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India Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
Marnus Labuschagne willing to open for Australia in a bid to make the Ashes squad
Marnus Labuschagne says he is willing to open the innings for Australia if that is what it takes to earn a place in the upcoming Ashes series. The 30-year-old batter, who has been a fixture in the Test side since 2019, was recently dropped for the first time during the series against the West has since taken time to reflect on his form and approach, working closely with coaches at home rather than playing county cricket or representing Australia (being left out) has allowed me to reflect and not have the pressure of the media saying, 'Marnus has got to go',' Labuschagne told News Corp in his first interview since losing his spot, as reported by ESPNCricinfo. 'I mean, that's part of the game. There is a tipping point, but it's something I thrive on — proving the doubters wrong and being able to find a way. Missing those West Indies Tests gave me the chance to think, 'This is where I want to be and this is how I'm going to get there'.'The Queenslander emphasised that he still has the hunger and determination to succeed, particularly in one of cricket's most iconic TO BAT ANYWHERE FOR AUSTRALIALabuschagne acknowledged that selection is not in his hands and said he is prepared to take on any role for the team — even one outside his usual position.'I'd be happy to do that — I'd love to,' he said of potentially opening the batting. 'If opener is where I need to bat to be playing in the Test team, that's fine. I've batted at number three my whole career, but at this stage you don't get a choice. I opened in the World Test Championship final and felt I batted quite well. I got in but did not go on with it.'His comments come as Australia debates its opening combination. Sam Konstas, who opened during the West Indies series, has shown technical vulnerabilities, prompting discussion over whether he should retain his place or make way for a more experienced option. Labuschagne's willingness to adapt could put him firmly back in the selectors' plans ahead of the Ashes.- EndsMust Watch
India Today
09-07-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Ben Stokes tight-lipped about batting form chatter, promises strong response at Lord's
England captain Ben Stokes has promised a strong response from the home side in the third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, set to be played at Lord's, London from 10 to 14 July.** Stokes insisted that England have never taken India lightly and vowed that his team would come hard at the visitors in a bid to edge ahead in what has been a closely contested winning the opening Test in Leeds with a record chase of 371, England were thoroughly outplayed in the second Test in Birmingham, suffering a 336-run defeat. Their bowling lacked bite, and their batters failed to cope with the pace duo of Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill produced a record-breaking display with the bat, scoring 269 and 161, as England struggled to contain the Indian fightback on a flat pitch at reinforce their bowling attack, England have recalled Jofra Archer to the XI. The express pacer, who has endured a series of injuries, returns to the Test team after a four-year absence. "This was always going to be a series with ebbs and flows - two strong teams going at each other. We came out on top at Headingley; they did at Edgbaston. I don't think we feel we've got the edge over anyone - we respect our opponents at all times. But we'll come out hard this week looking for a win," Stokes told the media on the eve of the Lord's have shown resilience in the past, frequently bouncing back from setbacks without abandoning their aggressive approach. However, Lord's has not been a particularly successful venue for them in recent years, especially against teams from the subcontinent. India have recorded victories at Lord's in both 2014 and 2021.A BIG SCORE AT LORD'SMeanwhile, Ben Stokes remained guarded when asked about his own form with the has endured a lean run in Test cricket over the last two years. In 2024, he played 13 Tests and scored just 602 runs at an average of 28.66. His form in 2025 has dipped further, with only 95 runs in three Tests at an average of lack of runs has come under increasing scrutiny, with former cricketers questioning his contributions. The contrast with India's captain, Shubman Gill - who has been breaking records with ease - has only added to the pressure. Stokes has not crossed the 40-run mark even once in the ongoing he may draw inspiration from his second-innings century at this very venue during the 2023 Ashes."That was two years ago, so I'm pretty much over that now. But yes, hopefully there's another big score just around the corner," Stokes said, adding that he was feeling good about his workload and current rhythm with the BALL A CONCERN?advertisementStokes also echoed Shubman Gill's concerns over the condition of the Dukes ball, which has gone soft far earlier than expected during the series. His remarks came a day after the manufacturer of the Dukes ball defended the product, instead suggesting that the blame lay with bowling units and unresponsive pitches."Yeah, look. We're not the only ones - whenever touring teams come here, there have been issues with the ball going soft and out of shape. I'm not even sure the rings we use are the standard Dukes rings," Stokes said."It's not ideal, but you deal with it. If you think the ball is out of shape, you ask the umpire to check it, and if it passes through the ring, you just crack on. If it doesn't - once it's sufficiently out of shape - you get a new one. It was definitely an issue at Edgbaston, and it's something all bowling attacks have had to contend with."England will be hoping for a pitch that offers more to the bowlers after two matches on batter-friendly surfaces. However, the bigger question may be whether their batting line-up can withstand the threat posed by India's pace attack, which will be strengthened by the return of Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the Birmingham Test.- EndsYou May Also Like
