Tag: ravindra jadeja

India vs England T20Is: England’s top 6 stronger than India’s, visitors the favourites to win series, says Monty Panesar | Cricket News – Times of India

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


NEW DELHI: Team India are brimming with confidence. After winning the Test series against England 3-1, Kohli’s men are set to kick off their five-match T20I campaign against the English, starting today at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. All five matches of the series are scheduled to be played at the same venue.
India and England have faced off 14 times overall in T20Is. The head to head is split right down the middle, with both teams winning seven matches each.
India captain Virat Kohli is the most-successful batsman in the India vs England rivalry in T20Is. The Indian run-machine has 346 runs in 12 matches, at an average of 31.45, including one half-century. England skipper Eoin Morgan is second on the list with 314 runs in 11 matches at an average of 31.40.
In the bowling department, Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal tops the wicket taking charts in India and England T20I clashes. Chahal has so far taken 9 wickets in 6 matches, including one five-wicket haul.
With India set to kick start the five-match T20I series, Timesofindia.com caught up with former England spinner Monty Panesar to talk about the series favourites, the key clashes, England’s Test performance, Rishabh Pant‘s spectacular show in Tests and much more…
Excerpts…
After the Test series defeat, do you think England can turn things around and win the T20I series? Their T20 squad is very different in complexion to their Test squad….
England are the World No. 1 team in T20Is. The best part is that more than half of the team has played in the IPL. So, they know the conditions well. England are favourites to win the series. The only concern is their middle order and how they deal Yuzvendra Chahal, the leg-spinner, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar. The series will be dominated by spinners. It is a different format. England will bounce back strongly.

Who according to you will be the key players for India and England?
It will be England batsmen vs Indian spinners. England top’s six can take the game away from India. England’s top six is stronger than India’s top six. They have Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, and Ben Stokes. For India, Chahal, the leg-spinner will be crucial for India. He is a clever bowler and has got variations. He is the one who can stop the England batsmen. His four overs will be critical. If India wants to win, it depends on how Chahal’s four overs go. Chahal needs to bowl well if India have to win the T20I series.

Yuzvendra Chahal (BCCI Photo)
If you have to pick three key player battles in the T20I series, which will they be?
I would pick Kohli vs Morgan. That will be the all-captains clash. Second, David Malan vs Shikhar Dhawan. This will be an interesting combination. Because Malan is number one in the world. It will be great to see how he bats in these conditions and it will be interesting to watch. The third will be Moeen Ali or Adil Rashid vs Chahal.

What went wrong for England in the Test series?
I think it was because of the introduction of crowds, England couldn’t cope with the pressure and the noise. They did really well against Sri Lanka and performed very well. England won the matches when Joe Root scored big runs. So, what ends up happening is when Joe Root doesn’t score big runs, the team doesn’t know how to win on a turning pitch. England are totally dependent on Joe Root in Tests. That’s something that Joe Root and the team and the management need to sit down and think about. ‘If I’m not going to score runs, who else is going to score runs?’ Root should think this. They need to work on how to play spinners. Johnny Bairstow was a key player and he didn’t really perform.

Reuters Photo
India will now face New Zealand in the World Test Championship final. Who according to you are the favourites to win the inaugural WTC title?
Both the teams are strong and have done really well in Tests. It will depend on the pitch conditions. If it’s a turning wicket, then obviously India. There is no doubt about that. If it is flat and seaming, then New Zealand have got a chance.
Will defeat against India have any impact on the England team in how they play in the Ashes you think?
England have players who score runs and turn the game on its head. Playing spin is that weakness right now and they should work on it. What is this shot selection? What is the game plan against bowlers? This will be assessed against New Zealand when they come to England. If the same problems happen in England, then I think there’s quite a big issue. There is no harm in going to the basics. I think there is a need for the syllabus in level four and level three coaching, the way they teach to play spin. If Joe Root can bat like a subcontinent batsman, why can’t the others? That’s what I think they need to discuss. I think that that’s a problem.
I think the way we are taught to play spin, needs to be the way how subcontinent batsmen are taught, how the Indian batsmen (are taught) in India and that needs to be the part of the coaching (manual).
Axar and Ashwin dismantled the England line up single-handedly. Your take on that…
Axar is a great bowler, but in helpful conditions. He is a skillful bowler and takes wickets on turning pitches. Ashwin has done well in both home and overseas conditions. They were given a platform and they made full use of it with their skills, mind, and experience.

Axar Patel and R Ashwin (BCCI Photo)
How difficult will it be for Axar to retain his place in the Test team once Ravindra Jadeja returns?
Jadeja does well away from India. So, there’s no doubt about that. I think they should keep a close watch on Axar’s performance. Jadeja is a way better option with the bat. Patel may be a better spinner at home and on turning pitches. India can consider Axar at home and when they travel overseas, Jadeja should come in.
How would you rate Rishabh Pant’s performance in the Test series vs England? Is he doing enough to fill Dhoni’s shoes?

