India vs England, 5th Test: Joe Root vs Indian seamers and other interesting match-ups

India and England are all set to lock horns with each other in the fifth, rescheduled and the final Test of the series that was halted last year after the Indian team had Covid-19 cases in the contingent.

A lot has changed since then and majorly in the leadership group. Both Joe Root and Virat Kohli stepped away from the captain’s post of their respective teams while the hosts also have a new coach Brendon McCullum who has had a brilliant start to his stint with the side.

England have now handed the skipper’s hat to Ben Stokes who lead the side to a 3-0 Test series win against New Zealand recently.

For India, the situation is a bit tricky. Rohit Sharma who was earlier named the captain of the side had tested positive for Covid-19 while the team doesn’t have the services of KL Rahul who was ruled out due to injury from the tour.

Now, pacer Jasprit Bumrah is the front-runner to lead the side if Rohit is not fit to take part in this clash. If this happens, he would be the second fast bowler to lead India in Tests after Kapil Dev.

But before that let’s take a look at some contests within the contests.

Joe Root vs pacers: In the four matches that the two sides played, the then England captain Joe Root was dismissed six times in the seven innings that he played. Interestingly, all his dismissals came against the Indian fast bowlers. While Jasprit Bumrah scalped Root’s wicket thrice, he was dismissed by Shardul Thakur twice and by Umesh Yadav once.

Root was the highest run-scorer in the four matches after notching up 564 runs in four matches but he was troubled by the Indian pacers who persisted with length deliveries around the off stump channel. While the right-hander edged some behind, he was deceived with the ones nipping back in to either get cleaned up or get trapped in front of the stumps. Overall, despite having runs under his belt, Root would need to be careful against the length deliveries bowled just on and outside of that off stump.

Virat Kohli and outside off: Virat Kohli was thoroughly troubled by James Anderson with the deliveries pitching on and outside off when he visited England back in 2014. He ended up getting just 134 runs in 10 innings on that tour. But the right-hander negotiated this very well when Kohli returned back to England in 2018. The former India captain just made a small tweak in his batting then taking the conditions into consideration.

He let alone the outside off stump balls and concluded the trip with a mammoth 593 runs in five matches.
Kohli was back in England once again last year. He already has had a hundred drought and the fans expected a repeat telecast of the 2018 tour. But that didn’t really happen in the first four games.

The then India skipper was among the top five batters before the series was halted but the runs tally of 218 in seven innings didn’t really do justice to his caliber. Kohli batted in seven innings in four matches where he was dismissed by the fast bowlers on six occasions. While Anderson has been someone who had troubled Kohli in the past, the experienced pacer was joined in by Ollie Robinson who dismissed him thrice in the first four Tests.

Kohli has once again struggled against the deliveries bowled at length and outside off (sometimes very wide), and has been found guilty of poking at deliveries he should have shouldered arms to. Looking closely at his dismissals in the four matches, one can easily figure out how desperately Kohli has tried to get runs through his “go-to stroke” but that hasn’t worked for him.

The only time a spinner got his wicket also came through a delivery in the corridor of uncertainty. The only change that Kohli needs to make or probably keep a close look at is not playing to the deliveries that are pitched around the fourth and fifth stump.

Ravindra Jadeja vs England: India's Ravindra Jadeja has picked 6 wickets in the four matches but the left-hander can play a crucial role in providing the visitors with some important wickets and control from one end.

If India opts for four seamers, Jadeja's role becomes all the more crucial as he would operate with the seamers and allow them to relentlessly attack from one end. Jadeja has the ability to rush in his overs and bottles one end up in the process.

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Explained: How rescheduled India vs England fifth Test will impact World Test Championship

Last year in August, India’s five-match away series against England officially kicked off the second World Test Championship (WTC) cycle (2021-23). The series, coming just two months after India’s WTC final defeat to New Zealand in Southampton, was scheduled to consist of five Tests, although only four Tests were played. The fifth Test that was slated to take place from 10 September, 2021, was later rescheduled to 1 July this year after COVID-19 cases within the Indian camp disrupted the match from going forward back then.

India, led by Virat Kohli back then, currently enjoy a 2-1 lead after having registered victories at Lord’s and the Kennington Oval.

However, things have changed quite a lot for both teams since then. Rohit Sharma has taken over Team India captaincy across formats with coach Rahul Dravid at the helm, while for England, it’s Ben Stokes the captain and Brendon McCullum the coach who will look to take the team forward.

However, India have been dealt with a major blow ahead of the Test, with Rohit being tested positive for COVID-19. Reports state that Jasprit Bumrah would be leading the side in Rohit’s absence, but nothing has been confirmed by the BCCI as of yet.

From fond memories of playing in England to the funniest nicknames given to him by his teammates. 👍👍 @imShard shares it all as #TeamIndia gear up for the rescheduled #ENGvIND Test at Edgbaston. 👌 👌 - By @RajalArora

Full interview 🎥⬇️https://t.co/kewiZpuSmp pic.twitter.com/YjbjbF7mPp

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 30, 2022

Test series like these add more context to the relevance of the game thanks to the World Test Championship, which was introduced in 2019. The first cycle ended in June 2021 with New Zealand beating India in the final, and the second cycle began two months later in August that year.

So, what does this fixture hold as far as the WTC is concerned? Let’s find out:

India better-placed, England in trouble

India seem to be better-placed in the WTC table at the moment. They find themselves third with 58.33 percent points, having won six out of 11 games and lost only three. Meanwhile, England find in a rather troublesome position with just 28.89 percentage points and having won just four out of 15 games. Before the home series against New Zealand, England’s situation was even worse, having won just the one game this WTC cycle, but a 3-0 clean sweep over the Black Caps seem to have boosted the spirits. Yet, it might be too late for Stokes and Co to remain in contention for the final. An Ashes defeat and the series defeat to West Indies haven’t helped their case, thus the low percentage.

According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, even if England win the fifth Test against India, clean sweep South Africa and Pakistan at home and away respectively, their percentage of points would stand just above 50, which will not be enough.

India, meanwhile, have seven Tests scheduled. The fifth Test, four Tests against Australia at home and two Tests away at Bangladesh.

Should Australia lose the series to India, India’s percentage would climb to 74.53, which could be enough to reach the final.

Advantage Australia

They may have played just two series across this cycle of the WTC, but Australia still hold a healthy percentage of 75. The Aussies have still to play four Test series (11 Tests in total) and should they win four of the five Tests at home, Pat Cummins and Co would hope to win at least two matches in Asia in order to take their points percentage to 65.

South Africa are placed second with 71.43 percentage points from three series played. The Proteas play West Indies at home, and England and Australia away.

