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Savvy South Africa Inundated India as Hosts Bagged the Test Series

South Africa demolished India’s hopes of winning a Test Series as South Africa won the Series by 2-1. South Africa handed embarrassment to India as all the odds & Cricketing Fraternity had written off South Africa. India had never won a Test Series after South Africa’s readmission. Till now only Sri Lanka has tasted success in South Africa; in 2019 Test Series the spirited Sri Lanka had defeated South Africa by 2-0 (*Test Series was of 2 Matches only). This Victory is a Phase of extreme Jubilation for Proteas & Board Members as they are going through a lot of turmoil.

SNAPSHOT: South Africa’s Cricketers grinning & booming with confidence after a stupendous achievement.

The resumption of Day 4 was just a mere formality, as Proteas needed 111 runs with 8 wickets in hand. Keegan Petersen along with Rassie Van der Dussen didn’t intricate the things; the ball was doing a lot of talking. Jasprit Bumrah was bowling Jafa & peach deliveries as survival was key. Petersen top-scored the inning with 82 runs. South Africa wrapped up the game with 7 wickets in hand while the batters Rassie & Temba Bavuma played with elegance.

SNAPSHOT: Rassie & Bavuma Congratulating each other after an Unbelievable Triumph & Feat.

There was one controversial incident which happened while Proteas were chasing the target. On Day 3 Elgar was out yet the 3^rd umpire didn’t rule him out. Ashwin was caught saying that the whole country is against playing 11. However, Elgar was out on same score of 30 yet the team’s total was of 16 runs, which some or the other way had an impact on the result.

SNAPSHOT: An unexpected stoppage of DRS where controversy was marked & game was perturbed.

SNAPSHOT: Keegen Petersen acknowledging the applause after a dream run in Test Series.

The peculiarity of Petersen’s innings was that he played every ball on its merit, He undoubtedly was the man of the match as well as Man of the Series with 276 runs to his tally which included 3 half centuries.

SNAPSHOT: Keegen Petersen (*on left with 2 trophies) & Dean Elgar (*on right with Freedom Trophy)

India had a marginal 13 runs lead. Before the conclusion of Day 2 India had lost 2 wickets & the lead was off 70 runs. Surprisingly this time all the burden of scoring runs was taken by Rishabh Pant. Rishabh Pant smashed a barnstorming century of 100 runs in 139 balls. All the other batters were having an off-color day. Pant was having an eventful day as he smacked 6 fours & 4 sixes. He became the 1^st Indian wicket-keeper batter to score a century in South Africa. He now had hundreds in Australia, England & South Africa. Rishabh may not be an ideal wicket-keeper but he is a perfect lower-middle order batter who still has a lot to accomplish. India managed to score 198 runs out of which Rishabh scored 100 & the fielding extras were 28 runs, only 70 runs were scored amongst 10 batters. This is not a good sign by any means. It reflects that India’s batters aren’t ready for a steep challenge.

SNAPSHOT: Rishabh Pant bossing the Game after scoring a Gigantic Knock of 100 runs in 139 balls.

Opting to bat first India had a dull day with the bat as India managed to score 223 runs. The pick of the bowlers from South Africa was the ‘Bull’ Kagiso Rabada who took 4 wickets. The idiosyncrasy of South Africa’s bowling was that they hunted in a pack. Hunting in a pack meant the Proteas had a good first innings where the tyro Marco Jansen too bagged a 3-wicket haul. The Skipper Virat Kohli had a good outing as he managed to contribute 79 runs in 201 balls & he was dismissed by the brutal Kagiso Rabada.

SNAPSHOT: Virat Kohli playing his signature shot & looking set to break more records.

SNAPSHOT: Kagiso Rabada pumped up after getting rid of the Star Virat Kohli.

In response to 223 runs South Africa managed to score 17 runs at the expense of 1 wicket. The match was hanging in even balance as the ball was doing a lot of talking.

Day 2 belonged to Keegan Petersen as he was nonchalant in his approach. Petersen showcased his credentials by scoring a mighty 72 runs in 166 balls. Apart from him no other batter managed to cross 30 runs mark. India came back from behind to stamp authority. Jasprit Bumrah the yorker specialist was too hot to handle as he took a 5-wicket haul & dented South Africa’s back. & Gave India a slim lead of 13 runs.

SNAPSHOT: ‘Smiling’ Jasprit Bumrah not able to believe after taking Elgar’s wicket.

South Africa would be pinching themselves as they convincingly defeated India. The bulk of the scoring was done by the novice Keegen Petersen which definitely will keep SA in good stead. The new find of this Series was the Young Marco Jansen, who earlier had tasted success in IPL for MI (Mumbai Indians). Players getting success proved to be pinnacle as South Africa wasn’t a sure shot pick at first. South Africa should not relax now as they are competing for the World Test Championship. Currently they are placed at 4^th position with 24 points as they have played 3 Matches only.

SNAPSHOT: Table of ICC World Test Championship 2021-23.

India would be shell shocked as they were the clear-cut favorites to create History. India would be depressed as in both the Test Matches, they lost by 7 wickets. It is often said that India has got the best bowling line-up in 75 years, yet India failed to defend the target. It is a wake-up call for Selectors & Management as Virat, Pujara & Rahane are not doing justice to their talent. After this Sri Lanka is going to tour India for a Test Series. It won’t be a better option for selectors to try out new players (they should rest the Pujara & Rahane as Sri Lanka is not a tough opponent like Australia, England & South Africa). India’s bowing is a force to reckon which is laudable but the results aren’t that much note-worthy

Key take aways from South Africa vs India Test Series:

The Game of Cricket is being played on ground not on paper
Performance on the given day counts not records

Resurgent Ireland Decimated West Indies to Level the Series by 1-1

Ireland broke all the shackles to hand West Indies a crushing defeat. Ireland now have grabbed 10 invaluable World Super League Points. Ireland now has 58 points (* played 17 Matches) with 5 wins and are placed at 4^th position, whereas West Indies have got 50 points (*played 11 matches) & are placed at 5^th position. The race for qualification looks quite fascinating as there is cut-throat competition.

SNAPSHOT: Harry Tector & Gareth Delany of Ireland shaking hands after wrapping up the 2^nd ODI.

Ireland had won the toss & elected to field first. West Indies were bundled out for a moderate total of 229 runs in 48 overs. The pacers & spinners of Ireland were bang on target as they didn’t allow any partnership to burgeon. Due to inclement weather the target was revised to 168 runs. 168 runs were required in 36 overs. The match was evenly poised as the required run rate was heading up to 6 runs.

The opening partnership was quite fruitful as the veteran William Porterfield & Paul Stirling made the most of the powerplay overs. The openers yielded 37 runs in 5 overs & instilled a belief in dressing room that they can create a havoc. West Indies bowlers were erratic, yet productive. The match was heading into a thriller as West Indies weren’t in a mood to give up.

