Browsing: batters

South African captain Temba Bavuma (R) during the 1st Test match against India. (ANI Photo) KOLKATA: Temba Bavuma wishes that some day, he will get to play on the fifth day of a Test match in India. However, if someone can jog the South African skipperâ€s memory, Bavuma might just recollect that the first two Tests he played in India — in New Delhi in 2015 and Vizag in 2019 — both went into the fifth day. South Africa lost those two. The two that followed in the 2019 series saw them lose inside four days. Now, of course, comes the Eden Gardens stunner, which finished inside three days, with Bavuma leading the side to a historic win.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Simon Harmer, the 36-year-old off-spinner who had played just 12 Tests since his debut in 2015 till the Eden game, might have been the architect of this win with eight wickets in this match, but it was Bavuma who actually set it all up with a remarkable innings that was like a masterclass in how to play on a turner. “It wasnâ€t a wicket you couldnâ€t bat on,†India coach Gautam Gambhir would say later. “Bavuma showed how to do it.â€

Supporters react to India’s shocking defeat at Eden Gardens: What do the fans think?

So, what was the difference between him and the others, given that the Indian batters have grown up on wickets that provide turn? Perhaps it boils down to patience and application. Bavuma stressed that his strength was his defence. That would mean waiting for the right ball to hit. With less than seven sessions into the game, Bavuma knew he had no need to hurry, in contrast to the Indian batters, who seemed to be in a rush to finish things off.

Poll

How do you assess the pitch conditions at Eden Gardens for the Test match?

Dhruv Jurel was brilliant in the run-up to this game, scoring two centuries in the ‘A†game in Bengaluru. He barged into the team riding his form. But when it mattered most, his performance left a lot to be desired. If he could be excused for being beaten in flight in the first innings, his dismissal in the second innings came about because of lack of patience.“Sometimes you get frustrated when runs are not coming,†South Africa coach Shukri Conrad said. “Bavuma doesnâ€t always mind these frustrations,†he chuckled.Jurel perhaps did and his 13 off 33 balls could have been playing on his mind when he saw an opportunity to add a few more. Even Rishabh Pant, an extremely talented batter, does not believe in sticking around. An excellent defensive block off Harmer was followed by an attempt to swat the ball away, only to misjudge the flight. With Shubman Gill out injured and KL Rahul back in the hut with almost nothing on the board, someone had to stay put with Washington Sundar. The latterâ€s credentials in Test cricket are yet to be firmed up and he would have benefitted by having Pant at the other end.Talking about the conditions, the Eden track left a lot to be wanted. Almost everyone who played on it spoke of the uneven bounce. Harmer even referred to the inconsistent turn, even though he seemed to benefit from it the most.Although Gambhir said this was just the kind of pitch they wanted, very few were actually happy with it. The wicket hadnâ€t been watered for four days, allegedly on the Indian teamâ€s insistence. Tiny clouds of dust late on the second day every time the ball landed showed it was breaking up faster than presumed.

Source link

India vs West Indies (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) NEW DELHI: The Indian bowling unit demonstrated resilience on a challenging sub-continental pitch, positioning India close to achieving a 2-0 series sweep against West Indies on day four of the second Test. India needs 58 more runs on the final day, having reached 63 for 1 at stumps while chasing 121.The Indian bowlers collectively bowled for 118.5 overs in the second innings. Jasprit Bumrah took 3/44, Kuldeep Yadav claimed 3/104, Ravindra Jadeja picked 1/102, Mohammed Siraj grabbed 2/43, and Washington Sundar secured 1/80.West Indies were bowled out for 390, setting India a target of 121 runs to chase in the remaining 18 overs of day four.KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan remained unbeaten on 25 and 30 respectively, playing cautiously after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s dismissal for 8 runs.Siraj’s crucial breakthrough with the second new ball, followed by Kuldeep Yadav’s effective spell against the lower-middle order, helped India gain momentum in the post-lunch session.John Campbell scored 115 runs from 199 balls while Shai Hope made 103 from 214 deliveries. Their 177-run partnership for the third wicket showcased West Indies’ fighting spirit.Jayden Seales contributed 32 runs and Justin Greaves remained unbeaten on 50, putting together a 79-run stand for the final wicket to extend the match to day five.The West Indies team managed to score two centuries, forcing India to bat again in the match.All Indian bowlers contributed effectively with timely wickets throughout the innings.The Indian bowling attack persevered through long spells across both innings despite conditions that weren’t favourable for either spin or pace bowling.The Feroz Shah Kotla pitch remained unresponsive even on day four.While the low bounce of deliveries contributed to West Indies batsmen’s dismissals, their shot selection was largely responsible for their downfall.The match proceedings became so repetitive that broadcast coverage shifted focus to discussing the upcoming ODI series against Australia.John Campbell achieved his first Test century in 25 matches with a six off Ravindra Jadeja over cow corner.The flat pitch made it comfortable for batsmen to handle spin bowling until Campbell’s unfortunate dismissal through an ambitious reverse sweep, confirmed leg-before by DRS.Campbell’s wicket didn’t immediately impact the West Indies’ momentum as captain Roston Chase scored 40 runs and partnered with Hope for a 51-run fourth-wicket stand.The match seemed to be heading towards a challenging fourth-innings target for India.However, after the 80th over, Bumrah and Siraj used the new ball effectively, troubling Hope with short-pitched deliveries despite the unresponsive nature of the pitch.

Source link

With Steve Smith at number four and Travis Head at five, Australia look to have a solid and stable engine room.

However, they are yet to find an established number three who can soak up pressure or build on a dominant foundation.

After a run-laden start to his career, Labuschagne, 31, appears to have dropped out of favour, though a good start to the domestic season could change his fortunes.

McSweeney, who made his Test debut as an opener against India last winter before being replaced by Konstas, appears the man the selectors fancy given he batted there in the recent India A series.

The 26-year-old right-hander impressed in the second of the two-match series, which India won 1-0, with scores of 74 and 85 not out.

He could, of course, be considered as an opener too. That would open the door for the likes of Marcus Harris, who scored more than 1,000 runs for Lancashire in the second division of the County Championship this summer at an average of 60.

Perhaps the most likely candidate to step up is all-rounder Cameron Green, which would allow Australia to also play Beau Webster at six – boosting their seam-bowling options and taking some of the pressure off the likes of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who may all be playing their final Ashes series.

Green, 26, averaged more than 50 in 2024 and is approaching his best years with 32 caps to his name.

“I think Cameron Green is an amazing cricketer,” said Campbell. “Once he starts bowling again, he adds another dimension for Australia.”

Green batted at first drop in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s, and then in three Tests against West Indies this summer.

On difficult pitches, he impressed in the Caribbean, passing 40 in three of his five innings.

If we look at individual batting records in the Sheffield Shield last summer on Test grounds in Australia (Adelaide Oval, Gabba, MCG and SCG), 32-year-old Kurtis Patterson (383 runs at 63.8) stands out for runs scored, with the highest average belonging to Queensland’s uncapped left-hander Jack Clayton (285 runs at 71.3).

It all adds up to an intriguing few weeks in Australian domestic cricket, and when Australia’s white-ball team face New Zealand and India. Follow the action via BBC Sport’s scorecard service here.

Source link

Darren Lehmann has vowed to revamp Northamptonshire’s struggling County Championship side next season, saying his players “batted like drunks” on…

Shubman Gill showed respect to Abhishek Sharma’s father by touching his feet (Image credits – Pratyush Raj/TimesofIndia.com) On the eve…