Cricket

Ravindra Jadeja's mesmerizing spell of left-arm spin wreaked havoc on New Zealand's batting lineup in the first innings of the third Test against India at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.With India already holding an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, New Zealand opted to bat first after winning the toss. They made a promising start, reaching 159 for 4 with Will Young and Daryl Mitchell forging a solid partnership of 87 runs.However, the introduction of Jadeja proved to be a game-changer. The veteran spinner extracted sharp turn and bounce from the pitch, making life difficult for the Kiwi batsmen. In the 45th over, he struck twice in quick succession, dismissing Young for 71 and Tom Blundell for a three-ball duck.Jadeja's relentless attack continued, as he claimed the next three wickets to fall. He rattled the stumps behind Glenn Phillips for 17, trapped Ish Sodhi in front for 7, and cleaned up Matt Henry for 0 in his second double-wicket over of the day. This brought up his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket.New Zealand's innings crumbled rapidly after Jadeja's onslaught. Off-spinner Washington Sundar joined the party, dismissing top-scorer Mitchell for 82 and Ajaz Patel for 7 to finish with impressive figures of 4 for 81.The Kiwis were eventually bowled out for 235 in 65.4 overs, with Jadeja finishing with a match-winning haul of 5 for 47. His exceptional performance put India in a commanding position in the match and brought them closer to a series sweep.

India, seeking to salvage some pride after losing the first two Tests of the series, made a solitary change to their playing XI for the third and final Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.With the World Test Championship (WTC) points and a place in the final on the line, India opted to field first after losing the toss to the visiting Black Caps. The only change for the hosts was the inclusion of seamer Mohammed Siraj in place of Jasprit Bumrah, who was ruled out due to a viral illness.India captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged the team's poor performance in the first two Tests, stating, "We accept that we didn't play well this series. But this is an opportunity to correct that. Hopefully we can restrict them quickly."Meanwhile, New Zealand made two changes to their lineup, with Mitchell Santner and Tim Southee missing out due to injury. Matt Henry and Ish Sodhi replaced them in the playing XI.New Zealand skipper Tom Latham explained their decision to bat first, saying, "Reasonably good surface. Want to put runs on the board and put pressure later on. Focusing on this game. That's what we did in Pune after Bengaluru win too. But last week was last week. New opportunity this game."New Zealand ended India's 12-year unbeaten run in home Test series, which had stretched back to 2012. India had won 18 consecutive Test series at home before the defeats in October.

South Africa's relentless bowling attack, led by Keshav Maharaj's five-wicket haul, propelled them to a historic Test victory over Bangladesh in Chattogram. The Proteas secured an innings and 273-run triumph, their largest ever in Test cricket, completing a 2-0 series sweep.Bangladesh's batting woes continued as they were dismissed for a paltry 143 in their second innings, failing to overcome a massive 416-run deficit. Maharaj's left-arm spin proved lethal, claiming 5-59, while Kagiso Rabada's pace had earlier decimated the hosts with 5-37 in the first innings.The Proteas' dominance was evident from the outset, with Rabada striking twice in quick succession to reduce Bangladesh to 48-8. Mominul Haque's valiant 82 provided a brief respite, but Maharaj's dismissal of the opener for a duck in the second innings extinguished any hopes of a comeback.Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh's experienced campaigners, failed to deliver, falling cheaply to Maharaj and Senuran Muthusamy, respectively. Najmul Hossain Shanto's dismissal by Muthusamy left the hosts reeling at 78-7.Hasan Mahmud's late resistance, including four sixes, delayed the inevitable, but Maharaj sealed the match by dismissing Nahid Rana for a duck. Muthusamy also impressed with 4-45 in the second innings, completing a comprehensive bowling performance for South Africa."We had some special performances that got us into strong positions," said stand-in captain Aiden Markram. "It's a proud moment for us, and one we'll reflect on as a special team."Bangladesh skipper Najmul acknowledged their batting struggles, stating, "If the top order doesn't contribute well, this is the kind of result we'll get."South Africa's victory was built on the foundation of three maiden Test centuries in their first innings: Tony De Zorzi (177), Tristan Stubbs (106), and Wiaan Mulder (105 not out). The Proteas' dominance extended to the bowling department, with Rabada and Maharaj leading the charge.Bangladesh's inability to match South Africa's batting and bowling prowess resulted in their 16th consecutive Test defeat against the Proteas. The series sweep highlights the gulf in quality between the two sides and serves as a wake-up call for Bangladesh to address their batting deficiencies.

