Monday, May 11
Ricky Ponting believes England's 'Bazball' approach was specifically crafted for the current Ashes series in Australia. He suggests the team's aggressive batting style, honed over two years under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, is designed to counter Australian conditions. Ponting drew parallels to England's 2019 ODI World Cup preparation, emphasizing a consistent squad and strategy.
England enter the Ashes with their quickest pace attack in decades and a matured Bazball philosophy, aiming to end a 15-year drought in Australia. With Mark Wood, Jofra Archer and a battery of genuine quicks, Ben Stokes’ side arrives believing speed can break the long-standing barrier. For Bazball, this is the defining series: victory brings vindication, defeat invites its fiercest scrutiny yet.
Spinner Kuldeep Yadav views the upcoming years as pivotal for his Test career, emphasizing fitness and role clarity. He remains an attacking bowler, focused on taking wickets, and considers Test cricket a priority despite playing across formats. For Siraj, facing strong opposition like South Africa sharpens his game, offering quick lessons for improvement as India aim to level the series.
With a busy T20I season for India ahead, starting with the five-match T20I series against South Africa, which will begin from Dec 9 in Cuttack, and culminating in the T20 World Cup in Feb-March in India and Sri Lanka, Suryakumar will desperately look to recover his prolonged run of poor form for the last year or so.
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak strongly defended head coach Gautam Gambhir against criticism following the Kolkata Test loss to South Africa. "'Gautam Gambhir, Gautam Gambhir' (criticism) is being done. I am saying this because I am a staff and I feel bad. That's not the way," Kotak said on Thursday ahead of the second Test starting Saturday.
Former Pakistan Test captain Azhar Ali has stepped down from the national selection committee and head of youth development at the Pakistan's National Cricket Academy. He resigned after Sarfaraz Ahmed was given full control of the Pakistan Shaheens and under-19 teams. Azhar reportedly grew frustrated with the board's functioning and proposals not being advanced.
South Africa faces a race against time to confirm Kagiso Rabada's fitness for the second Test against India. Bowling coach Piet Botha confirmed a decision on the injured pace spearhead will be made closer to the match. Lungi Ngidi has been brought in as cover, while the team assesses the Guwahati pitch and the potential impact of spin.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly expressed doubts about Washington Sundar's suitability for the No. 3 batting position in Test cricket. Ganguly believes specialist batters are crucial for the top five, especially in challenging overseas conditions like England, Australia, and South Africa, suggesting Sundar might struggle in such environments.
Team India and South Africa will adopt an unusual practice for the second Test in Guwahati, with play starting 30 minutes early and tea preceding lunch. This adjustment is to accommodate the North East's early daylight window. Players like Sai Sudharsan and Keshav Maharaj are open to the change, while Aiden Markram expresses a preference for the traditional routine.
Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati will become India’s 28th Test venue when India lock horns with South Africa at the venue, reigniting the debate over rotating venues versus fixed Test centres. While the BCCI continues to spread cricket across new locations, Virat Kohli and R Ashwin have argued that India’s constantly changing conditions dilute home advantage, unlike countries such as Australia, England and South Africa, which rely on stable, consistent Test venues.
