Cricket

India and South Africa will clash in the second T20I on Sunday, with the hosts aiming to extend their winning streak in the format. Sanju Samson's blistering century in the series opener has given India a significant advantage, but they will be seeking more consistency from their top-order batsmen.Abhishek Sharma's string of low scores has raised concerns, and the team management may consider alternative options for the opening slot. Tilak Varma's promising start in the first match will also be under scrutiny as he looks to cement his place in the middle order.Despite a strong bowling performance in the first T20I, India's middle and lower order exposed a vulnerability. The team will be eager to address this weakness and build more substantial partnerships.South Africa, on the other hand, will be desperate to bounce back from their loss. Missing key players like Quinton de Kock and Kagiso Rabada, the Proteas will rely on their senior players to step up. Aiden Markram, David Miller, and Heinrich Klaasen will need to deliver if South Africa is to level the series.The match promises to be a thrilling contest between two evenly matched teams. India will be aiming to take a 2-0 lead, while South Africa will be determined to avoid a series defeat.

KL Rahul's poor form in Test cricket has raised concerns ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. However, Dhruv Jurel has emerged as a strong contender for a spot in the playing XI after his impressive performances for India A in the unofficial Test series against Australia A.Rahul, who was sent to Australia early to gain some match practice, failed to impress in the second match, scoring only 4 and 10. In contrast, Jurel grabbed his opportunities with both hands, scoring 80 and 68 in the two innings. He was India A's top-scoring batter in both innings, making a strong case for his inclusion in the senior team.Jurel's batting was not the only aspect that impressed. He also showed good skills behind the gloves, taking a remarkable catch of Jimmy Peirson off the bowling of Prasidh Krishna. However, it is unlikely that he will replace Rishabh Pant as the wicket-keeper for the first Test in Perth.Jurel is expected to play as a pure batter in the first Test. His temperament and ability to perform under pressure, especially in his first time playing in Australia, have earned him praise from experts.Prasidh Krishna was another standout performer for India A. He claimed 2 and 4 wickets in the two innings respectively and also contributed with the bat, scoring 14 and 29. His all-round performance has also put him in contention for a spot in the Perth Test playing XI.Overall, the second unofficial Test against Australia A has provided some positive signs for India. Jurel and Krishna have shown that they are capable of performing at the highest level, and they will be hoping to continue their good form in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Australia A emerged victorious in the second unofficial Test against India A at the MCG, securing a 2-0 series win. The match witnessed a thrilling run chase, with Sam Konstas and Beau Webster guiding Australia A to a six-wicket triumph.India A, resuming on 123/6, were bolstered by Dhruv Jurel's second half-century of the match (68) and Prasidh Krishna's 29. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Tanush Kotian also contributed, ensuring Australia A faced a challenging chase of 168.However, Australia A's chase got off to a disastrous start as Prasidh struck twice in the opening over, dismissing Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft for ducks. Nathan McSweeney's 25 further dented their hopes, leaving them reeling at 73/4.Enter Sam Konstas, who showcased his composure and batting prowess. The 19-year-old remained resolute in defense and gradually expanded his game, hitting boundaries off Prasidh and Kotian. He formed an unbeaten 96-run partnership with Beau Webster (46*), guiding Australia A to victory.Earlier, Jurel had been the cornerstone of India A's batting, sharing a crucial 94-run stand with Reddy. However, his dismissal to Corey Rocchiccioli opened the door for the tail, which added 67 runs. Kotian and Prasidh frustrated the bowlers with a 49-run partnership, but Konstas' sensational diving catch at deep midwicket ended Prasidh's innings.Rocchiccioli wrapped up the innings with his fourth wicket, leaving Australia A with a tricky chase. Konstas and Webster rose to the occasion, guiding their team to victory with an unbeaten 96-run stand.

