Cricket

The recent India A vs Australia A warm-up match has been marred by allegations of ball tampering against the visiting team. During the match, the umpires informed India A players that the ball had been changed due to tampering. Umpire Shawn Craig brought the development to Indian players' notice during the first unofficial Test.In a statement, Cricket Australia said that the ball had to be changed "due to deterioration", while both the managers and the captains were informed of the decision before the start of the day's play.Now, Fox Cricket has released a video of the exact stump mic conversation. Here's how it went:Shawn Craig: When you scratch it, we change the ball. No more discussion. Let's play. This is not a discussion.Ishan Kishan: So we are going to play with this ball?Craig: You're playing with that ball.Ishan: That's a very stupid decision.Craig: Excuse me. You will be on report for dissent. That is inappropriate behaviour. Because of your actions we changed the ball.Kishan: Thank you!Following that, a discussion took place in the Fox Cricket panel. The panel agreed that the way the Indian players showed dissent proved the 'might and force of India' in world cricket. David Warner's wife, Candice, was also part of the discussion. She said, "It just goes to show the power of India and how strong they are. A lot of these umpires want to be part of the IPL."One of the panelists then added: “India run the game. Every dollar that is raised in cricket, is raised by India. This change over the last few decades has been extraordinary.”According to a report in The Indian Express, a player, requesting anonymity, denied tampering allegations, suggesting a "nail from the sideboards may have brushed the ball."According to Cricket Australia's code of conduct, players involved in the ball tampering incident could be handed bans if the team is found to have intentionally changed the condition of the ball."Any action(s) likely to alter the condition of the ball which are not specifically permitted under Law 41.3.2 may be regarded as unfair," Cricket Australia's code of conduct reads.After the controversy spiralled up, Cricket Australia issued a statement saying, the ball change happened "due to deterioration."

India A's hopes of a Test recall for KL Rahul and other candidates suffered a setback as Australia A's Michael Neser wreaked havoc on their batting lineup on the opening day of their four-day clash at the MCG.Sent in on a green, bouncy pitch, India A collapsed to 65 for 5 at lunch, with Neser claiming 4 for 16 from eight overs. The damage began in the opening over when Neser dismissed Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan in consecutive deliveries.Rahul, who was hoping to impress as an opener, was caught behind for four by Scott Boland. Ruturaj Gaikwad also fell cheaply, edging Neser to second slip.Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel steadied the innings with a 43-run partnership, but Neser broke the stand with a superb delivery that induced Padikkal to slice a catch to gully.Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney rotated his bowlers effectively, with Nathan McAndrew, Beau Webster, and Corey Rocchiccioli providing support to Neser and Boland.India A's batting woes continued after lunch, with Jurel (24*) and Sarfaraz Khan (12*) holding on amidst the carnage. However, the visitors still face an uphill battle to recover from their disastrous start.

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has expressed concerns about the Indian cricket team's recent performances against New Zealand, attributing their struggles to a demanding schedule. Clarke believes that the team's mental fatigue is evident in their shot selection, bowling choices, and captain Rohit Sharma's admission of not being at his best.Despite these observations, Clarke remains optimistic about India's prospects in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series in Australia. He believes that key players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, once well-rested, will lead the team to a strong performance.Meanwhile, former Australian captain Aaron Finch has disagreed with Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar's views on India's captaincy. Gavaskar had suggested that in Rohit Sharma's absence, the team's vice-captain, Jasprit Bumrah, should captain India for the entire series to maintain continuity.Finch, however, believes that Rohit Sharma should remain the captain even if he misses the first Test or two due to personal reasons. He emphasized the importance of family moments and the need for Rohit to take the necessary time off.The much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar series, consisting of five Test matches between India and Australia, is scheduled to commence on November 22. The series is expected to be a closely contested affair, with both teams boasting talented players and a rich history of rivalry.

