Latest Cricket News Forecast: February 2023

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Find the newest links

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Mohd Siraj, Shami send Usman Khawaja, David Warner back

India vs Australia 1st Test Day 1 Live Score Updates: India’s Mohd Siraj and Mohd Shami provided India with early breakthroughs as they sent openers Usman Khawaja (1) and David Warner (1) back in the first three overs. Australian skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat first at Nagpur. Suryakumar Yadav and KS Bharat are making their Test debut for India today. India go with 3 spinners, Shubman Gill and Kuldeep Yadav not in playing XI. Australia are playing two off-spinners in a Test after 35 years. Todd Murphy is finally making his debut.

After weeks of build-up and intrigue and obsessing about the pitch, the much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy starts in earnest in. Our senior cricket writer Sandip G is covering the game from Nagpur stadium.

Playing XIs: India: Rohit Sharma(c), KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Srikar Bharat(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj. Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Scott Boland

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/india-vs-australia-live-score-ind-vs-aus-1st-test-day-1-border-gavaskar-trophy-2023-at-nagpur-8432809/

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

New approved links here

Australia contemplate balance on 'dry' Nagpur pitch with Green unlikely to play

Cameron Green is unlikely to play in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener in Nagpur. The all-rounder suffered a broken finger in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa, an injury that hasn't healed in time for the start of the marquee series in India. Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald had expressed hope that Green could feature as a pure batter given the lack of his bowling load in the build-up to the series but two days out from the Test, vice-captain Steve Smith effectively ruled the 23-year-old out.

"I don't think he is [going to play]," Smith said. "I don't think he's even faced fast bowlers yet. So I dare say he won't be playing, but who knows? I'm not entirely sure. We'll wait and see. But it's unlikely, I think."

Green's absence is a blow for Australia, who have derived great balance to their Test sides with his all-round abilities allowing the management to pick an extra batter or bowler as they deemed necessary for the conditions. Even if he played as a pure batter, Green's right-handedness and his promising spin play in Sri Lanka would have been a welcome boost to the middle order. In his absence, Australia welcomed Matt Renshaw back to the Test fold in Sydney, but his inclusion in Nagpur will leave Australia fielding five left-handers in their top-seven. Peter Handscomb is the other alternative, should Australia choose an extra batter.

Source: https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/125422/australia-contemplate-balance-on-dry-nagpur-pitch-with-cameron-green-unlikely-to-play-vs-india

Monday, February 6, 2023

Get new links

Will India's transient batting dictate spin-bowling combination

In the words of Rahul Dravid, it's a four-letter word that starts with 'S' and it is thundering out of the tunnel with its headlights blazing bright. As India get ready to welcome Australia for another bout of Test cricket at home in what is their final, most marquee assignment in this cycle of the World Test Championship, 'spin' is once more the all-encompassing narrative hog. How much and how early in the game will the pitches offer turn? How are the visitors bracing? Is there a risk of a Pune-esque backfire?

A lot of it is conjecture. Then there is the question of which spinners will actually hold stage when the battle begins in a couple of days' time in Nagpur. And India quite clearly have options to go around. Ravichandran Ashwin, one of India's greatest players of this generation, is a lock. As is Ravindra Jadeja, Test cricket's top-ranked all-rounder, despite having only just returned from a major knee injury. India also have a decision to make with the identity of their third spinner, that is if the pitch accords them a luxury of a third spinner: Axar Patel or Kuldeep Yadav?

In the recent Mirpur Test, Dravid and the leadership group were faced with a similar dilemma of having to pick one of these two and they went with Axar despite Kuldeep marking his comeback in only the previous Test at Chattogram with a career-best 5 for 40. It was a selection based on sound reasoning and not one dictated by emotions. It's hard to even nitpick when a bowler has the kind of sub-continent record that Axar possesses: 47 wickets from 8 Tests at a frankly ridiculous average of 14.29 including five five-fors.

Source: https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/125417/will-indias-transient-batting-dictate-spin-bowling-combination

Sunday, February 5, 2023

New link list find here

Jayant Yadav, Pulkit Narang also join Indian squad as net bowlers

The Indian team has called two more spinners for its ongoing camp in Nagpur. The Rohit Sharma-led squad, preparing for the first of the four Tests that will start at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur on February 9, have reinforced the contingent with two more off-spinners. Haryana's Jayant Yadav, who has previously represented India, and Pulkit Narang of Delhi, currently with the Services team, have been co-opted as net bowlers.

The two offies are in addition to four other spinners, Sai Kishore, Rahul Chahar, Washington Sundar and Saurabh Kumar, who are with the Indian team as net bowlers. The presence of a handful of off-spinners in the side is an indication of the Indian team's preparation to neuter the threat of Nathan Lyon, the best spinner in the Australian camp.

It is clear that the four-Test series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), with extra significance as it will decide the World Test Championship (WTC) finalists, will be dictated by the wickets that are expected to assist spinners.

The Indian team will have an off-day on Sunday and the camp will move to the new VCA Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur, which will be the venue for the Test. The camp, thus far, was held at the Old VCA stadium in the city.

India squad for the first two Tests against Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.

Source: https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/125405/jayant-yadav-pulkit-narang-also-join-indian-squad-as-net-bowlers

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Get new link list

Chloe Tryon's career-best downs India in tri-series final

Chloe Tryon's career-best unbeaten 32-ball 57 powered South Africa to a 5-wicket win in the tri-series finalagainst India, at Buffalo Park, on Thursday. The hard-hitting batter smashed six boundaries and two sixes in the low-scoring encounter as the hosts overhauled India's total of 109 for 4 with two overs to spare.

On a sluggish track, India struggled to find momentum in their innings after opting to bat first. It began with Shabnim Ismail bowling a maiden, and Nonkululeko scalping the wicket of Smriti Mandhana, who was cleaned up for an 8-all duck.

After four stingy overs by the hosts, where they conceded only three runs, Jemimah Rodrigues and Harleen Doel broke free with a couple of boundaries each. Just when it seemed like the duo could help revive India's innings, Rodrigues was tricked by yet another slower delivery from Mlaba that had the batter out of her crease and stumped neatly.

Even as boundaries were hard to come by, Harmanpreet Kaur and Harleen staged a brief recovery, courtesy a run-a-ball 48-run stand before the Indian skipper was out stumped - this time off Sune Luus's legbreak.

Even as India managed to pick up the scoring rate in the death overs, the acceleration wasn't enough for them to even cross the run-a-ball mark throughout their innings. Harleen, who top-scored with a 56-ball 46 was cleaned up by Ayabonga Khaka in the last over.

Even as South Africa were chasing a modest total, they didn't have it very easy either, with opener Laura Wolvaardt also playing out a maiden over - off Deepti Sharma - to begin their run chase, before eventually falling for a seven-ball duck in the offspinner's next over.

Source: https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/125382/chloe-tryons-career-best-downs-india-in-tri-series-final

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Find new links here

Stats - Shubman Gill completes the set

26* Shubman Gill's score against New Zealand in Ahmedabad is now the highest score for India in T20Is. The previous highest was Virat Kohli's 122* against Afghanistan during last year's Asia Cup in Dubai.

1 Gill now has the highest score by any batter against New Zealand in T20Is, surpassing Richard Levi's unbeaten 117 for South Africa back in 2012 at Seddon Park.

23y 146d Gill's age coming into the third T20I. He is now the youngest player to score a century for India in T20Is. The previous youngest was Suresh Raina, who was 23 years and 156 days old when he became the first Indian to score a T20I century in the 2010 T20 World Cup against South Africa.

1 Players younger than Gill to have scored a century in all three international formats. Ahmed Shehzad is the youngest - he was 22 years and 127 days old when completing his set with a T20I century against Bangladesh in 2014.

236.58 Gill's strike rate against pace during the third T20I. He scored 97 runs off 41 balls he faced against pace, smashing nine fours and seven sixes. His strike rate against spin was only 131.81 off the 22 balls he faced.

327.78 Gill's strike rate in the last 18 balls he faced. He scored 59 runs in those 18 balls, hitting six sixes. Gill scored 34 runs in the powerplay overs, the most he has ever scored in the first six overs in a T20 game.

Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/stats-shubman-gill-completes-set-of-centuries-in-all-three-formats-1356917

Latest Cricket News Forecast