Cricket

Former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull believes Australia has devised a cunning plan to neutralize Jasprit Bumrah's threat during the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Test series. Doull, in a recent discussion on JioCinema, highlighted Bumrah as Australia's "biggest threat" and suggested that the hosts are attempting to "cook" him with their scheduling strategy.According to Doull, Australia's decision to start the series in the scorching heat of Perth, followed by a pink-ball Test in Adelaide, is a deliberate attempt to exhaust Bumrah. This strategy could force India to rest their star pacer in the middle of the series."Australia has been clever with their scheduling," Doull said. "They know that while batters will be crucial, their biggest threat is Jasprit Bumrah. So they've chosen the three hardest and fastest surfaces, plus the Pink-Ball Test. They're trying to cook Bumrah. They'll cook him in the heat of Perth, where he'll have to bowl a lot of overs. Then he's going to have to bowl a lot of overs in that second pink-ball Test match in Adelaide. And then you've got to go to Brisbane where generally, first up, the seamers are quite good as well."Doull believes Australia's plan is to tire out Bumrah in the first two or three Tests, forcing India to rely on other bowlers. "They're going to cook Bumrah in the first two, three Test matches, make sure he bowls a lot of overs. And then they're going to have to make a change. They're going to have to go to someone else. So I think the scheduling from Australia's point of view has been quite smart because very rarely do they start a series in Perth."Meanwhile, legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar has suggested that if Rohit Sharma is unavailable for the first Test, Jasprit Bumrah should lead the team for the entire tour. Gavaskar believes that Bumrah's leadership would provide stability and reduce pressure on the deputy captain."It is important for the captain to play the first Test match," Gavaskar said. "I have been reading that Rohit Sharma might not play the first two Tests of the Australia series. I feel that, in that case, the selection committee should appoint Jasprit Bumrah the captain of the side for the entire Australia tour, and tell Rohit Sharma that you will participate as a player in this series. For the first Test match, Rohit Sharma has to be there."

Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull's prediction from 2018 that Shubman Gill would have a more successful career than Prithvi Shaw has proven accurate. Gill's composed 90 in India's first innings of the ongoing third Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai has further solidified his position as a key player for India across all formats.Doull's initial observation of Gill's technical superiority over Shaw during the 2018 U19 World Cup has been borne out. While Shaw made a century on Test debut against West Indies in Rajkot later that year, Gill has since established himself as a consistent performer in the longest format.Gill's ability to adapt and make subtle changes to his game has impressed Doull. "He's able to take in information and process that and has the ability to make those subtle changes," Doull said. "Because I think he just wants to score runs."Gill's hunger for big runs, particularly in Test cricket, is evident in his performances. He has surpassed the 800-run mark in Tests in 2024, while Shaw has struggled for form and fitness.Doull believes that Gill, along with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant, represents the future of Indian batting. "He's got a huge role to play in years to come," Doull said. "So to make little improvements in between Test matches, absolute class."Gill's consistent performances have justified Doull's bold prediction from 2018. His technical prowess, adaptability, and hunger for runs have made him a vital cog in India's batting lineup.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma: A Dynamic Opening Duo for India's T20 World Cup CampaignAs India gears up for its T20 World Cup opener against Ireland, former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull has proposed a bold strategy: pairing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as the team's opening batsmen. This move would capitalize on the exceptional form of both players and provide India with a formidable start to their innings.Kohli, despite limited experience as an opener in T20Is, has proven his prowess at the top of the order for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. In the recently concluded IPL 2024, he emerged as the leading run-scorer with an impressive tally of 741 runs in 15 matches. His ability to anchor the innings and accelerate the scoring rate makes him an ideal candidate for the opening role.Sharma, on the other hand, is a seasoned opener with a wealth of experience in the format. His aggressive style and ability to hit boundaries from the outset would complement Kohli's more measured approach. Together, they form a formidable duo that could set the tone for India's batting performance.Doull's suggestion also addresses the need for a left-handed batsman in the top order. Rishabh Pant, who has been in impressive form, could slot in at No. 3, providing a point of difference and disrupting the opposition's bowling plans.The inclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal as an opener is another possibility that has been discussed. Jaiswal has a solid track record as an opener for India in T20Is, but his inconsistency in the IPL 2024 raises some concerns. Doull believes that if Jaiswal is selected, it would likely come at the expense of Shivam Dube, which would be a surprising move.Doull's proposed batting order, with Kohli and Sharma opening, Pant at No. 3, Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4, Dube at No. 5, Hardik Pandya at No. 6, and Ravindra Jadeja at No. 7, offers a balanced combination of experience, power, and versatility.As India prepares for their first match of the T20 World Cup, the potential opening combination and batting order remain a focal point. Doull's suggestion of Kohli and Sharma as openers is a bold but intriguing move that could give India a significant advantage in their quest for the title.

