cricket Archives - The Gaming Gyan

Women’s red-ball cricket to return to India’s domestic calendar

Posted on March 2, 2024 by Gaming Gyan

After six years, women’s red-ball cricket is coming back in India’s local cricket games. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is arranging the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy in Pune starting on March 28. The last time women played a red-ball tournament in India was in 2018, and those matches lasted for two days.

This news comes after India did well in recent single Tests against England and Australia in December 2023. Although India played Tests during visits to England and Australia in 2021, the last time women played a Test match in India was in 2014 when South Africa came for a tour.

The Maharashtra Cricket Association will host the matches, starting with the East Zone vs. North East Zone and West Zone vs. Central Zone fixtures. North Zone and South Zone have advanced to the semi-finals directly through a draw of lots and will face the winners of the initial matches on April 3. The tournament will conclude with the final on April 9, and all matches are scheduled to be three-day affairs.

This cricketing event will commence just over ten days after the conclusion of the second edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) on March 17 in Delhi. There has been a growing demand for more women’s Test matches, as currently, only sporadic Tests involving Australia, England, India, and South Africa take place. For the Indian team, this presents a challenge as they have limited experience in this format.

In early December, before the big match with England, Smriti Mandhana talked about how tough it is to play a four-day Test. She said it’s not just about physical strength but also about being mentally strong. She hoped that the BCCI (that’s the cricket board) would start up red-ball competitions for women again. She thinks it’s important to change how women’s cricket is set up so it matches what happens internationally, especially since there are more Test matches now.

Meg Lanning, more recently, has been talking a lot about this too. She’s saying it’s really hard to get ready for Test matches. Lanning thinks we need to have more Test matches so players can get better at them and really understand how to play. She’s noticed that when there are only a few Test matches, it’s tough for teams to get used to them and do well. People are still arguing about whether we should have more Test matches or focus more on short games like T20s and ODIs.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨: WPL Points Table 2024: Delhi Capitals at Top After Today’s Win; All Standings

All-time great: Sourav Ganguly praises R Ashwin ahead of milestone Test

Posted on March 2, 2024 by Gaming Gyan

Sourav Ganguly, the ex-captain of India, gave a big thumbs up to the spinner R Ashwin, saying he’s one of the best ever. Ashwin is about to play his 100th Test match when India faces England in the fifth and final Test at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.

R Ashwin crossed the 500-wicket mark in Test cricket in Rajkot, making him only the second Indian to do so after Anil Kumble. He also went ahead of Kumble for the most Test wickets at home, reaching the 350-wicket mark at home.

Ashwin joined an elite club, becoming the ninth bowler to pick 500 wickets in Test cricket. Others in this exclusive group include legends like Muthiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Kumble, Glenn McGrath, Courtney Walsh, and Nathan Lyon.

In an interview with Revsportz, Ganguly praised R Ashwin, calling him an all-time great. He also gave a shout-out to Ravindra Jadeja, labeling him as the best all-rounder currently, who holds the top spot in the latest ICC rankings for Test all-rounders.

Ganguly expressed his admiration, saying, “All-time great, all-time great stuff. Getting 500 wickets is no joke. And then you have Jadeja, the best all-rounder at the moment. Doing well with both bat and ball in these conditions.”

Jadeja, after a splendid 87 in Hyderabad, scored his fourth Test century in Rajkot and is the third-highest wicket-taker in India’s Test series against England, grabbing 17 wickets in the first four Tests.

Talking about Kuldeep Yadav, Ganguly noted the spinner’s remarkable improvement and predicted a long innings for him in the Indian team. Kuldeep has taken 12 wickets in three Test matches during India’s series against England.

“I think Kuldeep has come back immensely. He’s improved a lot. And I think with bowlers like R Ashwin and Jadeja, he’s not been overshadowed. He’s made his mark in the series and will continue to play for India for a long time,” added Ganguly.

