Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021 Final: Always wanted to play an innings like this on a big stage, says Shubham Arora

SA vs IND | 1st Test | Day 1: Mayank Agarwal highlights discipline with bat for commanding start

India had a brilliant start to the first Test against South Africa in Centurion after the visitors piled up 272/3 on the first day. Openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal laid a perfect foundation as the two batters stitched a first-wicket stand of 117 runs before Mayank was out for 60. Rahul on the other side, went on to notch up a hundred during the course. Talking about the proceedings, Agarwal revealed the plans that the batting unit had. “The plan was to be very disciplined, to play balls which come around the stump and leave as many as possible. We could do just that,” Agarwal said at the press conference after the day’s play . “At 272 for 3, it is credit to our batting unit, we applied ourselves. The plan is those who get set will have to continue and Rahul bhai did that.” Agarwal lauded Rahul for scoring a ton and also credited the partnerships that the batting unit had. “The highlight as a team was Rahul getting a hundred. We had partnerships and that was crucial. He had a partnership first up with me, and Virat bhai had it also and then with Rahane. I hope they continue the same,” he said. Rahul is unbeaten at 122 while Ajinkya Rahane is at 40*. For South Africa, it was Lungi Ngidi who was the pick of the bowlers after he bagged all the wickets for his side.

The Ashes | 3rd Test, Day 2: Bowlers fight hard, pick early wickets to keep England in the game

England bowlers turned fortunes on the second day of the third Ashes Test in Melbourne after they picked up early wickets and didn’t let the Australian batters take an upper-hand. Beginning the proceedings at 61/1, the hosts lost night watchman Nathan Lyon early and that certainly broke the shackles as Australia kept losing wickets at regular intervals during the course. The home side was reduced to 180/6 with the likes of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith also back in the hut. Opener Marcus Harris tried the hold the fort at one end but he too was eventually sent back for 76 by James Anderson. At the time of writing, Australia were 188/6 while James Anderson already had three scalps to his name. Ollie Robinson had picked up a couple fo wickets while Mark Wood had one to his name. Earlier, England’s struggle with the bat continued as they were bundled out for 185 in the first innings. Captain Joe Root top-scored for them with half-century. For Australia, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon bagged three wickets apiece. The Australian team is currently leading the five-match series 2-0.

The Ashes | 3rd Test | Day 2: Test continued after delayed start despite Covid-19 scare in England camp

The England cricket team players had cleared a round of Covid-19 testing ahead of the start of the second day’s proceedings of the third Ashes Test in Melbourne. Two of the support staff and two members from their families had returned positive for Covid-19 after which the tests were held. "The entire playing group and all other support staff have undertaken Rapid Antigen Tests this morning and all have tested negative," Cricket Australia's media release said. "The England Cricket team will also have PCR tests today, and both teams will take extra precautions throughout play. Both playing squads remain unchanged. There is currently no further impact on fans or other parts of the venue. Cricket Australia and the MCC will continue to monitor the situation and follow the endorsed Victorian Government COVID-Safe Event Plan." Talking about the game, Australia had bundled out England for 185 in the first innings and were 61/1 at the end of first day’s play. But the visitors were on song on Day 2 as they picked up wickets at regular intervals and Australia were 180/6 at the time of writing. Australia presently led the five-match series 2-0.

SA vs IND | 1st Test, Day 1: Commanding KL Rahul inspires dominant start against spiritless Proteas

A lot of the conversations in the build-up to the three-match long Test series between India and South Africa revolved around the performance of batsmen from both sides as the quality of bowling attacks was more of an accepted reality than a contentious fact. It was argued that as was the case during the last Test series between the sides in 2017-18, the outcome of this series too will be dependent on the quality of batting from either side. India’s captain Virat Kohli took that responsibility to another level by asking himself and his batting mates to bat first on a greenish pitch at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. To intensify the onus on batsmen’s shoulders, he and Rahul Dravid went ahead with a five-bowler strategy, meaning that the six-man batting group comprising of Rishabh Pant had no option but to put their hands up if India were to make a promising start to the series. Thankfully for his side, his batsmen heard his clarion call and the opponent pace attack was not well-oiled on the first day of the series. The opening pair of Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul survived the entire first session but they would be honest to themselves if they admit they did not have to go through as stern an examination they would have expected while coming to South Africa. Before the start of any action, both sides made some brave and controversial selection calls that kept the commentators discussing the game. The hosts preferred the variety that Marco Jansen brought to the table over the tried and tested offerings of bounce from Duanne Olivier. On the other hand, the tourists took a contrasting decision and chose to stick with their experienced hands in Ajinkya Rahane over a prepared Hanuma Vihari and in-form Shreyas Iyer. Coming back to the action of the day, Indian got the same contributions from their openers that they have got accustomed to from the series in England although they were without their best batsman from that series in Rohit Sharma. Mayank Agarwal batted with awareness of his off stump but he was open to take the bait when South African pacers tried to make desperate attempts to pitch the ball up. He hit some crisp boundaries with immaculate footwork while Rahul started his grinding process and waited for the bowlers to lose their steam and passion after the sun broke through the patches of the overcast sky. The hosts resurrected themselves in the afternoon session and stuck to line and length bowling to deny Indian batsmen free-scoring opportunities. The rewards came in the form of wickets of Mayank and Cheteshwar Pujara on consecutive deliveries and Lungi Ngidi came forward as the saviour for the hosts. Two quick wickets threatened to derail the hard work of Indian openers and the incoming Virat Kohli had to make himself counted for the responsibility he had put his team under by choosing to bat first. He was ready for the battle and did not offer his bat at deliveries around the fifth and sixth stump line and Rahul stitched a partnership where pacers were lured to bowl closer and fuller to him. He too was up to the scoring opportunities and played some delightful strokes to keep himself going. However, as has been the case for him in the last two years since his last Test century, he played a flawless innings until the ball he committed his first mistake that turned out to be a fatal one. Ngidi was once again the man for Dean Elgar as the skipper chased one of the many wide, tempting delivery around the 8th stump line. There was no impact of wickets at another end on Rahul’s temperament but Rabada has too much quality up his sleeves to let a batsman have a comfortable feeling at the crease. He found an awkward bounce from the short of a length area of the pitch and notwithstanding his composure and watchfulness around off stump, Rahul was made to work hard by the right-armer. There were many hits and misses and leading edges that sailed over the slip cordon and Rahul was lucky enough to ride through another overseas Test ton—his sixth in overseas Tests overall and second in the year. The man who was selected to play in one of the biggest controversial calls of the day, Ajinkya Rahane, looked the most fluent batsmen from the Indian side and he offered a full-blooded drive to Ngidi’s full balls to announce his intentions. He was very disciplined and played only one waft outside off stump which have been causing of his downfall in the recent past and scored a brisk 40 runs to deny South Africa any sort of way back in the game. India are in a formidable position in the game having won the toss and decided to bat first and although there are a lot of actions left in the first innings itself, they would be ambitious of batting only once in the game. For that to happen though, Rahane will have to bring the same fluency and command he batted on first day while Rahul will have to convert his hundred into a daddy hundred that will push the Proteas to the brink.