Latest news with #spinBowling
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Jake Weatherald on his journey, Australian Test ambitions and how he's taken his game to a new level
He's 30 years of age and has been around Australian cricket for nearly a decade – but Jake Weatherald feels he's closer than ever to living out his dream. It was this feeling and a mountain of runs in last summer's Sheffield Shield which led him to India's spin friendly conditions. It's been a long and arduous road for the left-handed opener but he has since emerged from left-field as one of the batters nipping at the heels of the Australian top six. Weatherald is part of a budding group taking on Sri Lanka in a series of matches in the Northern Territory which starts on Friday. Prior to the Aussie A series – and in hope of a greater nod – Weatherald took himself to the subcontinent, to train and acclimatise to the unique conditions. It was there he prepared himself in 'body and mind' for the proposition of playing for Australia. 'I'm always looking to develop; it's sort of a curse and a blessing at the same time,' Weatherald said. 'I felt as though the way I played pace bowling was really good this year … If I do the right things I am confident I can face high quality bowling and score from it, playing spin was an area I was never really able to give a lot too. 'The opportunity to practice against spin bowling was a big draw to go over to India but also to develop a method that would be good in spinning conditions. 'So if I do go away and play an A series in India, or a Test match, I am not just sitting there going, 'I've never been here before, I have no experience in spinning conditions'. 'It was to ready my body and mind to have all bases covered if there ever was an opportunity.' Weatherald topped the Shield run charts last summer and hit them at the second-best strike of any other recognised batter. He credits his career-best form to 'a combination of things' – but orders experience and mental clarity above all else. That progression, Weatherald says, has allowed him to understand his game and become comfortable with the risk of getting out. 'As a cricketer you're sort of daunted and restricted by getting out,' he said. 'I think what experience has given me is if you do shut down and don't look to put pressure on good bowling, especially how the wickets have come in Australia. 'They've come quite conducive to new ball bowling and bowling in general, if you're not willing to put pressure on bowling you're just going to find a way to get out. 'If I'm able to even score off good balls I feel as though the bowlers think, 'My margin for error is really small here'. 'It's keeping it a little bit simple, always looking to score in my areas but also if the day is on where I am scoring quickly not shutting myself down and going, 'Oh, I shouldn't be scoring this quickly, I've got to bat for long periods of time'. 'If the opportunity is there, I am going to take it – no matter if it's the first ball of the game or if it takes me 30 balls to score, my mindset is the same.' Weatherald has taken the road less travelled to Australia A selection. He was out of the South Australian setup, prioritising his mental health, before taking in a sea change in Tasmania. Amid those ups and downs, Weatherald says he has always held ambitions to play for Australia. 'I think cricketers are rated on how they play Test cricket, I've always been driven to play as much red-ball cricket as I possibly can and just had to figure out a way of doing that,' he said. 'It's a hard battle to find the balance between being a white-ball cricketer or red-ball cricketer and then the expectation of being successful, playing for Australia. 'It's self-sabotaging at times, you don't want to be too focused on the end point when if you're not good enough at the starting point you're not going to get there. 'For me, it was: 'Let's focus on what I can control and that's the way I train, the way I go about my game. From there hopefully everything else takes care of itself, if I don't play for Australia or don't go on to do anything else, that's fine, at least I tried the right things.' Weatherald is watching the Aussies closely and is buoyed by the opportunities presented to those performing. He concedes a lost must go right for him to earn one more promotion – but is confident he can take that chance if it's ever offered. 'Most would be lying if they said it wasn't on their mind, especially with all the stuff going on in the Australian team, there's opportunities being provided to those who are doing well,' he said. 'I am not sure what the future holds, I've still got to take a lot more opportunities but from a belief point of view I believe I am good enough to play. 'At the same time I have to prove that with performances in the Australia A stuff and have to have a bit of luck as well, other players might have to miss out for me to come in. 'Everything has to sort of work out, move the right pieces at the right time, but to be this close is an amazing feeling anyway to be suggested I could be around that mark.'
Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Times
Dilip Doshi obituary: cerebral Indian cricketer
Spectacles gleaming in the sun, not a hair out of place and his whites fitting perfectly, Dilip Doshi cut a courtly figure in the Test cricket arena of the late Seventies and early Eighties. His was a scholarly approach, quietly probing away for hours with craft and patience. He had shown the latter quality in abundance. Bishan Bedi was well established as India's premier left-arm spinner for most of the Seventies, while India's other frontline slow bowlers, Erapalli Prasanna, Srinivas Venkataraghavan and Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, were also ahead of Doshi in the queue. Doshi was nearly 32 when finally chosen to make his Test debut for India in a home series against Australia in late 1979. He took his chance with six for 103 in the first innings in a drawn match at Madras (now Chennai) and continued to bamboozle the Australians for the rest of the series with variations of flight and pace of which Bedi would have been proud. He took four for 92 at his home ground of Calcutta and in the final Test in Bombay (now Mumbai) he took eight wickets in the match as India sealed a 2-0 series victory. He rated his five-wicket haul against Australia at Melbourne in 1981, which helped India square the series, as his best spell of bowling for his country. He lured batsmen into injudicious shots, finding the outside edge of their bats to give catches to wicketkeeper or slip fielder. Doshi played that match with a broken toe and after each day's play applied electrodes to it to bring down the swelling. In all, he bowled 74 overs without putting pressure on his left foot. On his way to playing 33 Test matches in four years, another standout performance was his five wickets for 39 runs against England in Bombay in November 1981. In all, he took 36 wickets against England at a highly creditable average of 27.55 and became only the second cricketer (the first being the great Australian leg spinner Clarrie Grimmett) to take 100 Test wickets when making his debut aged over 30. Never a big spinner of the ball, Doshi was far less threatening on English pitches, but his metronomic accuracy made him hard to score against. He would hold up an end while the Indian quick Kapil Dev wheeled away at the other. Called on to bowl more than 80 overs in a match, Doshi would limber up his fingers by kneading a squash ball for hours on end 'without letting the ball enter the palm area'. His usefulness was attested by the fact that he was by some accounts one of the worst batsmen in the history of Test cricket with an average of 4.6. Indeed, he played all his Test innings at No 11 and when his fielding was mentioned it was generally agreed that the less said the better. A man who owned his strengths and weaknesses, Doshi did not disagree. Dilip Rasiklal Doshi was born in Rajkot, Gujarat, in 1947 the eldest of four children to Rasikbhai Doshi, a business executive who traded in mining and engineering equipment, and Sorajini Ben. Dilip was educated at JJ Ajmera High School and St Xavier's College, both in Calcutta (Now Kolkata). He studied law at the city's university and from the late Sixties played for Bengal and represented East Zone in the Duleep Trophy. Featuring regularly for Nottinghamshire in 1977 and 1978, he took 157 wickets in 44 first class games. During a Test match at Trent Bridge between England and Australia in 1977, Doshi forged a firm friendship with the cricket-loving Rolling Stone Mick Jagger. Doshi went on to represent Warwickshire in 1980-81 and played his part as the county established itself as a force in one-day cricket, winning the John Player League in 1980. He continued to be selected for India despite his reputation for being something of a 'barrack-room lawyer' as well as a qualified one, annoying the captain Sunil Gavaskar and the India team management with his outspoken comments. When he was finally dropped in 1983 to make way for Maninder Singh, Doshi was philosophical, and grateful to have played as much as he had. In 33 Tests he took 114 wickets at an average of 30.71. Many claimed that India would not have as good a left-arm spinner again until Ravindra Jadeja, who is playing against England in the current Test series. Doshi retired as a player in 1986. In later years he became an agent for Mont Blanc luxury pens. After being given one by his father as a present, he helped to establish the brand in India, where 16 Mont Blanc boutiques would be opened. He is survived by his wife Khalindi, his son Nayan, also a slow left armer who played cricket for Surrey and Derbyshire, and their daughter Vishaka. Despite his mild manner, Doshi continued to hold strong opinions about the game. Yet he remained a popular figure and was recently seen at the World Test Championship final at Lord's. The former Indian cricketer, manager and commentator Ravi Shastri called him a 'gentleman to the core'. Sachin Tendulkar called him a 'warm-hearted soul' and said he would miss their cricketing conversations. Doshi had stood for a cerebral approach to cricket, but admitted to putting such principles on hold as he danced away at Rolling Stones concerts. Dilip Doshi, cricketer, was born on December 22, 1947. He died of a cardiac arrest on June 23, 2025, aged 77
Al Arabiya
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Dilip Doshi, Former India Left-Arm Spinner, Dies at 77
Former India spinner Dilip Doshi, who took 114 wickets in 33 tests, has died. He was 77. The Board of Control for Cricket in India made the announcement on Tuesday, a day after Doshi's death in London. The India and England teams stood together for a moment's silence before they played the fifth and final day of their test match in Leeds. For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app. Doshi didn't debut for India until he was 32 in 1979, after the retirement of the great Bishan Singh Bedi, but the bespectacled left-armer made his mark with six five-wicket hauls. He reached 100 wickets in 28 tests. He had an economy of 2.25. His international career included 15 ODIs, but he stepped away in 1983, unhappy with the way India cricket was run. In first-class cricket, Doshi took 898 wickets from 238 matches. India great Sachin Tendulkar paid tribute. 'I met Dilipbhai for the first time in the UK in 1990, and he bowled to me in the nets on that tour,' Tendulkar wrote on X. 'He was really fond of me, and I reciprocated his feelings. A warm-hearted soul like Dilipbhai will be deeply missed. I will miss those cricketing conversations which we invariably had.' BCCI president Roger Binny said in a statement, 'It is with deep sadness that we learn of the passing of Dilip Doshi. He was a true artist of spin bowling, a gentleman both on and off the field, and a dedicated servant of Indian cricket. His impact on the game was immense, and he inspired a generation of cricketers with his skill and dedication. His contribution to Indian cricket will always be remembered.'
Associated Press
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Dilip Doshi, former India left-arm spinner, dies at 77
NEW DELHI (AP) — Former India spinner Dilip Doshi, who took 114 wickets in 33 tests, has died. He was 77. The Board of Control for Cricket in India made the announcement on Tuesday, a day after Doshi's death in London. The India and England teams stood together for a moment's silence before they played the fifth and final day of their test match in Leeds. Doshi didn't debut for India until he was 32 in 1979, after the retirement of the great Bishan Singh Bedi, but the bespectacled left-armer made his mark with six five-wicket hauls. He reached 100 wickets in 28 tests. He had an economy of 2.25. His international career included 15 ODIs but he stepped away in 1983, unhappy with the way India cricket was run. In first-class cricket, Doshi took 898 wickets from 238 matches. India great Sachin Tendulkar paid tribute. 'I met Dilipbhai for the first time in the UK in 1990, and he bowled to me in the nets on that tour,' Tendulkar wrote on X. 'He was really fond of me, and I reciprocated his feelings. A warm-hearted soul like Dilipbhai will be deeply missed. I will miss those cricketing conversations which we invariably had.' BCCI president Roger Binny said in a statement, 'It is with deep sadness that we learn of the passing of Dilip Doshi. He was a true artist of spin bowling, a gentleman both on and off the field, and a dedicated servant of Indian cricket. His impact on the game was immense, and he inspired a generation of cricketers with his skill and dedication. His contribution to Indian cricket will always be remembered.' ___ AP cricket:
