Cricket

Sanju Samson's recent resurgence has been a testament to his unwavering determination and hard work. The wicketkeeper-batter has notched up three centuries in his last six competitive matches, including a Duleep Trophy ton and two consecutive T20I centuries against Bangladesh and South Africa.Samson's impressive 50-ball 107 against South Africa in the first T20I in Durban was a masterclass in aggressive batting. He showcased his ability to clear the boundary with ease, hitting 10 fours and 6 sixes. This performance followed his equally impressive 111 runs against Bangladesh in the previous T20I.Samson's recent success has helped him shed the label of an inconsistent performer. He has consistently put in the hard work behind the scenes, and it is now paying off. India skipper Suryakumar Yadav praised Samson's dedication and commitment, highlighting his willingness to do the "boring work" that often goes unnoticed.Samson's aggressive approach to batting involves a degree of risk, but he is not afraid to take it. He believes in playing for the team and putting the team's needs ahead of his own. This selfless attitude has earned him the respect of his teammates and the admiration of fans.Samson's resurgence is a reminder that hard work and determination can overcome any obstacle. He has proven that he is a world-class batsman who can consistently perform at the highest level. As he continues to build on his current form, Samson is poised to become one of the most feared batsmen in the world.

Jos Buttler, England's white-ball captain, has returned to the scene of his World Cup disappointments with a renewed sense of purpose. Five months ago in Barbados, England's World Cup campaign ended in a disappointing defeat to Australia, with Buttler's tactical decisions coming under scrutiny.However, Buttler has revealed that he feared losing his captaincy after England's consecutive World Cup failures. He had candid conversations with Rob Key, the ECB's managing director of men's cricket, and expressed his desire to continue leading the team. Key's belief in Buttler's abilities has given him the confidence to move forward.Buttler's captaincy has been marked by emotional highs and lows. His face often betrays his feelings, and he has admitted that the pressure of leadership has weighed heavily on him. However, a calf injury that sidelined him for four months has given him time to reflect and reassess his priorities.The appointment of Brendon McCullum as head coach has also provided Buttler with a fresh perspective. McCullum's experience as New Zealand's white-ball captain has inspired Buttler, who believes that this stage of his career can be the most rewarding.Buttler is now determined to play as much as possible and help develop the next generation of English white-ball cricketers. He has dropped wicketkeeping for the T20 series against West Indies to experiment with his preferred captaincy position.Winning will be important, but Buttler's primary focus is on creating an environment where players can flourish. He wants to see young players like Jacob Bethell and Dan Mousley seize their opportunities and contribute to English cricket's future success.

Heavy rain has hindered Kerala's pursuit of an outright victory and boosted Uttar Pradesh's chances of salvaging a draw in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C encounter at the KCA-St. Xavier's College ground.After conceding a massive 233-run first innings lead, Uttar Pradesh was 66 for two when a drizzle forced the players off the field half an hour into the post-lunch session. The drizzle intensified into a heavy downpour with thunder and lightning, leading the umpires to call off play at 2.30 p.m.UP lost its captain, Aryan Juyal, and Priyam Garg in the second innings, and was in a spot of bother before the skies opened up.Earlier, Mohammed Azharuddeen attacked the Uttar Pradesh bowling, striking four crisp boundaries as Kerala sought quick runs. Salman Nizar (93, 202b, 9x4, 3x6) struggled with his timing and was also affected by a hamstring injury, forcing him to leave the field for treatment. Basil Thampi's stay was brief, lasting only two deliveries before Saurabh Kumar trapped him in front.Aaqib Khan's delivery struck K.M. Asif on the helmet, forcing him to retire hurt. Salman returned to continue his innings. He nudged Saurabh Kumar to fine leg and ran three, which aggravated his injury.Azharuddeen, who had been batting fluently up to that point, lost his composure and top-edged a hook off Aaqib, which was well caught by Aryan behind the stumps.Salman smashed Saurabh for a maximum over long leg but was dismissed while attempting to play another big shot off Aaqib Khan in the following over.

Mumbai's bold strategy of fielding only four specialist bowlers in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match against Odisha paid off handsomely as the bowling quartet delivered a dominant performance, putting Mumbai on the cusp of earning a bonus point.On Friday, the bowling group led by left-arm spinner Shams Mulani and Himanshu Singh restricted Odisha to 285 in their first innings, adding only 139 runs to their overnight tally. Mulani, who returned with a six-wicket haul, ran through the visitor's lower order, while Himanshu chipped in with three wickets.After skipper Ajinkya Rahane enforced the follow-on, the spin duo of Mulani and Himanshu continued to torment Odisha, reducing them to 126 for five at stumps. Had Aashirwad Swain not edged Himanshu to Rahane in the slips off the last ball of the day, Odisha may have hoped to bat out the final day.The quartet, especially Mulani and Himanshu, toiled tirelessly on day three. Of the 87.3 overs bowled, they accounted for 57.3 overs and shared nine of the 10 wickets that fell.Despite being tonked for three sixes in two overs in the morning session, including one that helped Sandeep Pattanaik celebrate his fifth First-Class hundred, Mulani made a strong comeback. Once Pattanaik played onto the stumps, the left-arm spinner raced to his 15th five-wicket haul.If substitute wicketkeeper Sidhaant Addhatrao, who donned the gloves for an unwell Hardik Tamore, had not dropped a thick edge off Debabrata Pradhan's blade to deprive Shardul Thakur a wicket early on, Mumbai would have fancied their chances of wrapping up the game with a day to spare.

India's remarkable 12-year winning streak on home soil came to an abrupt end with a clean sweep by New Zealand in the recently concluded Test series. This unprecedented defeat has sent shockwaves through the Indian cricket fraternity and raised questions about the team's future.The streak, which began in 2013, saw India dominate visiting teams at home, winning 42 and losing just four of 53 Tests. This dominance was built on a formidable spin attack led by Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who exploited the turning tracks prepared for home matches.However, the New Zealand series exposed some weaknesses in India's approach. The pitches, which were once considered fortresses for the spinners, failed to provide the same level of assistance, allowing the Kiwi batters to score freely. Additionally, India's batting lineup, which had been the backbone of their success, struggled against the disciplined bowling of the visitors.The defeat has raised concerns about the transition that India is facing. Ashwin and Jadeja, both in their late 30s, are nearing the end of their careers. The team's search for their successors has not yet yielded promising results. Similarly, the batting lineup, which has relied heavily on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, needs to find new stars to carry the mantle.The New Zealand series has served as a wake-up call for India. The team must now reassess its strategies and identify the areas that need improvement. The transition to a new generation of players will be challenging, but it is essential for India to maintain its status as a cricketing powerhouse.

India's T20I dominance continued as they outplayed South Africa by 61 runs in the series opener in Durban. Sanju Samson's record-breaking century and a clinical bowling performance laid the foundation for India's comprehensive victory.Chasing a formidable target of 203, South Africa's batting faltered from the outset. Skipper Aiden Markram's early dismissal set the tone for a shaky start. Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi wreaked havoc on the Proteas' middle order, claiming key wickets at regular intervals.Samson's blistering knock of 107 off 50 balls, featuring 10 towering sixes and seven fours, propelled India to a competitive total. His innings equaled Rohit Sharma's record for the most sixes in a T20I innings by an Indian player.Despite losing wickets towards the end, India's lower order held firm to cross the 200-run mark. Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav provided valuable contributions, while Tilak Varma added a quickfire 33.South Africa's response was marred by poor shot selection and a lack of partnerships. Gerald Coetzee's brief resistance of 23 off 11 balls proved futile as India's bowlers maintained a tight grip on the game.Bishnoi's three-wicket haul and Chakaravarthy's economical spell of 3/25 stifled South Africa's chase. The Proteas were eventually bowled out for 141 in 17.5 overs, handing India a commanding 1-0 lead in the four-match series.Samson's record-breaking century and India's clinical bowling performance set the stage for a dominant display in the remaining matches. The victory extends India's impressive run in T20I cricket and bodes well for their chances in the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

England's white-ball woes have been well-documented since their disappointing World Cup semi-final exit in 2023. With a new era dawning under Brendon McCullum, the T20I series against West Indies presents an opportunity for redemption.Jos Buttler, who missed the recent ODI series due to injury, will make his long-awaited return as captain. His presence will provide stability and experience to a squad that has been plagued by inconsistency. England's batting lineup boasts the likes of Liam Livingstone, Will Jacks, and Dan Mousley, who will look to provide fireworks.West Indies, too, have their own scars from the T20 World Cup, where they failed to reach the semi-finals despite strong form. They have since regrouped and will be eager to prove their worth against a formidable England side. The return of Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran, and Shimron Hetmyer will bolster their batting lineup, while Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie will provide spin options.The series will be played at Kensington Oval, a high-scoring venue that favors both batters and bowlers. The weather forecast predicts a hot day with a chance of showers, which could add an element of unpredictability.England will be keen to start their white-ball rebuild on a positive note, while West Indies will be determined to show that they remain a force to be reckoned with in the shortest format. The series promises to be a fascinating contest between two teams with a point to prove.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has advised Pakistan's Babar Azam to emulate Virat Kohli's approach to regain his lost form. Babar has been struggling for runs in recent Tests, prompting his omission from the last two matches against England.Ponting believes that Babar should consider taking a break from cricket to recharge, similar to what Kohli did earlier this year. Kohli's break proved beneficial, as he returned to form with a match-winning knock in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final."The biggest challenge is how they get Babar back into their side. They've got to find a way to get Babar back into form and back into their (Test) team," Ponting said in the ICC Review.Ponting suggested that Babar may be trying too hard and needs to step away from the game to clear his mind. "Maybe Babar needs to get away for a while and stop trying too hard. Lock the kit bag away for a while, and think about something else and then hopefully come back recharged," he said.Babar's Test record stands at 3,997 runs in 55 matches at an average of 43.92. However, he has not scored a half-century in his last 18 innings, dating back to late 2022.Pakistan's recent Test series victory over England, their first under Shan Masood's captaincy, has raised questions about Babar's future in the team. Ponting believes that Babar remains a world-class player but needs to find a way to rediscover his form."We know at his best he's as good as anyone going around. Hopefully, we get to see that in the back half of his career again," Ponting said.

Ahead of the highly anticipated five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia, the Indian men's cricket team management held a crucial meeting with the BCCI hierarchy. Captain Rohit Sharma, selection panel chairman Ajit Agarkar, head coach Gautam Gambhir (via teleconferencing), BCCI president Roger Binny, and secretary Jay Shah were present at the meeting held at the Cricket Centre in Mumbai.While the meeting was initially scheduled to take place during the Pune Test, it was postponed due to the BCCI office-bearers' inability to travel. However, the timing of the meeting has raised eyebrows, coming on the heels of India's humiliating 0-3 series whitewash at home against New Zealand. The series loss has also put India's chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship in jeopardy.Sources close to the team management have indicated that the meeting focused primarily on charting out a roadmap for the upcoming tour rather than dwelling on the New Zealand series debacle. With Shah set to take over as the ICC Chair on December 1, this meeting may be his last with the team management in his current capacity.The Indian squad will depart for Perth in two batches, on November 10 and 11. The first Test commences on November 22. The team management is under immense pressure to turn things around after the New Zealand series, which saw India revert to the rank-turner policy. While the policy backfired, it has put additional pressure on Gambhir and Rohit, who have had a forgettable 2024 with the willow in Tests.Despite the recent setbacks, the Indian team remains confident of putting up a strong fight against Australia. The team boasts a wealth of experience and talent, including the likes of Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Ravichandran Ashwin. However, they will need to adapt quickly to the Australian conditions and find a way to counter the formidable Australian bowling attack.