innings and were 241/4 when the match concluded.Yashasvi took to Instagram to express his pride in his brother's achievement.Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal has received a significant salary increase with Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has been retained for a whopping Rs 18 crore, a substantial jump from his previous salary of Rs 4 crore.Rajasthan Royals' head coach Rahul Dravid attributed the decision to retain six players to the team's belief in their talent and desire for continuity and stability. Skipper Sanju Samson's guidance also played a role."We have decided that we will do six out of six retentions. We will retain Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, and Sandeep Sharma. We came to this decision because we trust our talent. We also trust that we want to maintain and build with that core," Dravid stated.Sandeep Sharma was retained under the revived 'uncapped' player rule. Teams are permitted to retain a maximum of six players with an overall budget of Rs 120 crore for retention and the mega auction.

Chandigarh's remarkable journey in the Ranji Trophy has reached new heights as they secured a resounding victory over Delhi, their third consecutive win in the tournament. This triumph has solidified their position atop the standings in Group D with 19 points from four matches, bringing them closer to a quarterfinal berth for the first time in their five-year existence.After resuming the fourth day on 46 for no loss, Chandigarh needed 157 runs to seal the victory. The host team displayed their dominance by chasing down the target at a run rate of 5.06 with nine wickets in hand. Shivam Bhambri emerged as the star with the bat, notching up a century in the final stages of the game with a six over mid-on off Hrithik Shokeen. Bhambri had also made a significant contribution of 80 runs in the first innings, earning him the Player of the Match Award.Manan Vohra's presence at the crease was equally significant. The 31-year-old captain has been at the helm of Chandigarh since its inaugural season in 2019-20. Vohra expressed his team's elation and the culmination of their hard work over the past five years. He acknowledged the challenges they faced in the past, including the threat of relegation to the Plate division. However, the recent victories have ignited a sense of confidence and determination within the team.The scores:Delhi — 1st innings: 276. Chandigarh — 1st innings: 324. Delhi — 2nd innings: 250. Chandigarh — 2nd innings: Arslan Khan c Shokeen b Mathur 68, Shivam Bhambri (not out) 100, Manan Vohra (not out) 24; Extras (b-8, lb-3, w-1): 12; Total (for one wkt. in 40.2 overs): 204. Fall of wicket: 1-130. Delhi bowling: Siddhant 5-1-17-0, Shokeen 7.2-0-50-0, Badoni 5-0-17-0, Mathur 9-2-34-1, Chauhan 4-0-14-0, Vashisth 9-1-48-0, Dhull 1-0-13-0. Player of the Match: Shivam Bhambri.

Former Indian cricket team spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed his disappointment over the selection committee's decision to overlook Ranji Trophy record-holder Jalaj Saxena for the India A team. Saxena, who has played in the domestic circuit for 17 years, holds the unique distinction of being the only player to have 400 wickets and 6000 runs to his name in Ranji Trophy history.In response to a tweet mentioning Saxena's record, Harbhajan questioned the relevance of domestic tournaments in the current scenario where players are being picked from the Indian Premier League (IPL). "Agree with you. He should be considered at least for India A. Useless of playing Ranji now? People are getting picked from IPL," Harbhajan replied.Harbhajan's comments come in the wake of India's disappointing 3-0 series defeat against New Zealand at home. The former cricketer said that it was a disappointing result for the Rohit Sharma-led side, especially considering the expectations before the series."This entire series has been quite disappointing for all of us. When New Zealand came here, the expectation was that the result would be 3-0 and India would win the series. I can only say that they outplayed us and they took advantage of those conditions," Harbhajan told ANI.Harbhajan praised New Zealand for their performance, saying that they outplayed India and took advantage of the conditions. He also highlighted the importance of playing to one's strengths and adapting to different conditions."New Zealand played to their strengths. They knew that they had a good spin attack and they used it to their advantage. They also adapted to the conditions very well," Harbhajan said.Harbhajan's comments have sparked a debate about the importance of domestic tournaments and the role of the IPL in player selection. It remains to be seen whether the selection committee will reconsider their decision and include Saxena in the India A team for the upcoming matches against Australia A.

Heavy rain has hindered Kerala's pursuit of an outright victory and boosted Uttar Pradesh's chances of salvaging a draw in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C encounter at the KCA-St. Xavier's College ground.After conceding a massive 233-run first innings lead, Uttar Pradesh was 66 for two when a drizzle forced the players off the field half an hour into the post-lunch session. The drizzle intensified into a heavy downpour with thunder and lightning, leading the umpires to call off play at 2.30 p.m.UP lost its captain, Aryan Juyal, and Priyam Garg in the second innings, and was in a spot of bother before the skies opened up.Earlier, Mohammed Azharuddeen attacked the Uttar Pradesh bowling, striking four crisp boundaries as Kerala sought quick runs. Salman Nizar (93, 202b, 9x4, 3x6) struggled with his timing and was also affected by a hamstring injury, forcing him to leave the field for treatment. Basil Thampi's stay was brief, lasting only two deliveries before Saurabh Kumar trapped him in front.Aaqib Khan's delivery struck K.M. Asif on the helmet, forcing him to retire hurt. Salman returned to continue his innings. He nudged Saurabh Kumar to fine leg and ran three, which aggravated his injury.Azharuddeen, who had been batting fluently up to that point, lost his composure and top-edged a hook off Aaqib, which was well caught by Aryan behind the stumps.Salman smashed Saurabh for a maximum over long leg but was dismissed while attempting to play another big shot off Aaqib Khan in the following over.

Mumbai's bold strategy of fielding only four specialist bowlers in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match against Odisha paid off handsomely as the bowling quartet delivered a dominant performance, putting Mumbai on the cusp of earning a bonus point.On Friday, the bowling group led by left-arm spinner Shams Mulani and Himanshu Singh restricted Odisha to 285 in their first innings, adding only 139 runs to their overnight tally. Mulani, who returned with a six-wicket haul, ran through the visitor's lower order, while Himanshu chipped in with three wickets.After skipper Ajinkya Rahane enforced the follow-on, the spin duo of Mulani and Himanshu continued to torment Odisha, reducing them to 126 for five at stumps. Had Aashirwad Swain not edged Himanshu to Rahane in the slips off the last ball of the day, Odisha may have hoped to bat out the final day.The quartet, especially Mulani and Himanshu, toiled tirelessly on day three. Of the 87.3 overs bowled, they accounted for 57.3 overs and shared nine of the 10 wickets that fell.Despite being tonked for three sixes in two overs in the morning session, including one that helped Sandeep Pattanaik celebrate his fifth First-Class hundred, Mulani made a strong comeback. Once Pattanaik played onto the stumps, the left-arm spinner raced to his 15th five-wicket haul.If substitute wicketkeeper Sidhaant Addhatrao, who donned the gloves for an unwell Hardik Tamore, had not dropped a thick edge off Debabrata Pradhan's blade to deprive Shardul Thakur a wicket early on, Mumbai would have fancied their chances of wrapping up the game with a day to spare.

Bengal tightened its grip on its Elite 'C' Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka on Friday, moving into a strong position on the penultimate day.Bengal's fast bowler Ishan Porel spearheaded the morning session, claiming three quick wickets to dismiss Karnataka for 221. With an 80-run first-innings lead, Bengal adopted a cautious approach in its second innings, reaching 127 for three. The visitor now holds an overall advantage of 207 runs, putting it in a favorable position to secure a victory on Saturday.Resuming on 155 for five, Karnataka relied on overnight batters Abhinav Manohar and Shreyas Gopal to build a substantial partnership. However, their hopes were dashed when Porel dismissed Shreyas (28) caught behind in the fourth over of the day.Shortly after, Karnataka suffered a major setback when Manohar was caught by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. The umpire upheld the appeal for an inside edge, despite Manohar's protestations. Young Hardik Raj (11) was also sent back after attempting a tight single, with substitute Pradipta Pramanik throwing down the stumps.Vidyadhar Patil (33) and V. Koushik (11) provided some resistance, putting on 40 runs for the ninth wicket. Patil showcased his batting prowess, striking the ball cleanly and powerfully when deliveries were in his arc.Karnataka's hopes of closing the gap with Bengal's total evaporated when fast bowler Suraj Sindhu uprooted Vidyadhar's stumps.Bengal's openers, Shuvam Dey (30) and Sudip Chatterjee (48), blunted the new ball threat with grit and patience. By the time the duo was dismissed - both to thick edges - Karnataka had lost ground.In the evening session, a Vidyadhar peach stunned first-innings centurion Anustup Majumdar. The Bengal skipper pressed forward to defend, but Vidyadhar snuck the ball between bat and pad to flatten the middle stump.

