Rajasthan will cross swords with Bangalore in an enthralling Indian T20 League 2022 encounter at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, April 5.

Led by wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson, Rajasthan have made an impressive start to their Indian T20 League campaign, winning both their matches against Hyderabad and Mumbai. The champions of the inaugural edition are currently leading the Indian T20 League 2022 standings with four points from two matches.

On the other hand, Bangalore defeated Kolkata in their previous match after losing to Punjab in their opening encounter. With two points from as many matches, Faf du Plessis�?Bangalore are currently placed seventh in the standings.

Rajasthan and Bangalore have met 24 times in the Indian T20 League, with the latter winning 12 matches while the former has secured 10 victories.

Rajasthan vs Bangalore key player battles

Trent Boult vs Faf du Plessis

While Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis has amassed over 3000 runs in the Indian T20 League, he has somewhat struggled against former Mumbai pacer Trent Bout. The New Zealand left-arm pacer has dismissed du Plessis three times in the Indian T20 League. 

The former South Africa captain has scored just 37 runs in eight innings against the Kiwi pacer in the Indian T20 League.  

Faf du Plessis record vs Trent Boult
Innings	Runs scored	Balls faced	Dismissed	SR
8	37	43	3	86.04

Yuzvendra Chahal vs Dinesh Karthik

Spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has largely troubled wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik in the Indian T20 League, having dismissed the Indian veteran on three occasions. In the eight innings that he has faced against Chahal, Karthik has scored just 31 runs at a below-par strike rate of 86.11.

Dinesh Karthik record vs Yuzvendra Chahal
Innings	Runs scored	Balls faced	Dismissed	SR
8	31	36	3	86.11

Sanju Samson vs Mohammed Siraj

Bangalore fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has had an upper hand against Sanju Samson in the Indian T20 League. Siraj has dismissed the Rajasthan captain twice in the high-profile T20 league, conceding just 20 runs in three innings. While Sanju has impressive overall numbers against pacers, Siraj has troubled the hard-hitting batter so far.

Sanju Samson record vs Mohammed Siraj
Innings	Runs scored	Balls faced	Dismissed	SR
3	20	15	2	133.33

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Featured photo: Indian T20 League

Now that India have announced their squad of 15 players for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand, discussions have intensified about who should make the XI for the match starting on Friday in Southampton, England.

The omission of Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul from the 15 means it is now likely that Indian cricket team will open the batting with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. 

Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane are certainties at Nos. 3, 4 and 5. Further, Rishabh Pant is also expected to don the keeping gloves ahead of Wriddhiman Saha.

That leaves the composition of the bowling attack as the biggest variable at the moment. Fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah are more or less sure to play, as is Ravichandran Ashwin as the lead spinner.

This means a couple of spots in India’s playing XI for the WTC final are still up for grabs. There have been reports that the team management is keen to get Mohammed Siraj in for the WTC final, and that Ishant Sharma is no longer guaranteed a spot.

Mohammad Siraj vs Ishant Sharma

Now Mohammed Siraj surely has an outstanding first-class record and had also taken a five-wicket haul in the Brisbane Test against Australia in January. He also has a slightly better first-class average when dismissing left-handers �?21.63 �?compared to Ishant’s 24.36. It can also be argued that Siraj brings more variety to the pace attack, in that he is more of a release-and-swing bowler than Ishant, Shami and Bumrah, all of whom are more of the hit-the-deck type.

Ishant Sharma has also been breaking down more and more of late, as the workload of years of Test cricket has started taking its toll. There is probably little chance of him being able to pull through all the five Tests against England in August and September.

However, when it comes to as big an occasion as the WTC final, who would you rather have in your XI: a veteran with the experience of 101 Tests or a five-Test old rookie?

Further, as Ishant Sharma has matured over the years, his record in England has got better and better. He averaged 27.21 in the 2014 series and 24.27 on the 2018 tour, and no Indian bowler has taken more wickets (43) than him in England.

Ravindra Jadeja vs Hanuma Vihari

This leaves only the final spot to be taken. The Rose Bowl pitch does have a reputation for taking spin later in the game if the weather remains sunny. It was Moeen Ali’s off-spin that had sent India crashing to a series defeat in 2018 against England here. That was in the first week of September, though, and we are in mid-June now, when the weather is usually wetter and the pitches fresher.

Southampton has had warm weather in recent days but rain is forecast on five of the six days designated for the WTC final. The maximum temperature is not expected to touch even 20 degrees. Such match-day conditions do not demand the inclusion of a second spinner. However, the pitch would surely have taken some baking in the sun leading up to the game.

It will be a tricky decision to make: whether to play Ravindra Jadeja ahead of Hanuma Vihari, who will be the sixth batsman and part-time off-spinner, leaving the bowling a bit thin. Knowing Virat Kohli, he will rather strengthen the bowling than the batting. Jadeja’s chances do appear brighter, and he and Ashwin will provide some batting depth for sure.

A left-field decision would be to play four specialist fast bowlers in Ishant, Shami, Bumrah and Siraj plus Ashwin as the lone spinner. India’s long tail will start at No 8 in that case, and increase the batting pressure on Pant and Ashwin; it is a risky call, but will also mean a fresher and more varied pace attack in what are likely to be helpful conditions.

India’s 15-member squad for WTC final: Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav

Featured photo: DAVID GRAY / Randy Brooks / William WEST /Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP

The Indian T20 League 2021 has started in the best way possible with as many as four thrillers encountered in the first week already. While Virat Kohli’s Bangalore lead the points table with two wins at the moment, history is evident that the road ahead is topsy-turvy and full of uncertainty.

SportsAdda ambassador Brett Lee gives us his predictions in episode 2 of SportsAdda presents T20 Crazy, powered by Sportsbet.io, where the former Indian T20 League winner talks about what to expect in the upcoming week.

Punjab to hit more sixes than Chennai

Punjab pulled off a thrilling win against Rajasthan in their opening match of the season thanks to their batsmen who had done the job in that match. With KL Rahul scoring 91 runs in 50 balls and Deepak Hooda hitting 64 runs, Punjab have both their international and domestic guns firing this season. 

Gayle's short cameo of 28-ball 40 meant Punjab had ended up hitting 13 sixes while batting first. And Lee sees the trend following against Chennai as well.

“I have got to pick Punjab because they have the firepower. I’m backing them,�?he said.

Rohit Sharma to find form gradually

Though Mumbai have started to find their footing in the Indian T20 League 2021 already, the same couldn't be said about their skipper Rohit Sharma. While the opener was dismissed for just 19 runs against Bangalore in the first match, the 33-year-old gave his wicket away after a sedate start (43 off 32) against Kolkata which led to a batting collapse for the five-time champions.

Brett Lee added that the Indian opener will take his time to get into a groove. “I’d like to say yes but I’m thinking he was a little bit behind the timing last time.

“He is one of my favourite batsmen to watch, but I think he is going to take a few more games to find his natural form and get into the rhythm.�?/span>

Mohammed Siraj to dominate proceedings against Kolkata

Despite Andre Russell’s heroics against Mumbai in the last match, where the West Indies all-rounder returned with bowling figures of 5/15, Brett Lee feels that Mohammad Siraj will steal the show against Kolkata on Sunday.

While Siraj has managed just two wickets this season so far, conceding 47 runs in the process, Binga feels Kohli will use him well in the powerplay.

“To me, Bangalore will have the best bowler in the game. I am banking on Mohammed Siraj because he has got some really good pace. I know it is in Chennai, and the pace goes off towards the end, but he will be a good option with the new ball,�?Lee pointed out.

Mumbai to beat Delhi

Both Mumbai and Delhi have won one and lost another in their opening two games. And while Mumbai’s win against Kolkata was an unlikely one, Rishabh Pant’s Delhi had run riot against Chennai in the first match.

However, when it comes to Chepauk, Brett Lee feels the five-time champions hold a massive advantage. When asked who was the favourite for next Tuesday’s clash, Lee said, “Very simple, Mumbai. They love playing in Chennai.�?/span>

To know more about SportsAdda ambassador Brett Lee’s take on week 1 of Indian T20 League 2021, Click here.

Team Bangalore have been a mystery package all along in the Indian T20 League. Despite having some of the greatest talents in their squad, the Virat Kohli-led team has always fallen short of glory, thus earning the moniker of perennial underachievers.

With seven wins in their first 10 games of the 2020 edition, Bangalore seemed to be on course for a confident title challenge. But they came stumbling down in the latter half of the tournament, losing out in the eliminator.

Virat Kohli and co. begin their 2021 season against defending champions Mumbai, and considering the influx of talented overseas players, the three-time finalists would appear confident of breaking the jinx this time around.

Team Bangalore squad

As a sign of a squad overhaul, Bangalore released 10 players - the likes of Aaron Finch, Chris Morris, Moeen Ali, Dale Steyn, and the now-retired Parthiv Patel. The team entered the February auctions with a purse of Rs 35.40 crore and went on a spending spree of Rs 35.05 crores.

New Zealand Kyle Jamieson is #NowARoyalChallenger!

A huge warm welcome to the RCB #ClassOf2021.

Price: 1️⃣5️⃣CR#PlayBold #BidForBold #WeAreChallengers #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/AZAn3HeeYx

�?Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) February 18, 2021

The team retained 12 players, including Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Devdutt Padikkal, and broke the bank to sign New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson (Rs 15 crore), Australian all-rounders Glenn Maxwell (Rs 14.25 crore) and Dan Christian (Rs 4.8 crore).

Team Bangalore squad for Indian T20 League 2021: Virat Kohli (captain), Devdutt Padikkal, Finn Allen (wicketkeeper), AB de Villiers (wicketkeeper), Pavan Deshpande, Washington Sundar, Daniel Sams, Yuzvendra Chahal, Adam Zampa, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Kane Richardson, Harshal Patel, Glenn Maxwell, Sachin Baby, Rajat Patidar, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Kyle Jamieson, Daniel Christian, Suyash Prabhudessai, K.S. Bharat

Team Bangalore strength and weakness

Strengths:

At the onset, it is quite clear that Bangalore have one of the most formidable batting resources going into the 14th edition of the T20 extravaganza. With skipper Virat Kohli set to open for his team this season and Glenn Maxwell’s addition to the mix, cricket fans are in for a marvelous treat of some batting fireworks.

While the top-order seems particularly intangible, Maxwell and Dan Christian’s arrival will bolster the middle-order firepower as batters between #4 - #7 registered 821 runs in the 2020 season - the second-lowest of all teams.

Weakness:

One of the persisting areas of concern for Bangalore has been their fast bowler conundrum. Despite splashing the cash on Kyle Jamieson, the Kiwi pacer’s inexperience on Indian tracks and Mohammed Siraj’s tendency to return with an expensive spell is yet another sign that Virat Kohli’s men should have bid for a recognized pace bowler to headline their bowling attack.

Kane Richardson - who skipped the previous season for paternal reasons and also the travel restrictions due to the pandemic - returns to the fold and his recent tally of seven wickets in the T20I series against New Zealand could offer a minimal respite to Bangalore’s woes.

Who can be the highest run-scorer for Team Bangalore?

Devdutt Padikkal broke Bangalore’s massive dependence on Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in the batting department, as he smashed 473 runs to finish as the team’s leading run-getter for the 2020 season. This season, however, Glenn Maxwell is expected to be the chief hard-hitter for the franchise. An explosive batsman on his day, Maxwell tallied 379 runs in Big Bash League 2020-21 and will look to put the ghosts of his disastrous 2020 season - 108 runs in 13 games - to rest this time around.

Who can be the highest wicket-taker for Team Bangalore?

While the limelight will be directed towards Kyle Jamieson, Bangalore will depend on their homegrown talents in Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Siraj to spell trouble for opposition batters in the 2021 Indian T20 League. Siraj scalped 11 wickets last term and is 10 wickets away from completing 100 wickets across T20s. The 27-year-old commands an economy rate of 8.52 in the first innings in the competition and Virat Kohli will be eager to see the pacer showcase his true potential in the latest edition.

Where will Team Bangalore finish in Indian T20 League 2021?

As unpredictable as they are, it is safe to say that Bangalore should at least qualify for the playoffs stage of Indian T20 League 2021. Deploying a perfect strategy around the bowlers will be the major piece of the puzzle for Virat Kohli, given there won’t be much to ponder upon from the batting point of view.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Manjunath Kiran

Ahead of the fourth and final Test against England, India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been released from the squad due to personal reasons.

The 27-year-old was already rested for the five T20Is beginning on March 12, as part of the team’s workload management program. 

Since August last year, the Gujarat-born cricketer has been inside the bio-secure bubble before the 2020 Indian T20 League campaign in the UAE.

Bumrah had bowled just six overs in the third Test and had gone wicketless on a dusty pitch at the newly reconstructed Motera stadium.

Virat Kohli-led side currently has plenty of options in their squad to replace Jasprit Bumrah. Here we look at three contenders who can replace Bumrah in the playing XI for the fourth Test.

Umesh Yadav

The right-arm pacer missed out on a spot in the third Test as Ishant Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah edged him to the side. With Bumrah not available for the final Test against England, there are high chances of Umesh featuring in the playing XI. He has perfectly complemented Bumrah and Ishant in the game's longest format, whenever given a chance. The 33-year-old has claimed 148 wickets in 48 Tests at an average of 30.55.

Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj has already played a Test in the ongoing series and had scalped one wicket in the first Test in Chennai. The 26-year-old has been impressive every time he has donned the Indian jersey and was the team’s highest wicket-taker in Australia, picking 13 wickets in three Tests at an average of 29.54. Siraj can be a perfect replacement for Bumrah in the fourth and final Test against England in Ahmedabad.

Kuldeep Yadav

The fourth Test will be played at the Motera Stadium, which has assisted spinners as seen in the third Test, and thus, team India could play as many as four spinners against England. The visitors were visibly struggling against Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin's impressive spin bowling, with the pair claiming 19 of the 20 wickets in the pink-ball Test. In his short Test career, Kuldeep has claimed 26 wickets in seven matches with two five-wicket hauls to his name.

Feature image courtesy: DAVID GRAY / AFP

The Indian cricket team, on Tuesday, became the first side in 32 years to beat Australia at the Gabba, as they won the fourth and the final Test of the 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy by three wickets to clinch the series 2-1. 

Ajinkya Rahane’s men rode at the back of stellar innings by Shubhman Gill (91) and Rishabh Pant (89*), as the Australian bowlers failed to make any sort of impact against a relatively inexperienced India side. India needed 328 runs in 97 overs on the final day with everyone expecting the visitors to go for a draw. But, contrary to popular assumption, the Indian batting contingent turned the tides, especially in the final 10 overs of the day, to pick up a stunning victory.

A historic Test at the Gabba in Brisbane produced several moments of magic, and thus, it is bound to churn interesting statistics. Here we look at a few of them:

India’s victories in Australia

A victory at the Gabba means Indian have registered victories in all five Australian venues where they have played 2 or more Tests. Their record is as follows:

• 4 wins at Melbourne Cricket Ground
• 2 wins at Adelaide
• 1 win at Sydney Cricket Ground
• 1 win at WACA Perth
• 1 win at Brisbane

Most consecutive Test series wins by visiting teams in Australia
Team	Series	Seasons
England	3	1884/85 (3-2), 1886/87 (2-0) & 1887/88 (1-0)
England	2	1928/29 (4-1) & 1932/33 (4-1)
West Indies	3	1984/85 (3-1), 1988/89 (3-1) & 1992/93 (2-1)
South Africa	3*	2008/09 (2-1), 2012/13 (1-0) & 2016/17 (2-1)
India	2*	2018/19 (2-1) & 2020/21 (2-1)

Back to back series wins for India in Australia have made them only the fourth visiting team to achieve the feat. Furthermore, the 325 runs that India scored on Day 5 is the third-most runs scored by any team on the final day to win the Test. At this particular venue, the Gabba, 328 is now the highest successful chase.

