Glenn released from England ODI squad due to concussion

The legspinner will miss the remainder of England’s tour after landing heavily in the field

ESPNcricinfo staffUpdated on 02-Apr-2024England legspinner Sarah Glenn has been released from the ODI squad for the remainder of their tour of New Zealand after suffering a concussion during the T20I leg.Glenn picked up the concussion when she landed heavily after dropping a catch in the third T20I in Nelson. She did not immediately leave the field and came on to bowl the next over but then went off. At the change of innings she was subbed out for Holly Armitage.Glenn missed the final two T20Is of England’s 4-1 series win, and could only have been available for the third and final ODI in Hamilton on April 7 after following the ECB Graded Return to Play Protocols.Now, however, it has been confirmed that she will return home early, after it was decided that she would not be fit to feature at any stage of the series. No replacement has been called up.England were able to replace Glenn with leading spinner Sophie Ecclestone in Wellington after the players who had featured in the WPL became available. Alongside Ecclestone, that included Danni Wyatt, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey, who all played the fourth T20I which saw England wrap up the series with a commanding 47-run victory.Offspinner Charlie Dean claimed four wickets in the fourth T20I, and followed that with an impressive allround display in the first ODI in Wellington, where she and Amy Jones combined in an unbeaten 130-run stand for the seventh wicket to seal a tight four-wicket win.When everyone is available England could field a strong spin attack of Dean, Ecclestone and Glenn, supplemented by captain Heather Knight, which bodes well for their prospects at the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh.Meanwhile, New Zealand have an injury concern of their own after captain Sophie Devine sustained a quad strain in Wellington which has so far ruled her out of the final T20I and the first ODI as well.This story was updated on April 2, following confirmation of Glenn’s release from England’s squad

Nat Sciver-Brunt reveals she missed Pakistan T20I for egg-freezing procedure

England allrounder discusses hopes of starting a family in future with wife Katherine

ESPNcricinfo staff17-May-2024England allrounder Nat Sciver-Brunt has revealed that she missed the first T20I against Pakistan after having her eggs frozen with a view to having a family.Sciver-Brunt was not involved at Edgbaston last weekend, due to what was described as a “minor medical procedure”. She has now spoken publicly about the process in a conversation with her wife, former England seamer Katherine Sciver-Brunt, on the PCA’s Under The Lid podcast.”In the period between getting back from New Zealand [where England toured in April] and this [series], I thought it was a great time to go through the egg-freezing process, creating embryos and putting them in the freezer for future use,” she said.”Katherine and myself would love to start a family but I’d also like to continue playing cricket. We are lucky in that there are more options than one. We’re just working out the best way for us to go about it. I’d like to carry a baby when I finish playing cricket and I think Katherine wants to carry a baby as well.”England have been really good. The sports science and medical department are really supportive and have helped me along the way, making sure coming back to cricket has been smooth. After the procedure you’re wiped out for quite a few days.”On missing the first T20I, she said: “I’d only just started back to exercise, so wasn’t quite ready [to play].”She is expected to be involved in the second match against Pakistan, to be played in Northampton on Friday evening.Katherine, who retired last year, said they had begun to explore the process because “there is a timeframe on how fertile you can be”, with Nat, 31, hoping to being involved in the 2028 Olympics before making any further decisions on when to have children.”If Nat was 24 she might want to have a child, then come back and play. At 31, it’s on the verge,” Katherine said. “Freezing the eggs now and having healthy eggs to come back to – it’s great to be able to have that choice because it’s not cheap and very invasive.”

Cheteshwar Pujara hundred gives Sussex control at Derbyshire

Half-centuries from Tom Haines, Tom Alsop and James Coles help put visitors in driving seat

