Cricket

Pakistan's quest for a decisive victory in the Test series against England has intensified as they meticulously prepare a spinning pitch at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Determined to replicate their success in the second Test, where spinners dominated, Pakistan has employed unconventional methods to dry out the surface.Industrial-sized fans and outdoor heaters have been strategically placed at both ends of the pitch, emitting hot air to accelerate the drying process. Windbreakers have been erected to retain the heat and further enhance the conditions for spin bowling.The Rawalpindi pitch has historically been known for its flat nature, offering minimal assistance to spinners. However, Pakistan's recent strategy has proven effective, with spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan claiming all 20 wickets in the second Test.In contrast, seam bowlers have traditionally performed better on this surface, averaging a wicket every 34 runs. However, Pakistan's captain, Shan Masood, has expressed his desire for an uncharacteristic pitch that favors spinners.England, on the other hand, anticipates a challenging surface, with head coach Brendon McCullum predicting it will be "the antithesis of a green seamer." The English team is prepared for another turner, but remains open-minded ahead of their training session on Tuesday.Notably, the Test strip is one of only three that has been cut across the square, potentially limiting the effectiveness of reverse swing for England's seamers. A grassy square and lush outfield may further hinder their ability to generate movement.As the decider approaches, both teams eagerly await the final condition of the pitch, which will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of the series.

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has identified a significant weakness in the Indian cricket team following their 8-wicket defeat to New Zealand. Ali highlighted concerns not only with the batting lineup but also with the bowling attack.Ali praised Jasprit Bumrah's bowling, comparing him to legendary Pakistani pacers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. However, he emphasized the need for a strong pace bowling partner to complement Bumrah."Bumrah's eight-over spell reminded me of Akram and Younis," said Ali. "But India needs to consider having two pace bowlers alongside him when they tour Australia. Currently, he lacks a reliable pace bowling partner."Ali pointed out the absence of Mohammed Shami, who has been a key member of India's pace attack in recent years. "Shami's fitness ahead of the Australia tour is crucial for India," he added.While Akash Deep has emerged as a potential option, India has also included Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna in their reserves for the New Zealand Test series.Ali also expressed curiosity about how newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir will handle such a defeat, especially after India's lowest-ever total at home."Now that India has lost a Test, all eyes will be on KL Rahul," said Ali. "Let's see how Gambhir tackles this. Rahul Dravid handled it well. This defeat serves as an eye-opener for Gambhir ahead of the Australia tour."Despite the setback, India still has a chance to salvage the series against New Zealand with two Tests remaining. However, the defeat has raised questions about the team's batting and bowling capabilities, particularly the lack of a reliable pace bowling partner for Bumrah.

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), reigning champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), face a challenging situation ahead of the upcoming season. The departure of Gautam Gambhir, Abhishek Nayar, and Ryan ten Doeschate to the Indian cricket team has left significant voids in the KKR dugout.While Dwayne Bravo has been appointed as mentor, the team still needs to fill the assistant coach and academy head positions. Additionally, the captaincy role remains uncertain.Shreyas Iyer, acquired by KKR for Rs 12.25 crore at the 2022 auction, is a potential candidate for the captaincy. However, the franchise is reportedly willing to retain him but not as their top retention.Andre Russell is the frontrunner for retention with a hefty price tag. The all-rounder was previously retained for Rs 12 crore and is likely to receive a substantial raise.If Iyer is not satisfied with his role in KKR, he could explore other options. Several teams, including Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings, and Delhi Capitals, are in need of a captain, particularly an Indian one.Punjab Kings, with Ricky Ponting as head coach, may be interested in Iyer due to his successful partnership with Ponting at Delhi Capitals. Delhi Capitals could also consider Iyer, as Rishabh Pant has requested to step down as skipper.Last year, a section of the KKR camp favored Nitish Rana as captain in Iyer's absence. However, the franchise announced Iyer as captain before the tournament, raising eyebrows.KKR, co-owned by Shah Rukh Khan, advocates for a smaller auction and more Right to Match (RTM) options. They are likely to utilize this strategy at the upcoming auction.Other potential retention options for KKR include Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Mitchell Starc, and Varun Chakravarthy. The team's captaincy decision will be closely monitored by other franchises.

