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Hindustan Times
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Jasprit Bumrah responds to Sunil Gavaskar's ‘please please please play all 5 Tests' request: ‘That is a conversation…'
It has already been made clear that Jasprit Bumrah would be playing just three Tests in the five-match series against England, owing to workload management. However, his performance in the first innings of the first Test in Headingley, Leeds, against Ben Stokes and co has resulted in several pundits asking him to reconsider his decision and play all the matches to give India the best chance of registering their first series win in the UK since 2007. Jasprit Bumrah responds to Sunil Gavaskar and Cheteshwar Pujara's request to play all five Tests against England. (HT_PRINT) In the first innings, Bumrah emerged as the lone warrior once again as he returned with five wickets to help India bundle out England for 465. As a result, the visitors gained a lead of six runs. Bumrah's figures would have looked all the better had slip fielders held on to their chances. Ahead of the start of play on Day 4, Jasprit Bumrah spoke to Sony Sports Network, where he interacted with the presenter and his wife, Sanjana Ganesan. Also Read: IND vs ENG Live: KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant keep England bowlers at bay It was then that she put forward the request of Sunil Gavaskar and Cheteshwar Pujara in front of Bumrah. 'There is a request that has come from upstairs from Cheteshwar Pujara and Sunil Gavaskar,' she told Bumrah. 'Don't shoot the messenger. I am just telling you, quote-unquote, 'Jasprit, please play all five Tests, please, please,'' she added. Jasprit Bumrah responds to the request The No.1-ranked Test bowler did not give a clear answer to this request as he ended the conversation in his own simple and candid manner. 'That is a conversation we will have on another day,' said the pacer. The Indian pace sensation played all five Tests against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, he suffered a back spasm in the final Sydney Test, and this resulted in him missing three months of competitive cricket. He also missed the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025, which India won. Ahead of the England series, chief selector and Bumrah himself confirmed that the speedster would not be playing all five Tests as the focus remains on managing his workload and keeping him fresh. Bumrah returned with the figures of 5/83 in the first innings as he returned with the wickets of Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Chris Woakes and Josh Tongue. He was the only pacer who was able to curb the run flow, as others, such as Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, ran at a brisk pace. Earlier, England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and opted to bowl. India posted 471 in the first innings owing to centuries by Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant. India's lead has now extended beyond the 150-run mark, and the first Test hangs in the balance with all possible results.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Confident Steve Smith relishing Lord's reunion
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 10: Steve Smith of Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground on June 10, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images) By Charlie Bennett at Lord's The Home of Cricket is where the heart is for Steve Smith, and the batting great believes Australia's excellent Lord's record puts them in a strong position for the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025. Advertisement Australia defend their title against South Africa from Wednesday, and they could not have hand-picked a better venue outside of their home country. Traditionally, Australia have always thrived at Lord's. They have won two of their last three Test matches here and were unbeaten between 1934 and 2009 – a run of 18 Tests. Add to that, they have won seven of their last 10 ODIs since 2005. As you would expect for a player with 36 Test centuries and an average of 56.74, Smith has an excellent Lord's record as well. He scored a double-century in an Ashes Test 10 years ago, and 110 in 2023, helping him to 525 runs in total and an average of 58.33. Indeed, he is just 51 runs away from becoming the highest-scoring overseas player in Lord's history – an honour that currently belongs to his countryman Warren Bardsley, who last walked through the Long Room with pads on 99 years ago. Advertisement So, it is no wonder Smith – relaxed and refreshed after a three-month break from cricket – is in a confident mood. 'We have been training really well, the last week or so,' he said. 'The batters feel like they are in a good place, now we will go out and play. We have very fond memories of the World Test Championship Final from down the road at The Oval. 'Coming here to Lord's, it's a place we have traditionally played good cricket so we are excited about the prospect of facing South Africa here. 'The Dukes ball is a bit different to what we have with our home and away games most of the time, but we are excited about this contest.' Advertisement Breaking the habit of a lifetime, Smith has downed tools since the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025, where Australia lost in the semi-finals to India. Even in his time off, he normally keeps a bat close at hand so he can practice in the mirror. But this time, he opted for a clean break and peppered his social media channels with updates of his life in New York City with wife Dani. At 36, Smith is refusing to look too far into the future and has previously conceded this may well be his last appearance at Lord's – with Australia not due to play here again until 2027. Still, with four Test hundreds in his last eight innings, he remains one of the best players in the world, and so it is no surprise that, when he picked up a bat again last week, things immediately clicked into place. Advertisement And it is a good thing it did. South Africa boast one of the best bowling attacks in the world, led by Kagiso Rabada – second in the ICC Men's Test Bowling rankings – and Marco Jansen, and Smith admits he and his fellow batters will be under pressure. 