Delhi Capitals

Nasser Hussain wants Ricky Ponting to be England's head coach | Courtesy: Ricky Ponting/Insta - Nasser Husain/Twitter

Cricket/News/The Ashes, 2021-22

Nasser Hussain And David Lloyd Urged England To Appoint Ricky Ponting As England Head Coach After Ashes 2021/22 Drubbing

Published on January 19, 2022

Nasser Hussain and David Lloyd have urged England to appoint Australia’s great Ricky Ponting as head coach, following a dismal Ashes performance against the Aussies down under.

England has been blown away by their old rivals, and a humiliating 146-run defeat in the fifth and final Test in Hobart was the final nail in the coffin, in a devastating 4-0 series defeat.

Nasser Hussain. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Nasser Hussain: England Should Move Away From Chris Silverwood And Ricky Ponting Is The Alternative

Plenty of questions has understandably been asked about the England setup from top to bottom, with head coach Chris Silverwood the man taking most of the scrutiny. Following the crushing defeat, many have called for Silverwood to be replaced as head coach, and former England ex-captains Nasser Hussain and David Lloyd believe former Australia captain Ricky Ponting is the right man for the job.

Discussing where England’s Test team go from here ahead of the upcoming Test series in West Indies, Nasser Hussain believes it is the right time for Chris Silverwood to step aside.

He said: “I like Chris Silverwood and half his reign has come in Covid bubbles. I’ve got a lot of sympathy for that… But too many mistakes have been made and Silverwood is accountable because of the extra responsibility he has for selection. You can look at the system but county cricket doesn’t make you bat first at Brisbane and leave Broad and Anderson out on a green Gabba pitch.”

“You can’t take the same management team to the Caribbean and tell them to carry on as if nothing has happened. With a heavy heart I say move away from Silverwood.”

Chris Silverwood, England head coach Getty Image.

And, in replacement Nasser Hussain believes Ricky Ponting should be the man England looks to.

“An alternative? I like Ricky Ponting. Everything I see about him impresses me,” he added.

“He might not have a lot of international coaching experience but he’s got a great cricket brain. There are a few out there — unfortunately, not many of them English. Justin Langer might be available soon, too, so you never know! I would just about stay with Joe Root.”

Meanwhile, England’s current coach Chris Silverwood had said that he is a good coach and wants to continue in the role. However, his position is under scrutiny after the Ashes debacle.

Nasser Hussain certainly believes the former Australian skipper the perfect replacement for Chris Silverwood.

David Lloyd Agrees With Nasser Hussain That Ricky Ponting Is Perfect As England Coach If He’s Available

The former England captain’s colleague David Lloyd agreed, describing Ricky Ponting as the ‘perfect’ replacement to come in.

He commented: “If Ponting is available he’d be perfect. He cares about cricket and cricketers, he knows the game inside out and has gravitas.”

Like Nasser Hussain though, David Lloyd did have sympathies with Chris Silverwood and does believe he should remain in place for the rest of the winter.

The 74-year-old continued: “I’d go with the same two [for the tour of West Indies], Silverwood and Root. But Nass, if you want to go for Ponting, I’m with you. I will say the circumstances for Silverwood have been unprecedented so I’d give him the rest of the winter.”

Nasser Hussain sympathized with Chris Silverwood who has had to play the role of a coach as well as a selector. But, having seen Chris Silverwood make some blunders in team selection, Nasser Hussain wants the England head coach to move on.

Ricky Ponting hasn’t yet been the head coach of an international team but has had the experience of coaching the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals. The ex-Australia captain was also a part of the Australian men’s national team’s support staff at the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE.

A number of changes are expected to be made in the England Test team, be it in terms of the selection of players or the roles of a few. The next assignment of the England team is a 5-match T20I series against West Indies.

Cricket/IPL 2022/News

Shreyas Iyer Is On The Radar Of RCB, KKR, And PBKS As All Of The 3 Franchises Are Targeting Him As Their Next Skipper

Published on January 17, 2022

Shreyas Iyer, India’s limited-overs batter is on the radar of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who’s eyeing him as their next captain, revealed a source tracking the developments closely.

Despite scoring a century on his Test debut, Shreyas Iyer could not get a place in Indian Test XI in South Africa. But all that disappointment will soon be a thing of the past as a big opportunity is knocking on Shreyas Iyer’s doors. He is set to be in great demand before IPL 2022 auctions. Not one but 3 franchises are eyeing Indian limited over batsman as their new skipper.

Shreyas Iyer of Delhi Capitals in action during an IPL match for Delhi ©BCCI

Shreyas Iyer Is On The Radar Of RCB, KKR, And PBKS As Their Next Skipper

According to the available information, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Punjab Kings (PBKS) – all 3 are ready to break the bank for Shreyas Iyer.

“Post Virat Kohli quitting the RCB captaincy, RCB are really interested in having Iyer as their next captain. Expect them to bid aggressively for the Mumbaikar in next month’s auction in Bangalore,” informed the source.

Rishabh Pant of Delhi Capitals (Image Credit: Twitter)

“The Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings are also expected to eye him in the auction,” he said.

Shreyas Iyer, as is evident now, wants to be named as the captain of whichever franchise he plays for. The middle-order batter quit the Delhi Capitals after they appointed Rishabh Pant as their skipper. Post that, he didn’t join Lucknow or Ahmedabad as both franchises weren’t offering him the captaincy.

Shreyas Iyer Has Played 87 IPL Matches For Delhi Capitals From 2015-2021

Shreyas Iyer has earned 35.8 Cr in IPL Salaries to date. His last drawn salary from Delhi Capitals was 7 Cr. Overall he has played 7 IPL Seasons so far & has managed to earn 35.8 Cr in total salary. In 87 matches during this period, Shreyas Iyer has scored 2375 Runs at a Strike Rate of 124 averaging 31.67, playing all seasons from 2015-2021 for Delhi Capitals.

Ever since Delhi Daredevils became Delhi Capitals, the performance of the team on the points table also changed. In the last three years, the Delhi Capitals have qualified for the playoffs on all three occasions and came out as runner-up during the 2020 season.

Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Prithvi Shaw, and Anrich Nortje are the 4 players that Delhi Capitals have retained for IPL 2022. Now, they have a purse of Rs. 47.50 crore which is available for the IPL 2022 auction. Apart from Shreyas Iyer, the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Avesh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, and Shimron Hetmyer were also released by the franchise.

Quinton de Kock Photographer: Isuru Sameera Peiris/Getty Images

Cricket/India tour of South Africa, 2021-22/News

Alviro Petersen Shocked Over Quinton de Kock’s Sudden Test Retirement After Playing 54 Tests

Published on January 1, 2022

Alviro Petersen, the former South Africa opener is shocked with Quinton de Kock’s sudden retirement from Test cricket and feels more players might follow in the footsteps of the wicketkeeper-batter in the near future.

At just 29 years of age and having played 54 Tests, Quinton de Kock announced his retirement from the traditional format at the end of the opening Test against India, which the Proteas lost by 113 runs at SuperSport Park on Thursday. Cricket fans reacted in shock after South Africa’s Quinton de Kock announced his retirement from Test cricket on Thursday.

Quinton de Kock of South Africa (Photo by Steve Haag/Getty Images)

Alviro Petersen Shocked By Quinton de Kock’s Sudden Retirement From Tests

Quinton de Kock would, however, be available for ODIs and T20s in the future. Quinton de Kock had scored 34 runs in the first innings of the Centurion Test, followed by 21 in the second. Quinton de Kock played 54 Test matches for South Africa, scoring 3,300 runs with six centuries and 22 half-centuries. He also effected 232 dismissals (221 catches and 11 stumpings) behind the wicket.

“To be honest, I am a bit shocked by his decision,” said Alviro Petersen, who played in 36 Tests for South Africa, scoring five centuries, largely as opening partner to Graeme Smith.

“During the lunch break of day five in Centurion, I noticed that he was not quite 100 percent because Quinny is a player who likes to play his shots,” Alviro Petersen was quoted.

“Often when there is stuff happening with family or you are on a long tour, one foot is always on the plane and I had the sense that with him it was almost like one foot was already at home.”

Alviro Petersen was a right-handed opening batsman who could not do justice to his batting talent. The cool-headed batsman made a relatively late entry to the Test cricket at the age of 30, nine years after his professional debut, and could cement his place in the Proteas squad only after 2012.

However, Alviro Petersen suffered in his career because of inconsistency and tough competition from Jacques Rudolph for the opening slot. The opener, by all means, deserved to play more than the 36 Tests and 21 ODIs he played for South Africa.

