All posts tagged: kannaur lokesh rahul

On Axar Patel Batting Ahead Of KL Rahul vs England, Gautam Gambhir’s Honest “Impact” Verdict

On Axar Patel Batting Ahead Of KL Rahul vs England, Gautam Gambhir’s Honest “Impact” Verdict

India’s dominant 3-0 series victory over England left little room for doubt about their superiority, but one aspect of their batting order drew scrutiny. In two of the successful chases, all-rounder Axar Patel was promoted up the order, leaving KL Rahul with minimal involvement. This move, seemingly influenced by head coach Gautam Gambhir’s preference for a right-left combination in the middle order, sparked debate among commentators. Addressing the criticism, Gambhir defended the strategy, emphasizing that adaptability in the batting order is crucial to modern cricket. “That’s the way cricket is meant to be played,” Gambhir stated during a press conference. He added, “I know a lot of people talk about it, but that’s the way we got to play the game, and that’s the way cricket should be played. It’s not about the batting order; it’s about who can create what impact. If you have the option of putting a quality left-hand batter in the middle, why wouldn’t you do that?” He explained that his approach is not dictated by conventional statistics but …

Sunil Gavaskar Sends Clear Message: “Don’t Do Anything Stupid”. KL Rahul’s Act Stuns India Great

Sunil Gavaskar Sends Clear Message: “Don’t Do Anything Stupid”. KL Rahul’s Act Stuns India Great

India vs England: File photo of KL Rahul and Sunil Gavaskar© X/Twitter India ticked quite a few boxes in the second ODI against England in Cuttack on Sunday. The most important of them all was skipper Rohit Sharma ending his ODI century drought after over 450 days. After a below-par show Down Under in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, India desperately need a good result in the February 19-March 9 Champions Trophy. For that to happen, the role of Rohit – one of the most senior batters in the side – is crucial. With the 90-ball 119 that Rohit scored against England, the concerns over his form has reduced quite a bit. Throughout the series so far, India performed well in all departments.  On Sunday, even after Rohit departed with India’s score reading 220/3 in 29.4 overs, the hosts still had a task in hand chasing a 305-run target. Then, Shreyas Iyer departed with the score reading 258/4 in 37 overs. The expectations were that the next pair of Axar Patel and KL Rahul …

Team India Urge People To Join ‘Donate Organs, Save Lives’ Campaign Ahead Of 3rd ODI vs England

Team India Urge People To Join ‘Donate Organs, Save Lives’ Campaign Ahead Of 3rd ODI vs England

Ahead of the third ODI against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, the Indian team players including former captain Virat Kohli urged people to join the ‘Donate Organs, Save Lives’ campaign and pledge for organ donation. On Monday, ICC Chairman Jay Shah announced the launch of the initiative on the final ODI of the ongoing three-match series against England. “On the occasion of the 3rd ODI between India and England in Ahmedabad on February 12th, we are proud to launch an awareness initiative – “Donate Organs, Save Lives”. Sport has the power to inspire, unite, and create lasting impact beyond the field. Through this initiative, we urge everyone to take a step towards giving the greatest gift of all – the gift of life. One pledge, one decision, can save multiple lives. Let’s come together and make a difference!,” Shah wrote on X. The BCCI also shared the video of Indian players appealing to the countrymen to join the initiative. “Score the ultimate century, your organs can help others …

Gautam Gambhir’s “KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya” Ploy Called Out, Told “This Isn’t What You Want”

Gautam Gambhir’s “KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya” Ploy Called Out, Told “This Isn’t What You Want”

The 3-match ODI series between India and England continues to act as a preparatory series for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, with the hosts trying different combinations in the middle. One of the biggest decisions that the Gautam Gambhir-led team management has taken is promoting Axar Patel higher in the batting order, even ahead of KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja. Though Axar scored a half-century in the first ODI, the experiment doesn’t have everyone on board. India’s top 4 is fixed in ODI cricket, with Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma the openers, following by Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer. After that, the management is open to experiments. Seeing Axar being promoted at the No. 4 spot, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra isn’t pleased. In a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “There is still one development that is taking place, but it is yet to be seen if the Indian team can find an answer to that. KL Rahul is batting at no. 6. But is he the best option at …

Shreyas Iyer “Best In God’s Eyes”: India Star Gets Blockbuster Praise From Harbhajan Singh

Shreyas Iyer “Best In God’s Eyes”: India Star Gets Blockbuster Praise From Harbhajan Singh

India batter Shreyas Iyer, who played match-winning knock in the first ODI against England, revealed that he wasn’t part of the original playing XI, and was only included after Virat Kohli picked up an injury ahead of the match. Kohli sat out the series opener in Nagpur owing to a sore knee. Turning disaster into opportunity, Iyer scored a counter-attacking 59 after India had lost both openers for cheap. His 94-run stand with vice-captain Shubman Gill set the tone for India’s four-wicket win. Speaking on Iyer’s knock in the 1st ODI, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh was all praise for the batter. Harbhajan suggested even god wanted Iyer to play that knock which turned the game in India’s favour after Englad struck early. “The team management has selected him in the squad but they had to decide whether they want to go with him or Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top. I think the team is currently trusting Yashasvi more. Maybe the management is looking to have a right-left combination up top. This is …

Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir Slammed For Lack Of Faith In Star: “Should Have Allowed…”

Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir Slammed For Lack Of Faith In Star: “Should Have Allowed…”

