Indian cricket team

Virat Kohli’s childhood coach suggests MS Dhoni for India’s head coach role; Gautam Gambhir remains the front-runner | Cricket News

Danijones5 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: With the deadline to apply for the Indian men’s cricket team’s head coach role ending on May 27, speculation is rife about who will replace Rahul Dravid. BCCI secretary Jay Shah hinted that the new head coach is likely to be an Indian, with reports suggesting Gautam Gambhir as the top contender. However, Virat Kohli‘s childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, has floated the idea of MS Dhoni taking up the role.Speaking to India News, the Dronacharya awardee coach expressed his views on Dhoni being an ideal candidate. “First of all, it will be interesting to see which names apply for this post. I would like that whoever becomes the coach should be an Indian. If Mahendra Singh Dhoni announces retirement, he can prove to be a good option. He (Dhoni) has played a lot of cricket and has won big tournaments,” Sharma said.While Dhoni has not officially announced his retirement from the IPL, his future remains uncertain. The IPL 2024 was speculated to be his final season, but the Chennai Super Kings legend has kept everyone guessing. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanath even stated that he expects Dhoni to return for another season.Sharma emphasized Dhoni’s potential impact as a coach, citing his experience and respect within the team. “Dhoni will have more respect in the dressing room and he has played this format for a long time. Being able to plan for the team and manage it properly is most needed in the team because when Dhoni became the captain, there were big players in that team like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Gautam Gambhir, and Yuvraj Singh. Despite this, Dhoni handled the team brilliantly,” Sharma added.Dhoni previously worked with the Indian team as a mentor during the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE, showcasing his potential as a guiding figure for the team. As Dravid’s contract ends this year after the T20 World Cup, the appointment of his successor is highly anticipated.Gambhir, who recently mentored Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title, is seen as a strong candidate for the head coach position. His success with KKR and experience as a former India player make him a compelling choice.

Riyan Parag confident of making international debut in near future – India TV

Danijones5 months ago03 mins

Image Source : BCCI/IPL Riyan Parag during the RR vs SRH IPL 2024 game in Hyderabad on May 24, 2024 Riyan Parag targets an international debut in the near future after a memorable performance in the recent IPL 2024. The young batting all-rounder produced his career-best performance with Rajasthan Royals but failed to make India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. The 22-year-old Riyan played a crucial role in leading Sanju Samson’s Royals to Qualifier 2 in the 17th edition of the tournament. Parag’s name emerged in talks ahead of the squad selection for the World Cup but the Guwahati-born batter had to wait for his chance. Parag is not a stranger to Indian cricket having made headlines with his performances in U19 World Cup 2018 and in domestic tournaments for Assam. He enjoyed his best season in the IPL by scoring 573 runs at a strike rate of almost 150. Speaking at a sporting event in Mumbai, Parag talked about his belief in making India debut in the near future. He stated that he will make his debut one day for sure and it’s only a matter of time. “At some point, you’ll have to take me, right? So that is my belief, I’m going to play for India,” Riyan Parag told PTI. “I don’t really care when. That is me believing in myself. That is not me being arrogant. That is what my plan was with my dad (former Railways and Assam player Parag Das), when I started playing cricket when I was like 10-years-old. We (a joint project) were going to play for India regardless of anything. “Whether it’s the next tour, whether it’s a tour in six months, whether it’s a tour in one year. I don’t really put my thought behind when I should play. That is the selector’s job, that is other people’s job.” Parag is expected to make his India debut along with Abhishek Sharma during India’s next bilateral T20I series against Zimbabwe after the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.

