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NDTV
20 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Ricky Ponting's Blunt Message To 'Pundits' As BCCI Snub Jasprit Bumrah For Test Captaincy
India have taken the right decision by handing the reins of the Test team to Shubman Gill and now the youngster must given a long rope to prove his credentials, says Ricky Ponting, who is also confident that India can handle the ongoing transition phase better than other countries. India will be without stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, who all retired recently, and pacer Mohammed Shami when they begin their five-Test tour of England on June 20. While Kohli and Rohit retired from Tests last month, Ashwin had hung up his boots during the Australia tour last year and Shami was ruled out on fitness grounds for the tour of the Old Blighty. "I actually think it's the right move. I know there's a lot of other people out there, pundits out there saying they can't understand why it wasn't Bumrah and why they have gone to Shubman, but I think it's pretty simple,' Ponting told The ICC Review. "Bumrah's injuries are holding him back a bit in the last couple of years and you don't want that with a captain. You can't have a captain coming in and missing games here and there, so I think it's the right decision." "Now that they've made it, it's one they've got to stick with and give him (Gill) a good crack at it for a long period of time," he said. Ponting said it would be tough to replace players with experience but said India should be able to handle the transitional phase better than any other Test-playing side. "It's always very hard to replace players like that, (given) that have been around for so long that have played that much Test cricket. But if any country can do it and do it quickly, India can, because of the amount of young talent that they have," Ponting said. "I've seen it first hand for 10 years now around the IPL and we've seen the emergence of (Yashasvi) Jaiswal and these sort of guys that have come into international cricket with India and (have) done really well pretty much straight away.' "The skill side of it's one thing to replace and India will replace the skill side of it easily enough, but the experience is the big thing that's going to be missing for them.' He continued, 'Now even with a young captain with Shubman Gill, they'll still have some experience around with KL Rahul and Bumrah and these sort of guys. But if you look at a rebuilding sort of phase, India can cope with it better than most other teams.' Ponting, who coached Punjab Kings to the Indian Premier League final this year, said left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh should be named in the playing XI for the first Test at Headingley. "I would actually have him in their Test team at the start (of the England series). He's very skillful, he has played County cricket, he knows the conditions there and the Dukes Ball will help him in the UK as well,' he said. "To have that point of difference, having a left-armer in your team, will be something that if India don't do it then it'll be a bit of a surprise to me.' "As we know in England the ball still swings (be it) 30, 40 or 50 overs old. To have someone that's got that swing bowling ability and a left-armer, (it) is something that the Indian team should definitely look out for on that tour," he added. Listen to the latest songs, only on
Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
India must give Shubman Gill a crack at Test captaincy for a long period of time: Ricky Ponting
India have taken the right decision by handing the reins of the Test team to Shubman Gill and now the youngster must given a long rope to prove his credentials, says Ricky Ponting , who is also confident that India can handle the ongoing transition phase better than other countries. India will be without stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, who all retired recently, and pacer Mohammed Shami when they begin their five-Test tour of England on June 20. While Kohli and Rohit retired from Tests last month, Ashwin had hung up his boots during the Australia tour last year and Shami was ruled out on fitness grounds for the tour of the Old Blighty. "I actually think it's the right move. I know there's a lot of other people out there, pundits out there saying they can't understand why it wasn't Bumrah and why they have gone to Shubman, but I think it's pretty simple," Ponting told The ICC Review. "Bumrah's injuries are holding him back a bit in the last couple of years and you don't want that with a captain. You can't have a captain coming in and missing games here and there, so I think it's the right decision." Live Events "Now that they've made it, it's one they've got to stick with and give him (Gill) a good crack at it for a long period of time," he said. Ponting said it would be tough to replace players with experience but said India should be able to handle the transitional phase better than any other Test-playing side. "It's always very hard to replace players like that, (given) that have been around for so long that have played that much Test cricket. But if any country can do it and do it quickly, India can, because of the amount of young talent that they have," Ponting said. "I've seen it first hand for 10 years now around the IPL and we've seen the emergence of (Yashasvi) Jaiswal and these sort of guys that have come into international cricket with India and (have) done really well pretty much straight away." "The skill side of it's one thing to replace and India will replace the skill side of it easily enough, but the experience is the big thing that's going to be missing for them." He continued, "Now even with a young captain with Shubman Gill, they'll still have some experience around with KL Rahul and Bumrah and these sort of guys. But if you look at a rebuilding sort of phase, India can cope with it better than most other teams." Ponting, who coached Punjab Kings to the Indian Premier League final this year, said left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh should be named in the playing XI for the first Test at Headingley. "I would actually have him in their Test team at the start (of the England series). He's very skillful, he has played County cricket, he knows the conditions there and the Dukes Ball will help him in the UK as well," he said. "To have that point of difference, having a left-armer in your team, will be something that if India don't do it then it'll be a bit of a surprise to me." "As we know in England the ball still swings (be it) 30, 40 or 50 overs old. To have someone that's got that swing bowling ability and a left-armer, (it) is something that the Indian team should definitely look out for on that tour," he added. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Testing times: on India's new Test Captain
