Category: Cricket

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to send injured opening batsman Saim Ayub to London to help him recover in time for next month’s Champions Trophy. Ayub broke his right ankle during the second test against South Africa in Cape Town. Doctors say he will need at least six weeks to heal.

In a statement, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi mentioned, “He’s a very talented batter and an important player for us. We are concerned about his injury and want him to get the best treatment possible.”

Ayub will be accompanied by assistant coach Azhar Mahmood as they take the first flight out of Cape Town. Pakistan, the defending champion, will play its first match in group A of the Champions Trophy against New Zealand on February 19.

The ICC is organizing the tournament in different countries because India decided not to come to Pakistan due to safety concerns. India will play all its matches, including the semifinals and finals if they qualify, in Dubai. They are in group A along with Bangladesh. Group B consists of England, Australia, South Africa, and Afghanistan. The matches will be held in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.

India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3, and there’s been a lot of talk about Rohit Sharma, who didn’t play in the important Sydney Test. On Day 2 of the match, Rohit spoke to Star Sports and clarified that he is not “retiring” from Test cricket; he simply chose to step down because he wasn’t performing well.

Former Indian player Sanjay Manjrekar believes Rohit wanted to explain his situation because Gautam Gambhir, the team’s head coach, was receiving praise for leaving Rohit out of the team. Rohit declared he is still very much interested in playing for India in Test matches and pointed out that there’s always a chance he could start scoring runs again in the future.

Manjrekar appreciated Rohit for admitting his poor form but suggested there was more to Rohit’s interview. He felt that Rohit wanted to make it clear that he is not done with international cricket just yet. Manjrekar made these comments after India’s six-wicket loss in Sydney.

Manjrekar praised Rohit for his honest interview, especially when Rohit admitted he couldn’t play another out-of-form batter in the team and that’s why he sat out this match. He added that players should remember who really makes the decisions about their future in cricket. While a player can choose when to retire, it’s up to the chairman of selectors to decide if they should keep playing for the nation.

Unfortunately for Rohit, he only scored 31 runs in three Tests against Australia, with his best score being just 10. In the recent Test season, he got 164 runs in eight matches at an average of 10.94.

Sydney, Australia: After India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3 to Australia, former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar shared some thoughts. He said India needs young, eager players like Nitish Kumar Reddy and Yashasvi Jaiswal. According to Gavaskar, these players show a strong desire to succeed and will “protect their wicket like it’s their life.”

Even though the series ended badly for India, some players shone brightly. Jasprit Bumrah was amazing with his pace bowling, while Yashasvi Jaiswal made impressive runs. Jaiswal was India’s top scorer, gathering 391 runs and even hitting a century (which is 100 runs) during the memorable win at Perth. He also scored two important 80s in the final Test in Melbourne.

Nitish Kumar Reddy also had a strong series, scoring 298 runs and making a big impact with both bat and ball. He took five wickets and played well in a challenging Boxing Day Test.

While discussing these bright talents on Star Sports, Gavaskar said these players are hungry to make a name for themselves and India. He is looking forward to seeing who performs well in the Ranji Trophy matches coming up on January 23.

In the Sydney Test, India won the toss and chose to bat first. However, the top players struggled, including Virat Kohli, who kept having trouble with outside deliveries. Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, and skipper Jasprit Bumrah helped India score 185 runs, but Scott Boland from Australia was tough to face.

In Australia’s first innings, they struggled but managed 181 runs after Jasprit Bumrah had to leave the field due to an injury. India had a small lead.

In their second innings, India seemed to start well but ended up scoring only 157 runs, setting Australia a target of 162. Despite India’s good bowling, Australia chased down the target easily with six wickets in hand.

Scott Boland was the ‘Player of the Match’ for taking ten wickets, while Bumrah was named ‘Player of the Series’ for his 32 wickets overall in the series.

Former Australian cricketer Simon Katich has sent a strong warning to Indian captain Rohit Sharma about the upcoming tour of England. This series will kick off the new World Test Championship cycle, but Katich believes it could be tough for Rohit, especially given his recent performance.

In the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rohit struggled, scoring only 31 runs in five matches with an average of just 6.20. He even chose to skip the last game in Sydney after a disappointing showing. Over the last few months, Rohit has managed to score only 164 runs in eight matches, averaging a little over 10. This form has led many to question his future in Test cricket.

Katich said that being 37 years old might make the England tour even harder for Rohit. “Only he knows if he still has the drive to play at that age,” Katich said. He added that England’s young bowlers, like Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse, are performing well, making the series tougher.

Despite his rough patch, Rohit insists he is not retiring from Test cricket. Speaking after the Sydney match, he expressed hope for a comeback and said that outside opinions do not affect his game. In response, Katich joked that Rohit has a bright future in comedy after cricket, noting Rohit’s humor during interviews.

India went to Australia with a lot of hope to defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. After a tough loss at home against New Zealand, fans were excited to see star players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant take on the challenge.

In the first Test in Perth, India started strong, winning by 295 runs. Kohli scored a hundred, and Bumrah got the Player of the Match award for taking eight wickets. But things got tough as the series went on.

Player Performances:

– Rohit Sharma: Sadly, Rohit struggled with only 31 runs across 5 innings. He tried batting in different positions but couldn’t find his rhythm. His captaincy also dipped, and he chose to sit out the last match, which showed he wasn’t confident in his game.

– Virat Kohli: Kohli made just 190 runs in 9 innings, averaging 23.75, with his best being an unbeaten 100. Despite being famous for his batting skills, he found it hard to cope with the Australian bowlers, especially Scott Boland, who dismissed him multiple times.

– KL Rahul: Rahul scored 276 runs in 10 innings with a highest of 84. He started strong but faded away, finishing his last five innings with low scores, which hurt the team’s chances.

– Rishabh Pant: Pant managed 255 runs in 9 innings, averaging 28.33. Although he had a great record in his first two tours, this time he was inconsistent, with only two scores over 40.

– Jasprit Bumrah: Bumrah was India’s shining star, taking 32 wickets at an average of 13.06, earning him the Player of the Series award. His bowling was superb, and he was a constant threat to the Australian batsmen.

In summary, while Bumrah shone brightly, the overall performance of the team, especially from key players, was disappointing. Fans hope to see improvements in the future as they look forward to upcoming matches.

Australia wrapped up an exciting Test series against India with a six-wicket victory in Sydney, winning the series 3-1 on Sunday. Let’s look at five cool highlights from this thrilling series:

Big Crowds at the Stadiums!
People came out in huge numbers to watch the first-ever five-Test series between Australia and India. Thanks to perfect weather and the holiday season, attendance records were broken. For example, the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground had an amazing 373,691 fans, beating the old record of 350,534 set during a famous series against England in 1936-37!

Jasprit Bumrah Shines Bright!
Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah proved he is one of the best bowlers in the world. He took 32 wickets in the series, the highest for an Indian bowler in Australia. In the Boxing Day Test, he bowled for over 53 overs, more than any other match in his career. Unfortunately, he struggled with back pain in the final Test. Bumrah even captained the team in the last two Tests instead of Rohit Sharma.

Young Stars Show Promise!
Young players like Australia’s Sam Konstas, who is just 19, and India’s Nitish Kumar Reddy, 21, made their debut and impressed everyone. Konstas scored a quick 60 runs in his first innings, showing he could be a future star for Australia. Reddy also made a big impact, scoring a century in the fourth Test.

Change is Coming!
Both teams are looking for new talent as some older players may be playing their last series. Australian opener Usman Khawaja, 38, had a slow performance, and India’s captain Rohit Sharma, 37, was dropped from the last match after a series of poor performances. There is a chance this series could be the end of their careers. Veteran player Virat Kohli, 36, might also have played his last series in Australia, although he managed a great score of 100 in the first Test.

Steve Smith Joins the Legends!
Steve Smith, the Australian star batsman, is about to reach an impressive 10,000 Test runs on their upcoming tour to Sri Lanka. He almost reached the mark in Sydney but finished with 9,999 runs. At 35, Smith played well in the series with two centuries and shows no signs of retiring anytime soon. He could even become captain for the Sri Lanka tour if Pat Cummins takes time off for his child’s birth.

Jasprit Bumrah was brilliant during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, winning the Player of the Series award even though India lost 3-1 to Australia. He took 32 wickets, making him the top bowler in the series.

Unfortunately, Bumrah’s final game at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) ended badly. He hurt his back on Day 2, which meant he couldn’t bowl in the second innings. India couldn’t defend a target of just 162 runs and lost by six wickets.

After the game, Bumrah talked about his injury and expressed his disappointment at missing the chance to bowl on such a challenging pitch. “It’s frustrating, but I have to listen to my body. I wish I could have bowled on that spicy wicket,” he said during the post-match presentation.

The crowd at SCG cheered when Bumrah came out to bat, but his injury meant he couldn’t help his team when it mattered. India’s bowlers struggled without him, allowing Australia to chase down the target easily.

The series started well for India with a big win by 295 runs in the first match in Perth. But after that, they faced several problems, especially with their batting, which caused them to lose their grip and ultimately the series.

Bumrah said that despite the loss, the team learned important lessons, especially for the younger players who played. He believes these experiences will help them grow in the future. “We gained a lot of experience, and we’ll take these lessons with us. Congratulations to Australia. We will regroup and move forward,” he added.

Even though India lost the trophy, Bumrah’s outstanding performances were a highlight and kept India competitive throughout the series.

In Sydney, cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar believes that India might have a tough time defending their score if star bowler Jasprit Bumrah isn’t fully fit on the third day of the final Test against Australia. Bumrah had to leave the field during the second day’s game after feeling some back pain, just after bowling one delivery. He went for scans, and although he came back to the locker room later, his condition is being looked after by the medical team.

India’s bowler Prasidh Krishna mentioned that Bumrah suffered from back spasms. At the end of the day, India had a 145-run lead and still had four wickets left to play.

Gavaskar said, “If India adds 40 more runs or puts up 185, then they have a good chance to win. However, everything depends on Bumrah’s fitness. If he’s okay, then a total of 145-150 runs may be enough. But if he can’t bowl well, even scoring close to 200 runs might not help.”

He also commented on how India is keeping Bumrah’s condition a secret from the Australian team. He explained, “When Jasprit returned after the scan, he seemed fine, and his body language was good. It’s essential to keep everything private because the Australian players aren’t sure how to play him. They don’t know if they should attack, defend, or play cautiously. Keeping Bumrah’s status secret helps our strategy.”

Bumrah has already taken 32 wickets in this series and had great figures of 2/33 in 10 overs before leaving the field. He took the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne in the morning and Usman Khawaja on the last ball of the first day.

Have we had even one normal day of Test cricket in the Border Gavaskar Trophy series? Every day has brought its own excitement and surprises that make us cheer or groan with frustration. The Sydney Test is no different!

After a tough start on Day 1, Day 2 at the SCG was wild, with 15 wickets falling! When so much happens, it’s easy to get dizzy, but some moments really stay with you. At the end of the day, India is 145 runs ahead, thanks to the thrilling batting of Rishabh Pant, who scored 61 runs off just 33 balls.

Jasprit Bumrah, one of India’s best bowlers, had to leave the field due to back pain, which worries the Indian team. However, just his presence on the field can help lift the team’s spirits.

Australia had chances to take the lead but India played well despite Bumrah’s absence. Australia scored only 181 runs in their first innings, with Prasidh Krishna taking 3 wickets, Mohammed Siraj also picking 3, and Nitish Reddy grabbing 2. Even a small four-run lead gave India’s bowlers a confidence boost.

Bumrah got the first wicket with Australia starting strong, but soon they struggled. Sam Konstas and Steve Smith tried to build a partnership, but Siraj was swinging the ball perfectly. He took crucial wickets, including Travis Head, leaving Australia at 39/4.

Beau Webster stepped up for Australia and scored a solid 57, helping them get to 96 runs before Prasidh struck again by taking Smith’s wicket. After lunch, Prasidh realized he could bowl better and began targeting the right lengths, which worked like magic.

After getting bowled out for just 181, Australia knew the Indian batting lineup would also have to work hard in their innings. India started strong, but it was Rishabh Pant who changed everything. He took risks and played aggressively, hitting a huge six off the very first ball!

Pant’s explosive batting made the game exciting, but even after he was out, India needed to keep fighting to reach at least 200 runs. With day three coming up, we can expect just as much action and maybe even more, especially since the series is on the line!

At a hot Newlands stadium, Ryan Rickelton did something amazing in the second test against Pakistan: he scored 213 runs without getting out! This was his highest score ever in first-class cricket. Rickelton, who is 28 years old, stepped in to open the batting after Tony de Zorzi got hurt.

When the players broke for lunch on the second day, South Africa had scored 429 runs for 5 wickets. Along with Kyle Verreynne, who hit 74 runs off 88 balls, Rickelton formed a strong partnership of 106 runs for the sixth wicket.

Rickelton started the day on 176 and carefully faced Pakistan’s bowlers, especially when they tried to use their new ball. Unfortunately for Pakistan, David Bedingham, who was batting with him, got out early for just 5 runs, caught by keeper Mohammad Rizwan off Mohammad Abbas.

Rickelton had a fantastic day yesterday too, scoring 235 runs alongside team captain Temba Bavuma. The pitch is great for batting now, but it might get tricky as it heats up later.

On the downside for Pakistan, they lost their key opener, Saim Ayub, due to an ankle injury. He will be out for about six weeks which is a big loss. This means the team is down to just nine players for batting.

South Africa has already qualified for the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June, and they want to win this series 2-0 after a thrilling two-wicket victory in the first test.