Back-to-back heavy defeats against India have compelled England captain Ben Stokes to consider an early return to bowling with head coach Brendon McCullum admitting that although it's a good sign, they don't want the all-rounder to push himself unnecessarily. Stokes, who is still recovering from a knee surgery, hasn't bowled since the second Ashes Test in June last year. "Well, it's good that he's actually getting into a state where he thinks he might bowl," McCullum was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo on Monday. "But Ben is clever; he's really clever as well. He won't bowl unless he thinks he's legitimately able to bowl. The problem would be if he starts getting into a spell and then he can't get out of the spell. So we'll see what unfolds. "If he does get that bit between his teeth, then let's see where the danger lies there and try and pull him away from it. But it's a good sign," McCullum added. Ahead of the Rajkot Test, Stokes had said he "pinky promised" his physiotherapist
Courtesy of Rahul's unavailability, Rajat Patidar is likely to get another chance, although he has failed in his first two Tests
Former England captains Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan have criticised the team's 'Bazball' approach in the ongoing Test series against India, saying the visitors need to apply themselves based on match situation instead of being guided by a one-dimensional philosophy of aggression. India registered their biggest-ever Test win, annihilating England by 434 run in the third Test in Rajkot on Sunday. Chasing 557 to win, the tourists were bundled out for 122. The home side leads 2-1 in the five-match series with games left in Ranchi and Dharamsala. "This was the worst defeat under (Ben) Stokes and Brendon McCullum, and one that exposed their method. They cannot take the aggressive at every opportunity, they have to pick their moments," Vaughan wrote in his column for "Telegraph.co.uk'. Hussain echoed the sentiment. "Bazball is about being attacking but it is also about soaking up pressure," Hussain said on 'Sky Sports'. In contrast, India's Yashsavi Jaiswal, who has two double ...
After the India vs England 3rd Test, Stokes highlighted Zak Crawley's dismissal, which was sent upstairs for DRS, had wrongly mentioned the umpire's call even if the ball was not hitting the stumps.
India vs England 3rd Test Day 4 Highlights: Jadeja took a five-wicket haul as England was bowled out for 122 in the second innings and India registered their biggest win by runs (434) in Test history
The Indian off-spinner was allowed to join the team by the umpires as he was not breaking any rules of cricket set by MCC
Jaiswal also became the first Indian to hit 20 or more sixes in a Test series and 10 or more in a Test innings, betaing on his way Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agrawal for the respective records
India vs England Rajkot Test Highlights: Yashasvi Jaiswal hit a hundred in just 122 balls and has taken the attack to the Bazball as India is in full control of the game with a huge lead of 322 runs
Pacer Mohammed Siraj is surprised that a well-set Joe Root preferred to play a reverse ramp shot off Jasprit Bumrah and ended up losing his wicket to hand India advantage in the third Test here Saturday. Root was batting at 18, having spent almost an hour at the crease. Trying to improvise, Root attempted a reverse ramp over the slip only to find Yashaswi Jaiswal at second slip. His partnership with centurion Ben Duckett (153) was steady but after his dismissal England could not add even 100 runs to the total. The visitors conceded a huge 126-run lead. "Ben Duckett's partnership was growing with Root, if he had played a little more, then it would have been difficult for us. But suddenly he played that shot which didn't look (like one) to be played," Siraj said during media interaction after the day's play. "But it turned out good for us and after that (Ben) Foakes and Ben Stokes had a good partnership, and then Stokes played a shot (which got him out) and we got into the game from
The English skipper is playing his 100th Test match in Rajkot Business Standard look back at his top five iconic Test innings.
Ashwin was Indian skipper Rohit Sharma's go-to-man with the ball. It was he who broke the 89-run opening stand between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett to get his 500th Test wicket
England pace bowler Mark Wood on Friday said opener Ben Duckett forced India to constantly change the field placement as he played a "skilful innings against a good attack" here on the second day of the third Test. Duckett cracked 21 fours and two sixes, scoring an unbeaten 133 off 118 balls that helped England make a strong start in reply to India's first-innings total of 445. England finished the day at a strong 207/2, having erased almost half of India's total and now trail by 238 runs. "He played with real bravery. To be that far behind in the game and go out and play like that showed real bravery and skill," Wood told the media after the day's play when asked about Duckett's third Test century. "The way India changed the field and then he'd hit it somewhere else, it was such a skilful innings against a good attack. He's a nightmare to bowl (to) at the nets; we try to get him to leave one but he never leaves any," he said. "Maybe, he hasn't gotten the accolades that he would l
The 29-year-old, who has played for Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire in County cricket and has been one of the poster boys of the change brought in by Bazball, smashed only his third ton in Tests
India was fined five penalty runs as Ashwin on Day 2 and Jadeja on Day 1 ran in the middle of the pitch. The first instance was counted as a warning.
India vs England Highlights, Rajkot Test Day 2: Ben Duckett scored a bucket full of runs as he remained unbeaten on 133 and England reached 207/2 to trail by 238 at the end of Day 2 of the third Test
England's Anderson & Joe Root, Australia's Lyon and Smith, India's Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar and Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews are the only active cricketers who have played more than 100 Tests
32-year-old Ben Stokes is the only player alongside West Indien legend Gary Sobers and South Africa's Jacques Kallis to score more than 6000 Test runs and take more than 190 wickets
India vs England 3rd Test Day 1 Highlights: Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja hit centuries while Sarfaraz Khan won hearts with his quickfire 62 as India dominated the English bowlers at Rajkot
India will need to be ruthless and tactful in equal measure while dealing with an unpredictable England when the third chapter of a riveting Test series begins here on Thursday. After England shocked India in the series opener at Hyderabad, the hosts came back strong in Vizag to get on level footing, leaving the five-match series perfectly poised. The brilliance of Yashasvi Jaiswal (321 runs) and Jasprit Bumrah (15) allowed India to make a comeback in the series but concerns remain over a misfiring middle-order, which will now be relying on the young talent to deliver the goods. Skipper Rohit Sharma's form with the bat before the eight-day break only added to the growing concern surrounding the Indian batting, which will be without K L Rahul in this game and Virat Kohli for the entirety of the series. Over the last one year or so, Rohit's aggressive approach with the bat has not yielded him big scores and the current situation demands the Indian skipper to perhaps contemplate ...
England captain Ben Stokes tried hard to be self-effacing on the eve of his 100th Test appearance, saying "milestones are what they are" but he is looking forward to the "theatre" that would come with playing the marquee game against a star-studded India. Stokes will become the 16th England player to appear in 100 Tests when he will lead the side out in the third Test against India here on Thursday. In the pre-match press conference, the dashing big-hitter tried his best to downplay the hype around his achievement. "Milestones are what they are. I've always enjoyed playing against India because of the contest, the theatre it brings," he said in a brief reply when asked about his thoughts on the match. The series is currently locked 1-1 after England won the opener in Hyderabad before India bounced back to claim the second in Visakhapatnam. Stokes said his mind is focused on decoding the conditions and having a solid strategy in place for the crucial game. "You look down and there'