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BAN vs AUS 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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BAN vs AUS 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

BAN vs AUS 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs AUS 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Bangladesh vs Australia 3rd T20I Key Players | Dhaka Pitch Report

Things can change very quickly in the cricketing world. Four days ago, Bangladesh had never won a T20I against Australia. Today, they have the chance to take a 3-0 series lead after convincing victories in each of the first two T20Is.

The last one would have felt particularly rewarding. Sitting precariously at 67/5 chasing 122 on a tricky surface, with linchpins Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah back in the dugout, the impressive Afif Hossain and Nurul Hasan led Bangladesh to a fine victory. In fact, the Tigers’ ability to finish their innings with momentum has been a major difference between the sides, as Australia lost 4/22 in their final four overs on Wednesday to crawl to 121/7.

What more can be said of Australia? Questions are asked of the Big Bash, quality of batting depth and their standing in white-ball cricket compared to the leading nations. The averages over the past three years say it all. One can imagine that not many of the players featuring in Bangladesh will go to the T20 World Cup, but these remaining T20Is are ultimately a matter of pride in personal performance in what’s been a shocker of a series that most of the Australian public can’t even access.

How Australia cope with the conditions – both the pitch and humidity – will make for interesting viewing as they look to keep the series alive. For Bangladesh, let the good times roll.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Bangladesh:

  • Afif Hossain has been outstanding in this series so far. His scores of 23 (17) and 37* (31) have enabled Bangladesh to finish well. Nurul Hasan (22* off 21 balls) has also looked promising in recent internationals going back to the Zimbabwe series. He also has three dismissals behind the stumps so far this series.
  • No player has 100 runs in BAN-AUS T20Is except for Shakib Al Hasan (205 runs, avg. 34.16, SR 123.49). The star all-rounder has scored crucial runs in this series (36 and 26), and has taken two wickets at an economy rate of 5.75. He has dismissed Moises Henriques twice this series.
  • If Mahmudullah produces his best form, Bangladesh will be even tougher to beat. He was out for a duck in the second T20I, but still possesses a good T20I record at this ground: 497 runs, avg. 45.18, SR 134.32.
  • Australia’s batsmen have been clueless against Mustafizur Rahman. His cutters are mighty tough to deal with in these conditions, and he loves bowling on this ground (86 wickets in 60 T20s). He has taken seven wickets in three T20Is vs Australia, including five in this series.
  • Mahedi Hasan will be key as an all-round option. His batting was frought with risk in the second T20I, but has the potential to be a factor again with ball and bat. Nasum Ahmed took 4/19 in the first T20I, before going wicketless last game.
  • Shoriful Islam has taken 14 wickets in his last six internationals, including four wickets in this series (2/19 and 2/27).

Australia:

  • Mitchell Marsh has scored 39.30% of Australia’s runs in this series. He has two scores of 45 to his name, after he enjoyed a terrific series in West Indies (219 runs in five T20Is at an average of 43.80 and strike rate of 152.08). Key player.
  • Australia needs skipper Matthew Wade to deliver. However, he struggles when batting in positions 4-6 in T20s. He has a total of 484 runs in 26 innings at an average of 18.62 and strike rate of 111.78 combined in these positions.
  • Josh Philippe is a player with potential, but he has a top score of 13 across T20Is in West Indies and Bangladesh this year. Can he finally make an impact in T20I cricket?
  • Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar have taken just three wickets between them this series, compared to eight for the Bangladeshi spinners. Zampa has taken just 10 wickets in 12 T20Is this year, but has six in his last four matches. Agar has the potential to take big wickets, as his two five-wicket hauls since the start of 2020 suggests (total of 23 wickets in 15 T20Is in this period).
  • Josh Hazlewood continues to be a threat, especially in the powerplay. He has taken four wickets in this series.
  • Mitchell Starc will be crucial to Australia’s chances. He has taken at least one wicket in each of his three T20Is vs Bangladesh (total of four wickets), but Australia will be hoping for a game-changing spell.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 6, Bangladesh 2, Australia 4.
  • Australia have lost 13 of 18 T20Is since the COVID-enforced cricket break last year.
  • Bangladesh’s last T20I series win against a team other than Zimbabwe was a 2-1 win vs West Indies in 2018.

Possible Playing 11

Soumya Sarkar is having a poor series after a fine outing in Zimbabwe recently (scores of 50, 8, 68). Bangladesh should stick with him and the winning XI.

Bangladesh: 1. Mohammad Naim, 2. Soumya Sarkar, 3. Shakib Al Hasan, 4. Mahedi Hasan, 5. Mahmudullah (c), 6. Afif Hossain, 7. Nurul Hasan (wk), 8. Shamim Hossain, 9. Nasum Ahmed, 10. Mustafizur Rahman, 11. Shoriful Islam

Australia could look at some changes to a struggling lineup. One possible change is Ben McDermott coming in to open. Another option is to bring in another spinner in the form of Mitchell Swepson.

Australia: 1. Alex Carey/Ben McDermott, 2. Josh Philippe, 3. Mitchell Marsh, 4. Moises Henriques, 5. Matthew Wade (wk), 6. Ashton Turner, 7. Ashton Agar, 8. Mitchell Starc, 9. Andrew Tye/Mitchell Swepson, 10. Adam Zampa, 11. Josh Hazlewood

Shere Bangla National Stadium Mirpur Dhaka Pitch Report and Weather

Spin and slower balls reign supreme in these conditions. One can expect more of the same today, where strike rotation is critical in conditions that don’t allow for free-flowing strokeplay. The team batting first has won four of the past seven T20Is on this ground, and any score in the region of 130-140 will be a tough chase.

