Page 4 - India Cricket Team

IND vs AUS: Rohit or Rahul? Who will open for India in the Adelaide Test

KL Rahul sent shockwaves through the Indian team management when he added 201 for the first wicket in the second innings of the Perth Test with Yashasvi Jaiswal

IND vs AUS: Rohit Sharma will either open or bat at No. 3 - Harbhajan

Captain Rohit Sharma will either open or bat at number three in the Adelaide Test against Australia, reckoned former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Monday while ruling out the possibility of a senior star coming in at number five or six. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal added a record 201 runs for the opening stand during the second innings of the Perth Test, which the visitors won by 295 runs with plenty of time left in the match. "I don't see Rohit coming in at number five or six. Either Rohit will open with Yashasvi Jaiswal, with KL Rahul coming in at number three, or he will bat no later than number three," Harbhajan told PTI on the sidelines of the inauguration of the World Tennis League here. "Number six for Rohit wouldn't be in best interest of the team. Your top four in batting order should be the four pillars and someone like Rohit at the top would only add greater fillip." The second Test, a day/night affair to be played with the pink ball, will begin at Adelaide Oval

You get to know how good you are when you play vs AUS: Harbhajan Singh

Speaking exclusively on Star Sports' "Time-out", Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh reflected on what it feels like to play and win against a team like Australia.

IND vs AUS 2nd Test: Travis Head hails Jasprit Bumrah as an all-time great

Head said: "It'll be great to tell my grandkids that I faced Bumrah. Hopefully, I'll face him a few more times, but he's definitely been a tough competitor."

Mohammed Siraj's comeback: From despair to dominance | IND vs AUS 2nd Test

After a challenging home series against New Zealand, the rejuvenated pacer credits his resurgence to valuable guidance from India's bowling stalwart, Jasprit Bumrah.

India vs PM XI: Five takeaways for India from two-day tour game at Canberra

India might have answered questions regarding their opening pair for the second Test at Canberra on Sunday

WTC 2024 points table: South Africa jumps to 2nd spot; Aussies slip to 3rd

South Africa made a case for ICC WTC final 2025 after they jumped to the second spot. New Zealand faced a defeat from England and slipped to 4th spot. Check WTC points table and team rankings here

India vs Prime Minister's XI HIGHLIGHTS: Harshit and Gill shines as India beat PM XI by 6 wickets

Sam Konstas' 107 goes in vain as India continues their winning run in Australia

India vs Prime Minister's XI HIGHLIGHTS: Play called off due to rain

Day 2 now will have a 50-over contest between the sides if the weather allows so as to give the teams some batting practice ahead of the 2nd Test.

Ashwin has been good but team wants to prepare Sundar for future: Harbhajan

No one can take away the "phenomenal achievements" of Ravichandran Ashwin but the Indian team management is preparing Washington Sundar for near future when the former calls time, feels another spin maestro Harbhajan Singh. Ashwin, who with 536 wickets is second to Anil Kumble's 619 Test scalps for India but the next 84 victims could take time with young Washington suddenly becoming India's first-choice off-break bowler in the Gautm Gambhir era. I think that's what their (team management and selectors') long term plan is. Ravichandran Ashwin has done a phenomenal job playing for India in taking all those wickets in his career, Harbhajan told PTI in an exclusive interview when asked if he sees Ashwin's younger Tamil Nadu statemate taking over the mantle of lead spinner. Ashwin's age is certainly a factor that is being kept in consideration. But now that he is at that stage, at the age of 38, so that's why they have kept Washington Sundar with them (for) whenever R Ashwin will retire

Trust your game like Kohli to turn things around: Ponting to Aussie batters

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting advised struggling batters Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to trust their game akin to star India batter Virat Kohli to turn their fortunes around in the remaining four Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Labuschagne was all at sea against Jasprit Bumrah-led Indian pacers in the opening Test at Perth, which the Aussies lost by a whopping 295-run margin, making a 52-ball 2 and 3. Smith looked equally out of sorts while making a first-ball duck and 60-ball 17 before succumbing to Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj in the first and second innings respectively. "Marnus looked the most tentative out of all the batters in Perth. Yes, it was high quality bowling on a difficult wicket, but he needs to find a way to turn it around," Ponting told ICC Review. Ponting cited how Kohli broke the shackles at Perth. "Virat went back to trusting his game and he looked like a different player in the second innings than he did in the first innings," Ponting said. K

Let's drop Marnus Labuschagne for Adelaide Test against India: Johnson

Former pacer Mitchell Johnson reckons that Australia should drop out-of-form Marnus Labuschagne from the playing eleven for the day-night Adelaide Test against India, starting December 6. Labuschagne got out for two (52 balls) in the first innings and 5-ball three in the second essay during the Perth Test. "Marnus Labuschagne after a lengthy poor run with the bat should be replaced for the second Test in Adelaide. And that's not for the sake of having someone pay the price for the thrashing in Perth," Johnson wrote in Nightly.' Johnson said it will help Labuschagne to go back to domestic cricket and rediscover his form. "It (dropping) would give him a chance to play some Sheffield Shield and club cricket away from the pressure of playing for your country. I feel he would benefit from that more than going out there trying to survive against Jasprit Bumrah and co., he added. Johnson said dropping Labuschagne, who has collected 4119 runs at an average of 48 from 51 Tests, should no

