MS Dhoni doesn't mention retirement, says holes to be plugged in Chennai Super Kings squad
With batting resources failing to contribute as a unit, Chennai were outbatted in most of the games before they found some sort of momentum towards the end. With a number of their first-choice picks at the auction failing to make an impact, it was their replacement picks – Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel and Dewald Brevis – who injected a much-needed intent to the batting unit. While the trio's arrival has already bolstered Chennai's batting, they still appear a long way away from assembling a squad that can be in the race for the play-offs.
Ahead of next season, with most teams already having a settled unit, Chennai do have a tough challenge ahead in terms of building a strong outfit. Dhoni, who turned 44 this July, still remains their frontline keeper with Urvil being the lone other gloveman in the set-up. While Dhoni's future as a player still remains in doubt, the former captain said they are more or less sorted on the batting front.
'There were certain holes that we need to plug in. I think our batting order is quite sorted out now. Rutu (Gaikwad) will be coming back. A small auction is coming in December. You know some holes are there, and we will try to plug those in. But again, you have to be at your best at the start of the tournament. You have to get the planning right. You have to use the resources in the best possible manner. Even the fans feel disappointed, but also the fact is the players always feel more disappointed than the fans. So we do talk about the processes. But at the same time here. We do want the result to come to our side. Last year wasn't there. But looking ahead we will try to sort out most of the things. And we will hopefully be at our best,' Dhoni said at the launch of Maxvision Eye Super Speciality hospital in Chennai.
Dhoni, who led the franchise to five IPL titles as captain, revealed that the franchise hasn't been up to the mark in the last two seasons. 'The beauty of sport is how good you look on paper doesn't matter. Because what you actually do on the field is the stuff that really matters. And in a tournament like IPL, what you do consistently over a period of time matters. And then pull your socks up once you get into the knockout stage and come out with another beautiful maybe two or three performances. And that's how you win trophies. The last couple of years have not been good for us. We have not, you can say, up to the mark. Whatever the reasons may be. What is important is to see the learnings. It's not about what you have done in the past 15-16 years. Next year when you turn up again, you have to start from scratch,' Dhoni said.
Ahead of the next season, there are talks of Chennai releasing a few players back into the auction pool with the future of the likes of Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi in question. There are also talks of a trade with Rajasthan Royals to bring in Sanju Samson. While the franchise officials have admitted their interest, as things stand no formal communication has taken place with Rajasthan. If Chennai are unable to trade the player, then it would be interesting to see if Dhoni would extend his playing career.
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Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Indian Express
Shubman Gill's pursuit of perfection: How Indian captain put in serious hours to prepare for English Test and came out trumps
It was about a month before he was to take the most important flight of his life to Heathrow, London, for his first assignment as India's Test captain at 25. On one gloomy day in Chandigarh before Shubman Gill came to England, England came to Shubman Gill. It was IPL time, he was leading the Gujarat Titans and having nets on what seemed like a 'dicey' pitch – some balls flying towards his face, others darting at his ribs. Shubman would stop training, dump the white balls back in the kit bag, and ask for a shiny red new one, the kind used for Test matches. Even while playing IPL, Shubman wasn't missing a chance to be England-ready. Gujarat Titans' assistant coach Naeem Amin is based out of London, and he was there to witness Shubman's quick ball-switch. 'And the bit that you will find interesting was him keen to practice just against a new ball. As soon as the new ball would become a little bit old, he'd change it for another new ball,' says Amin. As India's new Test No.4, Shubman knew that after facing the white-ball on flat tracks, he had to deal with the swinging-seaming red cherry in England. Amin also talks about the young skipper's hunger to learn and the desire to improve. 'His appetite always puts cricket first, and in that aspect, he is second to none. When Kane Williamson (former New Zealand captain and world's leading modern-day batsman) was in our team (GT), he was asking him about his thoughts all the time. 'How would you go about this or that? Why are you doing this drill? How does it benefit you?'.' England and New Zealand are miles apart, but on the cricketing map of conditions and pitches, they aren't that different. Williamson is in England playing county cricket these days, and turned up for the Lord's Test to find his one-time IPL teammate in the middle of the form of his life. He was pretty happy with what he saw. The pursuit of batting perfection has been Shubman's life goal since his wonder years in Punjab's border town of Fazilka. His father, a landed farmer, would pay kids in the neighbourhood Rs 100 to bowl at his son all day. When in his teens, Shubman knew that he could go back to tractors, fields and the family agriculture income, if cricket didn't work out. Like many others around him, the batting prodigy didn't lose sleep over the dilemma of academics or a career option. He would get up fresh with only cricket on his mind. Shubman would follow a punishing schedule, all through his Under-16 and Under-19 days, bat close to 6 to 8 hours every day. A typical day for him in Chandigarh, where he and his father moved from their village, would be about 3 to 4 hours of batting in the morning, a quick Amritsari lunch of patti or chhola kulcha, and again 3 to 4 hours of batting. Even when he made it to the Indian team, he was among the batsmen who batted the most at the nets. 'I want my body to take control of my mind … Not my mind taking control of me, seeding inside me self-doubts or getting carried away. Because I have practised so much for so many years, I want my body to take control of my mind. Let the muscle memory kick in. That's my challenge: use the mind to tell itself to stay quiet,' he once told The Indian Express. In England at the age 25, Shubman seemed to have achieved that batting nirvana. India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has been watching him closely for the past several months, and he could notice a change. 'From the Australia series to this series, I have seen his thought process and the way he batted. It is little different from what he has done in Australia … I would give a lot of credit to him for deciding what he wants to play, when he does not … Every batter, at some stage of their life, thinks and changes the way they bat in Test cricket. And Shubman seemed to be doing that brilliantly in this England series,' Kotak said. Before this series, Shubman's highest Test score was his 128 against Australia in 2023. As if he was given a Midas touch along with the captain's armband, everything that he touched in England has turned to gold. Between June 20 to July 6 – his fortnight of fortitude from the first to the third Test – Shubman registered three higher scores: 147, 269, 161. This was like the Swedish pole-vaulter Mondo Duplantis clearing new heights every other day, raising the bar at will. It was in Birmingham that Shubman would find his Bodhi Tree, where he found enlightenment. In England, his 267 is being hailed as the most perfect knock he's ever played. Data shows that epic innings had a false shot percentage of 3.5 – that's the least for any innings in England since this statistic came into existence 20 years back. Since geniuses like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Pointing, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli are on the list below Shubman, the Birmingham innings is worthy to be framed in India's batting Hall of Fame. The near-perfect 267 was the outcome of his long penance, after mulling over many dismissals. It lifted him to a higher level, elevated him to the spiritual state where 'the body controls the mind' and the 'mind tells itself to stay quiet.' xxx England isn't an easy place to play cricket. In summer, the days are long; for cricketers, they are longer. They can suck the energy out of you, the weather can be murky, it can make you gloomy. This time, during the day, there was heat too. Consider the schedule of an Indian cricketer during the Lord's Test to understand this. The day would start at 6 am to be on the team bus that would start at 8 am. The match timing would be 11 am to 6.30 pm. By the time the team settles on the bus for the journey back to the team hotel, after press conferences and interviews, it would be 7.30 p.m. From Lord's to St James Court, where the team stayed, was easily a one and half hour long journey on the team bus, negotiating London's notorious traffic. After that the players would have a meal, some me-time and then hit the bed. Within hours, the alarm would go off once again. The schedule would be more or less the same for 25 days, plus there was the pressure of performance and fear of failure to deal with. For Gautam Gambhir, Shubman's biggest achievement as a first-time skipper was to remain unfazed all through this very demanding tour. 'This England team challenges a captain much more than Australia. They have many batsmen who can just run away with the game, and this puts pressure on the captain when the team is fielding. But not once has he looked shattered or lost,' he says. In Australia, there's just one Travis Head in the Test team who can mentally disintegrate an opposition captain and make the fielding side rudderless. In England, Bazballers are crawling out of the dressing room ever so frequently. It starts with openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, the batting buccaneers who can brain freeze the best. Down the batting line-up, there is Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, and Ben Stokes – all three with swinging bats that can rattle any captain. The run machine Joe Root, with his solidity, seems to loom as a fulcrum. There have been occasions when Shubman has looked clueless, when he seemed to have lost the grip on the game but the team didn't give up. As was the case at The Oval when Brook and Root seemed to have the game in their pocket, India kept on coming back at them. And when they got a toe-hold in the door, they barged in as a commando unit on a covert operation. But as a member of the tour said, this series has been one of learning for the young skipper. 'See the way Ben Stokes leads his team, he has a few fielding templates, or call them plans, to get wickets. He keeps his fielders moving around. Suddenly, there would be a leg-side trap, next the off-side would have fielders in funky positions. Shubman needs to find his own templates and plan. He is young, he is hungry, he will learn,' a team official says. Gujarat Titans coach Amin gives an example of Shubman's thinking of a course correction as soon as he gets out. 'He is not the kind you will say I could have done this or that. After he has made a mistake as a batsman and got out, he has already dissected it on his walk back to the dugout. This is how quickly he realizes what he needs to do. There are times when there might be video analysis going on for another batter. He's keen to listen in, just in case he can upskill 0.5%,' he says. In the first Test in Leeds, he got out playing a reckless shot when on 147. It would have helped if he had stayed on longer. On the eve of the next Test, he would take the blame, promise to do better and an astonishing atonement waited for him. He would score a double hundred in the next innings. What was that compelling reason for the improved performance? 'Sometimes, especially when you are the captain, I think you need to lead by example so that whenever there is another player in that situation, you can command that player,' the team official said. This was a captain subtly asserting himself; this was a skipper earning the right to be the 'commander.' Former England captain Nasser Hussain, who had noted during the first Test that Gill 'lacked aura' would reassess his verdict at the end of the second Test: 'He (Gill) is not going to be a Kohli-type character. He's got a low heartbeat, but that can help. Look at this crowd here today. Look at all of India watching on. You may need someone just to calm the team.' As for Gambhir, he hasn't been over-interfering in the proceedings on the field. For long periods of stand-offs where wickets have been hard to come by, the captain has been changing fields, bowlers, and tactics without any obvious prompt from the dressing room. When Shubman is batting, the substitutes haven't randomly run on the field with gloves, or when the team is fielding, carrying unasked-for water bottles. Shubman does his thing, the way he likes. He does have counsel available on the field. Vice-captain Pant, seniors KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and even Mohammed Siraj, to chip in – when asked for and even offer unsolicited advice. As the pundits from the commentators box, especially while assessing the new captain during the first Test have said 'Shubman is running the team by committee.' xxx Amin speaks about this same leadership trait in the captain, who is always willing to listen. 'Shubman is the kind of guy where a 15-year-old was there and he had an opinion on something and Shubman thought it would be useful to him, he would listen to him,' he says. Behind those soft features and dimpled smile, there is a steely resolve to stay ahead. 'The guy puts in hours… he puts in some serious hours to get better. Like I'm telling you about the red ball, how he's practising against it, even when he's in India. He's just trying to stay one step ahead,' says Amin. It is the same pursuit of perfection that started from the border town. Life came full circle for Shubman at The Oval. In a 2-2 verdict, it was tough to say if the runs brought the best out of his captaincy or the captaincy triggered an avalanche of runs.
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
Amazing to see how well Washington Sundar played in England: Rhodes
CHENNAI: Following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the Test arena, Indian cricket has entered a new phase. Rohit and Kohli's contributions had long been central to the team's success in the longest format. But, in their absence, a young crop made its mark and showed promise in the India-England series. India's not-so-experienced batting line-up in English conditions rose to the challenge, with Shubman Gill leading from the front in his first series as captain. South African great Jonty Rhodes believes that India's incredible depth has both positive and negative impact. Bowled Over by Miya Magic: Mohammed Siraj shines brightest | IND vs ENG 5th Test 'I think India's biggest disadvantage is the fact that they have got so many players. It is not just the IPL, every state has its own league and it is a great platform for young players to showcase their skill. In India, it is so difficult to know when to retire. When you see young prodigious talent churned out and if you do not give them a chance, you possibly could not lose them but the frustrations will grow. It is kind of a double-edged sword. It is great to see the young players stepping up,' Jonty said, after the opening ceremony of the Asian Surfing Championships in Mamallapuram. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo One such player who made a strong impact was Washington Sundar . The 25-year-old all-rounder played a vital role with both bat and ball. 'Washington has played a lot of limited-overs cricket and it is amazing to see how he played in England. We have seen the importance of all-rounders and there are exciting times ahead,' Jonty, who is the brand ambassador of the Surfing Federation of India, added. There has been quite a bit of talk about the competitiveness in Test cricket, with matches often ending in less than five days. However, the fight in the India-England series came as a pleasant surprise, as the first four Tests went till the fifth day. 'When T20 started, everyone thought that Test cricket would be at risk. But I think we have seen the level of skill now added with this bravery and everyone talks about 'Bazball'. Rishabh Pant is getting himself into all sorts of interesting positions when he is playing and that just makes it exciting. 'If a five-match series comes down to Day 4 in the fifth Test, that is what you want to see. Every single Test in the series had its ups and downs, which kept people engaged throughout.' WTC win an incredible feat for SA After multiple heartbreaks in the knockout stages of ICC events, South Africa finally seized their moment by clinching the World Test Championship title. 'It was interesting because we did not win trophies for a long time. There was criticism from coaches and commentators, mainly the commentators asking who have South Africa played. It is fine because sadly, we do not play a lot of Test cricket. Test cricket is big business and if it is not against Australia or India or England, it is a draining business. 'It has been disappointing how little Test cricket the South Africans get to play. I think it is an incredible feat (WTC win), considering the limited time they spend in the format. Hopefully, now that they have won an ICC trophy, the shackles will be released.' For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