India faces a daunting challenge as they prepare to host New Zealand in the third and decisive Test match, starting Friday. After losing the first two Tests, India is desperate to salvage pride and avoid a humiliating home series defeat.The pressure is mounting on India's batting lineup, which has struggled against both pace and spin in the first two matches. The team's famed spinners, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, have also been outplayed by New Zealand's spin duo of Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel.In a bid to turn the tide, India has opted for a rank turner at the Wankhede Stadium, where the ball is expected to turn sharply from the first hour. The team has also called in 20 slow bowlers for net practice and drawn white lines on the pitch to gauge the length and lines.However, India's desperation could lead to recklessness, as they attempt to force a win on a pitch that may favor the bowlers. The team's recent performances have raised questions about their ability to negotiate quality spin attacks, and a three-day finish is on the cards.Despite their struggles, India's senior players, including captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ashwin, and Jadeja, will be expected to lead the fightback. However, they may need to share the workload with younger players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill.New Zealand, on the other hand, has been meticulous in their preparation and execution, exposing India's weaknesses with both pace and spin. The visitors will be confident of completing a series sweep and further dent India's hopes of reaching the World Test Championship final.India's captain, Rohit Sharma, has defended his spinners despite their poor performance in Pune, but his own approach and form will be under scrutiny. Kohli, too, is under pressure to deliver big runs as India faces a transition period in Test cricket.Amidst the odds stacked against them, India's batters will face a stern challenge on a pitch that is expected to favor the spinners. Ashwin and Jadeja have not looked menacing even on home soil, and Axar Patel may be brought into the team for his ability to bowl on turning tracks.The team management has rested Jasprit Bumrah for the match, keeping in mind the upcoming tour of Australia. While the Wankhede pitch may provide some early assistance to the fast bowlers, it is expected to play in favor of the spinners sooner rather than later.India will be hoping to replicate their success against Australia in 2004, when Murali Kartik wreaked havoc on a similar pitch. However, New Zealand will be determined to prevent a repeat of that result and secure a historic series victory in India.

England's cricket team has made a bold move by awarding Jamie Smith a lucrative two-year central contract, signaling their intention to build their future around the rising star. Smith, 24, has impressed in both Test and white-ball cricket, earning recognition as the PCA's Young Player of the Year.Despite limited opportunities in white-ball cricket, Smith showcased his potential in the recent ODI series against Australia. He is expected to play a key role in England's upcoming white-ball tour of India and the Champions Trophy. Fast bowler Gus Atkinson has also received a two-year deal, extending his existing contract.England's Test captain, Ben Stokes, and white-ball captain, Jos Buttler, have both signed two-year deals, demonstrating their commitment to the team. Buttler's contract is a show of faith despite his ongoing calf injury.England's contract system has been revamped to reflect the growing influence of T20 franchise cricket. 18 of the 26 offers are multi-year deals, with 19 of this year's 29 deals being for one year only.Five players have signed their first central contracts: Shoaib Bashir, Phil Salt, Olly Stone, Will Jacks, and Jacob Bethell. Three players have been handed development contracts, including Josh Hull and John Turner.Seven players have been cut from England's list, including Moeen Ali, Dawid Malan, and James Anderson, who have retired. Ollie Robinson and Ben Foakes, who were dropped from the Test team in the summer, are also notable absentees."The strength and depth of talent across England Men's red and white-ball cricket is clear," said Rob Key, England men's managing director. "These contracts reward the players we believe will play an important role for our England Men's teams."