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has sparked a debate over the treatment of Rinku Singh by Team India. Chopra has questioned the team's strategy of placing Rinku lower in the batting order, suggesting that he should be given the opportunity to bat at number four instead of number six.Chopra believes that Rinku has not been given the optimal platform to showcase his capabilities. "Are we being fair to Rinku? It's a very important question," Chopra said on his YouTube channel. "He was in your team against Bangladesh and before that as well. Whenever you have sent him up the order or he has got to bat in the powerplay, he has scored runs every time."Chopra emphasized that Rinku has consistently performed well when given more overs to bat. He highlighted that the left-hander has emerged as a reliable player for India in critical situations, scoring crucial runs at a commendable strike rate. "He has scored a half-century every time. He has emerged as a crisis man. He scored those half-centuries at very good strike rates," Chopra added.Rinku, having scored 490 runs at a strike rate of 173.14 in 20 T20I innings, remains a promising prospect for India. Chopra proposed that Tilak Varma could have been shifted to the number six position, allowing Rinku to bat at number four and affording him more time to settle in and make a significant contribution."I feel you could have played him at No. 4 in Durban. In fact, you could have done that in this entire series and moved Tilak Varma down because someone has to go at No. 6," he explained.While acknowledging Rinku's finishing abilities, Chopra pointed out that the 27-year-old doesn't fit the mold of a typical power-hitter like Andre Russell or Hardik Pandya. He believes that Rinku's batting style, which prioritizes timing over sheer power, would be more effective if he were given a higher batting position."I am asking this question only because Rinku can finish but he is not just a finisher. This is my understanding. I feel he knows how to drive the game. He is hitting sixes but he is not someone who muscles the ball. He is not Andre Russell and he is not Hardik Pandya as well," Chopra said.

Former Australian Test captain Ian Chappell has expressed concerns about the Indian batting lineup ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Chappell believes that if the Indian batters attempt to play over the top of the ball, they will be vulnerable to the extra bounce in Australian conditions.India's recent 3-0 series defeat to New Zealand at home has raised questions about the form of captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli. Chappell believes that the aging duo may be starting to decline, which could put pressure on the younger batters in the squad."India have got some batting problems," Chappell said. "Kohli and Rohit Sharma are both ageing, and you get to that point where people start talking about it and maybe it starts to creep into your head a little bit."However, Chappell also acknowledged that the Indian batters will be playing on good pitches in Australia. He warned that the extra bounce could expose any technical flaws in their batting."The only thing I'd say against that is they're coming to Australia where the pitches are pretty good, but there'll be the extra bounce and if they have gone over the top then the extra bounce will find them out," Chappell said.India has won the past two Test series in Australia, but former Australian skipper Mark Taylor believes that the pressure is now on the younger batters to make big runs."They (India) have moved on Pujara and they've moved on Rahane, and they've left Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, their best two players, but all of a sudden they've had a bit of a rocky period... and that has put pressure now on the younger guys and also their lower-order," Taylor said.The 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy will see India and Australia play Test matches in Perth, Adelaide (pink-ball match), Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney from November 22 to January 7, 2025. It will be the first five-match Test series between India and Australia since 1991/92.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has issued a stern warning to India, stating that Pakistan will not be expected to make "good gestures" indefinitely following India's alleged refusal to visit Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025.Naqvi's comments come amidst reports that India has declined to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, which is scheduled to take place in early 2025. The Champions Trophy will feature two groups of four teams each, with participants including Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and defending champions Pakistan."In recent years, Pakistan has extended numerous good gestures. However, we hope we are not expected to always do so," Naqvi told reporters in Lahore, as quoted by Geo News.India and Pakistan have not engaged in a bilateral cricket series since the 2012-13 Pakistan tour of India, due to strained political relations. Since then, the two teams have only faced each other in major International Cricket Council (ICC) white-ball events and Asia Cup tournaments.The last Test series between these Asian rivals took place in December 2007 in India. India's last tour of Pakistan for a bilateral series was in 2006, with their most recent visit to Pakistan being for the Asia Cup in 2008.Last year, Pakistan was set to host the Asia Cup in full, but India played its matches in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model. The latest encounter between the two nations occurred during this year's ICC T20 World Cup on July 9 at Nassau County Stadium, New York, USA. India, batting first, scored 119, with Rishabh Pant contributing 42 runs. Jasprit Bumrah's impressive 3/14 then restricted Pakistan to 113/7, securing India a thrilling six-run victory.Naqvi's warning reflects Pakistan's growing frustration over India's reluctance to play bilateral cricket in Pakistan. The PCB has repeatedly expressed its desire to host India for a series, but India has cited security concerns as a reason for its refusal.The PCB's stance is supported by the International Cricket Council (ICC), which has urged India to reconsider its position. The ICC has stated that it is committed to ensuring the safety of all teams participating in its events, including those held in Pakistan.It remains to be seen whether India will change its stance and agree to play in Pakistan. However, Naqvi's warning is a clear indication that Pakistan is no longer willing to tolerate India's reluctance to play bilateral cricket in the country.

