Cricket News: Kane Williamson steps down as New Zealand Test captain | Who will replace Kane Williamson as NZ captain?
Kane Williamson has stepped down as New Zealand’s Test captain with immediate effect. The 32-year-old has cited increased workload as his reason behind relinquishing leadership in the longest format of the game. Seasoned pacer Tim Southee will captain the Black Caps in their upcoming tour to Pakistan and Tom Latham will be his deputy.
“Captaining the BLACKCAPS in Test cricket has been an incredibly special honour. For me, Test cricket is the pinnacle of the game and I’ve enjoyed the challenges of leading the side in the format,” Williamson mentioned in his official statement.
He added, “Captaincy comes with an increased workload on and off the field and at this stage of my career I feel the time is right for this decision.”
Williamson to continue as captain in white-ball formats, Southee the new Test captain
With the One Day International (ODI) and T20I World Cups coming up in 2023 and 2024, Williamson claimed that continuing to lead the side in white-ball cricket seemed like a preferable proposition presently. He has spoken to New Zealand Cricket (NZC) about it and expressed confidence that Southee and Latham, who will be the vice-captain in Tests, will do a good job in red-ball cricket.
Southee termed his appointment as the Test skipper as a ‘surreal feeling’ and explained that it was a massive honour to take over this role.
“I love Test cricket, it’s the ultimate challenge and I’m really excited by the opportunity to lead the team in this format. Kane’s been an outstanding Test captain and I’m looking forward to working with (coach) Gary (Stead) on how we can build on that,” Southee explained.
Williamson captained New Zealand in 40 Tests and the team emerged victorious in 22 of those matches. The Kiwis lost 10 games whereas eight of them ended in a draw. But more importantly, the side won the World Test Championship 2019-21 by defeating India in the finals in Southampton last year in his tenure.
The New Zealand-Pakistan Test series begins on 26th December at the National Stadium in Karachi.
Cricket News: 3 players Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) can target in the IPL 2023 Auction | Players KKR could buy for IPL 2023
The two-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders had a forgettable season in IPL 2022 as they finished in the seventh position. Now, they are in a spot of bother before the auction as they have only 14 players in the squad with a purse of INR 7.05 crores. Three of their big names – Pat Cummins, Alex Hales and Sam Billings – will miss IPL 2023 owing to personal reasons.
They have the challenge of building a strong squad with the little purse remaining, which includes capable backup options. They already have the likes of Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh in their ranks and they traded in Shardul Thakur and Lockie Ferguson to boost their seam bowling. Let’s take a look at how they sum up at the moment before the IPL 2023 auction.
Pat Cummins, Sam Billings, Aman Khan, Shivam Mavi, Mohammad Nabi, Chamika Karunaratne, Aaron Finch, Alex Hales, Abhijeet Tomar, Ajinkya Rahane, Ashok Sharma, Baba Indrajith, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Rasikh Salam, S Jackson
Pace bowling all-rounder as a backup for Andre Russell.
An Indian spinner.
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Players Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) can target for IPL 2023
Curtis Campher
Andre Russell is KKR’s main player and the franchise needs him to remain fit. However, the reality is he is injury prone. It is quite evident that they need a good overseas pace bowling all-rounder as his backup. As KKR doesn’t have the purse to go for big all-rounders they need to be very careful with the players they pick.
Curtis Campher can be an ideal backup for Andre Russell. He can bowl 2-3 overs and is capable of scoring big with the bat. He has done a great job for Ireland in international cricket. Campher will come at a cheap price in the auction and can prove to be an excellent buy for the Knight Riders.
Phil Salt
Phil Salt is another excellent player KKR can target in the upcoming auction. He is a very destructive batter and can take the game away from the opposition in just a few overs.
Salt has a strike rate of 151.6 in the first six overs in T20 cricket. KKR already have Rahmanullah Gurbaz who is exceptional in the powerplay, but they don’t have any wicket-keeper batter other than him.