In the cyclical nature of cricket, India is stepping into a new era in Tests. The appointment of Shubman Gill as captain in the game's longest format hints at a break from the past and new beginnings. At 25, Gill is part of the young turks within the squad, while K.L. Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah, at ages 33 and 31 respectively, remain the senior duo with previous captaincy stints. But in picking Gill as the leader, the selectors, especially chairman Ajit Agarkar, have loudly proclaimed that they are looking at the long road into the future, and not a short-term replacement. The retirements of regular skipper Rohit Sharma and talisman Virat Kohli in quick succession meant that big gaps had to be filled both in terms of leadership chutzpah and batting acumen. Gill, with all the high potential through which he stepped into the game at all levels, be it under-19, Punjab and later the national unit, seems a good fit. He is also leading Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League and is clued into the art of captaincy. Men younger than him have led India in the past, notably Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, and Gill, with Rishabh Pant as his deputy, will learn more on the job starting with the five Tests commencing in England in June. He will have the freedom and responsibility to shape the team he leads. Besides Rahul and Bumrah, Gill has to contend with other seniors, including Ravindra Jadeja, who, at 36, is closer to the finish line. It is what Mohammad Azharuddin dealt with while having Kapil Dev, Dilip Vengsarkar, K. Srikkanth and Ravi Shastri in the ranks. M.S. Dhoni too had a similar task as Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman and Virender Sehwag reported to him. Gill has the respect of the dressing room, being marked for greatness as he climbed the rungs. With 1893 Test runs averaging 35.05, his numbers seem underwhelming but there is no mistaking his talent, and captaincy may well goad him to temper his glorious stroke play with some caution. Leadership caused a surge in Kohli's run-making ability, and the expectation is that Gill too may reap some benefits. India will also miss R. Ashwin when it embarks on the tour of the Old Blighty, and Gill has to helm this transition well. That hope is intrinsic to this unit is evident as Karun Nair makes a comeback after last turning up for India in 2017. He has been prolific in the domestic circuit besides doing well in county cricket over the previous few seasons, and the last bit should help him acclimatise to English conditions, faster.
The Hindu
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘You' Season 5 series review: Penn Badgley's Joe Goldberg swims gleefully in a crimson tide
After the horrors in the Old Blighty in Season 4, Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) has returned home to New York. Told over five seasons and 50 episodes beginning in 2018, You, based on on Caroline Kepnes' book series, tells the story of a well read book store owner, whose endless search for true love invariably ends in murder. Season 5 sees Joe married to the fabulously wealthy Kate (Charlotte Ritchie), who has managed to smooth over all his murderous deeds, bought his beloved bookstore, Mooney's, and got Joe's son, Henry (Frankie DeMaio) back into the family fold. You Season 5 (English) Creator: Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo Cast: Penn Badgley, Charlotte Ritchie, Griffin Matthews, Anna Camp and Madeline Brewer Episodes: 10 Runtime: 45-50 minutes Storyline: Joe Goldberg returns to New York City to live a peaceful life, but the appearance of a woman, Bronte, and the need to satisfy his darkest needs will put his entire life in danger The golden couple are paparazzi darlings and Joe is living a fulfilled life till naturally everything begins to fall apart. Kate is the CEO of the infinitely wealthy and equally shady T.R. Lockwood Corporation. She wants to buy good karma by donating enormous sums of money to charitable causes much to the dismay of board members including her wicked half sister Reagan (Anna Camp). Reagan's twin, Maddy (Camp in a double role) is a thrice divorced socialite, in something that is 'vaguely PR', and the ultimate party girl. Kate's half brother Teddy (Griffin Matthews), who was ignored by the Lockwoods for being born on the wrong side of the blanket, is an ally to Joe and Kate. When family friend Uncle Bob (Michael Dempsey) leaks some damaging information to the media and plots a no-confidence motion against Kate with Reagan, Joe finds his dark side rising to the challenge. Joe writes out his murderous fantasies at Mooney's on a typewriter (pretentious no?) till he does not, which Joe gleefully says is a resurrection and feels fantastic. In the midst of all the uproar at Chez Lockwood, Joe meets a fascinating book thief, or rather borrower, called Bronte (Madeline Brewer). The literary allusions come thick and fast as Joe almost brains Bronte with a bust of Emily Dickinson. Against his better judgement, Joe hires Bronte and gets drawn into her life as a struggling playwright. He also meets Bronte's quirky friends, Clayton (Tom Francis), Dominique (Natasha Behnam) and Phoenix (b). When it rains, it pours and soon Joe is juggling many balls, from Henry attacking Reagan's daughter at school to putting the wrong twin in his reassembled glass cage, all the while fighting the attraction he feels for Bronte. Ghosts from murders past including Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail), Marienne (Tati Gabrielle), and Nadia (Amy-Leigh Hickman) refuse to stay buried. Season 5 dabbles with themes and concerns of the books including the distorted truths of social media and romance novels, particularly the romantasy sub-genre. Badgley dives into his 'soft boy misogynist/control hungry goblin' role with gusto even as the 10 episodes fly by in a flurry of great-looking clothes and homes, clichés and scenery-chewing lines with every character, including Joe, getting a fairly satisfactory conclusion to their arcs. You is currently streaming on Netflix
