IND vs NZ: New Zealand Ends 26 Year Old Drought Against India
Mitchell Santner spun the web as he claimed the magnificent 13-wicket haul with six wickets within the second innings which led New Zealand to a thumping 113-run victory at the MCA Stadium, Pune against India in the three-match test series. New Zealand Takes The Series Home The victory over India helps New Zealand take up an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match test series on their way to India after gaining a first Test win series victory for the record. India’s Chasing Woes Continue India’s chase began very indifferently with the departure of its skipper, Rohit Sharma. The hope of a run chase seemed lost with an aggressive 77-run inning by Yashasvi Jaiswal while the hopes of India again came crashing down with a breakthrough at regular intervals by Mitchell Santner. Indians failed at their middle order where only Virat Kohli and Washington Sundar somehow put up a fight till New Zealand cleaned the remaining runs. Ravindra Jadeja tried his best to take India home, however was dismissed on 42 by Ajaz Patel. New Zealand Breaks India’s Home Dominance The recent loss against New Zealand, sent India down to their first home series defeat in 12 years- their last one was against England back in 2012-13 under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. New Zealand’s series win is especially sweet as it saw India’s 18-series winning streak at home come to an end-the longest home series-winning run in Test history. And only three teams since 2012, England and Australia being the other two, had come out victorious in a series from Indian shores. India Continue to Top WTC Rankings The series was lost, but India remained atop the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) table, with a Points Percentage (PCT) of 62.82. New Zealand’s win pushed it to fourth place, giving the team a new life in the WTC cycle. New Zealand’s WTC Comeback The Kiwis, who won the first WTC, announced their return with the win against India. After taking their first test match victory on the Indian soil in 26 long years last week in Bengaluru by winning the first test, New Zealand now took the test series, ending the Indian stranglehold over home Tests. With the last test match to be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on November 1st, 2024, India would look to deny New Zealand from a series whitewash while New Zealand will continue to endear themselves further to their WTC position. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IND vs NZ: Sports Technology Advancements Provoked Sarfaraz To Appeal For DRS
The day one of the second test match between India and New Zealand witnessed timely intervention from India’s Sarfaraz Khan to convince his captain, Rohit Sharma to go for the review at the Decision Review System (DRS) that actually proved to be vital for the Indian Cricket Team. The dismissal, overturned from not out, of Will Young against New Zealand was the turning point of the day. That this has been the game-changer wherein Ravichandran Ashwin claimed his second scalp of the morning speaks largely to just how DRS has reshaped modern-day cricket. How is DRS technology changing the landscape of contemporary cricket? The integration of DRS in modern cricket alters the way teams strategize their decisions on the field. Just a few years back, decisions provided by umpires were final and often became controversial. With DRS, there is an improvisation that allows players and teams to challenge close calls. The change in the game now has made players play an active role concerning decision-making. DRS gives fair play and adds to the level of transparency in places of decision in the game. How technology in cricket has benefitted Players, Umpires and Match Referees? For players like Sarfaraz Khan, the DRS system meant they could influence the game directly, providing information to their captain. That this was in fact an example where wicketkeepers like Rishabh Pant were not solely responsible for calls. Technological advancements in cricket are not limited only to DRS. All of them have been game-changers for players, umpires and match referees. For instance, ultra-edge, ball-tracking systems and Hawk-Eye can help the umpires make tough decisions. Snickometer and HotSpot proved to be very useful tools in checking minor edges or bat-pad touches that one may miss with his naked eyes. Thus, not only do these innovations decrease errors but also they ease a bit of burden from umpires who can now make decisions based on technological support. Snickometer Invented by English computer scientist Allan Plaskett in the mid-1990s, the Snickometer was first broadcast on UK Channel 4 in 1999, accompanied by such technologies as Hawk-Eye and the Red Zone. The Snickometer helps umpires decide whether or not the ball has made contact with the bat by measuring differences in magnitude of sound waves. Renamed “Ultra Edge” after its premiere, it eventually lost first position to the more advanced Real-Time Snicko in 2013. Hawk-Eye Hawk-Eye is ball-tracking technology which predicts whether a delivery would have hit the stumps had it not been obstructed by the batsman, most of the times his pad. It is really crucial in making LBW decisions. It was developed by British computer scientist Paul Hawkins and launched in 2001. Ten years later, the Sony company bought the technology, so it plays a leading