Category: Cricket

On this day in 2008, Australia won a cricket match against India by 122 runs, equalizing their record of 16 straight Test wins. However, the match was filled with arguments about bad umpiring and claims of racial insults. The Sydney Test became one of the most talked-about matches in cricket history.

Australia batted first and scored a strong total of 463 runs. Andrew Symonds played a key role, making 162 not out. This achievement was later marred when Symonds admitted he had edged a ball early in his innings, but the umpires didn’t see it.

In reply, India scored 532 runs, with legend Sachin Tendulkar brilliantly scoring 154 not out. The match seemed headed for a draw until Australia declared their second innings at 401 for 7, setting India a challenging target of 333 runs. Unfortunately for India, they managed only 210 runs, giving Australia a thrilling victory in the last moments of the fifth day.

Umpiring Controversies

The match was filled with poor decisions from the umpires, Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson. Some key moments included:
– Andrew Symonds’ Edge: Symonds edged a ball to the wicketkeeper, which the umpires missed, allowing him to score his important runs.
– Michael Clarke’s Catch: Clarke was given not out after edging a ball to second slip and later caught Sourav Ganguly in a disputed decision. The umpires believed Clarke’s word, following an agreement made before the series.
– Other Errors: There were many more incorrect decisions, leading to a lot of complaints.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was unhappy and filed an official complaint, resulting in the International Cricket Council (ICC) replacing Steve Bucknor for the next Test.

‘Monkeygate’ Scandal

A big issue during the match was the exchange between Indian bowler Harbhajan Singh and Australian player Andrew Symonds. Symonds accused Harbhajan of making a racist comment, saying he was called a “monkey.” Match referee Mike Procter investigated and initially banned Harbhajan for three matches. This upset the Indian team, who even thought about stopping the tour. After an appeal and some misunderstandings came to light, the ban was lifted, and instead, Harbhajan was fined 50% of his match fee.

Tensions are heating up in the New Year’s Test match between South Africa and Pakistan at Newlands, Cape Town. Babar Azam found himself in a fiery moment once again, this time arguing with South African bowler Wiaan Mulder during the second innings. After being asked to bat again, Babar and Shan Masood played brilliantly, putting together the highest ever opening partnership for Pakistan against South Africa, surpassing the previous record of 137 set by Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umar in 2003.

However, things got intense in the 32nd over. Babar was driving the ball right back to the bowler when Mulder caught it in his follow-through but then threw it at Babar. Although Babar was just outside the crease, the throw missed him entirely, which frustrated Babar and led to some heated words exchanged between him and Mulder. Luckily, Shan Masood, the umpire, wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne, and South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram all stepped in to cool things down.

During this drama, Kyle Verreynne, the South African wicketkeeper, tried a tricky run-out attempt similar to Jonny Bairstow’s style, prompting conversations between him and umpire Kumar Dharmasena. Earlier, on Day 1, Babar also had a tense exchange with South African all-rounder Marco Jansen as the Proteas came out to bat.

Back to the match, Pakistan is fighting back well after being asked to bat again. Babar and Shan are showing excellent skills in the second innings. Before this, Pakistan was all out for just 194 runs in their first innings, while South Africa scored a massive 615 runs, with Ryan Rickelton smashing 259 runs and Temba Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne each scoring centuries.

South Africa leads the series 1-0 after winning the first Test by two wickets in Centurion. The Proteas are already set for the World Test Championship final, where they will face Australia at Lord’s Cricket Ground from June 11-16.

Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar has spoken out against the “star culture” in the Indian cricket team. His comments came after India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series to Australia by 1-3. Australia won the last match by six wickets, marking their first victory in this series in ten years.

Gavaskar pointed out that during the series, only Jasprit Bumrah seemed to step up when the team needed help. Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli didn’t perform well, raising questions about their future in the team. Rohit Sharma didn’t play in the last match and Bumrah captained instead. Although Kohli scored a century in Perth, he struggled and scored less than 200 runs in the entire series against Australia.

Gavaskar believes the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should stop supporting players who aren’t fully committed to Indian cricket. He stated, “The next 8-10 days are important for Indian cricket. We need to stop the star culture. Players should always be available for the team unless they have a real medical reason. If a player isn’t fully committed, they shouldn’t be picked.”

He emphasized that Indian cricket should come first, and the board should stop pampering players. Because of the recent losses, India has failed to qualify for the World Test Championship final for the first time. That final match will take place between Australia and South Africa from June 11-16.

Gavaskar concluded, “We don’t need players who are only partly committed. It’s time to stop pampering them. The cricket board needs to put its foot down and make it clear that Indian cricket comes first.”

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.