Tag: kl rahul

BCCI announces annual player contracts for 2022-23 for men: Jadeja promoted to A plus; KL Rahul demoted

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was rewarded with the elite grade A plus retainership, while Axar Patel got promoted to A category as the BCCI announced the annual contracts on Sunday.

The 34-year-old Jadeja, who was joint Player of the Series in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, was one of the four players to be placed in the A plus category, along with skipper Rohit Sharma, former captain Virat Kohli and injured pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

Top-order batter KL Rahul got demoted to Grade B after a string of poor performances.

Also Read: Nat Sciver-Brunt powers Mumbai Indians to first-ever Women’s Premier League title

Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ajinkya Rahane and Ishant Sharma didn’t get a contract as BCCI handed retainership to 26 cricketers in four groups of A plus (Rs 7 crore), A (Rs 5 crore), B (Rs 3 crore) and C (Rs 1 crore).

It seems curtains for the veteran trio, who have been dropped from the contract list, signalling that they are no longer in the reckoning for the national team.

Spin all-rounder Axar had plenty to be happy about as he was promoted to A category, while wicketkeeper batter KS Bharat also landed a maiden central contract after being included in Group C.

Star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who is recovering after undergoing treatment for his injuries following a horror crash in December last year, remains in A category, which also includes Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami.

There were six cricketers in Group B, including Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Siraj, Suryakumar yadav and Shubman Gill.

The Group C comprises 11 cricketers — Umesh yadav, Shikhar Dhawan, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, besides Bharat.

The elite A plus category has players who are a sure shot candidate for all three formats, while ‘A’ comprises cricketers who are certainties for Tests and one-dayers. Players who are considered for limited-over cricket are in Group B, while C group players are generally considered for one of the three formats regularly.

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Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

India can bolster their batting if Rahul keeps wickets in WTC final: Shastri

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Former India coach Ravi Shastri has backed KL Rahul to seal his place as a wicketkeeper-batter for the World Test Championship final at The Oval in June, saying his presence will strengthen the team’s batting lineup.

Rahul has a good record in England but he was dropped from the playing XI after the first two Tests against Australia at home due to poor form.

The 30-year-old from Karnataka, however, made an impressive return, slamming a match-winning 75 not out in the first ODI against Australia in Mumbai on Friday night.

Shastri feels Rahul can play as a wicket-keeper in the WTC final, especially after KS Bharat couldn’t produce the goods in the absence of an indisposed Rishabh Pant.

Also Read: New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell replaces England’s Will Jacks in RCB squad for upcoming IPL season

“He (KL) has really done well to keep the selectors interested ahead of the WTC final,” Shastri told Star Sports.

“Two things, one for the ODI series when Rohit Sharma returns and the other for the WTC final… India can bolster their batting if Rahul can keep wickets.

“Rahul can bat in the middle-order — No. 5 or 6. In England, you have to generally keep wickets from far behind. You don’t have to keep up to the spinners a lot. He (KL) has two more ODIs to go before the IPL. He can cement his place in that Indian team.” Rahul has amassed 614 runs at 34.11 with two centuries — one at The Oval –, and one fifty in nine Tests in English conditions.

India qualified for the WTC final to be held in June at The Oval against Australia. It will be India’s second appearance in the final. They had lost to New Zealand in the 2021 final.

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Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

IND vs AUS 3rd Test: Rahul’s removal as vice-captain doesn’t indicate anything, says Rohit on eve of Indore game

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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India skipper Rohit Sharma kept the K L Rahul versus Shubman Gill debate open on the eve of the third Test, saying the former’s removal as vice-captain doesn’t indicate anything and the management will continue to back the players with “potential”.

Rohit and Gill batted in adjacent nets in the optional practice on Tuesday while Rahul chose to stay back in the hotel with the majority of the squad.

Also Read: India vs Australia 3rd Test preview-Will Gill replace Rahul? Can Australia revive under Smith

Both Gill and Rahul had batted simultaneously during the training session on Monday.

Rahul averages an underwhelming 33.4 after 47 Tests while Gill has been waiting patiently for his opportunity in red-ball cricket after a sensational season in limited overs cricket.

Rahul, who has failed to cross the 25-run mark in his last 10 Test innings, was removed as vice-captain following the second Test in Delhi, raising hopes of a change for the remaining two games.

Rohit kept the suspense going till the very end.

