Team India is on a high at present. Having beaten South Africa 5-1 in the recently concluded ODI series and has also won the first T20I with comfort, they are on a wave of euphoria like very few visiting Indian teams have been in South Africa. One must bear in mind, however, that India&rsquo;s success in the recent ODI series against South Africa has been largely achieved through a combination of great bowling and outstanding batting by the top three.

The story of India&rsquo;s middle-order, however, is a cause for concern. Barring the second T20I, where Manish Pandey and MS Dhoni rescued India, the team&rsquo;s middle-order has struggled in the limited overs matches. Even coach Ravi Shastri has expressed his concerns over this and said that there is a lot of work to be done in this area. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s an area that requires work to be done. The top-order has batted beautifully and our bowlers were phenomenal but the fifth, sixth and the seventh slot in the batting order needs to be worked upon. Once we&rsquo;re done with this series, we&rsquo;ll have to sit down and weigh all options once again very carefully,&rdquo; he was quoted as saying recently.

Indeed, a lot of work has to be done to bolster India&rsquo;s middle-order, especially for ODIs. &nbsp;Of late, the numbers 4, 5, 6 and 7 have been moved around too much and hence the Indian middle-order gives off an unsettled look. Players like Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya and Kedar Jadhav have all been used around in the middle-order with mixed results. Time and time again the top three Indian batsmen have laid the foundation only to find the middle-order botch things up. They have failed to capitalize on the solid starts that the top order has been providing regularly and have been finishing poorly.

Perhaps the first thing the Indian management can do is assign specific positions to the batsmen in the middle-order and let them thrive in it for some time.

India also needs to find a proper finisher. Hardik Pandya, after flourishing for a little while, seems to have fizzled out. In the ODI series against South Africa, Pandya managed just 26 runs at a very poor strike-rate of 74.28. These are discouraging numbers and right now India is in dire need of a hard-hitting finisher who can close the games for the team.&nbsp;

The Dhoni dilemma, too, needs to be addressed. India&rsquo;s veteran wicket-keeper batsman is not the batsman he once used to be and save for a few instances here and there, he generally struggles lower down the order. MS Dhoni flourishes the most in the No.4 or 5 positions and that is where he should be utilized now with the wealth of experience he has. At No.4 and 5, Dhoni averages above 50 and has 5 centuries along with 26 &nbsp;half centuries. Clearly, those are slots that he needs to be given more chances in.

Lastly, the team management should give more opportunities to talented young batsmen like KL Rahul who has been treated rather poorly by the team. He is a class player and has excelled for India in all the formats. He needs to be given more chances. Also, trying out youngsters like Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson, who have been knocking on the doors for a while, along with the 2018 U-19 World Cup stars, Prithvi Shaw and Shubhnam Gill, can be a good idea as well.

The 2019 World Cup is not very far now. India&rsquo;s top order and bowling unit looks pretty solid and settled. The only chink in their armour is their sagging middle-order. The time for team India to experiment and sort out their middle-order woes is now.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

India Needs to sort its middle order before the World Cup of 2019 arrives. Young players like K.L. Rahul and Prithvi Shaw should be given the chance.

Team India is on a high at present. Having beaten South Africa 5-1 in the recently concluded ODI series and has also won the first T20I with comfort, they are on a wave of euphoria like very few visiting Indian teams have been in South Africa. One must bear in mind, however, that India’s success in the recent ODI series against South Africa has been largely achieved through a combination of great bowling and outstanding batting by the top three. The story of India’s middle-order, however, is a cause for concern. Barring the second T20I, where Manish Pandey and MS Dhoni rescued India, the team’s middle-order has struggled in the limited overs matches. Even coach Ravi Shastri has expressed his concerns over this and said that there is a lot of work to be done in this area. “It’s an area that requires work to be done. The top-order has batted beautifully and our bowlers were phenomenal but the fifth, sixth and the seventh slot in the batting order needs to be worked upon. Once we’re done with this series, we’ll have to sit down and weigh all options once again very carefully,” he was quoted as saying recently. Indeed, a lot of work has to be done to bolster India’s middle-order, especially for ODIs. Of late, the numbers 4, 5, 6 and 7 have been moved around too much and hence the Indian middle-order gives off an unsettled look. Players like Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya and Kedar Jadhav have all been used around in the middle-order with mixed results. Time and time again the top three Indian batsmen have laid the foundation only to find the middle-order botch things up. They have failed to capitalize on the solid starts that the top order has been providing regularly and have been finishing poorly. Perhaps the first thing the Indian management can do is assign specific positions to the batsmen in the middle-order and let them thrive in it for some time. India also needs to find a proper finisher. Hardik Pandya, after flourishing for a little while, seems to have fizzled out. In the ODI series against South Africa, Pandya managed just 26 runs at a very poor strike-rate of 74.28. These are discouraging numbers and right now India is in dire need of a hard-hitting finisher who can close the games for the team. The Dhoni dilemma, too, needs to be addressed. India’s veteran wicket-keeper batsman is not the batsman he once used to be and save for a few instances here and there, he generally struggles lower down the order. MS Dhoni flourishes the most in the No.4 or 5 positions and that is where he should be utilized now with the wealth of experience he has. At No.4 and 5, Dhoni averages above 50 and has 5 centuries along with 26 half centuries. Clearly, those are slots that he needs to be given more chances in. Lastly, the team management should give more opportunities to talented young batsmen like KL Rahul who has been treated rather poorly by the team. He is a class player and has excelled for India in all the formats. He needs to be given more chances. Also, trying out youngsters like Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson, who have been knocking on the doors for a while, along with the 2018 U-19 World Cup stars, Prithvi Shaw and Shubhnam Gill, can be a good idea as well. The 2019 World Cup is not very far now. India’s top order and bowling unit looks pretty solid and settled. The only chink in their armour is their sagging middle-order. The time for team India to experiment and sort out their middle-order woes is now. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Dhoni and Indian middle order need revamping before World Cup 2019

&nbsp;

<meta charset="utf-8" />

This is a great time to be an Indian cricket fan. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-virat-kohli-shardul-thakur-india-south-africa-6th-odi-team-india-indvssa-team-india-live-33105">After beating South Africa</a> in the sixth and final ODI at Centurion, India wrapped up a historic series victory by thumping the hosts 5-1. The manner of India&rsquo;s dominance and South Africa&rsquo;s abject capitulation has left countless cricket fans shocked.

Last night&rsquo;s ODI was a dead rubber. The series was already decided. And yet, people expected the home team to show fight in order to save some face. That was not to be as on a good batting surface, South Africa was bowled out for just 204 and then Team India brushed aside the target with eight wickets in hand and about 18 overs to spare.

Leading the charge was once again <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/best-batsman-in-the-world-now-says-ravi-shastri-for-virat-kohli-33154">captain Virat Kohli</a>, whose magnificent unbeaten 129 made a mockery of the small target. The Indian bowlers, too, were brilliant and young pacer Shradul Thakur&rsquo;s 4-52 helped to restrict the home side to a low score.

Prior to this series, South Africa was ranked the No.1 ODI side in the world. After having been thoroughly dismantled by India, they have slipped to the No.2 slot and given the way their team is looking at the present, things do not look very rosy for the Proteas.

India, meanwhile, will be thrilled. Their top order looks in great touch and their bowling, especially that of the spinners, has been regularly choking the opposition. Just to put things in perspective, the Indian bowlers have managed to clinch 51 wickets in the 6 ODIs as compared to just 23 by the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/virats-desperation-to-win-games-for-his-side-is-massive-33145">South African</a> bowlers.

The spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, have captured 33 wickets among them and that speaks volumes of the control and dominance they had over the South African batsmen.

The hero of the series for India, apart from the bowlers, has been Virat Kohli. He has not just led from the front, he has been absolutely peerless in the way he has gone about scoring his runs and making a mockery of the South African bowling. In the 6 ODIs, Kohli has garnered a whopping 558 runs at an astounding average of 186 with 3 hundred and one fifty.

His sheer dominance has been phenomenal to witness and there is no denying that we are seeing a living legend blossom on the front of our eyes. In recent memory, no other batsman has single-handedly decimated an opposition so ruthlessly. Perhaps, Sachin&rsquo;s supremacy over Australia in the 1998 season comes close in mind.

Kohli now has 35 ODI hundreds and where exactly does he end up will be fascinating to watch.

While India will be celebrating this momentous series victory, they need to be wary of a few issues as well. Their middle-order needs some changes and flexibility and has clearly struggled to take the initiative when it mattered. They also need a capable finisher at the end stages as Hardik Pandya hasn&rsquo;t really excelled in that role as yet.

If India can sort this issue out then they can go on to dominate everywhere in the world, especially with the variety they now have in their bowling lineup.