Quinton de Kock Will However Continue Playing In The White Ball Formats For The Proteas With An Eye On Franchise Based T20 Leagues

A former Test captain, Quinton de Kock said he will continue playing in the white-ball formats for the Proteas, with a lot of focus on franchise-based T20 leagues. The former Mumbai Indians man should have been away from national duty on paternity leave for the last 2 Tests but has now decided to call it a day from the longest format of cricket.

“I am surprised but you can also understand that all the lucrative T20 leagues around the world and The Hundred (franchise 100-ball cricket tournament in the UK) now have changed the mindset of players,” Petersen said.

Quinton de Kock for Mumbai Indians - VIVEK BENDRE — Quinton de Kock for Mumbai Indians – VIVEK BENDRE

“In the past, Test cricket was the pinnacle and slowly that is being changed with guys looking after their financial wellbeing. Priorities have changed and he won’t struggle to get a T20 or The Hundred contract.”

Quinton de Kock has featured in Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Mumbai Indians squad in the IPL. Quinton de Kock’s retirement means South Africa will have a new wicket-keeper in their playing XI in the last two games of the ongoing Test series against India. The Proteas have Kyle Verreynne and Ryan Rickelton as the other two wicket-keeping options in the squad.

News

CSK Was Like A Primary School For Me, Believes Ravichandran Ashwin

Published on December 18, 2021

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin still cherishes his time with Chennai Super Kings. The star off-spinner has come a long way in his career since making his IPL debut in 2009.

34-year old spinner was answering some questions in an interaction with his fans on Youtube Channel in which he also talked about his home return (for CSK) in the upcoming mega auction.

ashwin

“CSK is a franchise close to my heart, for me, CSK is like a school. That is where I joined Pre KG, LKG, UKG, primary school, then I did my middle school, and then starting high school and completing 10th standard board exams, I moved to a different school. I did my 11th and 12th a couple of, a couple of years, outside. Then I did a couple of years of Junior College. But after completing everything, obviously one has to come home right? So even I would love to come back home, but it all depends on the auction dynamics.” Ashwin said on his Youtube Channel.

Ashwin made his IPL debut in 2009 but that it’s the 2010 season when his career blossomed as he became the go-to man for MS Dhoni. He represented the CSK till 2015 until the franchise got banned for 2 years. In these 7 years, he played 120 games for CSK in IPL and Champions T20 League and picked 120 wickets with an economy of 6.66.

Delhi Capitals player Ravichandran Ashwin. (Photo | IPL)

Ashwin had an amazing 2021 so far in which he currently holds the position of leading wicket-taker in the calendar year. And he also made a return to the T20I side after 5 long years. In IPL he represented Delhi Capitals in the last two years but before the mega auction, Delhi Capitals decided to part ways with the premier off-spinner as they retained Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Axar Patel and Anrich Nortje.

Also Read: Dhoni, Saha, Or Karthik?- Who Is The Best Gloveman According to Ravichandran Ashwin

KL Rahul And Rohit Sharma (Image Credit: Twitter)

Cricket/News

Rohit Sharma’s Deputy May Be KL Rahul Or Rishabh Pant In ODIs

Published on December 9, 2021December 9, 2021

Rohit Sharma replaced Virat Kohli as the Indian team’s skipper in the 50-over format, but the name of vice-captain is still under focus. The entire leadership structure in the Indian cricket team is undergoing a change, be it T20Is, ODIs, or Tests. When Virat Kohli had stepped down as India’s T20I skipper after the conclusion of the T20I World Cup 2021, he had expressed a desire to continue leading the Indian team in both Tests and ODIs.

While Virat Kohli remains the skipper in the longest format, he has already been replaced by Rohit Sharma in both the white-ball formats. As for the Test format, Rohit Sharma’s status has been elevated as the team’s vice-captain, with Ajinkya Rahane being stripped off the role. However, there still is no announcement over the role of vice-captain in the ODI team.

Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (Image Credit: Twitter)

Rohit Sharma’s Deputy May Be KL Rahul Or Rishabh Pant

As per a report, KL Rahul is the favourite to take up the vice-captain’s role in the 50-over format, just as he has been given the responsibility in T20Is. However, there’s another school of thought which is keen to groom wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant as a future captain.

“It’s important to maintain a balance. The selectors are not for making drastic changes. But the team management and the selectors are keen on giving younger players more important roles going forward. Pant is definitely seen as an important part of the leadership group although Rahul is the frontrunner for the vice-captaincy in ODIs because he is already the deputy to Rohit in T20Is,” a source was quoted as saying.

KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Both KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant have the experience of captaining Indian Premier League franchises. While KL Rahul was leading Punjab Kings before leaving the franchise ahead of IPL 2022 auction, Rishabh Pant was appointed as Delhi Capitals’ skipper in IPL 2021. The dashing wicket-keeper will be leading the franchise Delhi Capitals next season in the extravagant T20 league too.

Rohit Sharma Needed Clarity On His Role As There Aren’t Many ODIs Before 2023 World Cup

As for Rohit Sharma, the newly-appointed ODI skipper is keen to groom many youngsters into leadership roles by giving them new responsibilities. About his own position, the Hitman wanted the captaincy to change as soon as possible as India isn’t scheduled to play many 50-over games before the 2023 World Cup.

“Rohit needed clarity on his role. There aren’t many ODIs before India plays the 2023 World Cup and he is big on grooming the next generation leader too. Virat Kohli too understood the situation,” a source said.

With the BCCI expected to announce India’s ODI squad for the South Africa tour in the coming weeks, the vice-captain’s name in the Indian team will get clear. Although Virat Kohli had resigned from the T20I captaincy, he was keen to remain a leader in both ODIs and Tests.

However, the selectors, while announcing the Test squad for South Africa on Wednesday, also confirmed that Rohit Sharma would lead the team in both ODIs and T20Is henceforth.

Virat Kohli has exceptional numbers in the ODIs as captain where he has a win percentage of 70.43 — the most by an Indian who has led the national side in more than 10 matches. Virat Kohli had led Team India in 95 ODI matches and registered victories 65 times. He is the fourth in the list of most victories by an Indian captain where MS Dhoni leads the tally with 110 wins, followed by Mohammad Azharuddin (90) and Sourav Ganguly (76).

Under Virat Kohli’s leadership, India won 15 ODI bilateral series out of 19, which also includes victories in South Africa, Australia, and West Indies.

Shreyas Iyer revealed how MS Dhoni and Bollywood stars helped him in recovery from injury |Courtesy BCCI/Instagram @Shreyas41

Cricket/Indian Premier League 2021 (IPL 2021)/New Zealand tour of India 2021/News

Shreyas Iyer Had Fun Chat With MS Dhoni And Played Football With Hindi Filmstars Which Helped Him To Recover

Published on November 27, 2021

Shreyas Iyer revealed MS Dhoni played a major role in helping him recover from injury and return to his best. He also disclosed playing football with friends from the film industry helped him in his comeback.

In March this year, Shreyas Iyer’s world was thrown upside down as he suffered a devastating shoulder injury during the first ODI between India and England in Pune. Shreyas Iyer was forced to undergo surgery which meant he had to be out of action for almost six months.

Shreyas Iyer Missed IPL 2021’s First Indian Leg But Returned In UAE Leg And Was Part Of The Reserves In 2021 T20I WC Squad

In the meantime, he was forced to miss the first leg of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) and eventually lost his Delhi Capitals (DC) captaincy to Rishabh Pant. As a result, from being a leading contender to being part of India’s 2021 T20 World Cup squad, Shreyas Iyer could only make the reserves as the injury starved him of valuable game-time before the selection for the marquee event.

Shreyas Iyer dislocated his shoulder while fielding against England in the first ODI in Pune on March 24. He had to leave the field right away and later underwent surgery that kept him away from the first session of the 14th edition of IPL before the tournament was suspended midway due to the breakout of Covid-19 inside the bio-bubble.

However, Shreyas Iyer has shown his character by making his Test debut in the same year and beginning his international career in the longest format of the game by scoring a century. On Friday, Shreyas Iyer became just the 16th Indian ever to score a century on Test debut.

Shreyas Iyer Credited Mentor For T20I WC MS Dhoni For Helping Him By Having ‘Fun Chats’ With Him

Shreyas Iyer credited former Indian captain MS Dhoni for helping him through the recovery period. During rehab, the former DC skipper revealed he had some ‘fun chats’ with the 2011 World Cup-winning captain.

Talking in a press conference, Iyer said, “Mahi Bhai was there and we spoke a little bit about IPL at that point of time, never discussed winning the IPL (chuckles). You know he is really calm and composed, whenever you for a chat, he’s got so much so experience in the IPL and different forms of the game, so it’s always fun to chat with him.”

