Tag: Rishabh Pant

Youngsters’ attitude has been impressive: VVS Laxman | Cricket News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: Former Indian batsman expressed his admiration for the way India came back twice in the T20I series against England, the deciding match of which will be played on Saturday.
In his column for the Times of India, Laxman wrote, “This T20 series has already assumed the hue of a classic, nothing separating India and England going into Saturday’s decider. On the best batting surface so far, India adopted the blueprint that has catapulted them to No. 2 in the rankings, playing the percentages, putting up a competitive total and then defending superbly, with Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur excelling.”
India claimed an eight-run victory in the fourth Twenty20 international on Thursday that levelled the five-match series at 2-2. Shardul Thakur claimed three wickets while Hardik Pandya and Rahul Chahar took two each as India kept England to 177/8 in their chase of 186.
“One of the primary reasons for defeats in the first and third matches was the loss of three wickets in the first six overs. Asked to bat again, India’s approach was more commonsensical. There was no frenzied attempt to collar the high-quality England attack, but when the ball was there to be hit, the batsmen did so uninhibitedly,” Laxman added.
Suryakumar Yadav hit Jofra Archer for a six over fine leg on the first ball he faced in an international innings. Yadav smashed 57 off just 31 balls and his knock included three sixes and six fours.
“Suryakumar Yadav was the undisputed star, his first hit in international cricket reaffirming his class and pedigree. He has had to wait a long time for his opportunity but made an instant impact with a spectacular hooked first-ball six off Jofra Archer. That, and the inside out drive over extra-cover off an Adil Rashid googly, spoke volumes of his trust in his strengths and his self-belief. Over the last few months, the attitude and composure of newcomers has been the most significant development in Indian cricket, with Suryakumar the latest addition to that glittering list,” Laxman opined.
Shreyas Iyer (37) and Rishabh Pant (30) made useful contributions and scored briskly in the end to provide India enough runs to defend.
“Shreyas Iyer too played a special innings down the order. The Delhi Capitals captain knows he may not always get to bat at his preferred position for the national team, and has clearly worked on expanding his repertoire. His pyrotechnics, steeped in orthodoxy, lifted India to a par score when they might have liked 15 more,” Laxman wrote.
Indian pacers’ change in pace has played a crucial role in both their wins. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur mixed their deliveries well to trouble the hard-hitting English batsmen.
“Bhuvneshwar Kumar got India off to a cracking start with a maiden first up, and Jos Buttler‘s wicket in his second over, but England seemed on course with Jason Roy, and then Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes teeing off. When Shardul packed off Stokes and Eoin Morgan off successive deliveries, India were back in the hunt. No praise can be too high for Hardik Pandya, who only went for 16 in his four overs and picked up two wickets in a game where the scoring rate was well in excess of nine. Credit to him for having put in the hard yards following major back surgery, and to bowling coach B Arun for ensuring Hardik retains his zest for bowling. I still feel India should consider an extra bowling option,” Laxman added.
Laxman expressed his displeasure on Suryakumar Yadav’s controversial dismissal in the 4th T20I. Yadav’s pull shot sailed to deep square leg where Dawid Malan took a tumbling low catch. As England celebrated, on-field umpire K N Ananthapadmanabhan gave the soft signal of ‘out’ before sending the decision to TV umpire Virender Sharma.
According to the rules, on-field umpires give a ‘soft signal’ based on their intuition when there is a tight call, making a decision before asking the TV umpire to look at it again from different angles in slow motion. TV umpires must uphold the soft signal decision unless they have conclusive evidence to overturn it.
Replays of Thursday’s incident suggested the ball might have touched the grass but Sharma was not fully convinced and hence upheld Ananthapadmanabhan’s decision.
“I believe there must be a rethink on the soft signal as a whole. How can the on-field umpire state with any certainty that a catch has been taken cleanly 70 yards away when even technology leaves itself open to interpretation,” Laxman signed off.

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Ind vs Eng 5th T20I: Battle for supremacy among two best teams in series-decider | Cricket News – Times of India

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AHMEDABAD: Having outsmarted England in challenging conditions, a confident India will back themselves to win the series-decider here on Saturday and take another firm step towards finalising their core for the T20 World Cup.
India, who went into the series with a fresh and fearless approach in the shortest format, find themselves well-placed in their preparations for the mega event at home later this year, irrespective of what happens in the fifth game.
The Virat Kohli-led side, which did not have the depth earlier to attack in all situations, finds itself full of ‘x-factor’ with the emergence of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav, whose willow bludgeoned the England bowlers, making it a dream debut on Friday.