ECB Reporters Network04-May-2024Sussex 357 for 5 (Pujara 104*, Coles 72, Alsop 64, Haines 58) lead Derbyshire 246 (Tickner 47) by 111 runsA century from Cheteshwar Pujara led a dominant Sussex batting display on the second day of the Vitality County Championship Division Two match with against Derbyshire at Derby.The Indian maestro scored an unbeaten 104 – his ninth hundred in three seasons with Sussex – with Tom Haines, Tom Alsop and James Coles all making half-centuries as the visitors closed on 357 for 5, a lead of 111. Sussex’s position would have been even better but for two late wickets for Luis Reece to keep Derbyshire in the game.The home side had earlier taken their first innings to 246 thanks to a career-best 47 from Blair Tickner who shared a ninth wicket stand of 68 with Jack Morley before Coles took 2 for 6 with his left-arm spin to finish off the innings.The cloud cover of the first day was replaced by patches of blue sky, making batting a more comfortable proposition and Tickner and Morley took advantage.Tickner pulled an Ollie Robinson no-ball to the ropes and there was more frustration for the pace bowler when Tom Clark put down a difficult low chance at second slip with Morley on 6.The pair completed a 50 stand from 75 balls and Tickner was in sight of a maiden first-class half-century when he made room to force Coles and was bowled by a quicker ball.Morley had played the supporting role, displaying sound defence, but with Tickner gone, he became more expansive and came down the pitch to dispatch Jack Carson over long-on for six. Derbyshire were closing in on a batting point when Morley used his feet again to try and force Coles through the off side but missed the ball and was stumped.Although their score was higher than had looked likely when the eighth wicket went down at 163, early wickets were needed to put Sussex under pressure and Daryn Dupavillon obliged in his second over. The South African fast bowler moved one back in from outside off to bowl Clark but the bowling was too inconsistent and Haines pounced on anything that was slightly offline.He reached his 50 which came from only 38 balls in the first over after lunch and the stand with Alsop was worth 90 when he played on aiming to cut a ball that was too close to him for the stroke.The sight of Pujara walking out to bat on a ground where he made a double-century two years ago was an ominous one from a Derbyshire point of view and he was soon working the ball around with a quiet assurance.Alsop reached his 50 with consecutive fours off Reece but two overs before tea, he aimed to work Anuj Dal through midwicket and was lbw.At the interval, Sussex were trailing by 50 and with Coles playing positively from the start, they began to take a grip on the match in the evening session. Coles launched Morley over long-on for six before Pujara reached 50 from 74 balls, the same number Coles needed to complete his when he pulled Zak Chappell to the fine leg boundary.The partnership was worth 141 when Coles drove Reece low to mid-off and after Pujara punched David Lloyd to the cover boundary for his 10th four to complete a century off 158 balls, Reece bowled John Simpson with one that straightened.Derbyshire claimed the new ball before the close but Pujara and Carson stood firm to ensure it was the visitors day.

Nathan Smith fifty leads Rapids recovery to beat Outlaws

Visitors bounce back from 58 for 6 on back of 82-run seventh-wicket stand with Adam Hose

ECB Reporters Network06-Jun-2024Notts Outlaws suffered their third defeat in three North Group matches as Worcestershire Rapids repeated their 2023 Vitality Blast victory at Trent Bridge to make it two wins from three.The Rapids recovered from 58 for 6 to finish on 154 for 8 after New Zealand seamer Nathan Smith hit a career-best 51 not out from 35 balls, sharing an 82-run seventh-wicket stand with stand-in skipper Adam Hose, who hit 36 from 37 after being dropped on nought.Kiwi left-armer Ben Lister (2 for 20) and leg spinner Calvin Harrison (1 for 14) were the pick of the Outlaws bowlers.With their biggest batting hopes back in the hut inside the powerplay, Notts were never really in contention in the face of some disciplined bowling and sharp fielding from the Rapids, Will Young top scoring with a modest 25. Seamer Tom Taylor took 2 for 23.After Joe Clarke remained still to win a toss as the Outlaws captain in this format, Hose opted to bat but after a flying start to a powerplay made up of six overs of pace, the visitors stuttered to 42 for 3 in the absence of the injured Brett D’Oliveira.The first two overs yielded 25 but then Olly Stone removed both openers in the space of four balls, Matthew Waite top-edging to short fine leg, Ed Pollock losing his middle stump to a peach. Dillon Pennington missed out when Hose was dropped behind the stumps but had Josh Cobb caught on the leg-side rope.Three wickets lost in as many overs then plunged the Rapids into serious trouble. Ethan Brookes risked a second run on a misfield and paid the price, Rob Jones, on his Rapids Blast debut, hoicked Lister to fine leg for 1 and Harrison bowled Taylor to leave Rapids six down in the ninth.Yet Hose and Smith batted smartly, the latter passing his previous best of 38 when he hammered Lister over long-on for his second six, and were not parted until Lister bowled the former with a slower ball in the 18th. Lyndon James picked up the wicket of Hayden Walsh in the last over but the Rapids had something to defend.And that defence started superbly as danger men Clarke and Hales were out in single figures, the former chipping tamely back to the bowler before Hales found Brookes on the square-leg boundary, When Haynes, one of three former Pears in the Outlaws side, was leg before to Adam Finch, Notts were 29 for 3 from 5.3 overs.By the halfway point, seven wickets remained intact with 94 still needed but Matt Montgomery and Young, who had added 44 in six overs, were out to consecutive balls, the former hitting straight to extra cover off Taylor, who then fortuitously diverted a James drive to run out Young at the non-striker’s end.When James holed out to deep midwicket in the 15th, the required rate was up to 13 runs per over. Harrison was a little unlucky to be run out, stumbling as he tried to recover his ground as Tom Moores send him back, after which Moores and Stone flung the bat gamely but were always destined to fall well short.