The 26-year-old also revealed that playing football with friends from the Indian film industry (Bollywood) helped him maintain his competitive spirit and maintain his fitness levels.

“It didn’t switch me off completely because my focus was more on cricket rather than playing football. But I really love going out there and trying different sports – whether it be table tennis or badminton, but football is something I’ve been playing since my school days. And when I went and played with my Bollywood friends over there, they were very competitive and they were friendly at the same time,” said Iyer.

He added, “So it was a good mixture, and also I wanted to get into that competitive zone and see it to that my fitness level was pretty intact. Because you keep running 90 minutes and it’s about how your stamina pans out throughout the game.”

After a long hiatus, Shreyas Iyer made his comeback during the second leg of IPL 2021 in the UAE (scoring 175 runs in 8 games averaging 35). After missing out on India’s main 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup (he was named in the reserves), Shreyas Iyer returned to play for India in the three-match T20I series against New Zealand he played all three games.

With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli resting and KL Rahul suffering from an injury, Shreyas Iyer got a chance to make his debut in the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur. He took the opportunity with both hands by scoring a brilliant knock of 105 under pressure.

Shreyas Iyer, on his debut, scored a century for India against the defending World Test Champions New Zealand, batting at No.5. He scored 105 before being dismissed by Tim Southee. His runs came off 171 balls after smashing 2 sixes and 13 boundaries. Among those to score a century on Test debut for India are the likes of Mohammad Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, and Prithvi Shaw.

Shreyas Iyer has featured in 22 ODIs and 32 T20Is and averaged 42.78 and 27.61 in the two formats, respectively, before making his Test debut, 4 years after his limited-overs debut in 2017.

Manchester United owners Glazer family are intrested in buying an IPL team |Courtesy-@MancesterUnited | Photo Credit: Instagram

Cricket/News

Manchester United Owners, Mumbai Indians Will Be Part Of Emirates T20 League

Published on November 19, 2021November 19, 2021

The Glazer Family that owns and runs the Manchester United football club may have fallen short of a few thousand crores in their attempt to buy a new Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 franchise last month, but that isn’t stopping them from making a foray again into the cricketing world.

The Glazer Family along with five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians, Shahrukh Khan’s Knight Riders franchise, financial services company Capri Global, Kiran Kumar Grandhi of Delhi Capitals and Big Bash League (BBL) club Sydney Sixers are now part of the new Emirates T20 League that’s all set to get underway early 2022.

The Glazer Family, Along With Mumbai Indians, Capri Global, Kiran Kumar Grandhi And Sydney Sixers, Will Be Part Of The Emirates T20 League

The six-franchise league – which is a brainchild of former IPL chief operating officer Sundar Raman, and now being run by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) in the United Arab Emirates with the blessings of Sheikh Al Nahyan, who heads the UAE Ministry of Culture, Youth & Social Development – had been in the making for a couple of years now and will finally see the light of the day tentatively in January next year.

United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.(AP) — United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. (AP)

ECB is all set to lock in a broadcaster soon, and despite the IPL’s media rights tender waiting to come out soon, there has been relative interest.

“January’s a great time to play cricket in the UAE. The destination caters to multiple time zones, especially in the west. It suits prime-time in the Indian sub-continent very well, as we’ve seen during the last two IPLs and the recent T20 World Cup that were played there,” say industry executives tracking developments.

Sheikh Al Nahyan first began working on the league two years ago. The business model backing it and multiple IPL owners – including the proverbial ‘Big Three’ MI, CSK and KKR – initially took interest. According to reports, the defending IPL 2021 champions Chennai Super Kings were also in the fray to buy a team, but they backed down at the last minute. Nevertheless, the league is duly approved by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“However, as things changed and the ECB took charge, CSK opted out. But Mumbai Indians giving their consent was a huge shot in the arm for the organisers of the league,” sources added.

The Glazer family showing interest in the Emirates league, after their recent bid attempt at owning the new IPL 2022 franchise either Ahmedabad or Lucknow, shows their growing interest in cricket and how the sport – that India dominates in terms of finances and eyeballs – is waiting to hit the American markets in the near future.

