Cricket

Sanju Samson's recent resurgence in international cricket has been attributed to increased clarity from team management and a newfound calmness in his approach. After two consecutive centuries in T20Is, Samson is finally on the cusp of fulfilling his potential.Samson's struggles in the past have been linked to a lack of consistent opportunities with the Indian team. However, with the emergence of a new T20 setup under head coach Gautam Gambhir, Samson has been given the confidence and clarity he needs to succeed."For the first time in my career, I received such clarity, and that gave me confidence," Samson said.Samson's improved form has also been attributed to his experience as captain of the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. This role has helped him understand the needs of a team and how to make an impact on a game.Former India batting coach Vikram Rathour believes Samson has become calmer in the last year and has realized he doesn't need to rely on fancy shots to be successful."He has the power to hit big down the ground. He plays fast bowling well and can take them down in front of the wicket," Rathour said.With the next T20 World Cup in 2026 in mind, the selectors and Gambhir are grooming T20 specialists. Samson's recent performances have put him in contention for a permanent spot in the team, even when the likes of Shubman Gill, Yashashvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant return from Test assignments.

Rajasthan Royals have appointed former India batting coach Vikram Rathour as their new batting coach, reuniting him with Rahul Dravid at the franchise. Rathour, a former India opener and selector, played a key role in India's Men's T20 World Cup victory in June this year.Rathour's appointment marks a significant move for the Royals, who are looking to strengthen their batting lineup. During his tenure as India's batting coach from 2019 to 2024, Rathour played a pivotal role in the development of several young batters, including Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and KL Rahul."It's a privilege to be part of the Royals family," said Rathour. "The opportunity to work again with Rahul, and now with a talented group of young cricketers, is hugely exciting. I look forward to contributing to the team's vision and working toward our goal of developing top-class players for the Royals and for India."Dravid, the Royals' head coach, expressed his delight at Rathour's appointment. "Having worked closely with Vikram for many years, I can confidently say that his technical expertise, calm demeanor, and deep understanding of Indian conditions make him a perfect fit for the Royals," said Dravid. "Together, we've built a strong rapport, guiding India to key successes, and I'm thrilled to reunite with him."Rathour's appointment is expected to bolster the Royals' batting unit, which has struggled for consistency in recent seasons. The franchise will be hoping that Rathour's experience and expertise can help them develop a more formidable batting lineup and challenge for the IPL title.

New Zealand's Test squad has enlisted the expertise of Rangana Herath and Vikram Rathour for their upcoming six-Test tour of Asia. Herath, a renowned spin-bowling coach, will guide the team's spinners for the next three Tests, including one against Afghanistan and two in Sri Lanka. Rathour, a former Indian batsman, will join the squad for the Afghanistan Test only.New Zealand coach Gary Stead expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating that both Herath and Rathour are highly respected in the cricket world. He emphasized the value of Herath's experience for the team's left-arm orthodox spinners, Ajaz Patel, Mitch Santner, and Rachin Ravindra, who will benefit from his insights on the subcontinent's pitches.Herath's knowledge of Galle, the venue for the two Sri Lanka Tests, will be particularly valuable, as he has taken over 100 Test wickets there. After the Sri Lanka tour, New Zealand will face India in three Tests in Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai. Only the Afghanistan Test will not count towards the World Test Championship.In addition to Patel, Santner, and Ravindra, New Zealand has offbreak spin options in Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips for the Afghanistan and Sri Lanka Tests. The squad for the India Tests has yet to be announced.Herath, with 433 Test wickets, replaces former Pakistan offspinner Saqlain Mushtaq as New Zealand's spin-bowling coach. Rathour, who played six Tests for India, was most recently India's batting coach and a national selector.

