"Why Would You Punish Hardik?": Ex-India Star Differs With Pathan's View

The BCCI recently announced the central contracts for year 2023-24. Among the trending names that failed to make a cut were Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan. With the contracts, the BCCI also reiterated the mandate that players need to participate in domestic matches while not on national duty. Iyer and Kishan were the two players who passes a period when they were neither playing for Indian team nor their respective domestic teams. In the follow-up, the two were not considered for the central contracts.

While many former India players appreciated the board for maintaining a strict policy regarding the players' participation in domestic cricket, others pointed out that the rule is not the same for every player.

"They are talented cricketers, both Shreyas and Ishan. Hoping they bounce back and come back stronger. If players like Hardik don't want to play red-ball cricket, should he and others like him participate in white-ball domestic cricket when they aren't on national duty? If this doesn't apply to all, then Indian cricket won't achieve the desired results!" wrote former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan on X, formerly Twitter.

Another ex-India player Aakash Chopra though differed in opinion with Pathan and backed Pandya with facts.

"Hardik Pandya's case is very simple. He is not playing red-ball cricket. That ambition or aspiration does not exist anymore. He has not said that as such, but the truth is that he is not available at all for any Test series. So if you are not at all auditioning for Tests, no one will ask you to play first-class cricket. Why would you play four-day games when you don't have that much strength in your body to bowl so many overs and have injury problems? So why should he play (first-class cricket)," said Chopra on his YouTube channel.

"If he stops for India despite being fit. If he is on break and doesn't want to play Syed Mushtaq Ali or Vijay Hazare Trophy for promotion or a video shoot or other such works. Then you can say he is wrong. But currently he is not. And why would you punish him if he has not made a mistake?" he added.

source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/ex-india-stars-why-would-you-punish-hardik-pandya-remark-after-irfan-pathan-asks-bcci-to-treat-players-equally-5158088

New Zealand vs Australia 1st Test Day 3 Live Score Updates

New Zealand vs Australia 1st Test Day 3 Live Score Updates: Usman Khawaja and overnight batter Nathan Lyon will resume the Australian innings on Saturday as the side will aim to regain control of the first Test match against New Zealand. Australia seized control of the opening Test Friday after a miserable day for New Zealand left the hosts 217 runs adrift in Wellington and with a mountain to climb to stay in the match. The visitors finished on 13 for 2 in their second innings with Lyon not out six and opener Khawaja on five after Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne departed cheaply. Tim Southee bowled Smith with his third ball, then had the out-of-form Labuschagne caught behind by Tom Blundell. (Live Scorecard)

source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/new-zealand-vs-australia-1st-test-day-3-live-score-updates-5159171

LSG Appoint Lance Klusener As Assistant Coach Ahead Of IPL 2024

South Africa all-rounder Lance Klusener has joined Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as the assistant coach ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. LSG announced his appointment on Friday with a statement that read, "Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have added South African legend Lance Klusener to their formidable roster of coaches for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season."

Klusener will join head coach Justin Langer and assistant coach S Sriram in Lucknow's experienced backroom staff line-up. Klusener is also the head coach of the SA20 franchise Durban Super Giants, who are Super Giants affiliate. He guided the franchise to SA20 final earlier this year.

This will mark the beginning of Klusener's second stint as a coach in the IPL. He served as an assistant to former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock at Mumbai Indians in the beginning years of IPL.

Klusener has left his mark in the Caribbean Premier League as under his leadership Guyana Amazon Warriors won their maiden CPL title.

The 52-year-old has a fair amount of coaching experience following his previous stints as head coach of Afghanistan as well as batting coach of South Africa and Zimbabwe. He has also worked in the Indian domestic circuit with Tripura.

During his playing days, the former Proteas star was deemed as one of the finest all-rounders to have graced the white-ball cricket. He was also adjudged as the Player of the Tournament in the 1999 World Cup.

source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/lsg-appoint-former-south-africa-star-lance-klusener-as-assistant-coach-ahead-of-ipl-2024-5158932

बीसीसीआई विवाद: क्या होगा परिणाम ?

बीसीसीआई विवाद क्या है ? बोर्ड ऑफ क्रिकेट कंट्रोल बोर्ड (BCCI) ने ईशान और अय्यर का सेंट्रल कॉन्ट्रैक्ट खत्म कर दिया. कारण दोनों का घरेलू क्रिकेट से गायब होना रहा. भारत के अनुभवी विकेटकीपर ऋद्धिमान साहा लंबे अर्से से नेशनल टीम से बाहर हैं. साहा ने कहा अगर कोई ख‍िलाड़ी घरेलू क्रिकेट में नहीं खेलना चाहता तो कुछ भी ‘जबरदस्ती’ नहीं किया जा सकता. साहा ने हालांकि यह बात भी मानी कि ‘यह बीसीसीआई का फैसला है और संबंधित खिलाड़ियों का व्यक्तिगत निर्णय है. आप जबरदस्ती कुछ नहीं कर सकते.’ बीसीसीआई सेंट्रल कॉन्ट्रैक्ट प्लेयर्स की लिस्ट (अक्टूबर 2023 से सितंबर 2024 तक) क्रिकेट में खिलाड़ी का ग्रेड कैसे चुनें? एक मैच के भीतर प्रत्येक खिलाड़ी के प्रदर्शन के मूल्य की गणना एक एल्गोरिदम का उपयोग करके की जाती है, जो मैच में विभिन्न परिस्थितियों के आधार पर गणनाओं की एक श्रृंखला (सभी पूर्व-क्रमादेशित) होती है। इस गणना प्रक्रिया में कोई मानवीय हस्तक्षेप नहीं है, और कोई व्यक्तिपरक मूल्यांकन नहीं किया जाता है। बल्लेबाज रैंकिंग की गणना कैसे की जाती है? बल्लेबाजी के लिए, प्रदर्शन रेटिंग बनाए गए रनों के संयोजन, विपक्षी गेंदबाजों की रेटिंग, मैच परिणाम और मैच में कुल स्कोर की तुलना पर आधारित है। एक गेंदबाज को लिए गए विकेटों, दिए गए रनों और मैच के परिणाम के आधार पर अंक मिलते हैं, साथ ही उच्च श्रेणी के बल्लेबाजों को आउट करने पर अधिक अंक मिलते हैं। ग्रेड ए+ रोहित शर्मा, विराट कोहली, जसप्रीत बुमराह और रवींद्र जडेजा. ग्रेड ए आर अश्विन, मो. शमी, मो. सिराज, केएल राहुल, शुभमन गिल और हार्दिक पंड्या. ग्रेड बी सूर्यकुमार यादव, ऋषभ पंत, कुलदीप यादव, अक्षर पटेल और यशस्वी जायसवाल. ग्रेड सी रिंकू सिंह, तिलक वर्मा, ऋतुराज गायकवाड़, शार्दुल ठाकुर, शिवम दुबे, रवि बिश्नोई, जितेश शर्मा, वॉशिंगटन सुंदर, मुकेश कुमार, संजू सैमसन, अर्शदीप सिंह, केएस भरत, प्रसिद्ध कृष्णा, आवेश खान और रजत पाटीदार. चारों कैटेगरी में इस तरह मिलते हैं रुपये बता दें कि BCCI कॉन्ट्रैक्ट लिस्ट में 4 कैटेगरी होती हैं. ए प्लस (A+) कैटेगरी में 7 करोड़, A में 5, B में B में 3 और सबसे नीचे C कैटेगरी में 1 करोड़ रुपये सालाना मिलते हैं. इन सभी कैटेगरी में प्लेयर्स को शामिल करने के कुछ नियम भी हैं. A+ में ऐसे खिलाड़ियों को रखा जाता है जो तीनों फॉर्मेट (टेस्ट, वनडे और टी20) में खेलते हैं. चयन समिति ने तेज गेंदबाजों आकाश दीप, विजयकुमार विशाक, उमरान मलिक, यश दयाल और विद्वत कावेरप्पा के लिए भी अनुबंध की सिफारिश की है.

'Forcefully You Can't Do Anything': India Star On Kishan-Iyer Contract Row

Veteran India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha on Thursday said nothing can be done 'forcefully' if a cricketer does not want to play domestic cricket, while adding that it is the base and every player should value it enough to prosper. Saha's reaction came after Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer were on Wednesday excluded from the annual player retainership list for the 2023-24 season, with the BCCI saying in a statement that the two cricketers 'were not considered for the annual contracts in this round of recommendations'. "That is BCCI's decision and personal decision of concerned players. Forcefully, you can't do anything," the stumper said about Kishan and Iyer's axe.

These two players were part of the Indian side until very recently, having also featured in the 50-overs World Cup last year. While Kishan was last part of the Test squad during India's Tour of South Africa in December, Iyer played the first two Tests of the ongoing series against England.

Saha said a cricketer should treat every match with equal importance citing his own example.

"Whenever I am fit I play, even I played club matches, office matches as well. I always treat a match as a match. All matches are equal for me. If every player thinks on those lines, they will only prosper in their career and it will be better for Indian cricket as well," he said.

"I feel the importance of domestic cricket is always there because if I talk about Sarfaraz Khan, he had scored plenty of runs in the last 4-5 years. Definitely, he has delivered." Saha, meanwhile, termed the young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel's batting as 'outstanding'. Jurel scored a gritty 46 on Test debut in the third Test and followed it up with scores of 90 and 39 in the fourth Test at Ranchi, earning himself the player of the match award.

"I have never seen him (Jurel) in domestic cricket, even in Test matches I have seen in him highlights. But his batting is outstanding, he won the last Test for the team," he said.

Saha also feels the future of Indian cricket is bright because of its bench strength while once again underlining the importance of domestic circuit. "It is always good to see that your reserve bench is ready, whenever somebody is getting chance," he said.

"Over that, some players are getting opportunity but don't want to play, which they shouldn't. Whenever you get a chance to play, you should play whether it is red ball or white ball," said Saha, who played 40 Tests and scoreed 1,353 runs while affecting 104 dismissals (92 catches and 12 stumpings). PTI SSC SSC DDV

'Struggled At 5th Spot': Ex-ENG Star Points Out Flaw In Jadeja's Batting

Former England captain Alastair Cook criticised the batting of India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja after the player failed to play a noticeable knock in the Ranchi Test. Jadeja, who batted at number 5 ahead of Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel in both innings against England, failed to help the team's cause by returning scores of run-a-ball 12 and 4 off 33. Cook opined that the India star finds it hard to maintain a balance between attack and defence whenever he bats at the number 5 spot.

"Jadeja in particular showed probably why he should be batting a little bit lower." Cook told TNT Sports.

"Yes he can score runs but the ability, under pressure, to find that balance between attack and defence under pressure - pressure does funny thing to you.

"Jadeja is a world-class all-rounder, but batting at five there he struggled in terms of taking no risks because he didn't want to get out or trying to put a bit of pressure back on as a batter."

On the other hand, Cook was all praise for Jurel, who was playing only his second Test match. 

In the first innings of the Ranchi Test, Jurel scored 90 runs off 149 balls to keep India alive in the game while in the second innings he remained unbeaten at the score of 39 off 77 balls.

"But Jurel found that balance perfectly with his feet movement and sharpness of mind," said Cook.

Shubman Gill and Jurel kept calm to lead India to a series-clinching five-wicket win over England. The hosts won the fourth Test by 5 wickets, taking an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series after they lost the first game.

Chasing 192 for victory, India slipped to 120 for 5 but Gill, who scored 52, and Jurel stitched unbeaten 72-run partnership to guide India to victory.

source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/struggled-at-5th-position-ex-england-captain-points-out-flaw-in-ravindra-jadejas-batting-5135802

"Stick A Camera, Microphone": Vaughan's 'Simple Solution' Over DRS Row

Amid the controversy surrounding the Decision Review System (DRS) in the ongoing Test series between India and England, former cricketer Michael Vaughan has come up with a "simple solution" to tackle the challenges of the technology. England, who won the opening game in Hyderabad, have expressed their disappointment regarding some of the decions that have gone against them, pertaining to DRS and the umpire's call. After being hammered by India in the third Test in Rajkot (434 runs), England captain Ben Stokes had urged the officials to get rid of the umpire's call.

Stokes' comments came after opener Zak Crawley found himself on the wrong end of the umpire's call. The umpire had declared Crawley out, a decision that was upheld by the DRS.

However, upon zooming the DRS footage, it was shown that the ball was missing the top of the leg stump, leaving Stokes and the visitors fuming.

England found themselves in a similar situation in the fourth Test, this time the decision had gone against Joe Root in the second innings on Day 3.

In Root's case, the ball tracking showed that more than half of the ball was pitching outside the line before going on to hit the leg stump.

Amid the growing concerns regarding the credibility of the technology, Vaughan has urged the ICC to put up a camera and a mic in the DRS room.

"It only takes one look at social media to see that a lot of people don't trust it. There is so much anger and suspicion about decisions that go for or against certain teams. There's suspicion about host broadcasters and who is in the truck. That is despite the technology companies not actually being from the same country as the host broadcaster. For instance, Hawk-Eye is a company from the UK but is being used in this series. They are just brought in by the host broadcaster," Vaughan wrote in his column for the Telegraph.

"So here's a simple solution to help improve transparency and accountability: stick a camera and microphone in the truck so as a decision is being made, we all know exactly what is going on, and how much humans are involved. And if you stick an ICC official in there as well we'd know that the integrity - something we talk so much about in the game - is intact. You could argue that those running the technology in the truck are as important as the two standing umpires," he added.

source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/stick-a-camera-microphone-michael-vaughans-simple-solution-over-drs-row-5129468

New Zealand vs Australia Live Score Updates 1st Test Day 1

NZ vs AUS, 1st Test Day 1 Live Updates: New Zealand will take on Australia in the first Test of a two-match series at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Australia have confirmed their playing XI for the series opener, while the hosts will make a late call on their final spot due to Devon Conway's injury. Conway was ruled out of the series with Henry Nicholls replacing him in the squad. There has been rain in the lead up to the match, but clear and cool conditions in Wellington are expected. (Live Scorecard)

source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/new-zealand-vs-australia-live-score-updates-1st-test-day-1-5145004 live cricket streaming

Watch: Dravid's Emotional Celebration Says It All After Series Win vs ENG

India defeated England by five wickets in the fourth Test and gained an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series. Chasing 192 on Day 4, India lost five wickets with 120 runs on the board. However, Shubman Gill (52*) and Dhruv Jurel (39*) struck an important 84-run partnership and took the hosts across the line. The victory marked India's 17th consecutive Test series win at home while it was England's first series loss in the tenure of their head coach Brendon McCullum.

After the win, a very heartfelt moment got captured as India head coach Rahul Dravid did not shy away from displaying his emotions and joyously celebrated the team's victory. 

In a video shared by BCCI on X (formerly Twitter), Dravid was seen  jumping and sharing hugs with Jurel and Gill after the duo sealed the series for India. 

No words just pure emotions ?

A series win to remember #TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/AtyB7tJq4c

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 26, 2024

"I play according to the demands of the situation. The 1st innings, we needed to get runs as well, we knew we had to bat last and so any runs would be vital. I was involved in some partnerships, so credit does go to all those who stayed and added runs. I just saw the ball and then reacted to it, not thinking too far ahead. The conversation was good (with Shubman Gill in the 2nd innings), we just broke it into 10-run sets and started developing the partnership," said Jurel after the win. 

There were some jitters after Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal in close succession followed by Rajat Patidar and Ravindra Jadeja's dismissal but Shubman Gill (52 not out) and Dhruv Jurel (39 not out) guided the side past the finishing line with an unbeaten 72-run partnership.

Left-arm spinner Tom Hartley (1/64) took the prized scalp of Rohit, while Shoaib Bashir was the most successful English bowler, scalping 3/79 in the second innings for a match haul of eight wickets.

India lead 3-1 in the series with the last game scheduled in Dharamsala from March 7. The team's last home series loss was a 1-2 defeat to an Alastair Cook-led England in 2012-13. Since then, India have won 39 out of 50 Tests at home.

(With PTI Inputs)

source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/rahul-dravids-emotional-celebration-says-it-all-after-series-win-against-england-watch-5135004

Injured New Zealand Batter Devon Conway Misses Opening Australia Test

Black Caps opening batsman Devon Conway has been ruled out of the first Test against Australia with a thumb injury, New Zealand Cricket said Wednesday on the eve of the game.

Conway will miss the match, starting in Wellington on Thursday, after hurting his thumb in a Twenty20 defeat to Australia last Friday in Auckland. New Zealand went on to lose the T20 series 3-0.

He has been sidelined for the first Test after scans showed damage to his left thumb, New Zealand Cricket said. Experienced batsman Henry Nicholls has been called up as cover.

"It's disappointing for Devon to be ruled out on the eve of an important match," said New Zealand head coach Gary Stead.

"He's a class player batting at the top of the order for us and I know he was really looking forward to this series."

But Stead welcomed the return of Nicholls, who was originally left out of the squad.

"It's nice to have a player of Henry's calibre to call on," Stead said.

"He has plenty of Test experience and covers a number of positions in our batting order."

The Black Caps are waiting to know whether Conway will be able to play in the second and final Test, which starts in Christchurch on March 8.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/injured-new-zealand-batter-devon-conway-misses-opening-australia-test-5141288