Harry Tector along with Andy McBrine were involved in a huge partnership of 44 runs (*given the context of the match). The spinners: Roston Chase & Akeal Hosein weren’t living up to their reputation. Harry Tector guided the team till the end & has given Ireland a shot at history (*Ireland have never won ODI Series against West Indies)

Harry Tector got ample support from the rest of the batting line-up. Tector scored a compelling half-century of 54 runs in 75 balls. Andy McBrine played a fiery knock of 35 runs in 45 balls. The pick of the bowlers was the crafty off-spinner Akeal Hosein who took 2 wickets. There were high expectations from the experienced campaigner Jason Holder & the young sensation Alzarri Joseph, but both of them succumbed to pressure. The things got so much out of control that the skipper Kieron Pollard had to roll his arm over.

Ireland would be delighted. For Ireland it’s a phase of merriment & jubilation, as victory has opened the gates of changing the history. Ireland knows that well begun is half done.

West Indies were asked to bat first. West Indies had a decent power-play where they managed to score 39 runs for the loss of 1 wicket. West Indies batting line up got a major downfall as they were reduced to 104 runs for 6 wickets in 31 overs. The Power-hitters Kieron Pollard & Jason Holder were back in the dressing room. The core of the damage was done by the spinners. The pick of the spinners was Andy McBrine who took 4 wickets & gave away 36 runs in his 10 overs spell.

Odean Smith the tyro all-rounder blistered a thunderstorm cameo of 46 runs in 19 balls. He along with Romario Shepherd took West Indies total to a competitive 229 runs. Odean was just bashing the bowlers all around the park. Shepherd played a second fiddle as he scored a half century in 40 balls. West Indies have developed a pedigree of finding all-rounders as Romario & Odean’s batting positions were 9 & 10.

SNAPSHOT: Odean Smith & Romario Shepherd in a beast mode by taking the bowlers to cleaners.

West Indies would be ruing the fact that they couldn’t make a match out of a sporting wicket. West Indies know that they need to avoid embarrassment & in order to do so they need to play fear-less cricket. Ireland would be over-the moon as they know that their hard-work has paid off. At the same time Ireland know that their next match is a knock-out punch.

The 3^rd ODI is scheduled on 16^th January 2022. Ireland looks most likely to win ODI Series as they are ready to grind out the opponents, whereas West Indies are looking a bit lethargic (*especially in the starting phase of Match).

England Avoid Humiliation after a Spell-bound Affair at Sydney Cricket Ground

England would be astonished that they deferred Aussies a victory. Aussies were looking in full control that too till the last ball, yet England attained a draw which would be remembered for Ages. As of now England would be relieved that 2006-07 & 2013-14 feat (*5-0 white-wash) won’t be attained by Aussies.

SNAPSHOT: James Anderson & Stuart Broad took England home (Draw) after a hard-fought Match.

Aussies had won the toss & elected to bat first. Rain intervened a lot on the 1^st Day of Test Match. For the first time Australia’s top-order was exposed as the likes of Warner, Harris, Smith & Labuschagne were back in the dressing room, while the score was 242-5. Usman Khawaja came into the team as Travis Head had tested positive for Covid-19.

SNAPSHOT: Usman Khawaja playing a pull shot & getting his eye in after a long gap of Cricket.

On Day 2 Khawaja made the most of the opportunity & rescued Australia’s ship by smashing a century. He scored 137 runs in 200 deliveries. It was looking as if Khawaja was a regular part of team. His calmness & composure was spot on. For England the presence of Khawaja proved to be a surprise package as Khawaja had played his last test match in 2019 Ashes. Khawaja got ample support from the rest of the batters. Australia declared after posting a mammoth 1^st innings total of 413-8.

SNAPSHOT: Usman Khawaja delighted after Scoring a Hundred.

“The Old Horse” Stuart Broad proved his mettle by picking up a 5 wicket haul. This was the first time where an England bowler took 5 wickets in 7 innings. Broad was looking determined as ever as there were no freebies. England’s bowlers looked dedicated as getting rid off top-order quickly sensed that England are heading in the right direction.

SNAPSHOT: Stuart Broad pumped up & reignited old rivalry with David Warner.

England came out to bat & went unscathed (* 5 overs before day’s play) which was surprising given the history of openers in Series. On Day 3 Aussies continued their domination & dragged England to 36-4. It was looking that this Test Match would end quickly, then Ben Stokes & Johnny Bairstow came.

SNAPSHOT: Johnny Bairstow & Ben Stokes keeping an eye on scoreboard & one on the bowlers.

It was understood that Bairstow’s career as a red ball cricketer would be finished. He just went into attacking mode as he scored a barnstorming century of 113 runs in 158 balls. His celebration was evident that he is still an integral part of the Team.

SNAPSHOT: Johnny Bairstow thrilled after notching up 100 runs & saving his Test Career.

Even Stokes was looking threatening but he was foxed by the craftiness of Nathan Lyon. Stokes contributed 66 runs in 91 balls to England’s Scoreboard. The dismissal of both the batters meant that Aussie got a lead. England were bowled out for 294 runs. Aussies got a lead of 122 runs.

SNAPSHOT: Ben Stokes playing a shot through covers/off side & looking ominous.

Australia’s hero/wicket-taker with the ball was none other than Scott Boland. He took 4 wickets & was as immaculate as ever with the line & length. Mitchell Starc was taken to the cleaners & he looked a bit drained in his spells. There were instances where catches where dropped by Alex Carey, slip fielders & Marnus Labuschagne.

SNAPSHOT: Scott Boland continuing his purple patch from 3^rd Test Match.

On Day 4 once again the top-order failed to score size-able runs. The score was 86-4. Usman Khawaja made a solid case for himself as he smashed a turbulent century of 101 runs in 138 balls. The peculiarity of Khawaja’s knocks this time was that he played according to the conditions.

SNAPSHOT: Usman Khawaja ecstatic after scoring twin centuries in SCG.

Khawaja scored his 2^nd Century of Test Match & made a strong case for the upcoming Asian Test Tours (Pakistan, Sri Lanka & India). Both the dug-outs lauded Khawaja’s performance as he was at his best. He along with Cameron Green ruined England’s chances of making a come-back. Green played a flamboyant knock of 74 runs in 122 balls. Aussies declared on 265-6 & posted a total of 388 runs for Britishers.

Lack Leach made the most of the turning tracks as he took 4 wickets. The rest of the bowlers were bowling on foot-marks which made the batting extremely difficult. Overall, the bowlers were spot on. Khawaja & Green made the bowlers to bowl according to their strengths.

