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News18
an hour ago
- Sport
- News18
Kevin Pietersen Lauds Karun Nair, KL Rahul Ahead Of England Tour: 'He Got 100...'
Last Updated: Kevin Pietersen has praised Karun Nair and KL Rahul for their dedication to Test cricket after a long T20 league. Former England cricketer and Delhi Capitals mentor Kevin Pietersen lauded his boys Karun Nair and KL Rahul, praising their commitment towards playing the longest format soon after a gruelling two-month-long T20 league, ahead of a big Test series against his native England. Nair vindicated the selectors' call to include him in the main team as he smacked a double hundred in the ongoing first unofficial Test between India A and England Lions in Canterbury. Karun made 204 off 281 deliveries (26×4 1×6) as India A continued their strong march after resuming from the overnight 409/3. Karun was involved in an 181-run partnership for the third wicket with Sarfaraz Khan and a 195-run stand with Dhruv Jurel. As per reports, Rahul has requested that BCCI fly him to Northamptonshire next week so that he can play the second match between India A and England Lions. 'Karun got a 100 yesterday, and KL has asked BCCI to travel early to the UK to get extra practice in before Tests – 2 gems! ????," Pietersen tweeted on Saturday afternoon. advetisement According to a report in The Times of India, Rahul will leave for Northamptonshire on June 2 after being granted permission by the BCCI. Rahul decided to play the second India A match against the England Lions after rain had spoiled his preparation in Mumbai. With the weather clearing only by June 5 and the rest of the Indian team set to travel on June 6, Rahul decided to leave earlier. Rahul had played for India A before the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia as well. He was one of India's best batters in that series, which they lost 1-3. India will be captained by Shubman Gill against England, while Rishabh Pant will serve as his deputy. Meanwhile, India A were finally bowled out for a whopping 557 in the second session of Day 2, with Josh Hull and Zaman Akhter picking three wickets apiece. Karun, who resumed from overnight 186, brought up his 200 off 272 deliveries with a boundary over covers off pacer Eddie Jack. First Published: May 31, 2025, 18:50 IST
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
‘Karun Nair gets 100, KL Rahul requests BCCI to…': Gambhir handed ‘two gems' verdict ahead of England series
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen, who mentored Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, is mighty impressed with Karun Nair and KL Rahul ahead of the upcoming five-match Test series against England. Pietersen, who worked with both these batters at close quarters in the T20 competition, lauded the way both are preparing for the upcoming series, beginning June 20. Karun Nair vindicated the selectors' call to include him in the main squad as he hit a century in the ongoing first unofficial Test between India A and England Lions in Canterbury. The right-handed batter, 33, made full use of some below-par bowling on a green surface, which offered some initial assistance for the pacers. Karun remained unbeaten on 186 on Day 1 of the first unofficial Test as he made a strong case for his inclusion in the playing XI for the first match of the five-Test series against England in Headingley. The right-hander was involved in an 181-run stand for the third wicket with Sarfaraz Khan. The latter missed out on a well-deserved century, but Karun piled the misery, and he found support in Dhruv Jurel. According to reports, KL Rahul has also requested that the BCCI fly him to the UK next week so that he can play the second Test between India A and England Lions. Also Read: Karun Nair makes dream start to England tour with century for India A Pietersen labelled Nair and Rahul as 'two gems' of Indian cricket as he appreciated their efforts to prepare for the England tour. 'Karun gets a 100 yesterday, and KL has asked BCCI to travel early to the UK to get extra practice in before Tests - 2 gems,' Pietersen wrote on X (formerly Twitter). According to a report in the Times of India, KL Rahul will leave for the UK on Monday after being granted permission by the BCCI. Rahul was originally slated to leave alongside the rest of the Indian team on June 6. However, he decided to play the second India A Test against the England Lions after rain spoilt his preparation in Mumbai. KL Rahul had also played for India A before the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The opening batter will now be required to shoulder the responsibility of the batting order after the Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Rahul was one of India's best batters in the series against Australia, which India lost 1-3. India will be led by Shubman Gill against England while Rishabh Pant will serve as his deputy. India squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
News18
9 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Jay Shah Salutes Armed Forces For Shielding Nation From Terrorism
Last Updated: Jay Shah praised the Indian armed forces for their bravery and saluted the country's soldiers for spearheading the fight against terrorism. International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah expressed solidarity with the Indian armed forces following their response to Pakistan's aerial strikes on Thursday in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. Lauding the valour and commitment of the Indian forces, Shah saluted the country's soldiers for spearheading the fight against terrorism amid the tension with Pakistan. 'Our armed forces are our pride, and no words are enough to express their valour and commitment in protecting our motherland and people. We salute our brave men and women in the armed forces who are shielding our nation from terrorism. Let us unite to honour our heroes and build a stronger, more united India. #JaiHind," Shah wrote on his Instagram story. India's legendary spinner Anil Kumble also echoed Shah's sentiments and praised the 'unwavering courage" of the Indian armed forces. 'In uncertain times, one truth remains – our armed forces stand tall with unwavering courage. Their quiet determination is India's strongest shield. I salute every braveheart who guards our tomorrow. #JaiHind," Kumble posted on X. On Thursday, Pakistan launched aerial attacks on Jammu as well as several military stations near the western border, but India's air defence systems successfully foiled those attempts. Pakistan attempted strikes, involving drones and missiles, triggered blackouts and sirens across several areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Authorities urged residents to remain indoors and vigilant as emergency protocols were activated. The attacks seem to be in retaliation for Operation Sindoor by Indian armed forces on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, from where the attack on tourists in Pahalgam was planned. Terrorists killed 26 tourists – 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. Amid the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan, the BCCI on Friday suspended the IPL 2025 with immediate effect, albeit for one week. The board added that the new schedule and venues of the tournament will be announced in due course after assessing the situation. First Published: May 09, 2025, 19:33 IST
NDTV
9 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Karun Nair's Comeback Sparks Debate as Sarfaraz Khan, Shreyas Iyer Miss Out On England Tests
As India prepares for a crucial five-match Test series in England starting June 20, the omissions of Sarfaraz Khan and Shreyas Iyer from the squad have triggered plenty of debate. Both batters were widely expected to be part of the team, especially with the retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Instead, the selectors opted for Karun Nair, marking a surprise recall after nearly eight years, and handed Sai Sudharsan his maiden call-up. The buzz now is whether Nair's resurgence came at the cost of Sarfaraz and Iyer's Test futures. The announcement of India's 18-member Test squad for the England tour raised more than a few eyebrows. With two batting spots available due to the recent retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the general belief was that Shreyas Iyer and Sarfaraz Khan – both of whom played for India in the last year – were front-runners. However, in a surprising move, the selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir, chose to go in a different direction. Karun Nair, who last played a Test for India in 2017, was recalled following an outstanding domestic season. Meanwhile, Sai Sudharsan was rewarded for consistent performances with a maiden call-up. These selections meant there was no place for Sarfaraz or Iyer, and the decision has since drawn mixed reactions. Former India pacer Atul Wassan believes the omissions were driven more by perception than performance. Speaking on the 12th episode of Bails and Banter on OTTPlay, Wassan suggested that Sarfaraz and Iyer were overlooked due to doubts about their ability to succeed in English conditions. 'Sarfaraz made three fifties and a hundred but didn't get a single game in Australia. It's this perception that he may not perform overseas. Same with Shreyas Iyer – people feel he hasn't done enough in red-ball cricket,' Wassan said. 'On the other hand, the buzz was all about Karun Nair. Sometimes the team management just backs a gut feeling.' Sarfaraz had a memorable debut earlier this year, scoring 62 against England before being run out due to a mix-up with Ravindra Jadeja. He backed it up with a 68* in the next innings and went on to score another fifty and his maiden Test century – 150 vs New Zealand in Bengaluru. Despite his performances, he did not feature in a single match in the Australia series and now finds himself out of the squad entirely. Shreyas Iyer, on the other hand, last played a Test during the England series before a back injury sidelined him. While he returned strongly in white-ball cricket – playing a key role in India's Champions Trophy win – his red-ball spot remains elusive. His exclusion from BCCI's central contracts list earlier this year had already hinted at his uncertain Test future. Karun Nair, meanwhile, made a strong case with 863 runs in nine Ranji Trophy matches and 779 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His consistent form seems to have convinced the selectors to give him another shot in the longest format. Listen to the latest songs, only on
NDTV
13 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Gautam Gambhir's 'Not A Selector' Comment Receives Brutal Jibe: "Only Rejects..."
The decision to include Shreyas Iyer in the Indian cricket team squad for the upcoming Test series against England has resulted in a lot of debate among fans and experts. Shreyas enjoyed a brilliant run of form in the last one year and although his IPL batting performance was quite impressive, he was not considered for the series. While chief selector Ajit Agarkar gave a detailed reason for not selecting him, head coach Gautam Gambhir just said that 'I am not the selector' - an indication that the coaching staff was not included in the process. During the 12th episode of Bails and Banter on the OTTplay app, former Indian pacer Atul Wassan took a slight dig at Gambhir - 'he doesn't select; he only rejects'. Wassan added that a coach plays a key role in team selection process. "If he (Gautam Gambhir) has been given this position, then I think he deserves to go with his feeling, whether it's right or wrong," he explained. Earlier, Gambhir hailed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for dedicating the final of IPL 2025 — scheduled for June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad — to the Indian Armed Forces, in honour of Operation Sindoor, the military response to the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives. This gesture from the BCCI and IPL Governing Council marks a first-of-its-kind tribute in the league's history. The Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, and Chief of Air Staff have been officially invited to attend the grand finale. "It's an unbelievable step from BCCI. You know, we normally criticise the BCCI for various things, but this is unbelievable. This is something where I think BCCI has taken a great initiative from a point of view where the entire nation is one, and the entire nation has to salute the armed forces for what they do unconditionally, saving and protecting us," Gambhir told the reporters on the sidelines of the Goswami Ganesh Dutt Memorial Cricket Tournament. The IPL final, initially set for May 26, was rescheduled to June 3 following a week-long suspension of the tournament due to rising tensions between India and Pakistan. The escalation — and India's subsequent military action across the Line of Control and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir — saw the nation rally around its armed forces, leading the BCCI to take a conscious call to align the tournament's climax with a patriotic tribute. Since the restart, every IPL match has opened with the national anthem, while digital boards across stadiums flash a constant message: 'Thank You, Armed Forces.' The initiative has received widespread appreciation from players and fans alike.
