Latest news with #Fab4
India.com
04-07-2025
- Sport
- India.com
IND vs ENG: Harry Brook surpasses Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, becomes...
Harry Brook. (PIC - X) New Delhi: Although the battle is going on between two teams on the Edgbaston pitch, at the same time, there is a competition going on which will be seen dominating the world cricket in the coming days. This is a matter between two such young batsmen who will later cement their place in the Fab 4. It is also a strange coincidence that on the same pitch on which Shubman Gill won the hearts of cricket experts by scoring a double century, Harry Brook's uproar surprised everyone. How did Harry Brook perform? England star Harry Brook performed brilliantly in the second Test between India and England and scored his 9th Test century. After falling behind by 88/5, Brook along with Jamie Smith launched a brilliant counter attack at Edgbaston. 24-year-old Brook, who was out on 99 at Headingley, this time tried to reach three figures in Birmingham and that too in a very aggressive manner. Be it spin or pace, Brook did not let any bowler dominate him. What was England's reply? Harry Brook, who came in to bat at 25/3 in reply to India's 587 in the India vs England Test at Birmingham, ensured that England stayed in the match. Brook was nervous initially but grew in confidence. After the departure of Joe Root and skipper Ben Stokes, the 24-year-old Brook was tasked with rescuing England from danger. And he did so in style. The England star ripped apart the Indian attack in his own special way. Despite Smith being out of control at the other end, Brook plundered 172 runs in just 27 overs in the first session on the third day. Brook eventually completed his century off 137 balls and shared a 200+ run partnership with Smith. What things did Harry Brook achieve at Edgbaston? The big innings against India at Edgbaston was the 9th Test century of Harry Brook's career, in which he scored in his 27th Test and has an average of a century every 3 Tests. The 24-year-old is the third fastest player to score 9 Test centuries for England, achieving this feat in just 44 innings. He has also become the fastest player in terms of strike rate to reach 2500 runs in Test cricket. He has achieved this feat in just 2,832 balls at a strike rate of 88.84. Rishabh Pant, one of the most destructive Test batsmen, has a strike rate of 74.03. Seeing Gill and Brook batting at Edgbaston, one thing is clear in the coming days, these two batsmen will rule world cricket.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli: Tale of two farewells
Case 1– James Anderson, the legendary fast bowler from England and one of the finest bowlers in the history of red ball cricket, announced his retirement from international cricket at Lord's in July 2024, following the first Test of England's home summer series against the West Indies. In a subsequent interview, Anderson revealed that he was given the option to conclude his Test career prior to the summer or to have a farewell match against the West Indies at the Home of Cricket. English team management made it clear that he would not be able to participate in the upcoming winter Ashes series. Anderson recognized that the decision was challenging but accepted the natural evolution of the team. He made his announcement in May and retired in July. Case 2– In November 2024, Tim Southee, who holds the record as New Zealand's leading wicket-taker in international cricket across all formats, declared his intention to retire from Test cricket at his home ground in Hamilton in December 2024. He achieved a total of 776 international wickets, the highest for any New Zealand bowler. At Hamilton he received a proper farewell. Case 3- On Instagram, on the evening of May 7, Rohit Sharma shared: 'Hello everyone, I would like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket.' Case 4- After five days on May 12, Virat Kohli bid farewell to the format, announcing his retirement on social media after a distinguished 14-year journey. Both these legends of Indian cricket walked away from the longest version of the game, within a week from one another. They leave an enormous hole and raise some serious questions around the kind of Test team India can field over the five critical Test matches in England. Virat Kohli scored 30 Test hundreds and was right up there with the Joe Roots, Steve Smiths and Kane Williamsons – dubbed the 'Fab 4'. File photo of Indian cricketer Virat Kohli (Pic credit: AP) These retirements highlight one significant disparity. The BCCI does not adequately honour its players' contributions by failing to arrange comparable farewells. Whether by choice or circumstance, both Anderson and Southee concluded their careers with a memorable farewell match. Cricket Australia also organized a heartfelt send-off for David Warner, while Indian cricket legends did not receive similar recognition. Ravichandran Ashwin retired during the Australian series, and in the past several senior players, including VVS Laxman, Virendra Sehwag, and Harbhajan singh, have also stepped away without such tributes. The BCCI's selection committee frequently emphasizes future strategies and team transitions over acknowledging past achievements. For instance, in the case of Rohit Sharma, selectors were reportedly reluctant to keep him as captain due to his subpar performance in red-ball cricket, opting instead to develop a younger leader for the upcoming Test cycle. This strategy may result in sudden retirements without the chance for a formal farewell. Critics contend that the BCCI often lacks effective communication with players regarding their futures, resulting in retirements that seem abrupt or ill-timed. However, this issue appears to be more systemic within the cricket board. File photo of Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma (Pic credit: AP) The questions on Rohit's Test future had started swirling after he was dropped from India's Playing XI in the fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney. It signalled a shift in team dynamics and the beginning of Gautam Gambhir era where the coach will have full control over the dressing room. No doubt, both Kohli and Sharma experienced a dip in form during the 2024–25 seasons. Their performances led to increased scrutiny and discussions about their future in the Test format. Some reports also suggest that the BCCI had already decided to move on from Rohit as captain, leaving little room for a planned farewell. While, Virat Kohli's Test retirement has been described as a personal decision, but some reports also claim the BCCI pushed him toward it. It is also possible that both players may have preferred a quiet departure to avoid the fanfare and media attention. But in both the cases one thing is clear – communication gap. In the past, numerous legendary players, including MS Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, R Ashwin, among others, did not have the opportunity for appropriate farewell matches. Even Gautam Gambhir, the current coach of the Indian team, experienced a similar situation. The pressures of selection or indications from selectors regarding a player's future may have prompted these veterans to retire unexpectedly. Players also bear some responsibility for not coordinating their retirements to facilitate farewell opportunities. The lack of communication between selectors, BCCI officials and senior players has been a recurring point of friction. VVS Laxman case is a typical example. VVS Laxman chose to retire immediately despite being selected for a Test series, turning down the opportunity to play a farewell match in front of his home crowd. Reports suggested that unclear or insensitive communication from selectors contributed to his abrupt decision to retire, possibly because he felt hurt by how the situation was handled. File photo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma (Pic credit: PTI) Unlike Cricket Australia or England Cricket Board, the BCCI hardly organises farewell matches. The only exception was the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar in 2013 after his 200th test match and that was because of his big stature and public pressure. In the case of MS Dhoni it is said that the BCCI wanted to give a proper farewell but Dhoni wanted a low-key exit. Comparing Indian cricket's treatment of retirees to other nations' practices highlights a poor show from the BCCI. BCCI, the richest cricket board in the world, definitely lacks a formal, transparent policy for handling player farewells. This is one area where the BCCI could improve its performance. Farewell is an emotional and legacy driven gesture for the past contributions and everyone deserves a dignified send-off. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
India Today
15-05-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma retirements: No need to panic, says Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar feels that there is no need to panic about the Indian Test team after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirements from the longest format of the game recently. Kohli and Rohit, who have been two pillars of the Indian Test team, announced their decision to step away from the format just ahead of the England has left two big holes in the Indian batting order, with one of the openers and No.4 spot being vacant. Speaking in a video on his Instagram account, Manjrekar said that there will be a sense of panic at the moment but pointed out how India bounced back from the retirement of the famous fab 4 of Indian cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly former cricketer pointed out that India became the No.1 team in Tests after the retirement of the fab 4 and feels that as long as there is talent coming in, the side will be in a good place. "I know there'll be a few fans concerned. There was a sense of panic when the fab 4 quit all at the same time, but guess what? A couple of years later, India was the number one test team in the world.""So, as long as I believe in this very strongly, as long as the sport is popular in India and there are enough young players, youth, desperate to play for India, and there are thousands in India, which means anybody who sort of comes through that kind of a grind has to be quality talent," said Manjrekar. advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaysphotos)'India will continue to be one of the top teams in the world'Manjrekar went on to say that the team will discover new stars and bowlers and continue to be one of the top teams in the world. However, Manjrekar said that time will be needed with the up and coming side as batting in overseas conditions has been an issue for a long former cricketer also said that the new team will have nothing to lose."So yes, it will take a bit of time, but let's not panic. Remember what happened after Fab 4, the Indian bowling quality improved. The same could happen here as well. You'll discover new stars and new bowlers, and India will continue to be one of the top teams in the world. Then you need some time. Because in overseas conditions, batting is very important and that is where our current fragility lies.""But guess what? There's another way to look at this current Indian team, where Rohit and Virat Kohli were part of the Indian team. India lost 3-0 at home against New Zealand and lost poorly, badly in Australia as well. So guess what? With this team, we just have to play nothing to lose. All the best New India," said InMust Watch
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'It was not acceptable to him...': Nasser Hussain offers new insight into why Virat Kohli quit Test cricket
Virat Kohli's retirement from Test cricket has definitely left fans and the other members of the fraternity disappointed; hence, since the day he announced the news, people have been speculating about various angles behind his retirement. Most recently, former England captain Nasser Hussain shared a fresh angle on the other anticipated reasons behind King Kohli's retirement from Tests. On Monday, Kohli bid farewell to the format and announced his retirement after a spectacular 14-year journey. While, according to Hussain, Kohli had a massive impact on the game. Well, Kohli's retirement announcement came just days after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket. Both the cricket icons were the pillars of Indian cricket who stepped away from the longest format within a week of each other, leaving behind a huge void in the team just ahead of the five crucial Test matches against England. Nasser Hussain's theory behind Virat Kohli's retirement Virat Kohli, who concluded his career as India's fourth-highest run scorer in the Tests with a scorecard of 9,230 runs from 123 matches, leaves an enduring legacy as both a player and a captain. During his leadership, India saw a success of 40 wins out of 68 Test matches and achieved the top position ranking with an impressive 42 months. Well, while speaking on Sky Sports Cricket, Hussain shared, "I have been a massive Virat Kohli fan over the last 14 years—his stats speak for themselves—but he was so much more than that. It was his aura, swagger, and passion." "We know Indian cricket fans, and the game means so much to them. They want their captain to show them what it means to the team, and no one embodied that passion for cricket in India more than Kohli," he added. Why did Virat Kohli retire, according to Nasser? According to Nasser, Kohli gave a stellar performance for 30 Test centuries and stood shoulder to shoulder with the other icons, including Joe Root, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson, and the quartet of which was known as the 'Fab 4.' He went on to say that it was not acceptable to Kohli to just be a 'normal cricketer' and that may have played a major role in deciding to call it quits, just 770 runs shy of 10000 Test runs. "Kohli's aura, passion and swagger transformed Indian cricket" 🙌Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton react to the news of Virat Kohli's retirement on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast 🗣️ 'He is the ultimate winner; he sees the end goal as a win, and he is desperate for that. Everything for Kohli is about winning. Why do you think he's so good in run chases? He can't go on the field and not be a hundred per cent; he can't ever go, 'I'll just do my best today," he added. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.
