Category: Sports

Only one of the few teams that are yet to win the Indian Premier League (IPL), Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) have made some big changes in their coaching department ahead of the new season. KXIP have brought in Indian cricket legend Anil Kumble as the head of the coaching staff for the 2020 IPL season. He will now be the director of cricket operations for the Punjab franchise.

KXIP have been looking for their first IPL title since its inception and are only one of the few sides to continuously fall short of that target. For the past two seasons, KXIP have been unable to qualify for the playoffs despite strong starts to the tournament. Now with Kumble’s appointment, KXIP will hope to finally get their hands on the coveted trophy.

“Kumble is our choice to coach Kings XI. The world knows about his cricketing and coaching abilities. He’s a very calm, cool and collected person. He comes with a lot of experience in the IPL, having worked with two other franchises in the past, and also with the Indian team. We’re pretty sure that under his leadership, Kings XI will do very well,” Kings XI co-owner Ness Wadia told Times of India.

There are other changes also expected to take place at Kings XI Punjab. Cricket legends Courtney Walsh and Jonty Rhodes could be announced as the bowling and fielding coaches of the team respectively. According to the report, former Australia limited-overs skipper George Bailey has been confirmed as the batting coach. Meanwhile, former India spinner Sunil Joshi will take charge as assistant coach of the team.

Punjab played in the IPL final in 2014 where they lost a close match to Kolkata Knight Riders at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.

Wadia also maintained that captain R Ashwin is an integral part of the team amid speculations of a trade with Delhi Capitals.

A friendly banter? An unnecessary comment on a public platform? Call it whatever you want but it was hard to ignore Hardik Pandya’s birthday wish for Zaheer Khan. The topic trended for quite some time and with Zaheer Khan’s even more cheeky reply to Hardik Pandya, it is more or less certain to remain in the news for a few more days.

Just like his helicopters and slower bouncers, took different route to wish former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan on his 41st birthday. Instead of congratulating on his career, Pandya decided to upload a video of him hitting a six off Zaheer during a domestic competition. Hardik’s post read: “Happy birthday Zak … Hope you smash it out of the park like I did there.”

Hardik’s wish drew a lot of criticism from netizens with many of coming down heavily on the all-rounder for lack of respect for a senior pro like Zaheer.

Zaheer however, took the ‘wish’ on his stride and reminded Pandya about the ‘next delivery’ he bowled to the all-rounder in the same match.

“Hahahaha….thank you for the wishes @hardikpandya7 my batting skills can never be as good as yours but the birthday was as good as the next delivery you faced from me in this match,” tweeted Zaheer a day after his birthday.

Former Indian skipper Mithali Raj has become the first woman cricketer to have an international career lasting more than 20 years.

She achieved the feat as she stepped on the field during the first ODI of the three-match series between India and South Africa at the Reliance Stadium in Vadodara on Wednesday. She scored 11* as India won the match by eight wickets against the Proteas.

Mithali, who made her ODI debut against Ireland on June 26, 1999, has completed 20 years and 105 days of her career in the 50-over format. She is also the only female cricketer to have played ODI cricket for over two decades.

The right-handed batter holds the record for playing the maximum number of ODIs in women’s cricket. She has played 204 ODIs till now and is followed by England’s Charlotte Edwards (191), Jhulan Goswami (178), Alex Blackwell (144) of Australia.

The 36-year-old has represented India in 10 Tests and 89 T20Is as well. Last month, Mithali retired from T20I cricket

Overall, legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for having the longest international career — 22 years and 91 days. He is followed by Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya (21 years and 184 days), Javed Miandad (20 years and 272 days) of Pakistan, with Mithali coming in at the fourth spot.

Former Indian batsman V.V.S. Laxman has lavished praise on Mayank Agarwal, saying the biggest strengths of the 28-year-old are his mental toughness and stability and he plays “fearlessly just like his favourite Virender Sehwag”.

In the first Test against South Africa which India won by 203 runs at the ACA-VDCA Stadium, Agarwal scored a brilliant double hundred and helped India post a monstrous first-inning total of 502/7 declared.

“He (Agarwal) is a solid batsman and has approached this game like a domestic cricket match. Players usually change the way they play in domestic and international cricket, but he managed to maintain his style in both forms of cricket,” Laxman said on Star Sports’ Cricket Live programme.

“His mental toughness and stability are his strength and he plays fearlessly just like his favourite, Virender Sehwag,” he added.

During the course of his 215-run knock, Agarwal also became only the fourth Indian batsman after Dilip Sardesai, Vinod Kambli and Karun Nair to convert his maiden century into a double-century. His innings was studded with 23 fours and six sixes.

