Cricket

Shubman Gill's resilient 90 on Day 2 of the third Test against New Zealand propelled India to a first-innings lead, cementing his position as one of India's most prolific batters in the World Test Championship (WTC).Gill's innings was a beacon of stability amidst the fall of six wickets at the other end. His 146-ball knock, which narrowly missed out on a century, showcased his maturity and composure at the crease. In the process, Gill surpassed former India No. 3 Cheteshwar Pujara's tally of 1,769 runs in the WTC, moving up to fourth place among Indian batters with 1,799 runs.Rohit Sharma remains atop the list with 2,674 runs, followed by Virat Kohli (2,426) and Rishabh Pant (1,933). Gill's rise to the top echelon of Indian batting is a testament to his consistent performances since inheriting the No. 3 position from Pujara in June 2023.Gill and Pant played pivotal roles in India's first-innings total of 263, with Pant's whirlwind 60 off 59 balls providing a much-needed release of pressure. Washington Sundar's valuable 38-run cameo at the end further boosted India's score.With the ball, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja put India in a commanding position heading into Day 3. Ashwin claimed three wickets, while Jadeja picked up four, reducing New Zealand to 171/9 at stumps.New Zealand's lead of 143 runs leaves the Test match poised for a thrilling finish on Day 3. India, desperate to avoid a three-Test series loss at home for the first time since 1983, will be looking to capitalize on their advantage and secure a crucial victory.

Virat Kohli's reckless run-out on Day 1 of the third Test against New Zealand has raised concerns among cricket experts. The former Indian captain, who has been struggling for form, threw his wicket away just minutes before stumps, leaving his team in a precarious position.Mohammad Kaif, a former India cricketer, expressed his dismay at Kohli's recent performances. "Virat Kohli in this series has been clean bowled to a full toss and now this error of judgment to be run out. This needs to change if India needs to reach the WTC final," Kaif tweeted.Anil Kumble, another former India great, echoed Kaif's sentiments. "You can't have this repeatedly happening in every game, so it's more than a concern at the moment," Kumble said. "Nobody expected the run-out. This was certainly not something that you expect of Virat Kohli getting run out in the last over or last few minutes of a day's play."Kohli's struggles in Test cricket have been evident in recent years. In 2024, he has scored only 249 runs in six Tests, with just one fifty. However, in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship, he has been more consistent, scoring 560 runs in nine Tests, including a century and three fifties.Despite his recent struggles, Kohli remains one of the most experienced and respected batsmen in the world. However, his form has become a major concern for India, who are aiming to reach the final of the World Test Championship.Kohli's run-out has also raised questions about his mental state. The former India captain has been under immense pressure in recent months, both on and off the field. His wife, Anushka Sharma, recently gave birth to their second child, and Kohli has been juggling his personal and professional commitments.It remains to be seen how Kohli will respond to the criticism and pressure. However, one thing is for sure: India need their star batsman to rediscover his form if they are to achieve their goals in the World Test Championship.

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.

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.

India's hopes of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) final have taken a hit after their series defeat against New Zealand. With just six Tests remaining, India's lead over second-placed Australia has been reduced to a mere 0.32%.India's path to the final is now fraught with challenges. They must win the third Test against New Zealand and then secure at least three victories in the five-Test series against Australia Down Under. A 3-2 result in Australia would be ideal, but if they manage only two wins, they will need other teams to slip up.Australia, meanwhile, has the most Tests remaining among the contenders. They face a tough five-match series against India, followed by two Tests in Sri Lanka. The Aussies will be eager to avenge their recent defeats to India, but they must also be wary of Sri Lanka, who have a strong home record.Sri Lanka, currently ranked third, has four Tests remaining. They face a tricky two-Test series in South Africa, followed by two home Tests against Australia. The Islanders have a good chance of qualifying if they can win three of these four matches.New Zealand, who have moved up to fourth after their wins against India, have four Tests remaining as well. They face one more Test in India, followed by three home Tests against England. The Black Caps have a good record at home against England, but they will need to perform well in India to stay in contention.South Africa, ranked fifth, has five Tests remaining. They face a tough away Test against Bangladesh, followed by four home Tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The Proteas will need to win at least three of these matches to have a chance of qualifying.The race to the WTC final is heating up, with several teams still in contention. India's task has become more difficult, but they remain the favorites. Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and South Africa will all be looking to capitalize on any slip-ups by the leaders.

India's qualification for the World Test Championship final in June 2023 is uncertain, and even if they qualify, it would be surprising if skipper Rohit Sharma remains available for the next two-year WTC cycle. The same applies to Ravichandran Ashwin, who will be 41 by then. Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli, two exceptionally fit players, will be 39.The recent Test series defeat at home against New Zealand has sparked a debate about the effectiveness of some senior players. Former India coach Ravi Shastri expressed concern, stating that New Zealand's dominance in both Tests is a cause for reflection. He emphasized that it's early days for head coach Gautam Gambhir, but he will need to learn quickly.India faces a challenging transition as four world-class match-winners are expected to retire in the next few years. While there are options in batting, finding quality bowlers may be a struggle. Mohammed Shami, despite his return, is nearing the end of his illustrious career, and Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj, while decent bowlers, lack the impact of Shami when paired with Bumrah.The next generation of bowlers is also a concern. Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed are quick, but consistency and fitness have been issues. Navdeep Saini's pace has declined, and Umran Malik has lost his way. Mukesh Kumar, Vyshak Vijaykumar, and Vidwath Kaverappa lack the pace to unsettle batters.Bumrah and Shami are exceptional talents, and unless someone like Mayank Yadav becomes consistently available, India's bowling cupboard is bare. Seam bowling all-rounders are also a concern unless Hardik Pandya, now 30, changes his mind. Nitish Reddy is a work in progress, but his inclusion is due to a lack of alternatives.In batting, Yashasvi Jaiswal has established himself as an opener, and three candidates are vying for the other slot once Rohit retires: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and B Sai Sudharsan. Easwaran has the most prolific record, but concerns remain about his temperament in big games. Gaikwad is a talented white-ball cricketer, but his limited first-class experience may be a concern.Sudharsan, on the other hand, has a solid technique, temperament, and appetite for big runs. He can bat as an opener or at number three. Devdutt Padikkal, who scored a half-century on Test debut, is an exciting option for Kohli's slot.Rishabh Pant remains the undisputed keeper-batter, while Sarfaraz Khan has impressed in his first five Tests. Axar Patel is a valuable bowler on under-prepared surfaces but may struggle on surfaces that offer less assistance. Washington Sundar could be the single spin-all-rounder in the post-Ashwin-Jadeja era.

Pakistan's hopes of reaching the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final next year have been revived after a remarkable turnaround in their fortunes. Despite a historic series defeat to Bangladesh and a subsequent loss in the opening Test against England, Pakistan's chances appeared all but over. However, a 2-1 series win over England at home has pushed them back into contention.India's dominance at home was shattered by a visiting New Zealand side, who secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. This result shook up the WTC standings and made the race for the final more open.Currently, India and Australia remain in the top two positions in the standings. However, India's lead has been reduced to just 0.32 PCT, while New Zealand's strong performance has lifted them to fourth place with a 50.00 PCT. Pakistan, though still in seventh with 33.33 PCT, is now mathematically back in the race.For Pakistan to qualify for the WTC final, they must win all four of their remaining matches – two away games against South Africa and two against the West Indies at home. Doing so would raise their PCT to 52.38. However, this alone will not be enough. Pakistan will need other results to go their way, with teams like India, Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and South Africa needing to lose key matches to allow Pakistan to climb into the top two spots.While Pakistan's chances of reaching the final remain slim, the series victory over England and the shake-up caused by India's surprise defeat have ensured that they are still in the conversation. The road ahead is difficult, but Pakistan's qualification hopes are not over yet.

South Africa's Test resurgence continued in emphatic fashion as they secured a commanding seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the first Test at Dhaka's Shere Bangla National Stadium. This triumph marks the Proteas' first Test win in Asia since 2014 and significantly boosts their standing in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25.Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto's decision to field first proved costly as South Africa's bowlers exploited the favorable conditions to skittle the hosts for a mere 106 runs in the first innings. Kagiso Rabada led the charge with 3/32, while Lungi Ngidi and Simon Harmer chipped in with two wickets each.In response, South Africa posted a solid 308, thanks to a resilient century from Kyle Verreynne (114 off 144 balls). Wiaan Mulder (54 off 112 balls) and Dane Piedt (32 off 87 balls) provided valuable support, giving the Proteas a substantial 202-run lead.Bangladesh's second innings started promisingly, but Rabada's impressive 6/46 reduced them to 112/6 at one stage. However, a gritty knock of 97 from Mehidy Hasan allowed Bangladesh to reach 307, setting South Africa a target of 106 runs to win.South Africa chased down the target with relative ease, with Tony de Zorzi contributing 41 off 52 balls and Tristan Stubbs finishing unbeaten on 30 off 37 balls. This victory not only gives the Proteas a 1-0 lead in the two-match series but also elevates them to fourth place in the WTC standings.India (68.06) and Australia (62.50) continue to hold the top two spots, with Sri Lanka at third with 55.56 point percentage. South Africa's win improved their point percentage to 47.62, allowing them to jump ahead of New Zealand and England. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's loss dropped their point percentage to 30.56, leaving them in seventh place.

Persistent rain has washed out the opening session of the first Test between India and New Zealand in Bengaluru, casting a shadow over India's hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final.India, currently atop the WTC standings, are aiming for their third consecutive appearance in the final. However, the inclement weather in Bengaluru has disrupted their plans. With no play possible on the first day, the teams took lunch without a ball being bowled or the coin being flipped.India's quest for a smooth qualification has been hindered by the rain, as weather forecasts predict further disruptions in the coming days. A start-stop approach is expected for the first three days at the least, which does not bode well for Team India.India's position at the summit of the WTC standings is precarious, with Australia and Sri Lanka lurking behind. India has accumulated 74.24 percentage points after 8 wins, 2 losses, and a draw from 11 matches in the 2023-25 cycle. Australia (62.50 percentage points) and Sri Lanka (55.56 percentage points) are eager to challenge India for a place in the WTC Final.India's recent 2-0 series victory against Bangladesh had boosted their hopes of securing a WTC Final berth. A clean sweep against New Zealand would have guaranteed their qualification even before the high-profile Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia from November 22.However, the rain in Bengaluru has thrown a spanner in the works. India will need to make the most of the remaining days of the Test series to secure a positive result and maintain their position at the top of the WTC standings. The World Test Championship final will be played at Lord's next June, and India will be determined to make their third consecutive appearance.