Rohit Shamra, Virat Kohli did wrong
Mohammad Kaif has criticised Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for arriving in Australia just three days before the ODI series began, despite knowing about the tour months in advance. Kaif believes both senior players missed a chance to acclimatise to local conditions and regain rhythm, especially after past struggles in Australia. He said even legends need time to adjust, and arriving early could’ve helped them perform better. Kaif also felt Rohit’s dismissal to Josh Hazlewood wasn’t about the delivery’s quality but a result of poor preparation and low confidence. Read more here.
Kuldeep Yadav is missed
Ravichandran Ashwin has come down hard on India’s team management for benching Kuldeep Yadav in the first ODI against Australia, which India lost by seven wickets in Perth. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin criticised captain Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir for prioritising batting depth over bowling strength. He argued that batters must take responsibility for scoring runs instead of picking teams to “shield” them. India fielded three pacers and three all-rounders, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, leaving Kuldeep out. Read more here.
Nitish Kumar Reddy gets Rohit’s backing
Rohit Sharma showered praise on young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy while handing him his maiden ODI cap ahead of the India vs Australia series opener in Perth. Filling in for the injured Hardik Pandya, the Andhra cricketer impressed with a gritty cameo in a rain-hit game. In a heartfelt speech, Rohit said he was “110% sure” that Nitish would become an all-format great. Interestingly, Nitish had also made his Test debut at the same venue last year, when Virat Kohli presented him the cap and lauded his temperament after a memorable century at the MCG. Read more here.
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Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu creates massive record in Women’s World Cup
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Parvez Rasool retires
Parvez Rasool, the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to represent India, has announced his retirement from all forms of the game. Despite being a consistent performer in domestic cricket, Rasool never managed to cement his place in the national side, featuring in just two matches, one ODI and one T20I. Over 95 first-class games, he amassed 5648 runs and took 352 wickets. Rasool said representing India was his proudest moment but admitted he regretted not playing Test cricket. Having completed his Level 2 coaching course, the 35-year-old is now set to focus on nurturing the next generation of cricketers. Read more here.
Ashwin vs Agarkar?
Ravichandran Ashwin has taken aim at the Indian selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, for their indirect approach in dealing with players. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said players are hesitant to speak openly with selectors because they fear their conversations might get leaked or twisted. His comments come amid growing uncertainty over the ODI futures of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Mohammed Shami. Citing Shami’s recent outburst after being dropped, Ashwin said it reflected a lack of clarity and respect in communication. He urged the selectors to build trust by addressing players directly and fronting the media after every selection. Read more here.
Record alert at World Cup
Chamari Athapaththu continues to carry Sri Lankan women’s cricket on her shoulders. During the Women’s World Cup clash against Bangladesh, the skipper scored a brisk 46 off 43 balls to become the first Sri Lankan woman to cross 4000 ODI runs. The next best, Shashikala Siriwardene, has just over 2000 runs, showing Athapaththu’s remarkable dominance. However, Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign remains bleak, with three losses and two washed-out games. To stay alive in the tournament, they must win their remaining matches, including their final group clash against Pakistan on October 24. Last night, they snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat against Bangladesh. Read more here.
The post DRS Oct 21: Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli did wrong, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets backing & Kuldeep Yadav is missed appeared first on Inside Sport India.
