Firsts are always special. Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won India its first-ever medal at the Tokyo 2020, by securing a silver in the 49kg category. It was the start of something special for Team India, who went on to end with as many as seven medals to return their best-ever showing&nbsp;at an Olympics.&nbsp;

Thus, she fulfilled her family’s and her dreams. She also made her entire team, which was beside her at all times and had worked tirelessly to ensure her a podium-finish, extremely proud. Vijay Sharma, Mirabai's and India's national weightlifting coach, was also beaming&nbsp;with pride seeing his protégé stand on the podium as she also fulfilled his long-standing and unfulfilled desire.

For the unversed, Vijay joined as the national coach in 2012. However, the first chapter of his journey as an athlete&nbsp; was penned down&nbsp;long back. The man from Modinagar, near Meerut, didn't have a glittering resume but won as many as seven medals -- including a gold -- at the national championship. However, an Olympic medal eluded his cabinet before Mirabai scripted history. Thus, while Vijay cannot brag of an Olympic medal as an athlete, he is now living his dream in through her success.

WION News' Aditya Sahay&nbsp;got chance to interact with Vijay Sharma as the veteran coach shared his journey with Mirabai, the hardships and sacrifices seen together and future of weightlifting in India. Here are the excerpts:

Q) Being a former&nbsp;athlete, how did you feel when Mirabai Chanu secured silver at Tokyo 2020? What was the initial feeling?&nbsp;

Being an athlete and now a coach, it was such a moment that cannot be described. If you are not able to do something in life, you hope and expect that is achieved by your child. These athletes are my children only. So I cannot really put this in words as to what and how I actually felt. After Rio 2016 and the Tokyo Olympics being pushed by a year due to Covid-19, the wait was a long one but eventually turned out to be worthwhile.&nbsp;

Q) Surely, the process must've been tough. Over the years, you're believed to have made sure the relationship between athletes-coach remained solid and the diet and overall fitness weren't compromised at any cost. What was your initial plans when you stepped up as the national weightlifting coach in 2012?&nbsp;

During my stint as an athlete, staying in national camp from 1993-2000, I gave plenty of trails and failed many a times. Back then, I realised what all are essential for any player in his, or her, journey. That phase taught me many things. Thus, I started with a lot of changes as a state coach in 2001. I tried and tested a lot of things in my initial days. We won the state junior championship on three successive occasions, which propelled the federation to invite us and work with the national team.&nbsp;

Since joining the national team, I realised the same issues are still existing in the federation in terms of training regime, diet plans, fitness etc. Slowly and steadily, I&nbsp;started seeing the changes and understood the progress is now happening. My personal experience taught me a lot. Earlier the culture and concept was that running fitness isn't that important in weightlifting. It took time but I tried to inculcate such changes and look after the overall fitness in every aspect.&nbsp;

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Back in action! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/missionparis2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#missionparis2024</a> <a href="https://t.co/0D5ZVMMN0k">pic.twitter.com/0D5ZVMMN0k</a>
— Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) <a href="https://twitter.com/mirabai_chanu/status/1430513016055898114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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I worked on athletes' diet plans, fitness and to build a trust and communication with the players. You need to sit and spend time with them, on and off the field. Only then will they respond and work with you in a desired manner.&nbsp;See, national champions won't listen to you at once. He, or she, will feel they are already very good so one needs to win their trust so that the communication and respect is intact. After all this was formed, we started marching ahead in big events and the confidence and momentum just kept on building continuously.&nbsp;

Q) What were the hardships Mirabai-Vijay Sharma and team went through over the years, enroute Tokyo silver?&nbsp;

I've worked a lot with these players. All of them, not only Mirabai, have sacrificed a lot. Mira was contemplating quitting the game, especially after what transpired in Rio 2016. The following 2-3 months was very tough to motivate and force her way back. After her record win in 2018 Commonwealth Games (CWG), her back injury forced us to stay in Mumbai for long for medical treatment so that was another big jolt coming our way.&nbsp;To top it all, Mira didn't even attend her own sister's wedding. From Rio 2016 onwards, she must've visited her hometown for only 12-14 days maximum. Even I haven't met my close friends for years. You don't get to visit families on occasions and festivities, which doesn't come out in the open but is tough for every athlete.&nbsp;

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Thank you my coach Vijay Sharma sir and team for all the hardwork. <a href="https://t.co/CwBfqOJBws">pic.twitter.com/CwBfqOJBws</a>
— Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) <a href="https://twitter.com/mirabai_chanu/status/1418924188614733828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Q) Is it true that you missed out on several family gatherings and festivities over the years. How tough was it and how did your family support you?&nbsp;

I continued to play at the national level even after marriage. So every new member of the family knew that my life isn't the same. However, my family has always supported me wholeheartedly. No one can move an inch ahead or succeed in their field sans family support.&nbsp;I've my home in Ghaziabad. It isn't very far from the camp (in Patiala). But I never travelled back home. I wasn't home even for Karwa Chauth or any other festival to follow the same rules which were applicable to the athletes. It didn't feel right to visit my family when my children (i.e. the athletes) remain in the camp.&nbsp;

One needs to set the example and abide by it for others to follow suit. These are my children. Any birthday or festival, we get together and celebrate as much as we can....so that we can treat each other as a family away from home.

Q) Is it easy when the coach has also won medals, like you have, and represented the nation? Does the method become&nbsp;slightly easier?

Depends on the inner soul. There were many good or great players with me during my national camp days. I wasn't the best, but that doesn't mean a good athlete will be a good coach. It all depends on how your mind is reacting and how confident you are from within.&nbsp;

Q) In India, we shower athletes with praises when they succeed and criticise them sharply when they're down. Do you feel the attention given, though much-deserved, becomes a bit too much afterwards? Should the focus, instead, remain on the road ahead?

If we compare ourselves with China, we are still far behind in terms of the overall inclination we've for weightlifting. To date, parents are reluctant to invest their ward's career in other diverse fields. The government is doing its part and even the media isn't wrong here. The thought process of the common citizens have to change and not just think about the medal-winners for 2-4 months but emphasise for a longer period. Hence, a chain will be formed where we will get a lot more talent for every sport. There is no dearth of talent in India for any field. If sports culture widens nationwide, it will help our country to develop further as well.&nbsp;

Q) Paralympics athletes have crossed double figures in the medal tally as we speak. Do you think time is ripe for India to invest heavily on athletics and various other field events, and not remain a cricket-centric country?&nbsp;

Yes, last time also they'd (para-athletes) inspired us. They showed us the way after our Rio 2016 campaign too&nbsp;when we felt down. They&nbsp;always show us to never give up. They have their shortcomings but still don't know how to go down without giving a serious fight. Hence, what is stopping us? This time around too, they're winning hearts all over.&nbsp; Also, the government needs to be credited for their efforts and involvement. I've never seen such amount of help from any government. Once, we were sent to the USA in a day after all the arrangements were put in place.

Thus, hopefully in the next Olympics we will return back with 25 medals.&nbsp;

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Honoured to meet and interact with our Honourable Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> sir. <a href="https://t.co/nUj1cnk33S">pic.twitter.com/nUj1cnk33S</a>
— Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) <a href="https://twitter.com/mirabai_chanu/status/1427317915817156609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Q) Apart from Mira, whose performance has impressed you the most? You can even mention among the lot that won hearts but no medals.&nbsp;

Mira was impressive. We all believed she will return with a medal and she proved us right. She lived upto expectations. Among others in individual&nbsp;sports, Neeraj Chopra was superb. I didn't expect that from him but he left me completely stunned. On the other hand, the women's hockey -- infact the entire hockey contingent -- and their performance was praise worthy, to say the least.&nbsp;From moving to the fourth spot after ending last in Rio 2016, Rani Rampal &amp; Co. deserve all the applause and praise.

Firsts are always special. Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won India its first-ever medal at the Tokyo 2020, by securing a silver in the 49kg category. It was the start of something special for Team India, who went on to end with as many as seven medals to return their best-ever showing at an Olympics.

Firsts are always special. Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won India its first-ever medal at the Tokyo 2020, by securing a silver in the 49kg category. It was the start of something special for Team India, who went on to end with as many as seven medals to return their best-ever showing at an Olympics. Thus, she fulfilled her family’s and her dreams. She also made her entire team, which was beside her at all times and had worked tirelessly to ensure her a podium-finish, extremely proud. Vijay Sharma, Mirabai's and India's national weightlifting coach, was also beaming with pride seeing his protégé stand on the podium as she also fulfilled his long-standing and unfulfilled desire. For the unversed, Vijay joined as the national coach in 2012. However, the first chapter of his journey as an athlete was penned down long back. The man from Modinagar, near Meerut, didn't have a glittering resume but won as many as seven medals -- including a gold -- at the national championship. However, an Olympic medal eluded his cabinet before Mirabai scripted history. Thus, while Vijay cannot brag of an Olympic medal as an athlete, he is now living his dream in through her success. WION News' Aditya Sahay got chance to interact with Vijay Sharma as the veteran coach shared his journey with Mirabai, the hardships and sacrifices seen together and future of weightlifting in India. Here are the excerpts: Q) Being a former athlete, how did you feel when Mirabai Chanu secured silver at Tokyo 2020? What was the initial feeling? Being an athlete and now a coach, it was such a moment that cannot be described. If you are not able to do something in life, you hope and expect that is achieved by your child. These athletes are my children only. So I cannot really put this in words as to what and how I actually felt. After Rio 2016 and the Tokyo Olympics being pushed by a year due to Covid-19, the wait was a long one but eventually turned out to be worthwhile. Q) Surely, the process must've been tough. Over the years, you're believed to have made sure the relationship between athletes-coach remained solid and the diet and overall fitness weren't compromised at any cost. What was your initial plans when you stepped up as the national weightlifting coach in 2012? During my stint as an athlete, staying in national camp from 1993-2000, I gave plenty of trails and failed many a times. Back then, I realised what all are essential for any player in his, or her, journey. That phase taught me many things. Thus, I started with a lot of changes as a state coach in 2001. I tried and tested a lot of things in my initial days. We won the state junior championship on three successive occasions, which propelled the federation to invite us and work with the national team. Since joining the national team, I realised the same issues are still existing in the federation in terms of training regime, diet plans, fitness etc. Slowly and steadily, I started seeing the changes and understood the progress is now happening. My personal experience taught me a lot. Earlier the culture and concept was that running fitness isn't that important in weightlifting. It took time but I tried to inculcate such changes and look after the overall fitness in every aspect. Back in action! #missionparis2024 pic.twitter.com/0D5ZVMMN0k — Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) August 25, 2021 × I worked on athletes' diet plans, fitness and to build a trust and communication with the players. You need to sit and spend time with them, on and off the field. Only then will they respond and work with you in a desired manner. See, national champions won't listen to you at once. He, or she, will feel they are already very good so one needs to win their trust so that the communication and respect is intact. After all this was formed, we started marching ahead in big events and the confidence and momentum just kept on building continuously. Q) What were the hardships Mirabai-Vijay Sharma and team went through over the years, enroute Tokyo silver? I've worked a lot with these players. All of them, not only Mirabai, have sacrificed a lot. Mira was contemplating quitting the game, especially after what transpired in Rio 2016. The following 2-3 months was very tough to motivate and force her way back. After her record win in 2018 Commonwealth Games (CWG), her back injury forced us to stay in Mumbai for long for medical treatment so that was another big jolt coming our way. To top it all, Mira didn't even attend her own sister's wedding. From Rio 2016 onwards, she must've visited her hometown for only 12-14 days maximum. Even I haven't met my close friends for years. You don't get to visit families on occasions and festivities, which doesn't come out in the open but is tough for every athlete. Thank you my coach Vijay Sharma sir and team for all the hardwork. pic.twitter.com/CwBfqOJBws — Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) July 24, 2021 × Q) Is it true that you missed out on several family gatherings and festivities over the years. How tough was it and how did your family support you? I continued to play at the national level even after marriage. So every new member of the family knew that my life isn't the same. However, my family has always supported me wholeheartedly. No one can move an inch ahead or succeed in their field sans family support. I've my home in Ghaziabad. It isn't very far from the camp (in Patiala). But I never travelled back home. I wasn't home even for Karwa Chauth or any other festival to follow the same rules which were applicable to the athletes. It didn't feel right to visit my family when my children (i.e. the athletes) remain in the camp. One needs to set the example and abide by it for others to follow suit. These are my children. Any birthday or festival, we get together and celebrate as much as we can....so that we can treat each other as a family away from home. Q) Is it easy when the coach has also won medals, like you have, and represented the nation? Does the method become slightly easier? Depends on the inner soul. There were many good or great players with me during my national camp days. I wasn't the best, but that doesn't mean a good athlete will be a good coach. It all depends on how your mind is reacting and how confident you are from within. Q) In India, we shower athletes with praises when they succeed and criticise them sharply when they're down. Do you feel the attention given, though much-deserved, becomes a bit too much afterwards? Should the focus, instead, remain on the road ahead? If we compare ourselves with China, we are still far behind in terms of the overall inclination we've for weightlifting. To date, parents are reluctant to invest their ward's career in other diverse fields. The government is doing its part and even the media isn't wrong here. The thought process of the common citizens have to change and not just think about the medal-winners for 2-4 months but emphasise for a longer period. Hence, a chain will be formed where we will get a lot more talent for every sport. There is no dearth of talent in India for any field. If sports culture widens nationwide, it will help our country to develop further as well. Q) Paralympics athletes have crossed double figures in the medal tally as we speak. Do you think time is ripe for India to invest heavily on athletics and various other field events, and not remain a cricket-centric country? Yes, last time also they'd (para-athletes) inspired us. They showed us the way after our Rio 2016 campaign too when we felt down. They always show us to never give up. They have their shortcomings but still don't know how to go down without giving a serious fight. Hence, what is stopping us? This time around too, they're winning hearts all over. Also, the government needs to be credited for their efforts and involvement. I've never seen such amount of help from any government. Once, we were sent to the USA in a day after all the arrangements were put in place. Thus, hopefully in the next Olympics we will return back with 25 medals. Honoured to meet and interact with our Honourable Prime Minister @narendramodi sir. pic.twitter.com/nUj1cnk33S — Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) August 16, 2021 × Q) Apart from Mira, whose performance has impressed you the most? You can even mention among the lot that won hearts but no medals. Mira was impressive. We all believed she will return with a medal and she proved us right. She lived upto expectations. Among others in individual sports, Neeraj Chopra was superb. I didn't expect that from him but he left me completely stunned. On the other hand, the women's hockey -- infact the entire hockey contingent -- and their performance was praise worthy, to say the least. From moving to the fourth spot after ending last in Rio 2016, Rani Rampal & Co. deserve all the applause and praise.

EXCLUSIVE | Dark clouds of struggle have a 'silver' lining for Mirabai Chanu's coach Vijay Sharma

Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens said on Wednesday players who took extended bathroom breaks were guilty of "gamesmanship" after Stefanos Tsitsipas came under fire once again for leaving the court late on in a match. 
 
Andy Murray was furious with Tsitsipas on Monday after he took a break that ran close to eight minutes during their five-set first-round clash, with the Briton saying the disruption had an impact on the match. 
 
In his second round tie with Adrian Mannarino on Wednesday, the Greek left for the locker room for a bathroom break of more than seven minutes after losing the third set, and was jeered by the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd on his return. 
 
Stephens, who sits on the WTA players council, said it was gamesmanship and had to stop. "They make a lot of rule changes for smaller things, like, they took one minute off the warmup," said Stephens, who won the U.S. Open title in 2017. "I think there definitely needs to be a rule or changes. 
 
"If someone goes to the bathroom for nine minutes, no one says anything. "I think now that there is a lot of talk about it, people come into press, people tweet about it, maybe it will get a little bit more attention, that gamesmanship will kind of maybe turn and change a little bit." 
 
Tsitsipas, 23, has repeatedly said he is not breaking any rules as there are no time limits on bathroom breaks. 
 
In a tweet a day after his defeat, Murray said Tsitsipas took longer on bathroom breaks than it took billionaire Jeff Bezos to reach outer space. 
 
The 28-year-old Stephens found Murray`s tweet "really funny" and said a lengthy break could change the momentum of a match. 
 
"If you`re changing your clothes, what are you changing? What are you doing in there?" she asked. "If you ever changed out of a wet sports bra ... But that is maybe like a five-minute. When you get into six, seven, eight, nine minutes, okay, what are you doing in there? Do you need help?" 
&nbsp;

Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens said on Wednesday players who took extended bathroom breaks were guilty of "gamesmanship" after Stefanos Tsitsipas came under fire once again for leaving the court late on in a match.

Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens said on Wednesday players who took extended bathroom breaks were guilty of "gamesmanship" after Stefanos Tsitsipas came under fire once again for leaving the court late on in a match. Andy Murray was furious with Tsitsipas on Monday after he took a break that ran close to eight minutes during their five-set first-round clash, with the Briton saying the disruption had an impact on the match. In his second round tie with Adrian Mannarino on Wednesday, the Greek left for the locker room for a bathroom break of more than seven minutes after losing the third set, and was jeered by the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd on his return. Stephens, who sits on the WTA players council, said it was gamesmanship and had to stop. "They make a lot of rule changes for smaller things, like, they took one minute off the warmup," said Stephens, who won the U.S. Open title in 2017. "I think there definitely needs to be a rule or changes. "If someone goes to the bathroom for nine minutes, no one says anything. "I think now that there is a lot of talk about it, people come into press, people tweet about it, maybe it will get a little bit more attention, that gamesmanship will kind of maybe turn and change a little bit." Tsitsipas, 23, has repeatedly said he is not breaking any rules as there are no time limits on bathroom breaks. In a tweet a day after his defeat, Murray said Tsitsipas took longer on bathroom breaks than it took billionaire Jeff Bezos to reach outer space. The 28-year-old Stephens found Murray`s tweet "really funny" and said a lengthy break could change the momentum of a match. "If you`re changing your clothes, what are you changing? What are you doing in there?" she asked. "If you ever changed out of a wet sports bra ... But that is maybe like a five-minute. When you get into six, seven, eight, nine minutes, okay, what are you doing in there? Do you need help?"

US Open: Sloane Stephens calls for rule change over Stefanos Tsitsipas' lengthy bathroom break row

Indian shooter Rahul Jakhar finished fifth in the P3 mixed 25M pistol SH1 after giving a tough fight in the summit clash of the ongoing Tokyo Paralympics on Thursday. Jakhar might have missed out on a medal but the Indian shooter impressed everyone in his maiden appearance at the Paralympic Games. China`s Huang Xing led the field comfortably while Jakhar was yet to make it to the top three before elimination began. In the second stage elimination round of the final, Jakhar shot 2, 4, 1 and 1 to register a total score of 12 following his four points in the first essay.

The Indian shooter failed to move into the top three but managed to bag a respectable fifth-place in the Tokyo Paralympics final. Jakhar had finished at the second position with 576 points after the conclusion of both precision and rapid rounds. At the end of the precision round in the qualification event, Jakhar was in 13th position. He finished the precision round with 284 points. In the rapid round, Jakhar registered 292 points to move into the finals. Akash, another Indian shooter, missed out on the final berth as he ended the qualification round with 551 points.&nbsp;

Indian shooter Rahul Jakhar finished fifth in the P3 mixed 25M pistol SH1 after giving a tough fight in the summit clash of the ongoing Tokyo Paralympics on Thursday.

Indian shooter Rahul Jakhar finished fifth in the P3 mixed 25M pistol SH1 after giving a tough fight in the summit clash of the ongoing Tokyo Paralympics on Thursday. Jakhar might have missed out on a medal but the Indian shooter impressed everyone in his maiden appearance at the Paralympic Games. China`s Huang Xing led the field comfortably while Jakhar was yet to make it to the top three before elimination began. In the second stage elimination round of the final, Jakhar shot 2, 4, 1 and 1 to register a total score of 12 following his four points in the first essay. The Indian shooter failed to move into the top three but managed to bag a respectable fifth-place in the Tokyo Paralympics final. Jakhar had finished at the second position with 576 points after the conclusion of both precision and rapid rounds. At the end of the precision round in the qualification event, Jakhar was in 13th position. He finished the precision round with 284 points. In the rapid round, Jakhar registered 292 points to move into the finals. Akash, another Indian shooter, missed out on the final berth as he ended the qualification round with 551 points.

Tokyo Paralympics: India's Rahul Jakhar finishes fifth in mixed 25M pistol SH1 final

Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has made a big statement ahead of the national side's fourth and penultimate Test versus England at the Kennington Oval, London starting from Thursday (September 2). Despite India losing the third Test, of the five-match series, by an innings and 76 runs and the series being levelled at 1-1, Shastri feels Joe Root-led England will feel the pressure going forward to win the series at home.

"If anyone thinks that this Indian team is going to back off, they have another thing coming because at 1-1, we are playing overseas, the pressure is on England. They have to win in their own country. We have done what we had to do with them in India. So, the ball is in their court and we will fight, there's no question about it," Shastri said on Times Now Navbharat.

On being asked on how Virat Kohli &amp; Co. plan to stage a recovery and fightback in the remaining two games after a heavy defeat, an upbeat Shastri said, "It's very easy, you just go back to Lord's. Just think Lord's, forget the last one. As simple as that. I know it's easier said than done but we should remember your good moments as well. Such things happen in the game. England was in the driver's seat and we snatched victory. In the last Test match, they bowled brilliantly. They caught us on the hop on the very first day of the Test match, they put us on the back foot."

"Even though we showed glimpses of a fight in the second innings, I think that first, you know, early dismissal of our players and getting all out for 78 played its part. But this series is wide open," he added.

After the series opener ended in a draw, Kohli-led India won the second Test at Lord's by a whopping 151-run margin. However, they surrendered the momentum to lose the third Test by an innings and 76 runs. Batting first, India were bundled out for 78 and England posted a healthy 432 in reply. In their second essay, India once again suffered a collapse to be bundled out for 278, from 215-2, on Day 4.

The series, however, remains wide open and the remaining two Tests will surely give plenty to cheer for the ardent cricket fans worldwide.

Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has made a big statement ahead of the national side's fourth and penultimate Test versus England at the Kennington Oval, London starting from Thursday (September 2).

Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has made a big statement ahead of the national side's fourth and penultimate Test versus England at the Kennington Oval, London starting from Thursday (September 2). Despite India losing the third Test, of the five-match series, by an innings and 76 runs and the series being levelled at 1-1, Shastri feels Joe Root-led England will feel the pressure going forward to win the series at home. "If anyone thinks that this Indian team is going to back off, they have another thing coming because at 1-1, we are playing overseas, the pressure is on England. They have to win in their own country. We have done what we had to do with them in India. So, the ball is in their court and we will fight, there's no question about it," Shastri said on Times Now Navbharat. On being asked on how Virat Kohli & Co. plan to stage a recovery and fightback in the remaining two games after a heavy defeat, an upbeat Shastri said, "It's very easy, you just go back to Lord's. Just think Lord's, forget the last one. As simple as that. I know it's easier said than done but we should remember your good moments as well. Such things happen in the game. England was in the driver's seat and we snatched victory. In the last Test match, they bowled brilliantly. They caught us on the hop on the very first day of the Test match, they put us on the back foot." "Even though we showed glimpses of a fight in the second innings, I think that first, you know, early dismissal of our players and getting all out for 78 played its part. But this series is wide open," he added. After the series opener ended in a draw, Kohli-led India won the second Test at Lord's by a whopping 151-run margin. However, they surrendered the momentum to lose the third Test by an innings and 76 runs. Batting first, India were bundled out for 78 and England posted a healthy 432 in reply. In their second essay, India once again suffered a collapse to be bundled out for 278, from 215-2, on Day 4. The series, however, remains wide open and the remaining two Tests will surely give plenty to cheer for the ardent cricket fans worldwide.

They've to win in their own country: Not Virat Kohli-led India! Ravi Shastri says pressure is on England ahead of 4th Test

The Governing Council of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday invited bids to acquire the right to own and operate 1 (one) of the 2 (two) new teams proposed to be introduced to take part in the tournament from the 2022 season, through a tender process.

"The detailed terms and conditions governing the submission and evaluation of bids including eligibility requirements, process for submissions of bids, proposed new teams` rights, and obligations, etc. are contained in the `Invitation to Tender` ("ITT") which will be made available on receipt of payment of non-refundable fee of INR 10,00,000 (Rupees Ten Lakhs Only) plus any applicable Goods and Services Tax," said the BCCI in an official release.

The ITT will be available for purchase till October 5. Interested parties have been requested to send an email at ittipl2021@bcci.tv to get further details for purchasing the ITT. The email requesting the ITT should have the subject line "ITT for the Right to Own and Operate One of Two Proposed New IPL Teams". Any interested party wishing to submit a bid is required to purchase the ITT. However, only those satisfying the eligibility criteria set out in the ITT and subject to the other terms and conditions set out therein, shall be eligible to bid. It is clarified that merely purchasing this ITT does not entitle any person to bid. BCCI reserves the right to cancel or amend the bidding process at any stage in any manner without providing any reason.

The Governing Council of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday invited bids to acquire the right to own and operate 1 (one) of the 2 (two) new teams proposed to be introduced to take part in the tournament from the 2022 season, through a tender process.

The Governing Council of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday invited bids to acquire the right to own and operate 1 (one) of the 2 (two) new teams proposed to be introduced to take part in the tournament from the 2022 season, through a tender process. "The detailed terms and conditions governing the submission and evaluation of bids including eligibility requirements, process for submissions of bids, proposed new teams` rights, and obligations, etc. are contained in the `Invitation to Tender` ("ITT") which will be made available on receipt of payment of non-refundable fee of INR 10,00,000 (Rupees Ten Lakhs Only) plus any applicable Goods and Services Tax," said the BCCI in an official release. The ITT will be available for purchase till October 5. Interested parties have been requested to send an email at ittipl2021@bcci.tv to get further details for purchasing the ITT. The email requesting the ITT should have the subject line "ITT for the Right to Own and Operate One of Two Proposed New IPL Teams". Any interested party wishing to submit a bid is required to purchase the ITT. However, only those satisfying the eligibility criteria set out in the ITT and subject to the other terms and conditions set out therein, shall be eligible to bid. It is clarified that merely purchasing this ITT does not entitle any person to bid. BCCI reserves the right to cancel or amend the bidding process at any stage in any manner without providing any reason.

BCCI announces release of tender to own and operate IPL team

After the third Test ended with Team India losing the contest by an innings and 76 runs versus Joe Root-led England, all eyes are now on the fourth and penultimate Test as both sides will like to give their all with the series interestingly poised at 1-1.

Virat Kohli &amp; Co. came into the third Test following a stunning show at Lord's, where they beat England by 151 runs, but fell flat in Headingley, Leeds. While the visitors will have their back against the wall and will look to start from scratch, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra made a bold claim and predicted Team India as the winner&nbsp;for the upcoming Test.

In a video shared on his Youtube channel, Chopra predicted, "I am going with India to win this Test match. Yes, I am saying India will win. The team that wins the toss will want to bat first. Batting is not a bad idea, that's for India. England, you should have batted first at Lord's because batting does not happen at the end, you get all out in fifty overs."

He further opined, "In this five-day Test match, if it lasts for five days, spinners will take more than 6 wickets. Who will be the spinners - Moeen Ali, Ashwin, Jadeja or someone else? A lot of runs will be scored in the second session of each day at the Oval ground. In the middle overs, old ball, flat pitch, slightly more spin - that's the time to score."

Team India have plenty to ponder upon ahead of the penultimate Test. For them to stage a recovery, the batting line-up will have to stand tall, especially the likes of Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, etc. Further, it will be interesting to see if the likes of R Ashwin, Shardul Thakur and Hanuma Vihari get a look-in.&nbsp;

After the third Test ended with Team India losing the contest by an innings and 76 runs versus Joe Root-led England, all eyes are now on the fourth and penultimate Test as both sides will like to give their all with the series interestingly poised at 1-1.

After the third Test ended with Team India losing the contest by an innings and 76 runs versus Joe Root-led England, all eyes are now on the fourth and penultimate Test as both sides will like to give their all with the series interestingly poised at 1-1. Virat Kohli & Co. came into the third Test following a stunning show at Lord's, where they beat England by 151 runs, but fell flat in Headingley, Leeds. While the visitors will have their back against the wall and will look to start from scratch, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra made a bold claim and predicted Team India as the winner for the upcoming Test. In a video shared on his Youtube channel, Chopra predicted, "I am going with India to win this Test match. Yes, I am saying India will win. The team that wins the toss will want to bat first. Batting is not a bad idea, that's for India. England, you should have batted first at Lord's because batting does not happen at the end, you get all out in fifty overs." He further opined, "In this five-day Test match, if it lasts for five days, spinners will take more than 6 wickets. Who will be the spinners - Moeen Ali, Ashwin, Jadeja or someone else? A lot of runs will be scored in the second session of each day at the Oval ground. In the middle overs, old ball, flat pitch, slightly more spin - that's the time to score." Team India have plenty to ponder upon ahead of the penultimate Test. For them to stage a recovery, the batting line-up will have to stand tall, especially the likes of Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, etc. Further, it will be interesting to see if the likes of R Ashwin, Shardul Thakur and Hanuma Vihari get a look-in.

India or England? Aakash Chopra makes bold claim, predicts winner of 4th Test

Team India entered the third Test, of the five-match series, versus Joe Root-led England with the momentum firmly in their favour, following a 151-run win in the second Test at Lord's. While Virat Kohli &amp; Co. were expected to dictate terms, they fell flat like nine pins to lose the third Test by an innings and 76 runs at Headingley, Leeds.&nbsp;

With the scoreline now 1-1, India have their back against the wall and need to get their combination right for the fourth and penultimate Test, which starts from September 2 (Thursday) at Kennington Oval, London. Ahead of the upcoming encounter, India will look to ring in few changes in their playing XI.

What changes can India make for the 4th Test?

Kohli &amp; Co.'s top-order is expected to remain the same with KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli forming the top 4. With Rishabh Pant also fixed as the wicketkeeper-batsman, this leaves India with six more spots to fill. While Kohli stated in the post-match conference, after the third Test, that the team management might rotate few players to manage their workload, the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj are still expected to retain their spots, respectively.

Kohli has been very vocal on his support for his deputy Ajinkya Rahane. However, the senior batsman has struggled for consistency and has only one fifty-plus score so far in the series. Though Hanuma Vihari and Mayank Agarwal, along with Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav, are few contenders to replace Rahane, he is likely to retain his place once again.&nbsp;

The Oval's pitch is expected to be the slowest and, hence, R Ashwin's inclusion looks on cards, at the expense of Ishant Sharma. With Ravindra Jadeja not being officially ruled out yet, after visiting the hospital for precautionary scans for knee injury, Ashwin's inclusion will not only add to the batting line-up but will also assist India with his spin. Both Ashwin and Jadeja can be trusted with the bat and assist the tail. In case Jadeja gets ruled out, Shardul Thakur can replace him.

India's likely playing XI for 4th Test: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane/Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja/Shardul Thakur, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami

Team India entered the third Test, of the five-match series, versus Joe Root-led England with the momentum firmly in their favour, following a 151-run win in the second Test at Lord's.

Team India entered the third Test, of the five-match series, versus Joe Root-led England with the momentum firmly in their favour, following a 151-run win in the second Test at Lord's. While Virat Kohli & Co. were expected to dictate terms, they fell flat like nine pins to lose the third Test by an innings and 76 runs at Headingley, Leeds. With the scoreline now 1-1, India have their back against the wall and need to get their combination right for the fourth and penultimate Test, which starts from September 2 (Thursday) at Kennington Oval, London. Ahead of the upcoming encounter, India will look to ring in few changes in their playing XI. What changes can India make for the 4th Test? Kohli & Co.'s top-order is expected to remain the same with KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli forming the top 4. With Rishabh Pant also fixed as the wicketkeeper-batsman, this leaves India with six more spots to fill. While Kohli stated in the post-match conference, after the third Test, that the team management might rotate few players to manage their workload, the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj are still expected to retain their spots, respectively. Kohli has been very vocal on his support for his deputy Ajinkya Rahane. However, the senior batsman has struggled for consistency and has only one fifty-plus score so far in the series. Though Hanuma Vihari and Mayank Agarwal, along with Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav, are few contenders to replace Rahane, he is likely to retain his place once again. The Oval's pitch is expected to be the slowest and, hence, R Ashwin's inclusion looks on cards, at the expense of Ishant Sharma. With Ravindra Jadeja not being officially ruled out yet, after visiting the hospital for precautionary scans for knee injury, Ashwin's inclusion will not only add to the batting line-up but will also assist India with his spin. Both Ashwin and Jadeja can be trusted with the bat and assist the tail. In case Jadeja gets ruled out, Shardul Thakur can replace him. India's likely playing XI for 4th Test: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane/Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja/Shardul Thakur, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami

Will R Ashwin get a look-in? Team India to drop Ajinkya Rahane? Decoding Virat Kohli & Co.'s playing XI for 4th Test

World No. 1, Ashleigh Barty of Australia, extended her winning streak to six with a 6-1, 7-6(7) defeat of Vera Zvonareva of Russia in the first round of the US Open in one hour and 28 minutes. 
 
Fresh off the Cincinnati title and seeking her second Grand Slam trophy of the year after Wimbledon, Barty was flawless against the 2010 finalist in the first set, but needed to battle hard and save one set point to eke out a win in the second. 
 
Zvonareva, bidding for her fifth career win against a reigning world No.1 and first since beating Caroline Wozniacki at the 2011 WTA Finals, did not get going until the fag end of the first set. The Russian won just nine points through the first six games to fall behind 1-5, including only three on Barty`s serve. 
 
But Zvonareva forced Barty to save two break points before closing out the opener, and then forced the Wimbledon champion in tough baseline exchanges throughout the second. Competing hard, the 36-year-old twice battled back to level from a break down, and it took Barty`s best tennis to get over the line in the tiebreak. 
 
The world No.101 Zvonareva raised her first serve percentage from 65 to 81 per cent in the second set and won six out of eight points at the net. Having been almost unable to return the Barty serve in the first set, Zvonareva began to read its direction and decrease the number of cheap points for the Australian. 
 
"Obviously a tough one against Vera straight up," Barty told wtatennis.com, after her win. "She`s an experienced campaigner. She knows how to get herself into matches. I think all in all, adapting to conditions was a little bit slower than I probably would have liked [but] we`re through. We have another chance to improve on that in the next round." 
 
"I think when my back was against the wall late in that buster, I came up with some really good stuff. That`s all we can ask is when your back is against the wall, you trust yourself, you go out there and pick your spots and hit them," added Barty. 
 
Barty will be up against 18-year-old Clara Tauson of Denmark, who won a contest between former junior world No.1s over Clara Burel of France 7-5, 6-0 in one hour and 14 minutes. 
 
Both youngsters have surged into the top-100 this year, with Tauson winning her first WTA trophy in Lyon in March as well as the Chicago 125 two weeks ago, and Burel reaching the Lausanne final in July. World No.78 Tauson has had the upper hand in her rivalry with Burel so far, winning all their previous encounters in juniors and on the ITF World Tour, and that remained the case here. 
 
Seeded duo Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic and Maria Sakkari of Greece both navigated past talented teenagers with straight-sets wins to get their US Open campaigns off to positive starts. 
 
No.4 Pliskova progressed past wildcard Caty McNally of the U S 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 23 minutes to extend her winning streak in major first rounds to 21. No.17 Sakkari posted a near-identical scoreline, 6-4, 6-3 over Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine in one hour and 31 minutes. 
 
Sakkari`s win means that two Greek women have won matches at a Grand Slam for the first time in the Open Era, following compatriot Valentini Grammatikopoulou`s defeat of Anna Blinkova of Russia on Day 1. 
 
--IANS 
 
akm/ 
&nbsp;

World No. 1, Ashleigh Barty of Australia, extended her winning streak to six with a 6-1, 7-6(7) defeat of Vera Zvonareva of Russia in the first round of the US Open in one hour and 28 minutes.

World No. 1, Ashleigh Barty of Australia, extended her winning streak to six with a 6-1, 7-6(7) defeat of Vera Zvonareva of Russia in the first round of the US Open in one hour and 28 minutes. Fresh off the Cincinnati title and seeking her second Grand Slam trophy of the year after Wimbledon, Barty was flawless against the 2010 finalist in the first set, but needed to battle hard and save one set point to eke out a win in the second. Zvonareva, bidding for her fifth career win against a reigning world No.1 and first since beating Caroline Wozniacki at the 2011 WTA Finals, did not get going until the fag end of the first set. The Russian won just nine points through the first six games to fall behind 1-5, including only three on Barty`s serve. But Zvonareva forced Barty to save two break points before closing out the opener, and then forced the Wimbledon champion in tough baseline exchanges throughout the second. Competing hard, the 36-year-old twice battled back to level from a break down, and it took Barty`s best tennis to get over the line in the tiebreak. The world No.101 Zvonareva raised her first serve percentage from 65 to 81 per cent in the second set and won six out of eight points at the net. Having been almost unable to return the Barty serve in the first set, Zvonareva began to read its direction and decrease the number of cheap points for the Australian. "Obviously a tough one against Vera straight up," Barty told wtatennis.com, after her win. "She`s an experienced campaigner. She knows how to get herself into matches. I think all in all, adapting to conditions was a little bit slower than I probably would have liked [but] we`re through. We have another chance to improve on that in the next round." "I think when my back was against the wall late in that buster, I came up with some really good stuff. That`s all we can ask is when your back is against the wall, you trust yourself, you go out there and pick your spots and hit them," added Barty. Barty will be up against 18-year-old Clara Tauson of Denmark, who won a contest between former junior world No.1s over Clara Burel of France 7-5, 6-0 in one hour and 14 minutes. Both youngsters have surged into the top-100 this year, with Tauson winning her first WTA trophy in Lyon in March as well as the Chicago 125 two weeks ago, and Burel reaching the Lausanne final in July. World No.78 Tauson has had the upper hand in her rivalry with Burel so far, winning all their previous encounters in juniors and on the ITF World Tour, and that remained the case here. Seeded duo Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic and Maria Sakkari of Greece both navigated past talented teenagers with straight-sets wins to get their US Open campaigns off to positive starts. No.4 Pliskova progressed past wildcard Caty McNally of the U S 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 23 minutes to extend her winning streak in major first rounds to 21. No.17 Sakkari posted a near-identical scoreline, 6-4, 6-3 over Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine in one hour and 31 minutes. Sakkari`s win means that two Greek women have won matches at a Grand Slam for the first time in the Open Era, following compatriot Valentini Grammatikopoulou`s defeat of Anna Blinkova of Russia on Day 1. --IANS akm/

US Open: Ashleigh Barty tested before winning opening-round match

India's medal-tally continued to rise up on Tuesday (August 31) in the Tokyo Paralympics as Mariyappan Thangavelu won the silver medal in the men's high jump T42/T63 class. Mariyappan successfully cleared 1.86m to clinch the second spot. On the other hand, Sharad Kumar won the bronze medal in the T42 class after clearing 1.83m.

While Mariyappan couldn't better his Rio gold and had to settle for the second spot, with a silver medal, the athlete rued his chances and blamed the rain playing spoilsport to him missing out on gold.

Mariyappan said after the event, "I could have won gold and claimed the world record (1.96m). I came here with that aim. But the rain played spoilsport. It was a drizzle initially but after the 1.80m mark, it became heavy. The sock on my other leg (the impaired right leg) got wet and it was difficult to jump. For the unversed, the athlete had suffered permanent disability in his right leg after it was crushed under a bus at the age of five.

“I could not execute my plan here. I could have cleared 1.90m had it not been the weather conditions. I will try for gold and world record in Paris 2024,” he further added.

“Weather was the reason why he failed in clearing 1.88m. It is three years from now (for 2024 Paris Olympics). He will win gold there,” said Satyanarayana, who is also national Para Athletics chairman and national coach.

Despite Mariyappan not being satisfied with his own performance, PM Narendra Modi was all praise for the champion athlete and tweeted following his win, "Soaring higher and higher! Mariyappan Thangavelu is synonymous with consistence and excellence. Congratulations to him for winning the Silver Medal. India is proud of his feat."

Courtesy Mariyappan and Sharad's heroics, the Indian contingent's medal-tally at Tokyo Paralympics has touched the double digits (10). Earlier, the likes of Avani Lekhara, Singhraj Adhana, Devendra Jhajaria, Sumit Antil, etc. made India proud with their respective medals.&nbsp;

So far, the Indian team has already crossed the national side's overall medal-tally in Tokyo 2020.

&nbsp;

India's medal-tally continued to rise up on Tuesday (August 31) in the Tokyo Paralympics as Mariyappan Thangavelu won the silver medal in the men's high jump T42/T63 class.

India's medal-tally continued to rise up on Tuesday (August 31) in the Tokyo Paralympics as Mariyappan Thangavelu won the silver medal in the men's high jump T42/T63 class. Mariyappan successfully cleared 1.86m to clinch the second spot. On the other hand, Sharad Kumar won the bronze medal in the T42 class after clearing 1.83m. While Mariyappan couldn't better his Rio gold and had to settle for the second spot, with a silver medal, the athlete rued his chances and blamed the rain playing spoilsport to him missing out on gold. Mariyappan said after the event, "I could have won gold and claimed the world record (1.96m). I came here with that aim. But the rain played spoilsport. It was a drizzle initially but after the 1.80m mark, it became heavy. The sock on my other leg (the impaired right leg) got wet and it was difficult to jump. For the unversed, the athlete had suffered permanent disability in his right leg after it was crushed under a bus at the age of five. “I could not execute my plan here. I could have cleared 1.90m had it not been the weather conditions. I will try for gold and world record in Paris 2024,” he further added. “Weather was the reason why he failed in clearing 1.88m. It is three years from now (for 2024 Paris Olympics). He will win gold there,” said Satyanarayana, who is also national Para Athletics chairman and national coach. Despite Mariyappan not being satisfied with his own performance, PM Narendra Modi was all praise for the champion athlete and tweeted following his win, "Soaring higher and higher! Mariyappan Thangavelu is synonymous with consistence and excellence. Congratulations to him for winning the Silver Medal. India is proud of his feat." Courtesy Mariyappan and Sharad's heroics, the Indian contingent's medal-tally at Tokyo Paralympics has touched the double digits (10). Earlier, the likes of Avani Lekhara, Singhraj Adhana, Devendra Jhajaria, Sumit Antil, etc. made India proud with their respective medals. So far, the Indian team has already crossed the national side's overall medal-tally in Tokyo 2020.

Tokyo Paralympics: Could've won gold but rain played spoilsport, says Mariyappan Thangavelu after securing silver in high-jump final

Novak Djokovic took a first unsteady step toward completing the calendar-year Grand Slam on Tuesday as the Serb laboured into the second round of the U.S. Open with a 6-1 6-7(5) 6-2 6-1 win over dashing Danish teenager Holger Rune. 
 
On paper, the contest was a total mismatch -- an 18-year-old qualifier making his Grand Slam debut against a player chasing a 21st major title. While the outcome was exactly what was expected, the effort needed by Djokovic to see off the fearless Dane, who battled to the end despite suffering cramp, was not. 
 
The match got underway amid a somewhat flat atmosphere inside Arthur Ashe Stadium but the crowd were chanting the little-known Dane`s name after he stunned Djokovic to win the second set. 
 
Aside from that, it was a controlled effort from the 34-year-old Djokovic, far different from the Serb`s last match on Arthur Ashe Stadium court which ended with him being disqualified after swatting a ball in frustration that struck a line judge. 
 
The stone-faced world number one was all business from the start, breaking his opponent at the first opportunity and rolling through the set in just 26 minutes. But playing his first event since a disappointing Tokyo Olympics there were signs of rust and a lack of intensity, particularly in a sloppy second set when Rune broke him twice and forced the set to tie-break that he easily won. 
 
But there was never any panic from Djokovic, who turned up the pressure in the third with an early break to regain control as Rune began to suffer cramp. As Rune grimaced with every step, Djokovic showed his ruthless side, moving the youngster from line-to-line and taking the set 6-2. 
 
Rune was determined to battle his way to the end but a Djokovic victory was now certain and the Serb wrapped up the match by taking the fourth set 6-1. 
&nbsp;

Novak Djokovic took a first unsteady step toward completing the calendar-year Grand Slam on Tuesday as the Serb laboured into the second round of the U.S. Open with a 6-1 6-7(5) 6-2 6-1 win over dashing Danish teenager Holger Rune.

Novak Djokovic took a first unsteady step toward completing the calendar-year Grand Slam on Tuesday as the Serb laboured into the second round of the U.S. Open with a 6-1 6-7(5) 6-2 6-1 win over dashing Danish teenager Holger Rune. On paper, the contest was a total mismatch -- an 18-year-old qualifier making his Grand Slam debut against a player chasing a 21st major title. While the outcome was exactly what was expected, the effort needed by Djokovic to see off the fearless Dane, who battled to the end despite suffering cramp, was not. The match got underway amid a somewhat flat atmosphere inside Arthur Ashe Stadium but the crowd were chanting the little-known Dane`s name after he stunned Djokovic to win the second set. Aside from that, it was a controlled effort from the 34-year-old Djokovic, far different from the Serb`s last match on Arthur Ashe Stadium court which ended with him being disqualified after swatting a ball in frustration that struck a line judge. The stone-faced world number one was all business from the start, breaking his opponent at the first opportunity and rolling through the set in just 26 minutes. But playing his first event since a disappointing Tokyo Olympics there were signs of rust and a lack of intensity, particularly in a sloppy second set when Rune broke him twice and forced the set to tie-break that he easily won. But there was never any panic from Djokovic, who turned up the pressure in the third with an early break to regain control as Rune began to suffer cramp. As Rune grimaced with every step, Djokovic showed his ruthless side, moving the youngster from line-to-line and taking the set 6-2. Rune was determined to battle his way to the end but a Djokovic victory was now certain and the Serb wrapped up the match by taking the fourth set 6-1.

US Open: Novak Djokovic takes first unsteady step toward calendar slam

After the drawn series opener and a 151-run win over England at Lord's, India succumbed to an innings and 76 runs defeat to Joe Root-led hosts in the third Test, of the five-match series. With the series tied at 1-1, both sides will come hard at each other to take an unassailable 2-1 lead heading into the final encounter.

Prior to the fourth and penultimate Test, former England captain-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain has suggested few changes for Virat Kohli &amp; Co. in their line-up. Hussain feels the Indian team should consider bringing in R Ashwin in the playing XI.&nbsp;

In his column for Daily Mail, Hussain wrote, "But what India do have is an off-spin bowler ranked No. 2 in the world and a batsman good enough to have made five Test centuries in Ravichandran Ashwin. He should have played at Headingley against England’s five left-handers and he must play at The Oval."

“So the most likely solution is that Ashwin will come in for a seamer, most likely Ishant Sharma who struggled at Headingley and join Ravindra Jadeja in a more balanced looking side with a deeper batting line-up as long as Jadeja recovers from his knee injury," added Hussain.

Earlier, many experts and former cricketers were left surprised when India went ahead with no Ashwin for the second Test at Lord's. The wily off-spinner is yet to get a game in the ongoing series, in the new WTC cycle, and will be desperate to get going and be among wickets in the final two Tests.&nbsp;

With the pitch at The Oval to be on the slower side, Ashwin can be the key player for Team India and help them stage a recovery in the series.

The fourth Test starts from September 2 (Thursday) at Kennington Oval, London.

After the drawn series opener and a 151-run win over England at Lord's, India succumbed to an innings and 76 runs defeat to Joe Root-led hosts in the third Test, of the five-match series.

After the drawn series opener and a 151-run win over England at Lord's, India succumbed to an innings and 76 runs defeat to Joe Root-led hosts in the third Test, of the five-match series. With the series tied at 1-1, both sides will come hard at each other to take an unassailable 2-1 lead heading into the final encounter. Prior to the fourth and penultimate Test, former England captain-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain has suggested few changes for Virat Kohli & Co. in their line-up. Hussain feels the Indian team should consider bringing in R Ashwin in the playing XI. In his column for Daily Mail, Hussain wrote, "But what India do have is an off-spin bowler ranked No. 2 in the world and a batsman good enough to have made five Test centuries in Ravichandran Ashwin. He should have played at Headingley against England’s five left-handers and he must play at The Oval." “So the most likely solution is that Ashwin will come in for a seamer, most likely Ishant Sharma who struggled at Headingley and join Ravindra Jadeja in a more balanced looking side with a deeper batting line-up as long as Jadeja recovers from his knee injury," added Hussain. Earlier, many experts and former cricketers were left surprised when India went ahead with no Ashwin for the second Test at Lord's. The wily off-spinner is yet to get a game in the ongoing series, in the new WTC cycle, and will be desperate to get going and be among wickets in the final two Tests. With the pitch at The Oval to be on the slower side, Ashwin can be the key player for Team India and help them stage a recovery in the series. The fourth Test starts from September 2 (Thursday) at Kennington Oval, London.

Should've played at Headingley and must play at The Oval: Nasser Hussain suggests one change for Virat Kohli & Co. for 4th Test

There has been criticism for Indian captain Virat Kohli from all corners due to his struggles in the ongoing India-England Tests, in the United Kingdom. So far, Kohli has scores of 0, DNB, 42, 20, 7 and 55. While he did score a half-century in the final innings of the third Test, where India lost by an innings and 76 runs, the 32-year-old didn't look at his very best versus the second new ball on Day 4.

Kohli was troubled by the likes of James Anderson and Ollie Robinson as the former remains unsure of how to deal with the ball when pitched on the fourth-fifth stump-line. Ahead of the fourth and penultimate Test, which begins from September 2 at Kennington Oval, London, former India pacer Ashish Nehra has come forward and supported Kohli.

Speaking to reporters in a media interaction organised by Sony, Nehra opined, "First things first, somebody like Virat Kohli, he knows his game, that’s why he is here. He has been successful in the same conditions. Everybody knows when you talk about English conditions; they are not easy. You just spoke about Sunil Gavaskar (urging Kohli to learn from Tendulkar and avoid the shot that is getting him out every time)."&nbsp;

Taking cognisance of recent Kohli's struggles, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar had suggested that the Indian skipper should take notes from Sachin Tendulkar and have a quick chat with him.&nbsp;"Yes, if somebody like Virat Kohli feels he needs to do that, I am sure, he will definitely try to do that. But here, you also correctly mentioned that Virat Kohli got out in the slips, but not while driving all the time. He also got out defending. So it’s not like the ball is not there to drive, yet he is going for a cover drive,” Nehra added.&nbsp;

"Our bowlers also did that in one game. But I don’t think Virat Kohli needs to change his technique overnight. In between a series, it is more about adjustment of your game and being mentally ready. Don’t think there is any problem with Virat Kohli when it comes to mental toughness," he concluded.

Kohli's struggles, however, has been a long one. His last international ton came in late 2019. He averaged only 19.33 in Tests in 2020 whereas currently he averages 27.15 in the format in the ongoing calendar year. The Indian captain will be desperate to score a daddy hundred in the remaining two games and lead India to a series win over England in their own backyard.

There has been criticism for Indian captain Virat Kohli from all corners due to his struggles in the ongoing India-England Tests, in the United Kingdom. So far, Kohli has scores of 0, DNB, 42, 20, 7 and 55.

There has been criticism for Indian captain Virat Kohli from all corners due to his struggles in the ongoing India-England Tests, in the United Kingdom. So far, Kohli has scores of 0, DNB, 42, 20, 7 and 55. While he did score a half-century in the final innings of the third Test, where India lost by an innings and 76 runs, the 32-year-old didn't look at his very best versus the second new ball on Day 4. Kohli was troubled by the likes of James Anderson and Ollie Robinson as the former remains unsure of how to deal with the ball when pitched on the fourth-fifth stump-line. Ahead of the fourth and penultimate Test, which begins from September 2 at Kennington Oval, London, former India pacer Ashish Nehra has come forward and supported Kohli. Speaking to reporters in a media interaction organised by Sony, Nehra opined, "First things first, somebody like Virat Kohli, he knows his game, that’s why he is here. He has been successful in the same conditions. Everybody knows when you talk about English conditions; they are not easy. You just spoke about Sunil Gavaskar (urging Kohli to learn from Tendulkar and avoid the shot that is getting him out every time)." Taking cognisance of recent Kohli's struggles, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar had suggested that the Indian skipper should take notes from Sachin Tendulkar and have a quick chat with him. "Yes, if somebody like Virat Kohli feels he needs to do that, I am sure, he will definitely try to do that. But here, you also correctly mentioned that Virat Kohli got out in the slips, but not while driving all the time. He also got out defending. So it’s not like the ball is not there to drive, yet he is going for a cover drive,” Nehra added. "Our bowlers also did that in one game. But I don’t think Virat Kohli needs to change his technique overnight. In between a series, it is more about adjustment of your game and being mentally ready. Don’t think there is any problem with Virat Kohli when it comes to mental toughness," he concluded. Kohli's struggles, however, has been a long one. His last international ton came in late 2019. He averaged only 19.33 in Tests in 2020 whereas currently he averages 27.15 in the format in the ongoing calendar year. The Indian captain will be desperate to score a daddy hundred in the remaining two games and lead India to a series win over England in their own backyard.

Don’t think Virat Kohli needs to change his technique overnight: Ashish Nehra on Indian captain's struggles in England

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Zee News Rajasthan

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