SNAPSHOT: Jack Leach enthralled after bamboozling the “Greatest of all Time” Steven Smith.

In response to 388 target (*Day 4) England once again went wicket-less in dressing room as they scored 30 runs in 11 overs. Attaining target looked plausible as scoring 358 runs in 3 sessions is a bit unrealistic. Both the openers in this Test Match blunted the new ball which made the task easier for the rest.

On Day 5 England’s batters showed a lot of character. Pat Cummins the skipper was grinding for each & every wicket as this time England were staunch in their defense. Cummins would be unhappy as his strike bowler Mitchell Starc’s wicket-column was empty. Not only he was wicketless but he also gave away runs with an economy of more than 3.5. Starc’s inability of taking a wicket proved to be a decisive factor.

SNAPSHOT: Mitchell Starc looking grumpy because of Stokes’s resistance.

SNAPSHOT: Pat Cummins the skipper tried everything for a victory through attacking mindset.

This Test Match was played with a lot of things under scanner as Aussies wanted to dominate while England wanted to prove a point. England would be grinning that they defied the odds, this Australian team looks similar to the Legendary Ricky Ponting’s & Michael Clarke’s team.

England found a lot of positive aspects as Ben Stokes (“Mr. Incredible” termed by his mates) got back into his groove & Johnny Bairstow saved his place by cracking up a hard -fought century. This time pacers toiled & showcased results which was optimum. England now needs to take one more step ahead & win the TEST Match at Hobart which would be the proper way to sign off. All in all, England looks back on track in Test Cricket

Aussies have a habit of finding replacements quickly. Cameron Green has some shades of the Legendary Shane Watson. They have the pedigree of All-rounders which makes them invincible & challenging. The Top 2 World Class batters of Australian line up haven’t scored a century till now (*8 innings) which augurs a lot about Australia’s Camaraderie on & off the field.

Spirited West Indies get away against a Scratchy Ireland

West Indies defeated Ireland by a mere margin of 24 runs. By winning the 1^st bilateral ODI Match West Indies have bagged 10 crucial World Super League points. Just before the match was going to commence Ireland were dealt with a huge blow as Simi Singh & Ben White tested positive for Covid-19. The wrecker in chief & the Man of the Match was the debutant Shamarh Brooks. He notched up a stupendous knock of 93 runs in 89 balls which consisted of 9 fours & 3 sixes. Though he would rue the fact of missing out on a hundred, the Camp would be delighted as they found a proper white ball batter.

SNAPSHOT: Shamarh Brooks guiding the batting line up after a sloppy start.

Ireland had won the toss & elected to field first. West Indies managed to score a challenging total of 270 runs, where the bounce of the pitch was uneven. The skipper Andrew Balbirnie & the veteran William Porterfield started off the innings. Porterfield was sent back by the crafty spinner Akeal Hossain. The power-play for Ireland wasn’t quite fruitful as they managed to score 30 runs for the expense of 1 wicket. In the 17^th over Andy McBrine got injured (*retired hurt) in the middle of his innings. He scored a decent knock of 34 runs in 50 balls.

SNAPSHOT: Akeal Hossain cherishing the moment after bowling out William Porterfield.

Balbirnie & McBrine were involved in 61 runs partnership. Then came the rising Harry Tector. The run rate was peaking at 9 runs per over, yet it wasn’t perturbing as Ireland had 9 wickets in tank. Just when it looked like the ship was sailing smoothly the gigantic partnership of 103 runs was broken. Romario Shepherd broke the dangerous partnership by getting rid of the skipper Andrew Balbirnie. Balbirnie scored a dazzling knock of 71 runs in 94 balls as scoring was tough.

SNAPSHOT: Andrew Balbirnie plating a Captain’s knock of 71 runs

Ireland required 105 runs in 83 balls, the captain was back in the dug-out. All of a sudden, the momentum of the match changed drastically. Ireland had a tough scenario to attain as they required 92 runs in last 10 overs with 6 wickets in hand. Harry Tector too got dismissed before the last 10 overs. Odean Smith the turbulent all-rounder got rid of Tector. He managed to score 53 runs in 68 balls The batters present at the crease were blatantly new to the mission ahead.

George Dockrell tried to put the run rate under 10 runs per over, but he didn’t get ample support from others. West Indies bundled out Ireland inside 50 overs for 245 runs with 5 balls remaining. Dockrell was the only positive aspect amongst others in the last 10 overs where he scored 30 runs in 25 balls. The Youth Sensations Alzarri Joseph & Romario Shepherd took responsibilities on their shoulders to wrap up the game. Joseph’s figures were staggering as he priced out 3 wickets for 55 runs in his 10 overs quota. Shepherd’s role was pivotal as he took 3 wickets & got rid of the big fish Balbirnie.

Asked to bat first West Indies had 3 new faces: Justin Greaves, Shamarh Brooks & Odean Smith. The debutant Justin Greaves was targeted from the word go. West Indies managed to amass only 36 runs in 10 overs for the loss of 1 wicket. Ireland’s bowlers sensed that they can deepen the agony of Caribbean batters. Ireland had hit West Indies so perfectly, that the score was 91 runs for 4 wickets in 26 overs. Mark Adair was the pick of the bowlers where his line & lengths were impeccable as he was able to drag West Indies down.

The Beast Skipper Kieron Pollard along with the novice Shamarh Brooks had another ideas. Both of them first of all made sure that they stick to the crease. Pollard took the responsibility of scoring runs as on the other side Brooks was looking for rotating the strike. Both the batters were involved in 155 runs partnership. The score at that point was 217 runs with 8.2 overs remaining. Pollard was undone by the brilliance of Craig Young as Pollard scored a feisty 69 runs in 66 balls including 4 fours & 4 sixes.

SNAPSHOT: Kieron Pollard smacking the ball & playing mind games with the bowlers.

Brooks took over from Pollard & made sure that West Indies put on a competitive total of 270 runs. In doing so West Indies didn’t bat the full quota of 50 overs as they got all out in 48.5 overs. Brooks knock was calm & attacking one as he scored 93 runs in 89 balls. From Ireland the pick of the bowers were Craig Young & Mark Adair were both of them took 3 wickets each. Mark Adair was sensational with the new ball where he broke the back of West Indies batting line up whereas Craig Young was absolutely lethal at the later stages of the game.

West Indies know that Ireland have given them a sniff. West Indies would look to avoid embarrassment & ignominy as for 2019 Cricket World Cup they had to play 2018 World Cup Qualifiers with minnow nations. West Indies have 50 points out of 10 matches

Ireland would be unhappy as they had the match under control for the majority of the game. Ireland currently have 60 points out of 16 matches as the journey has been topsy-turvy. Every match for Ireland is a literally do-or-die, qualification scenarios don’t look promising unless they win a Series.

