Cricket News: Twitter reactions as Anderson dismisses Kohli cheaply again | Twitter erupts as Anderson dismisses Kohli again
2-0.
James Anderson, the most prolific pace bowler in Test history, has taken us back to 2014 once again. After dismissing Indian skipper Virat Kohli for a golden duck in the first Test of their 2021 duel, Anderson was at it again on the morning of the Headingley Test, dismissing Kohli courtesy of more beautiful bowling.
Like his dismissal in the second innings at Lord’s, Kohli’s desire to feel bat on ball and tendency to play away from the body is like heaven for a bowler like Anderson.
Anderson, one of the most skilful bowlers of all time, had the ball coming in for most his magnificent first spell. However, each of his first three wickets were courtesy of the ball going away, including the prized scalp of Kohli.
Virat’s century drought continues. It’s now at 50 innings across formats. Worse, his battle with Anderson is going the way of the England bowler, after the Indian skipper had a memorable series in 2018. India will be hoping Kohli can rediscover that form, but for now, Anderson has his measure.
Twitter reactions as Anderson dismisses Kohli cheaply once again
The banter was rife, as expected. One tweet read “Virat Kohli needs to go play in the Ranji Trophy for a season before coming back to test cricket.”
Another is “Half-century for Virat Kohli… That’s 50 consecutive international innings without a century for the Indian skipper.“
A great batsman like Virat Kohli can never be written off. However, it’s Anderson who’s on top at the moment.
Virat Kohli needs to go play in the Ranji Trophy for a season before coming back to test cricket.
Anderson has dismissed Sachin Tendulkar 9 times and Virat Kohli 7 times in Test cricket – that is two generations of Indian cricket and that is the legacy of James Anderson.
Cricket News: “This team is not going to back down” – Virat Kohli | India skipper Virat Kohli speaks about the fiery 2nd Test at Lord’s
India captain Virat Kohli has reiterated that this India team will not back down and take a backward step when things heat up on the cricket field.
Speaking to the media ahead of the all-important third Test, Kohli suggested that England “provoked” India throughout the Test, leading to a very fired up team particularly on the fifth day at Lord’s.
India, courtesy of a memorable Shami-Bumrah stand and superb bowling performance, took a 1-0 series lead with victory at the Home of Cricket. The India captain, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were particularly fired up on the fifth day, with a number of exchanges between India, Ollie Robinson and James Anderson in particular throughout the match.
Virat Kohli says that this India team will not take a backwards step to anyone
It is widely believed that a team is a reflection of their captain, and it shows with Virat Kohli’s leadership. The Indian skipper is looking forward to the third Test simply because of how his team reacts to pressure situations.
“It just showed this team is not going to back down and take a backward step when provoked,”said Kohli ahead of the third Test at Headingley.
“What is said on the field and what’s done in the moment, gives you extra motivation. As I said after the game, to get together as a team even more strongly.
“We play together, we play to win, and we don’t let anyone or any opposition just take us lightly.”
When asked about what England had done to provoke India, Kohli said that he cannot provide the details of the words that were spoken. He said it is the job of the stump mics and cameras to pick that up.
India’s fightback at Lord’s was reminiscent of their Australia tour where Tim Paine had a run in with Ravichandran Ashwin at Sydney. India then went on to achieve a memorable victory at the Gabba to take the series 2-1.
Although Kohli wasn’t available due to the birth of his first child, certain elements of his leadership rubbed off on the players as they were determined to achieve a great victory.
Cricket News: Twitter reactions as Shaheen leads Pakistan to win vs WI | Shaheen Shah Afridi and Nauman Ali lead Pakistan to win in 2nd Test
With eight wickets in the first Test and 10 wickets in the second, 21-year old sensation Shaheen Shah Afridi has written another chapter in his wonderful cricketing story so far. His 18 wickets are the most by any Pakistani pace bowler in a two-match series, which is a superb achievement given the greats that graced the pitch over the years.
It was Shaheen and 34-year old Nauman Ali who led the way with the ball on day five after Pakistan got in front thanks to a wonderful Fawad Alam century, fine first innings bowling display and aggressive second innings batting performance.
With Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers batting nicely in the afternoon session, it was “magician” Shaheen who struck with the crucial breakthrough to dismiss Kyle Mayers and break that 46-run stand. Nauman Ali then struck with the crucial scalp of Jason Holder, who batted beautifully for his 47. From there, Shaheen finished things off with the final two wickets to lead Pakistan to victory.
It was a wonderful display of swing and seam bowling from the 21-year old right from the outset. He had the ball on a string for most of the match, utilising his height and terrific wrist position to full effect. After the match, he praised his team’s effort in what were very hot, humid conditions in Jamaica.
“Such a great effort, it’s a team effort,”said Shaheen in the post-match presentation. “The team needed from me and I delivered this time. It was tough because last day and the weather is really hot. As a team we knew that getting one wicket would get us another, so we looked to give 100%.”
The 21-year old also praised his family, particularly his brother Riaz.
“All credit goes to my brother Riaz Afridi – he’s a brother, he’s a father, he’s everything to me. Credit to my family as well who are always praying for me,” Shaheen said.
Twitter reactions to the superb Shaheen leading Pakistan to victory in the 2nd Test vs West Indies
18 wickets for Shaheen Afridi – the most by any Pakistan fast bowler in a two-match Test series. #WIvsPak
? SHEHENSHAH PERFORMANCE! Haul of ten for Shaheen Shah Afridi in Jamaica Test and Pakistan level the two match series 1-1. #WIvPAKpic.twitter.com/ccV4iI5lM8
Shaheen Shah Afridi has 5 five-wicket haul and 12 four-wicket haul in International cricket and he is just 21-year-old. A future superstar. pic.twitter.com/deVdo4IG6h
Cricket News | Joe Root could have kept me bowling – Anderson | James Anderson says that Joe Root should have kept him on to Shami and Bumrah
James Anderson, in the aftermath of England’s defeat to India at Lord’s, has pinpointed how skipper Joe Root could have done things differently.
In the end, it was the partnership between Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami that swung the Test wildly in India’s favour on the fifth day. By the time England came out to bat, they were shellshocked and had no answers. The tactics were labelled as “bizarre”, “poor” and “horrible” by fans and pundits across the globe.
James Anderson pinpoints Joe Root captaincy as key factor in the Bumrah-Shami stand
Speaking on The Wizard and The Frog podcast, Anderson touched on the need to try get Bumrah out rather than get into a personal battle. England’s highest wicket-taker believes Root could have kept him on, rather than have brought Mark Wood back to target Bumrah and Shami with the short ball.
After the Test, Joe Root took responsibility for England’s approach on the fifth day. It was a period that cost them dearly, and Anderson further emphasised the need to not let the emotion get the better of you.
“When Joe touched on getting a few things wrong, I think, potentially, when Bumrah came in, he brought Mark Wood on and took me off,“ Anderson said.
“That’s the sort of thing he is talking about getting the emotion get the better of him. That was a sort of – trying for him to have a taste of his own medicine type of thing, rather than to get him out.
“You could just keep me on and normally see if he plays any big shot or anything like that, whereas he went with Mark Wood straightaway,”said England’s senior bowler.
England aim to keep series alive against India at Headingley
England, 1-0 down in the series, now face a fight to keep the series alive. The bowler in focus, Mark Wood, is out with a shoulder injury. Also, Dom Sibley has been dropped owing to key technical shortcomings.
The home side, who have lost five of their last seven Tests, will be hoping that change – owing to poor form and injury – does bring about a change in fortune.
Cricket News: The flaws in Dom Sibley’s technique that saw him dropped | Looking at Dom Sibley’s technical flaws in a difficult 2021
All the speculations about Dom Sibley’s place came to an end after he was dropped from the Test team for the third Test against India due to his poor run with the bat in 2021.
He has finally paid the price for a prolonged spell of poor form with the bat, since he scored a 300-odd ball 120 against West Indies at Old Trafford, Manchester in 2020. Last summer, his average, stood at 44.33 in eight matches. It has since fallen to 28.94.
The fall of a patient Sibley has caught the attention of many fans and pundits because at one point it seemed like he had cemented his spot at the top for England. But after enjoying a solid run with the bat in 2020, his graph as a batsman has gone downwards, and as many believe that the opposition teams have repeatedly exploited his technical failings.