England's bowlers toiled hard but West Indies openers Brandon King and Keacy Carty put on a solid partnership to keep their team in the hunt in the second T20I at Kensington Oval.King led the charge with a commanding half-century, reaching the milestone with a boundary off Adil Rashid in the 19th over. Carty provided able support, contributing valuable runs throughout the innings.The West Indies openers started cautiously, with King and Carty scoring singles and twos in the early overs. However, they gradually grew in confidence and began to take on the England bowlers.King was particularly impressive, showcasing his power and timing with a series of boundaries. He reached his fifty off just 34 deliveries, including six fours and a six. Carty, on the other hand, played a more measured innings, rotating the strike and finding gaps in the field.England's bowlers struggled to contain the West Indies duo, with Jofra Archer and Sam Curran proving expensive. Rashid provided some respite with his leg-spin, but King and Carty were able to negotiate his deliveries with relative ease.As the innings progressed, the West Indies openers began to take more risks. King smashed a six off Rashid in the 17th over, while Carty hit a boundary off Liam Livingstone in the 16th.The partnership was eventually broken in the 20th over when King was caught at deep mid-wicket off Archer for 56. However, Carty remained unbeaten on 33, ensuring that the West Indies finished on a strong note.The West Indies will be pleased with their start to the innings, but they will need to continue to build on this platform and set a challenging total for England to chase.

In the decisive third ODI of the series, West Indies captain Shai Hope opted to bowl first after winning the toss at Kensington Oval. Both teams were eager to secure a rare ODI series victory.West Indies made two changes to their lineup, bringing in Romario Shepherd and Alzarri Joseph in place of Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph. Hope expressed uncertainty about the playing surface, stating, "We're not sure what we're going to get. Got to assess the conditions as a bowling group and put them under pressure."England also made two changes, with Reece Topley and Jamie Overton replacing John Turner and Saqib Mahmood. Overton, who has been playing as a specialist batter, was seen marking out his run-up before the toss. England captain Liam Livingstone echoed Hope's sentiments, saying he would have also chosen to bowl.West Indies had taken a 1-0 lead in the series with a rain-affected victory in the first ODI in Antigua. However, England bounced back in the second match, chasing down 329 at the same ground.Both teams have had limited bilateral ODI cricket in the past year. West Indies defeated England 2-1 in December, but subsequent series losses in Australia and Sri Lanka have hindered their progress in the rankings. England's last series win came against Ireland in September 2023.

Rohit Sharma's struggles in Test cricket have continued, with the Indian skipper failing to impress in the recent 0-3 series defeat against New Zealand. Sharma's poor form has raised concerns, with former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar identifying a "real problem" in his batting technique.Manjrekar believes that Sharma is attempting to clear the boundary with brute force rather than making proper connections. "He is missing a few of his big hits," Manjrekar said. "He is mis-hitting a lot of his attacking shots and he is not trusting his defense enough."Sharma's statistics in the Test series against New Zealand were disappointing, with the opener scoring just 91 runs at a strike rate of 68.42. His dismissal in the second innings, where he attempted to hit a boundary rather than make a solid connection, highlighted his technical issues.The series loss against New Zealand marked a low point for Sharma's captaincy, as he became the first Indian captain to concede a 3-0 Test series defeat on home soil. New Zealand's victory was historic, as they became the first team to win a long format series by 0-3 in India.Despite leading Team India to 12 victories in 21 Test matches, Sharma's recent performances have raised questions about his suitability as captain. His inability to score runs consistently in red-ball cricket has been a major concern, and Manjrekar's analysis suggests that technical flaws may be contributing to his struggles.If Sharma is to regain his form and lead India to success in Test cricket, he will need to address the issues identified by Manjrekar. He must rediscover his defensive technique and focus on making solid connections rather than attempting to hit every ball for a boundary.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction is fast approaching, and former South African cricketer AB de Villiers has shared his insights on Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) strategy. With Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal retained, RCB has a substantial Rs 83 crore available for auction.De Villiers believes that RCB's retention choices provide a solid foundation. He sees potential for the team to acquire impactful players who could make RCB a title contender. "The good news is we still have Virat. And we didn't spend too much with the retentions. There's a lot in the bank still, which I'm very happy about," de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.Kohli's consistency and leadership are crucial for RCB. His impressive 2024 season, where he scored 741 runs at a strike rate of 154.70, earned him the Orange Cap. However, de Villiers believes that Kohli alone is not enough; the squad needs more players with skills tailored for Chinnaswamy Stadium.De Villiers sees leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal as a priority: "Let's just get Yuzi back at RCB where he belongs. He should never have left." He also suggested a robust bowling unit, ideally including Chahal, Kagiso Rabada, and Ravichandran Ashwin. "We're talking about a tournament-winning attack there," he added.Additionally, de Villiers suggested Bhuvneshwar Kumar as an option if Rabada isn't available, highlighting his vision for a versatile, street-smart team that can excel on the home ground. "My four priority players are Yuzvendra Chahal, Kagiso Rabada, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Ravi Ashwin. We can make a plan with the rest of the money we have left in the auction. If you can't get Rabada, I get hold of Mohammed Shami. If you can't get him, get hold of Arshdeep Singh. So there's lots of options," he further added."We don't need a trophy. Forget about the trophy. We need a team that understands the Chinnaswamy, who are street smart, who can bowl to plans, who can play to plans, who has got a very good understanding about the game of cricket," de Villiers noted.With a calculated mix of spin, pace, and experience, RCB's potential auction strategy could be groundbreaking. As de Villiers suggests, RCB has a strong chance to build a winning formula with the right investments.

