IND vs AUS https://www.cricketwinner.com IND vs AUS Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:58:23 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html https://github.com/jpmonette/feed en Copyright © 2024 Cricket Winner. All Rights Reserved. <![CDATA[Isha 'Isa' Guha’s Seductive Commentary Voice Goes Viral: Netizens React with Mixed Emotions]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/isha-guha-seductive-commentary-voice-goes-viral-netizens-react-with-mixed-emotions/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/isha-guha-seductive-commentary-voice-goes-viral-netizens-react-with-mixed-emotions/ Mon, 30 Dec 2024 14:39:46 GMT

Isha Guha, the former England cricketer turned commentator, has always been a popular voice in the cricketing world. However, during the Boxing Day Test 2024, her commentary made headlines for a completely unexpected reason—her voice. Described by fans on social media as “seductive” and “refreshingly different,” Guha’s distinctive tone not only added charm to the broadcast but also sparked a wave of reactions from netizens.

Boxing Day Test 2024: The Voice That Captivated Fans

While most cricket commentary goes unnoticed beyond hardcore fans, Guha’s unique voice became the talking point during the iconic Boxing Day Test. Many viewers took to Twitter to express their admiration for her delivery style, with some even dubbing her commentary the highlight of the match. The viral buzz demonstrated her ability to connect with fans in a way few commentators manage. 

What Did Isha Guha Say? Fans Curious About the Viral Commentary Moment

During the Boxing Day Test 2024, Isha Guha’s commentary caught fans’ attention not for her words, but for her unique tone. The exact sentence she said remains unclear to some, but it was her soft, drawn-out inflection at the end of a statement that sparked intrigue. Many netizens described the moment as sounding like a subtle moan, leading to the “seductive voice” discussion online. Fans have clarified that it wasn’t the content of her words, but the natural charm of her voice that made this moment go viral.

Kerry : Good Afternoon

Isha Guha : good afternoon to you Kerry

i love that intro from Howie

yeah for you

Mmhhhmmm hmmmm ahan 

Kerry : it's a bit exaggerated ahhan

Viral Commentary Moments in Her Career

This isn’t the first time Isha Guha has gone viral. Known for her wit, charm, and professionalism, she has had other memorable moments:

  1. The ‘Carrom Ball’ Query
    During a Big Bash League match, Guha’s innocent yet hilariously timed question, “How big is yours?” while discussing the technique behind the carrom ball, left the commentary box in stitches and fans amused. The clip quickly made rounds on social media. 

  2. The Controversial ‘Primate’ Comment
    While praising Jasprit Bumrah during a Test match, Guha referred to him as the “MVP - Most Valuable Primate.” Although intended as a compliment, the phrase caused controversy due to its racial connotations. Guha’s immediate and heartfelt apology showcased her professionalism, and the incident became a learning moment for commentators worldwide.

      3. The 'Do You Want a Climax' Moment

           In a memorable commentary session, Isha Guha, alongside Kerry O'Keeffe, shared a playful exchange that left viewers in stitches. During their conversation, Guha humorously asked, "Do you want a climax?" The light-hearted banter      between the duo showcased their chemistry and ability to keep the atmosphere lively in the commentary box.

           This moment quickly gained attention, adding to Guha's repertoire of viral clips that highlight her charm and wit. Such interactions underline her legendary status as a commentator who effortlessly balances insightful analysis with humour, especially when paired with dynamic personalities like O'Keeffe.

The Human Side of Commentary

Guha’s ability to captivate audiences goes beyond her voice. Her quick wit, deep understanding of the game, and willingness to address mistakes with grace have solidified her position as one of cricket’s most beloved commentators. Moments like these highlight the evolving role of sports broadcasting, where personalities play a significant part in engaging viewers.

Fans’ Reactions: A hilarious Mix of Admiration and Humor 

The online cricketing community didn’t hold back in sharing their thoughts. Tweets ranged from light-hearted praise to outright admiration:

  • “Never thought I’d say this, but Isha Guha’s voice is the MVP of this Test match.”
  • “Is it just me, or does Isha Guha’s commentary have a calming, yet seductive vibe?”
  • “Cricket never sounded this good! Thank you, Isha Guha, for redefining commentary.”

