"Must Respect His Privacy": Ex-India Star's Take On Kohli's Absence

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra opened up on Virat Kohli missing the ongoing Test series against England and said that everyone should "respect his privacy." While speaking to Jio Cinema, Chopra said that no one told the reasons why the former India skipper will be missing the entire Test series against England. "He has requested not to be considered for the whole series, no one has told us the reasons for which he sought this leave, and we must respect his privacy," Chopra said.

Virat had earlier missed the first two Tests. Now, his absence is extended to three more games. His last appearance came in the T20I series against Afghanistan earlier in January.

"Virat Kohli will remain unavailable for selection for the remainder of the series due to personal reasons. The Board fully respects and supports Mr. Kohli's decision," said a statement from the board.

On Monday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that India wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul will miss the upcoming third Test match against England in Rajkot due to a sore knee. Left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal will replace Rahul in the squad.

After the end of the first two matches, the five-game series stands at 1-1, with England winning in Hyderabad and India clinching a victory in Visakhapatnam. The next three matches of the series will be played in Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharamshala respectively.

India's updated Squad for the third Test: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), KS Bharat (WK), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Devdutt Padikkal.

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"We Prepared But...": U19 Captain's Blunt Take On World Cup Final Loss

India skipper Uday Saharan admitted that his batters faltered in their execution and paid the price for playing rash shots in a heartbreaking 79-run loss to Australia in the U-19 World Cup final on Sunday. Set 254 to win, India cut a sorry figure with the bat as they were all out for 174 in 43.5 overs. Opener Adarsh Singh (47) and number 8 Murugan Abhishek (42) were the only Indian batters who showed the stomach to fight as the title slipped out of their hands. "We played a few rash shots, couldn't spend more time at the crease. We had prepared, but couldn't execute," said Saharan during the post-match presentation.

While India faltered in the final step, skipper Saharan praised the team for their impressive run in the tournament.

"It was a very good tournament. I am very proud of the boys, they all played very well. They all showed great fighting spirit from the start, very proud of them," he said.

"We got to learn a lot from the start to now. From the coaching staff to the games, learned a lot. Now we just need to keep learning more and move ahead." For Australia it was their fourth U-19 World Cup title.

"It's unbelievable. I am so proud of this group of boys and the coaches. A lot of work has gone in over the last few months," Australia captain Hugh Weibgen said.

"We had fair bit of confidence that if we got 250 on the board, we'd defend it. India, obviously, is a class side, they dominated the whole tournament and they were on the wrong side today but they have a lot of class." Australian bowlers were on the money with Callum Vidler (2/35), Charlie Anderson (1/42), Mahli Beardman (3/15) and Tom Straker (1/32) sharing seven wickets in the final.

"Personally, as a unit they work so well together. They know their roles, they know their jobs. I'll be very surprised if the four of them don't go a long way." Weibgen also heaped praise on Harjas Singh, who top-scored for Australia with 55.

"Form is temporary, class is permanent. Full credit to the coaches for keeping faith in him. We had full faith he could get the job done." Beardman, who was adjudged the player of the match, described it as a "surreal" feeling.

"It's pretty surreal, hasn't fully set in yet. But it's something we've been working towards for a long, long time so the hard work has paid off," he said.

Asked about their plans against India, Beardman said: "They've been incredible and we knew it was going to be a good battle. For me I just wanted to use my short balls and hit the top of off.

"I've been thinking about my bowling, my field settings. Just trying to work on the mental side of the ball." South Africa fast bowler Kwena Maphaka was named the player of the tournament.

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Darshan at Shree Somnath Temple, First Jyotirlinga, 12 - Feb - 2024

Darshan at Shree Somnath Temple, First Jyotirlinga, 12 - Feb - 2024

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Sri Lanka Beat Afghanistan By 155 Runs To Secure 2-0 Series Win

Sri Lanka secured a convincing 155 run win over Afghanistan in the second one-day international on Sunday, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three match series. Afghanistan, set a target of 309 to level the series, were shot out for 153 inside 34 overs as leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga starred with four wickets. "We are quite disappointed with the way we performed today," Afghanistan's skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi said. "We are a better side than this." Afghanistan were well placed at 128 for one in pursuit of their target, but once Rahmat Shah (54) and Ibrahim Zadran (63) were dismissed there was little fight from the rest of the batters.

The pair had added 97 runs for the second wicket and Asitha Fernando, playing his first ODI in 15 months, provided the breakthrough by having Ibrahim caught behind.

Leg-spinner Hasaranga then produced two wickets in an over as he trapped Rahmat leg before wicket, while Shahidi was bowled.

Hasaranga was backed up by seamers as Dilshan Madushanka claimed two wickets in an over and Asitha Fernando, who also ended with two wickets.

Afghanistan collapsed losing eight wickets for 10 runs, as Sri Lanka dominated under lights.

"Credit to all the bowlers who helped to pull this off", Sri Lankan skipper Kusal Mendis said.

It was a back to the wall unbeaten 97 by Charith Asalanka that enabled Sri Lanka to a total of over 300 runs.

The Sri Lankan vice-captain was involved in two crucial partnerships, first adding 111 runs off 98 balls with Janith Liyanage (50) for the fifth wicket. 

A 50 run partnership followed for the sixth wicket with Hasaranga off 32 balls.

Asalanka scored 62 runs in 35 balls in the last 10 overs and finished unbeaten on 97, a score he hit off 74 balls with nine fours and two sixes.

Sri Lanka got off to a poor start, losing the openers with 36 runs on the board.

Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama scored half-centuries, while being involved in a 103 run stand for the third wicket.

Both batsmen fell for poor strokes.