India aims to finish their five-match Test series against England on a high note in Dharamsala on March 7. The hosts lead 3-1 in the series, securing victories in Vizag, Rajkot, and Ranchi after their loss in Hyderabad.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨: Even Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli should play domestic cricket when free: Kirti Azad

Kane Williamson collides with Will Young to be run out for 1st time in Tests since 2012

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Gaming Gyan

Kane Williamson, the famous cricket player from New Zealand, got out in a Test match against Australia in Wellington. It was the first time since 2012 that he got run out. This happened on Day 2 of the match when New Zealand was having a hard time against Australia. Mitchell Starc bowled out Tom Latham, who was the Blackcaps’ wicketkeeper, in just 4.4 overs. This made the Kiwi team feel sad. Then, Australia’s Cameron Green and Josh Hazlewood, the last pair of batsmen, together added 116 runs. This made Australia’s score go from 267-9 to 383.

After this recovery, Australia‘s bowlers struck early, making things worse for New Zealand. When Williamson came out to bat after Latham’s dismissal, he faced a challenging delivery from Starc and then tapped the ball towards mid-off, hoping for a quick single. However, his partner, Will Young, was slow to respond, and as they tried to take the single, they collided in the middle of the pitch. Labuschagne took advantage of this confusion, collecting the ball and hitting the stumps at the non-striker’s end. This was Williamson’s first run-out since 2012.

Cameron Green, who made 174 runs in the first part of the game, talked about the match. Even though it was hard, he felt happy about how well he played and where the team stood. He said the field was tricky to play on but was happy they could score a good amount. Green also talked about how he and Mitch Marsh played together, knowing each other’s style, and how Marsh’s strong approach helped them. Though he got cramps, Green kept going, knowing that New Zealand had good batters and they needed to bowl well in the next part of the game.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨: Dhruv Jurel’s emotionally hard-hitting words for Rohit ‘bhaiya’, Dravid ‘sir’ makes hearts melt

Under scrutiny Ishan makes 19 on return to competitive cricket

Posted on February 29, 2024February 29, 2024 by Gaming Gyan

Ishan Kishan, a cricket player from India, got back into playing cricket after taking a break. He played in a T20 Cup in Navi Mumbai, representing RBI. He did some good plays, like getting a player out and scoring some runs. But his team lost the match.

The other team, Route Mobile Limited, batted first and scored a lot of runs. A player named Aayush Vartan scored 54 runs and another player named Sumit Dhekale scored 42 runs. In response, Ishan Kishan’s team couldn’t score enough runs and got out quickly. Route Mobile Limited won the match.

Ishan Kishan is known for playing in the IPL but hasn’t played much in other cricket matches. He didn’t play in matches against Afghanistan and England. He mostly focuses on IPL rather than other types of cricket. This made the cricket organization in India decide that players need to play in a certain number of matches to be in the IPL.

Ishan Kishan practiced with another player named Hardik Pandya, who was also coming back from an injury. People will be watching Ishan Kishan closely to see how well he plays in the upcoming cricket season.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨: BCCI should ban those ignoring Ranji Trophy: Rohit Sharma’s ‘Jinko bhookh nahi hai’ remark takes Indian cricket by storm

BCCI should ban those ignoring Ranji Trophy: Rohit Sharma’s ‘Jinko bhookh nahi hai’ remark takes Indian cricket by storm

Posted on February 29, 2024February 29, 2024 by Gaming Gyan

Rohit Sharma’s comment got support from many state cricket groups, but they said that BCCI should create a system to prevent such situations.

While the thrilling Test cricket with England was happening, Indian cricket faced a big problem. BCCI secretary Jay Shah had to step in and warn all players under central contracts. The warning was for those who were choosing Indian Premier League (IPL) over playing in domestic cricket. Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Indian team, also spoke up after winning against Ben Stokes and his team in Ranchi. He said that chances to play in Test cricket will only be given to those who really want it. This statement, made at the post-match press conference on Monday at the JSCA International Stadium, stirred things up among state cricket groups.

Many cricketing nations are dealing with the debate between playing for a club or the country, especially with the rise of T20 leagues worldwide. BCCI noticed that Indian players were leaning more towards league cricket in the past few years. Earlier this month, Shah warned that players who prioritize league cricket over domestic matches will face serious consequences. This came after players like Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan chose not to play in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season and focused on preparing for the IPL, which starts next month.

Rohit addressed the IPL versus domestic cricket matter, saying, “We will give opportunities to only those who are hungry. There’s no point in playing those who don’t have the hunger.”

The hunger Rohit talked about was evident when young players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, and Akash Deep performed exceptionally well against a strong England side. They made sure India didn’t miss the senior players who couldn’t participate for various reasons.

Rohit’s statement received support from many state cricket associations, although they agreed that BCCI needs to create a system to prevent such situations.

“I agree with the Indian captain. Young cricketers should have the hunger to play the longest format,” said Abhilash Khandekar, president of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association. “Ranji Trophy is crucial; it is the backbone of Indian cricket. It is the most important tournament in domestic cricket. This should be followed in other formats in domestic cricket.”

Former cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar believes that BCCI’s directive could help players perform better against spin, especially with experienced players struggling against it.

“Playing Ranji is very important. It helps you play spin better on Indian wickets; your overall skills are improved. And when you play foreign teams, it becomes easier,” said Vengsarkar. “I feel it is a player’s wish whether to play Ranji or not. If he doesn’t want to play, we have enough in India to choose from, they will play and establish themselves. No one is bigger than the game. No one is indispensable.”

An anonymous state unit official suggested that regular Test players should also play in Ranji Trophy matches. This could motivate young players, and the BCCI should give state bodies the authority to ban players who ignore domestic cricket.

“This was a much-needed step and should have been taken earlier. If an India player is regularly featured in the Ranji Trophy, it acts as a massive motivator to the younger players in the squad. I would also want the BCCI to empower state units to ban those players who don’t play Ranji Trophy. If a senior is dropped for once, the juniors would not dare to ignore their red ball commitments for T20 cricket,” the official said.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨: Dhruv Jurel’s emotionally hard-hitting words for Rohit ‘bhaiya’, Dravid ‘sir’ makes hearts melt

WPL 2024 BAN-W vs GUJ-W: Match 5 Top Captain, Vice-captain Picks & Player Stats

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Gaming Gyan

WPL 2024 Match 5 between BAN-W and GUJ-W with top captain and vice-captain picks, along with player stats. Make informed decisions for your fantasy team and stay ahead in the game!

The Women’s Premier League’s second edition is happening now. Royal Challengers Bangalore (BAN-W) are facing off against Gujarat Giants Women (GUJ-W). The fifth match is set for Tuesday, February 27th, 2024, at the famous M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore at 7:30 PM IST. They’ll play again in the 13th match on Wednesday, March 06th, at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi at the same time.

The Challengers started strong, winning a close match against UP Warriorz by just two runs. However, the Giants had a tough start, losing to Mumbai Indians by five wickets.

Toss Factor:

Chinnaswamy Stadium is known for favoring the team chasing. Winning the toss means the team will likely choose to field first.

If Royal Challengers Bangalore win the toss:

They’ll opt to field first. Sabbhineni Meghana and Richa Ghosh performed well in the first match. Asha Sobhana took five wickets. They’ll be key players.

If Gujarat Giants win the toss:

They’ll likely field first. Beth Mooney had a good start in Gujarat’s first match. Tanuja Kanwar and Lee Tahuhu will try to restrict the Challengers.

Top Captain and Vice Captain Picks:

If Royal Challengers Bangalore Bat First:

Sabbhineni Meghana and Richa Ghosh will be key players.

If Gujarat Giants Bat First:

Beth Mooney and Kathryn Bryce will be crucial for the Giants.

High Risk, High Reward:

Smriti Mandhana needs a big knock. Harleen Deol is a risky but worthy pick.

Stay Aways:

Georgia Wareham and Dayalan Hemalatha might not be the best choices based on past performance.

It’s a thrilling contest between these teams, and fans are eagerly waiting for the action to unfold.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨: DC bowler Arundhati fined for breaching the WPL code

Dhruv Jurel’s emotionally hard-hitting words for Rohit ‘bhaiya’, Dravid ‘sir’ makes hearts melt

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Gaming Gyan

Dhruv Jurel’s emotionally hard-hitting words for Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid. They supported him and chose him for the Ranchi Test.

Dhruv Jurel has become very popular in India because he showed a lot of bravery and determination. He helped India win the 4th Test against England. Jurel played well in both innings. First, he scored 90 runs when the team was not doing well. Then, he helped India chase 192 runs along with Shubman Gill when the team was in trouble at 120/5. Despite being only 22 years old, he showed the maturity of a player who has played 20 Test matches. This is really good for Indian cricket.

Jurel was named the Player of the Match for his great performance. After the Ranchi Test, he shared a heartfelt message on social media. Jurel was part of the Indian squad for a long time, and finally got his chance to play in the previous Test at Rajkot after KS Bharat missed another chance.

In his first innings for India, Jurel scored 46 runs. But his real test came in Ranchi where he played exceptionally well to help India. However, none of this would have been possible without the support of Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid, which Jurel appreciated in his post.

“Thank you Rohit bhaiya, Rahul sir for believing in this boy,” he posted along with a fitting picture.

Jurel’s journey is remarkable. His mother sold jewelry to support him, and his father faced criticism from neighbors for supporting his cricket dreams. Finally, Jurel achieved his dream of playing for India. When he received his Test cap from Dinesh Karthik, he touched his mother’s feet, acknowledging her role in his journey.

When it was time for Jurel to perform, he did it brilliantly. India was struggling at 177/7 and needed a good partnership to recover from England’s total of 353 in the first innings. Jurel partnered with Kuldeep Yadav and added 77 runs, helping India reach 307 runs. In the second innings, Jurel scored an unbeaten 39 runs, which was as important as his 90 runs in the first innings. He played well against England’s spinners and patiently built a partnership with Gill, helping India win the match.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨: Neil Wagner retires from international cricket

Neil Wagner retires from international cricket

Posted on February 27, 2024February 27, 2024 by Gaming Gyan

Neil Wagner has decided to stop playing international cricket right away because the New Zealand selectors said he wouldn’t be in the team for the upcoming two-Test series against Australia. He’s 37 years old and made this tough choice after talking with coach Gary Stead. They confirmed he wouldn’t be playing in the series against Australia. Wagner announced his retirement at a press conference in Wellington on Tuesday, alongside Stead. He had been asked to join the squad for the first Test.

Wagner played 64 Tests for New Zealand after moving from South Africa. He took 260 wickets at an average of 27.57. His strike rate was 52.7, which is really good. Only Sir Richard Hadlee has a better strike rate among New Zealand bowlers who have taken more than 100 wickets.

Even though Wagner will keep playing first-class cricket, he felt it was the right time to stop playing Test cricket. He said, “I knew the time was coming near. They sometimes say when you think about retirement, you’re screwed in a way. I knew the time was going to come and it was going to come close. In the last week, reflecting and looking into the future, looking at the Test matches that are to come, I thought it was the right time to step down and let the other guys come in and do what we’ve been doing as a group for several years and grow that attack.”

He mentioned that the decision wasn’t easy and that it’s been an emotional journey. He believes it’s time to pass the baton to others and let them continue the legacy.

Wagner and Stead talked after New Zealand’s Test series win over South Africa, which turned out to be Wagner’s last Test. They discussed his future in the Test side. Wagner wasn’t initially going to be part of the build-up to the Australia series, but the team invited him to be part of the first Test even though he wouldn’t play.

Wagner appreciated the gesture and felt it was a nice way to bow out. He said, “I think it’s a very nice way for the team… they invited me to come down here and spend this time with them to celebrate it but also help them prepare for the series to get stuck in against Australia and it was a really nice, kind gesture.”

Stead mentioned that telling Wagner he wasn’t part of New Zealand’s plans anymore was tough. “Very, very tough conversations to have,” he said. Stead appreciated Wagner’s understanding and gratitude for his time with the Black Cap. He highlighted that Wagner is still available for domestic cricket but is retiring from international cricket.