Salt will be a good backup opener who can keep wickets. If KKR can somehow fit both of them in the eleven, they’ll be one of the most destructive batting pairs in the powerplay.
Sanjay Yadav
Tamil Nadu’s Sanjay Yadav is another excellent player KKR can pick in the auction. The spin-bowling all-rounder is very talented and was with the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2022.
He was in exceptional form in TNPL 2022. Sanjay scored 452 runs in nine matches at an average of 90.40 and strike rate of 186.77. He picked up six wickets as well.
KKR have Varun Chakravarthy as their second spinner after Sunil Narine but he hasn’t been in the best of form in the last couple of seasons. Sanjay Yadav can give them four overs of his left-arm orthodox and he is more than capable with the bat so it’ll increase their batting depth as well.
KKR surely messed up on the auction table in the mega auction last year and trading in Shardul Thakur for a big sum of 10+ crores is a questionable move. Despite all this, they can still put together a solid squad and challenge opponents at all stages of an innings.
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HEA vs REN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: BBL 2022/23 Match 3 | HEA vs REN Dream11 Prediction Today | Cairns Pitch Report
Cairns will host its first ever men’s BBL match, and it promises to be a beauty. Two teams who are seeking redemption this season will go toe-to-toe, with confidence from a first up win on the agenda.
Since winning the title in 2019, Melbourne Renegades have been nothing short of woeful. But, they look to have a good squad on paper, and will be aiming to maximise as much of Andre Russell’s four-game stint as possible. Also, whether Aaron Finch can fire right away after some time off will be interesting to see, as well as how the likes of Jono Wells, Tom Togers, Akeal Hosein and Mujeeb Ur Rahman slot in.
Brisbane Heat also have an exciting squad. Chris Lynn is no longer with the franchise, but the likes of Colin Munro and Sam Billings add some great punch to this lineup. Also, seamers Xavier Bartlett and Mark Steketee have been in good touch, while spinners Matt Kuhnemann and Mitchell Swepson can take advantage of any slowness in the Cairns pitch.
BBL 2022/23 Match 3: HEA vs REN Possible Playing XIs
Brisbane Heat have named their squad for this match. Matthew Renshaw is unavailable as he is in Brisbane for the birth of his first child.
Ross Whiteley, who is averaging just 19.05 in 25 short-form matches this year, will be out to make an immediate impression as an overseas player.
Brisbane Heat: 1. Colin Munro, 2. Max Bryant, 3. Nathan McSweeney, 4. Sam Billings, 5. Ross Whiteley, 6. Jimmy Peirson (c & wk), 7. James Bazley, 8. Xavier Bartlett, 9. Matt Kuhnemann, 10. Mark Steketee, 11. Mitchell Swepson
Melbourne Renegades have also named their squad. It remains to be seen what their final batting order will be with Shaun Marsh out with injury. Also, they may look to play three spin options on a slowish Cairns track.
Melbourne Renegades: 1. Aaron Finch, 2. Sam Harper (wk), 3. Nic Maddinson (c), 4. Jono Wells, 5. Andre Russell, 6. Jake Fraser-McGurk/Mackenzie Harvey, 7. Will Sutherland, 8. Akeal Hosein, 9. Kane Richardson, 10. Tom Rogers, 11. Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Brisbane Heat:
Colin Munro is 26 runs away from 1,000 T20 runs in 2022. He is averaging 30.44 with a strike rate of 131.44.
In four matches against Renegades, Munro has scored 130 runs at an average of 43.33 and strike rate of 156.63.
Sam Billings was terrific in last season’s BBL. He scored 284 runs in nine innings at an average of 40.57 and strike rate of 153.51.
Mark Steketee has dismissed Aaron Finch twice in 23 balls (34 runs). Also, he comes into this match in some good form, with 17 wickets in his last six innings across List A and first-class cricket.
Steketee has taken nine wickets in six matches vs Renegades at an average of 25.00 and high economy of 9.64.