India's opening batsman Abhishek Sharma has faced criticism for his recent performance in the first T20I against South Africa in Durban. Former cricketer Aakash Chopra has expressed concerns over Sharma's aggressive approach, which he believes may be hindering his performance at the international level.Sharma managed only seven runs off eight balls as India set a 203-run target for South Africa. India eventually won the game comfortably, bowling South Africa out for 141 to register a 61-run victory and take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.However, Chopra noted the stark contrast between Sharma's performance and that of his opening partner Sanju Samson, who scored a blistering 107 off 50 balls."It's a tale of two openers," Chopra said in a video posted on his YouTube channel. "There is Sanju (Samson), whose stars are shining bright, on one side. On the other side is Abhishek Sharma, whose stars have fallen."Sharma burst onto the scene with a sensational 100 off 47 balls in only his second T20I against Zimbabwe. However, his form has dipped since, with his highest score in seven other T20I innings being just 16.Chopra criticized Sharma's shot selection that led to his dismissal against Gerald Coetzee. "The shot he played in this match as well against Gerald Coetzee, it seems like he is a prisoner of his own reputation, that he would play like this only and is not going to wait."Chopra warned that continued underperformance could put Sharma's spot in the team at risk. "It's been one more failure. A time will come when it will be a problem. Questions will be asked about how long you will stick with him. Again, he will get three more games, but one by one the sand is being seen slipping from his hand," Chopra remarked.With three more games in the series, the pressure will be on the 24-year-old to deliver and justify his selection in the squad.

In the inaugural T20I of the four-match series between India and South Africa, South African wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen etched his name into the annals of T20 history. He became the fourth player to smash 100 sixes in a calendar year, joining an elite group that includes Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, and Andre Russell.India emerged victorious in the match, securing a convincing 61-run win at Kingsmead, Durban. Sanju Samson's blistering 107 off 50 balls and Varun Chakaravarthy's impressive spin bowling were the catalysts behind India's triumph.Klaasen's milestone six came during his innings of 25 off 22 balls, which also included two fours. This achievement underscores his exceptional power-hitting abilities and his status as one of the most dangerous batters in the shortest format of the game.The match began with South Africa, led by Aiden Markram, opting to field first. Samson's explosive knock set the tone for India's innings, with his remarkable strike rate of 214 propelling the team to a strong start. Suryakumar Yadav contributed 21 runs, while Tilak Varma added 33. India finished their innings with a competitive total of 202 for 8.South Africa's chase faltered as no batter managed to score more than 30 runs. The Indian bowling attack, led by Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi, dominated the innings. Klaasen top-scored with 25, while Coetzee made a brief but impactful contribution with 23 off 11 balls.Chakaravarthy and Bishnoi were the standout bowlers for India, each claiming three wickets. Their combined efforts restricted South Africa to 141 runs, resulting in a comfortable victory for India. Samson was named Player of the Match for his exceptional batting performance.The second T20I match between India and South Africa is scheduled for Sunday in Gqeberha.

Pakistan's confidence is soaring as they prepare for the decisive third ODI against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth. The visitors have been in scintillating form, led by the fiery bowling of Haris Rauf, who has claimed eight wickets in the series so far.Pakistan's victory in the second ODI in Adelaide was a clinical display of pace bowling and aggressive batting. Saim Ayub, the young opener, played a key role in the win, treating Australia's frontline attack with disdain.Australia, on the other hand, will be without several key players, including Pat Cummins, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Marnus Labuschagne, who are preparing for the upcoming Test series against India. Josh Inglis will captain Australia for the first time, facing the daunting task of galvanizing a new-look team.The Optus Stadium is expected to provide a fast and bouncy surface, which should suit Pakistan's pace attack. Rauf, in particular, will be looking to exploit the extra bounce and continue his impressive form.Pakistan's batting has also been in good touch, with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan providing stability at the top of the order. Kamran Ghulam and Salman Agha have also made valuable contributions.Australia's batting has been a concern, with openers Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk struggling for form. Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis will need to step up and provide some much-needed runs.The series has taken on added significance ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Both teams will be eager to gain momentum and confidence before the tournament.