Page 67 - Test Cricket

England call up uncapped spin duo of Hartley, Bashir for India Test series

England on Monday named four specialist spinners, including the uncapped duo of Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir, in the 16-member squad for next month's five-Test series in India. Off-spinners Hartley and Bashir were both part of the England Lions squad that trained in the United Arab Emirates last month. The 20-year-old Bashir, who plays for Somerset, has snapped 10 wickets in his six-match first-class career that began in June this year. The other two specialist spinners in the squad are Jack Leach, who has recovered from his back injury, and teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed. Ahmed returns to the Test squad after claiming a five-wicket haul on his Test debut in Pakistan last December. Surrey quick Gus Atkinson, who claimed 20 wickets in five County Championship matches last summer at an average of 20.20 helping Surrey claimed back-to-back titles, has also earned his maiden Test call. England skipper Ben Stokes, who underwent knee surgery after the World Cup, is also named in the s

India vs South Africa full schedule, squads, match timings, live streaming

India's tour of South Africa 2023-24: Check the IND vs SA full schedule, match timings according to IST. How to watch India vs South Africa matches in India for free

India vs England: Here's what coach McCullum said about India Tests in 2024

'Bazball' has changed the dynamics of England's batting approach in Test cricket and their Kiwi coach Brendon McCullum is very clear that irrespective of outcome, his team won't deviate from its aggressive tactics against India in the five-Test series, where most tracks will offer substantial turn. The term 'Bazball', coined after McCullum's nickname 'Baz' and the attacking philosophy that he endorses, has also found its pride of place in 'Collins dictionary'. The meaning of 'Bazball' is "a style of test cricket in which the batting side attempts to gain the initiative by playing in a highly aggressive manner." England will face India in five Tests at Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi and Dharamsala, starting January 25. "We have got a huge challenge against a very good Indian team in five Tests in India," McCullum said at the Royal Challengers Bangalore Innovation Lab's Leaders Meet India. "I am excited about it because you want to test yourself against the best side and

BAN vs NZ Test: Taijul's 10-wicket haul helps Tigers beat Kiwis by 150 runs

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam took his second 10-wicket haul in tests as Bangladesh secured a 150-run victory in the series-opening match against New Zealand on Saturday. Taijul followed his 4-109 with 6-75 in the second innings to wrap up New Zealand's innings for 181 in the first session of the final day, with the tourists chasing a target of 332 runs. Offspinner Nayeem Hasan complemented him with 2-40, while pacer Shoriful Islam (1-13) and offspinner Mehidy Hasan (1-44) contributed a wicket apiece. We are just thinking about the process, not the result, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said. We have so many test matches coming up. This win will give us a confidence to do well. "As I said earlier, we want to make winning a habit at home. Hopefully we will be able to continue the performance. Daryl Mitchell battled to top-score for the visitors with a patient 58 from 120 balls. Resuming at 113-7, Mitchell's presence gave New Zealand a slim hope of an unlikely victory and

Australia's hard-hitting batter Maxwell still hopes to return to Tests

Australia star allrounder Glenn Maxwell has said he has not yet 'given up' on his hopes for Test cricket following his spectacular performance in their ODI World Cup triumph. Maxwell has been in the form of his life, scoring a double century against Afghanistan in the World Cup and recently smashed a T20I hundred against India in their ongoing bilateral series. "I haven't given up on Tests," Maxwell was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald upon his arrival here after being released from the T20I squad. "I think I've just got to be realistic about the timings of the way I've been playing my white-ball cricket." Having made his Test debut against India in Hyderabad in 2013, the white-ball specialist has only played seven matches in his career and his last appearance was in 2017. He has a batting average of 26.07 and has taken eight wickets at 42.62. It remains to be seen if Maxwell is named in their Test squad for the three-match home series against Pakistan beginning at P

BAN vs NZ 1st Test: Taijul keeps Bangladesh ahead despite Williamson's ton

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam claimed 4-89 as Bangladesh dominated the second day of the opening test against New Zealand on Wednesday despite a century from Kane Williamson on a spin-friendly pitch. Williamson hit a 104 for his 29th century amid a relentless spin attack as New Zealand reached 266-8 at stumps, trailing by 44 runs. Bangladesh folded on its overnight score of 310 when skipper Tim Southee had Shoriful Islam out leg before wicket with the first ball of the morning. The home side's spinners got into act immediately, turning the balls admirably to trouble the New Zealand batters. Still, Williamson defied them with solid defence to keep the visitors in the game. He got support from Glenn Phillips (42) and Daryl Mitchell (41) before the Bangladeshi bowlers made inroads in the last hour with the second new ball. It is one of those surfaces where it is hard to get a rhythm. You will get some good balls as well. I thought the application was good, Williamson said. It would

Don't think anyone has right to choose farewell Tests: O'Donnell on Warner

Former Australian cricketer Simon O'Donnell is not in favour of opening batter David Warner getting a farewell Test, saying no one should have the right to pick and choose the venue and date of his choice. Warner, 37, had indicated earlier this year that he would like to finish his Test career at his home ground in Sydney against Pakistan in January next year. The all-format player will continue playing white-ball cricket but is planning to call it a day in the longest format with the three-Test series against Pakistan beginning on December 14 and concluding with the third Test in Sydney in January. "I don't like farewell tours. I didn't like it back in Steve Waugh's Day or Mark Taylor's Day. I think you're invited to play for Australia and it's an honour to do that," O'Donnell opined on Sen Radio on Friday. "I don't think anyone has the right to say, 'I'll finish, on the 30th of June this year'." Questioned if it was right to select the left-handed batter for the Test series base

West Indies vs India 2023: ICC rates pitches for both Tests as average

The International Cricket Council has come up with an "average" rating for the pitch at Windsor Park in Roseau, Dominica, which hosted the opening Test between West India and India in July. Jeff Crowe, the match referee for the Test, had initially given a "below average" rating for the track, which would have seen the venue receive a demerit point. While Cricket West Indies would have had the option to appeal Crowe's verdict in that case, it would have also had to explain to the ICC regarding the sub-standard of the pitch. The pitch was famous for being slow and its turns, as batting first, the hosts were bundled for 150, with veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bagging a fifer, while leg-spinner Ravindra Jadeja scalped three. The visitors managed well with the bat, putting on 421 for the loss of five wickets, thanks to openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma scoring 171 and 103, respectively. However, the Men in Blue ran havoc with the ball again in the second innings, with

Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga retires from Test cricket

Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga on Tuesday announced his retirement from Test cricket as he seeks to prolong his career in limited-over format of the game. The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said it has accepted the decision of the 26-year-old Hasaranga. We will accept his decision and are confident that Hasaranga will be a vital part of our white-ball programme going forward, said SLC CEO Ashley De Silva. Hasaranga made his Test debut against South Africa at Centurion in 2020, and played three more Tests thereafter. From four Tests, he took four wickets with his leg-spin. His last Test was against Bangladesh in Pallekele in 2021. However, Hasaranga continues to be a prominent figure for Sri Lanka in white ball formats as the spin spearhead and a handy lower-order batsman. From 48 ODIs, Hasaranga grabbed 67 wickets and made 832 runs with four fifties. Hasaranga has 91 wickets from 58 T20Is and amassed 533 runs with a fifty. The Lankan is also a much sought-after player in var

Marred by injury, England's Steven Finn retires from all forms of cricket

Former England pacer Steven Finn called time on his professional career, announcing retirement from all forms of cricket on Monday after "admitting defeat" to a chronic knee injury. A knee injury that he suffered almost a year ago kept him out of action, as he missed most of the activity this year, prompting him to end his 18-year career. In a statement issued by Sussex County Cricket Club, the 34-year-old Finn said, "Today, I am retiring from all forms of cricket with immediate effect. I have been fighting a battle with my body for the last 12 months and have admitted defeat to it." "To have played 125 games for England, including 36 Tests, far surpassed what I dreamed of. I want to thank Sussex Cricket for their support over the last 12 months especially and for welcoming me wholeheartedly into the Club at the beginning of last season." He added, "I retire with some amazing memories with England, Middlesex and Sussex, shared with fantastic people. Those will live with me ...

Nasser Hussain feels India need all-rounder like Stokes to excell overseas

India lacking a seam bowler who can also bat is the crucial ingredient missing on the team's overseas assignments, feels former England captain Nasser Hussain, and adds that someone like a Ben Stokes or a Cameron Green can be the winning formula for the side on foreign tours. India lost their second consecutive World Test Championship (WTC) final to Australia recently and Hussain said that Rishabh Pant was being sorely missed by India, hoping that the wicketkeeper-batter returns to the side sooner rather than later as he is a "massive miss at the moment". "They (India) are brilliant at home... and the balance of their side at home is just wonderful," Hussain said in the ICC Review on Wednesday. "(However) An Indian cricketer at the moment, a (Ben) Stokes type cricketer, a Cameron Green type cricketer, a Mitchell Marsh type cricketer, a batter at No.6 or No.7, away from home, that can bowl you 10 or 15 overs of genuine wicket-taking seam and swing, not a bowler who bats a bit, a batt

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur wants more Tests for Indian women's cricket team

Emphasising the importance of long format in women's cricket, India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has called for more international and domestic red-ball fixtures. In the current Future Tours Programme (FTP) cycle that goes on from 2022-25, Indian women's team will play the fewest Test matches among the four sides competing in the longest format. "This year we have two Tests - one against England and one against Australia - and I hope those games can make a huge impact on women's cricket and hopefully in the future we will keep getting more Test matches. "We have to bring back Test matches in women's cricket because it's very important for women's cricket," Kaur said on 'Sky Sports Cricket Podcast'. India are scheduled to play only a couple of Test matches -- both at home in the 2023-24 season against England and Australia. Their last Test was in 2021 in Australia. England will play the most Tests -- five -- and Australia and South Africa four and three each. "As a player, I definitel

Bazball: England's Zak Crawley looks to test India with new batting style

The swashbuckling opener Zak Crawley said England's upcoming tour to India in January -March 2024 presents them with an 'amazing opportunity' to showcase 'Bazball' but adapting to conditions will be the key. India will host England in a five-match Test series next year, and talks are already on about whether the latter would be able to follow their aggressive brand of cricket on Indian pitches. The series, for the Anthony de Mello Trophy, gets underway in Hyderabad with the first Test scheduled from January 25-29, the second Test is at Visakhapatnam (February 2-6), the third at Rajkot (February 15-19), the fourth at Ranchi (February 23-27) and the fifth and final Test at Dharamsala (March 7-11). "I don't really know much about their grounds," Crawley was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo after the conclusion of the Ashes series against Australia. Among the five venues, the last time Hyderabad and Rajkot hosted a Test was in 2018, while Ranchi and Visakhapatnam last played hosts in .

Ajinkya Rahane pulls out of county stint with Leicestershire citing break

Senior India batter Ajinkya Rahane will not join English county side Leicestershire as planned earlier as he wants a break from cricket after hectic international engagements, the club said. The 35-year-old Rahane was to join the county club in June but his arrival was pushed back due to increased international commitments. He flew straight to England after the IPL for the World Test Championship final, before heading on India's Test tour of the West Indies this month. The club said with those involvements previously not factored into his schedule, Rahane has now expressed his desire to take a break from cricket during August and September, meaning he will not feature for Leicestershire as planned. "Firstly, we are fully understanding of Ajinkya's situation. He has experienced a hectic schedule in recent months, both in India and travelling with the national team, and we accept his wishes to recover and spend some time with his family," Director of Cricket Claude Henderson said in a

IND vs WI 2nd Test: Siraj bamboozles Windies, records best figures in Tests

With this five-wicket haul (5/60 in 23.4 overs), Mohammed Siraj registered his best figures in Test cricket. He bettered his previous best of 5/73 achieved against Australia in 2021

100th IND vs WI Test: Watch Dravid, Rohit and Virat explain its importance

The second Test between India and West Indies in Port of Spain, Trinidad, will become the 100th between the two sides in a cricket relationship that started way back in 1948

BCCI to get $230 million share from ICC, PCB fumes at being offered just 5%

The BCCI will earn USD 230 million with its 38.5 percent of share in ICC's total revenue in the 2024-27 cycle. PCB has expressed displeasure at being offered just 5.75 percent of the overall sum

IND vs WI: Don't judge Gill's batting position after one innings - Rathour

Shubman Gill has requisite attributes to bat at the crucial number three slot in Indian Test line-up as he can shift gears as per requirement and shouldn't be judged on the basis of one failure, batting coach Vikram Rathour said on Sunday. India won the first Test against the West Indies by an innings and 141 runs but Gill's first game as No. 3, replacing the dogged Cheteshwar Pujara, didn't start well. He was out for only 6 in India's only innings as skipper Rohit Sharma and debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal struck hundreds and Virat Kohli contributed 76. "Three openers were supposed to play, so one had to go at No. 3 and the proposal came from Shubman's end as his rationale was that he had played all his cricket for Punjab and India A at either No. 3 or 4 and that's his real slot in longer format is that," Rathour said during a press conference. "We can't judge him on basis of one innings. He has a lot of time. He has the technique and temperament to play time if required and can also pla

WATCH IND vs WI 1st Test highlights; Ashwin bags 12 as India maul Windies

West Indies batters tried to show some grit and determination in the second innings, but they were no match to the class of R Ashwin on a deteriorating pitch.

India Vs West Indies: India in driving seat after Day 1 of 1st Test

India is in the driving seat after Day 1 of 1st test against West Indies restricting the hosts at 150. Rohit-Jaiswal stood firmly as team India scored 80 runs without losing any wickets