James Bazley won man of the match against Renegades last season. He took 3/28, including the dismissal of Sam Harper, and scored 16* (12).
Melbourne Renegades:
Aaron Finch has the most runs in Heat-Renegades matches. The opener has struck 470 runs in 11 matches at an average of 47.00 and strike rate of 140.30.
Jonathan Wells will be keen to make a big impression for his new team. Against Brisbane Heat, Wells has struck 394 runs in 15 innings at an average of 39.40 and strike rate of 120.12.
Andre Russell strikes at 164.07 in 24 BBL matches. He has also taken 26 wickets. Expect him to go hard in the first of his four matches in BBL 12.
Expect Akeal Hosein to play a role on the Cairns track. In 25 T20s this year, he has taken 27 wickets at an impressive economy of just 6.84.
Tom Rogers took the fifth-most wickets in last season’s BBL. The seamer took 20 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 19.30 and strike rate of 14.7.
Kane Richardson has taken eight wickets in five matches vs Heat since December 2017. He averages 18.63 with an economy of 7.98.
Jimmy Peirson has historically struggled vs Renegades: 10 inns, 78 runs, avg. 11.14, SR 109.86.
Sam Harper vs Heat: 7 inns, 167 runs, avg. 27.83, SR 128.46.
Nic Maddinson will be looking to boost his record vs Heat: 13 inns, 199 runs, avg. 18.09, SR 117.06.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman in T20s this year: 33 matches, 42 wickets, economy 6.20.
Cazalys Stadium Cairns Pitch Report and Weather
There is the chance of a shower or storm in the afternoon/evening at Cairns. But, rain is expected to be minimal according to bom.gov.au.
Cairns hosted three ODIs between Australia and New Zealand back in September. The average first innings score was 231.33, where the slow pitches were difficult to bat on.
BBL 2022/23 Match 3: HEA vs REN Dream11 Prediction Today 15 December 2022
Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article as well as your own instincts to create your teams.
Option 1:
BBL 2022/23 Match 3: HEA vs REN Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
BBL 2022/23 Match 3: HEA vs REN Dream11 Prediction
Fan2Play Prediction
Base Team:
Wicket-Keepers: Sam Billings
Batsmen: Colin Munro, Aaron Finch
All-Rounders: Andre Russell
Bowlers: Mark Steketee, Kane Richardson
BBL 2022/23 Match 3: HEA vs REN Match Prediction – Who will win?
The Renegades’ bowling attack looks terrific on paper. This attack can get them the victory in this clash.
Cricket News: How many players are there in the IPL 2023 Auction? | BCCI cuts down shortlist for IPL 2023 Auction
The auction list for the 16th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been cut down to 405 players from 991. However, only the first 86 players will definitely go under the hammer. The accelerated auction process will be followed for the rest of the 319 cricketers.
Franchises will be asked to nominate a set of players that they are interested in from this list of 319. Along with that, they will also submit a set of unsold players from the first category and these individuals will be presented in the auction.
“Franchises will be asked to nominate a set number of players from this group. Once these players (87-405) have been presented, franchises will be requested to submit the names of players (unpresented/unsold) from all those on the full list of 405 for further accelerated process,” a statement by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was quoted in a report by Cricbuzz.
BCCI added, “This will be covered in more detail at the auction briefing on 22nd December 2022.”
Number of players in IPL 2023 Auction:
There are 273 Indians and 132 overseas players in the total list of 405 cricketers set to go in the auction. These include 119 capped and 282 uncapped players along with four players from Associate nations. However, the franchises haven’t been officially informed about the availability of players, which can help them devise their plans for the auction.
19 players have registered their name at the top bracket base price of Rs 2 crore, including all-rounders like Ben Stokes, Cameron Green, and Sam Curran amongst others. Some of the notable players who were a part of the earlier list of 991 but have been left out of the final 405 are Kedar Jadhav, Martin Guptill, Reece Topley, Wayne Parnell, Colin de Grandhomme, Ashton Turner and Mark Chapman.
The auction will start at 2:30 pm on 23rd December in Kochi.
Cricket News: Harry Brook can be an all-format player, like Virat is – Ben Stokes | Ben Stokes praises Harry Brook after win vs Pakistan
England Test captain Ben Stokes has backed middle-order star Harry Brook to be an all-format player like Virat Kohli’s is owing to his ‘abundant talent and simple technique’. Brook played a sublime knock of 108 runs off 149 deliveries with 14 boundaries and a solitary six to help his team pose a challenging target of 355 runs against Pakistan.
England eventually emerged victorious by 26 runs in the match and Brook’s knock, one that projected his incredible talent and temperament, has seen Stokes drawing parallels between the 23-year-old and Kohli.
“He’s one of those rare players that you look across all formats and you can just see him being successful everywhere. It’s a massive shout, but Virat Kohli is one of those guys where his technique is just so simple and works everywhere. The pressure that he puts back onto opposition is exactly what we’re about,” Stokes said to Sky Sports after the match.
He added, “He’s a player whose technique is suited to all three formats, he wants to always look to be putting pressure back onto the opposition, and he’s won another game for England.”
Brook has broken into the international game, showing some sublime style and substance. He has notched 369 runs in three Tests at a phenomenal average of 73.80 with a strike rate of 99.46. The Yorkshire batsman has two centuries to his name already for England and looks all set to play a vital role for the national team in the middle-order going ahead. In 59 first-class games, Brook has an average of 38.17 with nine centuries and 18 half-centuries as well.
Stokes added that Brook is a ‘pretty simple lad to captain’. The skipper lauded the youngster constantly looks to work and improve upon his batting and that he is an easy person to have in the dressing room.
STR vs SIX Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: BBL 2022/23 Match 2 | STR vs SIX Dream11 Prediction Today | Adelaide Oval Pitch Report
Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Sixers meet for the first time after one of the great BBL matches last season. Hayden Kerr pulled off an outstanding win for the Sixers in the Challenger back in January, where he struck a memorable 98* off 58 balls to break Adelaide hearts.
So, can the Strikers get one over the Sixers to start the new season? Chris Lynn will line up for his new franchise in his high-profile move, and will be looking to make an immediate impact. Also, Matt Short has the potential to build on an excellent BBL 11 campaign, with a platform important for the likes of Colin de Grandhomme and Rashid Khan to launch later on.
With regards to the Sixers, they look good on paper once again. Their squad is almost identical to previous seasons, with the continuity and consistency crucial to their success. In the last three seasons, they have won the title twice and made the final the other year. If they start well here, they will enjoy an immediate lift in confidence and that is bad news for the other seven sides.
BBL 2022/23 Match 1: STR vs SIX Possible Playing XIs
Cameron Boyce will miss this game due to a calf injury suffered at training.
Adelaide Strikers: 1. Chris Lynn, 2. Matt Short, 3. Jake Weatherald, 4. Harry Nielsen (wk), 5. Ryan Gibson/Adam Hose, 6. Colin de Grandhomme, 7. Rashid Khan, 8. Wes Agar, 9. Ben Manenti, 10. Henry Thorton, 11. Peter Siddle
Sydney Sixers have named their squad for this match. Chris Jordan will arrive in Australia later this week, so he is unavailable.
Sydney Sixers: 1. Josh Philippe (wk), 2. James Vince, 3. Daniel Hughes, 4. Moises Henriques (c), 5. Jordan Silk, 6. Dan Christian, 7. Hayden Kerr, 8. Sean Abbott, 9. Ben Dwarshuis, 10. Jackson Bird, 11. Steve O’Keefe
STR vs SIX Head-to-Head Stats & Key Players
Adelaide Strikers:
Matt Short hit the third-most runs in last season’s BBL. He smashed 493 runs at an average of 32.86 and strike rate of 155.52.