Mohammed Siraj - One of India’s brightest stars

After Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj had an underwhelming outing in Sydney Test, the 26-year-old drilled through the Australian batting line-up to pick up his maiden five-wicket haul. Siraj has played only the third Test of his career and is already the fifth Indian bowler - and first since 2003 - to pick five wickets in Brisbane.

5-Wicket haul for India at Brisbane
Player	Overs	Runs	Wkts	Inns	Start Date
Erapalli Prasanna	33.4	104	6	3	19 January 1968
Bishan Singh Bedi	13.7	55	5	1	02 December 1977
Madan Lal	19.0	72	5	3	02 December 1977
Zaheer Khan	23.0	95	5	1	04 December 2003
Mohammed Siraj	19.5	73	5	3	15 January 2021

His contribution made India the first team to take 20 wickets of Australia in Brisbane since 2008 after New Zealand. Furthermore, this is only the third time that India has bowled out Australia in both the innings of a Test match in Brisbane after 1977 and 1968.

Siraj finished the 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy with 13 wickets, most by any Indian bowler in the series.

The underrated returns of Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur

Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur played a match-defining partnership of 123 for the seventh wicket to take India from 186/6 to 309/7 while they were reducing a lead of 369 runs in the first innings. While Sundar scored 62, Thakur accumulated 67.

Partners	Runs	Inns	Ground	Start Date
R Jadeja/R Pant	204	1	Sydney	03 January 2019
H Adhikari/V Hazare	132	3	Adelaide	23 January 1948
S Thakur/W Sundar	123	2	Brisbane	15 January 2021
M Azharuddin/M Prabhakar	101	4	Adelaide	25 January 1992
K Ghavri/S Kirmani	81	2	Sydney	07 January 1978

Sundar picked four wickets in the final Test and made a half-century as well, which made him only the fifth visiting cricketer to score a fifty and take four or more wickets on his Test debut in Australia - a first on this list since 1924. The 21-year-old was particularly devastating against Nathan Lyon, whom he hit for seven boundaries and one six. Furthermore, he’s only the fifth Indian to score fifty on debut Test at 7th position.

Fifty on debut Test for India at 7th position
Player	Runs	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
Dilawar Hussain	57	3rd	v England	Kolkata	05 January 1934
Yuvraj of Patiala	60	4th	v England	Chennai	10 February 1934
Bapu Nadkarni	68*	2nd	v New Zealand	Delhi	16 December 1955
Rahul Dravid	95	2nd	v England	Lord's	20 June 1996
Washington Sundar	62	2nd	v Australia	Brisbane	15 January 2021

As for Thakur, he smashed the majority of his runs (29) against Pat Cummins who is the leading wicket-taker of the series. He became the eighth Indian to score a fifty at the 8th position in Australia. Thakur was equally brilliant with the ball, picking seven wickets - the most by any Indian pacer at Brisbane in a Test. 

Feature image courtesy: AFP /David Kapernick

It was an enthralling day at The Gabba in the fourth and final Test between Australia and India on Monday. 

Starting Day 4 at 21/0, Australia openers David Warner and Marcus Harris added 68 more runs to their overnight score before both fell in the space of an over. 

That's 2️⃣ wickets for 2️⃣ runs off seven balls

Washington Sundar takes the scalp of David Warner for 48.#AUSvIND | http://t.co/oDTm209M8z pic.twitter.com/3qw2VTnarg

�?ICC (@ICC) January 18, 2021

Australia talisman Steve Smith notched up his 31st half-century to put the hosts in a commanding position in the series decider. 

Steve Smith brings up his 31st Test half-century off 69 balls.#AUSvIND | http://t.co/oDTm209M8z pic.twitter.com/wm8TcshaVn

�?ICC (@ICC) January 18, 2021

Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma was seen shadow batting at the crease even as Smith and Cameron Green watched on. The former Australian captain Smith was earlier accused of scuffing up Rishabh Pant's guard during the Sydney Test.

Its another shameful act of the series by Steve Smith as he is standing on the pitch when Rohit Sharma is clearly batting. pic.twitter.com/kwJg0d0ryR

�?Yash Patel �?યશ પટેલ (@yash_8005) January 18, 2021

Meanwhile Smith to Rohit:#AUSvsIND http://t.co/sA5SDMZqva pic.twitter.com/TGUnw1dEfa

�?Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) January 18, 2021

#AUSvsIND
Rohit Sharma imitating Steve Smith..

(Tap for Full Pic) pic.twitter.com/2U9AosNYuQ

�?TheMysteryBoy// Self_Stan (@Black_Storm02) January 18, 2021

On the other hand, cameras captured Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Pant singing  "Spiderman Spiderman, tune churaya dil ka chen" even as Australia captain Tim Paine was batting on the fourth day in Brisbane.

#AUSvsIND
Rishabh Pant singing spiderman spiderman tune churaya mere dil ka chen.. behind the stumps.
Watch till end #AUSvsIND pic.twitter.com/AKI4nDlLD7

�?i.AkshayChhajed (@iakshaychhajed) January 18, 2021

Recommendation for you if you’re Rishabh Pant or you love Rishabh Pant pic.twitter.com/FE5ODszUST

�?amazon prime video IN (@PrimeVideoIN) January 18, 2021

Later in the day, India bowled Australia out for 294 as the visitors needed 328 runs to lift the high-profile Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Innings Break!

Australia all out for 294 in the second innings. A 5-wicket haul for Siraj and a brilliant 4-wkt haul for Shardul Thakur.

Live - http://t.co/bSiJ4wEymL #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/RUtvFTJ8v8

�?BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2021

For Team India, pacer Mohammed Siraj was the wrecker-in-chief as he claimed five wickets for 73 to become only the fifth Indian bowler to pick a five-wicket haul in a Test at The Gabba.

A maiden Test five-for in his debut series for Mohammed Siraj #AUSvIND | #WTC21 pic.twitter.com/nk3dngjuvX

�?ICC (@ICC) January 18, 2021

The right-arm fast bowler has ended up being India's highest wicket-taker in the ongoing series with 13 wickets, bowling 134.1 overs, the most by an Indian bowler in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2021.

Mohammed Siraj in the Test series:

15-4-40-2
21.3-4-37-3
25-4-67-1
25-5-90-1
28-10-77-1
19.5-5-73-5

- Playing his first Test series.
- 13 wickets from 3 Tests.
- Leading wicket taker of India.

Take a bow, Siraj. pic.twitter.com/CjPlpe5ULJ

�?Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 18, 2021

Interestingly, Australia have been bowled out in each innings of a Test at the Gabba for just the third time in the last 32 years across 32 Tests, the other instances came against West Indies in 1992/92 and  New Zealand in 2008/09.   

Australia have been bowled out twice in a test match in Gabba only for the thrid time in 32 years at the Gabba.

Unbelievable isn't it? Ishant, Bumrah, Shami, Umesh, Ashwin, Jadeja all absent and yet this happens.#AUSvsIND

�?Vinod Ramnath (@NaanumEngineer) January 18, 2021

On the final day of the series, India will need 324 runs more, with all their wickets intact, when they come out to bat on Tuesday to win the fourth and final Test in Brisbane.

India need 324 runs to win on Day 5 of the 4th Test.

Join us as an exciting day of Test cricket awaits.

Scorecard - http://t.co/bSiJ4wEymL #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/bPsCBzt9nM

�?BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2021

The visitors reached 4/0 in their chase of 328 in the extended final session on Monday before rain started pouring in and umpires were forced to call for early Stumps.

Only 1.5 overs could be bowled in India's second innings on Day 4 as openers Rohit and Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 4 and 0 respectively.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter

A group of spectators were removed from the stands at the famed Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on the fourth day of the ongoing third Test on Sunday.

The second session on day four witnessed high drama as play was halted for nearly 10 minutes after Mohammed Siraj rushed from the square-leg boundary and complained of racial abuse at the end of the 86th over in Australia's second innings. 

India skipper Ajinkya Rahane immediately had a word with on-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Paul Wilson. A few other Indian players including Cheteshwar Pujara and Mayank Agarwal joined the discussion.

