November 7, 2024
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T20 World Cup: RP Singh explains how IPL Impact Player rule hampered Rinku's prospects

T20 World Cup: RP Singh explains how IPL Impact Player rule hampered Rinku’s prospects

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Former India pacer Rudra Pratap Singh has explained how the IPL Impact Player rule has hampered Rinku Singh’s prospects of making it to the India squad for the T20 World Cup 2024. Rinku Singh’s omission from India’s 15-man T20 World Cup 2024 squad raised a lot of eyebrows. Rinku Singh’s amazing performance in IPL 2023 catapulted him into the spotlight and quickly made him a household name because of his talent. The KKR batter received his first India call following a great IPL season, and his strike rate stayed quite high. The Ajit Agarkar-led India selection panel chose to go with more recent performances, and selected Shivam Dube in the 15-member squad, while Rinku Singh will be on the reserve list. “Rinku Singh should have definitely been there. I think he was unfortunate to miss out. If the Impact Player rule was not there, I think Rinku would have made it,” RP Singh said during a promotional event where the Indian team’s jersey was unveiled for the inaugural World Championship of Legends. The 25-year-old Uttar Pradesh batter was in sensational touch for India in T20Is before IPL 2024. His ability to bat at different gears and execute the finisher’s role to perfection reminded fans of vintage MS Dhoni. Rinku averages 89 in his nascent T20I career, having scored 356 runs at a staggering strike rate of 176. Never has Rinku fluffed an opportunity in the Indian blue. Yet, the young man was left out of the squad and named in the reserves. Amid the great buzz surrounding his removal, Rinku Singh broke his silence and confessed that he was at first disappointed. The KKR batter agreed that his absence was more down to team dynamics than performance, and he emphasised that making the reserve list is also a significant accomplishment given where he comes from. Published By: Saurabh Kumar Published On: May 31, 2024 Tune In

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'I prefer Arshdeep over Siraj in the death because of...': RP Singh on India's fast-bowling combination in T20 World Cup | Cricket News

‘I prefer Arshdeep over Siraj in the death because of…’: RP Singh on India’s fast-bowling combination in T20 World Cup | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Former India pacer Rudra Pratap Singh believes that Punjab Kings didn’t utilise young Arshdeep Singh effectively during the recently concluded IPL. However, he thinks that the left-arm pacer can prove to be very effective during the death overs at the T20 World Cup, especially alongside Jasprit Bumrah.Arshdeep managed to secure 19 wickets from 14 games in IPL, but his economy rate of 10.03, largely due to facing ‘impact player’ onslaughts, left him somewhat disheartened.RP Singh, who was India’s bowling hero in the 2007 T20 World Cup in South Africa, stated his preference for Arshdeep over Mohammed Siraj for the upcoming tournament.“If we assess Arshdeep on the basis of his IPL performance, I think he hasn’t been utilised well,” RP Singh made these comments in response to a PTI query during a promotional event where the Indian team’s jersey was unveiled for the inaugural World Championship of Legends.“The utilisation of the bowlers also depends on their captain, in which conditions he uses them, in which situation he makes them bowl and how best that he thinks his bowler is.”RP Singh feels that the wicket at Nassau County will be on the slower side and suggests that Arshdeep, instead of bowling pacey length deliveries, should focus on using cutters effectively.“Talking about the length on the tracks in the USA during an early morning start, as per my understanding, there should be a bit of slowness in the wicket. So, the ideal length will be somewhere around just short of good length.“There will be not a lot of swing for the bowlers but the bowlers with variations, not only just yorkers but also slower ones, leg and off cutters. These deliveries will be utilised a bit more by Arshdeep, so the success rate will be automatically higher for him and that’s what I understand about the wickets in the US.”RP also believes that Jasprit Bumrah should ideally bowl three overs in the back-10, as it would apply significant pressure on the opposition batting unit.“Death bowling is really important in T20 cricket. Bumrah may bowl three overs in the death overs. He is our mainstay there. My preference alongside Bumrah in the death is Arshdeep over Siraj because of the variations he has. I think Siraj can be impactful in a game when he is bowling with the new ball. Otherwise, it should be Bumrah and Arshdeep.”Arshdeep’s left-arm action naturally creates challenging angles for right-handed batsmen, making him a crucial asset. Having another left-armer like Khaleel Ahmed in the World T20 reserves adds depth to the bowling unit.“Left arm pacers are always an advantage especially against right-handed batters. It is not like two or more left-arm seamers can’t play together. Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and I have played in multiple games together.”For achieving the perfect balance, it’s crucial for Hardik Pandya to bowl his full quota of overs. This would provide the team with the flexibility to field three specialist spinners, potentially allowing Yuzvendra Chahal to join Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja in the playing eleven.“Hardik bowled in the IPL and bowled four overs so there’s no injury scare. Hardik’s bowling will be important and he will have to bowl all his quota of 4-overs. If Shivam Dube bowls too, then it will be an added advantage for India ahead.“Shivam may not play some matches initially but whenever he plays, he will perform well and score runs for India.”(With PTI inputs)

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This day 40 years ago: Viv Richards single-handedly destroys England with record 189*

This day 40 years ago: Viv Richards single-handedly destroys England with record 189*

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Many a great batter has emerged in the years since West Indies legend Viv Richards ended his illustrious international career in 1991. And yet, those who have watched him play live, and even those who have only been able to experience his career through grainy highlight reels and both verbal and written stories, tend not to argue when someone puts Richards above the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and other great batters that have followed him. Viv Richards celebrates his century at Old Trafford with Michael Holding(Getty Images) An example of why this is the case could be seen exactly 40 years ago at Old Trafford in England. It was the first ODI of West Indies’ nearly four-month long tour of England. It included three ODI matches, five Test matches and a plethora of tour games, as was the norm in those days. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! West Indies captain Clive Lloyd won the toss and chose to bat first. The pitch provided prodigious turn for the spinners and Geoff Miller used that to the full. He picked three wickets as England reduced West Indies to 166/9. Richards was the recognised batter at one end and fast bowler Michael Holding at the other and there was still more than 14 overs left in the 55-overs-a-side match. The pair added a whopping 106 runs for the last wicket with Richards’ share being 93. West Indies’ innings ended on 272/9. Viv Richards and Ian Botham during the epic knock(Getty Images) A chanceless aggressive innings In an era where strike rates over 100 were rare, Richards finished unbeaten on 189 off 170 balls, the highest score in men’s ODI cricket at the time. He hit a whopping 21 fours and five sixes and yet, his innings was almost entirely chanceless. The only chance England got against him was a missed stumping down the leg side off Miller when Richards was on 44. The next highest score by a West Indies batter in that innings was Eldine Baptiste’s 26 off 49 while Holding finished unbeaten on 12 off 27 balls. Richards, Baptiste and Holding were the only batters to have not got out for a single digit score on the day. England fell well short of that and they were all out for 168, just two runs more than what West Indies’ score was when Holding joined Richards. Holding recorded figures of 2/23 and Richards, notably got two wickets himself in the 11 overs that he bowled. Joel Garner was the most succesfull West Indies bowler though, returning figures of 3/18 in 8 overs. West Indies won the match by 104 runs. Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crick-it, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Quizzes, Polls & much more.Explore now !. Stay updated with the latest cricket news, T20 World Cup 2024 updates, and match highlights. Explore the World Cup Schedule 2024, track the World Cup Points Table, follow Virat Kohli’s performance, and stay ahead with the stats on World Cup Most Wickets and World Cup Most Runs on the Hindustan Times website and app. News / Cricket News / This day 40 years ago: Viv Richards single-handedly destroys England with record 189*

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T20 World Cup: India look to assess pitch and second fast-bowling option in only warm-up game | Cricket News

T20 World Cup: India look to assess pitch and second fast-bowling option in only warm-up game | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Yashasvi Jaiswal will strive to contribute to the team’s combination puzzle with a valuable performance, while Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj must showcase their best efforts during India’s sole T20 World Cup warm-up match against Bangladesh before their tournament opener on June 5.Despite all 15 players being regular starters for their respective IPL teams, the squad boasts an abundance of talent.However, discovering the optimal combination will be crucial to ending India’s 11-year international trophy drought.In the warm-up game, it is anticipated that all 14 players, except for Virat Kohli, who is expected to arrive sometime before the practice match, will be given an opportunity to play, as the game does not have official status. This will provide a chance to assess each player’s form after most of the core team members enjoyed a two-week break.Captain Rohit Sharma and departing head coach Rahul Dravid will need to make two critical decisions. Even if Jaiswal is in good form, integrating him into the team will be challenging, as it would require leaving out a power-hitter like Shivam Dube from the playing XI.It is a foregone conclusion that Jaiswal might have to sit out, allowing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to open the batting. This decision could also create an opportunity for Dube to feature later in the tournament.“Shivam Dube is a six-hitting machine. He can be the ‘x-factor’ in the T20 World Cup. But if Shivam has to be in the XI, then you can’t play Yashasvi. Rohit has to take that call and I prefer both pace-bowling all-rounders in the XI. If Shivam plays, he can take on the opposition wrist spinners in the latter half,” Suresh Raina, one of India’s premier T20 batters of his time, said on Friday when asked about a possible combination.India’s second challenge will be identifying Jasprit Bumrah‘s opening pace-bowling partner. Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj have been inconsistent in the IPL, and their performances have not met expectations.RP Singh, a key player in India’s victory in the first edition, believes that Hardik Pandya‘s four overs will be crucial. Furthermore, he suggests that Arshdeep should be the second frontline pacer on the newly-installed drop-in pitch.Discussing the ideal length to bowl on the US pitches during early morning starts, Singh emphasized the importance of variations, which make Arshdeep a better bet compared to Siraj.“As per my understanding, there should be a bit of slowness in the wicket. So, the ideal length will be somewhere around just short of good length. There will not be a lot of swing for the bowlers but the bowlers with variations, not only yorkers but also slower ones, leg and off cutters…,” RP replied to a PTI query during a promotional event in Delhi.“These deliveries will be utilised a bit more by Arshdeep, so the success rate will be automatically higher for him and that’s what I understand the wickets in the US,” he explained.Facing Bangladesh on a pitch that offers less pace, India’s middle-order batsmen will be tested by the spin duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Mahedi Hasan. Additionally, they will need to find answers to the variations posed by cutter master Mustafizur Rahaman.(With PTI inputs)

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"Hard To Believe": Sharath Kamal On Being Named India's Flagbearer For Paris Olympics

“Hard To Believe”: Sharath Kamal On Being Named India’s Flagbearer For Paris Olympics

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File image of Sharath Kamal© AFP Veteran table tennis player A Sharath Kamal on Friday said he was “pretty surprised” at being named India’s flagbearer at the Paris Olympics ahead of people like Tokyo Games gold-winner Neeraj Chopra and described the honour as a recognition of his years of toil. The decision by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to appoint him as the flagbearer for the Paris Games had sparked a controversy, with the Tamil Nadu Athletics Association (TNAA) voicing dissatisfaction in rather strong words. “Yes, I was pretty much surprised at first. When I was the the flagbearer at Commonwealth Games, there was immense joy and so much of pride,” the 41-year-old Kamal said during an online media interaction. “When it was announced first, it was a bit hard to believe because there are people like Neeraj Chopra who have won medals at the Olympics or who are expected to win… Beyond all of them, they thought about me,” he added. Kamal, who will be appearing in his sixth Olympics, called it a recognition of his hard work over the years. “I do understand the thing behind that because of the timing of events for athletes. For me personally, getting there as a five-time Olympian, it really recognises the toil I have done over the years not just for myself but also for the table tennis fraternity.” Reigning Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Chopra scripted history at the Tokyo Games three years ago by becoming the first Indian to win a track and field medal at the mega-event. Kamal holds a record 10 national titles and has secured 13 medals at the Commonwealth Games, including seven gold. The interaction was organised by Sports Authority of India (SAI) in association with Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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South Africa announce squad for multi-format tour of India, Chloe Tryon, Lara Goodall among absentees – India TV

South Africa announce squad for multi-format tour of India, Chloe Tryon, Lara Goodall among absentees – India TV

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Image Source : GETTY Chloe Tryon of and Laura Wolvaardt Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Friday named South Africa’s ODI and Test squads for the multi-format series against India. The Proteas women will tour India for an all-format series in June and July as preparations for the T20 World Cup ramp up.  Opening batter Laura Wolvaardt will be leading the Proteas side which sees several absentees. Chloe Tryon, Lara Goodall and Ayanda Hlubi are not part of any of the two squads (ODI and Test) announced by CSA for the series. The trio miss out due to injuries.  Tryon was part of South Africa’s T20I squad for the series against Sri Lanka and was also with the team during their previous one-off Test against Australia in February. CSA has not named the squad for the T20Is, which is expected to come a little later.  The squad features four uncapped players Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Eliz-Mari Marx (uncapped in Tests) and Nondumiso Shangase (uncapped in Tests).  Notably, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) named India’s squad for all three formats on Thursday. Jemimah Rodrigues and Pooja Vastrakar have been named in all three squads with their participation in the series subject to fitness. Top-order batter Priya Punia has also made a return to the ODI setup. She last represented the Women in Blue in the 50-over format in July last year. South Africa’s ODI squad for three-match ODI series: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marz, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukune, Nondumiso Shangase, Delmi Tucker. South Africa’s Test squad for one-off Test: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marz, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukune, Nondumiso Shangase, Delmi Tucker. India’s ODI squad for the three-match ODI series: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues *, Richa Ghosh (WK), Uma Chetri (WK), Dayalan Hemlatha, Radha Yadav, Asha Sobhana, Shreyanka Patil, Saika Ishaque, Pooja Vastrakar *, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Priya Punia. India’s Test squad for one-off Test: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Shubha Satheesh, Jemimah Rodrigues *, Richa Ghosh (WK), Uma Chetri (WK), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Saika Ishaque, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar *, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Meghna Singh, Priya Punia. India’s squad for the three-match T20I series: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Uma Chetri (WK), Richa Ghosh (WK), Jemimah Rodrigues *, Sajana Sajeevan, Deepti Sharma, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Asha Sobhana, Pooja Vastrakar *, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy. Standby: Saika Ishaque. South Africa Women Tour of India 2024 Fixtures 1st ODI – June 16, 2024 – Sunday, 1:30 PM, Bengaluru 2nd ODI – June 19, 2024 – Wednesday, 1:30 PM, Bengaluru 3rd ODI – June 23, 2024 – Sunday, 1:30 PM, Bengaluru One-off Test – June 28, 2024 – July 1, 2024 – Friday to Monday, 9:30 AM, Chennai 1st T20I – July 5, 2024 – Friday, 7:00 PM, Chennai 2nd T20I – July 7, 2024 – Sunday, 7:00 PM, Chennai 3rd T20I – July 9, 2024 – Tuesday, 7:00 PM, Chennai 

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'His fitness is always going to be under the scanner': Salman Butt's blunt take on Pakistan's Azam Khan | Cricket News

