India vs West Indies Live Streaming: When and where to watch third ODI between IND and WI?

India’s ongoing tour of the Caribbean and the United States just got all the more exciting and the upcoming third One-Day International might just be the most anticipated contest so far.

West Indies’ fightback in the second ODI in Saturday not only gave the Indians a wake-up call, it also ensured the three-match series remains alive, setting up a series finale that fans on both sides will hope turns out to be a closely-fought affair that gives them their money’s worth.

After winning the Test series 1-0, the Men in Blue had collected a comfortable five-wicket win in the ODI series opener at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on Thursday. Kuldeep Yadav (4/6) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/37) ran through the hosts’ batting lineup, bundling them out for a paltry 114. Though India lost quite a few wickets during their chase, wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan’s 52 ensured they got home with plenty of overs to spare in the end.

It was a completely different story in the second one-dayer at the same venue two days later. The Men in Blue made two major changes by resting both skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and got off to a solid start with a 90-run opening partnership between Kishan (55) and Shubman Gill (34). They would, however, end up losing 10 wickets for just 91 runs after the sizeable opening partnership to get bowled out for 181.

Also Read | ‘We’re running out of time’: Dravid explains decision to rest Kohli, Rohit

Kyle Mayers and Brandon King then got the West Indians off to a promising start with a 53-run opening stand before the Indians fought back by collecting four wickets for 38 runs. Skipper Shai Hope then found vital support from Keacy Carty as the two stitched an unbroken 90-run stand that ensured the Windies got home with nearly 14 overs to spare.

With the series on the line, India are likely to go with a full-strength XI for the series finale, meaning both Rohit and Kohli will make their way back into the side although it remains to be seen if the leadership decides to bench Sanju Samson and Axar Patel, the players who occupied their places in the second ODI, or give them another shot and rest other members of the team.

As for Hope and Co, they will be eyeing their first ODI bilateral series win against India in 17 years. The Men in Maroon had last beaten India in the format in 2006 at home, with Brian Lara-led side prevailing 4-1 over the Men in Blue.

Ahead of the series finale, we bring to you live telecast and streaming and other details:

When is the third ODI between West Indies and India?

The third ODI between West Indies and India will be played on 1 August, 2023 (Tuesday).

Where will the third ODI between West Indies and India take place?

The third ODI between West Indies and India will take place at Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago.

What time will the third ODI between West Indies and India start?

The third ODI between West Indies and India will start at 7 pm IST, with the toss scheduled to take place 30 minutes prior.

How can I watch the third ODI between West Indies and India?

The third ODI will be broadcast across the Doordarshan Network, including DD National and DD Sports. The match can also be streamed LIVE on Fancode and JioCinema. You can also follow LIVE scores on Firstpost.com.

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Ashes 2023: Barmy Army members don headbands as a tribute for retiring Stuart Broad; Watch video

England’s Barmy Army paid a fitting tribute to retiring pacer Stuart Broad on Day five of the fifth and final Test at The Oval on Monday.

Members of the Barmy Army were seen donning headbands and singing a song as a tribute for the 37-year-old pacer.

Here’s a video of the tribute:

Jerusalem in headbands for Broady, appreciated by the big man himself ❤️

16 years singing for this champ 😭#Ashes pic.twitter.com/dfgIEY4yJM

— England's Barmy Army 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) July 31, 2023

Stuart Broad retires from professional cricket after having played 167 Tests, 121 ODIs and 56 T20Is. Broad is synonymous for his pace bowling partnership with the veteran James Anderson.

Broad had recently become only the second pacer, after Anderson to take 600 Test wickets, when England hosted Australia in the third Ashes Test at Old Trafford a few days ago.

Australia have already retained the Ashes, following the drawn fourth Test in Manchester.

At the time of writing this, the visitors were 202/3, still needing 178 more runs to win.

Broad had been given a Guard of Honour on Sunday by the Australian players.

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MLC 2023: Nita Ambani hails ‘growth of cricket around the world’ as MI New York are crowned champions

New York/ Mumbai: MI New York put on a series of captivating performances to win the inaugural edition of Major League Cricket (MLC) at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas.

On the day of the final, when the Men in Blue and Gold put on a supreme show to clinch the title, team owner Nita Ambani was pitch side, passionately behind the team, as always. Major League Cricket is United States’ T20 cricket league. Its inaugural season was held from 13 July with MI New York beating Seattle Orcas in a pulsating final on Sunday.

Speaking on the momentous occasion, Ambani described the atmosphere for the final as ‘unbelievable and really exciting.’

She also hailed the impact of the tournament that has seen some of the best players in the world in action.

“Just look at the atmosphere here. It looks like a festival of cricket. I think MLC is a momentous step in the development of cricket in this region. Sport can be a bedrock of society and especially in the US it’s a big part of the culture. So, for us to join hands with MLC and play our role in the growth and development of cricket in this region is fantastic. I’m enjoying every moment of it.”

 

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Mumbai Indians is now a truly global franchise with presence across two genders, three continents, four countries and five leagues. Speaking about the vision behind the same, Ambani said, “It’s been wonderful to see the growth of cricket around the world and especially MI going to the UAE, South Africa and now here in the US. We also have a women’s team which I am very, very proud of. It was so wonderful to see these young girls coming from such diverse backgrounds coming and playing together as a team. It was very heart-warming.”

Ambani also hoped that the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) will be a game changer. “I’m a big supporter of girls in sports and I hope we can take it forward in every sport possible,” she said.

Ambani also spoke about MI’s unique #OneFamily concept and what it signifies. “We believe that we are a family at MI and that is our ethos. It comprises not just the players and support staff but also all our fans who have contributed so much to making MI a global brand. I think one of the most important initiatives for us is Education and Sports For All. The initiative has supported 22 million children from India who come from an underprivileged background. So we are very proud to call all of them One Family, MI family.”

Ambani also spoke about how Mumbai Indians have been a nursery of talent over the years. “At Mumbai Indians we pride ourselves on discovering and nurturing young talent – Hardik (Pandya), (Jasprit) Bumrah. We hope to do this not just in India but around the world.”

MI New York chased down a total of 184 in just 16 overs in the final to win by six wickets with captain Nicholas Pooran leading from the front with an unbeaten hundred.

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England vs Australia LIVE Score, Ashes 2023 5th Test Day 5 at The Oval

Day 5 preview: England will be desperately hoping rain doesn’t come in their way of pulling off a series-leveling victory over Australia on Day 5 of the fifth and final Ashes 2023 Test at The Oval, London.

Australia are set to resume from their overnight score of 135/0, with openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner batting on 69 and 58 respectively.

The pair got the visitors off to a strong start after England were bowled out for 395 in their second essay, guiding Australia to 75 for no loss at lunch and then keeping the English attack at bay an hour into the second session before rain made its way to south London and ensured no further play was available for the remainder of Day 4.

A final day washout, which was the case in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, will allow Australia to complete a 2-1 series victory — their first Test series triumph on English soil since their 4-1 victory in the 2001 Ashes.

