Page 45 - Test Cricket

IND vs NZ: Hopefully batters will give us defendable total - Kuldeep

Kuldeep Yadav on Friday said the pitch has started offering a bit of turn and placed faith on batters to build a sizeable lead in the second innings for Indian spinners to make an impact. India ended the third day of the first Test at 231 for three, and still trail by 125 runs. The spinners were getting some help when we were bowling, and hopefully, we will get more spin on Day 5. But for that, we need a good total to defend, said Kuldeep in the post-day press meet. Considering our bowling attack, we will be aiming at setting an effective target. We can't predict a proper total right now as a lot of batting is still left for us, he added. Kuldeep hoped Sarfaraz Khan, who is batting on 70, will score some big runs on Saturday. We all saw how he scored 200 during the Irani Trophy. We're hoping that he slams another here. Since he is playing for India, his technique does not matter as long as the runs keep coming. However, he has a good technique against the spinners and doesn't let

IND vs NZ: Rohit took ownership of decision as a leader - VVS Laxman

Former India cricketer and NCA head VVS Laxman on Friday praised Rohit Sharma for taking ownership of the wrong call at the toss in the first Test against New Zealand, saying that he does a "phenomenal job" in leading by example. Rohit's decision to bat first in the opening Test backfired horribly as India were shot out for a mere 46 inside 32 overs, recording their third lowest total in 593 Tests and lowest-ever in 293 matches on home soil. The Indian captain fronted the media after end of play on Thursday and acknowledged that he erred in reading the M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch, while citing that not all calls taken by leadership can always be right. "For leaders, it's humanly impossible not to make mistakes. We won the toss and we elected to bat first and it was counterproductive (because) we were bowled out for 46," Laxman told a gathering at the Security Now 2024 conference by Seclore here. "Who went to the press conference? It was Rohit Sharma. He accepted that 'yes, I misrea

Shakib unlikely to travel to Bangladesh for his final Test due to protests

Bangladesh's premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is unlikely to travel to his native country for his final Test match, against South Africa in Mirpur, Dhaka from October 21-25, due to protests against him in the city. Shakib was included in the Bangladesh squad for the first Test against the Proteas, which was going to be his final appearance in the format. "I am not sure where I am going next, but it is almost sure that I am not going home," Shakib told ESPNcricinfo. Shakib had been apprehensive about returning to Bangladesh because of concerns about his family's safety. Besides being a star cricketer, Shakib is an ex-lawmaker in the government ousted by a revolution in August. The 37-year-old announced his retirement from international cricket last month but said that he wanted to play one last Test series at home, following which he was included in the squad for the two Tests against South Africa. He was one of 147 people named in an FIR for an alleged murder during the ...

Made mistake in reading pitch: Captain Rohit takes onus of 46 all out vs NZ

Rohit took the onus for the team batting first and said that electing to bat first was not exactly the right decision to make at that time.

PAK-ENG 2nd Test highlights: Pakistan snap 11-match losing streak at home

Pakistani spinners Nauman Ali and Sajid Khan shared all 20 wickets of England in the second Test to level the three-match series 1-1

IND vs NZ: Rishabh Pant's knee injury raises concerns - here's the Latest

Pant would not come out for keeping on Day 3. Reserve keeper Dhruv Jurel was seen doing the keeping drills ahead of the start of the play and he was the man behind wickets for India.

IND vs NZ: Kiwi pacer Matt Henry delighted with fifer against India

Pacer Matt Henry was chuffed to walk back with a five-for on Thursday, but said New Zealand will have to keep India under the cosh for the rest of the first Test to emerge on the right side of the result. Henry and his pace colleague William O'Rourke, who took four wickets, bundled out India for 46, their lowest Test innings total at home on the second day of the first match here. "It's a pretty special achievement to get a fifer in India. They're pretty tough to get, but I think, more importantly, we've put our team in a good position in the Test match. But we can't be complacent and we've got to keep mounting pressure on them," said Henry in the post-day press meet. "We talked about being relentless with the ball, and being patient. I think that was probably something that we looked to do, and thankfully it came off," he added. Henry was absolutely stoked for O'Rourke, his teammate from Canterbury, as he kept India on the ropes throughout their innings. "His height's the X facto

India vs New Zealand HIGHLIGHTS 1st Test Day 4: Heavy rain stops play in Bengaluru

IND vs NZ 1st Test Day 4 LIVE SCORE UPDATES: Team India couldn't manage to extend their lead as much as they wanted with quick wickets from the Kiwis bowling them out at 462 on the day.

India vs New Zealand 1st Test: Bengaluru weather forecast on October 17

After a washed-out day one, the first Test between India and New Zealand has a high chance of interrupted play on day two in Bengaluru

There was pressure to perform after replacing a player like Babar: Ghulam

Pakistan batter Kamran Ghulam, who on Tuesday scored a resolute century on Test debut, said there was immense pressure on him to perform after taking Babar Azam's place in the team, adding that his perseverance in domestic cricket for the last four years had finally paid off. Ghulam's ton came on a tricky recycled wicket here as Pakistan scored 259 for 5 at stumps on Day 1 of the second Test against England. Replacing Babar at No. 4, Ghulam made a patient 118 off 224 balls and became the 13th Pakistan batsman to score a century on Test debut and the first to do so against England. "It has been frustrating waiting for nearly four years to finally get a chance to play for Pakistan. I had so much passion and wanted to do well when I got the chance," Kamran told the media. "I waited patiently as I knew sooner or later I would get my chance. I think years of grinding it out in domestic cricket has given me the temperament and skills to play on all sorts of pitches and all types of ...

IND vs NZ: KL Rahul returns to home ground for third time in Test cricket

It's always special to return to the place where it all began and senior India batter KL Rahul is feeling the same as he takes guard one more time at the hallowed Chinnaswamy Stadium here for India's first Test against New Zealand beginning Wednesday. Rahul cut his teeth at the very same venue as a 11-year-old boy and he is now one of India's key batters. "It's always special for me to come back here, to your home ground, the place where you grew up and played all your cricket," Rahul said in a video posted by the BCCI on its social media handle. "The first match when I played here was when I was 11 and half years old. I am 32 now and so a lot has changed. But the feeling of an 11-year-old boy who came here first time, played a game, that feeling has not changed, I still remember it so many years later." Rahul is set to play his third Test here. He scored 90 and 51 as an opener in India's 75-run win against Australia in March 2017 and made 54 as No. 3 batter in the team's innings a

IND vs NZ: Online ticket sales for 3rd Test in Mumbai to start on Oct 18

Online ticket sales for the third and final Test between India and New Zealand, scheduled to take place from November 1-5 at the Wankhede Stadium, will begin on Friday. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) announced the date of ticket sale after its apex council meeting here on Tuesday. The apex council unanimously agreed on the proposal made by MCA president Ajinkya Naik that free passes for the Test match should be given to children from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation schools as well as the semifinalists of the Harris and Giles Shield tournaments. The upcoming contest between India and New Zealand will be the first Test in three years at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, with these two teams facing off here in December 2021 last. The season pass for the North Stand, the Sachin Tendulkar Stand as well as the Vijay Merchant Stand for general public will be of Rs 1500. For the Sunil Gavaskar Stand, the price will be Rs 325 (east lower) and Rs 625 (east upper).

Keeping Bumrah quiet will go a long way in winning vs India: Cummins

Australia will have to find a way to keep Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah quiet if they are to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, reckoned captain Pat Cummins on Tuesday as they draw comfort from success in last two ICC finals against their fierce rivals. The world's top two Test teams will clash in a five-match affair starting on November 22 in Perth and India will enter the contest having held the trophy for nearly a decade, which includes winning two consecutive series Down Under. "I'm a big fan of Bumrah. I think he's a fantastic bowler. Hopefully, if we can keep him quiet, that is going to go a long way to winning the series," Cummins said on the Star Sports Press Room. "Alongside him, he has got some other guys who haven't played a lot over here in Australia (that) we haven't seen a lot of. We'll see how it goes," he added. Cummins said Australia will lean on happy memories of winning the last two ICC finals -- World Test Championship and ODI World Cup -- against Rohit ...

IND vs NZ: Bumrah has always been in our leadership group - Rohit

India skipper Rohit Sharma on Tuesday vindicated Jasprit Bumrah's promotion as the vice-captain for the three-Test series against New Zealand, terming the lead pacer as an integral part of the leadership group who has a lot of "understanding" of the game. Bumrah's elevation to vice-captaincy for the Test series, beginning here on Wednesday, came as a bit of surprise as India did not have a deputy to Rohit in the recent series against Bangladesh. The decision has been viewed as a precursor to Bumrah stepping in as India's skipper during the tour to Australia. PTI had reported on October 10 that Rohit is set to miss at least one Test Down Under due to personal reasons. Look, Bumrah has played a lot of cricket. I've played a lot of cricket with him. He understands the game pretty well. He's got a good head on his shoulder. When you talk to him, he understands the game, Rohit told reporters during his pre-match press meet after rain hampered India's training session. Tactically, I can

India vs New Zealand 1st Test playing 11: Sarfaraz replaces Shubman Gill

Led by Tom Latham, New Zealand will be hoping to get their first away Test series win in three years. However, they are up against a formidable Indian side, who haven't lost at home since 2012.

IND vs NZ: Won't try to focus too much on the opposition - Rohit Sharma

Having been undefeated in Tests at home since 2012, India will go into the match with a lot of confidence. On the other hand, the Kiwis have not won an away Test series in 3 years.

India vs New Zealand HIGHLIGHTS 1st Test Day 1: Play called off due to heavy rain in Bengaluru

IND vs NZ 1st Test Day 1 HIGHLIGHTS: The day's play has finally been called off due to heavy rain in Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

IND vs NZ, 1st Test: Bengaluru weather hourly forecast and rain prediction

With heavy rains in the morning not allowing both sets of players to train just a day ahead of the 1st Test, the weather forecasts have predicted that rain could play spoilsport on Day 1 of the match.

IND vs NZ: New Zealand pacer Ben Sears ruled out of Test series with injury

Uncapped bowler Jacob Duffy has been named as his replacement and will fly out to the subcontinent for the 1st Test in Bengaluru.

IND vs NZ, 1st Test: Kohli, Rohit eye consistent run in Bengaluru for India

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, the torchbearers of transition, will have to be India's driving force in their quest to lord over an unsettled New Zealand in a three-Test series, beginning here with the first match here on Wednesday. The baton has not been completely passed, but Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are certainly running their last lap and these two young superstars will have to show that they can carry forward the legacy of the titans. The signs, so far, are bright. Since a productive series against England earlier this year, Gill is now more familiar and comfortable with the rigours of Test cricket. His last 10 innings contain three hundreds and two fifties, while Jaiswal's last eight outings in Test cricket feature a 214 and five fifties. Those numbers are not to be scoffed at. But at the same time, it is important for them to build on the foundation through this series against the Kiwis, a precursor to the much tougher journey to Australia next month. Gill seemed to