Latest news with #GroundTumharaJeetHamari
Indian Express
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Jofra and Jasprit, the speed guns without speed breakers destined to make cricket great again
England's foremost cricket pundit Nasser Hussain thinks Jofra Archer should sit out the Edgbaston Test but train with the team – bowling at nets, jogging during breaks, getting his body Test match ready. Last Sunday, Archer, England's very own Jasprit Bumrah, played a first-class game after 1,500 days. Finally, fit to play the longer format, he bowled 18 overs for Sussex and got a wicket. If you are a 150kph bowler with a sparkling red-ball history that was enough to get a Test recall. But Hussain advises caution, he wants Archer to press restart at Lord's, ironically the Test Bumrah is expected to return to, after his likely miss of the second Test that starts on July 2. At the Home of Cricket, the two diehard Test cricket lovers will terrorise batsmen and for once the lopsided bat-versus-ball contest will be even. Bumrah and Jofra have lost out a lot because of their passion and commitment towards Tests. They could have taken the easy way out, like many of their contemporaries who just focused on white-ball cricket, cut down on workload and earned a lot. But they haven't. Jofra sacrificed money, Bumrah the captaincy. When Jofra was recalled, BBC spoke to his close friend Saqib Mahmood. The two had roomed when they were dealing with similar injuries. 'With Jof the easiest thing for him to have done is just gone purely white ball. He'd have been financially better off and had all of that. But I could always tell he wanted to play Test cricket. I just knew it,' Mahmood said. During the Headingley Test where he took five wickets, Bumrah, at a press conference, expressed his angst when asked about the constant speculation about his injury-ridden future. It's where India's MVP, a captaincy candidate till as recently as the Border Gavaskar Trophy at the end of last year, dropped a line that was about his regret at not being able to be India's long-term captain. It was a rare slip by the guarded professional who weighs every word he utters in public and even maintains a happy expression and positive tone when talking about 'dropped catches.' 'Mann tha, karna bhi tha, but Indian cricket se upar kuch nahi hai. (I wanted it and could do it but there is nothing bigger than Indian cricket),' he said, explaining how the high probability of missing games due to his workload saw him step back. He said it wouldn't be fair to the team, if they can't play all the Tests as it would impact continuity. Can we declare Jasprit Bumrah a national treasure already? 😅 #SonySportsNetwork #GroundTumharaJeetHamari #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia — Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 22, 2025 Fast bowlers, the ones putting their body on the line to pursue real speed, are a different breed. Always risking career-threatening injury, they are known to live on the edge. They are cricket's fighter jocks, the proud men who walk around the dressing room with a swagger. The team's popular stars, the batsmen keep a distance from them, but they know their importance. In contrast, the pacers mock the team's star batsmen, they are to them what boyband artists are to hardened rock stars. Even when Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were in the team, no one fooled around with Bumrah. Jofra's mate Mahmood says there are a few no-go areas for him too. While the two trained, they would keep comparing his calf muscles. Jofra would have a retort that only those in 'Club 150' could possibly offer with a comeback line. 'What's the fastest you have bowled?' In a game in the early part of IPL, Jofra, turning up for Rajasthan Royals, took a serious beating. Against SunRisers Hyderabad, he went for 76 in four overs. It proved to be the most expensive IPL spell. Ishan Kishan and Travis Head were responsible for the nightmarish figures. 90 seconds of Jofra Archer being absolutely RAPID 🔥 Happy birthday, @jofraarcher 🎂 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) April 1, 2024 RR coach, the Kiwi speedster Shane Bond, saw how the game impacted Jofra. 'There's no doubt he was hurting a bit. I think that's a credit to how quickly he bounced back. He got back to the training ground, trained brilliantly, was really focused and knew what he wanted to do and had to do,' Bond told the BBC. By the end of the season, that spell was forgotten as Archer ended with 11 wickets. Bumrah too doesn't take injudicious batting adventurism kindly. In the 2024-25 BGT, the young Aussie opener Sam Konstas, their Ishan Kishan, riled Bumrah with his batting bravado. By the end of the tour, the Aussies were rethinking their opening options. The uncertainty over the fitness, and at times even about their pace, has resulted in the two getting targeted by fans. There was a time when it was said that Bumrah would miss India games because of his health but would get magically match-fit during IPL. Jofra too faced taunts during his long recovery and rehabilitation when ECB stood by him. There were comments that Jofra was on the longest paid holiday. Though, used to such sly sledges, there comes a point when it hurts. 'You try to not let it get to you but you can ignore 100 of them but sometimes that 101st is the straw that breaks the camel's back,' he once said. But Jofra would take criticism as motivation. Something that even Bumrah too is good at. Though the pacer now has legions of fans and is considered the team's rare match winner, his every injury coincides with some doomsday prediction. Bumrah, the other day, laughed at the regularity with which he gets written off. 'Everybody is free to write whatever they want. It doesn't matter to me. If those thoughts come into my mind, I will start believing it. I get dictated by what I believe in,' he says. 'I have played cricket on my belief since people have said 'no' to me all my life. First they said you wouldn't be able to play, next they said you will play for 6 months, after 8 months … now I have finished 10 years of international cricket.' And then he would get philosophical, he talks about barkat – the divine favour. 'I prepare the best I can and after that I leave it to the almighty. My barkat will decide how much I play,' he said. Here's hoping Lord's extends divine favour to the two men working towards making Tests great again.
