Twitter reactions to brilliant KL Rahul century at Lord’s | Fans react to superb KL Rahul century on day one of second Test vs England
KL Rahul, the red-ball batsman, is well and truly back. Brought back into the India side because of injuries to Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal, Rahul has made the opening position his own with fantastic performances across the first two Tests against a capable England attack.
His 127* on the first day of the Lord’s Test was particularly impressive. Sent into bat in overcast conditions and on a pitch that offered movement for the bowlers, Rahul displayed terrific technique and patience to bat through the entire 90 overs. His approach of playing the line and playing the ball late was a batting masterclass, and his ability to accelerate his scoring in the final session is a sign of a special talent.
India finished day one in a strong position courtesy of Rahul, Rohit Sharma and important runs from Virat Kohli. India’s 276/3 is a fantastic result after losing the toss in circumstances where the expected score was 244/9. With Rahul in fine touch, and the likes of Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja to come, India will be aiming for a score of 450+ in the first innings.
Here are some of the Twitter reactions to KL Rahul’s fine knock.
KL Rahul now becomes the third Indian to score a Test 100 at the Oval and also at Lord's (both in London) after Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid.#ENGvIND#ENGvsIND
This probably sums up day one of the Lord’s test. All smiles from @DineshKarthik and concerned from @BumbleCricket. At least DK is rubbing off on Bumbles fashion sense? Sharma and Rahul brilliant. Huge first session tomorrow. #ENGvINDpic.twitter.com/XwBlDp1LcY
Batted, KL Rahul. It was a tough time for KL, but he has made a strong statement through the series so far by fifty in first Test and Hundred in second Test.
KL Rahul is the first Indian opener in 31 years to score a century at Lord's. The last man to do it is India's Head Coach now. This is some comeback by KL to Red Ball team.
For all the talk over the years about the IPL’s negative impact on Test cricket in India, here we’ve had two IPL stars, captains to boot in Rohit Sharma & KL Rahul, producing a combined masterclass on Test batting in very difficult conditions at Lord’s #ENGvIND
WI vs PAK 1st Test Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | WI vs PAK 1st Test Dream11 Prediction Today | West Indies vs Pakistan 1st Test Key Players | Kingston Pitch Report
So, after the T20I series between West Indies and Pakistan ended in a damp squib with three out of four matches ending in a no result due to persistent rain in Guyana, the focus of the Asian sides’ tour of the Caribbean shifts to the longest format of the game with the first Test starting at Kingston, Jamaica from Thursday, August 12.
The two-match Test series is a part of the second cycle of the ICC World Test Championship and both sides will be looking to gain crucial two-match rubber.
Pakistan Cricket Team come into this series on the back of consecutive Test series wins against South Africa (at home) and Zimbabwe (away). The Babar Azam-led unit will be looking to continue with its good form in the longest form and claim their second Test series win in the Caribbean.
This will also be Babar Azam’s first major Test assignment as a skipper away from the safe comforts of home. The charismatic cricketer did not feature in Pakistan’s last away Test series against a full-member nation- vs New Zealand in the winter of 2020- which the Asian side lost 0-2 under Mohammad Rizwan.
As for the West Indies, the Caribbean side is yet to win a Test match since its historic series win in Bangladesh earlier this year. While they drew 0-0 on benign tracks against Sri Lanka, they were blown away by South African pacers earlier this summer as they lost the 1st Test by 158 runs and the second by an innings & 63 runs.
Can the hosts shrug off their poor Test form or will Pakistan do an encore of their 2017 triumph in the Caribbean islands?
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
West Indies:
Kraig Brathwaite: Skipper Kraig Brathwaite is the 2nd leading run-getter for the West Indies this calendar year. In 12 innings, the gritty opener has scored 414 runs at an average of 34.50 with a couple of half-centuries and one hundred. The onus will be on the skipper to spearhead the batting unit.
Kyle Mayers: Kyle Mayers has been the find of the year for the West Indies as far as Test cricket is concerned. Mayers is leading the charts as far as most runs scored by a West Indian in 2021 and he will once again be the key to the home sides’ fortunes. In 12 innings, Mayers has racked up 521 runs at an average of 47.36 with two half-centuries and one hundred.
Nkrumah Bonner: Bonner has the highest average among all West Indian batters this year. In 8 innings, he has scored 385 runs which include 2 half-centuries and one ton.
Kemar Roach: Roach was the leading wicket-taker for the West Indies against South Africa earlier in the summer. In 2 matches, Roach claimed 9 wickets at an average of 17.89. Roach is the joint second-highest wicket-taker for the West Indies this year- 19 wickets in 9 innings at an average of 23.68.
Jason Holder: Jason Holder may have had an average time with the bat this year- 172 runs in 5 innings at an average of 24- but he has been good enough with the ball, having claimed 13 wickets in 7 innings at an average of 21.23. The West Indies will hope that the former skipper and champion all-rounder shrugs off his indifferent year with the bat in the Test series against Pakistan.
Pakistan:
Azhar Ali: Former skipper Azhar Ali has been in sensational form this year. He is Pakistan’s leading run-scorer, having racked up 407 runs in 8 innings at 58.14 with a couple of half-centuries and a hundred. Ali loves batting against the West Indies. In 16 innings against the ‘Men in Maroon’, the former skipper has racked up 889 runs at an average of 59.26 with four half-centuries and three tons and he will be looking to emulate the same this summer.
Babar Azam: Skipper Babar Azam has had a poor time in Test cricket this year. In 6 innings, Azam has managed just 124 runs at an average of 20.66 with just one 50+ score. But Azam is too good a player to remain out of form for an extended duration of time and one can expect the charismatic batter to script a turnaround in this series.
Abid Ali: Abid Ali, just like Azhar Ali, has been brilliant with the bat this year. In 8 innings, he has managed 359 runs at 51.28 with one half-century and one hundred. But, his real challenge will come against the hostile pace of Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales. Can he rise to the challenge?
Fawad Alam: Alam has been in sensational form ever since he earned a recall to the Pakistani side after a decade-long wait. In 8 innings this year, the southpaw has racked up 333 runs at an average of 47.57 with a couple of classy tons. His next challenge will be against the pace of Roach, Seales, Joseph and the accuracy of Holder. Can he turn it on again?
Mohammad Rizwan: Irrespective of formats, Mohammad Rizwan has proved to be an absolute run-machine for Pakistan across all formats in the past 12-15 months and he will once again hold the key to visitors fortunes in this series. In 7 innings, the stumper has racked up 303 runs at 50.50 with one half-century and one ton.
Hasan Ali: Ali has been the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan this year. In 8 innings, he has claimed 26 wickets at an average of 13.88 which includes 4 five-wicket-hauls and one ten for.
Shaheen Shah Afridi: Afridi will once again be the one to watch out for in the Test series. He is the second highest wicket-taker for the visitors this year, having claimed 19 wickets in 9 innings at 24.36.
Stats and Facts
Head-to-head: Matches 52, West Indies 17, Pakistan 20, Draw 15.
Since 2010, Matches 8, West Indies 3, Pakistan 5.
Pakistan won their first-ever Test series in the Caribbean during their last visit in 2017. They won the three-match rubber 2-1.
Pakistan’s record at Kingston: Matches 4, Won 2, Lost 2.
Possible Playing XI
West Indies
The home side have named a 17-man squad for the two-match series. While pacer Chemar Holder and middle-order batter Shamarh Brooks have been recalled, the veteran duo of Shannon Gabriel and Darren Bravo are missing.
Possible Playing XI: 1. Kraigg Brathwaite (c), 2. Shai Hope, 3. Nkrumah Bonner, 4. Roston Chase, 5. Kyle Mayers, 6. Jermaine Blackwood, 7. Joshua de Silva (wk), 8. Jason Holder, 9. Kemar Roach, 10. Jayden Seales, 11. Alzarri Joseph
Pakistan
Pakistan is likely to feature the same playing XI that won 2-0 against Zimbabwe earlier this year. The likes of Abid Ali, Imran Butt, Azhar Ali, skipper Babar Azam and Fawad Alam will form the top five with Mohmmad Rizwan slotting in as the wicketkeeper.
Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf will likely take up the all-rounder spots while Mohammad Abbas and Shaheen Shah Afridi will be the pace-bowling spearheads. It will be interesting to see whether Pakistan go with the experience of Yasir Shah or will they opt for Nauman Ali.
Possible Playing XI: 1. Imran Butt, 2. Abid Ali, 3. Azhar Ali, 4. Babar Azam (c), 5. Fawad Alam, 6. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7. Faheem Ashraf, 8. Hasan Ali, 9. Yasir Shah, 10. Mohammad Abbas, 11. Shaheen Shah Afridi
Kingston Jamaica Pitch Report and Weather
Once revered for its pace and bounce, the pitch at Sabina Park in Jamaica has become flatter in the past decade or so.
That said, it still offers enough pace and bounce to keep the fast bowlers interested. In 8 Tests since the start of 2011, pacers have claimed 163 wickets in 1362.1 overs at an average of 23.77 as compared to spinners, who have managed 107 wickets in 1036 overs at 31.11.
The average 1st innings score in 52 games played at the venue is 321 which increases to 339 for the second innings and 239 and 146 for third and fourth innings respectively.
Teams’ batting first have won on 17 occasions in 52 Tests as compared to 21 won by the side bowling first.
However, just like the T20I series, poor weather can once again play spoilsport if the forecast over the next few days in Jamaica is to be believed.
According to Accuweather, there are significant chances of rain on each of the five days and overhead skies are likely to be the norm.
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:
WI vs PAK 1st Test Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
WI vs PAK 1st Test Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
Both West Indies and Pakistan are extremely unpredictable in how they go about their business. However, with Pakistan having more potency and experience in their batting line-up, they should start as favorites.
Are England getting the best out of Sam Curran? | Looking at how England can maximise the potential of Sam Curran in Test cricket
The first Test match of the second World Test Championship ended in a draw thanks to the cruel English weather. Now, England and India will have a face off in the 2nd Test at the “Home Of Cricket”, Lord’s.
There are several points to talk about in this series; a major one among them is the way England see Sam Curran in their Test set up. Sam Curran is inarguably one of the finest young talents in world cricket right now. He is a very passionate cricketer and does have great potential to become the poster boy of English cricket.
But, England don’t maximise his potential and they can use him in a more appropriate manner. In this article, I am going to reveal why I feel this way and how they can use him in the best possible way. Here we go.
Current role of Sam Curran in the Test side
In his 3-year old Test career, Sam has batted at numbers 8 or 9 in 88.57% of his total innings. Further, England decided to go with 7 pure batting options and 4 bowling options including Sam in the first Test at Nottingham. These facts clearly indicate that they see him as a bowling all rounder, i.e. a bowler who can contribute some runs with the bat.
But does he bowl as many overs as the other pure bowlers do? The answer is no. I have plotted a graph below which shows the number of occasions he has bowled certain percentages of the total overs.
