Sports
Hardik Pandya’s captaincy is simple; he doesn’t impose his will on anyone: Sai Kishore
Gujarat Titans’ left-arm spinner Sai Kishore has defined Hardik Pandya’s captaincy in just one word: Simple. The 25-year-old, who was bought by the Titans for Rs three crore after a fierce bidding war from several franchises in the IPL 2022 mega auction, has said that Pandya carries himself with a lot of confidence, which rubs off on fellow cricketers, and is the reason for the newcomer’s superb performance this season.
Gujarat Titans are top of the table with 20 points and will take on Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens here in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday. The team won 10 of the 14 league games, an incredible feat for a side that was not given much of a chance after the mega auction.
Kishore said, Pandya had a “very strong personality” and never imposes his will on the players.
“Hardik to me has been pretty simple. The last game he came to me and said, ‘Left-hander is batting, do you want me to tell you anything, or you know?’ I said, ‘I know, I’ll take care’. I find Hardik as a very strong personality. He carries himself with a lot of confidence, and has confidence in his players as well. Not trying to impose himself on all the players. Give them their space, their freedom and ‘you express yourselves. If something goes wrong, I’ll be there’. That’s how I’ve seen Hardik,” Kishore said on gujarattitansipl.com.
The 25-year-old Kishore, who has impressed with the limited exposure he has got this season, added that head coach Ashish Nehra and Pandya forge a strong bond because of which everyone in the team feels “secure”.
“It’s been amazing being here, with Ashu pa and Hardik. Ashu pa has made sure that everybody feels so secure in this team. Even when I was playing the 12th game of the season, I still felt like I need to contribute something for the team. Didn’t feel like I’ve been left out or something like that. We’ve all felt so secure and a lot of credit needs to be given to the both of them making the environment like that.
Kishore added that if a captain imposes his will on players, the natural instinct goes for a toss, but in the Gujarat Titans’ setup, it’s always fun to play as the skipper is always backing his teammates.
“I’ve always loved the kinds of captains who give the responsibility to the player, rather than just imposing always. Then your instincts just get cut off. Credit to captains like that, always fun to play like that.”
He also said that contrary to reports that the Titans had a meticulous bowling plan before every game, there was no such elaborate meeting as everyone knew his role well.
“Honestly, there has not been ‘planning’ planning as such. We just sit together and discuss for half an hour, 40 minutes, what is the devised plan. The good thing about the team is, we have proper bowlers. We don’t have half-bowlers, half-batters. Whoever has played, they knew their roles, proper. It’s like five professionals handling their work, so the results have come. You don’t need to sit down and coach them in general. It’s five professional players showing up and doing their skillsets to the best they can.
“Definitely, Ashu pa (Ashish Nehra) being a fast bowler himself, he’s someone who reads the game very well. He has kept it pretty simple, like ‘this guy is a compulsive puller’, ‘this guy is good square of the wicket’, ‘this guy is good when it’s pitched up, let’s not give it up’. It’s been simple, but clear plans to execute. With Ashu pa also being a bowler, it has helped us so much. It has made the job very easy,” added the spinner.
Sports
Bumrah, Jaiswal, Jadeja named in ICC Test Team of the Year
Dubai, Jan 24: India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja have been named in the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 2024.
Other than the Indian trio, the team features four players from England, two from New Zealand and one each from Australia and Sri Lanka.
Australia’s Pat Cummins captains the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year for the second successive year, earning his place thanks to another memorable stint in which he guided his side to the ICC World Test Championship Final, overseeing victories against Pakistan, New Zealand and India, and picking up 37 wickets in his nine Tests at an average of 24.02.
India’s Jaiswal takes a spot atop the order after scoring 1,478 runs during the year at 54.74, which included double-centuries in back-to-back Tests against England in February and a sublime 161 against Australia in Perth. His opening partner is Ben Duckett, one of four Englishmen in the team, who scored over a thousand Test runs in the year (1,149).
Century-makers litter the middle order, comprised of New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, English duo Joe Root and Harry Brook and Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis.
Williamson notched 1,013 runs in 2024 at an average of almost 60, while Brook’s 1,100 calendar runs were headlined by a record knock of 317 in victory over Pakistan in October. Mendis enjoyed a breakthrough year, hitting five centuries and becoming the fastest to 1,000 Test runs in 75 years, while the evergreen Root scored more Test runs (1,556) and recorded more centuries (6) than anyone else.
Jamie Smith earns a spot as the designated wicketkeeper in the Test Team of the Year, six months after making his Test debut for England, thanks to 637 runs in nine Tests which included a maiden hundred against Sri Lanka in August.
Captain Cummins is joined in the bowling group by all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja of India, who boasted 527 runs and 48 wickets in his Test year. Also with 48 wickets is New Zealand’s Matt Henry, the pacer making impressive contributions against Australia, India and England.
Completing the list is top-ranked Test bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who excelled once more with ball in hand, topping the wicket-taking charts with 71 wickets in 2024 at a sensational average of 14.92.
ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year: Yashasvi Jaiswal (Ind), Ben Duckett (Eng), Kane Williamson (NZ), Joe Root (Eng), Harry Brook (Eng), Kamindu Mendis (SL), Jamie Smith (Eng) (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (Ind), Pat Cummins (Aus) (c), Matt Henry (NZ), Jasprit Bumrah (Ind).
