Category: Sports

Hyderabad, Dec 23 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir sealed their quarterfinal spot in the 78th Senior Men’s National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy, after defeating Rajasthan 1-0 at the Deccan Arena, while Manipur thrashed hosts Telangana 3-1.

The side from the northernmost reaches of the country, with this result, are secured of a top-four finish in Group A; they end the group on seven points from five matches. Manipur, on the other hand, are secured of a second-placed finish, with 11 points from five games.

Jammu and Kashmir went into the match needing at least a draw to keep book their quarter-final spot, and managed to get all the three points in a match where they looked reasonably comfortable. Rajasthan needed to win and hope for a Manipur victory against Telangana.

The first real chance of the game fell to Mukesh Kumar of Rajasthan, who poked a low cross wide of an open goal from 10 yards in the 6th minute. It was as good as it got for them as Jammu and Kashmir slowly strangled them of possession and took control. In the 33rd minute, Aakif Javaid dribbled past a pair of defenders on the right, cut inside and unleashed a shot from the top of the box, that curved marginally wide.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 74th minute thanks to Adnan Ayub’s magic. The forward picked up a loose ball 35 yards from goal, drove towards the box and let fly with his left foot. A diving Gaurav Kumar Singh could do little to stop the ball’s ultimate destination. Jammu and Kashmir registered a valuable win that took them to the quarterfinals.

In the game between Manipur and Telangana, it was the former who started brighter, their inventiveness on full display as they scored the opener from a smart corner routine. A short ball was picked up on the left, where Prabin Khangebam drove a low cross into the box. Kangabam Lammgamba Singh was at hand to poke it in instinctively and give Manipur the lead.

Telangana had been down a goal multiple times in this tournament and to their credit they never looked deflated. They kept coming at Manipur and right before halftime had their just reward, when Mohammed Amaan’s delightful spin and subsequent through ball was duly converted by Syed Imtiyaz Ahmed. To the shock of all Telangana were level.

Manipur were utterly dominant in the second half, in their search for a winner, one that would give them a better position on the table. A plethora of chances were created and spurned at regular intervals, their forwards seemingly incapable of finding the net. Finally, in the 85th minute, Khullakpam Zahir Khan found a way through, twisting and turning at the top of the box, and firing with his left foot into the bottom corner. Shoraisham Sagar Singh added a third minutes later to compound Telangana’s agony and cement Manipur’s win.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) The double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker’s name is conspicuously missing from the list of sportspersons nominated for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award this year.

This unexpected snub comes despite Bhaker scripting history at the 2024 Paris Olympics, becoming the first Indian female shooter to win an Olympic medal by clinching bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event. She followed this up with another bronze in the mixed 10m air pistol team event alongside Sarabjot Singh, marking the first time any Indian has won two medals in a single Olympics since India’s independence.

On Monday, sources close to the shooter revealed to IANS that the double-medalist shooter did apply for the Khel Ratna award but wasn’t picked. “Manu Bhaker indeed applied for Khel Ratna, but strangely didn’t get picked. It is shocking for all. NRAI has no role in it,” the source said.

Meanwhile, on behalf of NRAI, President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo has written a letter to the Sports Ministry to consider Manu Bhaker’s case.

Earlier this year, Bhaker found herself at the centre of a controversy after posting on social media, questioning whether she deserved the Khel Ratna Award. The post drew backlash, with critics deeming it inappropriate, leading Bhaker to delete it. Despite the controversy, the absence of her name from the list of nominees has sparked widespread disappointment among her supporters.

The 22-year-old shooter’s performance in Paris was a culmination of years of determination and perseverance, especially after enduring the heartbreak of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where a pistol malfunction derailed her campaign. Many had doubted her ability to bounce back, but Bhaker silenced her critics with a stunning comeback in Paris.

Her achievements this year were not confined to the Olympic podium. Bhaker also added to her illustrious record, which already includes gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. She claimed gold at the 2018 CWG in the women’s 10m air pistol event, setting a Games record, and triumphed at the 2022 Asian Games in the women’s 25m pistol team event.

At just 16, Bhaker had become the youngest Indian shooter to win gold at the ISSF World Cup in 2018, showcasing her prodigious talent.

–IANS

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Mumbai, Dec 23 (IANS) The SA20 domestic T20 league is slowly changing the South African cricket landscape and the upcoming Season 3 of the tournament will be keenly watched for the performance of some emerging players. South Africa fast bowling legend Allan Donald will keenly watch the performance of three young pacers Eathen Bosch, Codi Yusuf and Kwena Maphaka in Season 3.

While the 18-year-old Kwen Maphaka has made his South Africa debut in Tests and ODIs this year and has been snapped up by Rajasthan Royals for the upcoming IPL season, Bosch has recently made it to the national team and is an exciting prospect for the future.

Speaking on which young fast bowlers he is excited to watch in SA20 Season 3, Donald said, “There are about three bowlers—South African bowlers—that I’m really looking forward to seeing, and those three guys are Eathen Bosch, who’s playing for the Pretoria Capitals, and Codi Yusuf, who’s playing for Paarl Royals, and young Kwena Maphaka.

“Those three young South Africans—Bosch, probably the more experienced—he’s been around for a while. I’m really pleased for him that he’s finally got a South African call-up. He’s been really on the fringes and has struggled to get in there because of other guys who have been punching the lights out.

“So, for me, those three guys—especially Bosch, but young Kwena Maphaka, an 18-year-old—you know, I think the whole of Paarl is very excited that he’s here. There’s huge excitement about him being in this team. I think we’re going to see a lot of him this year. Lots of experiences will be felt by Kwena Maphaka. I think he’s such a talent; he is just a freak, you know.

“So, yeah, he’s going to have some good days, and he’s going to have some bad days, but he seems to have this head on his shoulders that is just very freakishly calm and not phased about too many things when it goes badly. He just wants to stay in the fight all the time. So I think he’s going to be box office this coming January. I can’t wait to see him being very successful, I hope,” said Donald.

Speaking on how SA20 has changed the dynamics of cricket in South Africa, SA20 Ambassador and South Africa fast bowling legend Allan Donald said, “When I sat back as a viewer and I watched this thing unfold, I remember saying I was here at Boland Park, where I live in Paarl, and I saw Graeme Smith, and it was sort of three or four games into the SA20. I saw the crowd at Boland Park, and I saw the amount of interest globally, and the viewership that was shown to me a couple of days later was astronomical, and that is what people want to see.

“I think the rest of the world is watching. You’ve got the Big Bash and you’ve got the IPL, which is just a product on its own—it’s just massive. And then SA20 has the potential to go past the Big Bash, seeing that it’s only a month long. And also, the Australian crowds are huge, but this means so much to cricket in South Africa and domestically.

“Because I left a few weeks ago, we don’t have any more domestic cricket until next year. So, a lot of the guys are kind of jealous of where everyone else is going. But the learning and the watching that will be done by those players not involved in the SA20 will be huge because they want to become—they want to punch the door down to becoming the next Kwena Maphaka, the next Rassie van der Dussen, and Reeza Hendricks.

“So the interest is just—I mean, the television interest that’s been created over the years… Like I’ve said before, the ticket sales have gone through the roof, youngsters are ready to go, merchandise is flying off the shelves—it’s massive,” said Donald.

Donald also spoke about the injuries suffered by fast bowlers due to high-level competition as they play in the national team, ODIs, domestic first-class cricket, and various T20 leagues around the world.

“The injuries, unfortunately, to a guy like Anrich Nortje, who’s a box-office bowler, and a couple of others, it’s not ideal. It’s not ideal. What the rest of the world wants to see—what young fans around the world want to see—is a guy bowling at 155 clicks and making things happen. So it’s unfortunately the brutality of the world game and where it is,” said Donald.

