December 23, 2024
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Rahul Dravid

T20 World Cup: Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya star in India's easy win over Bangladesh in warm-up game | Cricket News

T20 World Cup: Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya star in India’s easy win over Bangladesh in warm-up game | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant and all-round Hardik Pandya hogged the spotlight as India brushed aside Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup warm-up match in New York on Saturday. In the comfortable 60-run win, India had several positive aspects, with Pant’s fifty being the most significant. Pant’s impressive performance (53 off 32 balls, including 4 fours and 4 sixes) and Hardik’s valuable contribution with both bat and ball (40 not out off 23 balls, with 2 fours and 4 sixes) propelled India to a solid 182 for five after choosing to bat first.Defending the total proved to be a straightforward task as left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh-led India restricted Bangladesh to 122 for nine. Despite a brief resistance from Mahmudullah Riyaz (40 retired out; 28b, 4×4, 1×6) and Shakib Al Hasan (28), who added 75 runs for the sixth wicket, Bangladesh could only manage to reduce the margin of defeat after being reduced to 41 for five.As It HappenedArshdeep, who had a subpar IPL season with Punjab Kings, struck twice within the Powerplay, dismissing Soumya Sarkar and Litton Das. Mohammed Siraj added to Bangladesh’s woes by removing skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (0), leaving them reeling at 10 for three in 3.5 overs. The Indian bowlers showcased their skills in exploiting the slow pitch and sluggish outfield, with pacer Shivam Dube also contributing two wickets (2/11).Bangladesh’s lackluster batting performance highlighted the significance of Pant and Hardik’s innings. Pant’s knock has likely secured his position as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter for India in the World Cup, giving him an edge over Sanju Samson.Samson, who opened the innings with skipper Rohit Sharma (23, 19b, 2×4, 1×6) in place of Virat Kohli, struggled to adapt to the pitch conditions and was dismissed for a 6-ball 1 by left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam.Suryakumar Yadav (31, 18b, 4×4) and Pandya (40) also made valuable contributions to India’s competitive total. Pant’s exceptional touch, which he displayed during the IPL 2024 for Delhi Capitals, continued in this match as he played his characteristic shots and brought up his fifty in just 32 balls. Hardik, who was dropped on 26, provided the necessary acceleration by smashing three consecutive sixes off left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam, showcasing his power and execution. His innings and confidence might have immensely pleased the team management and himself after a modest outing as Mumbai Indians’ captain in a season where he was subjected to intense professional and personal scrutiny.Bangladesh also suffered an injury scare as Shoriful walked off just before bowling the final ball of the innings, as Tanzim Hasan completed the over. (With inputs from PTI)

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Watch: Virat Kohli adorably mentions wife Anushka as 'ma'am' while paparazzi thank the couple for gifts | Cricket News

Watch: Virat Kohli adorably mentions wife Anushka as ‘ma’am’ while paparazzi thank the couple for gifts | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Star batter Virat Kohli on Thursday departed for the United States to join the Indian team for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Americas. With the rest of the team already in New York, practicing ahead of their warm-up game against Bangladesh, followed by the campaign opener against Ireland on June 5, Kohli was the last to leave the country and will be joining the team soon.As soon as Kohli arrived at the airport, he was mobbed by fans and paparazzi as the star India batter obliged to requests for selfies. The photographers also thanked Kohli for the gift he and wife Anushka Sharma sent them after the birth of their son, Akaay. And while responding to the paps, Kohli adorably mentioned Anushka as ‘ma’am’, saying that it was actually she who sent the gifts. The gift hamper that Kohli and Anushka sent to the paps had the message: “We sincerely thank you for respecting the privacy of our children and for your unwavering cooperation.”Kohli, the Orange Cap winner in the just-concluded IPL season, goes into the T20 World Cup in red-hot form and will be one of the players to watch in the tournament. Earlier, there were reports saying that Kohli had asked for a short break at the conclusion of the IPL and that’s why he was the last to leave for the T20 World Cup. In the 2024 edition of the IPL, Kohli amassed 741 runs at an average of 61.75 and a strike rate of 154.70. He also scored 5 fifties and a century in the season.

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T20 World Cup: Team India not happy with 'average' training facilities, claims report; ICC says... | Cricket News

T20 World Cup: Team India not happy with ‘average’ training facilities, claims report; ICC says… | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: The Indian team, preparing in New York ahead of the T20 World Cup is not happy with the ‘average’ training facilities provided to them in Cantiague Park, claimed a News18 report on Thursday.Rohit Sharma & Co on Wednesday started their training and the team, including head coach Rahul Dravid, is apparently not happy with the practice facilities in the US.The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, which will host India’s warm-up game and three group matches, reportedly has no practice facilities and the Cantiague Park has been provided as a make-shift venue for the Indian team’s training.The report claimed that the team was also not happy with the arrangements for food at the venue and concerns regarding this have been raised. “Everything is makeshift – from pitches to other facilities. Safe to say everything is very average in nature. The team has raised their concerns,” a source close to developments told News18.The report also said that the International Cricket Council (ICC), when reached out for reaction, claimed that that no such concerns or complaints were raised with them from the Indian team. “There has been no complaint or concern expressed regarding the practice facilities at Cantiague Park by any team,” the report stated the ICC as saying. The ICC earlier designated Cantiague Park as the official training facility for teams. The facility is also a fair distance from the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium where the matches are scheduled.India are set to play their one and only warm-up game against Bangladesh on June 1. India’s Group A games against Ireland, Pakistan and USA will be hosted at th Nassau Stadium before they move to Florida for their final group game against Canada.

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'Doesn't matter how many superstars IND have': Lara's clear-cut message to Dravid on ending ICC trophy drought in T20WC

‘Doesn’t matter how many superstars IND have’: Lara’s clear-cut message to Dravid on ending ICC trophy drought in T20WC

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Rahul Dravid’s tenure as the head coach of the Indian team is all set to end in June after the 2024 T20 World Cup. And while the India legend gained success during his tenure with the U-19 side or the India A team, which had, in fact, made him the frontrunner to replace Ravi Shastri back in 2022, Dravid had failed to lead the senior national team to an ICC title glory yet. But come the T20 World Cup, that begins from June 1 onwards, he will get one last opportunity to end India’s long-standing trophy drought and end his tenure on a high. Brian Lara has a message for Rahul Dravid ahead of the T20 World Cup Ahead of the big tournament, former West Indies cricketer Brian Lara sent a clear-cut message to Dravid, suggesting him to devise a plan for the final stages of the tournament, a hurdle which India have failed to cross since 2013 across ICC tournaments. Speaking to Star Sports, the Windies legend reckoned that irrespective of the big names that India have in their squad, they need to focus on having a clear strategy about winning the World Cup. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! “Indian team, just looking from the outside, in previous Cups, be it T20 or 50-overs, I just feel they are lacking that final plan in terms of how they are going to go about. It doesn’t matter how many superstars you have; it matters how you are going to go about winning this World Cup, what plans you are going to have in place, and how you are going to structure your innings or attack. I hope Rahul Dravid can get his players together and can devise a plan for India to win T20 World Cup,” said Lara when asked about any concern regarding the Menin Blue ahead of of the ICC event. This will be the second T20 World Cup India will play during Dravid’s tenure as head coach. In 2022, the Rohit Sharma-led side had reached the semis before being beaten by eventual champions England in the semis. Overall, India have just one title in the history of this T20 tournament, having won in the inaugural year (2007) under the leadership of MS Dhoni. India have since made the semis twice and finished as runners-up once in the next seven editions. India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign on June 5 against Ireland at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, followed by the mouth-watering clash against arch-rivals Pakistan at the same venue on June 9. Co-hosts USA and Canada are the other two members in Group A besides the aforementioned three. India, who last played an international game in the format back in January at home, will also play a warm-up game against Bangladesh on June 1 in New York.

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T20 World Cup: In Team India's first practice session, Hardik bowls for almost an hour; Rohit, Suryakumar focus on getting used conditions | Cricket News

T20 World Cup: In Team India’s first practice session, Hardik bowls for almost an hour; Rohit, Suryakumar focus on getting used conditions | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Team India got their T20 World Cup preparations underway with their first training session in New York on Thursday that lasted three hours.Having landed in the US on May 27, the team had a couple of off days to overcome the jet lag and get used to the weather and conditions. After a light training session session a day before, the Indian team on Thursday hit the nets and meant serious business as skipper Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav were seen batting against likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. In focus Hardik too had gruelling training session with both bat and ball. The all-rounder was first seen bowling in the nets for almost an hour and then went hard after the bowlers while batting. The 30-year-old also had a long chat with batting coach Vikram Rathour during the net session. In unusual scenes, tailenders Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singht were seen focussing on their batting skills while all the all-rounder Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel and Hardik trained with both bat and ball. Yuzvendra Chahal, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Avesh Khan and Rinku Singh, who arrived late in New York featured only in light training drills. The focus of the training session revolved around getting used to the pitch conditions that had considerable bounce in it.India play their first warm-up game against Bangladesh on Saturday.

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Trouble At T20 WC? Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma And Co. Concerned Over Average Facilities: Report. ICC Responds

Trouble At T20 WC? Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma And Co. Concerned Over Average Facilities: Report. ICC Responds

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The Indian cricket team on Wednesday started its preparations for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA. After the heartbreak of the ODI World Cup 2023, where India lost to Australia in the final in Ahmedabad, the 2024 T20 World Cup will provide Rohit Sharma and Co. a shot at redemption. India won the inaugural 2008 T20 World Cup but since then, it has always returned empty-handed. In fact, when it comes to ICC events, India have not been able to win a single trophy since clinching the 2013 Champions Trophy, when MS Dhoni was till the captain.  The 2024 T20 World Cup, thus, is a great chance for India to end the drought. However, a report in News18 has claimed that the Indian cricket team is not happy with the practice facilities being provided in the USA, one of the hosts of the marquee event.  “Everything is makeshift – from pitches to other facilities. Safe to say everything is very average in nature. The team has raised their concerns,” the report quotes a source as saying. It added that coach Rahul Dravid is unhappy with the “average” facilities in Cantiague Park, where the side is training. The report also claimed that it has reached out to ICC regarding the same. “There has been no complaint or concern expressed regarding the practice facilities at Cantiague Park by any team,” the ICC said this. After two months of intense competitive cricket under night lights, the Indian cricket team, sans Virat Kohli, began its preparations for the T20 World Cup with a morning training session, keeping in mind the 10.30am starts for all its preliminary games. Kohli took a break for personal work after RCB’s IPL ouster and in all likelihood, he will join the squad by Friday. But it is not clear if he would be able to take part in the only warm-up game against Bangladesh on Saturday after a long flight. Having played 90 per cent of the matches under lights in the scorching Indian summer, the idea would be to adjust to pleasant mornings where temperatures will hover between 25 to 27 degree celsius with very less humidity. A white kookaburra in slightly windy mornings could be a challenge and to be prepared for that, the severely jet-lagged bodies need to get used to morning conditions. And this is why the support staff, before initiating the skills training (net sessions) on the practice pitches at a ground on the outskirts of the city, have decided to help the players acclimatise with the conditions   Topics mentioned in this article

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Watch: Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid dash through rain to catch cab in New York | Cricket News

Watch: Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid dash through rain to catch cab in New York | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: As the curtains fall on IPL 2024, attention now turns to the upcoming T20 World Cup. Discussions have begun about whether India can finally break their ten-year dry spell and secure an ICC Trophy.The Rohit Sharma-led side has already arrived in the United States. However, their preparations have been hampered by unfavourable weather conditions.In a video that has taken social media by storm, Rohit and head coach Rahul Dravid were seen standing on a bustling street in New York City, patiently waiting for a taxi to arrive amidst a heavy downpour. As the rain continued to pour relentlessly, Rohit and Dravid remained composed, keeping a watchful eye out for an available cab.The video captures the moment when they finally spot a taxi approaching, and they quickly signal the driver to stop. Without hesitation, the two cricket stars make a dash for the car.India will play their lone warm-up game against Bangladesh at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 1. Their campaign begins on June 5 against Group A opponents Ireland in New York, followed by a highly-anticipated clash against Pakistan on June 9India will then face co-hosts USA on June 12 in New York, before going to Florida to take on Canada on June 15 to wrap up their Group A league matches. India were the inaugural winners of the T20 World Cup in 2007 and are aiming to claim the silverware for just the second time through the upcoming tournament.

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'Choose wisely': Sourav Ganguly makes veiled comment as BCCI hunt for new India coach | Cricket News

‘Choose wisely’: Sourav Ganguly makes veiled comment as BCCI hunt for new India coach | Cricket News

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With Rahul Dravid‘s tenure as India coach ending after the T20 World Cup in June, the hunt for India’s new head coach has already gathered pace, with reports suggesting BCCI’s interest tilted towards Kolkata Knight Riders’ mentor and former India opener Gautam Gambhir. However, in a post on X on Thursday, former BCCI president and India captain Sourav Ganguly seemed to have indirectly advised the BCCI to “choose…wisely”.“The coach’s significance in one’s life, their guidance, and relentless training shape the future of any person, both on and off the field. So choose the coach and institution wisely…” Ganguly wrote on ‘X’.Ever since Gambhir guided KKR to their third IPL title, he has been tipped to take over from Dravid. It was under Gambhir’s captaincy that the Kolkata franchise won its two previous titles in 2012 and 2014. He returned to KKR as mentor ahead of the 2024 edition, after a similar role with Lucknow Super Giants, and the move played a crucial role in KKR’s triumphant run this season.Monday (May 28) was the last date to apply for the job of Team India’s chief coach and BCCI secretary Jay Shah meeting Gambhir after KKR’s title triumph made the speculations gain strength.A recent report in Cricbuzz has stated that Gambhir’s appointment is almost certain and negotiations are underway on multiple fronts. “A very high-profile owner of an IPL franchise, who is very close to the BCCI top brass, said that Gambhir’s appointment is a done deal and the announcement will come soon. A high profile commentator, who is very clued to the happenings in the BCCI said efforts are being made to rope in Gambhir. The fact that an announcement has not yet come suggests that negotiations are underway on multiple fronts — between the two parties and, perhaps, with some others too,” the report said.The BCCI secretary also refuted reports saying the board has approached Australian cricketers, namely Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer, for the role. “Neither I nor the BCCI have approached any former Australian cricketer with a coaching offer. The reports circulating in certain media sections are completely incorrect,” Shah said in a statement.

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

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

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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.

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

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

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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.

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