At Adelaide, Short has struck 450 runs at an average of 25.00 and strike rate of 133.53.
Chris Lynn has scored 322 runs vs Sixers at an average of 24.77 and strike rate of 150.47. However, Lynn has often struggled at Adelaide, scoring just 171 runs in ten matches at an average of 17.20 and strike rate of 134.38.
If Lynn gets going, watch out. He has smashed 83 runs off just 37 balls against Sean Abbott in T20s (two dismissals).
Jake Weatherald has the most runs of any player at Adelaide Oval: 39 inns, 1,101 runs, avg. 30.58, SR 135.09.
Rashid Khan has a superb record vs Sixers. In eight matches, he has taken 16 wickets at an average of 13.38 and economy of 6.69. Also, Rashid has an impressive 45 wickets in 30 matches at Adelaide (avg. 17.29, econ. 6.59).
Rashid has dismissed Josh Philippe twice in 32 balls (46 runs). He has also dismissed Henriques twice (29 balls, 38 runs), and Daniel Hughes a huge four times in 40 balls (36 runs).
Peter Siddle has taken the most wickets of any bowler in T20s on this ground (52) in just 32 innings (avg. 15.06, econ. 7.10). However, can Siddle improve on a poor record vs Sixers? (10 inns, 5 wickets, avg. 57.20, econ. 8.50).
Sydney Sixers:
Josh Philippe is one of the consistent performers in the BBL. He has struck 217 runs in eight matches vs Strikers at an average of 36.17 and strike rate of 139.10.
Moises Henriques has the most runs for Sixers against Strikers (277) at an average of 30.78 and strike rate of 126.48. He also has the same number of runs at Adelaide (277) at an average of 27.70 and strike rate of 123.66.
Sean Abbott enjoys bowling against the Strikers. He has taken 18 wickets in just ten matches against them at an average of 16.67 and economy of 8.70.
Hayden Kerr is one to watch. Sixers may look to use him a pinch hitter should they choose. He hit 98* vs Strikers last season.
Ben Dwarshuis (15 wickets, avg. 23.12, econ. 7.89) and Steve O’Keefe (14 wickets, avg. 13.43, econ. 6.41) are solid performers against the Strikers.
Other Stats and Facts
Head-to-head: Matches 17, Sixers 11, Strikers 6.
Sixers have won eight of the past nine matches vs Strikers.
Strikers won six matches in a row before losing to the Sixers in the BBL 11 Challenger.
James Vince (134 runs), Daniel Hughes (201 runs) and Jordan Silk (274 runs) average 26.80, 25.13 and 29.25 against Strikers respectively.
Adam Hose smashed 54 off 25 balls in his last match in the Abu Dhabi T10 League.
Dan Christian averages just 20.69 (SR 131.87) in 21 innings at Adelaide Oval.
Adelaide Oval Pitch Report and Weather
Adelaide played host to the recent Australia-West Indies Test, so the square has had some traffic on it. The surface is often a belter for T20 cricket, with some solid scores in the recent T20 World Cup. In the seven matches, the average first innings score was 158.14, with the team batting first winning four. The latest match, however, was England’s brilliant 170/0 chase vs India.
A cool and clear evening is forecast for Adelaide. Temperatures will drop to 10-15 degrees by night.
BBL 2022/23 Match 2: STR vs SIX Dream11 Prediction Today 14 December 2022
Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article as well as your own instincts to create your teams.
Option 1:
BBL 2022/23 Match 2: STR vs SIX Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
BBL 2022/23 Match 2: STR vs SIX Dream11 Prediction
Fan2Play Prediction
Base Team:
Wicket-Keepers: Josh Philippe
Batsmen: Chris Lynn, Moises Henriques
All-Rounders: Matt Short, Sean Abbott
Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Steve O’Keefe
BBL 2022/23 Match 2: STR vs SIX Match Prediction – Who will win?
This promises to be a cracker. Sixers, with their good recent record vs Strikers, may prevail in a tight match.
Disclaimer: The fantasy cricket stats, tips and predictions provided on CricBlog are intended for informational purposes, with the stats and writer’s views in place to guide fans in creating their teams. While we strive to offer accurate and insightful advice, CricBlog does not guarantee success or winnings in any fantasy contests. Users are encouraged to make their own informed decisions and play responsibly.
Cricket News: South Africa plot strategy to tackle Steve Smith | South Africa plan for the right lengths to Steve Smith
South Africa will bowl fuller to Steve Smith earlier on in his innings in their upcoming Test series as a part of their newly devised ploy to counter the Australian vice-captain. This marks a shift from the earlier tactic of bowling short to Smith that most teams used to deploy against the 33-year-old. However, the batsman has since changed his technique in a way that allows him to duck more and open up more space to pull deliveries on the leg side.
“The key to most of the top six is the first 20 balls and to make them play. Steve has changed. He is not on the move anymore and he has got a good base now where he is not moving around the crease as much,” South African bowling coach Charl Langeveldt was quoted in a report by ESPNcricinfo.
He added, “I think it is going to be a good challenge for our boys. The boys are up for the challenge but the key is going to be that first 20 balls where we need to really make him play more.”
Smith has a rather substandard record in nine Tests against South Africa considering his lofty record against other oppositions. With 29 centuries and 36 half-centuries, his career average stands at 60.99 after 89 Tests. However, he averages 41.53 in nine Tests vs the Proteas. He has only a solitary century and three half-centuries to his name against them after 17 innings.
He notched a double century (200*) in the first innings of Australia’s opening match of their two-match Test series against West Indies at Perth. He is coming into this series on the back of a good run of form and is confident of tackling the threat posed by the Protean attack. “I feel in a good place, I feel like I am batting nicely. I feel in good rhythm and I am looking forward to it,” Smith mentioned in the build-up to the first Test against South Africa at the Gabba.
Cricket News: 4 players Delhi Capitals (DC) can target in the IPL 2023 Auction | Players DC may look to target for IPL 2023
Delhi Capitals is one of those teams who have had solid lineups with plenty of big names but are yet to win their first Indian Premier League (IPL) title. However, Delhi has emerged as a very strong side in the last few seasons, especially after the total revamp of the franchise back in 2018.
DC finished in fifth position last season after competing at the business end in the couple of campaigns before that. They have plenty of match-winners in their ranks but they failed to put wins together in IPL 2022. With regards to IPL 2023, the Capitals pretty much have everything covered, but require a few good backups for some of their players in a long IPL campaign.
Let’s take a look at their current squad, the players they released and the purse remaining.
A Finisher (all-rounder) as they are a little short on batting depth.
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Players Delhi Capitals (DC) can target for IPL 2023
Cameron Green
Cameron Green is expected to be one of the most expensive players in the IPL 2023 auction. The Aussie all-rounder was exceptional with the bat when Australia toured India for three T20Is in 2022, where he struck 118 runs at a strike rate of 214.54 in an amazing show of power hitting.
Also, Green is a more-than-decent medium-pacer and will be a good backup for the injury prone Mitchell Marsh. Ricky Ponting, head coach of the Delhi Capitals, has a love for Aussie players. Also, he has hinted the franchise may look to target the all-rounder. However, how they fit Green in the XI will be interesting to see.
Bas de Leede
The classy Bas de Leede bats at number three for the Netherlands and bowls the full quota of his overs with his handy medium-pace. He can be an excellent pick for the Delhi Capitals as the backup for Mitchell Marsh as he can also bat aggressively at number three and can provide four overs in the crunch periods upfront and at the death.
De Leede, who has already been signed by MI Cape Town in the SA20, isn’t expected to go for a high sum in the IPL auction. So, he can prove to be a high value pick for DC.
