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TV Broadcast Highlights Rohit Sharma’s Weakness, Sunil Gavaskar Says Not A Problem

admin — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 07:23:28 +0000

India cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar slammed his broadcaster Star Sports for using a graphic about Rohit Sharma‘s weakness against left-arm seamers during India’s Super 8 clash against Australia in the 2024 T20 World Cup. While Rohit’s flaws against left-arm seam are widely known, he smacked left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc for 29 runs in an over, en route to his 41-ball 92. However, after Starc did get Rohit out, Star Sports put up a graphic about Rohit’s dismissals against left-arm pacers, which left Gavaskar annoyed.

“Thinking about Rohit Sharma once again, he got out to a left-hander (left-arm seamer). So before the next match, are we going to do another segment about his weakness to left-handers?” asked a bewildered Gavaskar.

Aaron Finch, who was sitting next to Gavaskar in the commentary box, reasoned that there are a lot more left-arm pacers nowadays, with not only Starc for Australia, but also the likes of Trent Boult (New Zealand) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan).

“There are more left-armers playing now, and they are genuine swing bowlers. So that poses a challenge to the opening batter,” said Finch, trying to justify the graphic.

Gavaskar retorted, saying that it isn’t a problem worth highlighting.

“I don’t think you should be looking much into that. If you’re playing attacking shots when the ball is swinging in, you will be out LBW, you will be out bowled,” said Gavaskar, the first man to reach 10,000 Test runs.

While Rohit Sharma played one of the best innings of the 2024 T20 World Cup, his opening partner Virat Kohli got out for his second duck of the tournament. Gavaskar has recently come under attack on social media for his supposed biased analysis towards the dismissals of the two batters.

“Commentators create divide between players and the fans,” one user had tweeted, after Gavaskar criticised Kohli’s shot-selection against Bangladesh, whilst calling Rohit’s approach a selfless one.

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“Can’t See India Winning T20 World Cup Unless…”: Ex-Australia Captain’s ‘Virat Kohli’ Warning

admin — Fri, 17 May 2024 11:22:13 +0000

Rohit Sharma (L) and Virat Kohli© AFP

Former Australian cricket team captain Tim Paine expressed his concern for Team India ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 and even served them a warning concerning star batter Virat Kohli. India are one of the firm favourites ahead of the competition but Paine believes that the campaign will depend heavily on how Kohli ends up performing. Paine, in conversation with fellow countrymen Aaron Finch and Michael Clarke on the ‘Around the Wicket’ podcast, compared Kohli to Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and said that if the India star fails to perform, Rohit and Co will not be able to win the title.

“I can’t see India winning the World Cup unless Virat Kohli has a really strong World Cup – bit similar to Glenn Maxwell’s form. I know he hasn’t been red-hot as of late but I can’t see Australia winning the World Cup unless Maxwell has a blinder,” Paine said on the podcast.

Recently, Kohli opened up about his retirement plans.

“I think as a sportsman, we do have an end-date to our careers. So I am just working backwards. I don’t want to finish my career thinking ‘oh, what if I have done this on that particular day’ because I can’t keep going on and on forever. So it’s just about not leaving any undone business behind and not have any regrets later, which I am sure I won’t,” said Kohli at RCB’s Royal Gala Dinner.

“Once I am done, I will be gone, you won’t see me for a while (smiles). So I want to give it everything I have till the time I play, and that’s the only thing that keeps me going,” he added.

Kohli is currently the run-scorer in the ongoing IPL 2024 and will be looking to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the playoff with a win over five-time champions Chennai Super Kings.

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“Hardik Booed For 8 Games, Would’ve Loved To See Rohit…”: Ex-Australia Star On Captaincy Row

admin — Sun, 12 May 2024 08:36:45 +0000

It has been a disappointing IPL 2024 season for both Hardik Pandya and Mumbai Indians. The five-time champions became the first team to get eliminated from the IPL 2024 playoffs race and skipper Hardik was the one who faced the majority of criticism. Hardik completed a sensational move to MI from Gujarat Titans and replaced Rohit Sharma as the captain ahead of the new season. However, the decision was not taken well by a section of the fanbase and the dismal form of the side only led to the negative reactions towards Hardik.

