Cheteshwar Pujara, who knows a thing or two about grinding the Australian attack in their den, on Thursday backed KL Rahul to bat at the vital No.3 slot in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and said the swashbuckling Yashasvi Jaiswal is capable of doing what David Warner did in his prime. Also Read: "Maha Laxmi" on offer at Mahalaxmi The five-match Test series begins here on Friday. “I don’t know the batting order. I would prefer him [Rahul] at No. 3 because he has the experience to bat there,” Pujara told Star Sports. Rahul, however, is expected to open with youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal, while Karnataka’s Devdutt Padikkal is being considered for No. 3 to maintain a left-right combination. 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
22 November,2024 07:31 AM IST | Perth | PTISkipper Rohit Sharma will join the Indian team here on Sunday, the third day of the first Test against Australia at the Optus Stadium. Also Read: "He doesn’t need to strike it at 80 like David did": Cummins on Nathan McSweeney Rohit was unavailable for the opening Test as he stayed back in India with his family for the birth of his second child. Rohit and his wife Ritika were blessed with a baby boy on November 15. 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
22 November,2024 07:26 AM IST | Perth | PTIRookie opener Nathan McSweeney will be entering his maiden Test series with a lot riding on him, but Australia captain Pat Cummins on Thursday offered him some comforting advice, saying he should focus on playing his natural game and not “imitate” his predecessor—the great David Warner. McSweeney, 25, will be filling the spot left vacant by the retirement of Warner earlier this year and partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order in the marquee Border-Gavaskar Test series against India starting here on Friday. Also Read: Ravi Shastri advises Gambhir ahead of the Test series against Australia Australia captain Pat Cummins “Davey is very hard to replace, in many ways. I think the most important thing for someone like Nath, who is coming in, is just to play his own game. He doesn’t need to strike it [at], you know, 80 like David did, if that’s not his game,” Cummins said at the pre-match press conference. “So for them [McSweeney and Khawaja], I would love to see them bring the best out of each other, they have played a little bit and batted a bit together for Queensland. But yeah, I think for both of them, it’s about bringing what they bring to the table. Khawaja in focus “You know, for Uzzie, it’s about getting the bowlers to come back and back and back again. And I think Nath is pretty similar in that regard,” Cummins added. A big fan of the legendary Ricky Ponting, McSweeney has been tasked to open on his Australia debut despite not being a specialist in that position but he remains unfazed ahead of his big test in the series-opener against India. McSweeney was picked in the squad for the first Test ahead of regular openers including Marcus Harris. Unbeaten 88 v India A He got a national call-up following a decent outing against India ‘A’ earlier this month. He bats at No.3 in domestic cricket. He faced the formidable trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in the Australia nets here on Monday. Raised in Brisbane, McSweeney played his junior cricket for Caboolture before graduating to Premier Cricket club Northern Suburbs. 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
22 November,2024 07:23 AM IST | Perth | PTIRavi Shastri guided India to back-to-back series wins in Australia and his short advice to current head coach Gautam Gambhir is to “stay calm” over the course of five Tests Down Under and avoid knee-jerk reactions. Known for his aggressive temperament, Gambhir has been recently labelled “prickly” by a few former Australian cricketers as he faces his biggest challenge since taking charge in July. Also Read: "He’ll be under less pressure being in Australia than India": Waugh on Virat Kohli “The first thing would be to stay calm and not let outside elements influence you in any way,” Shastri advised Gambhir while talking to media in the Star Sports press room. “Avoid getting into positions where knee-jerk reactions happen. Stay calm and focus on understanding your players. You’ll notice what it takes for a player to thrive.” Shastri said the key to success lies in understanding players and empowering them in match situations. “You’ll understand team situations where a certain player might be better suited than another, based on your understanding of their temperament. “These insights don’t come overnight—it took me some time to understand everyone,” Shastri 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
22 November,2024 07:17 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIFormer Australia batter Mark Waugh opined that Virat Kohli will feel less pressure while playing in Australia than in India as the right hander loves the Australian conditions and have great records against the nation. Also Read: Down-and-out India face rusty Aus for supremacy “He’s got a great record in Australia, he loves the conditions. I think he’s a better player of pace than spin. He’s had a lean trot though, by his standards, and his average has dropped a lot,’ Waugh told Fox Cricket. “Maybe Perth’s a good starting place for him, because he made that brilliant hundred on a very, very tricky pitch [in 2018]. “He’ll be under less pressure being in Australia than India. It’s so encompassing, playing in India on your home soil. It’ll be a fresh start for him, this series,” Waugh 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
