Anil Kumble | Sportzwiki

Anil Kumble

Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma | AFP
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Rohit Sharma Opens Up On Unfolded Events During 20th Over Of India’s Win Vs Pakistan In 2007 T20I WC

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Rohit Sharma recounted the events that unfolded during the last over of India’s victory in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. He recollected how teammate Yuvraj Singh turned the other way, afraid to look up as he expected S Sreesanth might drop the catch.

Six runs were required off the final four deliveries when Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul-Haq attempted to scoop the ball over the short fine leg off the bowling of Joginder Sharma. S Sreesanth completed the catch on the edge of the circle to clinch the inaugural T20 World Cup title for India.

S Sreesanth Taking A Catch As India Won 2007 T20I WC Pic Source: T20 World Cup
S Sreesanth Taking A Catch As India Won 2007 T20I WC Pic Source: T20 World Cup

Rohit Sharma: The Moment Misbah-ul-Haq Played The Shot, Yuvraj Singh Turned Around To Not Watch Fearing S Sreesanth May Drop It

Rohit Sharma narrated the events to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup website. He was fielding at the cover at the time and saw Yuvraj Singh turn around at point as the ball went up.

“I was standing at covers that particular ball. Yuvi was at point. The moment Misbah played that shot, I saw Yuvi turning around. He was not watching because he thought he was going to drop it,” Rohit Sharma said.

Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni celebrate the 2007 T20 World Cup win © Getty Images
Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, and MS Dhoni celebrate the 2007 T20 World Cup win © Getty Images.

The Indian team for T20I World Cup 2007 was fairly young, captained by a 26-year-old MS Dhoni. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble, and Zaheer Khan had opted out of the tournament. MS Dhoni, who was on the rise, was given the reins of the team, and he created history with a bunch of youngsters. India defeated Pakistan in the final, played in Johannesburg, to claim the inaugural T20 World title.

Rohit Sharma Felt Surreal To Be Part Of India-Pakistan Final Match At 2007 T20I WC

The current Indian vice-captain reckons that S Sreesanth wouldn’t have experienced as much pressure in his life as he would have when the ball came at him.

“I was praying that just catch it. He didn’t have to move much. It was just there. He just moved two, three steps back and took it. It was the most pressure catch that he must have taken in his life.”

“At the stadium, you could only see India and Pakistan fans. I think more was India. Now, it feels surreal. It’s just unbelievable what we did on that day.”

2007 World T20 winning Indian team. Credits: Getty Images
2007 World T20 winning Indian team. Credits: Getty Images

The 34-year-old added that performing for India in the World Cup final at that point felt like a dream.

“I was 20 years old at that point and for me, to be in the final of the World Cup, of an inaugural T20 World Cup, was itself a great deal. And then to be playing the finals, and just going out there, scoring runs and taking catches and taking wickets, and seeing all the magic happen on the field was like a dream.”

India and Pakistan will once again face each other in a T20I World Cup when they play their opening match of the Super 12 stage on Sunday in the 2021 edition.

Yuvraj Singh featured in two World Cup wins for India (T20 World Cup in 2007 and ODI World Cup in 2011). In the 2007 T20 World Cup, Yuvraj Singh scored only 148 runs in the tournament, with two fifties. But he got those runs at a strike rate close to 195. In the tournament, his 12-ball half-century against England remains the fastest fifty in international cricket as he hit 6 sixes in one over off Stuart Broad.

With 362 runs at an average of 90.5 and 15 wickets at an average of 25.13, he was a key player in India’s second ODI World Cup Win after a hiatus of 28 years, and deservingly won the Player of the Tournament award.

India squad for T20 World Cup 2007: MS Dhoni (captain and wicket-keeper), Yuvraj Singh (vice-captain), Ajit Agarkar, Piyush Chawla, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Joginder Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, RP Singh, S. Sreesanth, Robin Uthappa

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VVS Laxman Not Interested In Taking Up Post Of National Cricket Academy Head

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VVS Laxman, a former Indian middle-order batsman was approached by the BCCI for taking over the role as head of the National Cricket Academy but he was not interested in the post.

VVS Laxman has refused the post of head of the National Cricket Academy after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) approached the former India batsman. The BCCI will now continue their search for the vacant post with current incumbent Rahul Dravid touted to take over as the senior men’s team’s head coach after the upcoming T20 World Cup.

