#IPL2024 – Artifex.News

‘The Test’ Season 3 docu-series review: Short, engaging peek into cricketing drama

admin — Mon, 27 May 2024 07:46:05 +0000

A still from ‘The Test’

Around halfway of the second episode of the latest season of The Test, drama erupts.

English batter Jonny Bairstow ducks a bouncer, the ball goes to the keeper and the batter walks out of the crease. Pretty much a normal thing that happens during a Test match, you’d think. But there’s tense music in the background, almost like you know something is going to happen.

And then it does. Bairstow walks out of the crease thinking the over was done, and wicketkeeper Carey has thrown at the stumps and is claiming a dismissal.

“Sort of within one ball yeah, it happened,” Alex Carey recalls in the docuseries.

The crowd at Lord’s Cricket Ground would go on to chant, “Same old Aussies, always cheating,” even as a disappointed Bairstow exits.

It’s the equivalent of an action-packed interval block in the movies, the kind that leaves you on a high as you make your way through to the bathroom, probably grinning all the way at how good it is.

The Test: Season 3 (English)

Directors: Adrian Brown, Sheldon Wynne

Episodes: 3

Run-time: 56-58 minutes

Storyline: How the Australian team conquered the WTC final and went about the Ashes series

The current season of The Test, a sports docuseries that follows the Australian men’s cricket team, throws up such excellent moments. Following the Bairstow runout, Alex Carey is made villain in the eyes of the English public, something that affects him mentally, which his teammate Steve Smith reveals in the documentary.

The Test almost resembles a movie made on war, because of the format’s nature to be over five days. Every day, every session has some sort of an event that makes it special, and that, at times, seeps into the next day as well, as a new battle ensues. Like the one revolving around the Aussie bowling and the English openers in Old Trafford that highlights what essentially Bazball is. For the uninitiated, Bazball refers to aggressive, ultra-positive way of playing Test cricket. It makes this format far more exciting that you’d think.

A still from ‘The Test’
| Photo Credit:
Prime Video

Flashbacks are seldom interesting in films, but in such sports documentaries, it provides context and adds to the drama. Like that of Travis Head, who doesn’t touch a bat for weeks due to his wedding and shows up big time at the World Test Championship against India. Or Nathan Lyon, off tour due to a calf injury – the events of him walking out to bat under such circumstances were dramatic – and watching the rest of the series with his wife in his drawing room back in Australia, while his teammates slog it out in England.

Directed by Sheldon Wynne and Adrian Brown, The Test also cleverly brings in the highs and lows of the game; case in point being how the Aussies, after being in the game in the last Ashes Test at the Oval, veered off course. Such sports documentaries can be made or broken by editing, and the fantastic editing team ensures that The Test is a good watch. It also has some neat quotes (Marnus Labuchange says, “Cricket is a game of small margins. You can feel like you’re on top and it can flip in a second”).

While Season 3 might not have the appeal of the first season of The Test, which focused on the image rebuilding exercise of the team after the ball-tampering scandal, it does have quite a few highs. One wishes that a video crew was sent to the Australian ODI World Cup campaign too, so that cricket fans got a peek into the journey of Pat Cummins’ winning team, which silenced Indian crowds in the final.

Nevertheless, this season of The Test makes for an engaging, thrilling watch, with a few lessons that could appeal to even non-cricket lovers.

The Test Season 3 is currently streaming on Prime Video

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Nathan Lyon interview | On batting on one leg, ‘The Test’ and IPL 2024

admin — Fri, 24 May 2024 10:55:06 +0000

Watch | Nathan Lyon interview | On batting on one leg, ‘The Test’ and IPL 2024

Nathan Lyon hobbles and limps gingerly as he walks out to bat to a cheering audience at the Lord’s Cricket Ground.

Batting on one leg and visibly in discomfort due to a calf injury, Nathan would go on to add four off 13 excruciating balls in one of the most dramatic cricketing moments as part of the England-Australia clash for the Ashes 2023.

Nathan Lyon in ‘The Test’
| Photo Credit:
Prime Video

Nathan’s wife, Emma, did not want him to bat under such circumstances. Nor did his captain, Pat Cummins, or the team’s physio. Luckily, head coach Andrew McDonald wanted him to, and Nathan knew right away that he would find a way.

“A lot of people around the world go to work uncomfortable. I know the importance of 10 to 15 runs in an Ashes, and I wanted to contribute. When I had a calf injury, I felt like I had let down my teammates and I just wanted to make sure that I help them out by playing a role,” says Nathan, over a virtual conversation, about a vital moment that is also chronicled in the The Test Season 3, currently streaming on Prime Video.