Do Rohit Sharma’s men have enough to end ICC title drought? – India TV

Danijones5 months ago08 mins

Image Source : GETTY Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid during the Asia Cup 2023 in Colombo in September 2023 Indian cricket team will once again enter the T20 World Cup 2024 as title favourites despite heartbreaking exits in the recent ICC events. Rohit Sharma is set to lead a strong 15-member squad for the ninth edition of the tournament in the USA and West Indies starting on June 1. Team India last played a T20I game against Afghanistan in January this year where they needed a super over to defend 212 runs in Bengaluru. But, the Men in Blue rank first in the current ICC T20I team rankings and are tipped to mount a strong title challenge in a 20-team tournament. With the squad finalised and players starting their final preparations with a training camp in New York, let’s analyse Team India’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats ahead of the World Cup 2024. Strengths – Unassailable batting unit The majority of the selected players, especially batters, displayed remarkable form in the recently concluded Indian Premier League 2024 and will be under focus as team India’s biggest strength in the upcoming World Cup. Virat Kohli emerged as the highest run-scorer as he continues to show brilliant form in white-ball cricket. Kohli further changed his approach in the IPL 2024 by maintaining a strike rate over 150 and hitting the second-highest 38 sixes. Kohli’s form has also led many to suggest the batter should open with skipper Rohit at the World Cup. Rohit struggled for consistency in the IPL 2024 despite finishing as the leading run-getter for his Mumbai Indians franchise. Both Rohit and Kolhi will be leading the strong batting lineup which consists of the world’s no.1 T20I batter Suryakumar Yadav, in-form wicketkeeper batters Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant, and youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal. Image Source : BCCI/IPLVirat Kohli during the IPL 2024 Weaknesses – Lack of finishers Despite strong form in the IPL 2024, none of the selected members made it to the final of the tournament and notably struggled to display consistency after the selection for the World Cup. Shivam Dube displayed remarkable hitting skills in the first half of the season but registered only 46 runs in five innings in May. With fit-again Hardik Pandya returning to T20I setup, Dube’s role as middle-order batter or finisher is not clear at the moment. Dube’s form and a lack of finishers in the current squad might be an early red flag for the management. All-rounders Hardik and Ravindra Jadeja were not convincing enough with their finishing touches in the recent IPL 2024 and that is likely to get exposed if the top-order fails to impress. India’s other weakness is the lack of international cricket heading to the World Cup. Having last played T20Is against Afghanistan in January, the team faces Bangladesh in the only warm-up game scheduled on June 1. All participating players were heavily involved in the recent IPL but haven’t played together as a unit for quite some time. Opportunities – Dube and Samson to step up Indian squad for the World Cup is well-balanced with experience and potential. Yashasvi Jaiswal witnessed a rapid rise in red-ball cricket during the England series and now has the best chance to make a similar impact in white-ball cricket as well. It will be interesting to see if Rohit and Rahul Dravid go with either Rishabh or Sanju for the wicketkeeping role as both impressed in the recent IPL. Samson was slightly ahead in terms of stats and might get a nod to don the wicketkeeping gloves. Image Source : BCCI/IPLShivam Dube during the IPL 2024 Samson and Dube are set to feature in their maiden World Cup and have a perfect opportunity to shine and cement their places in the Indian team. Both displayed their versatility in playing positions and skills to adapt to playing conditions accordingly with mature batting in IPL 2024 and will be eager to carry that momentum in the World Cup. Threats – What if Jasprit Bumrah fails to replicate IPL 2024 form? Speaking about India’s bowling, the management surprisingly picked only three pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh and four strong spin options. Bumrah did what he does best in the IPL 2024 by taking 20 wickets in 13 innings at a notable economy rate of 6.48. Bumrah’s heroics didn’t save Mumbai Indians from finishing at the bottom but his impact made Indian cricket team fans feel safe going into the ICC tournament. Arshdeep picked 19 wickets but at an economy rate of over 10 and Siraj bagged 15 wickets in 14 innings. India will be in serious trouble if Bumrah fails to carry his red-hot form in the World Cup, as India face very limited bowling options. So, a well-fortified batting unit to a lack of finishers to over-reliance on Jasprit Bumrah sums up the analysis of team India ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

Hardik Pandya joins Team India in New York, starts training on ‘national duty’ for T20 World Cup

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

Flamboyant India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has reached the USA and he straightaway started training with the Indian team. Hardik, who had a tough IPL season, didn’t travel with the first batch of players but he has reached the New York and posted photos of the first training session on social media. Hardik Pandya has started training with other Indian players ahead of T20 World Cup.(X-Image/@hardikpandya7) Team India has started the preparations for the mega ICC event and focused on bringing the trophy back home. India won the inaugural T20 WC title in 2007 under MS Dhoni’s leadership but have been eluded from the title since then. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Pandya, who has been going through a lean patch, will be Rohit Sharma’s deputy in the T20 WC. He posted a few photos on social media. “On national duty,” the Indian all-rounder captioned the post. The 30-year-old had a forgettable IPL campaign with Mumbai Indians. He was traded by the five-time champions ahead of the season and was also named captain of the franchise which irked the fans as they were not happy with Rohit Sharma’s sacking from the captaincy duties. Pandya was booed by the fans on several venues and faced heat on social media too. Nothing went as planned for him on his homecoming to MI after two years as they finished at the bottom of the points table. He also struggled with the bat and scored just 216 runs in 14 matches but managed to regain his bowling form in the second half and claimed 11 wickets in IPL 2024. There was speculation throughout the season that MI’s dressing room was a divided house due to the change of guard. Rohit will now captain the national side with Pandya as his deputy in the mega ICC event. Meanwhile, Rohit had a decent IPL 2024 season with the bat, scoring 417 runs at an average of 32.07 and a strike rate of 150. He scored a century and fifty, with the best score of 105*. India will start their T20 World Cup campaign on June 5 against Ireland at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Meanwhile, the most-awaited blockbuster clash between India and Pakistan will take place on June 9. They will later play tournament co-hosts USA (June 12) and Canada (June 15) to wrap up their Group A matches. 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 / Hardik Pandya joins Team India in New York, starts training on ‘national duty’ for T20 World Cup

T20 World Cup: India is the strongest side even with injuries, says Morgan

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

File picture of former England ODI captain Eoin Morgan | Photo Credit: AP India’s remarkable reservoir of talent and formidable depth within their squad makes them strong contenders to win the upcoming T20 World Cup, feels former England skipper Eoin Morgan. India have gone with almost the same squad as they had in the last edition of the T20 World Cup while adding the likes of young Yashasvi Jaiswal, Yuzvendra Chahal and Sanju Samson. “The strongest side even with injuries throughout the tournament is India. Their strength and depth is absolutely incredible,” Morgan said on Sky Sports. Also read | ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024: full schedule, dates and venues “And it’s almost probably, we’re talking about who the players that were missed out in their squad of 15 because of the quality that they possess. “They are favourites for me, the quality they have on paper, if they produce it I think they can beat anybody quite well in the tournament,” he added. India were spoilt for choice as they were forced to leave the likes of Shubman Gill and K.L. Rahul. “The only decision I would have had differently and if I was selecting the squad, I would have Shubman Gill over Yashasvi Jaiswal. I have played alongside him, I know how he thinks. I know how he works. “I feel he’s a future leader within that side and I think in big moments, in World Cups the more leaders the better. Even if he’s sitting on the sideline, you still need inspiration from here and there, a sense of positivity.” India head into almost every tournament as favourites but they haven’t won an ICC title in over a decade. The last trophy the ‘Men in Blue’ lifted was the Champions Trophy in 2013. In the last edition of the T20 World Cup they were hammered by 10 wickets by eventual winners England in the semifinals in Adelaide. “I think they can (win), because they have go to a stage now where Adelaide would hurt, recently losing the (ODI) World Cup at home to Australia in front of 1,25,000 Indian fans. “The spinner will come into the game, the level of batsmanship will come into the game if the wickets slow down like we think. But also that excellence in power hitting is the point of difference for me. Shivam Dube has to play,I think he’ll set this World Cup alight. Irony that only time India won T20 WC was pre-IPL: Atherton Many argue that India’s cricket in T20 format has improved by leaps and bounds since the advent of the IPL. But former England captain Michael Atherton pointed out that it ironical that the only time India won the T20 World Cup was before the IPL came into being. “It’s also an irony, because everyone talks about the IPL and how it has improved India’s T20 cricket. The irony is that the only time they have won is pre IPL,” Atherton said. India were the first T20 World Cup winners in 2007. Under the captaincy of the talismanic Mahendra Singh Dhoni, they had beaten arch-rivals Pakistan.