VVS Laxman. (File Photo: IANS)
VVS Laxman. (File Photo: IANS)

VVS Laxman Not Interested To Be Head Of National Cricket Academy

The BCCI is on the search for a candidate for NCA head who has made a significant contribution to Indian cricket, a source in the know of the developments claims. VVS Laxman is a batting consultant for Bengal in domestic cricket and is also a team mentor for SunRises Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.

In addition to this, the 46-year-old is regarded as one of the greatest Indian Test batsmen of all time, scoring 8781 runs in 134 matches with 17 centuries. The BCCI will continue the process after VVS Laxman’s refusal, the source further said.

Rahul Dravid Photo Credit: PTI
Rahul Dravid Photo Credit: PTI

Former captain Rahul Dravid, who was also a longtime teammate of VVS Laxman in the Indian team, is set to replace Ravi Shastri as head coach. Ravi Shastri’s contract as head coach of the Indian team is set to end after the T20 World Cup. India faces Pakistan in their first match of the tournament on October 24 and the final of the tournament is scheduled to be played on November 14.

Ravi Shastri’s Final Tournament As Indian Head Coach Will Be The 2021 T20I WC

Rahul Dravid is likely to take over as the head coach in November and will be appointed on a two-year contract till the 2023 ODI World Cup. The T20 World Cup 2021 will be Ravi Shastri’s final tournament as the head coach of the team. India will begin their campaign against Pakistan in Dubai on October 24.

Ravi Shastri. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Ravi Shastri. (Photo Source: Twitter)

BCCI on Sunday (October 17) also invited applications for the head coach post of the Indian team and several other positions. Along with the post of head coach of the Indian team, BCCI has also invited applications for the posts of batting coach, bowling coach, and fielding coach.

The tenures of Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun, and R Sridhar are all ending after India’s T20 World Cup campaign. Meanwhile, Indian batting coach Vikham Rathour is eligible for another stint with the Indian team.

Ravi Shastri took over the reins from Anil Kumble in 2017 after India’s loss in the Champions Trophy final and has had his share of highs and lows during his tenure. It is almost certain that Rahul Dravid will be coaching the Indian team till the 2023 World Cup after taking over from Ravi Shastri.

Rahul Dravid’s first assignment as Team India coach will be India’s home series against New Zealand which will start three days after the T20 World Cup ends. His contract will run till the end of the 50-over World Cup in 2023. His contract is reportedly worth Rs 10 crores.

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Ravi Shastri. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Ravi Shastri. (Photo Source: Twitter)
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BCCI To Start Process To Find A New Coach Before T20I World Cup 2021

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BCCI would’ve started the process of finding a new coach when present head coach Ravi Shastri will assemble the Indian team for his last assignment as head coach of the Indian team for the 2021 T20I World Cup. The BCCI is close to finalizing the documentation and the criteria for the next support staff and is likely to come out with an advertisement this week.

Along with Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar’s contracts also end in November. India is due to play a full series against New Zealand at home from November 17, which is three days after the T20 World Cup final in Dubai.

BCCI (File Photo| PTI)
BCCI (File Photo| PTI)

BCCI Keen To Bring In The New Coach During New Zealand Series Before South Africa Tour

Former Indian cricketers Anil Kumble and VVS Laxman are in contention for the next chief coach of Team India. According to the reports, the BCCI may mull over appointing big names like Anil Kumble and VVS Laxman for the head coach role.

Anil Kumble served as the chief coach for one year in 2016-17 before he gave up after a fallout with the skipper Virat Kohli. Besides Anil Kumble, the BCCI may also approach VVS Laxman, who has been the mentor of Sunrisers Hyderabad since the IPL 2013 season.

“The process of hiring the next support staff will start this week. The board is looking at October 14 to come out with the advertisement. The board is keen to bring in the new coach during the New Zealand series so that he gets used to the dressing room before the team leaves for South Africa in the second week of December,” a top BCCI official told TOI.

VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble (Photo Source: Twitter)
VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble (Photo Source: Twitter)
According to sources, BCCI has been in touch with the former cricketers’ Anil Kumble and VVS Laxman to know if they are interested in the job.

“These are very early stages. There could be more big names applying for the job. The board will wait to see who all apply and then decide on pursuing individuals,” the BCCI official added.

The source stated that the likes of VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble perfectly fit the bill to become the next coach. Moreover, they have tremendous experience in coaching or mentorship.

