Author: Vaibhav Tripathi

In a surprising move, the newly formed selection committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to omit senior players Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah from the 16-member squad for the final two Tests of the ongoing three-match series against England. Babar has been under scrutiny for some time, having failed to score a half-century in Test cricket since December 2022. His struggles were highlighted after twin failures in the high-scoring first Test in Multan, where he managed just 30 and 5. Following advice from the selection committee, Babar was dropped. The other two notable omissions, Shaheen…

From the unimaginable to the inevitable, Pakistan etched their name into the record books for the wrong reasons. They became the first team in Test history to lose by an innings after posting over 550 runs in the first innings. England sealed one of their most remarkable victories, winning the first Test by an innings and 47 runs on Day 5 in Multan. The match seemed to be heading for a draw after England declared their first innings at 823/7, with Harry Brook (317) and Joe Root (262) providing the bulk of the runs on a flat pitch. The Test…

Riding on half-centuries from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rinku Singh, along with an all-round effort from the bowling unit, India outclassed Bangladesh to win the second T20I by 86 runs, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series in New Delhi. Bangladesh’s decision to bowl first brought some early rewards, but only for a brief period. Understanding the two-paced nature of the wicket, the Bangladeshi pacers smartly varied their deliveries, using cutters and faster balls with the new ball to dismiss India’s top three inside the powerplay. Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman removed Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav with…

In what could be a potential series decider, India will face Bangladesh in the second T20I of the three-match series at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday, 9 October. After their win in Gwalior, the Indian team will be riding high on confidence as they look to seal the series in Delhi. As they experienced in Chennai and Kanpur during the Test series, the heat in the capital city will be a factor. However, that won’t stop the Men in Blue from giving their absolute best as they aim for another comprehensive win, much like their performance in…

The brand-new Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium in Gwalior is all set to host its first international match as India square off against Bangladesh in the first T20I of a three-match series on Sunday, October 6. After a 14-year gap, an international match will be played in Gwalior, and fans will be hoping for a high-scoring encounter at the venue. This venue features both red and black-soil pitches, but this match will be played on a black-soil surface located in the centre of the playing field. The expectation is for a typically flat track, similar to many T20I venues in India,…

After a 27-year gap, Mumbai won the Irani Cup, and this is for the 15th time they have won this trophy. The match ended in a draw, but the Ranji Trophy winners annexed the trophy by virtue of their first-innings lead against the Rest of India (ROI). With this, Ajinkya Rahane’s Mumbai completed a double, having secured both the Ranji Trophy and the Irani Cup. The standout performer was Tanush Kotian, who impressed with a fifty in the first innings, followed by a sparkling century in the second. He also shone with the ball, emerging as Mumbai’s best bowler, taking…

On a fast-moving Day 4 of the Irani Cup in Lucknow, Mumbai strengthened their position by taking a lead of 274 runs, finishing the day on 153/6. Rest of India (ROI) remain very much in the contest, especially after taking six quick wickets. Their priority tomorrow will be to bowl Mumbai out quickly to give themselves a realistic chance of chasing the target. Spinners played a crucial role for both sides, with the pitch offering rough patches for the bowlers to exploit. ROI began the day on 393/5 but were eventually bowled out for 416, with Abhimanyu Easwaran missing out…

While yesterday was all about Mumbai’s Sarfaraz Khan, today was all about Rest of India (ROI) opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, who scored his 26th first-class hundred to take his team to 289/4 at stumps on day 3 in Lucknow after Mumbai could only add one run to their overnight total of 536 and were bundled out for 537. Just like the previous day, ROI skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad placed fielders near the boundary to prevent Sarfaraz from hitting big shots. Sarfaraz managed to retain the strike for three overs, but Mukesh Kumar was too good for Mohammed Juned Khan. Mukesh’s effort earned…

The remarkable bond between Sarfaraz Khan and red-soil pitches in red-ball cricket continues to grow, as he produced a sensational double hundred against the Rest of India (ROI) in Lucknow. His unbeaten knock of 221 guided Mumbai to a commanding 536/9 by the end of Day 2. Just days before, Sarfaraz’s younger brother Musheer Khan and his father Naushad Khan were involved in an accident while traveling to Lucknow. Despite this, Sarfaraz left personal concerns behind the moment he stepped onto the field, focusing entirely on guiding his team to a substantial total. Knowing he was the last recognized batter,…

The start of play in Lucknow was delayed due to a wet outfield, similar to the situation in Kanpur. A slight amount of moisture on the pitch led Ruturaj Gaikwad to opt to bowl first, a decision that may have turned out to be a mistake. After the first hour, the moisture evaporated, and the pitch dried out, becoming favourable for batting, which allowed the current Ranji champions to take full advantage of the ideal conditions. With half-centuries from Ajinkya Rahane, Sarfaraz Khan, and Shreyas Iyer, Mumbai posted 237/4 at stumps on Day 1 of the Irani Cup 2024. The…