Allan Donald, former South African pace bowler, believes that Indian pace bowlers need to be patient on the batting-friendly pitch at Newlands. He noted that the South African bowlers were more patient and used the short ball effectively in the second innings of the first Test. Donald also mentioned that spinners will have little role to play in the upcoming Test. He emphasized the importance of using the new ball judiciously and mentioned that once the ball gets old, India would need bowlers who can bowl short and full to create reverse swing.from Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Live Match Scores & Sports News Headlines, Results & more https://ift.tt/BT1J3Gy
The Indian cricket team hit the nets ahead of the second Test at Newlands in Cape Town. India's dream of winning a Test series in South Africa for the first time was ended inside three days. Virat Kohli hit an aggressive 76 for India. Dean Elgar was named man of the match. He has announced he will retire from international cricket after the second Test. With the series consisting of only two matches India can at best earn a share of the honours if they win the second Test.
Pakistan is expected to field the uncapped opener Saim Ayub in the final Test against Australia, replacing the experienced but criticized Imam ul Haq. Ayub, known for his T20I skills, has impressed with his positive attitude and range of strokes in limited First-Class games. Additionally, Pakistan is waiting on the fitness of spinner Abrar Ahmed, with Sajid Khan as a potential replacement. Ayub and Abrar/Sajid will take the places of Imam and Hasan Ali in the playing eleven. Australia currently leads the series 2-0.
South African fast bowler Gerald Coetzee has withdrawn from the second Test against India after developing pelvic inflammation during the first Test win in Centurion this week.
Sri Lanka appointed all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga as the captain of their Twenty20 side on Saturday ahead of their series against Zimbabwe next month, while batsman Kusal Mendis will lead their one-day international team.
Dean Elgar, retiring after the Test series against India, will captain the South African squad in place of injured Temba Bavuma. Cricket South Africa announced Bavuma's absence from the final Test due to a hamstring strain. Elgar previously led the team during India's tour of South Africa in 2021-22, where they made a comeback from 0-1 to win the series 2-1. Zubayr Hamza will replace Bavuma in the squad for the final Test in Cape Town, starting on January 3. Elgar has commanded the Proteas on previous occasions, including the most recent Test series when India toured South Africa.
India faced a devastating loss to South Africa in the opening Test match at Centurion. They were fined 10% of their match fees and lost two significant World Test Championship points. The ICC imposed the sanction after India failed to meet the minimum over-rate requirements. Captain Rohit Sharma pleaded guilty to the offence. With this penalty, India's ranking in the points standings dropped to sixth place. Before leaving for home, India will play one more Test in South Africa.
Avesh Khan has been named as a replacement for the injured Mohammed Shami in the second Test against South Africa, which will be held in Cape Town. The BCCI made this announcement after Shami was ruled out due to not receiving clearance from the medical team. India currently trails the two-Test series 0-1, having lost the first Test in Centurion. Avesh Khan, who performed well in the recent ODI series against South Africa, will join the Indian squad for the upcoming Test match.
The momentum that began with the Chess Olympiad 2022 has indeed yielded positive results, as India has now established a strong presence in World Chess. While chess has consistently held a prominent position in government initiatives due to India's success in global age-group events, the significant impact of private sponsorship and the involvement of accomplished individuals in the development programme has become truly evident only recently. Vishy Anand has played a pivotal role in catalyzing this progress.
Australia took the lead in Boxing Day Test against Pakistan at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon performed well, leaving Pakistan trailing at 194-6. Pakistan's hopes of winning a Test match in Australia for the first time since 1995 were dashed. Australia's batting performance was praised. Pakistan claimed seven wickets in the morning session, restricting the hosts to 318. Australia won the first Test of the three-match series in Perth by 360 runs.
Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya is likely to miss the T20I series against Afghanistan and the ICC T20 World Cup. Pandya sustained an ankle injury during the World Cup and has been out of action since then. He has not played international cricket and missed the T20I series against Australia and the tour to South Africa. Pandya recently joined Mumbai Indians as the new skipper, taking over from Rohit Sharma, who has led the franchise to five IPL title wins.
