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Afghanistan brought out their best in the final session once again, but the game had swung so far out of their reach that the second day of their first Test proved to be the last one

The Report by Varun Shetty15-Jun-20185:01

Manjrekar: Afghanistan batting’s defensive technique needs most attention

Afghanistan brought out their best in the final session once again, but the game had swung so far out of their reach that the second day of their first Test proved to be the last one.Purely on numbers it was a colossal defeat, by an innings and 262 runs, and the flattening reality of being bowled out twice in a day – only India and Zimbabwe had suffered that before – will take a while to get over. At different points in the day, Afghanistan were done in by different bowlers. Ravindra Jadeja got the last piece of the pie, finishing the second innings with 4 for 17.Their first innings of 109 lasted a session, between lunch and tea, and their second innings of 103 did not last much longer. India needed only 66.3 overs to take 20 wickets and complete their first ever two-day Test win.The flailing effort was best signified by how Afghanistan lost their three most experienced batsmen in the first innings: in complete surrender.Mohammad Shahzad’s innings was a race to the finish the moment it began. His first boundary came off the outside edge, his second off the inside edge, and the odd ball that hit the middle was often one he was trying to leave. After all that and several attempts to tap and run, he chose to take on Hardik Pandya at point and was promptly run-out at the non-striker’s end in the fourth over. Asghar Stanikzai came in at No. 6 and lasted 14 deliveries before stabbing ambitiously at a loopy R Ashwin offbreak without getting his foot forward. He almost fell over as the ball knocked the top of middle stump.Mohammed Nabi, the top-scorer in the first innings, looked okay for his 24 at No. 7 before miscuing a slog and being the ninth man out. The only solid batting effort by a visiting player came from left-hander Hashmatullah Shahidi, who battled 88 balls for an unbeaten 36 in the second innings.Hashmatullah Shahidi showed great heart during his resistance lower down the order•BCCI

Scattered all around these efforts were batsmen rooted to the crease in anxiety against a vastly experienced bowling attack. Unlike their opposition’s debutant seamers, India’s fast bowlers sustained both a predominantly full length and near-140kph speeds in getting all three of their first-innings wickets either bowled or lbw. They stuck to the plan in the second innings as well. Umesh Yadav brought the flair, moving the new ball considerably in both innings, and Ishant Sharma looked content playing workhorse.It was Ashwin, however, who accelerated Afghanistan’s downfall and eventual folding-up before tea. At that point, given the extended final session ahead, perhaps only the probability of a follow-on was higher than that of Afghanistan being bowled out a second time.Earlier in the day, Pandya snuck in a breezy and mature innings. India didn’t have as subdued a session as they did at the end of day one, striking at more than four an over despite the four wickets they lost in stretching the overnight score of 347 to 474. Pandya was patient against Yamin Ahmadzai, who impressed with his lengths once again. He wasn’t rewarded with the new ball, however, with Rashid Khan bowling predominantly from the other end. Pandya saw through this phase before opening up.His go-to defence mechanism against pace bowling – walking across into the off side – which didn’t quite work out in South Africa was a lot more effective against the late-120 kph pace of Wafadar. And while Pandya did eventually cramp himself against the 18-year-old, it wasn’t before he had swatted the bowler into the leg side several times from various lengths, in control every time but one – and even on that occasion, deep square leg gifted him four overthrows. When the line wasn’t straight, Pandya also managed to pick up boundaries through the off side. He got out looking to accelerate but what the Indian dressing room would have particularly liked was the uncomplicated, organised manner in which he managed an innings with a 75-plus strike rate during his 94-ball 71.

By winning their last regular-season game Renegades also improved to fourth, while Sixers are third

AAP05-Dec-2025Melbourne Renegades duo Georgia Wareham and Courtney Webb have produced a match-winning partnership to sink Sydney Sixers and keep the defending WBBL champions in finals contention.The win had significant ramifications ahead of next week’s finals, ending Sixers’ three-game winning streak and meaning Hobart Hurricanes will finish top of the ladder.That means Hurricanes will host the final on Saturday week. Adelaide will host Hurricanes tonight at Karen Rolton Oval, with Strikers needing an upset win to stay in the top-four hunt.By winning their last regular-season game Renegades also improved to fourth, while Sixers are third. But Renegades must sweat on other results to find out whether they play in the finals.Chasing 131 for victory, Wareham (49 not out) and Webb (33 not out) took Renegades to 134 for 4 from 16.2 overs on Friday in Melbourne.The pair put on a whirlwind unbroken 85-run stand, rescuing Renegades from a wobbly 49 for 4 in the tenth over.Wareham, who earlier took three wickets, finished with a furious flourish, cracking five fours and two sixes from her 29 deliveries. And Webb also found the boundary four times as Renegades (five wins, five losses) climbed from sixth to fourth on the table.Sixers (five wins, three losses) remain third after failing to capitalise on an Ellyse Perryspecial with the bat.Perry top-scored with 65 from 47 balls but Sixers struggled to 130 for 9. The allrounder dominated Sixers’ innings, hitting nine fours and a six, despite frequently losing partners.Only one other team-mate – Ash Gardner (16) – reached double figures amid some excellent legspin bowling from Wareham (3 for 21 from four overs).Alyssa Healy made a six-ball duck and the middle order failed to fire around Perry, who was dismissed in the 18th over when caught at long-on from the bowling of Alice Capsey (2 for 27).Ellyse Perry put on a one-woman show with the bat for Sixers•Getty Images

Renegades hit early trouble in their chase when Maitlan Brown snared two wickets in the second over.Opener Davina Perrin (28 from 27) and Capsey (10 from 15) briefly steadied before both fell in a three-over patch, leaving Renegades in serious strife four down.But Wareham and Webb launched a power-packed counter-punch with Brown (2 for 45) the only multiple wicket-taker for Sixers.All three games over the weekend will affect the top-four finishing order. The Melbourne Stars are second and on Saturday cannot afford a slip-up when they host the Sydney Thunder, who are out of finals contention.The late Saturday game will feature fifth-placed Perth Scorchers at home against bottom side Heat, while Sixers host Adelaide Strikers on Sunday in a massive end to the regular season.Only three points separates Stars from the sixth-placed Strikers.Tuesday’s knockout final will feature the third-placed team at home against fourth.The winner of that game travels to the second-placed team on Thursday for the challenger final and that will decide who faces Hurricanes for the title.

Seamer puts injury struggles behind with four-wicket haul as Hampshire fall short in run chase

David Hopps24-Jul-2019Life is just a party and parties weren’t meant to last. So sang Prince in “1999” – and Twenty20 hadn’t even gained a foothold then. Well, who knows, maybe the party won’t last, but let’s raise a glass or two in the meantime. Reece Topley has feared countless times that his party was over, but this was a time to dance until dawn as England’s most injury-hit fast bowler returned to the professional game at Hove with devastating effect.The end result: 4 for 33 against Hampshire, the county who understandably felt they had to let him go last October after only 21 matches in three years, and a 14-run margin for Sussex as they defended their 188 for 6. He had to deliver and he did just that.Hampshire are now without a win in three matches, but they are a fine T20 side and they were unrelenting even as they lost wickets. With 25 needed from 10 balls, and Topley having to return for a final over, Kyle Abbott struck him down the ground for six and then survived a catch at deep midwicket to Rashid Khan. But when he spliced the next one, Rashid made no mistake.A left-arm quick with the ability to swing the ball in has always been a priceless commodity, whatever the format, attractive enough for England to give Topley 10 ODIs and six T20 internationals.In his first over, he looked uncomfortable, and down on pace. If it was a party, he would have been in the kitchen, head down, not quite sure he should be there, struggling to make eye contact. In his second over, everything clicked: Hampshire’s top order in the shape of Aneurin Donald, James Vince and Sam Northeast evaporated within the space of four balls.Donald was beaten on the drive around leg stump and adjudged lbw. Perhaps the fact that replays suggested the ball was too high should be politely glossed over because the punch-of-the-air celebration was one of supreme, blushing happiness. Vince sought an off-side drive and inside-edged an inswinger – out second ball for nought: you can always rely on Vince, as talented as he is, to play the fall guy. Then Northeast’s leg stump was cleaned up with a first-ball yorker. There had been a six by Donald, but everybody had forgotten about it by then.Five absences in six years because of stress fractures of the back, and he is still here: only 25, but his back must have felt 75 at times and, in his lowest moments, how old he felt mentally barely warranted thinking about. But Sussex and Middlesex remained open-minded about his potential and he opted for Sussex, playing club cricket for Reigate Priory before Sussex offered him a summer contract in early July and Jason Gillespie, their coach, assured him that what would be would be.Topley’s five fractures were in two areas – L3 and L4 for the experts. He has so many screws in his back that when he passes through airport security the alarm could play the national anthem. But in his dark days he didn’t leave it there and added a broken hand and shoulder surgery for good measure. England coaches remedied his action, removing the leap to the crease, to try to reduce the stress. But through it all his wrist position – his perfect wrist position – remained entrenched.The last time Sussex lost after posting a score so large was back in 2008 when (no prizes for guessing) Hampshire were the victors. Few Blast batting sides appear so vulnerable yet so awash with potential, Phil Salt and Delray Rawlins might have “ephemeral” as their middle name. “Party over, oops out of time”, as Prince went on in “1999”, can be uttered at any moment.For Salt, the party was long lasting, 73 from 46 balls as he rapped the ball to all parts for his fifth T20 half-century. That’s only five fifties and already he has been called up for an England squad, although without making his debut. For Rawlins, it was much more fleeting, six off two balls – meeting Mason Crane’s legspin with a confident skip-down-the-ground six and then outwitted by his follow-up – yet even those balls felt somehow special. Rashid’s 22 off seven was pretty transient, too.Salt set the tone for Sussex as Chris Morris leaked 18 from his second over, climaxed by a rasping straight drive. Luke Wright fed him the strike before Abbott’s bouncer defeated his pull shot, and Laurie Evans fell to a ridiculous run out, even by T20 standards, when he was beaten by Crane, kept his back foot resolutely in the crease but then made an ingrained attempt at a run as the wicketkeeper, Lewis McManus held the ball over the stumps.Hampshire might have ruined the night had Rilee Rossouw’s 60 off 38 not been briefly interrupted when he went off for further concussion checks after he was struck attempting a ramp shot against David Wiese (those dressing room conversations would have been interesting) and McManus struck 32 from 15 balls late on.But Sussex, with their England pair Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan looking on in the crowd, secured their first win. Their promotion challenge in the Championship is looking ragged, but after Topley’s great night their T20 side should have the fans queuing down to Hove sea front wondering what further miracles might ensue.

Alex Gidman said his team had improved from last season after once again securing their spot in the last eight

Richard Hobson at New Road28-Aug-2019No team has successfully defended the T20 Blast, but Worcestershire Rapids took a significant step towards becoming the first when they secured their quarter-final spot courtesy of a third abandoned game at New Road this season. Given that they adopted the “Rapids” moniker in a knowing nod towards the long and sad association between heavy rainfall and the ground it might seem a fitting way to progress.The point was all they needed to guarantee progress and they can now earn a home tie with victory against Northamptonshire Steelbacks on Friday as long as Nottinghamshire Outlaws lose at home to Durham Jets. As well as any cricketing advantage, the additional home fixture would be worth around £100,000 to the club, some compensation for the loss of the group matches to the weather.Alex Gidman, the first team coach, praised his side for overcoming a number of setbacks in recent weeks. Not least, given the importance of taking pace off the ball, has been the loss to injury of three spinners in Brett D’Oliveira, Ben Twohig and George Rhodes. Moeen Ali’s omission by England has provided strong recompense: 140 runs and six wickets at a strike rate of one every 11 balls in his three matches.In all, as many as 12 of the 18 counties have lifted the cup in its 16 seasons. Gidman knows a thing or two about the pressures of trying to retain trophies having been a young allrounder at Gloucestershire over the turn of the century, when they won seven one-day competitions in six years. Success, he thinks, brings its own complications.”Defending it has been harder this season,” he admitted. “We have found that teams are slightly better prepared either individually or collectively with certain plans. They have a better idea of how our guys perform and that sort-of happened too in the good old days at Gloucester. Teams know what to expect and pay you a bit more respect.”One example might be Pat Brown, a sensation last season with his quiver-full of variations which helped to bring 31 wickets. This time he has taken 13, not helped by the abandonments of course, and far from a disgrace for a lad who turned 21 only last week. He has just not been quite as prolific, even though he is, again, the county’s leading wicket-taker in the format.If you are going to learn then it may as well be from the best, and Gidman revealed that he has encouraged the squad to take heed of England’s white-ball example under Eoin Morgan. “I told someone the other day that I genuinely think we’ve improved this season,” he said, “and one thing we have taken from England is to embrace the fact we are champions, not fear it.”Why wouldn’t we try to draw from them given what they have done? They are literally the world champions, so it makes complete sense to copy the language and behaviours associated with them. And I’m very proud of our side. To make it to the quarters with a game to spare is a great effort. When teams have tried the different tactics I talk about, we’ve overcome them.”Which does beg a topical question: who is Worcestershire’s Ben Stokes? Gidman seems to sense a headline as he pauses and smiles, but he whispers his answer anyway. “Moeen.”As well as both reaching the last eight in T20, Worcester and Nottinghamshire, the would-have-been opponents here, share a less illustrious feature. Both are enduring dreadful first-class campaigns, with Nottinghamshire 42 points adrift at the bottom of the Championship first division and Worcester next to bottom of the second. If they are still there in a month’s time it will represent their lowest finish since 1992.One theory is that the white balls offer little movement so batsmen are able to hit through the line without fear of repercussion. In truth, the nature of the format would probably demand they do so anyway. But when the red ball seams and jags, the same approach can all too easily lead to a clatter of wickets. Interestingly, Worcestershire have qualified for quarter-finals in five of the last six white-ball competitions, but were relegated in the Championship in 2018.If this suggests they have concentrated on the shorter formats, it is a charge they would deny. They won their first two four-day games this season, but the top five has subsequently chopped, changed and struggled to perform. And so T20 is their one chance of success.Gidman said: “It was a huge day for the club last year and to win the first trophy for donkeys’ years [actually, since 2007] was a very proud moment for everyone. I think in the back of everyone’s minds here the desire to do it again this year is very strong.”

The fast bowler has stated that he wants to focus on white-ball cricket

Umar Farooq26-Jul-2019Mohammad Amir has announced his retirement from Test cricket. The 27-year-old left-arm quick, however, has said he will continue playing white-ball cricket for Pakistan.Amir brings his Test career to a close with 119 wickets at an average of 30.47. His Test career was split into two parts. He made his debut as a 17-year-old in July 2009 and played 14 Tests, picking up 51 wickets at 29.09, before being banned for five years for his role in the Lord’s spot-fixing scandal. After his return in July 2016, he played 22 Tests, taking 68 wickets at 31.51. The retirement has come at a time of excellent returns across formats for Amir. Since the start of 2018, he has taken 24 wickets in six Tests at an average of 21.00, and in the recently concluded World Cup he was Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker with 17 at 21.05.Unlike other fast bowlers who have given up the longest format in their 20s, Amir has not suffered too many injury setbacks. But his workload has been a major talking point. In the time since his return, Amir has bowled the seventh-most overs in international cricket, across formats, among fast bowlers worldwide. Among Pakistan’s fast bowlers, he has bowled 419 overs more than Hasan Ali in second place.The physical toll led Amir to contemplate Test retirement last year, but he put that decision off, after coming to an agreement with Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur to manage his workload in order to extend his career.”Cricket is different since 2010 and if you look back I have lost five precious years of my career,” Amir told ESPNcricinfo then. “Just imagine had I played in all those years, the count could have been 70-80 Tests.”I can’t roll back that lost time but I can manage my workload to extend my career as much as I can. With every passing day I’m getting older and I know fans want me to play. But if you look rationally I’m human and not an iron man. My passion is still there and I want to be there for fans, serving the country for a long time.”Has Mohammad Amir lived up to his potential?•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Now Pakistan fans will only see him in the green ODI and T20I kit, and not the Test whites.”It has been an honour to represent Pakistan in the pinnacle and traditional format of the game,” Amir said in a statement. “I, however, have decided to move away from the longer version so I can concentrate on white ball cricket.”Playing for Pakistan remains my ultimate desire and objective, and I will try my best to be in the best physical shape to contribute in the team’s upcoming challenges, including next year’s ICC T20 World Cup.”It has not been an easy decision to make and I have been thinking about this for some time. But with the ICC World Test Championship commencing shortly, and Pakistan boasting some very exciting young fast bowlers, it is appropriate that I call on my time in Test cricket so that the selectors can plan accordingly.”I want to thank all my team-mates as well the opponents in red ball cricket. It has been a privilege to play with and against them. I am sure our paths will continue to cross in limited-overs cricket as all of us play and compete with the same vigour and determination.”I also want to thank the PCB for providing me the opportunity to don the golden star on my chest. And, I am grateful to my coaches who have groomed me at various stages of my career.”

Harry Podmore hounded his former county to leave Kent in tip-top frame of mind for the Royal London Cup final on Saturday and Middlesex’s Championship season in ruins

Matt Roller at Canterbury27-Jun-20181:57

Kent go top of Division Two

ScorecardMiddlesex slumped to a record first-class defeat against Kent, as Harry Podmore took a maiden five-wicket haul against his former employers. For Kent, the 342-run win secured a spot in the top two of the second division, and meant a winning start as Championship captain for Sam Billings ahead of Saturday’s Royal London Cup final.Not for the first time this season, Kent’s batsmen underwhelmed, only for the spirit of their inexperienced attack to bail them out of trouble. They sit at top of the Championship tonight – although will slip to second if Warwickshire win at Chester-le-Street – and on this showing, there is every reason to think they can seal promotion in the second half of the season.With an eye to the future, perhaps a Division One future, they have also confirmed that they have put a 28-day approach in for the Nottinghamshire seamer Matt Milnes.

Don’t blame the lights – Walker

Matt Walker, Kent’s coach, played down the impact of floodlit cricket on Kent’s win following Middlesex’s precipitous collapse on the first evening.
“I don’t really see the point of pink-ball cricket, to be honest… but the lights haven’t really played a part in it. There were about eight overs of it on the first night, and probably similar on the second night. I don’t know why the ECB are doing it – I know they’re trialling it, but I love the four-day format as it is. But look, we’ve won this game, and I’d like to think we’d have won the game if it had been a red ball starting at normal hours as well.”

Chasing an improbable 467 to win with eight wickets in hand, Middlesex went into the day with a clear task: bat, and bat long. But the game was over as a contest within the first hour. Sam Robson, Dawid Malan, and Hilton Cartwright – each a Test batsman – looked all at sea against the swinging ball, as Podmore and Grant Stewart ran riot.Steaming in from the Nackington Road end, Podmore bowled with pace and purpose to a packed slip cordon, and celebrated each wicket with a roar more guttural than the last. When Malan nicked off, he wheeled away in celebration, arms outstretched, before punching the air.The seamer never held down a place in the first team at Middlesex, and his release at the start of April was not mourned by their fans. But here, he looked every inch a Division One fast bowler, moving the ball into the right-hander and beating the bat time and again.Stewart, whose maiden century last night took the game away from Middlesex’s attack, struck first, removing the hapless Robson flashing at a wide one, before Podmore got Malan.The wickets began to tumble: nightwatchman Ravi Patel was caught at fourth slip off Stewart, before Podmore took his fifth and sixth of the innings, all before an hour had been played.Only Tim Murtagh’s bludgeoning 40 off 21 balls spared the visitors from their heaviest-ever first-class defeat in terms of runs, but that will be scant consolation. Middlesex sit fifth in Division Two, 36 points off second-placed Warwickshire; and that margin could increase depending on proceedings at Chester-le-Street.Middlesex have spoken out about the perceived injustices they have faced countless times over the past two seasons. Their relegation from Division One was blamed on the Taunton groundsman and a rogue archer outside the Oval; their struggles at home the fault of the Lord’s groundstaff, rather than their attack’s impotence.They had their excuses here, too: no doubt, they had the worse of the conditions, and they were missing as many as nine of the first-team squad due to international call-ups, injuries, or breakdowns in relationships.But the time for excuses must be over. For all their complaints about the pink Dukes ball, which swung around corners late on the first evening, and their absent stars, Middlesex were outplayed in every department by a fired-up Kent side. Today’s pathetic showing was the nadir: with no blame cast on the floodlights or the mischievous pink ball, they collapsed in spectacular fashion against a Kent attack missing its two spearheads.After an early exit in the Royal London Cup, and with a poor recent record in the T20 Blast, Middlesex’s season rests on the final seven games of the Championship season. With Nick Gubbins, Tom Helm, Paul Stirling, Eoin Morgan, and Steven Finn all in contention for those games, there is at least some reason for optimism, but the manner of the defeat here hints at a club in turmoil.Few could have foreseen the club’s current position after their dramatic, final-day title win in 2016, but their slump has come about on merit. The members will be demanding answers: why have talented young players like Podmore and Gloucestershire’s Ryan Higgins left the county? Why are two stars of the Championship-winning season now either surplus to requirements (Nick Compton) or on loan at a club in the division above (Ollie Rayner)?

Unicorns will also miss the services of Romario Shepherd, who has returned to Guyana to play in the Global Super League

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jul-2025Opener Finn Allen has been ruled out of New Zealand’s upcoming T20I tri-series in Zimbabwe, which is set to begin on July 14, after sustaining a foot injury while playing for San Francisco Unicorns in the MLC. This means he will also miss the MLC playoffs, where Unicorns are set to take on MI New York in the Eliminator on Wednesday.According to a NZC release, Allen’s recovery timeline will be determined once he returns to New Zealand and received further specialist consultations. While New Zealand will name his replacement for the tri-series in due course, Unicorns have decided not to name a replacement player. New Zealand are set to arrive in Harare on Thursday ahead of their first T20I against South Africa on July 16.Allen last played in Unicorns’ final league match against Los Angeles Knight Riders in Lauderhill on July 6. He was out for 4 in the first over of the 244 chase. He is Unicorns’ second-highest run-getter with 333 runs in nine matches, which included a record-breaking 151 in the first game against Washington Freedom in Oakland.Unicorns will also miss the services of West Indies allrounder Romario Shepherd, who has returned to Guyana to play for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Global Super League. Shepherd has been a key wicket-taker for Unicorns, taking eight wickets in five innings, and has also contributed with the bat. Unicorns have decided not to name a replacement for him too.

The two matches will provide Australia’s preparation for the Champions Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jan-2025An extra ODI has been added to Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka which will provide the visitors additional preparation for the Champions Trophy.The two matches will now take place on February 12 and 14 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and will be day games.The first of the games begins just two days after the scheduled fifth day of the second Test in Galle so it remains to be seen how many players featuring in that match can turnaround for the one-dayer if the Test goes the distance.However, Australia have nine players in their preliminary Champions Trophy squad who aren’t part of the Test series, including captain Pat Cummins and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood.But Cummins’ participation remains uncertain as he is carrying an ankle injury which he played with during the India Test series.Australia’s ODI players are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka around the start of the second Test. Their first match in the Champions Trophy is against England on February 22 followed by South Africa on February 25 and Afghanistan on February 28.The first semi-final will take place in Dubai on March 4 with the second in Lahore on March 5 following confirmation of the hybrid model due to India not traveling to Pakistan. The final will be on March 9, in either Dubai or Lahore depending on whether India qualify.

Jadhav, who had also registered for the WPL auction but went unsold, is one of the standbys for the upcoming Under-19 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jan-2025Fourteen-year-old Ira Jadhav scored an unbeaten 346 off 157 balls to launch Mumbai to 563 for 3 against Meghalaya in Alur in the Women’s Under-19 One Day Trophy. Jadhav smashed 42 fours and 16 sixes and finished with a strike rate of 220.38.In the chase, Meghalaya crumbled to 19 all out, with six players falling for ducks, as Mumbai posted a massive 544-run win.The record for the highest individual score in a women’s U-19 match belongs to South Africa’s Lizelle Lee. Playing for Mpumalanga, Lee scored an unbeaten 427 against Kei in 2010.Jadhav, who opened the innings, was part of a 274-run stand for the second wicket with her captain Hurley Gala, who made 116 off 79 balls. Jadhav’s contribution to the partnership was 149 off 71 balls. This was followed by a stand of 186 with Diksha Pawar – Jadhav’s share was 137 off 50 balls. Against such an onslaught, three of Meghalaya’s bowlers conceded 100 runs or more.A student of the Shardashram Vidyamandir International School, the alma mater of Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli and Ajit Agarkar, Jadhav was one of the youngest players to register for the WPL 2025 auction, but she went unsold. A few days later, she was named among standbys for India’s Under-19 T20 World Cup squad that will travel to Malaysia.

MSK Prasad clarified that he had personally spoken to Nair after dropping him from the Test squad, and that he was “in the scheme of things for Test cricket”

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2018After controversially dropping Karun Nair from the Test squad, even though he didn’t get a chance to fail or succeed for six straight Tests, India’s chairman of selectors MSK Prasad has given the batsman an advice: “keep on piling runs” in the domestic circuit and for India A.Prasad also clarified that he had personally spoken to Nair after leaving him out of the 15-man squad for the West Indies series at home. Nair’s omission created a stir because he was given no opportunity to prove himself on the preceding England tour and the lone Test against Afghanistan at home.”I personally spoke to Karun soon after the selection of the Test team against the West Indies and also told the ways to make a comeback. The selection committee is very, very clear with regard to the communication process,” Prasad told . “He will have to keep on piling runs in Ranji Trophy and whatever India A series is there. Karun is very much in the scheme of things for Test cricket. Right now, we have advised him to focus on performing in domestic and India A matches.”Prasad further stated that Nair had been spoken to in England too, where the batsman sat on the bench for the entirety of the tour, despite being named in the squad for all five Tests. That included the much talked-about inclusion of a debuting Hanuma Vihari, who edged out Nair to replace the injured Hardik Pandya for the fifth Test at The Oval.”Communication has always been the strong point of this committee,” Prasad said. “It’s really tough to inform any unpleasant news to any player. You need to have valid reasons to explain them about their exclusion though they may not agree with it.”Having said that, we are very clear and candid in our communication process. My colleague Devang Gandhi spoke to Karun Nair at length in England to keep him motivated and wait for his opportunities.”These statements are in direct contradiction to Nair’s. Shortly before the squad for West Indies series was announced, Nair had stated that he had received no communication about why he didn’t get a chance in England even though he was picked in the squad before Vihari.”We [Nair, the selectors and the team management] haven’t had any conversations. Nothing at all,” he had said. “It is difficult, but I haven’t gone forth and asked anything, but yeah, we haven’t had any conversation.”