Test captain Tim Southee described Wagner as a great team player. He praised Wagner’s commitment and said he earned respect and admiration in the dressing room. Southee expressed his enjoyment of their relationship on and off the field and looked forward to celebrating Wagner’s career after the first Test against Australia.

Wagner shared some of his favorite memories in Test cricket, including wins over India and England and the World Test Championship final against India. He also mentioned the emotional last Test against England last year.

He became emotional as he thanked his family, friends, coaches, and mentors who supported him throughout his career. He hopes people remember him as someone who gave his all for the cap. Wagner admitted he wasn’t the most talented player but loved the game and playing for the team. He said he worked extremely hard and found different ways to succeed.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨: IND vs ENG: Yashasvi Jaiswal levels Virat Kohli’s record in England Test series

IND vs ENG: Yashasvi Jaiswal levels Virat Kohli’s record in England Test series

Posted on February 26, 2024February 26, 2024 by Gaming Gyan

Yashasvi Jaiswal has matched Virat Kohli’s record for the most runs by an Indian batter in a Test series against England. He’s been doing well with the bat.

Before his turn to bat in the Ranchi Test, Jaiswal had scored 618 runs. He needed 37 more to equal Kohli’s record. Kohli set this record during the 2016-17 series when England played in India.

During the Ranchi Test, Jaiswal had a nervous moment when a review was taken against him by Tom Hartley. But he stayed calm and hit a couple of boundaries off Shoaib Bashir to match Kohli’s record. Unfortunately, his innings were cut short by Joe Root’s team, with a stunning catch by James Anderson.

Next, Jaiswal aims to join Sunil Gavaskar as the only Indian player to reach 700 runs in a bilateral series. He also wants to surpass Graham Gooch and Joe Root, who hold the top spots for most runs scored in a single series between India and England. Gooch scored 752 runs in 1990, and Root got 737 in the 2021–22 series in England.

How’s Jaiswal been performing in this series? He’s been fantastic! He started with a bang, scoring 80 runs aggressively in Hyderabad. Then, he smashed 209 runs in Vizag, setting the stage for India’s victory. In Rajkot, he scored another double-hundred, helping India take the lead in the series. Jaiswal became only the third Indian to score back-to-back double hundreds in Test cricket, joining Vinod Kambli and Virat Kohli.

Jaiswal has also set a new record for Indian batters after 8 Tests, with 971 runs to his credit. That’s second only to the legendary Don Bradman, who scored 1210 runs in the same period. Jaiswal’s current average in this ongoing series is an impressive 93.57.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨: Rohit Sharma hits 17th Test fifty in Ranchi, goes past 9000 first-class runs

Rohit Sharma hits 17th Test fifty in Ranchi, goes past 9000 first-class runs

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Gaming Gyan

In the recent cricket match, India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, did well. He scored his 17th Test half-century and crossed the 9000-run mark in his career. This happened during the fourth Test against England in Ranchi.

Rohit hit 55 runs off 81 balls, with five boundaries and one six. He reached the fifty-run mark in the morning session of Day 4, putting pressure on England. Rohit Sharma also passed 4000 runs in Tests, becoming the 17th Indian to do so. He even scored 1000 runs against England.

On Day 3, Rohit played impressively, scoring 24 runs and helping India start their chase positively. Earlier in the game, England scored 353 runs in the first innings, thanks to Joe Root’s unbeaten century of 122 runs and Ben Foakes’ 47 runs.

England’s Shoaib Bashir took four wickets in India’s second innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal played well too, scoring 73 runs off 117 balls. India ended their first innings with 307 runs, with Dhruv Jurel hitting his first Test half-century.

India bowled England out for 145 runs in reply. Ravichandran Ashwin took five wickets, becoming the highest Test wicket-taker on Indian soil.

In the final innings, Rohit and Jaiswal started well, ending Day 3 at 40 runs without losing any wickets, still 152 runs behind the target.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨: Rohit Sharma’s milestone: 22 runs away from 4000 in tests

Tag: cricket