June 6, 2025
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jasprit bumrah

India tour of England | 'I’m always under pressure,' says Team India coach Gautam Gambhir | Cricket News

India tour of England | ‘I’m always under pressure,’ says Team India coach Gautam Gambhir | Cricket News

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Mumbai: India’s Test cricket team captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir during the pre-departure press conference ahead of the five-match Test cricket series against England, in Mumbai. (PTI Photo/Shashank Parade)(PTI06_05_2025_000349A) Mumbai: India head coach Gautam Gambhir always feels like a marked man. Recently, in a TV interview, he had stated that some former players questioned his competence as coach when the team lost in Australia, and how issues were created about the distribution of the Champions Trophy reward.The knives had already started to get sharpened when a team usually dominant at home lost 0-3 to New Zealand before the trip Down Under last year.If one thinks victory in the Champions Trophy in the UAE would have eased the spotlight, Gambhir says he is under no such illusion. “Regardless of whether I would have won the Champions Trophy or not, I’m always under pressure. Being the Indian coach, you want results. It does not change with winning or losing.”The England tour will be another tough gig for Gambhir as he leads a young captain and a young team, sans the superstars of the past, as India eye an improved show in their bid to qualify for the final of the 2027 World Test Championship. Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy While the endless supply line of players in white-ball cricket makes his task for the shorter formats easier, the transition in red-ball cricket is a potentially rocky path. Overseas Test success is something that Indian coaches are evaluated on and Gambhir is aware of it. “It’s a good opportunity to do something special for the country,” he said. “We have a talented squad and a bunch of players who are willing to express themselves and do something special.”One of the talismans in the squad is the genius called Jasprit Bumrah. One saw in Australia how heavily India’s attack depended on him. With the medical team and chief selector ajit Agarkar making it clear that Bumrah’s workload will be monitored and he will play only three of the five Tests, it is a tricky call for Gambhir to decide which of the five Tests Bumrah will feature in. “We have not taken that call which three games he is going to play,” he said, adding: “It depends on the state of the series and which way the series is heading. I’m sure he is aware of that too.”

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Gautam Gambhir unsure about how to manage Jasprit Bumrah's workload management on ENG tour: 'We haven't taken the call…'

Gautam Gambhir unsure about how to manage Jasprit Bumrah’s workload management on ENG tour: ‘We haven’t taken the call…’

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Jun 06, 2025 06:08 AM IST Head coach Gambhir asserted that they will decide Bumrah’s participation in matches depending on how the series plays out. Gautam Gambhir remains uncertain about how to manage Jasprit Bumrah’s workload during the upcoming England tour, acknowledging that the premier pacer won’t feature in all five Tests. While hinting that Bumrah is likely to play three matches, Gambhir admitted that the specific Tests he’ll participate in are yet to be decided. During the squad announcement for the England tour, India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed that, based on feedback from the medical team, 31-year-old Jasprit Bumrah will not be available for all five Tests. Jasprit Bumrah led the Indian team in a couple of Test against Australia under Gautam Gambhir’s coaching.(AFP) Head coach Gambhir asserted that they will decide Bumrah’s participation in matches depending on how the series plays out. “We haven’t taken that call, which three games is he going to play,” Gambhir said during India’s pre-departure press conference in Mumbai. “We are going to have a discussion with him and depending on the series as well. A lot will depend on the results of the series, where the series is heading. That is something which I am sure he is very well aware of as well and that is important,” he added. Bumrah hurt his back after the playing all five Tests in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 and was later missed out on Champions Trophy after failing to recover in time. The selectors and team management don’t want a similar situation to arise in future. Gautam Gambhir isn’t overly concerned about Bumrah missing a couple of the Tests, expressing confidence in the rest of his bowling unit to step up in his absence—just as they successfully did during the Champions Trophy. “I have said it before during the Champions Trophy [which Bumrah missed and India won] as well, it will give someone the opportunity to put his hand up and we have got enough talent there. I know that he is quality but we have got enough quality apart from him as well in the squad,” Gambhir said. ‘We’ve a great set of bowlers who can get the job done’: Gill Gill echoed similar sentiments, emphasising that India’s pace attack has enough depth and quality to not only cover for Bumrah’s absence but also to win Test matches from any position. “I think we have picked enough bowlers and we have enough pace battery and a lot of fast bowlers are in a great space to be able to win us Test matches from any situation or any position,” Gill said. “Obviously when you have someone like Jasprit Bumrah, depending on how many matches he would play, whenever he would come back and play the match for us, it would be a great sight for us. But I think we have a great mix of bowlers and a great set of bowlers who can get the job for the team done,” he added. News / Cricket News / Gautam Gambhir unsure about how to manage Jasprit Bumrah’s workload management on ENG tour: ‘We haven’t taken the call…’ See Less