Subsequently, Siraj pointed out in the crowd where the words were said. The New South Wales (NSW) Police evicted six people from their seats.

 

This incident takes place a day after a drunk spectator at the SCG allegedly directed racial slurs at Indian pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Siraj. The BCCI has lodged a complaint with the ICC.

In response to the third day's incident, Sean Carroll, Cricket Australia's Head of Integrity and Security had said, “Cricket Australia condemns in the strongest terms possible all discriminatory behaviour. If you engage in racist abuse, you are not welcome in Australian cricket.

Cricket Australia has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy towards discriminatory behaviour in all forms following the alleged racial abuse of members of the Indian cricket squad by a section of the crowd at the SCG yesterday. Full statement pic.twitter.com/34RYcfKj8q

�?Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) January 10, 2021

 “CA is awaiting the outcome of the International Cricket Council’s investigation into the matter reported at the SCG on Saturday. Once those responsible are identified, CA will take the strongest measures possible under our Anti-Harassment Code, including lengthy bans, further sanctions and referral to NSW Police.

 “As series hosts, we unreservedly apologise to our friends in the Indian cricket team and assure them we will prosecute the matter to its fullest extent.�?/span>

Former Australian cricketers Mike Hussey and Shane Warne have slammed the SCG crowd asking for life bans for these culprits.

"It's terrible behaviour and I can't believe it's still happening in this day and age. They should be banned for life from coming to the cricket," Hussey told Fox Cricket. 

"The Indians have come here to our shores to entertain us, play some great cricket, we should be so grateful that we can watch some live sport. To treat the players like that is unacceptable," he added.

Agreeing with Hussey, Warne said the allegations were particularly worrying given the events of the past one year, which have seen a global push for racial equality.

"Disgraceful to be honest, absolutely disgraceful," Warne said. "Should never happen, especially what's happened in the last 12 months or so with everything else around the world. Let's hope they come down heavy and find the culprits," he added.

Meanwhile, Australia have set a target of 407 for India in the Sydney Test after the hosts declared their second innings at 312/6. 

Feature image courtesy: Saeed KHAN / AFP

The Australian cricket team will look to bounce back from their eight-wicket loss in Melbourne when they face India in the third Test scheduled to start from January 7 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The ongoing four-match Test series is currently tied at 1-1 with the hosts winning the first Test match at the Adelaide Oval before India registered a win in the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

With the return of David Warner and Will Pucovski in the Australian Test set-up, I expect the hosts to make a strong comeback in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2021.

On the other hand, Team India received a massive boost in their batting with the inclusion of Rohit Sharma, who is set to act as deputy to stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane.

So, when these two sides cross swords in the Sydney Test on Thursday, I expect the following players from the two teams, India and Australia, to play a key role in it:

Rohit Sharma

All eyes will be on India’s vice-captain Rohit Sharma who missed India’s limited-overs series (3 ODIs and 3 T20Is) and two Test matches with a hamstring injury. With the Indian team struggling with their opening partnership in the first two Test matches, Rohit can solve the issue with his experience. The 33-year-old had done well as an opener during the South Africa home series in 2019 where he smashed two hundreds including a double-ton. Sharma’s last professional cricket match was for Mumbai in the Indian T20 league final last year, where he helped his side claim the coveted title. In my opinion, if he is fit then he will lead India’s batting order on Thursday.

Steve Smith

Australia talisman Steve Smith has struggled against the Indian bowling attack in the first two Tests. However, I reckon we are on the verge of seeing something special. The Sydney Cricket Ground has always been one of Smith’s favourite hunting grounds where he averages 67.89, which further outlines why India can have trouble in getting him out. Also remember, Smith is the highest run-scorer for Australia (from the current squad) in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His tally of 769 runs at an average of 128.16 during the 2014-15 Test series is still one of the best, and I expect him to bounce back in the Sydney Test.

Mohammed Siraj

India Pacer Mohammed Siraj impressed everyone on his Test debut in the Boxing Day Test match. Interestingly, he became the first debutant for India in seven years to pick five wickets in a Test match. Siraj had finished the second Test match with the fifth-best figures for an Indian fast bowler on debut Test overseas, claiming five wickets for 77 runs in 36.3 overs. With India missing the services of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav, the likes of Siraj and T Natarajan have grabbed their opportunities with both hands. I expect Siraj to play a major role in the third Test.

Mitchell Starc

Firstly, I want to congratulate Mitchell Starc for becoming the fifth-fastest Australian bowler to take 250 wickets in the longest format. The left-arm fast bowler has taken 59 Test matches to reach the milestone with Dennis Lillee topping the chart having claimed 250 wickets in just 48 games. The 30-year-old pacer has already troubled the famed Indian batting line-up by picking up eight wickets in the first two Tests at an average of 19.75. Starc needs to be at his very best if the home side wants to regain the advantage in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Indian cricket team exacted revenge on Australia by defeating the hosts in the Boxing Day Test match by eight wickets to level the four-match Test series 1-1.

After reducing Australia to 133/6 by the end of the third day of the second Test match, the hosts were all out for 200 runs on Day 4 with India needing just 70 runs to win.

Despite the easy target, India saw early setbacks with Mayank Agarwal and Chetershwar Pujara returning to the pavilion after scoring 5 and 3 respectively. However, skipper Anjinkya Rahane and debutant Shubman Gill stood their ground to see off a comprehensive eight-wicket victory for the visitors.

http://t.co/eQNZo0Ou2G! #TeamIndia bounce back in style to beat Australia by 8�?wickets to level the four-match series. #AUSvIND

Scorecard http://t.co/lyjpjyeMX5 pic.twitter.com/FgepGB00uE

�?BCCI (@BCCI) December 29, 2020

This will go down as one of India's most memorable test wins. Winning a test in Australia is always special but to do so given the wounds of Adelaide and the absence of key players makes it one for the ages

�?Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 29, 2020

Shubman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane survive early jitters to help India win by 8️⃣ wickets in Melbourne

The series is now level at 1-1.#AUSvIND SCORECARD ▶️ http://t.co/bcDsS3qmgl pic.twitter.com/1tHYMLrBa0

�?ICC (@ICC) December 29, 2020

In the absence of veteran fast bowlers like Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Umesh Yadav, a young Mohammed Siraj led the charge for India’s bowling by taking five wickets in two innings.

Apart from him, debutant Shubman Gill also shone with significant knocks of 45 and 35* to help steady India’s ship in crucial situations, and give India a real opening option for the present and future.

No Kohli.
No Shami.
No Ishant.
No Rohit.
No Umesh in second innings.
Gill making debut.
Siraj making debut.
Lost the toss.

Still, India beat Australia in Australia - One of the greatest wins ever in Test cricket history. pic.twitter.com/eJY4ysvDg2

�?Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 29, 2020

To win a Test match without Virat, Rohit, Ishant & Shami is a terrific achievement.

Loved the resilience and character shown by the team to put behind the loss in the 1st Test and level the series.

Brilliant win.
Well done TEAM INDIA! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/64A8Xes8NF

�?Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) December 29, 2020

However, it was the captain’s knock that has got every talking. In the absence of  Virat Kohli, stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane showed class, grit and leadership to bring India back into the contest. 

After Rahane’s brilliant knock of 112 runs in the first innings set the ball rolling for India for a win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the skipper returned to finish things off in the second innings with a 40-balls-27.

Rahane’s the best captaincy performance I’ve seen in my time watching Test cricket at the MCG. Superb on every day of the match. #AUSvIND http://t.co/tAkJ7s4H63

�?Adam Collins (@collinsadam) December 29, 2020

Rahane scoring the winning run for team India: how fitting! A historic win. A great match to watch. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/y7nZHeujr2

�?Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) December 29, 2020

1-1 with 2 to play! This should always be known as Rahane's match #AusvInd

�?Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) December 29, 2020

The Player of the Match and the inaugural winner of the Mullagh Medal is India's captain Ajinkya Rahane! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Vl3bNPbocl

�?cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 29, 2020

India will next face Australia in Sydney for the third Test match, which is scheduled to start from January 7, 2021.

 

Feature Image Courtesy: AFP/ William West