Cricket

Bangladesh's historic victory over Pakistan in the second Test at Rawalpindi has dealt a significant blow to the hosts' hopes of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final. Pakistan's consecutive Test losses have dropped them to eighth place in the WTC points table, leaving them with an uphill battle to qualify for the prestigious event.Despite their recent setbacks, Pakistan still has a mathematical chance of finishing in the top two, which would secure their place in the WTC final. However, this requires them to win all their remaining matches in the current WTC cycle.Pakistan's upcoming challenges include a three-match Test series against England at home, followed by two-match series against South Africa and the West Indies. If they can secure victories in all seven upcoming Tests, their PCT% will rise to 59.52.However, the upcoming five-match series between India and Australia could potentially open up an opportunity for Pakistan to finish in the top two. If India and Australia draw or lose any of their matches, it could create a scenario where Pakistan can qualify with a strong performance in their remaining fixtures.On the other hand, if Pakistan fails to win any of their remaining seven Tests, their chances of qualifying will be severely jeopardized. They may be eliminated from contention if other teams perform well in their respective series.Pakistan's recent Test defeats have highlighted the need for improvement in their batting and bowling departments. The team has struggled to post competitive totals and has been unable to consistently take wickets.As they prepare for their upcoming challenges, Pakistan will need to address these weaknesses and find a way to regain their winning form. The WTC 2025 final remains a distant dream, but it is still within their reach if they can turn their fortunes around.

Brendon McCullum's transformative impact on England's Test team has earned him an expanded role as head coach across all formats. The former New Zealand captain has been credited with instilling a fearless, attacking brand of cricket, dubbed "Bazball," leading England to a remarkable turnaround in Test cricket.Since taking over a struggling Test side in May 2022, McCullum has guided England to 19 victories in 28 matches, a stark contrast to the team's previous struggles. His appointment as head coach across all formats signals England's commitment to his leadership and their belief in his ability to replicate the Test team's success in limited-overs cricket.McCullum's appointment comes at a critical juncture for England's white-ball teams, who have experienced recent setbacks, including surrendering both the 50-over and 20-over World Cup titles in the past year. The hope is that his positive influence and aggressive approach can revitalize these teams and propel them back to the top of the international game.Stand-in Test captain Ollie Pope praised McCullum's impact, highlighting his ability to inspire confidence and encourage players to perform at their best. "We've seen the impact he's had on us as a Test team and as individuals, which I think he can then transfer into the white-ball stuff as well," Pope said.England's decision to hand Josh Hull his Test debut in the final match against Sri Lanka further underlines their commitment to nurturing young talent and maintaining the winning momentum established under McCullum's guidance. A series victory would mark the first time since 2004 that England has achieved a clean sweep of home Test wins, a testament to the team's remarkable transformation and a positive sign for the future of English cricket under McCullum's leadership.

Bangladesh's historic Test series sweep over Pakistan has been celebrated with a heartwarming gesture by skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto. Following in the footsteps of Indian captain Rohit Sharma, Shanto shared a photo on social media of himself asleep beside the series trophy, accompanied by the caption "Good morning."This light-hearted moment has drawn comparisons to Rohit Sharma's iconic post after India's T20 World Cup 2024 victory, where he was seen sleeping next to the trophy in a hotel room in Barbados. Both posts symbolize the immense joy and relief after hard-fought victories.Bangladesh's 2-0 triumph over Pakistan marks their first-ever Test series win against their South Asian rivals. It also ends a 12-match winless streak against Pakistan and is only their fourth-ever series whitewash in Test history. More significantly, it is their first against a top-tier cricketing nation like Pakistan, making them only the second team after England to achieve a clean sweep in a Test series in Pakistan.The Bangladesh team's victory was hard-earned, especially after being reduced to 26/6 in the second Test. However, led by centurion Litton Das and all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who was instrumental with both bat and ball, Bangladesh staged an incredible comeback. Miraz's five-wicket haul in the second Test was pivotal in dismantling Pakistan's batting lineup, paving the way for this momentous win.Bangladesh's success is a testament to their growing strength in Test cricket. They have now won four of their last six Test series, including victories over New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and West Indies. This series sweep over Pakistan is a major milestone for Bangladesh cricket and will undoubtedly boost their confidence going forward.

Shubman Gill's remarkable turnaround in Test cricket against England earlier this year can be attributed to his meticulous focus on improving his defensive game, particularly against spinners. Prior to the series, Gill's Test average stood at a modest 30.59. However, batting at the crucial No. 3 position, he amassed 452 runs in nine innings, averaging an impressive 56.50. This included two centuries and two half-centuries, effectively silencing his critics who had questioned his ability to succeed in the longest format.Gill's defensive prowess was evident in his ability to negotiate the turning tracks in India. He acknowledged that playing on such surfaces requires a strong defensive foundation to counter the threat of spin. He also recognized that his involvement in T20 cricket, with its emphasis on aggressive batting, had inadvertently weakened his defensive skills. Thus, he made a conscious effort to rectify this during the England series.After scoring a crucial 104 in the second innings of the second Test in Visakhapatnam, Gill revealed that he had requested the team management to shift him down to No. 3 instead of opening the batting. This move allowed him to settle into the innings and build a solid foundation.Despite his impressive performances against England, Gill remains humble and acknowledges that he has yet to fully establish himself as a Test player. He is determined to make amends in the upcoming series, with India scheduled to play ten Tests over the next four months.In addition to his batting prowess, Gill has also embraced leadership responsibilities. He captained Gujarat Titans in the IPL and led India in five T20Is against Zimbabwe. He believes that captaincy enhances his understanding of his teammates and allows him to connect with them on a deeper level.Gill emphasizes that his role as a batsman remains unchanged, regardless of his leadership position. His primary goal is to contribute runs and lead his team to victory. However, he recognizes the importance of understanding his players' strengths and weaknesses as a captain.

Pakistan's dismal performance in the recent Test series against Bangladesh has sparked widespread criticism and raised concerns about the state of the team. Former captain Ramiz Raja has called for an explanation from red-ball captain Shan Masood and senior players, while the media has expressed dismay at the team's lackluster display.The series, which Bangladesh won 2-0, marked a new low for Pakistan, who have now slipped to eighth in the ICC World Test Championship standings. Masood, who took over the captaincy earlier this year, has come under fire for his leadership and team selection.Critics have pointed to the team's lack of fitness and long gaps between Test matches as contributing factors to the debacle. Masood himself admitted that the team was not prepared for the challenge posed by Bangladesh, who played with greater intensity and determination.Raja, in particular, has been vocal in his criticism of Masood's captaincy. He believes that Masood has failed to inspire the team and has not held senior players accountable for their poor performances."It's the job of the leader to fight," Raja said. "Agreed he (Masood) is a young captain, agreed the bowling attack was young, but he had picked up this bowling attack."Raja also questioned Masood's own batting form, noting that the left-hander has not scored a century in Test cricket since 2020."He has to answer about his own performance," Raja said. "He is not scoring and the way Bangladesh squeezed, somebody has to be called for explanation, senior players needs to explain."The decline in Pakistan's Test cricket performance has been a cause for concern for fans and experts alike. The team has struggled to find consistency in recent years, and the Bangladesh series has only served to highlight the depth of the problems.With a three-Test series against England looming next month, Pakistan has little time to recover. Raja believes that the players need to take responsibility for their performances and show a greater sense of urgency."They (players) have to take onus," Raja said. "This is the season to make a name. You have to get yourself up mentally and there are no excuses. … When there’s no blame game, only then you can go upward.”

Shubman Gill, the promising Indian opener, is determined to make a significant impact in the upcoming Test season. Despite his impressive performances in white-ball cricket, Gill acknowledges that his Test career has yet to reach its full potential.In preparation for the ten Test matches scheduled this season, Gill has focused on strengthening his defense against spinners. He believes that improving his ability to defend on turning tracks will allow him to play more scoring shots."I worked on my defense a little bit more against spinners. You should be able to defend a lot more when you are playing on a turning track against spinners, then you can play the scoring shots," Gill said.Gill's performance in the home series against England earlier this year was his most sustained in Test cricket to date. He amassed close to 500 runs, including a century and two half-centuries. He hopes to build on that performance in the upcoming two-match series against Bangladesh.The 24-year-old opener also spoke about his growth as a player and a person, attributing it to his experiences in the Indian team and his captaincy role with the Gujarat Titans in the IPL."Every match or tournament that you play, you look to learn more about yourself irrespective of whether you are captain or not the captain. More so because of the captain you will get to know about other players too. It's important for the captain to have a connect with the players," Gill said.Gill emphasized that his role as a batsman remains unchanged despite being part of the leadership group. He believes that his primary responsibility is to score runs for the team.The Duleep Trophy, which begins on Thursday, will provide Gill with an opportunity to adjust to the demands of red-ball cricket. He believes that the tournament will be a good competition, as he will be playing against some of his Indian teammates.Gill also revealed that India pacer Prasidh Krishna will not be available for the opening round of the Duleep Trophy due to an injury.

The debate over the greatest batsman of this generation has reignited following Joe Root's record-breaking 34th Test century at Lord's. Among the "Fab Four" of Root, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith, and Virat Kohli, Root now holds the most Test centuries with 34.In a recent podcast, former cricketers Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan weighed in on the debate. For T20 cricket, both Gilchrist and Vaughan unanimously chose Kohli over Root. In ODIs, Vaughan again favored Kohli, with Gilchrist concurring.However, when it came to Test cricket, Vaughan opted for Root, acknowledging his recent dominance. Gilchrist agreed, stating that Root's statistics over the long term are exceptional, making him the greatest England batsman ever.However, when asked to choose between Kohli and Root against Australia, Gilchrist hesitated, emphasizing the importance of the playing conditions. In Australia, he noted that Root has yet to score a century, while Kohli has produced some of his finest performances, including a memorable century at the Perth Stadium.Vaughan conceded that Kohli would be his choice in Australia, but elsewhere, he would favor Root. He highlighted Root's impressive record in India, where he has scored over 1200 runs in 15 Tests with three centuries.Kohli's aggressive and technically sound batting makes him a formidable force in all formats. His cover drives, flicks, and ability to chase down targets with precision are among his strengths. His adaptability and consistency make him one of the most reliable batsmen in the world.Root, on the other hand, is known for his classical batting technique and consistency, particularly in Test cricket. He is adept at handling both pace and spin, with an elegant playing style that includes effective use of the back foot and a wide range of shots. Root's ability to grind out runs in challenging conditions is also noteworthy.While both players are exceptional, Kohli is often regarded as more dominant in limited-overs cricket, while Root's strengths lie in the longer format. The debate over who is the greatest batsman of this generation is likely to continue, but both Kohli and Root have cemented their status as two of the finest players of their era.

India's Test cricketers will commence their preparations for the upcoming two-match series against Bangladesh at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on September 12. The Bangladesh team is scheduled to arrive on September 15 for their own training session.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to announce the Indian squad for the series, which is expected to be named after the first round of the Duleep Trophy, scheduled from September 5 to 8. The Duleep Trophy will feature several Test hopefuls, including Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer.India's Test season, part of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25, will begin with the Bangladesh series, followed by three Tests against New Zealand at home. The team will then embark on a tour of South Africa for five white-ball matches and later travel to Australia for five Tests.India's last Test assignment was a 4-1 home series victory over England in February-March. Since then, the team has participated in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the T20 World Cup, and white-ball series in Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.Bangladesh, on the other hand, is riding high on confidence after their historic 2-0 Test series sweep against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. The victory has propelled them to fourth place in the WTC standings with 45.83 percentage points. India, currently leading the table with 68.52 percentage points, will aim to consolidate their position in the upcoming series.

Pakistan's cricket team has plummeted to its lowest ranking in over half a century, falling to eighth place in the ICC Test rankings after a humiliating series loss to Bangladesh. This marks the first time Pakistan has ever lost a Test series to Bangladesh.The two-match series, held in Rawalpindi, saw Pakistan suffer a crushing 10-wicket defeat in the first Test and a 6-wicket loss in the second. The defeats have resulted in Pakistan dropping two places in the rankings, below West Indies, and accumulating a mere 76 rating points.This is the lowest rating Pakistan has held since 1965, excluding a brief period when they were not ranked due to an insufficient number of matches. Bangladesh's successful chase of 185 in the second Test was the third-highest by any visiting team in Pakistan.Despite their impressive performance, Bangladesh did not receive a significant boost in the rankings, remaining in ninth place. However, the series victory has solidified their position in the World Test Championship cycle 2023-25, where they now rank fourth behind India, Australia, and New Zealand.Bangladesh's success in the series has earned them 13 rating points, bringing their total to 33. They will now shift their focus to a two-Test series against India, commencing on September 19 in Chennai.In the World Test Championship, teams are ranked based on the percentage of points they win. A victory earns 12 points, a draw earns 4 points, and a tie earns 6 points.