Rohit Sharma Breaks Silence On Not Being In The Top 3 Retentions For MI

Indian captain Rohit Sharma on Thursday backed the retention of national team players in the Mumbai Indians squad for IPL 2025 while franchise skipper Hardik Pandya summed it up as "five fingers but one fist". Mumbai Indians chose to retain five Indian players as the IPL franchises submitted their list of retentions to end weeks of speculations around who were going to stay with their teams and who would be entering the auction pool. MI's retentions were 1. Jasprit Bumrah, 2. Hardik Pandya, 3. Suryakumar Yadav, 4. Rohit Sharma, 5. Tilak Varma.

"Since I have retired from the format, this is the perfect (retention) spot for me. The players who are representing the national team at the highest level should get the preference. That's what I believe in. It's a very tough one when you come into a fresh auction and you start retaining players," former MI skipper Rohit said after being retained by the five-time winners.

After a disastrous last season when they finished at the bottom of the 10-team league, Rohit said MI will look to put their best foot forward in the next edition.

"With Mumbai, we have always tried maintaining a core group of players. Moving forward, I just feel that we can have a good auction and create a group of players who can be match-winners for us.

"We will put the right foot forward and bring the legacy back where it belongs." There have also been plenty of chatter around Rohit's future in the side after he was replaced by Hardik as captain before the start of last year's tournament.

"I have played so much cricket for Mumbai Indians. I am happy to be here. We haven't had the best of the season in the last two or three years. But we are quite determined to change that. We will be looking forward to each other's help. And hopefully, we can turn things around," Rohit said.

"Mumbai Indians has a rich history of winning trophies, winning games out of unbelievable situations. Since I have retired from the (international) format, I think this is the perfect spot for me." Hardik will be eager to start afresh after last season's disappointment in a franchise with whom he has achieved so much success as a player.

"Everything that I've achieved in my life has been part of Mumbai Indians. We remember, as a group, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. All our fans know what happened in those years. We are going to come back in 2025 even stronger than that," he said.

"You lose and win on the ground. It is just preparation. I like to work hard. I like to prepare well," Hardik was quoted as saying by the franchise.

Mumbai Indians are left with Rs 45 crore after retaining Jasprit Bumrah (Rs 18 crore), Suryakumar Yadav (Rs 16.35 crore), Hardik (Rs 16.35 crore), Rohit (Rs 16.30 crore) and Tilak Varma (Rs 8 crore).

Hardik added, "Five people who we all have cherished a lot of good memories together. We are as one. We are five fingers but one fist. That's how I look at it.

"We are going to come in all guns blazing, with brotherhood, friendship and at the same point of time we are going to back each other no matter what happens."

PBKS retention

In the Punjab Kings franchise, Shashank Singh got the top retention at Rs 5.5 crore while Prabhsimran Singh was retained at Rs 4 crore.

Speaking about the move, PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting said, "Prabhsimran is someone we've invested in with great expectations. Shashank's skill set is highly sought after, and following his standout performances, he was impossible to overlook.

"We aim to bring back some of our other players at the auction."

RCB Trio

Virat Kohli (Rs 21 crore), Rajat Patidar (Rs 11 crore) and Yash Dayal (Rs 5 crore) are the three players retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

'We are thrilled to retain Yash Dayal, an extraordinary talent whose career is on an upward trajectory.

"His unique ability as a left-arm bowler, capable of swinging the ball in both directions, adds a valuable dimension to our bowling attack -- one that is increasingly rare in the auction landscape," said Andy Flower, RCB's head coach.

Samson speaks

Rajasthan Royals have retained Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer and Sandeep Sharma.

""The last few seasons have truly been remarkable for our franchise. We have been able to deliver some special moments for our fans and were able to create an environment in the dressing room where some of our young talent has been groomed to be the next generation of superstars for Indian cricket," said skipper Samson in a RR press release.

Samson, who is set to embark on his 11th season with the Jaipur-based franchise, has been retained at a value of RS 18 crore.

During the past four seasons under his captaincy, the team has made the play-offs twice, including a runner-up finish in IPL 2022.

"I am incredibly fortunate to be able to continue this incredible journey for both myself and the franchise under the esteemed leadership of Rahul Dravid and ably supported by Kumar Sangakkara.

"It gives me immense pride and I accept this responsibility with the utmost humility to keep leading this franchise and team into what we all want to make into the best phase in the franchise's history," added Samson. 

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India A vs Australia A LIVE Streaming, 1st Unofficial Test: Where To Watch

India A vs Australia A, 1st Unofficial Test LIVE Streaming: India A will be squaring off against Australia A in the first Unofficial Test of the two-match series, starting from Thursday in Mackay, Australia. The outings of Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Prasidh Krishna will be the primary focal points of India A's four-day match. Easwaran, Nitish and Pradish have been included in India's squad for the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, beginning on November 22, and the thinktank will be eager to know how they fare in Australian conditions.

Other than this aforementioned troika, the likes of skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, top-order batter B Sai Sudharsan, pacers Yash Dayal and Navdeep Saini and middle-order batter Devdutt Padikkal can look forward to churn out some good efforts to keep themselves on the periphery of selection in case of an eventuality in the senior side. Ishan Kishan, the wicketkeeper batter, too will be eager to make the most of this chance after a finding his favour back with the powers that be.

When will the India A vs Australia A, 1st Unofficial Test match begin?

The India A vs Australia A, 1st Unofficial Test match will begin on Thursday, October 31.

Where will the India A vs Australia A, 1st Unofficial Test match be held?

The India A vs Australia A, 1st Unofficial Test match will be held at the Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay.

What time will the India A vs Australia A, 1st Unofficial Test match start?

The India A vs Australia A, 1st Unofficial Test match will start at 5:30 AM IST. The toss will take place at 5:00 AM.

Which TV channels will live telecast the India A vs Australia A, 1st Unofficial Test match?

The India A vs Australia A, 1st Unofficial Test match will not be telecast live in India

Where to follow the live streaming of the India A vs Australia A, 1st Unofficial Test match?

The India A vs Australia A, 1st Unofficial Test match will be streamed live on the Cricket.com.au app and website.

(All details are as per information provided by the broadcaster)

(With PTI Inputs)

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Nitish Reddy Sees India A Games As Vital Learning Opportunity Before BGT

Wearing the India blue jersey for the first time before the T20I series opener against Bangladesh earlier this month, Nitish Kumar Reddy felt a surge of happiness that prompted him to take a mirror selfie. Later on, he found himself glued to that picture on his phone, savouring the happiness of realising a dream he had nurtured since he first started playing the sport as a child - to play for India. Reddy's exceptional performance of making 303 runs in 11 innings and taking three wickets with his seam-up for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024 earned him the Emerging Player of the Season award. It led to his quick entry to the national set-up via a call-up for the five T20Is against Zimbabwe in July. But a hernia issue prevented him from joining the tour, delaying his chance to play for India.

The wait finally culminated in the lead-up to India's first T20I against Bangladesh in Gwalior, where Reddy made his international debut. "That moment, I felt prouder of myself on how far I had come, something I had dreamt of. Now, I was finally about to represent India, as I knew I was going to get a chance in the first match.

"I was so excited, and at the same time, that nervousness was also there of representing India. But I always used to believe that whoever handles that pressure well, they are the ones going to sustain playing at a bigger level. So it somehow helped me to manage that pressure and did well in the series," said Reddy in an exclusive conversation with IANS.

Reddy is currently in Mackay, Australia, where India A is preparing to compete in the first of two four-day matches against Australia A beginning on Thursday. With his selection in India's squad for the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Reddy is a contender to fulfill India's quest for a proficient fast-bowling all-rounder in Tests.

'To be honest, I was so excited to play in Australia with India A squad because I would get a little more experience of playing on the Australian pitches and conditions before going into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

"When I heard the news that I had been selected in the Indian Test cricket team, I was very happy, as it's everyone's dream to play for India in white-ball and more so, in red-ball cricket. For me, that dream is now on the verge of becoming a reality. I just want to improve myself as much as I can and deliver through performances for the Indian team," he added.

Being in Australia, a favoured location for fast bowlers, Reddy has taken notes of modifications required to succeed in such conditions. "I can notice some difference between Indian and Australian pitches - the bounce over here is a bit higher than ones we have back home, which has to be adjusted accordingly, and that's what we are exactly trying to do here.

"When I am practising my bowling, I am just enjoying the bounce balls getting here and adjusting accordingly. Hitting that five-six metre length is quite good in Australia, as back in India you need to hit that six-metre length for good length balls."

