Tim Southee backs 'refreshed' Blackcaps to 'rock on' in consecutive Tests against England & India

Shikha Pandey hails BCCI for organising one more Test match to this year's itinerary

Leader of the Indian women’s team pace attack, Shikha Pandey is excited about the prospect of playing two Test matches in a year. The Indian eves will be playing their first Test match in six years when they lock horns against England in a one-off Test match in their upcoming tour to England. On Thursday, it was BCCI secretary Jay Shah who announced that the Indian eves will be playing their first pink-ball Test against Australia later this year. It will definitely be a new stepping stone for Indian women’s cricket as they have hardly played any Test cricket in the last few years. Expressing her excitement of playing their first pink-ball Test, Shikha Pandey thanked BCCI and hailed them for adding another Test match to this year’s itinerary. "I got that sunshine in my pocket, Got that good soul in my feet!!' I know I'm a little late to the party, but massive for @BCCIWomen to have another test match added to this year's itinerary. Kudos to everyone who has made this possible. #TestCricketIsTheBest,” Shikha Pandey wrote on her Twitter handle. The iconic WACA at Perth will be hosting the day-night Test match against India. Aussie all-rounder Ellyse Perry is excited to host India for the historic Test match adding that it should be an evenly contested match between the two teams. The Pink-ball Test will be the curtain-raiser for the multi-format series against India which will kickstart the 2021-22 international summer. This will be the first time in 15 years that the Indian women’s team will go head to head against Australia in the longest format. While admitting that the conditions will be favouring the hosts, Perry doesn’t want to take the Indians lightly and expects an even contest. “Playing a Test match there before it's an absolutely wonderful venue for a women's Test. The pitch provides that little bit of extra pace and bounce, the ball carries though really well, there's a little bit of sideways movement," Perry was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. "That's certainly in (our) favour... our conditions and the Australian style of cricket but having said that, looking at the Indian team, some of the skills of their players, particularly their batters, it's going to be a really well-contested Test match and a great opportunity for both sides," Perry further added.

EXCLUSIVE | Having a left-arm pacer in the side is always an advantage: Arzan Nagwaswalla

Every cricketer or a sportsman starts off his career having a dream to represent his country someday and share the dressing room with some of the greats to have played the game. Few days back, Arzan Nagwaswalla who plays for Gujarat moved an inch closer to his ultimate dream when the selectors picked him in the squad for the WTC final and England Test series away from home. Nagwaswalla had been named in the standby players for the fixtures that will take place in the UK. In an exclusive chat with OneCricket, the left-arm bowler talked about the unexpected call-up, his cricketing idol and excitement to share the same space with India captain Virat Kohli. “It feels really great. I wasn’t expecting the call-up at the moment so it’s really special. I don’t really have words to explain this feeling,” said a delighted 23-year-old. Talking about his journey, Nagwaswalla credited his childhood coach Kiran sir for grooming him at a very early age and how he kept faith in him. “My coach Kiran sir had a lot of belief in me. He used to have summer camps in my village Nargul and I used to attend those camps. So he was the one who used to send me for the trials. This way I understood the process and how it goes. He has played a very important role in my career especially during the early days.” Arzan revealed that he wasn’t expecting a call-up at the moment but as soon as he received the news, his excitement and happiness meant had no boundaries. “Honestly, it took me a couple of days to realise that I have actually got the selection call. I was travelling when I received the call and was on my way home. I called up my parents and gave them the news. It was an emotional moment for us,” tells a very emotional fast bowler. Saurashtra, Gujarat and Baroda have been producing some impressive left-arm fast bowlers which include the likes of Jaydev Unadkat, Irfan Pathan and now Chetan Sakariya. When quizzed about the same, Nagwaswalla said that it is a healthy competition and having players of that calibre keeps you motivated to work hard on your skills. “Actually, I just realised when you mentioned about the left-arm fast bowlers coming from Gujarat. It’s a healthy competition and it gives you a realisation that you need to be on your toes. It helps you enhance your own skill set,” he said. The Indian team hasn’t had a regular left-arm fast bowler for quite a few years now. Discussing a left-arm seamer in the side, Arzan described the role of the bowler of such a genre especially at the highest level of the game. “A left-arm pacer brings a lot of benefit and balance to a line up. If you look at the international teams, they all have at least one or two left-arm quick bowlers. A left-handed fast bowler bowls with a different angle which creates problems for the batsmen. They have a different swing. The batsmen generally gets settled against a right-arm bowler as they are up against them continuously. A left-arm fast bowler is surely an advantage for any team because of the angles he bowls with,” Nagwaswalla explained. Former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan who was a part of the side that lifted the World Cup in 2011 is an inspiration to many and the Gujarat youngster is no different. Being a fast bowler himself, Nagwaswalla said that he looks up to Zak and further told that he did get a chance to spend time while Nagwaswalla was with the Mumbai Indians side as a net bowler. “Zaheer Khan is my cricketing idol. He is one of the best in the world. I used to watch him in my younger days and got inspired a lot. I was a net bowler with Mumbai Indians also so had a chance to interact with him quite a number of times. He used to tell me that my bowling is good but suggested that I focus on my fitness because obviously, this is a time when we have to be in bio-bubble which affects our training. So, he just suggested to me that I should stay in good shape and rhythm,” Nagwaswalla added. Having spent time with MI, Nagwaswalla expressed his desire to be a part of the squad for the Mumbai-based franchise team. The left-handed bowler said that he has pretty good bonding with the support staff and the atmosphere within the team is pretty good. “I have spent some time with MI side and have good bonding and relationship with them so if I get a chance, I would like to be a part of the Mumbai team in the IPL. MI have a very good atmosphere.” New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult who is another left-arm quick is also a part of MI setup. When asked about the learnings that he has got from the Kiwi player, Nagwaswalla said that Boult is a cheerful and inspiring figure in the side. “I never really had an interaction with Trent Boult as such but I used to watch him in the nets. He enjoys his bowling and at times has some fun with the batsman who is in front of him like telling him that I will get your wicket. He is very cheerful and inspires the youngsters,” said the youngster. The Gujarat player also talked about increasing the pace of his bowling and said that he has age by his side and this can help him put in that extra bit of work to improve on his speed. “Definitely, I focus on increasing the pace. I have age by my side so I can probably work on it. I still have some 1-2 years to put in extra effort and increase my pace,” he said. When asked about opting between pace and swing, Nagwaswalla gave a clear idea about what he thinks. The left-armer quickly replied that it all depends on the conditions. “Look, it totally depends upon the conditions. If I’m bowling with the new ball, I would rather be focused on getting the swing because if I hit good areas then it will create problems for the batsmen. But if I’m bowling with an old ball, then I would rather put in extra pressure on myself to generate more speed and pace. The pandemic last year put a halt on the cricketing action all around the world. Talking about the same, the left-arm bowler explained how he kept himself fit and match ready. “The situation overall was bad but we didn’t really face much of a problem in our village. In fact, we witnessed one or two cases in the second wave so last year we didn’t have that many restrictions as compared to other areas. We could move around in the village. I used to go to the beach nearby and workout there. So, honestly, I didn’t really face much of a problem,” he added. Despite being consistent with his bowling, Nagwaswalla hasn’t made a cut into any of the IPL teams. When asked if he is disappointed about not playing the IPL, the Gujarat seamer suggested that it’s all about time and he focuses on the present. “No. Not at all. I’m not disappointed on not playing the IPL. I have a belief that everything comes at the right time. So, I don’t really focus on the IPL selections,” he said. Arzan has been consistently among the wickets for his state team and emphasised that he feels good when he makes a contribution for the team. “I don’t really remember any special spell as such but my first motive is to win the match for the team. I feel good when I contribute and do well and the team wins.” Nagwaswalla would be sharing the dressing room with some of the finest Indian bowlers on his tour to the UK. Talking about it, the Gujarat bowler said that he hasn’t had an interaction with any of the senior members as they all are in quarantine but he is looking forward to it. “I haven’t had any interaction with the players for now as they all are in quarantine but as soon as this gets over and we start training then I would surely talk to the senior lads.” Arzan expressed his delight and excitement on being in the same team as Virat Kohli. He further revealed that he is both nervous as well as excited to meet the Indian captain. “I’m so excited to share the dressing room with Virat bhai. This is the first time that I will be meeting him. I’m nervous as well as excited,” he concluded.

Yuzvendra Chahal opens up on 'Kul-Cha' combination, feels pain of Hardik Pandya's injury

When India lost in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, the team management overhauled the composition of the white-ball teams and dropped Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for the new spin twins of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. The move paid rich dividends immediately as the duo spun a web in series one after the other and India were on the path of ascendancy till the series against England in 2018. However, the duo has been on a downward curve in the last couple of years and one of them has lost his place from the overall squad, let alone the playing XI. Detailing the preferred combination of the team and what was the inflexion point leading to the separation of him and Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal said that the injury to Hardik Pandya spoiled their chances as India needed someone who could provide balance to the side. The need of an all-rounder in absence of Pandya the bowler paved the way for the return of Jadeja, who ‘unfortunately’ for the duo is also a spinner. "When Kuldeep Yadav and I used to play, Hardik Pandya was also there and he would bowl. In 2018 Hardik Pandya got injured and Ravindra Jadeja made a comeback as an all-rounder, the one who could also bat at number 7. Unfortunately, he is a spinner, we could have played together if he was a medium pacer. It was the demand of the team," Chahal told Sports Tak in an interview. Chahal said that once Jadeja returned to the Indian team, there was no place for ‘Kul-Cha’ as India needed more of an all-rounder at number seven— a role Hardik Pandya would have fit into perfectly well. "Kuldeep and I played 50-50 matches in any series. Sometimes he would play 3 matches of a five-match series, sometimes I would get the chance. The team combination is needed, 11 players make a team and 'Kul-cha' was not making it. We were there till Hardik was there, we were also given chances. The need of the team was to have an all-rounder at the No. 7 position. I am happy even if I am not playing but the team is winning," Chahal added.

Washington Sundar recalls Rishabh Pant's outrageous reverse scoop against James Anderson

The rise of Rishabh Pant in the international circuit especially in the last six months have been nothing short of phenomenal. The southpaw’s outrageous methods have been questioned earlier but what transpired in the last few months have forced the pundits to take a backseat and enjoy the fearless tactics of the pocket-sized dynamite. It was during the Test series against England that Pant played one of the most daring shots ever t0 be played in the longest format. While reverse sweeps or switch hits has been the modern-day trend setter in shorter formats, we hardly find any batsmen trying those shots in the longest format. However, Pant is not someone who is bogged down by the reputation of the bowler. Pant who was having a ball during the Test series against England finally managed to score his maiden Test century at home. It was during his breezy knock of 101 of 118 deliveries that Pant played one of the most outrageous shots in Test cricket history. Batting on 90 odd, Pant reverse scooped a full delivery from James Anderson over the slip fielder’s head which left everyone dumbfounded. Even the bowler looked clueless and it was no different with Pant’s partner at the other end, Washington Sundar. During a recent 25 questions interview with ESPN Cricinfo, Sundar was asked to recall that famous shot from Pant during their historic partnership which paved way for a series victory. “I literally didn’t know how to react. More than anything, he was batting on 90 odd, I think 93 and he still managed to scoop it over a couple of slips and gully. So I didn’t know how to react but that’s what he wanted to do and he was very successful. On asked whether he said something to Pant after that shot, Sundar said, “Nobody could say anything to him at that moment because he was in a different zone. He just wanted to go after the England bowlers. Yes, he played an amazing knock after all,” Sundar quipped. It was a sensational partnership of 113 runs between Pant and Washington Sundar that laid the platform for a resounding victory and an eventual series victory by a 3-1 margin. Meanwhile, that was not the only time that Pant attempted a reverse scoop during that tour. During the T20I series, it was Jofra Archer who was at the receiving end of a Pant special. While playing the shot against Anderson whose pace might not be menacing was an achievement in itself, executing the shot against a much livelier Archer was much more difficult. Pant who will be an integral part of India’s tour to England will look to continue his purple patch and help India win the inaugural ICC World Test Championship.