“I spoke about it after the last game as well. Players who are going through a tough time, given their potential they will be given enough time to prove themselves,” Rohit said in a media interaction. “Being vice-captain or otherwise doesn’t tell you anything. At that point in time he was the vice captain. His removal as vice-captain doesn’t indicate anything.” When asked the preparation of both Gill and Rahul, the skipper added: “As far as Gill and KL Rahul are concerned, that is how they train before any game. Today was optional training session for the entire group. Whoever wanted to come they came.

“As far as 11 is concerned, I would like to do it at the toss. I prefer it that way considering last-minute injuries are a possibility.” India lead the four-match series 2-0 and a win here will guarantee them a place in the World Test Championship final in June.

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Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

IND vs AUS 3rd Test preview: Will Gill replace Rahul? Can Australia revive under Smith?

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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India will be looking to take an unprecedented 3-0 lead in the ongoing Test series when they take the field against Australia for the third match at Indore that gets underway tomorrow.

India have already retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy by clinching the first two matches in Nagpur and Delhi. Should India win the Indore Test, the team will not only win the series but it will also take a decisive step towards the final of the ICC World Test Championship.

Also Read: Starc says still not 100 per cent fit but good enough for Indore Test

India comprehensively outplayed Australia in Nagpur and Delhi winning the matches by 132 runs and 6 wickets respectively. Captain Rohit Sharma’s century in the series opener, Ravindra Jadeja’s back-to-back five-wicket hauls along with valuable contribution with the bat, Axar Patel’s successive half centuries and Ravichandran Ashwin’s continued good form with the ball, have been several positives for India from the first two Tests. Yet there are a few glaring concerns that the team needs to address over the course of the next two matches.

The most pressing concern is the poor form of KL Rahul with the bat. Rahul has failed to cross the 25-run mark in his last 10 Test knocks. His poor form has meant that he has faced intense criticism in the past few days. Although Rohit and team coach Rahul Dravid hinted that they would continue to back Rahul, but it looks like the Indian opener could finally be running out of chances. When India’s Test squad for the final two matches of the series was announced, the team did not have a designated vice-captain, implying that Rahul was stripped out of his vice-captaincy role. If there was one strong hint that the team is now looking beyond Rahul and planning to give Shubman Gill a chance, that was it.

But the team’s troubles extend beyond Rahul’s woes. Although Rahul’s poor returns might have captured all the headlines, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli have been out of form as well. Kohli has scored only 972 runs and averaged 27.00 in the last three years. The former captain has scored 6 fifties and no hundred in that time frame. Pujara’s numbers from the last three years are slightly better but nowhere close to what he used to produce at his peak. Pujara has notched 1,290 runs and averaged 30.71  while hitting 10 half-centuries and only one ton over the last three years.

The poor form of Rahul, Kohli, and Pujara would have led India into trouble had it not been for contributions from Rohit, Jadeja, Axar, and Ashwin. Although Gill could be in contention for selection for the Indore Test, expecting the team to take tough calls on Pujara and Kohli will be a little too far-fetched.

Australia’s nightmarish tour

Everything that could go wrong for Australia on this tour has gone wrong in the first two Tests. The team carried several unfit players to India. Then it slumped to its lowest Test total against India in Nagpur. Experienced opener David Warner after poor returns got injured and could not complete the Delhi Test. He was subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the series. Josh Hazlewood, who did not play in Nagpur and Delhi,  showed no signs of recovering from his injury and was also declared unfit to play the next two matches.  Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar after not being selected for the first two games, was sent back to Australia.  Skipper Pat Cummins had to rush back to Sydney to be with his ailing mother. Cummins then informed that he would miss the Indore Test as he decided to be by the side of his mother.

But amid this disarray, there are some positives for Australia. Young off-spinner Todd Murphy claimed 7 wickets on his Test debut in Nagpur. Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscombi, and Travis Head showed some promise with the bat in Delhi. Mitchell Starc could be available to bowl in Indore. Rising star all-rounder Cameron Green has declared himself fit for the upcoming game. But the biggest confidence booster for Australia could be the return of Steve Smith as Australia’s Test captain. With Cummins set to miss the Indore game, Smith will lead the team in the match. Smith has a good track record as Australia’s Test captain. He has led the team 36 times and won 20 of those matches while drawing 6 and losing the remaining 10 games. Smith’s batting performance as a captain has also been great. In 36 matches as the skipper, Smith has scored 3793 runs and has averaged 67.73  Cummins’ captaincy has been unimpressive and the return of Smith at the helm of affairs could just be the refresh button that Australia need to kickstart a comeback in the series.

Match time: The match gets underway at 9.30 AM IST. The toss will happen at 9.00 AM

Where to watch and live stream details: The India vs Australia Test series is being broadcast live and exclusive on the Star Sports network. The match can also be streamed live via the Disney+Hotstar app.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Border Gavaskar Trophy | If you don’t score in India, you will get flak, Ganguly on Rahul’s poor form

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Former India captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has had his say on KL Rahul’s poor form and the flak that Rahul is getting for it.

According to Ganguly, it will be difficult for  Rahul to avoid scathing criticism for his prolonged poor run because of the enormous expectations attached with the job, especially when past cricketers have set high standards.

Stripped of vice-captaincy, Rahul hasn’t crossed the 25-run mark in his last 10 Test knocks. An average of less than 35 in 47 Tests isn’t an actual realization of his real potential.

“When you don’t score runs in India, obviously you will get flak. KL Rahul hasn’t been the only one. There have been players in the past also,” Ganguly told PTI in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of Delhi Capitals’ IPL pre-season camp.

Also Read: Cricket world hails Meg Lanning led Australian women’s team for record-extending sixth title

Ganguly tried to put things in perspective as to why the Bengaluru man is being persisted with despite repeated failures.

“There’s so much focus and attention with lot of pressure on players. The team management thinks he is an important player for the team. At the end of the day, what coach and captain thinks is important,” the veteran of 113 Tests and 311 ODIs said.

While Rahul has played some quality knocks in England and Australia, Ganguly said it’s obvious that people will expect way more from a talented player like Rahul, who has managed just five Test hundreds in nine years.

“He has performed but obviously you expect a lot more from a top-order batter playing for India because the standards set by others are so high.

“When you fail for a while, obviously there will be criticism. I am sure Rahul has ability and I am sure as and when he gets more opportunities, he will have to find ways to score,” he explained.

So is Rahul’s problem technical or mental? “Both,” pat comes the reply.

But the former BCCI President also gave an interesting insight into Rahul’s lack of runs as he is getting out to pacers as well as spinners in all conditions in recent times.

“It also makes it hard if you are playing on these sort of pitches as the balls are turning and bouncing. There’s uneven bounce and when you are not in form, it makes it even more harder.” Shubman has to wait ============= There has been a clamour to include Shubman Gill in the playing XI but Ganguly feels that the Punjab man will get his share of chances and there’s no harm if he has to wait a little bit.

But what do you tell a Shubman, who has to cool his heels when he is in red hot form? “I am sure when his time comes, he will also get a lot of opportunities. I think the selectors, the captain and the coach think of him and rate him very highly. That’s why he is playing ODIs and T20Is, and he has performed as well.

“But at the present moment, perhaps message from team management is that he has to wait.” While India have cantered to victories in both the Tests, the top order batters except Rohit Sharma have flattered to deceive with none getting a fifty.

Is the concept of dominant batters against spinners sounding too alien nowadays? “I don’t think so. These are very tough wickets. I saw in the first two Tests and it’s not easy boss. Playing Ashwin, Jadeja, Lyon and the new guy Todd Murphy, it is never easy with odd ball turning square. There is unevenness, there is everything happening for spinners.”

This is not Steve Waugh’s team

India have won two Test matches in a cumulative duration of five days of cricket and Ganguly isn’t surprised.

“India is a different beast in India. They are a pretty good team all around but in India they are pretty hard to beat. When it starts turning, they are a better side than anyone,” he was sharp in his response.

Is the scoreline of 4-0 a real possibility for India? “I think so. I don’t know how Australia can stop it,” he was practical while assessing Australia’s performance.

“The problem is, we keep comparing this Australian team from the teams of the past and it’s not the same. You don’t have a Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting, Steve and Mark Waugh, (Adam) Gilchrist, you name them. You don’t have that quality.

“Steve Smith is a great player. (David) Warner hasn’t got going, (Marnus) Labuschagne is a good player but these are tough conditions for him as well.

“The mistake we make with Australian teams is that we think they are Steve Waugh’s Australia but that’s not the case. Different players get tested differently in different conditions.” Been in touch with Pant =================== Ganguly is the Director of Cricket for the Delhi Capitals and one of the toughest challenges for him is to fill in the void created due to unavailability of Rishabh Pant, who met with a horrific accident and underwent surgery recently.

“I spoke to him a couple of times. Obviously he is going through a tough period, through injuries and surgeries and I wish him well. In a year’s time or may be in a couple of years’ time, he will be back playing for India,” Ganguly’s voice had a tinge of sadness as he spoke about a player he has been very fond of.

Will he like to see Pant being with the team for some time during IPL which could also help in his recovery.

“Don’t know. We will see,” Ganguly said.

DC is yet to announce Pant’s replacement and Ganguly is still undecided on who is better between young turk Abhishek Porel and domestic veteran Sheldon Jackson.

“We still need a bit of time to figure out. The next camp starts before IPL.” While David Warner is set to lead DC, Axar Patel will be his deputy this season.

Ganguly monitored a three-day camp in Kolkata which the likes of Prithvi Shaw, Ishant Sharma, Chetan Sakariya, Manish Pandey attended along with other domestic players.

“The IPL is still a month away and the season has just started. It is difficult to get all the players together for the amount of cricket they play. There are four or five who are playing Irani Trophy. Sarfaraz has an injured finger and it’s not a broken finger. He should be okay for the IPL,” he concluded.

(with PTI inputs)

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Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Border Gavaskar Trophy | Ravi Shastri hints of Shubman Gill replacing KL Rahul for Indore Test

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Former India coach Ravi Shastri is against the idea of picking a vice-captain in a home series as he feels it complicates the selection of the best XI when the deputy team leader is not in form.

Shastri also hinted that Shubman Gill should replace KL Rahul in the remaining two Tests of the Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.

There has been a lot of talk around India vice-captain Rahul’s prolonged lean patch. The opener has scores of 22, 23, 10, 2, 20, 17 and 1 in his last seven innings.

Also Read: Greg Chappell references Mike Tyson and slams Australian cricket team’s performance in Border-Gavaskar trophy

With the young Gill waiting in the wings despite his stellar run across formats, the pressure is increasing on Rahul.

“The team management know his (Rahul’s) form, they know his mental state. They know how they should be watching someone like Gill,” Shastri said on the ICC Review podcast.

“I always had the belief (to) never appoint a vice-captain for India. I would rather go with by best XI, and if captain has to leave the field, you’d zero in on a player that can take over at the time, simply because you don’t need to create complications.” Rahul, who was the designated vice-captain for the first two Tests of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, has retained his place for the final two games but is no longer Rohit Sharma’s deputy.

“If vice-captain doesn’t perform, someone can take his place; at least the tag is not there. I’m being blunt and brutal, I never like vice-captain in home condition. Overseas, it’s different.

“Here, you want prime form, you want someone like Gill, who’s red hot. He will challenge. He has to bang that door down and get into the side. Now, he’s not the vice-captain, it has to be team management’s decision,” said Shastri.

The former India all-rounder said there is not dearth of talent in India and a player needs to be consistent to keep his place in team.

“They will have to see form, his state of mind. He’s a tremendous player, but talent is only so much. You have to convert that into results and be consistent.

“There’s so much talent in India who is knocking the door. It’s not just Rahul, there are many in middle-order and bowling lineup as well, there is a lot of dept.” Shastri said a break can do a world of good for a player who is struggling with form.

“Sometimes a break for the player in those conditions is far better because he can go away work on his game and come back stronger.

“In my tenure, Pujara was dropeed- cambe back with hundrers, KL Rahul was dropped, came back strongly. You can’t carry T20 form into Test cricket.” WTC final will be different ball game but India will have psychological edge ============================================== India have retained the Border Gavaskar Trophy after taking a 2-0 lead in the four match Test series. Another win will confirm their spot in the WTC final in England, where they are likely to meet Australia again.

Shastri feels although the conditions in England will be different, India will have a psychological edge over their rivals.

“There will be an impact but conditions will be different, Australia’s fast bowlers will be back fully fit then there is different ball game.

“But the psychological dent will make India believe that even in those conditions the can upstage Australia hopefully Jasprit Bumrah will be back, Shami is there and Siraj has been bowling beautifully.

