Latest news with #CraigMcMillan
India Today
11-08-2025
- Sport
- India Today
India are missing a player like Hardik Pandya in Tests: Craig McMillan
New Zealand women's cricket team head coach Craig McMillan has said that India are missing an all rounder Hardik Pandya in Tests. Pandya last played Tests in 2018 in England and has never skipped the longest format due to injury concerns. In the recently concluded five-match Test series against, India missed a seam all-rounder as Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shardul Thakur couldn't do justice to their Craig McMillan said that while India have the services of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar as spin all rounders for Asian conditions. They need a player like Hardik Pandya for overseas conditions. He gave the example of England captain Ben Stokes, saying that he's two players in one.'In Asian conditions, you need a spin-bowling allrounder like Jadeja, Washington or previously R Ashwin. In NZ, Australia and England, you need a fast-bowling allrounder. It is where India are missing a player like Hardik Pandya who can bowl medium pace and bat lower down the order. For England, Ben Stokes is two players in one,' McMillan told Times of India. Pandya has played 11 Tests in his career and scalped 17 wickets at an average of 31.05 with one five-wicket haul to his name, which came in a winning cause against England in Nottingham. He also accumulated 532 runs at an average of 31.29 with one hundred and four McMillan also shared his views on Shubman Gill's first Test series as captain and backed him to learn from his mistakes.'He looks a good captain. The first series is very tough. In such a pressure-cooked series, he probably made a few mistakes. But you expect those in his first series. He will get better with experience. He is the future, so India will invest in him. He will get to know his team's game, which I think is really important, and the style of play,' he had a phenomenal series as he scored 754 runs from ten innings at an average of 75.4 with four hundreds to his name. He started the series with a magnificent 147 at Headingley, Leeds and further accumulated 430 runs (269, 161) in the second Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham – the second-highest match aggregate in the further scored a match-saving 103 in the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester, helping India draw the match. Courtesy of his prolific run, he was deservedly adjudged Player of the Series after leading his men to a historic draw.- Ends
News18
11-08-2025
- Sport
- News18
Not Shardul Or Sundar! Ex-Cricketer Feels India Missing This Star All-Rounder In Tests
Last Updated: Former New Zealand all-rounder Craig McMillan felt that India miss Pandya when it comes to a fast-bowling all-rounder in foreign conditions. Following the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, a plethora of youngsters have been trying to settle in India's Test set-up. Though head coach Gautam Gambhir has categorically denied calling it a transitional phase, the way the England Tests went, the team definitely needs time to ace perfection. While countless talents are waiting in the wings for an opportunity, some players have stepped aside after showing a glimpse of what they can do in red-ball. One of them is all-rounder Hardik Pandya. The experts of the game have often suggested that the Indian cricket team needs Pandya, especially on overseas tours. Former New Zealand all-rounder Craig McMillan, who is currently associated with the NZ women's side as an assistant coach, felt that India miss Pandya when it comes to a fast-bowling all-rounder in foreign conditions. 'In Asian conditions, you need a spin-bowling allrounder like Jadeja, Washington or previously R Ashwin. In NZ, Australia and England, you need a fast-bowling allrounder. It is where India are missing a player like Hardik Pandya who can bowl medium pace and bat lower down the order," Mcmillan was quoted as saying by the Times of India. It's been 7 years since Pandya turned up in whites. India's tour of England in 2018 was the last time he played Test cricket for India. His career was marred with injuries thereafter, and post-recovery, Pandya kept himself confined to white-ball cricket. 11 Tests, scoring 532 runs, including a century and 4 fifties. He has also picked up 17 wickets at an average of 31.05. McMillan also spoke about Gill's captaincy on his first assignment, in England. The former all-rounder said that though the 25-year-old Punjab batter made a few mistakes, he will get better with experience. 'He looks like a good captain. The first series is very tough. In such a pressure-cooked series, he probably made a few mistakes. But you expect those in his first series. He will get better with experience. He is the future, so India will invest in him. He will get to know his team's game, which I think is really important, and the style of play," he added. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
10-08-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
The team that plays spin the best will win the women's World Cup: McMillan
Former New Zealand all-rounder Craig McMillan, the current assistant coach of the New Zealand women's cricket team, said that the focus of the 10-player group currently training at the CSK High Performance Centre (HPC) is on batting effectively versus spin bowling, as scoring runs against spinners will be the key in the upcoming women's World Cup (Sep. 30 to Nov. 2) in India and Sri Lanka. 'We've brought ten players over with the focus being on playing spin bowling, because that's going to be a major emphasis during the World Cup. It's an opportunity to try and upskill the girls as quickly as we can,' he said at the CSK HPC ground on Saturday. Five of the ten players - Brooke Halliday, Jess Kerr, Georgia Plimmer, Maddy Green, and Isabella Gaze - played against India in the three-match ODI series in Ahmedabad in October. On New Zealand's chances of winning the World Cup, he said: 'It's going to be a tough World Cup. There are a number of good teams. India, obviously, will go in as favourites with the team they have and their performance in England recently. The team that plays spin the best is probably going to be the team that goes on to win the World Cup. It's going to be a big factor.' Speaking about Shubman Gill's captaincy in the recently concluded Anderson-Tendlukar Trophy, he said: 'To me, he looks like he's gonna be a good captain. He will get better with experience. And he's the future. So, India will invest in him. 'He will get to know his team's game, which I think is really important - the style of play. How does India want to play? Under Virat Kohli, everyone knew how India played. They were aggressive. They were at the opposition. That might be a little bit different because of his personality for Gill. But he's got to work that out for himself with the coach and decide what sort of style India wants to play.'
The Hindu
10-08-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Spin will be the key factor at Women's World Cup, says New Zealand assistant coach Craig McMillan
Former New Zealand all-rounder Craig McMillan, the current assistant coach of the New Zealand women's cricket team, said that the focus of the 10-player group currently training at the CSK High Performance Centre (HPC) is on batting effectively versus spin bowling, as scoring runs against spinners will be the key in the upcoming women's World Cup (Sep. 30 to Nov. 2) in India and Sri Lanka. 'We've brought ten players over with the focus being on playing spin bowling, because that's going to be a major emphasis during the World Cup. It's an opportunity to try and upskill the girls as quickly as we can,' he said at the CSK HPC ground on Saturday. Five of the ten players - Brooke Halliday, Jess Kerr, Georgia Plimmer, Maddy Green, and Isabella Gaze - played against India in the three-match ODI series in Ahmedabad in October. On New Zealand's chances of winning the World Cup, he said: 'It's going to be a tough World Cup. There are a number of good teams. India, obviously, will go in as favourites with the team they have and their performance in England recently. The team that plays spin the best is probably going to be the team that goes on to win the World Cup. It's going to be a big factor.' Gill impresses McMillan Speaking about Shubman Gill's captaincy in the recently concluded Anderson-Tendlukar Trophy, he said: 'To me, he looks like he's gonna be a good captain. First series, very tough. I think he probably made a few mistakes at times. But you expect that in your first series. He will get better with experience. And he's the future. So, India will invest in him. 'He will get to know his team's game, which I think is really important - the style of play. How does India want to play? Under Virat Kohli, everyone knew how India played. They were aggressive. They were at the opposition. That might be a little bit different because of his personality for Shubman Gill. But he's got to work that out for himself with the coach and decide what sort of style of cricket India wants to play.'