Ever since Sibley started his professional career, his unorthodox technique has been under the radar of his critics. The same technique got him two hundreds in his first 10 Tests. However, the same technique got him three ducks, five single-figure scores, and a single half-century in his past 15 Test innings.
The flaws in Dom Sibley’s technique exposed at Test level
A front-on, leg-side dominant stance that, so far, hasn’t been able to stand up to the extra demands of international cricket after bringing him so much success for Warwickshire. He can pull, but it’s not his first thought. He nudges through midwicket, but even then it’s a shot laced with a fair bit of risk.
For Sibley, it is not exactly an easy-on-the-eye approach to his game and due to his flawed technique, he’s finding it tough to score runs at the Test level.
For his county, Warwickshire, Sibley scored six consecutive tons to earn a Test debut. The method of scoring runs was the same back then and it’s the same now. The only difference is now Test-quality opponents have found the flaws in his technique and that’s denying him a repeat of 2020 in the year 2021.
Yes, there are few minor tweaks but that’s really not enough for him to get away with his major weaknesses.
Just the nine ducks between Burns and Sibley so far this year…#ENGvIND
The tall Englishman can frustrate any bowling group with his ability to eat balls and bat for hours. Being disciplined outside off stump has been his strength and he also defends well when the line is outside or if it’s just a tad short. The problem for Dom Sibley is not being able to transfer his body weight on the planted front leg; the balance is not quite there and this results in awkward dismissals where he balloons the ball up while playing off his pads.
For Sibley, it has always been about scoring most of his runs in the backward square leg and square leg area, but nowadays the pacers have come with a plan of targeting his middle off stump and asking tough questions.
And then there’s one delivery at which he pokes while playing behind the line of the ball to gift his wicket away. And all this happens due to the unconventional technique as he’s very limited with his scoring shots. There’s a lot he can learn from his skipper Joe Root who himself used to get out routinely to deliveries nipping back in. If he can take a leaf out of Root’s book he’ll be in a much better space than where he’s right now.
The Warwickshire opener is an old-school opener of the type we don’t see much of in modern Test cricket. And that attracts attention. There’s something like Sir Alastair Cook, something like Cheteshwar Pujara. He has the patience and determination to play the longest version of the game, he only needs some tweaks in his technique to get back amongst runs.
Sibley isn’t an elegant batsman or a thrilling one. In fact, he must have one of the ugliest techniques in recent memory. His stance, squat, square-on, bow-legged, makes him look very ugly, but his patience, resistance is something which can be admired by the viewers of Test cricket.
At 25, he still has a lot of time to reconstruct his career as he belongs to a special set of players who can play out the tough hours and stand like a rock for their team. Few minor tweaks and Sibley will once again reestablish himself as England’s reliable option at the top. One may not like a batter like Sibley but he can frustrate the bowling, something which is lacking in most of the modern Test batsman.
As of now he just needs to go back to the drawing board and work out new things in his game with coaches which will make him progress well in his career.
Cricket News: Twitter reactions to glorious Fawad Alam century | Twitter reactions to Fawad Alam scoring a fine century vs West Indies
Fawad Alam, the crisis man. The resolute Pakistan batsman is the perfect example of both persistence and taking your opportunity with both hands.
After playing his first Tests way back in 2009, Alam had to then wait 10 long years before playing his fourth. Fawad churned out huge scores season after season in domestic cricket.
Since his recall to the Test team, he has been outstanding.
This innings in challenging circumstances and conditions was something else. Walking in on day one with Pakistan sitting precariously at 3/2 after a heartbreaking first Test defeat, Fawad and skipper Babar Azam dug deep to put Pakistan in a position where they could put the Windies under pressure.
Fawad had to retire hurt not out on 76* due to cramp owing to the hot, humid conditions. The nuggety left-hander was back on the third day, picking up where he left off to score his fifth Test century.
“It was challenging. The conditions weren’t easy on Day 1, the heat, it was humid and hot,” said Alam after the third day’s play.
He then spoke of the impact his father had on his comeback trail.
“And we were 2 for 3 so we needed to come back, had to build partnerships. That’s what me and Babar did on the first day. I am very happy right now,“Alam continued. “Whenever you score a century for your country, you feel proud and that’s exactly what I’m feeling right now. I make things very simple. My dad always motivated me, and told me to just perform and your time will come one day. I just waited for my time and kept focusing on performing.”
Twitter reactions to glorious Fawad Alam century
Fawad Alam made his Test debut in 2009, dropped from the side after 3 Tests for 10 long years then made his return in 2020 at England, since then:
102 in NZ (Pak was 3/37) 109 vs SA (Pak was 3/26) 140 in ZIM (Pak was 3/182) 124* in WI (Pak was 3/2)
The quickest Asian to five Test 100s in terms of innings – 22 FAWAD ALAM – The ULTIMATE champion – the true warrior! ???? And yes, the story of our lives! pic.twitter.com/RX6zyP6t7F
1. Number of Fawad Alam’s test centuries 2. Number of teams Fawad Alam scored centuries against 3. Number of countries Fawad Alam has scored a century in 4. A message for those who kept him out for 10 years pic.twitter.com/QMu93rl5da
Shoaib Akhtar “Fawad Alam is a genius. He has done television, he has played cricket and also featured in dramas, but has always kept performing. He sincerely plays for Pakistan despite being out of the side for 11 years. Hats off to him” #Cricket
Look how good Fawad Alam is. Pakistan selectors have ruined the test side in the last 5 years. Number of test matches has also been a huge concern for the stability of the test side. Inzimam was a huge disappointment as a test selector.
"Fawad has ugly stance. Fawad cant score boundaries. Fawad cant hit big. Fawad cant play pace. Fawad will be exposed on bouncy tracks. Fawad has no technique"
These assumptions ruined Fawad Alam for ten years and today Fawad has answered each and every assumption WRONG? #WIvPAK
FAWAD ALAM. WHAT A HUNDRED. ❤️ With each century he makes, the regret of not having him in the team for 10 years just escalates a bit. ?♂️ Anyway he is making most of it now. 5th hundred already. #WIvPAK
Only Joe Root (5) has scored more Test ?s than Fawad Alam (4) since his comeback. All his career hundreds can come in different countries. FIVE countries and FOUR continents. #WIvPAKpic.twitter.com/msWpfaLTQU
When Lord’s was the home to “Kohlism” | How Virat Kohli led the way as captain to help India take a 1-0 series lead in England
As James Anderson froze in his defensive pose late evening on Day 5 at Lord’s, chaos enveloped him from all corners. Mohammed Siraj, who broke through Jimmy’s defense and England’s spirit, charged to claim the uprooted stumps. The close-in Indian fielders jumped in joy and jubilation while Jasprit Bumrah leaped and punched the air in delight in the background.
And there was captain Kohli, running in all directions, throwing fist pumps and letting out a roar for the ages.
The frenetic response to the win was understandable. The Indian team had no right to be in this position given the way the final day had started. Rishabh Pant, India’s last recognized batsman, fell in the fourth over of the day with a lead of just 167.
With the new Dukes ball in hand, it felt as if it was only a matter of time before England’s bowlers would blow over the Indian tail. Soon after, Ishant fell too. With Bumrah and Shami at the crease, tensions began to escalate. On the backdrop of Bumrah’s fiery spell to Anderson, late on day three, and the war of words that ensued thereafter, England saw this as an opportunity to give it back in kind. There was a match to be won, but England had some scores to settle at first.
Anyone who has watched Kohli’s Team India over the years should by now realize that you can knock this team down, but not knock them out. Australia learned their lessons at the Gabba earlier in the year. England was about to find out now.
Shami and Bumrah courageously fended off a barrage of bouncers. Bumrah was hit twice on the helmet but it was the English who were losing their heads. After absorbing the pressure and managing to survive the onslaught, Shami & Bumrah started throwing punches of their own.
And, here India’s lower order batters began punching Root’s England into submission. An earlier pensive Virat gave way to the abrasive and cocky Kohli on the Lord’s balcony as the Sham-rah show put India in total command.
Shami brought up his fifty, Bumrah reached his personal best Test score and England did not know what hit them.
How Lord’s became the home of “Kohlism” for a few manic hours
Nine balls into the second session, Kohli decided to declare. The match was beyond England by now. It was only a matter of survival. Against a team led by a mad captain with a mad desire to win at all costs. They call it the Home of Cricket. For the next three hours, it was Home to Kohlism.
Sixty overs. Ten wickets. Kohli’s message was simple: “Make it a hell for them.”