Unfair to judge Gautam Gambhir so early in his coaching role: Ajay Jadeja

Former India middle-order batter Ajay Jadeja on Saturday defended head coach Gautam Gambhir from the criticism he has received following the 0-3 drubbing against New Zealand, saying it's "unfair" given the short time he has been in the new role. Gambhir, the hero of the 2011 World Cup title triumph, took over the reins of the India team in July after Rahul Dravid's tenure ended. Following a bright start against Sri Lanka in the T20I series, India lost the ODI series to the home side. The Test team then thrashed Bangladesh 2-0 before a nightmare outing against New Zealand put Gambhir under massive scrutiny. "I think you are being unfair to him... If you will start judging people on the basis of their coaching role or whatever way it is being looked at, it is too short a time to for people to be judged," Jadeja told PTI Videos in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of FICCI Turf event here on Saturday.. "If you are not convinced that he is good, then one performance here or there

Not hard to explain Jadeja, Ashwin as to what team wants: Abhishek Nayar

There are teams where it becomes tough for seniors to accept their exclusion from the playing XI at the expense of a junior player but if there are elder statesmen like Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, it is not a hard ask, feels India's assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. Both Jadeja and Ashwin, who have a cumulative wickets tally of 855, were dropped from the playing XI in the opening Test against Australia at Perth, with Washington Sundar, on the basis of current form and batting ability on bouncy tracks, getting the nod. It's not that both were supposed to play but normally Jadeja, because of his batting abilities, has been a sure-shot starter in overseas Test matches. "It's only tough when you have seniors who don't understand it. But when you have seniors like Jaddu and Ash who understand what the team is trying to do, it becomes very easy, because the team first policy is something that Rohit and Gauti bhai believe in," Nayar, a former Mumbai Ranji stalwart, told reporter

IND vs AUS: Allan Border claims Australia allowed Kohli to get 100 in Perth

Former Australia captain Allan Border has expressed his disappointment over the team's inability to contain Virat Kohli during the first Test in Perth and feels that can potentially cost the hosts the five-match series. Kohli, who had not scored a Test century in 18 months, roared back to form with an unbeaten 100 in the second innings as India secured a thumping 295-run victory over the hosts. "I was really disappointed in the way we let Kohli roll on to a hundred without much resistance," Border told SEN radio on Friday morning. "We don't want this guy full of confidence for the rest of the series." Border also questioned the tactics of skipper Pat Cummins, suggesting they allowed Kohli to regain his rhythm after his struggles against New Zealand in the recent home series. Kohli's century marked his seventh ton on Australian soil. Former opener Matthew Hayden also took aim at Cummins, criticising the field placements after Kohli's arrival in the middle. "They missed a few trick

IND vs AUS: Steve Smith calls Bumrah a complete package with unique action

Star India pacer Jasprit Bumrah's unorthodox bowling action and exceptional skill-set makes him a complete package, according to Australia's premier batter Steve Smith. Leading India in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma, Bumrah was adjudged 'Player of the Match' after claiming eight wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings, to power the visitors to a 295-run victory in the opening Test. From the start of his run-up, it's just all awkward, Smith told the Sydney Morning Herald. The way he runs in is different to pretty much anyone else, then the last bit of his action is different. I've faced him a reasonable amount now, and each time you face him it takes a few balls just to get the rhythm of it in a way." Smith was among Bumrah's victims during a devastating opening spell in the first innings, where the pacer tore through the Australian top-order. Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram explained how Bumrah's release point is at least a foot closer to the .

IND vs AUS: Ryan Harris backs McSweeney to deliver in upcoming matches

Nathan McSweeney may have struggled on his Test debut, but former Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris has backed the young opener to deliver in the second game against India, calling him "well-equipped" for the role. McSweeney, who replaced David Warner after the left-hander retired last summer, managed just 10 and 0 against a potent Indian attack in the first Test in Perth. "For now, I think he's the best person for it but like everyone, he needs to score runs," Harris, who coaches McSweeney in the South Australian first-class side, told SEN. "Batting three and opening is slightly different but it's not Nathan is well equipped to do that. "Obviously, he didn't have a great start, but he copped two pretty good balls in Perth." Harris suggested that while McSweeney is a good fit for the opener's role now, his long-term position might be at number three. "Ultimately, he probably slots back into three at some stage depending on what happens over the next couple of years with 'Uzzie'

IND vs AUS: Shubman Gill returns to nets, recovery better than expected

Shubman Gill returned to the India nets on Friday, showing enough signs of a full recovery from a thumb injury that ruled him out of the series opener against Australia in Perth. Gill's absence was not felt in Perth as India won the game by 295 runs but considering his impressive run on the previous tour, the visitors need him at his best over the course of the five-match series. The top-order batter was seen facing Yash Dayal and Akash Deep in the nets ahead of the pink-ball warm-up game against Australian PM's XI starting Saturday. "I was just trying to get a feel to be honest, see how the injury is reacting, if any kind of soreness is there but it went much better than what I and Kamlesh bhai (Kamlesh Jain, physio) expected. Very happy with that," Gill said in a video posted by BCCI on X after the training session here. Gill was naturally disappointed about getting injured ahead of the first Test but India's special performance put him back in a positive frame of mind. "Any bal

Champions Trophy 2025 schedule HIGHLIGHTS: ICC board meeting adjourned till Saturday

A brief 15-minute meeting took place on Friday but was cut short after the members failed to reach a consensus

IND vs AUS: Need better footwork while playing with pink ball, says Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara wants Shubman Gill to play at number five, allowing KL Rahul to bat at number three spot