The Boxing Day Test, a cricket tradition, is played on December 26 every year. It originated in the United Kingdom and is now celebrated in various countries. In 1950, Australia and England played the first Boxing Day Test. Since then, it has become a prominent fixture in the cricket calendar. The match is traditionally held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia.
Pigeons have been a regular feature at the Melbourne Cricket Ground since generations and the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan was no different.
Shreyanka Patil, Mannat Kashyap, Saika Ishaque, and Titas Sadhu have been added to the Indian women's ODI squad for the limited overs match against Australia. The series will include three One-day Internationals and as many Twenty20 Internationals. Kashyap, Sadhu, and Ishaque were part of India's winning Under-19 World Cup team. Shreyanka made her debut in the T20I series against England and was named Player of the Match in the final game. The ODI series will take place at Wankhede Stadium, followed by the T20Is at DY Patil Stadium. India recently defeated Australia in a one-off women's Test match.
The Indian women's team achieved a historic Test win against Australia, marking a major landmark in Indian cricket. This win comes after their victory against England in a one-off Test. The team showcased their strength in home Tests, particularly with their spinners on turning tracks. Young players like Jemimah Rodrigues, Shubha Satheesh, Renuka Singh Thakur, and Richa Ghosh have excelled in Test cricket. The success of the team can be attributed to the new head coach, Amol Muzumdar, and the bowling coach, Troy Cooley.
Shami, who dazzled the World Cup with his unstoppable bowling, might not be part of the Indian Test squad in South Africa this time. However, his outstanding performance from five years ago serves as a warning that the Proteas batters should not underestimate the Indian bowling unit. While India will certainly feel the absence of Shami in the upcoming series, the formidable bowling combination of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will persist in spearheading a potent attack.
England bowler Tom Curran lost his appeal over a four-match Big Bash League (BBL) ban for intimidating an umpire, with Cricket Australia saying it was essential that officials were respected. The Sydney Sixers' Curran, who has played 30 T20 games for England, was slapped with the punishment following a pre-match incident against the Hobart Hurricanes this month.
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Gold medalist Virender Singh Yadav, also known as Goonga Pehalwan, declared that he will return his Padma Shri Award in protest against the appointment of Sanjay Singh as the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). He joins Bajrang Punia, who already returned his award. Sakshi Malik, a bronze medalist from the 2016 Rio Olympics, also announced her retirement from wrestling due to the same reason. The Sports Ministry considers Punia's decision personal but will attempt to persuade him to reconsider.
Richa Ghosh's brilliant run out of a baffled Beth Mooney highlighted Australia's plight in the one-off Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
Former England cricketer Ravi Bopara believes that England can defend the T20 World Cup title next year due to their strong T20 side. He emphasizes the importance of Ben Stokes for England in the T20 World Cup and mentions that India will need the presence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the tournament. Bopara also discusses the challenge for Hardik Pandya to fill in Rohit's shoes at Mumbai Indians, who have five IPL titles.
India have the upper hand in the one-off Test against Australia having scored 406 runs in their first innings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Former South Africa captain Dean Elgar has announced his retirement from international cricket. Elgar will retire after the two-Test series against India, commencing on December 26. He made his debut in 2012 and has played 84 Tests, scoring 5,146 runs at 37.28. Elgar has 13 centuries and 23 fifties to his name. He also had a successful stint as South Africa's Test captain, winning nine out of 19 matches. South Africa's director of cricket, Enoch Nkwe, praised Elgar's dedication and fearlessness.
Pakistan may rest Shaheen Shah Afridi for the third and final Test against Australia in Sydney to control his workload, following the negative reaction to Khurrum Shahzad's injury. Shahzad sustained a rib cage injury during the first Test in Perth and may be unable to play in the subsequent Tests. The team management wants to manage the workload of the fast bowlers, particularly Afridi, to prepare for the T20 World Cup. If Afridi doesn't perform well in the Melbourne Test and Pakistan loses, he will be rested for the final Test.
India captain KL Rahul conceded that a "phenomenal" Sanju Samson was finding it difficult to find a place in the side as stalwarts in the team occupy key spots, adding that he was pleased the talented cricketer grabbed his chance in the series against the Proteas. Samson, elevated to No.3 spot, smashed his maiden ODI century in the third and final match against the Proteas as India won by 78 runs to wrap up the series 2-1.
Tom Curran, England's fast-bowling all-rounder, has been banned for four matches in the Big Bash League (BBL) following a pre-match incident with an umpire. Cricket Australia charged Curran with a Level 3 offense under the Code of Conduct, citing his conduct during a practice run-up. Curran ran onto the pitch despite a verbal instruction, and the Match Referee charged him with intimidation or attempted intimidation of an umpire under Article 2.17 of the Code of Conduct.
New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra, a 22-year-old all-rounder, was a surprise at the IPL 2024 auction when his name was mentioned. He was initially interested from Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Chennai Super Kings. However, CSK secured his services for Rs 1.8 crore. Ravindra expressed his excitement and happiness for having a group of boys around him. His compatriot Daryl Mitchell also secured a deal with CSK, securing Rs 14 crore.
Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has raised doubts about Pat Cummins' high price tag in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gillespie believes that T20 cricket is not Cummins' strongest format, but supports Mitchell Starc's record-breaking deal. Cummins, the Australian captain, was involved in a bidding war for a contract worth Rs 20.50 crore. Gillespie believes that while Cummins is a top-quality bowler and great leader, he excels in Test cricket, which is where he excels.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) secured four pacers in the IPL 2024 Auction in Dubai, including West Indian Alzarri Joseph, New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson, pace-allrounder Tom Curran, and Yash Dayal. The club spent Rs 11.5 crore on Joseph, Rs 5 crore on Dayal, and Rs 2 crore and Rs 1.5 crore respectively on Ferguson and Curran.
New Zealand secured a 2-0 lead in their one-day international series against Bangladesh with a seven-wicket win in Nelson. Henry Nicholls contributed to the Black Caps' successful chase of Bangladesh's target of 292. Soumya Sarkar scored 169 off 151 balls for Bangladesh, guiding them to a respectable total of 291 all out. However, Bangladesh's ODI streak in New Zealand has been broken, as they have lost all 18 of their previous 50-over matches against the Black Caps.
With Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar inspiring his first name, the emerging batting talent from New Zealand, Rachin Ravindra, is set to mark his debut in the IPL under another Indian legend, MS Dhoni. CSK secured the services of the 24-year-old New Zealander for a notable sum of Rs. 1.8 crore. Ravindra, who made a significant impact in the recently concluded ODI World Cup, accumulated an impressive total of 578 runs, which included three centuries.
The IPL governing council handed the franchise a list of 1166, and after all the franchises gave their wish-list, it was pruned to 333. Out of them, 214 are Indians, 119 are overseas, and two are from associate nations. Rajasthan Royals (RR) initiated the bidding for the West Indian power-hitter Rovman Powell, sparking a heated contest with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). After a fierce back-and-forth, Royals ultimately secured Powell's services, sealing the deal at a substantial Rs 7.40 crore at the IPL 2024 auction in Dubai.
Uncapped seamer Ottniel Baartman is also out of the squad with the same injury, and has been replaced by Beuran Hendricks, who won the last of his eight ODI caps in 2021. No replacement has been named for Phehlukwayo.
In a historic moment for the Indian Premier League (IPL) players' auction, fans and spectators will be present for the first time to witness the bidding battle unfold at Dubai's Coca-Cola Arena on December 19. Team owners, coaches and officials have meticulously planned their strategic wishlists in alignment with their remaining budgets, and the prospect of welcoming fans to the auction hall adds an extra layer of excitement, promising an atmosphere unlike anything seen before.