His innings at number three was pure delight and left even the likes of Kohli “stunned”, reinforcing the role of IPL in providing polished talent to the national team.
It was not a surprise that Suryakumar found a place in the squad for the upcoming ODI series.
“It’s not easy to walk in at three in your first game and we all were stunned. He stamped his authority and allowed the likes of Shreyas, Hardik and Pant to do their job. I am a fan of these youngsters,” said Kohli referring to Suryakumar.
With Kishan and Suryakumar making massive impact in their maiden series, Haryana all-rounder Rahul Tewatia is the only one in the squad left to make his debut and that could happen on Saturday.
Another big plus for India in the series has been Hardik Pandya contributing with the ball regularly. He was among the star bowlers on Thursday, taking two wickets for 16 runs in four overs.

Leggie Rahul Chahar, playing in place of Yuzvendra Chahal, also did a decent job while Washington Sundar had a rare off day.
India will now be hoping KL Rahul fires at the top, having showed some form in the previous game following scores of 1, 0, 0.
Kohli must have got a lot of satisfaction out of the fact that India were able to put up a big score and defend with the dew around in the night. It was the first time in the series that the team batting first went on to the win the game.
England, on the other hand, will expect Jos Buttler and world’s number one batsman Dawid Malan to show more consistency with the bat.
The pace duo of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood have been impressive but they have not got a lot of support from Chris Jordan, who leaked most runs in the fourth T20.
“We are just trying to learn as much as we can in this series. The progression to the World Cup in seven months is important,” said Morgan following the eight-run loss.
“….We really want to play in must win games like these. Certainly all to play for now. Playing away from home and winning will be great.”
Squads:
India: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, Rahul Tewatia, Ishan Kishan
England: Eoin Morgan (captain), Joss Buttler, Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley, Chris Jordan, Mark Wood, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Sam Billings, Jonny Bairstow, Jofra Archer

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Ind vs Eng 4th T20 | Suryakumar, bowlers help India buck ‘chasing’ trend and stay alive

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One-drop’s up-tempo 57 headlines batting effort which also features crucial Shreyas cameo; home side holds its nerve in wet, dewy conditions to defend a target of 186

If Ishan Kishan was unfortunate to be ruled out of the fourth T20I due to a groin strain, lady luck smiled on his replacement Suryakumar Yadav. The Mumbai cricketer, dropped for the previous outing after not having faced a ball on his debut in the second T20I, grabbed his chance and made it count.

Suryakumar’s electric 31-ball 57 was key to India’s eight-run victory, which helped the home side pull level at 2-2 in the five-match series.

The unshakable self-confidence that Suryakumar exuded came to the fore when he rocked back to pull Jofra Archer for a six in the very first ball he faced. It was a dream start to his international batting career.

Astonishing scoop

Two more maximums followed — including an astonishing scoop over fine-leg — before a questionable catch by Dawid Malan forced his dismissal.

Skipper Virat Kohli (1,5b) fell cheaply, rushing down the track to leg-spinner Adil Rashid and missing completely. Rishabh Pant (30, 23b, 4×4) and Shreyas Iyer (37, 18b, 5×4, 1×6) kept the score moving at a healthy rate, taking India to 185 for eight.

Archer finished with four for 33, his best figures in T20Is. Fellow pacer Mark Wood was all fire and bite, even if he only managed to scalp one wicket.

Roy on fire

In reply, England fought hard but paid the price for losing wickets at crucial junctures. Opener Jason Roy looked dangerous during his 27-ball 40, until a flat-batted tennis shot off Hardik Pandya landed in Suryakumar’s hands at deep mid-wicket. His opening partner Jos Buttler (9, 6b), the man-of-the-match in the third T20I, was deceived by a slower ball from Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Leg-spinner Rahul Chahar, drafted in at the expense of Yuzvendra Chahal, showed great control and temperament. He cleaned up Malan, who attempted a reverse-sweep to a ball on leg-stump. Chahar returned to the attack to remove Jonny Bairstow, ending a dangerous 65-run stand between Bairstow and Ben Stokes.

Stokes shines

Stokes, meanwhile, kept the visitors in the hunt. He fancied his chances against spinners Washington Sundar and Chahar, tonking anything full with great power into the stands.

It took a clever spell from Shardul Thakur to turn the tide. Thakur first took out Stokes with a slower ball, slapped straight to Suryakumar at long-on. The very next ball, Eoin Morgan fell to yet another cutter. England needed 46 runs from 22 balls at this stage, leaving Sam Curran and Chris Jordan with a lot on their plate. With 23 needed off the final over, Thakur was given the ball.

A nervous Thakur conceded a six, a four and two wides, but got his act together in the final three deliveries to shut England out of the contest.

