They prod and poke until you finally snap, and when you do, suddenly they are the innocent ones, claiming victimhood. No one excels at playing the moral high ground quite like an Australian who, just moments earlier, was the one stirring the pot. This tactic isn’t just limited to Australian cricketers, it is a tried-and-true strategy for their media as well. Just days ago, Virat Kohli found himself embroiled in a heated exchange with a few members of the media at Brisbane's airport following the third Test. Kohli, who prefers to keep his personal life under wraps, was reportedly displeased at the media’s intrusion on his family. According to reports, Kohli insisted he couldn’t be filmed without permission. “It was upon seeing the waiting cameras that Kohli became a little heated over what is largely a misunderstanding when he thought the media was filming him with his children,” Channel 7 reporter Theo Doropoulos said on 7NEWS. Fast forward to Saturday, and it was Ravindra Jadeja's turn to face the media circus. Much on the expected lines, the Australian media wasted no time in labeling the press conference as a 'strange and frosty' affair, with their headline conveniently focusing on the fact that Jadeja 'refused to answer questions in English'. "At the MCG on Saturday, India’s media team pointed to reporters who were allowed to ask questions and even acknowledged a few Australian journalists. But Jadeja only responded in his native language," read the report. The report indicated that Jadeja answering in his native Hindi was an inconvenience for the Aussie journalists, and to top it off, he allegedly wrapped up the press conference early. It also made sure to mention that 'India's media team insisted the conference was for 'travelling Indian media only even though Australian media were invited'. Also Read: Is Fox Cricket's poster a subtle nod to Australia’s long-loved psychological warfare? Amit Shah, a reporter from Midday, pointed out that many Indian journalists don’t always get the chance to ask questions due to time constraints, but instead of keeping their cool, the Australian journalists 'misbehaved' and 'argued' with the Indian media manager after the press conference. Shah, who regularly attends press conferences, noted that this kind of behaviour is uncharacteristic of the Indian press, who have never raised a fuss. "Their behaviour was inappropriate and uncalled for. I cover press conferences regularly, and even during Australian press conferences, many Indian journalists don't get a chance to ask questions due to time limitations, but we have never argued or misbehaved," he said. But of course, this is Australia. Their cricketing culture has always been a masterclass in ‘psychological warfare'. It is not enough to outplay the opponent on the field, they’ve made an art form out of getting inside your head. Whether it’s the infamous ‘mental disintegration’ tactics of the ‘90s or today’s more polished version of mind games, Australia has long been the pioneer in the field of psychological gymnastics. And Saturday was no different.
21 December,2024 03:12 PM IST | Melbourne | Srijanee MajumdarFor Ravichandran Ashwin, family has always held a special place. Time and again, he has spoken about the pivotal role played by his wife, Prithi Narayanan, and their two daughters in his life. After Ashwin decided to step away from his illustrious cricket career, Prithi shared an emotional and heartfelt post about witnessing one of the greatest cricketers of his generation up close. Ashwin chose to retire from international cricket with two Tests remaining in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. "It has been a blurry two days for me. I have been thinking about what I can say... Do I write this as a tribute to my all-time favorite cricketer? Or maybe I’ll approach it from the partner’s perspective? Or perhaps as a love letter from a fan girl? I suppose it’s a little bit of all of that," Prithi Narayanan wrote in her Instagram post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ๐ซ๐๐พ๐๐ฝ๐พ ๐๐๐ฝ๐๐พ๐ (@prithinarayanan) "When I watched Ashwin’s press conference, I was flooded with memories—big and small. So many moments from the last 13-14 years. The major wins, the Man of the Series awards, the quiet stillness in our room after an intense match, the prolonged sound of the shower running on certain evenings after a game, the scratching of pencil on paper as he jotted down his thoughts, the constant replaying of footage videos as he formulated his game plan, the calming breaths before heading out to each match, certain songs on loop as he unwound. Also Read: Did Gambhir have a hand in Ashwin’s abrupt exit from international cricket? "There were the moments when we cried with joy—after the Champions Trophy final, the MCG victory, the Sydney draw, the Gabba triumph, and the T20 comeback... and the times when we sat in silence and had our hearts broken." Prithi then reflected on her experience of closely following Ashwin’s journey. "Dear Ashwin, from not knowing how to pack a kit bag to following you to stadiums all over the world, cheering for you, watching you, and learning from you, it has been an absolute privilege. The world you introduced me to gave me the opportunity to experience and appreciate a sport I love from such a personal perspective," she wrote. Also Read: Uncertain future, family insight: Why R Ashwin chose to retire mid-series? "It also taught me how much passion, hard work, and discipline are required to stay at the top. And sometimes, even that isn’t enough. I remember us discussing why you, R. Ashwin, had to work so hard and do so much just to stay relevant in the game. How awards, the best statistics, the Player of the Match honors, the accolades, the records—all these didn’t matter unless you constantly refined your skills and kept putting in the work. Sometimes, nothing is enough." "As you close this incredible chapter of your international career, all I want to say is, it’s all good. It’s all going to be good. It’s time to release the burden of being who you are. Live life on your terms—make room for those extra calories, spend time with your family, enjoy moments of doing absolutely nothing, share memes all day, create a new bowling variation, and drive our kids crazy. Just do it all."