The 28-year-old from Karnataka also shared a 317-run opening partnership with Rohit Sharma and laid a solid foundation for the team. The duo became the third Indian batting pair to stitch together a partnership of 300 runs or more in Test cricket.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh too praised Agarwal, saying he has a lot to offer to Indian cricket.

“Mayank Agarwal is a good batsman, he uses his feet well comes forward and hits and also executes reverse sweep shots. He has a lot in store and plays them when and where needed,” said Singh.

Cricket is a gentleman’s game, they say. However, at time, players let out emotions and swear at teammates and oppositions that doesn’t make the sport for family viewing.

India captain Virat Kohli is known for wearing his heart on his sleeves and, at times, he has crossed line. Kohli has been caught in the past swearing on the stump mics and on television cameras.

As it turned out, cricket fans in India mentioned and trolled Ben Stokes when Virat Kohli used a particular cuss word that rhymes with the England cricketer’s name.

On Saturday, Rohit Sharma was at it as he was apparently caught on the stump mic swearing at Cheteshwar Pujara. Rohit was frustrated when Pujara declined a single that the newly-promoted India opener felt was there for the taking.

Ben Stokes took to Twitter and came up with a cheeky post: “This time it’s Rohit not Virat….if you know you know,” the World Cup-winning England all-rounder wrote.

Australia batter Alyssa Healy expressed her confidence ahead of the ODI series against Sri Lanka saying that her team has been ‘really consistent’ in the format.

“I don’t think there will be any issues at all. It’s a format we’ve been really consistent at over a long period of time,” Cricket.com.au quoted Healy as saying.

“It’s just about going through the gears a little bit more and giving yourself a little bit more time to get in with the bat,” she added.

Australia thrashed Sri Lanka in the three-match T20I series as they won all the matches. Moreover, in ODI cricket, they are on a 15-match winning streak.

Healy also said: “The one-day format, I’m really enjoying spending some time at the crease and being able to build an innings which is something that I’m slowly learning at an older age.”

The first ODI between Australia and Sri Lanka will be played on October 5.

Mayank Agarwal after his maiden double ton: “I am extremely happy. It is a feeling I can’t describe. Glad that I could make my maiden hundred into a double. I am happy with the way I played, I am batting well and if we can keep batting together like this upfront, it will great for the team. If Rohit and me can keep making contributing to make 450-500 every time, it will be very tough for the opposition. I would be lying to say that you only have to think about your own game. At times you feel that you are playing well and I can take a chance, but that’s not how it works. You have to be patient. We had a great partnership to lay the foundation and get to 300 runs. The way he (Rohit) dominated the spinners was great to see. Initially the pitch did do a bit with the new ball but when the sun came down it got better and better. As we approached lunch on day two, the ball started keeping low. It started spinning by tea and it is great signs for us. They (Ashwin and Jadeja) have been bowling in great areas, kept pressure and bowled great lines. But definitely the wicket has changed and if it plays like it is playing now, they will get a lot of purchase.”

Ravichandran Ashwin (2/9) and Ravindra Jadeja (1/21) struck early to remove Aiden Markram (5), Theunis de Bruyn (4) and night watchman Dane Piedt (o) as South Africa ended Day 2 at a lowly 39/3 in Vizag. This was after India declared their first innings on 502/7, riding on a double ton from Mayank Agarwal and a blistering 176 from Rohit Sharma. Dean Elgar (27*) and Temba Bavuma (2*) were at the crease when umpires called it a day. Earlier, Mayank Agarwal starred with the bat on the second day as he slammed 215 to become only the fourth Indian to convert his first Test hundred into a double century. Laced with 23 fours and 6 sixes, Mayank produced a sensational inning to help reach a mammoth first-innings total. Cheteshwar Pujara (6) and Virat Kohli (20) failed with the bat while comeback man Wriddhiman Saha (21 off 16) and Ravindra Jadeja (30* off 46 balls) chipped in with some quick runs towards the end. For South Africa, Keshav Maharaj was the most successful bowler, finishing with figures of 3 for 189. Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Senuran Muthusamy and Dean Elgar chipped in with a wicket apiece as well.

All eyes will be on the weather as India are all set to take on South Africa in the first Test match at Visakhapatnam. It has been raining in Vizag right through last we ek and as per the forecast, there is an 80 per cent chance of showers on the opening day of the series opener. Also, there is 50 and 40 percent chance of rain on day two and three and play could also be affected on the final two days.

It should be mentioned here that the warm-up clash between Board President’s XI and South Africa in Vizianagram, which is around 50 kms from the venue, too was affected by rain.

India are firm favourites to win the upcoming three-match series with the Proteas in a period of transition after the retirement of the likes of Dale Steyn, Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers over the past couple of years. If India win, this will be its 11th consecutive Test series win at home, the most by any side.

However, South Africa will not be an easy challenge and they have the different players who can trouble the hosts. “Spotlight will be on a lot of big players to make a statement. Our job is to come here and give the first punch as India is obviously expected to do well. We are known as a team who starts slow so this time around we have to start well. There is a lot of pressure on players [but then] it’s international cricket and you want to keep it that way,” fast-bowler Vernon Philander said ahead of the match.

“It’s a tough start…playing India in India but I don’t think the South Africans would have wanted it any other way… take the big dogs in their home ground. All of us are looking forward to this challenge and there are a lot of player-to-player challenges as well. Can’t wait to get going,” he further added.

When Umesh Yadav arrived on the Indian Test scene eight years ago, there was high expectation the expression pace spearhead would henceforth have a nice ring to it, such was the promise he held. Seven wickets on debut, in the two home Tests against West Indies, seemed but a prelude. The pace has remained through the years, though Yadav, seen as a future mainstay of India’s new-ball bowling department, has lost steam.

In an ideal world, India would look to hit South Africa with Yadav’s pace and ability to get late swing, and reverse swing, when they square up for the Test series, starting in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. That though is the lot of a fast bowler in full flight and rich form.

Yadav, brought in as injury replacement after Bumrah suffered a mild back stress fracture, is not even certain of playing in the first Test. Slipping down the pace pecking order, he is still regarded a great asset in home conditions. But the team management is likely to pick only two pacers with two spinners, and may feel his teammates are in better rhythm.

Ishant Sharma, despite ups and downs, has stayed the course, an important member for successive skippers. Mohammed Shami has overcome knee problems and is metronomic when fit. That leaves Yadav the uncertain member of a support cast to the newest member, Bumrah, who has revolutionised the Indian pace attack.

WAITING GAME

Yadav’s Test opportunities have become sporadic, and though called up after Bumrah was ruled out, the bowler who will turn 32 in a month will have to start all over again. A haul of 119 wickets from just 41 Tests, and only 17 of them away from home for one of India’s quickest ever—tells a tale of poorer returns for a bowler with his gifts.

Capable of hitting 150 kph in every spell, and swing the ball at high speeds, allied to his great fitness, he should have ideally been a regular.

In his first overseas series, in Australia in 2011-12, he took 14 wickets, in a 0-4 series drubbing for India. He came back from a shin injury suffered on that tour, and then a back injury in the first Test of the home series against England in 2012-13 forced a break for a year. Though fitness has never been an issue since, he has figured few series in full.

HOME FAVOURITE

He played all three Tests in the 2016-17 home series against Australia, taking 17 wickets as India rallied to win 2-1. He played a solid hand, though it was taken as fortifying the image Yadav was ideal for home conditions, as he was rendered peripheral for pacy overseas pitches.

He had also played in all five Tests in the previous major home series, versus England. A sparse yield of nine wickets though owed to pacers playing second fiddle to the spinners—R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in this case—on Indian wickets.

Being pushed to the fringes playing away from the sub-continent hasn’t helped the cause of India’s genuine quick. Since the start of 2018, he has figured only in two of the 14 Tests India have played, in South Africa, England, Australia and the West Indies.

Ahead of the three-match Test series against South Africa starting on October 2, India wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant found backing from Former India captain Sourav Ganguly. Pant has been under the scanner for his shot selection in his last few limited overs appearances but Ganguly is of the opinion that the young left-hander will get better with time.

“There has been talk about Pant’s shot selection and rightly so but all must understand, he will learn and only get better,” Ganguly wrote in his column for The Times of India.

Pant had scores of 19 and 4 in the two T20Is against South Africa and on both on occasions, he got out playing attacking shots. But Ganguly reserved high praise for the Delhi stumper and termed him a ‘long-term bet’ and a ‘solution for India in all the formats’.

“He has a young batting unit under him and all of them will need a lot of support from the captain, at the top of the list will be Rishabh Pant. His entry into international cricket has been brilliant and for me, he is India’s solution for all the formats. He is a match-winner and a longterm bet for India,” the former India captain said.

Pant has been pitted as the first-choice keeper for India in all three formats ever since MS Dhoni made himself unavailable after 2019 World Cup. But the 21-year-old has been keeping both his supporters and critics on their toes with his batting.

Ganguly, for his part did not want to read too much into India’s performance in the T20I series against South Africa which ended at 1-1.

“India last played against Australia at home in T20 games and now against South Africa and the results have not been a happy one for them but that can happen in sport. One has to give credit to South Africa for their fightback to level the series in the third T20,” Ganguly said.

“The T20 World Cup is in Australia next year and it is quite natural that a lot of so called interested parties in cricket will jump up and down, passing their opinions and judgements about all that can happen. The key person amidst all this will be Virat Kohli and it will be important for him to stay calm for a long period of time,” Ganguly added.