Sports
“Dusro Ke Liye Gaddha Khoda, Khud Gir Gaye”: Harbhajan Singh’s Epic Analysis Of India’s Defeat
Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma during a training session© BCCI/Sportzpics
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has criticised the pitch conditions where the India-New Zealand Test series was played. In the second and third Tests, New Zealand spinners outperformed Indian spinners, as Indian batters struggled to pick up the spin. Harbhajan criticised the pitches in Pune and Mumbai, which had served up rank turners where both sides struggled to score. As India’s batting crumbled to 121 all out while chasing 146 on Day 3 of the third Test, Harbhajan said that India had dug their own grave.
“Dusro ke liye gaddha khoda tha, gir khud giye (dug a grave for someone else, but fell yourself),” commented Harbhajan, speaking to ANI regarding the spin-friendly conditions.
“While the tour of Australia will be more difficult, one good thing there is that the pitches would be better for cricket. Here, the pitches were far too much in favour of spin,” Harbhajan added.
“It does not paint a good picture for Test cricket if the game ends in two-and-a-half or three days. Test cricket should go on for five days where both teams can play well. If we make pitches like this, one team will end up getting an advantage at times. The conditions should not be tampered with too often,” said Harbhajan.
“If India play on good cricket wickets, I don’t think the Indian batters would play like this,” he continued.
In the second Test in Pune, Mitchell Santner starred with the ball, picking up 13 wickets to guide the Kiwis to victory. In the third Test, in Santner’s absence, it was left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel who picked up 11 wickets and broke the Indian batting.
Both New Zealand and India did not cross 300 in any of their innings in the second and third Tests, with India crossing 250 only once, in the first innings in Mumbai.
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Former Pakistan cricket team captain Rashid Latif made a mammoth statement regarding the Champions Trophy 2025, saying that the tournament should not happen anymore. During a recent event, Latif said that Pakistan should say no to the competition before BCCI takes any further step. He went on to say that such a step by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will send a big message to the cricketing community. The tournament was supposed to take place in Pakistan but the situation has become complicated after India refused to travel for their matches citing security concerns. While the ICC has suggested a ‘hybrid’ solution that will see India play their matches in Dubai, nothing concrete has been announced yet.
“Champions Trophy shouldn’t happen anymore. You should say no before they refuse,” Latif said.
“We have always been made scapegoats, be it Afghan war or cricket. PCB, ACB, and ICC are the same as they can’t fight against the BCCI. They have the chance to push Pakistan to the front. We have joined hands and are fighting against it, but the only fear is that if India boycotts, where do we stand.”
Rashid Latif said “Pakistan should boycott the Champions Trophy now. Before BCCI takes this step, PCB should take it. Champions Trophy shouldn’t happen anymore”
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) December 10, 2024
Amid the ongoing impasse on Pakistan’s hosting of the Champions Trophy 2025, the decision on the next year’s marquee event is likely to be announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday, sources told IANS on Monday.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which holds the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy, has reportedly demanded a written assurance from the international body on the hybrid model for future ICC tournaments after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) communicated to ICC that the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan abiding by the Government of India’s policy.
Amid the stand-off, PCB has agreed to accept the hybrid model for the Champions Trophy with India playing its matches in Dubai while the rest of the tournament will be staged in Pakistan. India will also play the semifinal and final matches in Dubai, subject to qualification.
“Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wants a written assurance from the World body (ICC) regarding a hybrid model for the future international events to be hosted by India. Decision on Champions Trophy most likely by Wednesday,” sources told IANS
(With IANS inputs)
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India’s defeat in the pink-ball Test against Australia hasn’t sent shockwaves across the cricketing spectrum, but certain changes have been prescribed to Rohit Sharma and his team. India made three changes in the playing XI for the day-night Test, with Shubman Gill, Ravichandran Ashwin and the skipper coming in. Rohit, however, batted at the No. 6 spot, allowing KL Rahul to continue at the top after his prolific show in the Perth Test. However, Indian cricket great Sunil Gavaskar has urged Rohit to change that in the third Test.
Gavaskar, reflecting on India’s defeat in the Adelaide Test, has urged Rohit to return to his opening spot, alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, in Brisbane, sending Rahul to bat at the No. 5 or No. 6 spot.
“He should return to his regular spot. We should remember why Rahul had opened. He did that because Rohit Sharma was not available for the first Test,” said Gavaskar on Sports Tak.
“Now I can understand why they kept him as an opener in the second Test, he had a 200-plus partnership with Jaiswal. But now that he couldn’t score this Test, I feel Rahul should go back to No. 5 or No.6 and Rohit Sharma should open. If Rohit scores quickly in the beginning, then he can score a big century also later,” he added.
Rohit, speaking to reporters in the post-match press conference, admitted that the batting unit crumbled against the pink-ball challenge. But, from the next match onwards, the team needs to take its chances.
“A disappointing week for us, we didn’t play well, and Australia played better cricket than us and won the Test match. We failed to grab our opportunities. We didn’t bat well enough, probably 30-40 runs short with the bat in the first innings. There were opportunities when Australia were batting and we failed to take those chances. When you miss those chances, it’s never easy,” Rohit had said in the press conference.
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Sports
Australia Great Wants Rahul Dravid In India XI For 3rd Australia Test? Gaffe On Live TV Goes Viral
File photo of Rahul Dravid© AFP
Legendary Australian cricket team batter Matthew Hayden made a hilarious gaffe on live air when he said that he wants Rahul Dravid instead of KL Rahul while talking about India’s team selection for the third Test match. Hayden was analysing India’s loss in the pink-ball Test and his fumble left Gavaskar in splits. The comment came after Gavaskar said that Rohit should not bat at No. 6 and return to opening the batting for India as he is already suffering from a lot of confidence due to his lack of form.
“I think he should come back to opening for the next Test because he likes the ball to come onto the bat. This innings, one can understand, because he hadn’t played for a while, and Rahul and Jaiswal had a 200-run partnership in the previous game. But Rahul can come down the order and face the second new ball. I’m being optimistic that India will bat so well in the next game that Rahul will take care of the second new ball,” he said.
Gavaskar wants Rohit to open, Hayden wants… Dravid back in the XI?? #AUSvIND | @StarSportsIndia pic.twitter.com/9nkbUFFv8X
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 10, 2024
Hayden was not on the same page as Gavaskar and we went to say that India should not make a hasty change to the playing XI. He also backed the “technically-sound” Rahul to continue as opener but ended up saying “Rahul Dravid” in place of “KL Rahul”.
“I’ll be slightly more stubborn. I will not be changing at this stage. I know you would like a better outcome inside the top three. But from what I saw in Perth, technically, Rahul Dravid is right there. He just needs to do it for a longer,” Hayden explained.
As soon as Hayden finished his analysis, Gavaskar taunted the Australia legend as he said – “I would love it if it was Rahul Dravid, as you said, but it is KL Rahul.”
Hayden was left in splits as he said that Dravid’s centuries at the Adelaide Oval “still haunts him”.
“Sorry, KL Rahul. My apologies. I was thinking of when he dominated here in Adelaide and got us smashed in 2003/04 series. That’s a nightmare I’m stull living,” he said.
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