Pakistan have a good chance with five of the seven scheduled Tests being at home. The play three Tests against England and two against New Zealand, and they travel to Sri Lanka for two Tests. Five victories should see Pakistan at 65 percentage points or more.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have played just three series so far, but things look tough for them already, at least on paper.

Their two-Test series against Australia started on Wednesday with the first Test. They then host Pakistan and play away in New Zealand. Sri Lanka have stiff competition in India, South Africa and Australia (who remain frontrunners for the final), despite the Lankans’ percentage of 55.56 after three series.

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Malaysia Open: PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy advance to quarterfinals; P Kashyap bows out

Kuala Lumpur: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu entered the quarterfinals with a come-from-behind victory over Thailand's Phittayaporn Chaiwan in the Malaysia Open here on Thursday.

The World No. 7 dispatched her Thai opponent 19-21, 21-9, 21-14 in a 57-minute second-round clash at the Axiata Arena. The seventh-seeded Indian will next face her nemesis Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei in the last eight face-off.

HS Prannoy, the World No. 21, also advanced to the quarterfinals of the men's singles with an easy 21-15, 21-7 victory over fourth seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei.

One of the heroes of India's epic Thomas Cup triumph, the unseeded Prannoy will lock horns with seventh seed Indonesian Jonatan Christie.

Indian shuttler Parupalli Kashyap on Thursday bowed out of the ongoing Malaysia Open tournament. Kashyap was defeated by Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21-19, 21-10, in a match that lasted 44 minutes.

The seventh-seeded men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also gave a walkover from their match. An official update on the reason of the walkover is expected soon.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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India vs England: The 'Bazball' effect on England Test Cricket - A steep challenge for India

In February of 2014, the Indian team had travelled to New Zealand for a two-match Test series. New Zealand won the first match, by a margin of 40 runs. McCullum had punished the Indian bowlers with a 224-run innings. India bounced back strongly in the second match and gained a stupendous first-innings lead of 246 runs. To further push their cause to win the match, they rattled the Kiwi top order in the second innings. Enter Brendon McCullum.

With the score reading at 52/3, McCullum came to bat in a situation when the home fans might have lost any hopes of saving the Test match. But he took the game to the visiting bowlers and scored, much to the dislike of the Indian fans, 302 runs of 559 balls. India were eventually set a target of 435 runs. New Zealand couldn’t push the win but had drawn the match and won the series. Since then McCullum has not faced India in a Test match.

On 1 July as India play against England in the rescheduled Test match, McCullum will face India, albeit in a different capacity. The Kiwi 'keeper took over the role of England’s head coach in May 2022 and since then his ideology of 'Bazball' has proliferated over the entire English team.

A fine instance of the 'Bazball' is the third Test match between England and New Zealand last week. After New Zealand posted an able score of 360 in the first innings, Trent Boult skittled the English top order literally and metaphorically. England were six down for a score of 55 and it seemed like they will lose the match miserably despite having already won the series. But Jonny Bairstow and Jamie Overton turned the fate of the match as they stitched a partnership of 241 runs in 274 balls.

The momentum carried over to the second innings when England chased down 296 in just over 54 overs, scoring at a run rate of 5.44 per over. In fact England had swept the series 3-0 winning all the matches chasing the targets of 277, 299, and 296 respectively with ease.

Following such performance, it might be difficult to digest that three months ago England managed to breach the 200-run mark only four times in 10 innings. Probably they were waiting for McCullum’s dressing room pep talk to change their game. Probably not. But this England are different from the one that was a month ago. And hence, for the first time in a while, the opposition is being given more attention than India. This might itself put the visitors in a bit of unease.

The English cricketing fraternity was able to put up more drama than a daily soap when they were turned to 'Ashes' against Australia. There were doubts about several players. There was doubt about the captain. There was doubt about their county cricket as well. James Anderson and Stuart Broad were subsequently dropped.

But now with McCullum looking after the affairs, things look in a much better place. Although they had to change their captain.

The captain as well has complemented the coach’s energy to a great extent. He beats McCullum’s energy in the dressing room. “I’m aggressive but Ben’s got me covered,” said McCullum after the third Test match.

With the two energetic and charismatic leaders at the helm, the mood in the dressing room has been emboldened. The return of ever young Anderson and Broad, Joe Root’s improvisation of batting style, and Jack Leach bowling in the first hour of an English Test match are all illustrations of it. But the best illustration of the uplifted mood is Jonny Bairstow’s change as a batter. The 'keeper-batter managed 184 runs in the first four Tests of the series. In his current form, there are chances he might manage another 184 in the two innings. It seems as if Bairstow was waiting for this very moment of Stokes leading the side and McCullum coaching to change his Test career.

Joe Root has been enjoying a never-ending purple patch for quite some time now. But he had never changed his ‘great orthodox batter’ image until this month. For a while, he showed his spoilt side, and disrespected the bowlers, playing reverse ramp shots to Neil Wagner and Trent Boult. He scored 396 runs, but with a strike rate of 74.15 against his career strike rate of 55.21. The 'Bazball' ideology had entered his veins.

BazBall = ridiculous test cricket 😍😍

pic.twitter.com/dBoEjdbZtQ

— Alexandra Hartley (@AlexHartley93) June 26, 2022

The return of the pace duo of Anderson and Broad has also added to the experience of the side. While Broad scalped 12 wickets in the three against New Zealand, Anderson was a touch better bagging 11 wickets in two games.

How will India tackle the Bazball effect?

India might feel the giddiness but would never open up about it. Coach Rahul Dravid in a media interaction said that picking 20 wickets is also positive cricket and his side has been able to do that consistently for quite some time now. He also said that they aren’t focused on the brand of cricket their opposition will play. This might be true since Virat Kohli has changed the beliefs and established for quite some time now. But Cheteshwar Pujara or Mayank Agarwal are never going to reverse-ramp Anderson.

The battle will largely be between India’s bowling and England’s batting, which has shown promise in recent times. The battle will also be between two very different coaches — Rahul Dravid (The Wall) and Brendon McCullum (The Wall breaker). The Anderson vs Kohli battle although, will nevertheless be hyped. McCullum has had a simple philosophy with the bat. “If it is short and wide, cut. If it is short and high, pull. And if it is full and on the stumps, whack it straight,” McCullum had said in an ESPN Cricinfo interview. The 'Bazball' philosophy has now rubbed over the England side.