Scoreboard

INDIA
Rohit Sharma c&b Archer 12 (12b, 1×4, 1×6), K.L. Rahul c Archer b Stokes 14 (17b, 2×4), Suryakumar Yadav c Malan b Sam Curran 57 (31b, 6×4, 3×6), Virat Kohli st. Buttler b Rashid 1 (5b), Rishabh Pant b Archer 30 (23b, 4×4), Shreyas Iyer c Malan b Archer 37 (18b, 5×4, 1×6), Hardik Pandya c Stokes b Wood 11 (8b, 1×6), Shardul Thakur (not out) 10 (4b, 2×4), Washington Sundar c Rashid b Archer 4 (2b, 1×4), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (not out) 0 (0b); Extras (lb-5, w-4): 9; Total (for eight wkts. in 20 overs): 185.

FALL OF WICKETS
1-21 (Rohit, 3.4 overs), 2-63 (Rahul, 7.4), 3-70 (Kohli, 8.4), 4-110 (Suryakumar, 13.2), 5-144 (Pant, 16.2), 6-170 (Hardik, 18.5), 7-174 (Shreyas, 19.1), 8-179 (Washington, 19.4).

ENGLAND BOWLING
Rashid 4-1-39-1, Archer 4-0-33-4, Wood 4-1-25-1, Jordan 4-0-41-0, Stokes 3-0-26-1, Sam Curran 1-0-16-1.

ENGLAND
Jason Roy c Suryakumar b Hardik 40 (27b, 6×4, 1×6), Jos Buttler c Rahul b Bhuvneshwar 9 (6b, 1×6), Dawid Malan b Rahul Chahar 14 (17b, 1×6), Jonny Bairstow c Washington b Rahul Chahar 25 (19b, 2×4, 1×6), Ben Stokes c Suryakumar b Shardul 46 (23b, 4×4, 3×6), Eoin Morgan c Washington b Shardul 4 (6b), Sam Curran b Hardik 3 (5b), Chris Jordan c Hardik b Shardul 12 (9b, 1×4), Jofra Archer (not out) 18 (8b, 2×4, 1×6), Adil Rashid (not out) 0 (0b); Extras (lb-2, w-4): 6; Total (for eight wkts. in 20 overs): 177.

FALL OF WICKETS
1-15 (Buttler, 2.5), 2-60 (Malan, 7.5), 3-66 (Roy, 8.5), 4-131 (Bairstow, 14.5), 5-140 (Stokes, 16.1), 6-140 (Morgan, 16.2), 7-153 (Sam Curran, 17.6), 8-177 (Jordan, 19.5).

INDIA BOWLING
Bhuvneshwar 4-1-30-1, Hardik 4-0-16-2, Shardul 4-0-42-3, Washington 4-0-52-0, Rahul Chahar 4-0-35-2.

Toss: England.

India won by eight runs to level series 2-2.

Fifth and final T20I: March 20, 7 p.m..

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India vs England: Improvisation and luck: Audacious shots played in the India-England T20I series so far | Cricket News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: India and England — two of the biggest T20I batting powerhouses in world cricket currently have showcased some exemplary shots in the first three T20Is of the five-match series.
Although the three matches played so far at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad have not been very high-scoring affairs, even on a tricky surface, some of the power hitters and stroke makers have managed to play some audacious and at times very lucky shots that have gone for boundaries.
While batsmen trying to negate the spin with reverse sweeps has been a common sight in the series, some of the more innovative shots too have been out on display by players from both sides.
Outwitting the bowlers and rendering the field placements null and void, batsmen have found unique ways of scoring runs.
TimesofIndia.com here takes a look at some of the most out of the box shots played by the batsmen in the series so far:
1st T20I – Rishabh Pant reverse scoop off Jofra Archer
When Rishabh Pant came up with his reverse-scoop for the first time in the recently concluded Test series against England legend James Anderson, the whole world was in awe of the swashbuckling batsmen. Tillakaratne Dilshan, who was the first batsman to play the scoop shot over the wicket-keeper called it ‘outrageous’. But when Pant did the same to one of the fastest bowlers in the world — Jofra Archer — in the first T20I, it was really something to behold — a reverse-scoop off a bowler bowling at over 90 miles/hour.
So impressed was the cricketing fraternity with the audacity of Pant’s shot that he was praised by multiple cricketers.
‘Greatest shot that’s ever been played in cricket’, ‘incredible’, ‘absolutely fearless’, were some of the words said by the greats of the game said about the shot that Pant played off Archer’s thunderbolt.
The incident happened in the fourth over of the first T20I when Pant took on Archer, changing to a right-handed stance and scooping him over the keeper and the first slip fielder for a boundary. Archer was visibly stunned in his follow through as Pant produced an absolutely extraordinary shot.

