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India Gazette
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
India will have to invest in a player to master the catching part in gully area says Sanjay Bangar
New Delhi [India] July 2 (ANI): Former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar spoke about the importance of not dropping catches and said dropping chances makes the job of the bowling department much tougher. India dropped several catching opportunities throughout the opening Test against England, which conspired against them during their five-wicket defeat at Headingley. 'It's very important not to drop catches. It makes the job of the bowling department that much more tougher. But here I would say that this is also a fresh step forward for India. And wherever Yashasvi actually fields--basically, gully is a position in cricket which is a very, very specialised position,' JioHotstar expert Sanjay Bangar said while speaking on 'Follow The Blues'. India dropped as many as eight catching opportunities, which tipped the scales in England's favour. The eight dropped chances cost India a whopping 250 runs, a valuable tally that held the power to change the visitors' fate. Yashasvi Jaiswal was the prime offender with four dropped chances, followed by other top fielders. Bangar felt India would have to invest in a particular player to master the catching part in the gully area and praised former Indian skipper Anil Kumble, who did well in gully when he was playing. 'And that's where I think India will have to invest in a particular player to master the catching part in the gully area. I don't really remember too many great players who were consistently staying in the gully area. In my memory, Anil Kumble did that really well for India when he was playing,' he added. Bangar also highlighted the need to prioritise developing a skilled gully fielder, as this area sees a high volume of catches. He believed that the best fielder on the team should be positioned in the gully or in the wider slip cordon, such as the four-slip area. 'Ajinkya Rahane made that spot his own. But after that, there has to be a real focus on developing a good gully fielder. Because that's where a lot of catches go, and it's a position that should actually go to your best fielder. As we say that the point fielder has to be your best fielder. But your best catcher actually has to be slightly wider in the slip cordon--maybe that four-slip area or even the gully region. And that's where a lot of those catches go,' Bangar said. Ben Duckett's fiery 149, Joe Root's composed 53*, and Jamie Smith's swashbuckling 44* fuelled England's hunt to pull off a 371-run target at their favourite playground on Tuesday's final day of the Test. With this win, England go 1-0 up in the five-test match series. The second test between the two sides will be played on July 2 at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham. (ANI)
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First Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
'Spoke to players who were part of 2018 series': Shubman Gill reveals strategy behind playing two spinners in Edgbaston Test
India captain Shubman Gill explained why the team is likely to go with two spinners in the second Test against England at Edgbaston. Gill said a call on the second spinner will be taken after looking at the pitch. read more India captain Shubman Gill has opened up about his bowling strategy ahead of the second Test against England at Edgbaston. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Gill said India are going to play an extra spinner just to exploit patches in the surface during the 40 to 60-over phase of an innings rather than an extra fast bowler. Why India are playing two spinners? Gill explained that the ball becomes softer after around 40 overs, making it harder for pacers to create pressure against batters. He said that having a spinner could help control the game better in that middle phase. 'I have spoken to some of the players who were part of the 2018-19 series and they said the balls were slightly different in that series,' Gill was quoted as saying by PTI. 'Usually we don't see two spinners in England but given the conditions in Leeds we thought having an extra spinner would have been good. I think on these conditions having a second spinner will be helpful. If the conditions are same, having a second spinner would be good,' Gill said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also Read: Team India hotel reportedly cordoned off after suspicious package found near Centenary Square in Birmingham 'In the previous match, if we had had an extra spinner in the fourth innings, the game could have been better,' Gill said, referring to the five-wicket defeat in Leeds last week. There were some patches in the wicket that could have been exploited. Whenever Jaddu [Ravindra Jadeja] bhai was bowling, chances were being created,' he added. 'We also feel that it is easier for spinners to contain runs than fast bowlers, especially when the ball gets old. If you don't take wickets, it becomes very difficult. We bowled well but dropped a few catches too. It's not easy when you are constantly dropping catches,' Gill said. Captain Shubman Gill teases a tactical shift 👀 India may go with two spinners in the 2nd Test — with the second spinner expected to support the pace attack. A fresh twist in the team combo as India eye a 1-1 comeback! 🇮🇳 Watch #FollowTheBlues everyday 9 AM on Star Sports… — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 1, 2025 India are going to take the final call on which spinner to play after seeing the pitch today. Both Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar are available for selection, as suggested by India's assistant coach a day before. Gill also reiterated the same point in the press conference on the eve of the second Test on Tuesday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also Read: 'Play negative, defensive cricket': Ashwin's bold advice for Shubman Gill to target England's bazball Team India took part in their final practice session on 1 July, where Gill spoke to the media. The Indian skipper also revealed that Jasprit Bumrah is available for selection but his inclusion will be decided right before the match, after looking at the conditions.
News18
26-05-2025
- Sport
- News18
Not Jadeja! Sanjay Bangar Wants This Bowler To Lead India's Spin-Attack For ENG Tour
Last Updated: Sanjay Bangar wants this Indian spinner to lead the spin-unit for the upcoming England tour over Ravindra Jadeja, Sanjay Bangar made a strong case for Kuldeep Yadav to lead India's spin attack ahead of Ravindra Jadeja in the early part of the tour: The former Indian cricketer and Head Coach, Sanjay Bangar made a bold claim with regards to India's bowling unit ahead of the upcoming Test tour of England, coming up in June, later next month. The former cricketer believes that the Indian team should consider starting Kuldeep Yadav over Ravindra Jadeja as their front-line spinner for the five-match Test series against England. 'Kuldeep Yadav should be India's frontline spinner for the first three Tests in England. With Ravichandran Ashwin unavailable and Mohammed Shami not in the lineup, India needs a wicket-taking bowler who can make an impact even in swing-friendly conditions," he commented during 'Follow The Blues – India vs England Test Squad Announcement Special' on JioHotstar. He reckons that pitches in England are not as likely to offer as much turn or rough patches to make use of and considering this, he reckons that Kuldeep should be the man to lead the line in the English county. 'Jadeja is usually preferred overseas for his control and ability to exploit rough patches, but England is unlikely to offer spin-friendly tracks early on. The series begins in June with matches at Headingly, Edgbaston, and Lord's — all seam-friendly venues," he said. 'With Nitish Reddy as a batting all-rounder and a pace trio of Bumrah, Siraj, and Akash Deep, India can afford to play just one spinner — and that should be Kuldeep," he added. 'First of all, we have to make sure Bumrah doesn't get overburdened. That is where the team management will have a massive impact by using the bowling line-up picked around him. We saw in the Australia series, there were so many all-rounders, and Bumrah was at times overused because the team wanted him to bowl at all times, and it affected his bowling speeds," he commented. 'In one of the Tests, he was down to 120-129. To help him play five Test matches, you need a stronger bowling unit operating alongside him. The more matches he plays, the higher the chances of India winning," he added. Watch CNN-News18 here. Stay updated with all the latest news on IPL 2025, including the schedule, Points Table, IPL Orange Cap, and IPL Purple Cap. Get latest Cricket news, live score and match results on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published:
News18
24-05-2025
- Sport
- News18
Ex-Coach Against Shubman Gill Taking Virat Kohli's No. 4 Spot: 'Make A Quiet...'
Last Updated: Sanjay Bangar urges new Test skipper Shubman Gill to bat at number three, suggesting Karun Nair for number four. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar did not comment. Former India men's batting coach Sanjay Bangar wants new Test skipper Shubman Gill to stick to the number three spot and send 'a positive message' to the team. Bangar's comments come in light of reports saying that Gill could take the number four position vacated after Virat Kohli's retirement. Gill started his Test career as an opener but failed to build on it. Yashasvi Jaiswal's emergence made the right-hander drop to number three, where he hit three centuries last year. He has always been seen as Kohli's heir across formats, and it's believed that number four might expose his technique slightly less, which makes the move seem obvious. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar didn't comment on it in the press conference. 'If given a choice, Shubman should continue to bat at number 3 because if he does that, I think he sends a positive message to the entire team that 'there was a choice for me to get down to number 4 but we all know that in Test cricket, 3 is a slightly more difficult position than number 4'," Bangar said during 'Follow The Blues – India vs England Test Squad Announcement Special' on JioHotstar. 'So, he would make a quiet statement there that 'I am going to go under tough situations, tough circumstances, and do the job'. And if he does that, he can rally others around him as well and demand a lot more of having walked the talk." Bangar feels that if Gill picks the number three spot, Karun Nair, who has returned to the set-up after eight years, can come in at number four. 'Karun Nair will make a comeback straight away in the team on the sheer basis of the runs he has scored," Bangar said. 'There's a vacancy in the batting order, and against England, you'd want six specialist batsmen. So, in those six positions, he can certainly find a spot — he could bat at 4 if Shubman is at 3, or even at 6, a number down from Rishabh Pant. He has to be a starter. It's not about giving younger players a chance first and then bringing in Karun. He will have the first go. If things don't work well in the first two or three Tests, only then will the team management look beyond him," he added. Bangar also didn't discount India's chances in England despite having a young team. He said there's a good chance for them to win the series, which could be a 'great start' for the new tenure. 'If this group of players manages to win a Test series in England, I think that's going to be a great start for his [Gill's] leadership tenure. The calls that have been taken will be vindicated if the tour goes India's way. I'm pretty hopeful that this will be a series wherein you win a couple of Test matches, and if the other side falters, you might just end up winning the series as well," Bangar said. The five-Test series begins on June 20 in Headingley. First Published: May 24, 2025, 20:42 IST
Hans India
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Rahul and Jaiswal should open if India are looking for stability at the top, says Sarandeep
New Delhi: Former national selector Sarandeep Singh has backed KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal to be India's opening pair for the upcoming five-match tour of England, citing that the duo bring the stability element at the top of the batting order. Rahul and Jaiswal clicked as an opening pair on the Test tour of Australia, as seen by them putting a stand of 201 runs in the series opener at Perth Stadium last year. With Rahul being the only opener in the current Test team to score centuries in England, his experience will be vital in India getting a perfect start with the bat and guiding Jaiswal in negotiating tough conditions. 'I'd back KL Rahul to open. Pairing him with Jaiswal gives you experience in challenging conditions like England. Easwaran is still new—there'll be pressure on him, and the opposition will sense that.' 'KL Rahul brings balance. He knows how to survive tricky sessions and shift momentum when needed. If Easwaran plays, he could be slotted at No. 3. But if you're looking for stability at the top, KL Rahul and Jaiswal should open,' said Sarandeep on Follow The Blues - Selectors Meet episode on JioHotstar. Saba Karim, another ex-selector, felt Easwaran, who's been in India 'A' squad and been the reserve opener in the Test team, should open the batting with Jaiswal. 'Before the selectors decide on the squad, they must keep two things in mind: don't get carried away by recent performances and respect the pecking order—players who have consistently played for India A or have been part of the Test setup.' 'Abhimanyu Easwaran fits that bill. He has a solid domestic record and has done well in SENA countries. I'd go with Easwaran and Jaiswal as the opening pair—one right-hander and one left-hander, with strong technique for English conditions.' Kiran More, the former chief selector, believes India should stick to a balanced left-right opening combination in England. 'The England tour should be used to create opportunities for players like Easwaran, Sai Sudharsan, and Ruturaj Gaikwad. You'll need three or four openers.' 'Yashasvi Jaiswal has already proven himself. With Shubman Gill around, you can have a solid left-right combination. Sai Sudharsan can also bat at No. 3. He's smart, composed, and not flashy. The series won't be easy, so give these players a chance to grow. Out of them, you'll find your long-term openers.' More also believes Rahul should bat at number four, a slot which the recently retired Virat Kohli held. 'KL Rahul is ideal for No. 4. You could open with Jaiswal and Shubman Gill. Eswaran can be your backup opener or bat at No. 3. Sai Sudharsan gives you flexibility—he can bat anywhere, top or middle.' 'Don't forget Karun Nair. He's scored over 7,800 runs in domestic cricket and has a triple hundred in Tests. You need solid backup across the order, where KL Rahul at No. 4 can anchor the innings, especially after two quick wickets or against the second new ball.' More further thinks Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy should be the all-rounders while adding that Mohammed Shami should be picked if he can handle the workload of playing a couple of Tests in England. 'You already have all-rounders like Jadeja. I'd also include Washington Sundar—he's played Test cricket and done well. He's useful with the bat and can balance the side. With many left-handers around, pace-bowling all-rounders will also be important. Nitish Reddy could be a good option in that space.' 'My pace picks would include Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, and Arshdeep Singh—he played county cricket last year. Shami, if fit, must be considered—even for two or three Tests.' 'Experience matters a lot in England because the bowling lengths are very different. Harshit Rana might bowl a good length in Australia, but England demands something else. You need to build the team keeping all this in mind,' he concluded.