Brendon McCullum on "Bazball" pic.twitter.com/mpEeISrHhI — Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz) June 29, 2022

According to an excerpt from Cricket 2.0 by Tim Wigmore and Freddie Wilde, towards the end of his career, McCullum had launched his equipment brand named after his own bloodstock business Vermair Racing. Their logo adorned his bats above the tagline ‘never fear the air’. Because, as he explains, “There are no fielders up there”.

India can definitely not put fielders up there. England will definitely play 'Bazball'. The only question is if it will work out.

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Sri Lanka vs Australia Live Score, 1st Test Day 2 in Galle

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Latest update: Play on Day 2 has been delayed due to rain in Galle. However, conditions have improved just a bit and it's being reported that play could start at 2 pm local time, but nothing is official as yet.

Day 1 report: Nathan Lyon's five-for helped Australia bowl out Sri Lanka for 212, before the hosts hit back with three wickets in a fast-moving opening Test on Wednesday.

The tourists reached 98 for three at stumps after Sri Lankan spinner Ramesh Mendis struck twice, including David Warner's key wicket for 25, on a turning pitch at the picturesque Galle stadium.

Steve Smith was run out on six after a mix up with opener Usman Khawaja, unbeaten on 47, and returned to the pavilion waving his hands in dismay.

Khawaja and fellow left-hander Travis Head, on six, were batting with Australia still trailing by 114 runs in their first innings.

Mendis, an off-spinner, trapped Warner lbw after the left-handed opener hit five boundaries in an attacking stay at the wicket.

Marnus Labuschagne was out to an attempted reverse sweep but it was Smith's wicket that brought the home crowd alive. The former captain was turned down midway for a quick single by Khawaja and failed to make the crease despite a desperate dive.

Khawaja, who survived a missed stumping by wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella, kept up the fight till close of play.

Earlier, Dickwella made a defiant 58 before the Sri Lankan innings folded in the third session following the hosts' decision to bat first at the start of the two-match series.

Lyon, who bagged his 20th five-wicket haul in Tests, combined with fellow spinner Mitchell Swepson, a leg-spinner who took three wickets, to rattle the opposition batting.

Fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc struck early with a wicket each as Sri Lanka took lunch at 68-2. The spinners soon took charge on a pitch traditionally known to assist the slow bowlers.

The left-handed Dickwella counter-attacked during his 59-ball stay at the crease and put on key partnerships, including a 54-run stand with Mendis, who made 22, for the seventh wicket.

Dickwella reached his fifty off 42 balls in the second session but Lyon finally got him out, also sending back Mendis after tea.

Lyon got his fifth wicket in Lasith Embuldeniya and Swepson, who was on a hat-trick denied by Dickwella, ended the innings after 59 overs.

Angelo Mathews also contributed to the Sri Lankan total with his 39 and stood with Dickwella in a 42-run stand broken by Lyon.

Sri Lanka are bowling with four spinners and a lone fast bowler in Asitha Fernando. Debutant leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay bowled three overs.

The island nation, which won the one-day international series against Australia 3-2, is battling an unprecedented economic crisis, with people across the country struggling to pay for food, fuel and other necessities.

With AFP inputs

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'Chahal is just vibes': Twitter comes up with hilarious reactions as spinner wears beanie in 2nd T20I

A spirited Ireland gave India a real scare as they almost chased down a mammoth 226-run target in the second and final T20I of the series against India. In the final over, Umran Malik held his nerve and successfully defended 16 runs in the last six balls and India clinched the match by 4 runs to seal the series.

After a forgettable match in the last game, Umran also picked a wicket in the innings as he got rid of wicketkeeper-batter Lorcan Tucker on 5. Substitute fielder Yuzvendra Chahal took an impressive catch as he came running from long-on. The fans celebrated Umran’s achievement, but they also noticed Chahal wearing a beanie on the field.

Yuzvendra Chahal wore a beanie throughout his time on the field owing to the cold weather in Dublin.

Twitter, immediately picked it up, and started poking fun at the spinner:

Earlier in the innings, Deepak Hooda smashed a maiden T20I century (104), while Sanju Samson peeled off 77 off just 42 balls and they powered India to 225. Hooda also became the fourth Indian player to reach the three-figure mark in T20Is with his hundred against Ireland and he followed the likes of Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, and KL Rahul.

With the ball, Umran Malik returned with figures of 1/42 in four overs, while Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Harshal Patel chipped in with a wicket each. However, all the other bowlers picked up a wicket each.

Team India will now be back in action in the shortest format when India take on England in the first of three T20Is at the Rose Bowl on 7 July.

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Watch: Umran Malik holds nerves in thrilling last over vs Ireland

A relatively young Indian attack held their nerve as they clinched the second T20I match in Ireland by 4 runs and bagged the series 2-0. Powered by Deepak Hooda and Sanju Samson, India posted 225/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Ireland got off to a blazing start courtesy Andy Balbirnie and Paul Stirling. Captain Andrew Balbirnie top-scored for his side with 60 off just 37 balls, while opener Paul Stirling (40 off 18 balls). After his impressive half-century in the first game, Harry Tector smashed 39 off 28 balls and George Dockrell creamed 34 off 16 balls, but the hosts fell short by 4 runs in the final over.

Indian speedster Umran Malik, who was in only second match, was given the ball to defend 17 runs in the final over. Umran overstepped early and then Mark Adair smashed him for two successive fours. With the match now tilted in the favour of Ireland, Umran launched a pacy length ball and then followed it with a pin-point yorker and conceded just two runs.

With Ireland needing a 6 off the final ball, Umran bowled another pacy length ball just short of a good length outside the off stump as Adair cracked it away towards cover point and a single resulted that saw India won the match by four runs.

Umran looked towards the heavens, heaved a sigh of relief as they held on and thwarted Ireland’s superb run chase. Umran, after a difficult first match, was quite good in his plans and managed to rescue India from a corner.

Earlier in the game, Deepak Hooda slammed his maiden T20I ton off 57 balls while Sanju Samson smashed 77 off 42 deliveries. Both reached their highest personal scores as India breezed past the 200-run mark. The team will now return to T20I action when India take on England at the Rose Bowl on July 7.

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'He would be like what wrong I have done': Former India cricketer not impressed with dropping Yuzvendra Chahal

The Indian team, after winning the first T20I matches, made as many as four changes to their playing XI for the second match against Ireland. Sanju Samson replaced Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harshal Patel came in place of Avesh Khan, while Ravi Bishnoi replaced Yuzvendra Chahal. While the reasons for these changes made sense considering the T20 World Cup, the ‘rest’ given to Chahal did not go down too well with former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja.

Jadeja, speaking with the host broadcasters, said that the selection looked confused and that there was no reason to bench Chahal who was one of the top performers in the last game. “I really don’t understand this. In a gap of 48 hours, against the same opposition, what has happened? I know it’s easy to give opinions, but it seems odd. We are preparing for T20 World Cup; sometimes that’s why we make mistakes in a tournament like these," he told the host broadcasters ahead of the match.

He went on to add that he is still very old school and hence, does not understand few selection decisions that are taken in the modern times.

“It’s very good for Bishnoi, but if you see from Chahal’s perspective, he would be like ‘bhai, maine kya galti ki hai? I was man of the match.”

If we speak about the match, Bishnoi was quite good on a flat wicket in a game where more than 400 runs were scored over 40 overs. In 4 overs, Bishnoi picked up a single wicket and conceded 41 runs.

Courtesy a powerful century by Deepak Hooda and a superb innings of 77 by Sanju Samson, India posted 226 and Ireland gave it a great crack. Paul Stirling, Andy Balbirnie got off to a blazing start and they kept afloat with the required run rate, but they fell short by 4 runs in the final over.

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India vs England: Mayank Agarwal must forget 'backup' tag and make potential Edgbaston chance count

“Opening batsman Mayank Agarwal was hit on the helmet while batting during India’s nets session at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Monday. The BCCI Medical Team assessed him, and a concussion test was conducted. He has shown signs of concussion and is ruled out of the opening Test against England. The 30-year-old is stable and will remain under close medical observation.”

The above statement was a BCCI press release, dated 2 August, 2021, just days before India were scheduled to play their first of five Tests against England in England. Just two days before the opening Test at Nottingham’s Trent Bridge, 31-year-old Mayank Agarwal was ruled out of the opening Test against England, then led by Joe Root. On 2 August, Agarwal had sustained a concussion while facing a short ball from Mohammed Siraj at the training nets.

Agarwal, as a result, was ruled out of the remainder of the Tests (with the fifth Test not being played and eventually being rescheduled to 1 July this year due to COVID-19 cases in the Indian camp back then).

Rahul is someone who mostly bats as an opener in Tests but was preparing for the middle-order slot with Rohit and Mayank set to open in the series opener. Mayank's injury in the nets meant India needed a new opener and it was an easy call for the team management to push Rahul back to top of the order.

In and out of the side and on the bench for majority of the calendar preceding the Test series, Rahul was short of match-practice but that hardly affected how operated in the four Tests. The Nottingham Test that Rahul played was his first in almost two years. Rahul began the series on a promising note with a knock of 84 in the first innings of the Test.

But many who followed the tour in 2021 closely will remember Rahul for his knock of 129 at the iconic Lord’s in the second Test, following an innings where Rahul said he wanted a ‘bigger’ hundred.

Had Prithvi Shaw been in England already, it would have been a different story altogether, with Shaw potentially opening and Rahul reverting to the middle-order slot but this move did work for India as Rahul impressed across the first two Tests.

Things may not have gone according to plan for Rahul in the next two Tests but he did notch up 46 in the Oval Test, and eventually end up as India’s second highest run-getter in the series (315 runs), behind Rohit Sharma 368.

Rahul injured, Rohit COVID-19 positive

Fast forward 10 months. A groin injury to KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma's COVID-19 positive report during the tour game forced selectors to include Mayank in the Test squad. While there are plenty of names - Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, KS Bharat - doing rounds for the second opener's slot, there is no certainty yet. If Rohit fails to recover, will management draft Mayank into the XI? Again, not certain but not unlikely either.

Mayank’s last overseas Test outing was in South Africa, where his only substantial performance throughout the series was a knock of 60 in the Centurion Test. This prompted former India pacer Ajit Agarkar to opine that Mayank had ‘technical faults’.

“He has wasted a chance because he started the series well. It is not easy when Rabada is in such good rhythm, the way he was bowling, but he [Mayank] has technical faults. He gets out in the same way and he will get more exposed, especially, in overseas conditions,” Agarkar had said in January this year, when India were touring the Proteas.

“He could have done very little with this ball because it was close to the off-stump on a good length, moved away slightly after pitching and bounced as well. Mayank Agarwal has not played much in overseas conditions as well because he is the third or fourth opener,"Agarkar explained.

The South Africa series was followed by two home Tests against Sri Lanka in March , but for Agarwal personally, it was not a good series to remember with his top score being 33 in the first Test.

Mayank's away troubles

Mayank Agarwal has been impressive in home Tests otherwise, scoring 898 runs from nine matches (four hundreds) at an average of 69.07, but his overseas Test records are far from impressive. Let’s break down at each of Agarwal’s overall performances on foreign soil.

Agarwal averages the worst against West Indies in West Indies, having scored just 80 from two matches at an average of 20. Against New Zealand, it’s slightly better with 102 runs from two games at an average of 25.50. But then again, against South Africa in South Africa, Agarwal’s average is in the 20s, 22.50 to be exact (135 runs from three matches).

Agarwal, however, has done a pretty decent job Down Under, amassing 273 runs from five matches at an average of 30.33 against Australia, including a highest score of 77.

Agarwal has not tested himself in Test cricket in England, and that will pose a different challenge altogether. Pitches in England are known to offer a lot of swing, and facing the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad in England won’t be easy.

Agarwal may not be in India’s long-term plans as far as Test cricket is concerned, but even as a backup opener, he has to make the opportunity count. He may not have taken part in the practice match against Leicestershire recently, but for inspiration, he can always learn and get valuable inputs from KL Rahul, who has almost done it all in England.

This is the last Test India play for a while, and do not have Test assignments in the near future. All in all, Agarwal has to forget his ‘back-up’ tag for this Test match, and make the opportunity, if it comes his way, count.

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Michael Vaughan steps back from BBC commentary role over Yorkshire racism scandal

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has decided to “step back from work with the BBC” after reportedly being charged earlier this month by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over the Yorkshire racism scandal. Vaughan will not be part of the commentary team for the rescheduled fifth Test between England and India which begins on 1 July.

The 47-year-old was also dropped from the commentary team late last year for the Ashes after he was accused by several players of making a racist comment before a game for Yorkshire in 2009. Former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq had alleged that Vaughan told him and two other players of Asian origin that there were "too many of you lot, we need to do something about it".

Vaughan, who has denied all the accusations, returned to commentary with BBC in March. His return caused uneasiness among BBC's Black, Asian and minority employees who wrote a letter to the staff at the incorporation criticising the “totally inexcusable” decision to re-employ the former England cricket captain, according to a report in The Guardian.

Vaughan in a statement on Twitter said that he has decided to step back from BBC duties for the "wellbeing" of his family members.