Virat Kohli's remarkable turnaround in IPL 2024, culminating in the Orange Cap, was fueled by the criticism surrounding his strike rate. His teammate, Dinesh Karthik, witnessed firsthand Kohli's transformation into a legendary figure.Kohli's initial struggles in the tournament sparked questions from experts like Simon Doull, igniting a fire within him. Karthik believes Kohli thrives on proving people wrong, using their doubts as motivation."He is someone who wants to hold onto certain things to do well," Karthik said. "He loves proving people wrong. It fuels his passion."Despite RCB's lack of IPL titles, Kohli has remained loyal to the franchise. Karthik credits Kohli's intimidating presence and leadership for the team's success."It's not happening without that man," Karthik said. "The way he pushes fielders, the intensity he carries... I doff my hat to him."Doull, who initially questioned Kohli's strike rate, expressed surprise at the extreme reactions he received, including death threats. He emphasized that his comments were purely from a cricketing perspective."I see a phenomenal player who should be dominating more," Doull explained. "I felt at times he was afraid to get out."Karthik urged fans to distinguish between personal attacks and legitimate cricket analysis."Indian fans should find out the difference between people taking him personally and people talking about the cricketing side of him," Karthik said. "I think Virat appreciates it if you can find a difference."Kohli's hunger for success and ability to thrive under pressure have made him an iconic figure in world cricket. His determination to prove his critics wrong has once again propelled him to the pinnacle of batting excellence.

Former New Zealand fast bowler and commentator Simon Doull has revealed the backlash he has faced for criticizing Virat Kohli's strike rate. Despite praising Kohli's skills and achievements, Doull's comments on the Indian batsman's need to improve his strike rate have drawn negative reactions from passionate fans.Doull believes that Kohli, a phenomenal player, should be dominating more than he has been. He points to Kohli's strike rate as an area for improvement, suggesting that the former RCB captain is afraid to get out and is worried about what is behind him rather than focusing on his own abilities.Doull has also made similar comments about Pakistan's Babar Azam, who has since acknowledged that his coaches have expressed the same concerns. However, Doull emphasizes that his main point has always been that Kohli shouldn't have to worry about getting out, as he is too good for that.Despite his positive comments about Kohli, Doull's criticism of his strike rate has led to death threats. He expresses disappointment that his constructive criticism has been met with such hostility.Doull believes that with the introduction of the impact substitute rule in the IPL, a strike rate of 130-135 is no longer sufficient. Kohli's impressive performance in the IPL 2024, where he finished as the highest run-getter with a strike rate of 154.69, demonstrates that he has taken Doull's criticism to heart.

The T20 World Cup, scheduled to commence on June 1 in the United States and West Indies, presents a golden opportunity for Team India to break their prolonged ICC title drought. Led by Rohit Sharma, the Indian squad is determined to rectify their near-miss in the ODI World Cup last year, where they succumbed to Australia in the final.However, former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull has identified a glaring weakness in the Indian team's composition. Doull emphasizes the absence of top-order batsmen who can contribute with a few overs of bowling in the T20 format."That's one thing India have been missing massively. Players in their top-five, six, who can bowl a couple of overs in T20 cricket," Doull stated.Doull also speculates on the potential changes to the Indian squad after the T20 World Cup. He envisions a future lineup that includes Abhishek Sharma and Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top, along with Shivam Dube, who can provide bowling depth in the top five."You might have a couple of guys, Shivam Dube stays, couple guys who can bowl two or three overs in that top five. That then becomes crucial and then you can bat deeper and pick four genuine bowlers, and then you have 2-3 all-rounders who can do the job, two of whom are in your top-five," Doull explained.As the T20 World Cup draws near, expectations are soaring for Team India. Fans are optimistic that the combination of experienced players and emerging talent will propel the team to the elusive ICC trophy and end their title drought.

Virat Kohli, the Indian cricket legend, has been facing relentless criticism for his batting approach and strike rate in the ongoing IPL 2024. Despite being one of the tournament's leading run-scorers, Kohli has been questioned about his inclusion in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.Following Royal Challengers Bangalore's victory over Gujarat Titans, Kohli addressed the criticism, stating that he is unfazed by the chatter. However, former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull believes Kohli should not be paying attention to social media."Why is he bothering? I mean, seriously, the bloke is such a good player. Why is he bothering reading the rubbish that some people write or why are people reading it and telling him? I don't understand that," Doull said on Cricbuzz.Doull questioned why Kohli would engage with social media and use it to justify his actions in post-match interviews. He suggested that Kohli may be reading social media or having someone else read it for him.Kohli, in his response, emphasized that his priority is winning games for his team, not maintaining a specific strike rate. "For me, it's about winning the games for the team and there's a reason why you've done it for 15 years, you've done this day in and day out, you've won games for your teams," Kohli said.Doull acknowledged Kohli's experience but argued that those who have not played at the highest level may not fully understand the challenges involved. He suggested that Kohli should focus on his own game and not be distracted by external noise."People can talk about their assumptions day in and day out, but those who have done day in and day out, they know what's happening and it's a kind of muscle memory for me now," Kohli said.

Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull has sparked a debate with his proposed India squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, excluding Sanju Samson despite his impressive performances for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2024.Doull's selection dilemma mirrors the challenge facing the Ajit Agarkar-led selectors, particularly regarding the two wicket-keeping positions. While Rishabh Pant remains the frontrunner, the backup role has become a contentious issue, with Samson, KL Rahul, and Dinesh Karthik all vying for the spot.Speaking to Cricbuzz, Doull unveiled his preferred combination, with Pant as the first-choice keeper and Rahul as the backup. However, he made a surprising move by assigning Pant the No. 3 batting position, aiming to accommodate other players in the lineup."I have flipped and flopped a lot about this, but I want Rishabh Pant at No. 3 because I can't see fitting the other players in without my keeper batting at No. 3. Also, I wanted a left-hander followed by two righties," Doull explained.Despite Pant's struggles in T20Is, Doull expressed confidence in his evolution and highlighted his improved fitness during IPL 2024.Another intriguing decision by Doull was his preference for Shivam Dube over Hardik Pandya, based on Dube's impressive batting displays for Chennai Super Kings.Doull's starting XI for India features Virat Kohli as the opener alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal as the backup. The squad includes Ravindra Jadeja as the lone all-rounder, with expectations for Dube to contribute with his bowling skills. Arshdeep Singh is the third seamer, with Avesh Khan serving as the backup option in the pace department.

Mumbai Indians' decision to appoint Hardik Pandya as captain in place of Rohit Sharma ahead of IPL 2024 has drawn mixed reactions. While some fans welcomed the change, others were skeptical. The team's recent struggles, with only three wins in eight matches, have further fueled the debate over Pandya's captaincy.Former New Zealand international Simon Doull and legendary Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist expressed their concerns about Pandya's leadership. Doull acknowledged Pandya's successful captaincy at Gujarat Titans but noted that he still has room for improvement. Gilchrist criticized Pandya's strategic decision-making, particularly in terms of batting and bowling changes.Despite the criticism, Pandya's supporters argue that he is still adapting to his new role and deserves time to prove himself. They point to his impressive performances as a player, including his all-around contributions with bat and ball.Meanwhile, former India batsman Ambati Rayudu believes that Pandya's place in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup 2024 is not in jeopardy. He emphasized that Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja are established finishers for India, while Shivam Dube fills a different role as a middle-order batter.As Mumbai Indians continue their IPL campaign, the spotlight will remain on Pandya's captaincy. His ability to turn the team's fortunes around and lead them to the playoffs will be crucial in shaping his legacy as a leader.