Injury woes, players leaving for national duty could spell trouble for RCB
With the IPL set for a restart from May 17 after cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan eased, RCB, which has three games remaining, can seal playoffs qualification with a win over Kolkata Knight Riders this Saturday.
But injuries, coupled with players going away for national duty, have put a giant spanner in the works, for as many as five first-choice players could miss the business end of RCB's campaign.
For a side that has already lost No. 3 batter Devdutt Padikkal to a hamstring injury, there are question marks over the fitness of star bowler Josh Hazlewood and captain Rajat Patidar.
Hazlewood skipped the win over Chennai Super Kings on May 3 because of a shoulder niggle, but the 34-year-old was named on Tuesday in Australia's 15-man squad for World Test Championship final against South Africa from June 11.
Patidar, who was injured while fielding against CSK and briefly went off the field for treatment, did not bat in the practice session ahead of last Friday's game against Lucknow Super Giants, which was eventually cancelled. With India set to tour England from mid-June for a five-Test series, and an India-A shadow tour also planned, Patidar's health will be closely monitored.
The English duo of Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell left the country on Saturday, but with England set to commence its home ODI series against West Indies from May 29 — the same day the IPL playoffs begin — and the T20Is from June 6, it remains to be seen if the two return.
West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd, who starred in the narrow two-run win over CSK, is part of the roster that is set to face Ireland from May 21. West Indies did not qualify for the 2023 World Cup and these matches assume importance as the two-time champion looks to avoid a repeat.
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Hindustan Times
16 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Gill and the fire that burns deep within
It was just over six months ago that Shubman Gill paid the price for not making the most of his starts in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He was dropped from the playing 11 for the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the head-down trudge off the ground even before the warm-ups ended on Day 1 had spoken of a fire that burned deep within. India captain Shubman Gill. (AP) There was disappointment. It hurt. This wasn't something he wanted to understand. But when asked about it, all he had done was smile. Now, playing at a venue where India have never won, Gill did more than just grab his chance. His 269 (387 balls, 30x4, 3x6) was the cornerstone around which India's massive total of 587 runs was built. It is the highest score by an Indian in England, surpassing Sunil Gavaskar's majestic 221 at the Oval in 1979. It is also the highest score by an Indian captain in Tests, surpassing Virat Kohli's 254* against South Africa in 2019. In reply, England reached 77/3 at close of play. The hosts still trail by 510 runs. For most of the innings, Gill had just smiled. When he was beaten, when he was forced to scramble, when he was joined by Ravindra Jadeja (89) in the middle with India on 211/5 but it was only when he got to the milestones did the fire burst out onto the surface. Usually, he just bows to the crowd. But here he let all the pent-up emotion out when he reached his century and then the double. He wanted this more than anything else and sometimes that is where it all begins. Gill seemed unflappable. A calm presence in the middle that is perhaps only distinguished by the sound of the ball hitting his bat. It is that sound that he was looking for in Australia but it is only now, in England, that he has found it again. The Indian Premier League helped. He scored 650 runs at an average of 50.00 and came into England in a good frame of mind. But the thing that has stood out the most in his batting in England has not been the shots but the defence. He looked to play everything right under his eye... as late as possible and the start to the innings had a very measured tone to it. While Yashasvi Jaiswal went for his shots, Gill took his time and the tight defence allowed him to do that. It also made the England bowlers look rather helpless. On a wicket like this, the bowling side have to keep plugging away and hope the batters make a mistake. But while many of India's batters did that, Gill simply didn't bite. The knock will also ensure that Gill's away Test record won't be questioned for a long time and that, in turn, should make him an even more confident skipper. There are some who might say that this is a flat track and they aren't wrong but how many of the other Indian batters truly made the opportunity count? Not alone Gill, however, didn't do it alone. He found an able ally in Jadeja, who showed why he is the world's top allrounder once again and then in Washington Sundar. The 203-run stand between Gill and Jadeja, followed by the 144-run stand between Gill and Washington helped India take complete charge of the match. The original definition of an allrounder is a player who would get into the team either as a batter or a bowler. But these days we have batters who can bowl and bowlers who can bat. Jadeja, however, fits the original definition to the T. He averages 34.75 with the bat and 24.54 with the ball — just the numbers alone place him among India's best batters and bowlers. Nothing bits and pieces about that and there are no caveats there either. The last time he played at Edgbaston, he had scored a century (104 off 194 balls) and this time, he got close again. His consistency is what sets him apart and that is something Washington would love to incorporate into his game. Not yet an allrounder in the Jadeja mould, Washington has shown over the course of his short career that he certainly has the batting chops. His 42 (103 balls) ensured that India's innings didn't come to an abrupt end as it did twice in the first Test and that allowed the visitors to put up a total that will allow their bowlers to keep attacking for the rest of the match. As if to make that point, Akash Deep picked up two wickets in two balls to peg England back right at the start of their innings. Mohammed Siraj followed it up with one of his own. Perhaps watching Gill made England think it was easy but Test cricket rarely ever is.
Hindustan Times
17 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Shubman Gill gets 'Indian Rolls-Royce' crown, draws awe for ruthless hunger to join Sachin, Kohli as India's next 'GOAT'
Shubman Gill scripted history on Thursday by becoming the first Indian skipper to score a double century in England. The 25-year-old stamped his authority over England with a 269-run knock to put India in the driver's seat. Shubman was under the scanner as a batter before the start of the series, but the added captaincy responsibility has worked well in his favour. Shubman Gill etched his name in history books on Thursday with a double ton.(@BCCI X) The talented batter is finally making a mark in red-ball cricket, silencing his critics with consecutive centuries on English soil. His double hundred at Edgbaston was a breakthrough moment — not only easing the mounting pressure on him but also firmly establishing his credentials as a worthy successor to Virat Kohli at the crucial No. 4 spot. With these standout performances, he's proving that he belongs at the highest level and is ready to shoulder greater responsibility. Former India pacer Varun Aaron was also highly impressed with Gill's showing total control in a knock of the highest quality, comparing the Indian skipper to Rolls-Royce. "He's just a brilliant player. In a land where they produce all the Rolls-Royces, we saw an Indian Rolls-Royce operate. So smooth, didn't give them a single chance in 269 runs. Generally when someone plays that many balls in a place like England, you definitely see a few chances go down, you see a few loose shots," Aaron said on ESPNCricinfo. His marathon knock of 269 from 387 deliveries, laced with 30 boundaries and three sixes, drew admiration from both teammates and opponents alike. Several England players walked up to congratulate him, while the Edgbaston crowd rose to their feet, offering a well-deserved standing ovation for the masterful innings. Aaron talked about Shubman's mindset and said he wants to be the greatest Indian batter like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, and he is working towards it. "Just shows his mindset and composure and it just shows that Shubman Gill wants to be the greatest batsman India has ever seen. That's how he's operating," the 35-year-old further added in praise of the elegant batter. 'Shubman Gill will be disappointed, he didn't get a triple hundred' Meanwhile, the former Indian paceman asserted that Shubman would not be happy after missing a chance to score a triple century. "He'll be disappointed that he didn't get a triple hundred. He was looking so good. Very soft dismissal. I was really rooting for him to get a bigger hundred. We were all talking about daddy hundreds and Gill getting a big one. It really looked like he was digging deep to get one of his big scores - did get his biggest score," Aaron commented.
First Post
17 minutes ago
- First Post
Gill Gets Booed By English Fans, Faces Heat From Experts
Gill Gets Booed By English Fans, Faces Heat From Experts | First Sports With Rupha Ramani | N18G
