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Pant’s brilliance and Boland’s resistance : Can India’s 145-run advantage stand strong against Australia?

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2 years ago

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Rishabh Pant

In a day of fast-paced action, where 314 runs were scored and 15 wickets fell, India finished the day with a 145-run lead in the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Despite the sizeable advantage, the match remains evenly poised, as Scott Boland’s fiery spell reduced India to their last recognised batting pair. Meanwhile, India’s lead may seem smaller with the growing concern over Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness after he was absent for the second session due to a suspected injury. While the exact nature of the injury remains unclear, Bumrah’s absence added pressure, but India still managed to scrape through to a four-run first innings lead in his absence.

The day began with India looking confident, with Yashasvi Jaiswal launching a spirited attack, scoring four boundaries off Mitchell Starc’s first over. However, their aggressive start was cut short by Boland, who dismissed KL Rahul and Jaiswal in quick succession. Boland, alongside the pitch’s seam movement, wreaked havoc, further dismissing Virat Kohli, who once again fell to an edge caught at slip.

India’s resistance came from Rishabh Pant, who counter-attacked right from the word go. Pant, showing an aggressive approach, launched into Boland with a stunning drive down the track for a boundary. Despite the fall of Shubman Gill, who was dismissed by debutant Beau Webster, Pant remained a standout performer. His quick-fire half-century came off just 29 balls, the second fastest in India’s Test history. Pant’s attacking strokes against Boland, Starc, and Webster helped India maintain momentum, with a 44-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja.

However, Pant’s charge was halted after the final drinks break of the day. Pat Cummins, maintaining his control, sent Pant back to the pavilion as he edged one to the keeper. This marked the fourth time in the series that Cummins had gotten the better of Pant. With Pant’s departure, the scoring rate slowed significantly as India struggled to break free from Australia’s tight bowling. Nitish Reddy, trying to break the pressure, was dismissed by Boland, and India’s hopes of extending the lead further seemed to falter.

Earlier in the day, India’s pace attack had put Australia under pressure, dismissing them for just 181 in their first innings, securing a narrow four-run lead. Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj had initially troubled the Australian batsmen, with Bumrah dismissing Marnus Labuschagne early. However, Australia’s recovery came through Steve Smith, who, alongside Beau Webster, began to steady the ship with a 57-run partnership. Despite Smith’s valiant efforts, India continued to make breakthroughs, with Prasidh Krishna dismissing Smith just before he could add another milestone to his career.

With Australia at 39/4 early in the second session, India seemed to be in control. However, the middle-order resistance from Webster and Smith kept the game on a knife-edge. As the conditions improved and the pitch eased out a little, Australia managed to recover, only for India to strike again. Prasidh Krishna dismissed Smith for 33, sending Australia into the break with a much-needed jolt.

At stumps, India were 141/6, with Pant’s aggressive knock the highlight of the day. Despite a strong showing by Boland, who claimed 4 wickets for 42 runs, India’s lead remained intact at 145 runs.

As the match progresses, the outcome remains uncertain, with Australia still holding hope for a counter-attack on Day Three.

Brief Scores:
India 185 and 141/6 (Rishabh Pant 61; Scott Boland 4-42) lead Australia 181 (Beau Webster 57, Steve Smith 33; Prasidh Krishna 3-42) by 145 runs

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Gautam Gambhir faces backlash after India’s shock T20 series defeat against Ireland

Gautam Gambhir faced criticism from Iceland Cricket and Sanjay Manjrekar after India suffered a shock 0-2 T20 series defeat against Ireland.

Published

1 week ago

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June 29, 2026

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Gautam Gambhir

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has come under scrutiny following India’s surprising 0-2 defeat in the two-match T20I series against Ireland, with criticism emerging from both former cricketers and Iceland Cricket.

India suffered a 34-run defeat in the opening T20I before Ireland completed a historic series sweep by winning the second match as well. The result marked one of India’s most unexpected bilateral T20 series losses in recent years.

Soon after the series concluded, Iceland Cricket, known for its witty social media posts, took a swipe at Gambhir. In a post on social media, the account sarcastically remarked on Gambhir’s coaching methods following India’s disappointing performance. The comments quickly gained traction among cricket fans online.

Former India batter and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar also questioned some of the decisions taken by the team management during the Ireland tour. Manjrekar had earlier expressed disappointment over teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi not being included in the playing XI despite India’s struggles in the series. He termed the move as not being a “good cricketing call”.

The exclusion of Sooryavanshi became a major talking point during the series, particularly after India lost the first game. The 15-year-old remained on the bench for both matches despite widespread expectations of a possible debut.

The series defeat has intensified discussions around India’s team selection and tactical approach under Gambhir, with fans and experts debating the decisions taken during the tour.

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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s India debut not certain as team balance takes precedence

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s much-anticipated India debut is not guaranteed, with team management prioritising balance and existing performers ahead of the Ireland T20Is.

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1 week ago

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June 26, 2026

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Vaibhav suryavanshi123

Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has generated immense excitement ahead of India’s T20I series against Ireland, but a place in the playing XI is far from certain as team management weighs the importance of maintaining a settled combination.

The 15-year-old left-handed batter, who enjoyed a remarkable rise through domestic and franchise cricket, has been included in India’s T20I squad for the Ireland and England tours. However, fitting him into the starting XI presents a significant selection challenge.

Crowded top order creates selection headache

India already have several established opening options in the squad, including Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan. Bringing Sooryavanshi into the side would likely require dropping one of the current top-order batters, many of whom have already delivered strong performances for the national team.

Ahead of the Ireland series, India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak stressed that players who have been consistently performing should not be sidelined unfairly merely to accommodate new entrants. He added that competition for places is healthy and every player should wait for the appropriate opportunity.

The approach reflects head coach Gautam Gambhir’s emphasis on prioritising the team’s overall balance rather than making changes solely because of public demand or hype surrounding a player.

Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise continues

Despite uncertainty over his immediate debut, Sooryavanshi remains one of India’s brightest young prospects. The Bihar batter has impressed across age-group cricket, domestic competitions and the IPL, where his fearless strokeplay attracted widespread attention.

With India set to play a packed white-ball schedule, opportunities are expected to come for the youngster, even if he does not feature in the opening T20I against Ireland.

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Azmatullah Omarzai creates ODI six-hitting record during third match against India

Azmatullah Omarzai reached 50 ODI sixes in just 36 innings during the third ODI against India, joining Corey Anderson and Liam Livingstone on an elite list of power-hitters.

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2 weeks ago

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June 20, 2026

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Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai added another milestone to his growing international career by becoming one of the fastest batters to reach 50 sixes in One Day Internationals (ODIs) during the third ODI against India national cricket team. Omarzai achieved the feat with two maximums in the match, entering an elite list of power-hitters in ODI cricket.

Omarzai and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi stitched together a 105-run partnership to rebuild the innings after Afghanistan faced early setbacks. Omarzai’s innings came to an end after he played a crucial role in Afghanistan’s recovery.

Omarzai among fastest batters to 50 ODI sixes

With this achievement, Omarzai reached the 50-sixes mark in just 36 ODI innings. According to the record list, only Corey Anderson and Liam Livingstone got there faster, taking 32 and 34 innings respectively. Omarzai is now the joint third-fastest batter to reach 50 ODI sixes, sharing the position with Muhammad Waseem after both achieved the milestone in 36 innings.

Fastest to 50 ODI sixes (by innings):

  • Corey Anderson – 32 innings
  • Liam Livingstone – 34 innings
  • Azmatullah Omarzai – 36 innings
  • Muhammad Waseem – 36 innings
  • Shimron Hetmyer – 38 innings
  • Harry Brook – 38 innings

Notably, no Indian batter features among the top five fastest players to reach 50 ODI sixes.

Equals Shahidi’s record against India

Omarzai’s half-century also helped him match captain Hashmatullah Shahidi’s record for the most ODI fifties by an Afghanistan batter against India. Both players now have two ODI half-centuries against the Indian team.

The latest achievement further highlights Omarzai’s importance to Afghanistan’s ODI setup, where he has established himself as one of the team’s most impactful all-rounders in recent years.

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