News Analysis India

Tag: mayank

  • Waiting for Rohit’s return to Rahane, Ravi Shastri said he will talk first

    Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane said after winning the Boxing Day Test by eight wickets against Australia on Tuesday that he is now waiting for the return of star opener Rohit Sharma in the third Test, while coach Ravi Shastri said that he would take Rohit in the third Test. Will talk to them before. Rahane said about Rohit’s return after the match, “We are very excited about Rohit’s return.” I spoke to him yesterday and he is waiting to join the team. “On the other hand coach Shastri said,” We should wait now. Currently Rohit is in Quarantine in Sydney.

    He is ready to join the team and can return to the playing eleven directly, but before deciding this, we will have to talk to Rohit about how physically ready he is to make the third Test. The problem of opening in the first two tests of the series remains. Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal landed in the opening Test in Adelaide but both flopped. Prithvi was forced out of Melbourne due to zero and four runs.

    Mayank has also flopped in four innings so far and has scored 17, 9, 0, 5. Shubman Gill, who was fielded in Melbourne, took advantage of the opportunity and batted without pressure, scoring 45 and 35 not out to secure his place. Gill has received praise from both captain Rahane and coach Shastri. If Rohit joins the team for the third Test in Sydney from January 7, then Mayank will have to sit out of the XI.

  • ‘They could have waited before declaring KL Rahul as vice-captain

    With India scheduled to play four Tests, three ODIs, and three T20Is against Australia starting December 3, the BCCI announced the three squads on Monday. However, there was no room for Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma in the squads, with the mention that the board is currently monitoring the hamstring injury he sustained during the IPL. If Rohit is fit, he has to be there. There is no doubt about it. Maybe Mayank Agarwal’s injury is not as serious and therefore his name is included. But a fit Rohit Sharma has to be included in the team,” he said. “Maybe announcing the vice-captain could have been on hold. They could have waited for Rohit’s injury details for another week, and then gone ahead with it [declaring the vice-captain].”

  • Kapil Dev Backs Ravichandran Ashwin’s Leg-Spin Bowling

    Ravichandran Ashwin, the off-spinner, has been bowling more of leg-spins these days and it is quite evident in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2018. Some have criticised his more-than-usual variations but India legend Kapil Dev has backed his leg-breaks. Everybody has a different bowling attack, depending on which pitch they are playing. But what we have come to know from the first or second IPL (till) now, is that the most successful bowler to come out is the leg-spinner,” Kapil Dev said. “Every team has their leg-spinner. Even a bowler like (Ravichandran) Ashwin, he likes to bowl more leg-spin than off spin. That shows the leg-spinners are more successful than anybody else,” he added.

    Ashwin is leading Kings XI Punjab this season, after having turned out for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiant in the past editions.

    In the current edition of the T20 league, leg-spinners have been largely successful with Mumbai Indians’ rookie Mayank Markande shining in the first three games for his franchise.

    SunRisers Hyderabad, too, have a good leg-spinner in Rashid Khan of Afghanistan, while his compatriot Mujeeb Ur Rahman is also a wrist spinner who plays under Ashwin.

    Even the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore possess a successful leggie in Yuzvendra Chahal.

    The 59-year-old former cricketer pointed out how a leggie like Karn Sharma had edged out experienced offie Harbhajan Singh for CSK vs Rajasthan Royals match on Friday.

    “Karn is playing, not Harbhajan (Singh), so Chennai is playing with two leg-spinners (the other being Imran Tahir).So, everybody is there with an extra leg-spinner. I think that is where in spinners you don’t see so many off-spinners, you don’t see left-arm spinners so much, but you see leg spinners definitely,” Kapil added.