“A 4-0 win here will psychologically send a strong signal.” Lack of application and discipline among Australians was unreal ======================================= Australian batters have struggled to play Indian spinners. They suffered a dramatic batting collapse in the second Test, losing nine wickets for 52 runs in 90 minutes.

“I think application (has let them down) more than anything else. The lack of belief in their own defence. The lack of application and the lack of discipline was unreal and Australia paid for it big time,” Shastri said.

He urged the Australians to go back to basics and spend time in the middle, defending the ball rather than attacking from the get go.

“… go back to the drawing board. If you don’t trust your defence, you have no chance because that’s when you entertain thoughts of breaking free, much quicker than you normally should. Sometimes you’ve got to spend some time at the crease, but how are you going to (do it) if you don’t trust your defence? “But I didn’t see one Australian batsman (do that). What surprised me was some of their most senior players also came out there and looked to do things out of the ordinary, something they’re not used to far quicker than later. And especially in conditions that suit the Indians.

“So I think it’s patience, it’s application, it’s discipline and trusting your defence.”

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Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

From Harbhajan Singh to Dinesh Karthik, all those who want KL Rahul out and those who want him to stay

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Indian opener and former vice-captain KL Rahul is perhaps going through one of the worst performance spells in his career. Scoring only a single run before being dismissed in the second Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rahul’s last few Test innings haven’t been impressive either. With 8, 12, 10, 22, 23, 10, 2, 20, 17 and 1 being the scores Rahul has managed to put up in his last 10 test innings, clamour around his performance has been growing.

Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad had recently called into question Rahul’s inconsistent performance in red-ball cricket. Highlighting the fact that while Rahul had scored six overseas centuries in the format, Prasad said that his average in the last 56 matches was just 30, due to a long string of low scores.

Prasad compared Rahul’s performance with other Indian batters like Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Shikhar Dhawan, and even out-of-form Ajnkya Rahane. Rahane, the former vice-captain, was dropped after a decline in form even as his overseas average was 40. Prasad questioned Rahul’s inclusion in the playing XI for the third and fourth Tests.

ALSO READ | IND vs AUS: Indian coach Rahul Dravid weighs in on KL Rahul’s position after India beats Australia in Delhi

“If he is picked in the playing 11, Indore (3rd Test) is his best chance of coming back to form and silencing critics like me. Else needs to play county cricket, perform well and make a comeback in the Test side,” Prasad said in a Twitter thread.

There is a view that KL Rahul has an outstanding overseas Test record. But stats speak otherwise. He has a test avg of 30 overseas in 56 innings. He has scored 6 overseas centuries but followed it up with a string of low scores that’s why averaging 30. Let’s look at a few others pic.twitter.com/MAvHM01TcY

— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) February 20, 2023

Former Indian cricketer Akash Chopra, however, spoke up in defence of Rahul. Questioning Prasad’s motives in talking about Rahul’s statistics, the former batsman in a 12-minute video on YouTube, claimed that Prasad had initially failed to mention the numbers and statistics of other Indian batsmen, including those who could potentially replace Rahul. Chopra also stated that talking about a player during an ongoing series could cause a distraction for the team.

While Prasad and Chopra made several rebuttals to each other on social media, former cricketers have also given their opinion on Rahul’s lacklustre performance.

ALSO READ | Border Gavaskar Trophy | David Warner ruled out of remaining two Tests, likely to be back for ODIs

Former spin maestro Harbhajan Singh called for commentators to leave Rahul alone and to have faith in the batsman. “Can we leave KL Rahul alone guys? He hasn’t done any crime. He is still a top player. He will come back strong. We all go (sic) through such patches in international cricket. He is not the first one (sic) or the last one. So please respect the fact that he is our own player and have faith,” he said on Twitter.

Can we leave @klrahul alone guys ? He hasn’t done any crime.He is still a top player. He will come back strong.we all go thru such patches in international cricket.he is not the first one and last one. so please respect the fact that he is our own 🇮🇳 player and have faith 🙏

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) February 21, 2023

Dinesh Karthik, who has played with Rahul on the field, said while Rahul’s dismissal in the second Test was unlucky, his below-par performance in the last innings have brought his form into question. “He is a class player. He is very good in all formats. At this point, I don’t think it’s the technique, it’s what is happening between the ears. He might need some time away from the game. Come back fresh for the ODIs,” Kartik said on Cricbuzz.