'Us batters have our work cut out,' he said. 'They're a good side, they're here for a reason. South Africa have been a good cricket side for a long time. 'I have had a good break, had a couple of months off, and had a first hit the other day, and it has clicked into place. 'It is a nice place to bat, I have had some success. It takes time to get used to the slope, but you get value for shots, especially hitting down the hill. Advertisement 'It can be nice to hit on. It can be tricky when it moves around, batting here is about playing what is in front of you. 'Spin will play a big part as the game goes on as well. It is dry, there has not been too much rain, it does look dry, and I think spin will come into it.' Smith has seen it all and won it all too. A world champion in all three formats, he admits Australia's 2023 World Test Championship success ranks as high as any other. 'It was right up there to win it,' he said. 'It was great to win a Test Champ final, and be back here to defend our crown. We have had a good team for four years now and we're desperate to defend it.' © ICC Business Corporation FZ LLC 2025
Int'l Cricket Council
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Int'l Cricket Council
Confident Smith relishing Lord's reunion
The Home of Cricket is where the heart is for Steve Smith, and the batting great believes Australia's excellent Lord's record puts them in a strong position for the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025. Australia defend their title against South Africa from Wednesday, and they could not have hand-picked a better venue outside of their home country. Traditionally, Australia have always thrived at Lord's. They have won two of their last three Test matches here and were unbeaten between 1934 and 2009 – a run of 18 Tests. Add to that, they have won seven of their last 10 ODIs since 2005. As you would expect for a player with 36 Test centuries and an average of 56.74, Smith has an excellent Lord's record as well. He scored a double-century in an Ashes Test 10 years ago, and 110 in 2023, helping him to 525 runs in total and an average of 58.33. Indeed, he is just 51 runs away from becoming the highest-scoring overseas player in Lord's history – an honour that currently belongs to his countryman Warren Bardsley, who last walked through the Long Room with pads on 99 years ago. So, it is no wonder Smith – relaxed and refreshed after a three-month break from cricket – is in a confident mood. 'We have been training really well, the last week or so,' he said. 'The batters feel like they are in a good place, now we will go out and play. We have very fond memories of the World Test Championship Final from down the road at The Oval. 'Coming here to Lord's, it's a place we have traditionally played good cricket so we are excited about the prospect of facing South Africa here. 'The Dukes ball is a bit different to what we have with our home and away games most of the time, but we are excited about this contest.' Breaking the habit of a lifetime, Smith has downed tools since the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025, where Australia lost in the semi-finals to India. Even in his time off, he normally keeps a bat close at hand so he can practice in the mirror. But this time, he opted for a clean break and peppered his social media channels with updates of his life in New York City with wife Dani. At 36, Smith is refusing to look too far into the future and has previously conceded this may well be his last appearance at Lord's – with Australia not due to play here again until 2027. Still, with four Test hundreds in his last eight innings, he remains one of the best players in the world, and so it is no surprise that, when he picked up a bat again last week, things immediately clicked into place. And it is a good thing it did. South Africa boast one of the best bowling attacks in the world, led by Kagiso Rabada – second in the ICC Men's Test Bowling rankings – and Marco Jansen, and Smith admits he and his fellow batters will be under pressure. 'Us batters have our work cut out,' he said. 'They're a good side, they're here for a reason. South Africa have been a good cricket side for a long time. 'I have had a good break, had a couple of months off, and had a first hit the other day, and it has clicked into place. 'It is a nice place to bat, I have had some success. It takes time to get used to the slope, but you get value for shots, especially hitting down the hill. 'It can be nice to hit on. It can be tricky when it moves around, batting here is about playing what is in front of you. 'Spin will play a big part as the game goes on as well. It is dry, there has not been too much rain, it does look dry, and I think spin will come into it.' Smith has seen it all and won it all too. A world champion in all three formats, he admits Australia's 2023 World Test Championship success ranks as high as any other. 'It was right up there to win it,' he said. 'It was great to win a Test Champ final, and be back here to defend our crown. We have had a good team for four years now and we're desperate to defend it.' ENDS
Hindustan Times
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Jasprit Bumrah's role in Cameron Green's recovery from career-threatening injury: 'He was in the middle of a Test match'