"It is always regrettable when commentary on matters off the field take the focus away from what's happening on the field. In view of the ongoing dialogue on the subject, I have taken the decision to step back from my work for the BBC for the time being," Vaughan wrote.

"The key driver for this is my concern for the wellbeing of my family members and my wish to protect their family life. Stepping back temporarily is also in the interests of the game and I hope that it will minimise any difficulties for my work colleagues."

pic.twitter.com/cZQOnz8ZX6

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) June 28, 2022

After Vaughan's announcement, BBC in a statement said: "Following conversations with Michael Vaughan we've accepted his decision to step away from our cricket coverage. This is a decision we respect and understand. Michael remains under contract to the BBC."

Vaughan, who captained England in Tests between 2003 and 2008, played his entire domestic career at Yorkshire county club.

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R Ashwin prioritises India's Test series win against England ahead of own selection

R Ashwin watched on from the sidelines as India took a 2-1 lead over England in the Test series last year. His only glimmer of hope at being picked in the India playing XI came in the third Test but the management went with one spinner in Ravindra Jadeja.

Amid an outbreak of COVID-19 cases in the Indian camp, the fifth Test was rescheduled and gets underway on 1 July at Edgbaston. As luck would have it, the venue helps spinners which supports Ashwin's credentials to be named in the playing XI.

“I have had my own mental conditioning coach. I have gone through a lot personally, and I tend to forget things very quickly now. So, what’s happened last year in England I have forgotten it; only the good things I try to carry forward," said Ashwin in Mumbai prior to departure.

"I will be so happy and gunning for the team to win 3-1 because I can turn back and say I was in an Indian team which won in Australia, which won in England. Unfortunately we couldn’t win in South Africa, so that’s what I want”

Ashwin had a delayed arrival in England after testing COVID-19 positive. But there were no signs of any illness as the off-spinner bowled well against Leicestershire in the warm-up game.

“I have been taught cricket very differently. You can’t challenge conditions, if the conditions are against you, you have to make the best choices. Somewhere I feel these things go out of the window and personal vendetta does come through and that’s why I have this habit of saying, 'okay forget things and move on',” said Ashwin.

Ashwin had kind words for Cheteshwar Pujara who is back in the fold after a string of tall scores in County Cricket for Sussex.

“Pujara was a thoroughbred Test cricketer always. Sometimes it’s just my thought process, in India, IPL is the biggest stage at this point of time and sometimes… we can tend to get carried away by the stage," said Ash.

"Pujara has remained authentic. With respect to all that, we need to understand that he has done a very thankless job. He walks in at No 3, he doesn’t complain, he keeps grinding it out. I am so glad he went and made runs and earned his place back in the side. At the end of the day, good guys should win, they shouldn’t finish last," he concluded.

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Former Pakistan umpire blames BCCI after controversial end to career

Former Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf was one of the members of the ICC Elite Panel but his career in cricket came to a controversial end. He currently owns a thrift shop where he sells clothes and shoes at Landa Bazaar in Lahore. The 66-year-old was accused of taking bribes from bookies and also for betting on matches during IPL 2013.

However, Rauf has shot down all such claims. In an interview with Cricket Pakistan, said that he has a judge's verdict that serves as an evidence to prove that he is innocent. "The supposed incident occurred in 2013 and BCCI were asleep for three years. They opened up an inquiry in 2016 and it was a forced inquiry because there was no truth to it", he said.

The former umpire went on to say that he had already made up his mind to call it quits back in 2013 and also informed the ICC. He said that the ICC never approached him regarding any controversy related to the IPL.

"I told ICC that I will be handing in my resignation after 2013. I am answerable to ICC and not to the BCCI; if the BCCI wanted to lodge a one-side case against me in India then that's on them. Because as far as I am concerned, the ICC never took charge of the situation because there was no truth to these allegations to begin with," he added.

Apart from the thrift store, Rauf also owns an iron and metal business.

Rauf was an experienced umpire and had good relations with the players. He stood in several high-profile games and as far as numbers are concerned, he umpired in 49 Tests, 98 ODIs, 23 T20Is and eight women's T20Is. Before he took up umpiring as a career, he was a right-hand batter.

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'A privilege': English photographer after Virat Kohli uses 3 of his photos on own social media handle

Virat Kohli might be struggling on the field, but his social media presence continues to generate a lot of buzz. The former India captain is always in touch with his fans and keeps giving them a sneak peek into what’s happening around him. The Indian Test team is currently in England for the one-off match against the hosts and before the 5^th Test, the side was involved in a warm-up clash with Leicestershire.

After the match, Kohli posted three photographs from India's warm-up match against Leicestershire and expressed his gratitude to the county and the support he received during the four-day game. Two of them were images from the match, while the third one was from a training session. "Thank you Leicester, Birmingham awaits," Kohli wrote while sharing the photos.

Incidentally, all the three photos were snapped by the same individual. On Monday, John Mallett, the photographer who took those pictures, shared Kohli’s post and thanked him and Team India for all their support. He also called Kohli 'one of the greatest players of the world.

"Hugely humbled that one of the world's greatest players chose to use some of my images from the game with @leicsccc on his personal media accounts. A privilege to have been able to capture these shots. Thanks to VK & everyone @BCCI for your support," Mallett wrote on Twitter.

Hugely humbled that one of the worlds greatest players chose to use some of my images from the game with @leicsccc on his personal media accounts. A privilege to have been able to capture these shots. Thanks to VK & every one @BCCI for your support https://t.co/MvBlztrECS

— John Mallett 📸 (@John_M100) June 26, 2022

Kohli looked one of the most fluent batters for India in the warm-up match. All the squad members tested themselves before the Test match at Edgbaston in Birmingham starts on July 1. Kohli scored 33 in the first innings and then followed it up with a brisk 67 in the second innings.

The Birmingham Test will be the fifth Test of the series that had to be cut short owing to a COVID-19 outbreak in the camp. Kohli led the Indian side that had taken a 2-1 lead in the series last year.

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‘Met Shah Rukh Khan in 2012, but…’: Chandrakant Pandit on why he did not coach IPL team

In a country like India where all the limelight is given to the players, Chandrakant Pandit has emerged as an anomaly. After leading Madhya Pradesh to their maiden Ranji Trophy title, there is a lot of interest into how Pandit goes about his business, his coaching style and the way he prepares his teams.

He has already coached Mumbai to three titles, Vidarbha to two and now, led Madhya Pradesh to beat giants Mumbai and secure their maiden title. However, despite his pedigree, Pandit has not been associated with any IPL franchise. But, the MP head coach is not too bothered by it. "Agar phone karunga, toh kuch mil jayega par who mera style kabi thaa nahi (If I call (any IPL teams), I will get something but that's not my style)," he told PTI.

He also spoke about meeting with Kolkata Knight Riders’ co-owner Shah Rukh Khan back in 2012, but was adamant at not working under any foreign coach. "I met Mr Shah Rukh Khan back then but somehow I couldn't bring myself to work under a foreign coach,'' he had said on that day.

Since he has crossed 60, Pandit is not eligible for any national duty, but the former wicket-keeper batter is not complaining. He is pleased at having led Madhya Pradesh to the title after he failed to do so as a player 23 years back.

"Every trophy gives satisfaction but this one is special. I couldn't do it as an MP captain years back (23 years). All these years, I have always felt that I had left something back over here. That's the reason I am a bit more excited and emotional about it," Pandit had said after the final.

In the final, a dominant performance by Madhya Pradesh saw them beat 41-time champions Mumbai by 7 wickets to bag their maiden Ranji win.

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India vs Ireland: Weather forecast for second T20I

India will be aiming for a series sweep when they take on Ireland in the second and final T20I of the series on Tuesday. The Hardik Pandya-led side currently lead the series 1-0 after securing a seven-wicket win in the first match of the series.

Yuzvendra Chahal and Deepak Hooda were the stars for India in the comprehensive win on Sunday. Bowling first, India restricted Ireland to 108/4 with Chahal returning figures of 1/11 from three overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya and Avesh Khan also got a wicket each.

In reply, India completed the chase inside 10 overs with Hooda slamming 47 not out off just 29 balls. Hood had to open the innings as Ruturaj Gaikwad suffered a calf niggle.

Ruturaj is expected to sit out of the second match and it will be interesting to see who India bring in. Ireland will also be looking to give a good account of themselves in the final match of the series.

Weather report

The first T20I was reduced to 12 overs per side due to rain and it is once again expected to play a part during the second match. There are 98 percent chances of precipitation during the daytime at Malahide, Dublin (the venue for the match) and the temperature will swing between 18 to 12 degrees Celsius.

Squads:

Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Gareth Delany, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Andy McBrine, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little, Craig Young, Stephen Doheny, Conor Olphert

India: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya (c), Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Deepak Hooda, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Umran Malik

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Virender Sehwag picks India’s top 3 for T20 World Cup, excludes Virat Kohli

The Indian team had a miserable T20 World Cup last year in the UAE. Virat Kohli has been replaced by Rohit Sharma as India captain and with a number of new faces auditioning for spots, India would hope to fare much better in the World Cup slated to be held later this year in Australia.

Speaking about the team combination and how India should look to approach the tournament, former India opener Virender Sehwag has named Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and KL Rahul as his preferred options for the top-order slot.

"India has options aplenty when it comes to hard hitters in T20s. However, I would personally vouch for Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and KL Rahul as the top three batters for the World Cup in Australia," the former India opener was quoted by PTI.

Interestingly, Sehwag has not named Virat Kohli and it is understandable since the former India captain has been going through an extended lean patch and looked out of sorts in the IPL.

"The right-hand and left-hand combination of Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, or for that matter, Ishan and KL Rahul could be quite interesting for the World T20," he added.

Sehwag also backed young pacer Umran Malik to be successful in Australia and hoped that he makes it in the squad. He believes Umran could be India’s key bowler alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.

"This IPL has given us many promising young bowlers, but Umran’s skills and talent will definitely earn him a place in the Indian across all three formats in the long run," he remarked.

Australia, who won the title in UAE, will look to defend it in their own backyard when they will host it in the month of October-November. India are currently looking at different options for different slots and how the squad takes shape will be keenly observed.

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India vs Ireland 2nd T20I: Youngsters look to make a mark as visitors eye clean sweep

After registering a comfortable seven-wicket win in the first match, India will be aiming to complete a series sweep in the second and final T20I against Ireland on Tuesday, at The Village in Dublin.

From the national team's perspective, a series sweep will give them the required momentum ahead of their much-awaited tour of England where they are scheduled to play a Test match and six white-ball games. At the same time, the Tuesday encounter will be another opportunity for the young Indian players to make a case for the upcoming T20 World Cup as the senior players are busy preparing for the England Test.

Middle-order batter Deepak Hooda who was asked to open in the first T20I as a result of niggle to Ruturaj Gaikwad did well to make the most of the opportunity. Hooda scored an unbeaten 47 off 29 as India completed the 109-run chase inside the 10 overs in a match that was reduced to 12 overs per side due to rain. He will be aiming to continue the good run.

On a chilly Dublin evening ❄️❄️Chahal TV 📺returns with a special featuring @HoodaOnFire who opened the innings for #TeamIndia - by @RajalArora

P.S. Bring on some more sweaters for @yuzi_chahal 😁

Click here for full video 👉👉 https://t.co/PaPtNKJyT3 pic.twitter.com/KnYFk6cF4o

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 27, 2022

On the other hand, tearaway pacer Umran Malik went for 14 in his only over on international debut. If he gets to play again, the Kashmiri pacer will be focussed on showcasing his talent on the international stage. Suryakumar Yadav who registered a first-ball duck on Sunday will be another player hoping to get back to form.

India's stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya had also said after the first T20I that the team management is looking to give opportunities to new players to gain experience ahead of the T20 World Cup.

"You get experience while playing, that has been a constant effort from the management. And the guys they're looking forward to, make sure they're there in the World Cup squad or in the scheme of things. They want to give them the best opportunity to get a couple of games under their belt, rather than just coming towards the World Cup and getting their first game. So we want people to kind of settle in. And I'm sure by the time the World Cup comes, we're going to get to a tighter squad," Hardik had said.

And that means India could make a few changes to their playing XI. Ruturaj did not bat in the last match due to a calf niggle and in case he hasn't recovered enough, India could bring in Sanju Samson or Venkatesh Iyer as his replacement. There is also a chance for Rahul Tripathi to make his international debut.

On the bowling front, Harshal Patel and Ravi Bishnoi will be hoping to get an opportunity in the second match while Arshdeep Singh is still to make his debut.

🎥 That moment when @hardikpandya7 revealed his conversations with Ireland's Harry Tector while handing over a bat after the first #IREvIND T20I. 👍 👍#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/fB4IG6xHXN

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 27, 2022

Talking about Ireland, Harry Tector stole the limelight for the hosts in the first match with a blistering knock of 64 off 33. The 22-year-old batter was responsible for more than half of the runs Ireland scored on Sunday.

Hardik was full of praise for the youngster after the match and even wished to see him playing in IPL in the future.

"He (Tector) played some fantastic shots and obviously, he's 22, I've given him a bat as well, so maybe he can score some more sixes and maybe get an IPL contract, and I wish him luck," Hardik had said.

With the focus of world cricket on Ireland courtesy of them playing India, the hosts will hope to take inspiration from Tector's blitzkrieg and put up a tougher challenge in the second T20I. For that, they will need a strong start from captain Andrew Balbirnie and experienced Paul Stirling. Their bowlers were also guilty of sticking to a shorter length and it's an area where they can definitely improve.

Squads:

Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Gareth Delany, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Andy McBrine, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little, Craig Young, Stephen Doheny, Conor Olphert

India: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya (c), Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Deepak Hooda, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Umran Malik

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WWE Raw: WWE celebrates 20 years of John Cena; Riddle, Becky Lynch qualify for Money in the Bank

On Monday night, WWE Raw celebrated 20 years of John Cena. 20 years since Cena made his debut for the promotion. It dominated most of the show with former and current WWE stars, including Vince McMahon, paying tribute to the legendary wrestler.

Amid multiple video packages and highlights of his storied career, Cena was also disrespected by Austin Theory while he chatted with Ezekiel. As Cena advised Ezekiel not to forget who he was, Theory interrupted and said his own success as a 24-year-old was more than what Cena had achieved in 20 years in the business. Not paying heed to this bait, Cena walked off leaving Theory fuming.

JOHN CENA IS HERE.@JohnCena #WWERaw#CenaMonth pic.twitter.com/ntQEvEjScu

— WWE (@WWE) June 28, 2022

Later in the show, McMahon introduced Cena to the ring and he walked past a row of WWE locker room members standing up and applauding him.

In a fairly long promo, Cena talked about how the WWE fans have made him a better person and that nothing he does is just about him, "it's about us."

Theory wasn't part of the group of WWE wrestlers who gave Cena an ovation which suggests a match could be on the cards between the two.

That’s what WE needed and that’s what HE needed. Just a moment between John Cena and his WWE family. A night of fun segments, videos of memories, and a good ass time. A SOLD OUT crowd just showing love to a guy who has busted his ass to earn it. pic.twitter.com/BElhx2E2FB

— JohnCenaCrews™ (@JohnCenaCrews) June 28, 2022

Elsewhere on WWE Raw, final push for the Money in the Bank premium live event continued with Riddle and Becky Lynch grabbing the final spots in men's and women's ladder matches.

Plenty of superstars made the final surge in the Last Chance Battle Royal with a spot in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match on the line. The 20-man list included Rey Mysterio, Dominik Mysterio, Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ Styles, The Miz, Veer Mahaan and Riddle.

Ricochet accounted for the elimination of T-BAR. The Miz acted his way to sending AJ Styles out. That brought the field down to two - The Miz and Riddle. The Original Bro hit an RKO to The A-Lister, eliminating The Miz and earning a spot in the coveted match.

In the women's match, Becky Lynch had to go through Doudrop, Nikki A.S.H.,Tamina, Xia Li and Shayna Baszler to grab her place in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match.

Lynch got rid of Li and Nikki A.S.H. with a Manhandle Slam and the Dis-arm-her respectively. She secured the win by delivering a Super Manhandle Slam on Doudrop to not just end her losing streak but also bag a golden ticket.

WWE Raw Results:

Riddle wins, last eliminating the Miz to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match

Montez Ford def. Jey Uso, earns the right to choose the stipulation for their title match at Money in the Bank

AJ Styles def. The Miz

Liv Morgan def. Alexa Bliss

Bobby Lashley def. Chad Gable & Otis Dozovic in a handicapped match

Becky Lynch wins, last eliminating Doudrop to qualify for Money in the Bank Ladder Match

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India vs Ireland: Yuzvendra Chahal struggles to bowl in cold Irish weather, wears three sweaters

Yuzvendra Chahal battled the chilly Irish weather on Sunday to put up a Player-of-the-Match-winning display with a haul of 1/11 in India's seven-wicket win over Ireland in Malahide.

With the temperature dropping as low as 11 degrees on the day amid overcast conditions following intermittent rain, Chahal, not accustomed to the weather, accepted he had a torrid time in the conditions.

However, that didn't stop the 31-year-old wrist spinner from keeping Irish batters quiet — especially 50-up Harry Tector — on the day in his three-over spell, restricting Ireland to 108/4 in a rain-truncated match that saw just 12 overs. Chahal also claimed the wicket of Lorcan Tucker, who scored a 16-ball 18 before getting caught at deep midwicket off an flighted delivery outside the off stump.

Deepak Hooda's 47 not out and skipper Hardik Pandya's 24 ensured India won the game with 16 balls to spare.

Speaking in a post-match interaction, Chahal, who appeared wearing three sweaters, said the conditions were hard.

"Very difficult (to bowl in these cold conditions). I felt like a finger spinner today. Sometimes it's hard, but you have to adapt to every condition," Chahal said after his match-winning efforts in the 1st T20I.

Bowling itni tight, always a captain's delight #IREvIND
[: @BCCI] pic.twitter.com/WBkvgYvhxs

— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) June 27, 2022

The remaining T20I of the two-match series against Ireland is scheduled on Tuesday (28 June) at the same venue with no relaxation in weather conditions as the temperature will fluctuate between 18 to 11 degrees Celsius with rain expected.

The senior spinner also praised skipper Pandya for giving players the freedom to express themselves as the Gujarat Titans' IPL-winning captain made his captaincy debut with India on a winning note on the day.

"The atmosphere under Hardik is chill, he gave me the freedom to execute my plans," Chahal added.

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India women vs Sri Lanka women: Harmanpreet Kaur overtakes Mithali Raj’s record in 2nd T20I

Weeks after Mithali Raj called it a day, her successor Harmanpreet Kaur scripted a new record as she overtook the former to become India’s leading run-getter in T20Is. Kaur is currently in Sri Lanka and she achieved this feat in the second match in Dambulla, which the tourists won by five wickets.

In this match, Harmanpreet scored an unbeaten 31 off 32 deliveries with the help of two fours as India chased down the 126-run target with five balls to spare. She now leads the list with 2,372 runs from 123 matches and is eight runs ahead of Mithali, who has 2,364 runs from 89 matches.

As things stand right now, Kaur is only women Indian cricketer to crack a ton in this format, having notched up a century against New Zealand in the 2018 edition of the T20 World Cup. Smriti Mandhana stands third on the list with 2,011 runs from 86 matches, while Jemimah Rodrigues is fourth with 1,094 runs from 52 matches.

