Latest news with #BusinessofIndianCricket
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Middle East War Inevitable? Trump's Warship Armada Sails For Israel Ahead Of Iran's Revenge Attack
'Cricketers Aren't Cattle... ': Harish Thawani on the IPL and Business of Indian Cricket "Cricketers are not cattle to be sold in an auction." 🎙️ In this explosive episode of the Bombay Sport Exchange, K Shriniwas Rao sits down with Harish Thawani — the man behind Nimbus Communications — to explore how cricket broadcasting in India was built, negotiated, and fought over. From billion-dollar deals to bold opinions, this is the untold business story of Indian cricket. 6.1K views | 1 day ago
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'Let the ball come under your eyes': Matthew Hayden critiques batters technique as 28 wickets fall in two days of WTC Final
Lungi Ngidi of South Africa successfully appeals the wicket of Steve Smith of Australia (Photo by) Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden analyzed the batting collapse during the World Test Championship final between South Africa and Australia, pointing out technical deficiencies as batters struggled against seam movement, with 28 wickets falling across the first two days of play. The Australian batting lineup faced a severe collapse on Day 2, losing five wickets in just 42 balls, including key players Marnus Labuschagne , Steven Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, and captain Pat Cummins , leaving them at 73/7. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Historical data indicated that the pitch conditions were not unusually challenging compared to previous matches at the venue. Hayden highlighted how the demands of Test cricket differ significantly from white-ball formats, particularly regarding scoring rates and batting techniques. 'Cricketers Aren't Cattle... ': Harish Thawani on the IPL and Business of Indian Cricket "Test match cricket demands that you get comfortable with not scoring quickly--something that's the opposite of what the shorter formats teach. T20 batting encourages moving away from the ball to create space and power, but in Tests, that becomes a weakness. Dismissals like those of Labuschagne, Green, and Webster all stemmed from not getting close to the ball," Hayden said on JioHotstar. "We were taught to 'smell the leather'--to let the ball come under your eyes. In the longer format, that means moving towards the ball, not away from it. At the moment, there are clear technical deficiencies as these players readjust to Test cricket," he added. Quiz: Who's that IPL player? The dismissals of Labuschagne, Cameron Green, and Webster demonstrated this technical issue, as they failed to minimize the distance between their position and the ball, resulting in either thick outside edges or LBW dismissals. Former India coach Sanjay Bangar provided additional insight into the batting techniques of modern players, particularly focusing on their positioning at the crease. "This might be a tendency among Australian and South African batters. Many of them, like Marnus Labuschagne, are consistently getting out on that fifth or sixth stump line. Standing on off stump makes you think defensively, and your front foot doesn't go towards the ball," Bangar explained. "You're worried about LBW, and that hesitation impacts technique. In England, successful batters--like Rahul Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly, and Joe Root --often stayed leg side of the ball. On bouncy wickets, you can get away with it, but in these conditions, you become a sitting duck in front of the stumps," he concluded.
Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
India tour of England: Who should bat at no. 3 for Team India? Harbhajan Singh makes surprising pick
NEW DELHI: Former India spinner has backed young left-hander Sai Sudharsan to bat at No. 3 in India's upcoming five-Test series in England, calling it a crucial opportunity for the youngster. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "In my opinion, Sai Sudharsan should play at No.3. He's a left-hander, in top form, and just came off a very impressive IPL. His technique is sound, and I believe he could be the solution at that position," Harbhajan said, as quoted by IANS. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. The Indian squad for the England tour indicates a substantial change. Following the retirement of veterans like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and R Ashwin from the format, an altered 18-member team will compete under 25-year-old 's leadership, with serving as his deputy. Selection head Ajit Agarkar explained that Jasprit Bumrah was not considered for captaincy due to workload management concerns. "Gill is a new captain, and the team is quite young — there's no Rohit, Virat, Pujara, or even Ajinkya Rahane. It's going to be challenging, but I expect our youngsters to rise to the occasion and perform well," Harbhajan said. Poll How do you feel about the current leadership of Shubman Gill? Excited for new leadership. Skeptical about his experience. I think it's too soon to judge. He requested supporters and analysts to remain understanding during the team's development: "Just because they don't win right away doesn't mean we start criticising them. The team needs support right now. They're going through a transitional phase — a new team, a new era — and I hope it turns out to be a successful one for Indian cricket." 'Cricketers Aren't Cattle... ': Harish Thawani on the IPL and Business of Indian Cricket "The team needs to believe in themselves — believe that they can win. This team has the ability," Harbhajan added. "These are the same youngsters — Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant — who broke Australia's fortress at the Gabba. Now it's their turn to make history again. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The opportunity is massive, and they should grab it with both hands." The squad selection features first-time Test call-ups for B. Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh, whilst Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur return. The exclusion of Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami has generated discussion, with both fans and former captain Sourav Ganguly expressing concerns about Iyer's omission. "Shreyas Iyer is a very fine player. He's proven himself in ODIs, performed in the World Cup, Champions Trophy, and IPL. So yes, he should've been in the squad. But maybe the selectors don't see him as a red-ball player right now," Harbhajan said. "If I were part of the selection committee, I would have considered him. But this is not the end — his journey is long, and he might even be a future ODI captain. One missed tour doesn't mean his career is over. " The five-Test series begins June 20 at Headingley and marks India's entry into the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship cycle.
Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
WTC Final: Pat Cummins claims fifer against South Africa, surpasses Indian great on elite list
NEW DELHI: Australia skipper delivered a breathtaking bowling performance at Lord's, grabbing 6 for 28 to rip through South Africa's batting order and tilt the World Test Championship final heavily in his side's favour. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Cummins's masterclass saw him register his 14th five-wicket haul in Tests and reach a major personal milestone, surpassing Indian great Bishan Singh Bedi and matching with nine five-fors as a Test captain, the second-most in history behind Imran Khan (12). Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. Most Test 5-fers as captain 12 - Imran Khan 9 - Richie Benaud 9 - Pat Cummins 8 - Bishan Singh Bedi 7 - Courtney Walsh 7 - Jason Holder The South African innings collapsed spectacularly on Day 2, skittled out for just 138 in reply to Australia's modest 212. Cummins, who had already taken two wickets in the morning session, returned after lunch to produce a blistering burst, four wickets for one run in just 17 balls, leaving South Africa reeling. Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham had briefly steadied the ship with a 64-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Bavuma, who started the day on 3 not out, showed some fight with a stylish six off Cummins and a lofted drive off Starc, but was dismissed soon after, caught at cover by a diving Marnus Labuschagne. Poll Should Pat Cummins be considered among the greatest Test captains of all time? Yes, absolutely! Not yet, needs more time No, there are better captains Cummins struck again quickly after lunch, removing Kyle Verreynne lbw and trapping Marco Jansen for a duck in the same over. He then ended Bedingham's 111-ball effort by inducing an edge to the keeper before the lower order completely disintegrated. 'Cricketers Aren't Cattle... ': Harish Thawani on the IPL and Business of Indian Cricket A farcical run-out of Keshav Maharaj only added to South Africa's woes, and Cummins fittingly wrapped up the innings with his 300th Test wicket, dismissing , caught at deep square leg by Beau Webster. With this performance, Cummins not only reaffirmed his status as one of the premier fast bowlers of his generation but also etched his name alongside the game's greats as a captain who leads by fiery example.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'More will follow. It's out of our control': WI coach Darren Sammy expects more abrupt retirements like Nicholas Pooran
West Indies coach Daren Sammy voiced concerns over Nicholas Pooran's premature international retirement, hinting at a potential trend due to T20 franchise cricket's allure. Sammy emphasised the significance of national pride and fan loyalty, recalling West Indies' rich cricket heritage. In Pooran's absence, the team faced defeats in England, exposing bowling frailties. West Indies cricket coach Daren Sammy addressed Nicholas Pooran 's unexpected retirement from international cricket at age 29, expressing concern about keeping players motivated to represent their nation while predicting more early retirements to follow. Pooran, West Indies' all-time leading T20I run-scorer, announced his retirement eight months before the T20 World Cup, despite his successful career in franchise cricket. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Sammy revealed he had anticipated Pooran's decision before the official announcement, having had prior conversations with both the player and his agent. "My instincts told me something like that would happen," Sammy said on Tuesday night, after West Indies' sixth consecutive defeat on their white-ball tour to England. "Nicholas sent me a text message, and so did I have a conversation with his agent as well… When we first spoke about the UK tour and the conversation I had with him, I did ask him, 'Are you unavailable for the UK tour only, or indefinite?' And from that response, I just knew I had to start preparing for the worst case. " Pooran's international career notably never included Test cricket, with his last ODI appearance coming two years ago. Sammy shared his perspective on team pride during a pre-match meeting in Southampton, emphasising the historical significance of representing West Indies. It is up to each player to go out and put in that type of passion out there. I could only speak about it, but I can't force anybody to do it Darren Sammy "Surprised? No, I'm not surprised," Sammy said. "I said something to the guys in the team meeting today: we don't have control. It's up to each individual. I made my debut in 2004 right at this ground, and I see here today in the stands the same people from 2004 - 21 years ago - the same fans: loyal, coming, bringing food, and everything they've been doing that way before I started, for Sir Viv [Richards] and these guys." Sammy continued his reflection on the passionate West Indies fan base and cricket heritage. 'Cricketers Aren't Cattle... ': Harish Thawani on the IPL and Business of Indian Cricket "The passion they have travelling from London, all over, coming to watch us playing - not because we are great, [but] because of the love they have for the game and for West Indies cricket; what it meant to them when West Indies came here back in the 80s with Sir Viv and Clive [Lloyd], and they won games; the feeling it gave them during that era, walking down the streets, going to work the following day." The coach acknowledged the personal nature of such career decisions while stressing on team values. You saw everybody talk about Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, these guys who've retired. It's out of our control Darren Sammy "It is up to us, each individual, to understand what the brand and the crest means, and come out and play a brand that those people come and travel three hours to watch you play because of what the crest means to them. It is up to each player to go out and put in that type of passion out there. I could only speak about it, but I can't force anybody to do it, just like I can't tell anybody when to call time on their career." Sammy predicted similar retirement decisions from other players, citing recent examples from South African cricket. "I'm pretty sure more will follow in that mood, in that direction," Sammy said. "That's the way T20 cricket is now, and especially coming from the West Indies, with the challenges that we face trying to keep our players motivated to play for the crest, so I wouldn't be surprised. You saw everybody talk about Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, these guys who've retired. It's out of our control." The West Indies team struggled in England without Pooran, losing both ODI and T20I series 3-0, before heading to Ireland for upcoming T20I matches. Poll Do you think more West Indies players will retire early like Pooran? Yes, it seems likely. No, this is an isolated case. It depends on personal circumstances. Sammy expressed particular concern about the team's bowling performance, after conceding 628 runs in 58.3 overs during the T20I series, including 248 runs in Southampton. "It's a question of skills," Sammy said. "When being put under pressure, do we have the skillset to be disciplined with our plans? Do we back our ability long enough? Especially from a bowling point of view, we've been trying to search: how do we restrict things when they put us under the pump? [...] It's a conversation with a World Cup in less than eight months: how do we get our bowling right?" Sammy remained optimistic about the team's batting prospects while acknowledging defensive challenges. "I think the batting will be more consistent. They have been over the last two years, but we can't keep asking our batters to chase down high-200s, and then when we set 190 or 200, our bowling has yet to defend it. But I'm a very positive guy… We have enough time and games to put a combination together that could help us be successful."