According to AccuWeather, some rain is forecast during the match. However, most of the rain is forecast to fall earlier in the day.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

BAN vs AUS 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs AUS 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Bangladesh vs Australia 3rd T20I Key Players | Dhaka Pitch Report
BAN vs AUS 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

BAN vs AUS 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs AUS 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Bangladesh vs Australia 3rd T20I Key Players | Dhaka Pitch Report
BAN vs AUS 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

The chasing team may benefit from any DLS calculations as some rain might fall during the match. However, a score in the region of 130-140 will be a very tough chase.

BAN vs AUS 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
BAN vs AUS 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

BAN vs AUS 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs AUS 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Bangladesh vs Australia 2nd T20I Key Players | Dhaka Pitch Report

History was made in more ways than one yesterday. First, the Australian public was not able to access the action via a national broadcaster, which is the first time since 1994 that such an occurrence has taken place. Second, Bangladesh achieved their first ever T20I victory over Australia, with a convincing 23-run victory against a hapless Australian side.

There is no time for the Australians to feel sorry for themselves, as they have to bounce back less than 24 hours in the second T20I. Their batting continues to leave a lot to be desired, with the Bangladeshi spinners running rings around players who are struggling for answers.

On a challenging surface, both sides struggled for fluency with the bat. But, it was Bangladesh’s ability to keep wickets in hand that was the key in achieving a competitive score. Australia lost far too many wickets early in the chase, and were always on the backfoot against a confident spin attack led by Nasum Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan.

So, strike rotation becomes even more important on such pitches. Both sides will be looking to improve in this area as Australia aims to level up the five-match series at 1-1. For Bangladesh, they will be keen to continue the momentum and take a 2-0 series lead.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

  • Shakib Al Hasan played a crucial role for Bangladesh in the first T20I. His 36 held the innings together, and he then took 1/24 to win the most valuable player of the match award. He will be key again today.
  • Shakib has both the most runs (179, avg. 35.80, SR 120.13) and most wickets (6, avg. 21.00, econ. 7.41, SR 17) in BAN-AUS T20Is.
  • No player has scored more T20I runs on this ground than Mahmudullah. He has 497 runs in 21 innings at an average of 49.70 and strike rate of 135.79. He will be aiming for a more fluent effort than his 20-ball 20 yesterday.
  • Mohammad Naim and Souyma Sarkar will be key against Australia’s powerplay bowling. Naim will be aiming to build on his 30 yesterday, while Soumya needs to improve his T20 record at this ground (84 matches, 1,488 runs, avg. 20, SR 121). Soumya recently had a great series against Zimbabwe (scores of 50, 8, 68).
  • The two Hossain’s, Afif and Shamim, will be key in finishing the innings well. Afif Hossain struck an important 23 off 17 balls yesterday, while Shamim hit 60 runs in two matches in Zimbabwe at a strike rate of 214.29.
  • Mustafizur Rahman continues to be a genuine wicket-taker in white-ball cricket. After his 2/16 yesterday, Mustafizur now has an impressive 83 wickets in 59 T20s on this ground, as well as four wickets in two T20Is vs Australia. His left-arm partner, Shoriful Islam, has taken 12 wickets in his last five internationals.
  • Can Nasum Ahmed follow up his great day with another? He was player of the match yesterday with 4/19.

Australia:

  • Mitchell Marsh was the only Australian batsman to provide any meaningful resistance (45). He will be key again after enjoying a dream series in West Indies, where he hit 219 runs in five T20Is at an average of 43.80 and strike rate of 152.08. He also took eight wickets.
  • Fans are eagerly waiting for Josh Philippe to make an impression in international cricket. When opening, Philippe has struck 1,258 runs in 45 T20s at an average of 30.68 and strike rate of 137.03.
  • Matthew Wade has historically found batting tough in positions 4-6. He has a total of 480 runs in 25 innings at an average of 19.20 and strike rate of 112.68 combined in these positions.
  • Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar will be key factors in such conditions. Zampa has four wickets in two T20Is vs Bangladesh (including 1/28 yesterday) and Agar will be looking to bounce back with wickets today. Agar has taken 22 wickets in 14 T20Is since the start of 2020, including two five-wicket hauls.
  • Josh Hazlewood continues to produce good results in white-ball cricket, with 3/24 yesterday. However, he also took three wickets in the first T20I vs West Indies recently, only to take one wicket in his remaining three games against them. Can he buck that trend here?
  • Mitchell Starc became the first Australian to take 50 T20I wickets. He has three wickets in two T20Is vs Bangladesh, and will be key in the death overs as always.

Stats and Facts

  • Yesterday’s T20I was the first meeting between these two sides outside of a T20 World Cup.
  • Bangladesh have never beaten Australia more than once in any format (one ODI win, one Test win, one T20I win). Here is a chance to end that stat.
  • Australia have lost five of their past six T20Is, as well as their last four T20I series.

Possible Playing 11

Bangladesh could look to stick with the same winning combination.

Bangladesh: 1. Mohammad Naim, 2. Soumya Sarkar, 3. Shakib Al Hasan, 4. Mahmudullah (c), 5. Nurul Hasan (wk), 6. Afif Hossain, 7. Shamim Hossain, 8. Mahedi Hasan, 9. Nasum Ahmed, 10. Mustafizur Rahman, 11. Shoriful Islam

Australia should choose an extra spinner given the conditions. Cue the inclusion of Mitchell Swepson. Also, Moises Henriques is under serious pressure to keep his place.

