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RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Mullan strike not enough as Ireland beaten by England
England 2-1 Ireland It was defeat for Ireland at the hands of England in their final outing in Monchengladbach. Having gone a goal down thanks to a fortuitous Tess Howard goal, Ireland drew level soon after through a smart Katie Mullan finish. England however, scored the decisive goal early in the second half to run out as 2-1 victors. An even opening quarter saw both sides enjoy possession, with the majority of the battling occurring in midfield. Ireland, however, looked positive in possession as they attempted to unpick the English defence, but they produced answers. England were quick out of the blocks in quarter two, immediately attacking Ireland with Howard finding the net. Ireland responded well and almost pulled a goal back when Charlotte Beggs squeezed the ball through to Mikayla Power in the circle. Power's shot squeezed through England goalkeeper Sabbie Heesh but hit the body of Mullan on its way goalward. Ireland would get their goal just a few minutes later. Niamh Carey turned well at the top of the circle and found Mullan free in the circle with work still to do. She eliminated her opposite number and lifted the ball deftly over Heesh to level the scoring. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲! Katie Mullan ducks, dives and delivers. Ireland are level... ENG 1-1 IRL #RTEhockey — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 17, 2025 England's Howard had the final chance of the half as she saw her reverse shot go wide of the post. The sides went into the half-time break locked at 1-1. A difficult start to the second half saw Ireland concede early following a rare defensive mistake which forced Holly Micklem to come out of her goal and make an early save, but Darcy Bourne was quickest to the loose ball to fire into an empty net. Once again, Ireland responded to going a goal down positively, immediately attacking the English circle with a chance going just wide of the back post. Ireland had a shot on goal soon after, with Emily Keely's shot bobbling just behind Sarah Torrans and the back post as England narrowly held onto their lead. Sarah Hawkshaw saw a chance also go wide as Ireland won the ball in the press inside the final three minutes of the third quarter. Ireland had to defend early in the final quarter. A card for Ellen Curran saw the side reduced to 10 with England using the player advantage to penetrate the Irish circle and test Micklem. England won their first penalty corner of the match soon after, Micklem saving the effort on goal. Kealy intercepted well with seven minutes remaining and drove up the pitch. She drew a foul from Elizabeth Neal resulting in a yellow card for the England player. Ireland substituted Micklem to increase their outfield player advantage as they looked to equalise. Ireland couldn't create the chance on goal to draw level and England emerged as 2-1 victors.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Asia Cup: Does Shubman Gill warrant a spot in India's T20 setup?
Shubman Gill (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Before Shubman Gill took flight to England for the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, there were some doubts, rather apprehensions: whether Gill would be successful as a Test batter in English conditions or if he would prove to be a good captain. Gill answered them - perfectly. He scored 754 runs in five Tests, putting on an exhibition while also proving that he is more than capable of leading the team -- his composure during The Oval Test serves as a fitting example. With the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup the next big events, both to be played in the shortest format of the sport, there have been talks about not only bringing Gill back in the T20 side but also giving him the role of vice captain, as a precursor to succeed Suryakumar Yadav at some point. IND vs ENG: Shubman Gill on Oval thriller, Siraj's spell, and missing Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! It is argued, in favour of Gill, that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has always had a tradition of all-format captains and not the split captaincy, as is the case now. Also related is the rationale of brand value and commerce. After the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two superstars of Indian cricket over the last decade and a half, there is an urge to build the next-gen "brand" of Indian Cricket. That Gill has become a major brand and favourite for broadcasters is a fact that not many would deny. While there is no question of Gill's place in One Day Internationals (ODIs), and he could even be the heir to Rohit as the leader of the side; to bring him into the T20 side, currently, however, would appear to be a forced decision rather than a natural one. Gill can bat, but can he go bang-bang? By any measure, Shubman Gill is a decent T20 player. In 21 T20Is, Gill has scored 578 runs at an average of 30.42. He has also scored them at a strike rate of 139.27. While Gill is a generational batter with a sound technique, he is not a "hitter". A batter is someone who tries to score runs with less risk and build their innings. While the hitter is someone who tries to score as many runs on every ball as possible, playing high-risk shots. In T20s, where the value of runs scored quickly is more valuable than preserving wickets, teams across the world have been prioritising "hitters" over "batters". India's Shubman Gill (PTI Photo/Kamal Kishore) The Indian team took a long time to adopt this approach, but after the 2024 T20 World Cup, they are the ones spearheading it. The role of anchors - a category appropriate for Gill - has become redundant in modern T20s. In 2021 the percentage of balls attacked by Indian batters was 28.82 per innings, it almost doubled and went up to 43.84 per innings in 2024. Moreover, the number of attacking runs per innings also increased to 138.85 in 2024 from 98.64 in 2021. Gill is in the slow lane Gill's scoring rate of 139.27 is by no means bad. However, the current Indian top-order scores sit at a much higher strike rate. Playing what coach Gautam Gambhir described as "high-risk, high-reward cricket", Abhishek Sharma scores at an unreal strike rate of 193.84, his partner-in-crime Sanju Samson strikes at 152.38. While the new number three Tilak Varma scores at 155.07, Surya thrashes opposition bowling at 167.07. After the 2024 T20 World Cup, India's top three batters have scored at a combined strike rate of 173.1. If Gill's seven innings at 129.2 are removed from that period, the figure rises to 181.3. Shubman Gill (PTI Photo/Kamal Kishore) Moreover, in the eight innings where he faced 15 or more balls in all T20Is, only thrice has Shubman Gill scored the runs at or over the strike rate of 160. In comparison, Abhishek Sharma has faced more than 15 balls in six innings so far and in five of them, he has struck at 200 or above. While Tilak Varma scored at over 160 strike rate in six out of 15 innings in which he faced 15 or more balls, Suryakumar Yadav hit the ball at over 160 strike rate in 24 out of 40 such innings. Only Sanju Samson falls behind a bit in this context, but even he has scored at an above 160 strike rate in three out of five occasions where he faced 15 or more balls since the start of 2024. If it ain't broke, don't Gill it The current Indian T20 side is well settled and is reaping results, having won 14 of the 17 matches after the 2024 World Cup. Much of that success comes from an all-out attacking approach by the top-order that matches the demands of modern T20 cricket. Gill's style of play does not match this template. Since the 2024 World Cup, the new group of hitters and the team management have taken the attacking game to another level. In this short period, India have scored three of their fastest T20I hundreds. If the team management wants a backup opener for Abhishek and Sanju, the right option could be Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has scored at 170.00 in the six matches he has played after the 2024 World Cup. ALSO READ: Devil lies in action: What makes Jasprit Bumrah injury-prone - why his workload management is crucial Indian cricket took far too long to realise that T20 is a game of "hitters". It took too long to realise and implement the theory that in T20 games, a specialist T20 batter is far better than an all-format batter who plays an anchor role. That change has finally created a team that can truly represent a country with the world's most competitive T20 league. Forcing Gill into the T20 side at this moment would be less about cricketing needs and more about fitting a "star" into a system that is already firing without him. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'He'll be around for a long time because ... ': Ravi Shastri certain that Shubman Gill will not be replaced for years to come after England heroics
Shubman Gill steered India to a 2-2 draw in England in his first series as Test skipper (Photo by) Ravi Shastri has backed India's Test captain Shubman Gill to remain a key figure in the national side for many years, praising his standout performances in the recent series against England. Gill, 25, was named ICC Men's Player of the Month for July 2025 and India's Player of the Series after scoring 754 runs at an average of 75.40 in the five-match contest, including four centuries. It was his fourth ICC monthly award, having also won in February this year and twice in 2023. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Shastri said, 'No question, Shubman Gill he'll be around for a long, long time because we've seen what kind of series he's had here. I think he's only 25 years of age, and as you know, with this exposure, he'll get even better.' IND vs ENG: Shubman Gill on Oval thriller, Siraj's spell, and missing Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah The former India head coach also highlighted Gill's temperament and elegance at the crease. 