Rishabh Pant (BCCI Photo)
I wouldn’t say he’s Dhoni level, I would say he’s more Gilchrist. I think he’s more a Gilchrist type of cricketer. Major tournaments like T20 World Cup and then 50-over World Cup are coming up. So, we need to see how he performs. If India win the World Cup and Rishabh plays a huge part in that, then compare him with Dhoni. The coming time and tournaments are huge for Rishabh Pant. He will be tested.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Leave a comment , , , , , , , , ,

India vs England T20Is: Top 5 Indian bowlers to watch out for | Cricket News – Times of India

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


NEW DELHI: In red-hot form and brimming with confidence after their recent success in the longest format, Team India is all set to take on World’s No.1 T20 team England in a 5-match series beginning Friday.
Aiming to carry the momentum of the Test triumph forward in the white-ball format, Virat Kohli and Co. are up against a tough England side, which will be led by Eoin Morgan.
With an eye on the T20 World Cup — scheduled for later this year, the T20I series serves as a perfect platform for India to zero in on their final squad for the ICC’s marquee event slated for October.
With quite a few options with the bat, Team India looks secure in the batting department but it will be a test for the bowlers, old and new to make a mark in the series to try and book their ticket for the World Cup.
With the likes of Jasprit Bumrah (on leave) and Mohammed Shami (out with injury) missing, the series serves as a great opportunity for the youngsters to make a mark and impress the selectors.
Experienced war horse Bhuvneshwar Kumar will also mark his return to international cricket. It will be a great opportunity for the 31-year-old to prove his skills and fitness and seal his place in the shortest format again.
TimesofIndia.com here takes a look at the top five India bowlers to watch out for in the upcoming T20I series:
Yuzvendra Chahal
India’s joint highest wicket taker in the T20Is, Yuzvendra Chahal, will be leading the spin department when India lock horns with England in the series starting March 12.
Away from international cricket since the T20I series against Australia back in December 2020, Chahal will look to be the trump card for skipper Virat against a side that has been in top form in the shortest format.
One of the most experienced in the bowling line-up, Chahal (45 matches) will be up against a familiar foe. His best performances have come against the No.1 T20I side in the past.
In 6 matches played against England, Chahal so far has been the highest wicket taker from India and even his best bowling performance of 6 for 25 was registered against the Eoin Morgan-led team.
With an economy rate of 7.37 against England, Chahal has managed to keep the opposition batsmen in check and could once again be the go-to man for skipper Kohli in the series which will be played on turning tracks in Motera.

(Getty Images)
Chahal career T20I stats: M 45 | W 59 | BBI 6/25 | Econ 8.29
Chahal vs England in T20Is: M 6 | W 9 | BBI 6/25 | Econ 7.37

Bhuvneshwar Kumar
After a thigh muscle injury forced him out of IPL 2020 midway, pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar missed out on the big Australia tour and was also not part of the Test series against England. But a fit again Bhuvi is all set to take the field and make a mark as India get ready to face a tough English challenge.
With the experience that the 31-year-old has in the shortest format and the ability to perform at the start and at the death, Bhuvneshwar could be a definite starter in the series for skipper Kohli.
Although Bhuvneshwar has not played international cricket since December 2019, steady performances in recent list A cricket for Uttar Pradesh have seen Bhuvneshwar getting right back on track.
As far as playing against England goes, the pacer has only been part of 2 encounters vs the English where he has struggled for wickets and also given away quite a few runs.

(Getty Images)
Bhuvneshwar T20I career stats: M 43 | W 41 | BBI 5/24 | Econ 7.04
Bhuvneshwar vs England in T20Is: M 2 | W 1 | BBI 1/19 | Econ 8.34
Hardik Pandya
Since suffering stress fractures in his back during the Asia Cup in 2019, Hardik Pandya — the bowler — has been on a tough road to recovery.
Apart from the four overs that he bowled against Australia in the ODIs last year, Hardik has been kept away from bowling duties.
But during the training sessions ahead of the T20I series, Hardik was seen bowling in full tilt with a tweaked action, indicating that normal services are set to resume for Hardik in the upcoming series.
Already devastating with the bat, if Hardik gets back to full bowling fitness it will provide skipper Virat with the luxury of an extra pacer against England and going forward.
When it comes to bowling against England, Hardik also has pretty decent numbers. His best figures of 4 for 38 are against England along with a good economy rate.
The 27-year-old’s bowling will be in focus and Hardik will definitely aim to give his best and start preparing himself for the T20 World Cup, where he will be one of India’s key players.

(Twitter photo)
Hardik T20I career stats: M 43 | W 38 | BBI 4/38 | Econ 8.35
Hardik vs England in T20Is: M 6 | W 5 | BBI 4/38 | Econ 8.0
Axar Patel
After a dream Test debut against England, Axar Patel will be on cloud nine when he steps onto the field against England in the T20I series.
The 27-year-old came in as a replacement for the injured Ravindra Jadeja.
Axar, so far, has been part of 11 T20Is for India but has not been a regular feature in the side. With Jadeja away, the series is the perfect opportunity for Axar to showcase his all-round exploits.
Given the red-hot form Axar currently is in, it is very likely that the local boy will share the spin responsibilities with Chahal in the series in Ahmedabad.
In the 11 T20I matches that Axar has played, he has had a decent outing with the ball, claiming 9 wickets at a neat economy of 6.79.
The English batsmen were all over the place against Axar in the Test series and the left-arm spinner will look to produce an encore in the white-ball format as well.

