Cricket

Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has expressed his views on India's chances in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia. While acknowledging India's recent dominance over Australia in Test cricket, Gavaskar believes that a 4-0 victory for India in Australia is unlikely.Gavaskar emphasized that India's focus should be solely on winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, rather than on qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. He stated, "Don't talk about the World Test Championship final. Now just focus on trying to win the series in Australia."Gavaskar's prediction is based on the formidable nature of the Australian team in their home conditions. He believes that India can realistically aim for a 3-1 victory, but a 4-0 sweep is an ambitious target.India has won the previous four Test series against Australia, all by a margin of 2-1. However, Gavaskar believes that Australia will be a different proposition in their own backyard.Despite Gavaskar's cautious optimism, India's recent record against Australia provides some hope. India has won two Test series in Australia in the past decade, including a historic 2-1 victory in 2018/19.The WTC scenario is also complex. While India needs four wins to guarantee qualification for the final, it is unlikely that they will need to win all. Other nations in contention for the WTC final, such as Australia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and New Zealand, will face each other and potentially hamper each other's results.Overall, Gavaskar's prediction reflects a realistic assessment of India's chances in Australia. While a 4-0 victory may be a stretch, India has the potential to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and continue their recent dominance over Australia in Test cricket.

Virat Kohli's recent decision to stay in New Zealand after India's Test series loss has sparked speculation about his future with the team. Despite India's humiliating 0-3 whitewash, Kohli appeared in good spirits as he celebrated his 36th birthday with wife Anushka Sharma.Kohli's form has been a major concern for fans and experts alike. Despite India's T20 World Cup triumph in 2024, Kohli has struggled for runs in all formats. In the recent Test series against New Zealand, he failed to cross the 100-run mark cumulatively.Questions have been raised about Kohli's continuity in the team, particularly in the Test format. While he has already retired from T20 internationals, some wonder if his days in India's Test team could be numbered.Kohli has been selected for India's upcoming tour of Australia, where he will have a chance to prove his worth. However, his recent form has raised doubts about his ability to lead India's batting charge Down Under.Experts believe that Kohli has the potential to turn things around, but others worry that a Test retirement could be on the horizon if he fails to improve his performance.Kohli's future with the Indian team remains uncertain. His performance in Australia will be crucial in determining his fate. If he can regain his form and lead India to success, he will silence his critics. However, if he continues to struggle, his days in the Test team could be numbered.

The India vs New Zealand Test series concluded with a resounding 3-0 sweep in favor of the visitors, largely due to the exceptional bowling performance of Ajaz Patel. The Kiwi spinner emerged as the leading wicket-taker of the series, claiming an astonishing 15 wickets in three matches, including a remarkable 11-wicket haul at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.Despite Patel's impressive tally, former India batter Mohammad Kaif has dismissed the spinner's quality, claiming that India has bowlers of his caliber in every club. Kaif criticized the Indian team for allowing Patel to take so many wickets, attributing it to poor batting rather than exceptional bowling."Ajaz Patel didn't bowl well," Kaif said in a social media video. "If you look at his pitch map, he bowled two full-tosses, two short balls, and two length deliveries but still managed to take wickets."Kaif also ridiculed New Zealand's part-time spinner Glenn Phillips, who claimed four wickets in the Mumbai Test. "Glenn Phillips is a part-timer and he doesn't know how to bowl good deliveries," Kaif said. "We lost to part-timers and not to quality spinners."The only New Zealand spinner who earned Kaif's praise was Mitchell Santner, who took 11 wickets in the Pune Test before being ruled out of the final match due to injury. "Santner did bowl well," Kaif said. "The bowling he produced in Pune was a classic Test match performance."Kaif's comments have sparked debate among cricket fans and experts. Some have questioned his assessment of Patel's bowling, while others have agreed with his criticism of the Indian batting. Regardless of the differing opinions, Patel's performance in the series has undoubtedly been a major factor in New Zealand's dominant victory.

The recent Test series between India and New Zealand has reignited the debate over the duration of the longest format of cricket. With matches increasingly ending within three days, former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar believes it's time to officially reduce Tests to four days.Vengsarkar argues that the financial burden on weaker ICC members is a significant factor. He points out that teams like the West Indies struggle to afford travel and expenses for five-day Tests. Additionally, he believes it's unfair to sell tickets for five days when matches are often over in three.The advent of DRS has also contributed to the shorter duration of Tests. Marginal decisions now favor bowlers, making it more challenging for batters to survive. The post-T20 era has also seen a decline in batting technique and temperament, as head coach Gautam Gambhir has noted.Vengsarkar's proposal has been echoed by other former players, including Michael Vaughan and Shane Warne. The ICC considered the idea of four-day Tests in 2018, but the MCC, the custodians of cricket laws, ultimately decided to maintain the five-day format.However, the MCC did acknowledge some benefits of four-day Tests. In recent years, there have been a few sanctioned four-day Tests, including England vs. Ireland in 2023 and South Africa vs. Zimbabwe. In India, Ranji Trophy matches are played over four days.Another aspect of the Mumbai Test was the enthusiastic crowd attendance. Vengsarkar suggests that the BCCI should schedule Tests only in major cities and metros, while awarding white-ball matches to smaller centers. He believes that Test cricket should be concentrated in venues like New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Chennai.

The dominance of left-arm spinners in Test cricket against India has become increasingly evident in recent years, with the likes of Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner wreaking havoc on Indian batters. While the quality of pitches and the advent of DRS have contributed to this trend, there are also fundamental flaws in the technique of modern-day batsmen that have exacerbated the problem.Former India batter WV Raman attributes the decline in batsmanship against left-arm spin to the T20 mindset, which emphasizes hard hands and a bat that doesn't come down straight. This makes the outside edge more vulnerable to balls that turn away. Rahul Dravid was a notable exception, but his ability to adjust his bat at the point of contact is a rare skill.Sunil Subramaniam, another former left-arm spinner, believes that the tendency to play beside the line and jab at the ball is making modern-day batters susceptible to left-arm spin. This is in contrast to the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, who rarely struggled against the ball turning away playing a defensive shot.Subramaniam also highlights the importance of playing spinners from the hands, rather than trying to read them from the pitch. This becomes particularly challenging on sharp turners.The absence of Cheteshwar Pujara, who possessed the correct technique to deal with left-arm spin, has further weakened India's batting lineup.

Former Pakistan cricket star Basit Ali has heaped praise on Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant, suggesting that he should be sold for a staggering Rs 50 crore in the upcoming IPL 2025 Auction. Pant's exceptional performance in the third Test against New Zealand, despite India's massive loss, has impressed Ali.Ali noted that Pant made the pitch appear "flat" during his innings, showcasing his exceptional shot selection. While media reports have estimated Pant's value at Rs 25 crore, Ali believes his abilities warrant a much higher price tag."Rishabh Pant scored 60 in the first innings and 64 in the second. What can I say about this kid? People say he should go for INR 25 crore in the IPL auction. However, I think he should be sold for INR 50 crore. When he batted on this pitch, it seemed like a flat track. He hit wherever he wanted to but his shot selection was good," Ali said on his YouTube channel.With the likes of Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami available in the auction pool, IPL team owners are eagerly anticipating the event. Pant, in particular, is expected to be the cynosure of all eyes.The Rs 75 crore retention cap on international players and the availability of Right To Match cards will make the auction intriguing. Teams with exhausted retention quotas will need to recruit at least 15 more players for a lesser sum. However, teams like Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have ample funds to make significant bids.Unprecedentedly, three IPL captains - Pant of Delhi Capitals, Iyer of Kolkata Knight Riders, and Rahul of Lucknow Super Giants - will be back in the auction pool. In Pant's case, it is believed that he was unhappy with the curtailment of his powers by the co-owners and the appointment of Hemang Badani as head coach and Y Venugopal Rao as Team Director.

The Indian cricket team's hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) have taken a significant blow following their 3-0 whitewash at home against New Zealand. The defeat has raised concerns about the team's preparation and confidence ahead of their defense of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Australia.Adding to the team's woes is the possibility of captain Rohit Sharma missing the opening Test of the BGT due to personal reasons. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes it is crucial to have clarity about the leadership well before the start of such an important tour."Captain should play the opening Test. It would have been different had he been injured. But if a captain is not available right in the first Test match of the series, then it would put a lot of pressure on the deputy leader and that is not easy," Gavaskar said.Gavaskar suggested that the BCCI should appoint Rohit's deputy, Jasprit Bumrah, as the captain for the entire series if Rohit's availability remains uncertain. He emphasized the need for clear communication from the chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, to Rohit."We see reports saying Rohit won't play the opening Test, and we don't know yet about his availability for the second Test. If that is true, then Agarkar should right now tell him, 'Whatever you wish to do, you can, whether you want to take rest, you can, that is a personal reason; but for this tour you can only participate as a player. You can join the Indian squad whenever you want, but for this tour, we are naming the vice-captain as the leader'," Gavaskar said.Gavaskar stressed the importance of having a clear captaincy situation, especially after the disappointing loss to New Zealand. "There should be clarity because we lost 0-3 against New Zealand, so the captain has to be there. Indian cricket is the most important thing. Had India won the New Zealand series 3-0, it would have been a different case."The Indian team will be hoping to bounce back from their recent setbacks and put up a strong performance in the BGT. However, the absence of Rohit Sharma and the uncertainty surrounding the captaincy could pose significant challenges for the team.

Virat Kohli, the batting maestro, celebrates his 36th birthday today. While he may have wished to commemorate this special occasion with a Test victory over New Zealand, as he did on his 35th birthday during the ODI World Cup, he finds himself navigating a challenging period in his cricketing career.Despite the current setbacks, Kohli remains an unparalleled icon, having led India to numerous memorable victories and etched unforgettable moments in the hearts of cricket enthusiasts. As he prepares for the upcoming tour of Australia, where India will face five Tests for the Border Gavaskar Trophy, let's revisit some of his remarkable records:* Most ODI Centuries: Kohli surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 ODI centuries with a magnificent 117 against New Zealand in the ODI World Cup semifinal last year.* Fastest to 13,000 ODI Runs: Kohli broke another Tendulkar record by reaching the milestone of 13,000 ODI runs in just 267 innings, while Tendulkar achieved it in 321 innings.* Most Runs in an ODI Series and World Cup: Kohli's 765 runs during the 2023 ODI World Cup stand as the highest tally in the tournament's history, earning him the 'Player of the Tournament' award.* Most Hundreds Against One Team: Kohli's 10 centuries across formats against Sri Lanka are the most by a batsman against a single team.* Most Player of the Series Awards (T20Is): Kohli's 7 'Player of the Series' awards in T20Is are the most by any cricketer.* Most Player of the Series Awards (All Formats): Kohli has won an impressive 21 'Player of the Series' awards across ODIs, T20Is, and Tests.* Most Fifties in T20Is: The batting icon has scored 39 T20I half-centuries, the highest by any batsman.As Kohli embarks on the challenging tour of Australia, his fans and the cricketing world eagerly await his return to form. His determination and resilience have always been his hallmarks, and he will undoubtedly strive to overcome this temporary setback and continue to inspire generations of cricketers.

Phil Salt will continue to don the wicketkeeping gloves for England in the upcoming T20I series against the West Indies, despite the return of regular skipper Jos Buttler. Buttler, who has been sidelined for several months due to a calf strain, has been a mainstay behind the stumps for England in T20Is, having kept in 106 of his last 108 matches.However, Salt has been given the nod to keep in the T20I series, having impressed in the ongoing ODI series against the West Indies. The 26-year-old has kept in 13 of his 59 games for England across formats and has been preferred over Jordan Cox, who will take over the wicketkeeping duties for the upcoming Test series in New Zealand.Salt expressed his delight at being given the opportunity to keep, saying, "I enjoy keeping. I feel like that's where I offer most to the side." He acknowledged that he hasn't kept much for England recently but is eager to contribute in any way he can.Buttler's return to the team has raised questions about the long-term wicketkeeping arrangements for England. However, Salt indicated that there have been no discussions about the future beyond the current series. "I'm just glad to be doing it at the moment," he said.Salt's performances in the ODI series have been mixed. He scored 18 and 59 in the first two matches, with his half-century helping England tie the series in the second game. However, he has struggled to find consistency in ODIs, averaging only 24.30 in his last ten matches.Salt admitted that he needs to improve his strike rate and prolong his innings in 50-over cricket. "I know I could have got more runs," he said. "I think for myself it's how do I drop the strike rate and pump the average… prolonging my innings and extending partnerships."Despite the challenges, Salt remains optimistic about his future in ODI cricket. He believes that with more experience and opportunities, he can become a valuable asset to the team. "I'd love something like a domestic 50-over competition," he said. "I'd love the opportunity to play in that so you can get the rhythm and it's not always stop-start."