Jofra Archer Age, Biography, career, stats, networth, Ranking & News

Cricket/IPL 2022/News/The Ashes, 2021-22

It’s Stupid To Blame IPL For Ashes 0-4 Drubbing: Kevin Pietersen

Published on January 22, 2022

Kevin Pietersen -the ex-England skipper has said that it’s “stupid” to blame the Indian Premier League for England’s embarrassing Ashes 0-4 loss to Australia in the recently-concluded 5 Test match series.

Former England captain David Gower was “annoyed” after England’s meek surrender resulting in another Ashes defeat and said current skipper Joe Root had players who were “unavailable” because of the IPL.

Kevin Pietersen: One Can’t Blame IPL For Test Cricket Demise In England

Kevin Pietersen, an Ashes winner in 2005, 2009, 2010-11, and 2013, laughed at the remark.

“It is stupid. You can’t blame the IPL for the demise of Test cricket in England. It’s the system, it’s the county cricket system, which is poor,” Kevin Pietersen, who is representing World Giants in the Legends League Cricket, said during an interaction on Thursday.

Kevin Pietersen file image | Faheem Hussain - Sportzpics — Kevin Pietersen file image | Faheem Hussain – Sportzpics

“It’s crazy to blame the Indian Premier League because if you have a look at the Test team, there’s only maybe (Ben) Stokes (Jonny) Bairstow and (Jos) Buttler who play the IPL. Hardly any of the Test team players play the IPL… So how can you blame the IPL?”

Off-the-field, the English cricketers were also mired in a controversy after a report claimed that there was a “drinking culture” in the team with the players and coaches drinking late into the night before police broke up the session.

Kevin Pietersen said there was no harm in it as the players are affected by the bio-bubble restrictions. England faced an embarrassing 0-4 defeat in the recently-concluded Ashes series, drawing criticism for their uninspired performances throughout the five Tests Down Under.

Moeen Ali And Jos Buttler Were England Cricketers Retained By CSK And RR In IPL 2022 Respectively

A total of 27 players were retained in the retention list for IPL 2022 by the eight existing teams. Ace players like Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Kane Williamson have been retained by their respective teams ahead of the mega auction in 2022.

Eoin Morgan , Sam Curran, Jos Buttler — Eoin Morgan, Sam Curran, Jos Buttler

England players like all-rounder Moeen Ali and wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler were retained by CSK and RR respectively for IPL 2022. England’s 2019 World cup winning skipper Eoin Morgan, who led Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL 2021 final, was released by the franchise.

Sam Curran picked nine wickets for CSK before he was ruled out of the tournament owing to a lower back injury. Sam Curran was pipped by his compatriot Moeen Ali in CSK’s all-rounder spot in the retention list.

Ahead of the second leg of IPL 2021, Jonny Bairstow (SRH), Dawid Malan (PBKS), and Chris Woakes (DC) had pulled out of the tournament due to personal reasons. All three players were released by their respective franchises.

Star England all-rounder Ben Stokes and pace bowler Jofra Archer also were released by the franchise after they couldn’t participate in the entire IPL 2021 season due to various injuries. Punjab Kings duo of pacer Chris Jordan and spinner Adil Rashid along with Delhi Capitals pace bowlers Chris Woakes and Tom Curran are the other released players from England.

IPL 2022 Mega Auction. Image Credits: Twitter

Cricket/IPL 2022/News

IPL 2022: 1214 Cricketers Registered Their Names For Mega Auction

Published on January 22, 2022

IPL 2022 mega auction will be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru with two new franchises based out of Lucknow and Ahmedabad entering the fray from the upcoming season IPL 2022 onwards. Their addition means a total of 10 teams will be bidding for the top T20 stars from across the globe.

The registration for the upcoming IPL 2022 mega auction ended on January 20 and a total of 1214 players have registered their names for the two-day event. Of this, 896 are from India while 318 are from overseas.

David Warner And Mitchell Marsh Among 49 Players Who Have Listed Base Price At INR 2 Crore For IPL 2022 Mega Auction

David Warner, the Player of the Tournament at the recent 2021 T20I World Cup, and his Australian team-mate Mitchell Marsh, who was the Player of the Match in the final, are among 49 players who have listed their base price at the maximum of INR 2 crore for the IPL 2022 mega auction. Among the notable absentees from the initial longlist, are Mitchell Starc, Sam Curran, Ben Stokes, Chris Gayle, Jofra Archer, and Chris Woakes.

Mitchell Marsh and David Warner. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

Among the big names on the list, which includes 17 Indians and 32 overseas players, are Ravichandran Ashwin, Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, Ishan Kishan, Suresh Raina, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Steven Smith, Shakib Al Hasan, Mark Wood, Trent Boult, Faf du Plessis, Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada and Dwayne Bravo.