Monday’s forecast for London, however, appears promising for England with rain expected to delay the start of the morning session on Monday but otherwise steer clear of The Oval for the remainder of the day.

England had the opportunity to level the five-Test series in Manchester, where they managed to seize a massive 275-run first innings lead, and were eyeing an innings victory after reducing Australia to 108/4 at one stage in their second innings.

Incessant rain over the next two days — which allowed only 30 overs of play on Day 4 and absolutely no action on the final day — along with Marnus Labuschagne’s defiant 111 secured a draw for Pat Cummins and Co and ensured the urn stays with them for now.

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'What happened to Bumrah'? Kapil Dev says India would have 'wasted time' on pacer if he does not play World Cup

Over the last year or so, the Indian cricket team have felt the absence of Jasprit Bumrah in the squad. Bumrah, who is close to returning to competitive cricket, has been struggling with a recurring back injury for a prolonged period. Bumrah had undergone surgery for the back injury in March this year, and has been recently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).

While Bumrah might have a chance to feature in India’s squad for the T20I series against Ireland in August, the legendary Kapil Dev believes that a talent like Bumrah’s would be wasted if he was not fit enough to play the World Cup knockout matches, should India qualify.

Bumrah last played a match for India when they faced Australia in a T20I in Hyderabad in September last year.

“What happened to Bumrah? He started working with so much belief, but if he’s not there (in World Cup semi-final/final)… we wasted time on him. Rishabh Pant… such a great cricketer. Had he been there, our Test cricket would’ve been better,” Kapil was quoted as saying by The Week.

Kapil, however, did not mince words when it came to the players preferring the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the national team.

“God is kind, it’s not as if I never got injured. But today, they are playing 10 months in a year. Give a benefit of doubt to that, but everybody has to look after themselves. IPL is a great thing but IPL can spoil you also. Because, a little bit of injuries and you will play in IPL. A little bit of injuries, you won’t play for India. You would take a break. I’m being very open about it,” added the 1983 World Cup-winning skipper.

Kapil was not happy with BCCI’s management of the players’ workload.

“If you have a small injury, you would play in IPL if it’s an important game. At this stage, cricket board has to understand how much cricket they should play. That is the bottomline. If today, you have resources, money, but you don’t have three or five-year calendars. There’s something wrong with cricket board there,” added the 64-year-old.

India have not won a major ICC trophy since 2013, when they won the Champions Trophy under the captaincy of MS Dhoni.

India played Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June, but ended up suffering a heavy 209-run defeat at The Oval. The 2023 ODI World Cup gets underway in India on 5 October.

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Ashes 2023: Australia opener Usman Khawaja on verge of major milestone ahead of Day 5 of Oval Test

Australia were off to a positive start after being set a steep 384 to win by England on the fourth day of the fifth Test of the 2023 Ashes at The Oval.

Openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner brought up their respective half-centuries and stitched an unbroken partnership that was worth 135 before rain once again played spoilsport in what has been a stellar series so far.

Both Khawaja and Warner, who were batting on 69 and 58 respectively before the heavens opened up in south London, will be hoping to bring up the three-figure mark on the final day of the 2023 Ashes and lay the foundation for a successful chase.

Khawaja, however, will also have his focus set on a major personal milestone after making his way out to the centre on Monday.

The southpaw, who became the 21st Australian cricketer to go past 5,000 Test runs on Sunday and also surpassed Zak Crawley to become the leading run-scorer in the current series, needs just seven more runs to become the oldest Australian to score 500 or more runs in an Ashes series since the legendary Don Bradman himself.

Bradman had at the age of 39 scored 508 runs during the 1948 ‘Invincibles’ tour — which was also his farewell series in which he was famously bowled for a two-ball duck by Eric Hollies in his final innings at The Oval.

Khawaja, who will turn 37 this December, has collected four half-centuries along with a defiant 141 in the series opener at Edgbaston so far. The next six slots in the batting chart though are occupied by Englishmen with Crawley (480) and Joe Root (412) completing the top three and skipper Ben Stokes (405) and Harry Brook (383) sitting at fourth and fifth respectively.

Steve Smith and Travis Head sit at the eighth and ninth spots with 319 runs each, Smith sitting occupying the higher position by virtue of having scored a ton. No 3 batter Marnus Labuschagne sits at the 10th spot with 315 runs.

He had an equally successful run during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India earlier this year, in which he scored 180 in Ahmedabad and also collected a couple of half-centuries to finish the leading run-scorer in the four-Test series.

Khawaja, who had been dropped from the team after a disappointing run in the 2019 Ashes, in which he batted at the No 3 slot instead of as an opener. He would make a triumphant return to the side in Sydney during the 2021-22 Ashes, scoring a century in both innings while batting in the middle order, and would later be promoted to the top of the order alongside Warner, with whom he would make a successful pairing.

Khawaja’s numbers since his return in the New Year’s Test in 2022 read: 2,114 runs at an average of 62.17 with seven centuries and 10 fifties.

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Watch: 'What did you say mate?' Labuschagne, Khawaja confront spectator at The Oval during fifth Ashes Test

Australian cricketers haven’t been having the best of time with English crowds in the ongoing Ashes, especially in London.

Weeks after Usman Khawaja’s unpleasant encounter with a member of the Marylbone Cricket Club (MCC) at the Long Room in Lord’s, he had a run-in with an unruly spectator at The Oval during the fifth Test. Except in the second encounter, fellow top-order batter Marnus Labuschagne was also involved.

Read | If I’m coming to the cricket, I wouldn’t want my kids around, says Khawaja

The incident occurred at the close of play on Day 3 when the Australian players were making their way back to the dressing room. A spectator was shouting “Boring!” at each Australian until Khawaja and Labuschagne stopped on their tracks, turned around and decided to have a word with said spectator.

“What did you say? What did you say, mate? You’re just about to go at everyone else,” an angry Labuschagne retorted. Khawaja, in the meantime, was trying to calm his teammate down and prevent the situation from escalating any further.

The angry response though, led to a quick apology from the spectator.

Watch the incident unfold here:

Not quite the MCC Long Room at Lords. But @marnus3cricket and @Uz_Khawaja clearly not happy with this Englishman at the end of a frustrating day 3 for the Aussies! #boring #Ashes #ENGvsAUS pic.twitter.com/i0m5wM8bUY

— Pat McCormick (@pat_mccormickk) July 30, 2023

England ended the third day firmly on top, stretching their score to 389/9 with a lead of 377 and boosting their hopes of leveling the series 2-2. Of course, Broad would later steal the thunder and take the cricketing world by surprise by announcing the Oval Test to be the final match of his professional career.

Broad would receive a rousing reception from the Oval crowd and a guard of honour from the Australians at the start of play the following day, and would go on to smash Mitchell Starc for a six in the final delivery that he faced in his career. Todd Murphy then trapped Anderson LBW to bring the English innings to an end on 395, setting Australia an improbable 384 to win.

Openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner would then get Australia off to a solid start in their run chase, stitching an unbroken 135-run partnership and bringing up their half-centuries individually before rain played spoilsport yet again in this series.

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'A real legend': Yuvraj Singh congratulates Stuart Broad on an 'incredible Test career'

Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh on Sunday congratulated England pacer Stuart Broad for the completion of a successful career as the 37-year-old announced retirement from Test cricket.

Singh had famously smashed Broad for six sixes in an over in a 2007 T20 World Cup match in Durban, South Africa. The 2007 game was a high-voltage affair and a heated exchange with Andrew Flintoff just before the over cost the young Broad dearly. An enraged Yuvraj unleashed his hitting power and class to send the ball out of the park six times on the trot.

Read | Tributes pour in for Stuart Broad after England pacer announces retirement

“Take a bow @StuartBroad8. Congratulations on an incredible Test career. One of the finest and most feared red ball bowlers, and a real legend! Your journey and determination have been super inspiring. Good luck for the next leg Broady!” Yuvraj tweeted congratulating Broad.

Take a bow @StuartBroad8 🙇🏻‍♂️

Congratulations on an incredible Test career 🏏👏 one of the finest and most feared red ball bowlers, and a real legend!

Your journey and determination have been super inspiring. Good luck for the next leg Broady! 🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/d5GRlAVFa3

— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) July 30, 2023

 

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Broad on Saturday announced that the ongoing fifth Ashes Test would be his last, bringing to end a career spanning 167 matches with 602 wickets — the fifth most in Tests and the second highest for a pacer after England teammate James Anderson.

“Tomorrow or Monday will be my last game of cricket,” Broad told Sky Sports.

“It’s been a wonderful ride, a huge privilege to wear the Nottinghamshire and England badge as much as I have.”

“I’m loving cricket as much as I have. It’s been a wonderful series to be part of and I’ve always wanted to finish at the top. This series just feels like it’s been one of the most enjoyable and entertaining that I’ve been part of.”

When he walked into bat for one last time on Sunday, he was given a guard of honour.

Meanwhile, England were soon bundled off, leaving a target of 384 for Australia to win both the match and the series.

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Watch: Stuart Broad gets standing ovation, guard of honour from Australia on Day 4 of Oval Test

Day 4 of the fifth and final Ashes Test got off to quite the emotional start with England pace great Stuart Broad offered a grand welcome by the crowd at The Oval and a guard of honour by Australia.

Broad, after all, had taken the cricketing world by storm by announcing his decision to hang up his boots for good at the end of the Oval Test, which entered its penultimate day on Sunday. The fourth and fifth days of the fifth Test thus will be Broad’s final days as a professional cricketer.

“Tomorrow (Sunday) or Monday will be my last game of cricket. It has been a wonderful ride and a huge privilege to wear the Nottinghamshire and England badge as much as I have,” Broad said while announcing his retirement,” Broad said after the close of play on Day 3 on Saturday.

Read | Tributes pour in for Stuart Broad after England pacer announces retirement

The 37-year-old walked out to bat with fellow pace legend James Anderson, with whom he has had a long, successful new-ball partnership and has played more than a hundred Tests together, as the pair resumed England’s innings from their overnight score of 389/9.

Watch the heartwarming moment here:

For the final time with the bat…@StuartBroad8 and @Jimmy9 head out to the middle together 🤩

A special moment 🥰#EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/6sL5K7vuQL

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 30, 2023

Broad had his right arm around Anderson’s shoulder as the two made their way to the edge of the playing area amid a rousing reception from the Oval crowd. The latter then decided to hang back as Broad made his way through the Aussie guard of honour as the opposition players decided to pay tribute to the legendary pacer.

Though England lost their final wicket shortly after start of play, Broad would end up smashing Mitchell Starc for a six in what would be the final delivery that he would face in his career.

His final ball faced in Test Cricket? 🤔

A MASSIVE six! ❤️@StuartBroad8 🙌 pic.twitter.com/jHg99Q2nAi

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 30, 2023

The very next over off-spinner Todd Murphy trapped Anderson leg-before-wicket to bring the second English innings to a close, with Australia being set a daunting 384 to win with a little under two days left.

Broad, son of former England Test cricketer and current match referee Chris Broad, made his ODI and T20I debuts against Pakistan in August 2006, and would make his Test debut in December 2007 during the tour of Sri Lanka.

Broad became only the second pacer after Anderson to collect 600 or more Test wickets, achieving the feat during the fourth Test in Manchester. With 602 wickets to his name including two wickets in the first innings of the fifth Test, Broad is set to retire as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in Tests after Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (708), Anderson (690) and Anil Kumble (619).

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Shai Hope, bowlers headline West Indies' six-wicket win over India in second ODI

 

West Indies’ Keacy Carty celebrates defeating India by six wickets in the second ODI cricket match at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on Saturday. AP

West Indies’ captain Shai Hope celebrates scoring half a century against India during the second ODI. AP

West Indies’ Keacy Carty and captain Shai Hope embrace after defeating India by six wickets during the second ODI. AP

India’s bowler Shardul Thakur, center, and teammates Alzarri Joseph unsuccessfully appeals for the wicket of West Indies’ captain Shai Hope during the second ODI. AP

India’s Ishan Kishan celebrates half a century against West Indies during the second ODI. AP

Shubman Gill played a supporting role to Ishan Kishan, scoring 34 off 49 balls. AP

West Indies’ Gudakesh Motie celebrates the dismissal of India’s Sanju Samson. AP

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India vs West Indies: Pandya aims to gradually increase bowling workload, says he's a 'turtle right now not rabbit'

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has set his sights on gradually increasing his bowling workload in the build-up to the ICC World Cup at home later this year, saying that he is “a turtle, and not a rabbit”.

Pandya, who unofficially has taken over T20I leadership from India skipper Rohit Sharma and is his deputy in ODIs, has not been bowling his full quota of overs either in the international arena or in the Indian Premier League (IPL), with his bowling duties limited by serious back and shoulder problems.

Pandya has bowled a little over 10 overs in the first two ODIs against the West Indies, and sent down 6.4 overs in the second ODI, in which he filled on for the rested Rohit as the skipper, going wicketless for 38 runs.

“My body is fine. I have to bowl more overs and get my workload up for the World Cup. I’m a turtle right now not the rabbit and hoping everything goes right as the World Cup comes on,” Pandya said after the second ODI, which the West Indians won by six wickets to level the three-match series 1-1.

Read | Don’t believe Hardik Pandya cannot cope with demands of Test cricket: Kapil Dev

India opted to rest Rohit and star batter Virat Kohli for the second one-dayer at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Though the Men in Blue got off to a solid start with a 90-run opening stand between Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill, they would end up suffering a dramatic batting collapse to get bundled out for 181.

Windies skipper Shai Hope then led from the front with an unbeaten 63 and was well-supported by Keacy Carty’s 48 not out as they chased the target down with six wickets and 80 deliveries to spare.