The Australian cricket team in ‘The Test’
| Photo Credit:
Prime Video

The current season of The Testfollows the Australian men’s cricket team as they embark on a gruelling tour of England in 2023, where they faced India in the World Test Final and took on England in the Ashes. Apart from cricketing moments, The Test also gives a peek into locker-room talk and how players navigate the challenges of balancing sport at the highest level, and their family life. “There are superstars on the team, like Steve Smith and David Warner, but we’re all human, and we see that element coming out in The Test. It’s important for everyone to realise that we make mistakes but we also try our best to go out there and win some games.”

Such documentaries chronicle not just sporting moments, but also provide insights into sportspersons’ lives and how they deal with success and loss. Nathan agrees, “It’s massive, mate. I watch a lot of such stuff, like Quarterback, Full Swing and Tour de France: Unchained. My favourite is the Formula 1 documentary, Drive to Survive. There are great insights into the way individuals prepare for big moments, and that makes for some amazing viewing for fans.”

Spin is in

Growing up in Australia, known to produce fast-bowlers of pedigree such as Glenn Mcgrath, Brett Lee and Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon still wanted to get into spin, a skill that you would largely associate with the subcontinent. He idolised late Australian legendary spinner Shane Warne. “Well, my brother (Brendan Lyon) and I idolised Shane Warne. Seeing him win games for Australia was so special, and so, Brendan took up leg spin. I just wanted to be bigger and better than my brother.”

Today, Nathan, with over 500 wickets to his name, is considered Australia’s most successful offspinner and he loves it when the ball spins. “I’ve been watching the IPL a fair bit now, and if I’m being honest, I’d like to see the wickets to come back a little bit to see a fair contest between bat and ball. Spin is incredibly important in all formats of cricket. Whenever the ball spins, you get the maximum eyes on the television. When we tour India for Test cricket and the ball spins, I feel there are more people watching than anytime else. I absolutely love it when the ball spins and see some batsmen panic. Ravi Ash (Ravichandran Ashwin) has flown the flag for that one in the IPL now and hopefully, he will do a great job with that,” says Nathan, who is also keenly watching his skipper, Pat Cummins, captain Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins in ‘The Test’
| Photo Credit:
Prime Video

While he is not part of the IPL, Nathan swears by the five-day Test format, something that he describes as the ‘pinnacle of cricket.’ “For me, it is a place where you cannot hide. If you cannot play the short ball, you cannot hide. You have to ensure that your skillsets are good enough to compete against the best in the world. T-20 and one-day cricket are here, and Test cricket, well, is miles above.”

The Test: Season 3 is currently streaming on Prime Video

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Ambati Rayudu interview: On IPL 2024, his stint at CSK and dabbling in politics

admin — Wed, 22 May 2024 10:39:42 +0000

Ambati Rayudu interview: On IPL 2024, his stint at CSK and dabbling in politics

A lot can change in a year; Ambati Rayudu knows that.

Last May, he was jumping with joy at the Chennai Super Kings’ dugout in Ahmedabad, having contributed to one of IPL’s most memorable finals that the men in yellow won off the last ball. Late into the night, MS Dhoni would receive the trophy and hand it over to a beaming Rayudu in his last IPL match as a cricket player.

Ambati Rayudu during a Star Sports event in Hyderabad

This May, Rayudu — now a commentator with Star Sports and talking about the game with as much passion as he once played it — was desolate, as he saw his former team get knocked out of TATA IPL 2024 on a rainy Saturday evening in Bangalore. In a video that is now going viral among cricket fans, Rayudu sits, his face buried in his hands, in disbelief.

Rayudu was showing his emotions, like he has always done. “Yes, I am an emotional being,” he tells me over a virtual conversation, a day before the CSK-RCB match, “I’ve always wanted things to be fair, and always fought for what I believe is right.”

Ambati Rayudu

Currently, the six-time IPL champion is busy with a hectic commentary stint. It is not something he would have fancied when he was a player, but Rayudu is enjoying it nevertheless. “I didn’t know if I would be good at it, because I hardly spoke during my playing days. But, with friends and family, I used to love discussing cricket. I pride myself as being a good student of the game and trying to understand its various intricacies. Broadcasting and commentating are new to me and I’m slowly trying to understand how things work, though many a time, I speak from the heart. I’m just happy I am still connected to the sport.”

Batting for CSK

IPL 2024 might have ended on a sour note for CSK, but Dhoni and Jadeja — the two men who were at the crease during the last moments of the recent Bangalore game — have been Chennai’s favourite IPL stars for many years now. Recalling the moments leading up to the famous CSK win of 2023, Rayudu says, “Remember Dhoni lifting Jadeja after he won us the game? We all know what CSK means to Dhoni, but it proved what it meant to Jadeja, who has been the team’s go-to man, be it batting, bowling or fielding.”

Ambati Rayudu and MS Dhoni
| Photo Credit:
DEEPAK KR

Rayudu was a star with Mumbai Indians in the earlier editions of IPL but has been vocal about his support for Chennai Super Kings, with which he had a successful stint. So, what is the amazing team environment that everyone raves about? “CSK is family. They let you be. At CSK, you are treated just the way you are treated at home; I’m not saying there is no pressure to win, but it’s the way you are treated at home, with parents or siblings. Every player feels like he belongs. The management and the support staff never speaks negatively and never puts you down. Even players who are not playing are constantly looked after; when that happens, you want to give your best. Say, if a player’s capacity is to score a 50 off 20 balls, due to this environment, you would like to do it in 18. This is why many players, who might not have played so well for other franchises, bloom here.” What also helps is the loyalty factor among players; someone like an MS Dhoni has been with the team since its inception. “Even after his retirement, I’m sure he will be associated with the team in a major capacity.”

Chennai love

Ambati Rayudu shares a deep connection with Chennai. He played a lot of under-13 cricket games here, a time he fondly remembers. “We used to stay at Libra Lodge in Triplicane and walk in a line to a nearby mess to have idlis for breakfast and meals for lunch. I have played a lot of junior cricket and then Ranji Trophy at Chepauk. I have enjoyed the food, people and have always felt very emotionally close to people from Chennai.”

Rayudu has been associated with Indian cricket for a long time — playing for India was the most memorable moment of his career — but he feels that the IPL, conceptualised in 2008, has brought the game closer to fans. “They understand T-20 cricket better, and they identify more with the players. The league is also a game-changer in terms of identifying talent. Previously, even if you were a talented player, you could get lost in the system if you are not identified by a certain set of selectors. But the IPL has been a great platform and throws the spotlight on players; a cricketer like Ashutosh Sharma (Punjab Kings) might not have been identified if he played only for the Railways. That’s the beauty of the IPL.”

Ambati Rayudu and Pawan Kalyan during a campaign
| Photo Credit:
V RAJU

The cricketer also dabbled in politics for a while, and this election season, he actively supported popular actor and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan. He hopes to play an active role in public life in the future. “I believe sport can be a unifying factor in bringing people together,” says Rayudu, who also runs a foundation in Guntur that helps people from disadvantaged sections of society,“I believe equal opportunities should be available; I have suffered in the past due to a lot of factors. I hope that a player, even without any godfather, should be able to play the sport just based on his or her talent. I’m looking forward to playing an important role in developing Andhra Pradesh as a better place to live in.”

Watch TATA IPL playoffs and final this week on the Star Sports Network

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Virat played a vintage innings, Green lauds Kohli for keeping RCB in playoffs race

admin — Fri, 10 May 2024 07:56:46 +0000

Cameron Green lauded star batter Virat Kohli for playing a “vintage” innings to keep RCB in the race. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Cameron Green lauded star batter Virat Kohli for playing a “vintage” innings to keep Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the race to the IPL playoffs.

Kohli made full use of the three reprieves, including one on zero, to make a 47-ball 92 that set the tone for their 60-run win over Punjab Kings in a must-win match here on May 9.

“He played the vintage Virat that we all know. It was a beautiful watch from the other end. That’s the beauty of having Virat in your team, as opposition you can’t give him that many chances,” said Green in the post-match press meet.

The Australian all-rounder, who helped himself to a 27-ball 46, said Kohli was trying to be aggressive and the drops did not affect him.

“He’s always going to make you hurt, especially if you drop him three or four times. Early in his innings, he was trying to be really aggressive. I think he looked like after a couple of dropped catches, he didn’t have much to lose,” added Green.

The Bengaluru side still need to win their remaining two matches against Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings at home to remain in the mix for playoffs.

Green said the team has done well to win four matches on the bounce after a string of defeats.

“Yeah, I think what we’ve done really well is just look at the next game. I think obviously at the start of the tournament you can always look further at what’s coming up, where are we on the table.”

“But I think that’s the beauty of where we were at (now), we kind of were pushed into a corner and all we could really do was focus on the next game,” he added

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings assistant coach Brad Haddin blamed the dropped catches for his side’s defeat.

The Kings let-off Kohli and Green more than once and they bruised them with quickfire knocks as RCB posted a tall 241 for seven.

In reply, PBKS could only manage 181 before getting bundled out.

“100 percent we lost the match because of dropped catches. If we look through the game, we dropped two guys on a duck, and both of them scored big runs. That was where the game was lost.

“There was not too much difference in the batting and bowling of both teams. The catches we put down cost us the game,” said Haddin.

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IPL 2024: We never give up, we’ll keep fighting, asserts Hardik Pandya

admin — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 09:49:06 +0000

File photo of Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya.
| Photo Credit: AP

Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya on April 2 asserted that the former champions will not give up and will continue to fight in the ongoing IPL despite slumping to a hat-trick of defeats.

“If there’s one thing you should know about this team, we never give up. We’ll keep fighting, we’ll keep going,” Hardik posted on X.

If there’s one thing you should know about this team, we never give up. We’ll keep fighting, we’ll keep going. pic.twitter.com/ClcPnkP0wZ

— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) April 2, 2024

Hardik has been facing the ire of fans since replacing Rohit Sharma as Mumbai Indians captain. The all-rounder was booed in the team’s opening two matches and the crowd hostility was at its peak in MI’s first home game of the season on Monday.

To add to the woes, under his captaincy MI’s campaign at the 2024 IPL got off to a disastrous start as they sit at the bottom of the table following three losses on the trot.

However, MI are known to be perennial slow starters. In 2015, they lost the first four games before going on to win the title.

Hardik’s poor captaincy calls have also been questioned — whether it was not giving Bumrah the new ball or sending Tim David ahead of himself against Gujarat Titans.

The change in captaincy has not sat well with the legions of MI supporters. On Monday, chants of ‘Rohit Rohit’ filled the Wankhede with the Indian captain himself asking the crowd not to jeer Hardik.

Mumbai Indians will next face Delhi Capitals at home on Sunday.

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IPL-17 | Dhoni’s batting was spectacular and lone positive on tough day, says Stephen Fleming

admin — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 14:43:55 +0000

Chennai Super Kings player M.S. Dhoni plays a shot during the Indian Premier League 2024 match against Delhi Capitals in Visakhapatnam on March 31, 2024.
| Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak

There are not many better than the great Mahendra Singh Dhoni when it comes to game awareness and that reflected in his maiden outing with the bat this IPL season, said Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming.

The margin of defeat for CSK’s first loss of the season would have been bigger than 20 runs if it was not for Dhoni’s unbeaten 37 off 16 balls at number eight.

Dhoni’s cameo against the Delhi Capitals included a thundering six over extra-cover before he unleashed a one handed maximum over mid-wicket in the 20th over.

The 42-year-old, who last played for India in 2019, had undergone a knee surgery last year.

“It was beautiful wasn’t it. He has been playing incredibly well pre-season. He is coming back from quite a serious injury. His batting has been superb. it gave us a positive vibe towards the end of a tough day.

“To get within 20 (runs of the target) run rate wise is important and he knows that. The way he played was spectacular,” said the former New Zealand captain at the post match press conference on Sunday.

On the first loss of the season, Fleming added: “The result today is a fair reflection of the team’s play tonight. We were a little bit off tonight, we were slow at start in the first six overs of each innings. We gave away too many runs in the first six when we bowled.

“When we batted, they were very good, created pressure and used the conditions very well. The little cameos from David Warner and Rishabh Pant pushed them to a very good score (191/5).”

Was waiting for a long time to perform: Khaleel

Left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed’s burst with the new ball put CSK on the backfoot from the outset.

“I was waiting for a long time to perform for the team. When I started, I realised I was getting good swing, so I just backed it up and didn’t allow the opposition any chance,” said Ahmed.

“The more you play, the more you understand your game. The same happened with me as I have been playing continuously for six months, I got to understand my game plans, my body and managing to play in small niggles.

“It all came due to the domestic season, it gave me good confidence before coming into the IPL and it’s been a great feeling.”

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Indian Premier League 2024 | Full schedule; Chennai to host final on May 26

admin — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 15:03:19 +0000

Chennai was named the venue of this year’s IPL final on May 26 and was also awarded hosting rights of the second qualifier on May 24 as the BCCI unveiled the tournament’s complete schedule, factoring in the polling dates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Chennai has been awarded the final as the Chennai Super Kings are the defending champions. The title-holders get to host the opening and the final game of the tournament as per established convention. The other two marquee play-off matches will be hosted by Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on May 21 and 22 respectively.

The event got underway on March 22 after the BCCI announced the schedule for just the first two weeks (21 matches).

Here is the full schedule

March 22: CSK vs RCB (Chennai) 8 pm

March 23: PBKS vs DC (Mullanpur) 3:30 pm

KKR vs SRH (Kolkata) 7:30 pm

March 24: RR vs LSG (Jaipur) 3:30 pm

GT vs MI (Ahmedabad) 7:30 pm

March 25: RCB vs PBKS (Bengaluru) 7:30 pm

March 26: CSK vs GT (Chennai) 7:30 pm

March 27: SRH vs MI (Hyderabad) 7:30 pm

March 28: RR vs DC (Jaipur) 7:30 pm

March 29: RCB vs KKR (Bengaluru) 7:30 pm

March 30: LSG vs PBKS (Lucknow) 7:30 pm

March 31: GT vs SRH (Ahmedabad) 3:30 pm

DC vs CSK (Visakhapatnam) 7:30 pm

April 1: MI vs RR (Mumbai) 7:30 pm

April 2 : RCB vs LSG (Bengaluru) 7:30 pm

April 3: DC vs KKR (Visakhapatnam) 7:30 pm

April 4: GT vs PBKS (Ahmedabad) 7:30 pm

April 5: SRH vs CSK (Hyderabad) 7:30 pm

April 6: RR vs RCB (Jaipur) 7:30 pm

April 7: MI vs DC (Mumbai) 3:30 pm

LSG vs GT (Lucknow) 7:30 pm

April 8: CSK vs KKR (Chennai) 7:30 pm

April 9: PBKS vs SRH (Mullanpur) 7:30 pm

April 10: RR vs GT (Jaipur) 7:30 pm

April 11: MI vs RCB (Mumbai) 7:30 pm

April 12: LSG vs DC (Lucknow) 7:30 pm

April 13: PBKS vs RR (Mullanpur) 7:30 pm

April 14: KKR vs LSG (Kolkata) 3:30 pm

MI vs CSK (Mumbai) 7:30 pm

April 15: RCB vs SRH (Bengaluru) 7:30 pm

April 16: GT vs DC (Ahmedabad) 7:30 pm

April 17: KKR vs RR (Kolkata) 7:30 pm

April 18: PBKS vs MI (Mullanpur) 7:30 pm

April 19: LSG vs CSK (Lucknow) 7:30 pm

April 20: DC vs SRH (Delhi) 7:30 pm

April 21: KKR vs RCB (Kolkata) 3:30 pm

PBKS vs GT (Mullanpur) 7:30 pm

April 22: RR vs MI (Jaipur) 7:30 pm

April 23: CSK vs LSG (Chennai) 7:30 pm

April 24: DC vs GT (Delhi) 7:30 pm

April 25: SRH vs RCB (Hyderabad) 7:30 pm

April 26: KKR vs PBKS (Kolkata) 7:30 pm

April 27: DC vs MI (Delhi) 3:30 pm

LSG vs RR (Lucknow) 7:30 pm

April 28: GT vs RCB (Ahmedabad) 3:30 pm

CSK vs SRH (Chennai) 7:30 pm

April 29: KKR vs DC (Kolkata) 7:30 pm

April 30: LSG vs MI (Lucknow) 7:30 pm

May 1: CSK vs PBKS (Chennai) 7:30 pm

May 2: SRH vs RR (Hyderabad) 7:30 pm

May 3: MI vs KKR (Mumbai) 7:30 pm

May 4: RCB vs GT (Bengaluru) 7:30 pm

May 5: PBKS vs CSK (Dharamshala) 3:30 pm

LSG vs KKR (Lucknow) 7:30 pm

May 6: MI vs SRH (Mumbai) 7:30 pm

May 7: DC vs RR (Delhi) 7:30 pm

May 8: SRH vs LSG (Hyderabad) 7:30 pm

May 9: PBKS vs RCB (Dharamshala) 7:330 pm

May 10: GT vs CSK (Ahmedabad) 7:30 pm

May 11: KKR vs MI (Kolkata) 7:30 pm

May 12: CSK vs RR (Chennai) 3:30 pm

RCB vs DC (Bengaluru) 7:30 pm

May 13: GT vs KKR (Ahmedabad) 7:30 pm

May 14: DC vs LSG (Delhi) 7:30 pm

May 15: RR vs PNKS (Guwahati) 7:30 pm

May 16: SRH vs GT (Hyderabad) 7:30 pm

May 17: MI vs LSG (Mumbai) 7:30 pm

May 18: RCB vs CSK (Bengaluru) 7:30 pm

May 19: SRH vs PBKS (Hyderabad) 3:30 pm

RR vs KKR (Guwahati) 7:30 pm

Qualifier and final

May 21: Qualifier 1 (Ahmedabad) 7:30 pm

May 22: Eliminator (Ahmedabad) 7:30 pm

May 24: Qualifier 2 (Chennai) 7:30 pm

May 26: Final (Chennai) 7:30 pm .

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