Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid feels that the franchise would be able to provide 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi with “a good environment” for his upcoming stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The eighth standard student from Bihar’s Samastipur was picked up by the franchise for Rs 1.10 crore, making him the youngest cricketer to earn an IPL contract. Also read: Rahul Dravid named head coach of IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals “I think he’s [Suryavanshi] got some really good skills, so we thought it might be a good environment for him to grow in. Vaibhav just came to our trials and we were really happy with what he saw,” said Dravid in an IPL video. Suryavanshi recently became the youngest batter to score an international century, having attained the feat in a Youth Test for India Under-19 versus Australia U-19 in Chennai, making 104 in just 62 deliveries. 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
27 November,2024 08:32 AM IST | Jeddah | PTIThough Punjab Kings succeeded in getting attacking batsman Shreyas Iyer for Rs 26.75 crore during tbhe IPL auction in Jeddah, star wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was also on their wish list, revealed the team’s performance analyst Saurabh Walkar. “We wanted to go for either Shreyas or Rishabh because both are marquee players and captaincy candidates. We thought that if we gave up on Shreyas and if Rishabh goes out of our budget then we might lose out on Rishabh also,” Walkar told mid-day.com from Jeddah on Tuesday. Ultimately Pant emerged the costliest IPL cricketer when Lucknow Super Giants bid Rs 27 crore which Punjab bought Mumbai man Iyer, this year’s IPL-winning Kolkata Knight Riders captain for Rs 26.75 crore. Also Read: Cricket takes backseat to chicken for IPL's youngest Vaibhav Suryavanshi Walkar admitted that it is tough to plan for a certain cricketer. He said: “Practically no one can plan certain things when names of the first few players appear for the auction in the first round. If Rishabh’s name appeared before Shreyas, we had to go for him. It’s all about how you try to get a team combination.” Also Read: Record breakers to surprises: Full team line-ups and auction price shockers Mumbai-based Walkar, who earlier worked with New Zealand team during the 2023 ODI World Cup, spoke of new PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting’s involvement. “Ponting was deeply involved in the process even ahead of the auction. We spent so many hours of discussions. Though he was driving the ship during the auction, he gave everyone freedom and direction,” he added.
27 November,2024 08:29 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureFormer champions Al-Barkaat Malik Islam School (Kurla) registered an outright win over Anjuman-I-Islam Urdu High School (CST) in a Group A quarter-final Super League match of the boys U-16 MSSA Harris Shield inter-school cricket tournament. Al-Barkaat, resuming at their overnight total of 214 for six in 40 overs, declared their first innings at 260 for nine in 54 overs at the Islam Gymkhana on Tuesday morning. No. 4 batter Deven Yadav top-scored with a 114-ball 98, but he was unlucky to miss a century as he was run out. Left-handed opener Varad Magar chipped in with 61. Anjuman-I-Islam’s off-spinner Vinayak Chaurasiya (three for 62) and left-arm spinner Niraj Giri (three for 66) were the main wicket-takers. Also Read: Anish’s unbeaten 190 powers St Mary’s to 525-run win Anjuman-I-Islam, in their second innings, were bowled out for 205 in 47 overs and set Al-Barkaat a target of 55. Openers Daniyal Siddhiqui (51), Aamir Sayyed (46) and No. 4 batter Vinayak Chaurasiya (49) lifted Anjuman-I-Islam’s second innings. Al-Barkaat’s left-arm spinner Nitish Nishad claimed four for 54, leg-spinner Wali Sayyed took three for 14, and first innings hero Ronil Jhanjani took two for 46 to finish with a match haul of eight wickets. Al-Barkaat, in their second innings, got off to a dismal start as they lost two early wickets, but Yash Singh (26) and Varad Magar (22) saw their team cross the finish line with plenty to spare.