Shreyas Iyer will be one of the most sought-after players in IPL 2022 mega auctions. The right-handed batsman has the experience of playing 87 games in the IPL. He has scored 2375 runs at an average of 31.67 including 16 fifties.

Devdutt Padikkal, Harshal Patel, And Odean Smith Marked Their Reserve Price In The Highest Bracket

The likes of Devdutt Padikkal, Harshal Patel, and even the emerging West Indies allrounder Odean Smith, have not been shy of marking their reserve price in the highest bracket.

The two-day IPL 2022 Mega Auction will see 10 Teams bidding for some of the finest talents in world cricket. The players’ list incorporates 270 capped, 903 uncapped, and 41 Associate players.

The detailed list is as below:

Capped Indian (61 players)
Capped International (209 players)
Associate (41 players)
Uncapped Indians who were a part of previous IPL seasons (143 players)
Uncapped International who were a part of previous IPL seasons (6 players)
Uncapped Indians (692 players)
Uncapped Internationals (62 players)

Note: If every franchise were to have a maximum of 25 players in their squad, 217 players will be taken in the auction (of which up to 70 may be overseas players).

The country-wise breakdown of 318 overseas players is listed below:

Country	Players Registered	Country	Players Registered
Afghanistan	20	Bhutan	1
Australia	59	Namibia	5
Bangladesh	9	Nepal	15
England	30	Netherlands	1
Ireland	3	Oman	3
New Zealand	29	Scotland	1
South Africa	48	UAE	1
Sri Lanka	36	USA	14
West Indies	41
Zimbabwe	2

A total of 33 players have been retained/picked ahead of the Player Auction. The existing 8 IPL Franchises have retained a total of 27 players while the 2 new IPL teams have picked 6 players ahead of the Auction.

The list is as below:

CSK	DC	KKR	MI	PBKS
Ravindra Jadeja	Rishabh Pant	Andre Russell	Rohit Sharma	Mayank Agarwal
MS Dhoni	Axar Patel	Varun Chakaravarthy	Jasprit Bumrah	Arshdeep Singh
Moeen Ali	Prithvi Shaw	Venkatesh Iyer	Suryakumar Yadav
Ruturaj Gaikwad	Anrich Nortje	Sunil Narine	Kieron Pollard

RR	RCB	SRH	Team Ahmedabad	Team Lucknow
Sanju Samson	Virat Kohli	Kane Williamson	Hardik Pandya	KL Rahul
Jos Buttler	Glenn Maxwell	Abdul Samad	Rashid Khan	Marcus Stoinis
Yashasvi Jaiswal	Mohammed Siraj	Umran Malik	Shubman Gill	Ravi Bishnoi

Cricket/IPL 2022/News/The Ashes, 2021-22

England’s Pathetic Performance In Ashes May See ECB Barring Them From Playing IPL 2022

Published on January 12, 2022

England has produced a pathetic performance in the ongoing 2021-22 Ashes series against Australia. The Joe Root-led side has already surrendered the series and is currently 0-3 down after 4 Tests concluded.

The below-par performances of the England cricketers in Ashes have now put their participation in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in jeopardy. It has been learned that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is planning to conduct a full review into England’s defeat Down Under.

England May Ban Test Cricketers From Participating In IPL 2022 After Ashes 2021/22 Defeat: Report

According to a report, director of cricket Ashley Giles would be preparing a report which will include a number of recommendations to improve the Test team’s fortunes. Baring English cricketers from taking part in the IPL would be one of the ideas.

The Indian T20 league usually lasts two months, however, this year it’s set to get longer with the introduction of two new teams namely Ahmedabad and Lucknow. The IPL 2022 is set to clash with the initial phase of England’s Test summer as the knockout stages are likely to overlap with their first Test against New Zealand in June.

Rajasthan Royals batsman Jos Buttler in action | Sportzpics for BCCI / Pankaj Nangia

The IPL 2022 players auction is scheduled to take place in February in which a lot of England players are expected to take part. So far, only Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali have been retained by their respective franchises. It has also been learned that the players participating in the IPL will be asked to cut short their time in India so that they can feature in some domestic games to prepare for the New Zealand Tests.

Michael Atherton Criticized England Cricketers For Emphasizing IPL Over International Fixtures

On the other hand, former England players have time and again criticized current players for emphasizing IPL over international fixtures. Michael Atherton, former England captain, stressed the fact that the cricketers should not miss national duties for the cash-rich T20 league.

“The leading multi-format players are paid seven-figure sums, but, incredibly, the ECB washes its hands of them for two months of the year during the Indian Premier League,” Atherton wrote in his column.

