<p>The Indian Cricket team last won an ICC trophy in the year 2013, under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. The Men in Blue have time and again failed at the knockout stages of ICC but legendary West Indies captain Clive Lloyd still thinks the team has got the firepower to add some silverware.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I think the future of the Indian team is very good and all because of IPL. There is every reason to believe you will have a very good 50 overside. You have got a terrific Test side, and it's just a matter of time before you win a big tournament. Things go in cycles and it will happen in the future, I am sure," Clive Lloyd explained while talking to RevSportz.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-defender-benjamin-mendy-faces-retrial-for-alleged-sex-offences-608837">French defender Benjamin Mendy faces retrial for alleged sex offences</a></strong></p>

<p>A lot has been said about the Indian Premier League (IPL), following Team India’s defeat against Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Many experts and former cricketers stated that Indian cricketers should not solely focus on T20 competition. Clive Lloyd shared his take on the importance of the IPL. "Indian players now know what they are worth. But I think that if Indian Premier League is such an important part of their lives, just give them a window so that they can play IPL. Yes, a window would be excellent, I think, because they are earning a good living. And do not forget, you are giving your best part, the best days of your life to this sport. So why not be paid for it?" the World Cup-winning West Indies skipper said.</p>

<h2><strong>Team India’s lack of major titles</strong></h2>

<p>After the 2013 Champions Trophy victory, the Indian team managed to reach the finals of ICC tournaments on four occasions. The side had to face defeat in all those four matches. In their next assignment, Indian cricket team will be taking on West Indies in a two-match Test series, scheduled to start from July 12.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cwc-qualifier-4086-zimbabwe-create-history-post-their-highest-odi-score-courtesy-sean-williams-174-608869"> CWC Qualifier: 408/6 - Zimbabwe create history, post their highest ODI score courtesy Sean Williams' 174</a></strong></p>

<p>The series against West Indies will mark the beginning of Team India’s journey in the new WTC cycle. After the Tests, India and West Indies will be involved in three ODIs and five T20Is.</p>


After the 2013 Champions Trophy victory, the Indian team managed to reach the finals of ICC tournaments on four occasions. The side had to face defeat in all those four matches.

The Indian Cricket team last won an ICC trophy in the year 2013, under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. The Men in Blue have time and again failed at the knockout stages of ICC but legendary West Indies captain Clive Lloyd still thinks the team has got the firepower to add some silverware. “I think the future of the Indian team is very good and all because of IPL. There is every reason to believe you will have a very good 50 overside. You have got a terrific Test side, and it's just a matter of time before you win a big tournament. Things go in cycles and it will happen in the future, I am sure," Clive Lloyd explained while talking to RevSportz. Also read: French defender Benjamin Mendy faces retrial for alleged sex offences A lot has been said about the Indian Premier League (IPL), following Team India’s defeat against Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Many experts and former cricketers stated that Indian cricketers should not solely focus on T20 competition. Clive Lloyd shared his take on the importance of the IPL. "Indian players now know what they are worth. But I think that if Indian Premier League is such an important part of their lives, just give them a window so that they can play IPL. Yes, a window would be excellent, I think, because they are earning a good living. And do not forget, you are giving your best part, the best days of your life to this sport. So why not be paid for it?" the World Cup-winning West Indies skipper said. Team India’s lack of major titles After the 2013 Champions Trophy victory, the Indian team managed to reach the finals of ICC tournaments on four occasions. The side had to face defeat in all those four matches. In their next assignment, Indian cricket team will be taking on West Indies in a two-match Test series, scheduled to start from July 12. Also read: CWC Qualifier: 408/6 - Zimbabwe create history, post their highest ODI score courtesy Sean Williams' 174 The series against West Indies will mark the beginning of Team India’s journey in the new WTC cycle. After the Tests, India and West Indies will be involved in three ODIs and five T20Is.

Clive Lloyd has this to say on Team India’s poor run in ICC tournaments

<p>Virat Kohli is a modern-day legend. Debuting in international cricket in 2008, he was part of MS Dhoni-led India's victorious run in the 2011 ODI World Cup but achieved sizeable success after the mega event. From being a chubby-faced lad, he transformed himself after an ordinary run in IPL 2008 to become one of the fittest cricketers in world cricket.</p>

<p>As a result, Kohli became a run machine across formats for Team India and took charge of the national side after MS Dhoni. To date, the 34-year-old remains fit as ever as he prepares&nbsp;hard for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 at home, later this year. Recently, Ishant Sharma -- veteran India pacer and Kohli's childhood friend -- narrated an unheard tale of Kohli and even lauded him for his inspiring transformation.</p>

<p>Speaking to Ranveer Allahbadia on his YouTube channel, Ishant said that he has seen the 'party phase' and the 'tattoo phase' of his Delhi teammate Kohli. "We were playing a U-19 match in Kolkata. He was batting overnight, yet partied all night and the next day he scored 250. I have seen that phase of Kohli as well. The best thing about him, according to me, is how he changed his physical aspect, starting in 2012, after the World Cup. He was training, but because of his diet, his mental strength and cricket, in general, went to a different level," Ishant stated.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gavaskar-opines-on-rahane-regaining-vice-captaincy-suggests-three-names-as-indias-next-test-skipper-608715">Gavaskar opines on Rahane regaining vice-captaincy, suggests three names as India's next Test skipper</a></strong></p>

<p>Further, Ishant -- who was seen in action during IPL 2023 for Delhi Capitals (DC) -- revealed that he has seen Kohli eating&nbsp;<i>Chhole Bhature</i>&nbsp;(a famous Indian street food) only once or twice since 2012.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ishant, a veteran of 105 Tests, further lauded Kohli and added, "Sachin [Tendulkar] paaji used to say hope is not a word, it's a feeling. But if you speak to Virat Kohli, the word 'hope' does not exist in his dictionary. His dictionary only has 'belief'. If you have belief, you can do anything. He is so intense," the senior pacer added.</p>

<p>Kohli will next be seen in action during Rohit Sharma-led India's two-match Test series versus West Indies in the Caribbean island, starting on July 12. The former Indian captain has 8,479,&nbsp;12,898 and 4,008 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is respectively.</p>

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Virat Kohli is a modern-day legend. Debuting in international cricket in 2008, he was part of MS Dhoni-led India's victorious run in the 2011 ODI World Cup but achieved sizeable success after the mega event.

Virat Kohli is a modern-day legend. Debuting in international cricket in 2008, he was part of MS Dhoni-led India's victorious run in the 2011 ODI World Cup but achieved sizeable success after the mega event. From being a chubby-faced lad, he transformed himself after an ordinary run in IPL 2008 to become one of the fittest cricketers in world cricket. As a result, Kohli became a run machine across formats for Team India and took charge of the national side after MS Dhoni. To date, the 34-year-old remains fit as ever as he prepares hard for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 at home, later this year. Recently, Ishant Sharma -- veteran India pacer and Kohli's childhood friend -- narrated an unheard tale of Kohli and even lauded him for his inspiring transformation. Speaking to Ranveer Allahbadia on his YouTube channel, Ishant said that he has seen the 'party phase' and the 'tattoo phase' of his Delhi teammate Kohli. "We were playing a U-19 match in Kolkata. He was batting overnight, yet partied all night and the next day he scored 250. I have seen that phase of Kohli as well. The best thing about him, according to me, is how he changed his physical aspect, starting in 2012, after the World Cup. He was training, but because of his diet, his mental strength and cricket, in general, went to a different level," Ishant stated. Also read: Gavaskar opines on Rahane regaining vice-captaincy, suggests three names as India's next Test skipper Further, Ishant -- who was seen in action during IPL 2023 for Delhi Capitals (DC) -- revealed that he has seen Kohli eating Chhole Bhature (a famous Indian street food) only once or twice since 2012. Ishant, a veteran of 105 Tests, further lauded Kohli and added, "Sachin [Tendulkar] paaji used to say hope is not a word, it's a feeling. But if you speak to Virat Kohli, the word 'hope' does not exist in his dictionary. His dictionary only has 'belief'. If you have belief, you can do anything. He is so intense," the senior pacer added. Kohli will next be seen in action during Rohit Sharma-led India's two-match Test series versus West Indies in the Caribbean island, starting on July 12. The former Indian captain has 8,479, 12,898 and 4,008 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is respectively. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Partied all night and scored 250 next day: Ishant shares unheard tale of Kohli, lauds his transformation

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<p>Sarfaraz Khan’s absence from the Test squad for the upcoming West Indies series raised several eyebrows. Following India’s second straight WTC Final defeat, this time against Australia by 209 runs, fans, alongside pundits, expected some drastic changes to happen, at least in the batting order. In the absence of injured Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant, domestic giant Sarfaraz was touted to get his maiden Test call-up for the West Indies series, but that did not happen. Instead, regulars got retained, with Ajinkya Rahane, who didn’t even get the central contract by BCCI, named the vice-captain.</p>

<p>Upset over the same, fans took to social media blasting Board's selection criteria and favouritism towards certain players. Two days after going public with the squad announcement for both Tests and ODIs, a BCCI official finally came out and revealed why despite piling up runs for successive seasons, the selectors overlooked Sarfaraz for the Test series.</p>

<p>"The angry reactions are understandable, but I can tell you with some degree of certainty that the reason behind Sarfaraz getting ignored time and again is not just a cricketing one. There are multiple reasons for which he hasn't been considered," a BCCI official privy to selection developments told PTI on conditions of anonymity.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-you-work-properly-with-them-ishant-sharma-feels-these-three-bowlers-are-future-superstars-608563">'If you work properly with them...': Ishant Sharma feels these THREE bowlers are future superstars</a></p>

<p>Since the past three seasons, Sarfaraz scored 2566 runs from 37 games, averaging a whopping 79.65 – only second to great Sir Donald George Bradman. Despite being aware of his on-field credentials, the selectors kept ignoring him, and the unnamed BCCI official added the selection committee is not a fool to not consider someone with 900-plus runs in successive seasons.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added Sarfaraz’s absence from the Test squad has more to do with his fitness and off-field disciplinary issues than his unbelievable on-field records.</p>

<p>"Are the Selectors fools to not consider a player who has scored 900 plus runs in successive seasons? One of the reasons is his fitness which isn't exactly of international standard. "He has to work hard, maybe shed weight and comeback leaner and fitter as it's not just batting fitness that is the sole criteria for selection," the source said.</p>

<p>"His conduct on and off the field hasn't exactly been top-notch. Certain things said, certain gestures made, and some incidents have been taken note of. A bit more disciplined approach would only do him a world of good. Hopefully, Sarfaraz along with his father and coach Naushad Khan will work on those aspects," the senior official added.</p>

<h2>So, what exactly happened?</h2>

<p>Reportedly, Sarfaraz’s celebration after completing a hundred against Delhi earlier this year during the Ranji game didn’t impress the then-selection committee chairman Chetan Sharma, who was present inside the stadium. Moreover, during 2022 Ranji Trophy Final, his conduct during the break upset MP Coach and Mumbai veteran Chandrakant Pandit.</p>

<p>As also perceived by many pundits that Sarfaraz’s inability to tackle extra pace and his latest IPL 2023 records are one of the reasons why he is not getting picked for international cricket, the BCCI official, replying to this, said,</p>

<p>"When Mayank Agarwal broke into the Indian Test team, he scored 1000 first-class runs in one month. Did MSK Prasad's committee check his IPL credentials? Ditto for Hanuma Vihari, who came through domestic and A team ranks. If their IPL and white ball record wasn't checked then, why would SS Das's committee reinvent the wheel now? Simple. The reason is not a cricketing one," he added.</p>

<p>The official concluded by asking, "Just think about it. Why was Sarfaraz not even among the reserves for the World Test Championship? Suryakumar Yadav, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, were the two reserves after Ruturaj pulled out due to his marriage."</p>

<p>As things stand, Ruturaj is kept as Ajinkya Rahane’s backup till Shreyas Iyer returns from injury, while Yashasvi Jaiswal is looked upto as the future top-order batter in Tests.</p>

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Sarfaraz Khan’s absence from the Test squad for the upcoming West Indies series raised several eyebrows. Following India’s second straight WTC Final defeat, this time against Australia by 209 runs, fans, alongside pundits, expected some drastic changes to happen, at least in the batting order.

Sarfaraz Khan’s absence from the Test squad for the upcoming West Indies series raised several eyebrows. Following India’s second straight WTC Final defeat, this time against Australia by 209 runs, fans, alongside pundits, expected some drastic changes to happen, at least in the batting order. In the absence of injured Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant, domestic giant Sarfaraz was touted to get his maiden Test call-up for the West Indies series, but that did not happen. Instead, regulars got retained, with Ajinkya Rahane, who didn’t even get the central contract by BCCI, named the vice-captain. Upset over the same, fans took to social media blasting Board's selection criteria and favouritism towards certain players. Two days after going public with the squad announcement for both Tests and ODIs, a BCCI official finally came out and revealed why despite piling up runs for successive seasons, the selectors overlooked Sarfaraz for the Test series. "The angry reactions are understandable, but I can tell you with some degree of certainty that the reason behind Sarfaraz getting ignored time and again is not just a cricketing one. There are multiple reasons for which he hasn't been considered," a BCCI official privy to selection developments told PTI on conditions of anonymity. ALSO READ: 'If you work properly with them...': Ishant Sharma feels these THREE bowlers are future superstars Since the past three seasons, Sarfaraz scored 2566 runs from 37 games, averaging a whopping 79.65 – only second to great Sir Donald George Bradman. Despite being aware of his on-field credentials, the selectors kept ignoring him, and the unnamed BCCI official added the selection committee is not a fool to not consider someone with 900-plus runs in successive seasons. He added Sarfaraz’s absence from the Test squad has more to do with his fitness and off-field disciplinary issues than his unbelievable on-field records. "Are the Selectors fools to not consider a player who has scored 900 plus runs in successive seasons? One of the reasons is his fitness which isn't exactly of international standard. "He has to work hard, maybe shed weight and comeback leaner and fitter as it's not just batting fitness that is the sole criteria for selection," the source said. "His conduct on and off the field hasn't exactly been top-notch. Certain things said, certain gestures made, and some incidents have been taken note of. A bit more disciplined approach would only do him a world of good. Hopefully, Sarfaraz along with his father and coach Naushad Khan will work on those aspects," the senior official added. So, what exactly happened? Reportedly, Sarfaraz’s celebration after completing a hundred against Delhi earlier this year during the Ranji game didn’t impress the then-selection committee chairman Chetan Sharma, who was present inside the stadium. Moreover, during 2022 Ranji Trophy Final, his conduct during the break upset MP Coach and Mumbai veteran Chandrakant Pandit. As also perceived by many pundits that Sarfaraz’s inability to tackle extra pace and his latest IPL 2023 records are one of the reasons why he is not getting picked for international cricket, the BCCI official, replying to this, said, "When Mayank Agarwal broke into the Indian Test team, he scored 1000 first-class runs in one month. Did MSK Prasad's committee check his IPL credentials? Ditto for Hanuma Vihari, who came through domestic and A team ranks. If their IPL and white ball record wasn't checked then, why would SS Das's committee reinvent the wheel now? Simple. The reason is not a cricketing one," he added. The official concluded by asking, "Just think about it. Why was Sarfaraz not even among the reserves for the World Test Championship? Suryakumar Yadav, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, were the two reserves after Ruturaj pulled out due to his marriage." As things stand, Ruturaj is kept as Ajinkya Rahane’s backup till Shreyas Iyer returns from injury, while Yashasvi Jaiswal is looked upto as the future top-order batter in Tests. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'He is not getting ignored because of cricketing reasons..': BCCI official on Sarfaraz Khan's non-selection

<p>Veteran India pacer Ishant Sharma has handpicked three seamers who will run Indian cricket in times to come. With Mohammed Shami and Siraj currently leading India’s fast-bowling department in the absence of injured Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant feels if youngsters, including Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh, alongside Mukesh Kumar, are properly trained, they can turn into future assets across formats.</p>

<p>Speaking on the YouTube podcast with Ranveer Allahbadia, Ishant said players like Umran and Arshdeep have bright futures, given they are taken care of well, and also showered praises on the latest inclusion in the Indian team – Mukesh Kumar, calling him the simplest man he has ever met.</p>

<p>“If you work properly with him, Umran Malik has the potential to do well for the country for a long period of time. (The other would be) Arshdeep Singh," Ishant said.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-marnus-steve-are-their-best-coaches-oz-batting-coach-on-star-pair-rising-from-edgbaston-slump-608503">Ashes 2023 - 'Marnus, Steve are their best coaches': Oz batting coach on star pair rising from Edgbaston slump</a></p>

<p>While for the right-handed pacer Mukesh, who following his impressive consistent run in the domestic structure, earned a maiden India call-up for the upcoming West Indies&nbsp; series, Ishant said like Umran and Arshdeep, Mukesh also needs correct guidance and has all the potential to become a leading bowler in times to come.</p>

<p>Mukesh, who played for Delhi Capitals alongside Ishant in the IPL 2023, picked up seven wickets in ten games at an economy going over ten runs per over. Backing Mukesh despite such numbers, Ishant said Mukesh bowled some tough overs during the tournament, with most of them against some of the hardest hitters of the ball in world cricket.</p>

<p>“Not many people know his (Mukesh Kumar) story, but I haven’t seen a man as simple as him. If you ask him to bowl a particular delivery, he will bowl only that! He needs the right guidance on the field so that when the pressure situation comes, he knows what delivery to bowl. He went for runs in IPL because he bowled the tough overs. No one sees the situation in which he bowled, or which batsman he bowled to. Everyone sees that he conceded 50 runs in 4 overs.</p>

<p>“When Russell is playing, and they’ve lost eight wickets, what does he have to lose? If you even fail to execute one Yorker, he will hit you for a six. No one notices these things. If he’s guided properly, he can become a very good fast bowler,” Ishant, who picked ten wickets from eight matches in IPL 2023, added.</p>

<h2>Umran, Arshdeep in India’s ODI squad for WI series</h2>

<p>While Mukesh is picked for Tests and ODIs, seamers Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh are named only in the ODI squad. The Test squad will fly to the Caribbean Islands around July 3, with first of the two Tests beginning on July 12 in Dominica, whereas, white-ball teams will follow in the meantime.</p>

<p>India is playing two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is.</p>

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Veteran India pacer Ishant Sharma has handpicked three seamers who will run Indian cricket in times to come. With Mohammed Shami and Siraj currently leading India’s fast-bowling department in the absence of injured Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant feels if youngsters, including Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh, alongside Mukesh Kumar, are properly trained, they can turn into future assets across formats.

Veteran India pacer Ishant Sharma has handpicked three seamers who will run Indian cricket in times to come. With Mohammed Shami and Siraj currently leading India’s fast-bowling department in the absence of injured Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant feels if youngsters, including Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh, alongside Mukesh Kumar, are properly trained, they can turn into future assets across formats. Speaking on the YouTube podcast with Ranveer Allahbadia, Ishant said players like Umran and Arshdeep have bright futures, given they are taken care of well, and also showered praises on the latest inclusion in the Indian team – Mukesh Kumar, calling him the simplest man he has ever met. “If you work properly with him, Umran Malik has the potential to do well for the country for a long period of time. (The other would be) Arshdeep Singh," Ishant said. ALSO READ: Ashes 2023 - 'Marnus, Steve are their best coaches': Oz batting coach on star pair rising from Edgbaston slump While for the right-handed pacer Mukesh, who following his impressive consistent run in the domestic structure, earned a maiden India call-up for the upcoming West Indies series, Ishant said like Umran and Arshdeep, Mukesh also needs correct guidance and has all the potential to become a leading bowler in times to come. Mukesh, who played for Delhi Capitals alongside Ishant in the IPL 2023, picked up seven wickets in ten games at an economy going over ten runs per over. Backing Mukesh despite such numbers, Ishant said Mukesh bowled some tough overs during the tournament, with most of them against some of the hardest hitters of the ball in world cricket. “Not many people know his (Mukesh Kumar) story, but I haven’t seen a man as simple as him. If you ask him to bowl a particular delivery, he will bowl only that! He needs the right guidance on the field so that when the pressure situation comes, he knows what delivery to bowl. He went for runs in IPL because he bowled the tough overs. No one sees the situation in which he bowled, or which batsman he bowled to. Everyone sees that he conceded 50 runs in 4 overs. “When Russell is playing, and they’ve lost eight wickets, what does he have to lose? If you even fail to execute one Yorker, he will hit you for a six. No one notices these things. If he’s guided properly, he can become a very good fast bowler,” Ishant, who picked ten wickets from eight matches in IPL 2023, added. Umran, Arshdeep in India’s ODI squad for WI series While Mukesh is picked for Tests and ODIs, seamers Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh are named only in the ODI squad. The Test squad will fly to the Caribbean Islands around July 3, with first of the two Tests beginning on July 12 in Dominica, whereas, white-ball teams will follow in the meantime. India is playing two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'If you work properly with them...': Ishant Sharma feels these THREE bowlers are future superstars

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<p>Jasprit Bumrah is recovering well at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), and the latest reports suggest he could be declared fit for the Ireland T20Is in August. Bumrah, who last played in September 2022, is away from cricket owing to his back issue. Following undergoing back surgery early this year in New Zealand, the right-am pacer is recovering quickly, and the team management and BCCI are hopeful of him returning earlier than expected.</p>

<p>As India struggled to line up their best pacers for the recently-concluded World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia, which resulted in them going down for the second straight time, Bumrah’s return will boost the team's chances heading into the home World Cup later this year.</p>

<p>Following the West Indies tour that ends on August 13, Ireland T20s will begin from August 18 to 23. Though the BCCI selectors are not keen on rushing into bringing back Bumrah into the setup, they are hopeful of him getting match-ready for the Ireland series. The main aim, however, remains the same – to have a 100% fit Bumrah ready for the World Cup, scheduled for the October-November window.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-wi-test-series-twin-failures-at-oval-sealed-his-fate-bcci-officials-shocking-claim-on-pujara-608206">IND vs WI Test Series: 'Twin failures at Oval sealed his fate' - BCCI official's shocking claim on Pujara</a></p>

<p>Bumrah last appeared in the Indian jersey during home T20Is against Australia in September last year, right before the start of the T20 World Cup in Australia – a move that backfired as the reoccurrence of pain in his back resulted in him missing the mega event. Though he was in contention for a return earlier during Sri Lanka and New Zealand home series, Bumrah’s decision to undergo the knife ruled him out for an indefinite period.</p>

<p>He missed the Border-Gavaskar series, the IPL 2023 for Mumbai Indians and the WTC Final 2023. With India slated to participate in the Asia Cup from August 31 to September 17 (co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka), Bumrah will have ample time to make a return and play a few games before the World Cup begins.</p>

<p>As things stand, the right-arm seamer is undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA and reports state he is 70 per cent fit and is on the right path to recovery.</p>

<h2>West Indies tour in sight</h2>

<p>India will begin their next WTC cycle with two-match Tests against West Indies, starting July 12 in Dominica. Men in Blue will play three ODIs and five T20Is later on.</p>

<p>Here are India’s Test and ODI squads for the West Indies series –</p>

<p>Test squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini</p>

<p>ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar</p>

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Jasprit Bumrah is recovering well at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), and the latest reports suggest he could be declared fit for the Ireland T20Is in August.

Jasprit Bumrah is recovering well at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), and the latest reports suggest he could be declared fit for the Ireland T20Is in August. Bumrah, who last played in September 2022, is away from cricket owing to his back issue. Following undergoing back surgery early this year in New Zealand, the right-am pacer is recovering quickly, and the team management and BCCI are hopeful of him returning earlier than expected. As India struggled to line up their best pacers for the recently-concluded World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia, which resulted in them going down for the second straight time, Bumrah’s return will boost the team's chances heading into the home World Cup later this year. Following the West Indies tour that ends on August 13, Ireland T20s will begin from August 18 to 23. Though the BCCI selectors are not keen on rushing into bringing back Bumrah into the setup, they are hopeful of him getting match-ready for the Ireland series. The main aim, however, remains the same – to have a 100% fit Bumrah ready for the World Cup, scheduled for the October-November window. ALSO READ: IND vs WI Test Series: 'Twin failures at Oval sealed his fate' - BCCI official's shocking claim on Pujara Bumrah last appeared in the Indian jersey during home T20Is against Australia in September last year, right before the start of the T20 World Cup in Australia – a move that backfired as the reoccurrence of pain in his back resulted in him missing the mega event. Though he was in contention for a return earlier during Sri Lanka and New Zealand home series, Bumrah’s decision to undergo the knife ruled him out for an indefinite period. He missed the Border-Gavaskar series, the IPL 2023 for Mumbai Indians and the WTC Final 2023. With India slated to participate in the Asia Cup from August 31 to September 17 (co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka), Bumrah will have ample time to make a return and play a few games before the World Cup begins. As things stand, the right-arm seamer is undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA and reports state he is 70 per cent fit and is on the right path to recovery. West Indies tour in sight India will begin their next WTC cycle with two-match Tests against West Indies, starting July 12 in Dominica. Men in Blue will play three ODIs and five T20Is later on. Here are India’s Test and ODI squads for the West Indies series – Test squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'70% fit' Jasprit Bumrah could be ready for Ireland T20Is in August - Reports

<p>Team India named squads for the two-match Test series and the three-match ODI series against West Indies earlier this week. While new faces like Yashaswi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar and Ruturaj Gaikwad featured in the Test squad, in-form batter Sarfaraz Khan failed to seal his spot in the team. Despite being in fine touch, Sarfaraz’s omission from the India Test squad baffled many ex-cricketers and experts. Former India batter Aakash Chopra has now voiced his opinion on this matter. Rooting for the Mumbai-born, Chopra vehemently criticised the decision to not include Sarfaraz in the Test team.</p>

<h2>What Aakash Chopra said</h2>

<p>“What should Sarfaraz Khan do? If you look at his numbers in the past three years, he's head and shoulders above the rest. He's scored everywhere. Even then, if he's not selected... what message does it send? This is a question worth asking. If there's some other reason, something which you and I don't know, make it public. Just say it that you didn't like that particular thing about Sarfaraz, and that's why you're not considering him. But we don't know if there's something like that. I don't know if someone told Sarfaraz about that,” Aakash Chopra said on his official YouTube channel.</p>

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<h2>Sarfaraz Khan career</h2>

<p>In the last season of the Ranji Trophy, Sarfaraz Khan scored 556 runs in six matches at an average of 92.67. With 982 runs in nine innings, Sarfaraz emerged as the highest run-scorer of the Ranji Trophy in the 2021-22 season. In first-class cricket, the 25-year-old has so far notched up 3,505 runs at an average of 79.65 in 54 innings. He has 13 centuries and nine half centuries in this format. In his last first-class game, the Mumbai batter pulled off a sublime knock of 125 against Delhi in January.<br />
<br />
Apart from Sarfaraz Khan, experienced batter Cheteshwar Pujara failed to earn a berth in the India Test squad. Having suffered a defeat at the hands of Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, the Rohit Sharma-led side will be aiming to kick off the new cycle on a promising note against West Indies. The two-Test series between India and West Indies is scheduled to start from July 12.</p>

<h2>India’s Test squad:&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli,&nbsp;&nbsp;Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Team India named squads for the two-match Test series and the three-match ODI series against West Indies earlier this week. While new faces like Yashaswi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar and Ruturaj Gaikwad featured in the Test squad, in-form batter Sarfaraz Khan failed to seal his spot in the team.

Team India named squads for the two-match Test series and the three-match ODI series against West Indies earlier this week. While new faces like Yashaswi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar and Ruturaj Gaikwad featured in the Test squad, in-form batter Sarfaraz Khan failed to seal his spot in the team. Despite being in fine touch, Sarfaraz’s omission from the India Test squad baffled many ex-cricketers and experts. Former India batter Aakash Chopra has now voiced his opinion on this matter. Rooting for the Mumbai-born, Chopra vehemently criticised the decision to not include Sarfaraz in the Test team. What Aakash Chopra said “What should Sarfaraz Khan do? If you look at his numbers in the past three years, he's head and shoulders above the rest. He's scored everywhere. Even then, if he's not selected... what message does it send? This is a question worth asking. If there's some other reason, something which you and I don't know, make it public. Just say it that you didn't like that particular thing about Sarfaraz, and that's why you're not considering him. But we don't know if there's something like that. I don't know if someone told Sarfaraz about that,” Aakash Chopra said on his official YouTube channel. Sarfaraz Khan career In the last season of the Ranji Trophy, Sarfaraz Khan scored 556 runs in six matches at an average of 92.67. With 982 runs in nine innings, Sarfaraz emerged as the highest run-scorer of the Ranji Trophy in the 2021-22 season. In first-class cricket, the 25-year-old has so far notched up 3,505 runs at an average of 79.65 in 54 innings. He has 13 centuries and nine half centuries in this format. In his last first-class game, the Mumbai batter pulled off a sublime knock of 125 against Delhi in January. Apart from Sarfaraz Khan, experienced batter Cheteshwar Pujara failed to earn a berth in the India Test squad. Having suffered a defeat at the hands of Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, the Rohit Sharma-led side will be aiming to kick off the new cycle on a promising note against West Indies. The two-Test series between India and West Indies is scheduled to start from July 12. India’s Test squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini

IND vs WI: Ex-India cricketer slams Sarfaraz Khan's omission from Test squad

<p>Indian cricket is not at its best at the moment. Talking about the senior men's team, they remain without an ICC title since 2013. Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. had a chance to end their trophy jinx in the recently-held WTC final versus Australia but they lost heavily by 209 runs. While team selection, injuries to key players and&nbsp;some strategies have been criticised, BCCI have also been slammed for India's busy calendar.</p>

<p>Moreover, the BCCI is yet to name the chief selector following Chetan Sharma's end of tenure in a controversial fashion early this year. At present,&nbsp;Shiv&nbsp;Sunder Das -- former Indian opener -- has been named the interim chief selector of the committee also featuring S Sharath (south), Subroto Banerjee (central) and Salil Ankola (west).&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Thursday (June 22), BCCI invited applicants from the north zone and the selected candidate is expected to be the new chairman of selectors. From north, big names such as Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh can be included but only Sehwag makes the cut as per his retirement year (2012). As per reports, he had been approached for the post but the former Indian batter was set to reject it citing salary issue.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virender-sehwag-eligible-to-become-chief-selector-unlikely-to-apply-due-to-this-reason-reports-607371">Virender Sehwag eligible to become chief selector, unlikely to apply due to THIS reason - Reports</a></strong></p>

<p>As per a&nbsp;TOI report, Sehwag was asked to comment on the speculations of being offered the top post. To this, the legendary cricketer replied saying "No". It is to be noted that a chief selector gets a salary of INR 1 crore (10 million) from the BCCI but since Sehwag earns a handsome amount being an analyst on various platforms, through promotional activities and his business, he is most likely to stay away from the high-pressure job.</p>

<p>BCCI's&nbsp;search for a right candidate for the top post continues with the ICC ODI World Cup set to start in October-November in India this year.</p>

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Indian cricket is not at its best at the moment. Talking about the senior men's team, they remain without an ICC title since 2013. Rohit Sharma & Co. had a chance to end their trophy jinx in the recently-held WTC final versus Australia but they lost heavily by 209 runs.

Indian cricket is not at its best at the moment. Talking about the senior men's team, they remain without an ICC title since 2013. Rohit Sharma & Co. had a chance to end their trophy jinx in the recently-held WTC final versus Australia but they lost heavily by 209 runs. While team selection, injuries to key players and some strategies have been criticised, BCCI have also been slammed for India's busy calendar. Moreover, the BCCI is yet to name the chief selector following Chetan Sharma's end of tenure in a controversial fashion early this year. At present, Shiv Sunder Das -- former Indian opener -- has been named the interim chief selector of the committee also featuring S Sharath (south), Subroto Banerjee (central) and Salil Ankola (west). On Thursday (June 22), BCCI invited applicants from the north zone and the selected candidate is expected to be the new chairman of selectors. From north, big names such as Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh can be included but only Sehwag makes the cut as per his retirement year (2012). As per reports, he had been approached for the post but the former Indian batter was set to reject it citing salary issue. Also Read: Virender Sehwag eligible to become chief selector, unlikely to apply due to THIS reason - Reports As per a TOI report, Sehwag was asked to comment on the speculations of being offered the top post. To this, the legendary cricketer replied saying "No". It is to be noted that a chief selector gets a salary of INR 1 crore (10 million) from the BCCI but since Sehwag earns a handsome amount being an analyst on various platforms, through promotional activities and his business, he is most likely to stay away from the high-pressure job. BCCI's search for a right candidate for the top post continues with the ICC ODI World Cup set to start in October-November in India this year. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag reacts to rumours of being approached for chief selector’s post

<p>Truly, Cheteshwar Pujara remains the last of the Test specialists in the modern era where batters do not hesitate to go bang-bang from the word go. In an&nbsp;era with unparallel demand&nbsp;for&nbsp;quick scoring, be it any format, Pujara remains one from the old school of cricket,&nbsp;making his presence more significant in the longer version of the game.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nonetheless, whenever questions have been raised on India's famed batters' struggle for form, Pujara has been an easy target for critics. Call it his defensive approach, fitness issues, strike-rate woes (yes, even that is taken into account in red-ball cricket in modern times) or his stature being less than big-ticket players such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the Saurashtra-born batter has more often than not paid the price.</p>

<p>However, Pujara also enjoyed a lengthy rope in India's Test squad despite dwindling returns since his standout performances in the 2018/19 series against hosts Australia. Since India's first-ever Test series win in Australia, where Pujara ended with 521 runs, including three hundreds, the right-hander has struggled for consistency. He has added only one more three-figure knock under his belt, which came last December in Bangladesh (102 not out).</p>

<p>Pujara has only struck 15 fifties, in 62 innings,&nbsp;since the 2018-19 Australia tour. Thus, a long run of below-par performances have hogged his esteemed Test career. India have been unlucky to witness the fall of Rahane, Kohli, and Pujara at the same time. But, the axe has only fallen on Rahane and Pujara. Interestingly,&nbsp;the latter was offered a central contract for October-September 2022-23, while Rahane wasn't. But Rahane will board India's flight for the West Indies, where they play two Tests starting on July 12, whereas Pujara has been dropped after the squad was announced on Friday (June 23).</p>

<p>In the 16-member squad, the BCCI selectors backed a plethora of youngsters, such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mukesh Kumar, and Ishan Kishan.&nbsp;Thus, the transition period has certainly kicked off in India's Test line-up after the WTC final post-mortem (where India lost the Test mace to Australia by 209 runs earlier&nbsp;this month in London).&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-retains-captaincy-as-bcci-names-india-test-squad-for-wi-tour-pujara-dropped-jaiswal-ruturaj-included-607800">Rohit retains captaincy as BCCI names India Test squad for WI tour, Pujara dropped; Jaiswal, Ruturaj included</a></strong></p>

<p>Unsurprisingly, Pujara has been the first victim among batters as his twin failures in the WTC summit clash (with scores of 14 and 27) intensified his omission&nbsp;talks. We are in an era in world cricket where England's Bazball is headlining the format. Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum-led England have adopted a fearless approach, batting&nbsp;at over 4.5 runs per over (RPO), and coming up with funky field sets. With India losing the WTC final twice in a row, tough decisions were set to be made. In this aspect, Pujara's slow-burn approach has been overlooked.</p>

<p>Pujara's approach has resulted in many hard-fought and dominating wins for Team India in whites since his debut in 2010. He has stood rock solid and bailed India out of the crisis by taking body blows, concentrating hard on each ball, and trusting his defence. However, his methods have been proven outdated with the rise of young blokes (Jaiswal, Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, etc.). Pujara has never been the quickest between wickets. Age is also not on his side&nbsp;(he is 35). On the other hand,&nbsp;Rahane's 89 and 46 and Kohli's 49 (not that his place will&nbsp;ever come under the scanner) in the WTC final coincided with&nbsp;his flop show,&nbsp;leading to his exit.</p>

<p>It is to be noted that&nbsp;Pujara's numbers versus spin aren't encouraging. He has never been comfortable against the moving deliveries but&nbsp;has also been dismissed by spinners on 19 occasions since 2019 (scoring 910 at a decent 47.89). He averaged over 70 (71.51) versus the spin bowlers from 2010-2018. One might say it is a lost battle now. However, never say never. Rahane wasn't even in India's WTC final scheme of things till Shreyas Iyer got injured. Now, he has regained the vice-captaincy tag for the West Indies series.</p>

<p>Overall, Pujara's road ahead looks extremely tough. As per reports in the Times of India, he is set to feature in this year's Duleep Trophy. His appetite for runs, hunger for batting, and love for Test cricket is second to none. Thus, Pujara's days are not over yet. He is a fighter by all means. The right-hander won't back down so easily. Nonetheless, his current omission looks like a start towards the future.&nbsp;Given his below-par returns since 2019, playing style, and fitness, it does seem&nbsp;to be the right call.</p>

<p>Thus,&nbsp;the phasing out of seniors has begun with Pujara's ouster. India will kick off their all-format tour of the West Indies on July 12. They play two Tests, on July 12 and July 20.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>TEST Squad:</strong>&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin,&nbsp;R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.</p>

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Truly, Cheteshwar Pujara remains the last of the Test specialists in the modern era where batters do not hesitate to go bang-bang from the word go. In an era with unparallel demand for quick scoring, be it any format, Pujara remains one from the old school of cricket, making his presence more significant in the longer version of the game.

Truly, Cheteshwar Pujara remains the last of the Test specialists in the modern era where batters do not hesitate to go bang-bang from the word go. In an era with unparallel demand for quick scoring, be it any format, Pujara remains one from the old school of cricket, making his presence more significant in the longer version of the game. Nonetheless, whenever questions have been raised on India's famed batters' struggle for form, Pujara has been an easy target for critics. Call it his defensive approach, fitness issues, strike-rate woes (yes, even that is taken into account in red-ball cricket in modern times) or his stature being less than big-ticket players such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the Saurashtra-born batter has more often than not paid the price. However, Pujara also enjoyed a lengthy rope in India's Test squad despite dwindling returns since his standout performances in the 2018/19 series against hosts Australia. Since India's first-ever Test series win in Australia, where Pujara ended with 521 runs, including three hundreds, the right-hander has struggled for consistency. He has added only one more three-figure knock under his belt, which came last December in Bangladesh (102 not out). Pujara has only struck 15 fifties, in 62 innings, since the 2018-19 Australia tour. Thus, a long run of below-par performances have hogged his esteemed Test career. India have been unlucky to witness the fall of Rahane, Kohli, and Pujara at the same time. But, the axe has only fallen on Rahane and Pujara. Interestingly, the latter was offered a central contract for October-September 2022-23, while Rahane wasn't. But Rahane will board India's flight for the West Indies, where they play two Tests starting on July 12, whereas Pujara has been dropped after the squad was announced on Friday (June 23). In the 16-member squad, the BCCI selectors backed a plethora of youngsters, such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mukesh Kumar, and Ishan Kishan. Thus, the transition period has certainly kicked off in India's Test line-up after the WTC final post-mortem (where India lost the Test mace to Australia by 209 runs earlier this month in London). Also Read: Rohit retains captaincy as BCCI names India Test squad for WI tour, Pujara dropped; Jaiswal, Ruturaj included Unsurprisingly, Pujara has been the first victim among batters as his twin failures in the WTC summit clash (with scores of 14 and 27) intensified his omission talks. We are in an era in world cricket where England's Bazball is headlining the format. Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum-led England have adopted a fearless approach, batting at over 4.5 runs per over (RPO), and coming up with funky field sets. With India losing the WTC final twice in a row, tough decisions were set to be made. In this aspect, Pujara's slow-burn approach has been overlooked. Pujara's approach has resulted in many hard-fought and dominating wins for Team India in whites since his debut in 2010. He has stood rock solid and bailed India out of the crisis by taking body blows, concentrating hard on each ball, and trusting his defence. However, his methods have been proven outdated with the rise of young blokes (Jaiswal, Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, etc.). Pujara has never been the quickest between wickets. Age is also not on his side (he is 35). On the other hand, Rahane's 89 and 46 and Kohli's 49 (not that his place will ever come under the scanner) in the WTC final coincided with his flop show, leading to his exit. It is to be noted that Pujara's numbers versus spin aren't encouraging. He has never been comfortable against the moving deliveries but has also been dismissed by spinners on 19 occasions since 2019 (scoring 910 at a decent 47.89). He averaged over 70 (71.51) versus the spin bowlers from 2010-2018. One might say it is a lost battle now. However, never say never. Rahane wasn't even in India's WTC final scheme of things till Shreyas Iyer got injured. Now, he has regained the vice-captaincy tag for the West Indies series. Overall, Pujara's road ahead looks extremely tough. As per reports in the Times of India, he is set to feature in this year's Duleep Trophy. His appetite for runs, hunger for batting, and love for Test cricket is second to none. Thus, Pujara's days are not over yet. He is a fighter by all means. The right-hander won't back down so easily. Nonetheless, his current omission looks like a start towards the future. Given his below-par returns since 2019, playing style, and fitness, it does seem to be the right call. Thus, the phasing out of seniors has begun with Pujara's ouster. India will kick off their all-format tour of the West Indies on July 12. They play two Tests, on July 12 and July 20. TEST Squad: Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Explained: India tour of WI | Sympathies with Cheteshwar Pujara but the right call made

<p>On Friday afternoon (June 23), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India's 16-man squad for their upcoming two-match Test series versus West Indies in the Caribbean island, starting on July 12. Despite criticism for his captaincy after India's WTC final loss to Australia, Rohit Sharma has retained the top job with Ajinkya Rahane being named his deputy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, it was expected that the axe would fall on senior players after the WTC final loss. And the same has happened. Cheteshwar Pujara, India's No. 3, has been dropped, along with&nbsp;a plethora of young players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mukesh Kumar, etc. being included. Mohammed Shami's name is also missing from the squad. The veteran is expected to have been given rest but the same might not be the case for Pujara, who struggled for runs in the WTC finale (with poor returns of 14 and 27).</p>

<p>Navdeep Saini has been roped in as well along with Jaydev Unadkat retaining his place. Umesh Yadav, meanwhile, didn't find a spot. Mohammed Siraj will be expected to spearhead the pace attack.&nbsp;The likes of Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja are part of the all-rounder's department.</p>

<p>Both KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan are the wicketkeeper-batters in the 16-member squad. The first Test kicks off on July 12 at Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica, followed by the series decider at the&nbsp;Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad.</p>

<p><strong>TEST Squad:</strong>&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin,&nbsp;R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.</p>

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On Friday afternoon (June 23), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India's 16-man squad for their upcoming two-match Test series versus West Indies in the Caribbean island, starting on July 12.

On Friday afternoon (June 23), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India's 16-man squad for their upcoming two-match Test series versus West Indies in the Caribbean island, starting on July 12. Despite criticism for his captaincy after India's WTC final loss to Australia, Rohit Sharma has retained the top job with Ajinkya Rahane being named his deputy. Meanwhile, it was expected that the axe would fall on senior players after the WTC final loss. And the same has happened. Cheteshwar Pujara, India's No. 3, has been dropped, along with a plethora of young players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mukesh Kumar, etc. being included. Mohammed Shami's name is also missing from the squad. The veteran is expected to have been given rest but the same might not be the case for Pujara, who struggled for runs in the WTC finale (with poor returns of 14 and 27). Navdeep Saini has been roped in as well along with Jaydev Unadkat retaining his place. Umesh Yadav, meanwhile, didn't find a spot. Mohammed Siraj will be expected to spearhead the pace attack. The likes of Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja are part of the all-rounder's department. Both KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan are the wicketkeeper-batters in the 16-member squad. The first Test kicks off on July 12 at Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica, followed by the series decider at the Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad. TEST Squad: Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Rohit retains captaincy as BCCI names India Test squad for WI tour, Pujara dropped; Jaiswal, Ruturaj included

<p>R Ashwin's omission from India's playing XI for the recently-held WTC final versus Australia created a huge stir on social media platforms and within the cricketing fraternity. As a result, India finished second by a huge margin, losing the coveted Test mace to Australia by 209 runs at The Oval, London.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With India missing out on winning yet another ICC title, since 2013, fans showed their frustration on the Indian players and called for the omission of some senior members. Recently, Ashwin reacted to Indian fans' outbursts while mentioning about MS Dhoni's leadership and the success India achieved under him.</p>

<p>On his Youtube channel, Ashwin began by congratulating Australia and said,&nbsp;"Congratulations Australia! It was a fantastic final and they completely deserve the win. There was a small advantage although as few players like Marnus Labuschagne played a couple of matches in county cricket. That was a small one because in a one-Test shootout you can't really say who will do what, but they thoroughly deserved it. Even in the last WTC cycle, they missed qualifying for the finals only by a whisker. They have been a consistent Test team like India."</p>

<h2><strong>'Under MS Dhoni,&nbsp;same squad of 15 and the XI will play throughput the year'</strong></h2>

<p>The veteran off-spinner highlighted Dhoni's significance as a leader and mentioned an important aspect. “It is understandable that there's a furore in India that we haven't won an ICC trophy in 10 years. I empathise with the fans. But the reaction on social media is that this player should be dropped and that player should be included. But quality of a player doesn't change overnight. Lot of us talk about MS Dhoni's leadership. What did he do? Ge kept it very simple. Under his regime, where I also played, he will pick a squad of 15. The same squad of 15 and the XI will play throughput the year. That sense of security is very important for a player,” Ashwin pointed out.</p>

<p>Under Dhoni, India won all ICC titles along with winning the Test mace.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-indian-opener-virender-sehwag-reacts-to-rumours-of-being-approached-for-chief-selectors-post-607724">Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag reacts to rumours of being approached for chief selector’s post</a></strong></p>

<p>This is not the first time when Ashwin emphasised&nbsp;on the need for sense of security among players within the dressing room. Soon after he returned to the country after WTC final snub, Ashwin talked about the "overthinker" name tag attached to him and reasoned out&nbsp;that it was&nbsp;natural for him to be "traumatised" and "overthink" knowing he has limited chances compared to a player assured of a longer run.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In&nbsp;an interaction with Indian Express, the 36-year-old Ashwin stated,&nbsp;"A lot of people marketed me and positioned me that I am an overthinker. A person who will get 15-20 matches on the go doesn’t have to be mentally overthinking. A person who knows that they will get only two games will be traumatised and will be overthinking because it’s my job. It’s my journey. So this is what suits me. If somebody is going to tell me, ‘you’re going to play 15 matches, you will be looked after, you will be this, you are responsible for players, you are in the leadership role, I won’t be overthinking. Why would I?"</p>

<p>Ashwin will now gear up for India's two-match Test series versus hosts West Indies, which will kick off Rohit &amp; Co.'s run in WTC 2023-25 cycle, starting on July 12.</p>

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R Ashwin's omission from India's playing XI for the recently-held WTC final versus Australia created a huge stir on social media platforms and within the cricketing fraternity.

R Ashwin's omission from India's playing XI for the recently-held WTC final versus Australia created a huge stir on social media platforms and within the cricketing fraternity. As a result, India finished second by a huge margin, losing the coveted Test mace to Australia by 209 runs at The Oval, London. With India missing out on winning yet another ICC title, since 2013, fans showed their frustration on the Indian players and called for the omission of some senior members. Recently, Ashwin reacted to Indian fans' outbursts while mentioning about MS Dhoni's leadership and the success India achieved under him. On his Youtube channel, Ashwin began by congratulating Australia and said, "Congratulations Australia! It was a fantastic final and they completely deserve the win. There was a small advantage although as few players like Marnus Labuschagne played a couple of matches in county cricket. That was a small one because in a one-Test shootout you can't really say who will do what, but they thoroughly deserved it. Even in the last WTC cycle, they missed qualifying for the finals only by a whisker. They have been a consistent Test team like India." 'Under MS Dhoni, same squad of 15 and the XI will play throughput the year' The veteran off-spinner highlighted Dhoni's significance as a leader and mentioned an important aspect. “It is understandable that there's a furore in India that we haven't won an ICC trophy in 10 years. I empathise with the fans. But the reaction on social media is that this player should be dropped and that player should be included. But quality of a player doesn't change overnight. Lot of us talk about MS Dhoni's leadership. What did he do? Ge kept it very simple. Under his regime, where I also played, he will pick a squad of 15. The same squad of 15 and the XI will play throughput the year. That sense of security is very important for a player,” Ashwin pointed out. Under Dhoni, India won all ICC titles along with winning the Test mace. Also Read: Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag reacts to rumours of being approached for chief selector’s post This is not the first time when Ashwin emphasised on the need for sense of security among players within the dressing room. Soon after he returned to the country after WTC final snub, Ashwin talked about the "overthinker" name tag attached to him and reasoned out that it was natural for him to be "traumatised" and "overthink" knowing he has limited chances compared to a player assured of a longer run. In an interaction with Indian Express, the 36-year-old Ashwin stated, "A lot of people marketed me and positioned me that I am an overthinker. A person who will get 15-20 matches on the go doesn’t have to be mentally overthinking. A person who knows that they will get only two games will be traumatised and will be overthinking because it’s my job. It’s my journey. So this is what suits me. If somebody is going to tell me, ‘you’re going to play 15 matches, you will be looked after, you will be this, you are responsible for players, you are in the leadership role, I won’t be overthinking. Why would I?" Ashwin will now gear up for India's two-match Test series versus hosts West Indies, which will kick off Rohit & Co.'s run in WTC 2023-25 cycle, starting on July 12. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

R Ashwin credits MS Dhoni for creating 'sense of security' in Team India after WTC final snub

<p>Indian cricket is not at its best. The senior men's team have not won an ICC title since 2013 and recently lost the WTC final to Australia by 209 runs. While a lot of questions have been raised about Indian captain Rohit Sharma&nbsp;and head coach Rahul Dravid, BCCI has also been slammed for not giving enough breaks to players between tournaments. Moreover, many have thrashed the Indian cricket board for not finding a chief selector ever since Chetan Sharma left the post vacant following his explosive remarks during a TV&nbsp;sting operation early in 2023.</p>

<p>While BCCI continues to struggle to find Chetan Sharma's successor, reports have suggested that former Indian opener Virender Sehwag&nbsp;could represent North Zone in the selection committee and also become the next chief selector. BCCI is looking for a big name to head the selection committee, and while Sehwag is eligible to take over the post, he is unlikely to apply for it due to the pay package.</p>

<h2><strong>Why big names such as Virender Sehwag may not apply for chief selector's post?</strong></h2>

<p>As per reports in the news agency PTI, the pay package isn't lucrative enough to attract big names such as Sehwag for the post of chief selector. It is to be noted that the current salary of a chief selector is INR 1 crore (10 million). A BCCI official, on condition&nbsp;of&nbsp;anonymity, spoke at length to PTI about the matter, with regards to Sehwag's name cropping up as an ideal candidate. He&nbsp;said, "During CoA's time, Viru was asked to apply for the head coach's job and then it went to Anil Kumble. It is unlikely he will apply himself and also the pay package isn't something that will be financially viable for someone of his stature. But if we talk about stature, only he makes the cut from North Zone. It is not that BCCI can't pay a chairman of selectors at least Rs 4-5 crore. It can actually solve a lot of these conflict of interest issues which prevent prominent players from even thinking of coming into selection committee."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-england-focused-on-entertaining-more-than-winning-1st-test-says-geoffrey-boycott-607345">Ashes 2023: England focused on entertaining more than winning 1st Test, says Geoffrey Boycott</a></strong></p>

<p>Further, the BCCI official stressed on the importance of having a significant name as the chief selector. The official added that the selector needs to take brave decisions and also stand his ground in front of the captain and coach.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"When Dilip bhai was chairman, he had to make a choice between S Badrinath and Virat Kohli. He saw a few India A games in Australia and he knew whom to back. Rest is history. He could stand his ground in front of Greg Chappell before that."</p>

<p>At present, former Indian opener Shiv Sundar Das, from the East Zone, is spearheading the selection committee. The senior men's team will be in action next month during their all-format tour of the West Indies, starting July 12. BCCI will be eager to appoint the head of the selection committee very soon with the ODI World Cup to be held later this year at home.</p>

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Indian cricket is not at its best. The senior men's team have not won an ICC title since 2013 and recently lost the WTC final to Australia by 209 runs. While a lot of questions have been raised about Indian captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid, BCCI has also been slammed for not giving enough breaks to players between tournaments.

Indian cricket is not at its best. The senior men's team have not won an ICC title since 2013 and recently lost the WTC final to Australia by 209 runs. While a lot of questions have been raised about Indian captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid, BCCI has also been slammed for not giving enough breaks to players between tournaments. Moreover, many have thrashed the Indian cricket board for not finding a chief selector ever since Chetan Sharma left the post vacant following his explosive remarks during a TV sting operation early in 2023. While BCCI continues to struggle to find Chetan Sharma's successor, reports have suggested that former Indian opener Virender Sehwag could represent North Zone in the selection committee and also become the next chief selector. BCCI is looking for a big name to head the selection committee, and while Sehwag is eligible to take over the post, he is unlikely to apply for it due to the pay package. Why big names such as Virender Sehwag may not apply for chief selector's post? As per reports in the news agency PTI, the pay package isn't lucrative enough to attract big names such as Sehwag for the post of chief selector. It is to be noted that the current salary of a chief selector is INR 1 crore (10 million). A BCCI official, on condition of anonymity, spoke at length to PTI about the matter, with regards to Sehwag's name cropping up as an ideal candidate. He said, "During CoA's time, Viru was asked to apply for the head coach's job and then it went to Anil Kumble. It is unlikely he will apply himself and also the pay package isn't something that will be financially viable for someone of his stature. But if we talk about stature, only he makes the cut from North Zone. It is not that BCCI can't pay a chairman of selectors at least Rs 4-5 crore. It can actually solve a lot of these conflict of interest issues which prevent prominent players from even thinking of coming into selection committee." Also Read: Ashes 2023: England focused on entertaining more than winning 1st Test, says Geoffrey Boycott Further, the BCCI official stressed on the importance of having a significant name as the chief selector. The official added that the selector needs to take brave decisions and also stand his ground in front of the captain and coach. "When Dilip bhai was chairman, he had to make a choice between S Badrinath and Virat Kohli. He saw a few India A games in Australia and he knew whom to back. Rest is history. He could stand his ground in front of Greg Chappell before that." At present, former Indian opener Shiv Sundar Das, from the East Zone, is spearheading the selection committee. The senior men's team will be in action next month during their all-format tour of the West Indies, starting July 12. BCCI will be eager to appoint the head of the selection committee very soon with the ODI World Cup to be held later this year at home. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Virender Sehwag eligible to become chief selector, unlikely to apply due to THIS reason - Reports

<p>MS Dhoni remains a huge name in world cricket. The Jharkhand-born Indian cricketer debuted in international cricket in late 2004 and soon became a household name. In 2007, he led a young Indian team -- sans seniors such as regular captain Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and Sourav Ganguly -- in the T20 World Cup and went on to win the championship in South Africa. Soon after, he became India's full-time captain and ended with all three major ICC trophies under his belt.</p>

<p>Recently, Dilip Vengsarkar -- India's 1983 World Cup-winning member and former chief selector -- revealed how and why Dhoni was elevated as the white-ball captain. It is to be noted that Dravid stepped down as the Indian captain during MS Dhoni-led Men in Blue's T20 WC campaign in South Africa. Dhoni was named as the white-ball skipper before he led India to the T20 WC title. Vengsarkar, who served as the chief selector when Dravid resigned, revealed Dhoni's body language, and communication skills with other players worked in his favour to get the top post.</p>

<h2><strong>'We saw Dhoni's approach to the game...'</strong></h2>

<p>“Apart from being an automatic choice in the team, you look at the player’s cricketing acumen, body language, ability to lead from the front and man management skills. We saw Dhoni's approach to the game, body language, how he spoke to others; we got positive feedback," Vengsarkar told Hindustan Times.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/west-indies-tour-sanjay-manjrekar-calls-for-inclusion-of-3-new-batters-and-pacers-in-indias-test-line-up-607013">West Indies tour: Sanjay Manjrekar calls for inclusion of '3 new batters and pacers' in India's Test line-up</a></strong></p>

<p>It is widely known that after Dravid resigned, the BCCI urged Sachin Tendulkar to take up the Indian captaincy, which he turned down politely and suggested Dhoni's name. Good feedback, tactical acumen, body language, and man-management skills did the trick for Dhoni who took over Indian cricket in all formats by late 2008 when he became the Test captain.</p>

<p>Apart from his captaincy, Dhoni ended his international career with 17,266 runs, 108 half-centuries, 16 tons, 634 catches, 359 sixes, and 195 stumpings. He announced his international retirement on August 15, 2020, but remains active in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to their fifth title in this year's edition.</p>


MS Dhoni remains a huge name in world cricket. The Jharkhand-born Indian cricketer debuted in international cricket in late 2004 and soon became a household name.

MS Dhoni remains a huge name in world cricket. The Jharkhand-born Indian cricketer debuted in international cricket in late 2004 and soon became a household name. In 2007, he led a young Indian team -- sans seniors such as regular captain Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and Sourav Ganguly -- in the T20 World Cup and went on to win the championship in South Africa. Soon after, he became India's full-time captain and ended with all three major ICC trophies under his belt. Recently, Dilip Vengsarkar -- India's 1983 World Cup-winning member and former chief selector -- revealed how and why Dhoni was elevated as the white-ball captain. It is to be noted that Dravid stepped down as the Indian captain during MS Dhoni-led Men in Blue's T20 WC campaign in South Africa. Dhoni was named as the white-ball skipper before he led India to the T20 WC title. Vengsarkar, who served as the chief selector when Dravid resigned, revealed Dhoni's body language, and communication skills with other players worked in his favour to get the top post. 'We saw Dhoni's approach to the game...' “Apart from being an automatic choice in the team, you look at the player’s cricketing acumen, body language, ability to lead from the front and man management skills. We saw Dhoni's approach to the game, body language, how he spoke to others; we got positive feedback," Vengsarkar told Hindustan Times. Also Read: West Indies tour: Sanjay Manjrekar calls for inclusion of '3 new batters and pacers' in India's Test line-up It is widely known that after Dravid resigned, the BCCI urged Sachin Tendulkar to take up the Indian captaincy, which he turned down politely and suggested Dhoni's name. Good feedback, tactical acumen, body language, and man-management skills did the trick for Dhoni who took over Indian cricket in all formats by late 2008 when he became the Test captain. Apart from his captaincy, Dhoni ended his international career with 17,266 runs, 108 half-centuries, 16 tons, 634 catches, 359 sixes, and 195 stumpings. He announced his international retirement on August 15, 2020, but remains active in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to their fifth title in this year's edition.

Former India chief selector reveals how MS Dhoni became India's permanent white-ball captain

<p>Ishan Kishan is among several centrally contracted players who will reach the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru next week for strength and conditioning-related work ahead of the start of the West Indies tour. Following the WTC Final at the Oval this month, India will travel to the Caribbean Islands for two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is, starting July 12. The Indian Team is likely to depart on July 3.</p>

<p>With India’s premier domestic tournament Duleep Trophy, set to get underway in Bengaluru on June 28, Ishan decided to opt out at the last minute.</p>

<p>Selected to play for East Zone, which was scheduled to take on Central Zone in the first quarter in Alur, Ishan had a chance to play at least one red-ball match ahead of the West Indies tour. With this, he would have pushed for a case for a place in the Test side with KS Bharat, who played ahead of him in the WTC Final.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/graeme-smith-backs-india-coach-rahul-dravid-after-latest-wtc-final-slump-urges-fans-to-remain-patient-605573">Graeme Smith backs India coach Rahul Dravid after latest WTC Final slump, urges fans to remain patient</a></p>

<p>Generally in between two international series, contracted or targeted players who are not part of any ongoing domestic tournament are sent to the NCA for an update on their fitness status.</p>

<h2>Ishan to continue playing white-ball cricket</h2>

<p>While the Indian board is yet to announce squads for the Tests, which begin with the first game in Dominica on July 12, both Ishan and Bharat will retain their places. Meanwhile, following a mediocre outing against Australia at the Oval, KS Bharat could lose his place to the high-flying Kishan in the Test team.</p>

<p>If KS gets retained in the XI and Ishan gets to warm the benches, the left-handed batter is sure to start in the white-ball series that follows. Recent reports said that Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rinku Singh and Yashasvi Jaiswal are among the young uncapped batters who could get a chance in the five-match T20Is.</p>

<p>With regular captain Rohit Sharma expected to get some rest for ‘some part’ of the West Indies tour, Ishan Kishan will get his chance. Being one of the five Indians to score a double hundred in ODIs – against Bangladesh in 2022, Ishan is tipped to be the future of Indian Cricket.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The BCCI will likely announce squads for the West Indies series on June 27.</p>

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Ishan Kishan is among several centrally contracted players who will reach the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru next week for strength and conditioning-related work ahead of the start of the West Indies tour.

Ishan Kishan is among several centrally contracted players who will reach the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru next week for strength and conditioning-related work ahead of the start of the West Indies tour. Following the WTC Final at the Oval this month, India will travel to the Caribbean Islands for two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is, starting July 12. The Indian Team is likely to depart on July 3. With India’s premier domestic tournament Duleep Trophy, set to get underway in Bengaluru on June 28, Ishan decided to opt out at the last minute. Selected to play for East Zone, which was scheduled to take on Central Zone in the first quarter in Alur, Ishan had a chance to play at least one red-ball match ahead of the West Indies tour. With this, he would have pushed for a case for a place in the Test side with KS Bharat, who played ahead of him in the WTC Final. ALSO READ: Graeme Smith backs India coach Rahul Dravid after latest WTC Final slump, urges fans to remain patient Generally in between two international series, contracted or targeted players who are not part of any ongoing domestic tournament are sent to the NCA for an update on their fitness status. Ishan to continue playing white-ball cricket While the Indian board is yet to announce squads for the Tests, which begin with the first game in Dominica on July 12, both Ishan and Bharat will retain their places. Meanwhile, following a mediocre outing against Australia at the Oval, KS Bharat could lose his place to the high-flying Kishan in the Test team. If KS gets retained in the XI and Ishan gets to warm the benches, the left-handed batter is sure to start in the white-ball series that follows. Recent reports said that Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rinku Singh and Yashasvi Jaiswal are among the young uncapped batters who could get a chance in the five-match T20Is. With regular captain Rohit Sharma expected to get some rest for ‘some part’ of the West Indies tour, Ishan Kishan will get his chance. Being one of the five Indians to score a double hundred in ODIs – against Bangladesh in 2022, Ishan is tipped to be the future of Indian Cricket. The BCCI will likely announce squads for the West Indies series on June 27. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ishan Kishan among other contracted players head to NCA for strength & conditioning ahead of West Indies tour

<p>South African cricket legend Graeme Smith has backed under-fire India coach Rahul Dravid after the latest World Test Championship (WTC) Final slump, urging Indian cricket fans to remain patient with Dravid’s process of rebuilding a new team. After India lost the second straight WTC Final, this time against Australia by 209 runs at the Oval last week, several cricket pundits and countless fans took a dig at the team boss over the poor show and team selection.</p>

<p>Smith, regarded as one of cricket’s greatest captains, stressed the pros and cons of being in a leadership role in Indian cricket. Having led the IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals before for a few seasons, Smith knows a thing or two about dealing with fans’ expectations and the disappointment that follows when the results are not met.</p>

<p>In a chat with Times of India (TOI), Smith asked the Indian fans to trust the process as Dravid is on the right course of rebuilding a team for the future.<br />
“When you get involved in a leadership role in Indian cricket, the expectation is something that you are going to have to come to terms with. There’s a huge quality of players. India can put two or three teams together,” Smith told TOI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The biggest challenge in India for a leader is balancing those squads, balancing your tour schedules, the different formats, and those are some of the biggest decisions that are coming ahead of Rahul and his selection team. What do those squads look like, how do they move those teams forward,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pcb-picks-shaheen-afridi-in-16-man-squad-for-sri-lanka-tests-appoints-morne-morkel-as-teams-bowling-coach-605541">PCB picks Shaheen Afridi in 16-man squad for Sri Lanka Tests, appoints Morne Morkel as team's bowling coach</a></p>

<p>Dravid replaced Ravi Shastri as India’s head coach in 2021. And after a decent start to his new career as the boss of the senior team, Dravid’s India failed to live up to the expectations, as India lost the Asia Cup, 2022 T20 World Cup and WTC Final 2023 in the span of under one year.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Dravid is a quality leader</h2>

<p>Smith, who had played alongside Dravid in the past, showered praises on the India legend, saying he has been a quality player and has shown what he can achieve as a leader.</p>

<p>“He’s a quality man and a quality performer. He’s shown it right through as a coach. So, you’ve got to give him a fair opportunity now to kind of rebuild India,” Smith added.</p>

<p>Following the WTC Final, India has two major multi-team tournaments to participate in – Asia Cup 2023 (in Pakistan and Sri Lanka) and the home World Cup later this year. With this, Rahul Dravid will have another chance at winning an ICC trophy.</p>

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South African cricket legend Graeme Smith has backed under-fire India coach Rahul Dravid after the latest World Test Championship (WTC) Final slump, urging Indian cricket fans to remain patient with Dravid’s process of rebuilding a new team.

South African cricket legend Graeme Smith has backed under-fire India coach Rahul Dravid after the latest World Test Championship (WTC) Final slump, urging Indian cricket fans to remain patient with Dravid’s process of rebuilding a new team. After India lost the second straight WTC Final, this time against Australia by 209 runs at the Oval last week, several cricket pundits and countless fans took a dig at the team boss over the poor show and team selection. Smith, regarded as one of cricket’s greatest captains, stressed the pros and cons of being in a leadership role in Indian cricket. Having led the IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals before for a few seasons, Smith knows a thing or two about dealing with fans’ expectations and the disappointment that follows when the results are not met. In a chat with Times of India (TOI), Smith asked the Indian fans to trust the process as Dravid is on the right course of rebuilding a team for the future. “When you get involved in a leadership role in Indian cricket, the expectation is something that you are going to have to come to terms with. There’s a huge quality of players. India can put two or three teams together,” Smith told TOI. “The biggest challenge in India for a leader is balancing those squads, balancing your tour schedules, the different formats, and those are some of the biggest decisions that are coming ahead of Rahul and his selection team. What do those squads look like, how do they move those teams forward,” he added. ALSO READ: PCB picks Shaheen Afridi in 16-man squad for Sri Lanka Tests, appoints Morne Morkel as team's bowling coach Dravid replaced Ravi Shastri as India’s head coach in 2021. And after a decent start to his new career as the boss of the senior team, Dravid’s India failed to live up to the expectations, as India lost the Asia Cup, 2022 T20 World Cup and WTC Final 2023 in the span of under one year. Dravid is a quality leader Smith, who had played alongside Dravid in the past, showered praises on the India legend, saying he has been a quality player and has shown what he can achieve as a leader. “He’s a quality man and a quality performer. He’s shown it right through as a coach. So, you’ve got to give him a fair opportunity now to kind of rebuild India,” Smith added. Following the WTC Final, India has two major multi-team tournaments to participate in – Asia Cup 2023 (in Pakistan and Sri Lanka) and the home World Cup later this year. With this, Rahul Dravid will have another chance at winning an ICC trophy. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Graeme Smith backs India coach Rahul Dravid after latest WTC Final slump, urges fans to remain patient

<p>Rohit Sharma-led India had a chance to end their ten-year-long ICC title drought when they faced Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London early this month. However, India fell flat and lost the game by a whopping 209-run margin with many questioning the performances of their top players and omission of No. 1 ranked Test bowler R Ashwin. Soon after India's defeat, Ashwin took to his official Twitter handle to share a post on the loss.</p>

<p>Ashwin wrote, "Congratulations Australia on winning this #WTCFinal and closing out this cycle of test cricket. It is disappointing to end up on the wrong side of things, nevertheless it was a great effort over the last 2 years or so to get here in the first place. Amidst all the chaos and scathing assessments, I&nbsp;feel it’s very important to acknowledge all my team mates who played in this cycle and most importantly the coaching and support staffs who have held on like a rock of support."</p>

<p>Recently, in a conversation with the Indian Express, the 36-year-old Ashwin reflected on his tweet. The veteran offie&nbsp;explained that the post was an act to get closure for him to move past the heartbreaking episode. In addition, he opened up on the stress it put on his family, especially his ailing father.</p>

<h2><strong>'The moment I get the closure I can move on'</strong></h2>

<p>Ashwin said, "The moment, the final finished I put out a tweet because I realised one thing is that I need closure. The moment I get the closure I can move on. There is no time to hang around. I have understood life a lot better now.</p>

<p>The more I see it, the kind of trauma toll it takes on my family is incredible. My father has a heart problem and other issues. Every single game, every single day, something happens, he will call me. He is stressed. It’s very easy for me to go out and play because it is still in my control. For my father, it is not and he goes through double of what I do. So looking at this in hindsight, everybody on the outside is irrelevant."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-david-warner-confident-of-australia-going-long-way-on-final-day-sans-rain-interruption-606300">Ashes 2023: David Warner confident of Australia 'going long way' on final day sans rain interruption</a></strong></p>

<p>Ashwin opined on his non-selection and added, "I have got no sympathy for my journey. It’s very easy for me to go back and say, okay, this didn’t happen for me or something happened for him. I don’t give myself one second of sympathy. That’s why I put that tweet because I wanted closure. I hated the fact that people are giving me sympathy, I just couldn’t take it anymore."</p>

<p>In this social media age, you don’t play and sometimes you are bigger than if you had played the game, right? People are talking, ‘if he had played we would have won’. I am not sure if I had played, we would have won. I would have given my best and I definitely think I gave myself the best opportunity to succeed there. I also think I earned my stripes. That’s all I can do. But the moment it got done, I just wanted to move on and focus on the TNPL for Dindigul Dragons."</p>

<p>Ashwin, with 474 Test scalps, will now shift his focus on India's 2023-25 WTC cycle which commences with a two-match Test series versus West Indies in the Caribbean island from next month.</p>

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Rohit Sharma-led India had a chance to end their ten-year-long ICC title drought when they faced Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London early this month.

Rohit Sharma-led India had a chance to end their ten-year-long ICC title drought when they faced Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London early this month. However, India fell flat and lost the game by a whopping 209-run margin with many questioning the performances of their top players and omission of No. 1 ranked Test bowler R Ashwin. Soon after India's defeat, Ashwin took to his official Twitter handle to share a post on the loss. Ashwin wrote, "Congratulations Australia on winning this #WTCFinal and closing out this cycle of test cricket. It is disappointing to end up on the wrong side of things, nevertheless it was a great effort over the last 2 years or so to get here in the first place. Amidst all the chaos and scathing assessments, I feel it’s very important to acknowledge all my team mates who played in this cycle and most importantly the coaching and support staffs who have held on like a rock of support." Recently, in a conversation with the Indian Express, the 36-year-old Ashwin reflected on his tweet. The veteran offie explained that the post was an act to get closure for him to move past the heartbreaking episode. In addition, he opened up on the stress it put on his family, especially his ailing father. 'The moment I get the closure I can move on' Ashwin said, "The moment, the final finished I put out a tweet because I realised one thing is that I need closure. The moment I get the closure I can move on. There is no time to hang around. I have understood life a lot better now. The more I see it, the kind of trauma toll it takes on my family is incredible. My father has a heart problem and other issues. Every single game, every single day, something happens, he will call me. He is stressed. It’s very easy for me to go out and play because it is still in my control. For my father, it is not and he goes through double of what I do. So looking at this in hindsight, everybody on the outside is irrelevant." Also Read: Ashes 2023: David Warner confident of Australia 'going long way' on final day sans rain interruption Ashwin opined on his non-selection and added, "I have got no sympathy for my journey. It’s very easy for me to go back and say, okay, this didn’t happen for me or something happened for him. I don’t give myself one second of sympathy. That’s why I put that tweet because I wanted closure. I hated the fact that people are giving me sympathy, I just couldn’t take it anymore." In this social media age, you don’t play and sometimes you are bigger than if you had played the game, right? People are talking, ‘if he had played we would have won’. I am not sure if I had played, we would have won. I would have given my best and I definitely think I gave myself the best opportunity to succeed there. I also think I earned my stripes. That’s all I can do. But the moment it got done, I just wanted to move on and focus on the TNPL for Dindigul Dragons." Ashwin, with 474 Test scalps, will now shift his focus on India's 2023-25 WTC cycle which commences with a two-match Test series versus West Indies in the Caribbean island from next month. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

'I need closure': R Ashwin reflects on his tweet after India's big loss in WTC final vs Australia

<p>Jasprit Bumrah has been out of cricketing action since India's home T20Is versus Australia in September 2022. Since then, a recurring back injury has kept him out of action and he was not part of India's T20 World Cup campaign in Australia, home Test series versus Pat Cummins &amp; Co. early this year, IPL 2023 and the recently-held WTC final.</p>

<p>Indian cricket fans are desperately waiting for Bumrah's return to action as Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. have a litmus test waiting ahead with the Asia Cup and ODI World Cup to take place in the latter half of 2023. As per reports, the veteran pacer is eyeing an international return during India's three-match T20I series versus hosts Ireland prior to Asia Cup and ODI WC on home soil.</p>

<h2><strong>'It will be a big boost to Indian cricket team'</strong></h2>

<p>“Jasprit Bumrah is looking very good for the Ireland series in August this year. It will be a big boost to the Indian cricket team and will also allow Bumrah time in the middle after the long injury lay-off. If everything stays on course, a Bumrah at peak fitness is likely to take the field,” a senior BCCI official told News18 in a recent interaction.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-1st-test-england-will-tease-australia-with-something-appealing-to-chase-says-kumar-sangakkara-606141">Ashes 2023, 1st Test: England will tease Australia with something appealing to chase, says Kumar Sangakkara</a></strong></p>

<p>“Nitin Patel and Rajnikanth have been working very closely with Bumrah and keeping him on track during the rehab period at the NCA. Both are very experienced and don’t want to take any chance with Bumrah in what is a very crucial white-ball year and also the start of the new World Test Championship cycle,”&nbsp;the official further added.</p>

<p>Bumrah -- who has 128, 121 and 70 wickets in Tests, ODIs and T20Is respectively -- has been a crucial part of Team India since his international debut in early 2016. Of late, injuries have dented his progress but he will be eager to return to action after attaining full fitness and help India end their ten-year-long ICC title drought with an ODI WC triumph later in 2023.</p>

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Jasprit Bumrah has been out of cricketing action since India's home T20Is versus Australia in September 2022. Since then, a recurring back injury has kept him out of action and he was not part of India's T20 World Cup campaign in Australia, home Test series versus Pat Cummins & Co.

Jasprit Bumrah has been out of cricketing action since India's home T20Is versus Australia in September 2022. Since then, a recurring back injury has kept him out of action and he was not part of India's T20 World Cup campaign in Australia, home Test series versus Pat Cummins & Co. early this year, IPL 2023 and the recently-held WTC final. Indian cricket fans are desperately waiting for Bumrah's return to action as Rohit Sharma & Co. have a litmus test waiting ahead with the Asia Cup and ODI World Cup to take place in the latter half of 2023. As per reports, the veteran pacer is eyeing an international return during India's three-match T20I series versus hosts Ireland prior to Asia Cup and ODI WC on home soil. 'It will be a big boost to Indian cricket team' “Jasprit Bumrah is looking very good for the Ireland series in August this year. It will be a big boost to the Indian cricket team and will also allow Bumrah time in the middle after the long injury lay-off. If everything stays on course, a Bumrah at peak fitness is likely to take the field,” a senior BCCI official told News18 in a recent interaction. Also Read: Ashes 2023, 1st Test: England will tease Australia with something appealing to chase, says Kumar Sangakkara “Nitin Patel and Rajnikanth have been working very closely with Bumrah and keeping him on track during the rehab period at the NCA. Both are very experienced and don’t want to take any chance with Bumrah in what is a very crucial white-ball year and also the start of the new World Test Championship cycle,” the official further added. Bumrah -- who has 128, 121 and 70 wickets in Tests, ODIs and T20Is respectively -- has been a crucial part of Team India since his international debut in early 2016. Of late, injuries have dented his progress but he will be eager to return to action after attaining full fitness and help India end their ten-year-long ICC title drought with an ODI WC triumph later in 2023. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Jasprit Bumrah to return during Ireland T20Is before Asia Cup and ODI World Cup: Report

<p>Dilip Vengsarkar, India's 1983 World Cup-winning member and former BCCI chief selector, has slammed the board and its selection committee for lack of vision and cricketing sense. Vengsarkar believes India have failed to identify and groom a young skipper who can take over from Rohit Sharma. The former Indian batter has lashed out at the BCCI and past selectors for making Shikhar Dhawan the stand-in captain when tours overlapped for Team India in the past two years.</p>

<p>In 2021-22, there have been plenty of instances when Dhawan led the Men in Blue in white-ball formats with many senior players rested or involved in red-ball assignments. Thus, Vengsarkar has slammed BCCI and the selection committee for not backing a youngster to lead the charge. In addition, he raised questions about India's bench&nbsp;strength.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/r-ashwin-opens-up-on-being-denied-india-test-captaincy-after-wtc-final-snub-606066">R Ashwin opens up on being denied India Test captaincy after WTC final snub</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>'They made Shikhar Dhawan India captain'</strong></h2>

<p>Vengsarkar told Hindustan Times, "The unfortunate part is that the selectors I have seen over the last six-seven years neither have the vision, deep knowledge about the game or cricketing sense. They made Shikhar Dhawan India captain (when tours overlapped and the core players were&nbsp;not available); it is where you can groom the future captain."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-100-certain-rohit-sharma-will-remain-test-captain-says-former-indian-openers-after-wtc-final-debacle-606047">Not 100% certain Rohit Sharma will remain Test captain, says former Indian opener after WTC final debacle</a></strong></p>

<p>He added, "You talk about the richest cricket board in the world, where is the bench strength? Just having IPL, earning crores of rupees in media rights, it should not be the only achievement."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Vengsarkar is among the many former Indian players who are not happy with the current operations in Indian cricket. Rohit-led India were recently seen in action in the WTC final where they lost to Australia by 209 runs as their ICC title drought continues since 2013. They will next be seen in action in their upcoming all-format tour of the West Indies starting next month.</p>

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Dilip Vengsarkar, India's 1983 World Cup-winning member and former BCCI chief selector, has slammed the board and its selection committee for lack of vision and cricketing sense.

Dilip Vengsarkar, India's 1983 World Cup-winning member and former BCCI chief selector, has slammed the board and its selection committee for lack of vision and cricketing sense. Vengsarkar believes India have failed to identify and groom a young skipper who can take over from Rohit Sharma. The former Indian batter has lashed out at the BCCI and past selectors for making Shikhar Dhawan the stand-in captain when tours overlapped for Team India in the past two years. In 2021-22, there have been plenty of instances when Dhawan led the Men in Blue in white-ball formats with many senior players rested or involved in red-ball assignments. Thus, Vengsarkar has slammed BCCI and the selection committee for not backing a youngster to lead the charge. In addition, he raised questions about India's bench strength. Also Read: R Ashwin opens up on being denied India Test captaincy after WTC final snub 'They made Shikhar Dhawan India captain' Vengsarkar told Hindustan Times, "The unfortunate part is that the selectors I have seen over the last six-seven years neither have the vision, deep knowledge about the game or cricketing sense. They made Shikhar Dhawan India captain (when tours overlapped and the core players were not available); it is where you can groom the future captain." Also Read: Not 100% certain Rohit Sharma will remain Test captain, says former Indian opener after WTC final debacle He added, "You talk about the richest cricket board in the world, where is the bench strength? Just having IPL, earning crores of rupees in media rights, it should not be the only achievement." Vengsarkar is among the many former Indian players who are not happy with the current operations in Indian cricket. Rohit-led India were recently seen in action in the WTC final where they lost to Australia by 209 runs as their ICC title drought continues since 2013. They will next be seen in action in their upcoming all-format tour of the West Indies starting next month. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

1983 World Cup winner lashes out at BCCI, past selectors for not finding Rohit Sharma's successor

<p>Despite being the No. 1 Test bowler, R Ashwin was not part of Rohit Sharma-led India's playing XI in their recent loss in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final versus Australia at The Oval, London early this month. His exclusion shocked many to the core as India lost to the Aussies by 209 runs,&nbsp;missing&nbsp;another opportunity to win an ICC title since 2013.</p>

<p>Over the years, Ashwin has maintained his dominance in Tests in home conditions, whereas he has also played a crucial part in the team's success overseas, especially since 2018. Nonetheless, he remains second after Ravindra Jadeja as the spin-bowling all-rounder when India tour&nbsp;out of the subcontinent (i.e. in SENA countries). Recently, Ashwin opened up about not getting enough opportunities while playing overseas. In addition, he&nbsp;made a big claim about being denied Test captaincy.</p>

<h2><strong>'A person who knows that they will get only two games will be traumatised'</strong></h2>

<p>In an exclusive interaction with Indian Express, Ashwin&nbsp;said: "A lot of people marketed me and positioned me that I am an overthinker. A person who will get 15-20 matches on the go doesn’t have to be mentally overthinking. A person who knows that they will get only two games will be traumatised and will be overthinking because it’s my job. It’s my journey. So this is what suits me. If somebody is going to tell me, ‘you’re going to play 15 matches, you will be looked after, you will be this, you are responsible for players, you are in the leadership role, I won’t be overthinking. Why would I?"</p>

<p>"It’s unfair to actually say somebody’s an overthinker because that person’s journey is his own. And nobody has a right or business to do that."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-100-certain-rohit-sharma-will-remain-test-captain-says-former-indian-openers-after-wtc-final-debacle-606047">Not 100% certain Rohit Sharma will remain Test captain, says former Indian opener after WTC final debacle</a></strong></p>

<h2>'If I earned it, it’s got to be there'</h2>

<p>Further, the 36-year-old Ashwin opened up on being denied Test captaincy despite being a great reader of the game.&nbsp;"It (overthinking tag) was created to work against me, right? And as I said, there have been statements that people have made all along when leadership question has come my way, there have been people who are been out there telling, my name is not the first name on the sheet when India tour abroad."</p>

<p>"Whether that name is first on the sheet or not is something I can’t control. If I earned it, it’s got to be there and that’s my belief. As I said, I have no complaints, I have no time to sit back and throw punches or regret or anything. I have no regrets about anyone," he added.</p>

<p>The sad reality is that Ashwin has never even been named as the vice-captain in whites, although he remains a crucial part of the leadership group.</p>

<p>Ashwin came back to India after the WTC final and is leading the Dindigul Dragons in Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2023 edition. He will gear up to lead the spin department when India travel to the West Indies for two Tests next month. The tour will also comprise three ODIs and five T20Is.</p>

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Despite being the No. 1 Test bowler, R Ashwin was not part of Rohit Sharma-led India's playing XI in their recent loss in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final versus Australia at The Oval, London early this month.

Despite being the No. 1 Test bowler, R Ashwin was not part of Rohit Sharma-led India's playing XI in their recent loss in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final versus Australia at The Oval, London early this month. His exclusion shocked many to the core as India lost to the Aussies by 209 runs, missing another opportunity to win an ICC title since 2013. Over the years, Ashwin has maintained his dominance in Tests in home conditions, whereas he has also played a crucial part in the team's success overseas, especially since 2018. Nonetheless, he remains second after Ravindra Jadeja as the spin-bowling all-rounder when India tour out of the subcontinent (i.e. in SENA countries). Recently, Ashwin opened up about not getting enough opportunities while playing overseas. In addition, he made a big claim about being denied Test captaincy. 'A person who knows that they will get only two games will be traumatised' In an exclusive interaction with Indian Express, Ashwin said: "A lot of people marketed me and positioned me that I am an overthinker. A person who will get 15-20 matches on the go doesn’t have to be mentally overthinking. A person who knows that they will get only two games will be traumatised and will be overthinking because it’s my job. It’s my journey. So this is what suits me. If somebody is going to tell me, ‘you’re going to play 15 matches, you will be looked after, you will be this, you are responsible for players, you are in the leadership role, I won’t be overthinking. Why would I?" "It’s unfair to actually say somebody’s an overthinker because that person’s journey is his own. And nobody has a right or business to do that." Also Read: Not 100% certain Rohit Sharma will remain Test captain, says former Indian opener after WTC final debacle 'If I earned it, it’s got to be there' Further, the 36-year-old Ashwin opened up on being denied Test captaincy despite being a great reader of the game. "It (overthinking tag) was created to work against me, right? And as I said, there have been statements that people have made all along when leadership question has come my way, there have been people who are been out there telling, my name is not the first name on the sheet when India tour abroad." "Whether that name is first on the sheet or not is something I can’t control. If I earned it, it’s got to be there and that’s my belief. As I said, I have no complaints, I have no time to sit back and throw punches or regret or anything. I have no regrets about anyone," he added. The sad reality is that Ashwin has never even been named as the vice-captain in whites, although he remains a crucial part of the leadership group. Ashwin came back to India after the WTC final and is leading the Dindigul Dragons in Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2023 edition. He will gear up to lead the spin department when India travel to the West Indies for two Tests next month. The tour will also comprise three ODIs and five T20Is. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

R Ashwin opens up on being denied India Test captaincy after WTC final snub

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<p>Ravi Ashwin, ranked number one bowler in Tests, has opened up on the dressing room atmosphere in today’s cricket. India’s most successful off-spinner with 474 wickets under his belt, Ashwin was left out of the playing XI against Australia in the WTC Final, a one-off clash that the Aussies won by 209 runs at the Oval in London. That decision was widely criticised.</p>

<p>Having been around the Indian cricket circuit for over 13 years, Ravi Ashwin evolved as a player and has seen a lot of stuff unfolding in Indian cricket in the past decade.</p>

<p>In this fast-moving age of franchise-based T20 Cricket Leagues, with players from every country playing alongside each other, the consensus was that there would be a friendly environment – but that’s not the case.</p>

<p>Ashwin’s latest remarks shed some light into this situation.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ajinkya-rahane-cheteshwar-pujara-set-to-return-to-english-county-after-west-indies-tour-605784">Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara set to return to English County after West Indies tour</a></p>

<p>&nbsp;
<p>Speaking with the Indian Express newspaper in an exclusive chat, Ashwin opened up on how things pan out in the dressing room nowadays.</p>
</p>

<p>Elaborating on the competitive culture growing among teammates irrespective of the formats, Ashwin said how, unlike earlier times when teammates were actually friends, it changed now as he feels players playing together are mere colleagues nowadays.</p>

<p>“This is an era where everybody is a colleague. Once upon a time, when cricket was played, all your teammates were friends. Now, they’re colleagues. There’s a big difference because here people are there to advance themselves and to stride ahead of another person sitting to your right or left,” Ashwin told the Indian Express.</p>

<p>Ashwin, who despite leading the wickets column for India in the latest WTC cycle, didn’t find a spot in the XI in the all-important clash, said with players sharing their journeys, it gets easier to learn and grow from that, something that is completely missing in today’s world.</p>

<p>“In fact, I believe cricket gets better when you share it. It gets better when you when you understand another person’s technique and another person’s journey. But it doesn’t happen anywhere close to how much it must happen,” Ashwin added.</p>

<h2>Ashwin-less India struggled in the UK</h2>

<p>Dropping Ashwin meant India played with four seamers, including a seam-bowling all-rounder in Shardul Thakur, alongside one spinner – Ravindra Jadeja. While this combination looked best on paper, things changed quickly during the first hour on day one with green turf underneath and an overcast sky above.</p>

<p>As the game progressed, with Australia taking lead from day one, came a point on the final day when Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon turned the game on his head and helped his team win the crucial match, raising questions over Ashwin’s absence in the XI.</p>

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Ravi Ashwin, ranked number one bowler in Tests, has opened up on the dressing room atmosphere in today’s cricket. India’s most successful off-spinner with 474 wickets under his belt, Ashwin was left out of the playing XI against Australia in the WTC Final, a one-off clash that the Aussies won by 209 runs at the Oval in London.

Ravi Ashwin, ranked number one bowler in Tests, has opened up on the dressing room atmosphere in today’s cricket. India’s most successful off-spinner with 474 wickets under his belt, Ashwin was left out of the playing XI against Australia in the WTC Final, a one-off clash that the Aussies won by 209 runs at the Oval in London. That decision was widely criticised. Having been around the Indian cricket circuit for over 13 years, Ravi Ashwin evolved as a player and has seen a lot of stuff unfolding in Indian cricket in the past decade. In this fast-moving age of franchise-based T20 Cricket Leagues, with players from every country playing alongside each other, the consensus was that there would be a friendly environment – but that’s not the case. Ashwin’s latest remarks shed some light into this situation. ALSO READ: Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara set to return to English County after West Indies tour Speaking with the Indian Express newspaper in an exclusive chat, Ashwin opened up on how things pan out in the dressing room nowadays. Elaborating on the competitive culture growing among teammates irrespective of the formats, Ashwin said how, unlike earlier times when teammates were actually friends, it changed now as he feels players playing together are mere colleagues nowadays. “This is an era where everybody is a colleague. Once upon a time, when cricket was played, all your teammates were friends. Now, they’re colleagues. There’s a big difference because here people are there to advance themselves and to stride ahead of another person sitting to your right or left,” Ashwin told the Indian Express. Ashwin, who despite leading the wickets column for India in the latest WTC cycle, didn’t find a spot in the XI in the all-important clash, said with players sharing their journeys, it gets easier to learn and grow from that, something that is completely missing in today’s world. “In fact, I believe cricket gets better when you share it. It gets better when you when you understand another person’s technique and another person’s journey. But it doesn’t happen anywhere close to how much it must happen,” Ashwin added. Ashwin-less India struggled in the UK Dropping Ashwin meant India played with four seamers, including a seam-bowling all-rounder in Shardul Thakur, alongside one spinner – Ravindra Jadeja. While this combination looked best on paper, things changed quickly during the first hour on day one with green turf underneath and an overcast sky above. As the game progressed, with Australia taking lead from day one, came a point on the final day when Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon turned the game on his head and helped his team win the crucial match, raising questions over Ashwin’s absence in the XI. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Teammates are no longer friends', says Ravi Ashwin on dressing room atmosphere

<p>After India's ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final loss to Australia early this month, questions were raised on Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian think tank. Skipper Rohit and head coach Dravid were criticised for their decision to drop R Ashwin from the playing XI as India once again faltered in a big chance to lift a mega title and end their ten-year-long ICC trophy drought.</p>

<p>As India are set to kick off their campaign in the current WTC 2023-25 cycle, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra made a big claim on Rohit. Chopra is not 100 per cent confident that Rohit will continue as the Test captain in this WTC cycle.</p>

<p>"Rohit Sharma is a good captain. That is out of the question, understands the pulse of the game, doesn’t make common mistakes. He’s very decent. The question is not about Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. It’s about playing XI (for the WTC final). The next question is on the type of pitches they play at home. See, all these decisions are taken by the team management. I am sure Rohit Sharma would’ve been part of the think tank when Virat Kohli was the captain. Now Kohli will also be part of that group too. However, the responsibility lies with the one who goes for the toss. The focus now is on Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid like it was before on Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri. This is the sad reality," Chopra said&nbsp;on his YouTube video.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-charges-around-1-million-per-instagram-post-net-worth-of-approximate-126-million-report-605954">Virat Kohli charges around $1 million per Instagram post, net worth approximately $126mn: Report</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>'I am not 100% certain because you have...'</strong></h2>

<p>Chopra further opined, "Rohit is a good captain, there is no doubt about that. Rohit is a good Test batter, there is no doubt about that as well, but will the future remain like this only - I am not 100% certain because you have reached the final in the last two cycles but haven't won even once, and age is not on his side, this is the reality. When you see the next two years, and another WTC cycle - 2025, Rohit Sharma could still be playing Test cricket if he really wants to play Test cricket. Six series is a lot of time."</p>

<p>"Can the selectors, by the end of 2023, when you come back from South Africa, start thinking about the next WTC final? One year will remain. There will be five Test matches against England. Then you have to go to Australia, so should they look for a change? This is going to be an interesting one," the ex-Indian batter&nbsp;added.</p>

<p>In the WTC 2023-25 cycle, India will tour West Indies, Australia, and South Africa whereas they will host England, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. After ending second in the previous two WTC cycles, they will aim to win the title this time around.&nbsp;</p>

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After India's ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final loss to Australia early this month, questions were raised on Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian think tank.

After India's ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final loss to Australia early this month, questions were raised on Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian think tank. Skipper Rohit and head coach Dravid were criticised for their decision to drop R Ashwin from the playing XI as India once again faltered in a big chance to lift a mega title and end their ten-year-long ICC trophy drought. As India are set to kick off their campaign in the current WTC 2023-25 cycle, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra made a big claim on Rohit. Chopra is not 100 per cent confident that Rohit will continue as the Test captain in this WTC cycle. "Rohit Sharma is a good captain. That is out of the question, understands the pulse of the game, doesn’t make common mistakes. He’s very decent. The question is not about Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. It’s about playing XI (for the WTC final). The next question is on the type of pitches they play at home. See, all these decisions are taken by the team management. I am sure Rohit Sharma would’ve been part of the think tank when Virat Kohli was the captain. Now Kohli will also be part of that group too. However, the responsibility lies with the one who goes for the toss. The focus now is on Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid like it was before on Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri. This is the sad reality," Chopra said on his YouTube video. Also Read: Virat Kohli charges around $1 million per Instagram post, net worth approximately $126mn: Report 'I am not 100% certain because you have...' Chopra further opined, "Rohit is a good captain, there is no doubt about that. Rohit is a good Test batter, there is no doubt about that as well, but will the future remain like this only - I am not 100% certain because you have reached the final in the last two cycles but haven't won even once, and age is not on his side, this is the reality. When you see the next two years, and another WTC cycle - 2025, Rohit Sharma could still be playing Test cricket if he really wants to play Test cricket. Six series is a lot of time." "Can the selectors, by the end of 2023, when you come back from South Africa, start thinking about the next WTC final? One year will remain. There will be five Test matches against England. Then you have to go to Australia, so should they look for a change? This is going to be an interesting one," the ex-Indian batter added. In the WTC 2023-25 cycle, India will tour West Indies, Australia, and South Africa whereas they will host England, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. After ending second in the previous two WTC cycles, they will aim to win the title this time around. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Not 100% certain Rohit Sharma will remain Test captain, says former Indian opener after WTC final debacle

<p>The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to upgrade its sponsorship policy which will see several brand categories stay away from the Indian Cricket team. According to the BCCI, it has planned to ban several categories of brands, which include alcohol, tobacco, and betting. This would see some of the traditional sponsorship brands stay away from sponsoring the Indian Cricket team at least for the near future.</p>

<p>BCCI shared a list of brand categories that are banned from applying for Indian cricket teams' title sponsorship. The Indian team entered the World Test Championship (WTC) final without a title sponsor as their contract with a tech-education company came to an end last financial year. On the flip side, they entered the WTC final with Adidas as their kit sponsor, while the ICC tournament rules anyway don’t permit teams from using the title sponsor in front of their shirt.</p>

<p><strong>In Annexure B of the document, BCCI listed the following brand categories which are banned:</strong></p>

<p>(A)&nbsp;Athleisure and Sportswear Manufacturer;</p>

<p>(B)&nbsp;Alcohol Products;</p>

<p>(C)&nbsp;Betting;</p>

<p>(D)&nbsp;Cryptocurrency;</p>

<p>(E)&nbsp;Real Money Gaming (Except Fantasy Sports Gaming);</p>

<p>(F)&nbsp;Tobacco; and</p>

<p>(G)&nbsp;one which is likely to offend public morals such as, including but not limited to, pornography.</p>

<p>In a tender notice released on Thursday, June 15, the BCCI plans to get a title sponsor, while it has&nbsp;already signed a mega-money deal with Adidas. The Indian team is considered one of the hottest properties in terms of financial ruling and guarantees the brand a big boost of revenue.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-1st-test-england-vs-australia-preview-and-result-prediction-604796">Ashes 2023, 1st Test, England vs Australia - Preview and Result Prediction</a></p>

<h2><strong>BCCI releases tender</strong></h2>

<p>"The BCCI invites bids from reputed entities for acquiring the National Team Lead Sponsor rights," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a release.</p>

<p>"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 the ITT does not entitle any person to bid," Shah stated.</p>

<p>As things stand, the Indian team can next be seen donning a new title sponsor&nbsp;in the West Indies tour next month. If everything goes right, India will have a new set of title and kit sponsors in a month. The new sponsorship deal will likely see the sponsor on the Indian kit for the 2023 ODI World Cup.</p>

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to upgrade its sponsorship policy which will see several brand categories stay away from the Indian Cricket team.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to upgrade its sponsorship policy which will see several brand categories stay away from the Indian Cricket team. According to the BCCI, it has planned to ban several categories of brands, which include alcohol, tobacco, and betting. This would see some of the traditional sponsorship brands stay away from sponsoring the Indian Cricket team at least for the near future. BCCI shared a list of brand categories that are banned from applying for Indian cricket teams' title sponsorship. The Indian team entered the World Test Championship (WTC) final without a title sponsor as their contract with a tech-education company came to an end last financial year. On the flip side, they entered the WTC final with Adidas as their kit sponsor, while the ICC tournament rules anyway don’t permit teams from using the title sponsor in front of their shirt. In Annexure B of the document, BCCI listed the following brand categories which are banned: (A) Athleisure and Sportswear Manufacturer; (B) Alcohol Products; (C) Betting; (D) Cryptocurrency; (E) Real Money Gaming (Except Fantasy Sports Gaming); (F) Tobacco; and (G) one which is likely to offend public morals such as, including but not limited to, pornography. In a tender notice released on Thursday, June 15, the BCCI plans to get a title sponsor, while it has already signed a mega-money deal with Adidas. The Indian team is considered one of the hottest properties in terms of financial ruling and guarantees the brand a big boost of revenue. ALSO READ | Ashes 2023, 1st Test, England vs Australia - Preview and Result Prediction BCCI releases tender "The BCCI invites bids from reputed entities for acquiring the National Team Lead Sponsor rights," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a release. "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 the ITT does not entitle any person to bid," Shah stated. As things stand, the Indian team can next be seen donning a new title sponsor in the West Indies tour next month. If everything goes right, India will have a new set of title and kit sponsors in a month. The new sponsorship deal will likely see the sponsor on the Indian kit for the 2023 ODI World Cup. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

BCCI to ban THESE brand categories from being Indian cricket teams' title sponsor | Know More

<p>Ravi Ashwin, the number one ranked bowler in Tests, didn't make it to the final XI against Australia in the WTC Final, and it's fair to say it raised a few eyebrows. As India lost its second straight WTC Final, this time by 209 runs, Ashwin's surprise exclusion triggered a debate among fans on social media over BCCI's move to play four seamers and Ravindra Jadeja as the lone spinner.</p>

<p>India's most successful off-spinner in this format, Ashwin, opened up on his exclusion saga, revealing he knew about this decision two days before the start of the WTC Final. In a conversation with the Indian Express and the Hindu, the veteran bowler admitted taking the development as a stumbling block, not a setback.</p>

<p>He further explains that it's not the first time when he missed a crucial game for India, especially in SENA countries. Ashwin didn't feature in the final XI in all five Tests on the previous tour to England in 2021/22, having last played in the UK during the maiden WTC Final against New Zealand in Southampton, where he returned with figures of four for 45 across two innings.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-players-to-wear-black-armbands-observe-silence-in-honour-of-nottingham-attack-victims-605013">Ashes 2023: Players to wear black armbands, observe silence in honour of Nottingham attack victims</a></p>

<p>"For me, it's not a setback," Ashwin told the Indian Express and Hindu. "It's just a stumbling block, I'll move on because I have gone through that. When somebody knocks you down for the first time, you have a knee-jerk reaction. I think you should be knocked down once in a while along your life so that you are used to it and will know how to bounce back. That's what life is. Whether you are at your peak or not, it is still a setback. The fact that you need to learn how to deal with it is very important," the veteran spinner added.</p>

<h2>'I'd have loved to play...'</h2>

<p>Ashwin added he would have loved to play because he contributed towards helping India reach this position. Adding since the past four-five years, his overseas bowling improved by heaps and bounds as he managed to win games for his country.</p>

<p>"I would have loved to play because I have played a part in us getting there. Even in the last final, I got four wickets and bowled really well. Ever since 2018-19, my bowling overseas has been fantastic, and I have managed to win games for the team. I am looking at it as a captain or coach, and I'm just talking in hindsight, in their defence."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"So the last time when we were in England, it was 2-2 with a drawn Test, and they would have felt four pacers and one spinner is the combination in England. That is what they might have thought going into the final. The problem is for a spinner to come into play, it must be the fourth innings. The fourth innings is a very crucial facet, and for us to be able to put that amount of runs so the spinner can come into play, it's completely a mindset thing," Ashwin added.</p>

<p>While he revealed knowing about team management's final decision on the playing XI against Australia, Ashwin admitted being more chill about his things at a bigger front than he used to be.</p>

<p>"I'm a lot more chilled than I used to be. A lot more relaxed in my life than I ever have been. Sitting here today, I realise how much of a toll it had taken on me mentally to the point where I was traumatised. But I am very glad to have come through that and discovered a new me," Ashwin said.</p>

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Ravi Ashwin, the number one ranked bowler in Tests, didn't make it to the final XI against Australia in the WTC Final, and it's fair to say it raised a few eyebrows.

Ravi Ashwin, the number one ranked bowler in Tests, didn't make it to the final XI against Australia in the WTC Final, and it's fair to say it raised a few eyebrows. As India lost its second straight WTC Final, this time by 209 runs, Ashwin's surprise exclusion triggered a debate among fans on social media over BCCI's move to play four seamers and Ravindra Jadeja as the lone spinner. India's most successful off-spinner in this format, Ashwin, opened up on his exclusion saga, revealing he knew about this decision two days before the start of the WTC Final. In a conversation with the Indian Express and the Hindu, the veteran bowler admitted taking the development as a stumbling block, not a setback. He further explains that it's not the first time when he missed a crucial game for India, especially in SENA countries. Ashwin didn't feature in the final XI in all five Tests on the previous tour to England in 2021/22, having last played in the UK during the maiden WTC Final against New Zealand in Southampton, where he returned with figures of four for 45 across two innings. ALSO READ: Ashes 2023: Players to wear black armbands, observe silence in honour of Nottingham attack victims "For me, it's not a setback," Ashwin told the Indian Express and Hindu. "It's just a stumbling block, I'll move on because I have gone through that. When somebody knocks you down for the first time, you have a knee-jerk reaction. I think you should be knocked down once in a while along your life so that you are used to it and will know how to bounce back. That's what life is. Whether you are at your peak or not, it is still a setback. The fact that you need to learn how to deal with it is very important," the veteran spinner added. 'I'd have loved to play...' Ashwin added he would have loved to play because he contributed towards helping India reach this position. Adding since the past four-five years, his overseas bowling improved by heaps and bounds as he managed to win games for his country. "I would have loved to play because I have played a part in us getting there. Even in the last final, I got four wickets and bowled really well. Ever since 2018-19, my bowling overseas has been fantastic, and I have managed to win games for the team. I am looking at it as a captain or coach, and I'm just talking in hindsight, in their defence." "So the last time when we were in England, it was 2-2 with a drawn Test, and they would have felt four pacers and one spinner is the combination in England. That is what they might have thought going into the final. The problem is for a spinner to come into play, it must be the fourth innings. The fourth innings is a very crucial facet, and for us to be able to put that amount of runs so the spinner can come into play, it's completely a mindset thing," Ashwin added. While he revealed knowing about team management's final decision on the playing XI against Australia, Ashwin admitted being more chill about his things at a bigger front than he used to be. "I'm a lot more chilled than I used to be. A lot more relaxed in my life than I ever have been. Sitting here today, I realise how much of a toll it had taken on me mentally to the point where I was traumatised. But I am very glad to have come through that and discovered a new me," Ashwin said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'It's not a setback, I will move on...': Ravi Ashwin breaks silence on WTC Final omission saga

<p>Is it the right time to address the elephant in the room? Or shall we wait for another lost opportunity at an ICC tournament to start talking about it?</p>

<p>Since last winning an ICC trophy in 2013 - at a time when Facebook had seen its peak, Twitter was emerging to become a social media giant, and Instagram was probably in the earlier stages of being launched, the Indian team failed to bring home any major accolades.</p>

<p>So, where is the problem? It’s not that they are missing&nbsp;world-class players or lack&nbsp;infrastructure, or don't have a setup where youngsters thrive to succeed. Is it luck? Could be, but not entirely! So where does one find an answer to this?</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-dont-say-this-in-ipl-gavaskar-slams-rohit-sharma-for-his-latest-remarks-on-wtc-final-format-603529">'You don't say this in IPL...': Gavaskar slams Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on WTC Final format</a></p>

<p>Maybe it's in front of everyone's eyes, and the Indian cricket fans are happy living in denial. Can happen! The big question here arises what’s stopping the Indian Men’s Team from winning an ICC trophy?</p>

<p>Having lately lost the second straight World Test Championship (WTC) Final, this time to Australia by a massive margin of 209 runs, the Indian players, let alone the fans, looked disappointed with the result and seemed eager to find solutions. With India all set to host the 50-over World Cup later this year, they would want to tick most of the boxes to avoid suffering the same fate as they did during the previous editions.</p>

<h2>Is the way how Test Cricket unfolds in India a problem?</h2>

<p>Maybe no one’s ready for this discussion.</p>

<p>How does wrapping up Test matches in India inside two, three or on the least doctored track, four days, help players across all departments, other than spinners, in any way? Honestly, they are not!</p>

<p>Providing tracks that turn from day one will neither help the batters gain any momentum nor will it see fast bowlers succeeding in Tests in this part of the world. Leave aside the touring sides, it’s a rarity to see more than two Indian pacers taking the field in any Test in these conditions – even considering the venues where they would get some assistance from the pitch.</p>

<p>Now, with spinners taking control of the game from the ball, thus dictating how things will pan out throughout the series, it doesn’t really help the team in the longer run.</p>

<p>India might, and well, have been doing this for the past ten years, to win all those Tests at home, and some even by daunting margins. But the truth is that&nbsp;such tactics are not helping other departments to get better in any way.</p>

<p>It’s understandable, for obvious reasons, why host teams tend to use the home advantage in their favour – which is to win matches and gain a lead on the points table of the WTC Cycle.&nbsp;But what’s the use of that if the same bunch of players were to suffer the old, monotonous fate of falling shy of winning the trophy outside of their home conditions?</p>

<p>India’s past two results in the WTC Finals are prime examples of that.</p>

<p>With the batters failing to score in home conditions, and for countless reasons, not being able to go outside of their bubble and train or play in different domestic leagues, in the County Championships in the UK, for example, their inability to adapt to the new conditions get exposed on the D-day.</p>

<h2>Is high-headedness killing, or has&nbsp;already killed Indian cricket?</h2>

<p>India doesn't have big-name players in the country, India has demigods - be it the great Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni and so on. With the amount of love they get from the fans, they are no less than supreme powers on the field in their head, and it has had its adverse effects.</p>

<p>Though a few of the big names in the India line-up have contributed immensely throughout their career, their stubbornness not to learn from their mistakes has shockingly cost India World Cups at a stretch. What’s worse, they keep getting away every single time.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-tour-of-west-indies-2023-cwi-announce-full-schedule-jaiswal-mukesh-kumar-in-line-for-test-call-ups-603590">India’s tour of West Indies 2023: CWI announce full schedule, Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar in line for Test call-ups</a></p>

<p>The least discussed or untouched, like some taboo, in this country, the egos are now starting to take centre stage. Sure, it’s all part of the game and must have been around for hundreds of years now, but this thing has had its impact on the team environment and subsequently on the results.</p>

<h2>Can India revive?</h2>

<p>They must before it gets too late.</p>

<p>In a few months, the World Cup starts, and this is India’s best chance at glory, having last won in Asia 12 years back.</p>

<p>Sticking around as a team, working on the weaknesses, and deliberately putting in hard yards to prepare for the worst situation can only help India get ready for the biggest winter extravaganza this year.</p>

<p>Before the World Cup gets underway, India will get involved in another multi-team tournament - the Asia Cup 2023, and winning that would boost the side's chances of ending the trophy drought in the home WC.</p>

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Is it the right time to address the elephant in the room? Or shall we wait for another lost opportunity at an ICC tournament to start talking about it? Since last winning an ICC trophy in 2013 - at a time when Facebook had seen its peak, Twitter was emerging to become a social media giant, and Instagram was probably in the earlier stages of being launched, the Indian team failed to bring home any major accolades.

Is it the right time to address the elephant in the room? Or shall we wait for another lost opportunity at an ICC tournament to start talking about it? Since last winning an ICC trophy in 2013 - at a time when Facebook had seen its peak, Twitter was emerging to become a social media giant, and Instagram was probably in the earlier stages of being launched, the Indian team failed to bring home any major accolades. So, where is the problem? It’s not that they are missing world-class players or lack infrastructure, or don't have a setup where youngsters thrive to succeed. Is it luck? Could be, but not entirely! So where does one find an answer to this? ALSO READ: 'You don't say this in IPL...': Gavaskar slams Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on WTC Final format Maybe it's in front of everyone's eyes, and the Indian cricket fans are happy living in denial. Can happen! The big question here arises what’s stopping the Indian Men’s Team from winning an ICC trophy? Having lately lost the second straight World Test Championship (WTC) Final, this time to Australia by a massive margin of 209 runs, the Indian players, let alone the fans, looked disappointed with the result and seemed eager to find solutions. With India all set to host the 50-over World Cup later this year, they would want to tick most of the boxes to avoid suffering the same fate as they did during the previous editions. Is the way how Test Cricket unfolds in India a problem? Maybe no one’s ready for this discussion. How does wrapping up Test matches in India inside two, three or on the least doctored track, four days, help players across all departments, other than spinners, in any way? Honestly, they are not! Providing tracks that turn from day one will neither help the batters gain any momentum nor will it see fast bowlers succeeding in Tests in this part of the world. Leave aside the touring sides, it’s a rarity to see more than two Indian pacers taking the field in any Test in these conditions – even considering the venues where they would get some assistance from the pitch. Now, with spinners taking control of the game from the ball, thus dictating how things will pan out throughout the series, it doesn’t really help the team in the longer run. India might, and well, have been doing this for the past ten years, to win all those Tests at home, and some even by daunting margins. But the truth is that such tactics are not helping other departments to get better in any way. It’s understandable, for obvious reasons, why host teams tend to use the home advantage in their favour – which is to win matches and gain a lead on the points table of the WTC Cycle. But what’s the use of that if the same bunch of players were to suffer the old, monotonous fate of falling shy of winning the trophy outside of their home conditions? India’s past two results in the WTC Finals are prime examples of that. With the batters failing to score in home conditions, and for countless reasons, not being able to go outside of their bubble and train or play in different domestic leagues, in the County Championships in the UK, for example, their inability to adapt to the new conditions get exposed on the D-day. Is high-headedness killing, or has already killed Indian cricket? India doesn't have big-name players in the country, India has demigods - be it the great Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni and so on. With the amount of love they get from the fans, they are no less than supreme powers on the field in their head, and it has had its adverse effects. Though a few of the big names in the India line-up have contributed immensely throughout their career, their stubbornness not to learn from their mistakes has shockingly cost India World Cups at a stretch. What’s worse, they keep getting away every single time. ALSO READ: India’s tour of West Indies 2023: CWI announce full schedule, Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar in line for Test call-ups The least discussed or untouched, like some taboo, in this country, the egos are now starting to take centre stage. Sure, it’s all part of the game and must have been around for hundreds of years now, but this thing has had its impact on the team environment and subsequently on the results. Can India revive? They must before it gets too late. In a few months, the World Cup starts, and this is India’s best chance at glory, having last won in Asia 12 years back. Sticking around as a team, working on the weaknesses, and deliberately putting in hard yards to prepare for the worst situation can only help India get ready for the biggest winter extravaganza this year. Before the World Cup gets underway, India will get involved in another multi-team tournament - the Asia Cup 2023, and winning that would boost the side's chances of ending the trophy drought in the home WC. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

EXPLAINED - What's stopping India from winning ICC trophies? Lack of temperament, poor luck or something else?

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<p>Cricket West Indies (CWI), on Monday, announced the full schedule of India’s tour of the West Indies in July-August. India will play two Tests, which falls under the next World Test Championship (WTC) Cycle, three ODIs and five T20Is (in the same order) – starting July 12 till August 13. Meanwhile, latest reports suggest the selection committee wants to bring new faces into the Test side, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mukesh Kumar being considered for a Test call-up.</p>

<p>Following the World Test Championship Final at the Oval in London, which India lost by 209 runs, the West Indies tour is next in line as Men in Blue gears up for the home World Cup later this year.</p>

<p>As per the schedule, Windsor Park in Dominica will host the first Test from July 12-16, while the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad will play host to the second game from July 20-24 – which would also be the 100th Test between West Indies and India.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-dont-say-this-in-ipl-gavaskar-slams-rohit-sharma-for-his-latest-remarks-on-wtc-final-format-603529">'You don't say this in IPL...': Gavaskar slams Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on WTC Final format</a></p>

<p>While the first two ODIs will be played at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on July 27 and 29, respectively, the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad will be the venue for the third ODI on August 1. From August 3 to 13, all five T20Is will take place, with two each scheduled in Guyana and Florida (the USA) and one in Trinidad.</p>

<h2>Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar in line for Test call-ups</h2>

<p>Following the bashing at the hands of Australia, the selectors are keen on bringing the much-needed change in the Test side, with the inclusion of uncapped youngsters being the first step towards it. As per a report in the PTI, the selection committee wishes to include batter Yashasvi Jaiswal and seamer Mukesh Kumar for the two Tests, replacing Cheteshwar Pujara and Umesh Yadav in the line-up.</p>

<p>With Ajinkya Rahane doing well in the one-off Test against the Aussies, he could retain his spot in the middle order, the selectors might push for Ishan Kishan to make his Test debut in the Caribbean Islands.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Jaiswal is also on the radar for the T20I call-up alongside Rinku Singh, who made headlines in this year’s IPL with his stunning performances.</p>

<h3>Here is the schedule of India’s tour of the West Indies –</h3>

<p><strong>Tests</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li>1st Test – July 12-16 – Dominica</li>
	<li>2nd Test – July 20-24 – Trinidad</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>ODIs</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li>1st ODI – July 27 – Barbados</li>
	<li>2nd ODI – July 29 – Barbados</li>
	<li>3rd ODI – August 1 – Trinidad</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>T20Is</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li>1st T20I – August 3 – Trinidad</li>
	<li>2nd T20I – August 6 – Guyana</li>
	<li>3rd T20I – August 8 – Guyana</li>
	<li>4th T20I – August 12 – Florida (USA)</li>
	<li>5th T20I – August 13 – Florida (USA)</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

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Cricket West Indies (CWI), on Monday, announced the full schedule of India’s tour of the West Indies in July-August. India will play two Tests, which falls under the next World Test Championship (WTC) Cycle, three ODIs and five T20Is (in the same order) – starting July 12 till August 13.

Cricket West Indies (CWI), on Monday, announced the full schedule of India’s tour of the West Indies in July-August. India will play two Tests, which falls under the next World Test Championship (WTC) Cycle, three ODIs and five T20Is (in the same order) – starting July 12 till August 13. Meanwhile, latest reports suggest the selection committee wants to bring new faces into the Test side, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mukesh Kumar being considered for a Test call-up. Following the World Test Championship Final at the Oval in London, which India lost by 209 runs, the West Indies tour is next in line as Men in Blue gears up for the home World Cup later this year. As per the schedule, Windsor Park in Dominica will host the first Test from July 12-16, while the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad will play host to the second game from July 20-24 – which would also be the 100th Test between West Indies and India. ALSO READ: 'You don't say this in IPL...': Gavaskar slams Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on WTC Final format While the first two ODIs will be played at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on July 27 and 29, respectively, the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad will be the venue for the third ODI on August 1. From August 3 to 13, all five T20Is will take place, with two each scheduled in Guyana and Florida (the USA) and one in Trinidad. Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar in line for Test call-ups Following the bashing at the hands of Australia, the selectors are keen on bringing the much-needed change in the Test side, with the inclusion of uncapped youngsters being the first step towards it. As per a report in the PTI, the selection committee wishes to include batter Yashasvi Jaiswal and seamer Mukesh Kumar for the two Tests, replacing Cheteshwar Pujara and Umesh Yadav in the line-up. With Ajinkya Rahane doing well in the one-off Test against the Aussies, he could retain his spot in the middle order, the selectors might push for Ishan Kishan to make his Test debut in the Caribbean Islands. Meanwhile, Jaiswal is also on the radar for the T20I call-up alongside Rinku Singh, who made headlines in this year’s IPL with his stunning performances. Here is the schedule of India’s tour of the West Indies – Tests 1st Test – July 12-16 – Dominica 2nd Test – July 20-24 – Trinidad ODIs 1st ODI – July 27 – Barbados 2nd ODI – July 29 – Barbados 3rd ODI – August 1 – Trinidad T20Is 1st T20I – August 3 – Trinidad 2nd T20I – August 6 – Guyana 3rd T20I – August 8 – Guyana 4th T20I – August 12 – Florida (USA) 5th T20I – August 13 – Florida (USA) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India’s tour of West Indies 2023: CWI announces full schedule, Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar in line for Test call-ups

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<p>Former India legend Sunil Gavaskar has come down hard on the Indian captain Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on the WTC Final being a one-off decider instead of the more desirable three-match series. On Sunday, for the second straight time, India lost the World Test Championship Final, this time against Australia by 209 runs at the Oval. During the post-match presser, Rohit suggested the WTC Final should be played across the best-of-three format.</p>

<p>“I would like to play the 3-Test match series for the WTC Final. We worked hard, and we fought, but we played just one game. I think a 3-match series would be ideal in the next WTC cycle,” Rohit said after India failed to chase down 444 on the final day of the WTC Final.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/after-claiming-wtc-final-pat-cummins-sets-sight-on-winning-ashes-in-england-first-time-in-over-two-decades-603498">After claiming WTC Final, Pat Cummins sets sight on winning away Ashes for first time in over two decades</a></p>

<p>Unlike a few others who echoed exact words, Gavaskar slammed Rohit saying from day one of the WTC cycles, everyone knows the final will be a one-off Test, so on that note, every team must prepare them for the same beforehand. Gavaskar added, like how every team prepares for the IPL, where there is just a final - the same must happen for other format's finals too.</p>

<p>“No! This has been decided for a long time; you know even before you enter that first match of the cycle that the final is going to be just a one-off. So, you have to be prepared mentally,” Gavaskar said, as quoted in India Today.</p>

<p>“Just like you prepare for the IPL, you don’t say best of three. Everybody can have a bad day or a couple of days, but before the first ball of the cycle, you know what it is. So, you can’t be asking for a best of three. Tomorrow, you may say best of five,” the former India legend added.</p>

<h2>Pat, Sunny on the same page</h2>

<p>Elated after winning his maiden World Test Championship crown, Australia captain Pat Cummins expressed the same views as that of Gavaskar’s, saying there is no end to suggestions, and from a three-match series, it can go on and on. He added even players win medals in a one-off Olympic final.</p>

<p>"We already won the WTC title. Not only 3-match series for the WTC final, but there could also be 16-match series too. Players win medals in the Olympics with just one final,” Pat said after the WTC Final.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Australia will now face England in the Ashes 2023, with the first Test starting on June 16&nbsp;in Edgbaston, whereas, India will next travel to the Caribbean Islands for the extended tour, beginning July 12.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Former India legend Sunil Gavaskar has come down hard on the Indian captain Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on the WTC Final being a one-off decider instead of the more desirable three-match series.

Former India legend Sunil Gavaskar has come down hard on the Indian captain Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on the WTC Final being a one-off decider instead of the more desirable three-match series. On Sunday, for the second straight time, India lost the World Test Championship Final, this time against Australia by 209 runs at the Oval. During the post-match presser, Rohit suggested the WTC Final should be played across the best-of-three format. “I would like to play the 3-Test match series for the WTC Final. We worked hard, and we fought, but we played just one game. I think a 3-match series would be ideal in the next WTC cycle,” Rohit said after India failed to chase down 444 on the final day of the WTC Final. ALSO READ: After claiming WTC Final, Pat Cummins sets sight on winning away Ashes for first time in over two decades Unlike a few others who echoed exact words, Gavaskar slammed Rohit saying from day one of the WTC cycles, everyone knows the final will be a one-off Test, so on that note, every team must prepare them for the same beforehand. Gavaskar added, like how every team prepares for the IPL, where there is just a final - the same must happen for other format's finals too. “No! This has been decided for a long time; you know even before you enter that first match of the cycle that the final is going to be just a one-off. So, you have to be prepared mentally,” Gavaskar said, as quoted in India Today. “Just like you prepare for the IPL, you don’t say best of three. Everybody can have a bad day or a couple of days, but before the first ball of the cycle, you know what it is. So, you can’t be asking for a best of three. Tomorrow, you may say best of five,” the former India legend added. Pat, Sunny on the same page Elated after winning his maiden World Test Championship crown, Australia captain Pat Cummins expressed the same views as that of Gavaskar’s, saying there is no end to suggestions, and from a three-match series, it can go on and on. He added even players win medals in a one-off Olympic final. "We already won the WTC title. Not only 3-match series for the WTC final, but there could also be 16-match series too. Players win medals in the Olympics with just one final,” Pat said after the WTC Final. Meanwhile, Australia will now face England in the Ashes 2023, with the first Test starting on June 16 in Edgbaston, whereas, India will next travel to the Caribbean Islands for the extended tour, beginning July 12. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'You don't say this in IPL...': Gavaskar slams Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on WTC Final format

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<p>The wait for an ICC trophy continues as yet another Indian team failed to cross the line. This time, it was against Australia in the second World Test Championship (WTC) Final at the Oval in London, where Rohit Sharma-led Indian team came second, losing by a huge margin of 209 runs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After another painful defeat in an ICC Final, Rohit, who was part of the 2013 Champions Trophy campaign in England – the last when India won an all-team tournament, said while he laments his side's performance across the past five days, he still feels proud of the team for making it to their second successive final, which in itself is no small achievement.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-crowned-world-test-champions-after-beating-india-by-210-runs-at-oval-603140">Australia crowned World Test Champions after beating India by 209 runs at Oval</a></p>

<p>Speaking to the post-match presenter after the match that ended inside the first session on day five, Rohit backed his call to put Australia into bat first in those conditions but feels the bowling let the side down considering the overall picture. The Indian captain didn’t shy from giving credit where its due as he praised the pair of Steve Smith and Travis Head, who scored respective hundreds in the first innings.</p>

<p>“I thought we started well with winning the toss, putting them to bat in those conditions. We bowled well in the first session, and then we let ourselves down with how we bowled. Got to give credit to the Australian batters. Head came in and played really well along with Steven Smith. That just took us off guard a little bit,” Rohit said.</p>

<p>While the Indian team didn’t bring their A-game this time against the mighty Aussies, Rohit feels what this squad achieved over the past two years is incredible in many ways, adding he is proud of this team irrespective of the result.</p>

<p>“We've worked hard for all those four years. Playing two finals is honestly a good achievement for us. But we'd like to go a mile ahead as well. You can't take the credit away from what we've done in those last two years to come here. Great effort from the entire unit,” the Indian Test captain added.</p>

<h2>India suffers a similar fate once again!</h2>

<p>It’s been a decade since an Indian team won an ICC trophy, having lost on several occasions across formats in the past ten years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, in this one-off final, Australia had the upper hand after scoring 469 in the first innings and dismissing India on 296 in theirs. A strong batting show in the second inning saw them giving India a huge total of 444 to win the match.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following a decent start in the fourth innings, India failed to maximize the chances as they gave away wickets, resulting in losing their second straight WTC Final.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

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The wait for an ICC trophy continues as yet another Indian team failed to cross the line. This time, it was against Australia in the second World Test Championship (WTC) Final at the Oval in London, where Rohit Sharma-led Indian team came second, losing by a huge margin of 209 runs.

The wait for an ICC trophy continues as yet another Indian team failed to cross the line. This time, it was against Australia in the second World Test Championship (WTC) Final at the Oval in London, where Rohit Sharma-led Indian team came second, losing by a huge margin of 209 runs. After another painful defeat in an ICC Final, Rohit, who was part of the 2013 Champions Trophy campaign in England – the last when India won an all-team tournament, said while he laments his side's performance across the past five days, he still feels proud of the team for making it to their second successive final, which in itself is no small achievement. ALSO READ: Australia crowned World Test Champions after beating India by 209 runs at Oval Speaking to the post-match presenter after the match that ended inside the first session on day five, Rohit backed his call to put Australia into bat first in those conditions but feels the bowling let the side down considering the overall picture. The Indian captain didn’t shy from giving credit where its due as he praised the pair of Steve Smith and Travis Head, who scored respective hundreds in the first innings. “I thought we started well with winning the toss, putting them to bat in those conditions. We bowled well in the first session, and then we let ourselves down with how we bowled. Got to give credit to the Australian batters. Head came in and played really well along with Steven Smith. That just took us off guard a little bit,” Rohit said. While the Indian team didn’t bring their A-game this time against the mighty Aussies, Rohit feels what this squad achieved over the past two years is incredible in many ways, adding he is proud of this team irrespective of the result. “We've worked hard for all those four years. Playing two finals is honestly a good achievement for us. But we'd like to go a mile ahead as well. You can't take the credit away from what we've done in those last two years to come here. Great effort from the entire unit,” the Indian Test captain added. India suffers a similar fate once again! It’s been a decade since an Indian team won an ICC trophy, having lost on several occasions across formats in the past ten years. Meanwhile, in this one-off final, Australia had the upper hand after scoring 469 in the first innings and dismissing India on 296 in theirs. A strong batting show in the second inning saw them giving India a huge total of 444 to win the match. Following a decent start in the fourth innings, India failed to maximize the chances as they gave away wickets, resulting in losing their second straight WTC Final. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Reaching two finals is a good achievement, proud of this team', says Rohit Sharma after India lost WTC Final

<p>The only thing that made headlines on day one of the World Test Championship Final was the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin for India against Aussies. The ranked number one Test bowler in the world failed to find a place in the final XI as captain Rohit Sharma picked seam-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur ahead of him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After winning the toss, India elected to bowl first, and following the first session, where the Indian bowlers made the ball do all the talking, Australian batters dominated the remaining two sessions, piling up runs at will. While veteran Steve Smith remained unbeaten on 95 after the days' play, Travis Head found form and slammed his first hundred on the English soil, scoring 146*.</p>

<p>It's fair to say India missed Ashwin in the middle overs, as Jadeja alone failed to create any pressure on day one surface. Paras Mhambrey - India's bowling coach, addressed the issue during the presser and explained why India decided against playing Ashwin for this one-off WTC Final 2023.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-day-2-preview-following-troubled-start-clueless-indian-team-to-aim-for-comeback-601982">WTC Final, Day 2 - Preview: Following troubled start, clueless Indian team to aim for comeback</a></p>

<p>Paras revealed India clearly went for horses for courses strategy, as looking at the overhead conditions and the green, bouncy track on offer, bowling first and picking an extra seamer than playing two spinners looked like the right decision.</p>

<p>"It is always a very difficult decision to drop a champion bowler like him. Looking at the conditions in the morning, we thought an additional seamer would be beneficial," Paras said after stumps on day one.</p>

<p>"It has also worked in the past for us. Seamers have done well out here for us. You can always look back and say that additional spinner would have been beneficial, but we took the call looking at the conditions," he added.</p>

<h2>Communicating with them ain't easy, but they understand overall picture&nbsp;</h2>

<p>When asked about how the coaches or the captain explain their call to bench a particular player, Paras detailed, saying,</p>

<p>"When team discussion happens, we talk about composition over a period of days. We trained here for three-four days before the game, and seeing the wicket, conversations happen with players. The players also understand that (the importance of team combination)," he added.</p>

<p>Addressing the situation in which India find themselves, with Australia being 327 for three as things stand, Paras feels the new ball will do something for India come day two as they have a chance to make a comeback in the Test.</p>

<p>"The second new ball did a bit. The morning session will be important. The wicket played better than our expectations in the last two sessions today,” Paras added.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

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The only thing that made headlines on day one of the World Test Championship Final was the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin for India against Aussies. The ranked number one Test bowler in the world failed to find a place in the final XI as captain Rohit Sharma picked seam-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur ahead of him.