Bangladesh's Test woes continue as they suffer a humiliating innings-and-273-run defeat against South Africa in Chattogram. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has identified the lack of top-order partnerships as the root cause of their batting struggles.The home side was bowled out twice in a total of 89 overs, with their match aggregate of 302 runs being the lowest by any team at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. South Africa, on the other hand, posted a mammoth 575 for 6 in the first two days.Bangladesh's batting implosion was evident on the third day, as they lost 14 wickets, including Mominul Haque's two dismissals in one session. The lower order has been providing some resistance, but Shanto believes it's not enough to compensate for the top-order failures."We have been batting like this for a long time," Shanto said. "If you don't get top-order partnerships, the rest of the batters will find it difficult in red-ball cricket. This was a good wicket. Even in Mirpur, we shouldn't have got out so quickly."Shanto acknowledged his own lack of runs as a contributing factor to the top-order collapses. He has scored just one fifty in his last 17 Test innings. "I have an important role as a top-order batter. I am supposed to score runs," he said. "It is not happening, and the worst thing is, I am getting out between 20 and 40."Despite the setbacks, Shanto remains optimistic about his captaincy. "I enjoy captaincy on the field," he said. "I never felt that I am the captain when I am batting."However, he admitted that distractions around the team, such as the discussions around his captaincy and the sacking of head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe, may have contributed to their poor performance. "Players have to adjust with these things, even though it is difficult," he said. "Still, it shouldn't be this bad."

The World Test Championship (WTC) has revitalized the five-day format by infusing every match with significance, according to New Zealand captain Tom Latham. Ahead of his team's decisive encounter against India, Latham emphasized the importance of the WTC in driving the Black Caps' performance.New Zealand's 2-0 lead in the ongoing Test series against India has reignited their hopes of reaching the WTC final at Lord's next year. This marks their first-ever Test series victory on Indian soil."From our perspective, there's a significant incentive at the end in the form of the World Test Championship," Latham stated. "As a result, every game is crucial for us."India's dominance at the top of the WTC standings has been challenged by their recent losses, with Australia, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand closing in. India has reached the finals of both previous WTC seasons, falling to New Zealand in the inaugural edition and Australia last year.Latham acknowledged the significance of winning the competition, stating, "It gives you a taste of what that success feels like." He added, "I believe that once you achieve it once, you want to do it again."In the second Test in Pune, New Zealand outplayed India at their own spin game, with Mitchell Santner claiming 13 wickets in the match. However, Latham cautioned against underestimating India, emphasizing that "two losses don't make them a bad team overnight."

India's recent home Test losses have been attributed to the pressure of the World Test Championship (WTC) points system, according to head coach Gautam Gambhir. With the hosts trailing 0-2 in the three-match series against New Zealand, Gambhir emphasized the importance of every match in the WTC."For me, WTC points are very important. Every Test match is important. There are no dead rubbers anymore," Gambhir said at a pre-match press conference. "It has a lot to do with T20 cricket. Gone are the days of draws because the quality of batters and hitting has gone up. Matches will be more result-oriented now."The pressure of the WTC, combined with the influence of T20 cricket, has led to teams losing at home more frequently, according to Gambhir. "It is the combination of being pressure due to WTC points and T20I cricket," he explained.In the second Test, New Zealand's half-centuries from Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra helped them reach 259, despite Washington Sundar's impressive spell of 7/59. India's first innings total of 156 was overshadowed by Mitchell Santner's 7/53, with Ravindra Jadeja top-scoring with 38.New Zealand's second innings saw Tom Latham score 86, while Washington and Jadeja picked up four and three wickets respectively. India's run chase of 359 ended in a 114-run defeat, despite Yashasvi Jaiswal's 77.With the series already lost, India will be aiming to avoid a whitewash in the third Test at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. The hosts will need to play out of their skins to salvage some pride and prevent New Zealand from completing a clean sweep.

Team India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has emphasized the collective responsibility of the team following their Test series loss against New Zealand. Gambhir acknowledged that the batters have faced challenges, but he refused to solely blame them for the defeat."Everyone has the responsibility," Gambhir stated. "I cannot say just the batters have let us down."The Indian team has struggled with both swing and spin bowling, resulting in low team totals. However, Gambhir believes that the batters need to adapt to the demands of Test cricket."Test cricket should be played like Test cricket," he said. "If we have to get 400 runs inside a day's play, we should be able to get it."Gambhir also addressed concerns about the defensive technique of batters being affected by T20 cricket. He emphasized the importance of a strong defense, regardless of the format."The more T20 cricket is played, the more people will struggle in defending," he said. "But the most successful players always had strong defense."Regarding the upcoming third Test in Mumbai, Gambhir ruled out adding any new players to the squad. He also expressed confidence in the team's ability to bounce back from the series loss."I am not going to sugarcoat that it is hurting," he said. "It should hurt and that will make us better."Gambhir emphasized the need for empathy in working with players under pressure. He believes that supporting the players is crucial for their development."I realize it's a complete different thing when you were playing and now as a coach, need to put your arm around the players," he said.