Paras Mhambrey Is In Running To Be India’s Bowling Coach

Former India pacer and current National Cricket Academy bowling coach Paras Mhambrey is in the running to be the bowling coach. Paras Mhambrey has been grooming the next generation of future players as NCA head Rahul Dravid’s trusted lieutenant over the last six years.

Rahul Dravid’s reapplying for Head of Cricket at National Cricket Academy contradicts the reports of him being Ravi Shastri’s successor at the highest level. Rahul Dravid had travelled with the men’s team to Sri Lanka as a head coach earlier this year.

“It will be great if Mhambrey applies for the job. He knows the system well. But the board will have to figure out who will take care of the U-19 team because there is not much time to prepare or the U-19 World Cup,” the official said.

Paras Mhambrey
Paras Mhambrey

Under Ravi Shastri, India has achieved several milestones, more significantly in Test cricket that included reaching the final of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship, back-to-back series wins on Australian soil, and the recent tour of England where his team was leading 2-1 before the final contest was called off due to Covid-19 outbreak in the touring camp.

Among overseas coaches, former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody is said to be interested in applying for the position for the fourth time. In addition, the former South African all-rounder and the coach of the Afghanistan cricket team, Lance Klusener, expressed his desire to be the next coach of the India cricket team if given an opportunity.

Regarded as one of the best coaches to have served New Zealand cricket, Mike Hesson is well respected all around the world and was instrumental in making the Black Caps one of the best cricket teams in the world. Mike Hesson is the Director of Operations at Royal Challengers Bangalore.

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Rahul Dravid said that MS Dhoni will be remembered as a successful captain.© AFP
Rahul Dravid said that MS Dhoni will be remembered as a successful captain.© AFP
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MSK Prasad Has Faith In MS Dhoni – Rahul Dravid Duo

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MSK Prasad, former India chairman of selectors, named Ravi Shastri’s replacement as India head coach. MSK Prasad feels the Rahul Dravid-MS Dhoni combination can bring laurels to India post-Ravi Shastri-era.

Former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad is confident of seeing Rahul Dravid take over as coach and MS Dhoni continue as a mentor of the Indian cricket team after the conclusion of Ravi Shastri’s tenure as India coach.

MSK Prasad. (Photo Source: Twitter)
MSK Prasad. (Photo Source: Twitter)

MSK Prasad: Rahul Dravid May Replace Ravi Shastri As Coach

Ravi Shastri, who has been serving as coach of the team since 2017, will pave way for the next coach after the competition of the T20 World Cup and with speculation rife that Rahul Dravid would be one of the candidates to replace Ravi Shastri as coach of the Indian team, MSK Prasad reckons that could well be a possibility.

Could Rahul Dravid replace Ravi Shastri as India's next head coach? (Getty Images)
Could Rahul Dravid replace Ravi Shastri as India’s next head coach? (Getty Images)

Rahul Dravid toured with the Indian limited-overs squad sans regular cricketers as coach to Sri Lanka in July, which was his first stint as coach of the senior team having already led India Under-19 and A teams in the past. Later, with MS Dhoni being named mentor of the team for the T20 World Cup, MSK Prasad definitely feels that the BCCI could spring a surprise out of nowhere.

“In my heart, I had this feeling. I was challenged recently by my colleagues that definitely post Ravi bhai’s era, MS has to come into the role of a mentor and Rahul Dravid as a coach. These were the discussions I had with my fellow commentators while I was doing commentary during the IPL. I had a feeling that Rahul, being the studious person that he is, will add value to Team India post-Ravi bhai’s era,” Prasad told Sports Tak.

Rahul Dravid was appointed as the Head of Cricket at NCA Bengaluru in July 2019 and has since played a key role in mentoring several youngsters at the academy.  It was being tipped that Rahul Dravid will take over as coach of the Indian team after Ravi Shastri’s tenure ends in November this year.

But he has until now made it clear to BCCI that he is not interested in taking up the job of a regular coach. Rahul Dravid has told BCCI that he would like to continue in his role at NCA and will continue creating a solid feeder line for Indian cricket.

MSK Prasad: Coach Rahul Dravid, Mentor MS Dhoni Could Be A Boon For India

Since most of the emerging players have come through the ranks under the guidance of Rahul Dravid, MSK Prasad is even more confident. He feels that the Rahul Dravid-MS Dhoni duo should be the way forward for Indian cricket and that would be very disappointed at anything otherwise. A little while ago, reports had surfaced that former cricketers VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble were in the fray, but nothing concrete emerged.

MS Dhoni (BCCI/IPL)
MS Dhoni (BCCI/IPL)

“Rahul as a coach, MS as a mentor is going to be a boon for Indian cricket. Both are cool and calm customers and one person is very studious and hard-working. More importantly, the number of players that are evolving right now have been groomed by Rahul, who was India A coach also. So it is some wonderful planning that is happening. I will be very disappointed if Rahul is not going to be the coach and MS is not a mentor post this management era,” Prasad added.

Former India captain MS Dhoni will be Team India’s mentor for the ICC T20 World Cup in UAE. MS Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020. MS Dhoni has been captaining the IPL team Chennai Super Kings since 2008 and was the captain of the Indian cricket team which won the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup. 

The 40-year-old talismanic skipper MS Dhoni retired from international cricket last year having played his last game in the 2019 World Cup semi-final. It is believed that he has been brought for his experience in devising white-ball strategy and also knowing how to win crucial ICC tournaments which have not been the case with his successor.

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England Pacer James Anderson Hopes Manchester Test Will Be Played Again

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England pacer James Anderson on Sunday said he hopes the Manchester Test against India will be played at some point and the fast bowler will get to feature in the game at his home ground.

The fifth Test match between England and India was cancelled in Manchester on Friday. The BCCI and ECB held several rounds of discussion to find a way to play the Test match, however, the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Indian team contingent forced the decision of calling off the game.

James Anderson
James Anderson (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)

England Pacer James Anderson Hopes Manchester Test Will Be Played Again And He Will Play Another Int’l Match At His Home Ground

James Anderson felt gutted for the Lancashire fans but is hopeful of playing another international game at his home ground. Ahead of the fifth and final Test against England, physio Yogesh Parmar tested positive for COVID-19 in Manchester. This had led to Team India’s training session for Thursday afternoon being cancelled.

“It’s such a shame the summer of international cricket ended this way. I’m gutted for everyone at @lancashirecricket, for the fans who paid for tickets/trains/hotels, for both sets of supporters that wanted to see the finish this series deserved,” Anderson said in his Instagram post.

James Anderson
James Anderson. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

“I hope it will be played again at some point and I hope I will get to play another international game at my home ground that I love so much,” he added.

The 39-year-old bowler rued the anticlimactic end to the summer cricket season and offered words of support to hosts Lancashire country cricket club as well as fans who had travelled to the stadium. Even at the age of 39, he doesn’t seem to lose his magic and showed his calibre outright in the last Test series against India. James Anderson picked 15 wickets against India across four Tests with an average of 24.66.

James Anderson, who is the leading wicket-taker of England in Test cricket, said his family won’t be travelling with him to Australia as his children will have to be present in England for their education.

There will be a lot of hectic moments for England players who will be travelling to both UAE for the T20 World Cup (and IPL 2021) and later Australia as they will have to be under various COVID-19 bubbles and compel to strict quarantine rules of the respective country. James Anderson, who only plays red-ball cricket for England, said he will manage somehow but expressed concern over his teammates who would be participating in both the tours.

England Was Trailing By 2-1 When The Manchester Test Was Abandoned Without A Ball Being Bowled

In the four matches prior to the Manchester fixture, India had led the series 2-1. The opening Test at Trent Bridge was drawn before India won the next clash at Lord’s. England inflicted India an innings defeat in the third Test at Headingley but the visitors rallied to win the fourth Test at the Oval.

India vs England (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
India vs England (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has offered to ECB a rescheduling of the cancelled 5th Test match which was scheduled to be played at Manchester from Friday.

England’s James Anderson became the first seam bowler to reach 600 Test wickets, reaching the milestone in a gloomy last session of a rain-hit final day of the third Test against Pakistan. He is now the first bowler to possess 400 wickets in England, and the second bowler – after Muttiah Muralitharan – to have claimed as many wickets in his home country.

James Anderson is one of only two England bowlers – the other being Stuart Broad – to have taken more than 300 wickets at home in Test matches. Fred Trueman is third in the list of highest wicket-takers in England, with 229 wickets. Among the leading wicket-takers at home, Anil Kumble is third, with 350, followed by Stuart Broad (341 wickets), and Shane Warne (319 wickets).

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MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket in 2014.© AFP
MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket in 2014.© AFP
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MS Dhoni Was Wearing His Test Match Jersey Through The Entire Night After Announcing Retirement From Tests In 2014: Ravichandran Ashwin

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MS Dhoni stunned the cricketing fraternity by making shocking Test retirement in December 2014. After leading India in the 3rd Test of the series at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, the keeper made the decision to quit the longest format, handing over the charge to Virat Kohli.

