Cricket

Australia's T20I team will be led by wicketkeeper Josh Inglis in the upcoming series against Pakistan, as Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head are unavailable due to paternity leave and Test preparation, respectively. Inglis, 29, will become the 14th T20I captain for Australia, having been approved by the board following a recommendation from the selectors.Inglis's appointment as captain is a surprise to some, as he has not led at BBL level. However, he is highly regarded for his leadership credentials and tactical nous. He was appointed captain of a strong Prime Minister's XI in a first-class match against West Indies in November 2022.Inglis was also vice-captain of the Perth Scorchers last season and a key part of their leadership group. He was strongly considered to take over the captaincy when Ashton Turner suffered a season-ending injury, but Aaron Hardie was chosen instead due to a preference not to have a wicketkeeper-captain so far from his younger bowlers.Australia's selectors do not have the same concerns at international level given the experience of bowlers in the side. The team has a history of having an interim wicketkeeper captain, with Matthew Wade serving as vice-captain in recent years and standing in as skipper in 13 games, including during the 2022 World Cup.The T20I series against Pakistan will also see a change in coaching staff, with head coach Andrew McDonald, batting coach Michael Di Venuto, and bowling coach Daniel Vettori taking a short break. Assistant coach Andre Borovec will take charge, as he did for Australia's five-match T20I series against India last October. Former Australia batter Brad Hodge will also work with the group as an assistant coach, while Matthew Wade has been appointed interim fielding and keeping coach.Australia's T20I squad vs Pakistan:* Sean Abbott* Xavier Bartlett* Cooper Connolly* Tim David* Nathan Ellis* Jake Fraser-McGurk* Aaron Hardie* Josh Inglis (c)* Spencer Johnson* Glenn Maxwell* Matthew Short* Marcus Stoinis* Adam Zampa

Suryakumar Yadav's appointment as India's T20I captain raised eyebrows, with many expecting Hardik Pandya to take over the mantle. However, the duo has forged a strong bond, with Pandya expressing gratitude for the freedom granted to him by Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir.After India's 3-0 clean sweep against Bangladesh, Pandya was named player of the series. He credited the team's success to the empowering environment created by the captain and coach. "The kind of freedom the skipper and the coach has given has been fantastic," Pandya said. "That is coming to all the players who are playing."Pandya emphasized the importance of enjoying the game and celebrating each other's successes. "When the dressing room is enjoying, when everyone's enjoying everyone's success, you feel like doing more," he explained.Reflecting on his own performance, Pandya attributed his success to improved fitness and workload management. "Body has been fantastic, God has been kind to help me out," he said.When asked about his favorite shot of the match, Pandya recalled a helicopter chip shot over the cover region. "Over the covers when I just chipped it," he said.The harmonious relationship between Yadav and Pandya has fostered a positive team atmosphere, contributing to India's recent success in the T20I format. Pandya's gratitude for the support and freedom he has received highlights the importance of a collaborative and empowering leadership style.

Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), extended his birthday wishes to India's T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, on Saturday. Shah expressed his excitement to witness Yadav lead the team to further victories in the shortest format of the game."Happy Birthday to our T20I skipper and Mr. 360 with the bat, @surya_14kumar! I'm excited to see you lead the Men in Blue to many victories in the shortest format. Best wishes for the year ahead!" Shah wrote on his 'X' account.Suryakumar, who also held the top ranking in the men's T20I rankings, etched himself into cricketing history with his stunning relay catch at long-off of David Miller in this year's T20 World Cup final at Kensington Oval in Barbados. This catch paved the way for India to end an 11-year drought of winning a global title.Devisha Shetty, Suryakumar's wife, also posted a heartfelt note on her Instagram account on the right-handed batter's birthday. "Happy happy birthday to my best friend, husband, lover, my world and the best decision of my life! Thankful for you every single day. You make this world a better place and I don't know what I'd do without you. love you now and forever," she wrote.Since his international debut in 2021, Suryakumar has firmly established himself as one of the greats of T20I batting. However, his ODI and Test career has yet to reach the same heights.Suryakumar has been out of action after sustaining a hand injury during Mumbai's match against TNCA XI at the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in Coimbatore, leading him to miss the ongoing Duleep Trophy.On the international cricket front, Suryakumar will be back in action to captain India in three T20Is against Bangladesh to be held in Gwalior, New Delhi, and Hyderabad on October 6, 9, and 12 respectively. The last time Bangladesh toured India was in 2019, where they lost the three-match T20I series 2-1.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed fast bowler Fatima Sana as the captain of the 15-member squad for the Women's T20 World Cup 2024, which will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in October. Sana takes over the captaincy from all-rounder Nida Dar.This will be the first time that the 22-year-old Sana will lead Pakistan in T20Is and at any ICC event. She has previously captained the national team twice in ODIs, including a memorable Super Over victory against New Zealand at Hagley Oval when she stood in for the concussed Dar.Apart from the captaincy change, the Pakistan squad remains largely unchanged from the one that toured Sri Lanka for the Women's T20 Asia Cup last month. The only alteration is the inclusion of batter Sadaf Shamas, who was also part of the Women's T20 World Cup in 2023, in place of wicketkeeper-batter Najiha Alvi.Ten players from the previous T20 World Cup assignment in 2023 have been retained in the 15-member squad. These include Aliya Riaz, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sandhu, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan, Shamas, Dar, and Fatima. Left-arm spinner Sadia's selection is subject to fitness, while uncapped left-arm seamer Tasmia Rubab has also been included in the squad.Pakistan has also named Alvi, who was omitted from the main squad, as the traveling reserve. Rameen Shamim and Umm-e-Hani are the non-traveling reserves.The Women's T20 World Cup will commence in the UAE on October 3. Pakistan has been placed in Group A alongside Australia, India, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka. The revised schedule for the tournament has yet to be announced after it was shifted from Bangladesh last week.