The Indian team management, led by coach Gautam Gambhir, also recognizes Reddy's bowling skills and the reward it can bring. "They are expecting some overs from me as well. They already know how I bat and have wanted me to bowl consistent lengths with the red-ball. Specifically they didn't mention my role, but they have wanted for me to utilize my bowling skills as well," he stated.

Reddy's entry into the limelight began in red-ball cricket when he opened the 2017/18 Vijay Merchant Trophy with a triple-century against Tamil Nadu, then hit 190 against Karnataka, and went on to score a huge 441 runs off 345 balls against Nagaland. He received the honor of being the top U-16 cricketer at the 2018 BCCI awards for scoring 1237 runs with an average of 176.41.

While moving from age-group cricket to representing Andhra in first-class cricket, Reddy, a right-handed batsman, shifted to being a lower-order batter to focus on making use of his seam-bowling abilities. Assuming the new-ball bowling duties for Andhra proved to be successful as he secured 25 wickets, the most by a bowler from his state in the last season of the Ranji Trophy.

Despite his batting average of 21.45 in first-class cricket, Reddy is confident of turning it around with the bat, thanks to his shadow batting routine. "I would say shadow practice is the one thing that changed everything for me. I still remember when I was at U14 and U16, I used to do shadow practicing a lot because my father used to scold me for doing this thing.

"Somehow I left that and then forgot about it in middle. Now from the past two years, I started doing the shadow practice again, and that has made a lot of impact on my cricket. I always want to make sure that I do good shadow practice for at least 30-45 minutes in the day, as that's the only thing I do mentally before going for a game."

The impact of practicing in the shadows and improving his ability to hit powerful shots while playing for SRH was clear in his 64 runs against Punjab Kings, which helped SRH win by a single run. His undefeated 76 runs against Rajasthan Royals led the team to a two-run victory. The most powerful impact, though, came via a breathtaking 74 scored against Bangladesh in New Delhi on October 9.

During the power-play at the Arun Jaitley Stadium game, India lost captain Suryakumar Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, and Sanju Samson. Reddy and Rinku Singh intended to rotate strike and adjust to the situation. However, Reddy was biding his time to strike, and the opportunity arose when he hit a six off a free-hit due to a no-ball from Mahmudullah.

Reddy's powerful hitting on the leg-side helped him score 74 runs in just 34 balls, ultimately securing India's series-winning triumph from a challenging position. "I saw that moment came when the spinner was coming to bowl at that time and I felt this is the over to do it. When I took that chance, the Bangladesh team went down.

"When that spinner came (Rishad Hossain), I remember hitting two sixes down the ground and they were back under pressure. For the first six overs, we were in pressure and when I actually freed my arms at that time they were sent under pressure. That's where I saw the fear in their faces and did what I had to do."

Reddy thoroughly researches what is required of him in terms of batting and bowling for any game, with help from analysts, regardless of the format. "For batting preparation, I just want to see how they bowl, like do they have googly, off-break or leg-spin, the kind of slower ones they bowl - either off-cutter or back of the arm."

"I also see what variation is there in them, so that when I go and play in the middle, it should not be surprising for me. From a bowling perspective, it's all about planning what to bowl in various situation. Like, if off-side is a bigger boundary, I can bowl wide-yorkers or wide-slow ones. I also watch batters' videos for seeing what shots they are strong in and what lengths I can bowl to curb them."

The possibility of Reddy facing Pat Cummins and Travis Head in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy excites him, especially since they were previously associated at the SRH camp, with Cummins as his captain and Head as his teammate.

"I want to experience how it is like playing against them, as compared to playing with Pat and Travis at SRH. Let's see how it goes and I hope everything goes as per how we plan accordingly."

Outside of cricket, Reddy likes going for a walk with his team-mates in streets after dinner and watching movies of Telugu film actor Mahesh Babu, of who he is a big fan. He also enjoys playing a lot of PUBG with his friends, which he calls as a 'stress buster'.

"It's been five-six years of playing this game. Like whenever I had a bad or not so happy performances, I kind of come to play PUBG and that's kind of satisfying and refreshing for me."

While passionate cricket fans would wake up at 4:30 am to watch India's Tests in Australia, a young Reddy would start his day at 5 am, preparing to travel 20 km daily to practice at the Visakhapatnam stadium.

Despite not being able to watch India's Tests in Australia on TV, he looked forward to catching up on them once he was back home. He fondly remembers every Test India played in Australia as 'so good', especially the intense matchups between the formidable Australian team and the skillful Indian players.

Reddy will face intense all-round scrutiny as he competes in foreign conditions for the first time through the India 'A' side, against the likes of international players like Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris.

But Reddy's experience of performing in high-pressure situations in the IPL and a prior taste of playing international cricket are expected to give him an advantage as he strives to fulfill another childhood dream - of playing Test cricket for India.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Ranji Trophy Round-Up: Baroda, Delhi Register Emphatic Victories

In a thrilling week for domestic cricket, Madhya Pradesh's Rajat Patidar stunned fans with a lightning-fast century, the fifth quickest in Ranji Trophy history. Delhi and Baroda registered massive victories while defending champion Mumbai were held to draw by Tripura. Madhya Pradesh batter Rajat Patidar reignited his domestic cricket season in stunning fashion, blasting the fifth-fastest century in Ranji Trophy history in just 68 balls during the draw against Haryana. Harshal Patal was adjudged the Man of the Match after scoring 81 runs in the first innings and taking two wickets in each innings as the teams settled for a hard-earned draw.

Delhi earned a dominant 10-wicket win over Assam on Tuesday in the third round of the Ranji Trophy, marking their first outright win of the season. The victory came with a bonus point, secured by openers Sanat Sangwan and Gagan Vats as they comfortably chased down the target of 59 runs without losing a wicket.

Mumbai and Tripura battled it out for an entertaining draw after the former led in the first innings. Mumbai declared their second innings at 123/6 giving their opponents a target of 271. Unbeaten knocks by Bikramkumar Das and Jiwanjot Singh saw the team score 48/0.

Skipper Krunal Pandya's 119-run innings alongside Shivalik Sharma and Vishnu Solanki's contributions of 96 and 98 respectively, saw Baroda secure a victory by an innings and 98 runs against Odisha.

Match Results Summary

1. Andhra vs Himachal Pradesh - Himachal Pradesh won by an innings and 38 runs.

2. Arunachal Pradesh vs Sikkim - Sikkim won by 104 runs.

3. Baroda vs Odisha - Baroda defeated Odisha by an innings and 98 runs.

4. Bengal vs Kerala - Draw (first innings unfinished).

5. Bihar vs Karnataka - Karnataka won by 8 wickets.

6. Delhi vs Assam - Delhi won by 10 wickets.

7. Goa vs Nagaland - Goa won by 84 runs.

8. Hyderabad vs Pondicherry - Hyderabad won by an innings and 50 runs.

9. Jammu & Kashmir vs Services - J&K won by an innings and 25 runs.

10. Jharkhand vs Chandigarh - Chandigarh won by 10 wickets.

11. Maharashtra vs Meghalaya - Maharashtra won by 10 wickets.

12. Manipur vs Mizoram - Mizoram won by an innings and 20 runs.

13. Punjab vs Uttar Pradesh - Draw (Uttar Pradesh led in the first innings).

14. Rajasthan vs Gujarat - Draw (Gujarat led in the first innings).

15. Saurashtra vs Railways - Railways defeated Saurashtra by 37 runs.

16. Tamil Nadu vs Chhattisgarh - Draw (Chhattisgarh led in the first innings).

17. Tripura vs Mumbai- Draw (Mumbai led in the first innings).

18. Uttarakhand vs Vidarbha - Vidarbha won by 266 runs.

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"Don't Want To Sugarcoat": Karthik's Blunt Kohli Verdict Amid Form Concerns

Team India faced a shocking 113-run defeat against New Zealand in the second Test in Pune. This loss turned out to be a historic one as New Zealand gained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series and ended India's 12-year-old winning streak at home in Test cricket. In the second Test, India needed 359 runs to win but they got bundled out for 245 as the Kiwi spinner Mitchell Santner wreaked havoc with his six-wicket haul. Apart from this loss, another major concern for Rohit Sharma and co is the poor form of star batter Virat Kohli.

