IND vs NZ | Vikram Rathour backs experienced duo of Pujara-Rahane to fight back

Amongst concerns of whether this will be the last we are seeing of the experienced du of Cheteshwar Puajara and Ajinkya Rahane in the Tests after the lean patch that they are going through, Team India‘s batting coach Vikram Rathour has backed the duo to play great knocks in near future.

"We want our top order to contribute, but the cricketers [Pujara and Rahane] you mentioned have played 80 and 90 Test matches so they have the experience," Rathour said in a press conference at the end of the fourth day’s play in Kanpur.

"To play that many games they must have done well for us. I understand both of them are going through a lean phase but they have played very very important knocks for us in the past, and we are pretty sure they will come back and play more important knocks for our team in the future as well,” added the batting coach.

Rahane, currently captaining the side and usually the vice-captain of the Indian Test unit has an average of 24.39 for his last 16 Tests while Pujara, who has been as solid as rick at number three has also found it hard to score continuously and averages only 28.61 in 23 Tests since the 2018-19 tour of Australia.

In this match, none of the players looked like making any headway and that has given air to rumours of either of them being dropped in the Mumbai Test. Shreyas Iyer, who is playing in place of Virat Kohli has performed exceedingly well scoring a century and half-century in his debut Test and hence him getting dropped would be the cruellest thing to happen.

"We will get to that point when we reach Mumbai. At this point, we are focused on this game. There is still a day to go, and a game to be won. So we are really focused on this game,” Rathour said when asked about whether Shreyas would be dropped to get Kohli in the squad or what the combination would be like

As far as the current match is concerned, the Indian team would be needing nine wickets on the last day to win the game while New Zealand would be looking to survive the day as getting 280 on the last day is almost impossible on the turning track.

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IND vs NZ | 1st Test | Day-4: Rearguard action from Saha and Iyer puts India in driver’s seat

Just when it was thought that all is over for Wriddhiman Saha after KS Bharat’s brilliant wicket-keeping in his absence in the ongoing first Test between India and New Zealand in Kanpur, the veteran showed exactly why his grit is valued in gold in domestic cricket. Not only did Saha put up a great resistance with Shreyas Iyer as India stumbled to 103-6 trying to set up a winning total but even after Shreyas’ departure, made sure that he reached his own fifty and give the bowlers a great cushion to lie back on comfortably and plan to dismantle the Kiwis. Saha’s unbeaten 61 off 126 balls added with Iyer’s 65 off 125 balls was a reason why India got to 234-7 and with a total lead of 283, declared their innings. With just half an hour to go, the Kiwis were asked to bat and India got the desired result, the wicket of Will Young, although it was rather a result of very poor umpiring. The Ravichandran Ashwin delivery that got Young’s wicket was going down the leg and hawk-eye showed that it would have missed the stumps by a huge margin. However, Young refused to use the Decision-Review-System and was later seen getting frustrated sitting in the dressing room and repenting over it. However, William Somerville walked in as Nightwatchman and survived the next over before light was offered to the Kiwis and they accepted, ending the day’s play at 4-1, requiring 280 runs on the last day with nine wickets in hand. Earlier in the day, starting their innings from an overnight score of 14-1, the Indian team were rocked in the first hour itself with Jamieson sending back Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajaz Patel counting for yet another failure for Ajinkya Rahane. Tim Southee then struck twice in one over to remove Mayank Agarwal and Ravindra Jadeja and put India in all sorts of bother at 51-5. It was then that centurion from the previous inning, Iyer put together 52 runs for the sixth wicket with Ashwin. However, Ashwin was removed right after Lunch. Iyer then got together with Saha and added another 64 runs for the seventh wicket and in that process, the 26-year-old reached his fifty and became the only Indian to score a century and a fifty in two innings on debut. Iyer got out just at the stroke of Tea, becoming Southee’s third scalp in the inning. Axar Patel gave a great account of himself with the bat as well as he partnered Saha to an unbeaten 53 run stand for the ninth wicket courtesy which the Bengla born wicket-keeper reached his sixth Test fifty, the first-ever since 2017. On the last day, the ball is expected to do a lot more than it did today and India with its three spinners would be relishing the opportunity to win the Test. Can Kane Williamson and his men defend their way out to a draw or not will be interesting to watch.

Six players of Sri Lanka women's team test positive for Covid-19

The Covid-19 has continued to affect the cricketing activities and the recent addition to this was the cancellation of the ICC World Cup qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe. Now, six Sri Lankan players of the team have tested positive for Covid-19. The news was confirmed by the Sri Lankan cricket Board (SLC). “Steps will be taken to bring back the Sri Lanka women’s team from Zimbabwe," the Sri Lankan cricket board (SLC) said. Earlier, the ICC had also expressed disappointment on the cancellation of the qualifiers. "We are incredibly disappointed to have to cancel the remainder of this event but with travel restrictions from a number of African countries being imposed at such short notice, there was a serious risk that teams would be unable to return home," said Chris Tetley, the ICC Head of Events. Bangladesh, Pakistan and the West Indies will now march ahead and will feature in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. Sri Lanka on the other hand, have acquired the place for the 2022-25 cycle of the ICC Women's Championship along with Ireland.

Plan was to play as many balls as possible: Shreyas Iyer on rescuing hosts from difficult situation

India’s new debutant Shreyas Iyer stamped authority with the bat right away after he scored a century in the first innings of the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur and then followed it with a responsible fifty in the second. The home side were in a spot of bother after they were reduced to 51/5 in the second innings before Iyer along with R Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha provided the resistance to get the side back on track. The right-hander first stitched a stand of 52 runs for the sixth wicket and then put up 64 runs with Saha for the seventh wicket during the course. He was eventually undone by Tim Southee for 65. Talking about his knock, after the end of day’s play, Iyer revealed his plans and what was going on his mind while the side was in a tricky situation. “I had been in this situation before as well, not with the Indian team but with my Ranji team. Mindset was to play the session and play as many balls as possible. I wasn't thinking too far ahead, was just focusing on the present. (On being the first Indian to score a ton and a fifty in debut Test) Yeah, I knew about it. When I came back, one of my teammates told me about it. Yeah, many others have done it from other teams but I was told I am the first from India,” he said. Iyer further shared the conversation that he had with head coach Rahul Dravid. “Rahul Sir had told me to bat as many balls as possible and I was determined to do that. We felt that 250 including the first innings lead would have been a good score, so we're very happy with where we are now,” he added. New Zealand were handed a target of 284 runs and they ended the fourth day’s play at 4/1 with Tom Latham and William Somerville at the crease.

IND vs NZ | 1st Test: Wriddhiman Saha scores first Test fifty since 2017; India set 284 as target

India wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha played a crucial knock after he notched up a half-century against New Zealand in the second innings of the first Test in Kanpur. The right-handed batsman went past the 50-run mark for the first time since 2017. The hosts were in a spot of bother despite taking the first innings lead as they were reduced to 51/5 in the first session of the penultimate day of the Test. But Shreyas Iyer and R Ashwin steadied the ship for the side and stitched a stand of 52 runs for the sixth wicket. Ashwin was eventually undone for 32 by Kyle Jamieson. Iyer was then joined by Saha in the middle and the two batters put up an important partnership of 64 runs for the seventh wicket. Iyer who became the first Indian to score a century and a fifty on his debut match was sent back in the hut by Tim Southee while Saha went on to score a half-century and remained unbeaten at 61 as India declared the second innings at 234/7 handing a target of 284 runs to New Zealand. The contribution made by Saha holds a lot of importance as he was suffering with a stiff neck issue and didn’t keep wickets in the first innings. KS Bharat had replaced him in the middle