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India pacer Arshdeep Singh understands quite well that his relatively low count of first-class appearances may not be considered "ideal preparation" as he pursues his Test dreams but he insists that it is in no way a reflection of his readiness for the traditional format. One of India's premier bowlers in the limited-overs format, Arshdeep has only played 24 first-class matches since his debut in December 2019. The match Nos. 23 and 24 came in this season's Duleep Trophy. Before these games, Arshdeep had not played first-class cricket for nearly a year. He looked to make the most of the opportunity in the Duleep Trophy, where his team, North Zone, crashed out in the semifinal stage. "I do everything that is within my control to be ready for the (Test) call-up," Arshdeep, who joined his Sher-e-Punjab side Ludhiana Lions right after the Duleep Trophy, told PTI in an exclusive interaction. "The long gaps in First-Class games may not be ideal for preparation, but I can only focus on th
Pakistan captain Babar Azam admitted he was blindsided by the decision to tear up his squad ahead of this week's final cricket test against England, saying the drastic cull was "news to me." Babar learned of the wholesale changes only after an official statement by the Pakistan Cricket Board, he said on Tuesday, the day before the third test at Edgbaston. "It was news to me," Babar said in Urdu. "I found out after. "The PCB decided it, so they will be able to explain better. The PCB's decision must have been taken after some thought process. It's better if you ask them why." Heavy defeats at Leeds and Lord's were met with sweeping changes by the PCB, who sent seven players home and removed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and his assistant Umar Gul. The replacements summoned included five with no test experience, while white-ball coach Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke were drafted to take charge at Edgbaston. Babar framed the remarkable overhaul as a fresh chance for the players "to showca
India A will play three four-day matches against New Zealand A in Christchurch from October 24, New Zealand Cricket announced on Tuesday. The series will be part of India's build-up to the two-Test series against New Zealand later in the tour, with the A side's matches preceding the senior team's red-ball assignment. The fixtures were announced as part of New Zealand Cricket's domestic red-ball schedule for the Plunket Shield. "The domestic red ball summer will also get an injection of international class as New Zealand A host India A for three four-day matches in Christchurch starting October 24," NZC said on its website. India are scheduled to tour New Zealand in October-November for five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests. The two-Test series will begin in Wellington from November 19-23, followed by the second Test in Christchurch from November 27-December 1. India are currently ranked fifth in the World Test Championship points table, while New Zealand are third. New Zealand had
In an unusual move, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday decided to send seven members of its touring Test squad home and replace them with a fresh set of players ahead of the third and final match against England. Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad have all been released from the squad, the PCB announced. The Board also released head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, replacing them with Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, respectively. The sweeping changes come after Pakistan suffered heavy defeats in the first two Tests at Leeds and Lord's. The third and final Test is scheduled to begin on September 9. The seven replacements are Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Saad Baig, Muhammad Randhawa, Razaullah and Muhammad Imran Jnr. Of the seven, five have played international cricket, while two - Muhammad Randhawa and Razaullah - are yet to represent Pakistan at any level. Saim Ayub an
Long may it continue, England seam bowler Ollie Robinson said. And there's the rub. Robinson was talking about how successful his new-ball partnership with Jofra Archer was working out. In harness together for the first time in test cricket, they have taken 24 of Pakistan's 38 possible wickets in the ongoing series. They are a big reason England clinched the series 2-0 at Lord's on Sunday with a day and a game to spare. The change bowlers, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson, have come off helping Manchester win the Hundred competition and claimed the other 14 Pakistan wickets. It's a pace attack that is exciting England supporters, who have fingers crossed the four quicks can stick together for the home Ashes series against Australia in less than 10 months. But that's a long time for any player and the foursome has yet to be truly tested. Pakistan has underwhelmed and was struggling before it undertook its first tour of England in six years. The loss at Lord's was its 10th in its last
England extended its lead over Pakistan in the second test to 342 runs after reaching 162-6 at tea on a rain-hit Day 3 at Lord's. England's bid for victory had been delayed with no play possible on Saturday morning at the home of cricket because of showers. The hosts eventually resumed in the afternoon on 81-3 in its second innings and with a commanding lead of 261 runs. By tea - and more time lost to rain - England's innings had doubled to 162 runs at the cost of losing three wickets to Mohammad Abbas (3-48). Emilio Gay (31) was quickly trapped leg before by Abbas and Harry Brook (34) was caught behind after a 45-run stand for the fifth wicket with Dan Lawrence. Abbas dismissed Jamie Smith (7) for his third wicket. Lawrence (37 not out) and Gus Atkinson (7 not out) are at the crease. Almost 23 overs have been bowled so far on Saturday. England scored 290 in its first innings before dismissing Pakistan for 110. England won the first test by an innings at Headingley last week so
Dhruv Jurel's Instagram bio is simple yet catchy. It reads Mamba Mentality - a term coined by basketball legend Kobe Bryant to describe his efforts to become the best version of himself. Jurel's unbeaten 115 on the second day of the second Test against Sri Lanka here on Monday was a testimony of his devotion to that motto. At one end, Rishabh Pant, with whom he built a 112-run stand, was playing in his archetypal way for 63, but Jurel concentrated on his strengths to accumulate runs. Jurel explained his batting methods while batting alongside a sparkling shot-maker like Pant. "We all know Pant is such a terrific player and what he has done for India in Australia and England. So, whenever he is in, I only seek his advice, because he has so much experience. So, I always ask him for advice as, what I should do in a particular situation," Jurel said in the post-day press conference and dedicated his second Test hundred to his parents. But does he get tempted to copy the dominating way
India handed a debut to spin bowling all-rounder Saransh Jain as captain Shubman Gill elected to bat against Sri Lanka in the second Test here on Sunday. India have an unassailable 1-0 lead in the two-match series, having won the opening Test at Galle by a massive 165 runs. For Sri Lanka, batters Kamil Mishara and Pasindu Sooryabandara are making their Test debut. Teams: India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Saransh Jain, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna. Sri Lanka: Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando.
England wrapped up an innings win over Pakistan inside three days in the first test on Friday, delivering a strong start to the post-Bazball era under returning captain Joe Root. Dismissed for 409 around 40 minutes into day three, England took a 238-run advantage into the second innings and skittled Pakistan for 135 in 37.3 overs before tea. England won by an innings and 103 runs for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The second test starts on Thursday at Lord's. "Brilliant performance," Root said. "You look at the prep we had leading in, coming straight from the Hundred, the fact we're in a slight transition stage. I thought the way that we dealt with all of that, the clarity and the way the guys approached this week has been outstanding." England's battery of four seamers pestered consistently at a fuller length that's required at Headingley and Pakistan couldn't endure it. Jofra Archer removed the openers with the new ball, Ollie Robinson got three more wickets, Josh Tongue
Mitchell Starc removed Bangladesh opener Shadman Islam with the first ball of the match and the veteran Australian fast bowler took five wickets in the first session of the second cricket test Saturday. After Australia won the toss and decided to bowl, with captain Pat Cummins suggesting "the wicket looks pretty good, but if there is any moisture in it, it might be this morning," Starc proved Cummins correct. Islam was caught in the gully off a leading edge to give Starc his fourth career wicket on the first ball of a match. Starc removed Tanzid Hasan and had captain Najmul Hossain Shanto caught lbw in the third over to leave Bangladesh, which surprisingly won the first test of the two-test series, reeling. Starc got his fourth wicket when Nathan Green made a grass-top catch to remove Mominul Haque for 9, the only Bangladesh batter to score a run among the first four batters Saturday. His fifth wicket came when he had Litton Das trapped lbw. At lunch Saturday, Bangladesh was 35 for
The exceptionally gifted Manav Suthar gave India temporary deliverance from their red-ball turmoil, leading the 165-run dismantling of Sri Lanka in the first Test with a match haul of 10-wicket on the fifth and final day here on Wednesday. The visitors now lead the two-match series 1-0 and it became all the more special as it was India's 600th Test match. Once Suthar got his 10th scalp of Test, Shubman Gill must have heaved a sigh of relief as there was a heavy downpour within five minutes after the end of the game. This victory at a traditionally spin-ruled venue like Galle will give India oodles of confidence after their struggles against New Zealand and South Africa at home on rather similar pitches. Starting the final day from 84 for four needing a further 288 to cross an improbable line, Sri Lanka delayed the inevitable for a session and a bit but eventually folded for 206, succumbing to the guiles of the young Indian left-arm spinner. Suthar (6/55) ran through the Lankan la