Similarly, former India women’s captain Anjum Chopra was disappointed that Ashwin was not included in the playing XI for the crucial match. Anjum emphasized that the spinner cannot be benched, particularly in a high-pressure match, regardless of the circumstances.

“Absolutely! I unquestionably sensed that. In fact, Ashwin (Ravichandran) was in my playing XI. I’m not saying you can’t play four pacers, it’s nothing of the sort, but I always believed that, regardless of the conditions, if India had lost the toss and we had been asked to bat, we would have struggled to think, “Oh! Now what do we do?’ Anjum told News18, “I’m fairly certain that the team’s administration deliberated over the decision.”

“As a player, I would have always retained Ashwin in that lineup because I believe he is a quality bowler who can perform regardless of the conditions. And he is unquestionably alone, considering his skill level and the Indian team’s records with him in the starting XI,” she added.

Taking into account the pitch at The Oval in the lone Test for the coveted mace, India’s brain trust decided to go with four specialist pacers (Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, and Shardul Thakur) and one spinner (Ravi Jadeja).

Also See | Jasprit Bumrah expected to return for Ireland tour

Ashwin is India’s leading wicket-taker against Australia in Tests, having taken 114 wickets in 22 matches, including seven five-wicket hauls, three four-fors, and one ten-wicket haul. The off-spinner is also ranked first in Test bowling by the ICC. In July, India will travel to the West Indies for a multi-format series after a month-long hiatus.

The post Would have always kept him in the line-up’ –Anjum Chopra over Ashwin WTC final exclusion appeared first on Republic Aeon.

Ravichandran Ashwin has finally spoken out about his omission from the Indian playing XI for the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia. Ashwin was not nominated for the “crucial” match because seam all-rounder Shardul Thakur was preferred. India ultimately fell by a score of 209 runs and dropped their second consecutive WTC final.

Several former cricketers questioned Ashwin’s omission from the playing eleven and deemed it a tactical error following their team’s loss. However, the off-spinner describes it as a hiccup in his career, not a setback.

“This is not an impediment for me. It’s just an obstacle; I’ll move on because I’ve already overcome it. When someone strikes you down for the first time, you react instinctively. Ashwin told the Indian Express and Hindu, “I believe you should be knocked down periodically throughout your life so that you become accustomed to it and learn how to recover.”

Ashwin further reflected on the game, stating that he would have liked to play because he helped India reach the final. In addition, he stated that since 2018, his overseas record has been outstanding as he has won games for his team.

“I would have loved to play because I contributed to our success.” Even in the most recent final, I took four wickets and bowled exceptionally. Since the 2018-2019 season, my bowling overseas has been outstanding, and I have won games for the team. I am looking at it as a commander or coach, and I am speaking in their defense in hindsight.

The last time we played in England, the score was 2-2 with a drawn Test, and they likely believed that four pacers and one spinner is the optimal combination in England. They may have believed this going into the final,” he added.

Notably, Ashwin participated in the WTC final 2021 against New Zealand, where he tied for the most wickets taken for India. The 36-year-old took two wickets in each innings and completed the match with 4 for 45 off 25 deliveries, including ten maidens.

Also See | ‘Asia Cup without Pakistan is like pizza without the topping’ – Aakash Chopra

Shardul Thakur and Ishant Sharma were selected ahead of him for the five-match away Test series against England in 2021-22, despite his impressive performance in the final. He finished the last WTC cycle 2021-23 as the third-highest wicket-taker with 61 scalps in 13 matches, ranking him third overall.

Ashwin has the highest average among the SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) countries in England, where he has taken 18 wickets in 11 innings at an average of 28.11. Despite his impressive statistics, he’s been left out of the starting lineup because he doesn’t fit into the team’s preferred playing formation.

The post Ravi Ashwin breaks silence on WTC Final omission appeared first on Republic Aeon.

The top order of the Indian team, consisting of the captain, Virat Kohli, and Cheteshwar Pujara, scored only 71 runs in 18.2 overs, resulting in the loss of four wickets. Following the top-order collapse, former India coach Ravi Shastri made a scathing remark about IPL aimed at the India batters and BCCI.

The bowlers conceded 469 runs in the first innings before India was dismissed in rapid succession. Three of the top-order batsmen had just returned from the Indian Premier League, and two of them were in excellent form with a century spree. However, they were unable to replicate their white-ball form in the traditional format, which harmed India.

In an interview with Star Sports, Shastri was enraged by Team India’s request that they prioritize IPL over national duty. He said: “You must establish your priorities, right? What is the precedence? India or cricket franchises? You must determine this. If you mean franchise cricket, you can forget about the WTC final. If this is significant, then the BCCI is in charge as the sport’s steward. There should be a clause in the IPL contract that gives India the right to pull a player from the league if they deem it necessary.

Also See | Shubman Gill Out or Not Out Fans Erupt Furious

“First, set the clause in place, and then ask the franchises how much they wish to invest. This is a crucial point. You are the sport’s custodian. You dominate cricket in the nation,” he added.

This is not the first time that Shastri has brought up this subject. In fact, he has repeatedly exhorted the Indian players destined for the WTC final to manage their workload and maintain their form during the arduous IPL season. In fact, a similar message was sent to the BCCI and the selectors in an effort to interfere with the franchises and their proceedings in preparation for the WTC final.

The post ‘India or IPL? If you say franchise cricket then forget WTC final’: Shastri appeared first on Republic Aeon.

Waugh also noted that Australia committed a comparable error during the 2019 Ashes. The 1999 World Cup-winning captain added that Ravichandran Ashwin should have started for India in the championship match. He added that the veteran can also bat, which would have been advantageous for India in the middle.

“We made the same error in the Ashes four years ago. The Oval is always challenging. It appears verdant on top but is crumbly and slightly dry beneath. You can be lulled into a false sense of security by the overcast sky and verdant field. Waugh was quoted by The Western Australian as saying, “As soon as the sun comes out, everything changes and quickly dries out.”

“I believe that (India) chose the wrong party. Spin will play a significant role in this Test match, which will be up and down. I would have selected Ashwin based solely on his batting, not his bowling. Furthermore, he has five Test centuries, so I find it hard to believe he is not participating. “It’s very peculiar,” the former cricketer added.

Hogg supports Jadeja-Ashwin for the WTC final.

Brad Hogg, a former Australian cricketer, also criticized India for not selecting Ashwin for the WTC finals. He added that the pacers had arrived after a marathon competition and, as a result, were unable to make much of an impact. Thus, he opted for the Jadeja-Ashwin pairing instead of four pacers at The Oval.

Also See | ‘Never seen before’ – Shardul Thakur’s bizarre arm-precaution stuns Ricky Ponting

“India made a judgment, and regardless of the condition of the pitch, they should have played Ashwin. They have four fast bowlers who have not bowled lengthy spells and have just completed the IPL. “Ashwin and Jadeja could have held up one end and relieved a great deal of pressure from the fast bowlers at the other end when they were running low on fuel,” Hogg said.

The post India have picked the wrong side: Steve Waugh appeared first on Republic Aeon.

WTC Final Day 2 Highlights: Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill got India off to a good start, but India lost their first five wickets in rapid succession in the second half of Day 2. They ended the day on 151/5, 318 runs behind Australia, and 118 runs short of averting a follow-on. Each of Australia’s five bowlers claimed a wicket.

The 71-run partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja for the fifth wicket greatly boosted India’s chances. Jadeja was dismissed by Lyon for 48 runs off 51 balls, while Rahane remained unbeaten at stumps with 29 runs off 71 balls and KS Bharat at the other end. Previously, centuries from Travis Head and Steve Smith brought Australia’s total to 469.

After taking only three wickets on the first day, India made a strong comeback on Day 2, with Mohammed Siraj’s four-wicket haul heading the way. After Alex Carey’s swift 48 helped Australia surpass the 450-run mark, India made sure the opposition’s tail didn’t sway excessively.

Also See | ‘There wasn’t enough energy from India’ – Matthew Hayden

It was Australia’s day here in every way. India is still 118 runs away from averting a follow-on, which appears to be an insurmountable obstacle at the moment. Even after sustaining a strike to his finger, Ajinkya Rahane has exhibited a resolute approach to practice. He is on 29 off 71, while KS Bharat is on five off 14. Today, five Australians bowled, and each of them took a wicket.

The post WTC Final Day 2 Highlights: India under huge trouble after 151/5 at Stumps appeared first on Republic Aeon.

Notably, Mohammed Siraj delivered the final two blows to terminate Australia’s magnificent innings by dismissing Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins. On the third delivery of the 122nd over, Siraj bowled a back-of-a-length delivery outside off, which Cummins smashed direct to extra-cover.

In doing so, Rahane accomplished a remarkable feat in the longest format by securing his 100th catch. Notably, former India captain Rahul Dravid retains the record for most catches in a fielding position in Test cricket with 209.

Notably, Siraj took four wickets for 108 runs in 28.3 overs, whereas Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Shami each took two wickets. Travis Head, a flamboyant southpaw, scored the most runs for the Australians with 163 runs off 174 balls, including 25 fours and one six.

Also See | ‘India fell into the trap…’: Ponting slams Rohit, Dravid for Ashwin-Jadeja call

Steve Smith scored his 31st century, finishing with 121 runs off 268 balls. Smith now has eight centuries, second only to Sachin Tendulkar’s eleven. Alex Carey and David Warner concluded with respective scores of 48 and 43 runs. With 469 runs scored in the first innings, Australia will be looking to extend their dominance when India bats.

Most catches for India in Test as fielder:

209 – Rahul Dravid

135 – VVS Laxman

115 – Sachin Tendulkar

109 – Virat Kohli

108 – Sunil Gavaskar

105 – Mohammed Azharuddin

100 – Ajinkya Rahane

The post WTC Final: 100 Test catches for Ajinkya Rahane appeared first on Republic Aeon.

Rohit stated that it was a difficult decision to bench Ashwin, but they had to do what was “best for the team” given the pitch and the overcast conditions. Ravindra Jadeja was the only spin bowling all-rounder selected by India, while Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur, and Umesh Yadav were the four rapid bowlers.

Ponting stated that India only selected a team for the first innings. “India have fallen into the trap of selecting an attack only for the first inning of this Test match,” Ponting said during the first session of commentary.

Ashwin would have bowled better than Jadeja in the second innings, according to Ponting.The former Australian captain had no doubt that Ashwin would have bowled better than Jadeja as the Test match proceeded, particularly against Australia’s four left-handed batsmen.

“I was astonished that Ashwin wasn’t selected due to Australia’s abundance of left-handed batsmen. I have no doubt that Ashwin would have bowled significantly better than Jadeja later in the Test. They had to make a crucial choice between Thakur and Umesh. I was inclined towards Thakur because he would be my workhorse and give Shami and Siraj a bit of a breather. You can use Jadeja for a couple of overs to tighten up the contest,” he added.

India bowled too short with the new ball, according to Ponting, Karthik, and Dinesh Karthik. India’s pacers Shami, Siraj, Shardul, and Umesh were criticized for bowling too short with the new ball. The best bowler was Siraj, who also dismissed Usman Khawaja for a single. The other bowlers were either too short or wayward.

“It always looks good because they are beautiful bowls, but the one that gets you wickets is the one pitched at the five-meter mark,” Karthik explained.

“If India had bowled exceptionally well, sixty percent of their deliveries would have been on the fuller side and twenty percent on a decent length. Previously, I made the point that the bowlers must assume that they will be driven occasionally. What the captain can do is make his mid-off and mid-on more straight and deeper, which encourages bowlers to position the ball higher,” Ponting added.

Also See | ‘Our batsmen do not want to be exposed’-Farokh Engineer’s shocking statement

Meanwhile, David Warner was the most impressive of the Australian batsmen. Despite Khawaja’s early dismissal and Siraj’s testing spell, he persevered and gradually went on the offensive when Umesh Yadav entered the fray. Just as the left-hander appeared poised for a massive score, he gloved a delivery down the leg side for 43 off Shardul Thakur.

Australia was 73/2 at lunch on Day 1 with Marnus Labuschagne (26*) and Steve Smith (1*) batting.

The post ‘India fell into the trap…’: Ponting slams Rohit, Dravid for Ashwin-Jadeja call appeared first on Republic Aeon.

After establishing an early goal, the southpaw opened his limbs and began to attack the Indian bowling attack. During the fifteenth over of the innings, he faced Umesh Yadav and hit four boundaries. The southpaw utilized the available breadth by repeatedly cutting the right-arm seamer for fours on the off side.

After Warner’s blitzkrieg, Yadav’s figures after two overs read 0/21. Shardul Thakur dismissed the opener in the 22nd over attempting to draw a delivery down the leg side, despite the fact that he appeared to be in excellent rhythm. Warner was dismissed for 43 (60) runs after hitting eight fours during his innings.

Steve Smith and Travis Head steer the ship for Australia.

Australia’s score after 24.1 overs was 76/3 when Mohammed Shami removed Marnus Labuschagne early in the second session for India’s second success. A monumental partnership between Steve Smith and Travis Head wreaked havoc on India’s chances of winning the game just as everything appeared to be going their way.

Also See | ‘India fell into the trap…’: Ponting slams Rohit, Dravid for Ashwin-Jadeja call

The tandem pushed Australia’s total past 200 and sapped the Indian pace attack of its vigor. Head batted without restraint and reached his fifty off just 60 deliveries with the assistance of nine fours. Smith, on the other hand, played second instrument and regularly rotated the strike. Smith reached his fifty in the third session as the duo completed their unblemished 150-run partnership, with Australia reaching 226/3 after 62 overs and being without loss.

The post WTC Final Day 1 Highlights: AUS 327/3 at Oval after Head’s ton and Smith aiming century appeared first on Republic Aeon.

Just Stop Oil is an environmentalist organization that recently attracted a great deal of attention when it blocked the England team bus on its way to Lord’s Cricket Ground on June 1 for the one-off Test against Ireland. The group’s activists are urging the British government to stop issuing new licenses for the exploration of oil and other fossil fuels.

On Monday, June 5, the group’s activists obstructed traffic near The Oval, which was ultimately cleared by the police, allowing the Australian team to reach the training venue.It was discussed in the security briefing a few days ago. According to what I’ve heard, they are aware of it and keeping a watch out for it. But that’s all we know,” Cummins told reporters in London, according to The Daily Star.

Hence, it is evidently hoped that this won’t occur. However, I have heard that a number of events have been affected.”Cummins stated that the protestors should choose the appropriate method for expressing themselves and their concerns, and he added that it was not the proper method for achieving their goals.

Also See | How and Where To Watch World Test Championship Final

“In my opinion, there are always right ways to do things and potentially wrong ways to do things,” he said.”When someone has beliefs, you can only hope they choose the correct path.”

Beginning on Wednesday, June 7 at The Oval, India and Australia will compete in the ultimate confrontation of Test cricket. This will be Australia’s first appearance in a WTC final, while India will be competing in their second consecutive WTC championship match.

The post ‘Hopefully, it doesn’t happen’ – Pat Cummins opens up on threat to WTC final appeared first on Republic Aeon.

Shami will be required to assume additional responsibility in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, as Steve Smith and Marnus Labuchagne can pose a threat in the middle. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, discussing the significance of Shami, stated that for India to triumph, Shami must be at his absolute best.

“If India are to win this game, Mohammed Shami must step up or attempt to elevate his game to a higher level. In the most recent episode of ICC Review, Ponting stated, “When you talk to the Australian batters, they recognize how good Shami is, whether it’s with the new ball or the old ball, in Australia or India.”

Also See | Adidas unveil team India’s new jerseys for ODI,Test and T20.

Pandya might have been the wild card in the WTC final: Ponting stated that India should have considered all-rounder Hardik Pandya for the WTC final because he is currently in outstanding form. He believes that Hardik could have been India’s X-factor and the difference between the two squads.

“I pondered the other day how valuable someone like Hardik Pandya could be in a single Test match for India in this competition. I am aware that he has stated on record that Test match play is probably a tad taxing on his body. But for a one-off contest, he’s been bowling in every IPL match and bowling quickly. He (Pandya) could be the X-factor in a one-off game, where he would bat and bowl to demonstrate his abilities. He could be the determining factor between the two squads, said the 48-year-old.

The post If India is to win the WTC final, Shami has to step up his game: Ricky Ponting appeared first on Republic Aeon.