Cricket

‘I expect him to play like a…’: Former India cricketer’s advice for Hardik Pandya | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Pragyan Ojha has urged Hardik Pandya to embrace the role of a “true leader” and rise to the occasion. Despite facing criticism, Hardik was appointed as the vice-captain of India’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup.Ojha expressed confidence in Hardik’s leadership capabilities and his prowess as an all-rounder. He stressed the significance of mental preparedness, highlighting the need for Hardik to be ready to take charge when circumstances dictate.Ojha’s endorsement underscores the belief in Hardik’s potential to excel not just as a player but also as a leader on the cricketing stage.“I expect him to play like a leader because he is next in command. If something happens to Rohit, we don’t want that, if anything happens, he (Hardik) will be leading the side, so he has to be prepared, he has to take that responsibility when he is batting,” Ojha said on Jio Cinema.Hardik’s journey since the October 2023 ODI World Cup match against Bangladesh has been marked by both triumphs and challenges. After recovering from an ankle ailment, he assumed the captaincy of Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2024 season, replacing Rohit Sharma. However, this decision sparked significant social media criticism, which evidently impacted the all-rounder’s confidence.Despite the adversity, Hardik has showcased glimpses of his batting prowess in the 2024 IPL season, scoring 197 runs at an impressive average of 150.38 in 10 games. However, his bowling performance has been less stellar, with only six wickets claimed at an economy rate of 11.0.Navigating through the highs and lows, Pandya’s resilience will be key as he seeks to regain his form and silence the critics, both on and off the field.Ojha, acknowledging Hardik’s significance in the Indian setup, lauded his ability to provide balance to the team. Despite the IPL ordeal, Hardik’s place in the T20 World Cup squad was never in doubt. His versatility as an all-rounder offered India the flexibility they needed, a fact not lost on selectors or fans.“For me, he is someone who will create that balance for the side. Every time we talk about Indian team selection, Hardik’s name always comes in. He creates that balance, he will give you that cushion. That you can have an extra batter or a bowler, wherever he is needed. That’s what we want him to do, to be mentally ready for the World Cup and just forget what is happening in the IPL and focus on the World Cup, that is more important,” Ojha added.(With IANS inputs)

Mitchell Marsh Gives Update On His Recovery From Hamstring

Danijones7 months ago06 mins

Australia’s new men’s T20I captain Mitchell Marsh said he hopes to get things right in the next three weeks to recover from hamstring injury and achieve full fitness to be ready in time for the World Cup in the USA and the West Indies, when Australia play their first game against Oman on June 6 in Barbados. Marsh has been out of action since April 3 clash for Delhi Capitals due to a right hamstring strain. He flew back home to Perth from IPL 2024 in India to begin his recovery, with Cricket Australia taking charge of it. Eventually, Marsh was ruled out of DC’s campaign, with them drafting Afghanistan all-rounder Gulbadin Naib as his replacement. “If we had to play tomorrow, I’d be in a bit of trouble. Still a couple of weeks away (from full fitness). The timing probably sits perfectly, barring no setbacks. I’ll be on the plane, ready to go.” “The hammy is good, it’s coming along really well. It’s pretty much exactly where we want it to be. It’s one of those things. Just got to get it right over the next three weeks and get on the plane,” said Marsh to reporters in Perth on Thursday. The 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup will be Marsh’s first full-time event as Australia’s skipper in the shortest format, after holding the position in an interim capacity. “Just really proud. It’s not every day you get to captain Australia and lead them to a World Cup. That’s very exciting. But I think one of the best things about our team is that there’s a lot of great leaders in our group.” “One of the biggest things I’ve learned is to not change too much. There’s a lot of preparation and planning that goes into a World Cup, and that’ll happen over the next month. But once we get there, it’s keeping everything nice and relaxed, keeping the environment good, and making sure we go out there and give it our all,” he added. Marsh also revealed he’s in constant communication with ODI and Test skipper Pat Cummins, who captained Australia to World Test Championship and ODI World Cup triumphs last year. For the T20 World Cup, Cummins will be playing under Marsh’s captaincy. “We’re always in communication as mates and, I guess, as leaders. But no real conversations around the cricket side of things, just always checking in on each other. We’re great mates so I’m looking forward to working with him over the next period of time.” Marsh signed off by backing the veteran David Warner to come good in Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign in what will also be his event as an international cricketer after retiring from Tests and ODIs earlier this year. Warner is currently recovering from a hand injury while batting in DC’s match against Lucknow Super Giants on April 12. Though he played in the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 20, Warner has been out of action since then. “It’s been a long last hurrah, hasn’t it for Davey? We’re always really excited to have him in the team. Just the experience that he brings.” “I think if we look back at his career. There’s been so many big moments that you need your big experienced players to stand up and Davey has always been one of those. So we’re lucky to have him.” (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