‘His fitness is always going to be under the scanner’: Salman Butt’s blunt take on Pakistan’s Azam Khan | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: After Pakistan‘s seven-wicket loss to England in the fourth T20I match, former cricketer Salman Butt advised wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan to improve his fitness, warning that it will be “very difficult” for him to continue playing otherwise.Azam had a poor performance in the fourth T20I, getting dismissed for a five-ball duck in the 11th over by Mark Wood.Speaking on his official YouTube channel, Butt noted that Azam’s eyes were closed when he was dismissed by Wood, and emphasized that Azam’s fitness will always be under scrutiny.“People are going to speak about him. The way he got out today, his eyes were closed while facing the short ball, and then his wicketkeeping. His fitness is always going to be under the scanner. I think he has to decide on his career. He should work on his fitness, otherwise, it is going to be very difficult for him to play,” Butt said.Butt added that the Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter invites criticism due to his fitness levels.“Everything related to Azam Khan will be criticized whenever he doesn’t perform. This is because what he presents is open to criticism. He invites criticism with the kind of fitness he carries. He had problems against the short ball,” he added.Recapping the match, the hosts won the toss and decided to field first. The England bowlers faced some aggressive batting from the opening pair of skipper Babar Azam (36 off 22 balls, with five fours and a six) and Mohammed Rizwan (23 off 16 balls, with three fours).However, spinners Adil Rashid (2/27) and Moeen Ali (1/23) applied pressure, reducing Pakistan to 86/5. A brief fightback from Usman Khan (38 off 21 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and Iftikhar Ahmed (21 off 18 balls, with two fours) helped Pakistan reach 157/10 in 19.5 overs.In addition to Rashid and Moeen, Mark Wood (2/35) and Liam Livingstone (2/17) also performed well with the ball.Chasing 158 runs, England dominated with a powerplay assault by Phil Salt (45 off 24 balls, with six fours and two sixes) and skipper Jos Buttler (39 off 24 balls, with seven fours and a six), making 78 runs in the powerplay.A brief comeback spell from pacer Haris Rauf (3/38) delayed England’s victory. However, Jonny Bairstow (28* off 16 balls, with a four and three sixes) and Harry Brook (17* off 14 balls, with a four and a six) finished the match in 15.3 overs, with seven wickets remaining.Adil Rashid was awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ for his outstanding spell.(With ANI inputs)

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T20 WC Warm-Up: Chance To Test Track And India's Second Pace Option

T20 WC Warm-Up: Chance To Test Track And India’s Second Pace Option

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Yashasvi Jaiswal will aim to add his bit to the combination conundrum with a handy contribution while Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj need to put their best foot forward during India’s only T20 World Cup warm-up game against Bangladesh ahead of their tournament opener on June 5. With all 15 cricketers being regular playing XI members of their respective IPL franchises, the team is certainly not short on game time but an assortment of 15 high- calibre players and finding that perfect combination will be key to ending India’s 13-year global trophy drought. In the warm-up game, it is expected that save for Virat Kohli, who is expected to touch down some time before the practice game, all other 14 players will be given a go as it doesn’t have an official status. It will be an opportunity to check everyone’s rhythm after most of the core team members enjoyed a two-week break. There will be two areas where skipper Rohit Sharma and outgoing head coach Rahul Dravid need to take a judicious call. Even if Jaiswal is in good nick, how to fit him in the side will be an issue as it would mean keeping a power-hitter like Shivam Dube out of the playing XI. It is a foregone conclusion that Jaiswal might have to sit out as it would not only allow Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to open but could also open the door for Dube at the back end of the tournament. “Shivam Dube is a six-hitting machine. He can be the ‘x-factor’ in the T20 World Cup. But if Shivam has to be in the XI, then you can’t play Yashasvi. Rohit has to take that call and I prefer both pace-bowling all-rounders in the XI. If Shivam plays, he can take on the opposition wrist spinners in the latter half,” Suresh Raina, one of India’s premier T20 batters of his time, said on Friday when asked about a possible combination. The second teething problem for India would be to find Jasprit Bumrah’s opening pace-bowling partner. Both Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj have blown hot and cold in the IPL and their form has left a lot to be desired. RP Singh, one of the heroes of India’s inaugural edition victory, feels that Hardik Pandya’s four overs will be very important. Besides, he feels that Arshdeep should be the second frontline pacer on the newly-laid drop-in track. Talking about the length to be bowled on the tracks in the US during an early morning start, he felt variations will be important, which make Arshdeep a better bet compared to Siraj. “As per my understanding, there should be a bit of slowness in the wicket. So, the ideal length will be somewhere around just short of good length. There will not be a lot of swing for the bowlers but the bowlers with variations, not only yorkers but also slower ones, leg and off cutters…,” RP replied to a PTI query during a promotional event in Delhi. “These deliveries will be utilised a bit more by Arshdeep, so the success rate will be automatically higher for him and that’s what I understand the wickets in the US,” he explained. Against Bangladesh on a slowish track, it would also be a challenge for the middle-order as to how they deal with Shakib Al Hasan and Mahedi Hasan apart from questions asked by cutter master Mustafizur Rahaman.  (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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T20 World Cup 2024: 'Shivam Dube will be the X factor for India', says Suresh Raina

T20 World Cup 2024: ‘Shivam Dube will be the X factor for India’, says Suresh Raina

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Former India cricketer Suresh Raina believes that Shivam Dube will be an integral part, or more like an x-factor, for the Indian cricket team during their upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 campaign. Based on Dube’s brilliant batting form during India’s T20I series against Afghanistan in January, and then in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Raina deems Dube as a must-have in the India playing eleven for the World Cup. From the time when BCCI announced their pick of squad for the World Cup, the 30-year-old Dube gained a lot of attention, speculating what sort of involvement he would have in the squad. Dube found a brilliant touch with the bat during the Afghanistan series, where he gave a man of the series performance by scoring a total of 124 runs in his two appearances, and also took two crucial wickets. By scoring a 60-run knock off 40 balls at the PCA Stadium in Mohali, followed by an unbeaten 63 off just 32 balls, Dube became an integral factor in India’s series win. On the other hand, Dube carried his impressive form for CSK in IPL 2024, where he scored 396 runs in his 14 matches. This long string of impressive performances with his consistent explosive nature with the bat has only heightened the anticipation for Dube to be a great addition to the India batting order. T20 World Cup 2024: Full scehdule Speaking at the launch ceremony of the World Championship of Leagues, Raina explained how Dube can be the point of difference for India during the World Cup with his aggressive batting approach. “He has to play in the World Cup. See, the ability to stand still while hitting those big sixes is very rare. Shivam Dube can be the x-factor for India to win the World Cup. So Rohit will have to take the call whether he wants to play Virat (Kohli) up the top, but then Yashasvi is also batting with a different kind of flair. If the situation arises, Shivam can also bowl for the side,” Raina said. With the likes of Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and even Rishabh Pant also a part of India’s rich arsenal of big-hitting batters for the World Cup, it will be interesting to see how Dube is ultimately utilised in the playing eleven. Published By: Debodinna Chakraborty Published On: May 31, 2024

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'Rohit Sharma is someone who can..': Shakib Al Hasan hails India skipper ahead of T20 World Cup warm-up match | Cricket News

‘Rohit Sharma is someone who can..’: Shakib Al Hasan hails India skipper ahead of T20 World Cup warm-up match | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Shakib Al Hasan, the seasoned all-rounder from Bangladesh, has lauded Indian skipper Rohit Sharma ahead of their T20 World Cup warm-up encounter. Shakib emphasized Rohit’s ability to single-handedly alter the outcome of a game.The two Asian teams are set to clash in a preparatory match at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium located in New York on Saturday.Shakib’s words highlight the immense respect and admiration he holds for the Indian captain’s cricketing prowess.“I think the way he led India in the last few years was terrific. He has a tremendous record as a captain. I think all the players respect him as a leader of the team and he’s someone who can take the game away from the opponent single-handedly,” Shakib said in a Star Sports video posted on X. On the other hand, Rohit emphasized the significance of acclimatizing to the conditions in the United States before their opening match against Ireland, scheduled for June 5. Adjusting to the new environment will be crucial for the team’s performance.“We’re looking to understand the conditions more importantly (before the tournament proper) as we haven’t been here before. (We will) try and make the most of the conditions, get used to what it’s going to be like on June 5 when we play our first game,” ICC quoted Rohit as saying.“It’s just about getting into that rhythm of getting the feel of the ground, pitch and stuff like that,” he added.The opening batter eagerly anticipates the presence of spectators in the stands as the United States, in collaboration with the West Indies, prepares to host its inaugural cricket World Cup.“People in New York will be very interested in coming and watching the World Cup, with the World Cup happening for the first time here. I’m pretty sure all the fans across the various teams are quite excited and looking forward to this tournament. And also as players can’t wait to get started,” Rohit said.(With IANS inputs)

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