ANDERSON’S LOVE FOR PULVERISING MIDDLE-ORDER CONTINUES

February 11, 2021

When pace bowler James Anderson was getting rid of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar in quick succession in the third Test in Mumbai to help England script a series-levelling win in 2006, Rishabh Pant, the last of his three victims on Tuesday, was still eight years old and over two...

Jadeja will be missed as Axar looks to replace him

February 3, 2021

With left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja out of India’s Test squad due to broken thumb, India could field another left-arm spinner Axar Patel for the first Test against England beginning February 5. The challenge for Patel will be matching his senior’s all-round ability and penchant for taking wickets on Indian pitches,...

ENGLAND SPINNERS’ TAP MAY RUN DRY ON INDIAN PITCHES

January 25, 2021

Touring England spinners’ failure to take a single wicket in hosts Sri Lankan first innings of the ongoing second Test in Galle, has put a question mark on their ability to perform in India when their four-Test tour begins early next month. While both off-spinner Dom Bess and left-arm spinner...

HANUMA VIHARI: A STORY OF GRIT FROM EARLY DAYS

January 13, 2021

Hanuma Vihari’s rearguard action on Monday in Sydney with a torn hamstring may have put on hold his Test career — he is likely to be ruled out of the fourth and final Test -- but it has certainly put him on a high pedestal and vindicated the faith regular...

RISHABH PANT, INDIA’S X-FACTOR, REDISCOVERS SELF

January 12, 2021

While Rishabh Pant’s wicket-keeping skill set is not up to scratch and he may have struggled to make it to the limited-overs squads for the series preceding the Tests against Australia, his aggressive batting is turning out to be the X-factor for India a la Virender Sehwag. The 23-year-old left-hander’s...

Bumrah’s mind, body set for the bigger tests

January 1, 2021

NEW DELHI: Jasprit Bumrah, who will now be the only pace bowler remaining from the India squad of 2018-19 that won the Test series in Australia, will have his hands full going into the last two Tests of the series being the senior-most bowler despite having played just 16 Tests...

DEBUTANTS GILL AND SIRAJ IMPRESS WITH BOLDNESS, SELF-ASSURANCE

December 30, 2020

NEW DELHI: India’s biggest take away from the second Test apart from the series-equalling win was the ability of debutants Shubman Gill (45 and 32 not out) and Mohammed Siraj (2/40 and 3/37) to step in and perform with self-assurance. Although they didn’t get the big numbers, the two did...

Indian batsmen need to learn to adapt, move feet: Gaekwad

December 23, 2020

NEW DELHI: Feet movement is the malaise plaguing Indian batsmen at the moment, and the ability or inability to move the feet is all part of the mindset, said Anshuman Gaekwad, a former India batsman who stood tall against a barrage of short-pitched bowling by the West Indies pace attack...

TIME INDIA’S COACHING STAFF TOO IS MADE ANSWERABLE

December 22, 2020

NEW DELHI: Ever since Ravi Shastri and his support staff took over the reins of the Indian cricket team in August 2014, following India’s disappointing loss to England in the Test series, the national team’s overseas performance -- in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia, also known as SENA...

ASHWIN LEARNS LESSONS FROM THE PAST, SHINES IN ADELAIDE

December 19, 2020

NEW DELHI:Having had the experience of bowling at the Adelaide Oval just two years ago and touring Australia four times over the last decade, R Ashwin was on the money from the start during the second day’s play of the first Test as he picked four for 55 to record...