Luvnith Sisodiya
After releasing KS Bharath, DC is in need of a good Indian wicketkeeper in their squad. Luvnith Sisodiya will be a good pick. He hasn’t played a lot of domestic cricket, but is rated highly by those who follow Indian domestic cricket very closely.
Sisodia was at RCB until last year. He is a left-handed batter and can be a good backup for Rishabh Pant. The Karnataka wicketkeeper also attended the trials organised by the Delhi Capitals.
David Wiese
David Wiese has been a consistent performer in T20 cricket. He is among the premier all-rounders going around and can be a decent pick for the Delhi Capitals, especially as they need finisher options. At the moment, DC only have Rovman Powell as their recognised finisher and it can be curtains if he gets injured or is not performing well.
Wiese can perform that role and provides bowling depth. He has scored 444 runs at an impressive strike rate of 172.8 and average of 26.1 in T20s in 2022. He also has 28 wickets in 29 games at an economy of 8.30.
——-
Delhi Capitals are looking settled as a team even before the auction. They have quality players like David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Mitchell Marsh, Anrich Nortje and many others in their line-up. But, with a few capable backup options, DC can turn to a greater number of quality players throughout the season.
Cricket News: 5 players Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) can target in the IPL 2023 Auction | 5 players LSG may target in the IPL 2023 Auction
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) reached the Eliminator in their debut season, where they were knocked by the individual brilliance of Rajat Patidar. It was an excellent campaign for a team in their first season in the Indian Premier League.
The likes of KL Rahul, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda and Krunal Pandya are proven performers in the IPL and form a very strong core for Lucknow. Also, Mark Wood will return (injury dependent) which will strengthen their pace attack. The exciting seam duo of Mohsin Khan and Avesh Khan will be back in action, as well as the legspin of Ravi Bishnoi.
Despite this, LSG still have a couple of gaps to fill. First, they need an overseas batter in the middle order and a good backup pacer for Mark Wood to manage his workload. Also, LSG have Stoinis as their first-choice pace all-rounder, but is a bit injury prone when he bowls regularly. Surprisingly, they released Jason Holder and retained Kyle Mayers when there’s no room at the top.
Let’s take a look at their squad, how their eleven looks at the moment and the remaining purse for the upcoming auction.
KL Rahul, Quinton de Kock*, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers*, Ayush Badoni, Marcus Stoinis*, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Mark Wood*, Mohsin Khan, Manan Vohra, Karan Sharma, Mayank Yadav, Krishnappa Gowtham
Players Released
Andrew Tye, Ankit Rajpoot, Dushmantha Chameera, Evin Lewis, Jason Holder, Manish Pandey, Shahbaz Nadeem
Probable Playing XI
KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock* (wk), TBC, Deepak Hooda/TBC, Ayush Badoni/Krishnappa Gowtham, Marcus Stoinis*, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Mark Wood*, Mohsin Khan
Purse
23.35 Crores Left
4 Overseas Slots
Needs
An overseas batter in the middle order (number 3 or 4)
A good backup pacer for Mark Wood.
Maybe one Indian pacer as a backup for Mohsin and Avesh.
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Players Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) can target for IPL 2023
Nicholas Pooran
Nicholas Pooran could prove to be a great pick for the Super Giants. We all know what he is capable of with the bat. Pooran is yet to produce his best in the IPL but he did a good job in the last season for SRH, where he hit 306 runs in 13 innings at an average of 38.25 and strike rate of 144.33 with two fifties.
Pooran can provide stability to the middle order and can score quickly in the middle overs. He may go for a high price but LSG has the purse to go for him.
Kane Williamson
5 players Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) can target in the IPL 2023 Auction: Kane Williamson.
Kane Williamson, after being retained by SRH over Rashid Khan, has been released prior to the IPL 2023 auction. He hasn’t been in the best of form with the bat in recent times and had a pretty poor campaign in IPL 2022. Despite this, Kane is a quality batter; one of the best in the world when on song and may prove to be a solid pick for the Lucknow Super Giants for IPL 2023.
