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Sports

‘Bazball in a fix’: Former cricketers react after England’s 434-run defeat to India in Rajkot

England and their ‘Bazball’ approach have come under heavy scrutiny following their 434-run defeat to India in the third Test in Rajkot on Sunday.Initially ahead in the game, a resounding comeback with bat and ball from India forced England onto the backfoot in an eventual 557-run chase. The tourists folded for 122, handing India their biggest-ever Test win by runs. It was also England’s heaviest Test defeat in 90 years. The result that put England 2-1 behind India in the five-match series, drew widespread criticism from former England cricketers and journalists. Stokes defends Bazball and Root’s scoop “Our batting line-up is full of international class players. We give them the freedom to play what’s in front of them,” Stokes said after the defeat. However, Stokes who was featuring i...
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Badminton: How Anmol Kharb, India’s precious new talent, delivered a famous Asian gold unfazed and with a smile on her face

The ‘koi nahi’ phase of Indian badminton has officially begun. Not only will you hear that northern phrase (which means, ‘it’s ok, play the next’) every time Anmol Kharb steps onto the court from the cheering squad. It will be a heady few months of watching fearless badminton played with uncluttered memories of past wins or losses, and unmuddied vision, just like the last four days in Malaysia.India’s women’s team beat Thailand 3-2 to win their first-ever Asian Team Championship. Playing the decisive fifth rubber, Anmol struck the shuttle to risky corners and riskier lines, as if there are endless tomorrows out there. She’s 17, the tomorrows are indeed many, and she’s justified in playing like that. Coach Gopichand called it ‘innocent play’, and her 21-14, 21-9 win over Thailand’s Pornp...
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How did Yashasvi Jaiswal prepare for the James Anderson onslaught

A couple of days before the Rajkot Test, Yashasvi Jaiswal would call for the throw-down specialists to the nets. He had already batted long, but wanted to work on something specific with them. It wasn’t the coaches telling him but it was on his initiative. He pointed to a spot on the length around off stump, and asked them to slant it away or straighten outside off stump. He kept leaving those balls that angled across and defending only the balls on the off stump. Occasionally, a ball would bounce more and he would yank his arms up to either tap them down or leave it alone. Interestingly, as it would turn out, it was that kind of ball that got him out in the first innings, when he guided the delivery to slips. It might not have helped him on that occasion but it showed how well he prepa...
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India versus England: On Sunday, England batted and collapsed liked their teams from the 1990s

If Saturday afternoon was overcooking of their Bazball cult persona, Sunday was a throwback to an earlier English era of resignation to a lost cause. They came, they swished, and they fell.It took two Tests into the series but normalcy returned to an India-England series at home. Finally. Over the decades, barring Alastair Cook-led team’s heroics in 2012, Indian fans have been used to watching pasty-faced Englishmen, surrounded by an Indian mob of fielders, and being clueless in front of the stumps. They would poke, push, stab, and flail out their sweeps. And the English top order finally did that on Sunday evening to hand a 2-1 series lead to India. There was more than English collapse to the 90’s nostalgia as the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal became the third youngest to score two doub...
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Indian versus England: Like Vinod Kambli, Sarfaraz Khan has become an instant crowd favourite

Perhaps it’s his relationship with his shayari-loving emotional father that has done rounds in the media, his stocky built and girth, the boyish adolescence which still hasn’t left him when he speaks, his years of waiting while silently performing in domestic cricket, the rags-to-riches story and above all, the way he bats aggressively, Sarfaraz Khan is a box-office hit in Rajkot stadium. When he walked down the stairs to bat in the second innings, the fans, who were roasting under the hot sun with paper shields, erupted into raucous cheers and many even stood up. For a batsman, playing just his second international innings, it was startling. Another from somewhat similar background and was much loved in his initial days of international cricket was Vinod Kambli. Sarfaraz seems to trigg...
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‘Your smile made me cry’: Suryakumar Yadav’s emotional message to R Ashwin

Suryakumar Yadav has posted an emotional message for R Ashwin, after the off-spinner completed his 500 Test wickets on Day 2 of the third Test at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. “Ash bhai yaar rula diya aapke smile ne (Your smile has made me cry),” Surya wrote on his Instagram story. “Congratulartions to you and your family.” Ashwin, who reached the milestone after taking the wicket of Zak Crawley in England’s first innings has withdrawn from India’s Test side in Rajkot, effective immediately, because of a family medical emergency. 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩! 👏 👏 Take A Bow, R Ashwin 🙌 🙌 Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/FM0hVG5pje#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @ashwinravi99 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/XOAfL0lYmA — BCCI (@BCCI) February 16, 2024 “The BCCI extends its heartfelt support t...
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Why Joe Root’s troubles against Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins show he can’t be considered a ‘great’ batsman

Against two of the best fast bowlers of his era, Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins, Joe Root has been poor. Cummins has seen him off 11 times for an average of 26, Bumrah 9 times for 28.2, and it raises the question — can Root be considered a great in the true sense of the word? One of the best among his contemporaries, certainly, but greatness requires something more than that. This isn’t just about his dismissals in the Vizag chase and in Rajkot but over and beyond that. He did throw his wicket on the third morning, opening the door for Ashwin-less India by reverse lapping Bumrah to second slip where Yashasvi Jaiswal hung on to a sharp chance. For a batsman and former captain with game awareness, it wasn’t ideal. In the chase at Vizag, he had turned almost manic, scything and swishing an...
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Six of R Ashwin’s best wickets: From foxing Kane Williamson, to spoiling Kumar Sangakkara’s swansong Test

Kane Williamson came with a clear plan to nullify Ashwin. He would shuffle across. The plan would serve multiple purposes, A) It could force Ashwin’s line wider off the off-stump. B) He could get outside the line and sweep, which he performed expertly, C) He could milk him for singles down the ground. The plan worked perfectly on the second day, by the end of which Williamson had motored along to a half-century.But the third day was different. Ashwin would begin with an in-out field and bowl standard off-breaks, flighted, dropping and turning, inviting him to cover-drive, and keeping the region vacant. To establish his superiority, he cover-drove him for a couple. He began the tease, frequently varying length, angle, and pace. Williamson still dealt comfortably with all the questions As...
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EXCLUSIVE: In letter to top cricketers, BCCI secretary Jay Shah warns ‘skipping domestic red-ball games will have severe implications’

BOARD OF Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah on Friday wrote to top cricketers — centrally contracted as well as India A — warning them that domestic cricket remains a “critical yardstick for selection” to the national team and non-participation in it will have “severe implications”. The reason for the communication, according to the letter, was “the concerning trend of players prioritising the IPL over domestic red-ball cricket”. “There is a recent trend that has started to emerge and is a cause for concern. Some players have begun prioritising the IPL over domestic cricket, a shift that was not anticipated. Domestic cricket has always been the foundation upon which Indian cricket stands, and it has never been undervalued in our vision for the sport,” Shah said in th...
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Why PV Sindhu will play doubles vs Japan in a scratch combination with Ashwini Ponnappa at the Asian team championships

PV Sindhu has been called upon to play the second doubles rubber partnering Ashwini Ponnappa as the Indian women’s team at the Badminton Asia Team Championships shuffles its personnel to field the strongest possible challenge looking for a win against better-ranked Japan.On Friday, India ensured its first-ever medal in the women’s event of the event by defeating Hong Kong 3-0 thanks to wins for Sindhu, Ashmita Chaliha and Ashwini-Tanisha Crasto. They ensured Uber Cup Finals qualification in the process. Gunning for a bold finals spot, the Indians will juggle their top names and that means Sindhu will need to be ready for the fourth match of the tie – the second doubles. Indian women’s team secure their maiden medal at #BATC 🥹🫶 Proud of you girls, keep it up! 🚀@himantabiswa | @sanjay091...
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Ravichandran Ashwin withdraws from the IND vs ENG 3rd Test due to family emergency