role in making modern sports officiating more high-tech. Hot Spot Hot Spot is a television imaging technology which employs infrared cameras to detect whether or not the batsman has made contact with the ball. The first part of this technology was invented by French scientist Nicholas Bion. A Melbourne-based company BBG Sports introduced Hot Spot into cricket. Data Analytics The ICC employs analytics software such as SAP HANA Cloud Platform and SAP Lumira to analyze scorecard statistics, player performances, profiles and other key data. Techniques in data mining are also applied to determine dynamic rankings for players. The main idea is to enable real-time, engaging statistics for the fans through the ICC app and website. How is sports technology taking the game of cricket forward? The match referees and analysts also gain from technological integration. This allows them to carefully watch the incidents that occur in the field and assess the players’ adherence to the rules before disciplining them when necessary. Detailed data analytics assist teams in planning. Coaches and players can then study the strengths and weaknesses or patterns of the opponents as an edge in competition. Technology advancements are changing the way fans experience the game. Slow-motion replays, tracking of the ball, virtual reality just make the viewing experience far more immersive and gives fans access to a whole new perspective in action and cricket becomes widely appealing across borders. In other words, cricket would just adapt new equipment to include more as a sure and fair principle of the game, thus raising the enjoyment quotient for a player who plays the game today. To Sarfaraz Khan and all those like him, DRS and all the technological assistance means he will be able to tap instinct, analytic ability and above everything else, bring the balance in which to propel the game on. On the first day of the second test match in Pune, for example, we observed changes in cricket that surely is going to take the game forward. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IND vs NZ: Kiwis Fall In Front Of Washington’s ‘Sundar’ Bowling
Washington Sundar‘s surprise inclusion in the Indian Cricket Team test match squad after their defeat in the first Test against New Zealand raised many eyebrows, however India had a strategic reason behind bringing in the off-spinner. New Zealand’s batting line-up is replete with left-handers, and an off-spinner was brought in to counter that threat. Washington Sundar – A Move That Worked In India’s Favour Though few saw him bat his way in, with a firm sentiment of not having enough game time to justify an immediate promotion to the XI for the second test, India made a bold call and Washington Sundar repaid the faith by sending down a stunning delivery that dismissed the well-set Rachin Ravindra. Spinners Dominate On A Dry Pitch The dry pitch on day one has already begun to throw spinners into action, which is not the best for the batting line-ups on both sides. India is capitalizing on this situation to its advantage, as New Zealand batters have been a tough nut to crack for spinners all these years. All wickets so far have fallen to Indian spinners. Ravichandran Ashwin took the first three, while Sundar chipped in with two crucial strikes over Ravindra and Tom Blundell. Washington Sundar’s Magic Delivery To Rachin Ravindra Washington Sundar’s delivery to Rachin Ravindra was a textbook off-spinner’s wicket, combining his skill with the assistance of a turning track. Starting a new over, Sundar came around the wicket, cutting the ball in from wide of the crease to the left-handed Ravindra. Expecting the ball to turn in or only marginally deviate, Ravindra moved forward to defend, covering his off-stump. However, Sundar’s ball came in just a little behind fuller length, turned away sharply, and beat the outside edge, crashing into the stumps. The pace coming at 93.2 Kph, had hardly any time for Ravindra to react. It caught him off guard completely. India Strangles Batsmen as Pitch Wears Off The prized wicket of Rachin Ravindra, who had scored a century in the first test and was proving dangerous again, brought smiles on the faces of teammates. It again brought across the fact that dryness is the growing impact of the pitch and there is an increase in turn available, which will get only worsened from now on for batting. India’s spinners will only like to exploit it further and look for more breakthroughs in conditions that are likely to worsen henceforth. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IND vs NZ: Sarfaraz Khan’s Story From Maidans Of Mumbai To Maiden Test 100