Australia: 1. Alex Carey, 2. Josh Philippe, 3. Mitchell Marsh, 4. Moises Henriques/Ben McDermott, 5. Matthew Wade (c & wk), 6. Ashton Turner, 7. Ashton Agar, 8. Mitchell Starc, 9. Mitchell Swepson, 10. Adam Zampa, 11. Josh Hazlewood

Shere Bangla Stadium Mirpur Dhaka Pitch Report and Weather

It remains to be seen if a new surface will be used. Nonetheless, one can expect a similar track to the first T20I, with any score of the region of 130-140 to be a tough chase. Since 2019, the team batting first has won four of six T20 Internationals on this ground. In the recent Dhaka Premier League, the team batting first here won the last three games of the tournament.

There is a chance that rain delays will occur in this match. However, according to AccuWeather, rain is less likely to fall in the evening/early night times (5pm-9pm). The match will begin at 6pm local time.

Dream11 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.

Option 1:

BAN vs AUS 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs AUS 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Bangladesh vs Australia 2nd T20I Key Players | Dhaka Pitch Report
BAN vs AUS 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

BAN vs AUS 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs AUS 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Bangladesh vs Australia 2nd T20I Key Players | Dhaka Pitch Report
BAN vs AUS 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

Chasing looks difficult in these conditions. Batting first looks the right way to go in Dhaka, and a score in the region of 140 or so could be a winning score.

ENG vs IND: Who will be the trump cards for these 2 teams?

Tarkesh Jha
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ENG vs IND: Who will be the trump cards for these 2 teams?

ENG vs IND: Who will be the trump cards for these 2 teams? | Which players could be surprising packets in the ENG vs IND Test series?

India looked well-poised to do something historic in the test series during the tour to England in 2018. However, as circumstances would have it, a then 20-year-old Sam Curran turned the series on its head with both the bat and the ball.

Having prepared to face the premier English pacers in James Anderson and Stuart Broad, Curran’s skillful left-arm pace and flamboyant abilities with the willow was a question out of the textbook for the Indian players.

With the start of the next series between the two heavyweights upon us, one wonders which players could turn out to be the trump cards for their respective teams this time around.

India

Hanuma Vihari:

Hanuma Vihari has been in-and-out of the test XI owing to intense competition for spots. However, the batsman has done well to certify his selection whenever he has been drafted in the playing XI.

Polished with years of experience in the domestic circuit, Vihari is not averse to encountering difficult conditions and finding his way to tackle them. He is a gritty batsman with terrific temperament, something that often comes of use in guiding the tail-end and adding valuable runs whilst batting in the lower middle-order.

Vihari debuted in Test cricket during India’s previous tour to England in 2018, and even scored a fine half-century in the fifth game at the Oval. He will look to build upon that further cement his spot in the XI, provided the batsman from Andhra Pradesh gets some opportunities down the series.

Washington Sundar:

Washington Sundar might not be in the initial frame of things for the Indian team, given that frontline spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will already be contending for spots in the XI. But, these are Covid times and packed schedules mean that injuries can often throw up interesting playing XIs on the ground; much similar to the Border-Gavaskar series late last year.

On that note, Sundar has demonstrated significant batting performances in the whites. The poise, class and character with which he has dealt with the best of bowlers in his short test career so far shows that there is much more to Sundar than it initially catches the eye.

Also, questions are raised over his spin-bowling qualities, but he can very well hold an end up and could scalp a dismissal or two with his disciplinarian and consistent approach. On that note, Sundar can also resolve India’s tail-end batting issues and hence be a trump card for the Indian team.

England

Ollie Pope:

The Indian team has always encountered difficult challenges against newbie opposition batsmen in away tours. Ollie Pope is not exactly inexperienced as such, considering he already has 19 Test caps under his belt.

However, the flamboyant batsman can be a big threat in the lower-middle order for the Indian pacers, who anyways have had long troubles in settling the scores with the backend batsmen of the opposition. Pope can brilliantly take on the opposition, and his proactive and attacking attitude means that he can take the game away from the opposition within a session or two.

Pope has brilliant abilities in a way that he has managed to amalgamate his natural attacking batting style with the demands of test cricket. If he manages to further that approach successfully in the coming series, the Indian bowling unit will have their task cut out throughout the series. He is out of the first Test, but has the potential to make an impact later.

Haseeb Hameed:

Haseeb Hameed had a fantastic debut tour to India in 2016 but went through a terrible phase in his career thereafter. Much like India, England has had an opening order conundrum for quite some time. Whilst Rory Burns is a permanent fixture, Haseeb could be expected to partner him later after he struck a terrific century in the practice game against the Indian squad last week.

Haseeb had shown some fine class in that 2016 tour, when he was merely 19 years old. Despite the difficult times that he went through after that, the batsman seems to have come out of it handsomely and quite stronger as well.

Moreover, the refined abilities in his overall batting prowess would be quite concealed from the Indian team, which could make him a tough nut to crack too. Even in 2016, he had put a lot of value in his wicket and Haseeb will have even more ammunitions in his armour five years down the line. Could he become another query out of the books that can worry the Indian setup? Let us see!

Written by Tarkesh Jha. Follow Tarkesh on Twitter

4 reasons why India will win the Test series vs England

Debashish Sarangi
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4 reasons why India will win the Test series vs England

4 reasons why India will win the Test series vs England | Who will win the Test series between England and India? | Looking at why India will win

While the Englishmen will look to maintain their glorious record against India at home, the visitors will be aiming for an improved performance on the English soil. Many experts have backed India to come victorious at the end of this series and there are certain reasons behind it.

In this article, I will throw some light on the reasons behind India being the favorites to win this series. Here we go.

Absence of some key players in the English squad

In a very unfortunate series of events, Ben Stokes has taken indefinite break from international cricket owing to mental health issues. This is definitely a big blow for the home side as Stokes could have been their biggest X-factor in this series.

Further, they don’t have their premium fast bowler Jofra Archer due to injury concerns. Moeen Ali, who has troubled India a lot with the ball in England, is not included in the squad. The experienced all rounder Chris Woakes has also been excluded as he is recovering from injury. Thus, England will miss the services of these players, particularly Ben Stokes, and India will look to capitalise on that. 

4 reasons why India will win the Test series vs England | Who will win the Test series between England and India? | Looking at why India will win
4 reasons why India will win the Test series vs England: England will miss Ben Stokes

England’s fragile batting lineup:

Another thing that could prove to be a boon for India is the fragility of the English lineup. Their most dependable batsman Joe Root has an ordinary average of 32.10 in the last seven Tests at home. Root has crossed 50 just once in his last 12 innings in England, which indicates his poor conversion rate in home conditions in recent times.

Further, in the absence of Stokes, their batting, which includes the under pressure Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley, looks quite inexperienced and vulnerable. Therefore, if India dismiss Root early, they certainly can trigger a collapse and can get the advantage of the same.

The talent and depth of the Indian pace attack

India’s pace attack was one of the major reasons behind their grand success in the first cycle of the WTC. The pace trio consisting of Ishant, Shami and Bumrah picked 113 wickets collectively at a magnificent average of just 20.94 and an incredible strike rate of 44.53 in the WTC.

This time they have an even better attack with the addition of Mohammed Siraj, who bowled some spectacular spells in Australia. Siraj is someone who can both swing and seam the ball. He possesses the skill of bringing the odd ball back into the batsman by using the wobbled-seam, which can prove to be a vital weapon in England.

Added to that, India have a confident player in Shardul Thakur, who was one of the key reasons behind their historic victory at the Gabba in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Also, the experienced Umesh Yadav was seen hitting the right lengths consistently in the practice game.

Thus, the depth of the Indian pace bowling attack is immense and they will surely look to make it count this time in England.

Confidence in the Indian camp after an incredible Australian tour

Once you start to believe in yourself, magic starts happening. This is exactly what happened with the Indian team in Australia. When nobody had belief in them after the infamous 36-all out incident, each Indian player backed himself and gave an inspirational performance in the middle, which led to India’s magnificent series victory down under.

That series showed the courage this team possesses and their ability to bounce back from extremely critical circumstances. Yes, this time the conditions will be different and the dukes ball certainly poses more challenge for the batsmen, but belief has no alternative. They should take the confidence from the Australian tour and make that a potent weapon to face the Englishmen. If they play anywhere close to the way they played in Australia, they definitely can cause some serious damage to England and win the series as well.

Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.

ENG vs IND 1st Test Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
ENG vs IND 1st Test Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

ENG vs IND 1st Test Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs IND 1st Test Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs India 1st Test Key Players | Trent Bridge Pitch Report

Amid the plethora of white-ball cricket, preparations for big T20 tournaments, and the glitz and glamour of The Hundred, Test cricket makes a return. The game’s oldest and most traditional format greets us with another five-match series between two sides looking to kickstart the new World Test Championship cycle in positive fashion.

But, one has to wonder what mindset England are in ahead of their quest to overturn a 3-1 defeat to the same opponents earlier in the year. Many of their players are on a diet of white-ball cricket in recent times, and the absence of Ben Stokes due to a mental health break further increases the fragility of the English batting lineup. Only Joe Root averages above 40 in this lineup, which screams out to the other batsmen to lift their Test games.

So, England’s chances in this series will understandably lie in how well their bowlers perform. The England attack possesses incredible experience, ability and knowledge of home conditions. If they are on song, then it will go a long way to reducing the pressure on a fragile batting unit.

For India, this is an opportunity to put a decade of hurt in England behind them. They have won just two of 14 Tests in the country since 2011, with 11 defeats. So, despite England’s shortcomings, India have some mental scars of their own to overcome and will be looking to use recent success – especially the great victory in Australia – as motivation to perform well here. Virat Kohli must lead the way with the bat and others must follow, as the bowling attack certainly has the ability to trouble England’s troublesome top six.

However, whether India can score enough runs themselves, as well as limit England’s lower order, will be interesting to see. Bring on the action.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

England:

  • Joe Root undoubtedly has a key role to play. The England skipper was enjoying a fine 2021 in Tests, with the most runs of any player this year (891 runs, avg. 55.68).
  • Root also has a terrific record against India in England. In 10 home Tests vs India, Root has struck 837 runs at an average of 59.78, with three hundreds and four fifties. Also, Root averages 62.00 in five Tests at Trent Bridge (434 runs), which includes two centuries.
  • Rory Burns has a key role to play. His battle against Ashwin is certainly one to watch. Burns looked quite impressive in England’s Test series against New Zealand earlier this summer, with 238 runs at 59.50.
  • Jos Buttler has enjoyed past success against India at home. Buttler’s 549 runs come at a fine average of 45.75, with four fifties and a century in eight Tests. His century was a score of 106 against India on this ground in 2018.
  • Watch out for Sam Curran. He was the man who turned numerous Tests on their head in 2018, and finished as England’s player of the series (272 runs, avg. 38.85 and 11 wickets, avg. 23.54). Ollie Robinson is a player who can have a similar impact with bat and ball (42 and seven wickets on debut vs New Zealand earlier this year).
  • James Anderson (84 wickets, avg. 23.66) and Stuart Broad (60 wickets, avg. 20.96) enjoy bowling against India in England. Also, both bowlers have outstanding records at Trent Bridge. Anderson has 64 wickets at 19.62, while Broad has 40 scalps at 22.20.

India:

  • Virat Kohli must lead the way for India with the bat. The Indian skipper was far and away the leading run-scorer in 2018, with 593 runs at a superb average of 59.30. His battle with James Anderson will surely make for riveting viewing once again.
  • Plus, Kohli was outstanding on this ground in 2018, with scores of 97 and 103 to win player of the match in India’s victory.
  • KL Rahul is set to open for India. He scored a Test century in England in 2018, and is coming off some fine form in the leadup to the series. He and Rohit Sharma, who fought hard in the WTC Final, will be key to India’s hopes.
  • Ajinkya Rahane (29.26) and Cheteshwar Pujara (29.41) both average under 30 in England. For India to succeed, they need these two to improve on those numbers. Rahane scored 81 and 29 on this ground in 2018.
  • The fearless Rishabh Pant is one to watch. He has scored two centuries and two half-centuries in seven Tests vs England (432 runs, avg. 39.27, SR 75.39). This includes a century in England, back in 2018.
  • Ishant Sharma has the most wickets of any India bowler in England (43, avg. 33.90), but will be looking to improve on his numbers at Trent Bridge (12 wickets, avg. 37.41). Jasprit Bumrah has 14 wickets in three Tests against England in England (avg. 25.92), including 5/85 on this ground in 2018.
  • R Ashwin is like a fine wine. He continues to get better with age. The off-spinner was superb in Australia, and looked threatening in the WTC Final. He will be looking to build on his 18 wickets in England at a current average of 28.11.

Stats and Facts

  • England have won 11 out of 14 Tests vs India at home since the start of 2011.
  • Mohammed Shami needs to perform with Siraj fighting for a spot in the XI. Shami averages 47.04 with the ball in eight Tests in England.
  • James Anderson needs three wickets to go past Anil Kumble as the third-highest Test wicket-taker of all-time.
  • India have lost the first Test of a series in each of their last four campaigns (including the WTC Final).

Possible Playing 11

Ollie Pope has been ruled out, so Jonny Bairstow is set to slot in at five.

England: 1. Rory Burns, 2. Dom Sibley, 3. Zak Crawley, 4. Joe Root (c), 5. Jonny Bairstow, 6. Jos Buttler (wk), 7. Sam Curran, 8. Ollie Robinson, 9. Stuart Broad, 10. Jack Leach, 11. James Anderson

For India, they have a decision to make on whether to play Shardul Thakur as a bowling all-rounder. It will ultimately depend on conditions. Visit our dedicated article for more information on India’s possible playing XI.

India: 1. Rohit Sharma, 2. KL Rahul, 3. Cheteshwar Pujara, 4. Virat Kohli (c), 5. Ajinkya Rahane, 6. Rishabh Pant (wk), 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. R Ashwin, 9. Ishant Sharma, 10. Mohammed Shami, 11. Jasprit Bumrah

Trent Bridge Nottingham Pitch Report and Weather

On the eve of the match, the pitch looked quite green. This may tempt either captain to bowl first, but the surface is expected to dry out given the warm conditions. The average first innings score in the last five Tests here is 279.2, which includes Australia’s infamous 60 all-out in 2015.

Showers are expected to play a role throughout the Test, but hopefully there shouldn’t be too many major delays.

Dream11 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.

Option 1:

ENG vs IND 1st Test Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs IND 1st Test Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs India 1st Test Key Players | Trent Bridge Pitch Report
ENG vs IND 1st Test Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

ENG vs IND 1st Test Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs IND 1st Test Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs India 1st Test Key Players | Trent Bridge Pitch Report
ENG vs IND 1st Test Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

A very difficult match to predict given England’s worries and India’s trend of losing the first match of a series. For that reason, as well as England’s home ground advantage, England might win this in a close match.

ENG vs IND: 3 unlikely players who could play a key role

Tarkesh Jha
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0
ENG vs IND: 3 unlikely players who could play a key role

ENG vs IND: 3 unlikely players who could play a key role | 3 unlikely players who can make a big impact in the England vs India Test series

India is set to play a challenging five match long Test series against the Joe Root-led English team.

The first game will kick start from 4th August onward and the lengthy series will surely spring up some absolutely riveting contests as well as individual performances.

Such kind of a series always tends to throw up defining performances from players who were not necessarily earmarked to play significant roles at the beginning of the campaign.

They turn up to be the unlikely stars playing a key role in determining the eventual result of the contest. On that note, let us elaborate on three players who can surprise the audience and don important caps for their respective teams in the forthcoming series.

KL Rahul

KL Rahul has been out of the scheme of things of the Indian test team for quite some time now.

However, some recent murmurs suggest that the flamboyant batsman could be making his way into the playing XI quite soon. Shubman Gill’s injury and Mayank Agarwal’s concussion means he is all but set to open for India.

He scored a century in India’s last tour of England, and if he can set up a strong platform for India’s experienced middle order, then it will go a long way to helping the tourists win the series. His addition would further augment the terrific capabilities of the Indian batting unit and hence one can perhaps oversee him donning a crucial role at some point in the series.

Mark Wood

Mark Wood comes across as someone having a distinct ability in that English bowling unit equipped with multiple skillsets.

The bowler is capable of bowling very quick, and his frame generally allows him to extract that additional bit of bounce from the surface. His importance in this whole setup primarily triggers due to the majorly separate talents that the other frontline pacers in the team such as James Anderson and Stuart Broad possess.

Wood is possibly someone who can be roped in as a first-change pacer, someone who would do the damage in the second session of sorts, that is, in the period when the first new ball gets slightly old and there’s still time for the introduction of the second one.

Wood will present quite a unique challenge in front of the Indian batsmen, as he will arguably be someone who would rely more on the back-of-the-length, shorter deliveries to scalp dismissals.

To regularly alter between bowlers who make you play on the front and then instantly against those who push you on the backfoot will possibly be one of the many challenges for the Indian team to face in the coming series.

Haseeb Hameed

Haseeb Hameed is likely to stage a comeback to international cricket after about five years since having debuted for England in their tour to India in late-2016.

Haseeb has dealt with quite a challenging phase in his cricketing career during this period, and his comeback sparks hope of England finally resolving its opening conundrum after years of several unsatisfactory experiments.

Moreover, the 24-year-old batsman struck a century against the Indian bowling unit in the same game as Rahul, and has perhaps further strengthened his claim to partner the ever dependable Rory Burns at the top.

Haseeb is likely to have added further dimensions to his overall style of play in the years he spent out of the public eye.

That along with testing grind that he went through in the last few years and the suitable home conditions could perhapsset him up for quite a remarkable Test series this time around; something, that can very well shape the future course of his career.

Written by Tarkesh Jha. Follow Tarkesh on Twitter

Foxtel cops heat after not broadcasting Bangladesh vs Australia series

Charbel Coorey
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Foxtel cops heat after not broadcasting Bangladesh vs Australia series

Foxtel cops heat after choosing not to broadcast Bangladesh vs Australia series | Foxtel didn’t secure the rights to broadcast the series – fans react

History has been made, but for the wrong reasons. For the first time in the 21st century, an Australian men’s cricket series will not be broadcast in Australia, with the last such instance being the Pakistan Test series way back in 1994.

Fox Sports, who have a dedicated cricket channel Fox Cricket, rejected the rights to host the Bangladesh vs Australia T20I series, which is the first time these two teams will meet in T20 Internationals outside of the World Cup. According to Bangladesh cricket sources, Foxtel failed to agree to the terms required to broadcast the series to the Australian public.

To rub salt in the wounds, cricket.com.au reported that the series will be available on the Rabbithole Bangladesh YouTube channel. However, unlike the recent Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh series, these Australia T20Is are geoblocked, thus unavailable to fans down under.

According to reports, the Olympic Games, absence of key stars and late start time reduced the attractiveness of the series from Foxtel’s point of view. However, such reasons make little to no sense when they choose to host a series such as West Indies vs Pakistan which begins at 1am Sydney time.

Here are some of the Twitter reactions from journalists, fans and even the Australian captain who are disgruntled at not being able to access the action unless they have betting accounts or a VPN.

At the time of writing, Australia were engaging in the first of five T20Is against Bangladesh to be played over the next week. After a poor series in West Indies, a number of players will be trying to make a final claim to be part of the T20 World Cup squad.

India possible XI for first Test vs England

Vaibhav Tripathi
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India possible XI for first Test vs England

India possible XI for first Test vs England | Possible Playing 11 for India in the first Test against England at Trent Bridge

India’s tour of England begins on Wednesday, August 4 with the first of the five highly anticipated Test matches at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.

While most of the lineup picks itself based on their performances throughout the two-year WTC cycle and past performances in England, there is still debate over certain spots, especially with a depleted squad at their disposal. The opening combination is a question with Shubman Gill out of the entire tour and Mayank Agarwal ruled out of the first Test, while the middle-order combination is also a legitimate debate. As is the final look of the pace attack.

Prior to the series opener, here is a look at the possible XI for Team India:

Openers: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul

Incumbent opener Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are likely to start the series at the top for India. After Gill returned to India, Mayank Agarwal was set to slot at the top with Rohit. However, with Mayank ruled out due to concussion, KL Rahul, who has enjoyed success in the past opening the innings, will likely open the series with Rohit.

Since his return to the Test set-up, Rohit has been unstoppable as an opener. After having a great run in the first WTC cycle, fans are backing him to start well in the Nottingham Test. For Rahul, this is a golden chance to cement his place back in the Test XI. If Rahul performs well in the first Test, then he will make life difficult for Mayank to make a straight return to the XI.

Middle Order: Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane

Numbers 3-5 select themselves with Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane making up a highly experienced and high-class middle order. However, these positons aren’t without concerns.

Pujara is short of runs in the last one year or so; he has not scored a Test hundred for a while now, and being a Test specialist he would be looking to make amends this time around. Virat Kohli was the batsman of the series in 2018, aggregating 593 runs in 10 innings with two hundreds and three fifties. However, the skipper has endured indifferent form with the bat, especially in Test cricket since November 2019 – the last time he scored a Test ton.

For India to kick-start the series on a winning note, they need the Kohli of 2018 at Nottingham. Ajinkya Rahane was under injury scare but the team management seems to be confident about his availability for the opening Test of the series. Rahane has not done much with the bat since his iconic hundred at the MCG against Australia last year. All three of the experienced batsmen have been going through a lean phase as far as their batting is concerned, and for India to win the first game, they will need to turn up with big contributions to set the series up for the visitors.

India possible XI for first Test vs England | Possible Playing 11 for India in the first Test against England at Trent Bridge
India possible XI for first Test vs England: Can Pujara have a big impact?

Wicket Keeper: Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant has been in the form of his life since India’s tour Down Under in 2020-2021. After match-changing performances in Sydney and Brisbane, he was in devastating form in the home series against England.

Pant provides the X-factor in the lower middle order and has the potential and ability to change the course of a match by scoring big runs at a high strike rate. His glovework also improved from the last time he travelled to England. He knows the conditions having played a series before in 2018.

All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin

India’s lower order received a massive boost with the reincarnation of Ravindra Jadeja, the batsman. Jadeja has been an invaluable asset to this team, and with no Hardik Pandya, it’s most likely that Ravindra Jadeja will slot in at number 7 for India. With the ball, he bowls tight lines and England has struggled against the left-arm spin, which makes his case for a spot in the XI even stronger. Also, Jadeja scored two fifties in the practice game and it has been observed that in England, visiting teams always go with the extra batting option.

Ravichandran Ashwin has transformed from a support act in SENA to a major wicket-taking bowler since the tour to South Africa in 2018. He showcased his all-round brilliance with both bat and ball in the series at home against England in February 2021. The off-spinner recently played a game for Surrey where he recorded his best figures in England. Ashwin will be an important key to India’s bowling group for the Nottingham game and has been in good form with the bat of late, which adds depth to the Indian order.

India possible XI for first Test vs England | Possible Playing 11 for India in the first Test against England at Trent Bridge
India possible XI for first Test vs England: R Ashwin has been superb in recent times.

Bowlers: Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah

The familiar pace trio of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah will certainly enjoy bowling with Dukes especially at Trent Bridge, where the pacers have enjoyed a bit more in comparison with other venues in the UK.

The bowling group will try to learn from their mistakes in the WTC Final. Jasprit Bumrah was inconsistent in the final against New Zealand, and India will be hoping that the 27-year-old finds his rhythm in the opening Test. Ishant Sharma will lead the attack, being the most experienced paceman of the team. Mohammad Shami’s numbers will tempt India to play the in-form Mohammed Siraj, but the way Shami bowled in the WTC Final shows that numbers can’t challenge the quality of the player. What goes in favour of Shami is his accuracy and arguably the world’s best seam position.

India Likely Playing XI: 

1. Rohit Sharma, 2. KL Rahul, 3. Cheteshwar Pujara, 4. Virat Kohli, 5. Ajinkya Rahane, 6. Rishabh Pant, 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. R Ashwin, 9. Mohammed Shami, 10. Ishant Sharma, 11. Jasprit Bumrah

Written by Vaibhav Tripathi. Follow Vaibhav on Twitter today.

WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | West Indies vs Pakistan 4th T20I Key Players | Guyana Pitch Report

What was supposed to be important T20 World Cup preparation has turned into a damp squib. For the West Indies, who have their issues against spin, a battle against a good attack can help them answer crucial questions about their batting lineup for the showpiece tournament. Pakistan also have their own questions to answer, and would like more of an opportunity to build confidence ahead of their quest for T20 World Cup glory.

Instead, the weather has played the dominant role in this series, washing out two of the three matches so far. Rain is forecast again for the final match of the series, but one can hope that the weather relents enough to allow for a result in what was originally scheduled to be a slow burn five-match series. Pakistan have had the upper hand throughout the series thus far, which serves as a good challenge for the powerpacked Windies side to try and overcome.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

West Indies:

  • Nicholas Pooran has a key role to play. He scored a brilliant 33-ball 62* in the second T20I, and enjoys playing at Providence Stadium (342 runs in 12 T20 knocks at a superb average and strike rate of 57.00 and 175.38 respectively). However, he has never made 30+ scores in consecutive T20I innings.
  • Shimron Hetmyer is also one to watch on his home ground. He couldn’t quite get going in the second T20I (17 off 18 balls), but he has plenty of T20 experience at Providence Stadium (14 inns, 401 runs, avg. 33.42, SR 133.22).
  • Chris Gayle could open again, and eyes will be on the Universe Boss to see whether he can overcome a poor run of form. In 2021, Gayle averages below 17 and strikes under 115 in T20Is (15 inns, 215 runs, avg. 16.53, SR 114.97).
  • Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell will be key in finishing well for the Windies. Pollard scored a 9-ball 22* in the first T20I, part of 170 runs vs Pakistan (avg. 24.28, SR 111.11). Can he improve on these numbers?
  • Jason Holder will be key in the powerplay and death overs. He took 4/26 in the second T20I, taking his tally to seven wickets in five T20s on this ground, as well as six scalps in six matches vs Pakistan.
  • Hayden Walsh was recently player of the series vs Australia. He was outstanding, with 11 wickets in five T20Is at a strike rate of just 10.
  • Dwayne Bravo has the most runs for any current WI player vs Pakistan (6 inns, 190 runs, avg. 31.66, SR 103.26). He will also be at the death (2/24 in the second T20I).

Pakistan:

  • Babar Azam now has four 50+ scores in 11 knocks vs West Indies. Also, Babar has the most runs in WI-PAK T20Is, with 454 at an average of 56.75 and strike rate of 125.41.
  • Mohammad Rizwan looked solid in his only hit out so far this series (46 off 36 balls in the second T20I). Rizwan has scored 1,252 runs in 28 T20s in 2021 at an average of 65.89 and strike rate in the region of 135.
  • Shadab Khan has the most wickets in WI-PAK T20Is (9 inns, 15 wickets, avg. 11.20, econ. 5.27). He is wicketless so far in five overs this series, but he was economical in the second match (0/22). He has the potential to take wickets if the Windies batsmen look to go after him.
  • Expect Mohammad Hafeez to play a role with the ball once again. He took 1/6 in the second T20I and won player of the match. However, Pakistan will also hope Hafeez turns his poor batting numbers around both against WI (6 inns, 56 runs, avg. 9.33) and on this ground (90 runs in nine innings at an average of 11.25).
  • Hasan Ali has taken 30 wickets in 20 T20s in 2021. He has the potential to take wickets in the death overs. As does Haris Rauf.

Stats and Facts

  • Pakistan have won 12 of the 15 completed T20Is against West Indies.
  • West Indies batted out 47 dot balls in the second T20I – an area they will be desperate to improve on today.
  • Pakistan have won the last four completed T20Is against the Windies.

Possible Playing 11

West Indies went into the third T20I without their two first-choice openers due to injuries. This could be the case again today.

West Indies: 1. Andre Fletcher, 2. Chris Gayle, 3. Shimron Hetmyer, 4. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 5. Kieron Pollard (c), 6. Andre Russell, 7. Jason Holder, 8. Romario Shepherd, 9. Dwayne Bravo, 10. Hayden Walsh, 11. Akeal Hosein

Haris Rauf replaced Shaheen Shah Afridi for the washed out third T20I. Pakistan could look to pick him again to give him a chance at the bowling crease.

Pakistan: 1. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 2. Sharjeel Khan, 3. Babar Azam (c), 4. Fakhar Zaman, 5. Mohammad Hafeez, 6. Sohaib Maqsood/Azam Khan, 7. Shadab Khan, 8. Hasan Ali, 9. Mohammad Wasim/Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10. Usman Qadir, 11. Haris Rauf

Providence Stadium Guyana Pitch Report and Weather

Unfortunately, more rain is forecast in Guyana. However, there is hope that the rain will relent enough to allow for a match. According to AccuWeather, 2mm of rain will fall during the day in Guyana.

In terms of the pitch, slower balls and spin continues to reign supreme in West Indies. In CPL 2019, the average first innings score in seven matches on this ground was 161.43. The team batting first won four of those matches. Pakistan showed in the second T20I that a score in that region is certainly a competitive one.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | West Indies vs Pakistan 4th T20I Key Players | Guyana Pitch Report
WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | West Indies vs Pakistan 4th T20I Key Players | Guyana Pitch Report
WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

Bat first and score in the region of 160. If the weather allows for a full game, this kind of score has been very effective in West Indies in recent times. If either side can reach this mark, they are favourites to win.

ENG vs IND: 5 key battles that can decide series

Charbel Coorey
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ENG vs IND: 5 key battles that can decide series

ENG vs IND: 5 key battles that can decide series | 5 key player battles that can decide the England vs India Test series

The second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) is set commence in cracking fashion from the 4th of this month with India facing England in the first Test of the 5-match series at Nottingham.

With two strong teams scheduled to lock horns with each other, this series promises to be one full of twists and turns. Apart from the battle between the two sides, we will witness some magnificent contests between the players from both the sides. In this article, I am going to mention five such fascinating battles to watch out for that can turn the series in their team’s favour Here we go.

Ajinkya Rahane vs Stuart Broad

Ajinkya Rahane has struggled a lot against Stuart Broad in both India and England. Overall, Rahane averages just 16.5 against Broad with six dismissals, and five of those coming in England.

Broad was fabulous in the English summer last year and troubled the West Indies and Pakistan batsmen to the core by setting them up nicely. He got some appreciable seam movement off the pitch and used the wobbled-seam deliveries to perfection to bowl those lethal nip-backers. It will be interesting to see how Rahane deals with him in this series.

ENG vs IND: 5 key battles that can decide series | 5 key player battles that can decide the upcoming England vs India Test series
ENG vs IND: Stuart Broad will be crucial.

Jos Buttler vs Ishant Sharma

Jos Buttler, the English wicket-keeping batsman averages a mere 18 against Ishant Sharma. Ishant has dismissed Buttler five times in Test cricket with three of those dismissals being either lbw or bowled. So, it is quite clear that he targets the stumps against him and has been successful so far in doing so.

In the absence of Ben Stokes, Buttler has a key role to play for England, as he is their most experienced batsman after Joe Root. He is someone who can change the course of the match quickly by his extraordinary scoring abilities. So, his wicket is going to be a crucial one to pick for India and I am keen to see whether Ishant does this for India or not.

ENG vs IND: 5 key battles that can decide series | 5 key player battles that can decide the upcoming England vs India Test series
ENG vs IND: Can Ishant make a strong impact in this series?

Rishabh Pant vs Jack Leach

Rishabh Pant literally loves bald spinners, right? Statistically, Pant has scored 88 runs off 59 balls against Leach, whilst being dismissed only once by the spinner. His boundary run percentage is a phenomenal 72.72 against Leach, which suggests that he looks to score a lot against him.

In England, it will be tougher for him to score against the likes of Anderson and Broad. So, he definitely will look to attack Leach whenever he faces him. This can also create opportunities for Leach to deceive Pant with his variations and make him play a false shot. There is a chance that Leach might get the advantage of bowling in big English grounds this time. I believe Root will take chances by employing Leach against Pant and we will witness this fascinating battle.

ENG vs IND: 5 key battles that can decide series | 5 key player battles that can decide the upcoming England vs India Test series
ENG vs IND: Jack Leach will have a key role to play for England.

Rory Burns vs R Ashwin

R Ashwin has been a nightmare for almost all the left-handed batsmen around the world. He has so many variations in his armory to bamboozle the best in the business.

The experienced spinner dismissed Rory Burns thrice in the 4-match series played in India earlier this year. Also Ashwin, the new ball bowler, has a great reputation of picking crucial wickets. He troubled the great Alastair Cook with the new ball in India’s tour of England back in 2018. So, if the Indian seamers fail to pick the wicket of Burns with the new ball, Virat Kohli will most probably employ Ashwin early.

Burns is going to be the lone left-handed batsman in the English top order and middle order combined. So, if he gets out early, it can be advantageous for the Indian seamers as they will have to bowl only to the right-handed batsmen, which obviously will allow them to bowl in a particular channel consistently.

ENG vs IND: Ashwin will be a factor in England.

James Anderson vs Virat Kohli

This battle is definitely the main one to watch out for in a Test match between India and England. The two legends Virat Kohli and James Anderson will have a face-off yet again in this series and all eyes will be on these two to witness this historic rivalry.

Statistically, Kohli averages 47.2 against Anderson, but there was a time when Anderson had supreme dominance over the Indian captain. He dismissed Virat four times in the home series back in 2014, but has never been able to pick his wicket since then. Since 2016, Kohli has scored 194 runs against Anderson without dismissal. Although, some opportunities were missed by the English fielders, one can’t deny the fact that Virat has developed his technique to a great extent in order to tackle the English fast bowlers including the legend Anderson in their own den. This time it will be really interesting to see who edges the other in this most awaited battle.

ENG vs IND: Can the great James Anderson overcome the great Kohli?

Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.

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