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Tag: indian cricket team

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‘Biggest load of rubbish I’ve ever heard in my life… ludicrous’: ex-Aussie cricketer on Virat Kohli playing in T20 World Cup

Virat Kohli’s place in the Indian cricket team for the T20 World Cup has been a topic of much debate for the past few months now. While it has been pointed out that having Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the side will go against India’s T20 blueprint, Kohli’s numbers in the format speak for themselves: the prolific batter has only had three seasons in the IPL where he hasn’t at least aggregated 400 runs. Of the 109 times Kohli has batted for India in T20 Internationals, India have won on 70 occasions. In those outings, he has scored 2828 runs at 67.33; 15 times he was the man of the match. He is still the unparalleled chase-master. He averages 71.85 when chasing, with a healthy strike rate of 137. Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Virat Kohli plays a shot during the Indian Premier League (...
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When R Ashwin almost quit cricket for MBA and marketing: ‘I was crying for a long time…didn’t expect my dad to say that’

Ravichandran Ashwin takes himself for a ‘pretty strong’ individual who’s met the trials and tribulations in his life head on. But there was a time when even continuing his cricket career, despite having been recently crowned as ICC’s Player of the Year, felt pointless. “I decided to quit cricket. I was asking myself what would I do? And I said whatever I do in life, I would try to achieve excellence and be as good as I can be in that profession. I would probably try to do an MBA and probably be in marketing,” Ashwin conceded in The Indian Express’ recent Idea Exchange. The year was 2017 and the off-spinner had been ruled out of the white-ball side without any clarity offered on his future in the team. “He didn’t know if he was dropped or rested. If someone told Ashwin, ‘come here, you a...
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R Ashwin highlights fatal flaw with England’s Bazball: ‘Test cricket cannot be played like airplane on runway’

After England’s 1-4 Test series defeat against India, there has been a lot of questions about the future of Bazball, the style of play England have employed where they go for broke and try to dominate their opponents with aggression. Despite the doom and gloom back in England, Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin believes that the ‘Bazball method has a future’. “So many people have commented that they lost 1-4, but in my opinion, we really came under immense pressure in the series. If the team manages to get the right balance, it is bound for success,” Ashwin, who claimed nine wickets in the final India versus England Test, said on his YouTube channel. Ashwin had much to celebrate, he played in his 100th Test and went past the 500-wicket mark during the five-match series. WTC 2023-...
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Why Rishabh Pant called himself a ‘miracle man’ | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: After surviving a life-threatening accident, Rishabh Pant remained unwavering in his belief that he would return to top-flight cricket. Even if it required a miracle, he was confident he could make it happen.While his treating doctor, the esteemed orthopedic surgeon Dinshaw Pardiwala, held a less optimistic outlook, Pant dismissed any concerns by simply labeling himself as a "miracle man.""When you get back to competitive cricket, it will be a miracle..after a high-velocity knee dislocation, in this kind of a situation... But that's when he said, 'I am a miracle man. I have managed two, I will certainly manage a third'," Pardiwala recalled his conversation with the cricketer in a show documenting Pant's incredible comeback to action after 14 months.Part 1 of the 'Miracle Man'...
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Yashasvi Jaiswal exclusive interview: ‘Whatever happens, Rohit Sharma will be there to stand by you’

In the span of seven weeks, Yashasvi Jaiswal transformed from a bright young potential to the new torchbearer of India’s batting. His immaculate body of work in the series against England—712 runs at 79.91 including a pair of double centuries compiled with a blend of youthful aggression and technical rectitude—not only fueled India’s comeback and the dismantling of Bazball, but also set his destiny rolling. But he remains firmly grounded and has already turned his focus to the IPL. Yashasvi Jaiswal takes The Indian Express through his journey in the series: Yashasvi Jaiswal: It’s a great feeling, I’m happy but I want to be more focused, so that I can do well for my team. I’m not thinking about anything today. I want to take one match at a time. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, ...
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A mature Kuldeep Yadav has been the quiet success of the India-England Test series

Kuldeep Yadav celebrates a wicket during the third Test match between India and England at Rajkot | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI He might look like an accountant accidentally woken up by an alarm beeping too early, hair dishevelled and on the point of complaining. But the smile is never far from Kuldeep Yadav’s eyes, suggesting he enjoys a laugh against himself. “I have become mature,” he told the media at the end of the series against England where he took 19 wickets and brought left-arm wrist spin to the forefront of cricket conversations.The craft appeals to the romantics. The wrist spinner is capable of looking like a genius one day and a novice the next, adding to the glorious uncertainties. Since making his debut seven years ago, Kuldeep has played just 12 Tests while missing 56 th...
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What is the statistical significance of India’s win over England in the Dharamsala Test?

