June 7, 2023 – https://bhartiyanews24x7.com

7Jun

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Love batting under shadow of Steve Smith: Travis Head

Australia’s Travis Head in action. | Photo Credit: Reuters Australia batter Travis Head loves batting under the shadow of Steve Smith as it helps him perform at his best.Head’s counter attacking 146 not out off 156 balls put Australia in a commanding position after day one of the World Test Championship final against India on Wednesday.He shared an unbeaten 251-run stand with Smith who is five runs shy of a hundred.Also Read | WTC Final 2023: Head and Smith run India ragged with huge stand on Day 1“I've always said I do really enjoy batting with Steve because of how much attention he receives. He’s one of the best players in the world, probably our best player," said Head.“He’s our best batter, he’s unbelievable in these conditions, and he receives so much attention from opposition in...

7Jun

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A relentless drive for greatness has catapulted conqueror Dhoni into a common man’s hero

M.S. Dhoni was nervous.He was watching a familiar and, for him, once-his-bread-and-butter phase unfold in the IPL 2023 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The end overs of a run chase that have been so central to his life, where he has played and won so many matches, including the biggest of his life — the 2011 ODI World Cup final against Sri Lanka — and served as the ultimate cricket talisman and guru for his teammates.But he had never been spotted like this — the version of himself that has for the past two decades mostly been hidden from the public eye — the emotionally-laden leader of sorts. It is a quality that does not always come easily to him, and no one would begrudge one of the most scrutinised cricketers in the world if he wanted to seal off parts of himself. Emo...

7Jun

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Not picking Ravichandran Ashwin was purely based on conditions, bowling coach Mhambrey defends flop move

India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said the tough decision to leave out the world’s number one ranked bowler Ravichandran Ashwin from the World Test Championship final was based purely on conditions. Conditions have been cold and overcast at The Oval, especially in the morning, over the past three days but day one saw bright sunshine in the afternoon and evening session. “It is always a very difficult decision to drop a champion bowler like him. Looking at the conditions in the morning we thought an additional seamer would be beneficial. “It has also worked in the past for us. Seamers have done well out here for us. You can always look back and say that additional spinner would have been beneficial but we took the call looking at the conditions,” said Mhambrey, after Australia reached 3...

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WTC Final 2023: Head and Smith run India ragged with huge stand on Day 1

Piling it on: Despite making early inroads, Head’s counter-attack and Smith’s solidity meant India had a forgettable opening day. Not for the first time on a big occasion, India erred with its team composition to let the advantage slip. On a day when the sun shone bright for the most part, India left out ace spinner R. Ashwin. The off-spinner watched from the sidelines even as The Oval pitch provided a tempting mix of uneven bounce.A tenacious Australian batting line-up made the most of the miss, moving to a comfortable 327 for three at the end of the first day of the ICC World Test Championship final here on Wednesday.Deflating the pressureAshwin’s absence hit home when Umesh Yadav, his replacement in the eleven, was handled with ease. Umesh, who came into the attack at first change,...

7Jun

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WTC final: Day One at the Oval goes pear-shaped for Team India

As the evening meandered on, an inaudible wail of helplessness rang around the stadium from India’s deflated bowlers. All they might have wanted was the ordeal of the harrowing day to end soon, to begin fresh anew. But the trauma would drag on, until stumps were drawn at the score of 327/3, most of the runs scored by Travis Head (146) and Steve Smith (95) in an unbroken 251-run stand. The bowlers and fielders stuttered tiredly into the dressing, with knackered limbs and battered minds, looking pensively towards the sky.The insipid evening, or even the spiritless afternoon, when Head freewheeled to an audacious hundred in the company of a serene Smith, would hurt them less than the wasted morning. It’s the same heart-breaking narrative that touring Indian sides have endured for as long a...

7Jun

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WTC Final, IND vs AUS Highlights: Travis Head, Steve Smith shine as Australia post 327/3 at stumps on Day 1 against India | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: In a stunning display of counter-attacking batting, Travis Head propelled Australia to a commanding position on the opening day of the World Test Championship final on Wednesday. His scintillating hundred left the Indian bowling attack bereft of ideas as Australia reached an impressive 327 for 3 under bright sunshine at The Oval.After being sent in to bat first, Australia faced an out-of-sorts Indian attack that seemed to lack the necessary penetration. India's decision to leave out the experienced Ravichandran Ashwin backfired, as the pitch offered little assistance to their bowlers once the sun came out.As it happened: WTC Final, Day 1Head, with his aggressive stroke play, turned the tide in Australia's favour. Partnering with the ever-dependable Steve Smith, Head amassed a...

7Jun

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Steve Smith is best Test batter of this generation: Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has rated Australian Steve Smith as the best Test batter of this generation, considering his consistency and “unbelievable” average of scoring runs. Kohli’s comments on Smith would be a huge accolade on the Australian as it came from another batting stalwart of the current generation. “According to me, Steve Smith is the best Test player of this generation. He has displayed that, his adaptability is absolutely brilliant. You take any cricketer of this generation,” Kohli said ahead of the ongoing World Test Championship final between India and Australia. “Everybody knows his record, in 85-90 Tests, he has an average of 60 which is quite unbelievable. The consistency and impact with which he scores runs, I haven’t seen any Test player doing that in last 10 years. It is credit ...

7Jun

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IND vs AUS Test: Virat Kohli says Steve Smith is best Test batter of this generation | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli has bestowed high praise upon the Australian batsman Steve Smith, acknowledging him as the finest Test batter of their generation. Kohli's admiration for Smith stems from his remarkable consistency and the "unbelievable" average at which he consistently scores runs.Kohli's resounding endorsement of Smith carries immense significance, given that it emanates from a fellow batting stalwart of this era. By recognizing Smith's exceptional skills and unwavering performance in Test cricket, Kohli's words serve as a significant accolade for the Australian maestro."According to me, Steve Smith is the best Test player of this generation. He has displayed that, his adaptability is absolutely brilliant. You take any cricketer of this generation," Kohli said ahead of the ongoi...

7Jun

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Mustachioed hero Travis Head wallops India to submission in WTC final

It’s a familiar Australian story. Grow a moustache in tough times and transform into a mean, macho super-hero. It worked for legends down the ages, from Dennis Lillee and Allan Border to David Boon and Mitchell Johnson. It is working for Travis Head, the country’s new moustache-flaunting hero. Head’s furry crop of facial hair is not as intimidating as those of Johnson or Merv Hughes, or as handsome as that of Greg Chappell, but it embellishes his new-fangled image of a cold-eyed counterpuncher, the ice-hearted anti-hero in an 80’s movie.From his career-salvaging Ashes hundred in Brisbane, he has repeatedly emerged as Australia’s unflinching man for crisis, the man to seize moments, the distant inheritor of the Adam Gilchrist role of shutting out all windows of the adversary’s hope in th...

7Jun

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Carrot of international cricket will stay for a while, players need to be paid adequately: Ross Taylor | Cricket News – Times of India

LONDON: New Zealand great Ross Taylor feels time has come to pay cricketers adequately to keep them interested in playing international cricket or else more players will give up their national contracts.New Zealand pacer Trent Boult is one of the biggest names in world cricket to have withdrawn from his national contract as he wanted to spend more time with family and make himself available for T20 franchise cricket.England opener Jason Roy too gave up his incremental contact with the ECB for more lucrative opportunities in leagues around the world.“As it stands, players have to think about their futures and their longevity. I don't see a mass exodus when they are young. I definitely see it coming from players who are towards the end of their careers. That happens in other sports too,” ...

7Jun

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ISSF Junior World Cup: Silver for India in rapid fire pistol team event | More sports News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: On the penultimate day of the ISSF Junior Shooting World Cup, the Indian contingent achieved remarkable success in the men's 25m rapid fire pistol team event, securing a silver medal. The team comprised Sameer, Rajkanwar Singh Sandhu, and Jatin, who showcased exceptional shooting skills and teamwork.In the individual event, Sameer added another silver medal to India's tally, while Mahesh Anandakumar clinched the bronze. The gold medal went to France's Yan Chesnel.Impressively, three out of the six qualified shooters in the men's rapid fire pistol event were Indians. Rajkanwar finished third in the qualifiers with a score of 577, Sameer secured the fourth spot with 577, and Mahesh claimed the sixth qualifying position with a score of 575.In the final, Yan Chesnel emerged victo...

7Jun

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International Boxing Association to be stripped of recognition-IOC

The International Olympic Committee executive board on Wednesday recommended withdrawing recognition of the International Boxing Association (IBA) over its failure to meet a set of reforms but also confirmed that the sport would be part of the Los Angeles 2028 summer Games. The IOC suspended the IBA in 2019 over governance, finance, refereeing and ethical issues and did not involve it in running the boxing events at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. It had also provisionally excluded the sport from the Los Angeles 2028 Games. The decision now only needs the rubberstamping of the IOC session !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.qu...

7Jun

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Travis Head puts Australia on front foot against India with first WTC final hundred

Displaying counter attacking brand of cricket, Travis Head rescued Australia after they lost an early wicket – their third – early after Lunch on the first day of the 2023 World Test Championship Final with his sixth Test Hundred. It was a fourth century for Head in the ongoing WTC cycle. Laced with 14 fours and one maximum, Head reached the triple figure mark off 106 deliveries. Coming in to bat following Marnus Labuschagne’s dismissal off Mohammed Shami’s incoming delivery, Head partnered up with Steve Smith and had orchestrated a 150 plus run stand for the fourth wicket by the time he scored his century. “Travis Head just kept playing his shots. I felt the Indians, when in the early overs – they pitched up – didn’t get anything, they should’ve just bowled short at him for four-I five...

7Jun

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Jude Bellingham: Real Madrid to sign Bellingham from Dortmund for 103 million euros | Football News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund have confirmed that English teenager Jude Bellingham will be making a move to Real Madrid for a transfer fee exceeding 100 million euros ($107 million). The announcement was made in Berlin on Wednesday, with Dortmund stating that a "mutual agreement" had been reached between the two clubs for the 19-year-old's transfer in the upcoming summer.According to Dortmund, they will receive a fixed fee of 103 million euros, along with a variable amount that could potentially reach up to 30 percent of the fixed transfer fee, depending on team and player bonuses.Bellingham, widely regarded as one of the most promising talents in the world of football, joined Dortmund from Birmingham City in 2020 for a fee of 25 million euros. Since then, he has made 1...

7Jun

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Lionel Messi to join Inter Miami after PSG exit: Report | Football News – Times of India

Lionel Messi will snub a lucrative contract in Saudi Arabia and move to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami as a free agent after parting ways with French champion Paris St Germain, the BBC reported on Wednesday.Messi, who played his final game for PSG over the weekend, was also linked with a return to Barcelona but the Spanish club have had their hands tied due to LaLiga's financial fair play rules.Should the deal with Miami go through, the 35-year-old Argentine will play outside Europe for the first time since he joined Barca's academy at the age of 13 and became the Spanish club's all-time record goalscorer with 672 goals.Messi had wanted to go to a club where he could eventually have an ownership stake, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told Reuters this week. He also wan...

7Jun

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Iga Swiatek outclasses Coco Gauff to reach French Open semi-finals

Holder Iga Swiatek was tested by American sixth seed Coco Gauff in a rematch of their 2022 French Open title clash but the world number one showed her class to secure a 6-4 6-2 victory and reach the semi-finals on Wednesday. The top seed will take on Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia in the last four as she continues her bid for a third crown in four years at Roland Garros and her fourth Grand Slam title overall. Swiatek has adopted a more ruthless approach to her title defence dishing out four bagels in as many rounds but the Pole found the going tougher against a determined Gauff in the see-sawing opening set on Court Philippe Chatrier. After drawing first blood, she allowed Gauff to hit back and level up at 3-3 by crashing a volley into the net before getting back on track to take the adv...

7Jun

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Heart-touching fan moments at French Open 2023

7Jun

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Iga Swiatek outclasses Coco Gauff to reach French Open semi-finals | Tennis News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Defending champion Iga Swiatek secured her spot in the French Open semi-finals with a convincing victory over Coco Gauff. This clash served as a rematch of last year's final, and Swiatek, the top seed, once again displayed her dominance, winning the match 6-4, 6-2.With this win, Swiatek, currently ranked as the world number one, further enhanced her exceptional record at Roland Garros, standing at an impressive 26-2. Her victory against the talented 19-year-old Gauff marked the seventh consecutive triumph for Swiatek in their head-to-head encounters.Having showcased her prowess on the clay courts of Paris, Swiatek now sets her sights on the semi-finals, where she will face Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia.Swiatek has adopted a more ruthless approach to her title defence dishing o...

7Jun

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Wrestlers agree to suspend protest till June 15 on government’s request | More sports News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: In a significant development, the protesting wrestlers decided to temporarily suspend their protest for a week after the government requested them to await the completion of the police investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, by June 15.Following a lengthy meeting with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, which lasted close to six hours, the wrestlers announced that the government had also assured them that the police would withdraw the First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against them.These wrestlers had been booked for violating law and order on May 28 when they marched towards the new Parliament building without permission to hold a gathering called 'Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat' (Women's Resp...

7Jun

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French open: Ons Jabeur’s Grand Slam dream in tatters after loss to Haddad Maia

Seventh seed Ons Jabeur’s hopes of becoming the first African woman to win a Grand Slam singles title lay in ruins on Wednesday after her 3-6 7-6(5) 6-1 defeat by Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia in the French Open quarter-finals.Jabeur was bidding to reach her third Grand Slam semi-final in less than a year but her plans were scuppered by the 14th-seeded left-hander who battled back bravely to book her own maiden last-four appearance in a major.The world number 14 became the first Brazilian woman since Maria Bueno in 1968 to reach a Slam semi-final and the first female player from her country to book a last-four spot at Roland Garros in the Open Era. The first Brazilian woman to reach the Roland-Garros semifinals in the Open Era 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/rCsWRGahDr — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarro...