Cricket

Shubman Gill's technical prowess and unwavering determination were on full display as he crafted a magnificent 90-run knock on a challenging Indore pitch, giving India a crucial advantage in the third and final Test against New Zealand.Gill's innings was a testament to his meticulous preparation, as he revisited the technical work he had done before the five-Test series against England earlier this year. This allowed him to rediscover his rhythm and confidence against spinners, who were expected to dominate on the rank turner."I was just trying to have fun," Gill said after the day's play. "I love batting, and I wanted to enjoy the opportunity to bat for as long as possible."Gill's partnership with Rishabh Pant, who contributed a quickfire 60, gave India a 28-run lead. New Zealand ended the second day at 171 for 9, still trailing by 143 runs.Gill emphasized the importance of having a clear mindset while batting on a turning track. "I was trying to have fun and enjoy the moment, even if it was difficult," he said. "I wasn't putting too much pressure on myself."He also credited his partnership with Pant for releasing pressure on him. "The way Rishabh came in and started hitting those boundaries, it made it difficult for the bowlers to bowl consistently in that area," Gill said.Gill's innings was particularly impressive given the "bit of panic" that India experienced at the end of the opening day. However, he believes that "one good partnership" of 70-80 runs on the third morning should see the hosts through."It's all about one good partnership," Gill said. "When you are chasing a total which is around 150-160, if you have one good partnership of 70-80 runs, the match is done and dusted."Gill's performance has been a bright spot for India in a series that has been marred by inconsistent batting. His ability to adapt to different conditions and his unwavering belief in his abilities make him a valuable asset to the team.

India's Spin Duo Dominates Day 1 of Mumbai Test, But Sundar's No-Balls Disappoint GavaskarThe opening day of the Mumbai Test between India and New Zealand witnessed a dominant performance from India's spin duo, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. The pair combined to claim nine wickets, bowling out the Kiwis for 235 runs.While Sundar continued his impressive form from the Pune Test, one aspect of his bowling left legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar visibly frustrated. During commentary, former India coach Ravi Shastri revealed that Gavaskar had smashed his plate in anger after witnessing Sundar repeatedly bowl no-balls."Sunil Gavaskar was having lunch. He smashed the plate on the wall," Shastri said on-air. "Thank god he's not fielding in the slip. Washington would have been close to Washington DC."No-balls are an uncommon occurrence for spinners, and Sundar's repeated overstepping drew criticism from former New Zealand cricketer Ian Smith. "Oh dear. Another no-ball. Where is Sunny G? He is going to run after them with a mic in hand," Smith quipped.Gavaskar himself joined in the banter, saying, "Yeah, don't worry. I have my running shoes on. But on a serious note, it's something that needs to be looked at.""With a fast bowler, it is understandable, that the momentum of the body can sometimes take your foot over the line. But spinners? Players keep saying that there are things that are not under our control. Well, this is one thing under control, so might as well, be cautious," he added.Despite Sundar's no-ball issue, Jadeja and Sundar's combined efforts put India in a strong position with the ball. However, the Indian batting unit once again faltered, losing four wickets before stumps, including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and nightwatchman Mohammed Siraj.

England won the toss and elected to field first in the second ODI against West Indies in Antigua. The hosts made one change to their lineup, with Shamar Joseph replacing Alzarri Joseph, who was ruled out as a precautionary measure.England's captain, Liam Livingstone, expressed confidence in his team's bowling attack, particularly Jofra Archer and John Turner, who impressed in the first ODI. He also acknowledged the importance of moisture in the pitch, which could assist the spinners.West Indies skipper Shai Hope emphasized the need for his team to adapt quickly to the conditions and praised the young players in their pace attack. He stressed the importance of consistency and playing good cricket every time they take the field.The match began with Jofra Archer bowling to Brandon King. King got off to a solid start, scoring a boundary in the second over. However, he was dismissed in the fourth over by Turner, who took a maiden international wicket.Matthew Forde, who has impressed with his bowling up front, spoke about the importance of adapting to the conditions and using his cutters effectively. He also highlighted the special bond he shares with Jayden Seales, his fellow pace bowler.The pitch report indicated that there was some moisture in the surface, which could make it challenging for the team batting first. The square boundaries were equidistant at 63 meters, while the straight boundary was 73 meters.Overall, both teams expressed confidence in their abilities and acknowledged the importance of adapting to the conditions. The match promises to be an exciting contest between two evenly matched sides.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auctions are set to take place in November, and the franchises have announced their retentions. Among the notable retentions, MS Dhoni's return to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has garnered significant attention.CSK retained Dhoni for Rs 4 crore under the uncapped player category, along with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad (INR 18 crore), Matheesha Pathirana (INR 13 crore), Shivam Dube (INR 12 crore), and Ravindra Jadeja (INR 18 crore). Dhoni's retention has sparked discussions about his potential role in the team.Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes Dhoni should lead CSK in the upcoming season, stating that his captaincy would make the tournament more exciting. "Dhoni should become captain of CSK in IPL 2025. He played under Ruturaj Gaikwad last season. It was not so much fun to watch. Even if Dhoni doesn't bat, he can make more impact as captain and wicketkeeper alone for CSK," Manjrekar said.Mohammad Kaif, another former India star, praised CSK's retention strategy, highlighting the financial advantage it provides. "CSK have played really well. They have saved 10-15 crores. I feel that the way this rule was brought back because we were driven by emotions, and we all really wanted MS Dhoni to play another year...I feel CSK played very smartly there. Yes, he is taking less money, but it would allow CSK to buy big names players at the auction," Kaif said.Kaif also expressed his belief that players who continue to perform well in the IPL after being dropped from the Indian team should not be subject to the uncapped player rule. "I feel whichever player plays for India, I was 36 when I last played an international match for India... now if I get dropped from the team, but continue to have a good IPL run, then I should not have come under the uncapped player rule," he added.