27 November,2024 08:17 AM IST | Mumbai | Gordon D’CostaFormer West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, who is now the mentor of reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders, has defended the team’s strategy of “going all out” for Venkatesh Iyer to keep the “core” of the IPL championship-winning side intact. Seen as a potential captaincy candidate for KKR, Venkatesh’s acquisition (R23.75 crore) has sparked some criticism over why he wasn’t retained if leadership was part of the team thinktank’s plan for him. “Getting Venky [Venkatesh Iyer] was one of the main priorities for us, as you could see, we went all out for him,” said Bravo, a four-time IPL winner at Chennai Super Kings. “It’s good that we have 90 per cent of the players from the championship-winning team. That in itself is a positive sign,” 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
27 November,2024 08:16 AM IST | Jeddah | PTIMumbai Indians strived to get their bowling combination right during the IPL mega auction, said team owner Akash Ambani after the five-time champions brought in two left-arm pacers and two overseas spinners as part of their new signings. Mumbai Indians got the veteran New Zealand pacer Trent Boult back into their fold and also added England’s left-arm bowler Reece Topley, India’s Deepak Chahar and Afghanistan rookie Allah Ghazanfar as well as Kiwi spin bowling all-rounder Mitchell Santner to the roster. Also Read: Cricket takes backseat to chicken for IPL's youngest Vaibhav Suryavanshi “We had four of our top seven in place already, [we] just needed to fill a couple of slots with the right complimentary players,” Ambani told Jio Cinema. “We focused a lot in this auction on getting our bowling combination right and I think we have achieved that at the end of two days of auction,” 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
27 November,2024 08:14 AM IST | Mumbai | PTIAustralia will not make any change to the squad that took a 295-run hammering from India in the opening Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test here but there are some fitness concerns over all-rounder Mitchell Marsh’s ability to bowl, coach and selector Andrew McDonald has said. Following the crushing loss, McDonald revealed that the team would land in Adelaide for the day-night second Test beginning December 6 earlier than planned to allow an additional net session. “The people in that change-room [for Perth Test] are the same people that will be in Adelaide,” McDonald was quoted as saying by ‘cricket.com.au’. Also Read: The 0-3 blues to Perth’s perfect hues Marsh, who bowled just 17 overs in the first Test for a match haul of three wickets, has been dealing with “niggles” since the white-ball tour of England in September. McDonald expressed satisfaction with Marsh’s bowling performance in the first innings but said his fitness would be monitored closely moving forward.“Has he [Marsh] pulled up okay? We’ll wait and see,” McDonald said. Another player under scanner is top-order batter Marnus Labuschagne, who has struggled for form with an average of just 13.66 in his last 10 Test innings.However, McDonald said he has faith in Labuschagne’s abilities, describing him as “the player we need” and urging him to rediscover his form. 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
27 November,2024 08:11 AM IST | Perth | PTIFormer Australian bowler Steve O’Keefe has defended the Australian team after their disastrous 295-run defeat against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener in Perth and criticised the public reactions to the loss, calling it “unjustified”. The Australian media was critical of the humiliating loss in Perth and used titles like ‘Perth-etic Humiliation’ and ‘Monster Loss’ to describe Australia’s biggest loss. Also Read: The 0-3 blues to Perth’s perfect hues “It frustrates me… I think the pile on is unjustified. I think the pile on is just indicative of a lot of people wanting to come out, tall poppy syndrome in Australia, and latch onto this team. I think the pile on has been rough… however, we do expect a high standard of that team so there’s some frustrations out there but they’re not coming from my end,” O’Keefe said on Sen Afternoons. O’Keefe played nine Tests for Australia between 2014-2017. 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
27 November,2024 08:11 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSYashasvi Jaiswal looks well-placed to carry forward the glorious legacy of batting excellence established by the likes of Sachin Tendukar and Virat Kohli, said former India coach Greg Chappell, waxing eloquent on the country’s cricketing infrastructure and planning. Writing in his column for the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’, Chappell said he was highly impressed with Jaiswal, who smashed a 161-run knock in the opening Test against Australia in Perth to be one among the architects of the visitors’ 295-run win on Sunday. “The young opener is fearless and appears poised to inherit the mantle of Indian batting excellence, following the likes of Kohli and Tendulkar,” Chappell wrote. Chappell, who worked as India head coach between 2005-2007, also spoke about the wide gulf in planning between the Indian and Australian cricketing establishment when it came to grooming youngsters for traditional formats. Also Read: The 500 who lifted the spirits of XI “Jaiswal’s journey encapsulates why India’s planning and infrastructure give them a clear edge in world cricket. The young left-hander moved to Mumbai at 10, seeking the best competition to realise his dream of representing India,” Chappell wrote. “Considering the staggering odds of breaking into the Indian XI, his determination is remarkable. There are so many players in India who are good enough to play Test cricket, but some can’t even get a game for their state team,” said the former skipper, who had a fair idea about India’s domestic structure. 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
27 November,2024 08:10 AM IST | Perth | PTIEven the most ardent of Indian cricket fans would have been heartbroken as the visitors were stung by some fiery Aussie pace to be bowled out for 150 on Day One of the opening Test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series in Perth. But, not the Bharat Army at the Optus Stadium. In fact, according to the troupe’s founder Rakesh Patel, their 500-strong ‘force’ at Perth got more vocal in support of the Indian team. “Cricket Australia was kind enough to offer us two block bays at the Stadium — that’s a total of 500 seats — and our enthusiastic bunch were only too happy to fill them. Day One to Day Four witnessed a full scale celebration for the Bharat Army. We’re still dancing,” Patel told mid-day over the phone from Perth on Monday following India’s whopping 295-run win over Australia. Bharat Army founder Rakesh Patel; (right) The Bharat Army cheering for Team India during the recent Perth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series Apt dhol support Back to the opening day. Patel revealed that his in-stadia fan bunch only got more upbeat with every passing wicket. “The Bharat Army got louder than usual at that time [when India were losing wickets] with our dhols beating throughout, because we strongly believe that when our team is down, that’s when they need the support of their fans. Given that India and Australia are the two best Test-playing nations with some intense rivalry, there will be ups and downs for both teams. But as Indian fans, the Bharat Army will always be ardent supporters of Team India in any situation. Even the BCCI has acknowledged our efforts by inviting us to party with the Indian team when they beat Australia here on their last tour [2020-21]. At Perth, once again we showed that our wholehearted cheering can lift the spirits of Team India,” added Patel, with the assurance that this support will only grow as the series progresses. Also Read: The 0-3 blues to Perth’s perfect hues “The Bharat Army was initiated in 1999. Today it has 200,000 registered members across the globe and over two million social media followers. Global appeal “We are growing worldwide and so is our touring troupe. In fact, for the Boxing Day Test [fourth Test] at the ‘G’ [Melbourne Cricket Ground] the Bharat Army will have a 1,000-strong presence. We promise to be even louder and hopefully cheer India on to a series victory,” Patel signed off.
27 November,2024 08:09 AM IST | Mumbai | Ashwin FerroThree weeks ago, India went into mourning after the 0-3 loss to New Zealand. Emotions of shock, pain, anger, humiliation and disbelief flowed freely because nothing captures the imagination of Indians like the sport of cricket. A five-Test series against Australia was close at hand and even though India had won their last two Test series in Australia, there were more questions than answers, more negatives than positives and more snakes than ladders. The Indian captain was on paternity leave, one of India’s finest fast bowlers wasn’t fit enough in time to be selected and injury ruled out one of India’s key young batters. Batting collapses were a common occurrence for India in the last series. Forty-six in the first innings at Bangalore followed by losing the last seven wickets for 54 in the second innings. Then, 156 all out in the first innings at Pune followed by losing the last nine wickets for 149 in the second innings. In Mumbai, India collapsed from 180 for 4 to 263 all out in their first innings. The 121 all out in the final innings summed up the total lack of application. The trend of collapses threatened to continue in Perth as India once again were shot out for a low score, but in the second innings Yashasvi Jaiswal & KL Rahul put on a masterclass in red-ball batting. Also Read: Cricket takes backseat to chicken for IPL's youngest Vaibhav Suryavanshi They respected the new ball, left brilliantly, played with soft hands, and earned the right to make hay once the ball lost its glamour. Since the 70 in Bangalore, the normally cool and poised Virat Kohli looked like a cat on a hot tin roof. But in the second innings at Perth, he rolled back the years and we saw another measured and calculated performance from the king. A lion may grow old, but he never forgets how to roar and hunt. India’s selections were bold (Washington Sundar ahead of Ashwin and Jadeja), and their decisions brave (choosing to bat first on a greenish surface). Still, it could all have gone horribly wrong after India’s first innings but thankfully they have the services of the best fast bowler in the world, and he is currently at the peak of his powers. Also Read: 'Jas beautiful, but not greater than Kapil': Geoff Boycott It’s not often that visiting teams outfield Australia but India’s catching, and ground fielding was top notch, and it supported their bowling. That was often found wanting during the New Zealand series. Losses are a part of sport, but how you come back from setbacks ultimately defines your legacy.Whether the 0-3 loss to New Zealand can truly be a thing of the past is yet to be seen.
27 November,2024 08:05 AM IST | Auckland | Rahul PatilFormer England captain Geoff Boycott has lashed out at claims of India’s lead pacer and stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah being a better bowler than former India skipper and 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev, saying both bowlers cannot be compared. “How can someone say Bumrah is a better bowler than Kapil? I am surprised to hear this. First of all, we should not make any comparisons between Bumrah and Kapil. Bumrah is a fast bowler, beautiful bowler, but I can’t say he is better than Kapil, who was an amazing bowler, a magnificent swing bowler,” the former opener remarked. Impressive stats Bumrah, who led India to a historic 295-run victory over Australia in the first game of the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at Perth on Monday, has 181 wickets from 41 Tests. Kapil, on the other hand, claimed 434 wickets in 131 Tests in a career spanning 16 years – 1978 to 1994. Geoff Boycott “I am sure the critics have not seen Kapil at his best. They are making comments on the basis of current performances. The problem is the best cricketers of yesteryears did not have all the video footage [to help them],” added Boycott, who faced Kapil on India’s tour of England in 1979, the 1980 Jubilee Test and on the 1981-82 Test tour of India, the last of his career. Also Read: Cricket takes backseat to chicken for IPL's youngest Vaibhav Suryavanshi The batting great, who scored 8,114 runs in 108 Tests at 47.72, elaborated on his displeasure: “There will come a time when the young generation will not give due credit to even Donald Bradman and Douglas Jardine. The young generation should get their facts right by reading books or listening to comments of the older generation.” Well done, India Meanwhile, Boycott, 84, praised Bumrah, who claimed eight wickets to turn the match in India’s favour at Perth. “Bumrah is great, but not the greatest Indian bowler. I’m happy that India won in Perth. They really played well. Bumrah showed enough courage to bat after winning the toss. He must be a confident man. The whole team backed the captain,” he said. “I’m happy to see young [Yashasvi] Jaiswal and Virat [Kohli] get hundreds. Runs are important, but a team must have the potential to take 20 wickets of the opposition as well. Bumrah should know that he is a great threat. Other bowlers also backed him up. It was a great Test match.” Boycott was concerned about Australia’s batting show. “I was surprised to see the batting failure of the Aussies. They just could not face the Indian attack,” he signed off.
27 November,2024 08:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Debasish DattaADVERTISEMENT