The Glazer Family Failed To Win Bid For New Franchise In IPL 2022

Meanwhile, financial services company Capri Global too, had submitted bids for an IPL franchise in the recent auction and are learnt to be taking an active interest in the sport’s T20 landscape. However, Delhi Capitals co-owner Kiran Kumar Grandhi is learnt to be investing in the league from an individual perspective. The IPL’s franchise other 50% co-owner Parth Jindal will not be a part of this league.

Sydney Sixers, the first participants of the T20 Champions League – one that was conceived by former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi back in 2008-09 – have always looked beyond Australia.

Kiran Kumar Grandhi of Delhi Capitals with family Photo by Arjun Singh /SPORTZPICS for BCCI

“And for Shahrukh, Dubai has always been a second home to him. Brand SRK has been synonymous with this part of the world and it naturally augurs well to have him and his franchise participating in our league,” say those working on the property.

This ‘desert league’ will work on a unique business model where the franchises will invest on an annual basis and work on substantial returns through broadcast and sponsorships. While there’s no word on whether the BCCI – that now shares a good working relationship with the ECB – will allow any Indian players to participate, the league’s organisers expect cricketers from across the globe to show huge interest.

The Glazer family submitted a sealed bid to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at the Taj hotel on behalf of Lancer Capital. But Lancer Captial’s bid failed to secure one of the new two franchises, who will be added to the lucrative IPL from 2022. Instead, Lancer Capital was outbid by CVC Capital Partners, the private equity firm that already has stakes in Premiership Rugby, the Six Nations and La Liga.

Just 24 hours after the Manchester United owners, the Glazer family saw their club humiliated at the hands of Liverpool, the Glazer family’s attempts to venture into cricket were scuppered in IPL 2022 auction in Dubai, as RPSG and CVC Capital bagged the rights for the two new teams in 2022.

Dinesh Karthik Photo: © Reuters (Main Image)

Cricket/New Zealand tour of India 2021/News

Shreyas Iyer And Venkatesh Iyer Won’t Be Judged After Their Failure vs New Zealand In The 1st T20I, Says Dinesh Karthik

Published on November 19, 2021

Dinesh Karthik believes that despite their failures in the first India-New Zealand T20I, Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer won’t feel “judged” or insecure in the Indian dressing room under the watch of Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid.

Chasing 165 in Jaipur, India, looked comfortable for the most part. But when skipper Rohit Sharma (48) and Suryakumar Yadav (62) were dismissed in quick succession, the pressure was back. Shreyas Iyer (5 off 8) struggled with his timing, and debutant Venkatesh Iyer, too, hit a boundary off his first ball and lost his wicket on the next ball.

Dinesh Karthik file image. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)

Dinesh Karthik: It’s Just One Game Where Shreyas Iyer And Venkatesh Iyer Failed As They Won’t Be Judged On The Basis Of The 1st T20I vs NZ

Their performances didn’t affect the result as Rishabh Pant (17*) sealed the final-over chase with two balls to spare. Speaking after the match, Dinesh Karthik said both Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid had endured a lot of failure in their careers, so they won’t let just one bad game affect Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer’s confidence.

Dinesh Karthik said: “Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer, the middle-order batsmen that didn’t look as good as they would have if they had played a long innings, won’t feel so judged in this dressing room. Both the coach and the captain have seen a lot of failures and that is the biggest advantage these boys will have in the dressing room.”

“They’ll feel rather calm and they’ll know it’s just one game… Sometimes you can feel judged and you question that ‘Am I good enough for this level?’ I think those questions won’t be the ones they’ll answer so early. It will be a very calm and easygoing dressing room,” said Dinesh Karthik.

Dinesh Karthik even defended Shreyas Iyer for his innings, saying he didn’t have a choice but to attack every ball, but it just didn’t come off on the day. Dinesh Karthik said that if someone needs to be blamed for the match going close, Suryakumar Yadav or Rohit Sharma should be well set for giving away their wickets.

Dinesh Karthik added: “You can’t fault Shreyas Iyer for doing it because at that stage you want boundaries. If it’s not there to be hit then you probably try and hit a cut shot, a flick shot, or a cover drive but your first instinct is to hit it for a six straight over the bowler’s head or over deep mid-wicket… If you have to go by results you can fault Surya or Rohit but if you go by process I think all of them played the right shots…”

Shreyas Iyer made a comeback to the Indian team after a long injury-forced break. Venkatesh Iyer, meanwhile, was slotted in a position – No.6 – where he hasn’t played much before. The duo is likely to get a long rope to cement their place in the team, including in the remaining two matches of the series.

Shreyas Iyer dislocated his shoulder while fielding against England in the first ODI in Pune on March 24. He missed the half-season of IPL 2021 due to an injury in his left shoulder while playing for India in the first match of an ODI series against England. He made his comeback after a span of 6 months for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2021. In September 2021, Shreyas Iyer was named as one of three reserve players in India’s squad for the 2021 ICC T20I World Cup.

Ajay Jadeja: Rahul Dravid Best Man To Keep Things Calm

Earlier in the same interaction, Ajay Jadeja spoke on similar lines as Dinesh Karthik and remarked that international cricket is the best test of new coach Rahul Dravid’s nous. Ajay Jadeja also said that Rahul Dravid is the “best man” to keep the dressing room environment calm.

“The skill of a coach is tested at this stage, you know, how calm can you keep the dressing room, the guys going in next get the vibes… Rahul Dravid is the probably the best man around to keep things calm.”

India will look to extend their 1-0 lead on Friday in the second T20I in Ranchi.

Cricket/Indian Premier League 2021 (IPL 2021)/New Zealand tour of India 2021/News

Dinesh Karthik, Ajay Jadeja Name Harshal Patel To Replace Mohammed Siraj For 2nd T20I

Published on November 18, 2021

Dinesh Karthik, wicketkeeper-batter, and former cricketer Ajay Jadeja have backed Royal Challengers Banglaore uncapped pacer Harshal Patel as the suitable replacement for pacer Mohammed Siraj for the second India-New Zealand T20I.

Mohammad Siraj tore the webbing of his left hand while bowling in the last over in Jaipur on Wednesday and might miss the coming games- the next 2 T20Is at Ranchi and Kolkata.

Dinesh Karthik: It’s A Good Headache To Select One Among Harshal Patel And Avesh Khan In Place Of Mohammad Siraj

Dinesh Karthik said while both Harshal Patel and Avesh Khan are in top form, the former’s change of pace will likely come in handy in Ranchi. He, however, also said the team management might want the extra pace of Avesh Khan to add some variety to the attack, making it a “good headache” to have.

A superlative display by their top-order and controlled bowling at the back-end ensured a five-wicket victory against Black Caps, ending ‘Men in Blue’ seven-match losing streak across formats. In absence of Virat Kohli, currently on leave, Suryakumar Yadav made full use of the opportunity at number three with a match-winning 62 off 42 balls.

Dinesh Karthik said: “Both of them are bowling at the best of their careers so far… So you can blindly play any one of them. I personally feel Harshal Patel will be better because obviously, you know, the change of pace in Ranchi [which is a] slightly slow wicket.

“Avesh Khan is very good with slower ones as well but Harshal Patel is bowling with such good rhythm that you want to give him the opportunity and see what he brings to the table.

“But another way you look at it is – you have somebody who bowls 135 in Deepak Chahar and Bhuvi. If you want someone with more pace then the option is Avesh Khan. It’s a good headache to have,” said Dinesh Karthik.

Avesh Khan has been instrumental in Delhi Capitals’ early success in IPL 2021. Image: BCCI

Speaking during the same video interaction, former cricketer Ajay Jadeja also agreed with Dinesh Karthik. He noted that for the specific overs, Mohammed Siraj bowled on Wednesday (4th, 11th, 15th, and 20th), Harshal Patel would be the better option.

Ajay Jadeja explained: “The way Siraj was used, probably Harshal Patel because he bowled one in the powerplay and two right at the end.

“What he has done in the IPL, the reason why he’s been picked in the side – his strength is that when the game is moving at a different pace and the batsman is trying to dominate that’s when his slower one becomes more useful. If you have to use him the same way and the others around then Harshal is the one I’ll probably go with.”

Harshal Patel was the top wicket-taker in the IPL 2021 – claiming the joint-most 32 wickets in a season for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Delhi Capital’s Avesh Khan was right behind him with 24 wickets from 16 matches. Meanwhile, as a result of Mohammed Siraj’s valiant last over and other bowlers’ contributions, India kept New Zealand down to 164-6 and chased it with two balls to spare.

Dinesh Karthik: Rahul Dravid May Give Everyone An Opportunity

Furthermore, while Dinesh Karthik remarked that while India was unlikely to make more changes for the 2nd T20I game, Rahul Dravid’s coaching style has always been about rotating and giving most squad members a chance. Dinesh Karthik said if it goes that way here too, the head coach will have the “right conversation” to make sure that the players getting a rest don’t feel insecure.

Dinesh Karthik asserted: “The one thing Rahul Dravid has done fabulously well in his time as an India Under-19 and an India A coach is his ability to rotate and play the whole squad, consistently on all tours and give everybody an opportunity and that’s why we have such a large bench strength for the Indian team… and if that is anything to go by.

He’ll have the right conversations and spread the right message. One thing is giving a break but you have got to make sure that the guy is happy to get a break…”

The second match will begin at the same time in Ranchi on Friday. A loss in the 2nd T20I will mean that the Kiwis will surrender the series. On the other hand, India will look to land the knockout blow and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match rubber.

Predicted Indian XI: KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma (C), Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel/Avesh Khan

Todd Astle leaked 34 runs in the 3 overs that he bowled, and failed to scalp a wicket in the 1st T20I. So, the Kiwis might get Ish Sodhi into their playing XI in his place. Also, James Neesham might replace Rachin Ravindra.

Predicted New Zealand XI: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Tim Siefert (WK), James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee (C), Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult

Cricket/New Zealand tour of India 2021/News

‘Exceptional’ New Zealand Has Changed Narrative, Says Rahul Dravid

Published on November 17, 2021

Rahul Dravid, India’s new head coach, has stated that every team competing against New Zealand knows how big a team they are.

With a little over 24 hours prior to the first India and New Zealand T20I in Jaipur, head coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Rohit Sharma addressed their first press conference together. They answered questions on a range of topics, and one of them included talking about their opponents New Zealand and the reputation they hold.

Rahul Dravid: Narrative To Term New Zealand Underdogs Has Changed Over The Past Few Years

The Black Caps, the ‘nice guys of cricket’, is often considered the ‘underdogs’. The term has been in existence for so long now, despite the side winning WTC 2021 and finishing runners-up in the 2015 and 2019 50-over World Cups, besides the recently concluded 2021 T20 World Cup, that it has ended up becoming a “fashionable” statement; one far from reality. Speaking on the topic, India’s new head coach Rahul Dravid has stated that the narrative has changed over the last few years.

“New Zealand is a very good side, make no mistake about it. Their performance over the last few years has been exceptional, I think it has become fashionable to call them underdogs in every tournament but honestly, I think the narrative has changed, they enter the tournament, from outside point, they would be underdog but I am sure internally teams which compete against them, know they are going to be a top contender in any tournament they play in,” said Rahul Dravid.

New Zealand cricket team. (Credits: Twitter)

Rahul Dravid added: “New Zealand is well led and they are well prepared. They have beaten India in recent tournaments, this is a fact. But here lies a good opportunity for us to keep getting better and hopefully, we get an opportunity against them in a big tournament, we put one over them.”

The two sides will be without their talismans skippers Virat Kohli, and Kane Williamson, as both the modern-day greats, have decided to take a break from this format and return for the Test series. Moreover, this will be the teams’ second meeting in less than 3 weeks. They last met in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup, with the Kiwis winning the contest by eight wickets.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Avesh Khan, Venkatesh Iyer, And Harshal Patel Will Be Eager To Do Well Against New Zealand In 3 T20Is

The likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Avesh Khan, Venkatesh Iyer, and Harshal Patel will be eager to perform on the big stage. India will enter a new era in Jaipur when they take the field against New Zealand in the first T20I. This will be their first match with Rahul Dravid as head coach and Rohit Sharma as the permanent T20I captain.

The BCCI, a few days back, announced a very different-looking squad for T20Is, one devoid of regulars like Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja, to name a few.

With 24 wickets in 16 matches, Avesh Khan was the second-most successful bowler in the recently-concluded IPL 2021. For Delhi Capitals, Avesh Khan was the find of the season. Moreover, he was also a part of India’s red-ball squad in England. Keeping all these factors in mind, he could be in line to make his T20I debut ahead of Harshal Patel, the highest wicket-taker of IPL 2021, and Mohammed Siraj.

Venkatesh Iyer, who was a sensation in the second leg of the IPL 2021 in the UAE, has earned his maiden India call-up. Venkatesh Iyer scored 320 runs in 10 games at an average of 41.11 and a strike rate of 128.47, including four half-centuries. He finished as KKR’s fourth-highest run-scorer.

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