India.com
3 days ago
- Sport
- India.com
'1 minute mei 3 baal daal sakta hai kya?': Rishabh Pant challenges Mohammed Siraj, pacer fumes at Zak Crawley after failing challenge
Mohammed Siraj And Rishabh Pant New Delhi: In the first session of Day 5 of the Headingley Test, there was a lot of drama (over) in the last over. When Mohammed Siraj took over, Rishabh Pant told the pacer to bowl three balls within a minute. When Siraj failed to thrash the challenge though, he lost his temper and became defensive against the English batsman. It may be curious to know what then did take place. In fact, there were few minutes left to the finish of the first session (approximately a minute). Siraj had bowled three deliveries so far in the over, now there were three left. Pant wanted Siraj to hurry-up with his over so that Bumrah could start with the last over of the session to give better opportunity of getting a breakthrough just before the lunch break. In this regard, Pant issued a challenge to Siraj and told him to face the last three deliveries of the first ball in one full minute. Zak Crawley however threw the plan off track and Siraj did not finish the challenge. Rishabh Pant challenged DSP Siraj to bowl three balls within one minute and the latter failed. Siraj was angry at the failure of the challenge and so he also berated England batter Zak Crawley because the latter was the cause of not meeting the deadline. Primetime ft. Rishabh Pant! #SonySportsNetwork #GroundTumharaJeetHamari #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings | @RishabhPant17 — Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 24, 2025 Challenge unfinished, DSP Siraj loses his cool Siraj was also rushing through his run up in an attempt to deliver three balls in one minute. But, as he prepared to finish the over, Zak Crawley suspiciously withdrew towards the crease on seeing something in motion somewhere at the sightscreen, which he feared might distract him as he turned to confront the ball. This audacious action by Crawley got Siraj angry and he began to exchange few words with the England batter in anger. Siraj didn't spare the other batter either Siraj was also involved in a fiery tussle with Ben Duckett at the other crease after he lashed his frustration on Zak Crawley. After Siraj's over was finished, the umpire declared time off the session and the lunch was announced. Siraj was seen enraged at Crawley with his time wasting tendency as it was considered to have cost India a win just before halftime.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
KL Rahul Calls The Shots In Field Setting Even With Shubman Gill On Field vs England. Internet Says, 'Captain'
KL Rahul took a proactive role on the field on the final day of the first India vs England Test in Leeds. Even as England openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley looked like taking the game away form India, Rahul, according to several reports, took over the mantle of setting the fields though captain Shubmna Gill and vice-captain Rishabh Pant were on the field. Notably, Rahul is the senior-most member of the current Indian team after the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He could also be seen giving pep talk to the team. — Atharb Media (@MediaAtharb) June 24, 2025 If you see the field now you will find out who is doing captaincy, it's KL Rahul. - Naser Hussain — DIGITAL SPORTS (@gyanudatt8) June 24, 2025 #SonySportsNetwork #GroundTumharaJeetHamari #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings | @KLRahul @prasidh43 — Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 24, 2025 Talking about Day 5, Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur pulled India back into the mix by scything wickets in quick succession to perfectly poise the final session with England 102 runs away from victory, while the tourists' six scalps away from robbing the hosts on day five of the opening Test at Headingley on Tuesday. After the end of the second session, England put 269/4 on the board, with Root and captain Stokes unbeaten with scores of 14(31) and 13(17), respectively. India had its moments with Prasidh and Shardul's whirlwind, but England maintained its position in the driver's seat with a flurry of runs to stay at the top. Duckett and Zak Crawley continued to switch through gears, adding to the mounting woes of a beleaguered Indian team. Jasprit Bumrah looked ineffective, Mohammed Siraj struggled to ask the right questions, and Prasidh Krishna remained in the hunt for his lost rhythm. However, India orchestrated a late comeback with Prasidh and Shardul's moments of magic. Crawley bid his time with patience and pushed the ball for a single to bring up his hard-fought fifty. It was the first instance of both opening batters hitting 50-plus scores in the fourth innings of a Headingley Test. The duo went on to raise an unbeaten 156-run partnership, the highest opening partnership in the fourth innings of a home Test for England, surpassing 154 between Geoffrey Boycott and Mike Brearley against Australia in Nottingham in 1977.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
'Just Lord Things': Shardul Thakur Takes Two In Two To Give India Glimmer Of Hope vs England. Watch
England opener Ben Duckett bossed a lacklustre Indian attack smashing a fine century as England inched closer towards victory despite losing four wickets with a session's play left in the opening Test here on Tuesday. In pursuit of a target of 371, Duckett flayed Indian bowlers to score 149 off 170 balls as England reached 269 for 4 at tea with only 102 runs required in the final session on the fifth day. Joe Root (14 batting) and skipper Ben Stokes (13 batting) with a cumulative experience of 266 Test appearances between them will need to put the finishing touches in the final session. Left-handed Duckett did survive a quality morning spell from Jasprit Bumrah (0/55 in 16 overs) but stuck to his strengths with amazing conviction, laying a foundation for victory with a 188-run opening stand alongside Zak Crawley (65). The rain break in the post-lunch session did help India as Prasidh Krishna (2/69 in 11 overs) after a disappointing morning session spell came back strongly getting Crawley with an outswinger that was fished to KL Rahul in the slips and then first innings centurion Ollie Pope (8) got a sharp incoming delivery that breached his defence. Once he changed to a fuller length from his natural back of length strategy, he got the wickets but by then it was a bit late. Despite the twin blows, Duckett continued his offensive batting style to keep England's nose ahead before the start of the post-tea session. For India, Bumrah bowled a probing first spell but there was no support from the other end. Mohammed Siraj (0/45 in 13 overs), and Shardul Thakur (2/28 in 6.3 overs) bowled enough boundary balls to let England off the hook. Duckett's game is based on simple hand-eye coordination as there was hardly any footwork. The 30-year-old mostly remained rooted to his crease and tried playing forward or square of the wicket depending upon the length. He played late and that gave him time to punish Bumrah as well during the subsequent spells. Duckett was dropped by Yashasvi Jaiswal off Siraj much to the frustration of the bowler. When Jadeja bowled, Duckett would reverse sweep him for good measure as there was not much help off the surface. If one reverse sweep was hit behind the square and went for boundary, the other one was even more audacious and over extra cover for a six. Not playing a spinner of Kuldeep Yadav 's calibre came back to haunt India. If India would have expected that the quick wickets would push Duckett on the defensive, they were mistaken as he continued to cut, pull and sweep with utter disdain. However it was Shardul, India's forever lucky charm, who bowled two poor deliveries back-to-back but to everyone's surprise was able to remove Duckett and Harry Brook (0) to keep visitors interested. Just things... Shardul Thakur pulls India right back into it! #SonySportsNetwork #GroundTumharaJeetHamari #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings | @imShard — Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 24, 2025 While Duckett uppishly drove a half volley to Nitish Reddy in the cover region, Brook clipped a delivery on fifth leg-stump as Rishabh Pant took a smart catch down the leg side.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
" Tameez Se...": Rishabh Pant Frets Over Playing Defensive Shot, Does The Unexpected On Next Ball
Four days into the first Test between India and England, Rishabh Pant 's batting and antics have kept fans glued to their TV screens. The India vice-captain slammed a brillaint 127 in the first innings, only to follow it up with a record-breaking 118 in the second innings. No matter what the situation is, Pant only knows how to play in his usual flamboyant style. And why shouldn't he? majority of his 3,000 plus Test runs, including eight centuries, have been built around that template. Apart from his batting, Pant has also entertained the fans with his antics on the stump mic. In one such incident, Pant was miffed himself after he missed a delivery while trying to play it with respect. " Pakki hui ball, tameez se khelne ke chakkar main choot rahi hai (I am missing a loose delivery in order to defend it)," Pant was heard as saying on the stump mic. On the very next ball, he charged down the ground and smashed Chris Woakes for a four in trademark Rishabh Pant style. Give us a day full of stump mic Pant, we won't complain! #SonySportsNetwork #GroundTumharaJeetHamari #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia | @RishabhPant17 — Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 23, 2025 On Day 4, KL Rahul and Pant struck fine centuries before India were all out for 364 in their second innings. England, requiring 371 to win the series opener, were 21 without loss at stumps, needing another 350 runs to take lead in the five-match series. Resuming the day on 90 for two, India lost skipper Shubman Gill early but the duo of Rahul (137 off 247 balls) and Pant (118 off 140 balls) added 195 runs for the fourth wicket to put their team in a position of strength at Headingley. However, both batters got out in their quest to add some quick runs to the tally and set England a stiff target in the fourth innings. Pant became only the second wicketkeeper in the game's history to score hundreds in both innings of a Test match en route to his 118, an innings that was studded with 15 fours and three sixes.