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.

India's newly appointed T20I skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, has earned praise from all-rounder Axar Patel for his leadership style. Patel described Yadav as a "bowlers' captain" who empowers his bowlers to execute their plans with confidence.In the recently concluded first T20I against Sri Lanka, Patel witnessed firsthand Yadav's approach. "He gives you free hand (in a way) that you decide first," Patel said. "Whenever you get hit, he comes and says that it was a good ball. He keeps giving you inputs."Patel emphasized the importance of this support for bowlers, as it instills confidence and allows them to take risks. "As a bowler, you get confidence from that if the captain is backing you and telling you that you can do this," he said.Patel also highlighted the team's focus on maximizing its batting combinations. In the first T20I, India experimented with a batting order that featured a balanced mix of left-handed and right-handed batters. This strategy aims to keep the opposition bowlers guessing and maintain a consistent scoring rate."Our team has four lefties and four righties," Patel explained. "If there is a left-right combination (in the middle), it becomes very hard for the bowlers to maintain the line and lengths consistently."Patel also touched upon the team's new coaching staff, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir. While acknowledging that there will be some changes in approach, Patel emphasized that the team's core values will remain intact."When we were talking in the team meeting, they also said the same thing that the coach and captain keep changing but the team remains the same and the 11 or 15 players who stay, they have to do it," Patel said. "They have told us that we will play the way we have been playing."

India's newly appointed T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, has expressed his excitement about working with head coach Gautam Gambhir, with whom he shares a special bond dating back to their time together at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).Yadav, who has previously led India in seven T20Is, emphasized the importance of leadership and the lessons he has learned from various captains. He believes that being a leader on the field, even without the official title, has helped him grow as a player.Speaking about his relationship with Gambhir, Yadav recalled their time together at KKR, where Gambhir's guidance played a pivotal role in his development. He expressed his belief that Gambhir's understanding of his work ethic and mindset will be invaluable in their new roles with the Indian team.Yadav also highlighted the importance of humility and balance in life, lessons he has learned from his experiences in cricket. He believes that it is crucial to separate on-field performance from personal life and to maintain a sense of perspective.India's tour of Sri Lanka marks the beginning of a new era for both teams, with Gambhir and Sanath Jayasuriya taking over as head coaches for India and Sri Lanka, respectively. The series will feature three T20Is and three ODIs, with the first T20I scheduled for Saturday in Pallekele.India's T20I squad for the series includes a mix of experienced players and rising stars, with Yadav leading the charge as captain. The team will be looking to build on their recent successes and continue their dominance in the shortest format of the game.

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has expressed his support for newly-appointed T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, who will lead the team on its upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. Shastri believes that Suryakumar's experience and dynamic batting style will make him a successful leader.Suryakumar has captained India in T20I series against Australia and South Africa in the past, and has also led Mumbai domestically. Shastri believes that this experience will be invaluable in his new role."He is street smart... he is one of the best T20 players in the world at the moment," Shastri said. "He is a match-winner on his own, walks into the team day in, day out in that format of the game on his own steam, so I think it is not a bad idea at all."Shastri also stressed the importance of Suryakumar understanding and managing India's diverse bowling options."One thing that he (Suryakumar) will have to learn from his side is what are the strengths of his bowlers and what are their limitations," Shastri said. "I never say a bowler has a weakness, I say a limitation, and then there are strengths. And then focus on the right things and set fields accordingly. I think that is what he will have to learn."Shastri believes that Suryakumar's captaincy style will be similar to his playing style."I think it will [captaincy style] be much like his personality, the way he plays the game," Shastri said. "He will be thinking very quickly and the fact that he knows all these players, even the senior players, I think he will be in a great position to handle the team."

Suryakumar Yadav, the newly appointed captain of the Indian T20I team, has vowed to maintain the aggressive style of play that characterized Rohit Sharma's tenure. Under Rohit's leadership, India adopted a revolutionary attacking approach that has become their hallmark.Suryakumar emphasized that the team's "train will go ahead" with the same aggressive mindset, despite the change in captaincy. He aims to emulate Rohit's leadership style and strategies, which he believes have been instrumental in India's recent success."What I have learnt from Rohit is that he was always a leader on the ground and off it," Suryakumar said. "He was not just a captain — there is a lot of difference between the two. He was a leader who stood in the middle of the group and showed people the way."Suryakumar also expressed his desire to provide opportunities for young talents like Riyan Parag and Rinku Singh. He believes that these players have the potential to make a significant impact on the upcoming matches against Sri Lanka.Reflecting on his own journey, Suryakumar acknowledged that he has undergone a significant transformation over the last decade. He attributed this change to his marriage and the lessons he has learned from playing under different captains."I am also a completely changed man now," he said. "In 2016, I got married. So, absolutely, you have to change after that as well. But yeah, things are completely different now."Suryakumar also addressed comments made by the newly appointed head coach, Gautam Gambhir, who expressed regret for not fully utilizing his potential during their time together at the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise. However, Suryakumar remained optimistic, stating that there is still ample time for him to showcase his skills and make a significant impact in the team."We can fulfil that potential together now," he said with a smile. "Our bond has always been special. We have talked a lot. We both understand what we want to say just by our body language."