Batting almost 10 hours at Mumbai’s Cross Maidan, Sarfaraz Khan first drew national attention as a 12-year-old schoolboy in 2009. This young lad re-wrote history at this fabled ground in the city of legendary batters. Playing in the big-time Harris Shield tournament, held in reverence as the Holy Grail of school cricket in Mumbai, Sarfaraz set a new record that catapulted him to instant stardom. Sarfaraz Khan’s Record-Breaking Feat Dressed in cricket whites – loose-fitting white shirt and track pants – the Kurla boy from the lower-middle class of eastern Mumbai made headlines with an astonishing 439 runs. This came for Rizvi Springfield in the Under-16 category, where Sarfaraz smashed 56 fours and 12 sixes. His score shattered the 46-year-old record of 427 not out, previously held by Ramesh Nagdev. In the process, Sarfaraz also broke the fabled score of 346 runs that none other than Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar had bagged way back in 1988. Dubbed the “Next Tendulkar” Sarfaraz’s phenomenal performance made local newspapers and national media speculate whether he would turn out to be the “next Tendulkar”. Yet, gradually, despite bright starts, the prodigy remained nowhere in public view. For years, Sarfaraz strained every sinew on the maidans of Mumbai, making his mark in first-class cricket while awaiting a call from the national selectors. As each season rolled into the next, there seemed to be no lead at all. All around him, peers such as Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw, and Yashasvi Jaiswal stepped up on to the big stage, and Sarfaraz quietly waited in the wings. Sarfaraz Khan’s Test Debut After more than a decade of perseverance and unrelenting effort, Sarfaraz Khan finally reaped his rewards. Almost 14 years after his historic schoolboy innings, he got his Test cap for India. He made his test debut against England in Rajkot, Gujarat. The boy who was ready to wait for his moment was now part of the national test team, long in the making. A Maiden Test Century Here is a performance that showed his tenacity and mental strength, as Sarfaraz Khan, reached his maiden test match century. At the 56.3rd over of the game against New Zealand, as the ball came from Tim Southee, Sarfaraz responded by sending it to the boundary for four. That shot sealed his maiden test match hundred, a moment that undeniably made his father, Naushad Khan, the proudest man on earth. A Moment Worth The Wait What made Sarfaraz Khan’s century special was the context. The Indian Cricket Team needed someone from their middle order to stand up and Sarfaraz had to play out the innings from a difficult situation. His temperament under pressure was simply brilliant and clarity of mind at crunch time was fully in evidence. For all who watched it was clockwork as the ball sailed past the infield boundary, with Sarfaraz running in celebration, raising both his arms in the air and holding up his bat for everyone to see. He took off his helmet, acknowledged the dressing room, the crowd and even the skies, just delighting in every moment of his triumph. His shots and composure really told us that this is a man of great character who had waited patiently and fought hard for his place at the top level. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IND vs NZ: Bumrah Tops 2024 Bowling Chart As Leading Test Wicket-Taker
Jasprit Bumrah made sure his name stands at the top of the cricket records list of leading wicket-takers in test match cricket in 2024 as India and New Zealand went head-to-head in their first test match at Bengaluru. Bumrah took his 39th test match wicket of the year on Friday, 18th October, 2024 by dismissing Tom Blundell to surpass team-mate Ravichandran Ashwin who holds the second spot with 38 wickets through England’s Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir and Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya. Most Test Match Wickets Taken In 2024 NAME COUNTRY WICKETS Jasprit Bumrah India 39* Ravichandran Ashwin India 38* Gus Atkinson England 38* Prabath Jayasuriya Sri Lanka 38* Shoaib Bashir England 38* Bumrah Heating It Up Bumrah’s highest so far had come against England, in February 2024, when he put together dazzling figures of 6/45. In January 2024, against South Africa at Cape Town, he repeated the feat as he achieved a six-wicket haul of 6/61. Such performances sum up Bumrah’s hallmark-a combination of accuracy and an attribute that allows him to churn out challenges continuously for even the most seasoned batsmen in the world. Art of Mature Bowling Bumrah’s approach is methodical, more focused on line and length rather than pure pace in test match cricket. The 39 wickets he has taken this year clearly point towards the fact that he is an excellent red-ball cricketer, which also goes well with his mental strength, especially at testing conditions, which was evident during the present New Zealand series. Bumrah Across All Formats It’s been an outstanding season for Bumrah across formats. Not only in test match cricket, Bumrah was brilliant in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as well, wherein he finished the tournament with 15 wickets at an average of 8.26. The sheer supremacy that Bumrah has shown so far in 2024 only consolidates his position as one of the most diverse and impact-generating bowlers in international cricket. With 400 international wickets now to his name, Bumrah continues scripting his legacy as a modern-day maestro with his unparalleled skill and adaptability. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IND vs NZ: Rachin Ravindra; Bengaluru’s Local Boy From NZ
The sun was making its way through the morning haze in Bengaluru on Day 3 of the 1st Test between India and New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The crowd was all still waiting for the home team in all their excitement, when the young Rachin Ravindra, with his jersey dripped in sweat, raised his bat in front of the Chinnaswamy crowd. The board read 319/7 and 103* off 124 was added alongside Rachin Ravindra’s name. Not many in the crowd knew how precious this innings was for Ravindra; it was personal. Rachin Ravindra’s Bengaluru Connection Born on November 18, 1999, in Wellington, New Zealand, to Rachin Ravindra, the city-a half-a-world distance from Bengaluru-defined him just as strongly as the country he represented. His father, Ravi Krishnamurthy, grew up in Bengaluru before moving to New Zealand in 1997 to pursue a career as a software architect. Cricket, though, is what connects this sporting family. However Ravindra Sr. kept cricket alive in his household even after settling down in New Zealand. Each year, the boy Rachin would come back with his father to Bengaluru where, month after month, they played cricket with local teams, skills honed on the dusty practice pitches. Ravindra Facing the Indian Attack As Indian bowlers came at Ravindra with unrelenting pace and precision, he dug in. He had been in this position before—not just in his cricket career but right here, in this very city, where he grew up practicing against local players, learning how to read the unpredictable spin and bounce of Indian pitches. Now, as prophecies come true: those journeys back into Bengaluru during his childhood were helping prepare him for this moment of having to fight the best at a place so inextricably connected to family history. A Century of Meaning Runs began to pile up, slowly at first, as he began to play warily, then more freely as he got going. Every boundary that went out of sight while racing across the outfield felt like a message both to cricketing fraternity and his ancestral home: he belonged here. Some hours spent on Bengaluru’s dusty practice grounds seem to be paying dividends in front of thousands cheering fans. Not Just Numbers This century was all about history and identity, it meant being a New Zealander but of Indian soil. The stories Rachin Ravindra’s dad would tell him about cricketing culture, passion for the game, and big heroes from this city were always stuff of wonder. Now here was Rachin carving a slice of his name into history in a place he considered a home in his heart. His innings was for all those annual pilgrimages to his father, to the countless hours his dad had spent nursing his love for the sport, and that bond stretching across continents. A Century – More Personal and Emotional The crowd at Chinnaswamy, who were muted by the pressure he had built on their team, could not help but recognize the grace and grit of the young man at the crease. For Rachin Ravindra, this century—his maiden test match hundred in Asia—was a landmark. However, for him, more than that, it was a personal victory, a culmination of everything he had come to learn about the game, his heritage and himself. He wasn’t just playing for New Zealand or for his career. He was playing for a bond that encompassed greater stature than national borders, the intangible umbilical cord to that city. It would have had their dad, who had taken him through this journey, crossed his mind as the young man finally raised his bat to the cheering crowds. It was a proud moment for the family that always, in their hearts, believed in cricket having the power to connect their past with their future. Rachin’s century was not only an innings but also a homecoming. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IND vs NZ: Meniscal Root Tear Keeps Ben Sears On The Sidelines
The list of injuries keeps on increasing for New Zealand as they prepare to take on India in their much-awaited test match series starting in Bengaluru from Wednesday. However nothing could prepare them for the latest injury – fast bowler Ben Sears‘ left knee, which has ruled him out of the entire series, thereby badly denting the team’s preparations going into the series opener. Meniscal Root Tear Rules Sears Out Sears impressed during New Zealand’s recent home summer and came on to feel pain in his left knee as he trained in Sri Lanka during their Test series. After scanning back in New Zealand, his meniscus was torn, and although there had been hope he might be reprieved through medical clearance ahead of the tour, the final decision to rule him out was made after further consultation. What Is A Meniscus Tear? The most prevalent sports injury causing twisting or pivoting, such as in cricket or football and even in basketball, results from what is considered a meniscus tear. A C-shaped cartilage in the knee joint that cushions the movement between the femur, or thigh bone and the tibia or shin bone, the meniscus is part of every knee and two: medial or inner and lateral or outer. These structures are important in stabilizing the knee, allowing an even distribution of weight placed upon it and preventing excessive wear on the joint. A meniscus tear is often seen following a traumatic injury or sports activity in which the knee undergoes sudden twisting or over-rotation or from secondary degeneration. Patients typically experience pain, swelling and limited motion with sometimes a sensation of locking. How Grave Can Meniscal Root Tears Be? Meniscus tears may be minor and the severity of the tear determines which treatments should be used. In more minor tears, the treatment usually taken is conservative. This involves rest, application of ice packs to reduce inflammation, compression and physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the knee region. Ibuprofen, which is non-steroidal in nature and used for common problems like toothaches, is also sometimes used to address pain and discomfort in patients with meniscus tears. Rehabilitation consisted of exercises