India have all but booked themselves a spot in the World Test Championship for the second season running after dismantling league leaders Australia in the second test at the Ferozshah Kotla. The third test, originally scheduled to be held in picturesque Dharamshala, has been shifted to the central city of Indore instead. Here are our talking points from the first two tests. Continue reading “Too many sweeps, lower order contributions from India & more- Talking points from the first two tests”
Category: Test Cricket
India v Australia Second Test Day 3 Delhi Match Report 2023
Ravindra Jadeja claimed figures of 7/42 as India defeated Australia by 6 wickets in the second test at Delhi on Sunday.
Resuming at an overnight score of 61/1, Ravi Ashwin struck early by dismissing the dangerous Travis Head caught behind the stumps for 43.
Ashwin also trapped Steve Smith (9) leg before wicket as he missed a sweep. Jadeja then got into the act by cleaning up Marnus Labuschagne for 35.
Labuschagne’s dismissal opened the floodgates as Australia collapsed from 95-3 to 95-7. All rounder Jadeja then ran through the lower order as the visitors crumbled to 113, with an overall lead of 114.
Chasing 115, KL Rahul’s poor run of form with the bat continued as he flicked at a delivery from Nathan Lyon, but it hit Handscomb’s pad at short leg and ballooned to wicket keeper Alex Carey who took a simple catch.
The pair of Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara added 33 runs for the second wicket before the former was run out following a mix up with Pujara for a quickfire 20 ball-31.
Virat Kohli (20) looked good in his short stay before being stumped by Carey off Todd Murphy. Shreyas Iyer also holed out at deep midwicket boundary by Murphy off Lyon.
Pujara (31*), playing in his 100th Test, along with Srikar Bharat (23) put on an unbeaten 30 runs for the fifth wicket to take India to a comfortable six wicket win.
With this victory the hosts retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The third Test between India and Australia will be played at Indore on March 1.
India v Australia Second Test Day 2 Delhi Match Report 2023
All rounder Axar Patel bailed India out of trouble by scoring a defiant 74 as the hosts recovered from 139/7 to 262 at the end of Day 2 of the second Test against Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday.
Resuming Day 2 at 21/0, the pair of KL Rahul along with skipper Rohit Sharma added 25 more runs before the former (17) was trapped leg before wicket by Nathan Lyon.
The off spinner put the hosts on the backfoot by dismissing both Rohit (32), and Pujara (0) in the same over.
India fell deeper into trouble when the returning Shreyas Iyer (4) fell to a superb reflex catch by Peter Handscomb at short leg, leaving them at 66/4.
However the pair of Virat Kohli along with Ravindra Jadeja featured in a crucial fifth wicket stand of 59 runs before Todd Murphy broke the stand by trapping Jadeja LBW for 26.
Former skipper Kohli looked at his ease in his innings of 44 before being given out leg before wicket by debutant Matthew Kuhnemann in controversial circumstances. Ultra Edge appeared to show a spike while the ball was simultaneously in contact with both bat and pad, but the third umpire decided that he didn’t have conclusive evidence to overturn Nitin Menon’s on-field decision and ruled in the bowlers’ favour.
KS Bharat then top edged a sweep off Lyon to Steve Smith to give the off spinner a well deserved five-fer.
The pair of Axar Patel along with Ravi Ashwin kept the visitors at bay with a crucial 114 run stand for the eight wicket before the latter (37) chipped a full delivery from Pat Cummins to substitute Matt Renshaw, who completed a fine catch diving to his right.
Axar’s superb innings of 74 ended, when Cummins took a stupendous catch at mid on off Todd Murphy.
Kuhnemann then wrapped up the innings by dismissing Mohammed Shami for 2.
The hosts were bowled out for 262, giving the visitors a one run lead.
In response, Usman Khawaja along with Travis Head got Australia off to a steady start. The pair added 23 runs before Khawaja (6) was caught brilliantly by Iyer at leg-slip off Jadeja.
Head (39*) along with Marnus Labuschagne saw the day through without any further alarms as the Aussies reached 61/1, with an overall lead of 62.
Stumps at the end of Day 2
Australia 263 and 61 for 1 vs India 262 (Axar 74, Lyon 5-67) lead by 62 runs
Proteas test squad for West Indies series 2023 | Shukri Conrad first test Series as South Africa coach
South Africa have officially revealed their squad for the upcoming home series against West Indies- also new coach Shukri Conrad’s first test series as Proteas coach.
Temba Bavuma has been announced as new Proteas test skipper, replacing Dean Elgar, who struggled in the last series away in Australia. While Elgar has managed to keep his place, his opening partner Sarel Erwee is absent from the squad, as is Rassie van Dussen, who has been prolific in the shorter formats but not quite been able to transfer it to the longest form.
Two other surprising omissions are wicket keeper Kyle Verreynne (indicating that Heinrich Klaasen will be their first choice keeper for the WI tour) and pacer Lungi Ngidi.
Tony de Zorzi earns a maiden call up, while Senuran Muthusamy and Aiden Markram, who captained the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to a win in the SA20 at the Wanderers, also return to the squad.
South Africa Test Roster for WI series 2023 | Shukri Conrad first squad as Proteas test coach
India vs Bangladesh First Test Day 4 Chattogram Match Report 2022
Axar Patel claimed figures of 3/50 as India edged closer to a a victory at the end of Day 4 of the opening test at Chattogram on Saturday. Bangladesh were 272 for 6 at stumps, needing a further 241 runs for an unlikely looking win on the final day. Continue reading “India vs Bangladesh First Test Day 4 Chattogram Match Report 2022”
India vs England Fifth Test Day 1 Birmingham Match Report 2022
Rishabh Pant’s dazzling 146 and Ravindra Jadeja’s fine unbeaten 83, led India’s fightback as the visitors recovered from 98/5 to 338/7 at the end of Day 1 of the rescheduled fifth test against England in Birmingham on Friday.
After being asked to bat first by England skipper Ben Stokes, openers Cheteshwar Pujara and Shubman Gill got India off to a solid start. The pair added 27 runs for the opening wicket before the latter poked at a James Anderson delivery outside off stump to Zak Crawley at second slip for 17.
Pujara who overtuned a caught behind decision off Stuart Broad, was finally dismissed by a brilliant delivery by Anderson for 13.
Matthew Potts pegged the visitors back by trapping Hanuma Vihari leg before wicket for 20, and then dismissing the out of form Virat Kohli (11) bowled, while trying to leave at a delivery outside off stump.
Veteran fast bowler James Anderson then claimed his third wicket by dismissing Shreyas Iyer (15), caught brilliantly by wicket keeper Sam Billings down the leg side, leaving India in trouble at 98/5.
Pant and all rounder Jadeja resurrected the innings with a magnificent stand of 222 runs for the sixth wicket before Joe Root broke the partnership by dismissing the former for a 111 ball-146. His knock comprised off 19 fours and 4 sixes. Continue reading “India vs England Fifth Test Day 1 Birmingham Match Report 2022”