Both the skippers & management should keep one thing in mind that they are playing for the elusive trophy.

Puissant South Africa Demolished India’s Prowess

South Africa broke their shackles to defeat the Gigantic India. TEST Series as of now is squared by 1-1, with the final one scheduled on 11^th January at Cape Town. There was elation even in closed doors as South Africa proved a point that they are not a finished product. India on the other-side looked humdrum as defeating 240 runs wasn’t a tough task given the affluence India has in pace department. The Test Match got wrapped up on 4^th day itself; which ICC would be keeping an eye on it as earlier in 2020 there have been talks of making a “Test Match” a 4-day affair.

SNAPSHOT: Skipper Dean Elgar & Temba Bavuma delighted after winning 2^nd Test Match.

South Africa’s chase started on 3^rd Day and they were quite cautious in their approach. The openers Dean Elgar & Aiden Markram didn’t allow the quartet: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Shardul Thakur & Moahammed Siraj to settle; as both the openers rotated the strike on a consistent basis & were ready to pounce on an opportunity. The opening partnership was of 47 runs in 10 overs. Aiden Markram the dashing batter was in full form as he played a cameo of 31 runs in 38 balls.

The man with the “Golden Arm” Shardul Thakur perturbed every batter through his cunning variations. The stand-in/ temporary captain K.L. Rahul used fiery tactics alike the “Youth Sensation” Virat Kohli, who was out of the Test Match due to lower back spasms. At the end of Day 3 Proteas scored almost half of the runs with 8 wickets in tank. In an attempt of experimentation Rahul lost the plot as giving easy singles & a regulation boundary made the job half done.

On Day 4 two sessions were wiped out due to inclement weather. Evening session finally had the last laugh & match resumed. Rahul’s captaincy didn’t yield results as on one side the skipper “Dean Elgar” was solid in defense, he literally took blows on his body & helmet. Elgar’s survival mode was so productive as he made the bowlers bowl to his strengths. Elgar would rue the fact that he missed out on the century (96 runs in 188 balls), yet he would be booming with confidence as Proteas still have their fortress under control. (* India hasn’t won a Test Series since South Africa’s readmission) Elgar got ample support from Rassie van der Dussen who was playing shots irrespective of getting outputs. There was a fear factor present in the form of Rassie. Rassie managed to score 40 runs in 92 balls, his partnership with Elgar proved to be decisive as both were involved in 82 runs partnership.

SNAPSHOT: Rassie van der Dussen playing cover drive with absolute sheer brilliance.

Elgar & “White Ball Skipper” Temba wrapped up the match & won the Test Match by 7 wickets.

SNAPSHOT: Dean Elgar waiving his bat after completing 50 runs.

SNAPSHOT: Temba Bavuma playing a shot elegantly & playing a role in the triumph

Team members of India were blissfully annoyed as they tried every trick yet Proteas didn’t succumb to the white noise. Last 6 months for Rahul has been a roller-coaster ride as in June he wasn’t a part of playing 11 & now he captained Test team & going to captain ODI Format. India should have gone for the lethal brand of bowling as losing by 7 wickets is a bit tough pill to swallow. There is some sort of uncertainty regarding Virat’s participation & if he isn’t fit then South Africa would be thrilled as Virat on his day can decimate the opponent through bat & captaincy.

SNAPSHOT: K.L. Rahul & Dean Elgar playing the game in right spirit.

India had won the toss & elected to bat first. The veteran batters Cheteshwar Pujara & Ajinkya Rahane once again failed to trouble the scorers as they were dismissed for a single digit. The skipper K.L. Rahul has now made a habit of taking burden on his shoulders as he scored a half century a (133 balls) on a spicy wicket. Ravichandran Ashwin the crafty spinner formed partnership with the “unorthodox” Hanuma Vihari & posted a decent yet challenging total of 202 runs. Ashwin played a quick-fire knock of 46 runs.

Marco Jansen the tyro fast bowler took 4 big scalps & was seen having a banter/sledging with the “Yorker Sensation” Jasprit Bumrah. Duanne Olivier played a critical role by sending Pujara & Rahane in quick succession as his presence was too hot to handle for batters.

SNAPSHOT: Marco Jansen & Jasprit Bumrah were seen a spat so much that Umpire had to intervene.

The entire bowling department of South Africa hunted in a pack which is must to succeed. India had a short burst with the ball as they were bundled out in 63.1 overs. Shami got rid off Markram quickly & later India’s bowlers tightened up the screws as Proteas managed 35 runs in 18 balls.

On Day 2 South Africa were scoring runs easily & looked as if they would get a size-able lead. Just before half an hour away from Lunch, Rahul gave the ball to Shardul Thakur. Absolutely from nowhere Thakur priced out the skipper Elgar (28 runs in 120 balls) & got rid of the well settled batter Keegan Petersen (62 runs in 118 balls) & eked out 3 wickets in his 5 over spell. He triggered 3 wickets & created panic in South Africa’s camp.

SNAPSHOT: Shardul Thakur got mesmerized after dismissing Aiden Markram.

After the lunch break of Day 2 Temba Bavuma took the team out of the muddle by notching up a half century in 60 balls. His dismissal paved the way for India as the score was 177-6 wickets. The tail-enders somehow grabbed a lead of 27 runs. This time Shardul Thakur accomplished the job of wrapping up the batters & tail-enders as he took his career best of 7-61 in 17.5 overs. Thakur proved to be a Trump & Wild Card as his spell changed the dynamics of the Game.

In response to 27 runs lead South Africa got rid of the “Big Fishes” Mayank Agarawal & K.L. Rahul. Marco Jansen who had a small stint via Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021 (MI) made the most of his experience. Rahane & Pujara resurrected the innings by rotating the strike & a typical boundary. At the end of Day 2 India’s lead was 58 runs with 8 wickets remaining. The Coach Mark Boucher was worried as he knew the momentum shifted very quickly.

On Day 3 Rahane & Pujara fretted bowlers. It was entertaining to see how Pujara was in attacking mode. During Drinks break India ‘s lead was 124 runs. It looked as if South Africa gifted the match, then Kagiso Rabada the speedster eliminated Pujara & Rahane by bowling peach deliveries. Within a blink of eye Rabada changed the course of the match.

SNAPSHOT: Cheteshwar Pujara & Ajinkya Rahane gave a glimpse of historic partnerships.

Rishabh Pant came in & then Rabada enticed Rishabh. Within 3 deliveries Pant threw his wicket & made sure that Proteas are in full control. Lead at that time was 140 runs with 5 wickets left.

SNAPSHOT: Rishabh Pant looks dejected as the sledging/ banter proved to be too hot.

Hanuma Vihari stood tall from one end & made sure that India posted a competitive target of 240 runs. South Africa’s quartet was slaying like anything as there was no respite. Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen & Kagiso Rabada all of these 3 took three wickets each.

SNAPSHOT: Hanuma Vihari playing a cover drive shot & resurrecting the inning.

SNAPSHOT: Kagiso Rabada is pumped up after breaking the back of India’s batting lineup.

With the series being squared by 1-1. The contest at Cape-town would be grueling as South Africa have made a comeback from nowhere. Mark Boucher the Head Coach would be pumped up whereas Rahul Dravid the Head Coach knows that the loop-holes have been exposed.

In 2006-07 South Africa vs India Test Series, Rahul Dravid was the captain of India & Mark Boucher was the wicket-keeper of South Africa. South Africa had levelled the Series by winning in Durban & co-incidentally the 3^rd Test Match is going to be played at Cape-town only. Given the history India would be hoping that the fortunes would change as in 2006-07 South Africa had thrashed India convincingly.

India wants the Batter Virat Kohli, as he is under a lot of pressure regarding off-field issues. Unfortunately, if Virat isn’t fit then there should be absolute role clarity as players need to acclimatize themselves to the situation. The blunder of Rishabh Pant is an example, if he would have batted responsibly then the result might have been different, putting entire blame on him is not right, but it is often said “Wicket-keeper is the heart of the team”. India has got everything to excel, unfortunately on the given day match is played on field not on paper.

South Africa would be in shock as in this Test Match they were without Quinton de Kock as he quitted Test Cricket to focus on White ball. Quinton was a huge blow as his acrobatic glove-work & furious batting was a major skill. Even in his absence South Africa gave a Reality Check to India.

On the current performances India looks unlikely to win as South Africa look ominous.

Nonchalant Bangladesh Annihilate New Zealand; Reincarnation of “TEST Cricket”

Bangladesh have created history by defeating the World Test Champions, New Zealand. 1^st Test Match was played at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. The Test Match was scheduled & played from 01^st January – 5^th January. For Bangladesh it is a phase of merriment as defeating New Zealand in their own backyard isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

SNAPSHOT: Mushfiqur Rahim & Skipper Mominul Haque are spellbound after defeating Kiwis

In 2020-21 season the likes of India & Pakistan were whitewashed & buried alive by Kiwis. 2022 Year has definitely brought smiles in Bangladesh after a disastrous 2021 T20 World Cup. Bangladesh was without the services of Tamim Iqbal & Shakib Al Hasan due to injury & personal reasons. On the other side New Zealand had a power-packed team except skipper Kane Williamson who is nursing elbow injury. Bangladesh was given a moderate target of 40 runs to chase. In attaining the target Bangladesh lost couple of wickets & hunted the total inside 17 overs.

SNAPSHOT: Mushfiqur Rahim thrilled after scoring the winning runs & reigniting Test Cricket.

The entire camp was jubilant as before the start of Day 5 the match was evenly balanced as New Zealand’s score was 17-5 (*exact score was 147-5). The veteran Ross Taylor & the Rising Rachin Ravindra were present. Before the commencement of 2022 Season Ross announced that he will retire at the end of the season.

Ebadot Hossain the speedster castled Taylor’s stumps & ignited a belief that Bangladesh have a chance to create “History”. Ross Taylor would be annoyed with himself that his lack of concentration & shot selection opened the gates for Bangladesh. After Ross’s dismissal the skipper Momiul Haque went into ultra -attacking mode as Ebadot & Taskin wrapped up the tail-enders. Ebadot took his maiden 5 wicket haul, most of the times he was looking for hitting immaculate line & lengths.

SNAPSHOT: Ebadot Hossain (saluting) is delighted after getting rid of the “Big Fish” Ross Taylor

Will Young the tyro cricketer was the only batter who went beyond half-century mark. He played a well defining knock of 69 runs in 172 balls.

New Zealand’s batters were so much drained while fielding that there was a lack of intent (*standing on the field for 176 overs may be the reason).

New Zealand had managed to score 328 runs while batting first. Shadman Islam & Mahmudul Hasan Joy exhibited appropriate brand of “TEST Cricket” as they blunted the new ball quite easily. Not a single batter scored a century, but there were ample contributions made:

Mahmudul Hasan Joy :78 runs in 228 balls
Najmul Hossain Shanto: 64 runs in 109 balls
Mominul Haque: 88 runs in 244 balls
Liton Das: 86 runs in 177 balls

Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson & Neil Wagner were exhausted as they tried all the tricks in the book, yet the batters were sturdy to pull of a heist. Bangladesh managed to put a humongous total score of 458 runs. A lead of 130 runs was invaluable. Each & every fast bowler had to bowl multiple & long spells. The pick of the bowlers was the thunderous Trent Boult who took 4 wickets.

Bangladesh had opted to bowl first as there was a tinge of grass present. The left arm fast bowler Shoriful got rid off the big fish Tom Latham. Will Young the novice opener made the most of the opportunity as he displayed complete mental application; he scored 52 runs in 135 balls.

The multi-talented Devon Conway once again proved his worth by notching up a brilliant century of 122 runs in 227 balls. It looks like Devon Conway is a master of all the formats, as he had played a crucial role in T20I World Cup (*Semi Final knock against England of 46 runs in 38 balls)

SNAPSHOT: Devon Conway cherishing the moment by scoring his 2^nd century & 1^st at New Zealand

The experienced campaigner Henry Nicholls played a terrific knock of 75 runs in 127 balls. The specialty of Nicholls’s knock was that he always wanted to score, irrespective of the runs. There was a surprise element present this time, lower-middle order & tail-enders didn’t contribute. The likes of Jamieson & Southee are expected to contribute at-least 50 runs amongst themselves.

New Zealand posted a decent total of 328 runs. The runs where hard to come due to the impeccable bowling of Bangladesh’s pacers & spinners. Shoriful Islam was the pick of the bowlers. He was well accompanied by the crafty off spinner Mehidy Hasan who also took 3 scalps.

TEST CRICKET

2022 has started with a Bang & with an Upset as who would have even thought that Bangladesh would defeat New Zealand. Bangladesh’s playing 11 was quite young irrespective of experience. This match literally could be said as “David & the Goliath”, Kiwis are the true embodiment of the game.

Bangladesh have made a statement that they are not a team who just visits a nation & goes back empty handed. Not to forget Bangladesh have bagged 12 WTC (World Test Championship) Points. New Zealand would be shell-shocked that how come Bangladesh defeated them. New Zealand are yet to win a Test Match in 3 Test Matches (* 2 against India in November-December).

New Zealand are placed at 6^th position with 4 points
Bangladesh is placed at 9^th position with 12 points

The argument of Kane Williamson’s absence is plausible. Black Caps would like to avoid the ignominy as loosing a series would be dreadful.

Before the series Mominul Haque was seen saying that it’s difficult to trust the process without result. Bangladesh defeated New Zealand as they had the players to succeed, it is often said that the Board & Management should trust the players, which BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) did.

The entire Cricketing Fraternity (BCCI, CA & ECB) would be jolted as well as thrilled that one more nation has joined the league of Legends. The beauty of “Test Cricket” is that you can make a comeback on any given day. Now the pressure is on New Zealand as their throne can be snatched away, whereas Bangladesh would look to go one step ahead & dominate New Zealand.

ICC World Test Championship Table 2021-23:

Nations	PC %	Points	Won	Lost	Draw	Series	Penalty
AUS	100.00	36	3	0	0	1	–
SL	100.00	24	2	0	0	1	–
PAK	75.00	36	3	1	0	2	–
IND	63.09	53	4	1	2	3	3
BAN	33.33	12	1	2	0	2	–
WI	25.00	12	1	3	0	2	–
NZ	11.11	4	0	2	1	2	–
ENG	07.14	6	1	5	1	2	10
RSA	00.00	0	0	1	0	1	–

The Debacle of England in Ashes 2021-22, uncertainty around Test Cricket

England are facing one of the worst times as surprisingly they relinquished ‘The Urn’ inside 12 days. Aussies are 3-0 up with 2 more Test Matches remaining. Before the start of the Series there were a lot of negotiations done as ECB (England Cricket Board) demanded resort type of quarantine for players & their families. CA (Cricket Australia) fulfilled every requirement as the entire process was a helluva.

SNAPSHOT: Joe Root looks distraught after Josh Hazlewood ekes out the BIG FISH.

In the 3 Test Matches England’s Cricketers showed lack of intent. England’s batters succumbed to pressure so easily that Aussie bowlers weren’t required to toil significantly. In 6 innings England did not cross 300 runs mark for a single time nor any reputed/designated/novice batsmen struck a Century.

The experienced troika of Ben Stokes, Johnny Bairstow & Jos Buttler got into ultra-pro-defensive mode. This hampered England’s batting as all of these are expected to up the ante. Particularly Ben Stokes flabbergasted everyone by displaying defensive tactics.

Dawid Malan who was a part of 2017-18 Ashes made the most of his experience, as he struck 2 half-centuries. Once again, the burden was on the shoulders of Skipper Joe Root. Root got the starts & converted too but didn’t capitalize on it. He scored 3 half-centuries in 6 innings. Joe Root’s century jinx in Australia continues as this is his 3^rd tour Down Under (*2013-14, 2017-18 & 2021-22).

SNAPSHOT: Joe Root & Dawid Malan carrying the burden & responsibility of England.

Joe Root now has become the only 3^rd batter in TEST Cricket to amass more than 1,700 runs in a calendar year. The list is as follows:

Batsmen	Runs	Year
Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan)	1788	2006
Vivian Richards (West Indies)	1710	1976
Joe Root (England)	1708	2021

England would be disheartened as they have lost 8 Test Matches in 2021:

3 Away Test Matches against India, January-February 2021
1 Home Test Match against New Zealand, June 2021
2 Home Test Matches against India, August-September 2021
3 Away Test Matches against Australia, December 2021

Jos Buttler the swashbuckling wicket-keeper batter literally dropped dollies. He jumbled regulation catches, missed easiest of stumpings & looked in a disarray. At the same time Jos was taking absolutely stunning catches. It has been a mixed bag of wicket-keeping for Buttler in Ashes as most of the times he has been under the pump. It is often said ‘Wicket-keeper is the Heart of the team’, a single error is enough to drag the team down.

SNAPSHOT: Jos Buttler frustrated after dropping simple catches

The Stalwarts: James Anderson & Stuart Broad were off-color & looked like out of the gas. The Speedsters Mark Wood & Ollie Robinson weren’t able to wrap up the innings which is ultimate. England’s spear-headed fast bowling line up astonished the pundits as none of them bagged a 5 wicket-haul. Ollie Robinson was the pick of the bowlers as he took 9 wickets in 3 matches.

There was a lot of confusion & miscommunication as Root was seen saying that the bowlers need to bowl full length deliveries. Legendary Captain Ricky Ponting lambasted Root by saying that if the bowlers are not listening to you then what are you doing in that post?

SNAPSHOT: Joe Root looks furious as the bowlers are not yielding productive outcomes.

Ways for England to bounce back:

Joe Root knows that most probably his Captaincy would be snatched away at the end of Ashes Series. Joe & ECB should keep one thing in their mind that WTC (World Test Championship) points are at stake too. Currently England are placed at 7^th Place with 6 Points as they played 8 Test Matches.

Before the commencement of 2021 home season ECB sacked Selection Panel which was more than 140 years old & gave complete authority to the Head Coach Chris Silverwood. It resulted in monarchy as Silverwood was the whole & soul of selecting a squad. ECB should bring back the old traditional system as Coach’s responsibility is to train the players.

ECB received a lot of flak when ‘Hundred’ (22^nd July-21^st August) was given priority over Red Ball Cricket (Couty Cricket). ICC WTC 2021-23 cycle was about to kick-start as India was scheduled to play 5 Test Match Series. England who are the founder of Game of Gentlemen are seen ignoring TEST Cricket. There is no doubt that England are a force to reckon with in white ball format. If England believe that TEST Cricket is their pinnacle then they should keep a separate pool of 30 Cricketers who are ready for any uphill task. Playing multiple-formats with same bunch of players back-to-back doesn’t look quite fruitful.

ECB should take a leaf out of CA (Cricket Australia) performance. In 2^nd Test Match Australia were without Josh Hazlewood (due to injury) & Pat Cummins (close contact of Covid-19), that didn’t stop them from winning as the tyro Jhye Richardson & Michael Neser filled their shoes. Australia’s bowling is blatantly dependent on their trio of Starc, Hazlewood & Cummins, yet they found a replacement on the 11^th hour.

The time has come now for ECB to have talks with the iconic ‘James Anderson’ & ‘Stuart Broad’ as investing in youth looks a formidable option. Broad & Anderson’s pair is the lethal bowling attack & would be remembered for ages as taking 1,165 wickets (amongst themselves) is beyond imagination. On any given day Broad & Anderson would rip off a powerful batting line up, but in doing so they are not giving ample chances to a 20–24-year-old fast bowler.

Australia had never retained/won Ashes in England before 2001. CA used Dukes Ball in Sheffield Shield 2019 season as Dukes Ball swings wildly. Ashes 2019 proved to be a nail-biting contest where Aussies retained ‘Urn’ (2-2). Aussies main motto was to win an Ashes Series, but they broke the jinx of 18 years. It is often said home-work is crucial to excel, ECB have got the players, coaches & staff but they were somewhat bogged down.

ECB should give a last rope to the entire squad. Giving a chance would mean that ECB is trusting the system. Regardless of the result players need to show some fight & grind the opposition as Test Cricket is the “TEST of Character”. Getting bundled out for 68 runs & losing by an innings is an embarrassing act (3^rd Test Match, 2^nd innings).

Chopping & changing would sound the need of the hour, but the batters in the top-order (Zak Crawley, Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed & Dawid Malan) are too scared due to such treatment.

After these 2 Test Matches England are slated to tour West Indies in March for a full-fledged tour. Richards-Botham Trophy (*Test Series) would be inaugurated when West Indies & England clash.

SNAPSHOT: Ian Botham & Viv Richards are set to reignite one of the greatest Rivalry.

West Indies may look an easy opponent as compared to the Dominant Australia & Puissant India, yet they have the caliber to give sleepless nights to England. In 2019 Test Series West Indies had defeated England by 2-1, these are alarming signs as ECB can’t take the opponent lightly. ECB have a long road ahead & for that they need to take pragmatic approach.

SNAPSHOT: Jason Holder delighted after winning the Wisden Trophy in West Indies by 2-1.

Pat Cummins & Joe Root face off; Ashes Rivalry set to be Reignited

Overview

Ashes is a Gripping Rivalry which keeps the Cricketing Fraternity & the entire Globe thrilled. England & Australia are the only 2 Nations for whom Test Cricket is Pinnacle, as this Rivalry is Ancient which got started way back in 1882-83. Australia has had the wood over England where Aussies have retained the “Urn” 38 times whereas England 33 times. Ashes is mouth watering as England’s ‘Barmy Army’ pressurizes the Mighty Aussies via witty statements & sometimes smirky remarks, in 2019 Ashes Barmy Army brutally trolled Smith, Warner & entire Cricket Australia (CA) for their ball tampering saga.

SNAPSHOT: Pat Cummins & Joe Root booming with a Smile as the Greatest Rivalry Resumes

Australia

Australia have taken a bold decision to give leaderhip duties to Steven Smith (*as a deputy) & made the No.1 fast bowler Pat Cummins as the Skipper. Cummins is the first fast bowler to captain Australian Test team in the last 65 years. Deceased Ray Lindwall was handed a one match captaincy in India in 1956 which makes him the only specialist fast bowler of Australia to captain in TESTS.

Cummins inclusion as a skipper means that Australia can’t rest him. Cummins hasn’t missed a single test Match since 2018 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. CA have gone backwards as they have recalled Usman Khawaja back into the frame. Khawaja is the only batter present apart from Smith who was a part of an excruciating Ashes 2010-11 Campaign where England had outclassed Australia by 3-1. 2010-11 Ashes was a Historical Feat as Britishers won Test Series in Australia after 24 years. Khawaja & Smith have seen the agony of a shambolic performance which makes their presence invaluable (*Khawaja is not named in playing 11 for 1^st Test Match).

SNAPSHOT: Apart from Labuschagne the duo of Smith & Khawaja is pivotal

Australia should take a leaf out of 2013-14 & 2017-18 Ashes performance as their prowess is to bowl out England. The pitches of Australia aren’t that spicy as compared to England, bowlers need to toil a lot to squeeze a wicket. The role of Nathan Lyon becomes critical as more often than not he is under the pump as other bowlers most likely won’t get productive results. Australia know that one brutal spell of Starc can create havoc for England as ECB’s (England Cricket Board) Intolerant approach towards racism is under scanner.

Playing 11: David Waner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (Wk), Pat Cummins (c) , Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

England

ECB have shown faith in skipper Joe Root as earlier he failed to retain the Urn, in 2017-18 Ashes & 2019 (in England where the series was levelled by 2-2). Joe Root so far has a prolific year with the bat where he has amassed 1,455 runs where he has scored 6 centuries. Root has been the one man army so far for England where he has scored the bulk of runs. Root would be blostered by the presence of Stokes who not only bowls but provides a complete package of a Cricketer.

SNAPSHOT: Joe Root in 2021 having a dream run as runs are accumulating at large scale.

England once again are with a new bunch of openers in the form of Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed & Rory Burns which has now become a funny template. Jonny Bairstow would be gutted to show that he still has the passion for Test Cricket because the selectors have ignored him blatantly in the past 1 year (*Ollie Pope has pipped him for 1^st Test Match). The duo of Stuart Broad & James Anderson would be banking on their 2010-11 feat; as they are the only Cricketers who were a part of that Momentous Achievement (* Anderson according to management is rested for 1^st Test Match to focus on work-load)

SNAPSHOT: James Anderson & Stuart Broad would hope that they rip off Australia’s line up.

England would be eager to stamp their authority as their last 2 tours at Australia were a nightmare; in 2013 they were got whitewashed & in 2017-18 they avoided an embarrassment in the form of 0-4. England are high on batting line up but that doesn’t mean that they should throw away their starts. England have a golden chance to deepen CA nemesis as once again their culture is under spotlight.

Playing 11: Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c) , Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (Wk), Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach

The 1^st Test Match is scheduled at The Gabba, Brisbane. India in 2021 had breached Gabba Fortress after 32 years that too by a second string team. England would be Roaring & would hope that they would shell-shock Australia again as the 1^st Test Match will determine their fate.

Last 4 Ashes Series Down Under (*Australia as Hosts) :

2006-07	Australia won	5-0
2010-11	England won	3-1
2013-14	Australia won	5-0
2017-18	Australia won	4-0

2013-14 Ashes was considered to be a riveting contest as England had the former Skipper Sir Alastair Cook, Swashbuckling Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell & a lot of puissant members, yet Australia buried them.

The same applied for 2010-11 Ashes as the Legendary Former Captain Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich & Co were bruised as the Dynamic England handed Kangaroos 3 inning defeats.

#Past 4 series gives us a clear cut indication that making a comeback & winning Ashes in Australia is literally impossible no matter who is in your team.

Keys for Winning/Retaining Ashes

The Task is cut out for England, they have to dominate Australia from the word go. Ben Stokes holds the key as his bowling can be a decisisve factor. If Stokes can squeeze out 2-3 wickets in a Test Match then England would be in the Driver’s seat. 300 odd runs would mean that they are giving Australia a straight-forwward chance.

Australia once again are back to the drawing board. They need to show the fire as England’s pacers are also too hot. Aussies have a bad habit of falling like a pack of cards which should be avoided, as scoring 3 runs per over is decent. The rookie Cameron Green’s role is crucial as he is the only recognized bowling option after the quartet.

Predicted Winner

Australia looks ominous to retain the Ashes & win the Series. Bad times for Aussies don’t last long as the recent testimony is of Ashes 2019, after 18 years Australia had retained Ashes in England. This doesn’t mean that it was a cake walk as there were horrendous times for Oz’s, yet that didn’t hampered them.

Preview of Ashes 2021-22 by Varad Vaichal:

New Zealand fretted India & took the gas out of India

New Zealand did an improbable effort to draw the 1^st Test Match against India at Kanpur. The pitch of Kanpur was uneven where the batters had a strenuous task on their head. New Zealand started off their defense of ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23.

India had a golden opportunity to stamp their authority. A target of 284 runs was literally impossible to chase down for Kiwis. The pitch was treacherous as the pitch was no less than a minefield yet a sporting wicket. Overnight on the 4^th day of the Test Match India had got rid of Will Young.

Tom Latham & the night-watchman Will Somerville were cautious in the 1^st Session. They both went unscathed into the lunch break. New Zealand required 205 runs in last 2 sessions which was a daunting & an unrealistic equation to attain. Rahane tried every trick in the book but New Zealand’s resilience was remarkable.

On the very first ball Umesh Yadav sent Somerville back to pavilion by bowling a pre-planned short ball. All of a sudden India sensed that they are in this. Somerville played an innings full of character by consuming 110 balls & scored 36 runs. Kane Williamson & Tom Latham made it clear that they need to see of the first half an hour. The Runs were hard to come as the ball was keeping eye-bogglingly low.

Tom Latham displayed complete mental application by notching up a half century of 52 runs in 146 balls. He was solid as rock but a little lapse of concentration paved the way for India. Ashwin has made a habit of dismissing Tom Latham in India as he has been his victim 6 times out of 8. Just at the brink of Tea New Zealand got another heart-attack as Ravindra Jadeja trapped Ross Taylor. The chance of a New Zealand win was out of the context as scoring 5 runs per over is quite not possible.

New Zealand had 6 wickets in hand & more than 30 overs were left. Rahane’s captaincy was spot on as he didn’t waste any time. Jadeja & Axar demolished New Zealand’s batting line up as their recognized batters were back at the hut. New Zealand had to play out a minimum 25 overs. It looked like the end is near as India’s spinners were ruthless.

Tom Blundell, Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Ajaz Patel & Tim Southee played out of their skin. The defense was at the peak as every bowler was helpless. Ashwin & Jadeja the current two stalwarts of India’s spin bowling had a nerve-wrecking day. Jadeja was lethal with the ball as he took 4 wickets.

The 10^th wicket-partnership between Ajaz Patel & Rachin Ravindra was a treat to watch. Both the batters showed immense courage to block the ball. New Zealand somehow avoided their ship to sink. At 98 overs New Zealand scored 165-9 runs. Due to the bad light the match was stopped, the full quota of 90 overs on the 5^th day was attained.

New Zealand pulled out a heist as a draw is as equal to a victory. India would be banging their heads as they failed to seize the moment. New Zealand would be smirking as once again they thrashed a billion people’s dreams in ICC Fixtures.

New Zealand & India both the teams got 6 points for the Test Match. India have got themselves to blame as 90+ overs are adequate to run out the opposition. The 2^nd Test Match is at Mumbai where we can expect a similar turner pitch.

Virat Kohli is going to resume his captaincy duties. The conundrum for Rahul Dravid is that who sits out as Shreyas Iyer has had a dream debut by notching a century & a half century. Rahane & Pujara are off-colors & at the twilight of their career as dropping one of them would literally mean that their career is over.

Virat Kohli & Rahul Dravid would look to rectify their mistakes & avoid an ignominy as India is not performing according to their credentials. The only way India can demolish New Zealand is by scoring gigantic 1^st inning score of 400+ runs irrespective of batting 1^st or 2^nd.

It seems likely that New Zealand would once again bury India alive. The way Black Caps have saved the Test Match augurs their preparation which may be short yet powerful. There are some loopholes regarding their batting collapses which quickly needs a turnaround. New Zealand’s last Test Series victory came in 1964-65, New Zealand had won the series by 1-0 (4 Test Match Series). It has been 57 years since New Zealand have tasted success in India which is like ages. The pace duo of Southee & Jamieson holds the key as both of them have express speed. New Zealand experimented with 3 spinners which wasn’t as fruitful as compared to India.

India hasn’t lost a single TEST Series in India since 2012; England had defeated India by 2-1. This record is in danger as India looks a bruised side whose traces are visible given their recent failures at ICC Events.

India Cash in after a Toothless ICC T20 World Cup 2021

India whitewashed Kiwis in the T20I Series by 3-0. This series started a new era as the Legendary Rahul Dravid took over the reins from Ravi Shastri. Virat Kohli gave up his captaincy duties to focus on batting. BCCI named Rohit Sharma as the successor. India left no stone untouched as usual the bowlers & batters decimated the opponent. There was one trait seen of Rohit’s captaincy that he didn’t shout on his bowlers. Deepak Chahar was taken to the cleaners by Martin Guptill & during these times Rohit asked Deepak what we can do which resulted in a scalp. All in all India has got a new duo in the form of Rohit & Dravid where both know how to bring out most out of team members.

Good series win but we are also quite realistic: Rahul Dravid | Sports News,The Indian Express — Rahul Dravid & Rohit Sharma

In this Covid-19 phase where players have to deal with bubble life & at the same time they have to experience life of a caged animal. The sticky schedule needs a rework as the players need mental space irrespective of bubble life. Franchise Cricket’s influence (*Second leg phase of IPL was started on 19th September -15th October) has somewhat dampened the importance of International Cricket. India’s recent failure at T20 World Cup is a testimony to this.

The duo of Virat Kohli & Ravi Shastri got India to great heights by winning T20I Series in Australia, England, New Zealand, West Indies & South Africa. This series victories created a sense of belief that India can flourish on any pitch. But it didn’t meant that India can play casually in ICC T20 World Cup. This culture needs to change as nothing is more important than the Nation.

New Zealand throughout the Series were looking mentally drained. Kiwis had played the final on 14th November & their next match was on 17th November. The Black Caps just literally where travelling from one city to another where there was no ample time for preparation. Even if a team is playing same format since last 1 month they need time to get accustomed to the conditions. On the 11th hour the skipper Kane Williamson opted out of T20I Series to focus on the upcoming Test Series. The Test Series for New Zealand will start their defense for ICC Test Championship 2023.

Rahul Dravid has an uphill task as he has less than a year to find out the winning combination. The next T20 World Cup is being slated in Australia 2022 in October-November. BCCI has started adopting rotation policy as they handed caps to Harshal Patel & Venkatesh Iyer. BCCI should keep one thing in their heed that building a team takes a lot of time.