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Tag: Ajinkya Rahane

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India’s Test losses: a result of stereotypes and the quest for balance

A harsh summer, scorching at 30 degrees by English standards, may be sweeping across the British Isles but India failed to turn on the heat in the recently concluded World Test Championship final at London’s Oval. The tepid performance and Australia’s resultant 209-run triumph again dished out an Indian tale of being ‘so near and yet so far’ from a coveted piece of ICC silverware.The defeatist tropes were at play yet again ranging from the insensitive ‘tigers at home, lambs abroad’ dirge on social-media to genuine queries about team-composition, decision-making and batting meltdowns. England, even in summer, can be an amalgam of warm sun, low-slung clouds, hint of rain and perhaps those odd streaks of a nip in the air. Still as a combine they cannot be reasons to bench wily spinner R. A...
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Rahane, Shardul rise in ICC Test rankings; Ashwin maintains top spot among bowlers

India’s Ajinkya Rahane, right, reacts to India’s Shardul Thakur after scoring 50 runs on the third day of the ICC World Test Championship Final between India and Australia at The Oval cricket ground in London on June 9, 2023. File | Photo Credit: AP India's comeback man Ajinkya Rahane on June 14 climbed to the 37th position while Shardul Thakur rose to 94th among batters, even as Ravichandran Ashwin maintained his top spot among Test bowlers despite not featuring in the World Test Championship final.In a rare achievement, batters from Australia occupy the top three places in the rankings as Steve Smith and Travis Head joined top-ranked Marnus Labuschagne following their centuries in the WTC final win against India at The Oval.Despite India's 209-run loss in the marquee match, Rahane's...
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ICC Test Rankings: Australia batters claim rare top three spots in latest Rankings | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: In a rare occurrence, Australian batters grabbed the top three spots in the latest Test rankings released by the International Cricket Council on Wednesday.Player of the Match in the World Test Championship Final Travis Head (884 rating points), who scored 163 in the first innings, jumped three places to join Marnus Labuschagne (1st - 903 rating points) and Steve Smith (2nd - 885 rating points) in the the batting chart. It was 39 years ago in December 1984 when three batters from the same side occupied the top three spots in the Test rankings. At that time, Gordon Greenidge (810), Clive Lloyd (787), and Larry Gomes (773) from West Indies formed the top three.Usman Khawaja, who is 9th in the Test rankings with 777 rating points makes it four Australians in the top 10.India's c...
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Onus on selectors as half the Indian team approaches the tricky age of 35

Is the future of Indian cricket arriving faster than expected, and are we formally in the transition stage with a new captain and a new head coach to take over soon? The losses in two consecutive finals of the World Test Championship (WTC) might suggest that the Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma period is ending. India haven’t done too badly, twice making it to the final, but there was a tiredness about the Oval performance, a lack of spark that suggested a world-beating team calibrated to ‘repeat’, and repeating its mistakes endlessly. It brings the efficiency of the support staff into question. Even Ravi Shastri, that votary of the IPL (who once called Lalit Modi ‘Moses’ for taking cricket into a new world) has said that to prepare for the WTC, players will have to miss the IPL. It will be int...
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WTC Final: With Indian middle-order batters past their prime, is it time for transition? | Cricket News – Times of India

The Indian middle-order has been in the ICU for a while and it is clear that the batters are past their primeWell stocked with most things that money can buy, the BCCI and members of the Indian cricket team brains trust could probably invest in the humble mirror - so that they can take a good look at themselves and where their cricket is heading after yet another reversal in a global tournament.After their 209-run loss to Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at the Oval on Sunday, and the statements coming from the Indian camp, one feels that the time to look in the mirror cannot come sooner.09:31Another WTC Final, another loss for Team IndiaHead coach Rahul Dravid, who has been ultra-conservative with selection and tactics, chose to let his celebrated batting line-up of...
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‘Sometimes it can happen’: McGrath on India’s capitulation in WTC final vs Australia – Times of India

CHENNAI: "Sometimes it can happen", was what fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath said on Monday about India's capitulation in the World Test Championship final against Australia in London.India suffered a crushing 209-run defeat to Australia on the fifth day of the summit clash at the Oval on Sunday."Sometimes, it can happen like that. Yeah, conditions in England are a lot different to what Indian cricket has been playing in.Sometimes that happens that way, it's called that bit of dressing room pressure," McGrath, who is Director of Coaching at MRF Pace Foundation, told reporters here."Both teams haven't played a lot of Test cricket lately but that's the way it goes. You get on a bit of a roll going into that last day, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane needed to put on a big partnership. You...
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Has the most consistent Indian Test team lost its best shot at glory? | Cricket News – Times of India