Vikram Rathour, India's former batting coach, has identified Shubman Gill as a future leader for the Indian cricket team across all formats. Rathour's endorsement stems from Gill's impressive recent performances and leadership qualities, which have positioned him as a potential captain.Rathour first noticed Gill's potential during net sessions, where he was immediately struck by the youngster's talent. Speaking to The Indian Express, he recalled his initial impression: "When I first saw him in the nets, my first impression was like everybody else’s. I saw exactly what a lot of people were talking about and spoke about his special talent. When I first saw him playing, the immediate thought that went into my mind was ‘wow, this kid is extremely talented’. He knew his game, he understood how he needs to bat in different situations and never shied away from challenges."At 24, Gill has established himself as a remarkable player across formats, especially noted for an outstanding run in ODIs in 2023. In 29 matches, he amassed 1584 runs, maintaining an average of 63.36.Rathour believes that taking on captaincy will enhance Gill's performance, similar to how it benefited Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He expressed confidence that leadership responsibilities could bring out the best in Gill: "I feel captaincy brought the best out of Virat and Rohit and I feel it will do the same for Shubman. Although he is not yet the captain, being in the leadership group will bring the best out of him as well. This, I am very sure of. When you are in that role, leading others, it gives you that extra bit of responsibility, which is good and I think is great for a young kid like Shubman, who one day might lead India in all three formats."Gill recently led India to a 4-1 T20I series victory against Zimbabwe, providing him with valuable captaincy experience. His leadership potential has also been recognized with his appointment as vice-captain for both T20Is and ODIs.As Shubman Gill continues to evolve as a cricketer, Rathour's confidence in his leadership abilities suggests that Gill could become a key figure in India's cricketing future, potentially leading the team across all formats.

India's batting coach, Vikram Rathour, has acknowledged the challenges faced by star batsman Virat Kohli during the ongoing T20 World Cup. However, Rathour believes that Kohli's struggles have provided an opportunity for the team's less experienced players to step up and make valuable contributions.Despite India's unbeaten run in the tournament, Kohli has struggled to find his rhythm, particularly during the powerplay. In the match against Afghanistan, he managed only 24 runs off 24 balls."I'm not happy. I would love it if he gets going and scores more runs," Rathour said. "But yeah, it is good when you are challenged at times."Rathour pointed out that the team's success has been due to the contributions of other players, such as Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav. Pant played a key role in the victory over Afghanistan, while Yadav's half-century proved to be the turning point in the match."The guys who are not getting too much of batting in India sometimes, they are the ones who put up scores today and our middle-order came to play," Rathour said.India is set to face Bangladesh in Antigua on Saturday. Rathour believes that the team's depth and the conditions in the Caribbean will give them an edge in the upcoming encounter."We've always had depth as a team," Rathour said. "But yeah, these conditions maybe suit us more because we can afford to play two or three spinners at times."Rathour also emphasized that India will not take Bangladesh lightly."They're a good unit. They have a lot of guys who can spin the ball and they are good in certain conditions," Rathour said. "But again, in this format I think every team is a tough team."

Virat Kohli's recent string of low scores in the ongoing T20 World Cup has not raised any concerns for India's batting coach, Vikram Rathour. Rathour emphasized that Kohli has been performing exceptionally well in practice sessions and is more motivated than ever as the Super Eight approaches.Despite being the highest run-scorer in the IPL, Kohli has managed to score only 1, 4, and 0 in his recent matches against Ireland, Pakistan, and USA, respectively. However, Rathour believes that these dismissals are not a cause for concern."He (Kohli) has been batting superbly from the tournament that he came from (IPL). Couple of dismissals here, doesn't change anything, he is batting really well," Rathour said.Rathour expressed confidence that India's top batter will deliver when it matters the most. "Actually, it's good that he is a little hungrier, he is really keen to do well and really switched on. It's a good space to be as a batsman, I think."The batting coach also addressed questions about the team's strategy of playing four all-rounders, including Shivam Dube and Axar Patel. Rathour suggested that the team will be flexible based on conditions."Again, we need to be a flexible team. We need to look at the conditions that are in front of us and be ready to deal with those. So as a team, we are going to be really flexible, I think."Rathour acknowledged that some game time in Florida ahead of the Super Eights would have been beneficial, but he expressed confidence in the team's ability to adapt to the tight schedule."Again, not ideal. It would have been great if we could have gotten a game today. But now this is what it is. So, we look forward to having a couple of good practice days in Barbados and getting into the game. So again, now the matches will happen simultaneously after one day.""So, as a team I think we are ready. We are used to this kind of schedule. We have done it in the past and I am sure we will do it really well this time as well."Rathour also commented on the issue of the ground in Florida not being fully covered, raising concerns to the ICC."This question should be asked to the ICC people. I won't be able to answer that. I don't know the reason why it was not covered and why it didn't have enough covers to cover the whole ground."Regarding the challenging New York drop-in strip, Rathour downplayed its impact on the team's performance."It's good. You should be able to play on all types of wickets. We have the skills to play in all types of conditions and do well. So, we have got the difficult wickets. Hopefully, we will get good wickets in the tournament.""And if we get turning wickets, we have 4 spin options, we have enough fast bowlers as well. So, whichever conditions come, I think we are really equipped to deal with that," he added.

Arshdeep Singh, India's lethal pacer, is not content with his bowling prowess alone. He aspires to become a reliable lower-order batter, a goal he is diligently pursuing with the guidance of batting coach Vikram Rathour.In India's emphatic seven-wicket victory over the spirited USA team in the T20 World Cup group stage, Arshdeep wreaked havoc with the ball, claiming four wickets for a mere nine runs. This performance propelled India into the Super Eight stage with their third consecutive victory."We are constantly learning and striving to improve in all aspects of the game, including bowling, batting, and fielding," said Arshdeep, who was named Player of the Match. "You never know when the team needs those runs, even if it's just two or four. So, you have to give your all. I'm working hard with Vikram Bhai to enhance my batting skills as well."In the high-voltage clash against Pakistan on June 9, Arshdeep batted at No. 9, scoring nine runs off 13 balls before being run out. The left-arm pacer revealed that he insisted on batting ahead of Jasprit Bumrah in that match."Jassi Bhai (Bumrah) was supposed to go before me, but I asked Rohit (Sharma) and went in. They were surprised, but I told them I would go up regardless," he said. "I'm confident about my batting. Whether it's fielding or bowling, I'm always trying to improve."Regarding the tournament, Arshdeep emphasized the importance of adapting to the varying conditions across different venues. India played their first three games in one location and will now travel to Lauderhill, Florida for their final Group A match against Canada on Saturday. The tournament will then shift to the Caribbean."Adapting to the conditions and situations is crucial," he said. "If the wicket offers assistance, we try to take early wickets and restrict the opposition to a low total. If we bat first, we aim to score as many runs as possible to give our bowlers a good chance to defend."The 25-year-old expressed satisfaction with his bowling performance against USA, which helped India restrict them to 110/8. When asked about the team's mood after three consecutive wins, Arshdeep said they are trying to maintain a steady mindset regardless of results."The emotions stay the same... We try to be stable, whether we win or lose, and whether we have a good or bad day," he said.

The Indian cricket team has witnessed the remarkable rise of young talents like Yashaswi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan, who have made a significant impact in their initial Test matches. These players have showcased their exceptional skills and adaptability, highlighting the strength of India's domestic cricket circuit.Yashaswi Jaiswal, the 22-year-old Mumbaikar, has already achieved two double centuries in just six Test matches. His fearless and expressive batting style against a formidable England side has garnered praise from experts and fans alike. His Ranji teammate, Sarfaraz Khan, has also made a confident start to his Test career, scoring impressive half-centuries in both innings of his debut match in Rajkot.India's batting coach, Vikram Rathour, attributes the success of these young players to the robust domestic cricket system in India. He believes that the domestic circuit has equipped them with the necessary skills and mental fortitude to handle the pressure of Test cricket. Rathour emphasizes the importance of a good start for young players, as it instills confidence and helps them settle into the international arena.The performances of Jaiswal and Khan have come at a crucial time for the Indian team, considering the absence of key players like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer. Rathour acknowledges the challenges of missing key players but sees this series as an opportunity for the young players to establish themselves on home wickets.Rathour also highlights the strength of India's domestic cricket, expressing confidence in the quality of players coming through the ranks. He believes that the domestic circuit provides a solid foundation for players to succeed at the international level.While Rajat Patidar has yet to make a significant impact with the bat, Rathour remains supportive of the young player. He emphasizes the need for patience and understanding, as Patidar adjusts to the challenges of international cricket. Rathour believes that Patidar has the potential to deliver impactful innings in the future.The article also acknowledges the contributions of Ravindra Jadeja, the world's No. 1 all-rounder, who has performed consistently throughout the series. Rathour praises Jadeja's simplicity and clarity of approach, both in his batting and bowling.