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India Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
If RCB have to win the IPL, Mumbai Indians shouldn't enter the final: R Ashwin
Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin feels Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) mustn't face Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) final if they are to win the tournament. RCB qualified for the IPL final for the fourth time in their history after hammering Punjab Kings by eight wickets in the Qualifier 1 in comprehensive victory has taken them a step closer to winning their maiden IPL title as the Rajat Patidar-led side are eagerly waiting to cross the final hurdle. However, Ravichandran Ashwin has also backed RCB o win the tournament but feels that Mumbai Indians should get knocked out in the Eliminator fixture to further bolster their chances for the title RCB have to win the IPL, then Gujarat Titans should win against Mumbai Indians. MI are one team that you cannot allow to enter the final, you have to stop them at any cost,' Ashwin said on his YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat' Ashwin further said that MI mustn't be qualifying for the final as they're the only team that has some chance against RCB.'RCB will keep their fingers crossed to not have Mumbai Indians in the final. Mumbai Indians is the only team that has some chance against RCB. It looks like RCB are going the distance, but it is cricket; anything can happen. If I were RCB, my best finalist team would be Gujarat Titans. If I was RCB, I would want to face Gujarat Titans,' he have a great record while playing in the IPL final as they've won five out of the six times in the summit clash. On the other hand, RCB have lost all of the finals they've been a part of so far in their history. Having crushed Punjab in Qualifier 1, RCB will be eager to brush aside their past horrors and finally stake claim of the elusive IPL updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!
Time of India
6 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Can Kuldeep Yadav be India's trump card in England?
Kuldeep Yadav (PTI Photo) New Delhi: Kuldeep Yadav is 30, and it is quite unbelievable that he has only played 13 Tests for India. That too, after his five-wicket haul in Sydney in 2019 – long before he added extra yard to his pace, tightened his lengths, tweaked his bowling action, and became more rounded – the then Team India coach Ravi Shastri endorsed him as 'India's lead spinner in overseas Tests. ' A few years later, a loss of form and a career-threatening knee surgery put him at a crossroads, leading to him becoming the fifth-choice tweaker after R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Last time he was in England, in 2018, he had a forgettable experience on a green top at Lord's. He bagged a pair with the bat and conceded 44 runs in the nine overs he bowled. "Kuldeep ab same bowler nahi raha (He is not the same bowler anymore)," Kuldeep Yadav's childhood coach Kapil Pandey told India Test squad for England tour: Shubman Gill to lead, Rishabh Pant his deputy "This is also not the same England team. We have seen how they fared last time when they faced Kuldeep. They were unable to pick him," said Pandey, reflecting on his ward's 19 wickets in four Test matches on a "true wicket" against England in 2024. Kuldeep's moment to shine Ajit Agarkar , India's chief selector, on Sunday made it clear that fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to play all five Tests on the tour of England, which starts on June 20 at Headingley. Mohammed Shami has also been deemed not fit to sustain the rigours of five-day Tests. And with R Ashwin now retired, India will be banking on Kuldeep Yadav to be that X-factor against England's "Bazballers". But he will have his own challenges. "Spin bowling with the Duke ball is an art. It is my personal opinion that only Shane Warne had mastered that art. Kuldeep will have to find his rhythm with the Duke ball," said Pandey. "In India, he goes for wickets. But overseas, where the conditions are more seaming-friendly, he will have to attack to take wickets but at the same time will have to contain the run flow as well," said Pandey. Without a doubt, there is a tectonic shift in Kuldeep's attitude as well. Last year, during a podcast with Ashwin, Kuldeep had made his ambition clear. 'You remember, Ash bhai, after the Hyderabad Test (against England) you told me if I was to play as the lead spinner, I must bowl 15 overs and not give away more than 25-30 runs in a spell. Earlier, I used to think about getting four wickets and it didn't matter how many runs I conceded. ' India Test squad vs England: Ajit Agarkar full press conference Ashwin has publicly advocated for Kuldeep's inclusion in India's playing XI for all five Tests in England, highlighting his potential to be a valuable asset in overseas conditions. On his Hindi YouTube channel "Ash Ki Baat," Ashwin had said: "India should not go into this series without Kuldeep Yadav. That is my strong opinion -- unless and until it is an absolute green bed." Kapil agrees with Ashwin, but at the same time, citing Shane Warne's example, he said Kuldeep can generate more from the greener surface. Poll Do you believe Kuldeep Yadav can become India's lead spinner in the upcoming Test series against England? Yes, definitely No, I don't think so Maybe, it depends on his performance I'm not sure "Australia always played Shane Warne on absolute green-top surfaces. I am not saying Kuldeep is Shane Warne, but the greener the surface, the better chance for him to take wickets. This England side has a mentality to attack from ball one. They sometimes do the wild hoicking as well, and on a surface where there is more bounce and now with Kuldeep having added pace, he can trouble the England batters," said a confident Pandey. Shubman Gill story: From a remote village near the border to India's Test captain With the five-match Test series in England set to be a big challenge for an inexperienced Indian team under a new captain, Kuldeep will have to step up. According to Kapil, Kuldeep is oozing with confidence, and most importantly, he is carrying the advice of his idol Warne, who, ahead of the Sydney Test in 2019, had told him, 'I don't care however you bowl, just have a smile on your face.' "If he can do even 50 percent of what legendary Shane Warne has done in England, India will win the series," stated Pandey. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Who should captain India Test team? R Ashwin picks after Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli retirements
India's Jasprit Bumrah appeals successfully for the wicket of Australia's Marnus Labuschagne during play on the second day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia. (AP/PTI) Ravichandran Ashwin has picked Jasprit Bumrah as his first choice to replace Rohit Sharma as India's next Test captain. Speaking on his Hindi YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin said: "Whoever becomes I wish them the best." Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "There is a leadership vacuum in the team. If you ask me one simple and plain choice for captaincy it should Jasprit Bumrah," he said. "Jasprit Bumrah's workload and all keep coming up. Pat Cummins has led Australia and has done really well. Jasprit had one surgery and then a break again, I am not sure whether wants to puts himself on the line for five Tests. Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket after 14 years "I will be very surprised, if he plays all the five. He has to be given breaks in between to recuperate. I really think, he is a national treasurer. I will be really upset and disappointed that Jasprit Bumrah will not be consider as a captain. "I was so happy, when he became the captain for the first time," he added. has earlier reported that Shubman Gill is the frontrunner for the Test captaincy and will be announced as India's next Test captain soon. Who's that IPL player? Indian cricket will enter an uncertain new era next week when selectors name a Test squad without all-time greats Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the first time in more than a decade. Batting great Kohli and captain Rohit both retired from Tests in the past week, leaving Shubman Gill as the front-runner to lead a new-look India in England. Poll Who do you think should be the next Test captain of India? Other Ravichandran Ashwin Shubman Gill Jasprit Bumrah The retirement last year of veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin leaves India without the backbone of the side that was formerly number one in the world Test rankings. Top-order batsman Gill is favourite to be given the task of starting India's rebuild with the five-Test England series, which begins on June 20 at Headingley.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'If you can train someone for two years, why not Jadeja': R Ashwin on India's Test captain debate and Shubman Gill
The retirement of Virat Kohli leaves a massive void in India's Test cricket team. The squad hasn't been announced yet, and there has been no confirmation as to who will lead India in the Test series against England, set to commence in June. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While Kohli and Rohit Sharma leaving poses multiple questions, a few need immediate answering: who will be the new man to come in at the number 4 spot and who will be the new captain of this 'new', relatively inexperienced team? While the prominent discourse is that Gill appears to be the heir to both the number 4 spot and the captaincy, feels that it is a massive role to function in. While the CSK man posed no questions as to Gill's ability, he sincerely wished that 'too much pressure' isn't put on the 25-year-old. In conversation with cricket journalist Vimal Kumar, Ashwin, on his YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat', name-dropped Gill's century in Dharamshala and a splendid outing against England in Ranchi as some of his most notable displays. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. Diving deep into the captaincy question that looms large ahead of the England series, Ashwin said, "The most experienced person in the team is Ravindra Jadeja. If you're willing to train a new guy for two years and then make him captain, Jadeja can do that for two years too. They (India) can even play him as vice-captain (under Jadeja). It will seem like I'm throwing in a wildcard." Virat Kohli Retires, Spotted With Anushka Adding to Jadeja's case, the spinner added that every Indian player dreams of captaining India ever since they start representing the country. Furthermore, Ashwin cited Jadeja's captaincy stint at CSK, although he did not continue for long in the role. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Clarifying that he isn't insisting on Jadeja to be chosen as skipper, Ashwin clarified that there's no harm in considering the 36-year-old veteran for the role. Poll Who do you think should be the new captain of the Indian Test team? Other Jasprit Bumrah Ravindra Jadeja Shubman Gill While the IPL does not equate to the Test format in any way, the Gujarat Titans have risen to the top of the IPL table under the youngster's leadership. His ability to steer India against England, if chosen as captain, will largely determine the way Team India navigates this tricky transition.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
R Ashwin breaks silence on India's Test captaincy, cites Graeme Smith's example
Retired Indian off-spinner has named as his preferred choice to lead India in Test cricket, while acknowledging that is emerging as the most popular candidate. Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat , Ashwin also highlighted the leadership vacuum in the Indian side and called for a more structured and transparent captaincy selection process. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Ashwin expressed concern about how public opinion forms in cricket, stating that repeated narratives often turn perception into reality. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'If one person says something, it's an opinion. If five say it, it becomes a strong opinion. But if fifty say the same thing, people start believing it's the truth. That's my issue,' he said. He backed Bumrah, calling him a 'national treasure,' but admitted that the fast bowler's injury history and the demands of a full Test series make his long-term availability uncertain. 'Bumrah has had one major surgery. I'll be very surprised if he plays all five Tests in a series. He needs to be given breaks to recover,' Ashwin said. 'Still, I'll be very disappointed if he never gets to captain.' Ashwin also proposed the name of as a short-term option, suggesting he could lead for a couple of years while grooming a younger successor like Gill. 'Let's not forget, Jadeja is the most experienced player in the team. He should be in the conversation,' he said. Quiz: He praised Australia's approach of evaluating leadership candidates by asking them to present their captaincy vision, suggesting India should adopt a similar model. 'Captain, coach, and selector can make or break careers. It's happened before and will happen again. That's why I believe there should be an interview process.' Shane Watson on Phil Hughes: 'It Took the Innocence of the Game Away Ashwin argued that players like , Gill, Bumrah and Jadeja should not be judged on leadership potential without understanding their vision. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'Leadership is about character. No captain, coach or selector truly knows a player's character unless they've spoken to him,' he said. On Shubman Gill, Ashwin acknowledged that he appears to be the leading contender in the eyes of the public, and drew a parallel with , who captained South Africa at a young age. Virat Kohli & Anushka Visit Vrindavan After Test Retirement | Meet Premanand Ji Maharaj 'I hope Gujarat Titans qualify for the IPL playoffs . If Gill gains honour there, it might make his transition to leadership easier. But captaincy, especially in Tests, is not about one good season. A leader should know what's happening in first-class cricket too,' he said. Ashwin concluded by reiterating his admiration for Gill but emphasised the value of experience and structure in leadership decisions.