It is pretty clear from the graph that Sam has bowled less than 10 percent of the total number of overs on most of the occasions in his brief career so far. This signifies that although England see him primarily as a bowler who can bat, they have not used him with the ball in the most convincing manner.
So, there exists some lack of clarity practically regarding his role as a bowling all rounder in the English Test side.
Is Sam Curran really a bowling all rounder?
Sam Curran, the bowler, operates at a pace mostly ranging between 125-135 kph. Added to that, his short stature doesn’t allow him to cause trouble for the batters via extra bounce off the surface.
So, his strengths with the ball are limited to swing and seam. Whenever he bowls, he mostly tries to pitch the ball up and get some movement in the air as well as off the surface. Due to these limitations, he doesn’t seem to be a bowler suited for all conditions in the longest format of the game. He can mostly be threatening in favourable conditions for fast bowlers. These kinds of “condition-oriented” bowlers can only be supportive and give some good overs when the ball does something.
But when Sam Curran bats, we don’t see a typical tail-ender slogging in the middle. His head stays still and he plays with a straight bat face, much like a proper batsman. He has mostly been given the job to score quick runs batting at 8, yet averages 32.72 in 21 innings including 3 fifties in that particular position (just 3 not outs). This definitely indicates his immense potential with the bat and therefore I feel he is better as a batsman than a bowler. So, he should play the role of a batting all rounder in the side in my opinion.
He has the capability to bat a bit up the order and also he can provide a really decent fifth bowling option to his team. Particularly in the current scenario where England don’t have their premier batting all-rounder Ben Stokes, they should at least give Sam Curran a try as his alternative. Obviously, I don’t mean he can turn out to be as impactful as Stokes all of a sudden, but it’s the only way England can get the most out of him.
This is my take on the way England should see him as a prospect in Tests from now onwards.
ENG vs IND 2nd Test Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs IND 2nd Test Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs India 2nd Test Key Players | Lord’s Pitch Report
The first Test between England and India was shaping up for a classic finish but the persistent rain in Nottingham led to an anti-climax as the final day was abandoned without a single ball being bowled.
So, the caravan of the five-match series now moved to the ‘Home of Cricket’ Lord’s with the series still locked 0-0.
India would be the happier of the two sides going into the Lord’s Test as they dominated a major portion of the first game. Jasprit Bumrah’s return to form after an indifferent outing in the WTC Final and successful Test comeback of KL Rahul were the biggest positives for Team India from the Nottingham Test while the poor form of the trio of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane remains a big concern.
England, on the other hand, have several problems of their own. Their batting-unit barring Joe Root was once again exposed to the hilt in the last Test.
The likes of Rory Burns and Zak Crawley had a poor outing and while Dom Sibley did spend a lot of time on the crease, he did not score enough runs.
With Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes not available, England struggled for balance in the last Test as they played with just four genuine bowling options out of which Stuart Broad and Sam Curran had a poor game.
England have drafted Moeen Ali in their squad for the second Test while Saqib Mahmood has been added as a cover for Stuart Broad and James Anderson. While Broad sprained his ankle while jogging during the warm-ups, Anderson is suspected to be suffering from a tight quad.
Key Players to watch/Key Stats
England:
Joe Root: The England captain was adjudged ‘Player of the Match’ for his stupendous knocks of 64 & 109 in Nottingham and he is the prime reason why England aren’t 0-1 down going into the Lord’s Test. Root has the fifth-most runs of any England player in history at Lord’s, with 1,271 at an average of 47.07.
Ollie Robinson: Robinson is enhancing his reputation with every outing. The tall seamer once again impressed with the disconcerting bounce he generates besides moving the ball both ways.
Robinson claimed 7 wickets on his Test debut at Lord’s against New Zealand earlier this summer and he backed it up with a five-for in the last Test against India.
Rory Burns: Rory Burns had a forgettable outing against India in Nottingham. But the southpaw loves batting at Lord’s. He scored a brilliant 132 earlier in the summer against the Kiwis and England will hope that the left-hander can do an encore of it in the 2nd Test.
Moeen Ali: Moeen Ali has been drafted in the England side to lend better balance to the team in the absence of Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes. Ali loves bowling against India on home soil. In 7 home Tests against India, Ali has claimed 31 wickets at an average of 22.22. Can he do an encore at Lord’s?
James Anderson: The champion seamer was once again in his elements in the first Test as he claimed crucial wickets of Pujara, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. Anderson is the leading wicket-taker for England against India at Lord’s- 28 wickets in 8 innings at 16.32- and if he is deemed available for the second Test then he will pose the biggest threat to Team India.
India
KL Rahul: KL Rahul made a brilliant comeback to Test cricket in Nottingham as he scored a disciplined 214-ball 84 in the first innings to help India take a significant lead. Rahul looked at ease against the moving ball and India will hope that the Karnataka opener continues his good form at Lord’s.
Rohit Sharma: Sharma was once again guilty of throwing it away in the last Test after having done all the hard work. Nevertheless, he once again looked extremely assured at the crease in challenging conditions and India will hope that the ‘Hitman’ finally converts his start into a big knock at the ‘Home of Cricket’
Virat Kohli: Virat Kohli endured a golden duck in Nottingham as he nicked off against James Anderson. Kohli is undergoing a lean patch in Test cricket. He is averaging 23 in his last 15 Test innings and his record at Lord’s doesn’t inspire confidence. The Indian skipper has managed just 65 runs in four outings at Lord’s which also includes a golden duck in 2014. Can the Indian captain shrug off his poor form and end his century drought in international cricket?