Ninety-one years and eight months since CK Nayudu’s men took the field against England at Lord’s in 1932, representing India in a Test for the first time, the team led by Rohit Sharma achieved a significant milestone by trumping the same opponent in Dharamsala. Having endured numerous crests and troughs and outgrowing the underdog tag throughout their cricketing history, India’s innings-and-64-run win against the Bazballers was their 178th win in their 579th Test appearance. While ‘178’ as a number may not necessarily stand out in itself, the triumph pulled India’s wins level with the number of losses for the first time in their Test history –- the win-loss ratio now stands at 1 after 314 cricketers have spent 2,673 days on the field for the country. Laggards to contenders Registering t...
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‘Jeez man, VVS used to…” Why watching Axar Patel at No 6 made Rahul Dravid think about VVS Laxman

It’s not everyday that Rahul Dravid shares dressing room conversations or throws his head back and laughs at his own joke at a press conference. But it’s not everyday, Indian team, minus Virat Kohli, wins a crucial home series despite regularly losing key players because of a spate of injuries. It was a question about India’s depleted squad before the second Test at Vizag that sparked laughs in the media room. This was the time when India, after losing the first Test, were informed that two key players – Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul – were not available for selection and all-rounder Axar Patel got into the playing. The sight of Axar going out to bat made the two 90s cricketers in the dressing room – coach Dravid and his assistant Vikram Rathore – nostalgic. “When I saw Axar walk in at N...
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In India’s Himalayan win, Sarfaraz Khan tells Shoaib Bashir ‘finish the game, let’s go and see snow on mountain’

By lunch on Day 3, the writing was on the wall. Still miles behind the total that would force India to bat again, half of England’s team was back in the dressing room. A famous win for the home team looked inevitable. Fighting a lost cause with the tail-enders was England’s old hand Joe Root.That was when Sarfaraz Khan, fielding at short-leg, floated a suggestion to England’s young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir. “Jaldi maarke khatam karo, apun pahaad pe baraf dekhne jaate hain (Hit out and finish the game so that we can go to the mountains to see the snow),” he would be heard saying on the stump microphone. Sarfaraz was speaking for many in the stands, too. Just before tea, England’s resistance would end. The innings-and-64-run win in two-and-a-half days gave India a 4-1 series triumph an...
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Shubman Gill crosses 4000 international runs milestone | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Indian cricket sensation Shubman Gill reached a significant milestone, amassing 4000 international runs during his sublime innings of 110 against England in the fifth Test match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Friday.Gill made his debut for the Indian cricket team in the One Day International (ODI) format against New Zealand in 2019.Since then, he has featured in 44 ODIs, accumulating 2271 runs at an impressive strike rate of 103.46.The 24-year-old received his maiden Test cap against Australia in 2020, embarking on a journey that saw him play 25 matches and 46 innings, resulting in 1492 runs. Additionally, Gill made his debut in Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket in 2023 against Sri Lanka, featuring in 14 20-over matches and tallying 3...
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Ind vs Eng 5th Test | Rohit, Gill slam hundreds on Day 2

Indian batsman Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, both scored centuries on the second day of the final Test match at HPCA Ground in Dharamshala on March 8, 2024 | Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy Skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill struck sublime hundreds as India pressed the advantage in the fifth Test against England by reaching 264 for one at lunch on day two, here on Friday. Rohit (102 batting off 160 balls) and Gill (101 batting off 142 balls) walked out in the middle in bright sunshine and milked the conditions to take India well past England's first innings total of 218 after resuming the innings at 135 for one. At the break, they led the visitors by 46 runs and were on course for a massive first innings total. England tried everything to contain them, whether it was employing the leg-...
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How Kuldeep 2.0 emerged as India’s most impactful spinner against England | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: After the fall of the last wicket, Kuldeep Yadav tossed the 57.4-over-old red SG Test ball to his senior teammate, the milestone man Ravichandran Ashwin, who, in turn, insisted on returning it. After a round of catching, Ashwin, in a gesture reminiscent of an older brother, literally pressed the ball into Kuldeep's hands. While Ashwin had taken four wickets in his 100th Test, Kuldeep achieved a five-for, a feat he had narrowly missed in the previous game against England.This symbolic exchange might subtly indicate a changing of the guard in terms of who will lead the spin attack in the coming years. Despite Ashwin having claimed 21 wickets in this series with one more innings to go, Kuldeep, who was initially left out of the opening match, has stood out in terms of impact.The...
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IPL is hugely popular, but Test cricket is what life is: Ashwin, on receiving 100th Test cap from Dravid

R. Ashwin speaks to the Indian side ahead of his 100th Test Match on the first day of the 5th Test against England at Dharamshala on March 7, 2024. | Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy “Test cricket is the closest synergy that you can find to life.” Ravichandran Ashwin’s voice trembled with emotion and pride during the gratitude-speech after receiving his special 100th Test cap from India head coach Rahul Dravid here on Thursday. But Ashwin did not restrict that landmark moment, which came during the fifth and final Test against England, to himself but he championed the cause of Test cricket amidst money-spinning T20 leagues. “IPL has been a hugely popular tournament; a lot of kids want to play T20 and get into the IPL. I really do wish that they get there. But remember one thing, this format...
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Dinesh Karthik to end IPL career after 2024 edition, to decide on international retirement soon

Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Dinesh Karthik in action during the Tata IPL T20 cricket match between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 9, 2023. | Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini India wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Karthik is all set to make his last IPL appearance in the 2024 edition beginning on March 22, and he will decide on his international retirement after the lucrative T20 league.The 38-year-old, who is currently contracted with the Royal Challengers Bangalore, has played in all the 16 editions of the IPL since 2008 and has only missed two matches across 16 seasons."This 2024 edition will be his (Dinesh Karthik's) last IPL. He will decide his international retirement after the IPL," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.O...
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Ashwin, a modern master with a positive mindset

India’s Ravichandran Ashwin prepares to bowl during the 3rd Test between India and England at Rajkot, Gujarat | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI There is something magical about the figure ‘100’ in cricket. In Dharamshala this week, R. Ashwin and Jonny Bairstow play their one hundredth Test match, while in Christchurch it is the turn of Kane Williamson and Tim Southee to do so, each accompanied by loyal colleagues, supportive families, enthralled media and figure-hugging statisticians.When Colin Cowdrey became the first to the mark in 1968, it had taken him 14 years. There was little fanfare. He was cheered to the crease by the Edgbaston crowd, later played with an injury and with Geoff Boycott as his runner, remaining unbeaten on 95 at the end of the day’s play. “Cowdrey, in spite of a hamp...
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India vs England: Captain arrives in a chopper, visitors feeling at home, & Jadeja preparing for a long innings

Dramatic entry The serene atmosphere on the foothills of the snow-capped mountain range was disturbed by the whirring sound made by a helicopter’s blades. In a first of sorts, India captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid landed for the team’s net session in a chopper. The two were special invitees at the Himachal Pradesh khel mahotsav in Bilaspur, about 150 km from here. Sports minister and former BCCI president Anurag Thakur has organised the annual event that attracts thousands of schoolchildren. Rohit, in sharp aviators, would soon join the team for an intense training session. With the conditions wet and gloomy over the last few days, the players seemed keen to get into the groove ahead of the final Test of the series. Jasprit Bumrah, returning after skipping the fourth Test, w...
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India versus England: How Jasprit Bumrah demystified the cult of Bazball with his ego, angst and subtle taunt

Jasprit Bumrah rarely gives interviews. Even when he does, he rarely opens up. Don’t read too much into that ever-present toothy smile, those giggly post-match interviews or his over-polite public school manners. There is more to him.It’s his cryptic posts, candid comments picked by the stump mic, stray thoughts he shares with team mates on long podcasts and insights shared by those close to him that give a better idea about the Real Bumrah — the man responsible for demystifying the cult of Bazball and returning for the final Test after a break. Under coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes — England seemed to have achieved the impossible. They had convinced their fans, and other stakeholders that entertainment, and not winning, was the true essence of sport. That was until they l...
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R Ashwin’s journey to 100 Tests, through the eyes of wife Prithi

My husband, R Ashwin, is standing on the verge of 100 Tests and our marriage is 98 Tests old. We got married immediately after his debut. Even before leaving for Dharamsala when we were talking, I could only recall a couple of his wickets. Five years ago, I kept a tab of those but after that, the bandwidth reduced. I don’t want to be that obsessed. The 99 Tests have sped past rapidly. The lifestyle of a professional cricketer is far different from what people assume it to be from outside. Since there was no dating in our pre-marriage life, he didn’t prepare me for married life. As soon as we got married, we were off to Kolkata to play a Test the next day against the West Indies. I wasn’t aware there would be so much media attention. I remember this instance when he was tying the wedding...
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WATCH: From arriving in a helicopter to fashioning a pull shot off Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma marks his arrival in Dharamsala

With the picturesque view in the backdrop and ahead of the fifth and final Test against England, Indian captain Rohit Sharma was the subject of camera flashes as he landed in the hill city of Dharamsala on a helicopter. Sharma, alongside head coach Rahul Dravid, earlier on Tuesday accompanied Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at the inauguration of the Khel Mahakhumbh in Bilaspur district. Sharma also batted tennis ball throwdowns from Dravid, much to the delight of those in attendance at the event, and even dispatched a big pull shot off the Indian head coach. It was from the event that Sharma arrived to Dharamsala in a helicopter. Watch video: भारतीय टीम के कप्तान रोहित शर्मा पहुंचे धर्मशाला@ICC @BCCI @JayShah @ThakurArunS @SpKangra @himachalpolice #IndianPlayers #warmup #rohitsharma #in...
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‘I can’t think of a single reason…’: How Ravi Shastri’s words pave way for resurgence of Kuldeep Yadav | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Kuldeep Yadav, the dynamic spinner of the Indian cricket team, has navigated a challenging path to emerge as a formidable force in the sport. Overcoming setbacks and injuries, Yadav's journey to prominence reflects a tale of perseverance and triumph.Reflecting on the trials and tribulations, Bharat Arun, former bowling coach of the Indian team, recounted a significant exchange between Yadav and former head coach Ravi Shastri during a period of uncertainty. Shastri's words, urging Yadav to shed excess weight and prioritize fitness, served as a turning point in Yadav's journey. Arun, while speaking to the Indian Express, recalled what Shastri said to the wrist spinner then, "Boss, this puppy fat you have na has to be melted away... I can't think of a single reason with improved...