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United News of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- United News of India
Shastri reveals KL Rahul's technical tweak that has led to run streak
London, July 19 (UNI) Former India head coach Ravi Shastri foresees Indian opener KL Rahul scoring more tons in the longest format. Among the key contributors with the bat for India in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship series against England has been opener KL Rahul. With 375 runs from three Tests, which includes two centuries and a half-century, Rahul is the fourth-highest run-getter in the series so far. Rahul's recent exploits have earned him plaudits from the former India head coach Ravi Shastri. Speaking to the in the latest edition of The ICC Review, Shastri backed the experienced opener to continue delivering. 'I think there was not one person in the world who denied his potential and said that he [Rahul] was not talented,' Shastri said. 'What annoyed people was, with that kind of talent, he was not delivering. And in this series, you're seeing the best of Rahul,' he said. Shastri went on to point out a technical tweak Rahul had done to enable this form. 'What I am seeing is a slight adjustment he's made with his front foot, in his stance and while defending,' Shastri said. 'It just opened up a bit, which allows his back to come through cleanly. Even when he's hitting it towards mid-wicket, it's the full face of the blade," Shastri said. 'He doesn't need to close the face of the blade, and fall over and get into trouble like he used to in the past. He would get out leg before, would get out bowled, he would get across too far and then be out leg before as well," Shastri said. 'He is sound technically, he has been as good as anyone. Especially, it's not moved a lot in the series, but when it's moved, he has had the game to look after that movement,' the former head coach said. KL Rahul's recent form has seen him amass the joint second-highest tons for India in Tests in England (four) after Rahul Dravid (six). At 33, Shastri believes the seasoned campaigner is hitting his peak in red-ball cricket, marking the beginning of what can be an extended period of dominance with the bat. 'He's at his prime. He has got to make these next three, four years count,' Shastri said. 'And I see him getting a lot of hundreds because he's playing a lot of cricket in India as well. So whatever that average is, he should be close to 50,' he added. Rahul currently has 3632 runs, averaging 35.3, with 10 hundreds and 18 half-centuries. The fourth Test between England and India will begin at Old Trafford, Manchester on July 23. UNI BM
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: 'What annoyed people was ...' - Ravi Shastri decodes KL Rahul's technical tweak behind red-hot Test form
NEW DELHI: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has lavished praise on opener KL Rahul, crediting a subtle technical tweak as the key behind the right-hander's run-rich form in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship series against England. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With 375 runs from three Tests — including two centuries and a half-century — Rahul has been one of India's standout performers and sits fourth on the list of top run-getters in the series so far. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. Speaking on The ICC Review with Sanjana Ganesan, Shastri acknowledged Rahul's immense potential and stated that fans were frustrated in the past not because of his lack of talent, but because he wasn't delivering consistently. Sachin Tendulkar's first international hundred: The Farokh Engineer connection, bbq and a swing! "I think there was not one person in the world who denied his potential and said that he [Rahul] was not talented," Shastri said. "What annoyed people was, with that kind of talent, he was not delivering. And in this series, you're seeing the best of Rahul." Poll Do you think KL Rahul will maintain his form in the upcoming matches? Yes, definitely No, he might struggle It's hard to say Shastri pointed out that a small adjustment in Rahul's front-foot stance has unlocked greater consistency and technical assurance. "What I am seeing is a slight adjustment he's made with his front foot, in his stance and while defending," he explained. "It just opened up a bit, which allows his bat to come through cleanly. Even when he's hitting it towards mid-wicket, it's the full face of the blade." The tweak has helped Rahul avoid past pitfalls — especially falling over and getting trapped leg-before or bowled. "He doesn't need to close the face of the blade and fall over and get into trouble like he used to in the past," Shastri added. Exclusive | First look of the Old Trafford pitch With four centuries now in Tests in England — joint second most by an Indian after Rahul Dravid (six) — Rahul, at 33, is entering a critical phase of his Test career. "He's at his prime. He has got to make these next three, four years count," said Shastri. "I see him getting a lot of hundreds... that average should be close to 50."