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IND vs ENG: Will Jasprit Bumrah play all five Tests? Gautam Gambhir drops major hint ahead of England tour | Cricket News

IND vs ENG: Will Jasprit Bumrah play all five Tests? Gautam Gambhir drops major hint ahead of England tour | Cricket News

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Gautam Gambhir (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: How many matches will Jasprit Bumrah play in the India vs England Test series? Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Thursday provided a key update on Bumrah’s availability ahead of the much-anticipated five-match Test series in England, which begins on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds.“We haven’t taken the call on which 3 games he will play. We will have a discussion with him and depending on the series and results and how the series is heading. I am sure he is very well aware of as well,” Gambhir said.“It is difficult to replace someone like Bumrah but we have enough quality. Like I said in the Champions Trophy, it gives an opportunity to another player to put their hands up,” he added.India enter the series under the leadership of new Test captain Shubman Gill, who has taken over the reins following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from red-ball cricket.The England tour marks the beginning of India’s campaign in the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle. The five-Test series will be played at historic venues — Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval — between June and August. ‘A particularly special feeling’: Andy Flower hails Virat Kohli, RCB after historic title win This series not only marks a major overseas assignment but also the beginning of a new era for Indian cricket. As Shubman Gill embarks on his captaincy journey, he carries the legacy of past greats, along with the expectations and hopes of a promising future.India Squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep YadavEngland Squad: Ben Stokes (C), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris WoakesTest series schedule:1st Test: June 20–24, 2025 – Headingley, Leeds2nd Test: July 2–6, 2025 – Edgbaston, Birmingham3rd Test: July 10–14, 2025 – Lord’s, London4th Test: July 23–27, 2025 – Old Trafford, Manchester5th Test: July 31–August 4, 2025 – The Oval, London

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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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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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Watch: Who could end up as the leading run-getter and wicket-taker in T20 World Cup - experts reveal their picks | Cricket News

Watch: Who could end up as the leading run-getter and wicket-taker in T20 World Cup – experts reveal their picks | Cricket News

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The ninth edition of the men’s T20 World Cup is less than 48 hours away and as the excitement around the tournament approaches crescendo, experts and former cricketers have been making their predictions.In a video posted by Star Sports today, the team of commentators on the panel of tournament’s official broadcaster revealed their picks for the player most likely to end up as the tournament’s top run-getter and top wicket-taker. ALSO SEE: T20 World Cup Schedule While Virat Kohli emerged as the popular choice to score the most runs, the former India captain’s teammate Jasprit Bumrah was predicted to take most wickets. WATCH VIDEO EXPERTS’ CHOICE FOR TOP RUN-SCORERSunil Gavaskar: Travis Head (Australia)Brian Lara: Yashasvi Jaiswal (India)Matthew Hayden: Virat Kohli (India)Ambati Rayudu: Rohit Sharma (India)Paul Collingwood: Jos Buttler (England)Chris Morris: Quinton de Kock (South Africa)Aaron Finch: David Warner (Australia)Mohammad Kaif: Virat Kohli (India)S Sreesanth: Virat Kohli or Yashasvi Jaiswal (India) EXPERTS’ CHOICE FOR TOP WICKET-TAKERPaul Collingwood: Jasprit Bumrah (India)S Sreesanth: Yuzvendra Chahal (India) Matthew Hayden: Kuldeep Yadav (India)Aaron Finch: Mitchell Starc (Australia)Mohammad Kaif: Jasprit Bumrah (India)The T20 World Cup begins on June 2 with the match between co-hosts USA and their neighbours Canada. The final will be played on June 29 in Barbados, as the Caribbean islands join the US in hosting the tournament. India will open their campaign against Ireland on June 5 in New York, followed by the big game against archrivals Pakistan at the same venue on June 9. Canada and USA are the other two teams in India’s group.

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Ricky Ponting sets standards for Jasprit Bumrah in T20 World Cup after 'outstanding IPL'

Ricky Ponting sets standards for Jasprit Bumrah in T20 World Cup after ‘outstanding IPL’

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Mumbai Indians may have had a season to forget, but fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah seemed to be bowling inside his own bubble. MI finished rock bottom in the IPL table with just eight points in 14 matches having won four and lost 10. However, Bumrah was arguably the tournament’s best bowler by some distance. Jasprit Bumrah finished as the third highest wickettaker in the season. (AFP) While he did not win the Purple Cap, Bumrah maintained a scarcely believable economy of 6.48, which is the lowest for any bowler inside the top 20 wicket-takers of the season. Only Sunil Narine finished the season with an economy that less than 7 apart from Bumrah. He took 20 wickets in 13 matches and maintained an average of 16.80. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Australia great Ricky Ponting has said that he expects Bumrah to continue this form in the T20 World Cup which starts on Saturday. “My leading wicket-taker for the tournament will be Jasprit Bumrah,” Ponting told The ICC Review. “I just think an outstanding performer, contributor for a number of years now. He’s just come off an outstanding IPL.” Ponting was head coach of the Delhi Capitals who were at the receiving end of Bumrah’s brilliance in their first match of the season against MI. MI had set a mammoth target of 235 for DC to chase and while the latter scored 205/8, Bumrah finished with figures of 2/22. His victims included a dangerous Prithvi Shaw who had scored 66 in 40 balls. “What he can do with the new ball, he swings the new ball, he has the seam up. But at the end, his economy rate at the end of the IPL was less than seven runs an over. He takes wickets. He does bowl a lot of the hard overs too. When you bowl the hard overs in T20 cricket, it gives you a chance to pick up a lot of wickets along the way. So, I’m going with him,” said Ponting. 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 / Ricky Ponting sets standards for Jasprit Bumrah in T20 World Cup after ‘outstanding IPL’

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Ricky Ponting predicts these two players as leading wicket-taker and run-getter in T20 World Cup | Cricket News

Ricky Ponting predicts these two players as leading wicket-taker and run-getter in T20 World Cup | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has predicted India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and Aussie batting sensation Travis Head to emerge as the leading wicket-taker and run-getter, respectively, in the upcoming T20 World Cup.Ponting, renowned for his cricketing acumen, believes Bumrah’s exceptional pace and skill in delivering crucial breakthroughs will make him the tournament’s top wicket-taker.On the batting front, he expects Head’s aggressive and consistent performances to earn him the most runs.Both players have shown remarkable prowess in T20 cricket, and Ponting’s prediction underscores their potential to shine on the world stage, setting high expectations for their contributions in the tournament.Bumrah is coming off a sensational IPL season, where he took 20 wickets in 13 games and maintained an impressive economy rate of 6.48, despite the high-scoring nature of the tournament.“My leading wicket-taker for the tournament will be Jasprit Bumrah,” Ponting told The ICC Review.“I just think an outstanding performer, contributor for a number of years now. He’s just come off an outstanding IPL.“What he can do with the new ball, he swings the new ball, he has the seam up. But at the end, his economy rate at the end of the IPL was less than seven runs an over.“He takes wickets. He does bowl a lot of the hard overs too. When you bowl the hard overs in T20 cricket, it gives you a chance to pick up a lot of wickets along the way. So, I’m going with him,” added Ponting.Ponting selected fellow Australian Head as his pick for the top run-scorer in the upcoming tournament.“My prediction for the leading run-scorer will be Travis Head,” Ponting said.“I just think everything he’s done, whether it be red-ball or white-ball in the last couple of years, has been of the highest quality. I think he’s playing fearless cricket at the moment.”Head suffered an injury at the beginning of the ICC World Cup last year. However, Australia‘s belief in his abilities was so strong that they kept him with the squad until he recovered.In his return match against New Zealand during the tournament, Head repaid the team’s trust with a blistering century. He concluded the World Cup with an impressive record, scoring two hundreds and a fifty, maintaining an average above 50, and striking at a remarkable rate of 127.52.Head’s exceptional form persisted in the current IPL 2024 season, where he played a crucial role as an opener in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s journey to the final. Throughout the tournament, he amassed 567 runs in 15 matches, maintaining an extraordinary strike rate of 191.55.Despite Head’s underwhelming conclusion to the IPL season, Ponting anticipates that he will continue to display his explosive batting prowess during the upcoming matches in the Caribbean and the United States.“His IPL had its ups and downs, but when it’s been good, it’s been very good. And it has won games of cricket for his team,” Ponting noted.“And it’ll be exactly the same for Australia. So, look, he might not be the most consistent on the way through this tournament, but he’ll be right up there, I’m sure, with the leading run scorers. And as I’ve said, if he spends any amount of time at the wicket for Australia, he’ll win more games than ever,” Ponting concluded.The T20 World Cup 2024 will begin on June 1 in the West Indies and USA.

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IPL-17 | No plans to rest Bumrah yet: MI batting coach Pollard

Only Bumrah is executing yorkers consistently: Lee

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Legendary Australia speedster Brett Lee feels apart from Jasprit Bumrah, pacers are failing to nail yorkers effectively in the death overs and he wants them to master the pivotal delivery. Bumrah is one of the most complete bowlers in world cricket at the moment. He can bowl wicket-taking deliveries without leaking runs but the most lethal weapon in his armoury is his toe-crushing yorker, which he, more often that not, executes perfectly in the death overs. “On a general rule, other than Bumrah, we haven’t seen enough fast bowlers nailing their yorkers recently. “I want to see fast bowlers bowl more yorkers. I still don’t reckon they execute enough yorkers at the death,” Lee said at the launch of the Legends Intercontinental T20 league recently. With the recently concluded IPL featuring scores in excess of 200 regularly, Lee believes the fast bowlers would be more economical had they nailed yorkers. “If you look back at 17 years of Indian Premier League, on average a yorker goes for a strike rate of less than 100. Which tells me that one run or less per bowler that’s executed. “Now, when you bowl a yorker and you’ve got guys who can go down and scoop you over the head, well that puts pressure on you as a bowler. “You’ve got to set in the right field and put two men back, third man fine and back and then bowl,” Lee added. As T20 cricket progresses, the game is tilting more and more towards the batters. With the ‘Impact Player Rule’ and flat decks, bowlers struggled in the IPL. Lee, like several other former players, called for a balance between bat and ball. “I’m all for batters smoking the ball all over, but there has got to be something for the bowlers too. I’m not asking for a green top, where teams bowled out for 110, because that’s not good for cricket either. “You want a good total, I think. Anywhere around that 185 mark to 230 is a good score. We’ve seen scores now of 265, 270, 277. “It’s really hard because most bowlers now are going for 45 to 50 off their four overs.” he said. ‘Warner has earned the right to go on his own terms’ Australia’s charismatic young batter Jake Fraser-McGurk set the stage ablaze in his debut IPL season with many calling for his inclusion in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad. However, the selectors decided to go with veteran opener David Warner, who is set to retire after the tournament, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh in the top-order. McGurk, who is a top order batter and Warner’s Delhi Capitals teammate, though has been named as a travelling reserve. “David Warner has earned that right to go out on his own terms. And if things don’t happen for whatever reason, then he’s (McGurk) definitely there to take part,” Lee said. Although Warner did not have a particularly great IPL as he missed several matches due to an injury, the Southpaw has scored 834 runs in T20 cricket since 2021 at a strike rate of around 150. He was woefully out of form ahead of the 2021 T20 World Cup but ended up being the player of the tournament, playing a vital role in Australia’s maiden World Cup win in the shortest format. On the other hand, 22-year-old McGurk, who was called in as a replacement for Lungi Ngidi at Delhi Capitals, gave an excellent display of explosive batsmanship, smashing four half-centuries in nine games at an astronomical strike rate exceeding 234. “I think if you go over there as a reserve batsman, you definitely have a chance to get an opportunity. “That happened this year with the Delhi Capitals, he wasn’t even picked in the squad. “Ricky Ponting rang him up late night and said come in and had a few injuries. So right time, right place. “But the advice to him, and he articulated it beautifully to say that he’s only 22 years of age (araam se araam se) . He’s got time. There’s no point rushing it,” Lee said.

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T20 World Cup: Want Hardik Pandya to come good, he has gone through a lot, says Harbhajan

T20 World Cup: Want Hardik Pandya to come good, he has gone through a lot, says Harbhajan

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Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has nothing but empathy for Hardik Pandya as he navigates a challenging phase in his career and is hopeful that the all-rounder, who “hasn’t been a free man in the last two months”, will become one during next month’s T20 World Cup. Pandya endured a forgettable IPL both as captain and player with his team Mumbai Indians ending bottom of the heap in the points table. What made things worse was the incessant jeering of fans whenever he took the field, including at MI’s home turf — the Wankhede Stadium. Also read | ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024: full schedule, dates and venues But Harbhajan expects the tide to turn in the Americas during the T20 showpiece. “When he wears that blue jersey, he will be a different Hardik Pandya because we know he can score those runs and take those wickets. I want Hardik to come good as he has gone through a lot and I wish him all the very best to have a very good tournament for India,” Harbhajan told PTI in an exclusive interview. “If he has a good tournament, obviously India will have a great chance to go forward,” he said. “Yes, his form is a bit of a concern…and lot of other stuff was going on around him, his shifting from Gujarat to Mumbai, was a big change and the team (MI) didn’t react too well to Hardik coming back and that too as captain,” the 43-year-old added. The reason for the fan backlash against Pandya was MI’s decision to hand him the captaincy after taking it away from the long-serving Rohit Sharma. 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 World Cup starting June 1. Harbhajan, a multi format World Cup-winner, urged the team management to bring Pandya and Rohit on “same page”. “…it looked like they (MI) were not playing together as a team. So there was a lot going on. Hardik wasn’t a free man in the last two months. I believe both of them and many others who have played in different teams will have to come together to do something special for the nation…,” he said. “Winning a World Cup is a bigger achievement than winning an IPL trophy, so I would urge the management to bring everyone together, have them on one page and make sure they play like one. “I believe it’s the responsibility of the management to come together, and win together. Even if they lose they should be losing together.” Bumrah will need support Jasprit Bumrah is the only speedster among the chosen three (the other two being Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj), who doesn’t need conditions to be successful, feels Harbhajan. “Pace attack definitely could be a concern because because Bumrah is in a different league for the kind of bowler he is. He will win you games on any kind of pitch. He doesn’t need conditions whereas other bowlers like Arshdeep and Siraj would need help from conditions. “If there’s bounce, Siraj might do well. He is tall, can also swing it both ways, hits the deck hard and has got pace. But if wickets are slow then the challenge begins for other bowlers. “There will be lot of responsibility on Bumrah’s shoulders but I hope other guys also take responsibility to be someone special.” IPL performances won’t matter Harbhajan said IPL form would make no difference to the players’ fortunes in the ICC showpiece. “No matter what you have done in your IPL career or previously, this is what counts the most…if I was in their shoes, I would be looking for this opportunity to showcase that I have been better than what I have been doing,” the ‘Turbanator’ stated. Virat is a changed T20 batter Harbhajan was mighty impressed with how Virat Kohli tweaked his T20 game during this year’s IPL by adding shots to his repertoire, which drastically improved his strike rate. “Virat has shown a lot of improvement from last year to this year and people spoke about his strike rate. It was in 130s during last year and this time it is in 160s,” he said. “Of course it’s a big big change. Virat and Rohit will have to score quickly in Powerplay but also need to respect the conditions in USA and West Indies.” If Gambhir becomes coach Harbhajan doesn’t know whether Gautam Gambhir, who is being spoken of as the favourite to take over India’s head coach position from the outgoing Rahul Dravid, will get the job but he does believe it would be a crown of thorns for whoever chooses to wear it. “If I say it properly, it is a speculation, which is doing rounds…the biggest thing a coach can do is to bring everyone together, so that team plays together. So, whether Gautam becomes coach or Ashish Nehra, or whosoever gets the opportunity, hope they do better than what others before them did.” He also ruled himself out of the race. “I don’t think I will be able to give that much time. At this stage of my life I have a young family and I need to be around them and look after them. Yes, when the right time comes, I will put my foot forward and say I am ready for it,” he concluded.

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