'He's right up there. He'll be up there. He's composed. He's very regal. He's got that, you know, when you look at him, he's something regal about him. The way he bats, he's very easy on the eye, very fluent and has the ability to play the long innings,' he said on Sky Sports. Gill's series included a historic double century at Edgbaston, where he made 269 in the first innings and followed it with 161 in the second to set up a 336-run win. His combined 430 runs in the match were the second-highest in Test history, and he became the first Indian captain to score a double ton in England. Poll Will Shubman Gill be a key player for India in the future? Definitely Uncertain Not likely He continued to play decisive knocks through the series, including a century in Manchester to secure a draw, guiding a young Indian side to a 2-2 result in his first assignment as Test captain. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
6 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'The quality wasn't as good': Michael Atherton compares 2005 Ashes to India-England series
Shubman Gill and Ricky Ponting in 2025 and 2005 respectively (Images via Getty Images) Former England captain Michael Atherton has rated the recently concluded India-England five-Test series and drawn comparisons to the iconic 2005 Ashes series. In conversation with ex-England skipper and commentator Nasser Hussain, Atherton dismissed comparisons that placed the contest above the iconic Ashes battle but admitted it came closest in terms of drama and twists. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'No, I don't think the quality was as good as '05. I mean, I don't think I'll see a better series than the '05 Ashes. One team on the rise, one great team on the decline, an emerging team with absolutely great players at the top of their game,' Atherton said on Sky Sports Cricket. He explained that while 2005 set an unmatched benchmark, this latest series stood out for its unpredictable nature. 'I'd probably put this one as the best since '05 because of those dramatic moments — like Chris Woakes, and Rishabh Pant, and the way the series twisted and turned. So I reckon it's probably the best series I've covered since '05,' he added. 12:14 IND vs ENG: Mohammed Siraj reflects on memorable win at The Oval The five-match contest ended 2-2 after India sealed a tense victory in the final Test at The Oval. The last day saw wickets fall quickly and emotions run high in a fiercely fought battle between the two sides. In contrast, the 2005 Ashes, which is widely considered one of the greatest Test series in history, saw England edge Australia 2-1 to reclaim the urn for the first time since 1986-87. That series remains remembered for its high-quality cricket, nail-biting finishes and lasting impact on the sport. Poll Which series do you think had more dramatic moments? 2025 India-England Series 2005 Ashes Series While Atherton's verdict doesn't place the series on par or better than the 2005 Ashes, he still placed the India-England clash in elite company. The 2025 Ashes will commence on November 21. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
11-08-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'Sir, we weren't even born': Mohammed Siraj hails 1983 World Cup hero, says ‘your story inspires us'
Mohammed Siraj NEW DELHI: India pacer and Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy hero Mohammed Siraj on Sunday paid heartfelt tribute to 1983 World Cup-winning wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani , calling him a source of inspiration for younger generations, during the Hyderabad launch of Kirmani's autobiography 'Stumped: Life Behind and Beyond The Twenty-Two Yards'. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The event marked the book's release in Hyderabad after its Bengaluru debut. Addressing Kirmani, Siraj said: "Sir, when you won the 1983 World Cup, we were not even born. It has been a motivating and inspiring story of yours. I have heard from many players, your reflexes behind the wickets were extraordinary. Thank you so much for everything for the Indian cricket team .' Poll Should young cricketers look up to legends like Kirmani for guidance? Absolutely, they are great mentors Maybe, it depends on the individual Not really, they should find their own path Kirmani, in turn, lauded Siraj's recent performances, particularly in the Test series against England. 'You performed really well. My congratulations to you. You have brought glory to the country with your exuberance… that aggressiveness right from the heart it was. I wish you every success,' he said. IND vs ENG: Mohammed Siraj reflects on memorable win at The Oval Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin described Kirmani as a jovial figure who was well-liked in the dressing room, adding, 'It is important that he released it in Hyderabad also. He will guide many wicketkeepers and cricketers in the future. I would definitely urge all the young wicketkeepers to go to 'Kiri bhai'. I think he is one of the finest wicketkeepers the world has ever produced.' The book offers readers an inside look into Kirmani's illustrious cricketing career and life beyond the pitch. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