While the majority of responses were positive, some fans humorously debated whether her voice was “too engaging” for a high-stakes cricket match.

Conclusion

From her “seductive” voice stealing the show during the Boxing Day Test to her light-hearted and controversial viral moments, Isha Guha continues to leave a lasting impact on cricket fans. Whether through humour, insight, or introspection, her commentary elevates the sport and connects with audiences on a deeper level. As netizens keep buzzing, one thing is certain: Isha Guha is more than just a commentator; she’s a voice that resonates in the cricketing world.

]]>
<![CDATA[Yashasvi Jaiswal's Resilient 50 Keeps India in the Hunt at MCG: A Rising Star in World Cricket]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/yashasvi-jaiswal-s-resilient-50-keeps-india-in-the-hunt-at-mcg-a-rising-star-in-world-cricket/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/yashasvi-jaiswal-s-resilient-50-keeps-india-in-the-hunt-at-mcg-a-rising-star-in-world-cricket/ Mon, 30 Dec 2024 04:11:38 GMT

Yashasvi Jaiswal's Fighting 50 Keeps India in the Hunt at MCG

Yashasvi Jaiswal did an amazing job taking care of things against Australia in their Test series, hitting his second 50 in a row at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Despite usually playing very intensely in the game, now he paused a bit, taking 127 balls to reach his 50. Jaiswal really stayed with patience and kept going through the tough times, which isn't what you'd expect from him since he's characterized by that aggressive batting. By hitting 7 great boundaries, he made the Australian bowlers very upset. Jaiswal's intelligent and informed play could mean India still has a chance to win the game, which was looking pretty intense.

Jaiswal somehow managed to stay calm against the tough Australian bowlers, especially with Mitchell Starc approaching toward him hard. Even though he had to dodge and miss clearly 17 times, it showed how intense the pressure was--but he got lucky too, especially when an lbw call that could have made him leave the field wasn't given.

Because of that, he remained and scored 50 more runs. This half-century was his slowest yet, even slower than the one where he took 123 balls in Perth. That just goes to show: even when things are utterly tough and difficult, and it appears as if everything's against you, a little bit of luck and not giving up can make a major difference.

Jaiswal hit over 50 runs in the second innings, which was of significant consequence not simply for him but it also greatly aided India in their series. By doing this, he took the spot as India's top run-getter in the current test series against Australia, achieving up 321 runs across four games. This means he's scoring runs at an average of 53 per match. He even achieved a remarkable 161 runs in just his second time at bat in Perth. Throughout the series, his steady performance while batting has been vitally important for India.

Earlier in the first innings at the MCG, Jaiswal had scored a classy 82 runs before being run out following a mix-up with Virat Kohli. Despite the unfortunate dismissal, his solid contribution added to his growing reputation as one of India's promising young talents in international cricket.

Yashasvi Jaiswal's Impressive Career Statistics

Yashasvi Jaiswal is really proficient at batting in the middle-order and he's proved that even though he's just started his career. Mr. Jaiswal's knocked out 1,734 runs in just 18 test matches, with an average almost hitting 56, and has already sent the ball to the edge of the field for 10 half-centuries and four centuries. His largest score ever is a solid 214 runs, proving he's got what it takes to remain for those long innings.

Jaiswal's record against Australia in this series is noteworthy. In four matches, he has scored 321 runs at an average of 53, underscoring his ability to handle pressure in challenging conditions. With one Test remaining in Sydney a venue known for its batting-friendly conditions—Jaiswal will be looking to further improve his record and add more runs to his tally.

Looking Ahead: The Final Test in Sydney

Jaiswal is really hoping to achieve a lot as the series wraps up with the final test in Sydney; the ground in Sydney is really good for batting, and it will be a great chance for him to keep up his scoring streak. India needs to do well in the series, and a lot depends on how Jaiswal does.With his calm approach, technical proficiency, and the ability to handle pressure, Jaiswal has quickly become one of the most exciting young talents in world cricket. His performances in the current series will only add to his growing stature as one of India's future stars.

]]>
<![CDATA[Watch Pat Cummins Reject 3rd Umpire’s Decision; Gilchrist and Shastri React]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/watch-pat-cummins-reject-3rd-umpire-s-decision-gilchrist-and-shastri-react/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/watch-pat-cummins-reject-3rd-umpire-s-decision-gilchrist-and-shastri-react/ Sun, 29 Dec 2024 04:16:01 GMT

Day four of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG between India and Australia turned intense when Pat Cummins, the Australian captain, questioned a third umpire’s decision. The incident occurred during India’s innings when Australian bowler Cummins delivered a full-length ball to Mohad Siraj. Siraj edged the ball, and Steve Smith took a catch at second slip, leading the Australians to celebrate, believing they had claimed the final wicket.

However, on-field umpire Michael Gough wasn’t sure and referred the decision to the third umpire, Sharfuddoula Saikat, to review whether the ball had touched the ground before being caught. After reviewing the footage, the third umpire confirmed that the ball had indeed bounced before Smith took the catch, and Siraj was ruled not out.

Despite the clear footage and the third umpire’s verdict, Cummins approached the umpires and insisted on a review of the third umpire’s decision. The umpires explained that the review process was already complete, and another review wasn’t permitted, as the footage showed the ball clearly hitting the ground. Cummins, visibly upset, did not accept the ruling and continued to argue.

Read Also:Nitish Kumar Reddy Reunites with Parents After Maiden Century

Experts and Fans React

This moment of frustration sparked surprise among cricket experts. Ravi Shastri, one of the commentators, remarked, “It was a very fast call, just two replays. I’ve never seen a player asking to review a third umpire’s decision. It’s an unusual situation.” Adam Gilchrist, another former cricketer, also found Cummins’ reaction surprising. He said, “The footage was clear, and yet Cummins didn’t let it go. It’s a strange scenario.”

On social media, fans reacted strongly to the incident. Many Indian fans criticized Cummins for not accepting the umpire’s decision gracefully. Some even compared his behavior to Ricky Ponting’s controversial moments in the 2008 series in India. One fan wrote, “This isn’t 2008, Cummins. Why are you still arguing with the umpires?”

While some defended Cummins, claiming his reaction showed passion for the game, many felt his actions undermined the spirit of cricket. The incident created a divide in opinions among cricket enthusiasts, with some questioning the third umpire’s process and others discussing how captains should manage such situations.

Despite the drama, the match continued without major disruption. Nathan Lyon dismissed Nitish Kumar Reddy for 114 runs in the very next over, and India’s innings ended at 369, trailing Australia by 105 runs.

The argument between Cummins and the umpires remained a key talking point, adding drama to an already tense and competitive Test match.

]]>
<![CDATA[Rishabh Pant’s Bizarre Dismissal at MCG Sparks Sunil Gavaskar’s Furious Reaction-‘Stupid, Stupid, Stupid’]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/rishabh-pant-s-bizarre-dismissal-at-mcg-sparks-sunil-gavaskar-s-furious-reaction-stupid-stupid-stupid/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/rishabh-pant-s-bizarre-dismissal-at-mcg-sparks-sunil-gavaskar-s-furious-reaction-stupid-stupid-stupid/ Sat, 28 Dec 2024 04:21:27 GMT

Rishabh Pant's Bizarre Dismissal at MCG Sparks Sunil Gavaskar's Furious Reaction

Cricket fans and experts were shocked when Rishabh Pant went out at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Even the famous cricket player, Sunil Gavaskar couldn't hide how annoyed he was. Pant, who usually plays bold, made a mistake that people think he could've and should've avoided.

The Dismissal

Pant took a risky shot when the match was vitally important and everyone was counting on him. His choice shocked everyone because it was so risky. He hit the ball high into the sky-but unfortunately, a fielder caught it easily. This left everyone supporting India very sad.