Australia's Test captain, Pat Cummins, is optimistic about Nathan Lyon's future, predicting he could surpass Australian bowling legends Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath in Test wicket-tally. Lyon recently achieved 500 Test wickets in the first Test against Pakistan. Cummins believes Lyon can play for another four to five years, playing approximately 10 Test matches per year. He suggests Lyon could accumulate 40 to 50 Test matches, potentially adding more wickets to his current tally of 501.
Former Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy believes that David Warner could prolong his Test cricket career for another year if he maintains his impressive form in the first Test against Pakistan. Healy praised Warner's durability, fitness, footwork, balance, and ability to maintain pace between wickets. He suggested that if Warner continues to bat in such a manner, he could potentially prolong his Test career for another year.
Mumbai Indians declared on December 14 that Hardik would assume the captaincy for IPL 2024 season, marking the conclusion of Rohit Sharma's illustrious ten-year leadership stint. Rohit had taken on the captain's role midway through the 2013 IPL season and led the team to five IPL titles. Hardik led Gujarat to victory in the 2022 IPL season with a win over Rajasthan Royals in the final in Ahmedabad and now steps into the leadership position for Mumbai Indians.
Rohit has been a part of MI since 2011, assuming the position of team captain in 2013. Hardik, having previously played under Rohit at MI, later departed to captain Gujarat Titans. During his leadership, GT secured victory in the IPL during their inaugural season. Hardik returned to MI in the recent transfer window. With five IPL title victories under Rohit's captaincy, he shares the title of the most successful captain with MS Dhoni of the CSK.
It is very rare that the Kookubura ball (with which Tests are played in Australia), swings as late as after 70 overs. But this is exactly where the class of a bowler comes in. And there is no iota of doubt that Mitchell Starc is a world class bowler.
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Pace bowler Mohammed Siraj was awarded 'Impact Fielder of the T20I Series' after India's victory against South Africa. The 'Impact Fielder' award will now be given after each series instead of each game. Indian fielding coach T Dilip praised Rinku Singh and Yashasvi Jaiswal for their fielding skills. Siraj's performance in the T20I series and the ODI World Cup was commended by Dilip. Siraj expressed his delight upon receiving the medal, stating that he had been waiting for it since the World Cup.
New Zealand will play a home one-day series against Bangladesh to test new talent while resting a few of its more seasoned players. Kane Williamson and Tim Southee, among other senior players, will get rest days. Seamer William O'Rourke, 22, and all-arounder Joshua Clarkson, 26, are both eligible to make their international debuts. Adithya Ashok, a 21-year-old leg-spinner who was born in India, was also called up to the team following his Twenty20 debut in August.
The success of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has led to the emergence of potential captaincy contenders for the Mumbai Indians (MI) team. Hardik Pandya, who has a successful captaincy record with Gujarat Titans, is being considered as a successor in the post-Rohit Sharma era. Other captaincy options include Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav. Mitchell McClenaghan, a former MI player, praised Pandya's leadership skills and highlighted his close association with Kieron Pollard. McClenaghan also mentioned that Bumrah and Suryakumar could be viable options for the Indian team captaincy.
Despite facing these obstacles, at the age of 24, Green has become a pivotal player for the Australian team across all three formats. Hailing from Perth, he noted that the blood filtering capacity of his kidney function is currently at around 60 percent but has mostly experienced minimal impact from the disease in his playing career. Despite his experience of 24 Tests, Green was left out of the Perth squad for the opening Test against Pakistan, with Mitchell Marsh being favored instead.
Pakistan has announced its playing XI for the first Test against Australia, featuring two Test debutants and key players returning. Shan Masood, the team's skipper, has made significant changes to the squad. All-rounder Aamir Jamal and right-arm pacer Khurram Shahzad will make their Test debuts. Jamal made his international debut in 2022 against England and represented Pakistan at the 19th Asian Games. Shahzad is making his first appearance for the national Test team.