Pant played this audacious shot in the first T20I against England – Reuters Photo

1st T20I – Hardik Pandya ramp shot off Ben Stokes
A shot that has been a potent weapon in Hardik Pandya’s armory for quite some time now — the ramp shot that he plays against the pacers’ bouncers. One of the best offensive shots, with minimum of risk involved, Hardik has mastered the ramp shot.
It was in the 15th over of India’s innings in the 1st T20I when Hardik played his trademark shot to perfection off Ben Stokes.
A banged in short ball outside off was perfectly guided to the third-man fence with the timing on that shot doing all the work for Hardik. Although Hardik was off-balance and was on the ground after playing the shot, he had timed the bat-ball connection to perfection.

Hardik has mastered the ramp shot – ANI Photo
3rd T20I – Jonny Bairstow scoop off Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Jonny Bairstow has been one of the most destructive batsmen in the England batting unit in the recent past. Apart from classical strokeplay, it is Bairstow’s outside-the-box thinking while scoring that separates him from the rest.
Finding gaps at will and with an ability to hit any ball to the fence, Bairstow is a pretty difficult batsman to bowl at.
Bairstow during the third T20I vs India showed exactly what he is capable of when he cheekily scooped one of India’s best bowlers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the fence.
Although it was a premeditated shot and Kumar, to the best of his ability, tried to stop him by following a moving Bairstow outside off, the swashbuckling batsman managed to collect a boundary.
Bairstow fell while completing the shot, but the job was done.

Bairstow’s scoop against India’s pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was a premeditated shot – AP Photo
3rd T20I – Virat Kohli ramp shot off Jofra Archer
When it comes to Virat Kohli, classical stroke-making and timing is something the Indian captain is synonymous with. But the run machine, in the recent past has added some new variants to an already wide array of shots, keeping the demands of the shortest format in mind.
A ramp shot that Kohli played off Jofra Archer in the third T20I was a rare sight. But the Indian skipper timed it to perfection while attempting to up the ante during the India innings.
Off the last ball of the 19th over, Archer banged the ball in just a bit outside off to Kohli, who stepped away creating additional room for himself and lifted it over the in-field to collect four runs.

It’s not often that Kohli is seen playing a ramp shot – AFP Photo
3rd T20I – Virat Kohli top edge off Jofra Archer
Luck is not something Virat Kohli depends on to collect his runs. But once in a while, the man with the maximum number of T20I runs in the world (3078) also gets lucky while trying to pull off an audacious shot.
During the third T20I, Kohli surprised himself, along with the England team after a top edge off his bat off Jofra Archer took the ball over the fence behind keeper Jos Buttler.
Attempting a flick off a Jofra Archer 142.2 km/hr delivery, Kohli closed the face of his bat early. Luckily for the Indian skipper, the ball hit the meaty part of the top edge and flew past behind the stumps. The pace of Archer helped the ball go all the way. The ball went high up and also travelled the distance, comfortably sailing over the boundary rope.
Along with Kohli, non-striker Hardik Pandya too enjoyed the shot and they shared a good laugh about it.



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India vs England: Top 5 Players To Watch Out For In Fourth T20I In Ahmedabad

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Rishabh Pant has given a glimpse of his destructive prowess in T20 cricket in the first three matches playing some outrageous shots against the likes of Jofra Archer and co. but is yet to play that match-defining innings in the series. With India set to bat him at number 4 or 5, Pant will look to make the most of the opportunity and produce a match-winning performance in a big match for India. Pant has a strike rate of close to 150 in all T20 cricket.

3. Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya is one of the most destructive lower-order batsmen in limited overs cricket with a strike rate of 145 in T20Is for India. Pandya’s cameo helped India chase down a stiff target set by England in the series decider in Bristol in 2018. He was also in devastating form for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2020. Pandya has done a decent job with the ball but is yet to fire on all cylinders with the bat in the series. Expect a Pandya special on Thursday!

Bizarre Match: Nagaland Women Bowled Out For 17, Mumbai Win in Four Balls

4. Dawid Malan

Dawid Malan has got a start in each of the three matches but has not been at his usual fluent best in the series. He has failed to convert the starts into a substantial performance and has also struggled with his scoring rate. But Malan is one of the most sought after batsmen in international T20 cricket with the highest rating points ever achieved by a batsman in the format. He would be looking for a big score in the crucial encounter and play a role similar to what Kohli does for India.

5. Mark Wood

Mark Wood returned to the XI with a bang in the third T20I making an immediate and huge impact on the match getting rid of both the Indian openers within the powerplay. He was restrictive and accurate which made it doubly difficult for the Indian batsmen to negotiate the speedster. Expect nothing less than more hostility from the England fast bowler.

