Cricket

Rishabh Pant's on-field antics and witty remarks have become a staple of Indian cricket. During the first day of the second Test against New Zealand in Pune, Pant's stump mic captured a hilarious exchange with spinner Washington Sundar.As New Zealand's tailender Ajaz Patel approached the crease, Pant suggested to Sundar, "Washi aage daal sakta you can bowl a little fuller, thoda bahar daal sakta hai." Sundar obliged, delivering a tossed-up ball that Patel swung through for four runs.Pant's disappointment was evident as he muttered, "Yaar mereko kya pata issey Hindi aati hai." (I didn't know he understood Hindi.)Sundar's seven-wicket haul played a crucial role in restricting New Zealand to 259. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also contributed with three wickets, dismissing the Kiwis in just 79.1 overs.In response, India lost captain Rohit Sharma for a duck, leaving Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill at the crease with a deficit of 243 runs.Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra led New Zealand's batting effort with scores of 76 and 65, respectively.

England fought back on the opening day of the series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi, reducing Pakistan to 73/3 at close. Home spinner Sajid Khan starred with a six-wicket haul, while Jamie Smith's rearguard 89 helped England post 267.On a dry and spin-friendly pitch, 13 wickets fell on day one, with all but one going to the spinners. Pakistan's Sajid and Noman Ali dominated the morning session, bowling unchanged for 42 overs and taking 9 wickets between them.England's spinners came to the fore in the final session, with Shoaib Bashir dismissing Abdullah Shafique and Jack Leach accounting for Saim Ayub. Gus Atkinson was the only fast bowler to grab a wicket, dismissing Kamran Ghulam.Smith's 89, which included six towering sixes and five fours, enabled England to add 149 for their last four wickets. He shared a 105-run partnership with Gus Atkinson (39) for the seventh wicket.Sajid completed his third five-wicket haul by removing Rehan Ahmed and Jack Leach. England lost captain Ben Stokes early in the afternoon session, but Smith and Atkinson's partnership kept them in the game.The morning session was dominated by Sajid and Noman, who exploited the turning and low-bouncing pitch. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett made a confident start, but England lost three wickets in quick succession.Noman had Crawley caught off a miscued drive, while Sajid removed Pope and Root leg before. Duckett was trapped lbw by Noman for 52, and Harry Brook was bowled behind his legs by Sajid for five.Both teams included three spinners on a grassless pitch, which Pakistan dried with fans and heaters. Sajid and Noman shared all 20 wickets in Pakistan's second Test win to level the series at 1-1.

Rohit Sharma's Test Woes Continue as Tim Southee Strikes AgainIndian captain Rohit Sharma's struggles in Test cricket extended on Thursday as he was dismissed for a duck on the opening day of the second Test against New Zealand in Pune. Kiwi pacer Tim Southee delivered a venomous delivery that left Rohit bamboozled, marking the 14th time Southee has dismissed the Indian skipper across all formats.Southee's delivery was a masterclass in seam bowling. Pitched on a good length around middle and off, the ball moved away off the seam, leaving Rohit completely squared up in defense. As he attempted to defend from the crease, the ball nipped away slightly, clipping the top of off stump after a slight deflection off his back pad.Rohit's dismissal was a major setback for India, who were looking to bounce back from their defeat in the first Test. However, Washington Sundar provided a much-needed boost, making a spectacular return to the Test side with a seven-wicket haul.Sundar's off-spin proved too much for the New Zealand batsmen, as he ripped through their middle order. Fellow off-break bowler Ravichandran Ashwin also chipped in with three wickets, as New Zealand were bundled out for 259 in 79.1 overs.At the close of play, India were 16 for 1, with Yashasvi Jaiswal on six and Shubman Gill on ten. The hosts trail by 243 runs, but will be hoping to make a strong comeback on day two.