In the two Tests, the 35-year-old batter miserably failed to leave a mark, despite playing a knock of 70 runs in the first Test. In the second match, Kohli got dismissed by Santner for 1 and 17, exposing his struggles against left-arm spinners.

Kohli has been receiving criticism from the fans and cricket experts for his abysmal show. Former India star Dinesh Karthik that Kohli's struggle against spin is not new and he needs to work on it.

"Virat Kohli has not had it easy, the series has not been good to him, three out of four innings, he has disappointed. It's obviously a recurring partner where spinners have troubled him, and I think he will go and figure out what he needs to do to come out stronger," said Karthik on Cricbuzz.

"He is a man, who is searching for answers. When you reach that level of genius and super stardom, you will be thrown challenges and here is another challenge. India likes to play on pitches that aids spin, what is his game plan?" he added.

Many experts have suggested that in order to regain his form, Kohli should play domestic cricket. Karthik also agreed with the suggestion.

"We all know what he is capable of, this series was not meant to be. Like the fans have been saying, he has not done it for a long time, and that we cannot run away from it. We don't want to sugarcoat it because we want to be as objective in assessing any player, any performance, at the moment Virat Kohli's Test record in the last 2-3 years, has not been great against spin," he said.

"What we needs to do, is probably go back to domestic cricket and focus on what needs to be done with the current rules of DRS. There is no doubt the left-arm spinners pose a big threat," he added.

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"Don't Think I Would Retain Any Players": AUS Great's Big Advice To IPL Team

Former Australia cricketer Tom Moody believes that Punjab Kings should not retain any capped players ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. While there have been reports of PBKS considering Arshdeep Singh as their only retention, Moody believes that the franchise should look to use the right-to-match option for cricketers like Arshdeep, Sam Curran and Kagiso Rabada. The IPL-winning coach added that young wicket-keeper batter Jitesh Sharma can also be a big option when it  comes to using the RTM card.

When it comes to uncapped players, Moody picked all-rounder Harpreet Brar and explosive batter Shashank Singh as the prime contenders. However, according to media reports, there is a chance that Shashank may opt to put his name in the auction in order to attract a better price.

“For Punjab Kings, I don't think I would retain any players, certainly not capped players, but I'd be looking to use the right-to-match option for players like Arshdeep Singh, Sam Curran, and Rabada. Jitesh Sharma is another one I'd consider using the right-to-match for in the auction. When it comes to uncapped players, there are a couple of good players I'd like to secure before the auction: Shashank Singh, who is a solid middle-order power hitter and had a great season last year, and Harpreet Brar, the left-arm spinner," Moody told Star Sports.

Meanwhile, with the IPL 2025 mega auction retention deadline coming on October 31, it's the time where all ten teams will be firming up their retention plans. Kolkata Knight Riders, the IPL 2024 winners, are also in the process of finalizing their retention list.

But sources have told IANS that the retention status of their title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer is lining on unsure currently, as other players like West Indies duo of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, along with middle-order batter Rinku Singh, wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy and uncapped fast-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana, who recently got a call-up for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, are ahead in contention of being retained by the franchise.

While Narine and Russell were at their all-round best as the franchise's stalwarts, Chakravarthy was a key figure in the spin-bowling department, picking up 21 wickets at an economy rate of 8.04. Those performances paved his way for being back into the Indian team for the T20Is against Bangladesh this month and is selected for next month's South Africa series.

(With IANS inputs)

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"Those Times Are Gone": De Villiers Namedrops Virat In Big Verdict On India

The Indian cricket team has already lost its ongoing home Test series to New Zealand. In the three-match affair, the Rohit Sharma-led side trails 0-2 against the visitors with a game to go. It also turned out to be India's first Test series loss on home soil in 12 years. Talks of India's dominance at home were put to rest by the Blackcaps, who fetched the best of the conditions on offer. While the hosts' defeat has put them under severe criticism, former South Africa captain and batter AB de Villiers has pointed out that there is nothing wrong with India.

De Villiers, in fact, said that New Zealand's win is a result of the touring team's brilliance in adapting to the new conditions. The cricketing great also cited the example of Virat Kohli for the batter's impressive performance on South African soil to back his opinion.

"When you go to India, Indian players are the best players of spin, it is perceived to be, doesn't always mean that it is a fact that all the batters are the best players of spin in the world. When you get a turning wicket and you get a good bowler, no matter how good of a player you are, you will be under pressure. If the batter has got the mind and skill and the ability, you can score runs in any conditions in the world," said de Villiers on his YouTube channel.

"There is nothing wrong with the Indian batters, they are incredible players, all of them and they can play spin. But I think a lot of teams have caught up and that perception of when you go to India, you are going to have a hard time, those times are gone.

"The 90s and early 2000s are gone, when you are just a walking wicket in certain conditions. Look at Virat Kohli, he has scored 100s in South Africa as well," he added.

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Afghanistan A Crowned ACC Men's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 Champions

Afghanistan A crowned ACC Mens T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 champions after beating Sri Lanka A by seven wickets in the final at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground on Sunday. After winning the toss on Sunday, Sri Lanka skipper Nuwanidu Fernando won the toss and opted to bat. However, it did not help Sri Lanka to win the final. Sahan Arachchige (64 runs from 47 balls, 6 sixes) was the only standout batter for Sri Lanka as he stayed unbeaten on the crease and added some crucial runs on the scoreboard. Arachchige's pivotal role took Sri Lanka to 133/7 in the first inning.

Nimesh Vimukthi (23 runs from 19 balls, 1 four and 1 six) and Pawan Rathnayake (20 runs from 21 balls, 1 six) also helped Sri Lanka and contributed to adding runs.

Afghanistan dominated the game from the very first as they were successful in restricting Sri Lanka at 133/7. Bilal Sami led the Afghan bowling attack as he picked up three wickets from his four-over spell and gifted just 22 runs. Allah Ghazanfar also picked up two wickets in the first inning.

During the run chase, Zubaid Akbari (0 runs from 1 ball) and Sediqullah Atal (55 runs from 55 balls, 3 fours and 1 six) opened for the Afghans but it was not a great start from them while chasing. On the first ball of the second inning, Sri Lanka's Sahan Arachchige dismissed Akbari and put pressure on Afghanistan.

However, Afghanistan made a solid comeback after Atal and Darwish Rasooli (24 runs from 20 balls, 2 fours and 1 six) cemented a crucial partnership.

Karim Janat (33 runs from 27 balls, 3 sixes) and Mohammad Ishaq (16 runs from 6 balls, 1 four and 1 six) also displayed stupendous performance and helped Afghanistan to win the final. Mohammad Ishaq and Sediqullah Atal stayed on the crease to clinch a seven-wicket win in the final.

Sri Lanka's bowling attack showcased a sloppy performance as they failed to restrict the given target. Eshan Malinga, Dushan Hemantha and Sahan Arachchige were the only wicket-takers for Sri Lanka.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Blame Game Begins On Pune Pitch, India Team Management Under Question

Following India's disappointing defeat to New Zealand, former India cricketer Madan Lal offered a candid analysis of the team's performance, highlighting key factors behind the loss, such as the importance of home conditions and the need for a stronger showing from the top order. 1983 World Cup winner Lal began by discussing the advantage of playing on home turf, saying, "At home, we usually win series because the conditions favour us. The pitches suit our style, and we are accustomed to batting and playing here. We are more familiar with the weather and climate. Given all these factors, India generally has the upper hand."

However, he voiced frustration over the choice of pitch preparation, questioning the reasoning behind it. "We have ourselves to blame. There was no point in making such a pitch. I don't know who asked for this wicket - whether it was the team management's decision or someone else's."

He went on to emphasise the strength of India's bowling line-up, stating, "You have a solid team with a strong pace attack and the best spin attack. Yet, we created these pitches and fell into our own trap. On good wickets, we would have certainly won the Test match."

Lal also highlighted the underwhelming batting performance, particularly from the top order. "Another reason is that we didn't bat well enough. Our top order didn't perform. When our batters in the top five or six positions perform, we tend to win the Test match. We always have options in bowling because the conditions suit us."

He acknowledged the public's expectations of the players, noting that scrutiny intensifies when the team underperforms. "I wouldn't say too much, but people are going to comment when you don't perform. There's no doubt about that. The same people who praise you when you score will criticise when you're out of form. Their lack of performance affected the team."

Lal praised individual contributions from younger players, saying, "Youngsters like Jaiswal scored runs, and Ravindra Jadeja also contributed. But you can't win with one or two batters alone. The top order needs to deliver more consistently for us to succeed as a unit."

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Rohit Hits Back At Critics, Sends Sharp Message On "Too Much Post-Mortem"

After India's 12-year unbeaten streak in the home Test series came to a stunning end as New Zealand clinched a historic 2-0 lead with a 113-run victory at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium skipper Rohit Sharma acknowledged his team's shortcomings saying, "we failed to respond to the pressure". Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner weaved magic with his 6-104 in the second innings on Saturday as New Zealand did the unimaginable by clinching a historic Test series win in India for the first time with a 113-run victory over the hosts. Santner, who took 7-53 in the first innings, rattled India yet again with a remarkable spell of 6-104 to end up with match figures of 13-157, the third-best match figures for a bowler from his country in Tests.

Reflecting on the series, Rohit said, "We didn't bat well in the first innings. The pitch wasn't bad enough. We just didn't get close to their first innings score. As the game went on, the pitch started behaving differently. We wanted to get those runs. We lost wickets after that Gill-Yashasvi partnership. We failed to respond to the pressure," the India skipper said in the post-match press conference.

The defeat is India's first home Test series loss since Alastair Cook's England side won 2-1 in 2012. The recent series opener in Bengaluru set the tone when India, bowled out for a mere 46 in the first innings, struggled to recover as New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra struck a steady century, complemented by Tim Southee's late-order hitting. Although Sarfaraz Khan scored a maiden hundred, and Rishabh Pant added a counter-attacking 99, India suffered a lower-order collapse, setting New Zealand a modest 107-run target they chased easily, securing the first win.

"In the last two Test matches, things have gone wrong. We won 18 series before it so we had done a lot of things right. We have played on challenging pitches in India. Things happen. When you win a lot, there will be a series where you don't execute things well. "I am not doubting anyone's ability. I don't want to do too much post-mortem. Batters need to trust their plans. The NZ batters showed us that if you play in a certain method it will work. They were ahead so they were high on confidence," he added.

India's reign of 18 consecutive home series wins, starting from a 2013 whitewash of Australia, ended as New Zealand's clinical performance redefined the landscape. India continued to maintain the top spot in the WTC standings despite the loss, with a PCT of 62.82.

New Zealand climbed up to fourth place after this win. This was India's fourth loss in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. Pakistan climbed one spot to seventh after it beat England by nine wickets in the third Test in Rawalpindi, sealing the three-match series 2-1.

"It's too early to think about WTC. I am hurting because we lost the game. I don't want to think too much about too far. It's a collective failure. If you lose a Test match, it's about the entire unit that has to take the blame.

"If you bat for three days, you'll win a Test match. The idea was to try to get to the score. When the pitch is doing what it is doing, then you'll have to look for runs, and put bowlers under pressure. It didn't work for us but it worked for NZ. I thought there was a good chance of us winning this Test. By no means, I'll go into the mindset to draw a Test first rather than winning it," Rohit Sharma said.

"We wanted to do as a team, try sweeps, paddles. When you do that one fielder will come behind you and then you can score runs straight. That's what NZ did really well, played a lot of sweeps. When you play on a pitch like this, you have to find options to do things differently. We have been talking about sweeping and reverse sweeping. But eventually, when a player is batting, it is about what he is thinking. It depends on the batter to take that call," the India captain said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Sarfaraz To Travel For Australia Tests? Ex-India Star Says "No Reason..."

On the back of his maiden Test century, India batter Sarfaraz Khan retained his place in the team for the second Test against New Zealand in Pune. With Shubman Gill making a return after recovering from a stiff neck, India backed Sarfaraz to retain his place, with the team management instead dropping out-of-form batter KL Rahul. Sarafarz hit 150 in the second innings of the 1st Test in Bengaluru, which India lost by eight wickets to the Kiwis last week.

Now, former India batter Aakash Chopra has vouched for Sarfaraz's selection in the Indian team for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Test series against Australia. India will tour Australia to play five Test later this year.

Since the series will consist of five matches, Chopra feels the selectors should at least pick him in the squad.

"In the squad, yes, in the playing XI, we don't know yet. You will need to carry enough, and it might be a larger squad anyways, it is a five-Test match series. First time in Australia, we are going to play five matches," Chopra said during a media interaction.

"Sarfaraz, whenever he has played, it is just not about the last Test match, what he did against England was also commendable, so there is no reason for us to even speculate that he won't be part of the touring squad, I think it is a given he will be there," he added.

The Black Caps won the opener for their first Test victory in India since 1988 and lead the three-match series 1-0 coming into Pune, where spinners are expected to play a key role.

The eight-wicket win in Bengaluru was New Zealand's third Test victory in India but they have never won a series in the country.

New Zealand make one change with left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner coming in for fast bowler Matt Henry, who misses out with a "glute niggle".

India made three changes with fit-again batsman Shubman Gill, fast bowler Akash Deep and spinner Washington Sundar coming into the team.

Struggling batsman KL Rahul, pace bowler Mohammed Siraj and left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav are out.

(With AFP Inputs)

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India Squad For Australia Tour: No Shami, Axar, Kuldeep; Rana And Nitsh In

The BCCI on Friday night announced the all-important Indian cricket squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting in Perth on November 22. Jasprit Bumrah has been named vice-captain in the Rohit Sharma-led India side. Injured veteran pacer Mohammed Shami has not been included. In his place, young pacers Harshit Rana has earned a maiden Test call-up while fast -bowling all-rounder Nitish Reddy is also in.

Domestic cricket veteran Abhimanyu Easwaran has also been called up. Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel are the two wicket-keepers. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli form the core of the top-order. In the middle-order, KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan are there. Apart from Bumrah and Rana, the other pacers are Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna. 

The three spin-allrounders in the squad are Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel has not been selected for the Tour. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav was unavailable for selection for the tour of Australia since he has been referred to The BCCI Centre of Excellence after the end of the ongoing Test series against New Zealand for long term resolution of his chronic left groin issue. 

Fast bowlers Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini and Khaleel Ahmed have been named as the reserves.

After the completion of the 3-match Test series against New Zealand, India are set to play a 5-match Test series in Australia, part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting 22nd November in Perth.  

NEWS

Squads for India's tour of South Africa & Border-Gavaskar Trophy announced #TeamIndia | #SAvIND | #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Z4eTXlH3u0

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 25, 2024

India's squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.

India's squad for 4 T20Is against South Africa: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, Yash Dayal

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Gavaskar Makes Stunning U-Turn On Sundar Selection After 'Panic' Verdict

Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar made a stunning U-turn after initially criticising the decision to include Washington Sundar in place of Kuldeep Yadav for the second Test match against New Zealand on Thursday. Washington was added to the India squad after the loss in the first Test match in Bengaluru and his inclusion in the playing XI prompted Gavaskar to say that it was a 'panic' decision. However, the all-rounder produced a stunning performance and took seven wickets to put India in control. Even Gavaskar was impressed with his performance and on commentary, the legend remarked - "What an inspired selection. He is picked in the XI because he can bat a little bit, bowl a little bit.”

Earlier, Gavaskar was not convinced with India's decision to make three changes to their playing XI. KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj were all dropped for the second Test as Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar and Akash Deep made their way into the playing XI.

It feels like a bit of a panic decision taken by Team India. You do not make 3 changes to the squad often," Gavaskar said on broadcast after the toss on Thursday.

India trail the three-match series 0-1 after losing the first Test by eight wickets last week. Rohit Sharma and Co. had been bowled out for 46 in the first essay of the Bengaluru Test.

"I don't see a lot of teams making three changes unless there are injury concerns. Including Washington Sundar tells you they are worried about their batting. More than his bowling, they need his batting down the order as the cushion," Gavaskar said.

"Yes, there is a lot of talk about the left-handers in the New Zealand batting unit, but I would have picked Kuldeep Yadav, who can also turn it away from a left-hander," Gavaskar added.

(With PTI inputs)

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Gambhir Drops Big Bumrah Workload Statement Ahead Of Pune Test

Rishabh Pant has "no injury concerns" and is set to keep wickets for India while the team will decide on Jasprit Bumrah's workload after the second Test against New Zealand starting here on Thursday, said head coach Gautam Gambhir. Pant copped a blow on the second day of the opening Test in Bengaluru and was replaced by Dhruv Jurel behind the wickets. Pant returned to score a fine century but did not keep wickets.

Pant had a hit at the nets and also had a wicket-keeping drill with Gambhir on Tuesday.

"Absolutely," Gambhir said on Wednesday when asked if everything was fine with the wicketkeeper-batter.

"I think he's going to keep wickets tomorrow. (There are) no other fitness concerns," he added.

Bumrah has played each of the three Tests at home this season and with the Australia tour less than a month away, India will decide on resting the ace fast bowler after the second Test.

"Once the series is over, we still have around 10 or 12 days before the (first) Test starts in Australia. That is enough break for our fast bowlers as well. But we will still monitor after this Test match where Jasprit Bumrah is," Gambhir said.

"But it's not only about Jasprit Bumrah. It's about all the fast bowlers as well. We want to keep them fresh. We know that obviously we've got a long tour and an important tour of Australia.

"Workload management will definitely depend on what the outcome of this Test match is and how much have they bowled in this match," he added.

Gambhir said that Shubman Gill, who missed the Bengaluru Test due to stiffness in his neck, will play the match as the No. 3 batter has attained full match fitness.

"Shubman Gill isn't coming into the side, he was already there. He was injured in the last match. It's not the case that he's new to the team. Because of the injury, he didn't play the last match. He had an issue with his neck.

"Given how he performed against Bangladesh, he will come back into the playing XI. The rest of the team will be decided tomorrow (Thursday morning before toss)," he said.

Gambhir underlined his coaching philosophy of putting more emphasis on wins even against all odds, as India staged a remarkable fightback in Bengaluru.

"This is why we call cricket and sports as big levellers. If you enjoyed such days as we did in Kanpur, then you will have to accept such days as we did in Bangalore," he said.

"But the good thing was that despite being all out for 46, we were still looking to win the Test — that was important. This is the way we want to play cricket. I have said before (also) that our first option will always be to win and the second option will be to draw." "There was no such intention in the second innings that we were looking to play out the next two-and-a-half days. We were thinking about how to make the match out of it and if you ask me, we were probably 100 runs away," he added.

Gambhir said India showed the intent with which they want to play Test cricket in the opening match.

"I don't think there will be many teams who will be thinking like this even after being shot out for 46, when you have to bat more than two-and-a-half days but this is the quality (we have) and this is the kind of cricket we want to play in the future," he said.

Gambhir said batting to save a Test is not likely anymore since T20 cricket has made batters more aggressive.

"To a certain extent, it's good because when I batted in Napier, the T20 format was just introduced," said India's 2007 T20 World Cup winner.

"Now, with so much of T20 cricket around, you expect players to be more aggressive. The game has changed and we have to accept that as well. We will need a lot of temperament and a lot of mental toughness to bat for two or two-and-a-half days.

"But again, if the decision of the leadership group or the team management is to just go there and still try to win the game, that is very important." "Had we decided to bat two-and-a-half days, the guys would have batted much differently. But the intention was always to make the game out of it, irrespective of where we are (and) how much behind we are in the game," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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2nd ODI: Sri Lanka Seal Series With A Match To Go

SL vs WI 2nd ODI Highlights: Sri Lanka have sealed the three-match ODI series with a game in hand and they have done so without breaking much of a sweat. As for West Indies, this is now their tenth straight ODI loss in Sri Lanka, a record they certainly won't be proud of. For Sri Lanka, the stand between Nishan Madushka and Sadeera Samarawickrama was crucial and after a watchful start, boundaries started to flow from both of their bats. Both of them did get out in the 30s but the platform was laid and batting had become easier. Skipper, Charith Asalanka then took charge and together with Janith Liyanage made sure that there were no hiccups. Liyanage fell but Asalanka stayed on and notched up an unbeaten 62 off 61 balls to seal the series win for his side. (Scorecard)

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"Why Not Try...": This Domestic Run Machine Suggested As Rahul Replacement

Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has batted for the inclusion of a domestic run-scoring machine in the India setup. Following India's dramatic collapse to 46 all out in the first Test against New Zealand, Tiwary has questioned KL Rahul's spot in the India side. Raising the example of Sarfaraz Khan's success for India, Tiwary has suggested that India should try Abhimanyu Easwaran in the India playing XI in the near future. Easwaran has slammed four centuries in his last four first-class games.

Tiwary pointed out Rahul's poor average in Test cricket, and recommended Easwaran's name.

"The numbers that you showed are definitely disappointing, if you play 91 innings, and have an average of 33.98. India have a lot of batters who are performing well on a consistent basis, even in domestic cricket," said Tiwary, speaking on the Cricbuzz YouTube channel.

"You need performances on a consistent basis, which should be checked in 1:3 ratio," said Tiwary.

Tiwary was himself perhaps a victim of this during his career, having been dropped immediately after scoring an ODI hundred for India.

Tiwary stated that if Sarfaraz could perform at No. 4, having been promoted up the order, Easwaran can also be given a shot in the middle order despite being a designated opener in domestic cricket.

"If you look at his (Easwaran's) numbers, there were hardly any innings in the last few matches he played where he did not score a century. So bring him in, and try him as a middle-order batter, given that he is in form. Why not?" further said Tiwary.

Easwaran, who Tiwary has captained previously while playing for Bengal, recently notched up a stunning 191 for Rest of India against Mumbai in the Irani Cup 2024.

Easwaran has been a part of the India setup before, travelling as a standby player.

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BCCI May Rope In 103-Test Ignored Veteran For Australia Tour: Report

Cheteshwar Pujara was a walking nightmare for Pat Cummins and company on the last two tours of Australia and the seasoned campaigner could be a surprise pick in India's jumbo squad for the upcoming five-Test series Down Under. The selectors are expected to announce the squad on October 28. Pujara could get the selectors' nod if Ajit Agarkar and his team decide to fall back on his experience. The 36-year-old was the leading run-getter in the 2018-19 series with 521 runs off 1258 balls and was once again the backbone of Indian batting three years later when he accumulated 271 runs off 928 balls.

Across the two teams, the 103-Test veteran by far faced the most number of balls to wear out the opposition attack comprising Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. Pujara has not played for India since the World Test Championship final in June last year.

His appetite for big runs hasn't satiated yet as he scored 234 off 383 balls against Chattisgarh in the last Ranji Trophy round.

Reddy being prepared as a seamer all-rounder

Despite his good performances in the Bangladesh series, Nitish Reddy won't be a part of the T20s in South Africa after being picked in the India A squad for the shadow tour of Australia.

While Shardul Thakur's experience can come in handy, he hasn't done anything worth taking note of since his comeback from injury. Thakur, however, did make an impact on the last tour of Australia where a second string India were able to defeat the mighty hosts at the Gabba and the win the series for the second time in a row.

One among Mayank, Harshit could be picked

Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep select themselves in the Test squad but the likes of Avesh Khan and Yash Dayal are also in the mix. Mohammed Shami declared himself pain free on Monday but he might not be fully fit for the initial part of the series beginning in Perth on November 22.

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Kagiso Rabada Fastest To 300th Test Wicket As Bangladesh All Out For 106

South Africa posted 140 for 6 on Monday in an action-packed first day of the opening Test, after Bangladesh collapsed to 106 all out with Kagiso Rabada celebrating being the fastest to take 300 Test wickets. The visitors took the lead, reaching 140 for 6 in 41 overs in reply at stumps at Mirpur, with Wiaan Mulder and Kyle Verreynne not out for 17 and 18 respectively. Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat but four of their top six batsmen failed to reach double figures, with opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy top-scoring with 30 on a lively pitch. Seamers Rabada, Mulder and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took three wickets apiece for South Africa.

He managed the feat in 11,817 balls, the fastest of all time, beating Pakistan's Waqar Younis (12,602 balls).

Rabada soon made it 301 Test wickets, removing Litton Das for one, with Bangladesh crumbling, all out for 106 in 40.1 overs.

Rabada said he was "really surprised at how the wicket played out".

"Test cricket should offer a fair contest between bat and ball, where bowlers get something if they bowl well, and batters can score if they apply themselves," he said.

"With 16 wickets on day one, I'd say it's leaning towards the bowlers," he added.

'Still in our hands'

Right-arm seamer Hasan Mahmud brought Bangladesh the first success in the first over after the innings change, removing South African captain Aiden Markram for six off seven deliveries.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam -- Bangladesh's main seamer in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan -- then boosted his team after he bagged a five-for, to become only the second Bangladeshi to take 200 wickets in Tests after Shakib.

"Many bowlers have 200, or 300-400 wickets," Taijul said. "But we don't play many Test matches -- still, I'm one of the Bangladeshi bowlers who have 200 wickets, and I'm happy for this."

He kept the team's spirits up, saying it was possible the match was "still in our hands" to win.

The Test is the first international cricket fixture in Bangladesh since a student-led revolution toppled autocratic premier Sheikh Hasina in August.

Bangladesh are missing all-rounder Shakib after security fears forced him to cancel plans to return home.

Shakib announced his retirement from international cricket last month but said that he wanted to play one last red-ball series at home.

The 37-year-old was also a former lawmaker in the government ousted by the revolution, making him a target of public anger.

Bangladesh have never beaten South Africa in a Test. The second Test begins in Chattogram on October 29.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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How Can India Qualify For WTC Final After Loss Against NZ In First Test?

India's dreams of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) Final were dealt a major blow after the Rohit Sharma-led side slumped to a eight-wicket loss against New Zealand in the first Test encounter in Bengaluru on Sunday. Chasing 107 in the second innings, New Zealand never looked in trouble and Indian bowlers were unable to take wickets at crucial intervals. As a result, India will have to win five from their remaining seven matches in order to secure a spot in the WTC Final. Rohit and Co were able to maintain the top spot in the points table but their lead was cut down quite a bit. India will now face New Zealand in two more Tests before heading to Australia for a five-match series.

India loosened their grip somewhat but continued to lead the World Test Championship (WTC) standings, despite suffering an eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the three-match series opener.

India's percentage dropped to 68.06 percent after the humbling experience in Bengaluru, and they will now look to get their act together before the upcoming two Tests and the ensuing five-match series in Australia at the end of the year.

The Black Caps chased down their victory target of 107 with relative ease, with the win catapulting the side from sixth up to fourth on the updated standings with a win-loss percentage of 44.44 percent.

Reigning champions Australia and Sri Lanka are currently India's closest challengers on the standings, with Pat Cummins' side in second place on 62.50 percent and the island nation narrowly behind with 55.56 following their recent series sweep over New Zealand.

But New Zealand's triumph over India has the Kiwis back in the running for a second appearance in the World Test Championship final, as they overtake England and South Africa to re-claim fourth position.

New Zealand host England for three Tests in November and December and may still be in contention for a top two finish on the standings with a pair of positive results from the remaining matches against India.

After bowling India out for a historic low of 46 on the first morning of the match, New Zealand piled up a massive 402 thanks largely to a Rachin Ravindra century (134) and a Tim Southee cameo (65) lower down the order.

India responded strongly in their second essay with Sarfaraz Khan (150) and Rishabh Pant (99) masterminding an excellent comeback, before the second new ball turned the match.

(With PTI inputs) 

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Shakib Al Hasan's Fans Attacked During Protest In Dhaka Amid Tight Security

A group of people attacked Shakib Al Hasan's fans during a protest in Dhaka on Sunday amid tight security, an eye witness said. Shakib Al Hasan wanted to retire from Test cricket by playing the series against South Africa in Bangladesh. The BCB responded positively to his request and included him in the squad against South Africa. But he was advised by the Bangladesh government not to enter the country due to security reasons while in transit through Dubai on his way back to Bangladesh from the US.

Fans had been protesting outside the cricket stadium in Mirpur for several days to protest against Shakib's ban from playing the farewell Test in Bangladesh. On Sunday, a group of people suddenly attacked them with sticks. At that time, the army and law enforcement personnel who were there brought the situation under control by blowing whistles.

Notably, Shakib officially joined the Awami League party in 2023. He filed the nomination from the Magura-1 parliamentary seat as an Awami League candidate to contest in the 2024 Bangladesh general election, which he won.

Two months ago, a student-led movement ousted Bangladesh's Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, after weeks of protests and clashes that killed over 600 people. Hasina, 76, fled to India on August 5 and an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed.

Awami League leaders and supporters, including Sheikh Hasina, are facing dozens of cases of allegedly committing crimes during the July-August uprising. Sakib Al Hasan is one of the accused in the cases but he wished to say cricket goodbye after the test series against South Africa.

BCB announced the appointment of former West Indies batter Phil Simmons as the head coach of the national men's cricket team after suspending Chandika Hathurusinghe, due to misconduct.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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PAK 'Mentally Prepared' For IND's Champions Trophy Refusal? Report Says...

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is mentally prepared for India's refusal to travel to the country for the Champions Trophy but it won't move the title clash of the tournament from Lahore even if the arch-rivals qualify for the final on March 9, sources said on Friday. The PCB's stance on hosting the final is up for debate when the International Cricket Council (ICC) Board members meet in Dubai from October 18 to 21. "The PCB's first choice and priority is to host entire Champions Trophy in Pakistan and they are counting on this but internally the Board is also mentally prepared to hear about the Indian government not allowing its team to play in Pakistan and India's matches being held in UAE," a PCB source said.

"But the PCB has decided even in the event of India not playing in Pakistan they want the final to be held in Lahore. Even if India qualifies for the final the PCB wants the ICC to hold the match at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore," the source said.

The bilateral cricketing ties between India and Pakistan are freezed since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 175 people lost their lives and close to 300 suffered injuries.

The BCCI may request the ICC to hold the tournament in a hybrid model and relocate their matches to either Sri Lanka or Dubai, like the Asia Cup, last year.

Gaddafi hosted the final of the 1996 World Cup. The seating capacity at the stadium is being increased.

The source claimed that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer will be submitting details of the costs the PCB is bearing to renovate and upgrade the stadiums in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore for the Champions Trophy.

"They will submit the details including the highest budget of around 7 billion earmarked for renovation work at the stadium in Lahore," the source added.

He also said that Naqvi will make it clear at the ICC meeting that even if India can't come for the entire tournament to Pakistan they must play the final in Lahore if they qualify.

"All this talk that the ICC Champions Trophy might be altogether moved to another location has also bothered the PCB and they will discuss this as Naqvi is adamant that Pakistan will host the event," he added.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) senior officials ruffled feathers in the PCB with a statement this week that moving the tournament out of Pakistan was an option available to the ICC and members.

The source said that the PCB is expecting to get some sort of viable answer from the BCCI officials at the coming meeting on the progress they have made (if any) on seeking clearance from their government to send their team to Pakistan early next year for the tournament.

PCB officials will present detailed updates on the preparations for the tournament and the progress made on construction projects.

Pakistan has been placed in Group A alongside India, Bangladesh, and New Zealand for the Champions Trophy and the PCB has proposed holding all of India's games in Lahore.

Lahore is set to host seven matches, including the final. Karachi will stage the opening match and a semi-final, while Rawalpindi will host five matches, including the other semi-final.

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All-Round India A Defeat Pakistan A By 7 Runs In Emerging Teams Asia Cup

India A excelled in all three departments, clinching a thrilling seven-run victory over Pakistan to kick off their ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup campaign on an exhilarating note in Al Amerat, Oman on Saturday. India's top order fired in unison as it posted 183 for 8 with Tilak Verma top-scoring with a 35-ball 44 after opting to bat. Pacers Anshul Kamboj (3/33) and Rasikh Salam (2/30) and spinner Nishant Sindhu (2/15) shared eight wickets amongst themselves to restrict Pakistan to 176/7.

Not only did India shine with the bat and ball, they also delivered an impressive performance in the field, particularly through Ramandeep Singh, who made a stunning catch and saved vital runs in the closing moments.

Openers Abhishek Sharma (35 off 22) and Prabhsimran Singh (36 off 19) unleashed an aggressive assault on the pace attack, sending the ball flying across the field.

Abhishek slapped consecutive boundaries in the first over, while Prabhsimran followed suit by dispatching Zaman Khan for a four and a six in the next over, setting a vibrant tone.

Together, they struck eight boundaries and five sixes, propelling India A to an impressive 68 without loss during the Powerplay.

However, the introduction of spin after the Powerplay slowed their momentum, leading to the loss of both Abhishek and Prabhsimran in quick succession. This brought skipper Verma (44) and Nehal Wadhera (25) to the crease.

As the pitch became increasingly sluggish, Verma took on the anchor role, while Wadhera and Ramandeep (17) found the boundaries.

After losing two wickets to the pace of all-rounder Anshul Kamboj early in the chase, Yasir Khan (33) and Qasim Akram (27) began to attack fiercely.

However, a spectacular catch by Ramandeep at deep midwicket broke their partnership, dismissing Yasir. In the same over, left-arm spinner Nishant made his mark by removing Akram.

Arafat Minhas top-scored for Pakistan with 29-ball 41 but it was Abdul Samad who blazed away to 25 off 15 balls. Samad walked in when Pakistan needed 58 more to win but the 26-year-old hit a six and two back-to-back boundaries off Vaibhav Arora in the 16th over to bring down the equation to 42 off 24 balls.

Samad continued to chip in with Pakistan needing 17 off the last over but the big-hitter was sent marching off the first ball by Anshul with India completing a memorable win.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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1st Test Live: Big Good News For India As Sarfaraz Gets Fiery Partner vs NZ

IND vs NZ 1st Test Day 4 LIVE Scorecard: The Indian cricket team has started warming up for the 4th day of the 1st Test. India will resume play on Day 4 at 231/3, still trailing New Zealand by 125 runs. The live visuals show that it is overcast in Bengaluru. That might be a problem for India, as the Kiwis have a terrific fast bowling line-up and we all saw what they are capable of on the Day 1. Sarfaraz Khan was unbeaten 70 overnight, with India losing an unfortunate wicket of a well-set Virat Kohli on the final ball before stumps on Day 3. KL Rahul is likely to be his partner. (Live Scorecard)

Here are the LIVE Score Updates of India vs New Zealand 1st Test Match Day 4, Straight from Bengaluru

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Ranji Trophy: Easwaran's Ton Leads To Draw As Bengal dominate Uttar Pradesh

Abhimanyu Easwaran continued his sublime run of form with a brilliant century as Bengal played out a draw with Uttar Pradesh on the final day of their Ranji Trophy encounter on Monday. Resuming the day at 78, Easwaran scored his 27th First-class hundred — his fifth century in the last nine innings — to help Bengal declare their second innings at 254/3, setting U.P. a target of 273 runs. Despite a challenging pitch and early setbacks, Priyam Garg's gritty century ensured the hosts managed to hold on for a draw. Bengal walked away with three points for their first-innings lead, while Uttar Pradesh had to settle for one.

Starting the day under overcast skies, the U.P. pacers struggled to generate any movement from the pitch. Bengal's opening pair of Easwaran and Sudip Chatterjee, who had already stitched together a century stand on Day 3, remained untroubled by the bowling attack. Yash Dayal's short-ball ploy was short-lived after the left-armer was cautioned for delivering three consecutive deliveries above shoulder height.

Easwaran, in particular, displayed great composure, bringing up his hundred off 140 balls. There was a moment of uncertainty when he survived a close lbw shout against leg-spinner Vipraj Nigam, but he quickly regained his focus to notch up another century. His partner, Sudip Chatterjee, also looked set for a century but fell for 93, trapped lbw by Saurabh Kumar.

After the quick dismissals of Sudip Gharami and Abishek Porel, who both fell to Nigam in consecutive deliveries, Easwaran accelerated, scoring at nearly a run-a-ball to stretch Bengal's lead beyond 250. With dark clouds hovering and only spinners allowed to bowl due to poor light, Bengal declared just before lunch, giving themselves a shot at forcing a result.

However, UP's resistance proved stubborn. Bengal's hopes for an early breakthrough materialized soon after lunch, with Mukesh Kumar trapping U.P. skipper Aryan Juyal lbw just two balls into the session. Swastik Chikara followed soon after, gifting a return catch to Mohammed Kaif, and when Siddarth Yadav was bowled by Kaif for eight, U.P. seemed to be in deep trouble at 52/3.

But Priyam Garg, showing immense resilience, took charge of the innings. With support from Nitish Rana, who added a steady 32-ball 7, Garg guided U.P. out of troubled waters. Despite the pain from multiple blows to the ribs, groin, and shoulder, Garg displayed both defiance and intent. He fended off a testing spell from Mukesh Kumar, particularly dealing with bouncers, while managing to keep the scoreboard ticking with well-timed boundaries.

As wickets continued to fall at the other end, Garg remained U.P's stronghold. He brought up his hundred off 142 balls, smacking Shahbaz Ahmed for a six over mid-on. His battling innings ensured that UP finished at 162 for six, forcing Bengal to settle for a draw.

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"He Was The One Who...": Rohit Reveals Truth Behind Virat's No. 3 Stunt

Since India's usual number three Shubman Gill had to sit out of this match with a stiff neck, Virat Kohli walked out in to bat in that position after eight years. However, he perised for a nine-ball duck. After stumps on Day 2, India captain Rohit Sharma said it was Kohli's decision to bat in that position. "The experienced players are the ones who have to take that extra responsibility. It is a good sign. This time, it was Virat. He was the one who was ready to do that. We asked him whether he can bat at number three," Rohit revealed.

"We wanted to give Sarfraz the position that he usually bats four, five, six maybe. But we didn't want to change Rishabh and KL (Rahul). Hence, Sarfraz went at four and Virat batted at three," he said.

Rohit praised Henry and O'Rourke for troubling the Indian batters throughout the first innings.

"They play in these types of conditions back home. They know exactly what to do when the conditions are like that. Their bowlers actually challenged our batters a lot.

They made us play every second or third ball. That is what you want to do as a bowling unit. We didn't respond to that challenge." Asked what would be the way back for India, having already conceded a lead of 134 runs, Rohit said, "I think for us to stay in the game, we have got to not let them get away with way too many runs. They are at 180, that is about 140 runs (lead).

"The wicket seems to be settling down a little bit and we expect the pitch to play like that. We have got a bat really big in the second inning and try and see if we can make a game out of that," he signed off.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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SAStun Defending Champions Australia To Enter Women's T20 World Cup Final

A resolute South Africa came up with a clinical performance to shock mighty Australia by eight wickets and enter the final of the Women's T20 World Cup on Thursday. South Africa thus exacted revenge for their loss in the last summit clash at home, when Australia won by 19 runs to lift their sixth title. Put in, Australia were stopped at a modest 134 for five as Beth Mooney top-scored with a 42-ball 44 in the first semifinal. Ayabonga Khaka (2/24) was the most successful bowler for South Africa, even as others chipped in nicely.

South Africa completed the task with 16 balls to spare and Anneke Bosch led the way with a scintillating knock of 74 not out in 48 balls. Skipper Laura Wolvaardt contributed a 37-ball 42 at the top of the order.

Earlier, Wolvaardt opted to field after winning the toss and her decision was justified as Ayabonga Khaka had Grace Harris and then Marizanne Kapp accounted for the wicket of Georgia Wareham to leave the Australians struggling at 18 for two in the third over.

Tahlia McGrath (27 off 33 balls) joined Mooney in the middle and the two steadied the Australian innings with a 50-run stand for the third wicket.

The partnership was broken when Nonkululeko Mlaba dismissed McGrath to bring Ellyse Perry into the middle at the start of the 13th over.

Brief scores: Australia: 134/5 in 20 overs (Beth Mooney 44, Tahlia McGrath 27; Ayabonga Khaka 2/24).

South Africa: 135/2 in 17.2 overs (Anneke Bosch not out 74, Laura Wolvaardt 42; Annabel Sutherland 2/26). 

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IND vs NZ, 1st Test Live: Rohit, Virat Out On Field, Toss To Take Place At...

India vs New Zealand LIVE, 1st Test, Day 2: After rain washed out the entire Day 1 of the first Test between India and New Zealand, the crowd at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru would be hoping for some action on Day 2. However, with at least two hours of rain predicted for the day, hopes of a quick start to action may be dashed. Not even the toss was possible due to the constant drizzle on Day 1, and with cloud cover expected to be 100%, a significant gap would be needed to get the field dry even if it stops raining. (LIVE SCORECARD)

Here are the LIVE Score Updates of India vs New Zealand 1st Test Match Day 2, Straight from Bengaluru

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IPL 2025: Big Stars Don't Want To Be Retained Due to This BCCI Rule

The diverse set of rules for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction have reportedly created a big movement ahead of the retentions announcement on October 31. In particular, the Right to Match (RTM) option has allowed players to want to test their market value and choose to not be retained, as per a report by Cricbuzz. The report states that agents of several star players, particularly overseas, have been conducting discussions with other franchises, seeking to eke out the maximum market value for their clients. In such a case, they may not want to be retained and go against their original franchise's wish.

The IPL 2025 retention rules allows franchises to have up to several RTM cards, which allows players to go back to the auction pool and be repurchased for a new fee instead of a designated retention slab. The new RTM rule even allows the final bid-winner to post a last extensive bid for the player, increasing their price. 

The report by Cricbuzz states that this new RTM rule has allowed player agents to open negotiations with both the original franchise, as well as other franchises, for better deals.

An effect of the new RTM rule may already be seen, with reports suggesting that IPL 2024 runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) could be set to shell out Rs 23 crore to retain star wicket-keeper batter Heinrich Klaasen. Rs 23 cr is Rs 5 cr more than the highest retention slab of Rs 18 cr.

The report by Cricbuzz also states that the venue for the IPL auction could very likely be outside India. The frontrunners for this appear to be Saudi Arabian city or Singapore, while Austria's capital Vienna also stands an outside chance to be the auction host city.

A maximum of six players can be retained by a franchise, either through direct retention or the RTM rule.

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Not Only Rain, Technology Ruined India vs NZ 1st Test Day 1 - Here's How

The rain played spoilsport in more ways than one on Day 1 of the first Test between India and New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Consistent rain throughout the day led to play being called off without a ball being bowled or even the toss taking place on Day 1. However, even though the rain stopped at times, there was another technological issue that further held back play. The hawk-eye system – crucial in the working of the Decision Review System (DRS) – could not be formatted into the ground due to the rain.

As revealed by former India cricketer-turned-pundit Saba Karim on air, the hawk-eye system can only be implemented and formatted into the ground once the covers are removed. Rain prior to the game, as well as during Day 1, meant that the formatting process could not take place. The formatting takes about an hour and a half, as per Saba Karim. At no point during the day did the covers stay removed for such a long duration, making start of play next to impossible.

The inability to put in the hawk-eye system led to play being called off earlier on Day 1. While not much rain is predicted in the late hours of Wednesday, October 16, rain is expected to play spoilsport in Day 2 as well. At least two hours of rain is predicted by Accuweather.com at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday, October 17.

Saba Karim made a comment on Jio just now.

A) Hawk Eye is not ready. Apparently they need to format it a day before the game. Since it rained yesterday, they didn't get time. So today, once the covers come off, they will require 90-120 minutes post that to start.

B) The super… pic.twitter.com/wSCbfeH7gb

— Kartik Kannan (@kartik_kannan) October 16, 2024

40% precipitation is expected, while cloud cover is predicted to be a constant throughout Day 2 as well. In fact, rain is predicted on all five days of the Test match.

India come into the three-match home series as firm favourites, sitting comfortably at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. New Zealand, on the other hand, are sixth, and have never won an away Test in WTC history.

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India vs NZ Live Streaming 1st Test Live Telecast: When And Where To Watch

India vs New Zealand Live Streaming 1st Test Live Telecast: Rohit Sharma-led India look to book their spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final as they face New Zealand in the first Test encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru starting Wednesday. A clean sweep for the Indian cricket team in the three-match Test series will more or less guarantee their spot in the WTC Final. India are coming to the series on the back of solid performances in the series against Bangladesh. Both batters and bowlers performed well as the hosts clinched the series 2-0.

Complete Squads - 

 India: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.

New Zealand: Tom Latham (captain), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Mark Chapman, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Blundell (wk), Ajaz Patel, Ben Sears, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, William O'Rourke.

When will the India vs New Zealand 1st Test match start?

The India vs New Zealand 1st Test match will start on October 16, 2024.

Where will the India vs New Zealand 1st Test match be played?

The India vs New Zealand 1st Test match will be played at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.

What time will the India vs New Zealand 1st Test match start?

The India vs New Zealand 1st Test match will start at 9:30 AM IST. The toss for the game will take place at 9 AM IST.

Which TV channels will live telecast the India vs New Zealand 1st Test match?

The India vs New Zealand 1st Test match will be telecast live on Sports18 channel.

Where to follow the live streaming of the India vs New Zealand 1st Test match?

The India vs New Zealand 1st Test match will be live streamed on the JioCinema app and website in India. (All details are as per information provided by the broadcaster)

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Tom Latham Looking Forward To Challenge Of Beating 'Well-Rounded' India

New Zealand captain Tom Latham on Tuesday conceded that beating a “well-rounded” India would be an enormous task but said his team is ready to face the challenge over the course of a three-match Test series, beginning from Wednesday. The presence of a host of experienced batters and bowlers, Latham said, makes India a formidable opponent. “You obviously look at the spinners when you come over these conditions. But they've got an equally good seam attack in Bumrah, Siraj, Akash Deep, who's played the last couple of Tests against Bangladesh. So just a well-rounded side,” Latham said in the pre-match press meet on Tuesday.

“From a batting point of view. You have a lot of match winners who can take a game away from you pretty quickly.

“We're looking forward to the challenge. Hopefully, we can lean back on the experiences that we've had here the last couple of times that we've toured,” he added.

In that context, Latham said the Kiwis will miss the presence of former captain Kane Williamson, who has been ruled out of the early part of this tour owing to a groin injury.

“It's disappointing not to have Kane here. Fingers crossed he'll be ready as soon as possible. I think Youngie (Will Young) will play. He'll bat at three. He's batted all over the order. I guess it's his opportunity to put his hand up.

“Yeah, obviously, disappointing when you miss a senior guy like Kane, but it gives opportunities for other guys to put their hand up,” he said.

However, Ben Sears getting ruled out because of a knee injury has opened up a chance for out of form veteran Tim Southee to get a place in the eleven.

“Absolutely. I think last time they played a Test here, Tim took 7 for 60. Obviously, Ben Sears has been ruled out, so I guess if we do end up going with the three seamers, then obviously Tim will come right into the equation.” Latham admitted that the build-up to this series was not ideal after a 0-2 series defeat against Sri Lanka, but hoped to carry over the learning from that contest.

“Obviously, results weren't ideal in Sri Lanka. I think that first Test was a reasonably small margin in terms of the defeat. But we actually did a lot of good stuff in that tour.

“And, yeah, I guess you come here to India, it's slightly different conditions. That wicket at Galle didn't offer a lot from a bowling point of view,” he noted.

Latham is no stranger to captaincy but being in the hot seat on a permanent basis from the three-match series against India excites the Canterbury man.

The 32-year-old was handed the skipper's arm band after Southee stepped down from the role after a poor away series against Sri Lanka.

“It's obviously a huge, exciting privilege for me to be in this position. But regardless whether I'm captain or not captain, I'm trying to perform my role as best as I can.

"That's not going to be any different being captain,” said Latham. PTI UNG 7/21/2024 PDS PDS

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"Didn't Dare To...": India's Latest Pace Sensation On How He Angered Kohli

From making Virat Kohli "angry" in the nets to castling Cheteshwar Pujara in a crucial Ranji Trophy match, Tamil Nadu pacer Gurjapneet Singh has caught the eyes of cricket lovers in India. Born and raised in Ambala, Gurjapneet constantly failed to get into Punjab age-group team, before finally deciding to move to Chennai for better opportunities. After initial struggles, Gurjapneet is now winning games in Ranji Trophy for his adopted state, Tamil Nadu. The 25-year-old claimed a six-wicket haul to help Tamil Nadu beat Saurashtra in their Elite Group D match on Monday.

His remarkable figures of 14-5-22-6 included the crucial wickets of veterans Cheteshwar Pujara and Sheldon Jackson.

For the unversed, Gurjapneet was one of the net bowlers for India for their two-match Test series against Bangladesh recently.

In a recent interaction, Gurjapneet recalled castling Kohli in the nets, which infuriated the star batter.

"After I bowled him, I looked at him and didn't dare to look at him again. He was very, very angry. But I realised, he was angry with himself more than anything. And after a straight drive, he again looked at me and smiled," Gurjapneet told the Indian Express.

However, Gurjapneet also revealed Kohli's advice, which helped him get the better of the Saurashtra batters.

"He told me, when there is no movement, change the angle and try bowling around the wicket. Because with that angle, even if you manage to get slight movement, it will end up troubling most batsmen," he further revealed.

Meanwhile, Kohli will be back in action on Wednesday as India take on New Zealand in the first Test in Bengaluru.

The young pacer also shed light on how he planned Pujara's dismissal, describing the latter as a "legend".

"When you bowl to a legendary batsman like him, you have to be accurate from the word go. So the plan was to push him on the backfoot and then send in a good front foot ball that would make him uncomfortable. Having gone wicketless in the first innings, Bala bhai (L Balaji) told me to go out there looking for a wicket as there is a strong chance that I would deviate from the plan. And with the pitch not offering much, around the stumps was the best option and it worked as we also saw (Jaydev) Unadkat do the same in the morning session" Gurjapneet added.

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