India Today
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Seam, skid and spirit: Akash Deep turns Edgbaston into spectacle of English mayhem
If Indian pacer Akash Deep were a serial killer, his signature style would betray him. For his merciless assault reduces batters to grotesque spectacles, each marked by tell-tale signs of the victims fall in eerie uniformity: legs splayed, knees buckled, bat limp in a feeble grip, shoulders twisted to the right, head falling to the left, eyes wide open, mouth agape—every image a relic of his methodical double demise of Harry Brook at Edgbaston epitomises Akash Deep's deadly craft. On both occasions, Brook was shattered like a brittle twig, his knees buckling, shoulders slumping, and the bat hanging for the Australian bowling attack to Harry Brook in the Ashes.#ENGvIND CricBlog (@cric_blog) July 6, 2025 The devastation was unleashed by Akash Deep's skiddy seamers, his go-to weapon of destruction. In both innings, Akash Deep kept the ball just back of a length, and made them zip off the surface. Unable to counter the Akash missiles in time, Brook was blown apart mid-flight, scattering him into bits on the popping wasn't alone. Throughout the Test, Akash Deep had England's batters staggering like drunk dancers on slippery ice—flailing, falling and looking foolish. How did Akash Deep choreograph this pageant?Skidder Like ShamiFast bowling is science, especially physics and aerodynamics (how objects move through the air). When a bowler hurls the ball, it acts like a projectile—think of a bullet or slingshot—following rules of motion. While all fast bowlers use these principles, each has a unique Deep's specialty is making the ball skid off the pitch—meaning it stays low and moves quickly after bouncing, often surprising the batter. His deliveries also swing or seam both ways (left or right), making them hard to predict. This skidding and unpredictable movement often lead to batters being bowled or trapped LBW. In domestic cricket, about half of Akash Deep's wickets come from these dismissals, showing his knack for knocking over stumps or pinning batters in Deep's high arm action makes the ball skid, with more downward velocity than forward momentum, reducing pitch resistance. The upright seam further amplifies the skid effect, hurrying the ball through, as if it were on the wobbleball affected bowling tacticshttps:// Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) July 3, 2025To extract the best from his art, Akash Deep maintains a consistent line and length. As experts noted after his Edgbaston exploits, he attacks the stumps, bringing bowled and LBW into play. Nearly 70 percent of his deliveries are just short of good length (6-8 metres from stumps), giving them zip and stump-level the skid and upright seam—the thread sewn on the leather ball–-are trademarks of another great Indian pacer–Mohammad Shami. And Akash Deep looks like a bowler-for-bowler replacement for is the fun part: The curator of the Edgbaston pitch unwittingly helped Akash Deep turn into a lethal Their Own GraveThe England team, as part of its Bazball policy, seeks to dominate Test cricket with fearless batting. Since it wants to use the bat as its strongest suit, the pitches are crafted in such a way that they suffer minimum wear, especially against teams like India that rely on the pitches don't deteriorate or roughen, they remain smooth as highways till the end. These hard pitches help bowlers who can make the ball skid. (Since the resistance from the surface is minimum.)At Edgbaston, the English fell into their own trap by preparing what is called a paata pitch–flat, smooth and batting friendly, resembling an Indian track. Akash Deep (and Mohammad Siraj) exploited these conditions with their skidding-on-the-deck deliveries. English bowlers, conversely, tried to hit the surface for bounce and movement, which faded as the ball aged and the clouds skid's not the only weapon for Akash Deep. His dismissal of Joe Root showcased his sharp mind: going wide on the crease, creating an angle, and making the ball jag away at the last second to knock off the bails—a delivery blending science, precision, and wizardry.#AkashDeep uproots #JoeRoot with a searing in-swinger, his second wicket puts England firmly on the back foot #ENGvIND 2nd TEST, Day 4 | LIVE NOW on JioHotstar Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 5, 2025But, all of this couldn't have been achieved if Akash Deep wasn't the embodiment of the old adage: a man who has nothing to lose is a dangerous man.A Dangerous ManAt 23, Akash Deep was forced to take a break from cricket to take care of his father, who was paralysed. A few years later, Akash Deep lost his father and elder 2024, when he debuted for India against England at Ranchi, Akash Deep unleashed his skidders and seamers, scalping three wickets in no time. Later, he told the media, he had no fear. 'Having lost so much, there was nothing else to lose,' he Deep's mental toughness has been forged by hardships and tragedies, which seem bent to test him further with his sister's illness. At Edgbaston, his resolve was further steeled by the realisation that once again he had nothing to lose. Already the fourth choice bowler, he was playing because Jasprit Bumrah had to be rested. Aware that his chances were limited, Akash Deep battled without fear, bowling his heart out, gambling his last Deep's Edgbaston heroics have rewritten his story from a fourth-choice bowler to an indispensable force. His skiddy seamers, relentless accuracy, and fearless spirit have not only dismantled England's batters but also their carefully laid plans. At Lord's, the hosts face a grim choice: craft another flat track, and Akash Deep's missiles will wreak havoc; offer bounce, and Bumrah's wrath awaits. With Siraj by their side, this holy trinity of pace has India dreaming a boy shaped by loss to a warrior owning the crease, Akash Deep has proven that the most beautiful carnage comes from a perpetrator that fears nothing.- EndsMust Watch
BBC News
31-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Super League's coaches on the return of Ashes tour
The news that Australia will travel to England to face a three-Test series later this year sent shockwaves through the is the first time since 2003 the world champions will have faced a Test series, albeit that one 22 years ago came against a Great Britain side they whitewashed time around, it is a chance for England to prove its mettle against one of the game's toughest nations when the series kicks off at Wembley on 25 what do some of Super League's head coaches think about the historic tour?BBC Sport takes a look at what they say it can do for the sport and whether it can reinvigorate rugby league in England. It is eight years since England and Australia last met - that was in the 2017 World Cup final in Brisbane, with Australia winning the edgy encounter Wane's England could have set up another meeting with the Kangaroos five years later in the Covid-delayed World Cup final at Old England were defeated by Samoa in the semi-final that year and missed the chance to tee off with Australia for World Cup that defeat at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium home, England have gone on to beat Tonga 3-0 in a home Test series as well as winning two Tests against Samoa last person who is familiar with facing the Aussies is St Helens boss Paul Wellens who, in his playing days, featured for Great Britain during the 2001 Ashes series as well as in the 2004 Tri Nations did not mince his words about the return of the Ashes."This is the biggest news for international rugby league in our country in over 20 years," he told BBC Radio Merseyside."Playing in an Ashes series should be the pinnacle of any player's career. The fact that we've got an Ashes series - and I know there's been talks for some time now - that's been finally confirmed is one of the most exciting things to happen to rugby league in this country for some time." Wakefield Trinity head coach Daryl Powell had decent pedigree during his playing career, having featured in Ashes series against Australia for Great Britain in 1990, 1992 and 1994."It's massive. For the players it's such a pinnacle, playing against the Aussies. The Test series back in my time as a player, I'll never forget," he told BBC Radio Leeds."Even though we lost all three 2-1, we had some unbelievable times, getting so close to the Aussies."His nostalgia for those times aside, Powell said the planning for this year's series is crucial to make it a success."I think it's great for the sport. If we get it right then it will be amazing," he added."Clearly the RFL have got to get a grip of the way the sport's being run. It needs to be managed in such a way that gets full houses and then you get it right."Shaun Wane and the players have got to get it right on the field. If you've got full houses at a game against Australia and it's competitive then I don't think there's a better sport in the world."Wigan boss Matt Peet believes that rugby league needs the international game to boost the sport and the Ashes is the perfect chance to achieve that."For the game to get where it deserves to be, the international scene has to be growing, thriving, flourishing and it needs to be what every player is aspiring to do, which is to represent their country," he told BBC Radio Manchester."For that to happen, you need consistent games. You need a regular competition structure where you know what's coming up. I think this a step in the right direction."Hopefully the quality of the games and the fan experience and product that's on TV will be a positive step for rugby league and leave everyone wanting more." Super League sides have outperformed expectations in recent years when pitted against Australian St Helens and Wigan have beaten formidable NRL premiers Penrith Panthers in the World Club Challenge within the past two years, showing that English rugby league can still cut it with the what sets apart playing against Australia compared to other international ties?For Powell it is speed."I've played against New Zealand, France, Papua New Guinea and Fiji, and the Kiwis were always pretty strong," he said."But the game against Australia is just like an unbelievably quick game where you're playing on instinct all the way through - it's that fast."The game's a little bit different now to when I played but it's still the same, the speed the game is played at is a couple of levels above anything else that you experience."As for this season's series, will it rekindle the feeling the Ashes had in the nineties? Salford Red Devils boss Paul Rowley, a former England international, thinks it can."We're flooded with rugby now. Back in the day in the eighties you only had a rare chance to see televised games. Less is more in that respect so everybody was hungry for a game, whether it was on a Sunday or if it was an international then it was few and far between," Rowley said."However, marketed right then absolutely we can recapture that spirit."