India's spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar wreaked havoc on New Zealand's batting lineup on the second day of the third and final Test in Mumbai, triggering a collapse that handed India a significant advantage.The Kiwis lost eight wickets in the final session, crumbling to 171 for 9 in their second innings, with a lead of just 143 runs at the close of play. The Indian spinners spun a web around the Kiwi batters, exploiting the sharp turn and variable bounce of the Wankhede pitch.After India posted 263 all out in their first innings, securing a slim 28-run lead, the spinners took control. Ashwin (3/63) found his rhythm, while Jadeja (4/52) continued his impressive form, keeping India's hopes alive of avoiding a clean sweep.Will Young's gritty 51 was the only significant resistance from the Kiwis, who succumbed to pressure after Ajaz Patel (5/103) claimed another five-wicket haul. Ashwin showed visible delight when he stumped Rachin Ravindra (4), beating the batter with bounce and turn. He also bowled out Glenn Phillips (26) and Young (51) to secure crucial breakthroughs.Jadeja also made a notable contribution, ending a resilient 50-run stand between Young and Daryl Mitchell (21). Mitchell's aggressive shot against Jadeja failed to get the desired distance, and Ashwin covered 19 meters to complete a brilliant catch.Tom Blundell (4) chopped a delivery onto his stumps off Jadeja, while Ashwin bowled Phillips, who had shifted to aggressive batting mode. At the start of New Zealand's reply, Akash provided the rare sight of a pacer disturbing the stumps on a turning track, dismantling Tom Latham's (1) off and middle stumps in the first over.Earlier, India suffered a setback with Pant's dismissal towards the end of the morning session. From Pant's dismissal in the 38th over to India folding in the 60th, the team managed just eight boundaries and two sixes. Pant alone hit as many during his brisk half-century.Ajaz, finding his length, continued his success at the Wankhede Stadium, following up his world record 10/119 in the first innings of the 2021 Test here with another five-wicket haul. In the second session, Gill narrowly missed out on his century while other batsmen continued to disappoint.Sarfaraz Khan's struggle was particularly disheartening as he failed to open his account on his home turf. Gill's flawless 146-ball 90, including seven fours and a six, ended when Patel had him caught at slip. Jadeja (14) too was caught at slip, though off Glenn Phillips, while Washington fought a lone battle among the three all-rounders, scoring a brisk 38 not out off 36 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes.

Senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed concerns about India's chase of around 150 runs on a Wankhede wicket that has been behaving differently at both ends. New Zealand ended the second day of the second Test with an overall lead of 143, which former India captain Anil Kumble believes is a challenging target given the nature of the pitch.Ashwin acknowledged that the track is not a typical Mumbai surface, with low bounce and a slower pace. "Expected a lot more bounce. It has been quite slow which is a surprise. It's not a typical Bombay pitch, much slower," he said.To counter the unusual conditions, Ashwin employed the carrom ball, a delivery bowled with a flick of two fingers that turns the other way round. This variation proved effective, as it dismissed Glenn Phillips, who failed to read Ashwin's hand."The game itself is divided into two halves. The one from the pavilion end and from the other end, it's slightly behaving differently. It's slightly flatter from the one where we are bowling from the dressing room side, the bounce is much lesser. So I thought I will try and use it the other way," Ashwin explained.Ashwin also showcased his fielding prowess with a brilliant catch running 19 meters sideways to pouch in-form Daryl Mitchell. "For all the flak you've given me overs the years, I don't think I've dropped many. I have got great hands and I trusted it," he said.Despite the challenging conditions, Ashwin remains confident in India's ability to chase down the target. "Any runs saved in this innings is going to be much more critical. It's not going to be easy, we'll have to bat really well," he said.

Ravichandran Ashwin's fielding brilliance was on full display on Day 2 of the third and final India-New Zealand Test in Mumbai, as he pulled off a stunning sideways running catch to dismiss the dangerous Daryl Mitchell.Mitchell, who had been a thorn in India's side throughout the series, came down the track to loft Ravindra Jadeja, but couldn't get to the pitch of the ball as it came off the bottom part of the bat. Positioned at mid-off, Ashwin had to cover considerable ground as Mitchell lofted the ball high, aiming for a boundary.Sprinting at full tilt, Ashwin, who kept his eyes locked on the ball, ran back from mid-off, turned sideways to stay side-on and finally extended his hands to complete a stunning diving catch. The crowd erupted as he rose, clutching the ball triumphantly. It was a display of athleticism and commitment, and Mitchell, left in disbelief, had to walk back to the pavilion.The wicket was very crucial for India as it broke a crucial 50-run fourth-wicket partnership between Mitchell and Will Young after NZ lost three early wickets at the score of 44 in their second essay.Ashwin's catch was not only a highlight of the day's play but also a testament to his all-round abilities. The off-spinner has been one of India's most consistent performers in recent years, and his fielding has only improved with time.Mitchell's dismissal was a major setback for New Zealand, who were looking to build a solid foundation in their second innings. The Black Caps had lost three early wickets, including that of captain Kane Williamson, and were in danger of being bowled out cheaply.However, Young and Mitchell had steadied the ship with a solid partnership, and New Zealand were starting to look comfortable. Ashwin's catch, however, put a halt to their progress and gave India the upper hand in the match.

Ravichandran Ashwin, India's premier off-spinner, made history on day two of the third Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai by batting at number 10 for the first time in his illustrious Test career.Throughout his career, Ashwin has primarily batted at number 8, where he has amassed 1977 runs in 83 innings at an average of 26.01, with four centuries and seven half-centuries to his name. He has also found considerable success at number 6, where he has accumulated 531 runs at an average of 35.40, including two Test centuries.Prior to this innings, Ashwin's lowest batting position was number 9, where he had featured in 20 innings. The only previous instance of Ashwin batting at number 10 in international cricket occurred in a T20I against England in 2011.Ashwin's innings at number 10 was brief, as he edged an Ajaz Patel delivery to Daryl Mitchell at slip while attempting a defensive stroke, departing for six runs off 13 balls. However, his appearance at this position marked a significant milestone in his career.Across his 105 Test matches, Ashwin has compiled 3466 runs at an average of 26.06, including six centuries and fourteen half-centuries. His batting prowess has often been overshadowed by his exceptional bowling skills, but he has consistently contributed with the bat, providing valuable runs for the Indian team.Ashwin's batting at number 10 is a testament to his versatility and adaptability. It also highlights the depth of India's batting lineup, which allows them to experiment with different batting orders depending on the match situation.

Akash Deep's Fiery In-swinger Stuns Tom Latham in Mumbai TestOn Day 2 of the third and final Test in Mumbai, Indian pacer Akash Deep unleashed a breathtaking in-swinger that left New Zealand skipper Tom Latham in awe. The incident occurred in the first over of the Kiwis' second innings, with Latham looking to drive the ball. However, Deep's delivery nipped back sharply from outside off, finding its way through the bat-pad gap and crashing into the stumps.Latham, who had survived a close lbw appeal on the previous ball, was left stunned by the sheer pace and precision of Deep's delivery. The dismissal was a testament to Deep's exceptional skill, as he breached the opener's defense with ease.Deep's ability to extract such movement off the pitch highlighted his immense talent. The delivery was a perfect example of fast bowling at its finest, leaving both fans and analysts impressed.Earlier in the day, spinner Ajaz Patel had taken five wickets as New Zealand bowled out India for 263. Overnight batsman Shubman Gill made a valiant 90 before the Kiwis ended the home side's reply to their 235 in the second session at Wankhede Stadium.With India leading by 28 runs, the match is poised for an exciting finish. Deep's fiery in-swinger has given the hosts a psychological advantage, and they will be looking to capitalize on it in the remaining days of the Test.