Connect with us
हिंदी اردو
Thursday,05-June-2025
Breaking News

Sports

Champions Trophy: Playing four spinners is tempting, but will think over right combination, says Rohit

Published

3 months ago

on

Dubai, March 3: Ahead of meeting Australia in the first semi-final of 2025 Champions Trophy, India skipper Rohit Sharma admitted that retaining their bowling combination of four spinners is a tempting option, but at the same time, he will give a thought over what the right bowling combination should be.

At the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, India fielded four spinners, who picked nine wickets collectively. Wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy was the standout bowler with 5-42, the best bowling figures in the ongoing Champions Trophy, in just his second ODI game to bamboozle New Zealand and ensure India end as Group A toppers.

“We really need to think, even if we want to play four spinners, how we can squeeze them. If we don’t, then we don’t. Whatever works for us in terms of the bowling options, we will try and do that.

“The reason I say that is because we are very much aware of the conditions, and know exactly what works and what doesn’t work. So, we’ll just give it a day. We’ll think about it, what is the right combination to go with. But it is tempting,” said Rohit in the pre semi-final press conference.

Asked if Chakaravarthy had made a case for his selection in the semi-final against Australia, which is a rematch of the 2023 ODI World Cup final, Rohit remarked, “He just showed what he’s capable of. Now it is up to us to think and see how we can get that combination right. Obviously, look, he got a game. He did everything that was asked for. I said it at the post-match (presentation ceremony) as well that he’s got something different about him.

“When he gets it right, he knocks people over and takes five wickets. It is very tempting to think about what to do, which is a good headache to have. We’ll just try and assess. We just want to go back and think about what the Australian batting lineup will look like and how we can try and see what kind of bowling options will work against them.”

It was in 2021 in Dubai that Chakaravarthy had endured a horror time in the Men’s T20 World Cup by going wicketless in the matches he played. On Sunday, Chakaravarthy made a very successful return to the very same venue with an incredible five-wicket haul in just his second ODI.

Rohit believes that what Chakaravarthy has been doing differently in 2025 as compared to his 2021 stint with the Indian team is his accuracy in deliveries and getting more match-playing experiences across all formats.

“Look, speaking about Varun, I think he’s become more accurate now from the last time he played for India, which was way back in 2021. I mean, there was a little bit of inexperience in him as well, because he hadn’t played a lot of cricket. But right now, in the last two or three years, he’s played a lot of cricket, whether it’s domestic cricket, IPL, and for India in T20Is, and now the ODIs as well.

“He understands his bowling really well. There is definitely something about his bowling which he’s using to his advantage. Some of our batters also couldn’t figure that out, which is always nice. But to answer that question, I think he has become more and more accurate, and the pace variation is superb.

“Watching from behind when I was standing in the slips, his variations have developed a lot more. When you have a little bit of mystery, you don’t want to be one-dimensional bowler and bowl with the same speed. You need something different in the pace variation, and the accuracy as well. So, he’s worked on both of it, and now you see that he’s getting a lot of wickets and getting more often as well, which is a good sign for us as a team,” he said.

Rohit signed off by explaining of the time when the think-tank felt it would be better to draft Chakaravarthy in place of Yashasvi Jaiswal in the main Champions Trophy squad on February 12. “With Varun, especially, we felt we had to sacrifice a batsman, as we thought it’s only five games in this tournament. It’s very unlikely that that batter is going to play at any stage, unless there’s an injury. You don’t make team thinking the worst, which is someone getting injured.”

“If somebody is injured, you can always call them upon. But with Varun, we knew that there is a chance that he might play without any injury in the team. I know there are four spinners and all of that, but we played four spinners in this game. So, looking at the surfaces here, hearing about what has happened in Dubai in the past two months, there’s a lot of cricket that has been played.”

“So, we somehow kind of knew that the surfaces are going to be slow. We were watching ILT20, which was played here, and we thought the slower bowlers will be a lot more helpful. Then we’ve got a batter sitting in the dugout anyway. If we need a batter to come in, Rishabh (Pant) is there for us. So, we thought with an extra option of the spin, there’s always a chance that we can play those guys. So that was pretty much the thinking behind that.”

Post Views: 49,024
Related Tags:

Sports

Vijay Mallya leads wave of reactions as RCB end IPL title drought

Published

20 hours ago

on

June 4, 2025

By

New Delhi, June 4: The long wait is finally over—and no one felt the emotions more than Vijay Mallya, the first owner of the Bengaluru franchise. As Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted their maiden IPL trophy after 18 years of heartbreak and hope, the former RCB owner led the wave of congratulatory messages that poured in from across the cricketing world.

“RCB are IPL Champions finally after 18 years,” Mallya posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Superb campaign right through the 2025 tournament. A well-balanced team Playing Bold with outstanding coaching and support staff. Many congratulations! Ee sala cup namde!!”

It was a moment that brought together generations of RCB fans and stakeholders, past and present. And the rest of the IPL fraternity stood in unison to applaud the team’s hard-earned glory.

Mumbai Indians, five-time champions, hailed the effort: “Congratulations to the NEW #TATAIPL Champions, @RCBTweets. A strong & memorable campaign.”

Sunrisers Hyderabad, who themselves have tasted title success in the past, acknowledged RCB’s tenacity: “Congratulations on an outstanding season and a well-earned title, @RCBTweets.”