to restore the range of motion, strength and stability of the knee joint. However, the degree of the injury would determine if it was severe enough to require surgical intervention, as is the case with meniscal root tear or complex tears. Meniscal root repair is a surgical intervention targeted at the restoration of attachment of the meniscus to the bone to restore the rehabilitation of the knee’s biodynamics and avoid late damages. This suits the younger athlete or those interested in returning to high levels of athletic activity. How Can Ben Sears Deal With Meniscal Root Tear? For New Zealand’s Ben Sears, the latest diagnosis of meniscus tear caused by a knee injury has come as a crushing blow, especially considering competitive sport. Recovery and rehabilitation from this occasion would be his major agenda where he has been forced out from the India series. The early treatment for Sears is probably to rest and let the inflammation and swelling decrease, using ice and compression to alleviate pain. Physical therapy, of course being important for a professional sportsman, will be a vital part of the rehabilitation process, so that the knee strength and mobility can return, and stability achieved in muscles such as the quadriceps, hamstrings and calves to prepare him for a possible return back into play. Treatment For Meniscus Tears If the conservative treatment fails, Sears may need to undergo surgical operations that may include a partial meniscectomy or a meniscal root repair, which may allow him to recover fully to fully regain full knee function. After the surgery, weeks or months of directed therapy would be applied, gradually progressing to return him to active play to be monitored by the medical team. In sports, the knees bear high stress levels, therefore proper recovery should be achieved before a repeat injury can be avoided. The Sears rehab program would be to ensure proper knee mechanics so that he would not cause more stress and will be safe to go back to bowling. Proper treatment and rehab would enable Sears to get himself fully recovered and return to cricket without putting in danger his long-term athletic career. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IND vs NZ: Milestones To Watch Out For
India and New Zealand are scheduled to lock horns against each other in a three-match test series with the first game set to commence at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on October 16th, 2024. Both the teams have a lot to play for while fighting out for a seat at the World Test Championship (WTC) final, making it a series that could be a total belter for one looking to seal a top-two position in the WTC points table. India will be high on momentum after securing a 2-0 victory over Bangladesh, while New Zealand would be looking for redemption after a 2-0 loss against Sri Lanka. Milestones To Watch Out For During IND vs NZ Test Series Apart from team stakes, the series will also provide an opportunity for a handful of cricketers to achieve some big individual milestones. Here are some of the key records to look out for over the next three weeks: 1. Kohli’s Pursuit of 9,000 Test Runs Virat Kohli, is just 53 runs away from entering a very exclusive club of Indian batters who have gone past the 9,000-line mark. If he does so, then only four Indians would have gone past this line, after legends Sachin Tendulkar with 15,921, Rahul Dravid with 13,265 and Sunil Gavaskar with 10,122. 2. Williamson’s Chase into the 9,000-Run Club Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson is on the cusp of history, being the first Kiwi batter on the cusp of 9,000 test runs. With 8,881 runs to his name, Williamson will need 119 more runs for this historic figure. He has already bagged the top spot for New Zealand both in test cricket and across all formats, with an outstanding tally of 18,266 international runs. However, Williamson’s availability for the series is still hanging on the line given that he is recovering from a groin injury. Check more on groin injuries in cricket here. 3. Ashwin’s Bid to Surpass Kumble Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin stands at the doorstep of topping various all-time test cricket lists by removing Anil Kumble from the charts – with him now tying for most five-wicket and 10-wicket hauls by an Indian bowler. Ashwin and Kumble are tied with 37 five-wicket hauls and eight 10-wicket hauls, respectively, in tests. Another five-wicket haul would make Ashwin the man to second place on all-time list, Muralitharan being on top with 67. If he can pull off another 10-wicket haul, he will join two others who have such as the number of hauls in Test history: Richard Hadlee and Rangana Herath. 4. Kuldeep’s 300-Wicket Milestone 4. Kuldeep’s Entry In 300 Wickets Club Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav remains only six wickets away from achieving the milestone of 300 wickets across all formats. With 172 wickets in ODIs, 53 wickets in test matches and 69 wickets in T20Is, Kuldeep is likely to become the 13th Indian bowler if he adds a few more wickets to his tally in this series. However, in what is looking like to be an exciting contest between India and New Zealand, records in individual events will add another element of the thrill of the battle for WTC qualification, as the competition for qualification has been highly competitive. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye