Cricket

Jack Leach, the left-arm spinner for Somerset, has expressed his unwavering determination to reclaim his place in the England Test team after his impressive 12-wicket haul against Durham. Leach, who was England's first-choice spinner under Ben Stokes' captaincy, has been sidelined by injuries in recent months, but his recent performance has reignited his hopes of a return to the international stage.Leach's 15 wickets in England's 3-0 Test series win in Pakistan in December 2022 serve as a testament to his abilities. Despite the emergence of Shoaib Bashir, his Somerset teammate, Leach believes he can regain his spot in the pecking order ahead of England's tour to Pakistan in October."I totally understand why Bash has been selected," Leach said. "I rate him really highly and think he is already a very good bowler with a lot of promise for the future. But there is a tour to Pakistan coming up and if England need me, I am more than happy to go."Leach's long spells against Durham have boosted his confidence, and he feels he is nearing his best form after overcoming a series of niggling injuries. He acknowledges the possibility of England selecting multiple spinners for the Pakistan tour and sees no reason why he and Bashir cannot both make the squad."I don't want to get my hopes up, but I am as determined as I ever have been to play for England," Leach said.Somerset's victory over Durham has kept them in contention for the County Championship title, and Leach is eager to contribute to his team's success. He believes the upcoming match against Surrey at Taunton will be crucial in their title aspirations."We are still right in the fight for the title, which is where we wanted to be at this stage of the season," Leach said. "I think the pitch against Durham suits our style of cricket. You had to be patient as a bowler, but if you kept putting the ball in the right place you were rewarded."

India's dominance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is set to continue, according to former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar. India has not lost the trophy since 2014-15, and Gavaskar predicts a 3-1 victory for India in the upcoming five-Test series against Australia.India's tour Down Under begins with the first Test in Perth on November 22. Rohit Sharma's team will aim to retain the trophy and complete a hat-trick of Test series wins on Australian soil.Gavaskar believes Australia's opening batting combination will be a concern, with the retirement of David Warner. He also cautions India about the importance of a confident start, as they have historically been slow starters outside the subcontinent.India's preparation for the series has been limited, with no proper practice matches scheduled on the tour. However, they will play an intra-squad warm-up game at the WACA in Perth from November 15-18 and a two-day pink-ball warm-up match against the Prime Minister's XI in Canberra before the day-night second Test in Adelaide.Before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India will play five Tests at home, beginning with the two-match series against Bangladesh and three Tests against New Zealand.

England's Joe Root has etched his name into the annals of cricket history by becoming the all-time highest-scoring player for his country. At the age of 33, Root achieved this remarkable feat during the second Test against Sri Lanka, registering his 34th Test century.Root's achievement is a testament to his exceptional consistency and longevity at the highest level. Despite the significant shift in England's approach to Test cricket under Brendon McCullum's "Bazball" philosophy, Root has maintained his exemplary form, piling up runs and reaching milestones that others can only dream of.Currently ranked seventh on the all-time list of Test run-getters with 12,377 runs, Root has a realistic chance of surpassing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the top spot with 15,921 runs. When asked about the possibility of becoming the highest-scoring player in Test cricket, Root remained humble, emphasizing his focus on playing for the team and scoring runs."I just want to play, and try, and do my bit for the team and score the runs as many as I can and see where we get to," Root said. "But there's no better feeling... it's obviously amazing when you score 100, you'd be lying if you said it wasn't, a big part of why you start playing the game and what you love about it."However, Root also acknowledged the importance of winning Test matches, stating that it is the ultimate goal. "But there's no better feeling than winning a Test match," he said. "So the more it can affect games and the more you can add to the team, the greater it is. So, that will be the main focus. And hopefully more days like this will come with that mentality."With several years of cricket still ahead of him and fitness on his side, Root has a realistic chance of surpassing Tendulkar's record. His unwavering determination and exceptional talent make him a formidable force in the world of Test cricket.

Pakistan's all-rounder Salman Ali Agha has come to the defense of star batter Babar Azam following another disappointing innings in the second Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi. Babar's struggles in the series have raised concerns, but Agha remains confident in his teammate's ability to bounce back.Babar's lean patch in Test cricket has seen his average dip below 45, with his last score over fifty coming in late 2022. In the ongoing series, he has been dismissed for a duck, 22, and 31, contributing to Pakistan's struggles.Despite Babar's poor form, Agha believes it is only a temporary phase. "Babar Azam is a world-class player," Agha said. "As a cricketer, you go through these phases. He has scored consistently throughout the last five years. Soon, we will see him scoring big runs for Pakistan again."Agha emphasized the importance of supporting Babar during this difficult period. "There are 10 other players in the team, you should focus on them," he said. "It's fine if he's struggling. He will return to scoring big runs very soon."Babar's struggles have coincided with Pakistan's poor performance in the series. After losing the first Test by 10 wickets, Pakistan collapsed from 179/4 to 274 all out in the second Test, highlighting the team's batting woes.Despite the setbacks, the team management and Babar's teammates remain confident in his abilities. Head coach Saqlain Mushtaq has backed Babar to regain his form, while captain Azhar Ali has praised his work ethic and determination.Babar Azam is regarded as one of Pakistan's finest batters, and his return to form is crucial for the team's success. With the third and final Test of the series still to come, Babar will have an opportunity to prove his critics wrong and lead Pakistan to a series victory.

The Duleep Trophy, a prestigious domestic cricket tournament in India, is set to kick off the 2024/25 season on September 5. The tournament will feature many players from India's current Test team and those close to national selection, providing a crucial platform for selectors to assess their performances.The Duleep Trophy has undergone several format changes over the years, including a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The new format features four teams, labeled A, B, C, and D, with the top two teams advancing to the final. This revamped format aims to provide bowlers with ample opportunities to showcase their skills ahead of India's busy Test schedule.According to former India's men's bowling coach Bharat Arun, the Duleep Trophy offers an ideal opportunity to assess bowlers before India plays ten Tests by January 7, 2025. "It provides an opportunity for all the cricketers to have enough number of overs under the belt. Also, it's a great process to see how they fare with the red ball," said Arun.The Duleep Trophy's format change coincides with a new structure for the Ranji Trophy, India's premier domestic first-class cricket tournament. The Ranji Trophy will be split into two phases, with the first phase featuring five group matches. The second phase, including the last two group stage games and the knockouts, will commence after the Vijay Hazare Trophy ends on January 18, 2025.Arun believes that the new Ranji Trophy format will benefit players by providing them with more competitive matches against teams of equal strength. "It would work because you are playing more against teams that are equals rather than you pit it against someone who's well below the expected standards," said Arun.The Duleep Trophy and Ranji Trophy format changes aim to enhance the quality of domestic cricket in India and provide players with the best possible preparation for international competition. The tournaments will serve as a crucial stepping stone for aspiring cricketers to showcase their talents and earn a place in the national team.

Pakistan's fielding woes continued to haunt them in the second Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Saturday. Saud Shakeel dropped a regulation catch at fifth slip, giving Bangladesh opener Shadman Islam a lifeline on the first ball of their innings. The missed opportunity drew a visible reaction of disappointment from captain Shan Masood and even the commentators.The incident occurred during the second day of the match, after Pakistan had been bowled out for 274 in their first innings. Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the star performer for Bangladesh, claiming a five-wicket haul to restrict Pakistan's total.Shakeel's dropped catch allowed Islam to remain at the crease, and Bangladesh ended the day on 10-0. However, it was Bangladesh's bowlers who had the upper hand throughout the day.Mehidy dismissed Masood for 57 and Saim Ayub for 58, while Taskin Ahmed took 3-57. The duo's efforts helped Bangladesh gain a strong position in the match, despite the dropped catch.The video of Shakeel's missed catch has gone viral on social media, highlighting Pakistan's ongoing fielding struggles. The team has been plagued by dropped catches and misfields in recent matches, which have cost them valuable wickets and runs.Pakistan will need to improve their fielding significantly if they want to level the series against Bangladesh. The third and final Test is scheduled to begin on September 4 in Karachi.

Joe Root, the enigmatic English batsman, has etched his name into the annals of cricket history by surpassing Alastair Cook's record for the most Test centuries by an English player. In the second Test against Sri Lanka at the hallowed Lord's Cricket Ground, Root notched up his 34th Test hundred, eclipsing Cook's tally of 33.Root's century came on the third day of the match, a testament to his unwavering determination and exceptional batting prowess. With a deft cut off Lahiru Kumara, he registered his 10th boundary off 111 deliveries, reaching the coveted milestone. This achievement is even more remarkable considering that Root achieved it in just 145 Test matches, while Cook required 161 Tests to reach his tally of 33 centuries.Earlier in the match, Root had scored a magnificent 143 in the first innings, equaling Cook's record. However, his second century of the game not only broke the record but also cemented his status as one of the most prolific batsmen in England's Test cricket history.Root's seventh Test century at Lord's also secured him the record for the most Test hundreds at the 'Home of Cricket,' surpassing the England duo of Graham Gooch and Michael Vaughan, who each had six. In doing so, Root became only the fourth batsman to score centuries in both innings of a Test at Lord's, joining West Indies legend George Headley (1939), Gooch (1990), and Vaughan (2004).Root's latest hundred also elevated him to joint-sixth on the all-time list of Test century-makers, a ranking led by India's Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 51 centuries in 200 Tests from 1989 to 2013. At 33, Root is the only active player among the top century-makers in Test cricket history.This achievement is a testament to Root's unwavering consistency and exceptional batting skills. He has consistently performed at the highest level, amassing runs across different conditions and against formidable opponents. Root's ability to adapt to different situations and play with both flair and resilience has made him one of the most respected and admired batsmen in the world.

With a packed Test schedule looming, Indian captain Rohit Sharma is diligently preparing to maintain his fitness. Exempted from the Duleep Trophy, Rohit has been engaging in rigorous workouts under the guidance of assistant coach Abhishek Nayar.India's Test calendar includes 10 matches between September and January, starting with a two-Test series against Bangladesh in September-October. This will be followed by a three-Test series against New Zealand and a grueling five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.To ensure his readiness for this demanding schedule, Rohit has been focusing on his physical conditioning. Images circulating on social media show him running in a park and posing in a gym alongside Nayar and Dhawal Kulkarni.While most of India's Test regulars will participate in the Duleep Trophy, Rohit, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin have been exempted. Kohli has been spending time with his family in London during his break from cricket.Rohit's dedication to fitness is crucial for India's success in the upcoming Test season. His leadership and batting prowess will be vital as the team aims to perform well in the World Test Championship cycle and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

India's Spin Prowess: Harbhajan Singh Raises Concerns About Pitch ConditionsAfter a prolonged period of limited-overs cricket, the Indian cricket team is set to return to the Test arena next month. However, former spin great Harbhajan Singh has expressed concerns about the team's ability to play spin effectively.Harbhajan believes that India's recent focus on preparing pitches that turn excessively has hindered the development of their batters. While the bowlers have thrived in these conditions, the batters have struggled to adapt."We've started playing on pitches that turn a lot more. We wanted to win and we did win, but we won in two and a half days," Harbhajan told Sports Tak. "I think, if we had produced normal pitches that started to turn from Day 3 and Day 4, we still would have won, but the batters would have gotten time to settle in."Harbhajan emphasized the importance of providing batters with time to adjust to spin-friendly conditions. He believes that the current approach has eroded their confidence."We dented the confidence of our batters because anybody can get out (cheaply) on those pitches," he said. "We still have a chance (to rectify this). If we play on good pitches, I don't think anyone can beat India."Harbhajan also highlighted the need for senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah to participate in domestic tournaments like the Duleep Trophy. He believes their presence would inspire and motivate younger players."It would be great if they (Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah) play in the Duleep Trophy 2024," he said. "When a big player features in these tournaments, it motivates other players who are playing alongside them."