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has criticized skipper Rohit Sharma's tactical decisions following India's first Test defeat to New Zealand in Bengaluru. Rohit faced significant backlash for his captaincy, particularly after New Zealand managed to add 137 crucial runs for the eighth wicket in their first innings. The criticism continued on Day 5 of the match.With New Zealand needing 107 runs to win, Rohit opted to bring on Ravichandran Ashwin, India's most successful bowler at home, only after 10 runs had been scored. Instead, he utilized Mohammed Siraj, who remained wicketless across two spells totaling seven overs, yielding no results."The thing with pacers, you might get wickets, but there are always runs coming through edges. I was a bit surprised, I think tactically for Rohit Sharma, this Test match wasn't his greatest. I can understand Siraj getting one or two overs and Bumrah getting a long spell. But Siraj getting 6 overs in that forespell, I think that is far too many and already a lot of runs on the board, and you had that little margin to chase," Manjrekar said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo."And another part is Aswhin. When there is no lavish turn on the pitch, the captain tends to use him with a new ball. He would have been tough for the Kiwi batters had he started off with Bumrah, and even if he had come in the fourth over of the inning," he added.Manjrekar highlighted India's significant tactical errors on the final day. This victory marked New Zealand's first Test win in India since 1988 and only their third overall.Despite the unexpected eight-wicket loss, Rohit Sharma praised his team's resilience, particularly their fightback in the second innings. Trailing by a substantial 356 runs after the first innings, India showed remarkable determination, scoring 462 to set a target of 107 for New Zealand."It was a good effort with the bat in the second innings. We didn't bat well in the first innings. So knew what was ahead and couple of guys stood out. When you are 350 behind you can't think too much about it. just got to see the ball and bat. Couple of partnerships were really exciting to watch and got us back in the game. We could have easily been bowled out cheaply but proud of the effort," Rohit said at the post-match presentation.To maintain their impressive home Test series winning streak of 18, India must avoid defeat in the upcoming two Tests. The second Test between India and New Zealand is set to begin in Pune on October 24.

South Australia's first-innings total of 314, anchored by Henry Hunt's 136, was met with a spirited response from Queensland on day two of their Sheffield Shield clash in Brisbane. Young quick Tom Whitney, who made history with a five-wicket haul on debut, played a crucial role in Queensland's fightback.Whitney's impressive performance continued on Monday as he claimed the wickets of Nathan McAndrew and Wes Agar, becoming only the 12th Queenslander to achieve a five-wicket haul on debut. Michael Neser also contributed with three wickets, including the key dismissal of Hunt.In reply, Queensland's batting lineup faced early setbacks. Test opener Usman Khawaja and Matt Renshaw were dismissed cheaply, while Marnus Labuschagne failed to make a significant impact. However, Ben McDermott's 52 and a 97-run partnership between Neser and Jimmy Peirson provided some resistance.Peirson, who hit 14 boundaries in his knock, looked set for a century before being run out by Jake Lehmann. Despite the setback, Queensland managed to reach 308 in their first innings, trailing South Australia by just six runs.Whitney's late cameo with the bat, an unbeaten 24 from 11 balls, helped Queensland close the gap. The 21-year-old's all-round performance has been a major boost for the Bulls, who will be looking to take the lead on day three.

Sunil Gavaskar, the legendary Indian batsman, has lauded Sarfaraz Khan's attacking 150 in the recent first Test match against New Zealand. Gavaskar believes that Khan's batting performances are even more impressive than his waistline.Khan, who was dropped for the first innings after scoring a duck, led India to 462 in the second innings with an explosive 150, his first Test century. His innings included 18 fours and three sixes.Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar on Monday, "Sarfaraz Khan has been denied a place in the Indian team for some years now, despite scoring runs by the hundreds in domestic cricket. This was largely because those in a position to make decisions believed he didn't have the slim waist they deemed necessary for international cricket."Gavaskar also gave the example of wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who, despite not having a particularly trim waist, excelled in Test cricket, making a brilliant 99 in Bengaluru and sharing a vital 177-run partnership with Sarfaraz in the second innings."Rishabh Pant is another player who doesn't possess the slim waist that these fitness purists seem to want, but what an impact player he is," wrote Gavaskar. "Let's not forget that he also keeps wickets all day, which not only requires getting up and down for around six hours of play but also running to the stumps to gather the throws."Gavaskar questioned whether India's eight-wicket loss in Bengaluru could cause them to worry ahead of a crucial trip to Australia later this year given Rohit Sharma's team's inability to handle bounce."That their heroics went in vain, as the batters who followed them simply didn't have the technique or temperament to deal with a pitch that was different from the low-bounce ones where they dominate, only added to the frustration," wrote Gavaskar."If anything, the way the Indian batting has struggled in Chennai - where again there was some bounce - and now in Bengaluru, does make one anxious about what lies in store in Australia."

