Latest news with #Bazball-inspired
Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
‘Comfort' pick 'illusionary all-rounders' under fire as India told to pick proven star before ‘reality hits on the face'
India's reluctance to include Kuldeep Yadav in their playing XI for the opening Test against England at Headingley has reignited a tactical debate. Former cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has weighed in with a sharp critique of the team's all-rounder strategy. Despite England's susceptibility to high-quality spin, India chose to leave Kuldeep out, opting instead for a combination that prioritised batting depth through the inclusion of Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur. India's Shubman Gill with head coach Gautam Gambhir during practice (Action Images via Reuters) This decision is consistent with India's approach since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia last year, where the team often leaned on the likes of Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, or Jadeja, and occasionally two of them, to provide a more robust lower-order batting core. While this might have made sense in Australian conditions that demanded pace-heavy attacks, Manjrekar believes India are falling into a trap of 'illusionary all-rounders,' players whose presence reassures batting strength but who may not offer the incisiveness needed with the ball. Against a Bazball-inspired England side that thrives on momentum and attack, Manjrekar has called for India to rethink their approach and bring Kuldeep into the mix at Edgbaston. 'It's a nice comforting feel, what I call the illusionary all-rounders. It just feels nicer having them in the team before reality hits on the face. That happened in Australia, and it's unfortunate that people think like that about Kuldeep Yadav,' Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo. "You don't actually see how a pure bowler, or a wicket-taker like Kuldeep Yadav gives the kind of advantage to the team. There's Bazball, and Kuldeep is not an easy bowler for a lot of English batters to play that kind of cricket against. 'When you have an exceptional wicket-taker... if he gets you four wickets, you get 150 runs less on the opposition's score. If you pick someone who isn't a wicket-taker and pick him for his batting skills, he might get you 1-2 wickets, plus he's never going to get you less than 150 runs.' Reliable spin option The wrist-spinner has shown the ability to extract a sharp turn even in pace-friendly conditions and has matured into a much more reliable Test option over the past year. His ability to slow down the tempo and create pressure with wicket-taking deliveries could be exactly what India need to break England's rhythm. India's bowling unit in Leeds struggled for sustained control, with only Jasprit Bumrah offering genuine penetration. With doubts over Bumrah's availability for the second Test due to workload management, the need for a frontline spinner becomes even more urgent.
India.com
30-06-2025
- Sport
- India.com
Sanjay Manjrekar Slams Shubman Gill's Captaincy After India's Headingley Test Loss, Compares Him To Virat Kohli
India's five-wicket loss to England in the opening Test at Headingley has reignited conversations about leadership style and tactical boldness in red-ball cricket. As debutant captain Shubman Gill grapples with the weight of expectations, former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar's comparison between Gill and Virat Kohli has added a new layer of intrigue ahead of the second Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham. After England chased down a daunting target of 371 on Day 5, critics were quick to question Gill's overly defensive tactics, especially in bowling-friendly, overcast conditions. Speaking on Star Sports, Sanjay Manjrekar minced no words: 'They pre-empted England's approach and had a far too defensive field. I hate to bring Kohli into it, but you can imagine Virat in that situation – he would've gone for wickets.' The field placements—often with boundary riders from the get-go—left many puzzled. With clouds overhead and the new ball in hand, India's pace attack seemed neutered by Gill's conservatism. England capitalized, scoring at a brisk pace in both innings (4.61 and 4.54 runs per over), exposing the gap between intent and execution in India's defensive field strategy. Manjrekar: Kohli Would've Attacked, Even if Risky In contrasting styles, Manjrekar highlighted Kohli's tendency to seize the moment, irrespective of the outcome. 'Kohli would've shown the opposition that he's trying to get them out. Gill is not that kind of personality, nor that kind of captain,' said Manjrekar, while acknowledging that it may be 'unfair' to pit a seasoned leader against a young debutant. Shubman Gill's Bright Start With the Bat Overshadowed by Tactical Lapses Ironically, while his leadership invited criticism, Gill the batsman showed class and composure in the first innings, scoring a sublime 147 off 227 balls. The knock placed him among the rare elite—only the fifth Indian to score a Test century on captaincy debut. However, a quick-fire dismissal for just 8 in the second innings and lack of field authority left his debut as captain bittersweet. The young skipper must now wear dual hats—lead with the bat and inspire with tactics—as India aim to square the series. Edgbaston Awaits: Can Gill Script History Where India Never Has? The second Test at Edgbaston, beginning July 2, poses a formidable challenge. India have never won a Test at the venue, losing seven of eight matches played there. The historic ground, known for pace and bounce, has been a graveyard for Indian teams of the past. For Gill, the pressure to bounce back is immense—not just to answer critics like Manjrekar, but to cement his place as a capable long-term Test leader. India's selection and strategy will be closely scrutinized, especially how they use their fast-bowling resources in Birmingham. Veteran spinner R Ashwin also weighed in post-Leeds, suggesting that Shardul Thakur should've bowled more in the first 40 overs. These miscalculations, coupled with England's Bazball-inspired aggression, exposed India's reactive mindset.
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First Post
24-06-2025
- Sport
- First Post
England vs India LIVE Score, Day 5: Rain threatens last day's play at Leeds with England needing 350 more
England vs India LIVE Score, 1st Test Day 5 (England national cricket team vs Indian national cricket team full scorecard): There are high chances of rain impacting the last day's play on Tuesday (24 June) at Headingley, Leeds, as England are still 350 runs behind the target. read more England vs India LIVE Score, 1st Test Day 5: England need 350 runs more to win but rain could play spoilsport on Day 5 in Leeds. Images: Reuters/AP IND vs ENG Test LIVE Score, 1st Match Day 5: The final day of the first Test between England and India at Headingley, Leeds, promises to be a thrilling affair. England need 350 more and still have 10 wickets in hand, but Indian bowlers will be rearing to go and make some early dent into the hosts' confidence. The weather, however, could play spoilsport as there's a strong chance of rain today (Tuesday, 24 June) in Leeds. We will bring you all the updates on our blog here. Former England cricketer blames crowd for multiple catch drops at Headingley: 'Crowd have different coloured coats on' Sunil Gavaskar wanted to do a backstand after Rishabh Pant's hundred; KL Rahul on calming him down: 'Hard to understand his mindset' The final day of the first Test match is here! England need 350 runs more to win, while India need 10 wickets. Both teams have confirmed that they will be going for a win, but rain could spoil the party. Follow Day 5 of the Headingley Test on our blog here. The live streaming of the IND vs ENG Test series is available on JioHotstar in India, while the TV broadcast is available on Sony Sports Network. We will be bringing all the live action here, so you don't need to go anywhere. England ended on 21/0 after India handed them a target of 371. Openers Zak Crawley (12) and Ben Duckett (9) will resume batting on Day 5 for the hosts. There are strong chances of rain on Day 5 (Tuesday, 24 June) in Leeds. As per Accuweather, there's an 84% chance of rain in Leeds today. It is also expected to be cold, cloudy and breezy, which will make batting difficult. There are high chances of rain interrupting the second session of play. ( READ MORE England vs India LIVE Score, 1st Test Day 5: England still need a mammoth 350 runs on Day 5 of the first Test against India at Headingley, Leeds, on Tuesday, 24 June. They finished Day 4 on 21/0 after India set them a target of 371. Rain set to impact Day 5's play at Leeds While the target in itself is daunting, England also face the challenge of possible rain delays as AccuWeather predicts 84% chances of rain in Leeds today. As per the Leeds weather forecast, we are not expecting a washout, but Day 5 could lose multiple overs. Nonetheless, England are raring to go after India suffered another batting collapse to fall from 430/4 to 471 all out in their second innings. At one stage, it seemed like England would be required to chase something over 400, but they will be happy with a target of 371. England loves playing Bazball-inspired attacking cricket and they will fancy their chances, but India would not mind the risk-taking. KL Rahul has already declared that India will be going for a win. 'Blockbuster finish waiting tomorrow. There's definitely going to be a result. That's what England have said openly and it gives us the opportunity to pick up 10 wickets,' Rahul said at the end of Day 4. All eyes will be on the support Jasprit Bumrah is provided from the remaining Indian bowlers. A poor performance similar to the first innings will make the job easier for the English batters.