21 December,2024 01:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAn arrest warrant has been issued for former cricketer Robin Uthappa in connection with an alleged fraud involving the provident fund contributions of employees at a clothing company he operates. Uthappa has been given until December 27 to settle outstanding dues of nearly Rs 24 lakh, failing which he will face arrest. Uthappa, who is the director of Bengaluru-based Centaurus Lifestyle Brands Pvt Ltd, is accused of withholding provident fund deductions from his employees' salaries without depositing them into the appropriate accounts. The company has failed to remit approximately Rs 23,36,602, which is to be recovered from Uthappa, according to the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, Sadakshari Gopal Reddy, who issued the arrest warrant on December 4. Also Read: Figuring out Robin Uthappa The 39-year-old former batsman is said to have deducted provident fund contributions from his employees’ wages but failed to deposit the amounts into their respective accounts. This non-payment has prevented the settlement of provident fund accounts for the affected workers, with the letter urging the police to arrest Uthappa and return the warrant by December 27. Uthappa, who has played 59 international matches for India and enjoyed a successful career in the Indian Premier League, has accumulated 1,183 runs, including seven half-centuries, in his international cricket career. More updates to follow...
21 December,2024 01:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIt has been a remarkable year for Punjab Kings' latest acquisition, Shreyas Iyer. At the start of the year, the Indian cricketer was part of the Mumbai team that won the Ranji Trophy for the 42nd time. He then led Kolkata Knight Riders to their third Indian Premier League title. He was also a member of the Irani Cup-winning Mumbai team. Under his leadership, Mumbai won the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), their second SMAT title this season. "Surreal feeling after winning Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. A lot of hard work took place behind the scenes. The boys were tremendous with their performance. Now we are done with this part," Iyer said in a video uploaded on Punjab Kings' official social media handles. Now, the Mumbai cricketer is laser-focused on a significant task: winning a maiden IPL trophy for the Punjab Kings. Iyer, who was signed on by the Kings at the Auctions last month, expressed his excitement about joining the 'Sadda Punjab' family. "Super excited to be part of Punjab Kings. I cannot wait to join the Punjab Kings family. It's been a great year for me to win four trophies. My main goal is to win the IPL trophy for Punjab," Iyer said. The 30-year-old, who has previously played under the guidance of former Australia World Cup-winning Captain Ricky Ponting in the IPL, said he is looking forward to brainstorming alongside one of the cricketing legends once again. Earlier this year, the Kings announced Ponting as the new Head Coach for the franchise. "I can understand what the feelings must be among the fans. With Ricky coming in, we have shared a great camaraderie from the past. We would be putting our thinking caps on and brainstorming on many aspects. Hopefully, we will deliver from match one," Iyer signed off. (With inputs from agencies)
21 December,2024 12:55 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndia’s Test and ODI captain, Rohit Sharma, shared an emotional birthday message for his wife, Ritika Sajdeh, expressing his love and gratitude. Taking to Instagram, Rohit penned a heartfelt note, celebrating his wife on her special day. Rohit and Ritika, who married on December 13, 2015, are parents to two children, Samaira and Ahaan. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rohit Sharma (@rohitsharma45) "Many many happy returns of the day Rits. I’m grateful to walk through life knowing you’re beside me. Have a good one," Rohit wrote. Fellow Mumbai Indians batter Tilak Varma also took to social media to express his heartfelt wishes for Sajdeh on her 37th birthday. Tilak, who regards Ritika as his 'Bhabhi' (sister-in-law), shared his warm greetings on the special occasion. "To the most loving and pure-hearted @ritssajdeh Bhabhi, Happy Birthday! You’re the coolest. May your day be as beautiful as your soul," he wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tilak Varma (@tilakvarma9) Currently captaining India in the ongoing five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rohit’s side is tied 1-1, with two more matches to play. Rohit had missed the opening Test in Perth due to the birth of his second child. Since then, he has scored 3, 6, and 10 runs on the tour. His move to the middle order after six years, to accommodate KL Rahul at the top, has added to his batting challenges. Also Read: Jadeja reveals Ashwin kept his retirement secret until last minute: WATCH After the drawn Test at the Gabba, Rohit candidly assessed his batting form in Australia. "I have not batted well. There's no harm in accepting that. But I know what's in my mind, how I'm preparing myself. All those boxes are very much ticked. It's just about spending as much time as possible, which I'm pretty sure I'm just there," he said during the post-match press conference. "As long as my mind, my body, my feet are moving well, I'm pretty happy with how things are panning out for me. Sometimes those numbers can tell you that it's been a while since he's got big runs. "But for a person like me, it's all about how I feel in my mind, what kind of prep I'm having before each game, and how I'm feeling about myself. That's the most important thing. And I'm feeling good about myself, to be honest. Runs are obviously not showing that, but inside it's a different feeling," he added. (With quotes from agencies)
21 December,2024 12:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAll-rounder Ravindra Jadeja on Saturday said that he only learned of Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement just five minutes before the press conference at the Gabba, where the veteran off-spinner bid farewell to international cricket following the conclusion of the third Test between India and Australia. The duo of Ashwin and Jadeja had established themselves as one of the most potent bowling combinations in Test cricket. Together, they played 58 Tests, amassing 587 wickets. The pair surpassed India’s previous record-holders, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, who together took 501 wickets, making Ashwin and Jadeja the nation’s most successful bowling partnership. Ravindra Jadeja shares that R Ashwin kept his #retirement plans secret, revealing them only five minutes before making the public #announcementVideo credit: @amitshah22 #AshwinRetires #ashwinretirement #ashwinravichandran #ravindrajadeja #Cricket #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/9WfhBJHNkG — Mid Day (@mid_day) December 21, 2024 Jadeja admitted that Ashwin’s retirement came as a complete shock. "I got to know about the retirement at the last moment, five minutes before the press conference. It was shocking. We spent the whole day together, and he didn’t even give me a hint. I got to know at the last minute. We all know how Ashwin’s mind works," Jadeja said while addressing reporters at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Saturday. Also Read: 'Devastated' McSweeney vows to fight for his spot after being dropped Having built a close bond with Ashwin, Jadeja described him as his "on-field mentor." Despite this personal loss, Jadeja believes it presents a chance for young players to seize the opportunity in Ashwin’s absence, as the veteran off-spinner finishes his career with 537 Test wickets. "He is like my on-field mentor. We have been playing together for so many years. We kept passing messages to each other on the field regarding the match situation, what the batters are trying to do," said Jadeja. "I will miss all this. We just hope that we get a better all-rounder and bowler than Ashwin. It's not like nobody can replace a player. Everyone goes, but you do get the replacement. We have to move on. In India, we always have good talents; it is not like anyone is irreplaceable. We will have to move on. It is a golden opportunity for any youngster to grab this opportunity," he added. Jadeja’s own performance in the third Test against Australia, where his 77 in the first innings helped India secure a draw, also contributed to his confidence. "Scoring outside when the team is in a tough position, it gives you confidence. Mindset will be the same. You will have to play according to the match situation and I will play according to the team’s role," he added. With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy tied, India and Australia will face off in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, starting December 26.
21 December,2024 11:54 AM IST | Melbourne | mid-day online correspondentRookie Australia opener Nathan McSweeney admitted feeling "devastated" after being dropped for the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India but vowed to work hard to reclaim his spot in the national team. McSweeney was on Friday dropped by the national selectors, who handed a maiden call-up to teenage sensation Sam Kontas. "Yeah, I mean devastated, I get the dream come true and then didn't quite work the way I wanted," McSweeney told Channel 7. "But it's all part of it, and I'll get my head down and get back in the nets and work really hard and hopefully be ready to go for the next opportunity." The 25-year-old, who made his Test debut in the series-opener in Perth, struggled at the top with scores of 10, 0, 39, 10 not out, 9, and 4 in his six innings. He was dismissed by Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah four times during the series. "It's the game we're in. If you don't take an opportunity and you're not performing as well as you want to, your position's never safe," McSweeney said. "So I missed out a few times with the bat and unfortunately wasn't able to take my opportunity, but as I said, I'll work really hard to make sure that if the opportunity comes around again, I'm definitely ready." Australia's chairman of selectors George Bailey acknowledged the decision was "hard" and said it had been "deliberated a lot." However, former skipper Michael Clarke felt the move to drop McSweeney could potentially "end his career." McSweeney, primarily a middle-order batter, had opened for Australia A against India A before the squad for the first Test was announced. Despite his lack of experience as an opener, he had shown promise in Adelaide's first innings, negotiating challenging conditions alongside Marnus Labuschagne. Australia great Mike Hussey sympathised with McSweeney, calling the decision "tough." "I really feel for McSweeney. I think it's tough on him. Tough call," Hussey said on Fox Cricket. "I don't know (if it was the right call). It's a tough one on him. It's not easy. The ball's been moving around quite a lot for the openers. A lot of batters at the top of the order have been battling away." With all-rounder Cameron Green set to return from injury later in the year, competition for spots in the Australian middle-order is expected to intensify, making McSweeney's path back to the team even more challenging. (With agency inputs)
21 December,2024 10:39 AM IST | Melbourne | mid-day online correspondentOpener Mann Singhvi of St Rocks High School (Borivli) scored an unbeaten triple century (305 not out off 160 balls, 49x4, 1x6) against ST Kadam Vidyalaya (Palghar) in a second-round match of the MSSA Giles Shield U-14 inter-school cricket tournament at Elphinstone CC, Azad Maidan on Friday. Mann’s teammate Tathagat Sharma also got into three figures (148 off 103 balls, 19x4, 1x6) as the Borivli school posted a mammoth 518-1 in 43 overs after electing to bat. In reply, ST Kadam were bowled out for 40 in 20.5 overs, handing St Rocks, a massive 47-run victory. In another match, an all-round show by Raja Shivaji Vidyalaya’s (Dadar) Viren Khambe (66 runs and 4-43) helped his team beat Gundecha Education Academy (Kandivli) at Parsi Cyclists by 62 runs. Viren first helped his team post 167 off 40.3 overs and then returned to take four wickets off 12 overs with his medium pace as Gundecha were dismissed for 105 in 30 overs. Gundecha off-spinner Debjit Das took an impressive 6-19. Elsewhere, IES (Bhandup) beat Omkar International (Dombivli) by 10 wickets at Young Zoroastrian, Azad Maidan. Omkar were bowled out for 115 in 32.1 overs. The IES lads then chased down the target in just 27 overs with opener Siddhesh Desai top-scoring with 61 (8x4). In another tie, Fatima High School beat Bhakti Vedanta School by six wickets at Kamath CC, Shivaji Park. Batting first, Bhakti Vedanta scored a paltry 53 in 17 overs as Fatima’s left-arm pacer Vighnesh Pawar claimed 4-12. In reply, Fatima achieved the target in just six overs. 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
21 December,2024 06:59 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesFormer captain Michael Clarke feels the Australian selectors have erred by dropping Nathan McSweeney mid-series against India, saying the snub can potentially “end his career”. Michael Clarke The 25-year-old, who made his debut in the first Test in Perth last month, was dropped from the squad on Wednesday with the selectors adding teenaged sensation Sam Konstas for the remaining two Tests against India. “McSweeney has been dropped. I can’t believe that. No matter who they picked in that opening position, they had to give them the series,” Clarke said on the Beyond 23 Cricket podcast. “I think the selectors have got this wrong. We’ve got Usman Khawaja who is 38 years old, he’s made no runs. He’s a senior player,” 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