ALSO READ:Rohit Sharma set to retire from Test cricket if India doesn't qualify for the WTC Final 2025

Gavaskar's Reaction

During the discussion, Sunil Gavaskar was not shy regarding pointing out mistakes. Gavaskar was quite upset and kept calling Pant's manner of getting out silly over and over again. Gavaskar's famous for not beating around the bush when he's commenting, and now, looking at what the young wicketkeeper did, he just couldn't hide his annoyance.  Gavaskar must have said silly many times.

Gavaskar pointed out that you must act a lot smarter when games become extremely tight. He said it's not simply a casual backyard cricket match where you can move your bat around a lot, hoping things turn out great. Players really need to understand what's happening and make their moves based on that.

A Pattern of Recklessness?

People are speaking again regarding how Pant plays after he got out. He's extremely bold when he bats, which has helped India win before but sometimes he is out with little effort, and that gets him a lot of criticism. People are saying Pant should think through how to mix hitting very strongly with playing it safe, especially when the team really needs him to do well.

The Broader Impact

Losing a vitally important player at a very bad time made things really hard and difficult for the other players on India's team; the mistake Pant made ended up being a major issue when we saw how the team did in the end. Even though Pant's very good and can change how a game's going, moments like this show he must become more mature in how he plays.

Moving Forward

As one of India's top upcoming players, a lot is expected from Rishabh Pant. His style of playing is characterized by risk-taking but he needs to think through when it's spectacular to do so and when it's not. Leaving now likely helped him learn something important. For his cricket journey to really take off, knowing how to control his natural game will be key.

Pant is definitely going to try to improve his skills but he needs to combine some responsibility with his natural talent. Legends of the sport, such as Sunil Gavaskar, were very good at this. Gavaskar's tough criticism shows the high expectations in top-tier cricket.

]]>
<![CDATA[Two spinners on the cards? India set to make radical changes ahead of the MCG Test]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/two-spinners-on-the-cards-india-set-to-make-radical-changes-ahead-of-the-mcg-test/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/two-spinners-on-the-cards-india-set-to-make-radical-changes-ahead-of-the-mcg-test/ Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:03:04 GMT

As the countdown to the much-awaited Box Day Test draws to a close, India are all in readiness to make some surprising changes to their lineup in a bid to outclass Australia in the ongoing edition of the Border Gavaskar Trophy Test series. As per reports, it has been widely speculated that the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma may return to the top to open the batting with the swashbuckling batter Yashasvi Jaiswal in Melbourne. This claim has been placed by a journalist from the Times of India.

Such a reshuffling at the top of the order would see the in-form Kl Rahul go down and drop all the way to number three as claimed by Rohit Juglan, a RevSportz journalist on Twitter.

 

 

See also: Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024: AUS vs IND 4th Test, Match Prediction- Who Will Win Today?

Washington Sundar likely to team up with Jadeja as the second spinner at the MCG

Following the alteration of the Indian top order, the management is also mulling to bolster their spin department which has had very little role to play thus far in the series. As far as their expectations are concerned, the Indian team is of the opinion that the track in the MCG will suit the spinners during the latter stages of the Test match. 

Unsurprisingly, Ravindra Jadeja has emerged as the hot pick for the MCG showdown given his vast experience in the longest format, both with the bat and the ball. Furthermore, it is also believed that the management is leaning more towards securing the services of off-spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar and expects him to play a decisive role in the do-or-die fourth Test. If that were to happen, Nitish Kumar Reddy would have to drop out and make way for the spin-bowling all-rounder.

 

 

Was it right to sideline Nitish?  

A handful of experts suggest that the young seam-bowling all-rounder may have been hard done-by the management. Reddy presently ranks as the fourth-highest run scorer in the ongoing BGT 2024-25, having accumulated 179 runs across five innings, with an average exceeding 44 and a strike rate of 72. Additionally, he has proven to be a valuable pace bowler for the Indian cricket team, claiming three wickets in 27 overs during the current tour of Australia.

However, the management's desire to push for more experience seems very justified at this stage. Sundar was previously a part of the Indian squad in the earlier BGT edition in 2020-21 where he performed splendidly well, both with the bat and the ball, and bailed India out of danger on a number of occasions. 

]]>
<![CDATA[Konstas set for a MCG debut, Head faces a potential injury scare]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/konstas-set-for-a-mcg-debut-head-faces-a-potential-injury-scare/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/konstas-set-for-a-mcg-debut-head-faces-a-potential-injury-scare/ Tue, 24 Dec 2024 07:47:37 GMT

Cricket Australia has confirmed that the young Sam Konstas will make his head in the Boxing Day Test starting in Melbourne on December 26. At 19 years and 45 days old, Konstas will become the fourth youngest Australian player to debut in Test cricket. Only Ian Craig, current Australian captain Pat Cummins, and Tom Garrett made their debuts at an age younger than his. The good news was conveyed to Konstas by Australia's selector on duty Tony Dodemaide on Tuesday morning but advised him to wait till Christmas Day for an official announcement of the rest of the XI after the closure of Cummins' pre-match press conference.

See also: Tanush Kotian added to India's squad for Border Gavaskar Trophy

Australian head coach Andrew McDonald excited to see him in action

Konstas' MCG debut was officially confirmed in a press conference attended by Australian head coach Andrew McDonald post-training on Tuesday. McDonald heaped countless praise on the youngster and believes that he has a wide range of shots in his armory to tackle the impending threat from a quality Indian pace attack. 

"We said from the get go, when leading into the summer, that we wouldn't shy away, and age was no barrier. And what he's shown is an array of shots, the ability to put pressure back on to opponents and he gets his opportunity. We're really excited for him."

Furthermore, McDonald stated that age was never seen as a consideration and indicated that his selection was purely based on merit. The NSW-born Konstas offered promising glimpses of his true batting exploits when he slammed a defiant 107 off 97 in a two-day practice game against India in Canberra. 

Worrying signs for Head and Australia ahead of the MCG Test 

Things haven't been progressing all that well for the star Australian batter Travis Head since his minor quad strain while batting in Australia's second innings in Brisbane. Very recently, Head was seen in action on Tuesday when he took part in some running and fielding drills and also practiced his batting in the nets. 

The Australian head coach confirms that there is some worry surrounding Head's fitness but remains confident of his recovery before the Boxing Day Test. 

"Has he got some things to work through? Yeah, he has, so that's what you would have seen. There's no concern at the moment. Has he been officially ticked off? I'm not sure. I didn't see the sort of back-end of his training session there, but I'm pretty confident he'll play. I think he looked good with the bat in hand so obviously skills are in good order. It'll just be basically what risk is associated with that. He had a small strain on the quad. But no concerns from my end. He's been able to be running, so I think he'll be fully functional come the game time."

Later after the end of his grueling training session on Tuesday, Head engaged in a lengthy debate with McDonald and Australia's physio Nick Jones with the latter reportedly rubbishing concerns surrounding his quad strain injury. In addition, McDonald also confirmed two more changes leading into the fourth Test with Konstas replacing Nathan McSweeney and Scott Boland replacing the injured Josh Hazlewood.

]]>
<![CDATA[Dhruv Jurel's team beats Virat Kohli's and Rohit Sharma's team, bags a 300 USD reward]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/dhruv-jurel-s-team-beats-virat-kohli-s-and-rohit-sharma-s-team-bags-a-300-usd-reward/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/dhruv-jurel-s-team-beats-virat-kohli-s-and-rohit-sharma-s-team-bags-a-300-usd-reward/ Mon, 23 Dec 2024 07:01:57 GMT

The youngest member of the Indian contingent Dhruv Jurel hogged the spotlight during a practice session which threw light on his promising leadership skills. The youngster went as far as even defeating the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The Indian team management devised an incentive-based fielding game comprising three groups - Group A, Group B, and Group C. 

 

 

Jurel captained Group C which came on top brushing aside Sarfraz Khan-led Group A & Siraj-led Group B, earning a reward of $300 for their efforts.

See also: PCB confirms neutral venue for Indo-Pak clash

Jurel & Co. throw themselves around to win 300 dollar reward

The fielding competition was conducted as a part of the preparation process for the fourth Test starting in Melbourne on December 26. All three groups were led by young brigades who were all entangled in a fierce battle. Group A was led by Sarfaraz Khan which included some prominent figures like Kohli, Jaiswal, and Rana. 

