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Ashes: Cummins, Smith in captain and vice-captain role could be a good template

Published

3 years ago

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 In 2021, Australia have seen three different captains in Test cricket: Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, and Steve Smith. Before the start of the Ashes, Paine tearfully resigned from the post due to his lewd text messages to a former Cricket Tasmania female staffer from 2017 coming into the limelight. Amidst the storm, Cummins was appointed to lead Australia in Test cricket with Smith as his deputy.

The Cummins-Smith leadership duo went well as Australia won the first Test at Brisbane by nine wickets. But an unexpected turn of events saw Cummins being ruled out of the Adelaide Test due to being a close contact of a Covid-19 positive case while dining indoors in a restaurant on the eve of the Test. That brought Smith back into the captaincy role, for the first time since the Sandpaper gate Test in Cape Town, 2018.

Former India pacer Snehal Pradhan is completely convinced by the idea of how Australia have Cummins and Smith in their leadership nucleus. “It’s too early to really make any comments on Cummins’ captaincy. I mean, just one Test match where he had a great first innings and got a great start. But not a great sample size. In general, I love the idea of fast-bowling captains. I played a lot of my cricket under Jhulan Goswami, who was a very good fast bowling captain. I also buy into the idea that Australia are putting a model with Cummins and Smith,” said Snehal during a media interaction organised by Sony Sports on the sidelines of Adelaide Test.

Snehal further delved into why a vice-captain’s role becomes crucial when a pacer is appointed as the captain. “Like, when the fast bowler is a captain, then the vice-captain becomes really important. Because as a fast-bowler, when I am in the middle of a spell, I don’t want to care about field placings as much as I care about when I am not bowling. To have someone, on whom I can entrust the responsibility so much when I am in the middle of a really tiring 7-8 over spell, is a good template to work with. By necessity, that person is probably a batter. So, I think it’s a good template to work with.”

She feels Cummins’ biggest worry as a captain will be the workload. “”I don’t think Covid situation comes into it as anyone could have been affected by the Covid situation. Cummins is really unlucky. It could have been a batting captain; it could have been like a Tim Paine. And then suddenly you have to replace that player. From the workload point of view, of course, for a player who plays all three formats, who is a fast bowler, who ideally wants to be bowling 140-plus consistently, some amount of rest and rotation is going to be part of the job.”

The 35-year-old again pointed out how the vice-captain becomes a decisive figure in scenarios like what happened with Cummins in Adelaide. “The role of the vice-captain in that situation becomes really important because you are picking your vice-captain knowing that he or she is going to lead in this case. Usually, you pick your vice-captain only as a stopgap arrangement, or only as someone who will lead in case of an injury. So, that’s definitely what I would say about the workload management side of things in this situation. I like the idea, but then your vice-captain becomes really important.”

With Australia going the daring path of a pacer as captain in Test cricket, can India, closer home, go down that path as well? Snehal doesn’t think so. “In terms of fast-bowling captains, who could fit the role for the Indian team, who knows? I mean, we don’t have any shortage of batting captains. Just for convenience’s sake, batting captains are more convenient because you don’t have to worry about your primary skill while you are on the field. I don’t think we will see a fast-bowling captain because we have got so many batting leaders coming up through the system.”

Snehal Pradhan is part of the Hindi Commentary Panel for the ongoing Ashes Tour on SONY TEN 3 that started from December 8, 2021, and will go on till January 18, 2022.

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International

₹136 Crore Per Year To Luxury Suite At Training Ground: All About Kylian Mbappe’s Bumper Deal At Real Madrid

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2 months ago

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July 16, 2024

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In a move that has captivated football enthusiasts worldwide, Kylian Mbappe has officially transferred from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid as of Tuesday.

This long-anticipated switch concludes months of speculation and excitement among fans.

Real Madrid’s Exciting Acquisition

Real Madrid announced on Monday that they had secured a deal with the French superstar for the next five seasons, merging one of football’s brightest talents with its most illustrious club.

This deal follows years of interest from Madrid, eager to bring in the player seen as the heir to Lionel Messi’s throne in the sport.

Financial Details of Mbappe’s Move

The 25-year-old Parisian will reportedly earn 15 million Euros net per season at Real Madrid, translating to over ₹136 crores annually. This figure breaks down to an impressive ₹2.6 crore per week.

While this is a significant reduction from the €75 million net per year he received at PSG, the shortfall will be offset by a massive signing bonus. The bonus, around €150 million, will be disbursed over the course of his contract.

Perks and Anticipated Debuts

Aside from his substantial salary, Mbappe will enjoy a private luxury suite at Real Madrid’s training facility and will sport the iconic No.9 jersey, previously worn by legendary striker Karim Benzema.

His anticipated debut for Real Madrid will occur during the preseason, with their first friendly against AC Milan at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 31.

His competitive debut is expected in the UEFA Super Cup, where Real Madrid will take on Europa League winners Atalanta in Warsaw, Poland, on August 14.

Mbappe’s Stellar PSG Legacy

Mbappe joined PSG from Monaco in 2017 for €180 million and has since become the club’s all-time leading scorer.

Throughout his seven-year tenure in Paris, he consistently demonstrated his scoring prowess, netting at least 30 goals in six of those seasons. His move to Real Madrid marks the next chapter in an already illustrious career, as he aims to further his legacy at one of the world’s most storied football clubs.

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International

ENG vs ESP, Euro 2024 Final: Spain Become The 1st Four-Time Champions Of Europe After Beating England 2-1 In Berlin

Published

2 months ago

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July 15, 2024

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Match Result:

Spain triumphed over England with a 2-1 victory in the Euro 2024 final, held in Berlin, becoming the first team to win the championship four times.

The match saw a tense first half ending goalless, but Spain took the lead shortly after the break. Williams Jr. netted the opener in the 47th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by England.

England fought back, with Palmer leveling the score in the 73rd minute, igniting hopes for the Three Lions. However, Spain maintained their pressure, and in the 86th minute, Oyarzabal clinched the winner with a decisive strike.

This historic win cements Spain’s status as Europe’s most successful team, while England’s wait for a major international trophy continues. The final was a showcase of high-quality football and strategic mastery, ultimately seeing Spain emerge as deserved champions.

This historic win cements Spain’s status as Europe’s most successful team, while England’s wait for a major international trophy continues. The final was a showcase of high-quality football and strategic mastery, ultimately seeing Spain emerge as deserved champions.

Preview of Euro 2024 Cup final:

A strong Spanish outfit will meet a pesky England side in the final of Euro 2024 final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. Spain battled France and defeated them by 2-1 in the semi-final, while England overcame the Netherlands by the same margin.

However, it wasn’t without a contentious penalty call that went in England’s favour. Despite not starting the contest as favourites, England’s ability to hang in there could work against Spain, who are seeking a 4th Euro title. By contrast, England are yet to lift the trophy.

A crucial stat which is in favour of England is the head to head battle, which the former lead by 13-10 against Spain in 27 outings.

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International

Violent Clash Erupts Between Rival Supporters During Argentina vs Brazil 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Published

10 months ago

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November 23, 2023

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers has been marred in controversy as the match between Brazil and Argentina saw violent clashes between rival supporters before the start of it. The high-profile fixture had to be delayed by 30 minutes as the Marcana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro witnessed ugly scenes, with disturbing visuals emerging on social media.

With the Brazilian and Argentinian players lining up for national anthems, the camera turned towards the stands as a section of rival fans exchanged blows. The local police officials could be seen beating up a section of Argentinian fans with batons and it did not go well with the tourists. By pointing at the violent scenes, Messi and co. decided to walk off the pitch.

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