ALSO READ | IND vs AUS Test series: Cummins had a lot to worry, forgot about bowling himself in 2nd Test: Border

“I felt bad for KL Rahul. He has been under the scanner. But one thing is for sure, KL will come back strongly and when he does, there are not too many right-handed batters who can match him with the quality and range of shots,” Kartik added.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Border-Gavaskar trophy | KL Rahul retains his place but not his vice-captaincy for the final two Test matches

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Despite failing to deliver with bat in the first two Tests against Australia, India opener K L Rahul on Sunday managed to retain his place in the Test team for the remaining two matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as the selectors announced an unchanged squad following the six-wicket win over Australia in Delhi.

With Shubman Gill warming the bench, Rahul’s scores so far in the series read 20, 17, and 1. The opener also endured a lean run in Bangladesh last year when he led the side in the two-Test series.

Also Read: Indian coach Rahul Dravid weighs in on KL Rahul’s position after India beats Australia in Delhi

Interestingly, he was the designated vice-captain for the first two Tests against Australia but no deputy to Rohit Sharma has been named for the last two games.

The third Test will be played in Indore from March 1 and the fourth in Ahmedabad from March 9.

Besides naming the Test squad, the four selectors, following the unceremonious exit of selection committee chief Chetan Sharma, also picked the team for the three ODIs against Australia beginning March 17.

Seasoned left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, who was part of the squad for the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy before being released to represent Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy final against Bengal, is back in the team for the remaining two games.

The Saurashtra skipper also finds himself in the ODI squad for the three-match series against Australia. He last played an ODI back in 2013, but the selectors have shown faith in the veteran, highlighting the lack of quality left-arm pacers in the country.

The much younger Arshdeep Singh was tried in ODIs recently but has not made the cut for the Australia series.

Star speedster Jasprit Bumrah, who has been out of action at the international level since September 2022 due to back issues and missed the T20 World Cup, Bangladesh tour and the home series versus Sri Lanka and New Zealand, is not part of either the Test or the ODI team. He is likely to make a comeback in the IPL beginning March 31.

The BCCI release also stated that Rohit will be unavailable for the first ODI due to family commitments and Hardik Pandya will lead the side in his absence.

As far as the out-of-form Rahul is concerned, head coach Rahul Dravid said that the team management would like to give him a longer run.

Following the win at Kotla on Sunday, skipper Rohit also backed the under-fire Rahul.

“Of late, there has been lot of talk on his batting. But for us as team management, we always look at the potential of any individual, not just KL. I have been asked in the past about lot of players. If a guy has potential, guys will get that extended run,” Rohit said.

“It is not just about KL, but anyone. If you look at couple of hundreds, he got outside India (England 2021 and SA 2022), one of the best I have seen from KL, especially the one at the Lord’s,” he added.

From the last ODI squad picked for the New Zealand series, Shahbaz Ahmed and K S Bharat are the expected omissions.

Ishan Kishan is the designated wicket-keeper in the 50-over squad and not Rahul, as per the BCCI release.

India’s Test squad for third and fourth Test against Australia: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.

India’s ODI squad for series against Australia: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, K L Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (Vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Jaydev Unadkat.

With PTI inputs

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IND vs AUS: Indian coach Rahul Dravid weighs in on KL Rahul’s position after India beats Australia in Delhi

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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India’s head coach Rahul Dravid has weighed in on KL Rahul’s position after India beat Australia in the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Sunday. India beat Australia by 6 wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series thereby also ensuring that the Border-Gavaskar trophy stays in India.

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There were several positives for India to take away from the convincing win in Delhi. Ravindra Jadeja, who is on his comeback trail, backed his five-for at Nagpur with the career-best bowling figures of 7/42. Axar Patel played vital innings of 74 and Ravichandran Ashwin bagged 6 wickets in the match.

Yet despite the clinical performance, there is one area of concern that the team needs to address before the third Test gets underway in Indore on March 1. It is the faltering form of KL Rahul with the bat.

Read: IND vs AUS 2nd Test highlights – India beat Australia by 6 wickets, retain Border Gavaskar Trophy

Rahul, who is also the designated vice-captain for the series, has come under severe criticism for his poor returns. After managing to score just 20 in the Nagpur Test the 30-year-old opener was dismissed on 17 and 1 in Delhi. Overall there has been a sharp decline in Rahul’s batting form with him failing to go beyond the 25-run mark in his last 10 Test outings.

