Latest news with #WTC
NDTV
3 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Did Gautam Gambhir Call Cheteshwar Pujara For England Tests? Ignored Star Makes Stunning Revelation
Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara will not be part of the Shubman Gill -led Indian team for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting June 20. Once again, the 37-year-old was overlooked by the selectors, who instead picked the likes of Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair as potential replacements for Virat Kohli, who retired from the format earlier this month. Pujara, who last played for India during the World Test Championship (WTC) final in 2023, was recently quizzed whether he received a call from India head coach Gautam Gambhir for the upcoming Test series in England. "No, not yet," Pujara said during an interview with Lallantop. However, Pujara said he is available to play for India if given an opportunity. "I am ready. I don't know if they will take me or not. But if I get a chance, yes, it will be an honour to represent the country again. As a cricketer, you always feel that as long as you are fit, as long as you are contributing, and if I have a good performance in domestic cricket, and I am preparing well, if I get a chance, yes, I will be more than happy to be part of the team," he added. The month of June not only marks the beginning of India's new ICC World Test Championship cycle (2025-27), but also signals the dawn of a new chapter in Indian cricket. With Gill at the helm, a young Indian side will face a stern challenge in England, known for its testing conditions and formidable home record. Gill's leadership will be closely watched as he attempts to guide a fresh-faced team in the absence of some of India's most experienced Test campaigners. India squad for England tour: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc, wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
News18
5 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
Josh Hazlewood On Playing IPL Before WTC Final: 'Wherever I Am In The World...'
Last Updated: Josh Hazlewood's return to Royal Challengers Bengaluru after a shoulder injury has boosted the team, helping RCB secure their spot in the IPL final. Josh Hazlewood's return to Royal Challengers Bengaluru after an injury break has been a boon for the team and excellent preparation for the Australian pacer. He believes the intensity he is gaining in the IPL will be highly beneficial for the World Test Championship final against South Africa next month. Having recovered from a shoulder injury, Hazlewood made his comeback in the IPL after a month-long absence and showed no signs of rust. His performance was instrumental in Royal Challengers Bengaluru securing their first playoff appearance since 2016 with an eight-wicket victory over Punjab Kings. His impressive display also bodes well for his preparation for the World Test Championship final against South Africa, commencing at Lord's on 7 June. 'I've got to be bowling, wherever I am in the world, to get ready for that game (WTC final)," Hazlewood commented after his first IPL game since April. 'There's no better place than out in the middle. You need more hours of training to build up for a Test, but for intensity, there's no better place than the IPL," he added after taking 2/16 in 3.1 overs. Hazlewood is renowned for his relentless spells in Test cricket, but he has also significantly improved his T20 game. His hard lengths are challenging to counter, and on flatter pitches, he effectively utilises wide yorkers. On Thursday night, the pitch conditions allowed him to bowl Test match lengths, resulting in match-winning figures. He dismissed the in-form Shreyas Iyer and Josh Inglis, destabilising the Punjab Kings' batting line-up. 'I don't bowl too differently in Test cricket than tonight," the seasoned Australian pacer remarked. Discussing his recovery, Hazlewood explained, 'I worked really hard the last few weeks on the shoulder and got some good overs in the last 10 days. It feels good to be back. I was happy with tonight, the wicket helped. Not having to bowl fast yorkers or anything like that was a relief." Leg-spinner Suyash Sharma also delivered a strong performance, ably supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal. 'We've got all bases covered. Any one of our five or six bowlers can bowl at any moment of the game, whether it's the start, middle, or end," Hazlewood stated. 'Having Bhuvi, who has so much experience and is quite calm, helps the rest of the attack. I'm similar to Bhuvi in that regard, focusing on skill and execution." Conditions were favourable, and RCB capitalised effectively, bowling out the opposition for 101 and chasing the modest target in 10 overs. 'There was a bit of seam movement and inconsistent bounce, which we utilised well. The conditions were great for bowling first. Suyash targeted the middle order and has bowled well throughout the tournament. He got on a roll tonight," Hazlewood concluded. First Published: May 30, 2025, 13:10 IST
India.com
16 hours ago
- Sport
- India.com
Josh Hazlewood gives savage message as several foreign players leave IPL 2025 ahead of WTC final
Josh Hazlewood celebrating a wicket with Virat Kohli. New Delhi: Josh Hazlewood's return for Royal Challengers Bengaluru after recovering from an injury, proved to be a blessing in disguise and a solid preparation for the pacer himself, who believes this intensity will be beneficial during the World Test Championship against South Africa next month. After recovering from a shoulder injury, Hazlewood participated in the IPL a month did not looked rusty at all. He helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru reach their first final after 2016 with an eight-wicket victory over Punjab Kings. This performance served as a positive indicator of his readiness for the upcoming World Test Championship final against South Africa, starting June 11th at Lord's. '…I've got to be bowling, you know wherever I am in the world, I've got to be bowling getting ready for that game (WTC final) anyway,' said Hazlewood after featuring in his first IPL game since April 27. 'There's no better place than I think out in the middle, obviously you've got to bowl more, more hours of training from time to time to build up for a Test, but to get that intensity right up, there's no better place than the IPL,' he added. Hazlewood, a Test cricketer renowned for his persistent bowling and ability to extract movement from the pitch, has significantly improved his T20 performance. He struggles to consistently bowl effectively, and when his bowling is particularly good, he opts for wide yorkers as a strategy. Shreyas Iyer and Josh Inglis, key players for the Punjab Kings, were dismissed, significantly weakening the team's performance. 'I don't bowl too much differently in Test match cricket than tonight,' said the seasoned Australian pacer. Despite missing most of the season due to injury, the player's contribution to RCB was significant. He led the team in wickets with 21, averaging 15.80 runs per wicket in just 11 matches. His absence would significantly weaken RCB's bowling attack.
Express Tribune
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Hazlewood in great touch for WTC final
Australia's Josh Hazlewood said it was perfect preparation for the World Test Championship final after delivering a match-winning performance on his return to the IPL. The fast bowler finished with figures of 3-21 as Royal Challengers Bengaluru sealed their place in the IPL decider with an eight-wicket thrashing of Punjab Kings on Thursday. The 34-year-old only recently rejoined Bengaluru after returning home due to a shoulder injury and following the stoppage in the league caused by the conflict between India and Pakistan. He struck two key blows at Mullanpur including skipper Shreyas Iyer for two as Bengaluru bundled out Punjab for 101. With the WTC final at Lord's between Australia and South Africa starting on June 11, it was a perfect reminder of his prowess. "I've got to be bowling. You know, wherever I am in the world I've got to be bowling, getting ready for that game anyway," Hazlewood said. "There's no better place than I think out in the middle. Obviously you've got to bowl more hours of training from time to time to build up for a Test, but to get that intensity right up, there's no better place than the IPL." He added: "I don't bowl too much differently in Test match cricket than tonight, so it's still that hard length, so I feel in a good place." Some foreign stars including Australia's Mitchell Starc did not return. But Hazlewood decided to be with Virat Kohli's Bengaluru and after his spell of 3.1 overs at a bowling-friendly pitch feels ready for a critical fortnight. "Worked really hard the last few weeks on the shoulders to get back and got some good overs into it the last sort of 10 days," said Hazlewood. "And yeah it is feeling good to be back." Bengaluru, who are chasing their first IPL title, await their opponent in the final on June 3 at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad. "I think we've just got all bases covered," said Hazlewood. "I think any one of the five or six bowlers can bowl at any moment of the game, whether it's the start, middle or end."
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
No better place than out in the middle: Hazlewood on IPL stint for RCB
Josh Hazlewood's return to Royal Challengers Bengaluru after an injury break is a blessing for the franchise and good preparation for the Australian pacer, who says the intensity he is building up here will come in handy during the World Test Championship final against South Africa next month. Having recovered from a shoulder injury, Hazlewood played in the IPL after a month but showed no signs of rust, helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru reach their first final since 2016 with an eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings. The performance was also a tick mark for his preparations ahead of the World Test Championship final against South Africa beginning at Lord's on June 11. "...I've got to be bowling, you know wherever I am in the world, I've got to be bowling getting ready for that game (WTC final) anyway," said Hazlewood after featuring in his first IPL game since April 27. "There's no better place than I think out in the middle, obviously you've got to bowl more, more hours of training from time to time to build up for a Test, but to get that intensity right up, there's no better place than the IPL," he asserted after a brilliant haul of 3/21. Hazlewood, who predominantly gets movement off the pitch, is known for his relentless spells in Test cricket but over time has also taken his T20 game to the next level. His hard lengths are difficult to put away and when the pitch is an absolute belter, he resorts to bowling wide yorkers. On Thursday night, the pitch here allowed him to bowl Test match lengths and he ended up with match-turning figures in his 3.1 overs. His victims included the in-form Shreyas Iyer and Josh Inglis, breaking the back of a self-destructing Punjab Kings. "I don't bowl too much differently in Test match cricket than tonight," said the seasoned Australian pacer. His value at RCB can't be overstated as despite playing only 11 games due to injury, he remains the leading wicket-taker for his franchise with 21 scalps at an average of 15.80. Take him out of the attack and RCB attack looks vulnerable. Talking more about his recovery from the shoulder injury, Hazlewood said, "(I have) worked really hard the last few weeks on the shoulders to get back and got some good overs into it the last sort of 10 days, and yeah it is feeling good to be back... "...So, I was happy with tonight, the wicket helped obviously didn't it? Not having to bowl fast yorkers or anything like that. So yeah it is feeling good to be back." We have got all bases covered Leg-spinner Suyash Sharma too was on the money while Hazlewood was well supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal. "We've just got all bases covered, it feels like. I think any one of the five or six bowlers can bowl at any moment of the game, whether it's the start, middle or end," said Hazlewood. "It obviously helps having Bhuvi, who has so much experience, quite a calm customer, so that sort of rubs off on the rest of their attack. I'm probably pretty similar to Bhuvi as well in that regard, everything's quite relaxed, quite calm, focus on your skill and try and execute that. "I think maybe a few of the younger guys in the attack have picked up on that and taken it into their own games." There was swing and seam on offer and RCB made the most of the conditions and bundled out the opposition for 101 before chasing the small target in 10 overs. "There was a little bit of seam movement, the bounce was probably a little bit inconsistent, so we sort of utilised that as best we could. Yeah, the conditions were great to bowl first. "Then obviously Suyash went for the middle order, he has bowled really well in spells throughout the whole tournament, but has been a little bit unlucky in the wicket-taking front, but obviously tonight got on a roll," added Hazlewood.
