Mike Hesson wants Mayank Agarwal to get a chance in WTC final

One of the most successful New Zealand coaches and currently the Director of Cricket Operations at Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mike Hesson feels that playing three matches in a short span of time for New Zealand will mean that they have to manage their workload very carefully and make sure that they are not exhausted coming into the biggest Test of their lives. New Zealand will play the ICC World Test Championship final against India starting from 18th June.

“It is an issue (playing three Tests with a four-day gap in between). New Zealand will have to look at the bowling attack and that’s potentially why Trent Boult will play this game (second Test against England from Thursday,” Hesson was quoted as saying by the PTI.

“That will give one of those other quicks to rest potentially because it’s only four days between each Test. So, three on the bounce is a big deal, especially if you put in 45 to 50 overs in the second Test, or they just decide to manage the workloads which is not something you usually do going into a Test match,” he said.

New Zealand will be in a slightly advantageous position with the chance of getting acclimatised to the conditions in England. They are currently playing a two-match Test series, the second of which will kick off from June 10 (Thursday). On the other, India will be devoid of any match practice since the IPL might be an issue coming into these alien conditions.

As of now, India is likely to pick Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as the openers but Mike Hesson feels that Mayank Agarwal’s experience of playing the New Zealand bowlers in their conditions should push India to give him a chance. When India toured New Zealand back in 2020 just before the COVID-19 outbreak, Mayank Agarwal was the highest run-getter for India and only one among the four Indians to score a half-century in that particular series.

“They will probably go with Rohit and Shubman but I think Mayank needs to be considered. He has faced the New Zealand attack in New Zealand, where he would have got some crucial experience,” said Hesson.

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Farokh Engineer astonished to see British PM coming in support of Ollie Robinson

Former Indian wicket-keeper and a prominent name in the County Championship circuit, Farokh Engineer expressed his utter disbelief while getting to know the fact that England Prime Minister Boris Johnson has expressed his disapproval after Ollie Robinson was suspended by the England Cricket Board (ECB) after racist and sexist tweets of the fast bowler from 2012 surfaced on the internet. “I am reading in the papers about Boris Johnson. I think it is absolute rubbish for a prime minister to lend his name to such a statement. Punish the fellow (Robinson). I think the ECB has done absolutely the right thing by suspending him. He has committed an error of judgement, he should pay for it. It will be a deterrent,” Engineer was quoted as saying by the Indian Express from Manchester. Lanky speedster Ollie Robinson made his Test debut against New Zealand last week and had a memorable outing in his very first match. He bagged 4 wickets in the first innings following it up with three more in the second innings. However his impressive debut was overshadowed by the string of racist and sexist tweets which Robinson had posted almost a decade ago. His tweets read, “My new Muslim friend is the bomb; “I wonder if Asian People put smileys like this ¦) #racist;” and “The guy next to me on the train definitely has Ebola.” Reacting to same Britain’s sports minister Oliver Dowden had tweeted that ECB went over the top by suspending Robinson as those tweets were almost a decade old. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that the PM is supportive of Dowden’s views. Engineer feels that ECB has taken the correct step by suspending him despite the fact that the tweet was almost a decade old. Engineer who is a senior vice president of Lancashire stated that ECB has set the right example as if they start getting away with it, they can literally come up with any comments against the Asian. Engineer who played for Lancashire between 1968 and 1976 himself faced casual racism when he first moved to England in 1966-67 and soon started plying his trade for Lancashire. “It is a real shame when you say he was a youngster who was 18 (when he tweeted). It is an age at which an individual is responsible. If they (cricketers) can get away with it, then things would be worse. People will make all sorts of comments against us (Asians). It has to be nipped in the bud. To talk about Asians like that in such a context or make other comments reflects on the upbringing,” Engineer said.

Shai Hope recalled for first Test against South Africa, Gabriel ruled out due to injury

Wicket-keeper batsman Shai Hope has been called-up by the selectors for the first Test against South Africa scheduled to begin on Thursday (June 10, 2021) while fast bowler Shanon Gabriel will be missing out to be a part of the opening encounter due to injury. “Shai Hope has performed very well in the red ball matches he has played, following on the back of his highly successful One-Day International series against Sri Lanka, so he has forced his way into the squad by performance,” chief selector Roger Harper said in a statement on Tuesday. Top-order batsman Kieran Powell found a place for himself in the squad while Jayden Seales was also named in the 13-man squad. “Jayden Seales is young, very enthusiastic and has a big heart. In the ‘Best v Best’ matches he bowled with pace, got movement and has displayed the ability to take wickets,” Harper said. The second Test slated to begin on June 18 will be played at the same venue. The Test series will be followed by a five-match T20I series which will start on June 26 in Grenada. All the matches will be held at the same venue for the T20I series as well. West Indies Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales

ENG vs PAK series won’t air in Pakistan: Minister

The limited-overs fixtures between Pakistan and England won’t be broadcasted by Pakistan television, federal minister for information Fawad Chaudhry said. The reason behind this is that the Indian companies hold broadcasting rights in South Asia. Pakistan will be playing three ODIs and as many T20Is against England in July. “Indian companies hold the rights to broadcast [matches] in South Asia …. and we cannot conduct business with any Indian company,” Chaudhry was quoted as saying by Geo News. The minister admitted that the Pakistan Cricket Board and PTV will suffer major losses but has also said that the board will approach the ECB and will try to get a solution. Sony Pictures Network India (SPN) has the right to telecast and stream matches played in England. Pakistan will play the first ODI in Cardiff on July 8 while the T20I series will begin on July 16 in Nottingham. The Pakistan players are presently in Abu Dhabi as the PSL is set to resume on Wednesday (June 9, 2021). The tournament was suspended after there was a rise in Covid-19 cases within the franchise teams. While the competition will restart on Wednesday, the final will be played on June 24 which means the Pakistan players who will be featuring in the limited-overs series against England will take the flight to the UK on June 25.

Trent Boult returns for second Test vs Eng, Williamson's injury being monitored: Stead

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson had sustained an elbow injury during the second Test against England at Lord’s and is now being monitored by the medical team. The decision on Williamson’s availability would be taken on Wednesday (June 9, 2021). Apart from this, spinner Mitchell Santner has been ruled out after he sustained a cut in his left index finger. Fast bowler Trent Boult will be available for the selection for the second encounter scheduled to begin on June 10 in Birmingham. ‘BlackCaps’, the official twitter handle of New Zealand Cricket posted a video of coach Gary Stead who gave the update regarding the same. The Kane Williamson-led side is battling it out against England in a two-match Test series. The first match at Lord’s ended in a draw after rain played spoilsport on one of the days. But both the teams had a lot of positives to take from this game. New Zealand debutant Devon Conway scored a fine double-hundred while pacer Tim Southee scalped a six-for for the side in the first innings. Southee got his name on the Honours board for the second time. For England, it was opener Rory Burns who took on the visitors and notched up a hundred in the first innings. Apart from Burns, Ollie Robinson who was playing his first Test for the English side picked up seven wickets in two innings. But he has been suspended from the second match after his racist and sexist posts resurfaced on social media that he tweeted a few years back when he was a teenager. New Zealand will play the final of the inaugural World Test Championship against India after the conclusion of the on-going Test series. The WTC final will be played in Southampton scheduled to begin on June 18. India will then play a five-match Test series against England in August.