Maharashtra
Kho-Kho World Cup: This Vijayshri Unforgettable, Maharashtra’s Pride – CM Devendra Fadnavis
Mumbai: Indian Women’s and Men’s Team’s Historic Success, Special Appreciation to Captains Priyanka Ingle and Pratik Waikar
“This Vijayashree is unforgettable and a moment that Maharashtra should be proud of,” said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis while congratulating the Indian men’s and women’s teams for representing India at the first Kho-Kho World Cup.
The Chief Minister said that the Indian women’s and men’s teams have made the country and especially Maharashtra’s name shine at the global level by winning the historic victory in the first Kho-Kho World Cup. He expressed his pride that these teams are led by sons of Maharashtra.
Special praise for captains
The captain of the women’s team, Priyanka Ingle, and the captain of the men’s team, Pratik Waikar, have achieved this historic victory under their leadership. The Chief Minister also congratulated them and other players in the team. The Chief Minister has given special praise to the contribution of Ashwini Shinde, Reshma Rathod, Vaishnavi Pawar in the women’s team and Suyash Gargate, Aniket Pote, Aditya Ganpule, and Ramji Kashyap in the men’s team.
Coach and assistants’ contribution
The Chief Minister said that the guidance of the team’s coaches Shirin Godbole (men’s team) and Prachitai Waikar (women’s team) has been decisive in the team’s success. Also, physiotherapist Dr. Amit Ravahate has also made a valuable contribution to the team.
Support of families and best wishes for the future
The Chief Minister said that along with the hard work of the players, the support of their families has also been important in this success. He congratulated the entire team, the coach, and their families and wished the players for their future journey.
“This victory has given the country and Maharashtra a moment of pride. This chapter will be etched forever in the history of Kho-Kho,” the Chief Minister said in his message.
Sports
Bumrah, Sutherland clinch ICC December Player of the Month Awards
Dubai, Jan 14: India pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Australia all-rounder Annabel Sutherland have been named ICC Men’s and Women’s Players of the Month for December, respectively on Tuesday.
Bumrah, the top-ranked Test bowler, provided stern resistance to Australia’s resurgence in a compelling Border-Gavaskar Trophy series with destructive bowling spells, while Sutherland was in sparkling form during Australia’s ODI encounters against India and New Zealand, twice winning Player of the Series accolades for her all-round contributions.
“Both players were crowned following a vote conducted among global fans registered at ICC’s official website and a specialist panel comprising ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and media representatives,” ICC said in a release.
Bumrah clinches his second ICC Men’s Player of the Month crown from fellow nominees, World Test Championship wicket-takers Pat Cummins and Dane Paterson. Sutherland also wins her second ICC Women’s Player of the Month prize, overcoming Smriti Mandhana and Nonkululeko Mlaba in the global vote.
Bumrah’s memorable year on the international stage drew to a close with more outstanding efforts in Australia, taking 22 wickets in December’s three Tests at an average of 14.22.
As the home side grew in confidence, battling back from a 1-0 deficit to take the lead in the series, the seamer spearheaded India’s resistance, first starring in Adelaide with four for 61. Onward to Brisbane and Bumrah blitzed the Australian batting lineup in the first innings, recording six for 76 in a fearsome spell in the first innings and three for 18 in the second.
Another nine-wicket return in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne included a spell of five for 57 in the second innings, upon which the 31-year-old set a new record for the highest rating points tally by any Indian bowler in history. Bumrah will be hoping for continued success in the coming weeks, where he is nominated for two of the top honours in the ICC Awards 2024 – the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year Award and the coveted Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year.
“I am thrilled to be named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for December. It is always humbling to be chosen for individual accolades, and it is always nice to be recognized for your efforts,” Bumrah, said. “The Border-Gavaskar Trophy was one of the most closely-fought contests ever, and it was an honour for me to go out there and perform for my country,” he said.
ICC Women’s Player of the Month, Sutherland capped a landmark year with the bat and ball starring in Australia’s recent wins over India and New Zealand, notching 269 runs at 67.25 and nine wickets in her five outings.
Sutherland began with four for 39 in a commanding victory over India in the second ODI in Brisbane, before she followed up in explosive fashion with the bat – striking 110 in 98 balls in the final match to claim the Player of the Series prize.
The subsequent series against New Zealand across the Tasman Sea saw another display of batting prowess, and the 23-year-old hit a statement 105 runs in just 81 balls en route to opening victory by 65 runs (DLS).
The second matchup saw her hit another 42 runs and take three wickets as Australia claimed back-to-back ODI series sweeps and Sutherland a second successive Player of the Series accolade.
The all-rounder is also in contention for the ICC Awards 2024 and is nominated in both the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year category and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year.
“December was a great month for us and it was nice to be able to contribute to the team’s success. We’ve got great depth within the squad so to be able to make the most of the opportunities to spend some time out in the middle was really pleasing,” Sutherland said. “Those ODIs were really important for us ahead of the upcoming Women’s Cricket World Cup, and it was great to be able to win both series against India and New Zealand,” she added.
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