The legendary cricketer didn’t drop any hint before or after the Test match and the announcement left his fans stunned. Since India was to play a tri-series and the 2015 World Cup after the Test series, the keeper stayed in Australia for the next three months.

MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket in 2014. Photo: BCCI
MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket in 2014. Photo: BCCI

MS Dhoni Was Wearing His Test Match Jersey Through The Entire Night After Announcing Retirement From Tests In 2014: Ravichandran Ashwin

Recalling the day MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket on his Youtube, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had revealed that he wore his Test jersey all night and also shed a few tears. Ravichandran Ashwin released the video on August 15, 2020 – the day when the former captain retired from international cricket.

“I remember when he retired from Test cricket in 2014, I was batting with him to save the match in Melbourne. But once we lost, he simply picked up a stump and walked off saying he’s done. It was quite an emotional moment for him. Ishant Sharma, Suresh Raina, and I were sitting in his room that evening. He was still wearing his Test match jersey through the entire night and he shed a few tears as well,” Ashwin said.

Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

MS Dhoni retired after playing 90 Test matches. He made his debut in 2005 against Sri Lanka in Chennai. He was named Team India’s Test captain following Anil Kumble’s retirement in 2008. Once India’s most successful Test captain, MS Dhoni-led the team to 27 wins in 60 matches before current skipper Virat Kohli became India’s most successful Test skipper. The keeper also captained Team India in white-ball cricket for a decade.

MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket on this day in 2014, after representing India in 90 matches.  One of the most successful captains on the international circuit MS Dhoni-led India in 60 Test matches and recorded 27 victories while losing 18 and drawing 15. Before his retirement, he suffered from fitness concerns. He scored 4876 runs in Tests at an average of 38.09, which included six centuries and 30 half-centuries. His highest Test score of 224 runs came against Australia in Chennai.

MS Dhoni Retired From Int’l Cricket On 2020 But Will Be Seen In Action For CSK In IPL 2021

Nearly six years after quitting the longest format, MS Dhoni retired from international cricket on 15th August 2020. He continues to play and will be in action in the 2nd phase of IPL 2021, which resumes on September 19.

MS Dhoni (BCCI/IPL)
MS Dhoni (BCCI/IPL)

The second half of the IPL 2021 will be held in UAE from September 19 after the tournament was postponed due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in bio-bubble. The BCCI decided to conduct the remaining matches in the UAE, which successfully hosted IPL 2020.

CSK resumes its IPL campaign on September 19 with a match against Mumbai Indians. The MS Dhoni-led side was in the second spot with 10 points after seven games before the league was postponed due to a bio bubble breach.

MS Dhoni though hasn’t performed to his best in the last two seasons for CSK. He scored exactly 200 runs in 14 games in IPL 2020 averaging a modest 25 but he scored only 37 runs in the first half of IPL 2021 averaging a pathetic 12.33 in 7 games.

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A snarling James Anderson is congratulated on his five-fer by Chris Woakes (Getty)
A snarling James Anderson is congratulated on his five-fer by Chris Woakes (Getty)
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James Anderson May Miss 4th Test While Chris Woakes Set To Replace Sam Curran

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James Anderson is the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket when it comes to pacers. James Anderson has been phenomenal against India in the series, taking 13 wickets at 16.25 and a strike rate of 47.7. The England Test veteran has taken a whopping 30 wickets at 19.79 this year alone, including two five-wicket hauls.

The battle between India skipper Virat Kohli and James Anderson may not take place in the fourth Test at The Oval as the veteran England pace bowler could be rested and return only for the fifth Test in Manchester.

James Anderson
James Anderson (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)

James Anderson May Be Rested And Could Return For The 5th Test In Manchester

The quick turnaround in the last three Test matches – to be played within three weeks – is forcing both the teams to rotate bowlers. While India has already made it clear, the English team could also go that way.

“What I don’t want to do is break them. We’ve got a lot of cricket in front of us. The Tests are coming thick and fast now. Back-to-back, it is difficult,” said England head coach Chris Silverwood to the media while pointing out the workload of his two new-ball bowlers, James Anderson and Ollie Robinson.

Chris Silverwood
Chris Silverwood Getty Images

At the age of 39, James Anderson has already bowled more overs in the first three Tests than any of the Indian seamers has bowled. He has bowled 116.3 which is just two balls less than Ollie Robinson (116.5), who has bowled the most in the series.

“These guys are giving everything, every day when we are out on the field and we have got to make sure we are looking after them. But I won’t be making any decisions or judgments right now,” he added.

James Anderson though had made it clear prior to the series that he wants to play every Test match in the series. Even though he had niggle in the lead-up to the second Test at Lord’s, he turned up to perform. He was unplayable in the first innings of the third Test at Headingley.

England’s frontline pacer James Anderson might be advised to rest for the fourth Test between England and India to be held at The Oval from September 2. The 39-year-old’s workload management has always been one of England’s top priorities so he may miss out on the Oval Test.

Chris Woakes May Replace Out Of Form Sam Curran In The 4th Test

But considering England have a long summer during the Ashes series Down Under and with Jofra Archer under an injury cloud, England may rest James Anderson for one of the next two Tests as part of workload management. With the last Test to be played at James Anderson’s home ground at Old Trafford in Manchester from September 10, it is likely that the England team management will play him there rather than at The Oval.

England’s Chris Woakes Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
England’s Chris Woakes Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Chris Silverwood, though, admitted it will be hard to convince James Anderson to miss the fourth Test. England also faces a problem as their left-arm pace bowler Sam Curran is not performing well and is leaking runs whenever he has been brought on to bowl with the old ball. He may be replaced by Chris Woakes, who is fit again and has been added to the England squad.

James Anderson claimed his 400th wicket at home by dismissing Ajinkya Rahane during the morning session(4th day) of the 3rd Test. He is now the first bowler to possess 400 wickets in England, and the second bowler – after Muttiah Muralitharan – to have claimed as many wickets in his home country. James Anderson is one of only two England bowlers – the other being Stuart Broad – to have taken more than 300 wickets at home in Test matches.

Fred Trueman is third in the list of highest wicket-takers in England, with 229 wickets. Among the leading wicket-takers at home, Indian spinner Anil Kumble is third, with 350, followed by England pacer Stuart Broad (341 wickets), and Australian leg spinner Shane Warne (319 wickets).

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Steve Harmison Feels James Anderson Will Retire After 5-Match Test Series Against India

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Steve Harmison, the former England cricketer, feels the 5-match Test series against India will be the last in the international career of James Anderson.

James Anderson is the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket when it comes to pacers. Even at the age of 39, James Anderson has been one of England’s biggest performers in the whites. Steve Harmison feels James Anderson will call it a day after the 5-match Test series against India.

James Anderson
James Anderson (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)

Steve Harmison Feels James Anderson Will Retire At The End Of Old Trafford Test, The 5th Test Against India

One of the greatest cricketers of all time and a true ambassador of the Gentleman’s Game, England pacer James Anderson has defied all odds to continue performing at the highest level even a the age of 39. Former England pacer Steve Harmison, however, feels the 5th Test between India and England at Old Trafford will be the last chapter in James Anderson’s stunning career as an international cricketer.

Though James Anderson himself has not spoken about the possibilities of retirement, especially considering how instrumental he has been to England in the three matches of the series against India so far,  Steve Harmison said that he has a ‘funny feeling’ that the Test series against India will be the end of his international career.

“I’ve got a funny feeling, I don’t know what it is, but I really have got a funny feeling that Jimmy Anderson will retire at the end of Old Trafford,” Steve Harmison told the talkSPORT cricket podcast.

Steve Harmison. (Credits: Twitter)
Steve Harmison. (Credits: Twitter)

“I don’t think the Ashes will either go ahead or go ahead in such a way and I think Jimmy might just look at this and go ‘you know what, if I go to The Oval and bowl well and then I’ve got Old Trafford at the end, my illustrious career couldn’t get any better than to finish by knocking Virat Kohli over from the end I bowl at, which is named after me, and there’s potentially no Ashes in six months time,” Steve Harmison added.

James Anderson has been phenomenal against India in the series, taking 13 wickets at 16.25 and a strike rate of 47.7. The England Test veteran has taken a whopping 30 wickets at 19.79 this year alone, including two five-wicket hauls.

James Anderson Is The 3rd Highest Wicket Taker Behind Spin Duo Of Muttiah Muralitharan And Shane Warne

When it comes to the list of all-time greats, James Anderson is the third-highest on the list of wicket-takers in the longest format of the game, with only spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne ahead of him.

(L - R) Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble and James Anderson | AFP and Reuters
(L – R) Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, and James Anderson | AFP and Reuters

Though Steve Harmison has spoken about the possibility of James Anderson calling it a day after the conclusion of the series, the international cricketing spectrum would want him to continue for many more years and deliver the same level of performances he has been.

There are only 4 bowlers who have taken 600 or more scalps. They are Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne(708), James Anderson (630), and Anil Kumble(619).

Among fast bowlers, James Anderson is the leading wicket-taker of all-time at Test cricket level, as the only fast bowler to have taken 600 or more Test wickets, and is the third-highest wicket-taker overall. He also holds the record for the most wickets taken by an England player in One-Day International (ODI) cricket. In June 2021 he made his 162nd appearance for England in Test cricket, becoming England’s most capped player.

The battle between India skipper Virat Kohli and James Anderson may not take place in the fourth Test at The Oval as the veteran England pace bowler could be rested and return only for the fifth Test in Manchester. The quick turnaround in the last three Test matches — to be played within three weeks — is forcing both the teams to rotate bowlers. While India has already made it clear, the English team could also go that way.

At the age of 39, James Anderson has already bowled more overs in the first three Tests than any of the Indian seamers has bowled. He has bowled 116.3 overs which is just two balls less than Ollie Robinson (116.5), who has bowled the most in the series.

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Stuart Binny had a long session in the nets ahead of the game © AFP
Stuart Binny had a long session in the nets ahead of the game © AFP
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Stuart Binny Retires From 1st Class And Int’l Cricket

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Stuart Binny, the all-rounder who holds the record of the best bowling figures in ODI format, on Monday announced his retirement from first-class and international cricket.

The 37-year-old Stuart Binny began his career with his state Karnataka and represented India in six Tests, 14 ODIs, and three Twenty20 Internationals.

Stuart Binny Image Source: Google
Stuart Binny Image Source: Google

Stuart Binny Decides To Retire From 1st Class And International Cricket

Stuart Binny, who has the experience of 95 first-class matches, played a few Tests with reasonable success under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

“I would like to inform you that I have decided to retire from first-class and international cricket,” Binny, whose father Roger also represented India, said in a statement. “It has given me tremendous joy and pride to have represented my country at the highest international level.”

In his debut Test against England in July 2014, he scored 78 in the second innings and that remained his only half-century in six Tests. A 31-run over in a T20 game against the West Indies in Florida effectively ended his international career where Evin Lewis hit him for five sixes.

He played 6 Tests, 14 ODIs, and 3 T20Is scoring a total of 459 runs and picking up 24 wickets. Stuart Binny is best known as a player who punched above his weight and did his best even when his famous father Roger Binny relinquished his selection committee post due to a conflict of interest.

Stuart Binny’s figures remain the best by an Indian in ODI cricket | AFP
Stuart Binny’s figures remain the best by an Indian in ODI cricket | AFP

He played an integral role for Karnataka’s state as they won the Ranji Trophy – India’s premier first-class tournament – in 2013/14, scoring 443 runs at 43.22 and taking 14 wickets at 32.64 in the season. He also had a fine career in the IPL, playing for Mumbai Indians in 2010 before rising to prominence during his time with Rajasthan Royals from 2011 to 2015. Stuart Binny managed only 880 runs and 22 scalps in 95 IPL games.

On 17th July 2014, Stuart Binny achieved an incredible feat in ODI cricket with his magical spell of 6/4 in just 4.4 overs – which helped India to record a 47-run victory via the DLS Method over the Tigers in the second ODI of the three-match series on their Bangladesh tour.

Stuart Binny Held The Best Bowling Figures In ODI To Date

Stuart Binny’s 6/4 are still the best bowling figures by an Indian bowler in ODI cricket, as he broke the previous record held by Anil Kumble who had taken 6/12 against the West Indies in the Hero Cup final in 1993. While he did not get many international runs under his belt, Stuart Binny’s 6/4 is still the best ODI bowling figure.

Hardik Pandya Image Source : GETTY
Hardik Pandya Image Source: GETTY

Once the conflict of interest became a catchphrase in Indian cricket, his father Roger Binny was forced to relinquish his selection committee post. With the emergence of Hardik Pandya as an explosive batting all-rounder, Stuart Binny’s chances of a national comeback dwindled and he played a season of first-class cricket in the North East.