He can bat at three with Deepak Hooda batting at four. This will allow the openers to play freely and Kane can take care of things in case of an early wicket or two. He is a good player of spin bowling and can play the aggressive brand of cricket should he have the license to.
Remember, Williamson won the Orange Cap in 2018. LSG has the firepower in the batting unit and the Kiwi captain can play the anchor role at number three with all the others batting around him.
Adam Milne
Mark Wood missed IPL 2022 due to injury, in addition to a chunk of international cricket over the years. He is one of those pacers who needs proper workload management, especially in a long tournament like the IPL where it is unrealistic to expect him to play every match.
Thus, LSG needs a good backup pacer. Adam Milne is an ideal pick. He too has been a little injury prone but with him switching games with Wood, he can contribute throughout the season. Milne too bowls at a high pace and can be used in any phase of the game. He has a superb career economy of 7.69 in death overs (17-20) in T20 cricket.
Vaibhav Arora
Lucknow also needs a good Indian pacer in their ranks as they only have Avesh Khan and Mohsin Khan in their ranks after releasing Ankit Rajpoot ahead of the auction.
Vaibhav Arora can be an excellent pick for LSG. He was very impressive in IPL 2022 for the Punjab Kings. He can swing the new ball both ways and is a genuine wicket-taker upfront. Lucknow can play all three of Vaibhav, Mohsin and Avesh, with Vaibhav and Mohsin bowling in the powerplay and Avesh being the middle-over enforcer.
Rilee Rossouw
Rilee Rossouw can be another top pick for the Lucknow Super Giants. He can bat at number three or four, and provides similar value to Nicholas Pooran. Rossouw has played in different T20 leagues around the globe and has been in good form for the Proteas in international cricket.
Lucknow needs a proper left-hand batter in the middle overs and Rossow will be a great addition to their squad.
So, these were the three players LSG can target in the upcoming auction. They desperately need a good overseas batter in the middle order. Someone like Nicholas Pooran or Rilee Rossouw can be the ideal option for them. Other than that, they have most of the bases covered. LSG will be eyeing a good performance on the auction table and eventually on the field for IPL 2023.
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Cricket News: Pakistan has survived without India for many years – Ramiz Raja | Ramiz Raja says Pakistan are keen to play in India
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has said that they will boycott the One Day International (ODI) World Cup in India next year if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not let the Indian team travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup prior to that.
Earlier this year, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had vouched for the Asia Cup to be held at a neutral venue. Raja has asserted that they will resist any possible moving of the continental tournament from Pakistan. He has supported playing against India again but only on ‘equal terms’.
We want to play in India but on equal terms – Ramiz Raja
“We want to go and play, but the fact is it has to be on equal terms. You can’t be subservient to a certain cricket board,” the 60-year-old was quoted in a report by Sky Sports.
He added, “We’ve survived without India now for a good number of years. Pakistan have looked at the scales of economy in-house and somehow have survived extremely well.”
Further, Raja revealed that he was all for resuming bilateral contests between India and Pakistan. However, he expressed that any such series should be held in either of the two countries as conducting it at a neutral venue “would not really advance any cause”.
“We don’t want to really go there but it’s just that the fans want us to react. The fans are absolutely bitter because of what India’s narrative has been regarding India-Pakistan,” Raja remarked, thus indicating that the PCB would try to hit back if the Asia Cup is moved from Pakistan.
In October, upon the election of the new set of office-bearers of the BCCI, Shah had clarified that the Asia Cup cannot be held in Pakistan. He clarified that he was making this statement in the capacity of being the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). He explained that holding the tournament in a neutral venue hasn’t been an unprecedented move, with even the latest edition of the same in 2022 being played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“It will be held at a neutral venue. I am saying this as ACC (Asian Cricket Council) president. We can’t go there (Pakistan), they can’t come here. In the past too, Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue,” Shah mentioned in October.
