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NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Sunil Gavaskar Brutally Mocks Ben Stokes Over Ravindra Jadeja Handshake Row: "Talk Is Cheap..."
Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar has fired fresh shots at Ben Stokes and the England team, following the aftermath of the handshake controversy that unfolded during Day 5 of the 4th Test in Manchester last week. After India batted more than five sessions to take England's win out of the equation, Stokes tried to persuade Ravindra Jadeja to shake hands and call it a draw, but the latter refused to do so, triggering the former and his teammates. Stokes also taunted Jadeja and Washington Sundar if they will score their centuries against part-timers Harry Brook and Joe Root. Now, Gavaskar has called out Stokes and his men over their hypocrisy, recalling an incident from the Edgbaston Test, which India won earlier this month. "At one of the media conferences after the defeat in the second Test in Birmingham, some England players, trying to be funny, asked why India set them a target of over 600. They even went so far as to say that India were scared they'd chase anything above 450. The fact is, when they were on a high from scoring piles of runs on flat tracks and fast outfields in Pakistan, they even boasted ahead of the India tour last year that they could chase down 600. Well, talk is cheap, and when given the chance to put their money where their mouth is by chasing over 600 in Birmingham, they ended up losing by 336 runs. Yes, they didn't even get to 300 while boasting of chasing over 600," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar. Gavaskar insisted that scoring a Test century is not easy, and had he been the captain of India, he would've asked the batters to play out the remaining overs. "They made sarcastic remarks about the batters, who were in their 80s, getting to their centuries off the bowling of a batter. What they overlooked was the hard work and resilience the batters had shown against frontline bowlers for over four hours to reach the 80s. If they wanted a hundred for their efforts, England should have denied them with proper bowlers rather than whining about them getting there against Harry Brook. A Test century isn't easy and doesn't come every match, so the batters were fully entitled to bat on and reach their personal landmarks - which they eventually did. If I were the captain, I'd have told them to keep batting and play out the remaining overs, tiring out the fielders even more - especially after the shenanigans by the English players once their offer was declined," he added.


India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Will Jasprit Bumrah Play IND vs ENG 5th Test? Heres What We Know
In a move that has shocked Indian cricket fans ahead of the high-stakes final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the fifth Test against England at The Oval. The decision, guided by the BCCI medical team, aims to preserve Bumrah's back and long-term fitness, even as India trail 1-2 in the five-match series. Also Read: Happy Birthday Heinrich Klaasen: Meet His Stunning Wife Sone Martins Who's Been His Rock Off The Field Bumrah, who had already missed the second Test at Edgbaston — which India won convincingly — has bowled a total of nearly 120 overs in the series, including a grueling 33-over spell at Old Trafford. Despite being India's joint-highest wicket-taker in the series with 14 scalps, concerns over his pace drop and workload prompted the BCCI to pull the plug on his participation in the decider. Akash Deep Likely to Return: A Second Chance at Redemption Bumrah's absence opens the door for Akash Deep, who impressed with a stunning 10-wicket match haul at Edgbaston earlier this month. That game marked his comeback to Test cricket after a prolonged layoff, and he grabbed the opportunity with a career-best 6/99 in the second innings. However, the promising seamer faltered at Lord's, managing just one wicket while conceding over 120 runs. With the pitch at The Oval expected to offer some movement early on — and recent domestic stats showing 131 of 150 wickets going to fast bowlers — Akash Deep's return could prove vital. The 28-year-old looked sharp in India's optional net session on Tuesday, seaming the ball appreciably on green practice strips. With conditions expected to aid swing early in the Test, Akash's ability to exploit lateral movement might make him a handful for England's top order. Siraj's Burden Grows as India Juggle Bowling Options With Bumrah out, Mohammed Siraj becomes the linchpin of India's pace attack. Siraj, the only Indian seamer to play all four Tests so far, has bowled 139 overs and shown no signs of fatigue, but the management will remain wary of overworking him. India now face the challenge of finalizing their third seamer. Options include Prasidh Krishna, who has been out since the second Test, and Arshdeep Singh, who appears to have recovered from a freak hand injury. Shardul Thakur and Anshul Kamboj, both underwhelming in Manchester, remain on the fringes. Kuldeep Left in the Cold Again? India Stick With Jadeja-Sundar Spin Duo Despite growing calls for Kuldeep Yadav to feature in the XI, India may stick with their tried-and-tested spin pair of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. The Oval's pitch — with green patches and predicted overcast conditions — seems better suited for seamers, further pushing Kuldeep out of contention. The move also adds depth to India's batting, with Sundar capable of playing a handy role down the order. With Rishabh Pant ruled out, Dhruv Jurel will take up the gloves and middle-order duties, though his inexperience in English conditions adds an element of risk. India's Final Test Gamble: Can Gill and Gambhir's Men Level the Series? Captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir face a tactical test of their own. The team's balance has been under scrutiny throughout the series, and with the Oval pitch favouring seam, India's hopes now rest on Siraj replicating his consistency and Akash Deep rediscovering his Edgbaston magic. With England leading 2-1 and the final Test commencing on July 31, India must win to avoid a series defeat and salvage pride in this closely contested tour. The absence of Bumrah — India's most lethal weapon in red-ball cricket — adds to the challenge, but also sets the stage for a new hero to emerge.

Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Nathan Lyon roasts Ben Stokes and England after handshake tantrum against India: 'Don't let them get a century'
Ahead of the fifth and final Test match of an enthralling Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, discussions have been dominated by conflicts and contentious moments between India and England. The drawn fourth Test in Manchester was perhaps the peak of this, as English captain Ben Stokes found himself at loggerheads with the Indian team and media for his behaviour and his actions. Ben Stokes finally shakes hands with Ravindra Jadeja after a contentious end to the Manchester Test.(Action Images via Reuters) While handshake-gate has become a matter of great discussion and debate online, most cricket fans seem to be on the side of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar for staying on-field to try and reach their milestones. Stokes has become a pantomime villain for many due to his and his team's comments made at Old Trafford, opening up opportunities for a laugh to be at his expense for some. One of these included a player from England's eternal rivals, as Nathan Lyon was on hand to make a smart remark that very easily broke down the antics on show and called England out for their behaviour in Manchester. 'Get them out. Don't let them get a hundred,' said Lyon straightforwardly and brutally, while speaking at a media interaction for the Big Bash League's Melbourne Renegades. Stokes, along with players such as Harry Brook and Zak Crawley amongst others, caught a lot of fire for trying gamesmanship after offering India the draw on Day 5 evening. England have been called out for their moral grandstanding on the pitch, with it being pointed out that India's batters were in the right to try and achieve their milestones. 'Don't want to watch what happens in Manchester…' Lyon also shared his two cents on the nature of the pitches being created in England, with the Old Trafford surface in particular coming under fire for seeing only 24 wickets in five full days of play. Lyon explained how more balanced wickets are crucial for the health of the sport. 'It's always been a great competition between bat and ball and that's the way Australia's produced wickets like that… That's the way cricket should be, you want to see competition between bat and ball," said Lyon. 'I think that's crucial, and all the fans, that's what they want to see, they don't really want to watch what happened over in Manchester last week.' England currently lead the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-1, but India have the chance to share honours with a win at the Oval this week.