Curran cracks maiden T20 ton to clinch top spot for Surrey

England allrounder reaches three figures with winning six in steep run chase

ECB Reporters Network18-Jul-2024Sam Curran hit his first T20 hundred – and only his second in any format – to lead Surrey to a five-wicket win over Hampshire. The result not only guaranteed Surrey a home quarter-final, but ensured they will finish top of the South Group.Curran, the England allrounder clubbed, six sixes and seven fours in his unbeaten, 58-ball 102 and reached his century with the winning hit, as Surrey chased down a target of 184 with five balls to spare at The Kia Oval.Curran, caught off a no-ball on 44, shared stands of 86 with Dominic Sibley (27) and 54 with Jamie Overton (21). John Turner was the pick of Hampshire’s attack with 2 for 30.

Hampshire’s 183 was built around a career-best 66 from Toby Albert, his first half-century in the format. Jordan Clark’s 3 for 24 kept the target within bounds while there were also two wickets for Matt Dunn in his first T20 match for three years.The 2022 winners Hampshire, already out of this year’s Blast, adopted an aggressive approach after being put in but, Albert apart, couldn’t capitalise on positive starts. Australian Ben McDermott, hit Dunn for the game’s first six, only to find the hands of Overton on the boundary later in the over.Dunn also accounted for Tom Prest, while James Vince threatened briefly with five boundaries including a majestic six off Curran before being undone by a beauty from Clark which jagged back and crashed into his stumps. When Joe Weatherley perished early, the Hawks were 65 for 4.Albert had begun explosively, twice clearing the ropes to race to 30. Benny Howell, however, continued the trend of a big hit and out, and James Fuller was the second batter castled by Clark, playing around a straight one. Liam Dawson sparkled momentarily until sacrificing himself after a mix-up in running and it needed a cool head coupled with late acceleration from Albert to get Hampshire to a creditable 183.Deprived of their two leading scorers in the competition this season – Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith – away on Test duty, the hosts needed others to stick their hand up for the chase. Will Jacks smacked the first ball from Brad Wheal for six, but the bowler’s revenge was swift as he holed out to the next delivery and Wheal struck again in his following over to remove Laurie Evans.Turner cranked up the pressure on the home batters with two hostile overs, but it was England Under-19 international Eddie Jack who removed Rory Burns courtesy of a stunning catch by Prest, leaving Surrey floundering at 27 for 3. Sibley should have followed soon afterwards but was dropped by Dawson at midwicket, Fuller the unlucky bowler.Curran, returning to county cricket from last month’s T20 World Cup, celebrated his team-mate’s reprieve by planting Dawson over wide mid-on for six and, having got the taste, hit Howell for successive maximums in the following over. More drama, with Turner holding on to a steepling top edge only for the umpire to signal no-ball: again, it was Fuller who was out of luck.Curran survived the loss of Sibley to reach 50 in 34 balls, before surpassing his previous career-best in the format helped by a fourth six. Overton caught the mood with successive sixes of Jack and though he departed before the end, Curran hit Fuller into the Bedser Stand to see Surrey home.

Warwickshire in control after seamers dismantle Kent

Rhodes 82 not out follows three-fors from Hannon-Dalby, Rushworth and Booth

ECB Reporters Network29-Aug-2024Kent’s lurch towards Vitality Championship relegation continued as they were bowled out for 156 by Warwickshire on the opening day of their Division One battle at Edgbaston.Having collected just nine batting points from ten games, Kent were skittled in just 39.5 overs by the seamers before the home side eased past them to reach 207 for 3 at the close.Michael Booth, Olly Hannon-Dalby and Chris Rushworth each took three wickets to dismantle a Kent batting order in which only Ben Compton and Joey Evison reached double-figures. If Compton had not been badly dropped on 1, Kent’s implosion would have been complete.Warwickshire completed their excellent day by moving 51 ahead with seven wickets intact, Will Rhodes compiling a measured unbeaten 82 off 134 balls to build a perfect platform for a belated first Championship win of the season.Warwickshire chose to wield the Kookaburra ball first and took just four balls to strike with it. Tawanda Muyeye, fresh from 211 against Worcestershire at Canterbury last week, sliced the first ball from Hannon-Dalby to the third man boundary and edged the fourth, a perfectly pitched outswinger, to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.Muyeye copped an unplayable delivery, but Daniel Bell-Drummond was culpable five overs later when he edged a footwork-free waft at Rushworth to third slip. When Jack Leaning edged Hannon-Dalby to first slip, Kent were in distress at 44 for 3. They would have been in total disarray if Compton had not been reprieved by Rhodes at fourth slip off Rushworth.Compton and Evison added 57 in 13 overs before the vestige of resistance was torpedoed by a collapse just before lunch. Evison edged Ed Barnard to Burgess and Booth took three wickets in 11 balls to gallop to career-best figures. Harry Finch and Charlie Stobo edged to Burgess and Grant Stewart miscued to point.Compton reached a defiant half-century from 74 balls but lost an eighth partner when Matt Parkinson edged Rushworth behind and a ninth when Alfie Ogborne sliced Hannon-Dalby low to second slip. Compton was within sight of carrying his bat when he pulled Hannon-Dalby to square leg to supply the bowler with his 500th wicket in all formats for Warwickshire.If Kent looked devoid of confidence with the bat, they did so equally with the ball as Warwickshire openers Rob Yates and Alex Davies added 62 in 11 overs. Somerset loanee Ogborne trapped Davies lbw and Yates edged former Bears team-mate George Garrett behind but Rhodes and Hain, with tons of time and the weather forecast excellent for the duration of this match, added a sedate 94 in 30 overs. Hain played on to the impressively persevering Ogborne but Rhodes is within 18 runs of his 11th first-class century.For Kent, this miserable season can’t end soon enough. Warwickshire are charging towards a win that will pretty much ensure they don’t join their rock-bottom opponents through the trapdoor to Division Two next month.

'Run in hard, hit the deck hard' – how O'Rourke aced his first outing in Asia

The New Zealand quick crushed it in dry conditions, finishing with three wickets on the first day

Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Sep-2024In his first outing as a red-ball bowler in Asia, Will O’Rourke was a menace. In his first spell, when the pitch was at its bounciest, he was rapid – sometimes breaching 140kph, and generated uncomfortable bounce from his six-foot-four-inch frame.His first Test wicket in the continent came from a bouncer, with experienced opener Dimuth Karunaratne so shaken by the deliveries O’Rourke had bowled to him previously, that he fenced at one he could have left, and edged it to the wicketkeeper.Pathum Nissanka, a centurion in the last Test innings he played, barely 10 days ago, was dismissed by an even better ball, a rapid, yorker he brought his bat down too late on, and which ended up rattling his stumps.Related

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Often foreign seamers struggle in their first outings in dry conditions. O’Rourke crushed it.”Me and Tim Southee as the pace bowlers have the role to be aggressive and bowl quick and unsettle people – that’s what we’ve talked about with coach Gary Stead and bowling Jacob Oram,” O’Rourke said.In his first five-over spell, O’Rourke took two wickets for 26.”A lot of the talk going into the game was maybe that the pitch was a little bit flat and a little bit slow. We probably wanted to have a bat first. But we had a bowl, and Tim and I were getting good carry, so the communication was to run in hard and hit the deck hard. I probably scattered it around a bit more than I wanted to, but when I hit the right spot I was lucky enough to get a few edges.”O’Rourke’s third wicket was especially impressive. Not only did he get one to rise sharply to smack Angelo Mathews on the index finger late in the first session, causing Mathews to retire hurt at the time. But when Mathews – frequently a good player of fast bowling – returned to the crease, O’Rourke got his wicket with another short, sharp delivery, one that a seemingly muddled Mathews fended at from a bad position.”It’s very special being this early on in my career bowling to legends like Angelo Mathews,” O’Rourke said. “One ball maybe jumped and caught him on the finger and unsettled him a little bit. It’s special to be able to bowl to greats like him and lucky enough to get his wicket at the end.”O’Rourke, in his third Test, is also reveling in having Southee as a mentor. Southee has bowled several memorable spells in Sri Lanka, including in Galle on the morning of the second day in a 2012 Test. Southee also averages an impressive 18.46 against this opposition.”It’s been awesome having Tim as captain. Having another fast bowler as captain who has done as much for the game as he has – it can only be a good thing for a young guy coming through. Getting him at mid-on, or even third slip when he comes over and gives you a wee pointer – that’s a big part of our team and a big part of helping me out.”

Dwayne Bravo parts ways with CSK, joins KKR as mentor for IPL 2025

Former West Indies allrounder will be in charge of the Knight Riders teams in other T20 leagues too

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Sep-20241:58

Pollard: Champion Bravo has given cricket his all

Former West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo has ended his long and celebrated career at Chennai Super Kings, with whom he won four IPL titles in different roles. He has joined defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as mentor from the 2025 season.ESPNcricinfo learned that Bravo recently met with KKR CEO Venky Mysore during the CPL before agreeing to a long-term contract. Apart from KKR, he will be in charge of all franchises under the Knight Riders label in T20 leagues: Trinbago Knight Riders (CPL), Los Angeles Knight Riders (MLC) and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ILT20).”DJ Bravo joining us is an exciting development.” Mysore said in a statement. “His relentless drive to win, along with his vast experience and deep knowledge, will greatly benefit our franchise and players.”Bravo, who turns 41 in October, replaces Gautam Gambhir, who took over as India’s head coach soon after helping KKR win their third IPL title in 2024. A day prior to the announcement, Bravo had retired from all cricket. Apart from Gambhir, KKR also lost two of their assistant coaches, Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, both of whom were also given roles in India’s support staff. At KKR, Bravo will have Chandrakant Pandit as head coach and Bharat Arun as bowling coach.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“I’ve been part of the Trinbago Knight Riders for the last 10 years in the CPL. Having played for and against the Knight Riders in various leagues, I have a lot of respect for how they operate,” Bravo said in a statement. “The owners’ passion, the professionalism of the management, and the family-like environment make it a special place. This is the perfect platform for me as I transition from playing to mentoring and coaching the next generation of players.”The mentor role with KKR is Bravo’s second team management position in the IPL. Having joined CSK in 2011, he retired from the IPL after the 2022 season and joined the franchise as bowling coach from the 2023 season. Bravo had immediate success in his first coaching role as CSK won the title in 2023, to go with his three titles with them as a player. Among the best death bowlers in T20 cricket, Bravo is the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL history and the first player to win two purple caps in the tournament.Related

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With more than 500 T20s worth of experience, Bravo is considered by players and peers as among the best tacticians and motivators, qualities that had elevated him to the West Indies captaincy. He had retired from international cricket after the 2021 T20 World Cup, and while he continued to play in T20 leagues (at Mumbai Emirates in ILT20, Texas Super Kings in MLC and TKR in CPL), he gradually moved towards coaching. During the 2024 T20 World Cup, Bravo played a key role as a consultant coach for Afghanistan, helping the team making the semi-finals for the first time in their history.

Rohit wants to expand India's fast-bowling bench strength

India’s captain wants to create a pool of eight or nine fast bowlers capable of stepping into the Test XI at any given point

Ashish Pant15-Oct-2024Rohit Sharma wants to injury-proof the Indian cricket team, and has called for expanding their bench strength, particularly the fast-bowling department so that they have eight or nine players ready to step into the first XI at any given moment.”We want to create a bench strength where tomorrow if anything happens to anyone, we are not worried, and we don’t want to be worried or too heavily reliant on a few individuals. That’s not the right thing to do,” Rohit said on the eve of the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. “We want to look at the future at the same time, try and make sure that we get the right guys in as well.”We want to create guys where even if there are injuries, we have got someone to quickly step in and take that role.”It’s not about three or four options. We want to try and do that like, you know, when it comes to batting, there are a lot of options. We want to create the same with the bowlers as well.”Along with the 15-member squad for the three-match series against New Zealand, India are also carrying Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy as travelling reserves. Mayank and Reddy recently made their international debuts in the T20Is against Bangladesh recently, while Rana was an unused member of that squad.Related