Steven Smith's decision to return to the No. 4 batting position for Australia in Test cricket has been influenced by the discontent expressed by his teammates, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne, who preferred him to bat behind them.Smith clarified that he did not explicitly request the move but was asked by coach Andrew McDonald about his preferred batting spot. He emphasized that he is willing to bat anywhere but expressed his preference for No. 4.The conversations about Smith's batting position began after the New Zealand Test series, regardless of Cameron Green's injury. Khawaja and Labuschagne had expressed their discomfort with Smith opening the batting, stating that they preferred the "security" of having him behind them.Smith acknowledged that he could have continued opening given his average of 28.50 in the four Tests he played in that role, but he understood the concerns of his teammates. He believes that his return to No. 4 will allow him to make the best contribution to the team.In his first red-ball innings since the New Zealand series, Smith scored 3 off 29 balls for New South Wales against Victoria. Despite the low score, he felt positive about his performance and believes he is moving well and leaving the ball well.Smith also praised 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who was dismissed for 10 balls in the same match. He believes Konstas has a lot of time and is a bright prospect for the future.Regarding potential candidates to open the batting for Australia against India, Smith mentioned Nic Maddinson as a possible option. He believes Maddinson has a similar style to David Warner and could have a similar impact at the top of the order.

New Zealand's triumph over India in the first Test was a testament to the team's resilience and the brilliance of all-rounder Rachin Ravindra. Ravindra, who was born to Bengaluru parents in New Zealand, played a pivotal role in the Kiwis' historic victory, scoring a magnificent 134 in the first innings and guiding his team to a comfortable win in the second.Ravindra's Indian heritage played a crucial role in his success against India's formidable spin attack. "I have Indian heritage and have played a lot of cricket in India, which has helped me develop those game plans," he said. "I am not a massive sweeper or reverse sweeper, so I stick to my strengths. I was able to play against the spin, and with fewer fielders on that side, it helped me accumulate runs."Ravindra's ability to manipulate the length of the ball and get into good positions to score was evident throughout the match. "I was able to get some good practice in Chennai before this series, and that definitely helped," he said.In the first innings, Ravindra's century helped New Zealand recover from a precarious position of 233/7 to post a respectable total of 402. His 137-run partnership with Tim Southee for the eighth wicket proved to be the turning point of the match.In the second innings, Ravindra played a composed knock of 39* alongside Will Young (48*) to guide New Zealand to a comprehensive victory. India's bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah, posed some challenges, but the Kiwis remained unfazed and chased down the target with ease.Ravindra's performance was a reflection of his hard work and dedication. "I have always been a student of the game, and I am always looking for ways to improve," he said. "I am grateful for the opportunity to play for New Zealand, and I am determined to make the most of it."

MS Dhoni's participation in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season remains uncertain, as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) CEO Kasi Viswanathan awaits confirmation from the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman."We have still no confirmation from him, though we would like him to continue playing for us," Viswanathan told ESPNcricinfo. "Hope he will confirm before 31st [October]."October 31 is the deadline for franchises to submit their list of retained players to the IPL ahead of the mega auction. Dhoni is eligible to be retained by CSK as an uncapped player, thanks to a rule change that considers players retired from international cricket for five years as uncapped.Dhoni, who last played for India in the 2019 ODI World Cup, retired from international cricket in August 2020. He has since played exclusively in the IPL, scoring 161 runs at a strike rate of 220 as a finisher in the 2024 season after handing over the CSK captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad.If CSK retains Dhoni as an uncapped player, they will lose only INR 4 crore from their auction purse of INR 120 crore. Franchises are allowed to retain up to six players ahead of the mega auction, with a maximum of five capped internationals.While it is highly likely that Dhoni will be retained by CSK, the franchise's decision will depend on his availability and performance in the upcoming season.