 

 

Group B was marshaled by Siraj who had high-profile players at his helm such as Kohli, Pant, and Rahul. However, Jurel's Group C emerged triumphant which included the likes of gun players such as Bumrah, Gill, and Jadeja. The defeat of Virat and Rohit's teams at the hands of a youngster serves as a positive indication that the future of Indian cricket is in safe hands. 

Preparations for the Boxing Day Test

Preparations for the upcoming Boxing Day test on December 26 are underway in full swing. With the series evenly balanced at 1-1, both teams have everything to play for in the upcoming Test. Moreover, with the WTC around the corner, both teams realize what's at stake and will look to brace themselves for a high-octane showdown in Melbourne to get themselves ahead. 

 

]]>
<![CDATA[Parthiv Patel's advice to India's woeful batting collapses]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/parthiv-patel-s-advice-to-india-s-woeful-batting-collapses/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/parthiv-patel-s-advice-to-india-s-woeful-batting-collapses/ Mon, 23 Dec 2024 06:25:06 GMT

Former India cricketer turned commentator Parthiv Patel has devised a solution for India's underperforming batting unit down under. The Indian batting unit has come under fire following their dismal show against the Black Caps at home. Similar batting woes have resurfaced in the ongoing BGT tour with the majority of the top order not being amongst the runs.  

Time and again, India's batting has experienced collapses which ultimately resulted in a heavy defeat in the Adelaide pink-ball Test. By looking at all of this, Parthiv has come up with a word of advice for the team on how to overcome the challenge while at the same time highlighting the team's major problem while facing spin. 

See also: Australian Media’s Mind Games: Targeting Kohli, Jadeja, and Now Akash Deep Before Boxing Day Test

Parthiv has his say on India's catastrophic batting collapses

While acknowledging the obvious problem, the former Indian cricketer feels that the downfall may not be solely attributed to just brute aggression but urges the entire batting unit to bat sensibly and apply themselves to different conditions with maturity. 

"There is no doubt that collapses have occurred, especially in home series. We have seen collapses on rank-turner pitches against New Zealand. When we toured Australia, the collapses continued there."

"I do not believe this has happened due to extreme aggression. If we respect the traditional style of Test cricket and bat with discipline, these are the same batters who have previously performed well. Indian batters need to apply themselves more because they have the ability. If they bat with discipline, they can succeed anywhere." 

A view of India's batting struggles in recent past

In October, India's batting stooped to an all-time low when they were bowled out for a record-low of 46 against New Zealand in testing seaming conditions. The Indian batting lineup has faltered under both spinning and swinging conditions in recent months. They were unable to counter the challenges posed by Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner during the home series against New Zealand.

Presently, in the ongoing BGT Test series, the Indian batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been severely short of runs. While Kohli managed to get a few runs under his belt, the Indian skipper has only managed to score 19 runs in the space of four Test innings. 

]]>
<![CDATA[Major shake-up in the Australian squad ahead of the Boxing Day Test]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/major-shake-up-in-the-australian-squad-ahead-of-the-boxing-day-test/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/major-shake-up-in-the-australian-squad-ahead-of-the-boxing-day-test/ Fri, 20 Dec 2024 06:53:01 GMT

As the dust settles on a rain-hit Gabba Test, the focus now shifts to Melbourne where both India and Australia will be jostling to get past each other to strengthen their foothold in the Border Gavaskar Trophy Series (2024-25). In a bid to consolidate their standing in the series as well as the WTC 2023-25 points table, Australia have announced a series of unprecedented changes to bolster their Test squad ahead of the all-important Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. 

On Friday, Australia unveiled a 15-member squad for the remainder of the BGT series featuring some surprise selections and omissions. As many as four changes were made by the Aussie management following the conclusion of the drawn third Test. Here is a closer look at some of the eye-popping changes made to Australia's Test squad for the Melbourne and Sydney Tests.