Team India’s ‘leaked’ T20 World Cup jersey sparks massive social media furore

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

With the T20 World Cup scheduled for next month, and fans will be gearing up for a proper cricket extravaganza. The tournament is being co-hosted by the West Indies and US. The BCCI have already announced Team India’s 15-member squad, and there were some surprises. The Team India jersey has been leaked allegedly. Meanwhile, cricket fans are also waiting for the unveiling of India’s official T20 World Cup jersey. Adidas is BCCI’s official kit sponsor, and they have been making different kits for ODIs and T20Is. The ODI jersey is collared, and shows the tiger’s stripes. Meanwhile, the T20I jersey symbolises the Ashoka Chakra, which is in the Indian flat. Both jerseys have stripes on the shoulder. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Recently, a photo went viral on social media, which allegedly showed India’s jersey for the upcoming ICC showpiece event. The alleged leak shows the jersey with tri-colour stripes on a v-shaped neck, and the traditional Adidas stripes on saffron sleeves. Here is the alleged leaked jersey photo: If this is actually the jersey, this will be then considered a huge mishap on BCCI and Adidas’ side, as jersey unveilings are usually filled with suspense. It left social media in a state of meltdown. Reacting to the photo, one fan said, “Not goodd.” Meanwhile, another fan calle it a ‘training kit’. Another fan called it “worst”. Rohit Sharma will be leading the Indian squad in the ICC tournament, and we will also see Rishabh Pant make his international return. The DC skipper has been included in the 15-member squad, having missed more than a year of cricket due to a freak car accident. Sanju Samson is the other wicketkeeper-batter in the squad, with KL Rhaul getting snubbed. Meanwhile, Shivam Dube’s IPL form has made it impossible to ignore him and he is expected to play a key role. The spin department consists of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, who will be assisted by the pace battery consisting of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj and Hardik Pandya. Also, the reserves list consists of Shubman Gill, Rinky Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan. The Indian batting line-up is also well-equipped, consisting of the likes of Rohit, Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav.

India retains top spot in white-ball formats, Australia reclaims world no. 1 rankings in Tests

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

According to the ICC annual rankings, India retained their top position in ODIs and T20Is but slipped to second place in the men’s Test team rankings. India have retained their top position in ODIs and T20Is but slipped to the second position in the men’s Test Team Rankings in the latest ICC annual ranking update issued on May 3. India conceded the top spot in the five-day format to Australia, the reigning World Test champion, following the annual update that drops results from the 2020-21 season and reflects all series completed since May 2021. India (120) are just four points behind Australia (124) and 15 points clear of third-placed England. South Africa are the fourth team above the 100-point mark with 103 points. India slipped mainly because their 2-1 series win in Australia in 2020-21 has dropped from the rankings. The order of teams ranked from third to ninth remains the same. Only nine teams are now ranked as Afghanistan and Ireland have yet to play sufficient Tests, while Zimbabwe too are out as they have played only three Tests over the past three years. Teams need to play a minimum of eight Tests over a three-year period to get on the rankings table. India, however, remain atop the ODI and T20I rankings after the annual updates, that weight matches completed prior to May 2023 at 50 per cent and subsequent matches at 100 per cent. India may have lost the ODI World Cup final to Australia but have increased their lead over them from three to six points, leading the table with 122 points. There are no changes in the top 10 but Ireland have overtaken Zimbabwe to 11th position. Third-placed South Africa have closed the gap with Australia from eight to four points, while Sri Lanka are just two points behind fifth-placed England. The T20I rankings see Australia move ahead of England to second place but they are seven points adrift of India, who lead with 264 rating points. South Africa are just two points behind England after leapfrogging two places from the sixth position that they had before the update. New Zealand also have 250 points like South Africa but behind on fractions, while the West Indies are at 249 points, which means that just three points separate third-placed England from sixth-placed West Indies. In other movements, Pakistan have dropped two places to seventh, while Scotland have overtaken Zimbabwe to 12th position.