Chennai Super Kings, RCB’s fiercest rivals, also put rivalry aside to share in the moment: “Congratulations, @RCBTweets! #IPL2025Final #WhistlePodu .”

The message that perhaps captured the emotions of millions of fans came from Kolkata Knight Riders: “EE SALA CUP NIMDE, CONGRATULATIONS.”

Even Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, and Lucknow Super Giants joined in, sharing stories, memes, and emotional posts celebrating the end of the title curse.

While the cricketing fraternity celebrated RCB’s victory, the occasion held deeply personal significance for Virat Kohli. As the team held on to win by six runs against Punjab Kings in a nerve-wracking final, Kohli dropped to his knees in tears. It was a fitting image of loyalty rewarded—after 18 years, three heartbreak losses in finals, and countless sacrifices, the talismanic batter had finally tasted IPL glory.

The journey to the title was far from smooth. RCB lost early wickets in the final, but vital partnerships—particularly between Kohli and Mayank Agarwal—ensured a fighting total of 190. Their bowlers, led by Krunal Pandya’s clutch spell of 2/17 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s nerveless death bowling, brought the cup home.

Despite a valiant 61* off 30 balls from Punjab’s Shashank Singh, RCB held their nerve. The final over drama only made the triumph sweeter. The title win united past legends, rival franchises, and fans from across the globe in celebration.

After years of taunts, memes, and near-misses, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are no longer titleless. The script has flipped, the wait is over, and the roar of “Ee Sala Cup Namdu” now echoes in reality, not just hope.

Post Views: 43,869
Continue Reading

health

Tobacco is not just addiction but poison: Delhi Speaker Vijender Gupta leads walkathon on World No-Tobacco Day in Rohini

Published

5 days ago

on

May 31, 2025

By

New Delhi, May 31: On the occasion of World No-Tobacco Day, Delhi’s Rohini area witnessed a strong show of public awareness and health advocacy through a walkathon organised to spread the message against tobacco consumption.

The event, themed ‘Walk for Life’, brought together medical professionals, civic leaders, and local residents in a collective stand against the harmful effects of tobacco.

Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, who flagged off the walkathon, delivered a powerful message on the dangers of tobacco. “Tobacco is not just an addiction; it’s a poison,” he said, addressing the gathering. “It is a dangerous habit that ruins lives, and the only effective way to combat it is through sustained awareness and education,” he added.

Organised by the Indian Medical Association in collaboration with the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, the event saw enthusiastic participation from doctors, healthcare workers, and members of the public.

The walkathon aimed to raise awareness, especially among the youth, about the health risks associated with tobacco, including its direct link to life-threatening diseases like cancer.

“The younger generation often views smoking and tobacco use as fashionable, but we must help them understand the long-term consequences,” Gupta added, urging collective efforts to curb the rising trend of tobacco use among the youth.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Sudhir Rawal, Medical Director at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, emphasised the medical impact: “Tobacco is one of the main avoidable causes of cancer. If you don’t use tobacco, you significantly reduce your risk of developing cancer, especially lung and mouth cancer.”

The event also featured health-themed activities, including group exercises and educational talks, to create a more engaging and impactful experience for participants.

As part of a broader initiative across the country, the Rohini walkathon served as a crucial reminder of the importance of quitting tobacco and promoting healthier, smoke-free lives.

Post Views: 39,819
Continue Reading

Sports

IPL 2025: This will be the year for RCB, AB de Villiers backs his former franchise to end title drought

Published

5 days ago

on

May 31, 2025

By

Mumbai, May 31: Former South Africa batter AB de Villiers backed his former IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to lift their maiden title this year after securing their berth for the summit clash with a commanding win over Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 on Thursday.

This year, RCB have been in stellar form and have not lost a single away game so far in the season. They finished the league stage with 19 points to seal the second spot in the points table.

Virat Kohli and Phil Salt have been leading the run-scoring for the franchise with 614 and 387 runs respectively. The duo has been supported by middle-order batters including captain Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma and Krunal Pandya.

On the bowling front, Josh Hazlewood is the leading wicket-taker for the side with 21 scalps in 11 games while Krunal Pandya (15 wickets), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (15 wickets) and Yash Dayal (12 wickets) are also contributing in tandem to make them a balanced unit.

“I’m very happy that RCB is in the final. We saw MI winning last night, so it’ll be a very good qualifier too, knockout match between Punjab and MI. Looking forward to that one, and whoever deserves it will play RCB in the final, so I’m very much looking forward to the final and hopefully, this will be the year for RCB,” De Villiers told Media in Mumbai.

The legendary batter backed Punjab Kings to play the final against RCB but remains sceptical after watching Mumbai Indians’ dominance against Gujarat Titans to knock them out of the tournament on Friday.

“I said quite a while ago, about a month ago, that Punjab and RCB will be in the final. MI looked very strong right now, so it looks like the odds are against my call, but it is still cricket. You never know. It is a knockout match. It takes one or two great performances to turn the pressure onto your opposition. So I think it’s still going to be Punjab, but I’ve got a little bit of doubt now in my mind after watching last night’s game,” he said.

Punjab Kings will now take on Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday to seal a place for the IPL 2025 final against RCB on June 3 at the same venue.

Post Views: 35,512
Continue Reading

Trending