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Ind vs Eng, 4th T20 | India seeks quick solutions in its bid to keep the series alive

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Home side has to deal with selection questions and powerplay batting issues against Wood and Archer; winning the toss will help, given the success of chasing sides so far

Much was made of the importance of winning the toss and batting first in the preceding Test series, but as it turns out, the spin of the coin has played an equally vital role in the T20Is. Only this time, opting to field has been the preferred option, leading to easy victories for the chasing side in all three outings so far.

Trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, India skipper Virat Kohli will hope to win the toss and bat second in the fourth T20I here on Thursday.

Awkward, sticky bounce

A combination of factors has contributed to this trend. On the slow Narendra Modi Stadium pitches, the early overs have offered an awkward, sticky bounce. This has forced normally attacking batsmen to bide their time in order to come to grips with the surface.

In the first and third T20Is, India’s task was made that much harder by the brilliance of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood. Both England pacers have been rapid, touching the 150 kmph mark, while generating steep bounce from short of a length. They have attacked the stumps as well, evidenced by Wood cleaning up K.L. Rahul with a terrific in-dipper on Tuesday, and when Wood and Archer hit timber to send back Shikhar Dhawan and Rahul respectively in the first outing.

Restricted to measly returns in the PowerPlay — 22/3 in the first T20I and 24/3 in the third — India was forced to play catch-up.

England captain Eoin Morgan has preferred to chase, a sentiment echoed by teammate Jos Buttler. “In T20 cricket in general, there seems to be a trend where batting second is advantageous,” Buttler said, after his unbeaten 83 on Tuesday.

Clarity of thought

Buttler was likely referring to the clarity of thought when hunting a fixed target, as opposed to spending time to assess a good total when batting first. The dew factor under lights — which leads to bowlers facing difficulty in gripping the ball — also sways the argument in favour of chasing.

India, meanwhile, has some selection questions to answer. Will Suryakumar Yadav — left out for the third T20I despite not getting a chance to bat on his international debut on Sunday — be given another chance to prove his worth? And what of Rahul, who has scored only one run in the series so far. If Rahul is dropped, Ishan Kishan could move up from one-drop to opener — a spot where he tasted great success in the second T20I.

The teams (from):

India: Virat Kohli (Capt.), Rohit Sharma, K.L. Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Rahul Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini, and Shardul Thakur.

England: Eoin Morgan (Capt.), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, and Mark Wood.

Match starts at 7 p.m.

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ICC Rankings: Virat Kohli rises to 5th in T20I list, only batsman in top 5 across formats | Cricket News – Times of India

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DUBAI: India skipper Virat Kohli has moved back into the top five while England star batsman Jos Buttler has re-entered the top 20 in the latest ICC men’s T20I rankings after blistering performances in their ongoing five-match series in Ahmedabad.
Kohli, a formerly top-ranked batsman in the format and currently number one in ODIs, has gained one slot and a massive 47 rating points after unbeaten knocks of 73 and 77 in the second and third T20I. The India skipper is at the fifth spot and that has made him the only batsman to be placed in the top-5 across all three formats.
Buttler’s match-winning 83 not out in the third match has helped him advance five places to the 19th position, just two shy of his career-best 17th position attained in October 2018.
Shreyas Iyer (up 32 places to 31st) and Rishabh Pant (up 30 places to 80th) have gained among batsmen while all-rounder Washington Sundar (up two places to 11th) and seam bowlers Shardul Thakur (up 14 places to 27th) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (up seven places to 45th) have moved up the list for bowlers.
For England, Jonny Bairstow, who chipped in with 40 runs and was associated in an unbroken 77-run stand with Buttler in the eight-wicket win on Tuesday, has moved up two slots to 14th position in the list led by his compatriot Dawid Malan. Jason Roy has advanced four slots to 24th with scores of 49 and 46 in the first two matches.
Fast bowlers Jofra Archer (up 43 places to 34th) and Mark Wood (up 59 places to 39th), as well as left-arm seam bowler Sam Curran (up 41 places to 74th) have gained in the weekly update for men, carried out on Wednesdays.
In the men’s ODI rankings, wicketkeeper-batsman Shai Hope’s Player of the Series effort against Sri Lanka, in which he had scores of 110, 84 and 64, has helped him gain five slots and reach joint-seventh position, three off his career-best fourth position attained in May 2019.
Nicholas Pooran (up one place to 32nd), Evin Lewis (up 10 places to 44th) and Darren Bravo (up eight places to 99th) are the other West Indies players to move up in the batting list after their team won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League series 3-0. Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph’s four wickets see him advance seven places to a career-best 27th position.
For Sri Lanka, Danushka Gunathilaka has gained 20 slots to reach 51st position after scoring 187 runs in the series while PWH de Silva (up from 94th to 66th) and Lakshan Sandakan (up from 124th to 99th) are among those to move up the bowlers’ list.
In the men’s Test Rankings, Hashmatullah Shahidi has entered the top 100 after notching up Afghanistan’s first Test double century, which helped his team beat Zimbabwe by six wickets to level the two-match series 1-1. He has rocketed 47 places to 90th position.
Captain Asghar Afghan, who scored 164 and shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 307 with Hashmatullah, has moved up to a career-best 65th place while leg-spinner Rashid Khan’s toil of bowling nearly 100 overs not only earned him returns of four for 138 and seven for 137 but also a reward of nine places to reach 32nd position in the rankings.
Zimbabwe captain Sean Williams is up to a career-best 24th place after scoring 151 while following-on, his tally of 621 rating points the highest for his country since Brendan Taylor in 2014. Donald Tiripano’s knock of 95 in the second innings has helped him progress 22 places to 123rd in the charts.

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Rishabh Pant: The rise and rise of Rishabh Pant: Former greats say don’t compare him with MS Dhoni just yet | Cricket News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: Who will rightfully take MS Dhoni, the wicket-keeper batsman’s place in the Indian side? That’s a question that Indian cricket still hasn’t found a definitive answer to as such. After all, those are some very very big shoes to fill.
One young man who is making all the right noises though is the very talented Rishabh Pant. In the recent Test series vs Australia Down Under, Pant showed just how big an impact he can make with the bat, even in foreign conditions. So much so, that he pushed regular Test wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha to the sidelines.
His exploits with the bat saw him make a comeback to the Indian T20 team as well. He was not part of the T20I series vs the Aussies, where KL Rahul was the designated first choice keeper, with Sanju Samson as the back-up.
The squad that was announced for the T20Is vs England though saw Pant being picked as the first choice wicket-keeper batsman.

Rishabh Pant (AFP Photo)
His talent with the bat was never in question, even though he did lack patience and sometimes threw away his wicket. That seems to be changing with time. He has begun putting a bigger price on his wicket. His keeping skills, something he was almost constantly criticised for are also getting better with time.
The BCCI, selectors and team management all backed Pant to the hilt, because he is a true game changer and match winner. He was dropped when he didn’t perform or when they felt he needed to mature more, but the support remained.
Pant played a big role in India’s 2018 Border Gavaskar trophy triumph where he scored 350 runs in 4 matches at an average of 58.33. There was a certain sense of responsibility that had seeped in. He wasn’t seen throwing his wicket away. In the Sydney Test, if Cheteshwar Pujara was patiently keeping the Australian attack at bay, Pant was seen accelerating India’s run-rate. He scored an unbeaten 159 off 189 balls, an innings studded with 15 fours and a six.
He continued his love affair with the Australians when India toured Australia recently. That tour saw a more mature Pant come out to bat. Questions about his keeping abilities though were still asked from time to time.
After the low of the Adelaide Test, Pant was brought into the playing XI in place of Saha. He missed out on a century in the third Test, scoring 97 runs off 118 balls, the highest by an Indian batsman in the match.
In the fourth Test in Brisbane, Pant scored an unbeaten 89 runs off 138 balls to help India get to the target of 328 and clinch an unforgettable 3 wicket win and another series win on Australian soil. He looked up to the heavens and celebrated the win without any over the top celebrations. He was also adjudged the Man of the match.

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After the Australia series win, Pant was given another challenge – the Test series vs England at home. This was a clear indication that the team management was no longer looking at Pant as a wicket-keeper-batsman option only in foreign conditions. And the 23-year-old grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He signed off the four-Test campaign as India’s second-highest run-getter, behind Rohit Sharma. He scored 270 runs in 4 Tests at an average of 54.00, including 1 century and 2 fifties.
Baby steps are being taken to gradually try and step into Dhoni’s shoes. But it’s still too early to make any comparisons whatsoever.

MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant (AFP Photo)
Former England captain and batting legend David Gower praised Pant, saying the 23 year old has ‘extreme confidence’.
“Pant has impressed me. He has extreme confidence. He was superb. He is full of confidence at the moment because things are going his way. What he does, he has obviously been an extraordinary talent. He’s aggressive. The simplest example is the one of him reverse sweeping Jimmy Anderson off the new bowl in Ahmedabad. He has super confidence which is working very well for him at the moment. In Australia, he was under immense pressure and was able to deliver. And, that was a match-winning knock in Brisbane.” Gower told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.
Needless to say, Pant’s heroics in Australia went a long way in convincing people that he was ready to be India’s first choice keeper batsman in the longest format. Some even felt that if needed he could be played as a specialist batsman.
“A lot of people in India before that Australian tour weren’t sure he was the right man for that post. I think now, they’re much more convinced, and he’s getting better at keeping,” Gower further said.
The former England captain also rightly cautioned against comparing Pant with Dhoni just yet.
“I think, Dhoni was an enormous figure in Indian cricket and world cricket. He just stands alone because of it. Pant has a chance to become something very special. But I don’t think he should be compared to a big figure like Dhoni. If I was his coach or involved with him, I would mention the name Dhoni too. I wouldn’t be sort of tempting him with – ‘you can be as good as or better than MS Dhoni’. I will just say – ‘look, you are very good at what you do, just beat yourself’. It’d be a good question in 15 years’ time and discuss Pant’s comparison with Dhoni. He’s having fun playing. So, don’t spoil the fun and just let him play. Let him do what he does,” Gower told TimesofIndia.com.

