Starting at the historic Melbourne ground, the Boxing Day Test match will see Team India captain Rohit Sharma returning to the opening batting order again. Reports from the team management suggest that Rohit will start the Indian innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. Meanwhile, KL Rahul, who has been playing the opener role in this Border-Gavaskar Trophy, may bat in the middle order. Shubman Gill has not been successful in scoring big runs in this competition so far. There were speculations that Gill would be sent to bat at number six. However, the team management does not want to tamper with his batting position. Gill has only batted as an opener and at number three in his career. On this ground, he can be aggressive with the new ball, so he is expected to bat at number three. Rahul, who has been performing exceptionally well as an opener for India in this series, will bat at number six. Although Rahul has batted in this position before, the Boxing Day Test could be very lucky for him. In the previous years 2021 and 2023, Rahul scored centuries in both Boxing Day Tests played at Centurion, South Africa. If Rahul comes in at number six on the MCG ground, he will strengthen India's middle order batting. Last December, Rahul scored a century at this position at Centurion. However, India had lost the Centurion Test to South Africa in three days. During Team India's last net session on Tuesday, the captain Rohit Sharma, coach Gambhir, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar were seen discussing for about 35 to 40 minutes. According to sources from the team management, given the weather conditions, captain Rohit could return to the opening batting order. The temperature on the first day of Boxing Day is expected to be between 38 to 40 degrees. If Team India bats first, the condition of the pitch at MCG in Melbourne's scorching heat may end up being similar to that of Perth. Apart from that team management is thinking to take two spins in the final playing XI. Instead of Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar will get the chance in final XI. Ravindra Jadeja has performed well in Gabba test match with this bat. If the condition will hot throughout the test match, these two players will give the solidity in Indian lower batting lineup as well as in spin department.
25 December,2024 12:31 PM IST | Melbourne | Amit ShahIndia’s talented spin all-rounder, Axar Patel, recently took to social media to share the joyful news of the arrival of his baby boy, Haksh Patel. The cricketer posted an endearing photo of his newborn, dressed in a tiny India jersey, proudly holding onto his parents' hands. He's still figuring out the off side from the leg, but we couldnt wait to introduce him to all of you in blue. World, welcome Haksh Patel, India's smallest, yet biggest fan, and the most special piece of our hearts.19-12-2024 🩵🧿 pic.twitter.com/LZFGnyIWqM — Axar Patel (@akshar2026) December 24, 2024 Haksh was born on December 19, and Axar shared his excitement with heartfelt words in the post. "He's still figuring out the off-side from the leg, but we couldn’t wait to introduce him to all of you in blue. World, welcome Haksh Patel, India's smallest, yet biggest fan, and the most special piece of our hearts," Axar wrote. Haksh is the first child of Axar and his wife, Meha, who tied the knot in January 2023. Also Read: Skipper Rohit on a good deck In a related development, India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, addressed Axar’s absence from the playing XI during a press conference ahead of the Boxing Day Test against Australia. Sharma explained that Axar was not considered for the final two Test matches of the series, partly due to the arrival of his baby. In Axar’s absence, Mumbai off-spinner Tanush Kotian has been included in the squad for the remaining two Tests. Kotian’s inclusion comes after the unexpected retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin, leaving a spot open for the young off-spinner. The selection of Kotian highlights the depth and flexibility of India's spin bowling options as they continue their series against Australia.
25 December,2024 12:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentEngland Test captain Ben Stokes faces at least three months out after tearing his left hamstring during the tour of New Zealand, team management announced on Monday. Stokes, 33, had already been ruled out of next year’s Champions Trophy one-day international tournament in Pakistan and the preceding white-ball tour of India. Further assessments have since revealed the full extent of the injury, with Stokes set to undergo surgery in January, said an England and Wales Cricket Board statement. Stokes suffered the injury while bowling during the third Test against New Zealand in Hamilton last week. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 December,2024 06:23 AM IST | London | AFPAustralia head coach Andrew McDonald on Tuesday defended the selection committee’s decision to drop Nathan McSweeney in middle of the series for Sam Konstas, saying the talented teenager will post a “new challenge” for India. McSweeney, a makeshift opener, was dropped because of a string of low scores in the first three Tests. Former Australia skipper Michael Clarke was very critical of the decision to sideline McSweeney. However, McDonald said tough calls have to be taken at times. “We wanted to throw a new challenge at India. We believe Nathan is good enough for the Test level. We weren’t sure about how the top order is functioning. So yeah we challenged ourselves with that decision,” said the head coach. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 December,2024 06:22 AM IST | Melbourne | PTIAustralian batting great Matthew Hayden has urged Virat Kohli to draw inspiration from Sachin Tendulkar’s disciplined knock in Sydney and curb his tendency to flash outside the off-stump to regain form in the remaining two Tests of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. Inconsistent Kohli Kohli, who has had an inconsistent series so far with scores of 5, 100 not out, 7, 11, and 3 in his last five innings, has amassed just 126 runs at an average of 31.50. “There could have been magnificent wins, there could have been losses, there could have been spinning conditions, I mean, you can list off a hundred different areas where Kohli, over his magnificent career, would have batted. Matthew Hayden “But in Melbourne, he’s going to have a good batting track. What he does need to do is find a way to continue staying at the crease. Flashing outside the off-stump is something that he’s going to have to resist,” Hayden told Star Sports. “And I suggest — he gets in line with the ball a bit more and looks to play down the ground a little bit more...” Hayden cited Tendulkar’s iconic 241 not out during the 2004 Sydney Test as an example of how self-restraint can turn things around. “I know he [Kohli] has a magnificent cover driver, but so did Sachin Tendulkar, and he put it away for a day. I sat in the gully licking my lips, thinking, you know what, this is magnificent, stubborn batting.” During the 2004 tour of Australia, Tendulkar, battling a lean patch, showcased remarkable self-restraint and determination by completely avoiding his trademark off-side drives for the entire 613 minutes he spent at the crease. Remember what Sachin did “I didn’t look like getting a catch that day, and yet I felt like I was in the game that entire series. So, Sachin put away the cover drive, worked his way, hit off his legs, took on the spin, and addressed the areas of concern. He put a big cross through them and said, 'Not on my watch today.’ Virat Kohli has got that personality, and I’m sure we’ll see it in Melbourne,”Hayden remarked. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 December,2024 06:22 AM IST | Melbourne | PTIAustralia great Ricky Ponting believes the Indian opener Shubman Gill’s overseas record is not as strong as his performances at home, but the ex-Aussie skipper feels the right-hander can improve his fortunes in Australia with minor changes to his approach. Gill averages 23.8 across nine Tests in England, Bangladesh, West Indies, South Africa and Australia. In the same period, he has accumulated 1,177 runs and scored four hundreds across 17 Tests at an average of 42.03 at home. Ricky Ponting “I love watching him [Gill] play. When you’re watching him bat and bat well, he looks as good as anyone in world cricket. But the numbers don’t really stack up, do they, away from home?” Ponting said on The ICC Review. Since his impressive performance at the Gabba in 2021 during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where his composed 91 helped India clinch a historic series win, Gill has scored just one Test century away from home, which came against Bangladesh in 2022. After injury forced him out of the series opener in Perth, Gill returned with scores of 31 and 28 in Adelaide and just one run in Brisbane. Ponting said the opener may be overcomplicating his approach. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 December,2024 06:20 AM IST | Dubai | IANSFormer Australian cricketer Greg Chappell has heaped praise on Travis Head for his audacious and effective approach against India’s pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. In his column for The Sydney Morning Herald, Chappell highlighted Head’s ability to not just survive against Bumrah but also counter-attack, disrupting the rhythm of one of the world’s most formidable bowlers. Chappell emphasised Head’s fearless intent and proactive mindset in his approach to tackling Bumrah. “Head’s performances against Bumrah in this series exemplify his fearless approach,” Chappell wrote. “While most batsmen struggle to survive Bumrah’s unorthodox action, sharp pace, and relentless accuracy, Head has treated him like any other bowler. By playing with intent and looking to score off Bumrah, Head has not only nullified his threat but disrupted his rhythm.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 December,2024 06:20 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSAhead of the Boxing Day Test, India skipper Rohit Sharma on Tuesday dismissed fears about the knee injury he suffered during practice, saying it was fine, while keeping the suspense over his batting position. Rohit had got hit on the left knee during the training session at the MCG on Sunday and there was speculation about the seriousness of the injury. “My knee is fine,” said Rohit during a media interaction ahead of the fourth Border-Gavaskar Test here from December 26. Rohit missed the opening Test Down Under to be with his family for the birth of his second child. He was expected to reclaim the opener’s spot but KL Rahul’s impressive 77 in India’s win at Perth prompted a rejig of the batting order with the skipper moving down to No.6. The change though has not been fruitful for Rohit as he has managed 10, 3 and 6 runs in the last three innings, while Rahul has encashed on the opportunity by notching up a fine 84 in the first innings at Brisbane in the third Test. The skipper said, he would do whatever is best for the team. “Let’s not worry about who bats where. Something that we need to figure and not something I would be discussing here. We will do what is best for the team,” Rohit said. On Kohli’s form, and his supposed shortcoming outside off-stump, Rohit said, the stalwart will find a way out of the slump. “Kohli’s off stump... you only say modern day great. Modern-day greats figure out their own path,” said the skipper. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 December,2024 06:19 AM IST | Melbourne | PTIIndia will play all their matches of the Champions Trophy in Dubai with the marquee clash against arch-rivals Pakistan scheduled on February 23, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Tuesday. As has been the case with ICC events, India and Pakistan have been clubbed in the same group which also have New Zealand and Bangladesh. Group B comprises South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan and England. The tournament opener will be played in Karachi on February 19 when hosts Pakistan face New Zealand and the final is scheduled for March 9. The premier 50-over event, last played in 2017, will have 15 matches with at least 10 games scheduled in Pakistan. “Lahore will also host the final on 9 March, unless India qualify, in which case it will be played in Dubai. Both the semi-finals and the final will have reserve days,” said the ICC in a statement. India will open their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 before taking on Pakistan three days later. Their final league fixture will be against New Zealand on March 2. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 December,2024 06:18 AM IST | Dubai | PTIFormer India cricketer Vinod Kambli, admitted to the ICU of a private hospital in Thane district, developed a fever on Tuesday, but his condition was stable, doctors treating him said on Tuesday. Kambli (52) is responding to the treatment for urinary tract infections for which he was admitted at Akruti Hospital near Bhiwandi town on Saturday (December 21), Dr Vivek Trivedi told PTI. Trivedi is heading the medical team that is supervising the former cricketer’s health. Doctors were planning to do an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) on the former India batter, but since he has developed a fever, a decision will be taken later, he said. The MRI procedure has been necessitated after a series of medical examinations conducted earlier revealed clots in his brain, Trivedi said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 December,2024 06:16 AM IST | Thane | PTIThese are challenging times for Rohit Sharma. His personal form has been anything but inspiring and his fellow batters are locked in a desperate battle with their own selves as much as the opposition bowling. But if Rohit is feeling the heat, there simply is no evidence. Rohit seems cool Two days before the start of the Boxing Day Test at the sprawling Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Rohit was his jovial self during the press conference, refusing to rise to the bait on more than one occasion. He also didn’t feel the urgent need to hit the nets and face a million balls, content to follow his own preparatory schedule on Tuesday afternoon in his team’s only session on the unused practice pitches laid out by curator Matt Page. Where his top-order colleagues sought to polish the rough edges against throwdowns, their own bowling mates and a few net bowlers supplied by Cricket Australia, Rohit spent a long time in discussions with head coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar once he belatedly made his way from the MCG outfield to the area housing the practice nets. Strategies were being discussed, clearly; such is the lot of any skipper that while he must look after his own self, he also is responsible for all other players in the squad and India’s is a jumbo squad reinforced by the arrival of Tanush Kotian, the off-spinning all-rounder from Mumbai who has been added to the side following the sudden retirement of R Ashwin. When he did come on to bat, Rohit faced up exclusively to throwdowns from two of the three sidearm specialists, D Raghavindraa and Dayanand Garani, travelling with the team. The focus was on the fifth-stump line which has troubled Rohit and, to a greater extent, Virat Kohli, in this series. Rohit attempted to allow as many of those to sail by as possible, earning shouts of encouragement ‘Super, Rohit’ when he refused to be sucked in by deliveries that sailed by not far away from the off-stump. A return to the middle order where he batted exclusively for five years since his debut in November 2013 hasn’t been memorable for the right reasons, but with KL Rahul striking up excellent rhythm as opener, Rohit will most likely bat in the middle-order for the two remaining Tests. Used in the last five years to setting the tempo at the top of the tree, he is just about coming to terms with the challenge of walking in when the tone has already been set. While it is true that the early part of Rohit’s international career was spent at No. 6 and thereabouts, to drop back down the order isn’t as straightforward as it might appear, especially for someone of the mindset of Rohit who likes to get out there and get on with it. His best chance? It is expected that of all the grounds so far, the MCG will throw up the best batting surface of the lot. That doesn’t mean a million runs to be had, but in a series where, Travis Head and Rahul excepted, batters have faced challenges galore, that could be just the spur Rohit needs to turn the corner. He might not show it openly, but India’s skipper is surely hurting from the developments of the last two months. Course-correction, one suspects, isn’t too far away.
25 December,2024 06:15 AM IST | Melbourne | R KaushikADVERTISEMENT