Rohit Sharma laughs, Agarkar comes up with ‘experience’ retort on Virat Kohli’s strike rate question

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

Image Source : PTI/AP Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar, the Indian captain and chairman of selectors addressed the press conference regarding the T20 World Cup squad Indian captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar were pretty straightforward with their responses in the press conference in Mumbai on Thursday, May 2 with respect to the T20 World Cup announced a couple of days ago. The duo was asked pretty much everything from the omissions of Rinku Singh, and Shubman Gill to the presence of four spinners and form of certain players. One of the questions was regarding Virat Kohli’s strike rate and the first reaction from skipper Rohit suggested that they were expecting that. Rohit laughed instantly. It was a rather sheepish smile. Before he gestured towards Agarkar to respond to the question and the former India pacer mentioned that Kohli has been in terrific form in the season so far and came up with the experience retort while shedding light on the gap between IPL and international cricket. “I don’t think we have been discussing it. So, no look he’s been in great form fortunately in the IPL. So no concerns there at all. With regards to how it is going in the IPL, you are still going to a World Cup, it is still international, there’s still that gap there. So, you’ve got to prepare knowing that there is that gap. That’s where experience does matter a lot. If the tournament turned out to be where IPL is where 220 plays 220, I think we’ve still got enough in the team, the balance or the power that you can match that. “There’s no point in overthinking. You look and take positives that are happening in the IPL, form of some of the guys, some of the newer guys coming through. At the end of the day, when you turn up for a World Cup game, the pressures are a little different,” Agarkar added. Watch the video here (1:27:27 – 1:28:51): Kohli has had a couple of knocks where his strike rate came under the scanner, however, he has been in outstanding touch with the bat playing for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Kohli has amassed 500 runs at an average of 71.4 and a strike rate of 147.49. India have option of playing Kohli at the top or at No 3 give the rest of the combination they want to go with.

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

Danijones6 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.

Vaughan leads reactions as calls for CSK all-rounder selection get louder – India TV

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

Image Source : AP Shivam Dube continued his smashing form in the 2024 edition of the IPL as he slammed an unbeaten 66 MS Dhoni may have ensured that the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) got a total in excess of 200 against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the biggest rivalry clash at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, April 14, however, the innings belonged to Shivam Dube and his burst in the middle overs that helped five-time champions stay on the course of a big score. Dube stayed unbeaten on 66 off just 38 deliveries as he entered the top five on the list of leading run-getters of the tournament. Dube currently has 242 runs to his name in six matches at an average of 60.5 and a strike rate of 163. Dube single-handedly has taken care of the middle-overs hitting for the Super Kings. Dube, who dismisses any and every spinner from its presence, has developed his game against the pacers and slowly and gradually is proving to be a key acquisition for the Super Kings and auditioning more than decently for a place in India’s T20 World Cup. On Sunday, as soon as Dube came in to bat in the eighth over of the innings, MI skipper Hardik Pandya didn’t bowl a single over of spinners after that and Dube was still able to play at a strike rate of close to 175. Whether it was Akash Madhwal, Hardik Pandya, Gerald Coetzee or Romario Shepherd, who got special treatment from the left-hander, Dube didn’t leave any of them. If the ball was in his area, he smashed it. With the consistency in hitting that he is showing, Dube has made himself a frontrunner to get picked for the T20 World Cup, not just based on his IPL form. Dube was also the highest run-getter in the series against Afghanistan with a couple of fifties and calls to get him picked have gotten louder. Take a look- CSK finished with 206 runs on the board, however, Mumbai Indians have kept themselves on course to chase the total down with Rohit Sharma leading the charge with the bat.