Reuters Photo
In the last 12 months, Pant has played 7 Tests and scored 544 runs at an astonishing average of 60.44. He is the second-highest run-getter in the designated wicket-keeper list in Tests overall, behind England’s Jos Buttler (601 runs in 9 Tests).
After an impressive 2019 season where Pant scored 217 runs in 3 Tests, averaging 72.33, the 23-year-old has begun 2021 with a bang. He has so far scored 515 runs in 6 Tests at an average of 64.37.
Legendary batsman Gundappa Viswanath meanwhile echoed Gower’s sentiments, saying that Pant should be given more time to prove his credentials and shouldn’t be compared to Dhoni just yet.
“Dhoni’s shoes are too big to get in there. Let’s give Pant some more time. What Dhoni has done for Indian cricket, he shouldn’t be compared to anyone in the world. Be it batting or wicket-keeping, what a tremendous career Dhoni had. He has a lot of respect among cricketers, former cricketers, and fans as well,” Viswanath told TimesofIndia.com.
“Pant is too young and he is proving himself as he is going forward. He is learning. He is there to stay but has to work a lot more and harder. He is a talented cricketer. Everything (that is) happening is good for him now, but let’s not forget it’s hard work that makes you perfect. His wicket-keeping and batting is improving day by day. I am sure he will do well. The more he will spend time at the nets and work hard, the more he will become solid in batting and keeping,” Viswanath further said.
Overall in his four year old international career so far, Pant has played 20 Tests, 16 ODIs and 31 T20Is, scoring 1358, 374 and 482 runs in those formats respectively.
While the jury will be out for a while on whether Pant can someday be called Dhoni’s true successor, across formats, some see shades of another former wicket-keeper batsman, who took the world of cricket by storm with his batting exploits, in Pant.

Rishabh Pant (Getty Images)
‘Not Dhoni, he is more Gilchrist’ – that’s what former England cricketer Ryan Sidebottom, who played 22 Tests, 25 ODIs and 18 T20Is, feels while watching Pant bat.
“Being a left-hander, he is more a Gilchrist type of player. Not Dhoni. He is quite chirpy. He is the sort of player who gets the team going. He gets under the skin of the batsman. And that’s what you want from your keeper. He’s also matured as a cricketer. He’s got criticism, but he’s come back stronger. He’s one of those players who comes out and can sort of change the game within one session and all of a sudden. He can take the game away from the opposition. And he did that against England. He’s been very watchful. He’s been attacking and is attacking in nature,” Sidebottom told TimesofIndia.com.
Pant might have already played 20 Tests, 16 ODIs and 31 T20Is, but he is only 23 years old. Five years ago, in 2016, he was playing the ICC u-19 World Cup. He made his international debut just a year after that tournament, where Indi were the runners-up.
The road to becoming Dhoni’s true successor is a long one, but there’s no doubt that Rishabh Pant, as of now, is firmly walking down that road.

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4th T20I: In must-win game, India aim to negate toss factor against England | Cricket News – Times of India

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AHMEDABAD: India would aim to take the toss out of equation and put up a much improved all-round show against a formidable England in their to bid to level the series in the fourth Twenty20, here on Thursday.
The template of win the toss and bowl has been set in the series with the chasing team getting home rather comfortably.
However, India skipper Virat Kohli has repeatedly stressed on the need to do well whether they are posting totals or chasing as part of their preparation for the T20 World Cup at home later this year.

In the two games they lost after batting first, India struggled in the powerplay, which impacting their final total despite one batsman (Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli respectively) going on to make a significant contribution.
A lot of it was down to KL Rahul not being amongst the runs but Kohli made it amply clear that the Karnataka batsman and Rohit Sharma remain their preferred opening combination.
“If you look at his stats in the last 2-3 years, they are probably better than anyone in T20. He will continue to be one of our main batters along with Rohit at the top of the order. We don’t have any concerns there,” said Kohli.
The express pace of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer has also made life tough for the Indians in the first six overs. They have been able to extract disconcerting bounce from the surface, putting the batsmen in two minds.

