[amit_2025]

OT - The young guns are getting a Thar Each, Courtesy Anand Mahindra

Quoting from Article:

"Anand Mahindra Gifts SUVs To Six Indian Cricketers After Historic Test Series Win In Australia

Anand Mahindra hailed Team India's young brigade following their heroics in the recently-concluded Test series in Australia, and had a special surprise for them."

Link below:
https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/anan..._lateststories

[Ithaca]

Originally Posted by Ithaca

R Ashwin conducts an interview with the fielding coach of Team India, R Sridhar on Ashwin's YouTube channel.

R Ashwin & R Sridhar discuss the "Gabbatoir"
Part 3 of the "Kutti" series. Sadly they only spent 14 minutes on this one and Ashwin in the comments has promised to interview another "guest" and speak about Shubman Gill whom they missed discussing in this video.
Do turn on closed captions and reduce the viewing speed to 0.75 to enjoy the their rapid fire conversation and also be able to read the subtitles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcsTN3sbyCM&t=571s

Boria Majumdar has conducted a series of interviews on Sports Today YouTube channel with Mohd Siraj, Hanuma Vihari, Washy Sundar, Bowling coach Bharat Arun, Fielding coach R Sridhar and finally Captain Ajinkya Rahane. I hope he interviews Ash & Coach Ravi Shastri soon.

Linking Rahane's interview here. Do catch all the interviews, specially the one with R Sridhar who talks about the generational shift in thinking that has happened with our youngsters. This portion is around the 11th minute after he calls Pujara a WhiteWalker for his ability to plod and plod and keep going.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSXUpi_fM5o

This is a tweet from Kevin Pieterson to the England Cricket cup with an email he received from Rahul Dravid.

https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1352...930127872?s=20

Espncricinfo tweet about the same - The letter is better represented here.

https://twitter.com/ESPNcricinfo/sta...024816647?s=20

[AtheK]

Australian public reaction on Indian win.

https://youtu.be/84By2J0ntqc

[Amit_breakfree]

Unfortunately Australia is out of the contention to qualify for WTC final as their series with South Africa has been postponed indefinitely due to the Covid situation.

It also means that New Zealand has qualified for the WTC final set to be held in June this year.

The race for New Zealand's opponent just became tougher and interesting due to the following circumstances:
1) Australia can only qualify if the India-England series is drawn (by any margin), or if England win 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1, or if India win 1-0 which is highly unlikely.
2) India needs to win at least by a 2-1 margin, bigger the margin, better it is.
3) England needs to win at least three matches against India.

So let's keep our fingers crossed for India vs. New Zealand in Lords.

[Eddy]

In the current situation, the ONLY team that can beat India in India is England. I just hope that our batters can score 400 consistently and Joe Root does not have a Sri Lanka type series.

[Amit_breakfree]

Originally Posted by Eddy

In the current situation, the ONLY team that can beat India in India is England.

True. But beating India in India by 3-0 will require extraordinary skill and application - which is doable for sure, like we did in Australia but extremely difficult.

I would say that the probability of qualifying is highest for India, then Australia and England - in the same order.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by Amit_breakfree

Unfortunately Australia is out of the contention to qualify for WTC final as their series with South Africa has been postponed indefinitely due to the Covid situation.

It also means that New Zealand has qualified for the WTC final set to be held in June this year.

The equation for Australia, England and India

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

The equation for Australia, England and India

Australia are scheduled to play 3 tests in South Africa shortly. Those results will also count right? Especially if they are in Australia's favour.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by Oxy

Australia are scheduled to play 3 tests in South Africa shortly. Those results will also count right? Especially if they are in Australia's favour.

That series seems to be in a limbo and hence this table of permutation and combination.

Australia's tour of South Africa has been postponed indefinitely. It is extremely unlikely that the series can be rescheduled in time for the results to count towards the final of the World Test Championship, set to be played in June at Lord's. And that means a few fresh tweaks to the scenarios in the run-up to that final.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/n...nement-1249849

[landcruiser123]

I don't expect this England v India series to be played on raging turners as it'd bring the English spinners into the game.

Dom Bess didn't exactly show any control during the series against SL.

Predicted 11:
1. Rohit
2. Gill
3. Pujara
4. Kohli
5. Rahane
6. Pant
7. Ashwin
8. Kuldeep
9. Siraj
10. Bumrah
11. Ishant

It'll be interesting to see whether Pandya plays in the 11, but I seriously doubt it as he's a bits & pieces cricketer in test cricket. India might also be tempted to bring in Nadeem for Siraj.

[Venkatesh]

India vs England 1st Test match in Chennai: England win the toss, elect to bat first.

Team India's Playing XI for the 1st Test match against England in Chennai:

[Eddy]

I feel for Kuldeep. He must really be broken.

[padmrajravi]

Kuldeep is a better bowler than Sundar any day. But it is hard to overlook the batting skills when up against the English fast bowlers. Anderson and Archer are a dangerous combination. They can run through the top order in no time in the morning swinging conditions. Wonder why Jadeja did not get a chance though. Is he still injured?

[jigar]

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

Wonder why Jadeja did not get a chance though. Is he still injured?

Yes he's still injured and is ruled out for the entire Test Series.

[Oxy]

Pathetic pitch at Chennai. Nobody will get out on this.