Abhishek downplays competition with Gill & Jaiswal for T20I opening slot
On Sunday against England, the 24-year-old smashed 135 runs off just 54 balls to help India post a mammoth 247/9, for his second T20I century.
On Sunday against England, the 24-year-old smashed 135 runs off just 54 balls to help India post a mammoth 247/9, for his second T20I century.
Former India coach and noted commentator Ravi Shastri believes Gautam Gambhir can make an immediate impact in his new role as head coach because he’s a “contemporary” mentor and already close to the team.
“Why Surya was made the captain, because he is one of the deserving candidates. He’s been around the group over the last year, we get feedback from the dressing room a lot. (He has a) good cricket brain, and (is) one of the best T20 batters in the world,” Agarkar said.
The T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team landed in Delhi on Thursday morning after winning the World Cup title in Barbados.
Gambhir, when asked about his chances of succeeding Dravid for the top post, chose to remain noncommittal, adding to the mystery surrounding the potential coaching change.
Heinrich Klassen took the game away from India with a 46-ball 81 as South Africa romped home with four wickets to go 2-0 up in the five-match series at Cuttack's Barabati Stadium.
He added that the Indian team is lacking their trademark fighting spirit in the match and letting their guard down when conditions are not favourable for them.
South Africa restricted India to 148/6 in 20 overs despite Dinesh Karthik's late flourish (30 not out off 21 balls). Besides Karthik, Shreyas Iyer (40 off 35), Ishan Kishan (34 off 21) were the main scorers as most of the Indian batters failed to deliver against Proteas bowlers and lost wickets at regular intervals.
The Rishabh Pant-led India are playing the ongoing series against Proteas without their key players -- Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Jasprith Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav -- due to rest and injury issues.
While Pant may have scored the second-lowest score (340 runs) in the seven seasons he has played in the IPL, and a captaincy blunder in the crucial match may have cost his side a playoffs berth, but Delhi Capitals head coach Ponting believes that Pant is "an outstanding young man who has the world at his feet".