22 November,2024 07:14 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSDressed in his India whites, Test cap No. 290 firmly in place, Jasprit Bumrah emerged from the shadows to join Australian counterpart Pat Cummins on the impeccable Optus Stadium outfield. The occasion was the captains’ photo shoot before the start of the five-Test series, the fast bowler filling in for Rohit Sharma, who will miss the first game starting on Friday. Jasprit Bumrah knows all about emerging from the shadows. It was Australia where he first announced himself to the world in a ODI series in January 2016. Two years on, he played his first Test in Cape Town and by the end of that series, he was well on his way to establishing himself as potentially India’s No. 1 pacer of all time. Also Read: IND vs AUS 1st Test: Jasprit Bumrah opens up on his leadership role Players and coaching staff in a huddle during India’s practice session at Perth’s Optus Stadium recently. Pic/Getty Images Mentoring the pace attack In the intervening seven years, he hasn’t disappointed, striking telling blows at crucial moments, turning the course of a contest in the space of six deliveries, assuming not just a leadership, but also the mentoring role as the boss of a young pace attack. Bumrah will need to be at his competitive, incisive best if India are to overturn their recent abysmal run against New Zealand at home and begin this series on the right note. Without Rohit, the injured Shubman Gill and the still-unavailable Mohammed Shami, that is a tall order, but no one ever said Test cricket is child’s play. Australia are a touch rusty when it comes to Test cricket — their last five-day game was against New Zealand in Christchurch in early March — but Cummins excepted, everyone else has played at least one first-class match for their respective states in the Sheffield Shield and are as ready as ever heading into a home summer. The prospect of winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the symbol of supremacy in India-Australia clashes, is an added incentive for several who have been at the receiving end of 1-2 score lines four times in the last seven and a half years. McSweeney set to debut The hosts will have one debutant in opener Nathan McSweeney, who comes in for the now-retired David Warner, while India too are expected to hand out at least one cap, to Cummins’s Sunrisers Hyderabad teammate Nitish Reddy, the all-rounder who also bowls brisk fast-medium. India have an unsettled look with KL Rahul (after the first Test), Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel, who all didn’t play against New Zealand, set to return to Test action as they grapple with balance and combination issues. Bumrah will have a relatively inexperienced pace unit for the company, which is why perhaps senior all-rounder R Ashwin might keep his place in the XI as the solitary spinner. The presence of three left-handers in the Australian top seven could nudge Ashwin ahead of Ravindra Jadeja, coming off 10 wickets in his last Test outing, against New Zealand in Mumbai a fortnight back. Australia hold most of the aces on what is expected to be a spiced up deck at the Optus, though recent precipitation has prevented Issac McDonald from laying out a strip of entirely his choice. It will be up to India to defang them if they aspire for a hat-trick of series wins on Aussie turf.
22 November,2024 07:10 AM IST | Perth | R KaushikJasprit Bumrah has always loved responsibility and taking on tough jobs which is why he is relishing the prospect of leading India against fierce rivals Australia in a much-anticipated Test series opener in their backyard. This is the second time that Bumrah will captain the team in the absence of Rohit Sharma after the Edgbaston Test against England in 2022, and the 30-year-old would like to skin the cat in his own way. Also Read: "It’s a pleasure to be part of it": Devdutt Padikkal on Team India “I don’t look at captaincy as a post, but I have always loved responsibility,” Bumrah said at a press conference ahead of the first Test.“I wanted to do the tough job since I was a child. You want to do things and get thrown in tough scenarios, this adds a new challenge for me,” India’s pace spearhead said, summing up his feelings about leadership. “Obviously, I won’t be telling Rohit ki main kar leta hoon [I would do this] [laughs]. He is our captain and he is doing a wonderful job and right now it’s one game and you don’t know what will happen tomorrow.” “In the next game, things change and that’s how cricket works. Right now, I am in the present. I have been given a responsibility. I am thinking how I can contribute to the best of my capacity,” 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
22 November,2024 07:07 AM IST | Perth | PTIDevdutt Padikkal, who has impressed with his consistent performances in domestic and A-level cricket, expressed his excitement at the opportunity to represent the national side in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The 24-year-old showcased his temperament and skill during India ‘A’s recent series against Australia ‘A’, scoring 36, 88, 26 and one across matches. His ability to handle pressure situations and counter both pace and spin will be crucial on the bouncy Optus Stadium pitch in Perth, where the first Test is set to begin on Friday. Also Read: "If you want to play for India for long, imbibe good habits": Virat tips to Yashasvi Jaiswal The BCCI released a video on social media on Thursday, showing Padikkal joining the Indian squad and sharing his thoughts on the opportunity. “It feels quite surreal, to be honest. The intensity during practice sessions is incredibly high — you can feel the challenge and sense that everyone is ready and eager for the big series ahead. Training with the Indian team always feels as intense as an actual match, and it’s a pleasure to be part of it. “When I came here for the eight-hour stint, I had a hope in the back of my mind that I could perform well enough to stay longer. I’m thrilled to have this opportunity now, and I hope to make the most of it,” Padikkal said in a video posted by BCCI on X. 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
22 November,2024 07:03 AM IST | Perth | IANSYashasvi Jaiswal has enjoyed a stunning start to his Test career and the left-hander says Virat Kohli's advice to be discipline in every aspect of life is the guiding principle of his ambition to have a long career in Team India. Yashasvi Jaiswal has already registered three centuries and eight half-centuries in 14 Test matches with an average of over 56. He is now gearing up for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. "When I started playing senior cricket, I spoke to Virat Paaji about how he manages himself," Yashasvi Jaiswal told bcci.tv. "Paaji (Kohli) said to me that if I have to play all that cricket (as long as he has), then I have to be disciplined in my daily routines, follow the process." "I have seen him (Kohli) doing the stuff consistently day-by-day (day in day out), he motivates me to work on myself and make a difference in my habits," he said. Also Read: "People used to literally do puja": Ravi Shastri on this Indian player Yashasvi Jaiswal then elaborated on his routine. "I have always believed in consistency in my work. I have always had a plan when I go for practice. The focus is on recovery, to remain fresh for next practice, taking care of my diet," he said. "The desire to play for India is the biggest motivation I have, really blessed to have these opportunities and ready for it," Jaiswal added. The Mumbaikar echoed stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah's confidence in the team's ability to adapt quickly. "This is a different place. Ball comes at a different height, but that we all know and we are ready mentally. I really want to go in, see it and be there," he said. Yashasvi Jaiswal wants to stand true to the opportunities coming his way and believes that he is up for the challenge. "I always see this as an opportunity for me to go out there and learn," he said "People, a lot of times, talk about stuff, that this happens and that happens but I want to go and face that stuff and want to enjoy that smile, that is all I think about. Till you are not there (in person), you don't feel what it is." (With PTI Inputs)
21 November,2024 06:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRavi Shastri guided Team India to back-to-back Test series win in Australia and his advice to current head coach Gautam Gambhir is that to stay calm and avoid unthinking response to anything. Known for his aggressive temperament, Gautam Gambhir has been recently labelled as prickly by a few Australian cricketers. "The first thing would be to stay calm and not let outside elements influence you in any way," Ravi Shastri advised Gambhir while talking to media in the Star Sports press room. "Avoid getting into positions where knee-jerk reactions happen. Stay calm and focus on understanding your players. You'll notice what it takes for a player to thrive." Ravi Shastri said that the key to success is understanding players and where they can be best suited. "You'll understand team situations where a certain player might be better suited than another, based on your understanding of their temperament. "These insights don't come overnight -- it took me some time to understand everyone. Gautam might already have a basic understanding of the players' temperaments. He might have seen them in the IPL or sat in the dressing room with them when he played." "However, there are many players with different mindsets, cultures, and backgrounds. For example, there could be a player who's an introvert, but with the right push and confidence, he could become a match-winner for you. "Understanding those kinds of players and enabling them to work and play in a way that brings out their best would be crucial." Also Read: "Reddy is talented and believes in his game", says skipper Jasprit Bumrah Team India will face Australia after suffering a loss against New Zealand, but Ravi Shastri feels that Australia will never underestimate the visitors who have held the title since 2016-17. "One thing is clear -- this Australian team will never underestimate India, no matter who has come to play. They'll be quietly confident but won't let that confidence get too high. "They'll be desperate to win, as they haven't won in their own country the last two times and haven't had their hands on the trophy in close to 10 years. That desperation will be there," he added. Asked if there would be additional pressure on premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who would stand in as skipper in the Perth Test with Rohit Sharma on paternity leave, Shastri said he should not "overtry". "These are things that happen naturally, beyond your control. There's nothing you can do about it. You have to think ahead, see what's in your hands, and act accordingly. "You've got the ammunition and players with experience, so it's important for Gautam to motivate them to take on Australia," Shastri said. Ravi Shastri believes Bumrah will face pressure as captain. "Pressure will be on Bumrah, no doubt about that. Any captain will feel the heat in this situation. But Bumrah is a mature and competitive cricketer. Let's not forget he's the best fast bowler in the world right now. The Aussies know what they're up against, they might come after him, but they also know he'll come after them." "He shouldn't overtry due to captaincy pressure. If he sticks to his strengths and bowls like a team player, he'll be fine." With India's Test specialist, Cheteshwar Pujara missing from the squad, Ravi Shastri feels that KL Rahul is one player who can bat long. "Pujara is Pujara. Please don't compare him with anyone. People used to literally do "puja" to Pujara, asking him to stay at the crease, and we'd win the series in Australia -- and it happened that way. So don't compare. What he did was outstanding. "When you look at this team and who's got the technique, KL Rahul is one player who can bat long if he gets a good start. He has runs in overseas conditions and is on his third tour of Australia. Shastri feels the first two Tests in Perth and Adelaide could prove decisive in the final outcome of the series. "If one team takes the upper hand in these two games, they'll likely go on to win the series," Shastri concluded. (With PTI Inputs)
21 November,2024 05:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentJasprit Bumrah was not ready to reveal his playing XI for the opening Test match against Australia. But he has given enough indications that the management believes in Nitish Kumar Reddy's all-round abilities. As a captain of the Indian team, Jasprit Bumrah is impressed with the youngsters for not being confused about their roles and not being overwhelmed as well by the sense of occasion of playing their first Test series Down Under. Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Devdutt Padikkal, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prasidh Krishna and Dhruv Jurel are on their maiden Test tour to Australia. "Reddy is quite talented and we are positive about him. You have seen in IPL also, he believes in his game", Jasprit Bumrah said at the pre-match media conference on Thursday. Bumrah admired the fact that this generation of players is fearless and clear-headed in their approach. "The best thing about youngsters in our team is that when you talk to them, no one looks confused, overawed", he said. "When you have belief in your abilities, you get a lot of confidence as a leader that a youngster wants to perform the tough job." Also Read: SA20 Season 3: With 50 days to go, AB de Villiers excited for upcoming mega action "He wants responsibility and wants to be thrown at the deep end of the pool as they want to prove themselves. Nothing could be more heartening for a captain." Virat Kohli's recent run in Test cricket could be a matter of debate, but Jasprit Bumrah has no doubt that the Indian stalwart looks in fine touch which could turn out to be ominous for the opposition. Further, the pacer said that he would not like to jink it. "I don't have to say anything about Kohli the batter. I have made my (Test) debut under him. I don't need to give him any kind of special inputs and he is the utmost professional you have in our team and he is one of the leaders", Bumrah was loud and clear. Jasprit Bumrah is on his third tour to Australia and he keeps telling the youngsters that once a player performs here, his career graph goes on an upward scale. For him, it doesn't matter if he is 100-Test old or 50-Test, it is the self-belief that makes all the difference. "If you believe you are good enough, then you can make an impact. It doesn't matter if you have played 100 Tests or 50 Tests. What matters is what is going on inside you. If I believe I can do it, it can make a difference. On a given day, anyone can make a difference and doesn't matter who you are, because you gain experience by playing, nobody is born with experience and if that self-belief is there that's what matters." Bumrah believes that there are lessons to be learnt from the 0-3 defeat against New Zealand but the team has moved on as they embark on a fresh journey fraught with challenges. In the end, whether one wins or loses, the fresh start is still from zero. "Obviously, we won the World Cup doesn't mean that we become complacent and obviously we were disappointed and we had a tough series last time but we are not carrying any baggage. We need to absorb the learnings (from NZ series) and move on. The conditions in India were different and conditions here are different and we have had very different results over here," he said. One pro-tip Bumrah has for the youngsters is learning to cope up with the bad days in the same manner as they handle the good days. "Our players know how to handle good and bad days. Like good days, you need to learn to cope up with bad days too if you need to play international cricket", he added. (With PTI Inputs)
21 November,2024 04:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
