December has brought the Men in Blue a chance to etch their names in history by capping off perhaps the most iconic year for the country in Tests
The year started for India with a historic Test series win Down Under brought about by conquering the Australian fortress of Gabba in what will go down as one of the defining moments in the country’s rich cricket history. The team’s legacy grew stronger with two Test wins in England, albeit the dreaded coronavirus kept them from finishing what they started. Nevertheless, the undeterred contingent went on to conquer the World Test Champions New Zealand in phenomenal fashion, catapulting themselves back to number one in the ICC Test rankings.
Now, December has brought the Men in Blue a chance to etch their names in history by capping off perhaps the most iconic year for the country in Tests, as they land in South Africa for a highly anticipated battle against the Proteas.
It has been a tense few days for Indian cricket, with its enigmatic skipper Virat Kohli and the BCCI engaged in a cold war of sorts ahead of the crucial tour. With captaincy changing hands in ODIs and Rohit Sharma being appointed the sole white-ball captain, off-field drama has somewhat overshadowed the sheer potential of the upcoming series.
The last time India toured South Africa was for the three-Test Freedom Trophy in 2017/18, and the hosts won the first two games to take an unassailable lead. It was their sixth series win at home against India of the seven times the two have played since 1992, with only the 2010/11 encounter ending in a 1-1 draw. While it was an incredible feat by the Indian team back then considering they went up against the strongest South African Test side ever assembled in the midst of a historic run that saw them claim the ICC mace, the latest tour was where India really achieved some unprecedented marks.
The 2017/18 tour saw the Indian pace quartet of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Ishant Sharma, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar dominate the opposition batsmen in frequent spells on wickets that were alien to them. They outperformed the opposition bowlers for large parts, but their inexperience and naivety often shone through the cracks and helped deliver the series to the Proteas. Even so, it was the beginning of the Indian era of domination on foreign seaming wickets, an event that has been years in the making under the tutelage of Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri which finally came alive in 2021.
However, for India to have success, they will need to find a solution to their middle-order conundrum sooner rather than later. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill have been ruled out from the series, leaving the Indian top-order short of options. The former will be especially missed by the visitors, given his experience playing in different conditions and the recent surge in the form he has displayed in red-ball cricket. Even so, more worrying is the lack of runs from the men that follow them.
Ajinkya Rahane has had nothing short of a disastrous year, one that saw him lose his spot as Test vice-captain. Cheteshwar Pujara has been nowhere near the lofty standards we are accustomed to seeing him achieve, while skipper Virat Kohli has been struggling for big scores himself.
However, they’ll take solace in the performances of Shreyas Iyer on his debut, registering a century and a half-century to steer the team to victory. While Iyer made the headlines, a steadfast Hanuma Vihari silently plied his trade in South Africa, battling the A team in preparation for this tour. He did exceedingly well, accumulating 227 runs across five innings at an average of over 75 runs. Even though one faced completely different conditions that will be on offer while the other played a second-string bowling attack, there is no denying the talent the two possess and their ability to be an anchor in that Indian lineup. All the team will be needing is one of them to click in the crucial moments, as long as the top order continues to exhibit its superlative form.
With the frontline Indian seamers fit and match ready while South Africa’s pace attack only features one truly fearsome name in the form of Kagiso Rabada, now that Anrich Nortje has been ruled out, this is unquestionably India’s best chance to win a Test series in South Africa. They have already done the seemingly impossible against Australia, before valiantly staging a comeback to take the series lead in England; and stand ever so close to ticking off three from the SENA checklist. Under the guidance of newly anointed coach Rahul Dravid, will India finally script history in South Africa? It is for the brave to speculate, but it is difficult to deny they go into the series as the firm favourites.
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In the IPL 2024 encounter between Rajasthan Royals and SunRisers Hyderabad, Sunil Gavaskar's praise for a star player despite a missed catch adds intrigue. Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar Kumar's last-ball heroics secure a thrilling win for SunRisers Hyderabad, with Pat Cummins highlighting the team's resilience.
During the IPL 2024 match between Rajasthan Royals and SunRisers Hyderabad, Sunil Gavaskar paid homage to a star player despite a rare slip-up. Travis Head's innings for SRH could have been cut short early on if not for Riyan Parag's dropped catch, leaving Gavaskar astonished. Known for his consistency, Gavaskar likened the player's reliability to that of the Reserve Bank of India, making the missed catch a noteworthy moment.
Sunil Gavaskar hinted at an Indian team call-up for Riyan Parag after his impressive knock against the on Wednesday in IPL 2024!
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Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar Kumar's stellar performance sealed a sensational one-run victory for SRH. Despite defending 12 runs in the final over, Bhuvneshwar remained focused on executing his plan, ultimately clinching victory with a last-ball wicket. His remarkable bowling, coupled with solid contributions from Travis Head and Nitish Kumar Reddy with the bat, secured the win for SRH.