Ajinkya Rahane: Rahane smashed a brilliant match-winning 103 at Lord’s in 2014 and the Indian vice-captain will be hoping to take motivation from his past exploits at the venue as he aims to shrug off his recent lean patch.
Jasprit Bumrah- Bumrah once again displayed just why he is one of the best bowlers of the modern-era as he claimed a total of 9 wickets in Nottingham after an indifferent outing in the WTC final. This will be Bumrah’s maiden Test at Lord’s and he’ll be gunning to get his name on the honour’s board.
Stats and Facts
India have lost 3 of their last 5 Tests at Lord’s. While they drew in 2007 and won in 2014, they went down by comprehensive margins in 2002, 2011 and 2018.
India have won just two Tests at Lord’s. They have played a total of 18 matches at the venue, losing 12 while four have ended in a draw.
Ajinkya Rahane (139 runs in 4 innings) is the leading run-scorer at Lord’s among current Indian batters.
James Anderson has claimed the most number of wickets for England against India at Lord’s – 28 wickets in 8 innings at 16.32 with three five-wicket hauls.
Possible Playing XI
England
With Stuart Broad and James Anderson having injury issues ahead of the second Test, England could well be forced to pick their second string pace bowling arsenal.
Mark Wood should replace the injured Broad while either of Saqib Mahmood or Craig Overton could replace James Anderson if the champion seamer is ruled out.
Moeen Ali is likely to slot into the playing XI as a spin-bowling all-rounder.
Zak Crawley, who is averaging 11 this year, could make way for Haseeb Hameed.
Virat Kohli said in the post-match presentation that the team is likely to stick with the 4+1 template but with Shardul Thakur set to miss the Lord’s Test due to hamstring injury, the team-management could be in for some selection headaches.
With Lord’s expected to be dry during the Test match, India have the option of picking R. Ashwin as their second spinner which will also bolster their bowling-unit.
However, if they want to stick with the same 4+1 template then Ishant Sharma can make a return to the playing XI.
With the conditions in London expected to be dry, spin could come into play during the later stages of the match.
However, with a tinge of grass on the surface and the famous Lord’s slope helping the seamers, the fast bowlers could once again rule the roost, especially during the first couple of days.
Since the start of 2011, pacers have accounted for 532 wickets at Lord’s in 4765.1 overs at an average of 27.56 while the spinners have managed 113 wickets in 1434.1 overs at 41.06.
The average 1st innings score at Lord’s is 312 which drops to 298, 257 and 155 in the succeeding innings.
In 140 Tests played at the venue, the team batting first has won on 50 occasions while the team fielding first has won on 39 instances.
As far as the weather in London is concerned, unlike Nottingham, it is expected to be warm and dry with the temperatures hovering between 13-23 degree Celsius.
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 2nd Test Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
ENG vs IND 2nd Test Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
History is against Team India as far as their performances at Lord’s are concerned, but with their batting in seemingly good shape as compared to the hosts coupled with the whole host of injury issues that England are suffering from in their pace bowling department, India should start as slight favorites.
What the hell is going on with Australia in T20 cricket? | Looking at reasons why Australia is struggling badly in T20 cricket
The horror show is now over, but the fallout must begin. Australia, across tours of West Indies and Bangladesh, lost a combined eight of 10 T20Is, producing some of the poorest white-ball cricket seen of an Australian team in quite some time.
Yes, Australia were missing a number of first team players. It was a reason put forward by many in attempting to explain Australia’s dismal showing. However, where is the batting depth? Who is putting their hand up apart from Mitchell Marsh? If this isn’t Australia’s ‘B’ team, what is?
Yes, conditions were quite alien. Particularly in Bangladesh, where most of the Australian public was spared the horror thanks to Foxtel. The pitches were another reason put forward by many in attempting to explain Australia’s dismal showing. However, how do you explain Australia’s series defeats against England, India and New Zealand on perfectly good batting pitches, where the propensity for an almighty collapse was still present?
Australia have now lost five straight T20I series, with the most worrying aspect being the lack of batsmen coming through and making a mark in international cricket. In New Zealand, you have the likes of Devon Conway and Will Young making an impact. Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan and co. ooze class in India. England can lose an entire squad to COVID-19 isolation, but those who come in are still able to perform brilliantly against a capable Pakistan in both ODIs and T20Is.
Sure, Australia doesn’t have the population of the likes of India and England. However, this wasn’t a factor two decades ago when truly fantastic cricketers couldn’t find a way into Australia’s national side, such was the strength in depth and class. Think of Brad Hodge, Stuart MacGill, Stuart Law and countless others who had to churn out huge season after huge season just to stay on the selectors’ radar. Even Michael Hussey couldn’t get into the fray until his late 20s.
Now, an average of 35 in First Class cricket is good enough to make the Test side. Like Tests, Australia’s T20 worries stem from the domestic system, which we’ll touch on in this article.
Australia lacks batting depth across formats (think of Smith and Labuschagne’s importance in Tests), with a particular focus now on T20 cricket given the dismal run of form. In this article, I will provide key reasons as to why Australia is struggling in T20 cricket, and what can be done to improve it.
Gap in quality between BBL and international cricket is too big
While Cricket Australia’s (CA) $1.2 billion television rights coup in 2018 was a big boost to the pocket, it has undoubtedly had an adverse effect on the country’s T20 cricket. A key part of the deal was extending the Big Bash League (BBL) to a full home and away season, milking the cash cow that the BBL certainly was in its early years.
As a result, the BBL takes up a major part of the Australian domestic season, in conjunction with home Test matches. This not only impacts red-ball cricket negatively, but also sees a reduction in the BBL’s quality due to a couple of key reasons.
Firstly, Australia’s international cricketers are rarely available. Also, overseas stars are often on international duty. So, CA have tried to implement the IPL home and away model in a much smaller market and an environment where key international stars are not available. When you couple this with the fact that the season spans the best part of six weeks, one must question the quality of the tournament when a number of club and state cricketers make up key parts of their respective BBL franchises.
Now, there is nothing wrong with state and club cricketers getting an opportunity. Quite the opposite. However, secondly, players in the BBL get limited opportunities to test themselves against the best. As a result, strong performance in the BBL does not mean success in international cricket.
In fact, a number of the BBL’s leading players have found the going mighty difficult in international cricket. The below numbers, which were compiled before the demoralising Bangladesh series, tell the story.
Josh Philippe has been one of the shining lights of the BBL, with 995 runs in the last two seasons at an average of 34.31 and strike rate touching 140. Alex Carey averages over 35 in 48 BBL matches, but averages just 11 across 35 T20 Internationals. Ben McDermott smashed over 400 runs last season at a strike rate touching 140. You can also add Matthew Wade to that list; a player who has struck 456 runs in his last 12 BBL matches at an average of 45.60 and strike rate 174.71. Moises Henriques is one of the Sydney Sixers’ finest players.
You get the point.
The BBL works best as a shorter, sharper season with international talent available. Combine this with a focus on building strong techniques across a range of different conditions in Shield cricket to better condition players who still look clueless on slower surfaces.
CA certainly didn’t have improvement of Australia’s T20 cricket in mind when extending the BBL season, but rather the big dollar signs that came with it. And they are paying the price with poor performances from the national side on a regular basis.
What the hell is going on with Australia in T20 cricket? – Josh Philippe has not made an impression in T20Is.
Australia’s lack of finishing options
Whether it’s a full strength side or not, Australia have had an issue filling positions 5-7 in T20I cricket. There is an obsession with placing top order players in the middle order, including the likes of Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis who are more comfortable higher up the order in T20 cricket.
Going forward, Australia must solve the riddle of finishing the innings. It’s a tough role, so the team desperately needs specialists who can make those positions their own to overcome Australia’s problem of turning momentum back in their favour. Despite the 4-1 series defeat in West Indies, Australia found themselves in strong positions at times courtesy of the likes of Mitchell Marsh and Aaron Finch. However, awful middle order batting – particularly in the almighty collapse in the first game – continues to hamper Australia.
And, before the unavailable players get a mention, Australia also suffered batting fadeouts in England and against India last year with full strength teams. It is too regular an occurrence, and until Australia sorts out the key middle order positions, too much will again depend on Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell.
To be a consistent T20 force, you can’t be wondering whether your batting will canter or collapse.
Unrest between Justin Langer and those around him?
After the Test series loss to India earlier this year, whispers grew louder of unrest between coach Justin Langer and the players. Reports suggested that Langer’s intense style became too much to handle at times, which affected the mood in the camp.
There is something similar that has emerged out of Bangladesh as Langer reportedly had a heated argument with a staff member about the official cricket.com.au website posting a video of the Bangladesh team song after the Tigers’ series win. Whatever your view may be on the issue, it seems clear that coaching across all three formats is a burden on Langer and his players, and maybe it is time Australia look at a specialist T20 coach to take over.
Whether this is possible before a fast-approaching T20 World Cup is unlikely, but is something that must be considered afterwards.
What the hell is going on with Australia in T20 cricket? – Justin Langer is under pressure.
Time to focus on the next generation of players
David Warner turns 35 later this year. Aaron Finch won’t be around forever. Same with Glenn Maxwell. Steve Smith is one to prioritise red-ball cricket if given the choice later in his career.
So, who will replace these players in the coming years? The evidence presented in New Zealand, West Indies and Bangladesh this year is a major wake up call to CA. Relating closely to the quality of the BBL, CA needs to ensure that players in BBL franchises get the chance to test themselves against international players. The more that the international players are available, the better it will be for the up-and-coming talent in Australia.
While Australia might surprise many and perform well at the T20 World Cup with a full strength team, it is vital that CA looks at its depth in quality across formats for the long-term welfare of the Australian cricket team.
3 major talking points from 1st England vs India Test | Main talking points from the 1st Test between England and India at Trent Bridge
Rain Gods had the final say on what promised to be a fascinating last day of Test cricket at Trent Bridge as England and India settled for a draw in the opening game of the five-match series.
The final day’s play of the Nottingham Test was perfectly poised with the visitors needing 157 runs and the home side 9 wickets to win and go 1-up in the series. However, rain played spoilsport and didn’t allow a single over to be bowled on the final day of the first Test. In this article, we’ll look at the three key talking points from the first Test in Nottingham.
England’s top order struggle continues
England vs India 1st Test talking points: Zak Crawley has struggled badly since his 267 vs Pakistan.
While the Indian openers earned praise from the cricketing world for their resistance at the top in alien conditions, England’s top order was left exposed once again this year with Rory Burns, Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley failung to breach the 30-run mark in both innings of the Nottingham Test. The three aggregated 97 across two innings in the first Test, with the average per batsman per outing coming to just over 16.
Burns may get a reprieve after top-scoring for his team in the last series against New Zealand. But things aren’t looking good for Crawley and Sibley as Crawley has averaged just over 11 in 2021, while Sibley has not fared much better with an average of 21.56 in his last nine appearances. A warning has been issued to the top 3 of England by the head coach and chief selector of England- Chris Silverwood as he’s ready to bring in changes at the top for England.