(AFP photo)
Axar career T20I stats: M 11 | W 9 | BBI 3/17 | Econ 6.79
Axar vs England in T20Is: Not yet played
Deepak Chahar
The second Indian and the first pacer to take a T20I hat-trick, Deepak Chahar has impressed quite a few in the shortest format. A product of the IPL, Chahar has been one of the big finds for India in the shortest format.
With the ability to swing the new ball both ways, Chahar has troubled batsmen on most occasions during his 13-game T20I career so far. Although his death bowling is still an area to be worked upon, the 28-year-old will look to impress the selectors when he takes the field against a high-class English batting in the 5-match series.
Chahar managed only a single wicket in the last T20I series (3 matches) vs Australia, but has been a part of a few domestic games since then to try and get back in rhythm.
In the 13 T20Is that Chahar has played, he has taken 18 wickets at an economy rate of 7.56.

(BCCI photo)
Deepak career T20I stats: M 13 | W 18 | BBI 6/7 | Econ 7.56
Deepak vs England in T20Is: M 1 | W 1 | BBI 1/43 | Econ 10.75
Also watch out for:
Rahul Tewatia (T20I debut) & Rahul Chahar (1T20I)
After his heroics in IPL 2020, all-rounder Rahul Tewatia earned a maiden T20I call-up for the series against England. Currently with the team in Ahmedabad, Rahul still faces a challenge when it comes to being part of the XI, as the 27-year-old has to still pass a fitness test.
The same issue of fitness is also being faced by mystery off spinner Varun Chakravarthy. The 29-year-old has failed both his fitness tests and is likely to be replaced by leg-spinner Rahul Chahar in the squad. Chahar so far has played just one T20I. That was against the West Indies in 2019, where he took 1/27.
Earlier, Varun was also named in the India T20I squad for the Australia tour but was dropped from the squad because he wasn’t full fit.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Leave a comment , , , , , , , ,

Jadeja hits the nets, works on his batting and bowling skills after two months | Cricket News – Times of India

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


NEW DELHI: In what comes as good news for the Indian team management and fans, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja practised batting and bowling on Thursday having made a return to the field last week after undergoing thumb surgery.
Jadeja, who finally started training last week, hit the nets on Thursday after two months. The star all-rounder wasn’t able to hide his excitement of holding the bat and ball.
Jadeja posted a short clip on Twitter in which he can be seen working on his game in his trademark style.
“Feeling good. holding bat n ball after two months #gettingready #focusonyourself,” Jadeja tweeted.

In January, Jadeja had suffered a blow to his left thumb while batting on Day 3 of the third Test against Australia. He had later gone for scans and the results showed that he had dislocated his thumb.
After the surgery, Jadeja had tweeted: “Out of action for a while, surgery completed. But will soon return with a bang.”

Meanwhile, India is currently preparing for the five-match T20I series against England which gets underway on Friday.
India is high on morale after clinching the four-match Test series 3-1 and making it into the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand.
The Men in Blue have some newbies in their squad and all of them have high potential to start firing from game number one. The likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, and Ishan Kishan have impressed in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and it has finally seen them being rewarded with a place in the Indian squad for the T20I series.



[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Leave a comment , , , ,

Bigger pandemic squads helped boost new Indian cricket talent: Ravi Shastri | Cricket News – Times of India

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


AHMEDABAD: India’s new Test cricket heroes have pandemic-induced squad regulations to thank for getting their shot in the Australia and England series, coach Ravi Shastri said Sunday.
Given the added risk of fatigue and injuries in the “bio-bubbles” needed to stage international games during the coronavirus crisis, teams have been allowed to have larger travelling squads.
Most Indian players have been in one bubble or another, with only small breaks since the Indian Premier League in September.

“You had to dig deep and pick your best 30 players. It’s a good headache to have,” Shastri told reporters.
“It has worked well, you would have never imagined the number of players that would have played for India, six months ago.”

All-rounder Washington Sundar and paceman T. Natarajan had an extended stay in Australia as part of the travelling squad, and have since made dream starts to their Test careers.
“If you think Natarajan would have played a Test, no way. Would Washington Sundar (have) played a Test, no way. But circumstances make it happen,” said Shastri.

“And I’m glad the youngsters who got the opportunity, have grabbed it with both hands.”
India’s new talent played a key role in helping the side reach the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in June.

Sundar played a gritty knock with Shardul Thakur — another bowler who got a lucky Test Down Under — in India’s historic Test series triumph in Brisbane and proved his mettle again with an unbeaten 96 against England on Saturday.
Left-arm spinner Axar Patel made most of his debut in the England series with 27 wickets in three matches after replacing the injured Ravindra Jadeja.
Shastri praised the new players for playing “fearless cricket”.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Leave a comment , , , , ,