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Ishan Kishan shares special message for former IPL team Mumbai Indians

Star India wicketkeeper-batter took to social media and shared a special message for his former Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Mumbai Indians (MI) after being signed by the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for the 2025 edition of the cash-rich league. Kishan found a new home in Sunrisers Hyderabad during the IPL 2025 mega auction at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last week.  The bid began on Rs 2 crore, and MI straightaway got into action to ensure a reunion. Punjab Kings joined the action for the in-demand explosive wicketkeeper batter. As the bid escalated to Rs 5 crore, MI pulled out, and Delhi Capitals decided to have a taste of the action. The back and forth continued, but PBKS stood in the firm position of taking away Kishan, with the bid standing at Rs 10 crore. As things looked almost done and dusted, SRH arrived to add more firepower to their batting unit.           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Ishan Kishan (@ishankishan23) They landed the winning bid, which stood at Rs 11.25 crore. "So many memories with all of you, so many moments of joy, happiness and growth. MI, Mumbai, and the Paltan will always remain in my heart. I've grown as a person and a player with all of you by my side. We say goodbye with memories that will stay with me for life. Thank you to the management, coaches, the players I've played with and all you fans for always being in my corner," Ishan Kishan wrote on Instagram. Speaking in a video by SRH, Kishan said, "Hi Hyderabad, I'm super stoked to be joining this incredible team and be part of this amazing franchise. Looking forward to work with each one of you and Orange Army, let's play with fire." Ishan has represented Gujarat Lions and Mumbai Indians (MI) in his IPL career since his debut in 2016. He has scored 2,644 runs in 105 matches at an average of 28.43 and a strike rate of 135.87, with 16 fifties.  Ishan Kishan is all set to fuel up the orange fire 🔥#TATAIPL #TATAIPLAuction #PlayWithFire pic.twitter.com/ZbDNxys3JK — SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) November 24, 2024 His best score is 99. He was a vital part of MI from 2018-2023, scoring 2,325 runs in 89 matches at an average of 29.80, with a strike rate of 136.84 and 15 half-centuries. His best score is 99. In 61 matches for India across all formats, he has scored 1,807 runs at an average of 33.46, with a century and 14 fifties. His best score is 210. In 32 T20Is, he has scored 796 runs at an average of 25.67 and a strike rate of 124.67, with six fifties and best score of 89. 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

01 December,2024 07:39 PM IST | New Delhi | ANI
Harbhajan Singh. Pic/AFP

Team wants to prepare Washington for future: Harbhajan

No one can take away the "phenomenal achievements" of Ravichandran Ashwin but the Indian team management is preparing Washington Sundar for near future when the former calls time, feels another spin maestro Harbhajan Singh. Ashwin, who with 536 wickets is second to Anil Kumble's 619 Test scalps for India but the next 84 victims could take time with young Washington suddenly becoming India's first-choice off-break bowler in the Gautm Gambhir era. "I think that's what their (team management and selectors') long term plan is. Ravichandran Ashwin has done a phenomenal job playing for India in taking all those wickets in his career," Harbhajan told PTI in an exclusive interview when asked if he sees Ashwin's younger Tamil Nadu statemate taking over the mantle of lead spinner. Ashwin's age is certainly a factor that is being kept in consideration. "But now that he is at that stage, at the age of 38, so that's why they have kept Washington Sundar with them (for) whenever R Ashwin will retire. The team thinks that they have to prepare Washington, so I think they are working on the same path," the former off-spinner with 400 plus Test and 700 plus international wickets across formats aid. Harbhajan spoke during the launch of a book titled "The Extraordinary Life of Kiran Dembla", authored by filmmaker Dr Deepak Singh. Harbhajan, who didn't play the WACA Test in 2008, said the win in the series opener at the Optus Stadium "doubled the joy". "It was (the) most important win for India because Perth has always been a very happy hunting ground for Australia," he said. "To beat them in their backyard is always very difficult, but this is a ground where the happiness of winning doubles because here they (Australia) consider themselves (to be) very strong at this venue." "So, well done to team India, they played phenomenal cricket and I hope this will continue and India (would) go on to win this series 4-1," he added. Harbhajan said winning the first Test notwithstanding, another Test in the series will set India on the path to the World Test Championship final but added that merely getting there would not be enough. "If they win another game, I think India will definitely go into the WTC (final) but it's not important to reach there, it's important to win we will reach there," he said. Harbhajan heaped praise on India's stand-in captain for the Perth Test, Jasprit Bumrah, saying he commands a lot of respect in the dressing room for the man that he is. "Bumrah is an amazing player, and of course, he has got a great mindset. I have been a huge supporter of Bumrah from Day One and he has got that very calm kind of personality," he said. "He knows his game and he is one of those guys who is a very likeable person in the dressing room. He commands a lot of respect in the dressing room so when such a person leads you from the front, the team obviously follows," he added. The former India player said while Bumrah was at the forefront, he singled out KL Rahul for his formidable batting at Perth in the first Test along with Yashasvi Jaiswal for India's triumph. "To give credit, Jassi did a great job but along with that, Jaiswal (too)," he said. "KL Rahul" we talk so much about him, that KL is not making runs, this is not happening for him or that is not happening but in the end, you see, if you give a (long) run to a player " he is a quality player, KL Rahul " and I am so happy for him." Harbhajan hoped India will continue their momentum from Perth as they prepare for the next assignment in a day-night Test at Adelaide. "Now Rohit (Sharma) and Shubman (Gill) will be back so the team will become even stronger. It's so good to see Team India the way they have played and I hope they will continue the way they have been playing and go on to win a series there," he added. 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

01 December,2024 07:39 PM IST | Mumbai | PTI
Mahela Jayawardene. Pic/PTI

Head coach Jayawardene reflects on adding Ghazanfar, Santner to MI squad

Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene reflected on adding Mitchell Santner and Allah Ghazanfar to the squad ahead of the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). New Zealand's Mitchell Santner joined the Mumbai-based franchise during the IPL 2025 mega-auction. Coming in at the base price of Rs 2 crore, MI started the bidding for NZ's premier white-ball spinner. No other franchise showed interest, which confirmed his switch to Wankhede. Several international spinners were left unsold while young Afghanistan spinner Allah Ghazanfar was picked up by Mumbai Indians (MI) for Rs 4.80 crore. Speaking in a video shared on Mumbai Indians' official social media handle, Jayawardene said that there were a lot more variations and x-factor spinners at the IPL 2025 mega-auction when it came to overseas options for which they added Allah and Santner in the squad. "Obviously, we have Hardik as well as a genuine bowling option. So that's why we wanted to add that extra Indian bowler so that we could pivot to the overseas spin options. Because we felt that in the auction, there was a lot more variations and x-factor spinners in the auction when it came to overseas options. So like other teams have done that in the past, so we wanted to see that options openly, So to do that, we had to change our thinking like the way we usually play but still have those options available. So that's why we went with Allah and Santner as options, so we could pivot if we want to," Jayawardene said. Why overseas spinners? 💭 Dive into Master𝕄𝕀nd's strategy behind these sharp selections! #MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #TATAIPLAuction pic.twitter.com/i9aFbLAkNm — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) November 30, 2024 Allah Ghazanfar made his debut for Afghanistan recently. He got a six-wicket haul on his debut and has 12 wickets in eight ODIs so far. The youngster attracted bids from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). While RCB gave up early, KKR went deep in the bidding war, but he was eventually acquired by Mumbai Indians. 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