Kohli has the required ammunition of fast bowlers and the appetite for a fight to make it a hell for the opposition. If Ganguly showed us the way to compete outside our comfort zone through grit and determination, Kohli wants to conquer the world by dominance and demolition. As Bumrah & Shami carried their batting form into their new ball spells and sent the English openers back for ducks, Kohli orchestrated the chaos from the slips.
England were in a survival battle and Kohli made sure that they knew about it loud and clear.
After the opening spell that claimed both the openers, Kohli went to his spinner Ravi Jadeja, as early as the ninth over of the innings. The experiment with spin lasted for only three overs. While Dhoni used to outfox the batsman with his cunning ploy of spin, Kohli likes to outmuscle the opposition with pace.
England went to tea four down. For India, the equation was simple. Get Joe Root out early and win the game. Bumrah delivered the knockout punch right after tea. The England captain having scored more than 200 runs in the game without dismissal finally nicked one off to Kohli at slips.
The game was done and dusted. Buttler, Moeen and Robinson offered some resistance, but the Indian bowling attack was too good for them.
It was Bumrah, Shami, Ishant and Siraj who were firing the bullets, but it was the Indian captain who was calling the shots. This team has won at Nottingham and Johannesburg. At Colombo and Melbourne.
When Lord’s was the home to “Kohlism”: Siraj and co. were superb.
But the victory at Lord’s had Kohlism written all over it. For a game where he contributed little with the bat, Kohli’s passionate leadership shone through. This team has humbled the Aussies in their own backyard, not once but twice. They have a chance of winning a series in Australia and England in the same year and if they manage to do it, a lot more people will believe that there is a method to the madness in Kohlism.
From a team with no fast bowlers some five decades ago, yet here we were, on the cusp of conquering the Home of Cricket with four of them, each menacing in their own way, guiding us to victory. This is Kohlism.
For a generation brought up on the meek surrender of Indian teams on away tours, a victory on foreign land feels like an anomaly. In reality, it is not. Kohli’s team has won more away matches than any other Indian team. This is Kohlism.
A certain Indian Test team had abandoned a chase of 86 runs in 15 overs with 7 wickets in hand in Dominica in 2011 and called for a truce. There is no truce with this team. This is Kohlism.
There may be arguments and debates about the right way or the wrong way. The only thing that matters right now is that India is winning the Kohli way. And as long as the rules of the game are respected, there is no sense in virtue signaling. Like it or not, The Kohli way is here to stay and it is time to embrace the Kohlism!
ENG vs IND 3rd Test Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs IND 3rd Test Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs India 3rd Test Key Players | Leeds Pitch Report
So, the caravan of the Indian tour of England moves to the North of England with Headingley set to host the visitors for a Test match after a gap of 19 years, starting August 25.
The battle for the Pataudi Trophy will resume after a gap of nine days and the Virat Kohli-led Indian team will be hoping to pick up from where they had left at Lord’s as they aim a Test series win in the UK after a gap of 14 years.
The fifth day of the Lord’s Test was yet another example of why this Indian team under the leadership of Virat Kohli can never be taken for granted. England took them for granted on the fifth morning as they resorted to ‘sweet chin music’ against Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami after having dismissed the danger man, Rishabh Pant.
As it turned out, the move backfield heavily as the duo of Shami and Bumrah batted England out of the game with a barely believable 89-run-stand. Afterwards, the ‘four horse of Apocalypse’ ran over the beleaguered English batting line-up in two sessions to help the visitors claim a memorable 151-run win and a 1-0 lead in the 5-match series.
The beauty of a four or five-match series is that it always gives a side a chance to stage a comeback and India must be wary of a potential England fightback on a ground where the Kohli-led unit has never played a Test.
The familiarity with conditions and the fact that England pulled off a miracle (thanks to Ben Stokes) the last time when they played a Test at Leeds should motivate England. However, having said that, they can certainly do with some runs from batsmen not named Joe Root.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
England:
Joe Root: Joe Root- the batsman- can do no wrong at the moment. The champion England batsman scored an imperious 180* at Lord’s during which he broke and created a plethora of records. Root has already scored a couple of tons in this series and given the form of the rest of the batsmen, one can’t help but assume that the 30-year-old will once again have to do all the heavy lifting.
As far as Root’s record at Leeds is concerned, the Yorkshireman hasn’t enjoyed the same success like he has on other English grounds. In 12 innings, he has scored 430 runs at an average of 35.83 with three 50s and one hundred.
Rory Burns: Rory Burns survived the axe unlike his opening partner Dom Sibley and No.3, Zak Crawley, but it is fair to say that the southpaw’s spot is on a knife edge and he desperately needs a big score under his belt. Burns looked good during his 49 in the first innings of the Lord’s Test but, come Headingley, the opener will have to ensure that he posts a substantial score.
Jonny Bairstow: Bairstow has looked in decent touch in this series (scores of 29, 30, 57 and 2). Also, Bairstow has a solid record at Headingley, with 311 runs in five Tests at an average of 44.42.
James Anderson: James Anderson picked yet another five-wicket-haul against India in the first innings of the Lord’s Test but it is fair to say that he would like to forget pretty much everything that happened post that.
Anderson was peppered with the short pitch stuff relentlessly by Jasprit Bumrah in England’s first innings and after everything that happened post the onslaught, it is fair to say that the veteran pacer will be gunning for a payback at Leeds.
Anderson has 39 wickets against his name in 18 innings at Leeds at an average of 27.12 which includes 3 five-fors and 1 ten-for.
Ollie Robinson: Robinson is equal with Anderson in terms of most wickets for England in this series (9). The impressive right-arm seamer has taken his wickets at an average of 24.88.
India:
KL Rahul: KL Rahul continued his brilliant form at Lord’s as he smashed an imperious 129 to ensure his name went up on the honor’s board. The stylish Indian opener will hope to continue his good form at Leeds.
Rohit Sharma: Sharma may have not scored a hundred but it is fair to say that his 83 on the first day of the Lord’s Test and the 126-run-stand with KL Rahul were worth its weight in gold. He once again threw his wicket away in the second innings thanks to his penchant to hook the short ball, something the Indians will hope isn’t the case in the third Test.
Virat Kohli: Virat Kohli looked in pristine touch during both of his knocks in the Lord’s Test but his penchant to feel for the deliveries outside the off-stump once again led to his undoing. Will the Indian captain channelize his aggression and return to scoring hundreds in the next Test? We’ll wait and see.
Mohammed Siraj: Siraj took yet another giant stride in international cricket with his brilliant performance in the Lord’s Test.
Not only did he claim wickets at crucial intervals- especially in the second innings- but the energy and relentless aggression with which he bowled on a placid pitch was something to behold. Can he back it up with yet another impressive showing?
Jasprit Bumrah: Bumrah claimed nine wickets in the first Test in Nottingham and he backed it up with yet another brilliant performance at Lord’s- this time with both bat and ball.
The champion seamer displayed all his skills to the hilt in the Lord’s Test as he bamboozled the English batters with his nagging line and length, a barrage of bumpers and not to forget, that freak of a slower ball to Ollie Robinson in the dying moments of the Test. His unbeaten 34* and the unbeaten 89* run-stand with Shami was the topping on the cake.
Stats and Facts
The last time India played a Test at Leeds – August 2002 – each of their famed trio – Rahul Dravid (148), Sachin Tendulkar (193) and Sourav Ganguly (128) – scored a hundred as the visitors racked up 8-628 in their first innings. Anil Kumble, with seven wickets in the game, did the rest as the Ganguly-led unit notched up an emphatic win by an innings & 46 runs.
None of the current Indian players have played a Test match at Leeds.
India’s Test record at Leeds: Played 6, Won 2, Lost 3.
England’s Test record at Leeds: Played 77, Won 34, Lost 25.
India haven’t won two Tests in a series in England since 1986.
The last Test at the venue saw Ben Stokes smash an unbeaten 135 against Australia to script a miraculous 1-wicket win for the hosts.
Possible Playing 11
England
England have dropped the out-of-form duo of Dominic Sibley and Zak Crawley from their squad for the 3rd Test and have recalled Dawid Malan.
Ollie Pope has also returned to the squad. Haseeb Hameed is likely to open the innings with Rory Burns with Dawid Malan slotting in at the No.3 spot.
Sam Curran could find himself out of the playing 11 after he endured a poor outing at Lord’s with both bat and ball while Saqib Mahmood could come in place of Mark Wood, who injured his shoulder while fielding during India’s 2nd innings. It will be interesting to see if England beef up their batting stocks by including Ollie Pope or their bowling by bringing in Craig Overton for Sam Curran
England Possible Playing XI: 1. Rory Burns, 2. Haseeb Hameed, 3. Dawid Malan, 4. Joe Root (c), 5. Jonny Bairstow, 6. Jos Buttler (wk), 7. Moeen Ali, 8. Sam Curran/Craig Overton/Jack Leach, 9. Ollie Robinson, 10. Mark Wood/Saqib Mahmood, 11. James Anderson
India
With Ishant Sharma indicating his selection in the 2nd Test, India is unlikely to move away from their 4+1 template, which means Ravichandran Ashwin might have to wait for some more time for his first opportunity in the series.
India Possible Playing XI: 1. Rohit Sharma, 2. KL Rahul, 3. Cheteshwar Pujara, 4. Virat Kohli (c), 5. Ajinkya Rahane, 6. Rishabh Pant (wk), 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Ishant Sharma, 9. Mohammed Shami, 10. Mohammed Siraj, 11. Jasprit Bumrah
Leeds Headingley Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
The pitch at Leeds has been flat in recent times with batting-units regularly notching up scores in excess of 300.
In the ongoing County Championship, the average 1st innings score in the 5 games played at the venue is 362.
The venue generally aids pacers more than spinners. Since the start of 2011, pacers have accounted for 217 wickets in 1988.5 overs at an average of 29.84 while the spinners have managed 53 wickets in 546 overs at 32.13.
Overall, the average 1st innings score at the venue is 307 which drops to 290, 240 and 166 in the succeeding innings.
In 78 Tests played at Headingley, the team batting first has won on 29 occasions while the team fielding first has won on 31 instances.
As far as the weather is concerned, it is expected to be cloudy amid sunny spells with the temperatures ranging between 13-23 degree Celsius.
Fantasy Cricket Predictions
ENG vs IND 3rd Test Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction
Note: Teams below are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these teams in time after the final playing XIs have been announced.
ENG vs IND 3rd Test Fan2Play Prediction
ENG vs IND 3rd Test Match Prediction
England have the experience of playing at the venue and they will be hurting after the embarrassing defeat at Lord’s.
That said, India are a much more balanced side as compared to England across all departments and while an English comeback can’t be ruled out, India will go into the Test as firm favorites.
Cricket News: Need “better wickets” vs New Zealand – Shakib | Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan calls for better pitches for series vs NZ
Star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has called for better pitches for Bangladesh’s upcoming T20I series against New Zealand.
The Tigers are coming off a memorable 4-1 series victory over Australia, which included knocking the Aussies over for their record-low score of 62 all-out. However, Shakib believes that Bangladesh will benefit more ahead of the T20 World Cup with better surfaces for the five matches against New Zealand.
Low scores were the theme of the Australia series, with Bangladesh’s total of 131 in the first T20I ending up as the highest total. So, while the Tigers achieved a memorable series result, it is reported that many in Bangladesh’s cricketing circles believe that the team can get caught off-guard in more batting-friendly conditions in Oman and UAE.
Need better wicket vs New Zealand – Shakib
Shakib, who was man of the series against Australia, is looking forward to the New Zealand series. The all-rounder looks at the upcoming five matches as a great chance to prepare effectively for the T20 World Cup, where Bangladesh will be aiming to qualify to the Super 12s out of a group that contains Scotland, Papua New Guinea and Oman.
“Wherever T20s are played, it is usually played on a good wicket. Maybe it would benefit us more (T20 World Cup preparation) if we could play in a better wicket against New Zealand,” Shakib said to Daily Samakal.
“It is up to the team management to decide on what type of wicket they want to play before going there. Whatever it is, we have to adapt. Since the game is in our country, there is no chance to make excuses,” Shakib said.
Shakib Al Hasan could also get some playing time in the upcoming IPL to fine turn his preparations for the World Cup. He is currently in the USA, and is set to join his teammates for the New Zealand series, which begins on September 1.
Cricket News: 5 players to watch out for in CPL 2021 | 5 players to keep an eye on in the 2021 Caribbean Premier League
The ninth edition of the Caribbean Premier League is set to start from the 26th of August 2021 and the final will be played on the 15th of September. This edition of the Caribbean Premier League is very important as the ICC World T20 will start from October, so it’ll be a great chance for the players, especially for the Windies players, to find touch before the big ICC event.
It is also a golden opportunity for the young Windies players to showcase their skills before the squad is announced for the World T20. The Windies have great squad depth when it comes to T20s and the CPL is a major reason for that.
Today we will list about 5 players to keep an eye on during CPL 2021. They are very promising and have great potential to become regular members for the Windies in the shortest format.
CPL 2021: 5 players to keep an eye on
Kyle Mayers
Kyle Mayers performed well in the domestic circuit and then in the CPL to earn a place in the Windies side. He got the chance in the XI after few big names were absent in the Windies’ tour of Bangladesh earlier this year. It was on that tour when Mayers announced himself in a grand style. He scored a brilliant 210* in the 4th innings of the first Test, chasing a target of mammoth 395 runs helping Windies claim a memorable victory.
Mayers will play for the Barbados Royals in CPL 2021. His numbers at the moment are poor with an average of only 16.62 after 53 T20 innings striking at 111.19. Mayers has the potential as he’s already shown on the big stage, but needs to be more consistent with the bat. He can also offer value with the ball courtesy of his right-arm medium pace.
Mayers was the highest run-scorer for his side with 222 runs in 9 games at an average of 24.66 and striking at 111.55 in CPL 2020.
Sherfane Rutherford
Sherfane Rutherford of St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots is a middle-order batter who is known for his brutal hitting. Rutherford just goes after the bowling from the word go and can be as destructive as anyone on his day.
But, there has been a huge dip in his form for sometime now. It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen Rutherford performing consistently upto his full potential.
One of the main reasons for Rutherford not performing to his full potential is that he bats at number 7 for most of the teams he has played. As a result, he doesn’t always have the time to get set and needs to attack from ball one.
Rutherford averages 22.52 at a strike-rate of 138.61. He strikes at 158.8 in overs 15-20. Rutherford must be looking at the CPL 2021 as a great chance for redeeming himself after a bad phase and is a player to keep an eye on in this edition of CPL.
Brandon King
Brandon King is a very stylish opening batsman for the Guyana Amazon Warriors. King was the highest run-scorer in CPL 2019 with 496 runs in 12 games at an average of 55.11 and strike rate of 148.94. As a result of this stellar performance, he got the chance to represent the national team.
However, King has struggled since. He had a very poor CPL 2020 and failed to perform in the international matches as well. The highest-run scorer of CPL 2019 scored just 116 runs in 11 games at a very poor average of 11.60 last year.
He failed to perform in the recently concluded PSL as well. Brandon has the potential and has already shown how good a player he is. CPL 2021 is a golden chance for him to regain his form and he’ll be looking to do the same as well.
Jayden Seales
Jayden Seales is a very exciting young pacer who was first seen in the 2020 ICC U-19 World Cup. Seales impressed everyone with his skills. The right-arm pacer has a strong build, bowls fast and is smart with his bowling. Ian Bishop said during the 2020 U-19 World Cup that Seales is ready for international cricket.
And now he’s proving him right at the international level. The 19-year-old became the youngest Windies bowler to pick a Test five-for. He picked eight wickets in the first Test against Pakistan and played a very crucial role with the bat as well.
The young pacer picked up 13 wickets in his first three Tests. Seales will play for the Trinbago Knight Riders and will look to continue his good performance in CPL 2021 under Windies captain Kieron Pollard.
Aged 19 years and 338 days, Jayden Seales today becomes the youngest ever West Indian to take a 5 wicket Test haul
Obed McCoy has enjoyed a fruitful 2021 so far, making him a key player to watch in CPL 2021. The left-armer possesses a terrific slower ball, which will not only be key on the slower CPL pitches, but also in the T20 World Cup. So, the Windies will want McCoy in fine touch.
McCoy has taken 18 wickets in 10 T20s so far this year, with success against South Africa and Australia. Lining up for the St. Lucia Kings, McCoy will be looking to continue that form.
These were the five players that we think you must keep an eye on for CPL 2021.
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Written by Robin Rounder. Follow Robin on Twitter today.