Int'l Cricket Council
2 days ago
- Sport
- Int'l Cricket Council
Shastri reveals KL Rahul's technical tweak that has led to run streak
Among the key contributors with the bat for India in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship series against England has been opener KL Rahul. With 375 runs from three Tests, which includes two centuries and a half-century, Rahul is the fourth-highest run-getter in the series so far. Rahul's recent exploits have earned him plaudits from the former India head coach Ravi Shastri. Speaking to Sanjana Ganesan in the latest edition of The ICC Review , Shastri backed the experienced opener to continue delivering. 'I think there was not one person in the world who denied his potential and said that he [Rahul] was not talented,' Shastri said. 'What annoyed people was, with that kind of talent, he was not delivering. And in this series, you're seeing the best of Rahul.' Shastri went on to point out a technical tweak Rahul had done to enable this form. 'What I am seeing is a slight adjustment he's made with his front foot, in his stance and while defending,' Shastri said. 'It just opened up a bit, which allows his back to come through cleanly. Even when he's hitting it towards mid-wicket, it's the full face of the blade. 'He doesn't need to close the face of the blade, and fall over and get into trouble like he used to in the past. He would get out leg before, would get out bowled, he would get across too far and then be out leg before as well. 'He is sound technically, he has been as good as anyone. Especially, it's not moved a lot in the series, but when it's moved, he has had the game to look after that movement.' KL Rahul's recent form has seen him amass the joint second-highest tons for India in Tests in England (four) after Rahul Dravid (six). At 33, Shastri believes the seasoned campaigner is hitting his peak in red-ball cricket, marking the beginning of what can be an extended period of dominance with the bat. 'He's at his prime. He has got to make these next three, four years count,' Shastri said. 'And I see him getting a lot of hundreds because he's playing a lot of cricket in India as well. So whatever that average is, he should be close to 50.' Rahul currently has 3632 runs, averaging 35.3, with 10 hundreds and 18 half-centuries. The fourth Test between England and India will begin at Old Trafford, Manchester on 23 July. The ICC ReviewICC World Test Championship, 2025/27News
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Konstas in limbo as Australia set to stick with Khawaja for Ashes
Konstas' case is less convincing after a return of just 50 runs from six innings at an average of 8.33, including two ducks. The 19-year-old is expected to play at least three Sheffield Shield matches for NSW before the first squad is picked ahead of the Ashes opener in Perth on November 21. 'We're open to all options in terms of the way we're going to stack that up [opening spot],' McDonald said. 'With that comment, it's probably going to create even more debate as to what's happening, but we see [Konstas] as a player we use going forward. It's just a matter of when. 'I think it was a difficult time for Sam. He'll take away some information that will accelerate his growth. By him playing Test cricket I think has been a massive positive. I don't think anyone is damaged by being exposed to Test cricket. 'I think it leaves him where everyone else is in terms of Shield cricket at the start of the season. We're not going to shy away from the fact that [competition] will be big for certain individuals to go about their work and put scores on the board and look at what we need for England.' McDonald said Konstas was aware of technical improvements he needed to make. The coach did not elaborate on what those were. 'There's no doubt he's got some things to work on, like all our players do,' McDonald said. 'He is a highly talented player.' For the second summer in a row, Australia's top order remains unsettled. Nathan McSweeney was picked for last year's Test opener against India but dropped after three matches. 'It feels as though we'll still be a little bit unsettled in terms of what our combinations look like at the top of the order with the way performances have gone here,' McDonald said. 'In saying that, there is a lot of cricket still to come to gather that information. Shield cricket feels like it is going to be the same as the start as last year, where the microscope will be there for certain individuals. ' That game [in Kingston] moved way too fast and at times didn't even look like cricket. If you can give me a good form line on what that looks like for the first Test in Perth, you're a better man than I.' Ponting has also given his verdict on Australia will line up for the Ashes. 'I think the Ashes line-up is going to be like it is right now,' Ponting told The ICC Review. ' You keep your fingers crossed and hope that those guys can get the job done at the start.' 'I'm not going to make any really harsh judgement calls on Sam yet because it was hard work for every batter in that series, there's no doubt about it. [I] think they have to stick with him for a period of time and help him work through these deficiencies that he might have or might not have.' McDonald also praised Cameron Green's performance at No.3 and said his bowling loads may be reduced if he retains that role. 'Would that look like slightly lower bowling loads across a summer? Potentially,' McDonald said. 'That team might look like [Beau] Webster and Green in it, which will be a debate moving forward. Beau Webster is holding his own as a batter only. He's almost made an art of it in first-class cricket.' McDonald also explained Nathan Lyon's omission, which came as a shock to the veteran off-spinner, as Scott Boland was given the nod for a pink ball Test under lights and Australia skittled the West Indies for 27 in the second innings. 'Any time you are delivering that news to a player, it's a difficult moment,' McDonald said. 'I don't think he would have seen it coming. We got to a position where we had no other way to go in our minds. It made perfect sense and once we explained that to Nathan, [there was] buy in. There was disappointment, but he got straight back into what he needed to do. Loading 'That cricket was borderline impossible to play at some stages. Some of those balls from Mitchell Starc, the way the ball behaved under lights … it's a bigger call for what the pink Dukes [ball] looks like for Test match cricket. '[Boland] is a humble champion. He keeps delivering. I'm sure there will be some pressure on us to select him at some stage during the summer. I wouldn't like to be the selector on duty at the MCG, that's all I'll say.'
News18
3 days ago
- Sport
- News18
'Sachin Was Not Able To Cope...': Ponting Recalls Moment When He Realised Starc Is 'Extra Special'
Last Updated: Mitchell Starc's remarkable 6/9 spell in his 100th Test against West Indies prompted Ricky Ponting to recall Starc's 2012 spell to Tendulkar. Starc also reached 400 Test wickets. Mitchell Starc, the left-arm fast-bowling spearhead, delivered a remarkable spell in his 100th Test against the West Indies. This performance prompted legendary Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting to reminisce about Starc's memorable spell to Sachin Tendulkar in Perth in 2012, which hinted at his destined greatness. In the pink-ball Test in Jamaica, Starc claimed a career-best five-wicket haul in just 15 balls, ending with figures of 6/9 as the West Indies were bowled out for 27, the second-lowest total in Test cricket history. Ponting recalled how Starc, in only his third Test, kept Tendulkar under control by targeting his shoulder during the second innings of the WACA Test in 2012. 'I remember, he was bowling a spell to Sachin Tendulkar and was able to sort of bowl a short one, get up under Sachin's armpit and Sachin just sort of knocked one into short leg on the leg side. 'And when you could see that sort of pace and bounce and have someone like Sachin not be able to cope with it, I think that was the reassurance for all of us that there was probably something extra special there for Mitchell Starc," said Ponting on The ICC Review show. 'He's got better and better. Like skill-wise and mentally, I think he understands his body and game probably better than ever, especially in the last couple of years. 'He's added a couple of different skills, maybe in the last two or three years, that don't seem like massive things, but he's sort of incorporated that three-quarters seam, that wobble seam delivery that's just made his in-swing a little bit more potent and given him more variation. 'A lot of that physical stuff has never been questioned with him. It's been spoken about a fair bit this week. He's made a lot of decisions to give himself the best opportunity for a long-term international career. When I say decisions, I mean by standing out of different IPL tournaments at different times when he's had bigger international commitments coming up," elaborated Ponting. He concluded by noting the small but meaningful routines Starc has developed over the years to keep himself focused while bowling. 'When I talk about working out his own game, you've probably seen it and heard about it in the past, but he wears a bit of tape on his, I think it's his right wrist, his non-bowling hand. 'And he's just got a couple of words, which is just a reminder for him of what he has to do and how he has to think about it mentally. So those little things, I think, are things you learn along the way with more experience. 'He's physically going along as well as ever. He's always had those little niggles like all fast bowlers do, but he finds a way to push through them. He plays games out with niggles, and that's why he's standing there now with 400 Test wickets next to his name," he said. With IANS Inputs view comments First Published: July 18, 2025, 14:29 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