01 December,2024 07:38 PM IST | Mumbai | ANI
Alastair Cook. Pic/AFP

We got the Ben Stokes we know and this England side needs, says Alastair Cook

In England’s first innings total of 499, captain Ben Stokes came back to his run-scoring best by hitting a fine 80 - his best score in Test cricket since 2023 home summer.  Former captain Alastair Cook said he liked the look of Stokes’ knock at Christchurch, saying it was the version of him people know and the one England needed the most after a disappointing run in the series defeat to Pakistan. "In Pakistan we didn't see the best of Ben Stokes. We found out the reason why, which must have been an absolute nightmare with the situation at home. But he captained very un-Stokes-like, very passive, set fields and didn't change it." "Today we got the Ben Stokes we know and love and this England side need, certainly with the bat - he was very aggressive early on. The celebrations, the passion, he is the heartbeat of the side. We didn't see any of that in Pakistan but it's amazing as a captain. Whatever you do you're always focused on and England need him to be up there." "Totally and utterly on it, and I don't think he was in Pakistan, so that's a massive plus, and of course his runs...It's nice to see him scoring runs because England need it. He's averaged 25 over the last 24 innings or so. We know what he can do. What do England need? We need Ben Stokes firing," said Cook on TNT Sports. Similar views were expressed by former fast-bowler Steven Finn, who pointed out that Stokes was a charged up man in second innings. "He bowled well as well. He was a bit rusty in the first bit of the innings but in the second innings he charged in and hit a couple of batters on the shoulder, beating them for bounce." "That, teamed with his batting and his captaincy, he is a talisman. He's amazingly empathetic as a leader, which is rare, and it's because he does both batting and bowling, and he's struggled away from cricket as well. Those experiences have created this leader who's empathetic and open.” "Usually a captain would hide away after a series like Pakistan and not confront the things people viewed as observers of the game, but he got out there ahead of it and said 'these are the reasons why I was like that, I apologise to my team-mates, and you're going to see a better version of me in New Zealand'.” "He is so important for England. I think it's great that he hasn't put his name into the IPL and has completely committed to Test cricket. Fit, firing and in-form Ben Stokes is going to be the person who leads England to an away Ashes win next year," he concluded. 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

01 December,2024 07:38 PM IST | New Delhi | IANS
India's skipper Rohit Sharma (C) sits in the dugout with teammates (Pic: AFP)

Fit-again Gill gets quality match time, Rohit keeps people guessing

Shubman Gill dispelled all doubts about his thumb injury with a stylish fifty even as skipper Rohit Sharma kept cards close to his chest by coming in at No. 4 in India's curtailed pink-ball warm-up game against Prime Minister's XI on Sunday. The visitors won the match by six wickets. It, however, remains to be seen if the Indian captain would come out to open in the second Test against Australia, starting Friday in Adelaide. It was a 46-overs-a-side affair, which India won by chasing down an easy target of 241 in 42.5 overs, but they carried on batting till the end of the final over. For Australia, Test hopeful Sam Konstas' 107 off 97 balls went in vain. The Indian team management was tactical in its choices as Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah decided on facing each other at the nets rather than providing data to the Aussie think-tank. Interestingly, Ravichandran Ashwin, who didn't play the Perth Test, was seen at the nets, mostly bowling to Kohli. Ashwin had a four-wicket haul in the last Pink-ball Test in Adelaide in 2020-21. Ravindra Jadeja, however, got a few overs and also batted for some time. Rohit persisted with the opening combination of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, dropping himself down to number four. However, his own game time was limited to 11 deliveries as he edged one to the slips under the night lights. The biggest piece of news for India was Gill's batting. A cracking square cut first up off seamer Mahli Beardman indicated that his fractured left thumb has completely healed and he is ready to play the Adelaide game. Also Read: Rohit Sharma sent back early in warm-up fixture against Prime Minister's XI He looked pretty comfortable against Scott Boland, whom he faced during his second spell. Gill punished the pacers and spinners alike with seven boundaries before he retired after facing 62 balls. Jaiswal (45 off 59 balls) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (42 off 32 balls), both players with virtually no experience of facing the pink ball at domestic level, threw their bats around and got some runs. Rishabh Pant also didn't come out to bat, much to the disappointment of the 1000-odd Indian fans present at the Manuka Oval. Harshit shows big heart Harshit Rana has already earned the vote of confidence from the team management with an impressive Test debut at Perth and picked four wickets here to strengthen his credentials as a wicket-taking bowler. Still very raw at the international level, Harshit's inexperience became his undoing during the first three overs as he wasn't able to hit the right length with the pink ball. But then he went round the wicket against a set southpaw Jack Clayton (40) and bowled a quick delivery that came in with the angle as the batter played inside the line. Within a space of a delivery, he came over the wicket to right-hander Ollie Davis (0) and a fullish ball had him playing all over. Also Read: Rohit Sharma drops down, does KL Rahul get the pink ball opening gig? In his next over, he bowled two different types of bouncers -- the one to skipper Jack Edwards climbed steeply as he went for a pull while the next one to Sam Harper was aimed at rib cage and forced the batter to go for a swivel pull. Both catches landed safely inside Prasidh Krishna's palms. Akash Deep (2/58) bowled a few wicket-taking deliveries but didn't look as menacing as Harshit when the latter bowled the 'heavy ball'. In all, India made the best use of the limited practice opportunity. Brief Scores: Australia PM XI 240 in 43.2 over (Sam Konstas 107, Hanno Jacobs 61, Jack Clayton 40, Harshit Rana 4/44, Akash Deep 2/58). India 257 for 5 in 46 overs (Shubman Gill retd 50 no, KL Rahul retd 27 no, Yashasvi Jaiswal 45, Nitish Kumar Reddy 42, Ravindra Jadeja 27, Washington Sundar 42 no). 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

01 December,2024 06:06 PM IST | Canberra (Australia) | PTI
Rohit Sharma at the toss (Pic: Amit Shah)

Rohit Sharma sent packing early in warm-up fixture against Prime Minister's XI

India captain Rohit Sharma endured a disappointing start to his Australian tour on Day 2 of the warm-up fixture against the Prime Minister's XI on Sunday, December 1, at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. In his first outing for the Indian team in Australia, Rohit was dismissed cheaply, failing to make an impact. Interestingly, he had sacrificed his usual opening spot to KL Rahul, who had been in exceptional form during the first Test in Perth. Rahul continued to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, and the duo carried forward their impressive partnership from the previous match. Rohit Sharma out in 1 slip Same problem pacer #RohitSharma𓃵 #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/qn4BxFeQ9n — Vaibhav Malik (@Vaibhavmalik151) December 1, 2024 The opening pair added 75 runs for the first wicket, with Jaiswal contributing 45 runs before attempting to play a big shot against Charlie Anderson and getting dismissed. Rahul, on the other hand, retired on 27 off 44 balls, as Rohit walked in to bat. The India captain approached his innings with caution, respecting the swinging conditions under the lights. However, his stay at the crease was short-lived, as he faced just 11 deliveries before being dismissed for a mere 3 runs. Rohit edged a delivery from Anderson to wicketkeeper Oliver Davies, marking a disappointing start for the Indian skipper. Also Read: SMAT T20: Mumbai get a 'SKY' boost ahead of Andhra game Earlier, India’s bowlers had a strong showing, bowling out Prime Minister's XI for 240 in 43.1 overs. Harshit Rana was the standout performer with the ball, claiming 4 wickets for 44 runs in six overs. Sam Konstas was the top scorer for the opposition, playing an excellent knock of 107 runs off 97 balls. Hanno Jacobs also made a valuable contribution, scoring 61 runs from 60 deliveries. Akash Deep supported Rana well, picking up 2 wickets for 58 runs in his 10 overs. Meanwhile, Prasidh Krishna (1/37), Mohammed Siraj (1/18), Washington Sundar (1/38), and Ravindra Jadeja (1/32) all took a wicket each. A surprising omission from India’s bowling attack was Ravichandran Ashwin, who didn’t bowl a single delivery throughout the day’s play. His absence from the attack raised eyebrows, as fans and analysts were left wondering about the reason behind his exclusion. Meanwhile, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was also not seen bowling during the match but was spotted practicing with Virat Kohli in the nets, where he bowled full throttle in preparation for the upcoming challenges.

01 December,2024 03:53 PM IST | Canberra (Australia) | mid-day online correspondent
Suryakumar Yadav (Pic: X)

SMAT T20: Mumbai get a 'SKY' boost ahead of Andhra game

India's T20 captain, Suryakumar Yadav, will return to action for Mumbai's next Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Andhra on Tuesday, December 3, following a brief two-week break to attend a family function. As he has done on previous occasions, Suryakumar is unlikely to lead the team in this match, with Shreyas Iyer continuing in the captaincy role for the time being. Suryakumar will return as a regular player in the lineup. Having led India to a dominant 3-1 series victory over South Africa, Suryakumar will rejoin the Mumbai squad in Hyderabad on Monday and is expected to feature in the upcoming match against Andhra. He had informed the Mumbai Cricket Association in advance about his unavailability for the initial group stage games due to his family commitment. Also Read: Rohit Sharma drops down, does KL Rahul get the pink ball opening gig? It is understood that Surya is absolutely fine with Iyer continuing as the skipper and is ready to bat at any position that the team management feels is suitable for 'SKY'. Playing for Mumbai across all domestic tournaments whenever he is available has been top priority for Surya and he would continue doing that. He will be playing the remainder of the SMAT for Mumbai and also in the Vijay Hazare Trophy starting December 21. The idea is to play for India across formats. In a recent series against South Africa, the skipper relinquished his own set batting position at number three for Tilak Varma, who had requested his skipper for that particular slot. Tilak repaid the faith of his captain by getting two successive hundreds which contributed heavily in India's victory.  (With agency inputs)

01 December,2024 02:33 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Jay Shah (Pic: X)

India's Jay Shah takes over as new ICC chairman, starts tenure from today

Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah on Sunday started his tenure as the new International Cricket Council (ICC) chief. "The International Cricket Council (ICC) today - 1 December - marked the beginning of Jay Shah's tenure as ICC Chair," an ICC statement read. A new chapter of global cricket begins today with Jay Shah starting his tenure as ICC Chair.Details: https://t.co/y8RKJEvXvl pic.twitter.com/Fse4qrRS7a — ICC (@ICC) December 1, 2024 As ICC Chair, Shah outlined his priorities for his term, including leveraging the sport's inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as a pivotal opportunity as well as further accelerating the growth of the women's game. "I am honoured to take on the role of ICC Chair and grateful for the support and trust of the ICC Directors and Member Boards. This is an exciting time for the sport as we prepare for the LA28 Olympic Games and work to make cricket more inclusive and engaging for fans worldwide," Shah was quoted by ICC as saying. "We are at a critical juncture with the coexistence of multiple formats and the need to accelerate the growth of the women's game. Cricket holds immense potential globally, and I look forward to working closely with the ICC team and Member countries to seize these opportunities and take the sport to new heights," he added. Also Read: Joe Root does the unthinkable, surpasses Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record Shah brings extensive experience in cricket administration, having started his journey in 2009 with the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA). During his tenure, he oversaw the development of the world's largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad. In 2019, Shah joined the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), becoming its youngest-ever honorary Secretary. Shah will now succeed Greg Barclay as ICC Chair. Barclay was in the role from November 2020, and Shah acknowledged his contribution to ICC's achievements over the last four years. "I would also like to thank Greg Barclay for his leadership in the role for the past four years and the milestones achieved during that period. I look forward to working closely with the ICC team and the Member countries to expand the game's reach and evolution on the global stage," he said. In August 2024, Shah was elected unopposed as the next Chairman of the ICC. Shah was the sole nominee for the chairmanship after Greg Barclay decided not to seek a third term, as per a media release by ICC. (With agency inputs)

01 December,2024 02:24 PM IST | Dubai | mid-day online correspondent
Joe Root (Pic: AFP)

Joe Root does the unthinkable, surpasses Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record

Star England batter Joe Root on Sunday overtook Sachin Tendulkar to achieve an elusive record in Test cricket. Root played an unbeaten 23-run knock from 15 balls in the fourth inning of the Christchurch Test against New Zealand and helped the Three Lions clinch an eight-wicket win over the hosts. The 33-year-old became the leading run scorer in the 4th innings of Test cricket, with 1630 runs. Earlier, legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar held the record of leading run scorer in the 4th innings of Test cricket with 1625 runs. Former England batter Alastair Cook stands in third place on the chart with 1611 runs. Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith holds the fourth with 1611 runs. Former West Indies Shivnarine Chanderpaul is currently the fifth-highest run-scorer in the 4th innings of Test cricket, with 1580 runs. Root made his Test debut in 2012 against England, following that, he has played 150 long format matches and scored 12777 runs at a strike rate of 57.23 and an average of 50.90. Coming to the match, Jacob Bethell's debut fifty and Brydon Carse's dominance with the ball helped England secure a dominating eight-wicket victory over New Zealand on Sunday at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Also Read: Year this about Joe Root New Zealand started Day 04 at 155/6 at Hagley Oval, with a four-run lead against England. The Kiwis added 99 runs to their overnight total. Daryl Mitchell (84) displayed a stunning performance with the bat and had support from Nathan Smith (21) and other tailenders on the way. However, Brydon Carse, who picked three of the four remaining wickets helping himself to career-best figures of 6/42, ensured that England had to chase only 104 to secure a win in the Christchurch Test. The chase wasn't a problem for the Three Lions as New Zealand bowling failed to create any threat on the fourth day at Hagley Oval. Jacob Bethell led the English batting lineup during the chase and slammed a scintillating unbeaten fifty on his debut, with just 37 balls. England's eight-wicket triumph helped them to take a 1-0 lead in the Test series against the Kiwis. (With agency inputs)

01 December,2024 02:19 PM IST | Christchurch (New Zealand) | mid-day online correspondent
India captain Rohit Sharma during the toss (Pic: Amit Shah)

Rohit Sharma drops down, does KL Rahul get the pink ball opening gig?

In a surprise move, India captain Rohit Sharma positioned himself at No. 5 in the lineup during the pink-ball warm-up match against the Australian Prime Minister's XI on Sunday. Having joined the side midway through the Perth Test, Rohit seized the opportunity to get valuable match practice as India faced off against the Australian side in Canberra. This decision to bat at No. 5 could be a significant indicator of the possibility that Rohit may drop himself down to the middle order for the upcoming pink-ball Test match in Adelaide, scheduled to begin on December 6. Team India's playing XI (Pic: Amit Shah) The potential shift in batting order might be a direct consequence of the stellar performances from openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the second innings of the opening Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In the Perth Test, Rahul and Jaiswal forged a remarkable 200-plus partnership, a historic first for Indian openers on Australian soil. Their outstanding contribution laid the foundation for India’s dominant 295-run victory in the series opener, compelling Rohit to reconsider his position in the top order. The lineup for the warm-up game featured a blend of seasoned players and emerging talents. KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma (captain), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Devdutt Padikkal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Sarfaraz Khan were all included in the squad. Also Read: Saturday’s pink ball party parked The team’s combination was designed to prepare the players for various challenges, especially ahead of the crucial pink-ball Test match in Adelaide. Rohit, who had joined the team mid-Test, immediately immersed himself in preparations for the pink-ball match. Upon arrival in Perth, he headed straight into the nets, where he practiced with the pink ball on the sidelines of the opening Test. His focus was clearly on familiarising himself with the unique conditions of pink-ball cricket, which can behave differently from traditional red-ball formats, particularly under lights. When it was time for the warm-up match on Sunday, Rohit took charge as captain and opted to bowl first, displaying his strategic acumen early on. Meanwhile, India’s bowlers got off to a promising start in the warm-up game, with Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj making early breakthroughs. The Australian PM XI was reduced to 28/2 in no time, with both wickets falling to some incisive bowling. However, the Australian response came strongly, with Sam Konstas playing a brisk and aggressive knock, scoring a rapid half-century. India's Harshit Rana wreaked havoc with the ball, taking four wickets and triggering a dramatic collapse that left Australia at 187 for the loss of seven wickets at the time of writing.

01 December,2024 12:58 PM IST | Canberra (Australia) | mid-day online correspondent
Sameer Dighe (extreme left), Pravin Amre, Vishakha Dalvi, Sunil Ramachandran and Sureshchandra Tarkar (right) address the media at Shivaji Park on Saturday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Coach Achrekar’s memorial to be unveiled on Tuesday

Batting icon Sachin Tendulkar and several other India players will attend the unveiling of coach Ramakant Achrekar’s memorial at Shivaji Park, Dadar, on Tuesday evening.    “Sir’s [Achrekar] memorial will be a true reflection and tradition of the guru shishya parampara [teacher student tradition] and it will inspire many to take his thinking forward,” Achrekar’s elder daughter Vishakha Dalvi told the media at the Park Club on Saturday.  Ramakant Achrekar Dalvi along with former Test cricketers Pravin Amre, Sameer Dighe and Kamath Memorial Cricket Club’s ex-captain Sunil Ramachandran took the initiative to build a memorial. Also Read: Saturday’s pink ball party parked Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray will also be present during the unveiling of the memorial. The highly respected coach passed away in Mumbai on January 2, 2019. “Achrekar sir not only made us good cricketers. We also learnt from him how to be an ideal coach. Under sir’s guidance, 10 cricketers became Test players, more than 30 players played first-class cricket and around 100 cricketers got jobs because of him. His contribution to this game is immense,” said Amre. “This memorial will help keep the memories of Achrekar sir forever. Despite me not being in the school, he gave me an opportunity to train under him,” Dighe remarked.

01 December,2024 08:46 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
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