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: 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 BAN: Rishabh Pant Belts A Breezy Century On Test Comeback
Rishabh Pant has just performed a comeback for the ages! After a long 634 days away from test match cricket-talk about a long vacation-he strode back onto the field against Bangladesh and scored his sixth test match century. It’s like Rishabh Pant never left! Pant At Par With MS Dhoni With this dazzling performance, Pant tied the record with MS Dhoni for most test match centuries by an Indian wicketkeeper. If there was a comeback award, Rishabh Pant would be a hands-down winner. Pressure? What Pressure? After a lackluster 39 runs in the first innings, the stage was quite laid out for Pant to shine in the second. India wobbly at 67/3, he stepped out like he owned the place. Channeling his inner superhero, Rishabh Pant soaked in the pressure like a sponge before unleashing a batting display that saw Bangladesh’s bowlers spinning circles in a dizzy daze. Talking about luck? Bangladesh’s captain dropped him on 72—ouch! But Pant took it as a sign to keep the runs rolling. Batting Bonanza Sharing the limelight with Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant brought his century shortly after lunch on day three, treating the crowd to his trademark single-handed six. It was like watching a magician perform tricks. Pant’s batting was a dazzling mix of calculated caution and audacious aggression as he nearly became impossible to keep pace with for the visitors. By the time Rishabh Pant departed at 109, he had practically batted Bangladesh out of the match, setting a daunting target of over 450 runs. A Century with Heart Well, this was no ordinary century. It was Rishabh Pant’s first across formats since surviving a life-threatening accident nearly two years ago. Rishabh Pant’s return to test match cricket does not just read as a personal victory, however it reminds us all that comebacks come at an extraordinary price. Rishabh Pant is back and here to stay–let’s see what more magic he has up his sleeve! The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
5 Times Ravichandran Ashwin Saved India in Test Cricket
We all are aware of Ravichandran Ashwin’s ability to spin a web and trap the opposition, especially when playing for the Indian Cricket Team in the whites. However, very little do we speak of Ashwin rescuing the Indian Cricket Team in crucial test matches – not with the ball we are talking about, but with the bat. Just what he proved once again in the on-going 1st test match against Bangladesh at Chennai, his all-round ability has been crucial to India’s success over all these years. Ravichandran Ashwin piled on a mammoth score of 113 off 133 deliveries and saved the Indian Cricket Team from a batting collapse. Alongside him was Ravindra Jadeja who supported him with a steady 86 run knock coming off his bat off 124 deliveries. Here are five such instances when Ravichandran Ashwin’s batting heroics pulled India out of trouble in test cricket. 1. 106 vs England, Chennai (2021) At a precarious 106/6 with a lead of 301 runs, Ravichandran Ashwin’s century (106 off 148) in the second innings helped India set an uphill target of 481, which England could not chase and India emerged victorious by 317 runs. 2. 124 vs West Indies, Kolkata (2013) The score card read India 156/6 in their second innings with the West Indies posting 234 in the first innings. Ravichandran Ashwin and Rohit Sharma combined to help India amass 453. India thus went on to win by an innings and 51 runs. 3. 91* vs England, Kolkata (2012) After posting 523, England had made it clear in their batting that it was going to be tricky for India to see them off. It was 122/6 in the second innings, and after this, it was not the best of days for Indians as Ravichandran Ashwin batted his way to an unbeaten 91 to take India to a respectable score of 247. 4. 118 vs West Indies, St. Lucia (2016) Ravichandran Ashwin’s 118, coupled with Wriddhiman Saha’s 104, helped India recover from 87/4 to 353, after which it gained momentum for a 237-run win. 5. 72 vs England, Mohali (2016) When India was in trouble at 156/5, Ravichandran Ashwin’s subdued 72 got India to a total of 417, which gave the team a comfortable victory over England. These performances aptly describe the treasure bag Ravichandran Ashwin brings out under pressure and thereby proves he is more than a world-class bowler. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
SL vs NZ: When Was the Most Recent ‘Rest Day’ in a Test Match?
This day and age, cricket fans are in for a nostalgic treat. Sri Lanka is gearing up to host New Zealand next month, with the inclusion of a “rest day” in a test match series that includes two tests. Since the first Test in Galle starts on September 18th, 2024, it will add a rest day on September 21st, 2024, because of the presidential election of Sri Lanka. History – Rest Days Rest days, once a regular feature of Test cricket, were usually witnessed in games in England where the game used to have six day Test matches with Sunday off. The occurrence though has fallen rapidly in recent times. Let’s glance at the recent instances of a test match having a rest day. Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, 2001 The last test match played in Sri Lanka that had a rest day was in Colombo in 2001 against Zimbabwe. The Test, which ran from December 27 to January 1, had December 30 off as a rest day for Poya Day, which is a full moon holiday in Sri Lanka. Despite the extra day off, Sri Lanka cruised to an innings and 166-run victory as the Zimbabweans collapsed. Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, 2008 The last time a rest day was taken during a Test match was in Dhaka in 2008. Bangladesh was hosting Sri Lanka when a rest day was taken on December 29 because of a parliamentary election. New Zealand vs Pakistan, 2014 2014 saw another unscheduled rest day in a test match between Pakistan and New Zealand, who were playing in Sharjah when news reached them of the tragic death of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes. The match resumed the next day. Pakistan eventually lost by an innings and 80 runs. As Sri Lanka and New Zealand prepare to face each other, having a rest day would definitely bring back memories of cricket’s traditional format and add a unique twist to the upcoming fixtures. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye