<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>India lost the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final to Australia by a whopping 209-run margin at The Oval, London, earlier&nbsp;this month. Having reached the WTC final for the second time in a row, India once again finished second&nbsp;(they lost&nbsp;to New Zealand in the summit clash of the inaugural cycle in 2021). India will now commence their campaign in the third cycle of the WTC with a two-match Test series versus West Indies in the Caribbean island, starting on July 12.</p>

<p>Prior to the Indian Test squad announcement by the BCCI selectors, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar shared his take on the team composition going forward. Manjrekar feels Indian selectors need to make some big decisions and should include at least three new batters and pacers in the mix, with many senior players looking out of touch, while the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, etc. remain injured.</p>

<h2><strong>'About time we start rewarding the guys who are doing well in first-class cricket'</strong></h2>

<p>"The game changers for Australia in the WTC final - Steve Smith and Travis Head - don't play a lot of T20 cricket. So we have to find guys who are not going to be fatigued or don't have to make the adjustments from IPL to Test cricket. About time we start rewarding the guys who are doing well in first-class cricket. And not just runs. The selectors could look at players who have it in them to be future Test players and succeed in foreign conditions. I would like to see at least three new batters come into play in the picture and new fast bowlers," Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/is-it-going-to-hold-up-ricky-ponting-questions-englands-style-of-play-after-edgbaston-thriller-606880">'Is it going to hold up': Ricky Ponting questions England's 'style of play' after Edgbaston thriller</a></strong></p>

<p>The cricketer-turned-commentator further opined, "When it comes to batting, they just have to look at first-class performers and not just the amount of runs the player has scored. if you closely observe our domestic cricket then you will find players for No. 3, 4, 5 who has a decent defensive technique, has an appetite for runs and that's your guy, that's the guy to back."</p>

<p>On the pace department, Manjrekar added, "Just a few months back I was taking pride in the depth that we have in our seam-bowling department and suddenly Bumrah is not fit. There are quite fit others like Prasidh Krishna so maybe for Test cricket, India need to create a new line of fast bowlers. Now you should look for specific test players. If somebody gets injured, we should have backups ready. Like Scott Boland. Came in straightaway and made an impact. We had to go back to Umesh Yadav which is not a good sign."</p>

<p>India's tour of West Indies will comprise two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is. It will be interesting to see if the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Umesh Yadav, etc. retain&nbsp;their spots or are replaced by the young guns. Meanwhile, even Virat Kohli's Test numbers have been below par in recent years whereas Rohit and R Ashwin do not have age and fitness on their side.</p>

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India lost the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final to Australia by a whopping 209-run margin at The Oval, London, earlier this month. Having reached the WTC final for the second time in a row, India once again finished second (they lost to New Zealand in the summit clash of the inaugural cycle in 2021).

India lost the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final to Australia by a whopping 209-run margin at The Oval, London, earlier this month. Having reached the WTC final for the second time in a row, India once again finished second (they lost to New Zealand in the summit clash of the inaugural cycle in 2021). India will now commence their campaign in the third cycle of the WTC with a two-match Test series versus West Indies in the Caribbean island, starting on July 12. Prior to the Indian Test squad announcement by the BCCI selectors, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar shared his take on the team composition going forward. Manjrekar feels Indian selectors need to make some big decisions and should include at least three new batters and pacers in the mix, with many senior players looking out of touch, while the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, etc. remain injured. 'About time we start rewarding the guys who are doing well in first-class cricket' "The game changers for Australia in the WTC final - Steve Smith and Travis Head - don't play a lot of T20 cricket. So we have to find guys who are not going to be fatigued or don't have to make the adjustments from IPL to Test cricket. About time we start rewarding the guys who are doing well in first-class cricket. And not just runs. The selectors could look at players who have it in them to be future Test players and succeed in foreign conditions. I would like to see at least three new batters come into play in the picture and new fast bowlers," Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo. Also Read: 'Is it going to hold up': Ricky Ponting questions England's 'style of play' after Edgbaston thriller The cricketer-turned-commentator further opined, "When it comes to batting, they just have to look at first-class performers and not just the amount of runs the player has scored. if you closely observe our domestic cricket then you will find players for No. 3, 4, 5 who has a decent defensive technique, has an appetite for runs and that's your guy, that's the guy to back." On the pace department, Manjrekar added, "Just a few months back I was taking pride in the depth that we have in our seam-bowling department and suddenly Bumrah is not fit. There are quite fit others like Prasidh Krishna so maybe for Test cricket, India need to create a new line of fast bowlers. Now you should look for specific test players. If somebody gets injured, we should have backups ready. Like Scott Boland. Came in straightaway and made an impact. We had to go back to Umesh Yadav which is not a good sign." India's tour of West Indies will comprise two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is. It will be interesting to see if the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Umesh Yadav, etc. retain their spots or are replaced by the young guns. Meanwhile, even Virat Kohli's Test numbers have been below par in recent years whereas Rohit and R Ashwin do not have age and fitness on their side. 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. ×

West Indies tour: Sanjay Manjrekar calls for inclusion of '3 new batters and pacers' in India's Test line-up

<p>Virat Kohli’s presence on Instagram is no less massive. With more than 253 million followers, Kohli is the most popular cricketer on the platform. The former India skipper has been quite active on social media, following the completion of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia. He has often been sharing multiple philosophical quotes on the social media platform in recent times. The star India batter has now decided to come up with a glimpse of his rigorous training session on social media. “Look for excuses or look to get better,” read the caption of the post.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Look for excuses or look to get better. <a href="https://t.co/qbTmcNlGfR">pic.twitter.com/qbTmcNlGfR</a></p>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1670780626969182209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The post soon went viral garnering more than four million likes on Instagram.</p>

<p>Former South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers reacted to the video by commenting, “Machine.”</p>

<p>Previously, Virat Kohli had shared one of Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu’s quotes on Instagram Stories. “Silence is a source of great strength," read the post. In his last international outing, Kohli could not play a memorable knock. In the first innings of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, Kohli managed to score 14 runs. In the second innings, Kohli looked in fine form but he fell short of a half-century by one run. Kohli’s questionable shot selection in the second innings also triggered a huge debate. Playing a delivery wide outside the off-stump, Kohli pulled off a drive but he ended up producing a thick edge which carried to Steve Smith standing at slip.</p>

<h2><strong>Sunil Gavaskar on Virat Kohli&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar seemed quite disappointed with Virat Kohli’s choice of shot. “It was a bad shot. It was an ordinary shot. You're asking me about it, I think you should ask Kohli. What was that shot? That was a shot outside the off-stump. We talked so much about the fact that to win a match, you need long innings. You need century-plus innings. How are you going to play a century-plus inning if you're going to play a shot so far outside the off-stump,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.</p>

<p>In his next assignment, Virat Kohli will take the field against West Indies in the Test series, scheduled to start on July 17. Team India will take part in a two-match Test series against the Caribbean opponents.</p>


In his next assignment, Virat Kohli will take the field against West Indies in the Test series, scheduled to start from July 17. Team India will take part in a two-match Test series against the Caribbean opponents.

Virat Kohli’s presence on Instagram is no less massive. With more than 253 million followers, Kohli is the most popular cricketer on the platform. The former India skipper has been quite active on social media, following the completion of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia. He has often been sharing multiple philosophical quotes on the social media platform in recent times. The star India batter has now decided to come up with a glimpse of his rigorous training session on social media. “Look for excuses or look to get better,” read the caption of the post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli) × Look for excuses or look to get better. pic.twitter.com/qbTmcNlGfR — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 19, 2023 × The post soon went viral garnering more than four million likes on Instagram. Former South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers reacted to the video by commenting, “Machine.” Previously, Virat Kohli had shared one of Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu’s quotes on Instagram Stories. “Silence is a source of great strength," read the post. In his last international outing, Kohli could not play a memorable knock. In the first innings of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, Kohli managed to score 14 runs. In the second innings, Kohli looked in fine form but he fell short of a half-century by one run. Kohli’s questionable shot selection in the second innings also triggered a huge debate. Playing a delivery wide outside the off-stump, Kohli pulled off a drive but he ended up producing a thick edge which carried to Steve Smith standing at slip. Sunil Gavaskar on Virat Kohli Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar seemed quite disappointed with Virat Kohli’s choice of shot. “It was a bad shot. It was an ordinary shot. You're asking me about it, I think you should ask Kohli. What was that shot? That was a shot outside the off-stump. We talked so much about the fact that to win a match, you need long innings. You need century-plus innings. How are you going to play a century-plus inning if you're going to play a shot so far outside the off-stump,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports. In his next assignment, Virat Kohli will take the field against West Indies in the Test series, scheduled to start on July 17. Team India will take part in a two-match Test series against the Caribbean opponents.

Watch: Virat Kohli’s intense workout video has AB de Villiers’ attention

<p>Alex Carey has been one of Australia's key performers across formats. Despite a dismal run with the bat in Australia's four-match Test series versus India, early this year in the subcontinent, Carey has come up with vital knocks in the WTC final, versus India, and even during the ongoing opening Test of Ashes 2023 versus arch-rivals England. In the WTC summit clash, he returned with scores of 48 and 66 not out, whereas he also scored a 99-ball 66 in Australia's first innings of the Edgbaston Test versus Ben Stokes' England.</p>

<p>During the India tour, Carey failed to get going due to his shot selections. Even in the first innings of the WTC final, he fell for 48 playing a reverse sweep.&nbsp;Speaking to&nbsp;<i>Cricket.com.au</i>,&nbsp;Carey commented on his dismissal, saying, "There was no need to play that at The Oval in the first innings."&nbsp;Further, he revealed the response he got from two of the finest modern-day batters Virat Kohli and Steve Smith for playing the reverse sweep, forcing him to keep away from the stroke.</p>

<p>“When you have Virat Kohli and Steve Smith saying, 'What are you doing that for?', you probably listen to them,” Carey revealed.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-english-fans-mock-steve-smith-with-saw-you-crying-on-telly-on-day-4-of-edgbaston-test-watch-606434">Ashes 2023: English fans mock Steve Smith with 'saw you cry on telly' chants in Edgbaston Test - Watch</a></strong></p>

<p>At present, Carey-starrer Australia are involved in an exciting first Test of Ashes 2023 in Edgbaston, Birmingham. Opting to bat first, Stokes-led England posted 393 for 8 declare, riding on Joe Root's 118 not out before Australia made 386 all-out in reply. With a slender lead of seven runs, England gave a 282-run target to the visitors as Pat Cummins &amp; Co. were 107 for 3 at stumps on the penultimate day on Monday (June 19). The fifth and final day's start has been delayed due to rain as Australia need another 174 runs whereas England are seven wickets away from a memorable win.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Usman Khawaja, unbeaten on 34, Carey, Travis Head, etc. will hold the key for Australia on the final day.</p>

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Alex Carey has been one of Australia's key performers across formats. Despite a dismal run with the bat in Australia's four-match Test series versus India, early this year in the subcontinent, Carey has come up with vital knocks in the WTC final, versus India, and even during the ongoing opening Test of Ashes 2023 versus arch-rivals England.

Alex Carey has been one of Australia's key performers across formats. Despite a dismal run with the bat in Australia's four-match Test series versus India, early this year in the subcontinent, Carey has come up with vital knocks in the WTC final, versus India, and even during the ongoing opening Test of Ashes 2023 versus arch-rivals England. In the WTC summit clash, he returned with scores of 48 and 66 not out, whereas he also scored a 99-ball 66 in Australia's first innings of the Edgbaston Test versus Ben Stokes' England. During the India tour, Carey failed to get going due to his shot selections. Even in the first innings of the WTC final, he fell for 48 playing a reverse sweep. Speaking to Cricket.com.au, Carey commented on his dismissal, saying, "There was no need to play that at The Oval in the first innings." Further, he revealed the response he got from two of the finest modern-day batters Virat Kohli and Steve Smith for playing the reverse sweep, forcing him to keep away from the stroke. “When you have Virat Kohli and Steve Smith saying, 'What are you doing that for?', you probably listen to them,” Carey revealed. Also Read: Ashes 2023: English fans mock Steve Smith with 'saw you cry on telly' chants in Edgbaston Test - Watch At present, Carey-starrer Australia are involved in an exciting first Test of Ashes 2023 in Edgbaston, Birmingham. Opting to bat first, Stokes-led England posted 393 for 8 declare, riding on Joe Root's 118 not out before Australia made 386 all-out in reply. With a slender lead of seven runs, England gave a 282-run target to the visitors as Pat Cummins & Co. were 107 for 3 at stumps on the penultimate day on Monday (June 19). The fifth and final day's start has been delayed due to rain as Australia need another 174 runs whereas England are seven wickets away from a memorable win. Usman Khawaja, unbeaten on 34, Carey, Travis Head, etc. will hold the key for Australia on the final day. 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. ×

'What are you doing that for?': Alex Carey shares Virat Kohli's reaction on his WTC final dismissal

<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>Former India skipper Virat Kohli is one of the most followed cricketers on social media with 253 million followers on Instagram and another 56.4 million on Twitter. Kohli's ascent has been credited to his rise in world cricket where the batsman is considered one of the modern greats.</p>

<p>With such vast popularity, Virat Kohli's net worth has also risen sharply and the cricketer is one of the wealthiest athletes across the globe. According to data shared by StockGro, a Bengaluru-based company, Kohli has a net worth of INR 1,050 crores or $126 million. The company cited multiple sources for the information including Forbes, MPL, DNA, and Startuptalky.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-englands-ollie-robinson-defends-sledging-usman-khawaja-on-day-3-605886">Ashes 2023: England's Ollie Robinson defends sledging Usman Khawaja on day 3</a></p>

<p>As for the sources of income, Kohli is in A+ contract list with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which fetches him INR 7 crore or around $1 million per year. Apart from that, Kohli earns a match fees of INR 15 lakh or around $20,000 per Test match, INR 6 lakh or around $10,000 per ODI, and INR 3 lakh or $4,000 per T20I. The right-hand batsman also earns INR 15 crores or around $2 million per year from his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore.</p>

<p>Kohli also gets a staggering amount of money from brand endorsements. As per the report shared by the Bengaluru-based company, Kohli charges between INR 7.5-10 crores or $1-1.25 million per advertisement for the 18 brands he endorses. He earns a whopping INR 175 crore or about $23 million per year from these deals. The major brands Kohli promotes are MRF, Audi, and Puma.</p>

<p>Apart from that, Kohli also charges a hefty price of around $1 million for a single post on Instagram and about $250,000 for a Twitter post. The batsman also has invested in various business&nbsp;including apparel, food, sports franchise, fitness and others.</p>

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Former India skipper Virat Kohli is one of the most followed cricketers on social media with 253 million followers on Instagram and another 56.4 million on Twitter.

Former India skipper Virat Kohli is one of the most followed cricketers on social media with 253 million followers on Instagram and another 56.4 million on Twitter. Kohli's ascent has been credited to his rise in world cricket where the batsman is considered one of the modern greats. With such vast popularity, Virat Kohli's net worth has also risen sharply and the cricketer is one of the wealthiest athletes across the globe. According to data shared by StockGro, a Bengaluru-based company, Kohli has a net worth of INR 1,050 crores or $126 million. The company cited multiple sources for the information including Forbes, MPL, DNA, and Startuptalky. Also Read: Ashes 2023: England's Ollie Robinson defends sledging Usman Khawaja on day 3 As for the sources of income, Kohli is in A+ contract list with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which fetches him INR 7 crore or around $1 million per year. Apart from that, Kohli earns a match fees of INR 15 lakh or around $20,000 per Test match, INR 6 lakh or around $10,000 per ODI, and INR 3 lakh or $4,000 per T20I. The right-hand batsman also earns INR 15 crores or around $2 million per year from his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore. Kohli also gets a staggering amount of money from brand endorsements. As per the report shared by the Bengaluru-based company, Kohli charges between INR 7.5-10 crores or $1-1.25 million per advertisement for the 18 brands he endorses. He earns a whopping INR 175 crore or about $23 million per year from these deals. The major brands Kohli promotes are MRF, Audi, and Puma. Apart from that, Kohli also charges a hefty price of around $1 million for a single post on Instagram and about $250,000 for a Twitter post. The batsman also has invested in various business including apparel, food, sports franchise, fitness and others. 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.

Virat Kohli charges around $1 million per Instagram post, net worth approximately $126mn: Report

<p>The heated altercation between Lucknow Super Giants pacer Naveen-ul-Haq and Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Virat Kohli in the latest edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) had taken the internet by storm. Following the conclusion of the match, Kohli once again got involved in a heated exchange of words with Lucknow mentor Gautam Gambhir. Naveen recently opened up on the incident with Kohli.</p>

<p dir="ltr">“Players who were there, they know how I dealt with the situation. I never lost my temper, when I was batting or after the match. What I did after the match can be seen by everyone. I was just shaking hands and then he (Kohli) grabbed my hand forcefully and I am also a human being and I reacted,” Naveen-ul-Haq was quoted as telling BBC Pashto.</p>

<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">Gautam Gambhir also shared his opinion on this matter recently. Talking to News18 India, the World Cup-winning cricketer said that he did nothing wrong by defending Naveen-ul-Haq after the game. Gambhir stated that it is his “duty to stand with” the Lucknow fast bowler.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Later, Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir and Naveen-ul-Haq were penalised for their unruly behaviour. The three cricketers were handed heavy fines. Kohli and Gambhir were fined 100 per cent of their match fees. Naveen, on the other hand, had 50 per cent of his match fees being fined. The IPL also released a statement conveying that Kohli and Gambhir confessed to have committed a Level 2 offence.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Coming back to on-field events, the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants ended in the Faf du Plessis-led side’s favour. Chasing a target of 127, Lucknow were bowled out for 108.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Royal Challenger Bangalore’s journey in IPL 2023 came to an end at the league stage. Lucknow Super Giants, on the other hand, managed to reach the playoffs. But their chances of winning the maiden IPL title were over after facing an exit in the Eliminator.</p>


The heated altercation between Lucknow Super Giants pacer Naveen-ul-Haq and Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Virat Kohli in the latest edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) had taken the internet by storm.

The heated altercation between Lucknow Super Giants pacer Naveen-ul-Haq and Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Virat Kohli in the latest edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) had taken the internet by storm. Following the conclusion of the match, Kohli once again got involved in a heated exchange of words with Lucknow mentor Gautam Gambhir. Naveen recently opened up on the incident with Kohli. “Players who were there, they know how I dealt with the situation. I never lost my temper, when I was batting or after the match. What I did after the match can be seen by everyone. I was just shaking hands and then he (Kohli) grabbed my hand forcefully and I am also a human being and I reacted,” Naveen-ul-Haq was quoted as telling BBC Pashto. × Gautam Gambhir also shared his opinion on this matter recently. Talking to News18 India, the World Cup-winning cricketer said that he did nothing wrong by defending Naveen-ul-Haq after the game. Gambhir stated that it is his “duty to stand with” the Lucknow fast bowler. Later, Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir and Naveen-ul-Haq were penalised for their unruly behaviour. The three cricketers were handed heavy fines. Kohli and Gambhir were fined 100 per cent of their match fees. Naveen, on the other hand, had 50 per cent of his match fees being fined. The IPL also released a statement conveying that Kohli and Gambhir confessed to have committed a Level 2 offence. Coming back to on-field events, the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants ended in the Faf du Plessis-led side’s favour. Chasing a target of 127, Lucknow were bowled out for 108. Royal Challenger Bangalore’s journey in IPL 2023 came to an end at the league stage. Lucknow Super Giants, on the other hand, managed to reach the playoffs. But their chances of winning the maiden IPL title were over after facing an exit in the Eliminator.

Naveen-ul-Haq makes sensational claim against Virat Kohli: ‘It wasn’t me’

<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>The World Test Championship (WTC) final turned out to be quite a dismal affair for Team India. While Rohit Sharma’s men had to concede a 209-run defeat at the hands of Australia, it was Virat Kohli who probably had to face the maximum criticism for playing a poor shot in the second innings. Playing a delivery outside the off stump, the India batter fell just one short of his half-century. Kohli’s questionable shot selection infuriated fans and many former cricketers as well. Following the conclusion of the game, the former India skipper has shared multiple cryptic posts on social media. Talking about some ‘change,’ he has now come up with one of Alan Watts’ quotes on Instagram stories.</p>

<h2><strong>Virat Kohli's Post&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance," Virat Kohli posted today.<img alt="Virat Kohli " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6377c4bb-2a35-4682-ac72-8ec363aab4ea" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-06-15%20180352.png" />Previously, Virat Kohli had shared a quote by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu’s quote just after India’s WTC final defeat. “Silence is a source of great strength," he wrote.</p>

<h2><strong>Kohli faces criticism</strong></h2>

<p>Sunil Gavaskar was one of many who felt that for Virat Kohli it was not wise to play such a shot in the WTC final. “It was a pretty ordinary shot. Outside the off stump. He was leaving till then. Maybe he was conscious that he needed one run to reach his half century. It happens when you are nearing a milestone. It happened to Jadeja. He played a delivery he shouldn't have when he was (on) 48. Happened to Ajinkya Rahane who was on 46. He hadn't played that shot all this while. Suddenly, why do you play that shot? Because you are aware of that landmark,” the legendary India batter was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.</p>

<h2><strong>India's WTC defeat</strong></h2>

<p>In the first innings of the WTC summit clash, Virat Kohli could only manage to score 14 runs. Team India were bundled out for 296. &nbsp;The Pat Cummins-led declared their second innings at 270/8 to set up a mammoth target of 444 for India. Ajinkya Rahane, who made his comeback in the format, produced a gritty knock of 46 in the second innings. His efforts went in vain as India folded for 234.</p>


The World Test Championship (WTC) final turned out to be quite a dismal affair for Team India. While Rohit Sharma’s men had to concede a 209-run defeat at the hands of Australia, it was Virat Kohli who probably had to face the maximum criticism for playing a poor shot in the second innings.

The World Test Championship (WTC) final turned out to be quite a dismal affair for Team India. While Rohit Sharma’s men had to concede a 209-run defeat at the hands of Australia, it was Virat Kohli who probably had to face the maximum criticism for playing a poor shot in the second innings. Playing a delivery outside the off stump, the India batter fell just one short of his half-century. Kohli’s questionable shot selection infuriated fans and many former cricketers as well. Following the conclusion of the game, the former India skipper has shared multiple cryptic posts on social media. Talking about some ‘change,’ he has now come up with one of Alan Watts’ quotes on Instagram stories. Virat Kohli's Post “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance," Virat Kohli posted today.Previously, Virat Kohli had shared a quote by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu’s quote just after India’s WTC final defeat. “Silence is a source of great strength," he wrote. Kohli faces criticism Sunil Gavaskar was one of many who felt that for Virat Kohli it was not wise to play such a shot in the WTC final. “It was a pretty ordinary shot. Outside the off stump. He was leaving till then. Maybe he was conscious that he needed one run to reach his half century. It happens when you are nearing a milestone. It happened to Jadeja. He played a delivery he shouldn't have when he was (on) 48. Happened to Ajinkya Rahane who was on 46. He hadn't played that shot all this while. Suddenly, why do you play that shot? Because you are aware of that landmark,” the legendary India batter was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. India's WTC defeat In the first innings of the WTC summit clash, Virat Kohli could only manage to score 14 runs. Team India were bundled out for 296. The Pat Cummins-led declared their second innings at 270/8 to set up a mammoth target of 444 for India. Ajinkya Rahane, who made his comeback in the format, produced a gritty knock of 46 in the second innings. His efforts went in vain as India folded for 234.

Virat Kohli talks about 'change' in his cryptic Instagram post

<p>Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli share a great bond both on and off the field. The duo were even spotted watching the FA Cup final together ahead of the World Test Championship final. For Gill, Virat Kohli is one person that he looks up to. The India opener has never shied away from expressing his admiration for ‘King Kohli’. Back in 2019, before the Test series against South Africa, Gill had even revealed that he tries to follow the work ethic of Virat Kohli.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I have my role models. I try to follow the work ethics of Virat bhaiya but I know every player is different and you can’t copy anyone,” Gill had told The Times of India.</p>

<h2><strong>Shubman Gill's career</strong></h2>

<p>Shubman Gill, who made his ODI debut against New Zealand in 2019, became the fastest Indian batter to complete 1,000 runs in the 50-over format. Gill breached the 1,000-run mark in ODIs in just 19 games. He surpassed Virat Kohli to achieve the sensational feat. The Punjab-born was five innings quicker than Kohli in setting the incredible record.</p>

<p>In international cricket, Shubman Gill played seven games under the leadership of Virat Kohli. Under Kohli’s captaincy, the opener scored 279 runs at an average of 25.36. He has had one half century during Kohli’s stint as the Indian captain.</p>

<p>In ODIs, Shubman Gill has so far donned the Team India jersey on 24 occasions. With an average of 65.55, the batter has 1,311 runs under his belt in the format. In T20I cricket, Gill has 202 runs to his name after playing six games. In red-ball cricket, Gill has scored 921 runs after featuring in 16 games.</p>

<p>In international cricket, Shubman Gill was last seen in action during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at The Oval. Despite enjoying a stellar season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year, the 23-year-old failed to perform as per expectations against the Pat Cummins-led side in the WTC final. Gill could only score 31 runs across two innings in that game.</p>

<h2><strong>Shubman Gill in IPL 2023</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier this year, Shubman Gill exhibited his superb batting in IPL 2023. Representing Gujarat Titans, Gill notched up 890 runs at an average of 59.33 in the competition. He had scored three centuries and four half centuries in the IPL this year. Gill also won the Orange Cap in the tournament.</p>


Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli share a great bond both on and off the field. The duo were even spotted watching the FA Cup final together ahead of the World Test Championship final.

Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli share a great bond both on and off the field. The duo were even spotted watching the FA Cup final together ahead of the World Test Championship final. For Gill, Virat Kohli is one person that he looks up to. The India opener has never shied away from expressing his admiration for ‘King Kohli’. Back in 2019, before the Test series against South Africa, Gill had even revealed that he tries to follow the work ethic of Virat Kohli. “I have my role models. I try to follow the work ethics of Virat bhaiya but I know every player is different and you can’t copy anyone,” Gill had told The Times of India. Shubman Gill's career Shubman Gill, who made his ODI debut against New Zealand in 2019, became the fastest Indian batter to complete 1,000 runs in the 50-over format. Gill breached the 1,000-run mark in ODIs in just 19 games. He surpassed Virat Kohli to achieve the sensational feat. The Punjab-born was five innings quicker than Kohli in setting the incredible record. In international cricket, Shubman Gill played seven games under the leadership of Virat Kohli. Under Kohli’s captaincy, the opener scored 279 runs at an average of 25.36. He has had one half century during Kohli’s stint as the Indian captain. In ODIs, Shubman Gill has so far donned the Team India jersey on 24 occasions. With an average of 65.55, the batter has 1,311 runs under his belt in the format. In T20I cricket, Gill has 202 runs to his name after playing six games. In red-ball cricket, Gill has scored 921 runs after featuring in 16 games. In international cricket, Shubman Gill was last seen in action during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at The Oval. Despite enjoying a stellar season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year, the 23-year-old failed to perform as per expectations against the Pat Cummins-led side in the WTC final. Gill could only score 31 runs across two innings in that game. Shubman Gill in IPL 2023 Earlier this year, Shubman Gill exhibited his superb batting in IPL 2023. Representing Gujarat Titans, Gill notched up 890 runs at an average of 59.33 in the competition. He had scored three centuries and four half centuries in the IPL this year. Gill also won the Orange Cap in the tournament.

Throwback: When Shubman Gill gave a shout out to Virat Kohli's work ethic

<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>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


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?

<p>Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir has finally spoken about his relationship with Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni. Gambhir clarified that any fights or conflicts he has with fellow players are limited to the field and hold no personal animosity. The highly publicised spat between Gambhir and Kohli during the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season created significant buzz.</p>

<p>During an IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants on May 5, Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli got into a heated exchange. The incident unfolded when Kohli allegedly abused Mayers and gave him a send-off. Gambhir intervened, escorting Mayers away, leading to a confrontation with Kohli. The incident was captured on video and widely shared on social media.</p>

<h2>Gautam Gambhir On Relationship With Kohli</h2>

<p>In an interview with News18, Gambhir addressed the altercation with Kohli and shed light on his relationship with MS Dhoni. He stated, "My fight with Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, or any other player isn't personal. It is confined to the field. We both share a common desire to win, and that should remain on the field."</p>

<p>In other news, India faced defeat in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia. Australia secured a commanding 209-run victory to claim the title of test cricket's world champions.</p>

<h2>India At WTC Final</h2>

<p>India, who had previously lost the inaugural WTC final to New Zealand in 2021, failed to post significant scores in both innings, with totals of 296 and 234 falling short of the mark required to secure their first global title since the 2013 Champions Trophy.</p>

<h2>Sunil Gavaskar Not Happy With Virat Kohli</h2>

<p>Former captain Sunil Gavaskar criticised the shot selections of the frontline batters, including Virat Kohli, who was dismissed for 49 while chasing a wide ball. Gavaskar expressed his disappointment, stating, "It was a bad shot... To win the match, you needed a long innings, a century-plus innings, but how are you going to do that if you play a shot so far outside the off-stump?"</p>

<p>These recent developments highlight the ongoing dynamics within the Indian cricketing landscape, with players' on-field clashes and team performance garnering significant attention.</p>


Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir has finally spoken about his relationship with Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni. Gambhir clarified that any fights or conflicts he has with fellow players are limited to the field and hold no personal animosity.

Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir has finally spoken about his relationship with Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni. Gambhir clarified that any fights or conflicts he has with fellow players are limited to the field and hold no personal animosity. The highly publicised spat between Gambhir and Kohli during the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season created significant buzz. During an IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants on May 5, Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli got into a heated exchange. The incident unfolded when Kohli allegedly abused Mayers and gave him a send-off. Gambhir intervened, escorting Mayers away, leading to a confrontation with Kohli. The incident was captured on video and widely shared on social media. Gautam Gambhir On Relationship With Kohli In an interview with News18, Gambhir addressed the altercation with Kohli and shed light on his relationship with MS Dhoni. He stated, "My fight with Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, or any other player isn't personal. It is confined to the field. We both share a common desire to win, and that should remain on the field." In other news, India faced defeat in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia. Australia secured a commanding 209-run victory to claim the title of test cricket's world champions. India At WTC Final India, who had previously lost the inaugural WTC final to New Zealand in 2021, failed to post significant scores in both innings, with totals of 296 and 234 falling short of the mark required to secure their first global title since the 2013 Champions Trophy. Sunil Gavaskar Not Happy With Virat Kohli Former captain Sunil Gavaskar criticised the shot selections of the frontline batters, including Virat Kohli, who was dismissed for 49 while chasing a wide ball. Gavaskar expressed his disappointment, stating, "It was a bad shot... To win the match, you needed a long innings, a century-plus innings, but how are you going to do that if you play a shot so far outside the off-stump?" These recent developments highlight the ongoing dynamics within the Indian cricketing landscape, with players' on-field clashes and team performance garnering significant attention.

WTC Final: Gautam Gambhir on relationship with Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni

<p>Former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has expressed his surprise at Virat Kohli's unexpected decision to relinquish his role as the captain of the Indian Test cricket team. Ganguly revealed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was not prepared for Kohli's departure, as it was his personal choice to step down following the South Africa series in 2022.</p>

<p>Fans have been actively campaigning for Kohli's reinstatement as the Test captain, highlighting his remarkable record as captain on social media. During his tenure, Kohli secured the fourth-highest number of victories for an Indian Test captain, with an impressive 40 wins and 11 draws in 68 matches. His win percentage of 50% places him third among all 28 Test captains who have led their teams in 40 or more matches.</p>

<p>In an exclusive interview with Indian news channel Aaj Tak, Ganguly acknowledged the fans' support for Kohli but emphasised that only Kohli himself could provide the reasons behind his decision to step down. Ganguly stated that dwelling on the matter now serves no purpose as the selectors had to appoint a new captain, and Rohit Sharma was deemed the best option at that time.</p>

<p>"BCCI was not prepared for Virat Kohli leaving the Test captaincy. It was unexpected for us also after the South Africa tour. Only Virat Kohli can reveal why he left the captaincy. There is no point talking about this now because Virat Kohli left the Test captaincy. Selectors had to appoint an India captain. And Rohit was the best option at that time," Ganguly said.</p>

<p>However, Kohli had said something in a completely different note. The RCB Captain had said, “There was no prior communication to me at all from when I announced the T20I captaincy decision until the eighth (of December) where, as I said, I got a call one-and-a-half hours before the selection meeting," hinting at a clear rift between him and the board.</p>

<p>Virat Kohli's captaincy stint in Test cricket was highly successful, guiding India to the final of the ICC World Test Championship in 2021. Under his leadership, India achieved several milestones, and Kohli became the most successful Test captain in Indian cricket history at the time of his departure.</p>

<p><br />
Summary - Former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly expressed surprise at Virat Kohli's decision to step down as the captain of the Indian Test cricket team. Ganguly revealed that the board was not prepared for Kohli's departure, as it was his personal choice after the South Africa series in 2022. Fans have been campaigning for Kohli's reinstatement, citing his impressive record as captain, including 40 wins and 11 draws in 68 matches.</p>


Former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has expressed his surprise at Virat Kohli's unexpected decision to relinquish his role as the captain of the Indian Test cricket team.

Former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has expressed his surprise at Virat Kohli's unexpected decision to relinquish his role as the captain of the Indian Test cricket team. Ganguly revealed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was not prepared for Kohli's departure, as it was his personal choice to step down following the South Africa series in 2022. Fans have been actively campaigning for Kohli's reinstatement as the Test captain, highlighting his remarkable record as captain on social media. During his tenure, Kohli secured the fourth-highest number of victories for an Indian Test captain, with an impressive 40 wins and 11 draws in 68 matches. His win percentage of 50% places him third among all 28 Test captains who have led their teams in 40 or more matches. In an exclusive interview with Indian news channel Aaj Tak, Ganguly acknowledged the fans' support for Kohli but emphasised that only Kohli himself could provide the reasons behind his decision to step down. Ganguly stated that dwelling on the matter now serves no purpose as the selectors had to appoint a new captain, and Rohit Sharma was deemed the best option at that time. "BCCI was not prepared for Virat Kohli leaving the Test captaincy. It was unexpected for us also after the South Africa tour. Only Virat Kohli can reveal why he left the captaincy. There is no point talking about this now because Virat Kohli left the Test captaincy. Selectors had to appoint an India captain. And Rohit was the best option at that time," Ganguly said. However, Kohli had said something in a completely different note. The RCB Captain had said, “There was no prior communication to me at all from when I announced the T20I captaincy decision until the eighth (of December) where, as I said, I got a call one-and-a-half hours before the selection meeting," hinting at a clear rift between him and the board. Virat Kohli's captaincy stint in Test cricket was highly successful, guiding India to the final of the ICC World Test Championship in 2021. Under his leadership, India achieved several milestones, and Kohli became the most successful Test captain in Indian cricket history at the time of his departure. Summary - Former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly expressed surprise at Virat Kohli's decision to step down as the captain of the Indian Test cricket team. Ganguly revealed that the board was not prepared for Kohli's departure, as it was his personal choice after the South Africa series in 2022. Fans have been campaigning for Kohli's reinstatement, citing his impressive record as captain, including 40 wins and 11 draws in 68 matches.

Sourav Ganguly claims he didn’t know Virat Kohli was quitting Test captaincy

<p>India endured a forgettable batting performance on Sunday, getting bowled out for 234 while chasing 444 against Australia in the World Test Championship final. Despite starting the day with seven wickets in hand and requiring 280 runs, India’s batting was blown away before the first session could be completed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland stood out among the bowlers, taking four and three wickets respectively. Australia has now become the only team to clinch four ICC titles. India missed another chance to secure their first ICC trophy since 2013.</p>

<h2>Shubman Gill’s post</h2>

<p>After the match, opening batsman Shubman Gill expressed his feelings on Twitter. He shared a picture of Team India and wrote, "Not finished."</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Not finished 🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/WSGwkkaH6v">pic.twitter.com/WSGwkkaH6v</a></p>
— Shubman Gill (@ShubmanGill) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShubmanGill/status/1667894949961154560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a controversial incident on Day 4, Gill was caught in the slips by Cameron Green off Scott Boland's delivery. However, replays indicated that the ball touched the ground when the fielder made contact. Despite the uncertainty, the third umpire ruled Gill out, causing significant debate and criticism from figures like Virender Sehwag, Ravi Shastri, and fans.</p>

<p>This loss in the World Test Championship final marked India's second consecutive defeat in the event, following their previous loss to New Zealand in the inaugural edition in 2021.</p>

<p>Scott Boland played a pivotal role in triggering a dramatic collapse as Australia secured a resounding 209-run victory over India in the World Test Championship final at The Oval. India, tasked with an unprecedented target of 444 runs, resumed the day at 164-3. However, they faltered and were bowled out for 234, losing seven wickets for just 70 runs within 24 overs before lunch on the fifth day. Boland inflicted initial damage by claiming two wickets in an over, including the prized scalp of Virat Kohli, finishing with figures of 3-46 in 16 overs. Off-spinner Nathan Lyon (4-41) then wrapped up the tail.</p>


India endured a forgettable batting performance on Sunday, getting bowled out for 234 while chasing 444 against Australia in the World Test Championship final. Despite starting the day with seven wickets in hand and requiring 280 runs, India’s batting was blown away before the first session could be completed.

India endured a forgettable batting performance on Sunday, getting bowled out for 234 while chasing 444 against Australia in the World Test Championship final. Despite starting the day with seven wickets in hand and requiring 280 runs, India’s batting was blown away before the first session could be completed. Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland stood out among the bowlers, taking four and three wickets respectively. Australia has now become the only team to clinch four ICC titles. India missed another chance to secure their first ICC trophy since 2013. Shubman Gill’s post After the match, opening batsman Shubman Gill expressed his feelings on Twitter. He shared a picture of Team India and wrote, "Not finished." Not finished 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/WSGwkkaH6v — Shubman Gill (@ShubmanGill) June 11, 2023 × In a controversial incident on Day 4, Gill was caught in the slips by Cameron Green off Scott Boland's delivery. However, replays indicated that the ball touched the ground when the fielder made contact. Despite the uncertainty, the third umpire ruled Gill out, causing significant debate and criticism from figures like Virender Sehwag, Ravi Shastri, and fans. This loss in the World Test Championship final marked India's second consecutive defeat in the event, following their previous loss to New Zealand in the inaugural edition in 2021. Scott Boland played a pivotal role in triggering a dramatic collapse as Australia secured a resounding 209-run victory over India in the World Test Championship final at The Oval. India, tasked with an unprecedented target of 444 runs, resumed the day at 164-3. However, they faltered and were bowled out for 234, losing seven wickets for just 70 runs within 24 overs before lunch on the fifth day. Boland inflicted initial damage by claiming two wickets in an over, including the prized scalp of Virat Kohli, finishing with figures of 3-46 in 16 overs. Off-spinner Nathan Lyon (4-41) then wrapped up the tail.

WTC Final: Shubman Gill’s two-word message after India’s loss to Australia

<p>Chasing the fifth-stump line has been Virat Kohli’s weakness, especially in England, and Australia pounced on this and got rewarded. Though his dismissal in the first innings had more to do with the ball bouncing a bit off the pitch, Boland’s clever tactics on day five resulted in Australia breaking India’s backbone early on.</p>

<p>Scott Boland provided Australia with an early breakthrough, dismissing Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja in space of three balls. The twin blows dented India’s chances of staying alive in the game.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Furious over Kohli repeatedly making the same mistake, Gavaskar lashed out at the former India captain over his mode of dismissal in the second innings. After India lost the one-off match by 209 runs, Gavaskar said Kohli should have left that ball like he was doing earlier, but instead, he went for the shot and paid the price for it. Gavaskar added maybe Kohli did so because he wanted to get to his fifty as he was batting on 49.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/reaching-two-finals-is-a-good-achievement-proud-of-this-team-says-rohit-sharma-after-india-lost-wtc-final-603168">'Reaching two finals is a good achievement, proud of this team', says Rohit Sharma after India lost WTC Final</a></p>

<p>"Yes, pretty ordinary shot, outside the off-stump. He had been leaving till then. But then he flashes at one, maybe he was conscious of the fact that he needed one run to get a half-century. Happened to Jadeja I think, he played a delivery he shouldn't have in the first innings,” Gavaskar said.</p>

<p>When asked about his opinion on Kohli’s short selection that led to the fall of wickets in the cluster, the former India legend said instead of asking him, Kohli should be answerable for that.</p>

<p>"It was a bad shot. You'll ask me how he did that. I think you should have asked Kohli what shot he played. That was a shot outside the off-stump. If you are to win the match, you need long innings, how do you get to a century if you are going to play a shot for a delivery that was so wide outside the off-stump," he added.</p>

<h2>India’s poor run in ICC Final continues</h2>

<p>Though India captain Rohit Sharma mentioned that bowling led the team down following a decent start on day one, the consensus state it was batting that didn’t help the cause.</p>

<p>India’s top four failed in the first innings, and even in the second innings, India got reduced to 93 for three at one stage. On day five, India lost seven wickets in the first session as Australia won the match by 209 runs and lifted the World Test Championship trophy.</p>

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Chasing the fifth-stump line has been Virat Kohli’s weakness, especially in England, and Australia pounced on this and got rewarded. Though his dismissal in the first innings had more to do with the ball bouncing a bit off the pitch, Boland’s clever tactics on day five resulted in Australia breaking India’s backbone early on.

Chasing the fifth-stump line has been Virat Kohli’s weakness, especially in England, and Australia pounced on this and got rewarded. Though his dismissal in the first innings had more to do with the ball bouncing a bit off the pitch, Boland’s clever tactics on day five resulted in Australia breaking India’s backbone early on. Scott Boland provided Australia with an early breakthrough, dismissing Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja in space of three balls. The twin blows dented India’s chances of staying alive in the game. Furious over Kohli repeatedly making the same mistake, Gavaskar lashed out at the former India captain over his mode of dismissal in the second innings. After India lost the one-off match by 209 runs, Gavaskar said Kohli should have left that ball like he was doing earlier, but instead, he went for the shot and paid the price for it. Gavaskar added maybe Kohli did so because he wanted to get to his fifty as he was batting on 49. ALSO READ: 'Reaching two finals is a good achievement, proud of this team', says Rohit Sharma after India lost WTC Final "Yes, pretty ordinary shot, outside the off-stump. He had been leaving till then. But then he flashes at one, maybe he was conscious of the fact that he needed one run to get a half-century. Happened to Jadeja I think, he played a delivery he shouldn't have in the first innings,” Gavaskar said. When asked about his opinion on Kohli’s short selection that led to the fall of wickets in the cluster, the former India legend said instead of asking him, Kohli should be answerable for that. "It was a bad shot. You'll ask me how he did that. I think you should have asked Kohli what shot he played. That was a shot outside the off-stump. If you are to win the match, you need long innings, how do you get to a century if you are going to play a shot for a delivery that was so wide outside the off-stump," he added. India’s poor run in ICC Final continues Though India captain Rohit Sharma mentioned that bowling led the team down following a decent start on day one, the consensus state it was batting that didn’t help the cause. India’s top four failed in the first innings, and even in the second innings, India got reduced to 93 for three at one stage. On day five, India lost seven wickets in the first session as Australia won the match by 209 runs and lifted the World Test Championship trophy. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WTC Final: Furious Sunil Gavaskar comments on Virat Kohli's mode of dismissal in second innings

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<p>Has there been a better replacement for a first-team player (Josh Hazlewood here) in Test cricket than Scott Boland? The lanky Victorian almost sealed the deal for the Aussies on day five of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) Final against India with his stunning spell. During the first hour of play, Boland dismissed Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja in the space of three balls to put India on the backfoot.</p>

<p>Boland, who got picked over regular seamer Hazlewood on precautionary grounds for this one-off Test, did wonders for his team by picking three wickets so far in the final innings at the Oval. After getting rid of dangerous Shubman Gill on Saturday, Boland took no time in sending the star pair of Kohli and Jadeja back to the hut.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-never-expected-that-ravi-shastri-laments-poor-shot-selection-from-cheteshwar-pujara-on-day-4-603081">WTC Final: 'Never expected that...:' Ravi Shastri laments poor shot selection from Cheteshwar Pujara on day 4</a></p>

<p>Smartly setting up Kohli early on day five, Boland first bowled a couple of usual inswingers and then pitched one on the fifth stump knowing Kohli’s weakness of chasing that – which eventually happened, and as he edged it with the hard hands, it went straight to the slip cordon where Steve Smith plucked a stunning catch to send the former Indian captain packing.</p>

<p>There was utter silence in the ground as hopes of thousands of Indian fans shattered in front of their eyes.</p>

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<p>Coming in next was star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Boland came around the wicket to him, only to wrap him up in two balls. Jadeja left the first one but couldn’t stop himself from trying to put bat to ball on the second fullish delivery, resulting in him nicking one to the keeper Alex Carey.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Boland, who already looked threatening with his tight line and lengths, made all the difference across two innings.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, India was in a decent position at stumps on day four, with scorecard reading 164 for three, with 280 runs needed to win.</p>

<p>After making most of the lead in the second innings, Australian batters struggled to score freely but still stood ahead with each run scored. Declaring on 270 for eight, Australia gave India a daunting target of 444 – a total that has never been chased in Test history.</p>

<p>The Indian openers came up with an attacking approach but couldn’t continue for long as they lost Gill and Rohit inside 100 runs. Cheteshwar Pujara also departed early by playing a poor shot, with Indian team left with Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane to build a partnership.</p>

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Has there been a better replacement for a first-team player (Josh Hazlewood here) in Test cricket than Scott Boland? The lanky Victorian almost sealed the deal for the Aussies on day five of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) Final against India with his stunning spell.

Has there been a better replacement for a first-team player (Josh Hazlewood here) in Test cricket than Scott Boland? The lanky Victorian almost sealed the deal for the Aussies on day five of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) Final against India with his stunning spell. During the first hour of play, Boland dismissed Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja in the space of three balls to put India on the backfoot. Boland, who got picked over regular seamer Hazlewood on precautionary grounds for this one-off Test, did wonders for his team by picking three wickets so far in the final innings at the Oval. After getting rid of dangerous Shubman Gill on Saturday, Boland took no time in sending the star pair of Kohli and Jadeja back to the hut. ALSO READ: WTC Final: 'Never expected that...:' Ravi Shastri laments poor shot selection from Cheteshwar Pujara on day 4 Smartly setting up Kohli early on day five, Boland first bowled a couple of usual inswingers and then pitched one on the fifth stump knowing Kohli’s weakness of chasing that – which eventually happened, and as he edged it with the hard hands, it went straight to the slip cordon where Steve Smith plucked a stunning catch to send the former Indian captain packing. There was utter silence in the ground as hopes of thousands of Indian fans shattered in front of their eyes. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE – Virat Kohli - Wicket - Australia vs India via @icc https://t.co/UHsY5JyxG2 — 𝗚𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝗼𝗱𝗵𝗶 (@GautamSodhi1) June 11, 2023 × Coming in next was star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Boland came around the wicket to him, only to wrap him up in two balls. Jadeja left the first one but couldn’t stop himself from trying to put bat to ball on the second fullish delivery, resulting in him nicking one to the keeper Alex Carey. Boland, who already looked threatening with his tight line and lengths, made all the difference across two innings. Meanwhile, India was in a decent position at stumps on day four, with scorecard reading 164 for three, with 280 runs needed to win. After making most of the lead in the second innings, Australian batters struggled to score freely but still stood ahead with each run scored. Declaring on 270 for eight, Australia gave India a daunting target of 444 – a total that has never been chased in Test history. The Indian openers came up with an attacking approach but couldn’t continue for long as they lost Gill and Rohit inside 100 runs. Cheteshwar Pujara also departed early by playing a poor shot, with Indian team left with Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane to build a partnership. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WTC Final, Day 5: WATCH – Scott Boland produces stunning spell to dismiss Virat Kohli, Jadeja in one over

<p>Australia have stamped their authority on the World Test Championship (WTC) final after they dominated Day 2 of the Oval Test with both bat and ball on Thursday, June 8. After getting bowled out for 469, their bowlers did the trick with the ball and limited India to 151/5, with top-order batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli already back in the pavilion. As things stand, India still trail by 318 runs in the first innings and need 118 runs to avoid follow-on.</p>

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<h2><strong>India's collapse with bat</strong></h2>

<p>After bowling out Australia, the Indian team needed a good start to stay in the hunt of the Aussies, but things did not go according to plan for Rohit Sharma’s team. India lost the skipper on 15 on the final ball of the sixth over. Soon India lost Shubman Gill as he missed judged the flight of the delivery and was scalped by Scott Boland on 13 in the very next over. At tea, India were 37/2 with Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara in the middle and trying to steer the team to a safe position.</p>

<p>However, in the post-lunch session, India lost both Pujara (14) and Kohli (14) as the situation went from bad to worse at 71/4.</p>

<h2><strong>Jadeja and Rahane hold firm for India</strong></h2>

<p>With wickets following at regular intervals new batters Ajinkya Rahane (unbeaten 29) and Ravindra Jadeja (48) steered India to the 100-run mark. Jadeja was aggressive of the two and scored 48 off just 51 deliveries, while Rahane held one end for the Indian side. Jadeja’s innings consisted of a six and seven fours. Both Rahane and Jadeja put in a 71-run stand for the fifth wicket before Nathan Lyon got the better of him.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-it-had-been-a-question-of-money-i-would-have-gone-to-saudi-arabia-lionel-messi-on-joining-inter-miami-601947">'If it had been a question of money, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia' - Lionel Messi on joining Inter Miami</a></p>

<h2><strong>Smith scores 31st Test ton</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier in the day, Smith reached his 31st hundred for the Aussies in the Test format. The New South Wales batter leapfrogged Matthew Hayden for most Test hundreds while also bringing up his 43rd international ton. Only Steve Waugh (32) and Ricky Ponting (41) have reached the triple-figure mark on more occasions. Australia would later end their innings at 469 after they were bowled out by Indian bowlers.</p>

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Australia have stamped their authority on the World Test Championship (WTC) final after they dominated Day 2 of the Oval Test with both bat and ball on Thursday, June 8.

Australia have stamped their authority on the World Test Championship (WTC) final after they dominated Day 2 of the Oval Test with both bat and ball on Thursday, June 8. After getting bowled out for 469, their bowlers did the trick with the ball and limited India to 151/5, with top-order batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli already back in the pavilion. As things stand, India still trail by 318 runs in the first innings and need 118 runs to avoid follow-on. Stumps ⏲ Like the opening day, Day 2 of the Ultimate Test has belonged to the Aussies 💪 Follow the #WTC23 Final 👉 https://t.co/wJHUyVnX0r pic.twitter.com/3RRJJJh0Jo — ICC (@ICC) June 8, 2023 × India's collapse with bat After bowling out Australia, the Indian team needed a good start to stay in the hunt of the Aussies, but things did not go according to plan for Rohit Sharma’s team. India lost the skipper on 15 on the final ball of the sixth over. Soon India lost Shubman Gill as he missed judged the flight of the delivery and was scalped by Scott Boland on 13 in the very next over. At tea, India were 37/2 with Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara in the middle and trying to steer the team to a safe position. However, in the post-lunch session, India lost both Pujara (14) and Kohli (14) as the situation went from bad to worse at 71/4. Jadeja and Rahane hold firm for India With wickets following at regular intervals new batters Ajinkya Rahane (unbeaten 29) and Ravindra Jadeja (48) steered India to the 100-run mark. Jadeja was aggressive of the two and scored 48 off just 51 deliveries, while Rahane held one end for the Indian side. Jadeja’s innings consisted of a six and seven fours. Both Rahane and Jadeja put in a 71-run stand for the fifth wicket before Nathan Lyon got the better of him. ALSO READ | 'If it had been a question of money, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia' - Lionel Messi on joining Inter Miami Smith scores 31st Test ton Earlier in the day, Smith reached his 31st hundred for the Aussies in the Test format. The New South Wales batter leapfrogged Matthew Hayden for most Test hundreds while also bringing up his 43rd international ton. Only Steve Waugh (32) and Ricky Ponting (41) have reached the triple-figure mark on more occasions. Australia would later end their innings at 469 after they were bowled out by Indian bowlers. 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: Aussies stamp authority at Oval as India's top order fails to deliver

<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>Rohit Sharma is all set to lead India in the second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final and Virat Kohli has given his skipper a huge thumbs up to have done a wonderful job for the country in Test matches over last three-four years.</p>

<p>"The way he has performed in Test cricket in last three-four years is a testimony to his temperament towards playing Test cricket &nbsp;and having belief in himself that he can do it in Test cricket as well at the highest level and opening is not an easy job and he's done a wonderful job. opening the innings for us in last three for years so he's really done amazingly well in all formats of the game for us," said Kohli in a video shared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on its Instagram handle.</p>

<p>Kohli also appreciated Rohit's batting style and said that he enjoyed a lot from the other hand while batting with Rohit.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<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">'Ashwin is not going to play...:' Skipper Rohit Sharma opens up on India's Playing XI vs Australia</a></p>

<p>"He's someone that when you watch him play you enjoy watching him play so I have had amazing partnerships with him and I have thoroughly enjoyed it from the other end when he's going great guns," said the former India skipper.</p>

<p>Speaking about Sharma's talent, Kohli said that the Mumbai batsman always had more time than anyone else.</p>

<p>"Rohit I have always said that he's got more than anyone else on the ball and that's his special ability he had from day one. When I saw him the first time I understood what the hype was all about and why he was rated so highly and what he's done for India in white-ball cricket over the long period of time we all knew," said Kohli.</p>

<p>As for the WTC Final, Rohit had scored a century last time India played at the Oval in England and Kohli hoped for the same this time around as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"As I said he's performed really well in these conditions and las time around got a hundred in the oval hopefully he can repeat the same in this final as well," concluded Kohli.</p>

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Rohit Sharma is all set to lead India in the second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final and Virat Kohli has given his skipper a huge thumbs up to have done a wonderful job for the country in Test matches over last three-four years.

Rohit Sharma is all set to lead India in the second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final and Virat Kohli has given his skipper a huge thumbs up to have done a wonderful job for the country in Test matches over last three-four years. "The way he has performed in Test cricket in last three-four years is a testimony to his temperament towards playing Test cricket and having belief in himself that he can do it in Test cricket as well at the highest level and opening is not an easy job and he's done a wonderful job. opening the innings for us in last three for years so he's really done amazingly well in all formats of the game for us," said Kohli in a video shared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on its Instagram handle. Kohli also appreciated Rohit's batting style and said that he enjoyed a lot from the other hand while batting with Rohit. Also Read: 'Ashwin is not going to play...:' Skipper Rohit Sharma opens up on India's Playing XI vs Australia "He's someone that when you watch him play you enjoy watching him play so I have had amazing partnerships with him and I have thoroughly enjoyed it from the other end when he's going great guns," said the former India skipper. Speaking about Sharma's talent, Kohli said that the Mumbai batsman always had more time than anyone else. "Rohit I have always said that he's got more than anyone else on the ball and that's his special ability he had from day one. When I saw him the first time I understood what the hype was all about and why he was rated so highly and what he's done for India in white-ball cricket over the long period of time we all knew," said Kohli. As for the WTC Final, Rohit had scored a century last time India played at the Oval in England and Kohli hoped for the same this time around as well. "As I said he's performed really well in these conditions and las time around got a hundred in the oval hopefully he can repeat the same in this final as well," concluded Kohli. 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: Virat Kohli hopes for another Rohit Sharma century at the Oval

<p>India and Australia are ready to face each another in their first ICC final since the two sides met in ODI WC Final in 2003. The two cricketing powerhouses will, however, meet this time for the Test supremacy - in World Test Championship (WTC) Final, set to be played in England from June 7.</p>

<p>India, who are in their second consecutive final in two editions of the tournament, will be looking to shake off the disappointment of last time and would be looking to build on their recent Border-Gavaskar trophy Test victory over the Baggy Green in the title clash.</p>

<p>For India, the most encouraging thing is form of their ace batter and former skipper Virat Kohli. The batsman, who was not at his best since last two-three years, has roared back to the form in the recent months. Former India coach Ravi Shastri also thinks that if Kohli gets going, it'll be fun.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-approach-test-retired-moeen-ali-to-replace-jack-leach-in-ashes-squad-601073">England approach 'Test retired' Moeen Ali to replace Jack Leach in Ashes squad</a></p>

<p>“Virat Kohli will wake up differently if the match is against Australia, he smells the coffee much earlier if it's Australia, so if he gets going, gets to 20, then we will have some fun,” Shastri said ahead of the title clash.</p>

<p>Notably, in the Border-Gavaskas trophy which concluded before the IPL 2023, Kohli recorded his first hundred in roughly four years. He then carried over his form for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL, scoring 639 runs in 14 games at an average of 53.25 with two hundreds.</p>

<p>In the latest WTC cycle though, Kohli played 16 Test matches and scored 869 runs at an average of 32 with three fifties and one hundred in 28 innings. The record is good enough for many players but not Virat Kohli who has 8,146 runs in 108 Test to his name at an average of 48 with 28 hundreds and 28 fifties in 183 innings.</p>

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India and Australia are ready to face each another in their first ICC final since the two sides met in ODI WC Final in 2003. The two cricketing powerhouses will, however, meet this time for the Test supremacy - in World Test Championship (WTC) Final, set to be played in England from June 7.

India and Australia are ready to face each another in their first ICC final since the two sides met in ODI WC Final in 2003. The two cricketing powerhouses will, however, meet this time for the Test supremacy - in World Test Championship (WTC) Final, set to be played in England from June 7. India, who are in their second consecutive final in two editions of the tournament, will be looking to shake off the disappointment of last time and would be looking to build on their recent Border-Gavaskar trophy Test victory over the Baggy Green in the title clash. For India, the most encouraging thing is form of their ace batter and former skipper Virat Kohli. The batsman, who was not at his best since last two-three years, has roared back to the form in the recent months. Former India coach Ravi Shastri also thinks that if Kohli gets going, it'll be fun. Also Read: England approach 'Test retired' Moeen Ali to replace Jack Leach in Ashes squad “Virat Kohli will wake up differently if the match is against Australia, he smells the coffee much earlier if it's Australia, so if he gets going, gets to 20, then we will have some fun,” Shastri said ahead of the title clash. Notably, in the Border-Gavaskas trophy which concluded before the IPL 2023, Kohli recorded his first hundred in roughly four years. He then carried over his form for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL, scoring 639 runs in 14 games at an average of 53.25 with two hundreds. In the latest WTC cycle though, Kohli played 16 Test matches and scored 869 runs at an average of 32 with three fifties and one hundred in 28 innings. The record is good enough for many players but not Virat Kohli who has 8,146 runs in 108 Test to his name at an average of 48 with 28 hundreds and 28 fifties in 183 innings. 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: 'Virat Kohli will...:' Ravi Shastri makes bold prediction ahead of title clash

<p>India are set to lock horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, which commences on June 07 (Wednesday) at The Oval, London. In the inaugural WTC cycle, Virat Kohli-led India dominated almost every series and qualified for the final where they lost to New Zealand by eight wickets. This time around, the No. 1 ranked Indian team will aim to go past their opposition and end their ten-year-long ICC title drought.</p>

<p>Ahead of the marquee battle between India and Australia, Virat Kohli is on the cusp of achieving some big milestones if he gets going in the forthcoming WTC summit clash. If the 34-year-old Kohli gets going in the mega clash and scores a ton, it will be his 29th in the longest format. Thus, he will equal Sir Don Bradman's tally.</p>

<p>Among the active cricketers, Kohli only be behind Australia's Steve Smith&nbsp;(30 tons) and join&nbsp;former England skipper Joe Root&nbsp;with 29 tons each.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/winning-the-wtc-final-will-mean-everything-to-us-indian-captain-rohit-sharma-ahead-of-australia-tie-601217"><strong>'Winning the WTC final will mean everything to us': Indian captain Rohit Sharma ahead of Australia tie</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>Kohli eyes head coach Dravid's record</strong></h2>

<p>In addition, Kohli has a chance to go past head coach Rahul Dravid.&nbsp;In 24 Tests against the Aussies, he has&nbsp;1,979 runs at an average of 48.26. If he scores 188 more, Kohli will surpass&nbsp;Dravid's tally against Australia&nbsp;(who ended his career with 2,166 runs after Sachin Tendulkar's 3630&nbsp;and VVS Laxman's 2434).</p>

<p>Lastly, Kohli will also take over Virender Sehwag's run-tally in whites (8,586) with 170, or more, runs in the WTC final. At present, he has&nbsp;8416 runs in 108 Tests.&nbsp;Thus, he has a chance to become India's&nbsp;fifth-highest run-getter in Tests.&nbsp;Tendulkar (15,921), Dravid (13,288), Sunil Gavaskar (10,122), and Laxman (8,781) lead the list followed by Sehwag.</p>

<p>In his last Test inning, which came against Australia in the final match of the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home, Kohli returned with a sublime 186&nbsp;in March. Thus, India will hope for another daddy hundred from him in the WTC final showdown versus Pat Cummins &amp; Co.</p>

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India are set to lock horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, which commences on June 07 (Wednesday) at The Oval, London. In the inaugural WTC cycle, Virat Kohli-led India dominated almost every series and qualified for the final where they lost to New Zealand by eight wickets.