But Pandya said going into the third and final game on Tuesday, with the series tied at 1-1, would be more challenging and exciting.

“To be honest, you want to be going 1-1 to the third game as it’ll be more challenging and exciting. They will be tested, we will be tested now that the series stands 1-1. The next game will be exciting for the viewers as well as the players,” he said.

None of the India middle-order batters could cope with pace, bounce and turn at the Kensington Oval pitch with Romario Shepherd (3/37) and Gudakesh Motie (3/36) tormenting the visitors.

“We didn’t bat the way we were supposed to. The wicket was better than it was in the first game. Everyone barring Shubman (Gill) hit fielders and got out. Disappointing but many things to learn,” said Pandya, who himself got out for 7 off 14 balls.

India lost five wickets for 23 runs in just 7.2 overs after the opening stand of 90 between Kishan (55 off 55 balls) and Gill (34 off 49 balls), which hurt the team’s cause after West Indies skipper Hope opted to bowl.

“The way our openers batted, especially Ishan, struck it well and is good for India. Shardul (Thakur) got us back in with his bowling. Hope and Carty batted well and got them through.”

West Indies captain Hope said his team produced a “complete performance”.

“It was a complete performance. Very satisfied, the aim was to get back to the series. We gotta win one more and need to come back strongly.

“We gotta put in the effort and today we displayed the right attitude, need to replicate that in all disciplines. We want to tick the boxes and get the right result in the final game,” he said.

Hope, who was adjudged player of the match, was also satisfied with his own performance.

“I’m happy as long as my contributions lead to the win. When things are difficult, you gotta find ways to score quickly. So you gotta run hard, we got twos which helped.”

With inputs from PTI

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India vs West Indies: Men in Blue focus on big picture - Asia Cup and World Cup - while losing sight of second ODI

Before the ODI series against West Indies even began, one would have primed Team India to have it easy across the three matches, but if their “experimentation” on Saturday was to go by, the Men in Blue certainly have their task cut.

One would wonder why the team management decided to rest Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two of the senior-most cricketers in the current squad, with less than three months to go for the ODI World Cup.

Having said that, Saturday provided the perfect opportunity for the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson to at least make a case for selection ahead of the showpiece event, but both eventually fell victim to a dramatic batting collapse.

From 90/0 at one stage, the Men in Blue, being led by Hardik Pandya, collapsed to 181 in 40.5 overs, something that would have even taken West Indies by surprise.

Ishan Kishan stands out once again

Generally speaking, the Indian batters endured a difficult outing on what was a Barbados pitch that provided a bouncy track, but someone who stood out among the batters was Ishan Kishan once again. The 24-year-old has probably done justice to his selection in the playing XI, and it’s safe to say that Kishan is probably on the verge of sealing his spot in India’s World Cup squad.

It's back-to-back 5️⃣0️⃣s by Ishan Kishan 👏🏽

Is he the left-hander #TeamIndia needed for a while?#SabJawaabMilenge and keep watching #WIvIND 2nd ODI, LIVE NOW & streaming FREE in 11 languages only on #JioCinema. pic.twitter.com/jYouJZqH7C

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) July 29, 2023

Even in the first ODI on a similar track at the same venue (Barbados), when India suffered a mini-batting collapse in their 115-run chase, Ishan Kishan was the standout performer with the bat, with a 46-ball knock of 52. Of course, chasing down a low total in the first ODI helped India’s case in a big way, but questions still remain on the stability of India’s middle-order batting, especially after what we witnessed on Saturday.

Despite the defeat, head coach Rahul Dravid was all praise for Ishan Kishan. “I think Ishan has done well. This is his third fifty in a row, counting Test one as well. Again he is someone who is taking the opportunity when he is given the chance. I think that’s all we asked from a young player. We want to give them as many chances as we possibly can. We can’t give everyone a chance all the time; there are other talented guys as well. We try our best to give them as many chances as possible,” said Dravid.

Dravid justifies India’s selection

Where did India lose the game? At the very early stages of the match. Many would have questioned the team management’s decision to rest Rohit and Kohli at a time when the two should be playing more games leading to a World Cup. And yet, without the duo, India failed with their batting experiments quite miserably, and while they did, questions like why Axar Patel was promoted to number four in the batting order will remain.

Axar Patel had not batted for India in an ODI at the number four position, and in all honesty, it was a move that backfired in a pretty brutal way.

Someone like Sanju Samson or Suryakumar Yadav would have been a much more better option for the number four slot, given their aggressive batting technique and SKY’s all-out approach in limited-overs. And if the team management was looking for experimentation among the batters, maybe they should have done so when the Men in Blue played Australia in March earlier this year.

Motie gets the big fish as SKY falls 😯

Watch #WIvIND 2nd ODI, LIVE NOW & streaming FREE in 11 languages only on #JioCinema.#SabJawaabMilenge pic.twitter.com/4v8FPksu2O

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) July 29, 2023

Dravid, however, was defensive of his team selection, justifying that it was important to know the team combinations ahead of the Asia Cup and World Cup.

“We have to try out other people and we have to give other people some chances so that we, you know, in the worst case scenario, at least they have game time behind them. It gives us an opportunity to make some decisions on players.

“You know, we just felt that honestly, in a series like this, with only two-three matches to go before the Asia Cup, you know, playing and honestly would not have given us, you know, too many answers. But, you know, with the injuries that we have in the NCA and some sort of uncertainty around them, we wanted to give some of the other boys a chance so that if required, then you know they can play,” said Dravid after the match.

These questionable selection tactics will remain to haunt India for some time, especially with a defeat that has ended in such a fashion. The defeat made it clear that middle-order batting is what the Men in Blue will need to focus on, and irrespective of Kohli and Rohit plays or not, it will be pivotal that Suryakumar steps up his case, while time is running out for a player like Samson.

Only time, and to an extent form, will tell which India will show up in the third ODI on Tuesday.

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Ashes 2023: English players wear each others' jerseys to raise awareness for dementia

The English team walked into The Oval for the pre-match line-up on Day 3 of the ongoing fifth Ashes Test donning jerseys bearing the names of their teammates to draw attention to the problems faced by people suffering from dementia.

Wearing not their own jerseys but their teammates’ was a poignant reminder of how those living with dementia are at trouble at even remembering their own names.

England cricketers are wearing their teammates names in the pre-match line up, to draw attention to confusion often experienced by people living with dementia and how people with dementia lose precious memories.#CricketShouldBeUnforgettable | @alzheimerssoc 💙 pic.twitter.com/BZwRjnXbYo

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 29, 2023

The English team was accompanied by a choir of Alzheimer’s Society volunteers and people suffering from dementia.

The @alzheimerssoc‘s Singing for the Brain choir made up of people affected by dementia and volunteers sing ahead of day three of the final Ashes Test 💙

Text TEN, TWENTY or THIRTY to 70567 to donate £10, £20 or £30. pic.twitter.com/JzvVbyQpuO

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 29, 2023

Before the start of Day 3, in a conversation with former England skipper Nasser Hussain, now a commentator at Ashes, England’s assistant coach Marcus Trescothick shared his personal experience of how his father is battling the disease.

‘It’s a terrible disease, you see the sort of deterioration in loved ones. You know it only goes one way,’ he said.

The ECB have teamed up with Alzheimer’s Society for the first time in a bid to stump dementia out of the game.

England Assistant Coach Marcus Trescothick discusses how the charity helps people affected by the disease. pic.twitter.com/3z3kz5NVOz

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 29, 2023

Meanwhile, in the match, Australia appear to have lost the advantage they earned on Day 1; England were bowled out at 283. But England made sure the guests didn’t make much of the advantage and in return bundled the off the pitch at 295.

At the end of session 1 on Day 3, England looked solid at 130/1 with a lead of 118 runs.

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India vs West Indies, LIVE Score, 2nd ODI in Barbados: WI opt to bowl; Pandya leading IND with Rohit, Virat rested

India vs West Indies 2nd ODI preview: Team India will be aiming to seal the ODI series with a game to spare when they take on West Indies in the second ODI at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on Saturday.

After winning the Test series 1-0, the Men in Blue seized the lead with a comprehensive bowling performance against the Windies in the ODI series opener, which also took place in Barbados. Left-arm spinners Kuldeep Yadav (4/6) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/37) led the way for the visitors as they ran through the West Indian batting lineup, bowling them out for a lowly 114 after skipper Rohit Sharma had elected to field.

For the hosts, wicketkeeper-captain Shai Hope led the way with a 45-ball 43, helping them cross the 100-mark in the end.

India’s run-chase however, wasn’t as much of a cakewalk as initially expected as they ended up losing five wickets en route to reaching the target in a little over 20 overs. Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who came in as an opener in this game, anchored the chase with a 46-ball 52 that was studded with seven fours and a six.

He opened alongside Shubman Gill and was followed by Suryakumar Kumar, with regular opener Rohit deciding to push himself down the order in order to give the youngsters opportunities in the build-up to this year’s World Cup.

Barring Kishan, none of the other Indian batters could cross 20 while West Indian left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie collected two wickets for 26 runs in nearly seven overs.

West Indies will take heart from their bowling performance against the Indians while hoping to put up a much improved show with the bat on Saturday as they aim to take the series to a decider.

India, meanwhile, will look to continue their experimentation heading into the second one-dayer, with their sights as set on getting the combination right for the big event at home later this year as they are on lifting the series trophy.

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Had Harmanpreet's actions been restricted to match, we wouldn't have felt as bad: Bangladesh skipper Sultana

It has been a while since the ugly scenes involving India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and the Bangladeshi team as well as the umpires played out during the thrilling third women’s ODI in Dhaka.

Kaur has since copped plenty of flak for her conduct both during the match as well as after and has since been handed a two-match ban along with a fine of 75 per cent of her match fee by the ICC. She has also come under criticism from Bangladeshi skipper Nigar Sultana Joty, who in a recent interview stated that she felt “sad and disappointed” over a legend of her stature behaving the way she did during the tour finale.

Also Read | Harmanpreet’s behaviour ‘was deplorable’, says Shanta Rangaswamy

Joty added that she would not have taken as much offence over Kaur’s actions had they been limited to the match, and not spilled over to the presentation ceremony afterwards.

“Had it been restricted to the field of play, honestly speaking, I would not have felt bad about it or felt disappointed. I would have told my players that it was all in the intensity of the moment, and it is better that all of us moved on from it.

“But what really disappointed me was that it was not restricted to the field of play. Let me tell you something. For my players too, Harmanpreet is a legend of the game. They too look up to her. And when they came and said to me that how can a legend of her stature do this to us, I felt sad and disappointed. That’s what has pained me the most,” Sultana was quoted as telling RevSportz.

Also Read: Roger Binny, VVS Laxman will speak to Harmanpreet, says Jay Shah

Sultana also felt that the umpiring in the series would not have come under as much scrutiny had the Women in Blue won the third ODI and flew back home with both the T20I and ODI series’ in their kitty.

“The moot point is the very same umpires officiated in the T20 series as well. There was not a single complaint from India. Is it because they had won the series?

“Had they won the final ODI, would they have raised the issue of umpiring or was it raised because they did not win the series, and they were disappointed and frustrated with the result?” Sultana added.

Due to the two-match ban from the ICC, Kaur will miss out on the Indian team’s opening game of Asian Games in Hangzhou as well as the subsequent fixture.

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India vs West Indies: 'Too early to talk about Shubman Gill’s failure,' says Abhinav Mukund

India take on the West Indies in the 2nd ODI at Bridgetown on Saturday with an eye on clinching the three-match series. The spinners were in immaculate form in the opening game on Thursday, helping the team to a comfortable five-wicket win.

Abhinav Mukund, JioCinema expert, reckons the visitors will not make any changes to the XI for this match. “No, I don’t see India making any changes to the playing XI primarily because they have handed a debut to Mukesh Kumar and also given him the new ball. Hardik Pandya and Mukesh Kumar will open the bowling in this series.”

The former India opener added: “They tried out Hardik with the new ball for just the second time in ODIs and more so the batting order was also tinkered around with a little bit. As far as bowling is concerned, I don’t see them making any changes because I know Chahal (Yuzvendra) will be getting a game at some point.”

Another JioCinema expert, Nikhil Chopra, feels India, however, could make a change to the XI today. “The only change that I feel can happen is in the spin department as both Axar Patel and Yuzi Chahal are sitting out. Ravindra Jadeja had a pretty good day on Thursday, with him getting three wickets and also scoring an unbeaten 16. So, if any changes are there then it’s in the spin department.”

Shubman Gill has not had the best of outings on this tour. Would India be slightly concerned? Mukund said: “I think it’s too early to talk about Shubman Gill’s failure because he has had a phenomenal last couple of years. It is important as a viewer and as an Indian cricket fan to not mess up formats. I feel we always tend to mix up formats and we tend to drop here and there, and we tend to associate form concerned with certain formats. The Test format is done with. As far as ODIs are concerned, Shubman Gill is our top player, and I think he should go to the World Cup. I don’t think his form is a concern. I’m sure he’ll be back with a bang.”

Catch all the action from the 2nd ODI of India’s Tour of the West Indies on Saturday, July 29, 7:00 PM onwards, LIVE on JioCinema

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England vs Australia LIVE Score, 5th Test Day 3 at The Oval, Ashes 2023

Ashes 2023 5th Test Day 2 report: Steve Smith survived a run-out scare and Australia took a 12-run first-innings lead at stumps on Friday in the fifth and final Ashes test which England must win to level the series.

Smith came desperately close to being run out at the Oval by substitute fielder George Ealham in a pivotal moment on the second day.

Australia was 295 all out off the final ball of the day as Smith top-scored with 71 following a scare just after tea.

Ealham, the 21-year-old son of former England all-rounder Mark Ealham, looked to have replicated Ricky Ponting’s famous 2005 dismissal by the unknown Gary Pratt, combining with wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow to leave Smith diving for the line.

Smith initially looked out but, instead of departing for 44 and leaving his side 195-8, he was reprieved by TV umpire Nitin Menon. Replays suggested Bairstow had begun to nudge one of the bails loose with his arm before collecting the ball cleanly and there was some debate over whether either bail was fully dislodged before Smith’s bat slid home.

“It was pretty tight, but when I looked the second time it looked like Jonny might have knocked the bail before the ball came in,” Smith said. “It looked a close one but it got given not out, didn’t it?”

What mattered most was the “Not out” decision that appeared on the big screen and the 100 more runs scored by Australia which followed.

Australia had embarked on go-slow tactics in the morning session, followed by a jittery collapse in the afternoon before recovering in the evening.

Having watched England blaze 283 in almost 55 overs, Australia crept just above that mark in 103.1, with Ben Stokes taking an excellent two-stage boundary catch off Joe Root to dismiss Pat Cummins and end the innings in the closing moments.

The Aussies lead the series 2-1 and have already retained the Ashes. They can win the series outright by avoiding defeat here.

England received an early blow on the second day when it was confirmed specialist spinner Moeen Ali would not field.

Moeen sustained a groin injury during his knock of 34 on day one and was not able to field during Australia’s innings.

Australia had come out with nothing but survival on its mind, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne scoring just 13 runs off the bat in a first hour that tested English patience in the field and in the stands.

Labuschagne scored nine off 82 deliveries with Mark Wood finally drawing the outside edge England had spent almost 90 minutes probing for. It looked a regulation catch for Bairstow but he froze on the spot, leaving Joe Root to hurl himself into action at first slip and claim a brilliant one-handed grab. That was the height of the pre-lunch entertainment, with the scoreboard trudging to 115-2 by the break.

The limitations of that approach were exposed in the afternoon, with England taking five for 71 to take control of proceedings. Stuart Broad played the role of ringleader, dismissing Khawaja (47) and Travis Head (4) in successive overs to inject some electricity into a game that had gone to sleep.

Khawaja had spent more than four-and-a-half hours in defiance when Broad speared one in from round the wicket and trapped the left-hander in front of leg. Five balls later the seamer was celebrating again, challenging Head outside off stump and getting the nick.

England continued burrowing through the middle order as James Anderson belatedly opened his account for the match in the 16th over, bowling Mitch Marsh off a hefty inside edge.

The mistakes kept coming, Alex Carey (10) chipping Root’s tempter to short cover and Mitchell Starc flapping Wood straight up in the air.

Smith was shaping up to be the key figure as he reached tea on 40, but he came desperately close to a self-inflicted dismissal.

Turning back for a second as Ealham sprinted in from the deep and flung a flat throw to the keeper, he looked to be struggling as he dived for his ground.

Replays initially seemed to seal his fate, with his bat short of the crease line as the stumps were broken. He was halfway to the pavilion when he sensed something might be amiss, with the slow-motion footage suggesting Bairstow had nudged one bail loose before gathering the ball in and parting the stumps.

The images were scrutinized for a couple of minutes, analyzing when and where the bails left their grooves, before Menon ruled in Smith’s favor. Smith added another 44 before sending Chris Woakes over his shoulder to Bairstow, who did his work well this time.

“I don’t know the rules to be honest. I think there was enough grey area to give that not out,” England bowler Stuart Broad said. “What are the rules? Was it the right decision? It looked like benefit-of-the-doubt sort of stuff. The first angle I saw I thought ‘out’ and then with the side angle it looked like the bails probably dislodged.”

England should still have taken a lead into the third day but struggled to mop up the tail. Pat Cummins made an assured 36 and Todd Murphy landed three sixes on his way to 34.

Woakes had the skipper lbw late on and Root finished things off when Stokes affected a smart catch-and-release take on the boundary to dismiss Murphy.

England will bat again on day three, with barely an inch to separate the sides.

With AP inputs

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ICC ODI World Cup tickets to go online on 10 August, claims report

Cricket fans can hope to book seats for the 2023 ODI World Cup matches they are looking forward to from 10 August, according to a report on The Indian Express.

The tickets will go on sale after the state associations give their individual pricing to the BCCI on 31 July, BCCI secretary Jay Shah informed on Thursday, following a meeting with state cricket associations in New Delhi.

Although the tickets can be booked online, the fans will have to furnish paper tickets to be allowed entry into the venues. And since spectators are expected to turn up in huge numbers the BCCI will set up multiple ticket collection centres in every city that hosts matches to make sure the smooth functioning.

“We will make arrangements so that the physical tickets can be collected at seven-eight places one week prior to the match. We will make it hassle-free. We will start the e-ticket system in bilateral games first,” Shah said.

World Cup 2023: Why schedule is being changed? What changes can take place?

In the meeting, the state bodies were also asked to leave a quota of seats for the BCCI and the ICC, who as per the provision are entitled to 300 hospitality tickets for every game. And should the ICC and BCCI want to buy more tickets, the state bodies will have to provide them, added the report.

Besides the quota, each state association can buy 40 tickets for every match and the ICC tour partner will buy 10 per cent of the remaining tickets.

Read | BCCI, thank you for fixing stadiums, but schedule mess is a cruel joke

Also, moot in the meeting was food items available at the venues. The apex body called for quality food items at affordable rates and distributed hygienically. And the board is also trying to provide free drinking water through a beverage company.

“We have also tied up with Coca-Cola to provide complimentary water at each stadium,” Shah had said. The state associations will have to install in-stadia signages and have a plan for waste disposal.

Besides the ticketing and essential hospitality, the state associations have also been asked to have adequate measures in place should rain play spoilsport.

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Pro Kabaddi League has given us an identity and recognition: Former MVP Anup Kumar

Over the years, Anup Kumar has gone onto become a household name in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). Having spent his PKL playing days with U Mumba and Jaipur Pink Panthers, Anup has gone onto clinch 527 raid points from 91 matches. And most recently, he was the coach of Puneri Paltan, helping the team reach the playoffs in the eighth season.

On 26 July, PKL celebrated its ninth anniversary, and as the league enters its tenth season, Anup Kumar reminisced the years gone by, and expressed that the league has given the kabaddi players an identity.

“Many people have money, but it’s not only about money. A player’s identity is made through his performance and nature. And PKL has given us an identity. Today, we are recognised when we walk in public places.  Being recognized by people has been the biggest change in my life,” he said.

Anup also spoke about the pressure the players felt ahead of the inaugural season in 2014, “We were under pressure to perform well since we needed to ensure that PKL continues for a long time. We were worried that PKL could close down if we were not able to perform well in Season 1. Therefore, the players and the coaches worked very hard to make the opening season a big hit.”

The Pro Kabaddi League is all set to take its first step towards the grand tenth season through the Player Auction in September. As the excitement for the PKL Season 10 Player Auction builds in the air, the former PKL star said, “Pawan Sehrawat was the only player to cross the INR 2 crore mark last season. I hope that players, who have been performing well, are picked up for high amounts. I hope that the top 20-25 players attract big bids so that they can strengthen their financial valuation even more.”

When asked about his favourite moment from his own PKL journey, Anup Kumar said, “Lifting the trophy in the second season with U Mumba is the best moment of my PKL journey. It gave me even more happiness than what I felt when I won the MVP award in Season 1.”

The Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 Player Auction will be held from 8-9 September, 2023 in Mumbai. The dates for the tenth season of PKL will be announced soon.

 

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BCCI, thank you for embarking on fixing stadiums, but the schedule mess is a cruel joke

69 days to go for the 2023 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup but we are still not sure of the schedule for the mega event which will be hosted in India from 5 October.

The World Cup schedule, so to stay, was revealed on 27 June, barely three months before the biggest tournament in world cricket after an agonising wait. And now that announcement has been turned into a cruel joke on the fans.

On Thursday, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah announced that further changes will be made to the schedule, barely two months before the World Cup, because a few ICC Full Member nations have objected to it.

The whole schedule mess is in complete contrast to how things were when the World Cup was hosted four years back in England and Wales.

The schedule for the 2019 World Cup was announced on 26 April 2018, a year before the mega event started on 30 May 2019.

Now, let’s make another comparison. The tickets for the 2019 World Cup were confirmed by September 2018, eight months before the showpiece contest.

Less than 70 days from the start of the World Cup, we still await the schedule – leave alone tickets.

For the last men’s ODI WC, which started on 30 May 2019, the ballot opened on 1 Aug 2018 – and tickets were confirmed by Sep… 8+ months in advance.

State of affairs.#CWC23

— Yash Jha (@jhayash) July 28, 2023

What about the tickets for the 2023 World Cup?

According to Shah, the ticket sales announcement will be made next week.

If you are a working professional and want to watch a few World Cup games across India, good luck with that. If the schedule is still not out with just over two months to go for the tournament, only God knows how would you be able to take leaves and make travel arrangements.

That travel arrangement part potentially becoming a nightmare is going to be true for all the fans; working or non-working, local or foreign. From the foreign fans’ point of view especially, the painful delay in schedule and ticket sale announcement is an unwelcoming message.

Jay Shah refused to reveal which members have raised objections over the schedule and also shot down the suggestion that changes are being required because the India vs Pakistan game on 15 October in Ahmebdabd clashes with the start of Navratri and security agencies have advised against it.

“Two-three ICC Full Member nations have raised objections regarding the schedule. The teams which have six-day gaps will be reduced and the teams which have two-day gaps will be increased,” Shah said.

“If security was an issue then why would the match go there (to Ahmedabad)? [October] 14-15 is not the problem,” he added.

Any changes to India vs Pakistan match date would make it clear if the 15 October game is a problem or not, but even if it isn’t, the sheer recklessness and poor planning in making the schedule can’t be forgiven.

2 months and 1 week to go to the @ICC world cup, and the schedule is still not finalised by the @BCCI.

My son’s second grade school sports day schedule was announced 3 months in advance so that parents could make time on their calendars to be there… https://t.co/eWnaooPBkP

— Nitin Sundar🎙️✒️🎦 (@knittins) July 27, 2023

The schedule is to be changed because gaps between the matches in some cases are too big and in some too small! This looks like a very silly error for the richest cricket board.

Honestly, the only thing that justifies such late changes in a schedule is a security threat. If that is the case, BCCI has all the right to keep it a secret but if the changes are being made only because the gaps between matches were not thought through before then it’s a blunder.

Talking about more blunders.

A report from a news agency PTI states that the BCCI is consulting a leading advisory firm for changes that are needed at the World Cup venues to make it a “pleasant experience” for the fans.

Now look at the irony. At the same time, BCCI has also confirmed that no e-ticketing facility will be available during the World Cup.

“We can’t use e-tickets this time around but will ensure to have physical tickets redemption at 7-8 centres well in advance. But the physical ticket needs to be retained. It will get difficult to manage e-ticket at high-capacity venue like Ahmedabad and Lucknow. Our plan is to start using e-tickets more in bilaterals first and then take it to multi-nation events like the World Cup,” said Shah.

BCCI wants to introduce an e-ticketing facility in bilaterals before using it for bigger tournaments like the World Cup.

Could they have not introduced it during the IPL 2023? What could have been a better opportunity to test the process than the IPL? This would have allowed the board to be ready with a seamless service for the World Cup when it would be welcoming fans from overseas and would have also given some respite to the local fans during the cash-rich league.

I am sure you remember the stampede-like situation that erupted outside the Narendra Modi Stadium before the IPL 2023 Qualifier 2 between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians.

Total mismanagement in Ahmedabad for the tickets of IPL 2023 Qualifier 2 and the Final.

Fans surely deserve better than this. pic.twitter.com/1T86QjhbsI

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 26, 2023

No final schedule, no ticket sales and no seamless entry into the stadiums. Whatever people say, India is the spiritual home of cricket and a World Cup in India is the pinnacle for the sport but the haphazard planning would make you wonder how much the game belongs to the fans.

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India vs West Indies: Kuldeep Yadav strengthens his case with fine display in Barbados

Kuldeep Yadav once again showcased his value in the Team India limited-overs set-up with a fine showing in the first ODI against West Indies in Barbados on Thursday.

Yes, many would have picked Kuldeep to come good against the West Indies, but little did they know that he would go on to decimate the hosts with impressive bowling figures of 4/6 from three overs.

At a time when India are looking to sort out their team combinations for the 2023 ODI World Cup at home later this year, Kuldeep, often competing with Yuzvendra Chahal for the spot, has taken a big lead in the race to be the No 1 wrist-spinner.

Not long ago, Kuldeep and Chahal formed the famed ‘KulCha’ duo in international cricket, but now, the two find themselves competing for a spot in the playing XI.

However, Kuldeep has said that the two are pretty relaxed with how things are at the moment.

“We are pretty relaxed. We know that combination matters a lot. We have a good understanding. He helps me a lot when I am playing. He always wants me to give my best. At the same time, I also share my opinions, when he gets the chance to play,” he said.

If you blinked, odds are you missed one of #KuldeepYadav‘s wickets from his spell of 4/6 in just 3 overs 🤯

Keep watching #WIvIND – LIVE & FREE on #JioCinema in 11 languages ✨#SabJawaabMilenge #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/1BA3jMy5ig

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) July 27, 2023

Unstoppable Kuldeep Yadav

The pitch in Barbados on Thursday produced a tricky surface that did not have much on offer for the batters. India’s decision to field first was pretty much the right thing to do.

None of the Windies batters really got the opportunity to take off, with Ravindra Jadeja striking thrice between the 16^th and the 18^th over to rattle the hosts. West Indies were 96/6 at one stage, and Kuldeep wasn’t even introduced until the 19^th over. And when he was introduced, West Indies were almost unable to stop him. Quite literally.

It took just three balls for Kuldeep to bring up a magical googly that trapped Dominic Drakes LBW, and he followed it up with a similar dismissal of Yannic Cariah in the next over he bowled.

Kuldeep then wrapped up the West Indies innings with the dismissals of Shai Hope and Jayden Seales in the 23^rd over.

What makes Kuldeep the front-runner for the ODI World Cup over Yuzvendra Chahal is that he is more effective during those middle overs. He has the ability to pick up wickets during that stage consistently, as India head coach Rahul Dravid pointed out in March this year.

“Obviously having a wrist spinner, if he is bowling well, is a huge advantage. Taking wickets in the middle overs is important. A wrist spinner gives that chance to be attacking and take wickets in the middle overs which is why we have given Kuldeep a pretty consistent run,” Dravid had said.

As a result of Kuldeep’s resurgence, Chahal has been often overlooked and has turned out in just two ODIs in 2023, where he took three wickets.

Not to forget, Kuldeep had sustained a knee injury midway through IPL 2021 and had to undergo surgery for the same. Kuldeep could have also been a force to be reckoned with in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia but was eventually snubbed.

Following his four-month injury layoff, Kuldeep went on to work on his rhythm and his ability to generate pace from his bowling. It is what has helped him succeed with the white ball, according to Hanuma Vihari.

“He has worked a lot on his bowling. When he began playing international cricket, initially, he was a lot slower through the air. He didn’t have that zip. He has worked on his bowling with the bowling coach and it has helped him a lot. You can see the result with his action in white ball cricket. As Abhinav (Mukund) mentioned, in IPL we have seen him succeeding in the last couple of years because he has got that pace in his bowling which comes down to his bowling run-up in which he has done a good job,” said Vihari, a JioCinema expert.

“Kuldeep Yadav being in form is a big advantage for Team India going into the World Cup. As Abhinav mentioned, for foreign batters, especially the left-hand batters, it will be a huge task facing him,” he added.

His heroics on Thursday meant his wickets tally in West Indies surged to 15 off just eight matches. Chahal, meanwhile, has played just four games, having taken eight wickets on the Caribbean soil.

Since 2022 Kuldeep has helped himself rise in the one-day format for India. He has had game time recently, taking 31 wickets from just 17 ODIs. Not only do the statistics, but the way he has approached the game goes on to show how fierce his deadly spin can be for the opposition. Kuldeep can help India put pressure on the opposition much like he showcased on Thursday, but it is that consistency that he needs to maintain across the format.

Having finally found the rhythm and that striking ability in the middle-overs strengthens Kuldeep’s case, going into the Asia Cup and the World Cup later this year.

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Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav register rare feat in ODI cricket

The left-arm spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja worked magic to bowl out the West Indies at 114 runs in 23 overs during the first ODI in Kensington Oval, Barbados on Thursday.

Leaking just six runs, Kuldeep Yadav sent four West Indian batters back to the pavilion. Jadeja dismissed three, leaking 37 runs though. Two of Jadeja’s preys: Rovman Powell and Romario Shepherd, came in the same over.

With this, the duo has become the first pair of left-arm spinners from India to take seven or more wickets in an ODI.

This stellar performance forced the hosts to finish on their second-lowest score against India in an ODI. The lowest West Indies were bowled out for was 104 runs in Thiruvananthapuram 2018.

“The way the pacers bowled was really good, Mukesh and Shardul in particular. And then Jadeja and I could handle things, the ball was spinning a bit. We had to control our lengths and the wickets were easy to get. I have been working on my rhythm and it has been amazing. The ball is coming out nicely and I’m very pleased with it. I have also been varying the pace and in the white-ball format, my focus is on hitting the right lengths,” Kuldeep said during the innings break.

For the West Indies, it was skipper Shai Hope who was the top scorer with 43 off 45 and besides him and Alick Athanaze no other Caribbean batter could go beyond 20.

In response, India got to the target in 22.5 Overs. Ishan Kishan with 52 off 42 headlined the chase.

Recently another duo that Jadeja is a part of registered a big milestone. The second Test against West Indies saw the pairing of Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin collect 500 Test wickets together, the only Indian spin duo to achieve the mark after the legendary pair of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh.

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Kuldeep Yadav, Ishan Kishan stand out as India thump West Indies in first ODI

India beat West Indies by five wickets in a low-scoring first ODI in Barbados on Thursday. With the win, India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. Image: Twitter @BCCI

India won the toss and opted to field. Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 4/6 to bundle West Indies out for just 114. Image: Twitter @BCCI

ODI debutant Mukesh Kumar claimed his maiden wicket when he removed Alick Athanaze for 22. Image: Twitter @BCCI

Ravindra Jadeja celebrates the dismissal of Shimron Hetmyer. AP

Captain Shai Hope was the top-scorer for West Indies with 43 runs off 45 balls. AP

Ishan Kishan scored 52 off 46 balls in India’s run-chase. AP

India did not enjoy the best of run-chases as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Here, Gudakesh Motie is seen celebrating the dismissal of Suryakumar Yadav. AP

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Jasprit Bumrah set for Team India return during Ireland T20I series

In a positive for the Indian side, especially as the ODI World Cup draws closer, Jasprit Bumrah is ‘totally fit’ and ‘may’ be a part of the squad for the T20I series against Ireland next month. The mainstay of the Indian pace attack for quite some time now, Bumrah “is totally fit and he may go to Ireland,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah told the press in New Delhi on Friday.

“There will be consistency in selections apart from the Ireland tour,” he added, indicating that apart from Bumrah, none of the World Cup-bound senior players, including T20I captain Hardik Pandya will be selected for the tour.

Earlier in March, the 29-year-old fast bowler underwent surgery for lower back in New Zealand. He was in rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, from where he even shared a video of him bowling at full pelt earlier this month.

 

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Bumrah’s last ODI was in 2022 and his last international appearance was against Australia in T20I last September. After that, he pulled out of the South Africa series at home and then missed all the cricketing action thereafter due to lower back trouble.

While Shah’s comments indicate his return, skipper Rohit Sharma seems to have little idea about his return.

Speaking at a presser in Bridgetown in the Caribbean ahead of the first ODI against West Indies, Rohit said, “The amount of experience he (Bumrah) brings is very important. Right now he’s coming from a serious injury and I’ve no idea if he’ll travel to Ireland because the team hasn’t been announced yet. If he gets to play then it’s good and we hope he plays before the World Cup. When a player returns from a serious injury, match fitness, match feel are some key components, which are missing.”

However, he also pointed towards improvement in Bumrah’s fitness.

“We’ll see what has been planned and everything depends on his recovery. We are in constant touch with the NCA and things look positive at the moment,” he said.

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