The only thing that made headlines on day one of the World Test Championship Final was the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin for India against Aussies. The ranked number one Test bowler in the world failed to find a place in the final XI as captain Rohit Sharma picked seam-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur ahead of him. After winning the toss, India elected to bowl first, and following the first session, where the Indian bowlers made the ball do all the talking, Australian batters dominated the remaining two sessions, piling up runs at will. While veteran Steve Smith remained unbeaten on 95 after the days' play, Travis Head found form and slammed his first hundred on the English soil, scoring 146*. It's fair to say India missed Ashwin in the middle overs, as Jadeja alone failed to create any pressure on day one surface. Paras Mhambrey - India's bowling coach, addressed the issue during the presser and explained why India decided against playing Ashwin for this one-off WTC Final 2023. ALSO READ: WTC Final, Day 2 - Preview: Following troubled start, clueless Indian team to aim for comeback Paras revealed India clearly went for horses for courses strategy, as looking at the overhead conditions and the green, bouncy track on offer, bowling first and picking an extra seamer than playing two spinners looked like the right decision. "It is always a very difficult decision to drop a champion bowler like him. Looking at the conditions in the morning, we thought an additional seamer would be beneficial," Paras said after stumps on day one. "It has also worked in the past for us. Seamers have done well out here for us. You can always look back and say that additional spinner would have been beneficial, but we took the call looking at the conditions," he added. Communicating with them ain't easy, but they understand overall picture When asked about how the coaches or the captain explain their call to bench a particular player, Paras detailed, saying, "When team discussion happens, we talk about composition over a period of days. We trained here for three-four days before the game, and seeing the wicket, conversations happen with players. The players also understand that (the importance of team combination)," he added. Addressing the situation in which India find themselves, with Australia being 327 for three as things stand, Paras feels the new ball will do something for India come day two as they have a chance to make a comeback in the Test. "The second new ball did a bit. The morning session will be important. The wicket played better than our expectations in the last two sessions today,” Paras added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WTC Final: India's bowling coach explains WHY Ravi Ashwin was dropped for the Aussie tie

<p>India batter Shubman Gill has taken the world cricket by storm in last year or so and his latest exploits in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) where he won the Orange Cap for most runs got him many accolades from all quarters.</p>

<p>The fans went one up on all the appreciation Shubman got from the cricket world as they tagged him the successor of India's one of the modern great - Virat Kohli.</p>

<p>Kohli, who is in England for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia, spoke about how he'd been guiding Gill and how the young batsman in keen to learn and grow.</p>

<p>"He (Gill) speaks to me a lot about the game, is very keen to learn and has an amazing skill set at his age," Kohli said. "He has got an amazing ability and a temperament to perform at the highest level and is confident and we do have that relationship and we do have that understanding based upon respect."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-ashwin-is-not-going-to-play-skipper-rohit-sharma-opens-up-on-indias-playing-xi-vs-australia-601541">WTC Final: 'Ashwin is not going to play...:' Skipper Rohit Sharma opens up on India's Playing XI vs Australia</a></p>

<p>"I am keen to help him grow and really understand his potential and come into his own so that he can play for a long time and perform consistently and India cricket gets benefited," Kohli told ICC in a video.</p>

<p>"These tags of king and prince and all of that kind of thing are great for the public and spectators to see, but I think the job of any senior player is to help improve the youngsters and give them the insight you have had throughout your career.</p>

<p>"As long as a guy is keen to learn like him he is going to be fine as he wants to learn how to do this for a long time at the highest level and perform consistently," he added.</p>

<p>Kohli also wished Gill success in the WTC Final as well where he's expected to open the batting alongside skipper Rohit Sharma. "He is a lovely kid and he is playing amazingly well and I wish he continues the same in this Test match," said Kohli.</p>

<p>India skipper Rohit Sharma also praised the young batsman for the form he is in currently and said that he doesn't need any advice as of now.</p>

<p>"The way he is batting at the moment, I don't think he needs any advice. He is a batter who likes to bat and likes to spend a lot of time in the middle,” said Rohit.</p>

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India batter Shubman Gill has taken the world cricket by storm in last year or so and his latest exploits in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) where he won the Orange Cap for most runs got him many accolades from all quarters.

India batter Shubman Gill has taken the world cricket by storm in last year or so and his latest exploits in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) where he won the Orange Cap for most runs got him many accolades from all quarters. The fans went one up on all the appreciation Shubman got from the cricket world as they tagged him the successor of India's one of the modern great - Virat Kohli. Kohli, who is in England for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia, spoke about how he'd been guiding Gill and how the young batsman in keen to learn and grow. "He (Gill) speaks to me a lot about the game, is very keen to learn and has an amazing skill set at his age," Kohli said. "He has got an amazing ability and a temperament to perform at the highest level and is confident and we do have that relationship and we do have that understanding based upon respect." Also Read: WTC Final: 'Ashwin is not going to play...:' Skipper Rohit Sharma opens up on India's Playing XI vs Australia "I am keen to help him grow and really understand his potential and come into his own so that he can play for a long time and perform consistently and India cricket gets benefited," Kohli told ICC in a video. "These tags of king and prince and all of that kind of thing are great for the public and spectators to see, but I think the job of any senior player is to help improve the youngsters and give them the insight you have had throughout your career. "As long as a guy is keen to learn like him he is going to be fine as he wants to learn how to do this for a long time at the highest level and perform consistently," he added. Kohli also wished Gill success in the WTC Final as well where he's expected to open the batting alongside skipper Rohit Sharma. "He is a lovely kid and he is playing amazingly well and I wish he continues the same in this Test match," said Kohli. India skipper Rohit Sharma also praised the young batsman for the form he is in currently and said that he doesn't need any advice as of now. "The way he is batting at the moment, I don't think he needs any advice. He is a batter who likes to bat and likes to spend a lot of time in the middle,” said Rohit. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'I am keen to help him grow...:' Virat Kohli opens up on Shubman Gill's rise

<p>India are set to take on Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 final, which kicks off on Wednesday (June 07) at The Oval, London. While Virat Kohli-led India dominated the inaugural WTC cycle and entered the final, they lost to New Zealand by eight wickets in the summit clash. Thus, Rohit Sharma's India will be eager to get past the finish line in the second cycle.</p>

<p>Ahead of facing Pat Cummins-led Australia, who are one spot below No. 1 ranked India,&nbsp;veteran off-spinner R Ashwin revealed that head coach Rahul Dravid's speech after India's three-wicket win over Bangladesh in the Dhaka Test, in late 2022, will be the highlight for him in this current WTC cycle. Unlike the first cycle, India did not dominate to reach the final but was made to work hard. They had to whitewash hosts Bangladesh in a two-match series, held last December but were staring at defeat in the final Test.</p>

<p>Dismissing Bangladesh for 227 in the first essay, KL Rahul &amp; Co. made 314 and then bundled out the Bangla Tigers for 231. In pursuit of 145, India was 74 for 7 before Shreyas Iyer (29 not out) and R Ashwin's (42*) unbeaten 71-run eighth-wicket stand took India to a 2-0 victory. Ashwin recalled Dravid's speech after the win and told the ICC, "We’ve had our moments in this last cycle, especially where we could have been knocked out quite a few times and have just held tight. I think the moment of the WTC, I don’t know irrespective of what happens in this game, would be Rahul (Dravid) bhai’s speech after the Bangladesh Test that we had at Mirpur."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-former-england-spinner-names-india-and-australias-x-factor-for-mega-clash-600873">WTC Final: Former England spinner names India and Australia's X-factor for mega clash</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>'I think WTC final&nbsp;could be lucky number two for us'</strong></h2>

<p>He opined, "I think we were just going to be knocked out of the WTC race in that particular Test, so we finished the game and I came out and was really pumped up, I don’t think we expected... nobody expected us to win, even inside the dressing room. Rahul just said, ‘It was a great game of cricket and Ash, we were never in doubt’. That is probably the moment of the WTC cycle as far as I’m concerned.</p>

<p>“Like he (Dravid) said, we were never in doubt, even though we went through the ride. I think in the last cycle we really quite dominated and got into the Final. This time we’ve had our ups and downs, and that’s probably why I think this particular game could be lucky number two for us," Ashwin concluded.</p>


India are set to take on Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 final, which kicks off on Wednesday (June 07) at The Oval, London. While Virat Kohli-led India dominated the inaugural WTC cycle and entered the final, they lost to New Zealand by eight wickets in the summit clash.

India are set to take on Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 final, which kicks off on Wednesday (June 07) at The Oval, London. While Virat Kohli-led India dominated the inaugural WTC cycle and entered the final, they lost to New Zealand by eight wickets in the summit clash. Thus, Rohit Sharma's India will be eager to get past the finish line in the second cycle. Ahead of facing Pat Cummins-led Australia, who are one spot below No. 1 ranked India, veteran off-spinner R Ashwin revealed that head coach Rahul Dravid's speech after India's three-wicket win over Bangladesh in the Dhaka Test, in late 2022, will be the highlight for him in this current WTC cycle. Unlike the first cycle, India did not dominate to reach the final but was made to work hard. They had to whitewash hosts Bangladesh in a two-match series, held last December but were staring at defeat in the final Test. Dismissing Bangladesh for 227 in the first essay, KL Rahul & Co. made 314 and then bundled out the Bangla Tigers for 231. In pursuit of 145, India was 74 for 7 before Shreyas Iyer (29 not out) and R Ashwin's (42*) unbeaten 71-run eighth-wicket stand took India to a 2-0 victory. Ashwin recalled Dravid's speech after the win and told the ICC, "We’ve had our moments in this last cycle, especially where we could have been knocked out quite a few times and have just held tight. I think the moment of the WTC, I don’t know irrespective of what happens in this game, would be Rahul (Dravid) bhai’s speech after the Bangladesh Test that we had at Mirpur." Also Read: WTC Final: Former England spinner names India and Australia's X-factor for mega clash 'I think WTC final could be lucky number two for us' He opined, "I think we were just going to be knocked out of the WTC race in that particular Test, so we finished the game and I came out and was really pumped up, I don’t think we expected... nobody expected us to win, even inside the dressing room. Rahul just said, ‘It was a great game of cricket and Ash, we were never in doubt’. That is probably the moment of the WTC cycle as far as I’m concerned. “Like he (Dravid) said, we were never in doubt, even though we went through the ride. I think in the last cycle we really quite dominated and got into the Final. This time we’ve had our ups and downs, and that’s probably why I think this particular game could be lucky number two for us," Ashwin concluded.

Rahul Dravid's speech will be this WTC cycle's moment, says R Ashwin ahead of Australia finale

<p>Ahead of No. 1 ranked India's upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final versus Australia, former Indian batter-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar lavished praise on Rohit Sharma's batting in Tests. The veteran opined that the Indian captain's batting in the purest format of the game has become almost faultless in recent times.</p>

<p>Ever since Rohit was promoted as a Test opener&nbsp;in late 2019, he has cemented his spot in the red-ball format with five hundreds and a double ton. Even in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, the Hitman ended as his side's third-highest run-getter with a best of 120 in the series opener. He has scored 650 runs at 34.21 in 11 Tests versus the Aussies and, hence, will be eager to get going this time around as well.</p>

<h2><strong>'Test cricket seems to be the most exciting format for Rohit Sharma'</strong></h2>

<p>Ahead of India's marquee finale, Manjrekar told on the Star Sports show&nbsp;<em>Game Plan</em>, "Keep his IPL form (in the 2023 edition, he ended with 332 runs in 16 matches) aside because he looked out of form in the last IPL as well but we saw the amazing batting he did in the first Test match against Australia. I believe the stage of his career Rohit Sharma is in, Test cricket seems to be the most exciting format for him just like it has always been for Virat Kohli."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-ricky-ponting-names-two-indian-batters-who-would-be-major-threat-to-australia-599127"><strong>WTC Final | Ricky Ponting names two Indian batters who would be major threat to Australia</strong></a></p>

<p>Manjrekar claimed that&nbsp;Rohit's batting is almost faultless right now but spoke about his knack for getting out on the pull shot; one of his favourite strokes. "His batting has become almost faultless in Test cricket at the moment. There is just one problem we have seen in Test matches - he gets out while playing the pull shot at times. They have bowled him a short ball and kept a fielder there. That is an instinctive shot," he asserted.</p>

<p>Manjrekar further added, "If you see in ODI cricket, his pull shot is extremely interesting. His backlift doesn't come from the top, so he can play the ball down. He has a very low back lift, he just picks up the ball and the bat then goes behind his back in the follow-through to give the power."</p>

<p>In the inaugural WTC final, the Virat Kohli-led Indian team lost to New Zealand by eight wickets and, hence, Rohit &amp; Co. will be desperate to get their hands on the coveted Test mace.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The match will kick off on June 07 at The Oval, London. The last time Rohit played in England, during the 2021 summer, he ended up scoring an impressive&nbsp;127 at the same venue,&nbsp;his first overseas ton in whites.</p>

<p><strong>India's final squad for WTC final</strong></p>

<p>Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk)</p>

<p><strong>Standby players:&nbsp;</strong>Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav</p>

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Ahead of No. 1 ranked India's upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final versus Australia, former Indian batter-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar lavished praise on Rohit Sharma's batting in Tests.

Ahead of No. 1 ranked India's upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final versus Australia, former Indian batter-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar lavished praise on Rohit Sharma's batting in Tests. The veteran opined that the Indian captain's batting in the purest format of the game has become almost faultless in recent times. Ever since Rohit was promoted as a Test opener in late 2019, he has cemented his spot in the red-ball format with five hundreds and a double ton. Even in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, the Hitman ended as his side's third-highest run-getter with a best of 120 in the series opener. He has scored 650 runs at 34.21 in 11 Tests versus the Aussies and, hence, will be eager to get going this time around as well. 'Test cricket seems to be the most exciting format for Rohit Sharma' Ahead of India's marquee finale, Manjrekar told on the Star Sports show Game Plan, "Keep his IPL form (in the 2023 edition, he ended with 332 runs in 16 matches) aside because he looked out of form in the last IPL as well but we saw the amazing batting he did in the first Test match against Australia. I believe the stage of his career Rohit Sharma is in, Test cricket seems to be the most exciting format for him just like it has always been for Virat Kohli." Also read: WTC Final | Ricky Ponting names two Indian batters who would be major threat to Australia Manjrekar claimed that Rohit's batting is almost faultless right now but spoke about his knack for getting out on the pull shot; one of his favourite strokes. "His batting has become almost faultless in Test cricket at the moment. There is just one problem we have seen in Test matches - he gets out while playing the pull shot at times. They have bowled him a short ball and kept a fielder there. That is an instinctive shot," he asserted. Manjrekar further added, "If you see in ODI cricket, his pull shot is extremely interesting. His backlift doesn't come from the top, so he can play the ball down. He has a very low back lift, he just picks up the ball and the bat then goes behind his back in the follow-through to give the power." In the inaugural WTC final, the Virat Kohli-led Indian team lost to New Zealand by eight wickets and, hence, Rohit & Co. will be desperate to get their hands on the coveted Test mace. The match will kick off on June 07 at The Oval, London. The last time Rohit played in England, during the 2021 summer, he ended up scoring an impressive 127 at the same venue, his first overseas ton in whites. India's final squad for WTC final Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk) Standby players: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

WTC Final: Rohit's Test batting has become almost faultless, opines Manjrekar ahead of mega clash

<p>No. 1 ranked Rohit Sharma-led Team India will face Australia in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London on June 07. The match will present India with another opportunity to end their ten-year-long ICC title drought. Since their 2013 Champions Trophy triumph, under MS Dhoni's leadership, India have not won an ICC title. Since then, they have ended as runners-up thrice (in the 2014 T20 World Cup, 2017 Champions Trophy and 2021 WTC final) and ended as semi-finalists on four occasions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thus, India will be eager to lay their&nbsp;hands on their first ICC trophy since 2013 when they face second-ranked Australia in the second WTC final. Ahead of the match, the former Aussie opener decoded the reason behind India's struggles in winning an ICC event since 2013.&nbsp;Speaking to PTI, Hayden said that India's title drought is down to a mindset issue.</p>

<h2><strong>'It has to be a question of....'</strong></h2>

<p>"It's certainly not a question of skill. So, it has to be a question of just the opportunity and the mindset going in. I mean, cricket is life here, it is the DNA of sport and has no other competitors," Hayden said.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-ricky-ponting-names-two-indian-batters-who-would-be-major-threat-to-australia-599127">WTC Final | Ricky Ponting names two Indian batters who would be major threat to Australia</a></strong></p>

<p>Further, Hayden also spoke about the pressure Indian players deal with and said, "In Australia, I could walk down the street and largely be unrecognised, especially with this terrible beard and hat on (laughs). But it's also got great competitive sports besides cricket. Rugby, football, our water sports, surfing, and outdoor sports. Here in India, it's very insular and there's a lot of pressure." He added, "It's the same with Pakistan cricket as well. There is one sport and it is cricket, so it's a mindset thing."</p>

<p>Hayden advised the Indian team to focus on the process and not think&nbsp;about the outcomes. "Being cautious about looking for the scoreboard and looking for the titles and just playing and being a part of the process, something when you look at franchise setups, Gujarat Titans have done really well this year and CSK have done very well. Mumbai Indians as well believe in a certain process. So, that would be my advice to Indian cricket to forget the outcomes, but buy into the process,"&nbsp;Hayden added.</p>

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No. 1 ranked Rohit Sharma-led Team India will face Australia in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London on June 07. The match will present India with another opportunity to end their ten-year-long ICC title drought.

No. 1 ranked Rohit Sharma-led Team India will face Australia in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London on June 07. The match will present India with another opportunity to end their ten-year-long ICC title drought. Since their 2013 Champions Trophy triumph, under MS Dhoni's leadership, India have not won an ICC title. Since then, they have ended as runners-up thrice (in the 2014 T20 World Cup, 2017 Champions Trophy and 2021 WTC final) and ended as semi-finalists on four occasions. Thus, India will be eager to lay their hands on their first ICC trophy since 2013 when they face second-ranked Australia in the second WTC final. Ahead of the match, the former Aussie opener decoded the reason behind India's struggles in winning an ICC event since 2013. Speaking to PTI, Hayden said that India's title drought is down to a mindset issue. 'It has to be a question of....' "It's certainly not a question of skill. So, it has to be a question of just the opportunity and the mindset going in. I mean, cricket is life here, it is the DNA of sport and has no other competitors," Hayden said. Also Read: WTC Final | Ricky Ponting names two Indian batters who would be major threat to Australia Further, Hayden also spoke about the pressure Indian players deal with and said, "In Australia, I could walk down the street and largely be unrecognised, especially with this terrible beard and hat on (laughs). But it's also got great competitive sports besides cricket. Rugby, football, our water sports, surfing, and outdoor sports. Here in India, it's very insular and there's a lot of pressure." He added, "It's the same with Pakistan cricket as well. There is one sport and it is cricket, so it's a mindset thing." Hayden advised the Indian team to focus on the process and not think about the outcomes. "Being cautious about looking for the scoreboard and looking for the titles and just playing and being a part of the process, something when you look at franchise setups, Gujarat Titans have done really well this year and CSK have done very well. Mumbai Indians as well believe in a certain process. So, that would be my advice to Indian cricket to forget the outcomes, but buy into the process," Hayden added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

WTC Final: Former Aussie opener Matthew Hayden decodes reason for India's ICC title drought since 2013