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Showing posts from February, 2025

Rohit set to play, but what about Shami – Stick or twist is the question for India

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Mohammed Shami and Rohit Sharma sweating it out in the practice session ahead of the New Zealand game. (Image: BCCI) The Champions Trophy match between India and New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday is effectively a dead rubber. Both teams have qualified for the semi-finals and the outcome of the game will only determine the group champions and runner-up. Last time when India played a global event in this part of the world—the 2021 T20 World Cup—they were all but out of the tournament after losing their first two games. Now, they have a happy problem to live with. Usually, teams don’t skip training on match eve. But the first semi-final, on February 4, comes on the heels of Sunday’s fixture, and after two hard training sessions, India have opted to cool their heels on Saturday. Accordingly, KL Rahul did the pre-match presser two days before the game, and the rotation question was asked. The wicketkeeper-batsman chose to be non-committal. “Luckily, I’m not in the leadership group to hav...

Can Smriti Mandhana’s RCB end Bengaluru leg on a high against DC?

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Smriti Mandhana for RCB and Meg Lanning for DC in the WPL 2025 (PC: BCCI) The last game of the Bengaluru leg in the WPL 2025 is set to take place as the home team Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) faces an in-form Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium today. RCB’s Struggles in Bengaluru It has been a nightmare for RCB since returning to their home venue. The defending champions started their title defence in style, securing two convincing wins in Vadodara. However, their homecoming has been disappointing, as they suffered three consecutive losses. As a result, with just four points, they sit in third place and will be desperate to end the home leg with a victory. A loss here could completely derail their campaign, with the upcoming legs in Lucknow and Mumbai posing new challenges. The Lucknow pitches are expected to be slow, favouring spin, which might not suit RCB’s batting-heavy, chase-preferred approach. Smriti Mandhana’s tough run as captain and batter For Smriti ...

India and New Zealand training sessions – What to make of Rohit Sharma’s fitness concerns?

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Rohit Sharma. Image: Rohit Juglan Bharath in Dubai ‘Where is Rohit Sharma?’ ‘Has Rohit come out for practice?’ ‘I still can’t seem to see Rohit.’ ‘Keep an eye on Rohit’ ‘Why hasn’t Rohit come out?’ From the volley of questions, it is crystal clear that the lenses of all the cameras and phones were zoomed in on one player, and that was Rohit Sharma. The simple reason behind the frenzy among the reporters at the ICC Academy was because Rohit had picked up a hamstring problem during the India-Pakistan encounter.  Around 15 minutes into the net session, Rohit slowly made his way into the middle. On expected lines, the cameras were zoomed in to observe whether he was wearing any protective gear. Yes, around his left thigh, one could notice a small strapping. The next question that flashes in the mind is did he partake in the training workshop? If the answer is yes, then for how long did he bat in the nets? What about the fielding drills? Rohit’s batting session started at around ...

India favourites to win Champions Trophy: Michael Clarke

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Boria Majumdar with Michael Clarke (PC: Boria Majumdar/X) Michael Clarke will be commentating on the IPL. His podcast, the Beyond 23 podcast, all of us watch. He’s spoken at length about the Champions Trophy and this interview is also leading into the Trailblazers Conclave. Question from Gargi Raut of RevSportz: If India wins the Champions Trophy, like the T20 World Cup, should Rohit Sharma retire on a high or would you want him to continue? I think it’s up to Rohit. I think with a lot of these senior players in all teams, not just India, when you’ve given so much to your country, you’ve played for such a long period of time and had so much success, you like to see them leave on their own terms. So I think that would really be determined by Rohit. If he feels like he’s had enough, then he has that option to retire. If he wants to continue to play, then I think he’s certainly still in good enough form to keep playing. Question from Rajarshi Ganguly, the sports editor of Sangbad ...

Tall, Fast, and Lethal – Will O’Rourke Ready to Test India’s Batting

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In pic: NZ’s fast bowler William O’Rourke (PC: X) Vaibhav Tripathi in Dubai Virat Kohli was seen defending off the back foot against the pacers in Wednesday’s net session. But he soon expanded his game, crunching a couple of pull shots. The focus of India’s premier batter was on short-of-a-good-length deliveries, fully aware of the challenge ahead as India face New Zealand next, a team boasting a lineup of tall fast bowlers.  Much of the build-up to this clash has revolved around New Zealand’s spinners testing India’s batting might. But Kohli’s session painted a different picture, one of calculated preparation against the fast-bowling challenge that lies ahead. Even in the absence of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, and Lockie Ferguson, the Black Caps possess a pace arsenal that is raw yet potent. And in that mix, Will O’Rourke stands out, bringing an extra edge to the contest.  Having announced himself on the Test stage against South Africa last year, O’Rourke’s rise has been...

Can Delhi Capitals stop Nat Sciver-Brunt’s all-round brilliance?

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Nat Sciver-Brunt with the bat for Mumbai Indians in the WPL (PC: WPL) Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals (DC) are set to face each other in a crucial fixture at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Both teams are in strong form, having secured three wins so far. MI, after four matches, lead the table with six points (three wins, one loss), while DC hold the second spot with the same points but have played an extra match (three wins, two losses). Both sides are coming off victories—MI defeated UP Warriorz, while DC overcame the Gujarat Giants (GG). Notably, both teams have only won while chasing this season, adding another layer of intrigue to this contest. It remains to be seen if either team can secure a win while defending a target. Previous encounter and Head-to-Head record The last clash between these two teams made headlines due to controversial run-out decisions. DC emerged victorious in that thrilling encounter, winning on the last ball with two wickets in hand. Overa...

Kohli is very much a feel player: Mike Hesson

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Left: Virat Kohli, Right: Mike Hesson. Images: Instagram Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai The name Mike Hesson is synonymous with how he and Brendon McCullum helped New Zealand resurrect their fortunes in the international arena. He also was the Director of Cricket at Royal Challengers Bengaluru and went on to serve as the head coach of Islamabad United. In this freewheeling interview, Hesson shares his thoughts on cricketers that he has worked with before – Virat Kohli, Mitchell Santner and co. He also delves deeper to analyse India and New Zealand, two of the form teams in the ongoing Champions Trophy. Excerpts: The other day, Virat Kohli played a superlative knock against Pakistan. You have seen him from close quarters. Can you just take us through how he goes about constructing an innings in limited-overs cricket? In terms of his preparation, he is very aware of the bowlers that he has to take on, on particular surfaces. Quite a lot of preparation goes into it, from thought process...

Team India Fine-Tunes Skills Ahead of New Zealand Clash

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Team India at a practice session (PC: Bharath Ramaraj) Vaibhav Tripathi in Dubai After a well-earned two-day break, Team India were back in action, gearing up for what promises to be a high-voltage clash against New Zealand. The day began with a heartwarming gesture as Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, and Arshdeep Singh were the first to arrive at the ICC Academy, not just to train but to share the joy of cricket with schoolchildren . As part of ICC’s Cricket for Good community program, they played, laughed, and handed out food hampers, creating memories beyond the boundary ropes.   Once the off-field commitments concluded, the focus shifted to the nets. The team bus rolled in, carrying all the players except for one notable absentee, Shubman Gill, raising a few eyebrows. Meanwhile, there was a familiar face rejoining the squad. Morne Morkel, back from South Africa, and Rishabh Pant, fresh from recovery, stepped onto the field, adding a sense of completeness to the camp...