Ravichandran Ashwin has withdrawn from the Indian Test squad due to family emergency, effective immediately which means he’ll miss the remainder of the ongoing 3rd Test at Rajkot, the BCCI announced late Friday night. “Ravichandran Ashwin has withdrawn from the Test squad, effective immediately due to a family medical emergency. In these challenging times, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the team fully supports Ashwin,” the BCCI statement read. “The BCCI extends its heartfelt support to the champion cricketer and his family. The health and well-being of the players and their loved ones are of utmost importance. The Board requests respect for the privacy of Ashwin and his family as they navigate through this challenging time,” it added. R Ashwin withdraws from the 3...
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FIH Hockey Pro League: Craig Fulton’s vision of control over chaos is a work in progress as India edge out Ireland

Ned was just a nickname until it became a motivation mantra of sorts that could well be plastered on the walls inside the dressing room. Ned – Never Ending Dream.The acronym was born when ‘Ned’ started his own company more than a decade ago. When he moved to hockey coaching and took charge of Ireland, it became a rallying cry for the underdogs’ quest to qualify for the Olympics for the first time since 1948. In 2018, it became Belgium’s motto as they lifted their first World Cup. Ned’s dream now continues with India, the team he now coaches. Ned is Craig Fulton. The South African who, with his emphasis on defensive structures, transformed Ireland and turned Belgium into an unstoppable force. “He made us very tough to beat. We were defensively very good in that period,” says Michael Robs...
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IND vs ENG: Why England, despite trailing by 238 runs, is in the driver’s seat

Though it was England that was trailing by 238 runs in the first innings and will be batting in the fourth innings, at the end of the second day, the pressure seemed to be on India. England had blitzed to 207/2 in 35 overs and threateningly for India, opener Ben Duckett was still out there on 133 with 21 fours and 2 sixes. The day and the game couldn’t have captured the stark contrast between the two teams’ approach any better. One team wanted to win, the other wanted to hang in there, stretch the game, see where it takes. Usually that would play out in reverse: the foreign team would take the second approach, the home team would show who the boss was. Here, England walloped, India dawdled with the bat. England attacked with Bazbaiting on field with innovative tactics, India tried but w...
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Spin-nerd Ravichandran Ashwin’s 25,714 calculated steps to reach Mt 500

A content smile spread on Ravichandran Ashwin’s face, when he grabbed his 500th Test scalp and waved the ball towards the audience on the stands. The smile captured both the sheer joy and satisfaction that seized Ashwin when he reached a significant milestone of a spectacular career. He is now the ninth highest wicket-taker in Tests and the fifth highest among the spinners. Filter the achievement further and he is India’s second-most successful bowler ever. Anil Kumble with 619 wickets sits at the top of the pile.A more illuminating number in Ashwins’s career is 25714, the number of balls he has bowled to complete his 500th. Only the Australian Glenn McGrath has brought wickets at a faster clip. The more you dissect his numbers, the more head-spinning an experience it would be, and the...
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IND vs ENG: Why Bazball is not just about England’s aggressive batting

Fast bowler James Anderson is at top of his run-up and ready to run in. The India batsmen R Ashwin and Dhruv Jorel, who have been dead batting for a while, are ready. But captain Ben Stokes isn’t. Not many would venture to the vastly experienced Anderson about field positions but Stokes repeatedly does. Perhaps the long leg can be moved to backward square-leg position. That man on the off side moved to leg slip perhaps? More often than not, even Anderson has been lured by his captain’s imagination. The other bowlers have been wilfully moulded by the most visibly involved captain on a cricket field in world cricket right now.The Bazball when bowling, let’s call it Bazbaiting, is as fascinating to watch as their batting as Stokes doesn’t let the game drift even an inch. In many ways, Bazb...
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Table Tennis World Team C’ships: Ayhika Mukherjee stuns world No 1 Sun Yingsha, Sreeja Akula beats No 2 Wang Yidi