Rahul also faced heat from  Venkatesh Prasad last week as well when the former Indian cricketer took to Twitter to highlight Rahul’s repeated failures while still getting team management’s support and getting a place in India’s playing XI. 

With the voices demanding Rahul be dropped for the next Test in favour of young in-form opener Shubman Gill getting louder, the Indian coach finally had his say on the matter after the proceedings wrapped up in Delhi.

Talking to broadcasters Starsports coach Dravid said: “I think he needs to trust his processes. This is just a phase, he has been one of our most successful overseas openers. He’s got hundreds in South Africa and England, we’ll continue to back him. I believe he has the quality and class to come out of this. It is great working with this unit, managing formats is the most difficult part. But there’s not a lot of technical coaching, just simple conversations and challenging them, and giving them a pat on the back when they do well.”

Although during the conversation, Dravid was nudged to give an insight into what the team management’s thoughts are regarding Rahul’s form and selection but the coach remained tightlipped. However, from what he spoke after India’s win, it looks like Rahul is going to retain his spot for the Indore Test.

Also Read: Ravindra Jadeja’s spin troubles Australia yet again as India win by 6 wickets to retain Border-Gavaskar Trophy

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Watch: KL Rahul takes a stunning one-hand catch to send back Usman Khawaja

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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K L Rahul took a stunning one-handed catch to dismiss a well-set Usman Khawaja as India piled the pressure on Australia by reducing them to 199 for six at tea on day one of the second Test on Friday.

Australia, who were at 94 for 3 at lunch, went on to lose another three wickets in the afternoon session with the opposition batters continuing to surrender against spinners.

Watch: KL Rahul’s catch to dismiss Australian opener Usman Khawaja

ICYMI – WHAT. A. CATCH 😯😯

WOW. A one-handed stunner from @klrahul to end Usman Khawaja’s enterprising stay!#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/ODnHQ2BPIK

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 17, 2023

Playing his first match of the series, Travis Head went for a slash off Mohammad Shami and a thick edge travelled quickly to Rahul, who took a sharp catch at second slip.

Rahul’s second catch to send back Khawaja (81 off 125) was the most crucial moment of the session. Having scored the chunk of runs sweeping the ball on either side, Khawaja went for the reverse off Ravindra Jadeja in the 46th over but Rahul pulled off a sensational one-handed catch at point to end his solid stay in the middle.

Follow India vs Australia 2nd Test LIVE scores here

The final wicket of the session was Alex Carey, who only lasted five balls with Ravichandran Ashwin having him caught at first slip.

Peter Handscomb (36 batting off 75) and skipper Pat Cummins (21 off 31) were in the middle at the break. Earlier, Ashwin (3/57 in 21 overs) removed Marnus Labuschagne (18) and Steve Smith (0) in quick succession despite Khawaja’s well compiled knock that had eight fours and a six over extra cover off the senior off-spinner.

This was after Khawaja and David Warner (15) added 50 runs for the opening stand as the visiting team gave a better account of themselves after skipper Cummins opted to bat first.

While Khawaja was more assertive with his footwork and started with a square driven boundary, Warner struggled a lot during the first hour.

In fact, the Kotla strip aided better bounce and carry with Mohammed Siraj bowling a brisk first spell.

While Shami erred in length during his first three-over spell from the Old Pavilion End, Siraj bowled quick and hurried both Warner and Khawaja with pace and bounce.

Warner’s slowed down reflexes caused him trouble with Siraj rattling him with quick deliveries. Warner got hit on the elbow, which required medical attention and then on the head, which needed an on-field concussion test.

Having been softened up by Siraj, skipper Rohit Sharma changed Shami’s end and brought him from the Delhi Gate side.

Having pushed him on the backfoot, Shami went wide of the crease and angled one in, forcing Warner to jab at it and the regulation catch was accepted by keeper Kona Bharat.

Khawaja, however, started using his feet against Ashwin and Jadeja and collected a few boundaries but it was Labuschagne, who got an off-break from Ashwin that beat him and DRS went in favour of India.

In case of Smith, full credit to keeper Bharat’s reflexes and technique as he kept a low centre of gravity and the nick was collected inches off the ground to unsettle Australia who had good first 90 minutes before losing track.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow