Author: Vaibhav Tripathi

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the squad for the fifth and final Test match against England, set to begin from March 7 in Dharamsala. Vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for the fourth Test in Ranchi, will link-up with the squad ahead of the start of the final Test of the series. However, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, sidelined due to injury since the first Test, will miss the final encounter as well. “BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring him and coordinating with specialists in London for further management of his issue,” stated a BCCI release…

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) made a significant announcement on Thursday, revealing that West Indies wicketkeeper batter Nicholas Pooran has been appointed as their new vice-captain for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. The team has decided to replace all-rounder Krunal Pandya with Pooran in the vice-captaincy role. While KL Rahul continues as the captain, there has been a change in his deputy. Pandya, who served as Rahul’s deputy last season and even took over as captain mid-season, has been replaced despite LSG’s playoff qualification under his leadership. “KL Rahul (C) Nicholas Pooran (VC). This season feels special already,”…

Following England’s loss in the Ranchi Test, and subsequently the series, head coach Brendon McCullum conceded that his team had failed to capitalise on crucial moments throughout the four games. Despite this setback, the former New Zealand skipper expressed optimism about England’s Test cricket future. “We’re disappointed with the series loss, but we’re also proud of the team’s efforts,” McCullum stated during a press interaction. “We’ve had our moments in this series, showing glimpses of strong performances while being outplayed in others. It’s been a competitive contest, and credit must be given to India for stepping up when the game…

New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. The 37-year-old revealed his decision on Tuesday, just ahead of the Test series against arch-rivals Australia at the Basin Reserve on Tuesday. Despite being included in the squad for the two home Tests against Australia led by Pat Cummins, Wagner was informed by head coach Gary Stead that he would not feature in either match. In an emotional press conference held at Wellington’s Basin Reserve, Wagner fought back tears as he confirmed his retirement from the international arena after his 64th Test, scheduled to…

After winning the Test series against England, Rohit Sharma sent out a clear message about how having the hunger to play Test cricket would always be a marker for selection. “See, Test cricket is the toughest format. And if you want to excel in this format, have success, then you need to have the hunger. Those who have the hunger, we will give them opportunities. Those who don’t have the hunger; it gets known. Those who have it in them to perform in tough conditions will be given the preference,” the India captain said at the post-match press conference. He…

India’s ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin showered rich praise on Kuldeep Yadav for his all-round brilliance with the bat and ball on Day 3 of the Ranchi Test. India had slumped to 177-7 on the second evening. However, Kuldeep (28) and Dhruv Jurel (90) joined forces and steadied the ship. They added an innings-defining 76 runs, which didn’t allow the visitors to take a big lead. With the ball in hand, Kuldeep dismantled England’s middle-order with figures of 4-22 in 15 overs. He complemented Ashwin well, who starred with figures of 5-51 to bowl out England for just 145 in their…

India’s bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, has been surprised with the Ranchi pitch and the way it has behaved so far. Despite expecting a slow surface which would play slower as the game goes on, the home team didn’t foresee the ball keeping so low on just on Day 2 of the fourth Test against England. “From what we have seen out here, generally, the nature of the pitch is that it gets slower as the game progresses. We expected that. But, to be honest, we didn’t expect it to play that low on the second day itself,” said Mhambrey after…

Debutant Akash Deep has shared insights into the advice Jasprit Bumrah offered him following his memorable debut in the fourth Test against England in Ranchi. Making his Test debut in Ranchi on Friday, Akash replaced Bumrah in the lineup and made an immediate impact by rattling the England top-order in the first session of the game. His early strikes left England struggling at 58 for 3 within the first hour of play. “I wasn’t nervous. I had discussed with my coaches beforehand, so I approached the game without any tension. I always treat every game as if it’s my last…

England captain Ben Stokes was left amazed after seeing the Ranchi pitch for the fourth Test against India, stating that he had never encountered anything like it before. Stokes remarked on the deceptive appearance of the pitch, initially appearing to have abundant grass cover. However, upon closer inspection, numerous cracks were visible, suggesting potential challenges for both batters and bowlers. “I’ve never seen anything like that before. I have no idea what could happen. If you looked down one side from opposite ends, it just looked different from what I’m used to seeing, especially in India. It looked green and…

India’s batting coach, Vikram Rathour, described the Ranchi pitch as a typical Indian wicket with “enough cracks”. He acknowledged that the pitch would favour spinners but expressed confidence in his team’s ability to adapt to any conditions. The fourth Test between India and England starts on Friday. “Every time we play in India, there’s a question mark on the pitch. It’s a typical Indian wicket, with cracks. This wicket always has cracks,” Rathour told reporters on the eve of the match. “It will turn, but to what extent and when, we’re not sure. But we have enough balance in our…