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“We all are really desperate because we have only been prepping mentally,” says Shubman Gill

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2020As the Indian contingent of the Kolkata Knight Riders set-up reached the UAE and settled into their team base at an Abu Dhabi hotel, Dinesh Karthik, the captain, promised “to give it all” despite the players – like others from India and many other parts of the world – not having played any competitive cricket in recent memory.”This IPL will be different. What has happened in the world has pained us deeply and it is surely a challenge to play cricket. But we understand that when we play the game, we bring happiness to our fans,” Karthik was quoted as saying by the Knight Riders website. “Yes, there will be a bio bubble. Yes, we haven’t played or trained extensively for the last few months. Yes, the road ahead may be full of obstacles. But we promise to give it all.”There will not be any practice sessions straightaway, as the squad complies with the quarantine requirements and SOPs and protocols put in place by the IPL Governing Council, but the players sounded gung-ho about getting down to business at the earliest opportunity.”Initially, it was very tough to adjust when the lockdown was imposed, because we were unable to practice outdoors. But I am completely ready now,” left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav said. “In fact, I will be happy if there is a match in the next seven days! I can’t wait to get back in action.” “I think we all are really desperate (to play) because for a long time, we were in our houses and we have only been prepping mentally. We all are really excited. I’m very excited to go out there and express myself,” Shubman Gill, the 20-year-old batsman who coach Brendon McCullum has marked as a part of the leadership group in the team, said.The IPL will start on September 19, with last year’s finalists Mumbai Indians, the defending champions, and Chennai Super Kings facing off, but the final list of fixtures, to be played in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, has not been made public yet.

Quinton de Kock opts out, replaced as Kites captain by Temba Bavuma

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2020On the eve of the 3TC tournament in Centurion, Reeza Hendricks has replaced Heinrich Klaasen as the Kingfishers’ captain after the organisers lent their support to the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Kagiso Rabada was originally named captain of the side, but had to pull out following the death of a family member.”The decision came after organisers recognised and acknowledged the importance to walk the talk in matters of transformation and taking the lead from Cricket South Africa’s own policies and firm stance and support of the Black Lives Matter movement,” a CSA statement said.ALSO READ – FAQs: What to expect as 3TC makes its debut“It is important to stand by our convictions and to set the right example in everything we do,” CSA acting CEO Dr Jacques Faul said. “Cricket South Africa stands for equal opportunity and showcasing our country’s talent and its diversity.”On the morning of the match*, it was also announced that Quinton de Kock, captain of the Kites squad, would not be taking part in the game because of “unforeseen personal circumstances”. He was replaced in the team by 24-year-old batsman Ryan Rickelton, and Temba Bavuma was appointed team captain.After Lungi Ngidi threw his weight behind the anti-racism cause, Rudi Steyn, Pat Symcox and Boeta Dippenaar took issue with his statement on social media, sparking a big debate. Several prominent current and former South African players of colour have since backed the BLM movement. On Friday, Faf du Plessis also joined the movement, indicating that he, along with Dwaine Pretorius, will take a knee during the 3TC game on Saturday.Rassie van der Dussen, Anrich Nortje and Marizanne Kapp were other members of the white Afrikaans cricket community in South Africa to publicly support the anti-racism cause.Squads:
Kingfishers: Reeza Hendricks (captain), Heinrich Klaasen, Janneman Malan, Faf du Plessis, Thando Ntini, Gerald Coetzee, Glenton Stuurman, Tabraiz Shamsi. Coach: Mignon du PreezKites: Temba Bavuma (captain), Jon-Jon Smuts, David Miller, Dwaine Pretorius, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Anrich Nortje, Ryan Rickleton. Coach: Wandile GwavuEagles: AB de Villiers (captain), Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Andile Phehlukwayo, Bjorn Fortuin, Junior Dala, Lungi Ngidi. Coach: Geoffrey Toyana

Glenn Maxwell has been suspended for disciplinary reasons for the second time in a year after Victoria sanctioned him for failing to appear at a recovery session following the Bushrangers’ victory against New South Wales on Sunday

Daniel Brettig19-Oct-2015World Cup-winning allrounder Glenn Maxwell has been suspended for disciplinary reasons for the second time in a year after Victoria sanctioned him for failing to appear at a recovery session following the Bushrangers’ victory against New South Wales on Sunday.Like other Cricket Australia-contracted players in Sydney for the Matador Cup, Maxwell was booked in for a day of media duty for rights holders on Monday, and said that he thought he was thus free of any commitments before then. However the Bushrangers’ new coach David Saker insisted Maxwell should have been at the recovery session and duly suspended him from the game against Tasmania on Tuesday. Maxwell will be available for the Elimination final on Friday if the Bushrangers qualify.”I understand that I broke team rules by missing recovery and I have accepted the consequences,” Maxwell said. “It was an oversight on my behalf where I thought I had a free morning before some Australia team commitments. I’m extremely disappointed to be missing a game, but I will continue to do everything possible to help the Bushrangers win the Matador Cup.”Saker said Maxwell’s standing as a senior player in the Bushrangers squad was a factor in his penalty. “We’re disappointed that Glenn let down his teammates and missed a recovery session this morning,” he said. “We have high expectations of all our players and as a senior player, Glenn should be taking a leadership role. As a result he will not be playing in tomorrow’s match against Tasmania.”In July, Maxwell was left out of the team for Yorkshire’s final Twenty20 fixture for behaviour the coach Jason Gillespie described as “unprofessional”. “It was just unprofessional behaviour and I don’t wish to add anything further,” Gillespie had said. “It has been dealt with and we have moved on and the slate is clean. As soon as the decision was made, we cracked on.”Maxwell was a part of the Australian Test squad for the postponed tour of Bangladesh and has hopes of breaking into the five-day team on a more regular basis this summer.

England look set to be boosted by the availability of Ben Stokes for the tour of South Africa

George Dobell18-Nov-2015England look set to be boosted by the availability of Ben Stokes for the tour of South Africa.Stokes injured his collarbone on the first day of the third Test against Pakistan in Sharjah as he landed heavily attempting an outrageous catch. At first it was feared he may have fractured his right shoulder, but scans indicated the injury was not as bad as had been thought.That mishap came only 18 days ago, but he has subsequently made good progress and has been declared available for selection for the four-Test tour.While Stokes is unlikely to have recovered full fitness by the time the warm-up matches for the South Africa tour start on December 15, such is his importance in balancing the team that he is likely to be included in the squad with a view to playing a part later in the Test series.But while there is encouraging news over Stokes, it seems that neither Steven Finn or Mark Wood will be available for inclusion in the Test squad which will be named on Thursday, a blow for England considering the likely emphasis on pace bowling in the series.Wood has a long term ankle injury, while Finn has a “stress reaction” – an early warning of a potential stress fracture – in his left foot.Their absence offers opportunity for other seamers. Chris Jordan, who replaced Finn in the squad in the UAE, Chris Woakes, who has made an impressive return to the ODI squad after injury, Liam Plunkett, who has been in the UAE without playing, and Mark Footitt, who offers left arm variation, are all vying to support James Anderson and Stuart Broad. At least three of them are likely to travel.With spin set to play a lesser role in South Africa, Moeen Ali is likely to be the only slow bowler in the team. Adil Rashid should travel in support, although thought will also have been given to including Zafar Ansari in his place.Ben Stokes’ injury has healed faster than was initially feared•Getty Images

Jonny Bairstow looks set to win a decent run in the side as wicketkeeper, with Jos Buttler now in the role of understudy. While Buttler may benefit from some time in the nets on the tour, he may well benefit more if he were playing first-class cricket elsewhere in the world.Equally, if he has a future as a Test player, he may be better served spending the first few weeks of the English domestic season learning the craft of first-class batting for Lancashire rather than appearing in the IPL, not a view shared, judging by his recent comments, by the director of England cricket, Andrew Strauss.It is the position of opening partner to Alastair Cook that will have most occupied the minds of the selectors. While Alex Hales’ inclusion is almost certain, there may be a need for reserves on a tour against an excellent seam attack and likely to be played on some pitches offering them some assistance. For that reason, both Adam Lyth and Nick Compton will have been considered with Moeen certain to move back down the order.While the recall of Lyth may seem odd so soon after he was dropped, there is a sense within the England camp that the mental break he has had will have done him good and that, in the long term, he remains a player of international calibre.Another man likely to win a recall is Gary Ballance. While he was dropped two Tests into the Ashes – slightly harshly given his contribution in the first of them – Ballance had become the third fastest England batsmen to 1,000 Test runs in history earlier this year. He did not enjoy an especially prolific return to county cricket, but he remains part of the long term plans of the team and could bat anywhere from three to six as required.Possible England squad: Alastair Cook, Alex Hales, Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Joe Root, James Taylor, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Chris Woakes.

The captain credits the camaraderie among the pace pack for the side’s phenomenal success

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Nov-2019Virat Kohli’s India have blown away oppositions at home – just ask South Africa and Bangladesh who were at the receiving end recently. And armed with an incredible bowling attack, they’ve also established themselves as a serious team overseas, including winning a historic Test series in Australia in January earlier this year. So, are India the best team in the world now?India have been perched at No. 1 on the ICC’s Test rankings for a few years now, and Kohli also believes that they’re one of best teams overall.”If you look at teams across formats now, I would say we’re in the top-two teams in the world,” Kohli told . “And we’re very proud of that because we started off with a young bunch and transition is never easy but the guys have slowly understood the importance of belief and understanding their role in taking Indian cricket forward. So, insecurity about their own game has vanished. If you see we enjoy each other’s success and company and everyone is just wanting to help one way or the other for the betterment of Indian cricket team and in return the betterment of Indian cricket as a whole.”India have chalked up consistent performances across formats, but Kohli is yet to lift a global trophy as captain. India have not won an ICC global tournament since 2013, when MS Dhoni’s team clinched the Champions Trophy. Incidentally, that was Kohli’s second global title after being part of Dhoni’s 2011 World Cup-winning team.The missing global title was something that the newly-appointed BCCI president Sourav Ganguly also pinpointed in October.Kohli conceded that winning an ICC title was “like an obsession” with the public, but prioritised processes over results and numbers. He also said that his side relished being under pressure and finding a way past it.”You could say winning an ICC tournament is like an obsession or like a wish that people have, which is a beautiful thing to wish for because it’s seen at a global level and every cricketer would want to win that,” he said. “But if you ask me, honestly I didn’t ever think I would be part of the winning World Cup team in my first World Cup or two years down the line we will win the Champions Trophy as well. I never thought of these things but it happened. So, it was meant to happen for us.”But, in hindsight, you can look at a lot of things. We obviously have the desire to win big tournaments and big series and we want to give our best effort possible. But, if you focus on things which are only based on success and numbers and results, you don’t enjoy the process. We play well as a team because we enjoy the process.”Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Umesh Yadav are all smiles•BCCI

Kohli has been the central figure behind India’s bumper run ever since he took charge as captain in all formats in 2016. In his quest to make India the best team in the world, he has been very particular not to compromise on his fitness. Working on his diet and monitoring his sleeping habits, Kohli said, has helped him be more energetic on the field. But how does he maintain peak intensity at all times?”Basically, I hate losing in anything,” he said. “That’s how a sportsman is made up. That’s the make-up of any sportsman competing at the highest level. So, that’s a given. No one is fine with losing or failing. You accept it, you process it – that’s different. But, the most important thing for me to do anything on the field is I don’t want’ any maybes or what-ifs.”One of the key ingredients behind India’s unprecedented success in recent years is the depth in their attack, especially the well-rounded fast bowling contingent. In the recently-concluded home Test season, both Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were unavailable, but Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav fired collectively, helping the team notch up four successive innings victories.Kohli said that while there is “healthy competition” among the pace pack, it is the camaraderie they share with each other that makes the attack special.”No one is wanting to outdo someone else,” he said. “They’re like a bunch of friends wanting to help each other. [There’s] healthy competition but the trust they’ve on each other, I’ve never seen them have an argument… a serious one. No jealously. Zero. That’s their biggest strength. They don’t care whether a Shami is at No. 7 now, Jassi [Jasprit Bumrah] is at whatever ranking he is or Ishant is not. Ishant is happy , he has played 90 Tests and he understands he’s a very important part of team India – of inspiring the next lot of fast bowlers. That to him is more special than a ranking of ten players in the world and so on and so forth. So, full credit to these guys for being able to create this aura around them because of that friendship, belief and the intent being in the right place.”Earlier this week, Rahul Dravid, the head of cricket at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), reckoned that India’s fast-bowling renaissance at the international level has inspired the next generation of quicks too.”Every year now in Under-19 cricket, we’ve had some very good fast bowlers. Last time, we had three of them in Kamlesh [Nagarkoti], Shivam [Mavi] and Ishan [Porel]. This year also you will see some good fast bowlers in the team,” Dravid had said.”When you have role models and you have heroes like the senior team… I think what Ishant, Shami, Umesh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Bumrah are doing, is they are actually in a way becoming role models for a lot of younger generation of boys who believe now they can be fast bowlers. They can bowl fast and be successful in India. It’s great to see that. Obviously we had people like Kapil [Dev], Sri [Javagal Srinath], Zaheer [Khan] and all in the past. But as a group, this is probably one of the best fast-bowling attacks we have ever had. I think that’s a great inspiration for a lot of these young boys.”

Zimbabwe will begin their first bilateral tour of Sri Lanka since 2002 by playing the first two of five ODIs in Galle, a venue that has not hosted ODI cricket since 2000

Andrew Fidel Fernando17-Jun-2017ODI cricket is set to return to Galle after a 17-year hiatus, with the first two of Zimbabwe’s five ODIs to be played there on June 30 and July 2. This is Zimbabwe’s first bilateral tour of Sri Lanka since a two-ODI, three-Test tour took place in December 2001-January 2002.

Zimbabwe tour schedule

June 30: 1st ODI, Galle
July 2: 2nd ODI, Galle
July 6: 3rd ODI, Hambantota
July 8: 4th ODI, Hambantota
July 10: 5th ODI, Hambantota
July 14-18: Only Test, Colombo (RPS)

A total of seven ODIs have been played in Galle, but none since July 6, 2000 when Sri Lanka beat South Africa by 37 runs during a tri-series that also included Pakistan.Hambantota Stadium, which has not seen international cricket itself for two years, will host the three remaining one-dayers. A one-off Test to follow the ODIs is scheduled in Colombo at the R Premadasa Stadium (Khettarama) – also an unusual venue for that format, which normally only hosts limited-overs matches. The last Test played at the R Premadasa Stadium was the second Test against Bangladesh in March 2013 when Rangana Herath 12 for 157 in a seven-wicket win.Although Galle had fallen out of favour as an ODI venue because it has no floodlights, and also due to limited capacity, SLC has seen it a fitting venue for the lower-profile Zimbabwe games partly perhaps for financial reasons. Day-night matches are costlier to host – and in this case, the size of the venue may translate to a marketing advantage. Earlier in the year, in hosting an ODI at the SSC, the board CEO said that smaller venues looked livelier on television, for matches at which fewer spectators were expected at the ground.That logic, however, does not hold for the hosting of the Test at Khettarama, which is the highest-capacity stadium in the country.The Zimbabwe tour spans from June 30 to July 18 and features no T20 internationals.India are expected to arrive for a three Test tour later in July. The scheduling of that tour is still being finalised.

The England batsmen is likely to be involved in the tour of South Africa ahead of the BBL

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2020Jason Roy has become the latest England player to sign for the upcoming BBL after joining the Perth Scorchers.He will link up with Liam Livingstone and it provides the Scorchers with enviable top-order options after last year’s opening pair of Livingstone and Josh Inglis became one of the most destructive in the league.Roy follows England team-mate Dawid Malan (Hobart Hurricanes) in securing a BBL deal in recent days while Tom Banton (Brisbane Heat) and Tom Curran (Sydney Sixers) will also be in show. Alex Hales is also returning to the Sydney Thunder.ALSO READ: BBL clubs to be allowed three overseas players in XIEngland have a limited-overs tour to South Africa which will finish on December 9 so it remains to be seen exactly when anyone who is part of that squad will be available for their BBL teams pending quarantine requirements when they reach Australia.”The Scorchers squad looks very strong, I’m excited to be joining the club,” Roy said. “I’ve heard the environment of the club is awesome and that it’s a place where everyone wants to help get the best out of each other.”Roy did not have the best season for England with just 49 runs in six ODIs against Ireland and Australia. He missed the T20Is against Pakistan and Australia due to injury but did finish strongly in the T20 Blast for Surrey with three half-centuries in his last four innings.He pulled out of his IPL deal with the Delhi Capitals in order to get himself back to full fitness.Meanwhile, the Scorchers have also signed pace-bowling duo Cameron Gannon – who joined Western Australia from Queensland over the winter – and Joel Paris.”Jason is a world-class performer who will bring added power and experience to our top order,” head coach Adam Voges said. “It’s great to be able to maintain a really strong WA flavour to our Scorchers squad. Both Joel and Cam bring plenty of experience and can fill a variety of roles throughout the tournament for us.”

They had few alarms completing a seven-wicket victory over Leicestershire

ECB Reporters Network13-Sep-2019Northamptonshire moved into second place in Division Two after completing a seven wicket victory over Leicestershire in the Specsavers County Championship match at the Fischer County Ground.Beginning the day on 22-0, with a target of just 141 to win, openers Ben Curran and Rob Newton extended their partnership to 68 before Newton went leg before to an Alex Evans delivery that came back in to the right-hander.Curran, on 40, edged a flat-footed drive at Will Davis to Colin Ackermann at second slip, and Ackermann picked up a second catch when first innings centurion Rob Keogh edged a drive at left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson.The odd ball was beginning to turn for Parkinson, but by that stage Alex Wakely was well established, and the vistors’ former skipper saw his side across the line with an unbeaten 40.

With injuries and a fast, green pitch on offer, India could be going with no spin for the third time in their history, and second time under Kohli

Sidharth Monga in Perth13-Dec-2018India could, for only the third time in their history, go into a Test match without a specialist spinner. If they do so, in Perth, it could be the second time this year, both under Virat Kohli. The change is partly down to injury to R Ashwin, who was the joint-highest wicket-taker for India in their Adelaide win. However, there is a good chance India might not replace the spinner with a spinner because captain Virat Kohli has assessed the pitch to be hard and bouncy, with a lot of grass to boot.Bhuvneshwar Kumar becomes a frontrunner not just because of the green grass but also because he can bat a bit. Ashwin scored a crucial 25 in Adelaide in partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara to shore India up in the first innings. The choice is between Ravindra Jadeja, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar.India are having to tinker with their winning combination from Adelaide with Rohit Sharma and Ashwin ruled out with back and abdominal injuries respectively. Prithvi Shaw is yet to recover from the ankle injury he picked up during the warm-up game in Sydney.Jadeja, Umesh and Bhuvneshwar were drafted into the XIII named for the second Test.Hanuma Vihari is the likely like-for-like replacement for the sixth batsman, Rohit. The incumbent openers, KL Rahul and M Vijay, should retain their spots.The green pitch, “the bounciest possible” according to the curator, has everyone talking, and there has to be a temptation to play a fourth quick. However, there might also be grounds for playing a bowler who can bat. Bhuvneshwar becomes the favourite in that case.India had played four fast bowlers plus Hardik Pandya on the brutish Johannesburg surface earlier this year, winning the Test after having lost the series. Kohli was reminded of that Test when he looked at the pitch at the new Perth Stadium, but said he had never played on anything like the Wanderers track. That experience, he said, also gave them belief – “we are excited more than nervous looking at such pitches” – they can double the lead in Perth. Holders of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, they could book its return flight if they do so.Squad: Virat Kohli (capt), M Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav

The allrounder injured his ankle during South Africa’s practice session on Tuesday

Liam Brickhill03-Oct-2018South Africa allrounder Wiaan Mulder has been ruled out of the remainder of the ODI series against Zimbabwe after injuring his ankle during practice on Tuesday. The injury appears to be in his left Achilles tendon, and Mulder has been withdrawn from South Africa’s squad for further assessment.”Wiaan felt some pain and discomfort in his left ankle at practice and has been withdrawn from the remainder of the ODI series,” South Africa team manager Mohammed Moosajee explained. “He will be assessed by an ankle and foot specialist in Johannesburg, who will be able to further assess the injury and give us a way forward in terms of the treatment and rehab strategy. The selectors will not name a replacement for the last ODI.”Mulder, 20, has only played seven ODIs for South Africa but had been expected to be a regular in their starting line-up this summer. He played in all five ODIs against Sri Lanka in August, and coach Ottis Gibson has voiced his support for giving his young allrounders extended runs in the side.