Aakash Chopra has questioned the team management over their utilisation of KL Rahul.© BCCI Former India batter Aakash Chopra has questioned the team management over their utilisation of star wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul in the first ODI against England on Thursday. Despite being preferred over Rishabh Pant in the playing XI, Rahul came out to bat at no. 6 as Axar Patel was promoted up the order in Nagpur. Although Rahul was dismissed for cheap by spinner Adil Rashid, Chopra feels that the veteran batter should’ve been allowed to bat at his usual form. “What are we going to do with Rahul? It’s an important talking point. It’s slightly intriguing. Jacob Bethell and Adil Rashid were bowling. So you didn’t send Rahul, okay fine, but you played Rahul ahead of Pant. However, are you going to show that much faith in Rahul? You haven’t done that thus far because there were three matches in Sri Lanka, the first match got tied, you lost the second match, and you dropped him in the third match. Rishabh …

India vs England 1st ODI LIVE Updates: After Mohammed Shami’s Maiden On Return, India Debutant Concedes…

India vs England 1st ODI LIVE Updates: After Mohammed Shami’s Maiden On Return, India Debutant Concedes…

India Vs England 1st ODI LIVE SCORE© BCCI India vs England 1st ODI LIVE: After the absence of Virat Kohli from the first ODI, India hunt for wickets against England in Nagpur. Ben Duckett and Phil Salt have started the proceedings for the visitors as they aim for a solid partnership. On the other hand, the Indian bowlers are eyeing some quick wickets in the early stages of the game. England skipper Jos Buttler won the toss and opted to bat against India in the first ODI of the three-match series in Nagpur. At toss, India skipper Rohit Sharma announced that the hosts will be playing without the services of their star batter Virat Kohli as he picked up a injury. Apart from this, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harshit Rana have been handed over their ODI debut caps. (Live Scorecard) England Tour of India 2025 Live Updates: India vs England, 1st ODI, Straight from Nagpur:  February06202513:37 (IST) IND vs ENG 1st ODI Live: Good start for India Despite facing the setback of Virat Kohli’s absence, Team India is …

Rishabh Pant Or KL Rahul? Who’ll Be In India XI For Champions Trophy – Report Reveals ‘Intriguing Clues’

Rishabh Pant Or KL Rahul? Who’ll Be In India XI For Champions Trophy – Report Reveals ‘Intriguing Clues’

Rishabh Pant‘s game-changing audacity or KL Rahul‘s quiet dependability? It is a tough call that head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Rohit Sharma will have to take when they zero-in on the batter-keeper’s slot for the Champions Trophy during the ODI series against England starting Thursday. The first training session on Tuesday provided intriguing clues as to which of the two might find a place in the playing eleven. Both players spent significant time honing their skills, but it was Rahul who had the more extensive session in which he not only batted but also underwent wicket-keeping drills. Meanwhile Pant focused solely on his batting, treating the spinners with disdain as he hit one-handed sixes, cheeky ramps, and his trademark falling slog and reverse sweeps. Rahul looked more measured, preferring to pierce the gaps rather than display brute power. More importantly, he also kept wickets, reinforcing his credentials as India’s potential first-choice wicketkeeper. With Rohit and Gill likely to open, followed by Kohli and Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya No. 6, the wicketkeeper-batter …

KL Rahul, Ex-England Captain In Awe Of Abhishek Sharma’s 135, Say “Best Innings I Have Ever…”

KL Rahul, Ex-England Captain In Awe Of Abhishek Sharma’s 135, Say “Best Innings I Have Ever…”

Abhishek Sharma celebrates after scoring a century in the India vs England 5th T20I© BCCI/Sportzpics Abhishek Sharma hit a sensational 135 off just 54 balls in the fifth T20I between India and England, drawing plaudits from fellow cricketers, experts and fans from across the world. Abhishek’s 135 became the highest individual score by an Indian player in T20I cricket, surpassing Shubman Gill‘s previous record of 126. The compliments for Abhishek did not stop after the game, with several players even saying that it is the best T20I innings they have ever watched. One of them was India star KL Rahul, who took to social media to show his appreciation. “Wow!! Abhishek Sharma. The best T20 innings I’ve watched. Unreal hitting,” posted KL Rahul on Instagram. On the other hand, despite Abhishek taking the England bowling to the cleaners, even former England cricketers could not help but applaud. Headlining the praise from the opposition camp were former captains Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen. “Wonderful player. I don’t think you can play any better than …

KL Rahul Falls For 26 On Ranji Trophy Comeback; Karnataka 267/5 vs Haryana In Must-Win Match

KL Rahul Falls For 26 On Ranji Trophy Comeback; Karnataka 267/5 vs Haryana In Must-Win Match

KL Rahul’s much-anticipated return to Ranji Trophy lasted a mere 37 balls as the India opener was dismissed for 26, leaving Karnataka at 267/5 against Haryana on day one of their must-win Group C match in Bengaluru on Thursday. Making his first Ranji Trophy appearance since February 2020, local hero Rahul walked in at No. 3 to a warm reception from the semi-packed M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, with chants of ‘Rahul, Rahul’ echoing through the stands. The stylish right-hander looked in fine touch from the outset, striking four crisp boundaries in a fluent 54-run stand with Karnataka skipper Mayank Agarwal for the second wicket. However, just as he appeared to settle down, Rahul fell in the post-lunch session to Haryana’s in-form pacer Anshul Kamboj. The leading wicket-taker for Haryana this season produced a peach of a delivery that forced the experienced India batter into an edge, with wicketkeeper Rohit Sharma making no mistake behind the stumps. The Haryana pace spearhead was once again the pick of the bowler as he dismissed opener KV Avneesh …