India Today
11 hours ago
- India Today
ENG vs IND Report Card: A+ for Siraj and Gill, Karun-Sudharsan disappoint
India's tour of England came to a dramatic and thrilling end as the visitors clinched a stunning six-run win in the final Test at The Oval, levelling the five-match series 2-2. The defining moment of the tour came on the last day of the final Test, when Mohammed Siraj produced a sensational spell to snatch victory from the jaws of the series saw standout individual performances, there were also moments of collective brilliance and some tactical blunders. With its mix of drama, intensity, and unpredictability, the series has gone down as one for the ages and offers encouraging signs for India's long-term future across vs India, 5th Test Day 5 Highlights Here's a look at how the Indian players fared through the course of this memorable Nair, Sai Sudharsan – 3/10Both players had an opportunity to cement their place in the side but failed to leave a lasting impression. While they did score a fifty each, neither looked comfortable against the moving ball. Sudharsan might still have time on his side to settle into Test cricket, but for Nair, the window may be Jaiswal, KL Rahul – 7/10The opening pair were solid for the most part. Jaiswal continued to impress with his fearless strokeplay and temperament, notching up another century on foreign soil. Rahul played the senior partner's role admirably, digging in and blunting the new ball when needed, showing glimpses of the player who once scored a hundred at Lord' Gill – 8.5/10Tasked with captaincy and batting at the iconic No. 4 position, Gill rose to the occasion in grand fashion. He scored over 700 runs, led from the front with maturity, and often anchored the innings during pressure situations. His ability to play big innings is becoming a hallmark, though his returns on tougher pitches remain a point for Pant - 8.5/10What can you say about Rishabh Pant. Under pressure due to his poor outings in Australia and then in the IPL, Pant broke the shackles and scored important runs with the bat. Battered and bruised, he simply refused to give up, even batting with a fractured toe in the Manchester Test match. Dhruv Jurel – 6/10Jurel, though not given much time to prepare put in a braveheart of a performance behind the stumps. At Lord's he was shaky due to the slope, but he made up for that with his scintillating performance at the Thakur – 3/10The comeback wasn't ideal for Thakur, who looked off-colour with both bat and ball. Despite good domestic performances, he failed to replicate that form in English conditions, struggling to make any impact across the Reddy – 4.5/10Reddy showed glimpses of promise with the ball, particularly during the Lord's Test, but his batting fell short of expectations. He is still adjusting to the demands of Test cricket, and while this series may not have gone his way, he remains an exciting Sundar – 7/10Brought in to deepen the batting, Sundar fulfilled his role well, especially in the Manchester Test. His innings helped India stay in the game. His spell at Lord's also raised questions about whether he should've been used more with the Jadeja – 7.5/10Jadeja silenced critics with five successive 50+ scores, asserting his value as a dependable batter in the middle order. However, his bowling was less effective, possibly due to the conditions, though questions remain about his tactical use of angles and fields. advertisementBowlersJasprit Bumrah – 5/10While Bumrah remains India's premier pacer, this series was below par by his high standards. Limited to just three matches due to workload management, he failed to pick up key wickets in crunch moments. Whether this is a dip in form or fatigue remains to be Krishna – 5/10Krishna showed he can handle pressure, especially during the comeback in the final Test. Though he lacked consistency, the raw pace and bounce he generated hinted at potential that, if nurtured, could serve India Deep – 6/10While his bowling still needs refinement, Akash Deep impressed with his gritty half-century in the final Test. He has the ability to tie one end down, but India will need him to develop into a more attacking bowler to be a long-term Siraj – 9/10India's hero of the series. Siraj played all five Tests, bowled the most overs, and ended as the series' leading wicket-taker. His spell on the final day at The Oval will be remembered as one of the defining moments of the series. He wasn't always consistent, but his aggression, spirit, and belief made all the difference. Without Bumrah by his side in crucial phases, Siraj took the lead and proved he is now among the world's top fast 2-2 result in England is not just a reflection of grit but also of depth. Even without senior stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ashwin, the team found ways to fight back and match England blow for blow. The rise of young stars, the emergence of new leaders, and Siraj's relentless fire have left Indian fans with much to look forward to in the coming years.- EndsMust Watch
