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India back to their best: Batting clicks as ultra-aggressive approach powers 76-run win over Zimbabwe

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Incredible batting display in the IND vs ZIM match ( PC- Indian Cricket Team, Instagram) Team India stepped into their second Super 8 game against Zimbabwe with a plethora of changes to their Playing XI. Sanju Samson returned to the side in place of Rinku Singh, Axar Patel replaced Washington Sundar and Tilak Varma dropped down to No. 5 in the batting order. On a fresh wicket, Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to field. This was the first time in T20Is that India batted first at Chepauk and they put a mammoth 256 on the board, the highest total in the tournament. Unable to chase it down, Zimbabwe were handed a massive 76-run defeat. After posting 256, India took the field with confidence. Zimbabwe managed 44 runs in the powerplay, half of what India had scored, without losing a wicket. Following a dropped catch by Rinku, usually one of India’s safest fielders, Tadiwanashe Marumani fell to Axar Patel. India began with Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya, who bowled two overs each in the ...
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One bad night does not mean India are a broken team

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  Indian team players. Image: Debasis Sen Social media has been a case study since India lost to South Africa in Ahmedabad. Of course, it was a bad loss. India played poor cricket and the lack of application was glaring. But one bad game doesn’t make it a bad team. One bad night doesn’t make everyone a bad player. You read social media and you tend to think: how is it that any of these players got selected? It seems everyone outside the squad is actually better. Each player who isn’t part of the 15 is supposedly better than the ones picked. The entire discourse is like a conspiracy theory. Social media gives poison a platform and maybe that’s why it can’t be taken seriously. On my shows, the one recurring question is: will Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir be sacked if India doesn’t make the semi-final? It is as if the men and women asking this question want India to fail. It is as if they want Surya and Gautam to fail, and get sacked. There are still two games left and Indi...
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Ranji Trophy final: Paras Dogra Breaks Silence on Headbutt Row

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Dogra fought valiantly for his team with a 70-run knock on day 2. (PC: BCCI screengrab) Jammu & Kashmir skipper Paras Dogra defused the tension that arose due to his physical altercation with Karnataka’s KV Aneesh during the second day of the Ranji Trophy final in Hubballi on Wednesday. Dogra made headlines after he headbutted Aneesh when the latter said a few words that triggered the veteran batter. The flashpoint came in the 14th over of the morning session, when Dogra edged a ball past gully while clumsily attempting to deal with a sharply directed bouncer from Prasidh Krishna, who has three wickets sk far in the game. Aneesh, who was standing at silly point as a substitute, appeared to have sledged Dogra, which prompted the 41-year-old to charge at the Karnataka player. Senior Karnataka players such as KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and captain Devdutt Padikkal intervened, as did the umpires. Upon realising his mistake, Dogra raised his hand in apology and also apologised to An...
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SL vs NZ: “We decided slower is the plan” – Rachin Ravindra after dominating win in Colombo

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Rachin Ravindra (PC: X) Rachin Ravindra delivered a match-winning all-round performance to guide New Zealand to a commanding 61-run victory over Sri Lanka in their Super Eight clash of the ICC T20 World Cup on February 25 in Colombo. During the post-match presentation, Ravindra reflected on the win and said, “It’s always pleasing to take a win like that. Amazing, specially at their home, awesome performance. I guess understanding that slower was better, and a few stats were put out there… Under 85ks. Santner is obviously a master at that craft, so we decided slower is the plan.” Ravindra made an impact throughout the game. With the bat, he scored 32 off 22 balls and helped stabilise the innings. With the ball, he was equally effective, picking up four crucial wickets in his four overs while conceding just 27 runs. His spell broke the back of Sri Lanka’s batting line-up and earned him the Player of the Match award. Speaking about playing in Sri Lanka, Ravindra said, “The Sri Lanka...
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India Choose Process Over Panic Ahead of Zimbabwe Clash

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  Team India net session ahead of their second Super 8s clash against Zimbabwe. Image: Gargi Raut, Revsportz After the kind of defeat India suffered against South Africa, it would have been easy to panic and implement hurried tactical overhauls. But at Chepauk, ahead of their second Super 8s clash against Zimbabwe, India began their session with a light-hearted team activity. The practice reflected Suryakumar Yadav’s “We stay in the present” statement on the evening of the South Africa match. There was no visible agitation; the atmosphere surrounding the team was that of a side that believes in its process. Practice began as it usually does, with warm-ups and catching drills. This time, however, a light-hearted team activity was woven into the routine. It is a pattern that has become increasingly visible in India’s training sessions. After every significant loss or high-pressure encounter, the management makes it a point to reset the emotional temperature before anything else....
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Control the Controllables: India’s T20 World Cup Moment of Truth

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  Indian team during their practice session at Chepauk Stadium. Image: Gargi Raut, Revsportz Control the controllables. Don’t try to think about things that are not in your hands. Easier said than done, but that’s what India have to do. You can’t undo Ahmedabad. You can’t undo the negative net run rate. What you can do is win big and win every game from here on. Then let things pan out as they will. Trying to overthink or worry about other results won’t help; it will only impact India’s efforts against Zimbabwe and West Indies. Whoever watched the West Indies-Zimbabwe game will know how Shimron Hetmyer did not allow Sikandar Raza to settle. His first over went for 26, and that’s when the game was done. Yes, Hetmyer was dropped twice, and one of them was an easy chance. But he backed himself and did not go into a shell or try to anchor the innings. He chanced his arm, and it worked for him. We have heard a lot about fearless cricket. India need to play fearless cricket. Not ove...
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ENG vs PAK: Brook Shares Thoughts After Leading England into Semis with Blazing Ton 

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Harry_Brook (PC: ICC/X) England captain Harry Brook expressed his delight at their narrow two-wicket win over Pakistan in the Super Eight fixture, which secured them a place in the semi-finals of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony after being adjudged Player of the Match, Brook said: “Very happy with the way we played there. It’s just nice to get through to the semi-finals now. We’ve got one more game against New Zealand and we’ll focus on that, but the bigger prize is on the other side. In T20 cricket, getting early wickets is crucial. Jofra Archer has been brilliant – I think he’s taken eight powerplay wickets now. He’s been doing that for years and it really puts the opposition on the back foot.” Batting first, Pakistan got off to a poor start as the England bowlers made two early breakthroughs within the fourth over. After that, Sahibzada Farhan stitched together a 46-run partnership with Babar Azam, which provided some stabi...
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