Author: WebDesk

Michael Bracewell, New Zealand spin-bowling all-rounder is set to miss the upcoming 50-over World Cup to be held in India in October-November after suffering a right achilles injury in a T20 Blast game against Yorkshire. He will undergo a surgery in the United Kingdom this week, and is expected to be on the sidelines for 6-8 months. The all-rounder, who was playing for Worcestershire, sustained the injury while batting. “Michael’s a great team man and has had a fantastic 15 months for the BlackCaps since his international debut. We’ve seen his exceptional skills in all three facets of…

So, what exactly is Kylian Mbappe playing at? For half a decade now, Mbappe has been the world’s most-feared striker, a fact he reinforced with a brilliant hat-trick – albeit in a losing cause – in the World Cup final against Argentina. During that time, he has won Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) five times, and been leading scorer in the competition in each of the last five seasons. His numbers since he moved to the French capital from Monaco are astonishing – 212 goals and 98 assists in 260 games. Last summer, when it was widely expected that…

On Tuesday, June 13, 2023, the League Committee of the All India Football Federation, headed by Mr. Lalnghinglova Hmar, conducted a virtual meeting. Attendees included Secretary General Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran and Committee Members Mr. M Satyanarayan, Mr. Arif Ali, Dr. Kiran Chougule, Mr. Amit Chaudhuri, Mr. Caetano Fernandes, Mr. Reginold Varghese, and AIFF CTO Mr. Vincent Subramaniam. Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran, the Secretary General, expressed satisfaction with the committee’s efforts to enhance the value of the league and clubs in India. He mentioned that there is a positive environment for more clubs to join the Hero I-League, and he expects the…

Vaibhav Tripathi Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the schedule for India’s tour of the West Indies in July and August. The tour begins with two Test matches, with the first taking place at Windsor Park in Dominica from July 12-16. The second Test, scheduled from July 20-24 at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad, will be the 100th between the two teams. Following the Test series, there will be a three-match ODI series. The first two matches will be held at Kensington Oval in Barbados on July 27 and 29. The final match will take place on August 1 at…

Vaibhav Tripathi Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar was unhappy with India’s approach after the Asian nation hurtled to an embarrassing loss in the WTC final versus Australia at The Oval. The Indian think-tank came in for some criticism over the non-selection of off-spinner Ravi Ashwin, and also there was a school that India could have batted first after winning the toss. “You have to be brutally honest and say from the beginning what was your approach. Was your approach in tune with what is expected for a World Test Championship Final? Was your approach a little too conservative in terms…

Vaibhav Tripathi In an interview with The Guardian, Mitchell Starc expressed his appreciation for his experiences in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and his previous stint at Yorkshire. However, he made it clear that representing Australia holds the utmost importance for him. Amidst the widespread participation of Australian players in T20 leagues worldwide, such as the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Big Bash, the left-arm pacer has made a conscious decision to prioritize his national team commitments over the allure of these lucrative tournaments. “I enjoyed it (IPL), likewise I enjoyed my time at Yorkshire 10 years ago. But Australia…

Vaibhav Tripathi Former captain Sourav Ganguly said that it was always going to be a herculean task for India to score 280 runs on the last day of the WTC final versus Australia at The Oval. In the first session itself, India lost seven wickets and slipped to a crushing 209-run loss. “Anti-climax for sure but we were expecting too much today (Sunday) morning. 280 runs are a lot when you have only three batters left – Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane,” said Ganguly during a post-match discussion on Star Sports. Ganguly also pointed out that the wickets…

Is Indian cricket too much in thrall to personalities? Have we lost sight of the bigger picture, even as we focus on individual narratives? India’s wait for a major ICC trophy will go beyond a decade on June 25, and the loss in the World Test Championship (WTC) final to Australia marked a second timid surrender in the summit clash of the newest event in the global calendar. What the final brought home in no uncertain terms was that Indian cricket cannot postpone transition any longer. With the exception of Rohit Sharma, who missed a traditionally tough assignment in South…

Vaibhav Tripathi Travis Head, awarded the Player of the Match in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, shared his thoughts on the hard work he has put in over the past two years, which has resulted in him achieving success in the longest format. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a positive approach with the bat, something he has focused on consistently. “Lot of hard work over the two years. It’s been nice. That’s been the approach for two years (positive approach with the bat). Said through the week that I want to be able to be proactive. I was…

Vaibhav Tripathi Scott Boland stuck to old-fashioned virtues of Test match bowling in the WTC final at The Oval – exemplary control and just enough movement either way – to run through the heart of the Indian batting order in the second innings. He also took the prized scalp of Virat Kohli. The affable seamer credited the Australian fielders for taking their catches in the slip cordon in the second dig. Incidentally, Australia had dropped a few of them in the first essay. “It was good fun. Nice to come over here for our bowling group and take 20…