21 December,2024 06:59 AM IST | Sydney | PTIAustralia’s chief selector George Bailey said the desire to throw something different towards India in the last two Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests led to them giving a call-up to teenaged Sam Konstas and the omission of Nathan McSweeney. At the same time, Bailey acknowledged it was a tough decision to axe McSweeney, who made just 72 runs in the first three matches at an average of 14.40, despite not having opened previously in first-class cricket. He also didn’t give a guarantee that Konstas could make his debut in the Boxing Day Test against India at the MCG, starting on December 26. George Bailey “It’s a tough call, a really hard decision for Nathan, and one that we spent a lot of time deliberating over, particularly after a small sample size of three Tests. Nathan was disappointed, and the message to him was much the same as at the start of the series. “We believe he’s got the ability and temperament to succeed at Test level. We’re confident he’ll be back. You can say the way our Top-3 have been playing has been reasonably similar and we’d like the ability to throw something different at India on the back of that,” Bailey was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au on Friday. 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
21 December,2024 06:58 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSOn various counts, Shubman Gill appears the perfect batter, with a game that he can tailor to meet the demands of any format. His basics are strong enough for him to knuckle down and bat time in Test cricket. Having added six-hitting skills to his repertoire in the last couple of years, he has emerged as the consummate performer in the two limited-overs versions. The vice-captaincy of the ODI and T20I squads, conferred during India’s tour of Sri Lanka in July-August, confirm that he is rated highly by the powers that be and that at some stage, he will lead the country in potentially all three formats. Unwelcoming stats Yet, Gill will be the first to admit that particularly in overseas Tests, he has plenty of work ahead of him. Since unleashing 91 against Australia in Brisbane in January 2021, the 25-year-old hasn’t touched 40 in a Test innings outside Asia. Sixteen innings spread across nine Tests in England, the West Indies, South Africa and now Australia have produced a mere 267 runs at an average of 17.8. There have been two scores in the 30s and four in the 20s, pointing to not making starts count. There are also five single-digit scores, which can be put down to an occupational hazard because in these countries more than anywhere else, the new ball is the most dangerous weapon in the hands of accomplished pacers. In this same 47-month period where his woes outside the subcontinent have continued, he has stacked up five centuries — four at home, one in Chattogram against Bangladesh. At this stage of his career, marked by 31 Test caps, he is slowly earning the reputation of being a tiger only at home, which might appear unfair, but which is backed up by unquestionable numbers. The sustained failures of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have taken some heat off the classy right-hander, who hasn’t yet figured in the crosshairs. To his credit, he seemed to be settling in nicely in both innings of the pink ball Test until perishing to full deliveries, the second of which he said he didn’t pick from the bowler’s (Mitchell Starc) hand. But Gill will be hard pressed to explain even to himself why he chose his gift to Starc in his only knock in Brisbane. A day before the third Test, he had spoken of how determined the team was to put up a big first-innings score, but his deeds didn’t match that pronouncement. With India on six for one, he reached out to a wide, full ball from the left-arm quick that further tailed away with the angle and attempted an ambitious drive that flew off the outside edge to be superbly pouched at gully by Mitchell Marsh. It was a poor stroke under any circumstance. During Australia’s 445, it was evident that the first 30-35 overs would brook the most careful watching. Gill’s third-over misadventure, not long after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s soft second-ball fall, wasn’t in keeping with his standing as a captain-in-waiting. Redemption time Next week, Gill will return to the stage where his Test career took off four years back — at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where he ticked off 45 and 35 not out on debut. Maybe that will provide the inspiration to start correcting a worrying overseas record.
21 December,2024 06:57 AM IST | Melbourne | R KaushikADVERTISEMENT