SRH captain Pat Cummins expressed delight at ending their losing streak, attributing the victory to the team's resilience. However, Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson acknowledged the unpredictable nature of the IPL, highlighting the fine margins between victory and defeat. Despite the loss, Samson commended the young duo of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag for their efforts in resurrecting the Royals' innings after early setbacks.
Last Updated Dec 28, 2021, 3:52 PM ISTFormer cricket star Dale Steyn sparks conversation with his proposal to introduce baseball-style rules to cricket, following a contentious LBW decision during an IPL match. Steyn's suggestion aims to address confusion and ensure fairness in similar scenarios in the future.
Former South African cricketer Dale Steyn has proposed a solution inspired by baseball's rules after a contentious LBW decision in the IPL 2024 sparked debate. In a match between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), SRH clinched a narrow victory by one run, with Rovman Powell's unsuccessful LBW review on the final ball raising questions about the outcome.
Despite Powell's unsuccessful review, according to ICC's Appendix D rule, the ball is deemed dead once the umpire signals out. This means that even if Powell's review had been successful, it would not have changed the match result.
Steyn suggested adopting a baseball-style approach where the ball remains live until play stops, allowing for continuous action. He proposed addressing LBW or caught decisions after the play, ensuring clarity and minimizing confusion.
Following RR's loss, captain Sanju Samson acknowledged the unpredictable nature of IPL matches, emphasising the need to secure victory until the final moment.
Also Read: West Indies keeper, Devon Thomas receives five-year ban for Anti-Corruption breaches
Last Updated Dec 28, 2021, 3:52 PM ISTWest Indian cricketer Devon Thomas has been handed a five-year ban from all cricket by the ICC after admitting to breaching anti-corruption codes across various cricket leagues, including Sri Lanka Cricket, Emirates Cricket Board, and the Caribbean Premier League.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Thursday that Devon Thomas, the 34-year-old West Indian wicketkeeper-batter, has been banned from all cricket for five years. Thomas admitted to breaching seven counts of the anti-corruption codes of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
JUST IN: West Indies batter Devon Thomas has been banned for five years after admitting to seven counts of breaching anti-corruption rules at the Lanka Premier League, Abu Dhabi T10 and the Caribbean Premier League pic.twitter.com/LHjwjxGyLH
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo)Having made his international debut in 2009, Thomas has represented West Indies in 1 Test, 21 ODIs, and 12 T20Is, with his last appearance dating back to August 2022.
Alex Marshall, the ICC General Manager - Integrity Unit, stated, "Having played both international and professional domestic/franchise cricket, Devon attended numerous anti-corruption education sessions. He therefore knew what his obligations were under the Anti-Corruption Codes but failed to meet these obligations across three different franchise leagues. This ban is apt and should send a strong message to players and corrupters that attempts to corrupt our sport will be dealt with firmly."
The ban, which includes the suspension of the last 18 months, is effective from May 23, 2023, the date Thomas was provisionally suspended. The sanctions were imposed for violating various codes of conduct, including contriving or attempting to fix matches, failing to disclose corrupt conduct, and obstructing anti-corruption investigations, across multiple cricket leagues.
Also Read: 'I was detached from the result' - Bhuvneshwar Kumar's last-over approach against SRH
Last Updated Dec 28, 2021, 3:52 PM ISTIndian seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar's composed performance under pressure leads Sunrisers Hyderabad to a thrilling victory over Rajasthan Royals, while batsman Riyan Parag reflects on the team's batting collapse and T20 World Cup prospects.
Veteran Indian seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar showcased a remarkable display of composure as he defended 12 runs in the final over against Rajasthan Royals on Thursday. Despite the pressure, Bhuvneshwar maintained a detached mindset, focusing solely on executing his skills rather than worrying about the outcome.
Speaking after the game, Bhuvneshwar emphasized the importance of the process over the result. "I was literally thoughtless, I was not thinking about the result. I was just trying to do what I can do," he stated. With the match hanging in the balance and an extra fielder forced onto the boundary due to slow over rate penalties, Bhuvneshwar's task was challenging. However, he remained unfazed, delivering a low full toss on the final ball that resulted in a crucial lbw dismissal.
Reflecting on his exceptional performance with the new ball, Bhuvneshwar expressed his delight at swinging the ball early on in the innings, reminiscent of his prime days. He attributed his success to enjoying the swinging conditions and seizing the opportunity to take early wickets.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals' batsman Riyan Parag addressed concerns about the team's batting collapse in the slog overs. Despite a strong start, Parag acknowledged the disciplined bowling performance by Sunrisers Hyderabad, particularly praising Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, and Pat Cummins for their effective execution under pressure.
While Parag has been in impressive form this season, he remained grounded about his chances of national selection for the T20 World Cup. Nonetheless, he expressed happiness for his teammates, particularly Sanju Samson, who received a call-up to the national squad, highlighting the collective goal of bringing the World Cup home.
Last Updated Dec 28, 2021, 3:52 PM IST