Cricket

Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has heaped praise on skipper Rohit Sharma, hailing his leadership qualities and proactive approach. In the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, Rohit has emerged as the tournament's third-highest run-getter, amassing 248 runs at a strike rate of 155.97 in seven matches.Bumrah, in a video shared by the ICC, lauded Rohit's leadership style, particularly his ability to empower his players. "Rohit Sharma has been absolutely phenomenal," Bumrah said. "Even in the previous World Cup, he was very proactive. He gives a lot of freedom to his players, lets them express themselves. When he feels the right time, he shares his own experience during the match. It feels really great and I feel very happy playing under him."Former England captain Nasser Hussain also expressed his admiration for Rohit, describing him as an "iron fist in a velvet glove." Hussain praised Rohit's calming influence and ability to balance authority with empathy. "I have been a fan of Rohit for a very long time," Hussain said. "He seems to have a very calming influence. He is like that iron fist in a velvet glove. You do not mess around with Rohit, but he is also a big brother that will put his arm around you and look after you."India's contrasting fortunes in the tournament compared to South Africa have also been highlighted. While India has dominated every opponent they have faced, including Australia, Pakistan, and England, South Africa has narrowly escaped defeat on several occasions. Bangladesh and Nepal gave them a run for their money in the group stage, and they nearly sealed their exit in their final Super 8 game against the West Indies.The Indian squad for the tournament includes Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Rishabh Pant's remarkable return to cricket has earned him a "wildcard" selection for India's T20 World Cup final against South Africa, according to former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar.After a near-fatal car accident in December 2022, Pant's recovery has been an inspiration to many. The explosive left-handed batter is back in action in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, leading the Delhi Capitals. His impressive performances earned him a call-up to India's 15-man squad for the mega event.In India's opening match of the tournament, Pant showcased his class with a reverse scoop over the wicketkeeper's head for a boundary against Ireland. Manjrekar believes Pant will be the player to watch out for against South Africa on Saturday at Kensington Oval in Barbados."I think we will get a great idea about who the big match player is. I'm going to go with a wildcard and say Rishabh Pant will be the player to watch out for," Manjrekar said on the 'Caught and Bold' show on Disney+ Hotstar.Pant has been promoted to the number three position in the batting order, with Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma opening the innings. Pant has performed admirably in his new role, scoring 171 runs at a strike rate of 129.54 and an average of 28.50 in seven matches.In less than a year, head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit will lead India in their third ICC tournament final. Pant will be eager to make a difference for the Indian team, which is still chasing its first World Cup trophy since 2011.India's hopes of winning the title were dashed by Australia in both the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup. However, Australia will not be a factor this time around, as they were eliminated from the tournament.India sent Australia to the brink of elimination with impressive bowling spells and Rohit's 92-run knock. Afghanistan's historic victory over the cricketing giants left the Baggy Greens stunned before their collapse against India."Losing to Afghanistan... When you have a bad day in a very tough format, you pay the price for it. It was as good a side as India. The two best sides in the tournament were India and Australia," Manjrekar added.

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed confidence in the Indian cricket team's ability to win the T20 World Cup final against South Africa, despite Virat Kohli's recent struggles with form.Kohli, who has been a key player for India in the past, has only managed to score 75 runs in seven matches during the tournament, averaging just 10.71. However, Manjrekar believes that the team's overall performance is more important than individual form."Not really concerned about Virat Kohli's form because the team's form is far more important," Manjrekar said. "India has discovered a new template, the modern template of playing T20 cricket, and it's paying rich dividends so far."India has won all of its matches in the tournament so far, and Manjrekar believes that the team's new approach could lead to a World Cup victory."Of course, India can lift the World Cup 2024," Manjrekar said. "India has discovered a new template, the modern template of playing T20 cricket, and it's paying rich dividends so far."Manjrekar also identified South Africa's fast bowlers and top-order batsmen as potential threats to India in the final."I would say one of the fast bowlers, either Anrich Nortje or Rabada," Manjrekar said. "In batting Quinton De Kock for sure."India will be looking to win its first ICC World Cup since 2011, and Manjrekar believes that the team has a good chance of doing so."India's journey to the final has been marked by a fearless approach under Rohit Sharma's leadership," Manjrekar said. "This newfound strategy could end India's hiatus from ICC World Cup victories."

Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has taken a light-hearted jab at star pacer Arshdeep Singh ahead of the T20 World Cup final against South Africa. Arshdeep, who is India's leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 15 scalps, will have a chance to claim the top spot on Saturday when India takes on the Proteas in the T20 World Cup summit clash.Arshdeep needs two wickets to go past Afghanistan's Fazalhaq Farooqi (16) in the list of the tournament's leading wicket-takers. However, ahead of the final, Sidhu trolled Arshdeep over his batting skills.In a video posted on Instagram, Arshdeep can be seen shuffling across the stumps, trying to aim for a big shot. He left his stumps unguarded in order to oversmart the bowler, but ended up missing his pull. The video of the same was from the match against Pakistan in the group stage of the ongoing tournament.Sidhu shared a video on Instagram, which read: "Confidence 100 per cent, skills 0 per cent".Since Sidhu has been praising Arshdeep for his exploits with the ball throughout the tournament, there wasn't any malice intended at the player in the post shared by him.Arshdeep, who went wicketless in the semi-final against England, will look to return to wicket-taking ways in the all-important final.Arshdeep attributed much of his success to pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. "I guess a lot of credit goes to Jassi bhai (Jasprit Bumrah) because he puts a lot of pressure on the batters - he gives, what, three or four runs in an over - so batters are coming hard against me, and I just have to try and bowl my best ball and there are a lot of chances of getting wickets there," Arshdeep said."On the other end they see the runs are not coming and the asking rate is going high, so they take more risks against me. [There's a] chance always of getting a wicket there. So a lot of credit for my wickets goes to Jassi bhai," he added.

The Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, is poised to make history as it faces South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup 2024 on Saturday. This marks the second World Cup final for India in just eight months, following their heartbreaking loss to Australia in the 2023 Cricket World Cup.Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has expressed his confidence in Rohit's leadership, stating that he has "gone into the final unbeaten" in both World Cup finals he has played. Ganguly credits Rohit's captaincy and leadership qualities for India's success, highlighting his role in guiding the team to the summit clash.Ganguly also acknowledged the challenges of winning an IPL title, emphasizing that it can sometimes be more difficult due to the tournament's duration. However, he stressed that the honor of winning a World Cup is greater, and he hopes Rohit can lead India to victory."I don't think he can lose two World Cup finals in seven months," Ganguly said. "He will probably jump into the Barbados ocean if he loses two finals under his captaincy in seven months."Ganguly praised Rohit's batting prowess and leadership from the front, expressing his hope that India will play with freedom and finish on the right side. He also acknowledged the importance of luck in winning big tournaments and wished the team well.India has been the dominant force in the T20 World Cup 2024, winning all their matches in the tournament. They will be aiming to extend their unbeaten streak and claim their first ICC title since 2013.

India's T20 World Cup campaign has been a resounding success, with the team remaining undefeated heading into the final against South Africa. Captain Rohit Sharma has been a key contributor with 248 runs, while pacers Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah have been equally impressive with 15 and 13 wickets respectively.However, one area of concern for India has been the form of Virat Kohli, who has managed just 75 runs in seven matches. Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes that Kohli has the potential to turn his fortunes around in the final.Kaif drew parallels between Kohli's current situation and that of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the 2011 ODI World Cup. Dhoni had also struggled for form during the tournament but played a match-winning knock in the final."Virat Kohli needs to remember that even Dhoni didn't have a great World Cup in 2011 but he found form in the final," Kaif said. "He is too good a player to slog, he can play ball on merit and dominate any bowling attack."Kaif suggested that Kohli should focus on playing the ball on merit and avoid slogging. He also emphasized the importance of Kohli playing until the end of the innings."He should play the ball on merit with proper cricket shots, he should not slog by exposing his wickets," Kaif said. "He's a great player. Players like Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav should play fast and Virat Kohli should play till the end the full 20 overs and play the ball on merit."Kohli has been dismissed without scoring twice in this tournament, his worst-ever performance in six T20 World Cups. India will be hoping that he can rediscover his form in the final and help them end their 11-year trophy drought in global cricket competitions.

Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has hinted that Gautam Gambhir is likely to succeed Rahul Dravid as the head coach of the Indian cricket team after the T20 World Cup."I think he will be the next coach (for Team India)," Ganguly told reporters.Dravid's tenure as head coach ends after the T20 World Cup, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is in the process of making a decision on his replacement. Dravid has expressed his desire not to renew his contract."Every game I have coached for India is important. This is the last tournament in job. I have enjoyed coaching India, it is great to work with these boys. It is a special job. But there are schedules where I find myself that at this stage of my life, I won't be able to apply," Dravid had said earlier.Gambhir is considered a frontrunner for the role of head coach. He was a successful left-handed opener for the Indian team and has served as the team mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL). KKR won their third IPL trophy this season under Gambhir's guidance.Ganguly praised the Indian team for reaching the T20 World Cup final. "To get to two World Cup finals in 7 months speaks volumes about the capability & strength of the team...They will not make any changes to the team and this is Rohit Sharma's leadership style. It will be the same team...I wish they win it tomorrow," the 51-year-old added.India will face South Africa in the T20 World Cup final on Saturday at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Virat Kohli, the talismanic Indian batter, has endured a disappointing run in the ongoing T20 World Cup, with a string of single-digit scores in seven outings. This has raised concerns about his suitability for the shortest format of the game.Kohli, known for his dominance and consistency, has struggled to adapt to the bowler-friendly conditions in the United States and West Indies. The opening batsman has been uncharacteristically aggressive, attempting wild swings and failing to play late on sticky surfaces.His dismissal against England, where he was bowled after walking down the track and heaving across the line, highlighted his struggles. Kohli's inability to adjust his batting style has led to questions about his effectiveness in T20 cricket.However, head coach Rahul Dravid remains optimistic about Kohli's form. "I don't want to jinx it, but I think there's a big one coming up," Dravid said after India's semifinal victory over England.Kohli's return to form is crucial for India's chances in the final against Pakistan on Sunday. In the previous edition of the tournament, Kohli played a memorable knock against Pakistan, silencing critics who doubted his ability in T20 cricket.To regain his old form, Kohli needs to revert to his strengths of timing and neat batsmanship. These qualities were evident in his match-winning innings against Pakistan in the previous edition. Only a repeat performance can silence critics and prove his worth in the shortest format of the game.

India's T20 World Cup semi-final against England proved to be another disappointing outing for star batter Virat Kohli, who once again failed to deliver a substantial performance. Batting first, India made a promising start with skipper Rohit Sharma and Kohli showing some intent. However, England pacer Reece Topley quickly struck, dismissing Kohli for nine in the third over of the innings. This marked Kohli's fifth single-digit score at the ongoing T20 World Cup, setting a new career low for the right-handed batter.Kohli's dismissal was particularly significant as it was the first time he had failed to score a half-century in a T20 World Cup knockout match. In previous knockout matches, Kohli had scored 72* off 44 balls against South Africa in the 2014 semi-finals, 77* off 58 balls against Sri Lanka in the 2014 final, 89* against West Indies in the 2016 semi-finals, and 50 against England in the 2022 semi-finals.The match was eventually interrupted by rain, with India reaching 65 for two in eight overs. Skipper Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav were batting on 37 and 13 respectively when the heavens opened up. Sent into bat after the start of the match was delayed by more than an hour, India lost Kohli early and Rishabh Pant cheaply, but Rohit remained positive and kept England on their toes with regular boundaries.Kohli's dismissal came as a blow to India's hopes of posting a competitive total. The right-handed batter has been struggling for form throughout the tournament, and his latest failure will raise further questions about his place in the team. With India's hopes of reaching the final now hanging in the balance, the team will need to find a way to overcome Kohli's poor form and produce a strong performance in the second half of the innings.