“Something I keep saying is that you know, I’ve only played two T20 matches in my entire career, right at the back end of it. So, what these guys are going through now—all the leagues—I’m not surprised that a lot of the guys will miss a league here, a tournament there, and maybe even for their country. It’s just, it’s an ongoing cycle that I think is, you know, it’s hard to stop. It’s the level of stress that gets put on the bodies, unfortunately. But again, it’s an opportunity for someone else to stake a claim. So, yeah, and that’s what we want to see,” he added.

Speaking on which captain has impressed him the most in the SA20, Donald picked out Durban Super Giants captain Keshav Maharaj as the one to watch out for.

“I think, jeez, there are some good captains, aren’t they? And I’m going to be super biased, you know, and I’m going to single out my captain at DSG and our left-arm spinner. You know, I think he’s a wonderful guy. I’ve been watching him for quite some time, and, you know, he’s been absolutely—Keshav Maharaj—he has been absolutely fantastic, quietly going about his things,” said Donald.

He said the combination of Keshav Maharaj and coach Lance Klusener will be keenly watched.

“But I’ve also spoken to him (Keshav Maharaj) on the phone a few times, and, you know, he’s incredibly passionate—not just for his domestic team, obviously, playing for South Africa, but when it comes to that DSG (Durban Super Giants) team, I mean, the players seem to really warm to him. And also working with Lance Klusener, two hometown boys, they—I think, you know, they get on really, really well. They understand each other really well. So I think, you know, the team—when I speak to a few of the members there, especially Lance and some of the coaching staff—Keshav Maharaj has got a good thing going there with Lance Klusener.

“So, yeah, look, I think there’s so many great captains around, you know. There are so many fantastic players. I’m just super, super stoked that I’m involved this year and hopefully for a good few years to come. So, yeah, I’m just like a kid in a candy store at the moment. You know, it’s so nice to be involved in such a major tournament in your home country that’s producing such levels of success over the first two years. So I’m really, really stoked about it,” said Donald, who retired from Test cricket with 330 wickets in 72 Tests and with 272 scalps in 164 ODIs.

After retirement, Donald has worked as a bowling coach and consultant with the England team, County Cricket Club Warwickshire and Kent, domestic teams in Zimbabwe and South Africa, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka national teams.

In IPL, he was the bowling coach of the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2011 and the bowling and head coach of Pune Warriors India in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

–IANS

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Pune, Dec 23 (IANS) With the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 11 playoffs battle creeping closer, PKL legend Anup Kumar believes defensive prowess will be the deciding factor in crowning this season’s champions, marking a significant shift from the traditionally raider-dominated sport.

“When the PKL started, defenders didn’t have much value, and there weren’t many tackle points as the raiders ruled the roost. But nowadays there are more defensive moves. A single raider can never win the trophy for a team now, you need defenders,” said Kumar, who led U Mumba to their only PKL trophy in Season 2.

Among the playoff contenders, Kumar has been particularly impressed with the Haryana Steelers’ approach. “The Steelers have impressed the most this season, both their defenders and raiders…Their defence especially has done tremendous work, whether you talk about (Mohammadreza) Shadloui or Rahul (Sethpal).”

For his former team U Mumba, currently fighting for a playoff spot, Kumar believes their chances hinge on their final league match. “U Mumba’s performance has been very good after a slow start. Though their start wasn’t great, they’ve improved…If they win their last match, they’ll qualify 100%,” he said.

The former captain particularly highlighted U Mumba raider Ajit Chauhan’s solo efforts this season. “Ajit’s performance has been excellent…If another raider had supported him even a little, this team would have been in first, second, or third positions, not fifth or sixth,” Kumar noted, pointing to the importance of balanced team performance in crucial matches.

As teams make their final push for playoff qualification, Kumar’s analysis suggests that success in the knockout stages will depend not just on star raiders but also on how well teams execute their defensive strategies—a fascinating evolution in the sport’s tactical approach.

The Bengaluru Bulls vs UP Yoddhas clash, set to take place on Tuesday, promises to be an intense encounter between two teams known for their contrasting styles. The Bulls, traditionally strong in raiding, have historically relied on their aggressive approach and quick-raid points, but have failed this season. For the UP Yoddhas, a win will be a massive boost for the side heading into the playoffs of PKL 11.

The Bengal Warriors vs U Mumba fixture brings together two teams with rich Pro Kabaddi League history. U Mumba need just one point to make it to the PKL 11 playoffs. If they lose by a difference of more than 47 – a highly improbable possibility – then Telugu Titans will enter the top six.

–IANS

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Mumbai, Dec 23 (IANS) Former India cricketer Dinesh Karthik has in a way opened the door for Indian players to quit playing at home and figure in franchise T20 leagues abroad which has given rise to hopes that more and more Indian players will seek fortunes in similar leagues in future.

Though the BCCI’s rules prohibit Indian players from playing in foreign T20 leagues, former South Africa pacer and an SA20 Ambassador, Allan Donald says he would one day love to see Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah playing in the SA20 league, South Africa’s domestic T20 league.

Karthik will be turning out for Paarl Royals in the upcoming Season 3 of the SA20, which will be played from January 9 to February 8, 2025.

Speaking on which Indian players he would love to have in the SA20, SA20 Ambassador and South Africa fast bowling legend Donald said: “Oh my gosh, that’s a – where do I start? Where do I start getting a player from there? My goodness me, jeez. If it’s a batter, it’s Virat Kohli all over there. Suppose it’s a bowler, 100 per cent (Jasprit) Bumrah. My goodness me, can you imagine that? Can you actually imagine some Indian players, and I would be allowed to pick one? Oh my, that would be the most special thing.”

“That’ll just put it to another level. That’ll add another level of how big this tournament can become if you’re allowed to. Imagine two – oh, imagine two per team. But we’ll keep it there at one. I’ll have those two players for sure – Kohli and Bumrah. If I have to pick from a batter or a bowler – 100 per cent sure,” Donald said at an online interaction organised by SA20 India on Monday.

Speaking on Karthik’s involvement in the SA20, Donald, who is the assistant coach of Durban Super Giants, said: “I think, since I’ve seen him come on board, I think it’s awesome. It really is awesome that an absolute Indian legend – a guy who, for me, is such an intelligent cricketer. I actually really enjoy listening to him commentating. I think he’s just a breath of fresh air. And it’s great to see an Indian guy who’s an ex-international – a guy who’s had a wealth of experience in the IPL -being signed up. It’ll be awesome to see him play if he does play.

Donald, known the world over as ‘White Lightening’ for his fiery pace that rattled batters for over a decade in international cricket following South Africa’s return from the Apartheid ban, said Karthik playing in SA20 is a great thing for young cricketers.

“Young cricketers, like everywhere in the world, are looking up to the Indian superstars, the Indian Premier League, and what it stands for. It’s just getting bigger, better, and faster. And to have one of your own playing in the SA20 is just a masterstroke. It really is. I think it’s wonderful to see. He’s still a fine cricketer. You know, he can play. And I think just listening to the launch and him being around and doing his stuff over there in India and promoting the SA20 – I thought it was… He was just superb. It was great. It’d be absolutely wonderful to have him around. It’ll mean a lot to the young cricketers, that is for sure,” said Donald, who retired from Test cricket with 330 wickets in 72 Tests and with 272 scalps in 164 ODIs.

After retirement, Donald has worked as a bowling coach and consultant with the England team, County Cricket Club Warwickshire and Kent, domestic teams in Zimbabwe and South Africa, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka national teams.

In IPL, he was the bowling coach of the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2011 and the bowling and head coach of Pune Warriors India in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) Veteran India batter Cheteshwar Pujara feels Yashasvi Jaiswal is trying to rush through things while batting in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and advised left-handed opener to give himself a bit more time at the crease.

Jaiswal has amassed 193 runs in three Tests so far, out of 161 came in his brilliant second innings knock in Perth, where India won by 295 runs. But after that, Jaiswal has struggled to get going, which is evident from his scores of 0, 24, 4 and 4 not out.

“He needs to give himself a bit more time, the way he is playing, he is trying to rush things, he is trying to play shots a bit more. He should only play shots if he is quite sure about it, especially in the first 5-10 overs because it seems that he is in a hurry to score runs, he wants a quick start, and he wants to score those first 15-20 runs quickly.”

“When you are an opener in Test Cricket then you don’t go out searching for the ball, you play the deliveries on merit. Even if you are an aggressive player, even Virender Sehwag was an aggressive player but he used play shots only when the ball was pitched in his zone.”

“There are a lot of aggressive batters and openers in Test Cricket today but they play the shots when the ball is pitched in the hitting zone, but here it looks like Yashasvi is trying to convert the shots, he is trying to drive the deliveries which are not pitched up,” said Pujara on Star Sports.

In this series, Jaiswal has been dismissed four times by left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc and Pujara has called upon the youngster to defend well and take a leaf out of how his senior opening partner KL Rahul in terms of capitalising on fuller balls. “He needs to be a bit calm, he needs to spend a bit more time, if he will show some confidence on his defence then that’s when he’ll come across some shot playing deliveries.”

“It’s because the moment when you show some respect to the bowlers and you defend well then they’ll look forward to getting a wicket and gradually they’ll starting pitching the ball a bit up and that’s when you can play those drives. They way KL Rahul is playing, the way he is playing those drives on the overpitched deliveries, Yashasvi also needs to do the same.”

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series is interestingly poised at 1-1 ahead of the Boxing Day Test, set to be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday.

–IANS

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Newcastle, Dec 23 (IANS) Premier League clubs are gearing up for the festive period which is one of the most exerting in the footballing calendar. In-form Newcastle United side will be hoping to continue their winning momentum as they face a treacherous run which includes games against Aston Villa, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Head coach Eddie Howe has displayed full confidence in his team as they come into the boxing day fixture against Villa having scored eight goals in their last two fixtures.

“Every reason for us to be excited about those games [against Aston Villa, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur], I have been really pleased with how we have played in recent games, and I think we need to take that into the next week. We have some brilliant games on paper for everyone to attack and enjoy.

“When you are playing at home over the festive period, these games are brilliant things to be a part of. So, yeah, we are looking forward to the game. When you perform and play well, you want the games to come to you,” said Howe in a press conference.

The Magpies welcome Villa to St. James’ Park on Thursday looking to continue their fine recent run which has seen them win their last three games in all competitions, scoring 11 and conceding just one in the process.

Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing of Ipswich Town, inspired by a hat-trick from Alexander Isak, was their latest convincing triumph, meaning they go into the clash with Villa, who beat Manchester City at the weekend, full of confidence.

“We had two games against Aston Villa last season. This will be a really good challenge for us. I think they have good depth in their squad, they have some really good players. Their style is very difficult to play against, very well coached, very well drilled,” he added.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) Seamer Ryana MacDonald-Gay, all-rounder Freya Kamp, spinner Linsey Smith and wicketkeeper-batter Linsey Smith have been named in England’s squad for the upcoming Women’s Ashes.

Ryana, who made her white-ball debut on England’s tour of Ireland earlier this year, took two wickets on her Test debut against South Africa and retains her place in the longer format team for the trip to Australia.

Freya and Linsey are in an Ashes squad for the first time and are a part of the T20I team only, while Bess is included in T20I and Test squads after suffering a fractured thumb, which kept her out of the South Africa tour.

Left-arm pacer Mahika Gaur will be with the group, continuing her return to bowling following the injury that made her unavailable for the recent South Africa tour. England travel to Sydney on January 2 and will play a warm-up match against a Governor General’s XI on January 9.

“We have named balanced squads for this Ashes series, with a good mix of youth and experience. Ashes series’ are always special. We want to go there, play our way, and are all excited about the challenges ahead,” said head coach Jon Lewis in a statement.

England begins their Women’s Ashes trip with three ODIs in Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart from January 11-16. It is followed by three T20Is taking place in Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide from January 20-25.

The four-day Test, also the maiden day-night game, is set to be held from January 30 to February 2 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The game will also end the multi-format Women’s Ashes series for the first time since it was introduced in 2015.

During the last Ashes in England in 2023, Australia won the Test match at Trent Bridge but England triumphed in both white-ball formats, resulting in an eight-all draw of the multi-format series.

England ODI squad: Heather Knight (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danni Wyatt-Hodge

England T20I squad: Heather Knight (captain), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Linsey Smith, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danni Wyatt-Hodge

England Test squad: Heather Knight (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danni Wyatt-Hodge

–IANS

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Colombo, Dec 23 (IANS) Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has returned to Sri Lanka’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand, starting on January 5 in Wellington.

Sri Lanka will travel to New Zealand for three T20Is and as many ODIs before moving to Australia for the two-Test series in late January.

Hasaranga returns to the ODI squad after missing the previous series against Afghanistan in November due to a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Dunith Wellalage, who was dropped from the T20I squad for this tour, retains his spot in the 50-over format.

The team has made four changes to the squad from last month, leaving out Dushan Hemantha, Kusal Perera, Sadeera Samarawickrama, and Dishan Madushanka. Notably, Perera, who made his ODI comeback during the New Zealand series after the 2023 World Cup, did not get a chance to play. Hemantha, who replaced Hasaranga in the previous series, has also been excluded.

In addition to Hasaranga, Sri Lanka has included batter Nuwanidu Fernando, who debuted against India in 2023 and has played five ODIs, and fast bowler Lahiru Kumara, returning after last featuring in March against Bangladesh. The squad also sees the addition of uncapped medium-pacer Eshan Malinga for the 50-over matches.

Sri Lanka squad for ODI series: Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Nuwanidu Fernando, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamidu Wickramasinghe, Asitha Fernando, Mohamed Shiraz, Lahiru Kumara, Eshan Malinga.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) As the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) approaches, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has cautioned under fire skipper Rohit Sharma to reconsider his aggressive batting style against Australia’s formidable bowling attack.

Sharma, who has been struggling for consistency in Test cricket this year, needs to recalibrate his approach to make a meaningful contribution to India’s campaign in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, currently tied at 1-1.

Rohit’s form in Test cricket has been underwhelming in 2024. From 13 matches, he averages a modest 26.39, a sharp decline from his usually reliable standards. He missed the first Test of the series due to the birth of his second child but returned for the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, only to score a meagre nine runs across two innings. In Brisbane’s rain-affected third Test, he batted at No. 6 and managed just 10 runs in his sole outing.

“He has got that big game. In South Africa, he had that one innings where it was a small target and they went after the bowling, and Rohit Sharma looked really good. But in a Test match in Australia with the kind of bowlers he is contended with, all bowling superbly, it is not easy to take those guys on because his shots are really high-risk shots. He tried that in the home series against New Zealand as well, just to put the bowlers off but got out playing the attacking shot,” Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo.

While Rohit started the year strongly in the home series against England, his form took a significant hit during the Bangladesh series in September and the subsequent New Zealand series.

“He is short of confidence with self-doubts. And it was a bit of a rude shock when he played in that home series against New Zealand and his defence was getting breached on Indian pitches,” Manjrekar added.

According to Manjrekar, Sharma’s inability to focus on a solid defensive foundation is costing him dearly in Test cricket. He compared Rohit’s current struggles to his performances during the 2021 England tour, where he batted with remarkable discipline and a defence-orientated approach.

In 2021, Rohit had an exceptional Test series in England, scoring runs at a strike rate of 42. Manjrekar praised that series as a testament to Rohits’s potential as a disciplined Test batter.

“I remember commentating on that series (2021 England) and kept saying ‘this is Pujara-like’, the way he was grinding away. And I thought it was the rebirth of Rohit Sharma, the Test cricketer, who got those two centuries in his first two Tests. I also felt this is his true calling; this is what he loves to do – which is playing for time like a typical Mumbai batter,” he said.

However, Manjrekar pointed out that Rohit has been unable to replicate that form and approach in recent matches. “Now when he has to bring that game back, he just can’t find the defensive game…,” Manjrekar concluded.

With the series level at 1-1 and two Tests to play, India will face Australia for the fourth Test at MCG starting on Thursday.

–IANS

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