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Prasidh Krishna was also initially named as a travelling reserve for the New Zealand Tests, but he has reportedly suffered another injury setback. During Karnataka’s opening fixture of the new Ranji Trophy season, against Madhya Pradesh in Indore, he bowled only eight of the 140 overs that his side sent down.”You know, the reason we wanted to keep them close to us was because we are thinking of them to take them to Australia,” Rohit said. The five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy begins on November 22. “We just want to monitor them and see their workload. We have seen some talent in them. I understand that they have not played a lot of red-ball cricket, but when you see a talent, you want to try and groom them.Harshit Rana, 22, has played nine first-class matches and picked up 36 wickets•PTI

“You want to try and bring them as close to the team as possible. And in a short period of time, they have shown they have some ability as well. So, we want to keep them with the team and see whether they will be ready for international cricket or not, especially Test cricket, because Test cricket is a different ball game compared to white ball cricket. So, we want to keep them, we want to see what they can offer us, and have more options with us, more than anything else.”Nitish and Harshit both obviously are quite talented individuals, and in the future obviously they are going to provide a lot of stability to the team. So, just want to see what they are capable of, what they have to offer.”Mayank’s rise has been both rapid and eye-catching. He burst on the scene during IPL 2024, bowling at speeds of 155kph, and accurately at that, for Lucknow Super Giants. He could only play four matches though with an abdominal issue keeping him sidelined. Still, India had seen enough to fast-track him into their T20 side against Bangladesh earlier this month, where he picked up four wickets from three games while consistently pushing the speed gun into the high 140kph.”Mayank obviously has shown what he can do, but we just want to be very careful with him, he has had a lot of injuries in the past,” Rohit said. “So, we want to progress him, not rapidly, we want to just see every day how he feels.”We are trying to build his workloads with the red ball. He has not played a lot of red-ball cricket at all. So, for us, it’s important that we try and build them gradually, rather than just getting them into international cricket straight away.”T20 format is such where you can get a lot of these guys and see what they are capable of and if they can handle the international exposure. But Test cricket is a different ball game. The pressure is different. You have to sustain for five days, that’s the most important thing. So, we are trying to monitor them and see, you know, what they can offer to us.”3:36

Rohit: Bumrah has always been in our leadership group

The most important cog in India’s fast-bowling line-up is the leader of the pack Jasprit Bumrah. The 30-year-old was recently named vice-captain for the series against New Zealand.There is a chance Bumrah might step in as captain in the early Tests against Australia next month with Rohit’s participation in doubt owing to personal reasons.”He’s always been part of that leadership group and one of the experienced players as well,” Rohit said of Bumrah. “He’s played a lot of cricket and I’ve played a lot of cricket with him. He understands the game pretty well. He’s got a good head on his shoulders.”Tactically, I can’t say much because he’s not captained much. But, when you talk to him, he understands the game. He understands what is required. When you are in a situation where you need a leader to step up, I think Bumrah will be one of them. In the past, he’s always been in our leadership group.”So, it’s probably the right thing to just have him around and speak to the bowlers and internally discuss how to take the team forward.”Rohit remained tight-lipped about the India XI for the opening Test against New Zealand stating that they will take a call once they reach the venue on match day. It has been raining relentlessly in Bengaluru over the last few days, forcing India to cancel their training session on the eve of the game, while New Zealand were left to train indoors.”It all depends on the conditions now. Even today, there has been a lot of rain. The pitch is under the covers. So, we want to take that call when we come here in the morning tomorrow,” Rohit said. “And again, it depends on match-to-match, what sort of pitch we play on. Based on that, we want to decide what is going to be our best playing XI. We keep our options open for playing three seamers and three spinners as well.”

India lay down the gauntlet to Australia with 295-run thrashing

Travis Head made a positive 89 but the home side’s hopes were forlorn from the start and it was over shortly after tea

Tristan Lavalette25-Nov-2024Completing a remarkable turnaround, India wrapped up a famous Test victory at Optus Stadium with a 295-run victory over Australia in a one-sided result set to cause aftershocks in the latest tussle for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.The result was essentially a formality throughout the fourth day despite counterattacking knocks from Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh. India’s deserved victory was official just after tea when Harshit Rana knocked over Alex Carey as they drew first blood in the five-match series.Related

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It was a memorable performance from India, who drew on a heroic effort from stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah. He claimed eight wickets for the match, while Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli produced outstanding centuries in India’s second innings to decimate a flagging Australia.India had largely been written off after an unprecedented 3-0 home whitewash against New Zealand. They entered the series-opener without having played an official match on tour and were shorthanded without captain Rohit Sharma and injured batter Shubman Gill.Under intense pressure, coach Gautam Gambhir made the right moves and the brave selection calls, which included veteran spinners R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja being left out, were vindicated.Bumrah, particularly, deserves a lot of credit for galvanising a new-look team and he led from the front with a mesmerising spell late on day one to haul India back into the match after they had been bundled out for 150 having won the toss.Usman Khawaja fell to a miscued hook•Getty Images

There is set to be recriminations for Australia, who underwhelmed in their first Test since March’s New Zealand tour. There will be questions raised over the limited preparations of a number of players.Australia’s misfiring top-order will be particularly under the spotlight, especially No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne who scored 5 runs in the match to continue a lengthy form slump.Having started so well on the opening day, Australia’s bowling wilted in India’s second innings with captain Pat Cummins enduring a rare off match. Cummins had not played a red-ball match since March, preferring his series build-up through three 50-over games in the lead-up, and he finished with the modest match figures of 3 for 153 from 40.4 overs.Australia appeared flummoxed with the changing conditions of the pitch, which was spicy on day one before flattening out for most of day two and three. Cracks did widen as the match wore on and created up-and-down bounce to make batting difficult on the fourth day.Resuming at 12 for 3, after a disastrous start amid the shadows late on day three, Australia confronted an India attack eyeing to finish things off quickly.Australia’s hopes of chasing down a record 534 runs were forlorn but they aimed to at least muster some spirit which had seemingly been broken over the last couple of days.After a golden duck in the first innings, having returned to his favoured No. 4 position, Steven Smith fronted up to his nemesis Bumrah, who on the first ball of the day’s play had a loud lbw appeal turned down although in an anti-climax it was a no-ball.Travis Head edged behind for an excellent 89•Getty Images

Smith was relieved when he got off the mark on his fourth delivery with a trademark drive through the covers. But Australia’s woes reared in the next over after opener Usman Khawaja fell off the first short ball of the day’s play when he top-edged quick Mohammed Siraj and was caught by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant running back.Having had lbw issues recently, Smith made a technical adjustment and his trigger movement was not as pronounced as in the first innings when Bumrah pinned him in front of the stumps. Smith still faced a battle and copped a painful blow in the ribs from debutant quick Rana that left him on his back and in agony.He bravely continued batting and combined well with Head, who backed his aggressive instincts and counterattacked as they produced Australia’s first half-century partnership of the match.India dried up the scoring for Smith with Bumrah packing the legside with fielders as pressure built. Smith’s 60-ball resistance ended when he nicked off a superb back of a length delivery from a pumped-up Siraj that straightened off the seam and caught the edge.After a tough return to bowling, where his modestly-paced seamers were treated with disdain on day three by India’s batters, Marsh hoped to finish his home Test match strongly.He was all at sea before the lunch break and hit on the gloves several times but managed to hang in. Marsh and Head, who both entered the match with a limited build-up having been on paternity leave, made batting look relatively easy after the interval in a time of day that had been the best for batting through the match.Head motored towards a century and as per usual attacked any width and continually flayed through the offside, while Marsh struck several lusty aerial blows in a speedy half-century partnership.But Bumrah returned and he produced a superb back of a length delivery that caught Head’s edge on 89 and prompted impassioned celebrations from Kohli.Marsh also missed a milestone when on 47 he chopped on to allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who capped an impressive debut with his first Test wicket.Mitchell Starc was sharply held at short leg, giving Washington Sundar his first wicket of the match, and it wasn’t long before India claimed a victory they will savour for some time as the pressure starts to intensify on Australia.

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