The all-rounder was booed by fans at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and came under a lot of pressure for his disappointing run of form – both with bat as well as ball.

Former Australia cricketer Aaron Finch said that he expected Rohit Sharma to come out in support of Hardik Pandya when the all-rounder was booed by the fans. He also said that if Rohit publicly supported the change in captaincy, the fans would have supported Hardik during the season.

“Just the one thing that I would have loved to have seen from Rohit throughout the IPL campaign is to make some kind of public statement because the resentment towards Hardik from the public has been unbelievable – getting booed. And it’s changed to cheers when he walks out since the World Cup squad has been announced,” Finch said on Around the Wicket.

“But for eight games, Hardik was getting booed during a Mumbai Indians game. So I would have loved seeing Rohit come out and say something publicly. Say ‘No, this is part of the plan for Mumbai Indians, and Hardik’s got my full support. Just think that would have put things to be a lot more quickly.”

Mumbai Indians have won just four out of their 13 matches in IPL 2024 till now.

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“Intent To Hit Boundaries Goes Out”: Ex RCB Star Aaron Finch On Virat Kohli’s Strike-Rate

admin — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 13:05:33 +0000

Virat Kohli struck at 118 against SRH© BCCI/Sportzpics

Royal Challengers Bengaluru returned to winning ways with a victory against high-flying Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Batting first, RCB managed to put over 200 runs on the board, with Virat Kohli contributing 51 runs. But, it was Rajat Patidar who bagged the Player of the Match award, having also scored a half-century, but at a much higher strike-rate in comparison. As RCB’s batting ended, an intense chatter around Kohl’s intent and strike-rate began, with the star batter getting criticised for his 43-ball 51. (IPL 2024 Points Table)

After the powerplay, Virat found it incredibly tough to hit boundaries, resulting in a big slowdown in his strike-rate. In fact, he only scored 19 runs from the last 25 deliveries he faced. Delving on the subject, former RCB and Australia batter Aaron Finch said that Kohli’s knock shouldn’t be looked at in isolation.

“I think it is a combination of a few things here. Yes, he got off to an absolute flyer. But after the powerplay, he dropped to 19 from 25. But one thing you have to keep in mind is that Patidar was going crazy at the other end. Sometimes your job as a set batter is to take the game a little bit deeper and get Patidar on strike as much as possible. That’s where the intent to hit boundaries goes out,” said Finch on Star Sports.

While there’s no denying that there was a sharp decline in Virat’s strike-rate in the second-half of his innings, Finch said that sometimes batters tend to do that seeing their partner at the other end of the pitch going all guns blazing.

“You can look at him in isolation and say ‘yes it dropped.’ But as a partnership, it worked really well. Because the last thing you want when you’re on fire is to be stuck at the non-striker’s end a lot. He did the right thing by getting Patidar up there,” asserted Finch.

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Aaron Finch Hits Bulls Eye As He Explains What Exactly Is Wrong With RCB

admin — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 10:12:32 +0000

Cameron Green with Virat Kohli© BCCI/Sportzpics

With just one win in eight matches, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are on the brink of early elimination from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Just one more defeat in the remainder of the campaign could prove to be the final nail in the coffin for the Faf du Plessis-led side. But, it’s not just this season that RCB have struggled to fire, their story has been the same for the most part of IPL history. Aaron Finch, a former Australia captain who played for RCB in the past, explained the core reasons behind the franchise’s consistently poor performances in the T20 league. (IPL 2024 Points Table)

In a show on Star Sports, Finch pinpointed the auction strategy as one of the biggest reasons behind the Bengaluru side’s underwhelming show in the IPL. Finch highlighted how the RCB management tends to spend heavy on batters while leaving little budget to sing a top bowler, especially spinner.

“I think there have been a couple of reasons, hasn’t gone well, and I think it does start off with the auction table when you put so much emphasis on your batting group and doesn’t leave a huge amount of room for your bowling. The lack of world-class spinner I guess it’s something and proven in the game against KKR, Sunil Narine is a world-class operator and he’s somebody who gets the job done day in day out. It’s just that lack of a spinner there to be relied on consistently,” Aaron Finch said.

Finch also questioned the team management’s decision to play Cameron Green in the middle despite knowing that it isn’t the Australian all-rounder’s best position.

“I think they have got some issues with playing players out of position at times, I mean Cameron Green to trade for him for such a big price, for such a big percentage of a salary cap, to then bat him in the middle-order where is not as comfortable as batting at the top is is a real strange move. You’re asking a guy to do a job which he is not comfortable with from the start so you’re not setting him up for the ultimate success in my opinion,” Finch asserted.

Languishing at the bottom of the 10-team points table, RCB need a miracle from here to enter the playoffs.

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India’s T20 World Cup Squad: Three Under-Performing Stars Issued Big Warning By WC Winner

admin — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 10:24:11 +0000

T20 World Cup 2024: File photo of Hardik Pandya© BCCI/IPL

The IPL 2024 is at its halfway stage. By now, there appears a clear demarcation between the teams which are top performing from the laggards. Rajasthan Royals, SunRisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders are the top three sides while Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the bottom three sides. This time the IPL holds extra significance. Just after the IPL 2024, the Indian cricket team will compete at the T20 World Cup 2024. The squad for the event is likely to be announced by the end of this month .

Ahead of the T20 World Cup, former Australia batter Aaron Finch painted a grim picture about three stars who are battling poor form.

“I have got my eye on two people, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Hardik Pandya. Two guys who haven’t been in the best form throughout this IPL so far and there is a bit of pressure building on both of them,” Finch, who led Australia to the T20 World Cup title in 2021 and was a member of the 2015 World Cup winning squad, said on Star Sports

Finch made these comments before the Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians match on Monday where Jaiswal scored a fine unbeaten century. Before the century, Jaiswal scored 121 in seven matches. After his 104* vs Mumbai Indians, his average if 32.14 in eights games.

“There is a T20 World Cup coming up very soon. They will want to be in great form to get picked and then if they are there, to contribute to India having a real crack at trying to win another T20 World Cup,” said Finch in a special interactive session on Star Sports Press Room..

Will pace bowling be a concern for India at the T20 World Cup? pic.twitter.com/myhXdysy6J

— sportsfunda (@sportsfunda1) April 23, 2024

When asked, if the pace bowling too is a concern, with none other than Jasprit Bumrah firing, Finch said: “I think spin could get them out of trouble. I think form of Kuldeep Yadav will be crucial and he will bein the playing XI. Arshdeep Singh is I think a quality bowler, he can swing the new ball both ways. He is not in his best form at the moment but he has got all the tools to have a good tournament. I guess that a part which is slightly concerning for the team. But then we have seven weeks from the tournament. That’s potentially 10 more games for the guys to find form.”

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“Captain Needs To Find Some Form”: Ex RCB Star’s No Nonsense Hardik Pandya Verdict

admin — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 06:06:41 +0000

Jasprit Bumrah (L) and Rohit Sharma during IPL 2024© AFP

It has been a disappointing campaign for Mumbai Indians in the ongoing IPL 2024 till now. The five-time champions courted controversy before the start of the season when they appointed Hardik Pandya in place of Rohit Sharma as their captain – a decision that split their fanbase as well as experts. Things did not improve as they slumped to three consecutive defeats. Hardik and Co did win their next two games but a loss against Chennai Super Kings after conceding more than 200 runs in 20 overs once again led to massive criticism. Former Australia skipper Aaron Finch weighed in on MI’s show in IPL 2024 and his verdict included mentions of two of their star cricketers – Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah.

“First and foremost, I think the captain needs to find some form and consistency with bat and ball. We’ve seen him bowl in some games and not in others, so ideally, some form with both bat and ball. I think that will go a long way. Additionally, their bowling outside of Jasprit Bumrah has lacked depth of quality and consistency,” Finch, who played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the past, told Star Sports.

Mumbai Indians won their match against Punjab Kings by nine runs with Jasprit Bumrah and Gerald Coetzee taking three wickets each after Suryakumar Yadav’s brilliant knock.

“Very good game of cricket. Everyone’s nerve got tested. We did speak about before the game that the character will be checked in this game. Naturally you think you’re ahead in the game. But we knew IPL has a tendency to produce these games. Unbelievable – coming in and playing like that (Ashutosh’s knock). Almost every ball hitting the middle. Happy for him and chuffed for his future. We did speak in the timeout that it doesn’t matter how good we look. We’ll keep scrapping in this game. We were quite soft in certain overs. Nevertheless, a win is a win,” Hardik said after the match.

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“Biggest Piece Of Rubbish”: Ex RCB Star On Doubts Over Virat Kohli’s T20 World Cup Spot

admin — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:07:48 +0000

Former Australian captain Aaron Finch on Wednesday slammed critics for questioned India batter Virat Kohli’s place in Men in Blue’s T20I set-up, calling the chatter around his spot “the biggest rubbish he has ever heard.” As the ICC T20 World Cup set to take place on June 1 in the West Indies/USA draws closer and the fever of the Indian Premier League (IPL) gets stronger, the conversations around Virat’s approach in T20 cricket have produced mixed debates. While many fans/experts have expressed support for Virat because of his stature, impressive T20I resume and experience, some of them have questioned if his style, which leans slightly towards a more conservative territory, is fit for modern, hard-hitting T20 cricket in which batters often launch big sixes from ball one.

Speaking on ESPN’s programme, Finch said, “I cannot understand that whenever an ICC event, irrespective of the format, is coming, every time people talk about Virat Kohli and whether he is under pressure for his spot. This is the biggest piece of rubbish I have ever heard. He is the greatest white ball player I have ever seen.”

“It does not matter if he strikes at 140 and other guys strike at 160, when you pick up a team, you pick up a guy who gets the job done day in and day out for his team during big games. It is ludicrous that we keep having this conversation,” he added.

During his side’s previous IPL game against Punjab Kings (PBKS), Virat shut down critics with a majestic 77 in 49 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes. Scoring at a strike rate of over 157, Virat was going hard from ball one, smashing Sam Curran for four boundaries in the first over itself during a run chase of 177. Another notable highlight of his knock was him taking on bowlers really well during middle overs and even choosing the aerial route.

After his match-winning knock, Virat acknowledged that amid all the chatter around his spot, his name is largely being used to promote the shortest format of the game in the USA ahead of T20 World Cup through advertisements, and he has “still got it” in T20 cricket. He also talked about though he tries to go hard from the beginning, the fall of wickets makes him play as per situation.

“I know my name is often used to just promote the T20 game across the world when it comes to T20 cricket these days but still got it I guess,” said Virat during the post-match presentation.

“In T20, I am opening, and I try to give the team a blazing start. But when wickets start falling, you have to understand the conditions as well. The wicket wasn’t as placid as normal here. It was a bit two-paced. I had to play the correct cricket shots, could not hit balls across the line. I tried a few, felt like I needed big hits at the other end, which did not happen as Maxi (Glenn Maxwell) and Anuj Rawat) got out quickly,” he added.

Virat is the highest run-getter in T20I cricket. In 117 matches, he has scored 4,037 runs at an average of 51.75 and a strike rate of over 138, with a century and 37 fifties in 109 innings. His best score is 122*.

He is also the highest run-scorer in IPL history. In 239 matches and 231 innings, he has scored 7,361 runs at an average of 37.36, with seven centuries and 51 fifties. His runs have come at a strike rate of 130.16.

Also, Virat is the most decorated batter in the history of the ICC T20 World Cup and is its leading run-scorer. In 27 T20 World Cup matches, Virat has made 1,141 runs at an average of 81.50 and a strike rate of 131.30, with 14 half-centuries in 25 innings. His best score is 89*. He was also the ‘Player of the Tournament’ in 2014 (319 runs in six matches at an average of 106.33 with four fifties) and 2016 (273 runs in five matches at an average of 136.5 with three fifties) editions, in which India finished as runners-up and semifinalists, respectively. He ended as the leading run-scorer in 2014. During the successful run chases in nine innings of the tournament, Virat averages 518, as he has only been dismissed once. Out of these nine innings, seven have been fifties.

In the 2022 edition in Australia, Virat ended as the leading run-getter, with 296 runs in six matches at an average of 98.66 and a strike rate of 136.40, with four fifties. His knock of 82* against Pakistan in a tough run-chase of 160 runs at Melbourne is also considered as one of the best T20I knocks ever played.

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