Washington Sundar's remarkable return to the Indian Test team was marked by a career-best performance in the second Test against New Zealand in Pune. Replacing Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI, Sundar made an immediate impact, claiming a seven-wicket haul to bowl out the Kiwis for 259 in their first innings.Sundar's introduction into the attack came with New Zealand at 32/1 after 8 overs. Despite bowling six overs in his first spell, he failed to make a breakthrough. However, his persistence paid off in his third spell, when he dismissed Rachin Ravindra with a beautiful delivery that drifted in on off, landed around a length, and turned sharply to clip off stump.As the match progressed, Sundar's bowling improved with each over. He showcased his exceptional drift and dip on a pitch that offered decent turn. Five of his seven dismissals were clean bowled, demonstrating his mastery of the conditions.Sundar's career-best spell of 7/59 was not only his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket but also his first in all First Class cricket since August 2022 and his first on Indian soil since October 2017. His performance was instrumental in turning the game in India's favor.Sundar's return to form is a testament to his resilience and determination. Having last played a Test match in 2021, he has worked tirelessly to regain his place in the Indian team. His performance in Pune has not only solidified his position but also given India a valuable all-rounder who can contribute with both bat and ball.

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has urged selectors to abandon the experiment of using Steve Smith as an opener and instead opt for a specialist opener for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Test series against India.Clarke's suggestion stems from Smith's struggles at the top of the order since David Warner's retirement. Smith, who prefers batting at No. 4, has failed to replicate his success as an opener.With all-rounder Cameron Green ruled out due to injury, Australia faces a shortage of reliable openers. Clarke believes the team should not repeat the mistake of moving Smith to the top and instead select a specialist."We made a mistake in getting Steve Smith to open the batting in Test cricket, so let's not make the same mistake," Clarke said. "Let's pick a specialist opener, whoever is best equipped."Australia has several options for the opener's position, including Sam Konstas, Marcus Harris, Josh Inglis, and Nathan McSweeney. However, Clarke expressed skepticism about the latter two, questioning their experience and suitability for the role."How can you justify Josh Inglis is a better person to open the batting in a Test match against this Indian attack than a specialist opener?" Clarke asked. "He scored Shield runs, yes, but he bats in the middle order."Clarke also highlighted the lack of runs from specialist openers in the current Shield cricket season. He suggested Cameron Bancroft as a potential candidate, citing his consistent performance over the past three seasons."I would probably go with Cameron Bancroft because he's been the leading run scorer for the last two years in Shield cricket," Clarke said. "I care about Shield cricket. I think he's earned the right to be selected based on runs."Clarke's comments come amid speculation that Warner may return from retirement for the India series. However, the former captain believes Australia should not rely on Warner and instead focus on developing a long-term solution at the top of the order.

Pakistan Spinners Dominate England on Day 1 of Deciding TestIn a captivating opening day of the series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi, Pakistan's spin duo of Sajid Khan and Noman Ali wreaked havoc on England's batting lineup.England, opting to bat first, made a promising start with openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley putting on a 52-run partnership. However, Noman Ali broke the stand by dismissing Crawley for 29. Sajid Khan then joined the fray, and together with Noman, they ripped through England's top order.Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Harry Brook all fell cheaply, scoring just 3, 5, and 5 runs respectively. England slumped to 98 for five in the first session, with Pakistan keeper Mohammad Rizwan teasing batter Harry Brook over the stump mic, saying, "No more Bazball."The collapse continued after lunch as England lost skipper Ben Stokes for 12. At the close of play, England were struggling at 110 for six, with Sajid Khan and Noman Ali having taken three wickets each.Sajid Khan's impressive performance included the wicket of England's star batter Joe Root, who was trapped leg before wicket for just 5 runs. Noman Ali, meanwhile, dismissed Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, and Ben Stokes.Pakistan's dominance with the ball has put them in a strong position in the match. England will need to find a way to counter the spin threat if they are to avoid a series defeat.

The second Test match between India and New Zealand at the MCA Stadium in Pune witnessed an intriguing first day, marked by a spirited comeback from the Indian bowlers and a resilient batting performance from the Kiwis.After New Zealand opted to bat first, openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway provided a cautious start. However, the introduction of spin proved pivotal as Ravichandran Ashwin struck in his first over, dismissing Latham for 15. Will Young joined Conway, but their partnership was cut short when Young edged one to Rishabh Pant, giving Ashwin his second scalp.Conway, however, remained unfazed and continued to attack the Indian bowling. He reached his second half-century of the series in 109 balls, with six fours. Rachin Ravindra, who joined Conway at the crease, also played with confidence and brought up his fourth fifty in 93 balls.The 62-run partnership between Conway and Ravindra was broken by Ashwin, who got Conway for 76 in 141 balls. Daryl Mitchell joined Ravindra, and the duo continued to frustrate the Indian bowlers. Ravindra reached his half-century in 93 balls, with three fours and a six.Washington Sundar provided another breakthrough for India, dismissing Ravindra for 65 in 105 balls. Tom Blundell was then removed by Sundar for three, leaving New Zealand at 201/5 heading into tea break.The Indian bowlers, led by Ashwin and Sundar, showed great resilience to mount a comeback after a difficult period against Conway and Ravindra. The crowd at the MCA Stadium played their part, urging Indian skipper Rohit Sharma to give Virat Kohli a bowl.

South Africa's bowlers put in a dominant performance on the final morning of the first Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur, dismissing the hosts for 307 and setting themselves a target of 106 runs to win.Kagiso Rabada, who had already taken his 300th Test wicket on day three, struck early to remove Nayeem Hasan and complete a five-wicket haul. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who had been Bangladesh's top scorer with 97, was the last man out, falling to Rabada's bowling just three runs short of a century.South Africa's bowlers had taken the remaining three wickets in just 4.5 overs on the opening morning, with Rabada finishing with figures of 6 for 46 and Keshav Maharaj taking 3 for 105.Bangladesh had resumed their innings on 283 for 7, with Mehidy and Taijul Islam at the crease. The pair added 24 runs to their overnight score before Taijul was dismissed for 12, caught at second slip off the bowling of Wiaan Mulder.Mehidy continued to bat aggressively, reaching the nineties with a boundary off Mulder. However, he was unable to convert his innings into a century, falling to Rabada for 97 when he attempted to ramp a delivery but sent a catch to slip instead.South Africa's bowlers had opted to use spinners with the old ball at the start of the day's play, but they had a new ball available as soon as play began. Rabada made immediate use of the new ball, dismissing Nayeem with his third delivery.South Africa will now be confident of chasing down the target and taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. The pitch has become better for batting, and the Proteas will be looking to their top order to get them off to a good start.

After his remarkable 150 in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru, Sarfaraz Khan's inclusion in the playing XI for the second Test in Pune was inevitable. His maiden Test century, scored under immense pressure, spearheaded India's fightback.With Virat Kohli dismissed on the final ball of Day 3 in the first Test, India faced a 125-run deficit at 231/3. Sarfaraz stepped up, forging a crucial 177-run partnership with Rishabh Pant (99) for the fourth wicket.Despite Shubman Gill's return to fitness, KL Rahul was dropped from the XI after scoring a duck and 12 in Bengaluru. Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir had previously expressed support for Rahul, citing his performance in the Kanpur Test against Bangladesh.However, Rahul's last Test century came against South Africa in Centurion in December 2023, in a match India lost by an innings and 32 runs. His inconsistent form has raised concerns, and the team management's decision to select Sarfaraz over Rahul sends a clear message.Sarfaraz made his Test debut against England in Rajkot earlier this year, showcasing his temperament with half-centuries in both innings. He followed it up with a 56 in the fifth Test in Dharamsala, contributing to India's 4-1 series victory.Sarfaraz's exceptional performances in domestic cricket, particularly in the Ranji Trophy, have earned him recognition as a potential mainstay in India's Test middle order. His ability to score big under pressure and adapt to different conditions makes him a valuable asset for the team.