For South Africa, it will be back to the drawing board. Clearly, their new set of young players has not been up to the mark and they are overly reliant on yesteryear stalwarts like AB de Villers, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis to bail them out.

If South Africa hopes to regain their No.1 status and be a force in the 2019 World Cup, then the selectors and the team management need to take a long, hard look for the next generation of cricketers who can lead the team.

Cricket-wise, this ODI series was a dampener. The contest, save for the fourth ODI, was thoroughly one-sided and India cruised to victory in all their games. The fans surely would have expected a lot more fight and thrill as the No.1 and No.2 sides of the world went at loggerheads.

Regardless, team India has been really professional and clinical in their ways and can be proud of this historic achievement. Kudos to them for achieving this spectacular ODI series victory against South Africa on their own turf &ndash; it&rsquo;s a feat that no other visiting Indian team has achieved before.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

The spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, have captured 33 wickets among them and that speaks volumes of the control and dominance they had over the South African batsmen

This is a great time to be an Indian cricket fan. After beating South Africa in the sixth and final ODI at Centurion, India wrapped up a historic series victory by thumping the hosts 5-1. The manner of India’s dominance and South Africa’s abject capitulation has left countless cricket fans shocked. Last night’s ODI was a dead rubber. The series was already decided. And yet, people expected the home team to show fight in order to save some face. That was not to be as on a good batting surface, South Africa was bowled out for just 204 and then Team India brushed aside the target with eight wickets in hand and about 18 overs to spare. Leading the charge was once again captain Virat Kohli, whose magnificent unbeaten 129 made a mockery of the small target. The Indian bowlers, too, were brilliant and young pacer Shradul Thakur’s 4-52 helped to restrict the home side to a low score. Prior to this series, South Africa was ranked the No.1 ODI side in the world. After having been thoroughly dismantled by India, they have slipped to the No.2 slot and given the way their team is looking at the present, things do not look very rosy for the Proteas. India, meanwhile, will be thrilled. Their top order looks in great touch and their bowling, especially that of the spinners, has been regularly choking the opposition. Just to put things in perspective, the Indian bowlers have managed to clinch 51 wickets in the 6 ODIs as compared to just 23 by the South African bowlers. The spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, have captured 33 wickets among them and that speaks volumes of the control and dominance they had over the South African batsmen. The hero of the series for India, apart from the bowlers, has been Virat Kohli. He has not just led from the front, he has been absolutely peerless in the way he has gone about scoring his runs and making a mockery of the South African bowling. In the 6 ODIs, Kohli has garnered a whopping 558 runs at an astounding average of 186 with 3 hundred and one fifty. His sheer dominance has been phenomenal to witness and there is no denying that we are seeing a living legend blossom on the front of our eyes. In recent memory, no other batsman has single-handedly decimated an opposition so ruthlessly. Perhaps, Sachin’s supremacy over Australia in the 1998 season comes close in mind. Kohli now has 35 ODI hundreds and where exactly does he end up will be fascinating to watch. While India will be celebrating this momentous series victory, they need to be wary of a few issues as well. Their middle-order needs some changes and flexibility and has clearly struggled to take the initiative when it mattered. They also need a capable finisher at the end stages as Hardik Pandya hasn’t really excelled in that role as yet. If India can sort this issue out then they can go on to dominate everywhere in the world, especially with the variety they now have in their bowling lineup. For South Africa, it will be back to the drawing board. Clearly, their new set of young players has not been up to the mark and they are overly reliant on yesteryear stalwarts like AB de Villers, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis to bail them out. If South Africa hopes to regain their No.1 status and be a force in the 2019 World Cup, then the selectors and the team management need to take a long, hard look for the next generation of cricketers who can lead the team. Cricket-wise, this ODI series was a dampener. The contest, save for the fourth ODI, was thoroughly one-sided and India cruised to victory in all their games. The fans surely would have expected a lot more fight and thrill as the No.1 and No.2 sides of the world went at loggerheads. Regardless, team India has been really professional and clinical in their ways and can be proud of this historic achievement. Kudos to them for achieving this spectacular ODI series victory against South Africa on their own turf – it’s a feat that no other visiting Indian team has achieved before. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Magnificent Kohli was crucial in India's win over South Africa

Team India continued their dominance over host South Africa after beating them in the fifth ODI in Port Elizabeth. With this winning game, India also won the series 4-1 with one game to spare. A hundred from Rohit Sharma and a superb performance with the ball by spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, along with all-rounder Hardik Pandya, ensured a thumping 73-run victory for this confident Indian side.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

This was a historic moment in Indian cricket as this was their first bilateral series win in South Africa in any format. Curiously, the Indian team hasn&rsquo;t even been at their best in this series. They have had some middle-order batting woes and their finishing in the last ten overs has raised serious concerns. Despite that, they have confidently thumped South Africa in their own backyard.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

For South Africa, this is a humiliating series defeat in front of their home crowd. While they have bowled with decent discipline, their batting has been shambolic. 30 out of the 43 South African wickets in the games so far have been snared by the Indian spinners. It speaks volumes about South Africa&rsquo;s continued vulnerability against wrist-spinners and one wonders how the current No. 1 ODI team in the world is going to sort this problem out going ahead.

&nbsp;

Another worrying aspect of South Africa&rsquo;s performance in this series has been their over-reliance on their old stalwarts &ndash; AB De Villiers, Faf Du Plessis and Hashim Amla. While Du Plessis has been ruled out of the series after the first game, De Villiers and Amla have been struggling with lack of form. Unfortunately, the other batsmen have not been able to put their hands up and take accountability of the batting order and have crumbled under pressure regularly. Their technique against spin has been poor and they have not been patient enough to construct an ODI innings.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The likes of JP Duminy and David Miller were the other experienced batsmen in the squad and should have led from the front when the others were failing. Unfortunately, that hasn&rsquo;t happened. The South African batsmen certainly need to be more responsible if they wish to have any hopes of clinching the 2019 ODI World Cup.

&nbsp;

The Proteas&rsquo; bowling lacks variety as well and they are in urgent need of an incisive spinner, a wicket-taking third seam bowler along with a decent bowling all-rounder. Because Tabraiz Shamsi, Imran Tahir, Andile Phehlukwayo and Lungi Ngidi have just not been impressive enough. South Africa have always prided themselves on being the giants of limited overs cricket. Their performance in this series reflects poorly on their rich history and dominance at home. Perhaps they did not take this Indian side as seriously as they should have and paid for it dearly.

&nbsp;

India would be thrilled with this performance. Despite the loss in the last match, they did not let their intensity waver and came back strongly to achieve a series-clinching win in the fifth ODI. It shows how confident and fearless Virat Kohli and his men are and why they deserve to be at the top.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Although India hasn&rsquo;t batted to its complete potential - their lower middle-order especially needs to be more pro-active - they have still been extremely good as a unit. Their success has come primarily from the clinical performance of their top-order and their spinners. Never before have two Indian spinners dominated South Africa in their own den so convincingly. It&rsquo;s beautiful and thrilling to watch and holds India in good stead for their 2019 World Cup mission.

&nbsp;

It remains to be seen if South Africa can save some face in the final ODI on Friday. But for now, it is Team India that is flying high and deservedly so.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

It’s beautiful and thrilling to watch India's spinners and holds India in good stead for their 2019 World Cup mission.

Team India continued their dominance over host South Africa after beating them in the fifth ODI in Port Elizabeth. With this winning game, India also won the series 4-1 with one game to spare. A hundred from Rohit Sharma and a superb performance with the ball by spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, along with all-rounder Hardik Pandya, ensured a thumping 73-run victory for this confident Indian side. This was a historic moment in Indian cricket as this was their first bilateral series win in South Africa in any format. Curiously, the Indian team hasn’t even been at their best in this series. They have had some middle-order batting woes and their finishing in the last ten overs has raised serious concerns. Despite that, they have confidently thumped South Africa in their own backyard. For South Africa, this is a humiliating series defeat in front of their home crowd. While they have bowled with decent discipline, their batting has been shambolic. 30 out of the 43 South African wickets in the games so far have been snared by the Indian spinners. It speaks volumes about South Africa’s continued vulnerability against wrist-spinners and one wonders how the current No. 1 ODI team in the world is going to sort this problem out going ahead. Another worrying aspect of South Africa’s performance in this series has been their over-reliance on their old stalwarts – AB De Villiers, Faf Du Plessis and Hashim Amla. While Du Plessis has been ruled out of the series after the first game, De Villiers and Amla have been struggling with lack of form. Unfortunately, the other batsmen have not been able to put their hands up and take accountability of the batting order and have crumbled under pressure regularly. Their technique against spin has been poor and they have not been patient enough to construct an ODI innings. The likes of JP Duminy and David Miller were the other experienced batsmen in the squad and should have led from the front when the others were failing. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened. The South African batsmen certainly need to be more responsible if they wish to have any hopes of clinching the 2019 ODI World Cup. The Proteas’ bowling lacks variety as well and they are in urgent need of an incisive spinner, a wicket-taking third seam bowler along with a decent bowling all-rounder. Because Tabraiz Shamsi, Imran Tahir, Andile Phehlukwayo and Lungi Ngidi have just not been impressive enough. South Africa have always prided themselves on being the giants of limited overs cricket. Their performance in this series reflects poorly on their rich history and dominance at home. Perhaps they did not take this Indian side as seriously as they should have and paid for it dearly. India would be thrilled with this performance. Despite the loss in the last match, they did not let their intensity waver and came back strongly to achieve a series-clinching win in the fifth ODI. It shows how confident and fearless Virat Kohli and his men are and why they deserve to be at the top. Although India hasn’t batted to its complete potential - their lower middle-order especially needs to be more pro-active - they have still been extremely good as a unit. Their success has come primarily from the clinical performance of their top-order and their spinners. Never before have two Indian spinners dominated South Africa in their own den so convincingly. It’s beautiful and thrilling to watch and holds India in good stead for their 2019 World Cup mission. It remains to be seen if South Africa can save some face in the final ODI on Friday. But for now, it is Team India that is flying high and deservedly so. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Win in South Africa puts India in good place for 2019 Cricket World Cup

Several Indian teams have travelled to South Africa since 1992-93. Not one has managed a Test series win. But no one has been whitewashed either. The current Indian team, ranked No. 1 in the world in Tests, is staring at the real possibility of becoming the first ever Indian team to achieve that humiliating feat. Having already lost the series 0-2, Team India begins the third and final Test in Johannesburg against South Africa amidst a lot of apprehension and uncertainty. We still don&rsquo;t know if Virat Kohli&rsquo;s men would be able to fight it out and survive the might of the South African unit.&nbsp;

If there is one thing that the visitors can find solace from is the fact that India has never lost a Test at the Wanderers. In fact, &#39;The Bullring&#39; has some very happy memories for Indian cricket. This is where India achieved their first Test win in South Africa and this is where they won the famous World T20 final back in 2007.&nbsp;

Can India find some inspiration from those happy memories and salvage a win in the final Test? Can they finally give something to their devoted fans to cheer about in this rather disappointing series? We shall know soon.

In hindsight, the result of this Test series would have been different had India done a lot of things right in the first two Tests. Had they elected Ajinkya Rahane, their best overseas batsman; had they not dropped Bhuvneshwar Kumar, their best bowler in the first Test, had they not dropped so many catches, had they not given so many runs with the ball in the first innings of the first Test, and had they batted with more authority, things surely could have been different. India has only got themselves to blame for the opportunities lost and the lack of intent they showed.

For India, the series is gone now but there is pride still at stake. South Africa would be determined to inflict India with another embarrassing loss to avenge their 0-3 series loss to India in 2015. India would have to do a lot of things right to make sure that do not follow the same pattern of the first two Tests.

Led by the fiery Virat Kohli, Team India does have a lot of potential. It is all about sticking to the basics and doing the little things right. While they have fought and had the upper hand in both the Tests, India has lost out on key moments that resulted in their downfall. They would have to make sure that they don&rsquo;t commit to silly mistakes and are disciplined throughout.

There has been too much dependency on Virat Kohli, the batsman, to bail the team out every time. The likes of Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma would have to display a lot more gumption. The bowlers have been doing a fine job and the pace, bounce and movement at Johannesburg should assist them enough to trouble the South African batsmen.&nbsp;

There have been some speculations that Ajinkya Rahane might finally get a game and that Bhuvneshwar Kumar might make a return in this Test. If that is to happen it will certainly bolster India&rsquo;s chances.&nbsp;

All eyes would now be on Virat Kohli. He has come in for a lot of criticisms for his team selections and the onus would be on him to lead from the front and ensure that India is able to save face in the third and final Test. Because a 0-3 loss here would really tarnish the No. 1 Test team&rsquo;s reputation globally and that is something Team India can ill afford at the moment.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

Virat Kohli has come in for a lot of criticisms for his team selections and the onus would be on him to lead from the front and ensure that India is able to save face in the third and final Test.

Several Indian teams have travelled to South Africa since 1992-93. Not one has managed a Test series win. But no one has been whitewashed either. The current Indian team, ranked No. 1 in the world in Tests, is staring at the real possibility of becoming the first ever Indian team to achieve that humiliating feat. Having already lost the series 0-2, Team India begins the third and final Test in Johannesburg against South Africa amidst a lot of apprehension and uncertainty. We still don’t know if Virat Kohli’s men would be able to fight it out and survive the might of the South African unit. If there is one thing that the visitors can find solace from is the fact that India has never lost a Test at the Wanderers. In fact, 'The Bullring' has some very happy memories for Indian cricket. This is where India achieved their first Test win in South Africa and this is where they won the famous World T20 final back in 2007. Can India find some inspiration from those happy memories and salvage a win in the final Test? Can they finally give something to their devoted fans to cheer about in this rather disappointing series? We shall know soon. In hindsight, the result of this Test series would have been different had India done a lot of things right in the first two Tests. Had they elected Ajinkya Rahane, their best overseas batsman; had they not dropped Bhuvneshwar Kumar, their best bowler in the first Test, had they not dropped so many catches, had they not given so many runs with the ball in the first innings of the first Test, and had they batted with more authority, things surely could have been different. India has only got themselves to blame for the opportunities lost and the lack of intent they showed. For India, the series is gone now but there is pride still at stake. South Africa would be determined to inflict India with another embarrassing loss to avenge their 0-3 series loss to India in 2015. India would have to do a lot of things right to make sure that do not follow the same pattern of the first two Tests. Led by the fiery Virat Kohli, Team India does have a lot of potential. It is all about sticking to the basics and doing the little things right. While they have fought and had the upper hand in both the Tests, India has lost out on key moments that resulted in their downfall. They would have to make sure that they don’t commit to silly mistakes and are disciplined throughout. There has been too much dependency on Virat Kohli, the batsman, to bail the team out every time. The likes of Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma would have to display a lot more gumption. The bowlers have been doing a fine job and the pace, bounce and movement at Johannesburg should assist them enough to trouble the South African batsmen. There have been some speculations that Ajinkya Rahane might finally get a game and that Bhuvneshwar Kumar might make a return in this Test. If that is to happen it will certainly bolster India’s chances. All eyes would now be on Virat Kohli. He has come in for a lot of criticisms for his team selections and the onus would be on him to lead from the front and ensure that India is able to save face in the third and final Test. Because a 0-3 loss here would really tarnish the No. 1 Test team’s reputation globally and that is something Team India can ill afford at the moment. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Can Indian Cricket Team salvage some pride in the last Test?

The ICC U-19 World Cup 2018 has been quite entertaining so far. In close to two weeks we have been witness to some truly fascinating cricket and breathtaking individual performances from players of different teams.&nbsp;

As the tournament enters its final stages now, it would be a good time to look back at some of the most notable individual performances in the U-19 World Cup 2018 that has left a mark.&nbsp;

8-35 by Lloyd Pope (Australia) v England at Queenstown:

In what turned out to be the match of the World Cup so far, Australia&rsquo;s leg-spin bowler Lloyd Pope dismantled England completely with his array of leg breaks and produced the best figures in the tournament&#39;s history. After having scored just 128 in their all-important quarter-final game against England, Australia needed a solid show with the ball to have any chances of winning the game. It was Lloyd who rose to the occasion magnificently and on a pitch that aided his turn and bounce ran through the English batting in an unbroken spell. Lloyd ended with record-breaking figures of 8-35 that demolished England for 96 and took Australia to the semis.

191 by Hasitha Boyagoda (Sri Lanka) v Kenya at Lincoln

Sri Lanka has a knack for producing some truly record-breaking feats in World Cups. The senior teams have been doing this for long and now the juniors have caught up too. Sri Lankan opener Hasitha Boyagoda smashed the hapless Kenyan attack to all parts of the ground in this scintillating knock. He stitched a vital 147-run partnership with Nishan Madushka (60) for the second wicket and played well with the others to score an outstanding 191 off 152 balls with 28 fours and 2 sixes. It is the highest score of this edition of the tournament and helped Sri Lanka amass a massive 419-4 and win the game by a whopping 311 runs.&nbsp;

94 by Prithwi Shaw (India) v Australia at Mount Maunganui

A lot was expected of Indian captain Prithvi Shaw in this World Cup. And the young batsman delivered in the very first game India played. In their high-octane match against a robust Australia, India batted first on a good track at the Mount Maunganui stadium and Shaw produced a terrific performance to knock the wind out of the opposition bowlers. Playing maturely, the opener initially showed composure and paced his innings well. He later opened up and attacked the Australian quicks with great authority. He was dismissed for a brilliant 94 off 100 balls with 8 fours and 2 sixes. The knock helped India post 328-7 and win the match by 100 runs.

6-15 by Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan) at Whangarei

There was a lot of excitement about Shaheen Shah Afridi before the World Cup because of his phenomenal figures of 8 for 39 in a first-class game. And the tall Pakistani fast bowler has not disappointed. The left-arm pacer has modeled his action on Australia&rsquo;s Mitchell Starc and generates prodigious bounce and movement. In Pakistan&rsquo;s match against Ireland it was Shaheen who completely ripped apart the opposition with his swing and seam and ended up with 6-15 in just 8.5 overs. It was a beautiful seam bowling performance that knocked over Ireland for just 97 and gave Pakistan a 9-wicket win.

86 by Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan) at Whangarei:

Afghanistan has been taking giant strides in international cricket and their performance in the current U-19 World Cup is another step towards that. They beat Sri Lanka by 32 runs to enter the quarter-finals of the tournament and the victory was achieved by a superb half-century by opener Ibrahim Zadran. The batsman played smart and attacking cricket and in his knock of 86 from 112 balls, hit 5 sixes and 1 four. It was an important effort that set the stage for the others and helped Afghanistan post a solid, and eventually match-winning, score of 284.

We hope that we will get to savour many more such spectacular performances before the U-19 World Cup comes to a close. After all, this is what makes this tournament so satisfying and thrilling. The opportunity to see talented young cricketers exhibiting their prowess to the world is really a rewarding experience.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

The opportunity to see talented young cricketers exhibiting their prowess to the world is really a rewarding experience.

The ICC U-19 World Cup 2018 has been quite entertaining so far. In close to two weeks we have been witness to some truly fascinating cricket and breathtaking individual performances from players of different teams. As the tournament enters its final stages now, it would be a good time to look back at some of the most notable individual performances in the U-19 World Cup 2018 that has left a mark. 8-35 by Lloyd Pope (Australia) v England at Queenstown: In what turned out to be the match of the World Cup so far, Australia’s leg-spin bowler Lloyd Pope dismantled England completely with his array of leg breaks and produced the best figures in the tournament's history. After having scored just 128 in their all-important quarter-final game against England, Australia needed a solid show with the ball to have any chances of winning the game. It was Lloyd who rose to the occasion magnificently and on a pitch that aided his turn and bounce ran through the English batting in an unbroken spell. Lloyd ended with record-breaking figures of 8-35 that demolished England for 96 and took Australia to the semis. 191 by Hasitha Boyagoda (Sri Lanka) v Kenya at Lincoln Sri Lanka has a knack for producing some truly record-breaking feats in World Cups. The senior teams have been doing this for long and now the juniors have caught up too. Sri Lankan opener Hasitha Boyagoda smashed the hapless Kenyan attack to all parts of the ground in this scintillating knock. He stitched a vital 147-run partnership with Nishan Madushka (60) for the second wicket and played well with the others to score an outstanding 191 off 152 balls with 28 fours and 2 sixes. It is the highest score of this edition of the tournament and helped Sri Lanka amass a massive 419-4 and win the game by a whopping 311 runs. 94 by Prithwi Shaw (India) v Australia at Mount Maunganui A lot was expected of Indian captain Prithvi Shaw in this World Cup. And the young batsman delivered in the very first game India played. In their high-octane match against a robust Australia, India batted first on a good track at the Mount Maunganui stadium and Shaw produced a terrific performance to knock the wind out of the opposition bowlers. Playing maturely, the opener initially showed composure and paced his innings well. He later opened up and attacked the Australian quicks with great authority. He was dismissed for a brilliant 94 off 100 balls with 8 fours and 2 sixes. The knock helped India post 328-7 and win the match by 100 runs. 6-15 by Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan) at Whangarei There was a lot of excitement about Shaheen Shah Afridi before the World Cup because of his phenomenal figures of 8 for 39 in a first-class game. And the tall Pakistani fast bowler has not disappointed. The left-arm pacer has modeled his action on Australia’s Mitchell Starc and generates prodigious bounce and movement. In Pakistan’s match against Ireland it was Shaheen who completely ripped apart the opposition with his swing and seam and ended up with 6-15 in just 8.5 overs. It was a beautiful seam bowling performance that knocked over Ireland for just 97 and gave Pakistan a 9-wicket win. 86 by Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan) at Whangarei: Afghanistan has been taking giant strides in international cricket and their performance in the current U-19 World Cup is another step towards that. They beat Sri Lanka by 32 runs to enter the quarter-finals of the tournament and the victory was achieved by a superb half-century by opener Ibrahim Zadran. The batsman played smart and attacking cricket and in his knock of 86 from 112 balls, hit 5 sixes and 1 four. It was an important effort that set the stage for the others and helped Afghanistan post a solid, and eventually match-winning, score of 284. We hope that we will get to savour many more such spectacular performances before the U-19 World Cup comes to a close. After all, this is what makes this tournament so satisfying and thrilling. The opportunity to see talented young cricketers exhibiting their prowess to the world is really a rewarding experience. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: 5 spectacular performances that made U-19 World Cup so special

The Indian Premiere League (IPL) auctions 2018 will perhaps be the biggest one the tournament has seen in a long time. In fact, only the inaugural auction back in 2008 had generated this much curiosity and anticipation in the fans, media and the players alike.

&nbsp;

The two-day event is to be held in Bangalore on the 27th and 28th of January and will see a total of a whopping 578 players, including 16 Marquee players, going under the hammer for the eight franchises. Among the list of players, there are 244 capped players (62 from India), 332 uncapped players (34 from overseas), and two players from Associate countries.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It will be interesting to see how things unwrap in the auction. Only a handful of players have been retained by the eight franchises and for the first time in a long time, players like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Ben Stokes, Gautam Gambhir, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, and Harbhajan Singh, will be back under the hammer. The media, public and player interest in this auction would hence be immense.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Another exciting feature of this auction is that almost all the teams will be going in with a clean slate. The chance for rebuilding a completely new unit with fresh faces will add a different edge to the auction as it will be fascinating to observe how the various teams shape up after the end of the two-day event.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Perhaps the most talked about teams in the 2018 IPL auction would be Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Returning to the league after serving their two-year bans, both Chennai and Rajasthan would be the centre of all eyes as the two franchises command a great fan following and have been champions in the past. While Chennai has retained MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, and Ravindra Jadeja, Rajasthan has only retained Steve Smith. So it will be intriguing to see how both these franchises go about their business in the upcoming auction.

&nbsp;

This time around, uncapped Indian players will also be in much demand. In fact, with time the franchises have become very prudent in acquiring players in the auction and these days they tend to go more for local payers who will provide better results at minimal costs rather than spending a large sum on a single player with a big name. With a plethora of uncapped Indian players in the list, expect a bidding war for names like Krunal Pandya (Base Price 40 lakh), Indian U-19 captain, Prithvi Shaw (Base Price 20 lakh), Basil Thampi (Base Price 30 lakh), Nitish Rana (Base Price 20 lakh), Mayank Agarwal (Base Price 20 lakh), Rahul Tripathi (Base Price 20 lakh), and Rajneesh Gurbani (Base Price 20 lakh).&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The overseas players have always dominated the IPL auctions and things will not be much different this time either. Flourishing T20 leagues all over the world have produced a lot of new and exciting talents and along with the known heavyweights, the tug-of-war for the overseas players in the forthcoming auction is likely to be immense.&nbsp; Players like Chris Lynn, Ben Stokes, Colin Munro, Kagiso Rabada, Glenn Maxwell, Chris Gayle, Lasith Malinga, Brendon McCullum, Rashid Khan, Evin Lewis and Dwayne Bravo, are likely to be the ones that would cause a stir this auction.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

There is no denying that the IPL auction of 2018 will generate enormous interest. It is after a long time that a tinge of freshness and zing has been added to this usually monotonous affair. And cricket enthusiasts would relish this opportunity. After all, this may well serve as the perfect appetizer for the main event that commences in April.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

Players like Chris Lynn, Ben Stokes, Colin Munro, Kagiso Rabada , Glenn Maxwell, Chris Gayle, Lasith Malinga, Brendon McCullum, Rashid Khan, Evin Lewis and Dwayne Bravo, are likely to be the ones that would cause a stir this auction.

The Indian Premiere League (IPL) auctions 2018 will perhaps be the biggest one the tournament has seen in a long time. In fact, only the inaugural auction back in 2008 had generated this much curiosity and anticipation in the fans, media and the players alike. The two-day event is to be held in Bangalore on the 27th and 28th of January and will see a total of a whopping 578 players, including 16 Marquee players, going under the hammer for the eight franchises. Among the list of players, there are 244 capped players (62 from India), 332 uncapped players (34 from overseas), and two players from Associate countries. It will be interesting to see how things unwrap in the auction. Only a handful of players have been retained by the eight franchises and for the first time in a long time, players like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Ben Stokes, Gautam Gambhir, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, and Harbhajan Singh, will be back under the hammer. The media, public and player interest in this auction would hence be immense. Another exciting feature of this auction is that almost all the teams will be going in with a clean slate. The chance for rebuilding a completely new unit with fresh faces will add a different edge to the auction as it will be fascinating to observe how the various teams shape up after the end of the two-day event. Perhaps the most talked about teams in the 2018 IPL auction would be Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Returning to the league after serving their two-year bans, both Chennai and Rajasthan would be the centre of all eyes as the two franchises command a great fan following and have been champions in the past. While Chennai has retained MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, and Ravindra Jadeja, Rajasthan has only retained Steve Smith. So it will be intriguing to see how both these franchises go about their business in the upcoming auction. This time around, uncapped Indian players will also be in much demand. In fact, with time the franchises have become very prudent in acquiring players in the auction and these days they tend to go more for local payers who will provide better results at minimal costs rather than spending a large sum on a single player with a big name. With a plethora of uncapped Indian players in the list, expect a bidding war for names like Krunal Pandya (Base Price 40 lakh), Indian U-19 captain, Prithvi Shaw (Base Price 20 lakh), Basil Thampi (Base Price 30 lakh), Nitish Rana (Base Price 20 lakh), Mayank Agarwal (Base Price 20 lakh), Rahul Tripathi (Base Price 20 lakh), and Rajneesh Gurbani (Base Price 20 lakh). The overseas players have always dominated the IPL auctions and things will not be much different this time either. Flourishing T20 leagues all over the world have produced a lot of new and exciting talents and along with the known heavyweights, the tug-of-war for the overseas players in the forthcoming auction is likely to be immense. Players like Chris Lynn, Ben Stokes, Colin Munro, Kagiso Rabada, Glenn Maxwell, Chris Gayle, Lasith Malinga, Brendon McCullum, Rashid Khan, Evin Lewis and Dwayne Bravo, are likely to be the ones that would cause a stir this auction. There is no denying that the IPL auction of 2018 will generate enormous interest. It is after a long time that a tinge of freshness and zing has been added to this usually monotonous affair. And cricket enthusiasts would relish this opportunity. After all, this may well serve as the perfect appetizer for the main event that commences in April. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: What can we expect from the IPL Auction 2018?

The scoreline is rather hard to believe at present. The visiting Indian side leading 3-0 in the six-match ODI series against an arguably dominant South African unit at home.

This was supposed to be the mother of all ODI battles. The clash between the No. 1 and No. 2 ODI sides in the world. The greatest heavyweights of the limited overs format having a go at each other and having an epic contest for the crowds to savour. That wasn&rsquo;t to be, however.&nbsp;

South Africa looks like a pale shadow of what they used to be once. Their batting has been shambolic and bowling has been wayward. And without the services of star batsmen like AB de Villiers and Faf Du Plessis, South Africa has simply not been able to maintain its standards.

Old issues against wrist spin have resurfaced and there has been a real lack of application from the players in fighting it out. This raises serious questions about the future of this South African ODI outfit and makes one wonder how well they are prepared for their &lsquo;Mission 2019&rsquo;.

As India take on South Africa in the fourth ODI at the Wanderers, the hosts would be hoping for a turnaround in their fortunes. The return of star batsman AB de Villiers after an injury layoff will certainly bolster their prospects a bit.

After all, he is their greatest match-winner and averages 100.85 from 11 matches at this ground. This is also a Pink ODI and the South Africans would be seen donning the pink jersey in an ODI match again. Ever since this tradition was started five years ago, South Africa has been undefeatable in pink.

They have played five ODIs in pink and have not lost a single game as yet. History, however, would be of little help if the hosts continue to play they have been over the last few days.&nbsp;

For India, despite their winning momentum, there are causes of concern. Rohit Sharma seems to have fallen into his inconsistency pattern again and the lower middle-order looks fragile. Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya and Kedar Jadhav have to do more so that the burden on Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan is reduced a bit.

India&rsquo;s bowlers, though, have been absolutely brilliant and Kohli would need them to continue in the same vein. The seamers have not allowed the batsmen to get away to rollicking starts and then the wrist spinners - Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav &ndash; have taken over.

The two have spun such a vicious web over the South African batsmen that they do not how to untangle themselves out of it. Perhaps with De Villiers coming back, they will finally have some relief.

There is no denying, however, that despite the return of AB de Villiers, India start as favourites in the fourth ODI. They have displayed a brand of aggressive and professional cricket and it will not be surprising if they go on to subdue South Africa again and get a series-clinching win here.

&nbsp;

Without the services of star batsmen like AB de Villiers, South Africa has not been able to maintain its standards and return of star batsman AB de Villiers will certainly bolster their prospects a bit

The scoreline is rather hard to believe at present. The visiting Indian side leading 3-0 in the six-match ODI series against an arguably dominant South African unit at home. This was supposed to be the mother of all ODI battles. The clash between the No. 1 and No. 2 ODI sides in the world. The greatest heavyweights of the limited overs format having a go at each other and having an epic contest for the crowds to savour. That wasn’t to be, however. South Africa looks like a pale shadow of what they used to be once. Their batting has been shambolic and bowling has been wayward. And without the services of star batsmen like AB de Villiers and Faf Du Plessis, South Africa has simply not been able to maintain its standards. Old issues against wrist spin have resurfaced and there has been a real lack of application from the players in fighting it out. This raises serious questions about the future of this South African ODI outfit and makes one wonder how well they are prepared for their ‘Mission 2019’. As India take on South Africa in the fourth ODI at the Wanderers, the hosts would be hoping for a turnaround in their fortunes. The return of star batsman AB de Villiers after an injury layoff will certainly bolster their prospects a bit. After all, he is their greatest match-winner and averages 100.85 from 11 matches at this ground. This is also a Pink ODI and the South Africans would be seen donning the pink jersey in an ODI match again. Ever since this tradition was started five years ago, South Africa has been undefeatable in pink. They have played five ODIs in pink and have not lost a single game as yet. History, however, would be of little help if the hosts continue to play they have been over the last few days. For India, despite their winning momentum, there are causes of concern. Rohit Sharma seems to have fallen into his inconsistency pattern again and the lower middle-order looks fragile. Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya and Kedar Jadhav have to do more so that the burden on Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan is reduced a bit. India’s bowlers, though, have been absolutely brilliant and Kohli would need them to continue in the same vein. The seamers have not allowed the batsmen to get away to rollicking starts and then the wrist spinners - Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav – have taken over. The two have spun such a vicious web over the South African batsmen that they do not how to untangle themselves out of it. Perhaps with De Villiers coming back, they will finally have some relief. There is no denying, however, that despite the return of AB de Villiers, India start as favourites in the fourth ODI. They have displayed a brand of aggressive and professional cricket and it will not be surprising if they go on to subdue South Africa again and get a series-clinching win here.

Opinion: Can the return of AB de Villiers turn the tide for South Africa?

You do not often see a visiting Indian side to South Africa in a position like this. They are 2-0 up in the six-match ODI series, and as they take on the hosts in the third ODI at Cape Town, India have a rare chance of taking an unassailable lead. A victory here would ensure that India cannot lose the series, which would be a significant achievement in itself given India&rsquo;s poor record on previous tours here. However, the manner in which India has dominated South Africa in the first two ODIs, one cannot help but say that India starts off as the favourite.

&nbsp;

Virat Kohli&rsquo;s men have displayed a brand of cricket they are known for these days &ndash; fearless, positive and purposeful. They have been clinical both with the bat and the ball and led by an exuberant captain, are firing on all cylinders. South Africa, on the other hand, seems to be coming off at the seams. After losing star batsman AB de Villiers at the start of the series, they lost their captain Faf du Plessis and now wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock after the first two ODIs. While injuries have certainly hampered their progress, South Africa has been rather undisciplined in the batting and lackluster with the ball.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

South Africa&rsquo;s longtime running struggle against wrist spin is continuing to haunt them as both of India&rsquo;s spinners &ndash; Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav &ndash; have been all over them during the middle overs, and India would hope that they can carry on their magic. The home side would also really need more than just the 39 runs their top batsman Hashim Amla has mustered in the series so far. Stand-in captain Aiden Markram also has his task cut out and would have to bat out of his skin to ensure his team gets decent totals on the board.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

For India, most bases look covered. Their captain is in red-hot form and the bowling looks to be getting the job done every time. While India&rsquo;s lower middle-order, led by the old warhorse MS Dhoni, has not been tested yet, they would also want Rohit Sharma to play with more responsibility. For all the talent he has, he keeps getting out to careless shots even before he has settled in and it is about time he got that in check. Otherwise, India looks to have a settled outfit and should be fielding the same eleven that played in the first two ODIs.

&nbsp;

The only solace South Africa has going into this ODI is their record at the venue. Newlands is their happy-hunting ground where they have won 28 out of 33 matches they have played. So, that should give them some confidence and, hopefully, inspire them to play better.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

As things stand, India will fancy their chances against a depleted, severely short on confidence, South Africa, as they take them on in the third ODI at Cape Town and the hosts will have to pull something really special out of their bag to stop this resurgent India.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India will fancy their chances against a depleted, severely short on confidence, South Africa, as they take them on in the third ODI at Cape Town and the hosts will have to pull something really special out of their bag to stop this resurgent India.

You do not often see a visiting Indian side to South Africa in a position like this. They are 2-0 up in the six-match ODI series, and as they take on the hosts in the third ODI at Cape Town, India have a rare chance of taking an unassailable lead. A victory here would ensure that India cannot lose the series, which would be a significant achievement in itself given India’s poor record on previous tours here. However, the manner in which India has dominated South Africa in the first two ODIs, one cannot help but say that India starts off as the favourite. Virat Kohli’s men have displayed a brand of cricket they are known for these days – fearless, positive and purposeful. They have been clinical both with the bat and the ball and led by an exuberant captain, are firing on all cylinders. South Africa, on the other hand, seems to be coming off at the seams. After losing star batsman AB de Villiers at the start of the series, they lost their captain Faf du Plessis and now wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock after the first two ODIs. While injuries have certainly hampered their progress, South Africa has been rather undisciplined in the batting and lackluster with the ball. South Africa’s longtime running struggle against wrist spin is continuing to haunt them as both of India’s spinners – Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav – have been all over them during the middle overs, and India would hope that they can carry on their magic. The home side would also really need more than just the 39 runs their top batsman Hashim Amla has mustered in the series so far. Stand-in captain Aiden Markram also has his task cut out and would have to bat out of his skin to ensure his team gets decent totals on the board. For India, most bases look covered. Their captain is in red-hot form and the bowling looks to be getting the job done every time. While India’s lower middle-order, led by the old warhorse MS Dhoni, has not been tested yet, they would also want Rohit Sharma to play with more responsibility. For all the talent he has, he keeps getting out to careless shots even before he has settled in and it is about time he got that in check. Otherwise, India looks to have a settled outfit and should be fielding the same eleven that played in the first two ODIs. The only solace South Africa has going into this ODI is their record at the venue. Newlands is their happy-hunting ground where they have won 28 out of 33 matches they have played. So, that should give them some confidence and, hopefully, inspire them to play better. As things stand, India will fancy their chances against a depleted, severely short on confidence, South Africa, as they take them on in the third ODI at Cape Town and the hosts will have to pull something really special out of their bag to stop this resurgent India. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Can India make it 3-0 today South Africa's favourite venue?

Not many would have expected this. The ease with which India dismantled South Africa in the first ODI of the 6-match series was pretty exhilarating to watch. And Virat Kohli has once again proven why he is the king of ODI cricket at present. His 33rd ODI century, along with Ajinkya Rahane&rsquo;s sparkling fifty, helped India achieve a thumping 6-wicket win over the visitors in Durban last night. Given that this was the No. 1 ODI side in the world who were on a 17-match unbeaten streak a home, India&rsquo;s victory is significant.

In the past, Indian teams have generally not begun well on tours to South Africa and, eventually, have had to play catch up throughout the series. With this win, India now has a rare chance to set the tone of remaining matches.&nbsp;

This win also showed how disciplined a team India has become in the ODI cricket. They do not care about the venue or the opposition. They have a varied and strong bowling attack; they back their strength of chasing, and have got all bases covered.&nbsp;

A majestic chase

An impressive show with the ball, especially by the spinners Kuldeep Yadav and&nbsp; Yuzvendra Chahal restricted South Africa to a respectable score of 269-8 with captain Faf du Plessis&rsquo;s excellent 120 being the home&rsquo;s team&rsquo;s sole shining light.

India stumbled in the chase after losing both their openers with the score on 67. Another wicket there and the game would have opened up. However, captain Kohli and the newly instated Ajinkya Rahane at No.4 went on stitch a match-winning 189-run partnership for the 4th wicket to take the game away from South Africa.

The South African quicks &ndash; Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada &ndash; were bowling consistently over 145 km/h, but both Kohli and Rahane played maturely. They got themselves in and ran well between the wickets. And as the ball became softer they began attacking with great authority. It was a beautiful display of batsmanship as both Kohli and Rahane unfurled an array of glittering strokes to please the crowd at the stadium.&nbsp;

No matter what bowling combination South Africa tried, Kohli and Rahane were equal to it and counter-attacked splendidly. Rahane&rsquo;s innings &ndash; 79 off 86 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes &ndash; was special and needed for the Indian ODI team at present. The No.4 position has been causing India a lot of headaches recently and with Rahane&rsquo;s mature and classy knock, they can breathe easy for a while.

Kohli was majestic through and through. It was another ODI master class in a chase by the star batsman and the way he paved his innings was a treat to watch. To put things in perspective, this was Kohli&rsquo;s 20th ODI hundred in a chase and shows how dominant a batsman he is for India. Also, with this century, Kohli has played in nine countries, all full-members, and has scored a century in all of them. Clearly, at the rate he is progressing, Kohli would have created some unbeatable records by the time he is done.

By the time he was dismissed for a glorious 112 off 119 balls with 10 fours, India was well on their way to victory and eventually chased the target down with about five overs to spare.

It remains to be seen how Team India progresses in the remaining matches, but they have certainly made a bold statement that they will not be pushovers and South Africa have a task on their hands now.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

This win against South Africa showed how disciplined a team India has become in the ODI cricket.

Not many would have expected this. The ease with which India dismantled South Africa in the first ODI of the 6-match series was pretty exhilarating to watch. And Virat Kohli has once again proven why he is the king of ODI cricket at present. His 33rd ODI century, along with Ajinkya Rahane’s sparkling fifty, helped India achieve a thumping 6-wicket win over the visitors in Durban last night. Given that this was the No. 1 ODI side in the world who were on a 17-match unbeaten streak a home, India’s victory is significant. In the past, Indian teams have generally not begun well on tours to South Africa and, eventually, have had to play catch up throughout the series. With this win, India now has a rare chance to set the tone of remaining matches. This win also showed how disciplined a team India has become in the ODI cricket. They do not care about the venue or the opposition. They have a varied and strong bowling attack; they back their strength of chasing, and have got all bases covered. A majestic chase An impressive show with the ball, especially by the spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal restricted South Africa to a respectable score of 269-8 with captain Faf du Plessis’s excellent 120 being the home’s team’s sole shining light. India stumbled in the chase after losing both their openers with the score on 67. Another wicket there and the game would have opened up. However, captain Kohli and the newly instated Ajinkya Rahane at No.4 went on stitch a match-winning 189-run partnership for the 4th wicket to take the game away from South Africa. The South African quicks – Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada – were bowling consistently over 145 km/h, but both Kohli and Rahane played maturely. They got themselves in and ran well between the wickets. And as the ball became softer they began attacking with great authority. It was a beautiful display of batsmanship as both Kohli and Rahane unfurled an array of glittering strokes to please the crowd at the stadium. No matter what bowling combination South Africa tried, Kohli and Rahane were equal to it and counter-attacked splendidly. Rahane’s innings – 79 off 86 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes – was special and needed for the Indian ODI team at present. The No.4 position has been causing India a lot of headaches recently and with Rahane’s mature and classy knock, they can breathe easy for a while. Kohli was majestic through and through. It was another ODI master class in a chase by the star batsman and the way he paved his innings was a treat to watch. To put things in perspective, this was Kohli’s 20th ODI hundred in a chase and shows how dominant a batsman he is for India. Also, with this century, Kohli has played in nine countries, all full-members, and has scored a century in all of them. Clearly, at the rate he is progressing, Kohli would have created some unbeatable records by the time he is done. By the time he was dismissed for a glorious 112 off 119 balls with 10 fours, India was well on their way to victory and eventually chased the target down with about five overs to spare. It remains to be seen how Team India progresses in the remaining matches, but they have certainly made a bold statement that they will not be pushovers and South Africa have a task on their hands now. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: The ease with which India dismantled South Africa

Amidst the gloom that has cast Indian cricket with the demoralising Test series loss to South Africa last evening, there is some ray of sunshine today. In the just-released ICC awards for the period 2016-17, Indian captain Virat Kohli has hit a jackpot and was named both cricketer and captain of the year (for both Tests and ODIs). And if this wasn&rsquo;t enough, Kohli also clinched the trophy for the ODI player of the year &ndash; an award he had won back in 2012.

&nbsp;

Given the phenomenal form that Kohli had displayed in the last couple of seasons, the bestowal of this honor hasn&rsquo;t come as a surprise. The qualification period for these awards was from September 21, 2016 through the end of 2017. In that phase, Kohli amassed a whopping 2,203 Test runs at an average of 77.80 that also included six double-hundreds, 1,818 ODI runs at an average of 82.63 including seven hundreds, and 299 T20I runs at an incredible strike-rate of 153. Clearly, these are astounding numbers and Kohli richly deserved being adjudged the cricketer of the year.

&nbsp;

Expectedly, Kohli was felt very much honoured by being conferred with these prestigious awards. &ldquo;It&#39;s probably the biggest award that we have in world cricket,&quot; Kohli was quoted as saying to the media. &ldquo;&hellip;I&#39;m really really honoured and I&#39;d like to thank the ICC for recognizing all the hard work that we all put in for our respective sides and I want to congratulate all the other winners also.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

While Kohli the batsman has been astounding, Kohli the captain, too, has blossomed during this phase. He led India to Test series wins over England, Bangladesh, Australia, West Indies, and Sri Lanka (both home and away). In ODIs, too, he has been a very successful leader and took India to series wins against England, West Indies, Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka (both home and away), while also leading the team to the finals of the ICC Champions Trophy in England. Although the loss to South Africa must have come as a blow, that does not take away what Kohli has achieved as a captain in the recent past.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

More than the numbers, however, it is Kohli&rsquo;s unyielding spirit and passion, both as a batsman and a captain, which has come to the fore in this phase. Even on the tough tour to South Africa, where almost every batsman from the team has struggled, Kohli struck that magnificent 153 on an uneven track at Cape Town to show his mettle and class and keep his team in the hunt.

&nbsp;

As a captain, Kohli has been fiery and plays only to win. His never-say-die attitude is infectious and is helping the team to keep on fighting. He studies the game well and makes smart, if at times harsh, decisions, which can help his team in pursuit of victory.

There are many experts who have often raised questions about Kohli&rsquo;s ultra-aggressive behaviour, and have asked him to tone it down. However, his aggressive attitude and zeal to be the best help him stay ahead of the rest. And it is these very traits that allowed him to accumulate those bucketfuls of runs as a batsman and achieve those many victories for his team as a captain.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

At just 29 years of age, Kohli already has 53 international hundreds and close to 17,000 international runs to his name. He is an unstoppable force, who keeps improving with every game he plays and shall be considered one of the greatest ever by the time he finishes.

&nbsp;

Hence, Virat Kohli truly deserves to be awarded the ICC cricketer and captain of the year and the ICC ODI player of the year. One hopes that these awards will motivate Kohli to keep performing better in the coming days. Because there is no denying that a charged up and in-form Virat Kohli is a great sight for the cricket world.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Virat Kohli is an unstoppable force, who keeps improving with every game he plays and shall be considered one of the greatest ever by the time he finishes.

Amidst the gloom that has cast Indian cricket with the demoralising Test series loss to South Africa last evening, there is some ray of sunshine today. In the just-released ICC awards for the period 2016-17, Indian captain Virat Kohli has hit a jackpot and was named both cricketer and captain of the year (for both Tests and ODIs). And if this wasn’t enough, Kohli also clinched the trophy for the ODI player of the year – an award he had won back in 2012. Given the phenomenal form that Kohli had displayed in the last couple of seasons, the bestowal of this honor hasn’t come as a surprise. The qualification period for these awards was from September 21, 2016 through the end of 2017. In that phase, Kohli amassed a whopping 2,203 Test runs at an average of 77.80 that also included six double-hundreds, 1,818 ODI runs at an average of 82.63 including seven hundreds, and 299 T20I runs at an incredible strike-rate of 153. Clearly, these are astounding numbers and Kohli richly deserved being adjudged the cricketer of the year. Expectedly, Kohli was felt very much honoured by being conferred with these prestigious awards. “It's probably the biggest award that we have in world cricket," Kohli was quoted as saying to the media. “…I'm really really honoured and I'd like to thank the ICC for recognizing all the hard work that we all put in for our respective sides and I want to congratulate all the other winners also.” While Kohli the batsman has been astounding, Kohli the captain, too, has blossomed during this phase. He led India to Test series wins over England, Bangladesh, Australia, West Indies, and Sri Lanka (both home and away). In ODIs, too, he has been a very successful leader and took India to series wins against England, West Indies, Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka (both home and away), while also leading the team to the finals of the ICC Champions Trophy in England. Although the loss to South Africa must have come as a blow, that does not take away what Kohli has achieved as a captain in the recent past. More than the numbers, however, it is Kohli’s unyielding spirit and passion, both as a batsman and a captain, which has come to the fore in this phase. Even on the tough tour to South Africa, where almost every batsman from the team has struggled, Kohli struck that magnificent 153 on an uneven track at Cape Town to show his mettle and class and keep his team in the hunt. As a captain, Kohli has been fiery and plays only to win. His never-say-die attitude is infectious and is helping the team to keep on fighting. He studies the game well and makes smart, if at times harsh, decisions, which can help his team in pursuit of victory. There are many experts who have often raised questions about Kohli’s ultra-aggressive behaviour, and have asked him to tone it down. However, his aggressive attitude and zeal to be the best help him stay ahead of the rest. And it is these very traits that allowed him to accumulate those bucketfuls of runs as a batsman and achieve those many victories for his team as a captain. At just 29 years of age, Kohli already has 53 international hundreds and close to 17,000 international runs to his name. He is an unstoppable force, who keeps improving with every game he plays and shall be considered one of the greatest ever by the time he finishes. Hence, Virat Kohli truly deserves to be awarded the ICC cricketer and captain of the year and the ICC ODI player of the year. One hopes that these awards will motivate Kohli to keep performing better in the coming days. Because there is no denying that a charged up and in-form Virat Kohli is a great sight for the cricket world. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: This is why Virat Kohli is named ICC Cricketer of the Year

The 2018 U-19 World Cup, currently underway in New Zealand, is attracting a lot of attention the world over among cricket fans. With its coverage having gone bigger and more visible, there is a lot of focus and excitement on the young players performing in the event. Every good performance is being applauded and new talents being keenly observed.

&nbsp;

In India&rsquo;s first game against Australia, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi, the Indian quicks, bowled with great venom and constantly clicked speeds of over 140 km/h. In a country that has been starved of decent pace bowlers, this was a sight for the tired eyes and was applauded wholeheartedly in the social media. In fact, none other than ex-Indian captain Sourav Ganguly tweeted, mentioning that these young quicks are worth keeping an eye out for.

&nbsp;

This just goes to show how much of an impact the U-19 World Cup has these days. There was a time when this tournament was barely noticed. And today, it has become a genuine launch pad for youngsters to be internationally recognized even before they have played any first-class cricket. So the question that needs to be asked now is whether the U-19 World Cup can now be considered as a stepping stone for young cricketers for an international call-up?

&nbsp;

Youngsters need to go through the rigors of first-class cricket first

&nbsp;

It is well known by now that the likes of Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Kane Williamson, and Hashim Amla, to name a few, first got recognition through their exploits in the U-19 World Cup. However, it was through the grind, toil and repeated success at the first-class level that these players got the opportunity to represent the country.

&nbsp;

The U-19 World Cup is a good platform. It allows youngsters some great exposure of playing in different conditions of the world and of facing off against cricketers of all nationalities. The experience they gather in such a high-octane and fiercely competitive tournament can be extremely helpful in molding them for the path ahead.

&nbsp;

It would be unwise, however, to take them directly from the U-19 level to the international one. The path in between those two phases must be covered by every cricketer. Getting to skip it altogether, except in some extremely rare cases, might do more harm than good to the young cricketers.

&nbsp;

The World Cup provides an experience of a very different kind to these young lads. But they also need to hone their skills and go through the toil of first-class cricket to become a proper and complete cricketer. There is and should never be an easy way to success. Rushing those kids to the world of international cricket might hamper their progress.

&nbsp;

First-class cricket allows players to be disciplined, patient, and tenacious. Without developing these traits through the rigors of domestic cricket, a youngster, who has been inducted in international cricket directly, might struggle as he grows older.

&nbsp;

So, while we should definitely be excited for young talents emerging from the U-19 World Cup, we should also be very watchful to not go overboard with it or call for their inclusion in international cricket straightaway. After all, there is a whole sea of a difference between those two levels. And that needs to be respected.

&nbsp;

For now, let us savour the young talents like Prithwi Shah, Raynard van Tonder, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shaheen Shah Afridi and, Jason Sangha, among a plethora of others featuring in the ICC U-19 World Cup. And just hope that they go on to make a name for themselves in international cricket in the years to come as better versions of themselves.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

It was through the grind, toil and repeated success at the first-class level that players, such as Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Kane Williamson, and Hashim Amla got the opportunity to represent the country.

The 2018 U-19 World Cup, currently underway in New Zealand, is attracting a lot of attention the world over among cricket fans. With its coverage having gone bigger and more visible, there is a lot of focus and excitement on the young players performing in the event. Every good performance is being applauded and new talents being keenly observed. In India’s first game against Australia, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi, the Indian quicks, bowled with great venom and constantly clicked speeds of over 140 km/h. In a country that has been starved of decent pace bowlers, this was a sight for the tired eyes and was applauded wholeheartedly in the social media. In fact, none other than ex-Indian captain Sourav Ganguly tweeted, mentioning that these young quicks are worth keeping an eye out for. This just goes to show how much of an impact the U-19 World Cup has these days. There was a time when this tournament was barely noticed. And today, it has become a genuine launch pad for youngsters to be internationally recognized even before they have played any first-class cricket. So the question that needs to be asked now is whether the U-19 World Cup can now be considered as a stepping stone for young cricketers for an international call-up? Youngsters need to go through the rigors of first-class cricket first It is well known by now that the likes of Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Kane Williamson, and Hashim Amla, to name a few, first got recognition through their exploits in the U-19 World Cup. However, it was through the grind, toil and repeated success at the first-class level that these players got the opportunity to represent the country. The U-19 World Cup is a good platform. It allows youngsters some great exposure of playing in different conditions of the world and of facing off against cricketers of all nationalities. The experience they gather in such a high-octane and fiercely competitive tournament can be extremely helpful in molding them for the path ahead. It would be unwise, however, to take them directly from the U-19 level to the international one. The path in between those two phases must be covered by every cricketer. Getting to skip it altogether, except in some extremely rare cases, might do more harm than good to the young cricketers. The World Cup provides an experience of a very different kind to these young lads. But they also need to hone their skills and go through the toil of first-class cricket to become a proper and complete cricketer. There is and should never be an easy way to success. Rushing those kids to the world of international cricket might hamper their progress. First-class cricket allows players to be disciplined, patient, and tenacious. Without developing these traits through the rigors of domestic cricket, a youngster, who has been inducted in international cricket directly, might struggle as he grows older. So, while we should definitely be excited for young talents emerging from the U-19 World Cup, we should also be very watchful to not go overboard with it or call for their inclusion in international cricket straightaway. After all, there is a whole sea of a difference between those two levels. And that needs to be respected. For now, let us savour the young talents like Prithwi Shah, Raynard van Tonder, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shaheen Shah Afridi and, Jason Sangha, among a plethora of others featuring in the ICC U-19 World Cup. And just hope that they go on to make a name for themselves in international cricket in the years to come as better versions of themselves. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Should U-19 World Cup be the stepping stone for cricketers aiming international level?

The pressure on Virat Kohli before he set foot in South Africa for the Test and limited over series was immense. He was expected to not just lead the team well but also to prove his batting mettle on difficult conditions. After all, a lot of questions had been raised on Kohli&rsquo;s Test batting after his failure to perform against Australia earlier this year and when he had been horribly unsuccessful in England in 2014. A notion had been developed that Kohli struggles against quality fast bowling and on difficult pitches in the longer format.

&nbsp;

Kohli faced twin failures with the bat in the first Test against South Africa at Cape Town. As the ball was moving around prodigiously, it made matters worse for Kohli. India lost the game and Kohli&rsquo;s poor batting show was a cause of concern among Indian fans and brought him a lot of mocking from cricket fans of other countries on social media.

&nbsp;

The task was cut out for Virat Kohli, the batsman.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Kohli&rsquo;s magnificent 153 in the second Test of the series at Centurion has yet again established the batting genius he is. It was one of the finer knocks of his Test career and showed that when he gets going, Kohli can be the best in the world.

&nbsp;

After South Africa had piled on 335 in the first innings of the match, the pressure was on India to respond with aplomb. However, apart from Kohli, hardly any of the other batsmen could manage to stay around for long.

&nbsp;

Kohli, though, seemed to be batting on a completely different pitch altogether. He played with confidence and did not let the pressure get to him. Striking the ball gorgeously through the covers and flicking and driving with &eacute;lan, Kohli brought up his 21st Test hundred in spectacular fashion.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The unevenness of the pitch and South Africa&rsquo;s posse of fast bowlers did not throttle Kohli down. Even as the wickets fell around him, Kohli kept scoring at a brisk rate and managed the strike superbly well to keep India in the hunt. Had Kohli not put his head down and shaped this beautiful knock under pressure, India would certainly have conceded more than a 100-run lead. But Kohli&rsquo;s innings ensured that India now has a chance to remain competitive in the game.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Indian captain led from the front by scoring half of India&rsquo;s runs and nullified all the plans the South African pacers had for him. They bowled tight channels outside off and tried to drag him wide. But Kohli found a way and kept milking the bowling throughout with great confidence.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Kohli&rsquo;s century was the first of the series and given the array of batting talent on display on both sides, this shows how valuable a knock this has been. He was the last man out for India and was dismissed for a glorious 153 off 217 balls with 15 sparkling hits to the fence. He single-handedly brought India from a precarious 164-5 to a very respectable 307 &ndash; just 28 runs behind South Africa&rsquo;s first innings score.

&nbsp;

It remains to be seen what course this match takes now. But Kohli&rsquo;s defining century has certainly been a game-changing one for India and has given them a sliver of a hope for a comeback win.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

<ul>
	<li>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Striking the ball gorgeously through the covers and flicking and driving with élan, Kohli brought up his 21st Test hundred in spectacular fashion.

The pressure on Virat Kohli before he set foot in South Africa for the Test and limited over series was immense. He was expected to not just lead the team well but also to prove his batting mettle on difficult conditions. After all, a lot of questions had been raised on Kohli’s Test batting after his failure to perform against Australia earlier this year and when he had been horribly unsuccessful in England in 2014. A notion had been developed that Kohli struggles against quality fast bowling and on difficult pitches in the longer format. Kohli faced twin failures with the bat in the first Test against South Africa at Cape Town. As the ball was moving around prodigiously, it made matters worse for Kohli. India lost the game and Kohli’s poor batting show was a cause of concern among Indian fans and brought him a lot of mocking from cricket fans of other countries on social media. The task was cut out for Virat Kohli, the batsman. Kohli’s magnificent 153 in the second Test of the series at Centurion has yet again established the batting genius he is. It was one of the finer knocks of his Test career and showed that when he gets going, Kohli can be the best in the world. After South Africa had piled on 335 in the first innings of the match, the pressure was on India to respond with aplomb. However, apart from Kohli, hardly any of the other batsmen could manage to stay around for long. Kohli, though, seemed to be batting on a completely different pitch altogether. He played with confidence and did not let the pressure get to him. Striking the ball gorgeously through the covers and flicking and driving with élan, Kohli brought up his 21st Test hundred in spectacular fashion. The unevenness of the pitch and South Africa’s posse of fast bowlers did not throttle Kohli down. Even as the wickets fell around him, Kohli kept scoring at a brisk rate and managed the strike superbly well to keep India in the hunt. Had Kohli not put his head down and shaped this beautiful knock under pressure, India would certainly have conceded more than a 100-run lead. But Kohli’s innings ensured that India now has a chance to remain competitive in the game. The Indian captain led from the front by scoring half of India’s runs and nullified all the plans the South African pacers had for him. They bowled tight channels outside off and tried to drag him wide. But Kohli found a way and kept milking the bowling throughout with great confidence. Kohli’s century was the first of the series and given the array of batting talent on display on both sides, this shows how valuable a knock this has been. He was the last man out for India and was dismissed for a glorious 153 off 217 balls with 15 sparkling hits to the fence. He single-handedly brought India from a precarious 164-5 to a very respectable 307 – just 28 runs behind South Africa’s first innings score. It remains to be seen what course this match takes now. But Kohli’s defining century has certainly been a game-changing one for India and has given them a sliver of a hope for a comeback win. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: What does the 100 against South Africa say about Kohli, the batsman?

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Bhavesh Bhimani

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