India’s Thomas Cup title defence ends in quarterfinal after 1-3 defeat to China

Danijones7 months ago05 mins

India’s Thomas Cup campaign ended in the quarter-finals when the defending champions lost to powerhouses China 1-3 in Chengdu, China on Thursday, May 2. Lakshya Sen was the lone winner for India as the holders crashed out in a disappointing manner in the prestigious team tournament, which they won two years ago in Bangkok. There were warning signs for India as they were outclassed 1-4 in their final Group C tie by Indonesia on Wednesday. India took the court, less than 24 hours after the draining tie against Indonesia while China had a day’s break before their quarter-final. The fatigue was evident as India’s shuttlers were unable to cope with the intensity of the Chinese stars, who did not need the final match of the quarter-final tie. India’s top-ranked singles shuttler HS Prannoy lost to World No. 2 Shi Yuqi. Despite making a strong start with a win in the opening game, Prannoy was not able to maintain his intensity throughout the contest. Prannoy lost 21-15, 11-21, 14-21 in an hour and 6 minutes. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who headed into the quarter-final after a defeat in the tie against Indonesia, were beaten in three games by World No. 1`Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang. The Indian doubles stars, who played a key role in the Thomas Cup triumph 2 years ago, lost 15-21, 21-11, 12-21. It was a disappointing tournament for Satwik and Chirag as the Olympic medal favourites failed in two crunch ties for India, losing their doubles rubbers against Indonesia and China. LAKSHYA SECURES LONE WIN FOR INDIA Lakshya Sen then kept India’s hopes alive by defeating World No. 6 Li Shi Feng in a come-from-behind victory. Lakshya lost the opening game 13-21, but he fought back and took the match in an hour and 10 minutes. Lakshya raced to a 21-8 win the second game as he swung the momentum in his favour and did not look back. However, India were not able to push the quarter-final contest into the decider as Dhruv Kapila and Sai Pratheek were beaten 10-21, 10-21 to He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu in 34 minutes. India had picked Kiran George for the final singles rubber instead of Kidambi Srikanth. However, Kiran was not needed as China secured the win in the 4th match, sealing a 3-1 win. INDIA BOW OUT OF UBER CUP Earlier in the day, the Indian women’s team showed enough promise for the future despite losing to Japan 3-0 inthe quarter-final of the Uber Cup in Chengdu. Despite the absence of experienced campaigners, including PV Sindhu, India made it to the last eight stage with two convincing wins over Canada and Singapore is a huge shot in the arm for the next generation of women’s singles shuttlers. Published By: Akshay Ramesh Published On: May 2, 2024

All-Rounder Saad Bin Zafar To Lead Canada In T20 World Cup 2024

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

Canada will make its maiden appearance in the Men’s T20 World Cup with all-rounder Saad Bin Zafar, a player of Pakistani origin, set to lead the side in the showpiece event to be held in the Americas. The side, comprising mostly of Indian and Pakistani origin players, is placed in Group A alongside co-hosts USA, India, Pakistan and Ireland. Canada will play its first match against the US in Dallas on June 1, with the side then set to face Ireland on June 7, Pakistan on June 11, and India on June 15. Canada had defeated Bermuda in October last year in the ICC T20 World Cup Americas Region Final, a double round-robin format, for a berth in the T20 World Cup. The Canadians had failed to make it to the global event in the eight previous editions of the T20 World Cup. Saad, 37, who is also a left-arm spinner and has played 38 T20I, is one of the most experienced players in the Canadian side, with top-order batter Aaron Johnson and left-arm seamer Kaleem Sana also expected to feature heavily in the playing XI. The side is coached by former Sri Lankan and Canadian international Pubudu Dassanayake, who took over the reins in 2022. Harsh Thaker, Nicholas Kirton, and Dilpreet Bajwa are the only three players in the side under the age of 30. “Aaron Johnson’s explosive hitting will be critical at the top of the order, as will Kaleem Sana’s pace bowling when Canada is in the field. The all-round skills of Bin Zafar, Thaker, and Dilon Heyliger will be vital to Canada’s hopes of winning on the biggest stage,” said a Cricket Canada statement. Squad: Saad Bin Zafar (C), Aaron Johnson, Dilon Heyliger, Dilpreet Bajwa, Harsh Thaker, Jeremy Gordon, Junaid Siddiqui, Kaleem Sana, Kanwarpal Tathgur (wk), Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Pargat Singh, Ravinderpal Singh, Rayyankhan Pathan, Shreyas Movva (wk). Reserves: Tajinder Singh, Aaditya Varadharajan, Ammar Khalid, Jatinder Matharu, Parveen Kumar. PTI AM AM APA Topics mentioned in this article

India women beat Bangladesh by 7 wickets in third T20I, take 3-0 unassailable lead | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: India continued their dominance in the women’s T20I series, securing an unassailable 3-0 lead by convincingly defeating Bangladesh by seven wickets in the third match held in Sylhet.Opting to field first, captain Harmanpreet Kaur‘s decision proved astute as India’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance, limiting Bangladesh to 117/8.In reply, India’s openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma exhibited superb batting, constructing a formidable 91-run partnership in just 12.1 overs.Shafali’s explosive innings of 51 off 38 balls and Mandhana’s solid 47 off 42 balls propelled India towards victory, despite their eventual dismissals. Though Ritu Moni and Nahida Akter secured crucial wickets, India had already inflicted significant damage.Despite Bangladesh’s aggressive start, racing to 44 for no loss in the initial six powerplay overs, India’s bowlers regrouped after the dismissal of Dilara Akter, who blazed away to 39 off 25 balls.Dilara’s batting prowess was evident as she negotiated the Indian bowlers effectively, contributing to Bangladesh’s brisk start at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.Despite trailing 0-2 in the series, Bangladesh displayed determination to salvage the contest, especially after their disappointing performance two days earlier.With the T20 World Cup looming, Bangladesh aimed to solidify their middle-order, an area that had posed challenges. Despite Dilara’s efforts, Bangladesh suffered a setback with the run-out of Murshida Khatun (9) by the combination of Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh.In a significant turn of events, medium pacer Renuka Singh, the standout performer from the series opener, struck a crucial blow against Bangladesh.Her deceptive slower delivery on the leg side caught Dilara’s gloves, deflecting the ball to the wicketkeeper, Ghosh, despite the batter’s attempt to play it aggressively over square leg. This unexpected dismissal dealt a setback to the home team’s momentum as the Indian bowlers sought to establish control.By the 10th over, Bangladesh stood at 66 for two, with captain Nigar Sultana and Sobhana Mostary at the crease. However, a lapse in running between the wickets led to Sobhana’s dismissal for 15 off 20 balls, failing to beat Renuka’s accurate throw to the stumps.The momentum further shifted in India’s favor when Fahima Khatun was adjudged lbw off Shreyanka Patil’s first delivery. The dismissal came as Fahima attempted a sweep but missed the line completely, resulting in a swift end to her innings.(With PTI inputs)

India beat Bangladesh by 7 wickets, take 3-0 unassailable lead

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

A dominant India grabbed an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match women’s T20I series as they pummelled Bangladesh by seven wickets in the third match in Sylhet on May 02. After their skipper Harmanpreet Kaur opted to field first looking at the cloud cover and a mild breeze, India’s bowlers dished out another disciplined performance to restrict Bangladesh to 117/8, which the visitors overhauled with nine balls to spare. When they came to bat, openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put on 91 runs in just 12.1 overs to take India closer to a series win. Shafali got out after a 38-ball 51, hitting eight fours, while Mandhana found form as she struck 47 off 42 balls with the help of five boundaries and a six. Ritu Moni took a blinder off her bowling to dismiss Shafali while Nahida Akter accounted for Mandhana. But the damage was done. Earlier, the decision to bowl first did not yield the desired result immediately, as Bangladesh raced to 44 for no loss in the six powerplay overs. However, the Indian bowlers tightened the screws on the home team batters after the dismissal of Dilara Akter, who blazed away to 39 off 25 balls. The hosts’ brisk start was largely due to the batting of Dilara Akter who struck a few boundaries and negotiated the Indian bowlers without much difficulty early on at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. Trailing 0-2 in the five-match series, Bangladesh looked determined to give a better account of themselves and keep the rubber alive, two days after being shot out for 119 at the same venue. With the T20 World Cup around the corner, the objective is to finalise their middle-order, which has been having some difficulty. Even as Dilara kept the scoreboard moving at a fair clip, Bangladesh lost their first wicket when Murshida Khatun (9) was run out by the Deepti Sharma-Richa Ghosh combo. The star performer of the series opener, medium pacer Renuka Singh dealt a big blow on Bangladesh when her slower delivery on the leg side made contact with Dilara’s gloves on its way to Ghosh, even as the batter looked to hit it hard over the square leg region. The soft dismissal hurt the home team as the India bowlers looked to settle into a nice rhythm. At the end of the 10th over, Bangladesh were 66 for two, with their captain Nigar Sultana and Sobhana Mostary in the middle. A poor example of running between the wickets led to the dismissal of Sobhana (15 off 20 balls), the diving batter failing to beat Renuka’s throw at the striker’s end. Fahima Khatun was out the first ball, given lbw off Shreyanka Patil after the new batter shuffled across to sweep the ball but missed the line completely.