India are set to lock horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, which commences on June 07 (Wednesday) at The Oval, London. In the inaugural WTC cycle, Virat Kohli-led India dominated almost every series and qualified for the final where they lost to New Zealand by eight wickets. This time around, the No. 1 ranked Indian team will aim to go past their opposition and end their ten-year-long ICC title drought. Ahead of the marquee battle between India and Australia, Virat Kohli is on the cusp of achieving some big milestones if he gets going in the forthcoming WTC summit clash. If the 34-year-old Kohli gets going in the mega clash and scores a ton, it will be his 29th in the longest format. Thus, he will equal Sir Don Bradman's tally. Among the active cricketers, Kohli only be behind Australia's Steve Smith (30 tons) and join former England skipper Joe Root with 29 tons each. Also Read: 'Winning the WTC final will mean everything to us': Indian captain Rohit Sharma ahead of Australia tie Kohli eyes head coach Dravid's record In addition, Kohli has a chance to go past head coach Rahul Dravid. In 24 Tests against the Aussies, he has 1,979 runs at an average of 48.26. If he scores 188 more, Kohli will surpass Dravid's tally against Australia (who ended his career with 2,166 runs after Sachin Tendulkar's 3630 and VVS Laxman's 2434). Lastly, Kohli will also take over Virender Sehwag's run-tally in whites (8,586) with 170, or more, runs in the WTC final. At present, he has 8416 runs in 108 Tests. Thus, he has a chance to become India's fifth-highest run-getter in Tests. Tendulkar (15,921), Dravid (13,288), Sunil Gavaskar (10,122), and Laxman (8,781) lead the list followed by Sehwag. In his last Test inning, which came against Australia in the final match of the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home, Kohli returned with a sublime 186 in March. Thus, India will hope for another daddy hundred from him in the WTC final showdown versus Pat Cummins & Co. 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. ×

Ind vs Aus, WTC Final: Virat Kohli on the cusp to equal Don Bradman's record, go past Rahul Dravid's feat

<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

<p>India are set to face Australia in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final starting on June 07 (Wednesday) at the Kennington Oval, London. This will be India's second consecutive shot at winning the coveted Test mace after finishing second in the inaugural WTC cycle. Facing the second-ranked&nbsp;Australian team will be a huge challenge for India but Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. have a strong squad at their disposal to compete hard with the Aussies.</p>

<p>In their last series, India defeated Australia in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home (winning 2-1). However, playing the WTC summit clash at The Oval, London will pose a different challenge for both teams. Ahead of the finale, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar opened up on India's possible XI and highlighted a slot that might be a bit of a concern for No. 1 ranked Team India.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>'No. 6 is where there is just a little bit of a concern'</strong></h2>

<p>“I will talk about the batting, and that will be Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as one-two. No. 3 is (Cheteshwar) Pujara, No. 4 is (Virat) Kohli, No. 5 is Ajinkya Rahane. No. 6 is where there is just a little bit of a concern,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-australia-favourites-on-paper-but-indian-players-have-edge-in-ravi-shastris-big-claim-600700">WTC Final: Australia favourites on paper but Indian players have edge in...' - Ravi Shastri's big claim</a></strong></p>

<p>Gavaskar asserted, “I would imagine No. 6 would be either (Srikar) Bharat or Ishan Kishan. They are talking about Bharat because he has played all these matches so far. So will probably stick with Bharat at six,” He added, “No. 7 will be (Ravindra) Jadeja. If it’s a bright day and a bright prediction, then I think you are looking at Jadeja and (Ravichandran) Ashwin at No. 7 and No. 8. No. 9, 10 and 11 will be Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj and maybe Shardul Thakur."</p>

<p>If India emerge on top in the WTC final, they will break their ten-year-long ICC-title drought. Their last major title came in 2013 under legendary skipper MS Dhoni when they lifted the Champions Trophy.</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:</strong>&nbsp;Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav</p>

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India are set to face Australia in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final starting on June 07 (Wednesday) at the Kennington Oval, London. This will be India's second consecutive shot at winning the coveted Test mace after finishing second in the inaugural WTC cycle.

India are set to face Australia in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final starting on June 07 (Wednesday) at the Kennington Oval, London. This will be India's second consecutive shot at winning the coveted Test mace after finishing second in the inaugural WTC cycle. Facing the second-ranked Australian team will be a huge challenge for India but Rohit Sharma & Co. have a strong squad at their disposal to compete hard with the Aussies. In their last series, India defeated Australia in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home (winning 2-1). However, playing the WTC summit clash at The Oval, London will pose a different challenge for both teams. Ahead of the finale, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar opened up on India's possible XI and highlighted a slot that might be a bit of a concern for No. 1 ranked Team India. 'No. 6 is where there is just a little bit of a concern' “I will talk about the batting, and that will be Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as one-two. No. 3 is (Cheteshwar) Pujara, No. 4 is (Virat) Kohli, No. 5 is Ajinkya Rahane. No. 6 is where there is just a little bit of a concern,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports. Also Read: WTC Final: Australia favourites on paper but Indian players have edge in...' - Ravi Shastri's big claim Gavaskar asserted, “I would imagine No. 6 would be either (Srikar) Bharat or Ishan Kishan. They are talking about Bharat because he has played all these matches so far. So will probably stick with Bharat at six,” He added, “No. 7 will be (Ravindra) Jadeja. If it’s a bright day and a bright prediction, then I think you are looking at Jadeja and (Ravichandran) Ashwin at No. 7 and No. 8. No. 9, 10 and 11 will be Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj and maybe Shardul Thakur." If India emerge on top in the WTC final, they will break their ten-year-long ICC-title drought. Their last major title came in 2013 under legendary skipper MS Dhoni when they lifted the Champions Trophy. 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. ×

No. 6 is bit of a concern: Sunil Gavaskar on India's playing XI ahead of marquee WTC final vs Australia

<p>No. 1 ranked India are set to face Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final on June 07 at The Oval, London. The match will present India with another chance to end their ICC title drought since 2013. It won't be an easy task as&nbsp;Australia will give them a tough challenge. Ahead of Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.'s final showdown versus the Aussies, former England spinner Monty Panesar picked one X-factor player apiece from both sides.</p>

<p>Panesar -- best known for his 17 scalps in England's famous 2-1 series win over hosts India in 2012/13 -- feels Cheteshwar Pujara will hold the key for India in the marquee finale whereas he picked Mitchell Starc as Australia's X-factor player.</p>

<h2><strong>'My X-factor batter will be Pujara for India. Starc will be one to watch out for from Australia'</strong></h2>

<p>"The Indian top-order is in form. The conditions will be similar to the Wankhede pitch which is fast and bouncy. My x-factor batter will be Pujara because he has done so well in these English conditions for Sussex. He is the guy who binds this batting lineup together," Panesar told PTI.</p>

<p>"He is good with his defence and if the ball is going to do a little bit, he can negotiate the Aussie bowlers and when the pitch is flat, the others can cash in with some attacking cricket. You don't need to be an extraordinary wicketkeeper in England. He has been keeping and batting well. He should play ahead of Bharat," he further mentioned.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ahead-of-wtc-final-showdown-indian-captain-rohit-sharma-picks-his-top-most-test-career-highlight-600837">Ahead of WTC final showdown, Indian captain Rohit Sharma picks his top-most Test career highlight</a></strong></p>

<p>"For Australia, Starc will be the one to watch out for. He is going to be quick and he is going to get that late movement. He can change the game with one spell. He is the guy Australia will go to when they need a wicket," Panesar added.</p>

<p>India and Australia locked horns in the red-ball format recently, during the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India. Back then, Pujara returned with&nbsp;140 runs in 4 matches, with a best of 59 whereas Starc only managed two scalps from an equal number of games. Both will be raring to go big in the WTC final and help their respective sides emerge on top.</p>

<p><strong>Australia squad</strong>: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Michael Neser.</p>

<p><strong>Standby players</strong>: Mitch Marsh, Matthew Renshaw</p>

<p><strong>India squad</strong>: 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</strong>: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav</p>


No. 1 ranked India are set to face Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final on June 07 at The Oval, London. The match will present India with another chance to end their ICC title drought since 2013.

No. 1 ranked India are set to face Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final on June 07 at The Oval, London. The match will present India with another chance to end their ICC title drought since 2013. It won't be an easy task as Australia will give them a tough challenge. Ahead of Rohit Sharma & Co.'s final showdown versus the Aussies, former England spinner Monty Panesar picked one X-factor player apiece from both sides. Panesar -- best known for his 17 scalps in England's famous 2-1 series win over hosts India in 2012/13 -- feels Cheteshwar Pujara will hold the key for India in the marquee finale whereas he picked Mitchell Starc as Australia's X-factor player. 'My X-factor batter will be Pujara for India. Starc will be one to watch out for from Australia' "The Indian top-order is in form. The conditions will be similar to the Wankhede pitch which is fast and bouncy. My x-factor batter will be Pujara because he has done so well in these English conditions for Sussex. He is the guy who binds this batting lineup together," Panesar told PTI. "He is good with his defence and if the ball is going to do a little bit, he can negotiate the Aussie bowlers and when the pitch is flat, the others can cash in with some attacking cricket. You don't need to be an extraordinary wicketkeeper in England. He has been keeping and batting well. He should play ahead of Bharat," he further mentioned. Also Read: Ahead of WTC final showdown, Indian captain Rohit Sharma picks his top-most Test career highlight "For Australia, Starc will be the one to watch out for. He is going to be quick and he is going to get that late movement. He can change the game with one spell. He is the guy Australia will go to when they need a wicket," Panesar added. India and Australia locked horns in the red-ball format recently, during the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India. Back then, Pujara returned with 140 runs in 4 matches, with a best of 59 whereas Starc only managed two scalps from an equal number of games. Both will be raring to go big in the WTC final and help their respective sides emerge on top. Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Michael Neser. Standby players: Mitch Marsh, Matthew Renshaw India squad: 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

WTC Final: Former England spinner names India and Australia's X-factor for mega clash

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