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The horrific performance of the Indian cricket team in the first Test against South Africa in Centurion raises many questions about the team's ability to win in SENA countries. Since Kohli stepped down as India's Test skipper, the national team hasn't managed to register a single win in any of the SENA nations. Though there are many areas for improvement, veteran wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Karthik has raised questions about Shubman Gill's place in the team, with a reminder of some domestic stars who are waiting for an opportunity in the whites. Gill registered scores of 2 and 26 in the two innings as India lost by an innings and 32 runs in Centurion. Only the likes of KL Rahul and Virat Kohli managed to put in a reasonable show with the bat, while all the other batters struggled. Karthik, however, had no qualms in admitting that the place of Gill in the team is bound to be under the scanner. Karthik said, "Shubman Gill is the big question mark here. He has not live...

For the Indian cricket team, it was a forgettable outing in their last international match of 2023. Against South Africa, India was expected to deliver a great show in what has been called the 'Final Frontier' of the team. However, what resulted on the ground can be called a listless show. After India's first inning ended on 245, South Africa notched a huge 408-run total, courtesy of Dean Elgar's 185. In the second inning, Virat Kohli (76) waged a lone battle, as the Indians were all out for just 131. India lost the match by an inning and 32 runs. Only Kohli and Shubman Gill reached double-digit figures in the second inning. Four Indian batters could not even score a run. India's great Sachin Tendulkar took to social media to voice his opinion on the show. Sachin Tendulkar wrote in a long post on X that, "Well played, South Africa! While I initially felt the South African team would've been unhappy after the 1st innings, their pace attack surpassed expectat...

Earning praise from the legendary Sunil Gavaskar remains the ultimate dream for every cricketer, and on Wednesday it was KL Rahul's turn to tick it off his bucket list. Sure enough, this wasn't the first time Rahul received a compliment from the former captain of Team India, but the magnitude of Gavaskar's praise will sure make it special. Rahul scored his 8th Test century, which is arguably the greatest of his career, as his knock of 101 propelled India to 245 against South Africa at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. As expected, Rahul was showered with praise, but Gavaskar's took the cake. Gavaskar said during the commentary, "I've been watching cricket for the last 50 years, but I can surely say that this century by Rahul is in the Top 10 centuries scored by Indians in Test cricket.” After stumps, during the post-day press conference, Rahul was asked about his reaction to this once-in-a-lifetime compliment by Sunny G. The reporter asked, "As Mr. Gavaska...

Back in the year 2018, during India’s tour of South Africa, the visiting team’s fortunes depended on Virat Kohli, and on this tour as well, they pretty much rest on him. Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar feels that it is Virat’s training that gives him the edge. He went on to reveal how Virat made a comeback in the series after failing in the first Test in 2018. As part of the preparation, Kohli faced deliveries that were a lot quicker than expected. While speaking, Bangar revealed that Virat was fearless while facing balls that could have injured him. “When he got out to Morne Morkel in the Cape Town Test, he was dejected. He was keen on preparing well for the second test. For that, he was facing up to express pace; I have rarely seen someone prepare like that. Two or three balls hit his helmet.” Thereafter, the former India skipper scored a tonne at Centurion and followed that up with a fifty in the Johannesburg Test. Bangar also went on to say that it was Kohli who kept India...

The Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed former all-rounder Yasir Arafat as the high-performance coach for the national team in the upcoming five-match T20 series against New Zealand. Currently based in London, Yasir will soon arrive in Lahore before accompanying the Pakistan white-ball players to New Zealand for the series scheduled to kick off on January 12. This move is part of the team’s preparations for the ICC World Cup in the West Indies and the USA next year. The selectors have already finalized a 17-member squad for the T20 series in New Zealand. Yasir Arafat, who previously applied for the position of bowling coach, is a qualified coach with prior coaching stints in New Zealand and England. He will be taking over from Simon Helmut, the current high-performance coach for the ongoing Test series in Australia. Yasir, having represented Pakistan in three Tests and various white-ball games, played a pivotal role in the squad that secured the ICC World T20 title in England in 2009....

The Indian cricket team will return to action in the longest format of the game on December 26 as the side takes part in the first of two Tests against South Africa. The series will mark the much-awaited return of star batting duo Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, as well as pacer Jasprit Bumrah. While Mohammed Shami was touted to return to the Indian team in the Test series for the first time since the World Cup, he was forced out of the tour with an injury. But while Shami's absence certainly leaves a gaping hole in India's planning, former South African pacer Fanie de Villiers believes that Rohit Sharma's men have the best chance of ending a 31-year wait for a Test series win in the Rainbow Nation. De Villiers said during an exclusive interview before the Boxing Day Test starting on December 26, "The Indian team has arrived in South Africa with its best ever chance to win a series.” The bowler, who had a stunning economy rate of less than four in 85 ODIs and less than t...

The Proteas lost all of their wickets in 45.5 overs while chasing a target of 297 runs. Tony de Zorzi (81) scored the most runs for South Africa, while Aiden Markram scored 36 crucial runs. Aside from that, no other batter shone in the third match. Arshdeep Singh grabbed four wickets for India, while Avesh Khan and Washington Sundar both took two. Mukesh Kumar and Axar Patel each took one wicket.Arshdeep Singh is named Player of the Match after taking 10 wickets in the series. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson is named Player of the Match after scoring 108 runs in 114 balls. Sanju Samson scored a century to lead India to 296 for eight in the third and final ODI against South Africa.  Sent into bat, India lost both openers early before Samson (108 off 114 balls), his maiden ODI century, and Tilak Varma (52 off 77 balls) contributed to India’s progress. For the visitors, Rinku Singh (38 off 27) also contributed. Beuran Hendricks (3/63) was South Africa’s standout bowler, while Nandre Burger (2...

The captain of the Indian women cricket team, Harmanpreet Kaur, is focused on recovery ahead of their one-off Test match against Australia at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on December 21. Speaking ahead of their match, Harmanpreet said recovery is the most important thing when playing back-to-back Test matches. India recently defeated England by 347 runs in Mumbai in a one-off Test match, the highest-ever victory margin in women’s Test cricket. Harmanpreet said, “When you are playing back-to-back Test games, the most important thing for you is recovery. If I talk about Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar, these players did not get any. We tried to take care of their loads and train them as per what was necessary for their game. And for those who did not have a heavy workload, we tried to push them into the nets. To make them feel more confident.” She further added that “our approach for this game would be the same as our last match: to go for the win. To continue that approach, if you a...

During the second ODI match against New Zealand in Nelson on Wednesday, the opener of the Bangladesh cricket team, Soumya Sarkar, broke legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar's 14-year-old record. Soumya played a 169-run knock from 151 balls with a strike rate of 111.92. The left-handed batter slammed 22 fours and two sixes against the Kiwi bowling attack in the first inning. The 30-year-old's knock against New Zealand helped him surpass Tendulkar's milestone for the highest runs in ODIs by a player from the sub-continent in New Zealand. In 2009, the 'Master Blaster' played an unbeaten 163-run knock against the Kiwis in Christchurch. He also scored the highest run by a Bangladesh cricketer on an away ground in the ODI format. In the match, New Zealand won the toss and decided to field first at the Saxton Oval. Soumya Sarkar, who scored 169 runs on 151 balls, was the lone standout batter among his teammates, as no other player could cross the 50-run mark in the first i...

Acquiring more bowling options to support pace spearhead Mohammad Siraj will be Royal Challengers Bangalore's top priority at the upcoming IPL auctions, the team's Director of Cricket Bobat said on Monday. RCB have retained 18 players, including star batter Virat Kohli, skipper Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, and Siraj, and released 11 players. Those who have been released include the trio of medium pacer Harshal Patel, Sri Lanka leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, and Australian quick Josh Hazlewood, depleting the team's bowling resources. In a media release, Bobat said, "Mohammad Siraj is a core part of what we do, so supporting Siraj with some more bowling options, including overseas bowling options, is going to be a real priority for us moving forward.” He further added, "Then we have got a core of local spinners, which I think is quite strong. Some of them got some opportunities over the last year or two, and they might play more leading roles moving forward.” In o...

Shreyas Iyer scored an amazing half-century to help India to victory over South Africa in the first ODI encounter on Sunday, but a hilarious incident during his stay at the crease left everyone in splits. During the 9th over of the Indian innings, Iyer was facing Nandre Burger, and while trying to play a pull shot, he lost his grip on his bat, and it went flying towards square-leg. It landed ahead of the square-leg umpire and was returned by South African fielders, as all of them shared a laugh. The video of the incident has gone viral, and social media users have come up with their own posts and memes. Watch the video here. On Sunday, fast bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan set up a convincing eight-wicket win for India in the first one-day international against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium. Left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep took five for 37, and Avesh claimed four for 27 as South Africa crashed to 116 all out. Sai Sudharsan and Shreyas Iyer hit half-centuries as India need...

While paying a rich tribute to the former captain of the Indian cricket team, MS Dhoni, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided to retire the No. 7 jersey. The shirt became synonymous with Dhoni, who remains the most successful captain of India when it comes to ICC events. While the No. 10 shirt of great Sachin Tendulkar's was already retired by the Indian board, A decision has been made to add Dhoni's No. 7 shirt to the list as well, honouring the contributions the wicket-keeper batter made to the Indian team in the game. It is understood that the BCCI has told players in the Indian team that they can't wear No. 7 on their back while donning the Indian jersey, just like no one was allowed to pick the No. 10 shirt. A senior board official said, “The young players and current Indian team players have been told not to pick M. S. Dhoni's number 7 jersey. The BCCI has decided to retire Dhoni's t-shirt for his contribution to the game. A new player can'...

After the match, Gautam Gambhir, in his analysis of the performance of the bowling department of team India, expressed disappointment with Arshdeep Singh while backing Mohammed Siraj, despite the pace duo's combined figures of 58/1 in five overs. Siraj leaked 14 runs in his first over, while Arshdeep conceded 24.  The left-arm quick's second over showed some improvement, with 11 runs taken off it, before Siraj's next saw him claim the wicket of Heinrich Klaasen. Despite being the senior pro, Siraj concluded with figures of 1/27, and Gambhir, while also praising Mukesh Kumar, believes that his impact in taking wickets outweighs that of Arshdeep, who has been blowing hot and cold for the past year. Gambhir said, "I feel that Mohammed Siraj will bowl much worse than this and yet finish with better figures. I was a bit disappointed with Arshdeep because after he bowled the first over, the powerplay was over and the ball got wet and tough to get a grip of. The 13th over in ...

Aakash Chopra has praised Rinku Singh for scoring an amazing half-century in the second T20I between India and South Africa and urged the Indian think tank to stick with him for next year's T20 World Cup. Rinku smashed an unbeaten 68 off 39 deliveries as the Men in Blue posted 180 runs at the loss of 7 wickets in 19.3 overs in a rain-truncated game in Gqeberha on Tuesday. The Proteas eventually won the game by five wickets via the DLS method to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Rinku should be in India's T20 World Cup squad. He said, "Keep investing in Rinku Singh. He is now a part of the ODI squad as well. Whoever comes or goes, please stay with Rinku for the World Cup. Take him carefully along with you because he has scored runs whenever and wherever he has played." The former India opener praised the southpaw for once again bailing the side out of trouble. He elaborated, saying...

One of the finest cricketers of all time and a true legend of the game, MS Dhoni is a name that needs no introduction. Over the years, Dhoni has won several accolades, both in international cricket and in the Indian Premier League for the Chennai Super Kings. Dhoni hasn't just made a name for himself as a finisher and wicketkeeper but also as a captain, especially because of the way he handles tense situations. Nicknamed 'captain cool' by peers, Dhoni, however, does lose his cool on occasions. Australia great Matthew Hayden, who has also played with Dhoni in the IPL with Chennai Super Kings, revealed what it is that 'irritates' Dhoni. Watch the  video  here. Though Dhoni manages to keep his cool on most occasions, it is casual fielding that irritates him, according to Hayden. Recently, Dhoni was asked why he doesn't do YouTube live videos like some other retired cricketers. He gave an interesting reply. MS Dhoni can be heard saying in a video that has been widel...

Passport and visa issues have left the national senior cricket team in Australia without a doctor and the under-19 side in the UAE without a team manager. Sohail Saleem, who was named as the official team doctor for the series in Australia and New Zealand, is yet to join the team. A reliable source in the PCB said that “the Pakistan Cricket Board is still trying to get a visa for Dr. Saleem, and as soon as it comes, he will join the side in Australia in time for the first Test in Perth.” He said similarly, former Test batsman Shoaib Muhammad, who was named manager of the Pakistan junior side taking part in the Asia Cup in the UAE, has also been unable to leave the squad. "Shoaib had some expired passport issues, which the board is sorting out, and hopefully he will also soon reach the UAE to take charge,” the source said. Ironically, even the off-spinner, Sajid Khan, who is set to replace Abrar Ahmed in the Pakistan squad in Australia, has also had his departure delayed due to vis...

The captain of the Indian cricket team, KL Rahul, is gearing up for the upcoming South Africa tour with unparalleled dedication, leaving cricket enthusiasts in awe of his commitment to fitness and preparation. Through a series of social media posts, fans got a glimpse into his rigorous workout routine, showcasing the hard work he’s putting into conditioning and strength training. One of the videos of KL Rahul practicing on the net has gone viral. While KL Rahul won’t be part of the T20 squad for the upcoming series against South Africa, he’s set to lead the Indian team in the One Day Internationals and play a pivotal role in the Test series. The month-long tour, starting on December 10, holds immense significance as Team India strives to hone its skills ahead of the T20 World Cup scheduled in the United States and West Indies next year.

Former captain of Australian cricket team Ricky Ponting is ready to step in as 'mediator' to solve the ongoing spat between former teammates David Warner and Mitchell Johnson. The controversy erupted after Johnson wrote in his column that the selection of Warner for the Test series against Pakistan was due to the fact that he announced his intention to retire after the series and not because of his form. Since then, both cricketers have taken aim at each other, with other colleagues also joining in on the conversation. Ponting said that he believes that it is time for him to step into the situation, and rather than playing it out in front of the media, he wants to get them both in a room and have a proper conversation. Ponting told Sunrise that, "I have to get in between these two guys at some stage... I think I need to be the mediator and get them both in a room and let them have it out rather than playing it out in the media. They're both pretty feisty characters, an...

The Indian cricket team for their upcoming T20I series against South Africa is largely unchanged from the one that recently beat Australia 4-1. It means that they have stuck to a rather young team for the series, many of whom would be playing in South Africa for the first time in their senior careers. It also meant that the senior stars of India, like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah, would miss yet another T20I series in the buildup to the T20 World Cup next year. India currently has just one more T20I series scheduled to be played after the South Africa series before the 2024 Indian Premier League can kick off. That will be a three-match series at home against Afghanistan. Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel said that the team will find it challenging to arrive at the right combination for the T20 World Cup, which he said has been their problem in the tournaments they have played in recent years. Parthiv said, “India's biggest challenge to me has always been find...

Former opener of team India, Aakash Chopra, has questioned the Indian selectors for completely ignoring Umran Malik across all formats, including the India A squad, for the upcoming multi-format tour of South Africa. The India cricket team will face the Proteas in three T20Is, as many ODIs, and two Tests, with the first T20I to be played in Durban on Sunday, December 10. The India A team will play three four-day games, with the first match starting on Monday, December 11. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was asked whether Umran deserved a spot in India's T20 World Cup squad, to which he responded, "I feel he should be considered. You had kept him on the team until some time ago. You had played him; it was either against the West Indies or Ireland. Since then, he has been missing. You keep someone with so much love at one point and then suddenly disappear; that's not good." The former India opener added, "Keep him in the scheme of things at least. ...

With the Board of Control for Cricket in India preparing a contract extension for head coach Rahul Dravid after the ICC World Cup 2023, the chief of the National Cricket Academy and batting icon VVS Laxman coached a second-string Indian side for the entire five-match T20I series against Australia. Under the leadership of new captain Suryakumar Yadav, a second-string India side defeated Australia 4-1 in the bilateral series. Superstar Shreyas Iyer, who was rested for the first three T20Is, joined the Indian squad as Suryakumar's deputy for the final two encounters against Australia. While Iyer was roped in as the No. 3 batter for the 4th and 5th T20I, India decided to release Ishan Kishan from its playing XI after the third encounter of the five-game series. When Ravindra Jadeja got asked, “Was Kishan really that tired after three matches?’ Jaddu said, “There was a series right after the World Cup. Ishan Kishan played three matches and went home. Was he really that tired after three...

The Indian cricket team defeated Australia in the fifth T20 international match by six runs in Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, on Sunday. Matthew Wade played a captain’s knock but failed to win the game for Australia. Defending 10 runs off 6 balls, Arshdeep Singh conceded just 3 runs to win the game for India. With a 6-run victory, the Men in Blue won the series by a margin of 4-1. While chasing the target of 161 runs, Wade almost won the game for the Aussies, but Arshdeep got rid of him to put the visitors on the back foot. Wade scored 22 runs off 15 balls, laced with four fours. Ben McDermott slammed 54 runs off 36 deliveries, with the help of five sixes. Travis Head scored 28 runs off 18 balls again, going after the bowlers in the powerplay overs. For India, Mukesh Kumar took three wickets, while Arshdeep and Ravi Bishnoi added two scalps each, respectively. Earlier, Wade invited India to bat first. Shreyas Iyer hit 53 runs off 37 balls, including 5 fours and 2 sixes. Axar Patel (31...

Yuzvendra Chahal is quite excited at the prospect of donning the Indian kit again in the ODIs after a wait of nearly 11 months. On Thursday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced three squads for the upcoming South Africa tour. While the selection committee has included many talented youngsters in the white-ball teams, Chahal has been recalled for the three-match ODI series. The 33-year-old last played in an ODI back in January during a home series against New Zealand. The Leg-spinner then travelled to the West Indies for an ODI series in July but did not get an opportunity to play. He was not part of the Indian units that competed in the Asia Cup and the ICC ODI World Cup earlier this year. Overwhelmed by the recall, Chahal dropped a four-word post on Instagram. He shared a photograph of him in the blue jersey and wrote, “Here we go again.” Users have been flooding the comment sections, as one fan commented, "Well, come back, champ.”