India's promising batter Ruturaj Gaikwad has expressed his outrage over a controversial dismissal in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. Gaikwad, who is currently in Australia with the India A team for a three-match unofficial Test series, took to social media to vent his frustration over the incident involving Maharashtra's stand-in captain Ankit Bawne.During the Maharashtra vs Services match in Pune, Bawne was adjudged caught behind off a delivery that replays clearly showed had bounced before reaching the fielder in the second slip. The decision left Gaikwad fuming, and he shared a slow-motion video of the incident on Instagram, questioning how such a dismissal could be given in a live game."How can this be given out in a live game???" Gaikwad wrote in his post. "Shame to even appeal for a catchhhh! Absolutely pathetic."Gaikwad's reaction highlights the growing frustration among players over questionable umpiring decisions in domestic cricket. The use of slow-motion replays has made it easier to scrutinize such incidents, and players are increasingly demanding a higher standard of officiating.The incident also raises questions about the role of technology in cricket. While the use of the Decision Review System (DRS) has been widely praised for reducing umpiring errors, it is not available in all domestic matches. This means that players are often left at the mercy of the on-field umpires, who may not always have the best view of the action.Gaikwad's outburst is a reminder that umpiring remains a crucial aspect of cricket. Fair and accurate decisions are essential for maintaining the integrity of the game and ensuring that the best team wins. As technology continues to evolve, it is important to find ways to incorporate it into the decision-making process to minimize the risk of controversial dismissals.

Assam's skipper Denish Das led a spirited fightback against Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-D match at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. Resuming their first innings at 299 for seven, Tamil Nadu added 39 runs before being dismissed for 338.Das, batting at number four, anchored Assam's innings with an unbeaten half-century (54 off 116 balls). He forged a crucial 71-run partnership with southpaw Sibsankar Roy (23 not out) to guide the hosts to 176 for three at the end of the second day's play.Earlier, Tamil Nadu's S. Mohamed Ali (49 not out) and R. Sonu Yadav (29) extended their partnership to 63 runs before Mrinmoy Dutta broke the stand by having Sonu caught by Sibsankar Roy. The innings then ended swiftly, as Gurjapneet Singh and 16-year-old debutant R.D. Pranav Ragavendra failed to trouble the scorers.Assam's openers Parvej Musaraf (18) and Rishav Das (54) began well, adding 49 runs before Sonu broke through by trapping Musaraf leg-before. Rishav, who was in search of runs, put on 40 runs with Subham Mandal before being dismissed by Mohamed Ali for a well-compiled 54 (89b, 7x4).Denish Das then took charge, compiling a patient unbeaten 54 to put Assam in a strong position. He and Sibsankar Roy defied the opposition bowlers till the close of play, frustrating Tamil Nadu's hopes of any further wickets.

In the absence of regular pace bowlers Prasidh Krishna, Vidhwath Kaverappa, and V. Vyshak, the onus fell upon V. Koushik to lead the Karnataka bowling attack in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C match against Bengal. Koushik rose to the occasion, showcasing exceptional skill to record impressive figures of five for 38.Koushik maintained a consistent good length outside off throughout his 25 overs, inducing edges that resulted in five catches behind the stumps. His performance helped Karnataka dismiss Bengal for 301, with Koushik adding two wickets to his overnight tally.In response, Karnataka's batting faced early setbacks before Abhinav Manohar (50 batting) and Shreyas Gopal (23 batting) steadied the ship. Manohar reached his maiden First Class fifty in his second outing, guiding Karnataka to 155 for five at the close of play.Koushik's First Class dream run continues, with the seamer now boasting 80 wickets in 20 matches at an exceptional average of 17.2. His mastery lies in his ability to hit the right lengths consistently, despite not being an express pacer."I have worked a lot on hitting the right lengths. It comes quite naturally to me because I am not a pacer who can bowl 135 or 140-plus kmph. I try to bowl upwards of 120 kmph and try to hit the length. That is what my mastery is," Koushik explained.Manohar, meanwhile, expressed his delight after reaching his maiden First Class fifty. The 30-year-old, making his first steps in red-ball domestic cricket, lifted the spirits of the home team with a big six in the final session.Nikin Jose, who suffered a blow near the eye on Wednesday, did not come out to bat. Kishan Bedare took his place as the concussion substitute and made a handy contribution of 23.