Samarawickrama hit one straight to mid-wicket, while Mendis took on the deep mid-wicket fielder but failed to clear him.

Azmatullah Omarzai was the pick of the bowlers for Afghanistan finishing with three wickets.

Afghanistan were sloppy on the field dropping as many as five catches, a performance that cost them dearly.

"We dropped several catches...that's not on" Shahidi said. 

"We bowled well I thought compared to the first game. But the mistake was on the part of fielding", he added.

The third and final ODI will be played on Wednesday at the same venue. 

The hosts won the tour's sole Test by 10 wickets. The current series will be followed by three T20 matches, all in Dambulla.

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"Life Doesn't Stop If...": Ex India Star's Blunt Take On Kohli's Absence

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra does not think that star batter Virat Kohli's absence will cost India the ongoing home series against England, pointing out that India also registered an iconic series win in Australia back in 2020-21 without their superstar batter playing three of four Tests. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for the remaining three Tests of the five-match series against England, with star batter Virat Kohli set to miss the remaining matches as well due to personal reasons. Virat had earlier missed the first two Tests. Now, his absence is extended to three more games. His last appearance came in the T20I series against Afghanistan earlier in January.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash said that India will not lose the series against England in Virat's absence though his absence is being felt a lot, as reflected by the batting unit's performance.

"I would not go that far (losing the series without Virat). Let us be honest, life does not stop because of someone coming or going. Life must go on, the show must go on. We are feeling Kohli's absence a lot, I will be very honest," said Aakash.

"You are definitely missing him but his absence does not mean that you will lose the series if he isn't there because you defeated Australia in Australia in his absence. India actually lost in the match he was there, that was the Adelaide Test match, but after that, we broke Gabba's pride as well," he added.

Aakash also said that considering the "ordinary" bowling attack of England and the pitches during the both Test matches, Virat could have scored a massive hundred atleast once and he would not give even a chance to young spinner Rehan Ahmed to get his wicket.

"Considering the bowling standards and the sort of pitch that was there in Vizag and when we got to bat for the first time in Hyderabad, Kohli would have scored at least one 150 in the two matches because he would not have stopped against this ordinary bowling, in which Rehan Ahmed gets bored," Chopra said.

"He said he would rather get hit for four boundaries. Kohli would have hit you for four boundaries and would not have also given you his wicket. Whether it's Shoaib Bashir, Jack Leach or Tom Hartley, when Virat Kohli sees such a bowling attack, he says he won't score 50-70 but 150-200. That is why he is different from others," he added.

"Virat Kohli will remain unavailable for selection for the remainder of the series due to personal reasons. The Board fully respects and supports Mr. Kohli's decision," said a statement from the board.

Sarfaraz Khan and Rajat Patidar are also a part of the series. The participation of batter KL Rahul and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is subject to their fitness, said BCCI.

"The participation of Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul is subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI medical team," said BCCI's statement.

Mohammed Shami, who had missed the first two Tests due to injury, continues to sit out. Pacer Akash Deep has also been included in the squad.

The third Test will commence on February 15 in Rajkot while the fourth Test kickstarts in Ranchi on February 23 The fifth and final Test of the series will be played in Dharamsala from March 7. The series is currently level 1-1. After a 28-run loss in the first Hyderabad Test, India won the second Test at Visakhapatnam by 106 runs.

Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), KS Bharat (WK), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep

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Ashwin "Hasn't Risen In Series": Ex India Star Explains Off-Colour Display

Former India opener Aakash Chopra lashed out at off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for not being creative enough on the batting-friendly pitches as he has produced disappointing performances in the first two Tests against England. Ashwin has picked nine wickets in two Tests at an average of 36.33. He has not managed to get a four-wicket or a five-wicket haul in the series so far. He has been outperformed as a spinner by England's Tom Hartley, who has 14 wickets at an average of 24.57, including a seven-wicket haul in the first test.

The 46-year-old said that if the opposition attacks the bowler on the flat pitches then the bowler should have to be imaginative.

"I am with you, actually. If you play too much cricket on extreme spin-friendly pitches continuously, when you go to flat pitches and the opposing team suddenly comes with an aggressive mindset, you have to be more imaginative, which you expect," Chopra asserted while talking on his YouTube channel.

The cricketer-turned-commentator further stated that as Ashwin is on the verge of touching the 500 mark so he has to understand how to bowl on flat pitches.

"Ashwin is standing on the verge of 500 wickets. So you expect that he will understand and manage all these things. However, the truth is that the Ravi of Ravichandran Ashwin hasn't risen in the series thus far. That's probably a combination of being used to mostly playing on turning pitches and Bazball," the right-hand batter added.

Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced the squad for the remaining three Tests of the five-match series against England, with star batter Virat Kohli set to miss the remaining matches as well due to personal reasons. Virat had earlier missed the first two Tests. Now, his absence is extended to three more games. His last appearance came in the T20I series against Afghanistan earlier in January.

Sarfaraz Khan and Rajat Patidar are part of the series. The participation of batter KL Rahul and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is subject to their fitness, said BCCI.

Mohammed Shami, who had missed the first two Tests due to injury, continues to sit out. Pacer Akash Deep has also been included in the squad.

The third Test will commence on February 15 in Rajkot while the fourth Test kickstarts in Ranchi on February 23 while the fifth and final Test of the series will be played in Dharamsala from March 7. The series is currently level 1-1. After a 28-run loss in the first Hyderabad Test, India won the second Test at Visakhapatnam by 106 runs.

Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), KS Bharat (WK), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep.

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Darshan at Shree Dwarkadhish Jagan Mandir, Dwaraka 09 - Feb - 2024

Darshan at Shree Dwarkadhish Jagan Mandir, Dwaraka 09 - Feb - 2024

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