Going by Kohli’s words post the third game, a third all-rounder alongside Hardik Pandya and Washington Sundar can be drafted into the side with the choice between uncapped Rahul Tewatia and Axar Patel.
Unlike the first game, Kohli’s sublime 77 ensure India did have some runs to defend but the bowlers hardly troubled the opposition batsmen with Jos Buttler running away with the contest.
The team’s number one spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has leaked runs both times India have set a target.
Hardik Pandya’s return as a bowling all-rounder has been promising but he is yet to take a wicket. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has kept things tidy in his comeback series but the team expects him to provide regular breakthroughs with the new ball.
Offie Washington Sundar has been the stand out bowler for India with four wickets at an impressive economy rate of 6.95.
Despite India being 1-2 down, no major changes are expected in the playing eleven.
England, like India, also want to win in all conditions and will be buoyed by their emphatic win in the previous game.
Buttler being amongst the runs is also a cause of worry for India as on his day he can demolish any attack in the world.
Jonny Bairstow, who had a horror run in the two Tests he played against India, came up with a morale boosting 40* on Tuesday.
Now England are waiting for the world’s number one batsman Dawid Malan to fire.
It will take a special effort from India to stop the number one ranked team from winning the series on Thursday night. The hosts winning the toss should make their task less tough.
Squads:
India: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, Rahul Tewatia, Ishan Kishan
England: Eoin Morgan (captain), Joss Buttler, Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley, Chris Jordan, Mark Wood, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Sam Billings, Jonny Bairstow, Jofra Archer

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India vs England, 2nd T20I: Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan power India to seven-wicket win against England | Cricket News – Times of India

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The last three months have been such for Indian cricket that the safest move seems to be throwing an untested rookie in the deep end and the results are almost certain to follow. Sunday was one such night for debutant Ishan Kishan. 23 years old, high on a successful IPL and groomed by the caretakers of Indian cricket for five years, Ishan was like a pro-surfer playing with the high tides to set up a series-levelling eight-wicket win in the second T20I against England in front of 67000-strong crowd in Ahmedabad.
SCORECARD | HIGHLIGHTS

The target of 165 on a seemingly two-paced pitch looked challenging enough when India lost KL Rahul in the first over of the chase. There was captain Virat Kohli, in search of form, joining Ishan. Well, Ishan took it on himself to ease his captain into some rhythm as he devoured a well-oiled English attack to bring up half-century on debut off 28 balls.

Ishan ensured India didn’t lose any of the momentum provided by Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/28) and Shardul Thakur’s (2/29) immaculate spell of death bowling that restricted England’s charge while setting a target.

England strangely decided to give up on the plan of raw pace in this match. Ishan took a liking to it. Stokes dropped him on 41 and he said thank you by mowing Adil Rashid into the stands twice to bring up his half-century. Every hit to the fence was as much a statement as every cautious dabs into the outfield. Such is the game these days that you can’t blame Ishan for being trapped LBW to Rashid while attempting a reverse sweep on 56.

Virat Kohli and Ishan Kishan (AFP Photo)
Ishan’s dream debut set it up for Kohli to do his business with consummate ease—closing out chases. The red-hot Rishabh Pant came in at 94/2 after 10 overs and ensured the tempo didn’t drop. He pumped two sixes and two boundaries for a 13-ball 26, easing the burden off his captain who has been carrying out chases almost single-handedly for years.

The scoreboard may suggest Kohli anchored another chase with a measured unbeaten 48-ball 67 but it was these two young boys who made the tricky chase innocuous in the end.
The Indian T20 set-up had a philosophy so far. On Sunday night, they saw a plan taking shape. ‘Explosive’ is what they promised. It took two boys who played U-19 cricket together to offer some substance to the philosophy. Ishan and Pant make sure the team’s marquee draws don’t risk their wickets and provide the stability. The Kohli six off Jordan to seal the deal with 13 balls to spare is just the kind of dominant he had harped on going into the series.

Ishan Kishan (Getty Images)
The bowlers look in control. They didn’t let any of the English batsmen to run away with the game with Jason Roy being the highest scorer with a 35-ball 46. They have done so for most part over the last two years in T20 cricket. But you could really sense Kohli’s joy every time he had his arms around the shoulders of Ishan and Pant after they tonked the ball to the boundary.

Sunday’s knock may be just another run-off-the-mill knock by Kohli’s standards but the captain, for once, would have enjoyed playing the second fiddle out there in the middle. Kohli’s blade has started producing runs with authority.
The young blood in the team is giving shape to his philosophy of uninhibited cricket. There’s a method to their sprint now. It’s about saving themselves and run the full course when the T20 World Cup arrives in India in October this year.



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