‘Leaving Rinku Singh out of T20 World Cup team toughest thing’: Apologetic Ajit Agarkar finds no fault in KKR batter | Crickit

Danijones7 months ago05 mins

BCCI chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said leaving Rinku Singh out of India’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup was one of the toughest decisions. India announced their squad on Tuesday (April 30) for the world event slated to take place in the USA and West Indies in June this year. The squad has a good mix of youth experience, but the non-selection of Rinku, one of India’s top performers in T20Is in the lead-up to the IPL, became one of the biggest talking points. India’s Rinku Singh plays a shot(BCCI Twitter) The 26-year-old Aligarh left-hander, who captured the cricketing world’s imagination with five sixes in an over during the previous IPL, made way for Shivam Dube in the main national squad while his name ended up being among the reserves. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Two days after naming the squad, Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma answered queries from reporters in a press conference held in Mumbai. Agarkar said Rinku didn’t do anything wrong. The selectors couldn’t pick the dynamic left-hander in the final 15 as they wanted more bowling options. “(Not picking Rinku Singh) the toughest thing that we have to discuss. Rinku hasn’t done anything wrong, nor has Shubman Gill. It’s about the combinations. We are not quite sure about the conditions. So we wanted to have enough (bowling) options. We have picked a couple of wrist spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, to give Rohit more options. There’s Axar (Patel), a bowling all-rounder. It’s just unfortunate,” Agarkar said on Thursday. ‘Not Riku Singh’s fault that he has missed out’: Agarkar News agency PTI quoted a BCCI source privy to the developments in the selection meeting to claim that Rinku may have paid the price of the Impact Player rule in the IPL, which prevented him from having many opportunities with the bat in this IPL for his franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. The Impact Player rule has allowed every IPL franchise to field an extra batter when they are batting and replace him with a bowler later. As a result, Rinku, who has made a name for himself as a finisher, has played only 82 balls in 9 matches in IPL 2024, scoring 123 runs at a strike rate of 150. KKR have not needed his finishing skills in most of the matches this year as their openers, Phil Salt and Sunil Narine, have been doing the bulk of the scoring. Agarkar, however, said the decision to leave out Rinku had nothing to do with him. It was because of the combination the team management wanted to find the right balance in the USA and West Indies. “I don’t think it has anything to do with him. It’s not Rinku Singh’s fault that he has missed out. With two keepers who are both terrific batters, there’s already an extra batter sitting. So we thought of having an extra bowling option. Rinku is a travelling reserve; that’s how close he was, it’s a little tough on him but at the end of the day, you can only pick 15,” Agarkar said. India start their campaign in the T20 World Cup against Ireland on June 5.

Was vice-captaincy point of discussion? Chief selector Ajit Agarkar spills beans on Hardik Pandya’s form ahead of T20 WC – India TV