See also: India beat West Indies to win their first bilateral WT20I series at home after 5 years

Sam Konstas In and Nathan McSweeney Out

The 25-year-old Australian opener Nathan McSweeney has failed to fire in the series. Often being labeled as the puppet of Jasprit Bumrah, McSweeney could only manage paltry scores of 10, 0, 39, 10, 9 & 4 and averaged a shocking 12 across six innings. He has been dropped from the squad to make way for the 19-year Sam Konstas. 

The youngster showed a great degree of promise with the bat in the two-day game in Canberra by scoring an impressive century against a potent Indian bowling attack. The Chair of Selectors George Bailey revealed in an official statement that it was a tough call for the management to select Konstas over McSweeney but at the same time, he praised the former's batting style and looks forward to seeing his game evolve. 

“Sam gets a call up to the Test squad for the first time. His style of batting offers a point of difference and we look forward to watching his game develop further. We remain confident Nathan has the ability and temperament to succeed at Test level in the future. It was a difficult decision to leave him out."

Changes in the pace arsenal

Josh Hazlewood's injury for the second time in the series has cemented Scotty Boland's position in the squad. He is expected to feature as a second pace-bowling option along with Starc in the forthcoming Melbourne Test. In addition, Sean Abbott, Jhye Richardson, and Beau Webster have also been drafted to the Test squad. 

Abbott has yet to feature for Australia in the longest format but hasn't had much success playing against India in the limited-overs format managing only nice wickets in 12 matches. Jhye has played only three Tests for Australia but maintains a formidable average of 22.09 with 11 wickets to his name. Moreover, the young pacer scripted a memorable performance against India in the white-ball format by recording his career-best ODI bowling figures of 4-26 in the 2018-2019 ODI series. 

The uncapped Beau Webster has a reputation for his all-round abilities and is currently representing Melbourne Stars in the ongoing BBL tournament. Webster has a prolific record in FC cricket and averages nearly 38 with the bat whereas with the ball he has claimed 148 scalps in 93 matches which also included his career-best figures of 6-100. 

Australian squad for the last two Tests against India: 

Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Beau Webster, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Jhye Richardson, Alex Carey, Scott Boland, and Josh Inglis.
 

]]>
<![CDATA[Watch: Virat Kohli lashes out at the reporters for breaching his privacy]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/virat-kohli-lashes-out-at-the-reporters-for-breaching-his-privacy/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/virat-kohli-lashes-out-at-the-reporters-for-breaching-his-privacy/ Thu, 19 Dec 2024 07:53:49 GMT

Indian batting legend Virat Kohli loses his cool after encountering a bunch of reporters and journalists on his arrival in Melbourne ahead of the Boxing Day Test. Before he could exit the airport, Kohli got entangled in a heated war of words with a TV journalist. The moment was captured by Channel 7 cameras. 

After the initial burst, Kohli walked off but later turned back for a brief moment to have a go at the reporters again before completely vacating the scene.

See also: Watch: Kohli-Gambhir celebrate together after Akash Deep's heroic save

So what made King Kohli upset?

It is learnt that Kohli did not like the idea of having all the cameras pointed at his family. Channel 7 reporter Theo Doropoulos elaborates on the real reason behind Kohli's ugly outburst with the journalists. During his conversation with 7NEWS,  Doropoulos highlighted that the presence of the waiting cameras is what annoyed the chase master the most.

“It was upon seeing the waiting cameras that Kohli became a little heated over what is largely a misunderstanding when he thought the media was filming him with his children.”

Watch the entire incident:

 

 

Kohli makes his position clear

In his heated confrontation with the media personnel, Kohli was heard saying that he and his family needed some degree of privacy. Moreover, he further adds they cannot go forward with filming without obtaining consent from him.

“With my kids I need some privacy, you can’t film without asking me.”

Kohli's assertion turned out to be incorrect. He can be recorded without restriction as he was in a public setting. Later on, he took a moment to clarify the situation with the media after it was made clear that his children were not being filmed, and he even extended his hand to the Channel 7 cameraman in a gesture of goodwill.

Kohli's form in the ongoing BGT Test series has been a source of concern for the national side. Despite slamming a century in the second innings of the Perth Test, Kohli has found the going to be tough and desperately needs some runs under his belt to get back to his prime best. 

]]>