Cameron Green is back. After having undergone back surgery last year, Green is now fully fit and fine and raring to go in the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa. The Australia all-rounder lends a great deal of balance to the side, and his inclusion will give the defending champions a major shot in the arm. Ahead of the WTC final at the Lord's Cricket Ground, Green revealed how he received a message from India pacer Jasprit Bumrah, just the night before he was supposed to go for the back surgery. Bumrah reached out to Green midway through India's three-match Test series against New Zealand. It must be mentioned that the India speedster underwent the same procedure 18 months earlier. The Australia all-rounder stated how a message from Bumrah acted as the ultimate reassurance. The India pacer has had his fair share of back injuries. Earlier this year, he had suffered a back spasm during the Sydney Test against Australia, which kept him out of competitive cricket for close to three months. Due to this injury, Bumrah also missed the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025. Green played for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2023 season. However, he was unable to share the dressing room with Jasprit Bumrah as the pacer was injured and missed the entire season. 'That is really special. And makes you feel a lot better about it. I didn't play with him in Mumbai, but that was the connection through there. Spent a bit of time with him there,' Green told Cricbuzz. "To get someone like him to reach out and then to watch him during the summer, to see how good he is obviously post-surgery, filled me with a lot of confidence," added the 26-year-old. Also Read: Ricky Ponting supports Jasprit Bumrah exclusion, calls BCCI's decision 'spot on' Speaking about Green, the all-rounder was traded ahead of the IPL 2024 season, and he then represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). However, he missed the latest edition of the tournament after undergoing surgery. Australia had won the second edition of the WTC after beating India in the final at the Oval, London. Pat Cummins will now look to defend their crown when they take the field against South Africa at the Lord's Cricket Ground. The match will be played from June 11-15 with June 16 acting as a reserve day. This is the first time that South Africa have qualified for the WTC final. Cameron Green has been out of action for more than six months. He had also missed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India, which Australia won 3-1. "The times when you see the guys celebrating in the dressing room or just having a really good day, knowing the type of feeling you'll have is what makes you want to be there. But at the same time, there were moments when I definitely went 'Jasprit looks pretty good'," said Green. India might have lost the series but Jasprit Bumrah emerged as the standout performer, claiming 32 wickets in the five-match series.
Hindustan Times
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Mitchell Starc breaks silence on not returning for IPL upon resumption: 'I took similar decision for CT 2025 in Pakistan
Australia pacer Mitchell Starc finally broke his silence on not returning to India for the remainder of the IPL 2025 season once it resumed after a one-week suspension. The rising cross-border tension between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack led to the 18th edition of the T20 tournament being suspended for one week. However, a ceasefire declaration paved the way for the competition to resume. While most of the foreign stars returned for the remainder of the league, Australia's Mitchell Starc and Jake Fraser-McGurk, who both represented Delhi Capitals, did not. While speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Starc said that he had his concerns and questions, and he felt it best not to make the trip to India for the remainder of the tournament. He said he took a similar decision regarding the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 which was played in Pakistan and Dubai. Australia played all their games in Pakistan, apart from the semi-final against India. "I'm comfortable with my decision and how I felt about the whole situation and how it was handled. That's why I made my decision post-that, and my focus changed to red-ball cricket for about a week prior to coming over here. Time will tell with repercussions or how it looks with guys that didn't return. But I've had my questions and concerns leading into that game, and obviously, we saw what happened, which played a part in my decision," said Starc. Also Read: Mitchell Starc liked bowling to Virat Kohli. He hung it outside off "There was a little bit of that to my decision around the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. And then once the tournament was delayed you start to think about guys' preparation for the Test match," he added. Mitchell Starc was a part of the Delhi Capitals' playing XI when the contest against Punjab Kings was called off midway in Dharamsala due to an air raid warning. The entire stadium was vacated. Delhi Capitals' players then spent "six hours in a car and six hours on a train" to get back to their base. Mitchell Starc and his wife, Alyssa Healy, flew back to Australia immediately once the tournament was suspended. "Things were handled differently for different players and different teams, the guys up in Dharamsala, the Punjab guys were part of that, and while both teams had similar experiences up there, all those guys returned for Punjab, and Jake Fraser-McGurk and I chose not to. So it was a very individual decision, and I'm happy to live with whatever comes of that," said Starc. The left-arm pacer, who was one of the best performers for Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2025, said he remains committed to the franchise. 'I'm still heavily committed to the Delhi group, and I'm not someone that's gone into tournaments and pulled out after being picked up in an auction or whatever that looks like. These are different circumstances," said Starc. 'It was more a question of not having enough information leading into making a decision about things of that degree. I had a discussion back home, then came to a decision, and whatever comes from that, I'm comfortable with that, and we move forward," he added.
