Cricket

India's recent T20I series triumph over Zimbabwe has brought to light the impressive performances of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Former chief selector Saba Karim has urged the team management to consider these two young batters as opening options for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.Karim believes that Gill and Jaiswal have demonstrated exceptional form and should be given the opportunity to lead the Indian batting lineup. He also suggests including Abhishek Sharma in the squad, considering the expected presence of Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav in the middle order."The most crucial positions are in the top order," Karim emphasized. "I believe the selectors should opt for Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill. Abhishek Sharma deserves a place in the 15-man squad, given that Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav are likely to bat at No. 3 and No. 4."The selection of the opening pair will be a key decision for head coach Gautam Gambhir, who will be leading the team for the first time. The captaincy role is also yet to be determined, with Hardik Pandya not expected to be available."The captain's choice in T20Is will also influence the selection," Karim added. "Gambhir and the captain will need to determine their vision for the team and select players accordingly. Ruturaj Gaikwad is another player who has been performing well in the top order."India's victory in Zimbabwe was a testament to the depth of their squad, with only three players from the T20 World Cup-winning team featuring in the series. Captain Shubman Gill praised his team's adaptability and determination after losing the opening match."It was an excellent series," Gill said. "The hunger we showed after the first loss was phenomenal. Many players had long flights and were not accustomed to the conditions, but they adapted remarkably."

Vikram Rathour, India's batting coach until the T20 World Cup 2024, acknowledges the impending transition period for the team but emphasizes the need for a controlled approach. With the retirement of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, India's T20I team will undergo significant changes.Rathour acknowledges the challenge of replacing players of Rohit and Virat's caliber. However, he believes that the recent T20I series against Zimbabwe provided a glimpse into the future of the T20 team. He highlights the emergence of young players like Shubman Gill, who led the team to a 4-1 victory.Rathour emphasizes the importance of a gradual transition, ensuring that the team maintains its depth and quality. He expresses confidence in the upcoming generation of players, including Gill, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Dhruv Jurel, to form the core of the team across formats.Rathour also praises Rinku Singh, who has impressed in both short-format cricket and first-class matches. He believes that Singh has the potential to develop into a successful Test cricketer, citing his technical ability, calm temperament, and impressive first-class average.Reflecting on his partnership with former head coach Rahul Dravid, Rathour commends Dravid's open-mindedness and willingness to provide space for his coaches to work. He credits Dravid with fostering a collaborative environment that allowed them to implement changes in the team's batting approach, such as introducing more intent and aggression.

Riyan Parag, the Indian all-rounder, expressed his delight at making his international debut alongside his former U19 teammate Abhishek Sharma. Parag, who played a crucial role in India's series win against Zimbabwe, praised skipper Shubman Gill's leadership skills.After India's 42-run victory in the fifth and final T20I, Parag reflected on his journey. "It was special to make my debut with Abhishek," he said. "We opened our jerseys together, remembering our time at the 2018 U19 World Cup."Parag also spoke about his partnership with Sanju Samson, his Rajasthan Royals teammate. "We had a chat about having a partnership like we used to have at RR," he said. "We're glad we could do well."Parag lauded Gill's captaincy, saying, "He has been like a captain even when he wasn't. He's been exceptional in the field."Despite his impressive IPL performance, Parag had a modest debut, scoring just 24 runs in two innings. However, India secured a 4-1 series victory.In the match, Zimbabwe elected to field first and restricted India to 167/6. Samson (58) and Parag (22) led the Indian batting, while Blessing Muzarbani took two wickets.Zimbabwe started well in the chase, but Shivam Dube's spell and a crucial run-out of Sikandar Raza turned the tide. Mukesh Kumar then cleaned up the tail, dismissing Zimbabwe for 125.Dube was named 'Player of the Match' for his all-round performance, while Washington Sundar, who scored 28 runs and took eight wickets in the series, received the 'Player of the Series' award.

Shubman Gill's leadership debut with the Indian cricket team in the recent T20I series against Zimbabwe proved to be a transformative experience for the young batsman. Gill, who had previously captained India A and Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, relished the opportunity to lead the national side and believes it brought out the best in him."It is something that I definitely enjoy," Gill said about captaincy. "I think it brings out the best in me when I am out there because I look to be involved in the game. It is something that really brings out the side of me which I enjoy being on the field."Despite the initial setback in the opening game of the series, Gill quickly found his footing as captain, guiding India to four consecutive victories. He acknowledged the pressure that came with the role but emphasized the immense satisfaction of overcoming it and helping the team succeed."There was pressure, I wouldn't say extra pressure but obviously even when you are playing just as a batsman when you don't perform there is a certain kind of pressure that comes along with it," he said. "But I think that's the fun part of it. You kind of feel so many different emotions. Pressure is one of them. And when you get out of that, the satisfaction that you feel is immense."Gill's leadership style was characterized by his understanding of the players and their abilities. Having played with or against many of his teammates at various levels, he felt comfortable in his role and was able to effectively communicate with them."To be able to lead such phenomenal talented players, who I have had the pleasure to play with or against at some stage in age-group cricket or Under-19 or at the India level, it just feels very amazing," Gill said. "When you have played against or with so many of the players... I think almost with everyone I have played against or with at some age-group level, it definitely makes my job easier because I understand them at a player level and I understand them as a person as well."Reflecting on the team's performance in the series, Gill identified the first T20I as a learning experience. He admitted that India failed to assess the conditions properly, leading to their defeat."I think that is the mistake we did in the first T20, the score wasn't that big but I think we didn't assess the conditions as early and we lost too many wickets in the powerplay and then once you are under pressure, then you are always behind in the game," he said.While Gill did not name any specific captain as his idol, he expressed admiration for Rohit Sharma's leadership qualities."You can take qualities from Rohit bhai or even Mahi (MS Dhoni) bhai, Virat (Kohli) bhai, Hardik (Pandya) bhai, all of them," he said. "All of them have great qualities. I have played the most under Rohit bhai, so he is someone who I look up to and really enjoy playing under."

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has lauded the Indian cricket team's emphatic series victory over Zimbabwe in the five-match T20I series. The young Indian team, led by Shubman Gill, clinched the series with a dominant 10-wicket win in the fourth T20I at the Harare Sports Club.Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill were the stars of the show for India, smashing unbeaten fifties to guide their team to a comfortable victory. Jaiswal remained unbeaten on 93, while Gill scored 58 not out as India chased down the target of 156 in just 15.2 overs.The Indian team had a disappointing start to the series, losing the first T20I by 14 runs. However, they bounced back strongly in the second T20I, winning by 100 runs thanks to a century from opener Abhishek Sharma. India then took a 2-1 lead in the third T20I, riding on a superb bowling performance by Washington Sundar.The fourth T20I was a one-sided affair, with India dominating from the start. The Indian bowlers restricted Zimbabwe to 152/7 in 20 overs, with Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav picking up two wickets each. In reply, Jaiswal and Gill put on an unbeaten 156-run partnership to seal the series victory for India.BCCI secretary Jay Shah congratulated the Indian team on their impressive performance. "What a way to clinch the T20I series! Top stuff from our young guns! @ybj_19 (Yashasvi) and @ShubmanGill were spectacular with the bat in the run chase. Congratulations to the entire team and support staff on a fantastic series win. @BCCI #ZIMvIND," Shah wrote on Twitter.The Indian team, which is missing several key players who helped India win the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, has shown great promise in the Zimbabwe series. The young players have stepped up and performed admirably, giving the Indian cricket fans plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the future.

India's new opening pair in cricket, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, are rising stars who are embracing the challenge of replacing legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in T20 Internationals. Jaiswal, who scored an unbeaten 93 in India's 10-wicket victory against Zimbabwe on Saturday, believes that focusing on the process and taking it one game at a time is crucial."We (him and Gill) are trying to take it match-by-match and one day at a time, focusing on the process," Jaiswal said. "I think what they (Kohli and Sharma) have done for Indian cricket is just incredible and being a part of that dressing room is a blessing."Jaiswal, who has scored 631 runs at a strike rate of over 161 in 19 T20Is, attributes his success to hard work and a determined mindset. "I think it's not easy and I work hard on my practice, try to prepare a lot, and try to execute and express myself and enjoy the game," he said.Gill, who has scored 1,326 runs at a strike rate of over 145 in 31 T20Is, is also a product of India's domestic cricket system. He made his international debut in 2019 and has quickly established himself as one of the most promising young batsmen in the world.Both Jaiswal and Gill are excited about the opportunity to lead India's batting in the post-Kohli and Sharma era. They are confident that they can build on the solid foundation laid by their predecessors and help India continue to be a force in T20 cricket.

India, led by Shubman Gill, opted to bowl first in the fourth T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare on Saturday. The decision was made after Gill won the toss for the fourth time in the series.Tushar Deshpande, the Mumbai and Chennai Super Kings fast bowler, made his international debut for India. He replaced Avesh Khan in the only change from the third game. Deshpande's selection is a testament to his impressive performance in the IPL, where he was CSK's highest wicket-taker with 17 wickets in 13 games.India's XI remained largely unchanged, with four openers batting from positions 1-4 and only four specialist bowlers. Shivam Dube and Abhishek Sharma will be expected to contribute with the ball.Gill expressed his desire to exploit the early-morning conditions and improve India's performance in the death overs. Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza emphasized the importance of leveling the series at 2-2 and outlined his vision for the team's development leading up to the 2026 T20 World Cup.Zimbabwe made one change, bringing in Faraz Akram, the Saudi Arabia-born allrounder, in place of Wellington Masakadza.

India vs Zimbabwe 4th T20I: Team India Eyes Series Win, Shubman Gill Aims for Maiden Captaincy TriumphTeam India stands on the cusp of clinching the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe as they prepare for the fourth T20I encounter on Saturday, July 13. The young Indian squad, led by Shubman Gill, has bounced back from their opening game defeat to establish a 2-1 lead in the series.Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Washington Sundar have emerged as key performers for India, showcasing their talent and contributing to the team's success. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, will be determined to pull off another upset and level the series.The match will be played at the Harare Sports Club in Harare, Zimbabwe, and will commence at 4:30 PM IST. Fans can catch the live telecast on the Sony Sports Network, while the live streaming will be available on the SonyLiv app and website.Team India has a golden opportunity to secure the series victory and give Shubman Gill his first series win as captain. The young opener has shown maturity and leadership qualities throughout the series, and a series win would be a significant achievement for him.Zimbabwe, despite their underdog status, has proven to be a formidable opponent. They stunned India in the first T20I and will be eager to repeat that performance and force a decider in the fifth match.The upcoming encounter promises to be an exciting contest between two determined teams. India will be aiming to maintain their momentum and seal the series, while Zimbabwe will be looking to upset the odds and extend the series.

Brian Lara, the legendary West Indian batsman, holds the world record for the highest individual score in a Test innings, with his mammoth 400 not out against England in 2004. This record has stood unchallenged for nearly two decades, and Lara believes that only a select few modern-day batters have the potential to break it.Lara's record-breaking knock came at a time when he was at the peak of his powers. He had already broken Gary Sobers' previous record of 365 in 1994, setting the mark at 375. A decade later, Australia's Matthew Hayden surpassed Lara's record with a score of 380. However, Lara reclaimed the record just a few months later with his historic 400.When asked about who among the current generation of batters could potentially break his record, Lara identified two Indian batsmen and two from England. He named Zak Crawley and Harry Brook from England, and Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill from India.Lara believes that these players have the necessary aggression and talent to achieve such a feat. Both Jaiswal and Gill have shown an insatiable hunger for runs in red-ball cricket. Jaiswal has already scored two double centuries in his nine-Test career, while Gill has four hundreds in 25 Tests.Jaiswal's highest score is 214 not out, while Gill's is 128. However, Lara believes that if they find the right conditions and form, they have the potential to break his record.Lara's record is a testament to his exceptional batting skills and the dominance he held over bowlers during his era. It remains to be seen whether any modern-day batter can match or surpass his achievement, but the players identified by Lara certainly have the talent and potential to make a run at it.