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

Image Source : BCCI/IPL BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar spoke at length about Hardik Pandya and his form in IPL 2024 for the Mumbai Indians Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and Indian skipper Rohit Sharma addressed the press conference in Mumbai on Thursday, May 2 following the T20 World Cup 2024 squad announcement. The questions ranged from being about Rinku Singh’s absence to the reason for picking four spinners in the squad of 15 and about Hardik Pandya’s form, who has been chosen as vice-captain. Agarkar was asked if there was any discussion regarding the vioce-captaincy and the former India pacer denied it while elaborating on Hardik’s form. “Not really, nothing discussed as regards to vice-captaincy. Form, I mean you want all guys to be in good form. I think he [Hardik] has come after a long-ish layoff but the good part is he has gotten through all the games so far for MI. We have got a month and a little bit [more] till we play our first game. We know he is doing that and the hope is that he keeps building on that form. “As long as he is fit, we know what he brings, the balance he gives to the team. I don’t think there’s a replacement for things he can do as a cricketer at the moment, especially when it comes to the way he bowls really gives balance. I think it’ll give Rohit options to play different combinations. So it’s his fitness for us is critical and so far, fortunately, he’s gone okay in this IPL,” Agarkar added while Rohit beside him nodded. Hardik hasn’t had the best of outings in IPL 2024 leading the Mumbai Indians as he has scored 197 runs in 10 matches averaging 22, at a strike rate of 150. With the ball too, Hardik has had a mixed-0bag taking just six wickets in the competition at an economy of 11. As Agarkar said, Hardik is invaluable to the balance of the side and both the captain and the team management will hope to see the Mumbai Indians skipper slowly building up to his best.

‘Nothing new to me, it’s…’: Rohit Sharma on his return to T20 captaincy | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Seasoned Rohit Sharma exuded confidence while embracing the familiar mantle of T20 captaincy, stating that it’s nothing new to him and it’s a part of his life during the media interaction post India’s T20 World Cup selection in Mumbai on Thursday.His words resonate with the calm assurance of someone well-versed in leadership’s ebbs and flows.Undeterred by the weight of responsibility, Rohit’s demeanour suggests a seasoned player ready to navigate the challenges ahead.“I was captain. Not being captain and then again captain. It’s part of life. Not everything will go your way. It’s been a great experience. Before in my life, I was also not captain and played under different captains. It’s nothing to me. I have always tried to do what’s required as a player and I have tried to do that in the last 1 month,” Rohit told reporters on his return to T20 captaincy.Rohit stressed upon the fact that the team management particularly looked at middle-order hitting since our top-order has been good.“Don’t know how the pitch will be in the USA. We are playing in the West Indies but at different venues. You have to look at the opposition combinations as well. One thing that we looked at was middle-order hitting. Our top-order hitting has been alright, not that bad.We wanted someone to play that role in the middle overs freely, without worrying about who is bowling. Shivam Dube was the guy who showed this in IPL. Again, no guarantee what our playing XI will be like. Will decide based on practice and the combination of our opposition,” Rohit added.With a past adorned by numerous captaincy stints, he steps back into the role with an air of nonchalance, as if slipping into a comfortable pair of shoes. Rohit’s return is not just a reinstatement; it’s a reaffirmation of his capability to steer the team through the choppy waters of T20 cricket with aplomb.

'Some Players Going To T20 World Cup On Reputation': Ex-India Stars Unhappy Over Rinku Singh's Snub

BCCI Breaks Silence On Rinku Singh’s T20 World Cup Exclusion, Says “He Has Done…”

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

There has been a lot of discussion over BCCI’s decision to not include Rinku Singh in the 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. The explosive batter showed brilliant promise in IPL 2023 and then followed it up with impressive performances for the Indian cricket team in T20Is. However, he was included in the reserves and Shivam Dube was rewarded for his form in the ongoing IPL 2024. BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar finally opened up about the decision and said that it is not because Rinku did anything wrong. In the press conference held on Thursday, Agarkar said that the decision was taken keeping the team composition in mind and as a result, an all-rounder like Axar Patel was preferred. “”It’s probably the toughest thing we have had to discuss. He has done nothing wrong, not even Shubman Gill for that better. It’s about combinations. There are a couple of wrist spinners included to give Rohit more options. It’s just unfortunate. He’s in the reserves, so that tells you how close he came into being in the 15. But at the end of the day you can only pick 15 players in the squad,” Agarkar said. Agarkar also opened up about Hardik Pandya’s role as well as his appointment as vice-captain. “Nothing discussed regards to vice captaincy. He has come agfter a longish layoff. He has gotten through all the games for MI and we have got another month and a little bit till we play our first game. Hope is that he builds on that form. There’s no replacement on what he brings to the team, especially with the ball. His fitness is critical and so far he has gone well in the IPL,” the BCCI chief selector explained. India’s squad for T20 World Cup 2024:Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah. Reserves:Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan Topics mentioned in this article