LONDON: Consistency has been the hallmark of the Indian Test team over the past five years but after its second successive failure in a WTC final, has it lost its best shot at attaining greatness?Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, R Aswhin and Mohammed Shami have contributed to the team's success in all conditions but with all of them being on the wrong side of 30s, they may have just ran out of time to create the aura of invincibility that the Australian teams of the 90s and early 2000s had.Most of them are likely to be around in case India make another WTC final two years later but with their best years already behind them, the task will get tougher for the golden generation of cricketers who played their part in famous wins all around the w...
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India vs Australia WTC Final: How listless Team India superstars imploded against ruthless Australia | Cricket News – Times of India

Celebrated batting line-up comes unstuck on big stage again against relentless Boland and Lyon as India lose seven wickets for 70A day that began with great hope for millions of Indian cricket lovers ended in despair as India lost seven wickets for 70 runs to cap another big-stage failure and Australia underlined their domination of world cricket to win the World Test Championship (WTC) final at the Oval on Sunday by 209 runs.Their triumph, achieved after just 23.3 overs of relentless bowling on Day Five, makes them the first team to win the full set of Men's ICC titles, having won the ODI World Cup five times (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015), the Champions Trophy twice (2006, 2009) and the T20 World Cup once (2021).For India, it's time to not just lick their wounds, but also accept respo...
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Learn from Babar Azam: Nasser Hussain’s advice to Indian top order batsmen

Former England captain Nasser Hussain said that the Indian top order batters should learn a thing or two from Pakistan’s Babar Azam and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson on how to handle pacers. “Really disappointed with the Indian batters, their fans might come after me for saying this but I think Indian top order needs to look at Babar and Kane on how to play the pacers when ball is moving around. Both of them do it so late,” he said on Sky Sports. On Sunday, India lost yet again when it mattered the most as they were hammered by Australia by 209 runs in the World Test Championship final. Australian pacer Scott Boland produced a bowling spell of rare quality to get rid of Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja in the same over, effectively shutting the door on India, who were bowled out for 234 ...
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WTC Final 2023: India folds up without a fight as Australia triumphs in style

Cummins and his men pose with the mace, the symbol of Test supremacy. | Photo Credit: Getty Images The Indian dream turned into a rude awakening. A torrid batting performance deflated hopes of an epic victory and an elusive ICC title triumph.Chasing 444, India came undone in the just the morning session. Seven wickets fell for 70 runs at The Oval here on Sunday, allowing Australia to cruise to a 209-run win the ICC World Test Championship final.The manner of dismissals revealed no stomach for a fight. Overnight batter Virat Kohli, who moves forward irrespective of the length, pushed hard at a wide delivery from Scott Boland. The Australians, acutely aware that Kohli is susceptible outside off, kept at it and eventually got the edge. Steve Smith at second slip showed tremendous reflexe...
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How Team India of Rohit and Dravid are sleepwalking into the same old problems

Barring Rohit and Shubman Gill, the rest have been woeful. In the second WTC cycle, Kohli accumulated only 932 runs at an average of 32 in 30 innings; Pujara’s corresponding numbers are 928 at 32 in 32 games; Rahane’s 419 at 24 in 17 innings.From negligible acclimatization to an errant, confusing selection policy, from recurring mistakes to lack of fight, things went wrong quickly for India and only got worse as a disastrous match unfolded. It could be the epitaph of India’s defeat to Australia in the WTC final. It could also be the postscript of India’s defeat to New Zealand in the WTC final two years ago. This would rankle India the most—everything remained static in the two years between the two finals. It seemed like a rerun of an old movie, or a copycat with minor tweaks in the scr...
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Rohit Sharma: We let ourselves down with the ball | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Despite India's crushing defeat in the World Test Championship against Australia, captain Rohit Sharma attributed the loss to their below par bowling performance in the first innings. However, he emphasised that the team's commendable efforts over the past two years should not be undermined.Following their loss to New Zealand in the previous WTC final of the 2019-21 cycle, India fell short once again in the ultimate showdown, allowing Australia to add another trophy to their illustrious collection.India's downfall began when they allowed Australia to amass a massive total of 469 runs in the first innings, which proved to be a daunting challenge to match. Eventually, India were bundled out for a mere 234 runs.The turning point in the match arrived when Steve Smith executed a b...
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India 165/3 in 41.2 Overs | WTC Final 2023 Live Score: Australia hope to break Virat Kohli-Ajinkya Rahane stand – The Times of India