Michael Atherton Image Source : GETTY IMAGES — Michael Atherton Image Source: GETTY IMAGES

“The players should be told that, while the ECB will be accommodating of the request to play in IPL, a 12-month contract is exactly that, and the granting of a no-objection certificate to play in IPL and other franchised competitions is contingent on it being in the best interests of the England team,” he added.

Also, from 2022, the Indian Premier League is set to become grander, as the Indian T20 League will be a 10-team affair. This means that there would be more matches, and the tournament might extend into June. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has decided to retain the services of all-rounder Moeen Ali, while the Rajasthan Royals (RR) have retained Jos Buttler.

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) emerged as the champions of the 2021 edition of the IPL, and won the IPL title for the 4th time, beating the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) side in the summit clash of the tournament. A total of 27 players were retained in the retention list by the eight existing teams. Ace players like Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Kane Williamson have been retained by their respective teams ahead of the mega auction in 2022.

Eoin Morgan, who led Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL 2021 final, was released by the franchise. Ahead of the second leg of IPL 2021, Jonny Bairstow (SRH), Dawid Malan (PBKS), and Chris Woakes (DC) had pulled out of the tournament due to personal reasons.

All three players were released by their respective franchises. Ben Stokes and pacer Jofra Archer also were released by the franchise after they couldn’t participate in the entire season due to various injuries. Punjab Kings duo of Chris Jordan and Adil Rashid along with Delhi Capitals pacer Tom Curran are the other released players from England.

List of England players to be available for IPL 2022 auction: Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes, Chris Jordan, Chris Woakes, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Sam Billings, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Jofra Archer (doubtful).

Cricket/News/The Ashes, 2021-22

Ashes 2021-22: Ricky Ponting Criticised England’s Team Selection Following 3-0 Drubbing

Published on December 28, 2021

Ricky Ponting, the former Australia captain criticized England’s team selections in Brisbane and Adelaide, accusing the tourists of constantly planning ahead without focusing on the game in front of them. England’s Ashes 2021/22 campaign was doomed for failure right from their team selection for the first Test, believes Ricky Ponting.

Speaking after the tourists’ embarrassing innings defeat at Melbourne ensured that the series was finished as a live contest before even reaching its middle day, the former Australia captain accused England’s decision-makers of overthinking their big calls to such an extent that they ended up snookering themselves.

Ricky Ponting. Photo Credit: Getty Images.

Ricky Ponting Was Surprised By The Fact That Either Of James Anderson And Stuart Broad Didn’t Play In Brisbane

Recalling the opening Test at Brisbane, for which there was a poor weather forecast and a green pitch, as well as a little history of spinners playing a key role, England opted for spinner Jack Leach over experienced pacer Stuart Broad, while leaving out highest wicket-taker pacer James Anderson as a precaution to have him ready for the day-night Test in Adelaide.

James Anderson told reporters after his four-wicket haul at the MCG that he had been “fit for that game”. It was just the third time in 169 matches that England had gone into a Test without either of their great legendary fast bowlers.

“They’ve out-thought themselves with their selections for Brisbane, looking forward to Adelaide and then looking forward to the MCG,” said Ricky Ponting, analysing the series.

James Anderson, Stuart Broad (Credits : Twitter) — James Anderson, Stuart Broad (Credits: Twitter)

“Pick your best team from the start and then see how far that group can take you. The fact that Anderson and Broad didn’t play in Brisbane is staggering,” said Ricky Ponting.

Once selecting Mark Wood, Chris Woakes, and Ollie Robinson as their seam attack – alongside Ben Stokes, in his first competitive red-ball game for England since March after a significant spell out of the game – they won the toss in overcast conditions but chose to bat first. Rory Burns was bowled round his legs by Mitchell Starc to the first delivery of the series, which set a grisly tone for all that has followed.

“The fact that Joe Root didn’t bowl first in Brisbane was staggering,” added Ricky Ponting. “The fact that Mark Wood didn’t play in Adelaide was staggering. He looked like one of the most likely bowlers up in Brisbane.”

Mark Wood was a rare bright spark in a nine-wicket defeat, offering searing pace and hostility in a team otherwise absent of those qualities, with Jofra Archer and Olly Stone both missing with injuries.

But with England worried about the burden on their X-Factor fast bowler, they rested him for the pink-ball Test at Adelaide, instead of unleashing Stuart Broad and James Anderson together – both fresh after missing the opener, but also rusty because of the shortage of cricket in the build-up.

Ricky Ponting Reckons England To Plan Well In Future

For the second time this year – following a similarly galling defeat at Ahmedabad in India tour – they had drastically misjudged the conditions of a Day-Night Test. Jack Leach, taken down by Australia’s left-handers at Brisbane in the 1st Test, was left out despite the 2nd Test’s Adelaide Oval’s curator publicly warning them that not selecting a spinner would be a serious error.

Ollie Robinson ended up bowling off-spin, while Dawid Malan unfurled his part-time leg-breaks. Jack Leach and Mark Wood watched on from the sidelines.

Jack Leach Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Ricky Ponting said: “All their planning, their thoughts, and their structures have just been completely wrong, and it’s come back to bite them. There’s no good looking forward from Brisbane if you’re going to be one or two-nil down. And that’s what it was: they planned for Melbourne – already being two-nil down, they’ve come here and been pantsed again. So, they’ve got some really, really deep thinking to do.”

Jack Leach, a hero from Headingley in 2019, was treated with contempt in the first Test by Australia’s batsmen and went for 1-102. The decision to drop the experienced spinner for the next Test came back to bite them in Adelaide where they went in without a spinner on what proved a turning wicket. He could only bowl 13 overs because he conceded 102 runs in them at a staggering economy rate of 7.8 in the 1st Ashes Test.

Joe Root’s men were the fastest to surrender the Urn after they were skittled out for a meagre 68 on day 3 of the third Test to lose the match by an innings and 14 runs. England had lost the first two Tests by nine wickets and 275 runs at Brisbane and Adelaide respectively.

News

Jofra Archer To Miss Rest Of The Season After Another Surgery

Published on December 23, 2021

The England pacer Jofra Archer will miss the remainder of the season as he underwent a second surgery on his right elbow. Archer hasn’t played an international game since the last India tour in March 2021.

Jofra Archer To Miss Rest Of The Season After Another Surgery 1

“Jofra Archer underwent a second operation on his injured right elbow on Saturday 11 December in London. The procedure addressed the long-standing stress fracture of his right elbow. A return to cricket will be determined in time, but Jofra will not be available for any of England’s remaining Winter series,” ECB informed via a press release.

England has been missing his services in the ongoing Ashes series big time because he is one of the fewest English bowlers whose pace could have been handy in these bouncy surfaces.

Since he made his Test debut in the summer of 2019, he had a stop-start career. In his debut series, he made a big impression with 22 scalps in 4 games. Though since then, things have gone south for him as he missed more games than he played with little to no success.

Jofra Archer To Miss Rest Of The Season After Another Surgery 2 — Jofra Archer and Steven Smith (Image Credit: Twitter)

On the other side, England’s team management has been criticized heavily for not managing his workload. In the first away tour, Archer bowled 82 overs against a series in New Zealand in space of two weeks.

He didn’t have much success in the summer of 2020 as he picked 8 wickets in 4 Tests against West Indies and Pakistan. He also missed IPL 2021 due to injury as the pacer was set to represent Rajasthan Royals. The pacer had phenomenal success in IPL, picking 46 wickets in 35 games with an economy of 7.13. In the 2020 season, he was chosen for the ‘Most Valuable Player’ award.

After the Ashes, England’s next assignment will be the West Indies tour where the team will have 3 Tests and 5 T20Is, starting on January 22, 2022.

Also Read: “We Picked The Best Attack For Those Conditions”- Chris Silverwood Backed England’s Tactics In The Adelaide Test

Jofra Archer made his Test debut at Lord’s against Australia last year. (Source: Reuters)

Cricket/News

Jofra Archer Feared The Bouncer Bowled To Steve Smith In 2019 Ashes Could Have Resulted In His Death

Published on December 14, 2021

Jofra Archer, the England pacer feared his aggressive bowling to Australian veteran batsman and ex-skipper Steve Smith in the second Test of the 2019 Ashes series could have resulted in the latter’s death. Jofra Archer claimed the cricketing fraternity couldn’t afford another casualty on the field after Philip Hughes’s death by a similar bouncer.

The duel between Jofra Archer and Steve Smith was one of the most riveting in Test cricket history. Jofra Archer, who debuted in the format in that match, unsettled the ace Test batter with plenty of short-pitched balls, including a nasty one that felled Steve Smith in the first innings. He copped a blow to his head, resulting in a concussion.

Jofra Archer: Obviously Another Cricket Related Death Isn’t Wanted

Jofra Archer said the blows could especially hurt players in England due to the cold weather. The 26-year old cited having fears of another cricket-related death when Steve Smith went down.

Australia’s Steve Smith was given the all-clear after being forced to retire hurt when he was struck by a short ball from England fast bowler Jofra Archer on the fourth day of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s in August 2019.

Steve Smith was on 80 when he was hit on the neck by test debutant Jofra Archer, who bowled a hostile spell from the Pavilion End during which his deliveries reached speeds of well over 90 miles per hour.

Steve Smith, who made 144 and 142 in Australia’s emphatic victory in the first test, had defied the England attack again as the touring side replied to the hosts’ first-innings total of 258.

“I think in England personally when the ball hits you it can feel a lot worse than it is because sometimes it’s a bit cold and I thought it was that until I actually saw him roll … when he went down and then he rolled on his back, I went ‘oh dear,’ you know.

“I thought it was very serious, but he came out and he batted again. Obviously you don’t ever want a cricket related death. There was one already and there’s no need for another one. It’s hard enough trying to get the kids to come and play cricket.”

Although Steve Smith returned to bat in the first innings after sustaining a concussion, he couldn’t do so in the second. The 32-year old also missed the third Test at Headingley as England won a thrilling game by a wicket. Former Australia batsman Phillip Hughes died after being struck by a bouncer in the neck during a first-class match in Sydney in 2014.

Australia successfully applied for a concussion substitute, bringing in Marnus Labuschagne as a replacement for Steve Smith, who suffered a delayed concussion after copping a blow to his neck during a fiery Jofra Archer spell.

Jofra Archer Praised Steve Smith’s Resilience In The 2019 England Ashes Tour As He Failed To Dismiss The Batsmen Even Once

Jofra Archer, who failed to dismiss Steve Smith even once throughout the series, hailed his resilience and concentration. Although he relished the challenge, the right-arm pacer felt he wasn’t meant to dismiss Steve Smith.

“I know they say he’s tough as nails anyway, but I don’t think he would have come out to bat again if he wasn’t. Just his resilience. You are putting yourself out there and risking everything for your team. Honestly, throughout that whole series, I just think his wicket wasn’t for me. There were a few top edges that could have gone to hand. But I just enjoyed the challenge.”

Jofra Archer bouncer Steven Smith — Jofra Archer bouncer to Steve Smith (Image Credit: Twitter)

Steve Smith enjoyed a highly productive Ashes series, mustering 774 runs in four Tests at 110.57. The former Australian skipper’s monumental efforts were instrumental in Australia retaining the urn. His scores read 144, 142, 92, 211, 82, 80, and 23 in that series.

Interestingly, Marnus Labuschagne, the concussion substitute has an impressive average of 61.21 in 19 Tests amassing 1959 runs already while Steve Smith is one step ahead of him, averaging 61.39 in 78 Tests amassing 7552 runs. After Don Bradman‘s 99.94 average, Australian Adam Voges is 2nd best averaging 61.87 in 20 Tests followed by the Steve Smith-Marnus Labuschagne duo.

Jofra Archer has been ruled out of all cricket for the rest of the year 2021 following a recurrence of a stress fracture in his right elbow. Jofra Archer, the England fast bowler, was forced home from the tour of India at the start of the year and subsequently forced to pull out of the IPL 2021 due to pain in the elbow. He underwent surgery to remove a bone fragment from the elbow in May.

The ECB has announced he will play no part in the Test series against visitors India, the 2021 T20 World Cup, or the Ashes 2021/22. He has only played six Tests, three ODIs, and 11 T20Is since he was first troubled by the problem. In 13 Tests, he has 42 scalps and he has 30 scalps in 17 ODIs and 14 scalps in 12 T20Is.

Cricket/News/The Ashes, 2021-22

Joe Root Backed Jack Leach And Rory Burns To Bounce Back From Dismal 1st Ashes Test Loss

Published on December 14, 2021

Joe Root on Tuesday backed Jack Leach and Rory Burns to bounce back from dismal Ashes 1st Test performances, while star all-rounder Ben Stokes declared himself fit to play the next Ashes Test- a Day-Night one in Adelaide. Joe Root refused to rule out selecting spinner Jack Leach in Thursday’s pink-ball Test in Adelaide, even though he conceded 102-1 from 13 overs as England stumbled to a nine-wicket loss in Brisbane.

England controversially rested veteran quicks Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad for the first Test but Joe Root said the pair were “fit and ready to go” in Adelaide. Jack Leach’s meager returns in Brisbane would normally see him dropped to make room in the attack, but England will still want a specialized slow bowler for Adelaide’s traditionally spin-friendly wicket.

Joe Root Said England Have To Make Big Decisions In Selecting Team For 2nd Ashes Test But Defended Jack Leach

Few gave England any chance of winning the Gabba Test. In the leadup to the series, England lost to New Zealand 1-0 and conceded a 2-1 series lead to India at home, which led bare their overreliance on Joe Root and inability to weave aggressive bowling spells without the injured Jofra Archer, who was ruled out from playing in 2021.

“We’ve obviously got some big decisions to make,” Root told reporters in Adelaide.

He said conditions did not suit Jack Leach at the Gabba but Australia could pay the price if they continued to target him elsewhere.

“I’m sure he’ll want to respond and he’ll want to get back into the series and have an impact,” the England skipper said. “Some of the grounds that we will be going to from this point onwards should offer a lot more for him and bring spin into it as well.”

The left-arm spinner Jack Leach could only bowl 13 overs because he conceded 102 runs in them at a staggering economy rate of 7.8. In contrast, his counterpart Nathan Lyon bowled 43 overs at 2.6 apiece while also picking up four wickets.

Joe Root Defended Rory Burns Too While Ben Stokes Said He’s Fit

Joe Root also offered support to opening batsman Rory Burns, who fell to the first ball of the series in Brisbane and then dropped a crucial chance from David Warner.

“Rory is a very strong character, you can’t doubt that side of his game,” said Root, himself strongly criticised back in England after winning the toss in Brisbane and opting to bat first.

“He’ll come back in and want a response and want to put some big scores on the board.”

Ben Stokes, who failed to fire in Brisbane — his first competitive match in six months after a break to deal with a finger injury and mental health issues — dismissed concerns a knee injury could keep him out of the second Test.

“People will have seen me rubbing my knee from time to time when I was in the field, but rest assured I’m fine,” Stokes wrote in a column. “It is an old injury that flares up every now and again, but I know how to manage it.”

England had included Jack Leach in the Brisbane Test and left out veteran pacer Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson from the playing XI for the opening Test. The decision backfired for the Joe Root-led side. Meanwhile, Ben Stokes recently underwent a second surgery on his broken finger. He broke his hand while taking a catch for Rajasthan Royals in the first match in India in the Indian Premier League 2021, and a repeat X-ray and CT scan revealed that he has a fracture of his left index finger.

Contrary to expectations, Ben Stokes struggled across departments as Australia cantered to a nine-wicket win at the Gabba. The 30-year old managed 19 runs in the game and leaked 65 runs in 12 overs without picking wickets. The star all-rounder missed the New Zealand and India Test series in England, the second half of IPL 2021 at UAE, 2021 T20I World Cup to prioritize his mental wellbeing over cricket.

The second Test, a day and night affair, begins on December 16 at the Adelaide Oval.

Cricket/News

Marnus Labuschagne Not Disappointed That He Was Overlooked For Australian Captaincy Role Before Ashes 2021/22

Published on December 3, 2021

Marnus Labuschagne said he is not disappointed that he was overlooked for the Australia captaincy role after Tim Paine’s resignation and that his focus is on helping the team by scoring runs in the all-important Ashes 2021/22, starting December 8.

Though only 18 Test matches old, Marnus Labuschagne was regarded as one of the captaincy candidates for Australia but he was not offered even an interview by Cricket Australia who had a detailed process to appoint Tim Paine’s successor.

Marnus Labuschagne Isn’t Disappointed After Not Being Appointed Captain Or Even Deputy By Cricket Australia

Notably, Pat Cummins was appointed as captain and Steve Smith his deputy after interviews conducted by the cricket board. Having been overlooked for a Test leadership post, Marnus Labuschagne said he “wasn’t disappointed” and backed newly-installed duo Pat Cummins and Steve Smith.

“No, I wasn’t disappointed,” Labuschagne told reporters.

“I think there are two very good leaders and very good candidates. Cummins is going to do a fabulous job and he’s got plenty of support with Steve as his vice-captain and all the senior players of the group,” Labuschagne said.

Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. Image: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images — Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, and Marnus Labuschagne. Image: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“My job right now is to concentrate on scoring runs consistently for Australia and I’m happy for that to be my role for now. You don’t need the title to still be a leader in the group,” said Labuschagne.

A little more than two years on from the 2019 Ashes, Marnus Labuschagne has cemented himself as Australia’s number three and one of the world’s best batsmen with a stratospheric average of more than 60. He has come a long way since his first Ashes appearance when he became test cricket’s first concussion substitute at Lord’s after Steve Smith was taken out by a Jofra Archer bouncer.

Marnus Labuschagne Want To Continue Scoring Runs

While Steve Smith dominated the drawn series with 774 runs, Marnus Labuschagne played an outstanding support act, notching four half-centuries to help Australia retain the urn in England for the first time in nearly two decades. He has since racked up five hundred, including a 215 against New Zealand, and looms as a major problem for England to solve in the series starting at the Gabba next week.

“The target is on your back now that you’re scoring runs and that you’re the main part of that team,” said Labuschagne.

Marnus Labuschagne has had a remarkable rise since his breakout Ashes tour in 2019 after being thrust into the Lord’s Test as a concussion substitute. With a rapidly blossoming career now boasting five centuries at an average of 60.80 from 18 Tests, Marnus Labuschagne has made Australia’s previously troubled No. 3 position his own and shored up the top-order alongside veterans David Warner and Steve Smith.

RCB leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in action during IPL 2020 | Saikat Das / Sportzpics for BCCI

Cricket/IPL 2022/News

Yuzvendra Chahal May Earn Big Bucks During IPL 2022 Mega Auction: Laxman Sivaramakrishnan

Published on December 2, 2021

Yuzvendra Chahal is at a strange point in his career. Not too long ago, he was India’s premier spinner in white-ball cricket, but that soon changed when he was not included in India’s T20 World Cup squad in 2021 despite the team taking five spin-bowling options with them to the UAE.

Immediately after India’s disappointing outing in the World Cup, Yuzvendra Chahal was called back for the home T20I series against New Zealand but played only one T20I. A week later, the leg-spinner got another setback as Royal Challengers Bangalore decided not to retain him despite him being one of RCB’s top performers with the ball in the last eight seasons.

Yuzvendra Chahal was not retained by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL retentions.© IPL

Yuzvendra Chahal May End Up Getting More Money For Being In IPL 2022 Auction Pool Instead Of Being Retained By RCB: Laxman Sivaramakrishnan

Former India cricketer Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, however, feels not all is lost for Yuzvendra Chahal. The former leg-spinner, in fact, is of the opinion that Yuzvendra Chahal might actually end up getting big bucks at the auction.

RCB retained Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, and Mohammed Siraj in the IPL retention that took place on Tuesday. Yuzvendra Chahal, who had been a part of the franchise since 2014, was released. However, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan said RCB would want the leg-spinner back in the fold during the mega auction ahead of IPL 2022.

“RCB would want to buy him back. The other teams would want Chahal in their side because of his exceptional record in the IPL. The people who have more money will have the luxury of going for Chahal.

‘In the end, Chahal might end up getting more money for being in the auction than by being retained,” Sivaramakrishnan told NDTV during a media interaction arranged by Sony Sports Network.

Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, who is in the commentary panel for the Ashes, gave an example of the bidding war for Ravichandran Ashwin between RCB and CSK to explain how other franchises might increase the price of Yuzvendra Chahal if RCB desperately wants him back in the side.

“I remember how RCB was raising the paddle seeing CSK going hard for Ashwin. If RCB want Chahal then the other teams might just bid to ensure he costs more to them. So, in the end, Chahal might end up being benefitted,” Sivaramakrishnan added.

Yuzvendra Chahal’s exclusion comes as a huge surprise to RCB fans. The leg-spinner has been the leader of Bangalore’s bowling attack for a good five to six years now. Yuzvendra Chahal is the only RCB bowler to claim more than 100 IPL wickets. Yuzvendra Chahal has thus far featured in 114 IPL games, claiming 139 wickets at an average of 22.28 and an economy rate of 7.59-all for RCB.

The likes of George Garton, Navdeep Saini, Dushmantha Chameera, Tim David, Shahbaz Ahmad, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dan Christian, and retired AB de Villiers were released by Royal Challengers Bangalore before IPL 2022 mega auctions.

Laxman Sivaramakrishnan Said More Indian Payers Being Retained Means They Will Form The Core

Unlike past retentions, only eight overseas players were retained by the teams this time around, while the number of retained Indian players was 19. Laxman Sivaramakrishnan said it was a good sign for Indian cricket.

“The overseas players not being retained are a sign that the Indian players are good enough. And the Indian players is what we really need to look at. The foreign players might make a fortune but the Indian players will form the core,” he added.

Asked whether the likes of Steve Smith, David Warner, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer will be dejected for not being retained by their respective IPL franchises, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan said they would be focused on the Ashes, starting on December 8.

“Playing for the country is first and foremost. Your ambition as a young cricketer is not to play in IPL but to play for the country. There was no IPL when Ben Stokes or Steve Smith started to play.

“So, their aim would always have been to play for England and Australia. There are two ways to look at IPL retention. Firstly, the players who have already been retained will feel a sense of security. The players who have not been retained also have opportunity,” he signed off.

Many of the big-ticket players, including MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Glenn Maxwell, were retained. But the list of players released and going back into the auction pool is a long one.

Likes of Rashid Khan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Deepak Chahar were released by their respective franchises.

Cricket/IPL 2022/News

Rashid Khan And KL Rahul Not Retained By Their Respective Franchises For IPL 2022; Reasons Revealed

Published on December 1, 2021

Rashid Khan – the Afghan leg spinner who was not retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings who couldn’t retain keeper-batsman KL Rahul were two of the major talking points coming out of Tuesday evening retentions ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Both non-retentions have much more to them than what meets the eye.

Having to release Rashid Khan, one of the leading bowlers in the T20 format, was indeed a difficult negotiation. As one franchisee insider said, letting go of Rashid Khan is akin to Royal Challengers Bangalore releasing Virat Kohli, or Mumbai Indians releasing Rohit Sharma. However, it didn’t seem this straightforward when agents from both parties were involved in an intense war of price tags.

Rashid Khan Wanted To Get Back Into The Auction Pool: SRH CEO

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) announced the 3 retentions shockingly ahead of IPL 2022, with Rashid Khan not being retained. The ace leg-spinner from Afghanistan has decided to move into the player auction instead of being retained by the IPL 2016 champions.

SRH has retained New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson as their skipper. Uncapped youngsters Abdul Samad and Umran Malik, too, have been retained by the franchise.

Rashid Khan has been SRH’s best bowler since joining the team back in 2017. His numbers in the IPL stand at a staggering 93 wickets from 76 games at an astonishing economy rate of 6.33.

Announcing SRH’s retention list on Star Sports, the franchise’s CEO K Shanmugam mentioned that Rashid Khan was a part of their plans. However, Mr. K Shanmugam stated that it was the player’s choice to get back into the auction pool. The decision was respected and acknowledged by the franchise.

Mr K Shanmugam said: “It’s a difficult decision but if a player wants to be in the auction because of the price, we definitely respect the decision. We will try and match him in (terms of) the price and see if we can pick him up in the auction”.

Rashid Khan’s prowess in the T20 format is not unknown. However, he remains one of only four players to have scalped 400 or more wickets. Hence, a bidding war is expected for him in the IPL player auction. This, of course, provided none of the two new teams from Lucknow or Ahmedabad pick Rashid Khan up in a draft prior to the auction.

As previously reported, the SRH team, which had first bought Rashid Khan in the 2017 auction for Rs 4 crore and then used the Right To Match (RTM) card in the 2018 mega auction, wanted to keep the spinner as their No 2 retention. However, it would have meant that Rashid Khan would be entitled to a fee of Rs 11 crore, which is Rs 2 crore more than his current salary.

After initially refusing to be the second retention, Rashid Khan apparently relented but later reneged. SRH says they still have a good equation with the player but not as much with a London-based agent who was playing hardball with the franchise.

The franchise might not have heard back from Rashid Khan after that, but they still hope to buy him in the auction – that is, if one of the two new teams, Ahmedabad and Lucknow, doesn’t rope him in first.

KL Rahul Was Tried To Be Retained By Punjab Kings, But He Wanted To Go Into The IPL 2022 Auction: Ness Wadia

PBKS, in turn, failed to hold on to KL Rahul, whom they had appointed captain keeping long-term goals in mind. The franchise co-owner Ness Wadia did not hide his disappointment.

“He was our captain, we tried our best (to retain Rahul). We wanted him to stay but he wanted to go into the auction. He had different plans,” Wadia said on Tuesday night (November 30).

KL Rahul is understood to be headed for Lucknow.

“We have retained Mayank and Arshdeep who were part of our strategy. In terms of bowling, we are confident Arshdeep will represent India soon. It is too early to say if Mayank will be captain but he is a talented and committed player.

“Our first step was the retention and we will decide what is best for the franchise in terms of captaincy,” Wadia said adding, “Punjab Kings have not done as well as it should have done. We have plans for the next season to ensure better performance. Whatever we need to do we will do to improve and we are looking forward to having a right balance for the side.”

Elsewhere, it was a surprise that Royal Challengers Bangalore left out Yuzvendra Chahal, one of the most consistent performers for the franchise over the years. It is learned that Yuzvendra Chahal may not have agreed to be the No 3 retention, which would have entitled him to only Rs 7 crore. A bigger amount at the auction table is surely a possibility, for which he left RCB.

One of the most expected retentions was of Venkatesh Iyer by Kolkata Knight Riders who, in a span of two months, became an elite player after performing well in the UAE leg of IPL 2021, managing 370 runs which led to his maiden India call-up. The absence of England’s Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer from the Rajasthan Royals’ list. Kumar Sangakkara strove to explain a part of it, saying Jofra Archer’s fitness was an issue.

Tuesday (November 30) saw pre-existing IPL franchises announce their list of retained players ahead of the 2022 season. The usual suspects Rohit Sharma of MI, Virat Kohli of RCB, and MS Dhoni of CSK have all been retained by their teams.

It is worth noting that both Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni have taken a pay cut in comparison to the previous three-year cycle. Virat Kohli will now draw INR 15 crore, as opposed to INR 17 crore earlier. Meanwhile, MS Dhoni’s salary is now INR 12 crore, having drawn INR 15 crore before.

Ravindra Jadeja has been retained by defending champions CSK as their highest-paid player at INR 16 crore. Some of the most notable Indian names to have not been retained by their teams include Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, and Hardik Pandya.

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