India's recent series loss to New Zealand has served as a wake-up call for the team, according to 1983 World Cup winner Sandeep Patil. Patil urged the team to leave the past behind and focus on the upcoming Australia tour, where they will face unique challenges.Patil emphasized the importance of learning from mistakes and adapting to the conditions in Australia, where the quality of the opposition and the nature of the pitches present significant hurdles. He believes that India's talented and resilient squad has the potential to bounce back from setbacks and achieve success in challenging conditions."They have to play against Australia in Australia, they will have to forget what happened there last time. They will also have to forget what happened in this series (against New Zealand) and look forward," Patil said.Patil drew parallels to India's historic World Cup victory in 1983, where the team overcame setbacks and played with a positive mindset. He believes that the current team can emulate that spirit and deliver a strong performance in Australia."We lost all practice games before winning the World Cup, so they should remember... you have to think positive and play positively only then you will get a positive result," he said.Patil acknowledged that the series loss to New Zealand was a wake-up call, but expressed confidence in India's ability to recover strongly. He pointed to the team's consistent pattern of resurgence after setbacks."After every defeat, you have always seen the Indian team bouncing back. Not because I am an Indian and we all are Indians, but they will bounce back because they are a very good side," he stated.Regarding the Perth pitch, Patil noted its evolution from its previous characteristics, whilst highlighting the generally favourable batting conditions in Australian grounds. He attributed the series loss against New Zealand to underwhelming batting performances rather than outright failure."We lost the series (against New Zealand) because the batting didn't do well. I will not use the word 'failed' because it is negative. We just did not do well in the batting department."Patil expressed confidence that the team would have analyzed their performance and made necessary adjustments. He believes that India has the potential to overcome recent setbacks and achieve success in Australia.

Wriddhiman Saha, the veteran Indian wicketkeeper, has decided to extend his playing career for one more season, thanks to the persuasion of former India captain Sourav Ganguly. Saha had initially planned to retire after the 2022 season, but Ganguly convinced him to stay on and finish his career with Bengal.Saha, who has been battling injuries in recent years, will only play in the Ranji Trophy this season. He has made it clear that he will not be available for the white-ball leg of the domestic season.The 38-year-old Saha has had a distinguished career, playing 40 Tests for India and scoring over 1300 runs. He has also been a key member of the Indian team in limited-overs cricket.Saha's decision to continue playing has been welcomed by the Bengal Cricket Association (CAB). CAB president Avishek Dalmiya said, "We are delighted that Wriddhiman has decided to play for Bengal this season. He is a great asset to the team and his experience will be invaluable."Saha is also looking forward to mentoring the young wicketkeepers in the Bengal team. He said, "I want to share as much knowledge as I have in cricket. I've already started doing that at a couple of academies back home."Saha's decision to continue playing is a testament to his love for the game. He is a true warrior who has overcome many challenges in his career. He is an inspiration to all young cricketers who dream of playing at the highest level.