On Friday morning in Busan, Ayhika Mukherjee and Sreeja Akula produced something that not many would have seen coming. Incredible doesn’t quite begin to describe it as the Indian paddlers beat the top two players in the world – No 1 Sun Yingsha and No 2 Wang Yidi – in their respective singles matches at at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals 2024 in a Group 1 fixture between India and China. Ultimately, the powerhouses would come through as Manika Batra lost matches No 2 and 4, while Ayhika couldn’t quite pull off another upset against Wang Manyu, world No 4 in the decider. But, the overall result notwithstanding, the two upsets marked a monumental morning for the sport. “What an unbelievable morning,” tweeted Olympian Neha Aggarwal Sharma when India led the tie 2-1. “...
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NZ v SA: Williamson becomes fastest batter to hit 32 Test hundreds, equals record for most fourth-innings centuries

New Zealand batter Kane Williamson on Friday became the quickest batter to reach 32 Test hundreds during the second Test against South Africa in Hamilton. Walking in at three in New Zealand’s 267-run chase, Williamson anchored the chase with a measured knock, reaching his century off 203 deliveries with 11 fours and two sixes. The world’s number one Test batter has now amassed seven hundreds in his last seven Tests. In the first Test of the series in Mount Maunganui, the 33-year-old Williamson had struck centuries in both innings (118 and 109) as the Kiwis recorded a 281-run win over an inexperienced Proteas lineup. Kane Williamson has reached his 32nd Test Century! With 172 innings, that is the fewest innings to reach 32 test 100's in test history, beating Steve Smith. 🔥🏏@BLACKCAPS v ...
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FIH Hockey Pro League: India go aerial before crash landing against familiar foes Australia in a crazy match

The 60 minutes on a breezy night under lights against Australia neatly summarised the 60 years of Indian hockey since they stopped being the world masters. Suffering, comeback, hope before things, eventually, fall apart.On Thursday at the Kalinga, there were at least two elements that aren’t usually associated with an Indian performance against Australia – comeback and hope. For those clinging on to some positives to take away from India’s 4-6 defeat in the FIH Pro League, it would be that. The tennis set-like scoreline doesn’t reflect how good India were – albeit in spells – and how unfair the final score might feel to the players who left everything on the field. A Goal Fest we witnessed tonight. A game of comebacks. The first half belonged to Team India, second half Australians domi...
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IND vs ENG: Ravindra Jadeja apologizes to Sarfaraz Khan after run-out incident

Ravindra Jadeja on Thursday apologized to teammate Sarfaraz Khan after he had inadvertently run him out in the first day of the 3rd Test against England at Rajkot. Sarfaraz was racing along with his innings, reaching his maiden half century in just 48 balls but his attempt to prolong his stay in the middle was cut short due to a mix-up with Jadeja. The incident also led to Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s fuming reaction in the dressing room, as the 36-year-old was caught by the broadcast cameras, throwing away his cap in the aftermath of the run out. After the match, Jadeja took to Instagram and apologized to Sarfaraz for the mix up. “Feeling bad for Sarfaraz Khan. It was my wrong call. Well played,” the veteran all rounder wrote in his Instagram story. Sarfaraz had already touched upon t...
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IND vs ENG | Sarfaraz Khan once told his father: ‘Abbu, even if I don’t play for India, we can go back to selling track-pants on local trains’

Sarfaraz Khan could not hold his tears back when the legendary Anil Kumble handed him his maiden Test cap, just before the start of the third Test between India and England Rajkot. Beside him was his wife, who too was overcome with emotions. Then he ran towards his father Naushad, the most influential figure of his life, and hugged him. “I will cry the whole day when I play for my country,” he had once told The Indian Express. As the day progressed, he pushed some of the English bowlers to the verge of tears too, as his robust 62 off 66 balls, brutally cut short by a run out, played a big role in helping his country post 326 for five. Throughout his knock, he showed the daring, composure and will, virtues that showed he belongs to the Test level. The England bowlers tested him with eve...