Stuart Binny thanked the BCCI, his various teams, fellow players, and coaches for the role they played in his growth as a cricketer.

Stuart Binny, 37, represented India across 23 matches – six Tests, 14 ODIs, and three T20Is. His first-class career spanned nearly 17 years, and he played the bulk of those 95 matches for his home state Karnataka; his standout domestic season was in 2013-14 when he scored 443 runs at 43.22 and took 14 wickets at 32.64, playing a key role in Karnataka’s run to the Ranji Trophy title. Overall, he ended his first-class career with 4796 runs and 146 wickets.

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Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin AFP
Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin AFP
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Zaheer Khan Feels There Is Healthy Competition Between Ravichandran Ashwin And Ravindra Jadeja

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Zaheer Khan noticed that the healthy competition between spin all-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja had proved to be beneficial for India in recent times. He added that the duo is working hard on honing both bowling and batting skills to claim the one spot available for a spinner in overseas Tests.

India has not preferred playing Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja together in an overseas Test but they played together in the WTC Final lost by India. In England, they have done it only once in 2014 at Manchester without much success apart from WTC Final. But this time in the England Tests, things might be different and was evident as Ravichandran Ashwin was dropped from the line-up to incorporate 4 pacers.

Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja Photo Credit: AP
Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja Photo Credit: AP

Zaheer Khan Feels There Is Healthy Competition Between Ravichandran Ashwin And Ravindra Jadeja

Zaheer Khan said that the duo is trying to improve their games as in overseas conditions, only one spinner can play in the XI as there is competition between the two to seal a spot.

“I feel the healthy competition between Ashwin and Jadeja has been good for India. Both of them are constantly trying to improve their games. In overseas Tests, only one spinner can play in the playing XI on most occasions. Here Jadeja should get full marks. He has worked very hard on his game. “

Zaheer Khan. Image-Sportstar
Zaheer Khan. Image-Sportstar

” Even today, when he was batting, we could see he had the right approach. I mean, when KL Rahul was at the crease, he played sensible cricket. When English bowlers used bouncers, he did not lose his concentration and played with control. Even when he started to play aggressively in the end, he knew which areas he could target and backed himself,” Zaheer Khan added.

The 34-year-old off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was the second-highest wicket-taker for India and fourth overall, in the four-match Test series in Australia. He claimed 12 wickets in 3 Tests, including one four-wicket haul. In the four-match home series against England, Ravichandran Ashwin was the highest wicket-taker. He signed off the series with 32 scalps in 4 Tests, including 3 five-wicket hauls.

Zaheer Khan: Ravindra Jadeja’s Superior Ability With The Bat Helped Him Clinch The Spot

Zaheer Khan opined that Ravindra Jadeja’s current batting form helped him get a spot in the playing XI ahead of his spin partner Ravichandran  Ashwin. Since 2018 in 15 overseas Test matches, Ravindra Jadeja has scored 461 runs at an average of 41.90, including five fifties.

In the same period, the frontline batsman’s averages are Virat Kohli – 40.83, Rishabh Pant – 37.46, Cheteshwar Pujara – 34.69, Ajinkya Rahane – 34.16, Hanuma Vihari – 34.11, and Rohit Sharma – 29.50.

” Whenever we are talking about Ravindra Jadeja, his numbers in recent times tell us a clear story. There were some question marks when Jadeja made it the playing XI for this Test ahead of Ashwin as the lone spinner. His superior ability with the bat helped him clinch the spot.

“So far in the game, we have not seen much spin bowling from England, and India also used Jadeja for just three overs in the first innings. In this sense, we can say that Jadeja has done his job well until now,” concluded Zaheer Khan.

Ravindra Jadeja Photo Credit: (Sky Sports)
Ravindra Jadeja Photo Credit: (Sky Sports)

Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has reached a significant landmark on day three of the first Test against England in Nottingham. Ravindra Jadeja came to bat fairly early on day three as Rishabh Pant departed after a quick cameo. However, the southpaw became the fifth Indian all-rounder to amass more than 2000 runs and take 200 scalps.

The other four all-rounders to achieve the milestone are Kapil Dev, Ravichandran Ashwin, Anil Kumble, and Harbhajan Singh. In 131 Tests, Kapil Dev accumulated 5248 runs at 31.05 and collected 434 wickets. Overall, Ravindra Jadeja is the fifth-fastest all-rounder in Test cricket history to reach the milestone behind Sir Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, and Ravichandran Ashwin.

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