Nottinghamshire’s Haseeb Hameed is waiting in the wings for a return in Test XI, almost five years since a broken finger cut short an eye-catching start to his England career in India. He already made his case strong after scoring a hundred against India XI in the practice game at Durham.
KL Rahul: Still worthy at the top
England vs India 1st Test talking points: KL Rahul was superb in the first Test.
KL Rahul returned to India’s Test team for the first time since August 2019 and couldn’t have asked for a better comeback in the Test team. His career was at the crossroads till last week and then just two days before the first Test, opener Mayank Agarwal’s head injury opened the gate once again for the Karnataka batsman to prove his worth in whites.
Against a quality English attack on a pitch conducive to pace and swing, Rahul showed fine resistance to score 84 off 214 balls in the first innings. In the second innings, he was looking good once again before being dismissed on 26. He played in the UK in 2018 as well but the difference is he’s now looking to leave the balls bowled in the off-stump channel. KL seems to have worked out a method of getting runs in England without going out fishing outside off stump which he did in the last tour to England. Rahul was the standout batsman from the Indian camp and as this was his comeback game in the whites, one can say that he’s still worthy at the top.
The battle is still alive
England vs India 1st Test talking points: Anderson 1-0 Kohli
Virat Kohli’s old nemesis and England’s all-time highest wicket-taker James Anderson reignited the battle between the two living legends of the game after he dismissed the Indian skipper for a golden duck in the first innings of the first Test. Kohli came out after the fall of Cheteshwar Pujara, who was also dismissed by the same bowler thanks to a peach of a ball. Anderson once again tested Kohli’s in the corridor of uncertainty and India’s number 4 poked at it giving Anderson his second wicket of the same over. This was the first time that Anderson dismissed Kohli since 2014. When India toured England in 2014, Anderson was all over Kohli, dismissing him on four occasions in the five-match Test series.
After Kohli’s horror tour in 2014, both have faced each other in three series and Kohli certainly improved his numbers against the King of Swing. Anderson created enough chances, but was unlucky not to get the prize scalp of Kohli on a number of occasions in the last three series with his teammates dropping Kohli off his bowling. The 39-year-old is now 1-up in the battle of the heavyweights and it’ll be interesting to see how Kohli responds to Anderson’s challenge moving forward in the series.
Twitter reactions to Australia getting rolled for 62 | Twitter reactions to Australia getting bowled out for 62 in final T20I vs Bangladesh
The fifth and final T20I of a horror series for Australia was one for the record books. Australia’s score of 62 is their lowest ever total in all white-ball internationals, surpassing their 79 all-out against England in a T20I in 2005. Also, Shakib Al Hasan became the first men’s cricketer in history to achieve the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in T20Is, as he completely destroyed a hapless Australia lineup with figures of 4/9.
Yes, the pitches were slow and difficult to bat on. However, Australia looked clueless yet again. Instead of using the top hand to manouvere the ball into gaps to pick up important ones and twos, Australia were hell-bent on trying to hit the ball too hard. It worked a treat for the Bangladeshis, who are all smiles courtesy of an incredible 4-1 series win.
Again, the question arises of Australia’s depth. Only once did they cross 120 in the series, with the latest debacle sure to have alarm bells ringing as to the quality of the BBL and players coming through the system. The 4-1 series defeats in West Indies and Bangladesh must be a big wake up call to CA to ensure players in Australia aren’t in for a rude shock when they arrive on the international scene.
Of course, fans on Twitter were all over this. Here are some of the Twitter reactions to Australia’s 62 all-out debacle, as well as Shakib Al Hasan’s achievement.
Never ever ever underestimate the Bangladeshis, There are 160 million Bangladeshis,if you play in the first XI, you gotta be really good… #BANvAUSpic.twitter.com/3BVBJuMHI0
Australia have lost all of their recent T20I series vs Bangladesh, West Indies, New Zealand and England. Three were in 2021 and ENG series was in 2020. They have no more T20 matches to be played before T20 world cup. Australia is in trouble before T20 world cup #BANvAUSpic.twitter.com/wHfBTCeNOm
Cricket Australia ruined the Shield competition in favor of a bigger domestic T20 tournament… and this is the outcome. It's breathtaking in it's ineptitude. Cricket Australia is easily the worst sporting administration in the world, they're completely incompetent.
What a dramatic end to the series as Aus demolished for a paltry 62 runs!!!! This is now their lowest ever total in T20s. (Previous 79 vs Eng at Southampton, 2005) Lowest total vs Bang also. (Previous- 108, 2021)
Bangladesh have bowled Australia for 62, their lowest ever T20i score. A remarkable team performance and a convincing 4-1 thrashing across the series. Brilliant team effort with contributions from experienced and new players. What a series. #BANvAUS
some record of this series: –>after 1st T20: We won 1st time against #aus? –> after 2nd T20: We won back to back 1st time against #aus? –>after 3rd T20:We won series 1st ever against #aus? –>after 5th T20: #aus scored 62 which is lowest in history of T20 cricket?#BANvAUSpic.twitter.com/FuyxDk95Yh
Australia 62 all out. Their lowest T20I score. Lose series 1-4. Don't remember witnessing such a poor performance from AUS in a series. In past, even if they lost they went down fighting. Yes, a few first team players were missing but you always expect a fight from Aus #BANvAUS
Breaking News:- Bangladesh Beat Australia by 60 runs & won the 5 match series by 4- 1. Aussies chase 122 run but all out these lowest ever total on 62 runs. Shakib-ul-Hasan most successful bowler from Bangladesh. 3.4 – 0 – 9 – 4. Bangladesh & Congratulations #BANvAUSpic.twitter.com/dz0vLMDwxY
Australia 62 all out and lose by 60 runs with 38 balls left – yes you read that right, an absolute trouncing, can't beleive the Aussies have lost by a bigger margin. They lose the series 4-1, awesome stuff from the Tigers. #BANvAUS@melindafarrell@andymcg_cricket@MazherArshad
— Sight Screen Cricket Journal (@SightScreenCJ) August 9, 2021
AUS all out 62 v Bangladesh … it’s lowest T20 international total. Lose series 4-1
I dare say Cricket Australia is happy that the sports media and public’s focus is currently on the Olympics wash-up & the pointy end of the AFL & NRL seasons.
Only Cricketer To Score 1000+ T20I Runs & 100+ Wickets In The History Of T20I ? Shakib Al Hasan @Sah75official (1718 runs & 102 wickets) Today His Bowling Figure Was 4-9 ? Remember The Name Shakib Al Hasan ????? No 1 All-Rounder For A Reason ?#BANvAUS#SAH75pic.twitter.com/XClWOgyOrm
Best 5 players in the 1st England vs India Test | Ranking the top five players in the first England vs India Test at Trent Bridge
Given the frequency in which the English rain plays spoilsport, cricket fans across the globe are not necessarily angry, but disappointed. The way things panned out over the course of the first Test, it shaped as a blockbuster fifth day and cracking finish to the Test.
Rain played spoilsport and had the last laugh, but we did get to see 249.4 overs of exhilarating Test cricket. India managed to get rid of the tail quickly for once, and the Indian tail also managed to get a few runs on the board. Also, James Anderson dismissing Virat Kohli for a first ball duck has certainly added another element to the series and fans are in for a intense battle over the next four Tests.
Here are the top five players who made the most impact in the first Test:
5. Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja turned out to be a big difference in the middle order for India. Playing as a batting all-rounder, Jadeja has been instrumental at number 7 for India in the past 12 months and Nottingham was no different.
His 56 made a world of difference and helped KL Rahul at the other end to bat to his strengths. The sixth wicket partnership of 60 between he and Rahul saw India cross England’s total, which proved to be very helpful in setting a platform for the tailenders.
4. Ollie Robinson
From not believing that he will play cricket for England anymore to grabbing his first Test five-wicket haul, Ollie Robinson looks all set to have a long England career if he keeps his current form going.
India were looking all set for a big score in the first innings, with Sharma and Rahul looking comfortable. Importantly (and ironically) Robinson struck for his first wicket courtesy of a Rohit pull shot. With wickets at regular intervals, Robinson made sure India did not get a huge first innings lead and restricted them to 278.
3. KL Rahul
Another positive for India was resurgence of KL Rahul, the Test batsman. There were certainly doubts amongst fans when Rahul was picked to be Rohit Sharma’s opening partner, but he put those doubts to rest thanks to a well-constructed 84 off 214 deliveries in the first innings.
Just like Joe Root, Rahul saw his batting partners collapse like a house of cards but maintained his calm, and with Jadeja saw to it that India gained the upper hand in the Test.
2. Jasprit Bumrah
Fans could argue that Bumrah was right up there to get the Player of the Match with nine wickets in the Test along with his crucial 28 that dragged India’s lead to 95.
The biggest positive for India was Bumrah returning to his bowling best. He was on the mark right from the get-go, and created the chances that India crucially held. With a fiery Bumrah getting the Dukes ball to hoop around, it is going to be tough on the English batters who are not in the best form to negate his bowling. Indeed, we might get to see a big series from Bumrah.
1. Joe Root
Without a doubt, Joe Root was the biggest difference between India wrapping the Test before the rain got in their way. His hundred, which was his first at home since 2018, helped England post a respectable second innings score and set a target of 209 for India.
With that ton, Root also overcame the frustration of his first innings dismissal, where he was not able to kick on and make a big score with wickets tumbling around him. With 173 runs across the two innings in the Test match, he deservingly won the Player of the Match award.
Even though these 5 players proved to be the difference for their respective teams, it is worth mentioning other performances especially from James Anderson who grabbed a 4-for in the first innings and Mohammed Shami who took 3-28 in the first innings.
If rain does not play anymore spoilsport, fans across the world are set to experience an enthralling series and a fierce battle between the two teams.
Best memes & tweets from rain ruining 1st ENG vs IND Test | Best memes & tweets from rain ruining what promised to be an exciting final day of ENG vs IND 1st Test
Disappointingly, but not surprisingly, rain ruined what promised to be a fascinating finish to the first England vs India Test.
Test cricket, in its glory, provides a thrill like no other format can. This is especially the case after the end of day four in a Test that can still go either way, providing fans with so much to look forward to on day five.
However, the classic English weather put a stop to that in this Nottingham Test. Persistent rain meant that not even a single delivery was possible on day five, providing vindication to all those who predicted there will be at least one rain-affected draw in this series.
The game was nicely placed. India, thanks to some good fight with the bat led by Rohit Sharma, ended the fourth day ahead on 52/1, needing a further 157 runs for victory with nine wickets in hand. However, such a scenario is not a given against England’s capable attack, but unfortunately fans were robbed of the opportunity of another fascinating day’s Test cricket after Joe Root and Jasprit Bumrah performed brilliantly on Saturday.
The silver lining is the memes and Twitter reactions. Here are some beauties from a frustrating day where the Nottingham weather won.
BAN vs AUS 5th T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs AUS 5th T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Bangladesh vs Australia 5th T20I Key Players | Dhaka Pitch Report
Stop the press. Australia have finally won a match on tour, scraping home by three wickets in another low-scoring tussle to avoid the possibility of a soul-destroying whitewash.
However, the cracks remain. Had it not been for Dan Christian hitting nearly a third of the target in a single over of Shakib Al Hasan (30), Australia may have not reached the target of 105 courtesy of further struggles against spin and Mustafizur Rahman. Granted, Bangladesh’s batting has been far from perfect too, which makes this an opportunity for both sides to put together a better batting display in the series finale.
Also, this could be the last chance for a number of Australian players to keep their T20 World Cup squad hopes alive. The tours of West Indies and Bangladesh have been disastrous from a T20 point of view, but finishing with two straight wins is some decent consolation.
For Bangladesh, they too will be looking for a batting boost as they aim to achieve a 4-1 series win against a team whom they never beat in a T20I previous to this series. Shakib Al Hasan arguably had his worst match in T20I cricket the other night, so he will be hoping to lead the way to get Bangladesh back to winning ways.
Mustafizur Rahman is the strongest contender for man of the series. Australia have barely been able to lay bat on ball against him, culminating in unbelievable series figures of 7/57 in 16 overs. He is one to watch again.
It was a tough old evening for Shakib Al Hasan in the fourth T20I. He soaked up 26 deliveries for his 15, and conceded 30 runs off one over before finishing with 0/50 from his four overs. Incredibly, Australia scored nearly half of their runs off Shakib alone (47.62%).
So, how will Shakib respond? He still has a very respectable record vs Australia with both bat and ball (246 runs, avg. 30.75, SR 117.70; 8 wickets, avg. 27.50, econ. 7.58, SR 21.7).
Mahmudullah holds an important key to Bangladesh’s lineup. He was out cheaply in the last game, but scored a half-century the day before. Also, no player has more runs than the Bangladesh skipper on this ground (549 runs, avg. 42.23, SR 128.87).
Afif Hossain is also important to Bangladesh’s hopes. The talented left-hander looked the most fluent of any batsman two nights ago, scoring 20 off 17 balls. He has scored 99 runs for the series at an average of 33.00 and very decent strike rate of 126.92.
Shoriful Islam has taken 17 wickets in his last eight internationals, including seven in four matches in this series.
Australia:
Will Australia pick Adam Zampa to partner Mitchell Swepson? Swepson was mighty difficult to play in the fourth T20I, producing a player of the match performance (3/12). Watch out again for his ability to turn the ball both ways.
Australia may choose to rest Josh Hazlewood. If he does play, he will be key again as the leading wicket-taker for the series (8).
Mitchell Marsh missed out last game after being sent out to bat one position lower at number four. He has been Australia’s best batsman this series, with 152 runs at an average of 38.00. This is after 219 runs in West Indies at an average of 43.80 and strike rate of 152.08.
One feels that the struggling Matthew Wade’s best chance of making an impact is if Australia bats first. When batting first in T20s, Wade has scored 1,978 runs at an average of 35.32 and strike rate of 148.50 (67 innings). When batting second, he averages less than 18 and strikes below 117 (62 innings).
Australia will be hoping that Ashton Agar has one of his big wicket-taking hauls. He has taken two five-wicket hauls in T20Is since the start of 2020. Also, Agar contributed with crucial runs (27) to help Australia over the line in the fourth T20I.
Will Dan Christian be used as a pinch hitter once again? His incredible 39 off 15 balls is the second-fastest 30+ score by an Australian in T20Is.
Stats and Facts
Head-to-head: Matches 8, Bangladesh 3, Australia 5.
This series is the slowest scoring T20I series of all time (minimum three matches). Runs have come at a rate of just 5.86 per over.
Bangladesh’s loss in the fourth T20I broke a run of seven straight T20I victories at home.
Possible Playing 11
Bangladesh could look to rotate given the series has been won. They haven’t changed their XI at all this series, but either Mohammad Saifuddin or Taskin Ahmed might get a game. Also, pressure is on Soumya Sarkar to perform in what’s been a poor series for him (0, 2, 2, 8).
Mitchell Swepson said he would love to see Australia play an extra spinner. “I might be a little bit biased here, but certainly something that I think could work for us as well. Fingers crossed that might eventuate but we’ll have to wait and see,” said Swepson post the fourth T20I.
Also, Australia may choose to rest Josh Hazlewood.
Australia: 1. Matthew Wade (c & wk), 2. Ben McDermott, 3. Mitchell Marsh, 4. Moises Henriques, 5. Alex Carey, 6. Ashton Turner, 7. Dan Christian, 8. Ashton Agar, 9. Andrew Tye/Adam Zampa, 10. Mitchell Swepson, 11. Josh Hazlewood/Mitchell Starc/Nathan Ellis
Shere Bangla National Stadium Mirpur Dhaka Pitch Report and Weather
It’s a record-breaking series for low scoring rates. Expect another slow pitch, with any score in the region of 130 to be a very difficult chase. Both teams will be aiming for that, so strong running between the wickets will be key in humid conditions.
According to AccuWeather, the forecast is mostly clear for the match. However, there is a chance of rain around the time the match is scheduled to start (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 5th T20 Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
BAN vs AUS 5th T20 Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
Any score below 120 gives the chasing team a good chance. Anything above the 120 mark will promise to be another difficult chase, so this score is key for the team batting first.