As far as the overall numbers are concerned, New Zealand all-rounder Suzie Bates tops the charts among women cricketers with 3,380 runs from 126 matches. In this list, Kaur stands seventh while Mithali is the only other Indian in the top 10.

As for the second T20I, Sri Lanka were not up to the mark on a difficult surface as far as their batting was concerned as Indian bowlers managed to pick up wickets at regular intervals. Chasing 126, Indian openers Mandhana and Shafali Verma raced off the mark with a 30-run partnership. India never looked back after this partnership and clinched the match with 5-wickets to spare.

For Sri Lanka, Inoka Ranaweera and Oshadi Ranasinghe took two wickets each respectively. This was India’s 12th successive T20I win over Sri Lanka.

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Dinesh Karthik's ‘Alex Ferguson’ tweet for MP head coach Chandrakant Pandit wins internet

Veteran India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik knows a thing or two about the grind of domestic cricket. He has been a massive part of the setup for close to 15 years now. Hence, when Chandrakant Pandit led Madhya Pradesh to their maiden Ranji Trophy title, Karthik took to Twitter to hail him as the 'Sir Alex Ferguson' of Ranji Trophy.

In the final in Bengaluru, Madhya Pradesh beat 41-time Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai by six wickets to claim their maiden title. Incidentally, Pandit lost the Ranji Trophy title as MP captain back in 1998/99, but  after 23 years things came a full circle as he coached Madhya Pradesh to their maiden title over a powerhouse side like Mumbai.

Karthik compared Pandit to legendary Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson who holds the record of helping United win 13 Premier League championships.

“Lovely pictures @BCCI, Couldn’t be happier for CHANDU sir. Amazing, Understanding personality traits, Preparing them accordingly, Using them tactically to win championships. ALEX FERGUSON of RANJI trophy #GOAT," said Karthik in his tweet.

 

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer, who has played under Pandit for Mumbai and Vidarbha, also took to Twitter where he lauded him for his style. “Chandu bhai, tumhaala maanla. 1st Mumbai, then Vidarbha, and now MP, it’s incredible! Best coach when it comes to winning trophies. Many congratulations to skipper Aditya Shrivastava, MP team, and support staff #RanjiTrophyFinal," said Jaffer.  

 

This win came courtesy tons from Yash Dubey, Shubham Sharma and Rajat Patidar in the first innings. Mumbai were then knocked over for 269 runs in their second innings and Madhya Pradesh scored 108 in 29.5 overs to make Sunday a historic day for their side.

"Every trophy gives satisfaction but this one is special. I couldn't do it as an MP captain years back (23 years). All these years, I have always felt that I had left something back over here. That's the reason I am a bit more excited and emotional about it," coach Pandit said after the match.

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India vs Leicestershire: Shubman Gill scores fifty to help Leicestershire get off to good start in chase of 367

India declared their second innings total at 364/7 d as Day four of their practice match against Leicestershire got underway in Leicester on Sunday.

Fifties from Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja propelled India to the total, meaning the hosts were setup a target of 367 to chase on the final day of the practice match.

️ @ShubmanGill (62) is dismissed by Ashwin off the final ball of the session, following a 5⃣0⃣ partnership with Evans (18*).

LEI 97/2

: https://t.co/d8LVwR03Wa

#IndiaTourMatch | #LEIvIND | #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/AAyo3L9Lcj

— Leicestershire Foxes (@leicsccc) June 26, 2022

Leicestershire were steady in the run chase, with Shubman Gill scoring 62 as they posted 97/2. Samuel Evans was batting on 18 at the time of witing this.

Leicestershire have lost Hasan Azad abd Shubman Gill so far in the chase.

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Ranji Trophy Final: Netizens hail ‘super coach’ Chandrakant Pandit after Madhya Pradesh win maiden title

Madhya Pradesh, not considered among cricketing elites during the past decade, on Sunday humbled domestic powerhouse Mumbai by six wickets in a one-sided Ranji Trophy final under coach Chandrakant Pandit, who exorcised the ghosts of losing one at this very ground 23 summers ago.

On the final day, Mumbai could only manage 269 in their second innings, leaving MP with a paltry target of 108, and they did it in style as Pandit won a record sixth national title as a coach.

Sarfaraz Khan (45), who finished the season with 18 short of 1,000 runs and young Suved Parkar (51) tried their bit, but with the need to attack at every opportunity, MP's Kumar Kartikeya (4/98) and the other bowlers knew that wickets would come their way.

While chasing, there were some hiccups, but with just over 100 to get, it was a stroll in the park for the MP team.

As they completed the victory, Pandit was flooded with memories (not happy ones), which he hasn't been able to erase for over two decades and despite winning five trophies as a coach.

It was here at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in the summer of 1999 when MP, despite a first-innings lead of 75, failed to win the game as Pandit, a proud captain, finished his playing career in tears.

Let us take a look at how netizens reacted to MP's emphatic victory:

 

Chandu bhai, tumhaala maanla 🙌🏽
1st Mumbai, then Vidarbha, and now MP, it's incredible! Best coach when it comes to winning trophies 🏆 Many congratulations to skipper Aditya Shrivastava, MP team, and support staff 👏🏽👏🏽 #RanjiTrophyFinal pic.twitter.com/BqR1gGXtDW

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) June 26, 2022

   

23 years ago, after MP lost to Karnataka in the #RanjiTrophyFinal, which also turned out to be his last FC game, Chandrakant Pandit was sobbing with his hands on his face. Today he is all smiles. Life does come a full circle #RanjiTrophy — Amol Karhadkar (@karhacter) June 26, 2022

 

 

This Trophy also belongs to Amay Khurasiyas, Narendra Hirwanis, Rajesh Chauhan, Devendra Bundelas, Sanjay Pandeys who had all toiled tirelessly for MP for years#RanjiTrophyFinal #MadhyaPradesh

— Kushan Sarkar (@kushansarkar) June 26, 2022

   

Chandrakant Pandit's winning streak continues -- super coach. The way he has turned around the Madhya Pradesh cricket team into Ranji champions is a tremendous achievement #ranjitrophyfinal #MPvMUM — Sanjjeev (@Sanjjeev) June 26, 2022

 

 

Congratulations. pic.twitter.com/n3hC9eB5Hm

— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) June 26, 2022

   

Chandrakant Pandit wiping tears, then getting lifted onto the shoulders of the Madhya Pradesh players. Statement. #RanjiTrophyFinal #MPvMUM — Jamie Alter 😷 🇮🇳 (@alter_jamie) June 26, 2022

 

 

Today could be the biggest day in the history of Madhya Pradesh cricket

— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) June 26, 2022

 

With inputs from PTI

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