Australia, on the other hand, will still be very confident as they are holding the cards and are slightly ahead in this Test. They were able to pick up three wickets but after that looked a bit rattled by the counterattack from India. However, they know that the morning session will be very crucial with Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, and Mitchell Starc raring to go, and if they get rid of Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, or both, then this match will tilt massively in their favour. Whatever happens, we are surely in for a thrilling Day of Test cricket.!(function(f, b, e, v, n, t, s) { function loadFBEvents(isFBCampaignActive) { if (!isFBCampaignActive) { return; } (function(f, b, e, v, n, t, s) { if (f.fbq) return; n = f.fbq = function() { ...
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Australia find Virat Kohli in way to World Test Championship title | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: A resolute Virat Kohli and first innings hero Ajinkya Rahane stand in Australia's way to the World Test Championship title as India head into the final day of the intriguing summit clash, requiring another 280 runs in the record chase of 444. The Kohli and Rahane duo added crucial 71-run unbeaten stand after an intent-filled knock from Rohit Sharma (43) in the final session as India ended the penultimate day of the 'Ultimate Test' at 164 for three at the Oval.Having been set a mammoth target, India lost Shubman Gill (18 off 19) to a contentious catch before skipper Rohit and Cheteshwar Pujara (27 off 47) brought about their own downfall to make it 93 for three in 31st over.Day 4: As It HappenedAustralia had declared their second innings at 270 for 8 midway into the afternoon ...
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WTC Final Stat Attack: The most interesting statistics so far | Cricket News – Times of India

The second edition of the ICC World Test Championship Final is currently underway at the Oval in London and despite a spirited fightback by Team India on Day 3, the Aussies are still on top.Who will win the Test mace this time?As the action keeps unfolding, TimesofIndia.com here takes a look at some of the most interesting statistics so far from this engrossing encounter:# Australia (469) have registered their highest total in Tests at neutral venues, bettering the 467 vs Pakistan at Colombo (PSS) in October 2002. The said score is now the first total of 300-plus in the final of the WTC.# Steve Smith, with his marvellous 121, has emulated Joe Root's tally of nine hundreds against India in Tests. Smith's first hundred in five Tests at neutral venues is his 31st overall - his 15th in over...
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WTC Final – Don’t think it will affect my batting in second innings: Ajinkya Rahane on finger injury | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Ajinkya Rahane, who scored a memorable 89 in his comeback Test after 18 months, hoped that the finger injury he sustained on Thursday would not affect his batting in the second innings in the World Test Championship final against Australia."Don't think it will affect (my) batting (in India's second innings)," Rahane told the broadcaster at the end of the third day's play.Rahane faced 129 balls and struck 11 fours and a six during his stay in the middle. His 109-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Shardul Thakur (51 off 109) kept India in the game but Australia still managed to take a massive 173-run first-innings lead.1/9Ajinkya Rahane becomes 13th Indian to score 5000 runs in Test cricketShow Captions<p>Ajinkya Rahane who made his comeback into the Indian team ...
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India vs Australia WTC Final: Pluck and luck play a part in Ajinkya Rahane’s redemption | Cricket News – Times of India

After his hurricane yet pleasing 27-ball 61 for Chennai Super Kings against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in the IPL, Ajinkya Rahane, while speaking to Ravi Shastri, the former India coach on TV, said, "I love playing at the Wankhede. I know the ground well. I have not played a Test here, yet."That word "yet", was a bigger statement than his refreshingly liberated innings and the stroke-filled cameos he essayed throughout the IPL. It basically said, "I am not going anywhere. Not yet".1/9Ajinkya Rahane becomes 13th Indian to score 5000 runs in Test cricketShow Captions<p>Ajinkya Rahane who made his comeback into the Indian team completed 5000 runs in the longest format of the game during the WTC final against Australia at the Oval.<br /><br /><br /><br...
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WTC Final | We knew Rahane could play innings like that: Starc

India’s Ajinkya Rahane escapes a run out during the third day of the ICC World Test Championship Final between India and Australia at The Oval cricket ground in London on June 9, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP Australia pacer Mitchell Starc on Friday said Ajinkya Rahane showed how to bat on a seaming pitch as his 89 kept India in the hunt in the World Test Championship final.India are well behind in the game but if was not for Rahane’s knock, they were staring at a follow on.“He played really well. We know Jinks can play innings like that; we've seen it through series before. He came in at a tough time to bat and managed to, along with Thakur as well, to absorb some pressure there and build an innings and played really nicely," said Starc.“So, it took a special catch to get him out and cert...