All posts tagged: Test cricket

The most complete batsman who was incomplete

The most complete batsman who was incomplete

Published by Webster

6 min readJul 30, 2026 07:04 PM IST With his characteristic bashful smile, Ajinkya Rahane announced his farewell from the game that was his life for the last twenty years. In an Instagram video that was as crisp as his punches through covers, he said in a deeply philosophical tone: “The reality of life is that everything has a beginning and everything has an end. When the time comes, we simply have to respect it and move forward.” If there was a hint of regret in his voice, in the uncertainty his career traversed in the last three years, in the greatness it felt agonisingly short of, his smile did well to conceal it, as it had through the thick and thin of his career. In the two minutes, 22 seconds video, he reflected on his greatest virtue, the gift of timing. It was about guts and grit too, his career of 8413 international runs, 5077 off them in 85 Tests, is defined not so much by the sheer numbers as by the immensity of …

Legendary West Indies cricketer Garry Sobers passes away at 89

Legendary West Indies cricketer Garry Sobers passes away at 89

Published by Webster

1 min readUpdated: Jul 17, 2026 09:08 PM IST Former West Indies cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers passed away on Friday at the age of 89 at home in Barbados. Sobers is widely regarded as cricket’s greatest all-rounder. “A great innings has come to an end. In our hearts, now and forever, Sir Garfield Sobers,” Cricket West Indies said in a post on X. A left-handed batsman who could bowl in the vastly different styles of fast-medium, orthodox spin and wrist spin, as well as a brilliant fielder, Barbados-born Sobers represented the West Indies in 93 Tests from 1954 to 1974. Without much debate, Sobers is considered the greatest all-rounder that the sport has seen. He scored over 8,000 Test runs and picked up 235 wickets on the international arena, and overall, more than 28,000 runs and a staggering 1043 wickets. “The greatest all-round cricketer the world has seen”. He wrote: “Sobers was a brilliant batsman, splendid fielder, particularly close to the wicket, and a bowler of extraordinary skill, whether bowling with the new ball, providing orthodox …

‘McCullum got to go with Stokes’: Former Ashes winner uses strong words and wants New Zealander out of England set-up

‘McCullum got to go with Stokes’: Former Ashes winner uses strong words and wants New Zealander out of England set-up

Published by Parlour News

Former England fast bowler and Ashes winner Steve Harmison wants head coach Brendon McCullum to quit too in the wake of the international retirement of Ben Stokes on Sunday, during day four of the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum shared a great bond. (AFP) The 47-year-old, who played 63 Tests for England and took 226 wickets, is not happy with the Bazball cricket that McCullum has introduced in English cricket since taking over as a coach. After some initial success, it has floundered big time in recent months. They lost the Ashes 4-1 and, before they drew 2-2 at home against India. The ongoing series… they might end up losing too. They need 270 more to win with just six wickets in hand on the last day. Also Read: I believe Ben Stokes was pushed to the wall and he finally decided to break himself free of the shackles Harmison appears to be of the opinion that they were a partnership to take English cricket forward, and …

Virat Kohli reacts to Kane Williamson’s retirement: ‘Life’s only just begun’

Virat Kohli reacts to Kane Williamson’s retirement: ‘Life’s only just begun’

Published by Parlour News

3 min readJun 12, 2026 06:44 PM IST Former India captain Virat Kohli paid a heartfelt tribute to Kane Williamson after the New Zealand batting great announced his retirement from international cricket on Friday, describing him as much more than just a rival and said that he cherished and valued the 35-year-old’s friendship. Taking to X, the 37-year-old reflected on a relationship that began as fierce competition on the field before growing into a close friendship built on mutual respect. “From an opponent to a friend over the years. It’s been a pleasure watching you bat and compete against you over so many years but more than that I value our friendship and shared perspectives on the game and beyond. I continue to cherish every time we speak or meet,” Kohli wrote. The former India captain concluded his message by wishing Williamson well for the next phase of his life. “Wishing you nothing but the best always brother. You’ve done your bit, you deserve to enjoy all of it now and put your feet up. Well done …

Shubman Gill formula to winning Tests: ‘Try to post 350-400 totals consistently’ and leave the rest to the bowlers

Shubman Gill formula to winning Tests: ‘Try to post 350-400 totals consistently’ and leave the rest to the bowlers

Published by Parlour News

India captain Shubman Gill has acknowledged that batting is a bit of an issue for the team in Test cricket. Not against teams like Afghanistan, whom they beat by an innings and 300 runs on day three of the only Test at the New Chandigarh Stadium on Monday afternoon. It is against bigger teams. Clearly, Gill had the home whitewashes against New Zealand and South Africa in mind — and the away series against Australia in 2024-25. Shubman Gill used his resources pretty well. (PTI) “When you’re batting first innings, try to post 350 on the board every time you get into bat, no matter where we are playing, what kind of conditions it is. I think there’s enough trust in our bowling group that we can take 20 wickets anywhere. Whenever there’s a transition, we feel the batting group is under more pressure, and we are trying to get experience. We’re trying to build here to see what kind of game can work for us as a batting group and in different conditions and …

Ashwin sounds warning on Test cricket’s future, says BCCI alone cannot solve the problem

Ashwin sounds warning on Test cricket’s future, says BCCI alone cannot solve the problem

Published by Parlour News

Test cricket is in a tough spot. As T20 leagues grow worldwide, they are stealing the spotlight and winning over the next generation. This shift has cast doubt on the future of 50-over matches, while Test cricket is struggling to survive. R Ashwin highlights worrying Test cricket trend. (REUTERS) In India, this challenge feels even bigger. With legends like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retiring, the interest in the traditional five-day format has slowed down significantly. To fight this decline, the BCCI has stepped in with a clear plan to protect the game’s roots. By completely restructuring how first-class players are paid, the board is working to keep the red-ball format relevant and financially rewarding. This move is a crucial effort to ensure that the foundation of Indian Test cricket remains strong, despite the massive popularity of the shorter, faster game. Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes the challenges facing Test cricket extend far beyond India, stressing that the longest format requires stronger incentives to attract the next generation of players. While acknowledging the BCCI’s …

Pant to work on playing the situation: ten Doeschate

Pant to work on playing the situation: ten Doeschate

Published by Parlour News

New Chandigarh: The last two months have been among the most difficult in Rishabh Pant’s cricketing career since his remarkable comeback from a life-threatening car accident. Hailed as one of India’s biggest match-winners a year ago after his successful return to international cricket and impressive performances in England, Pant has had to deal with a lot across formats. Rishabh Pant during a practice session ahead of the first Test match against Afghanistan, in Mullanpur onThursday. (PTI) First came the disappointment of losing the Test vice-captaincy. Then, Pant was omitted from the ODI squad for the series against Afghanistan that follows the one-off Test starting here on Saturday. His struggles extended to the Indian Premier League (IPL) where his second season as captain of Lucknow Super Giants ended in frustration. Pant’s form with the bat dipped in the IPL. Acquired for a staggering ₹27 crore in the 2025 auction, the wicketkeeper-batter managed 312 runs in 14 matches this IPL season. Lucknow Super Giants endured another disappointing campaign, slipping to the bottom of the table after finishing …

Teams can shift from red ball to pink in Test to deal with bad light

Teams can shift from red ball to pink in Test to deal with bad light

Published by Parlour News

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved the trial run for a switch from red ball to pink ball midway through a Test deal with the issue of bad light reducing playing time. Both teams would have to agree before the start of the game to the change in the colour of the ball if the weather dictated so and play under lights. The ICC board approved the recommendations of its Chief Executives Committee during the meeting in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The proposal to use different balls during a Test was among the many that the ICC board has approved. So far in Test matches, teams can either use the red ball or pink. The pink ball was first used in a day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand at Adelaide in 2015. Though Australia continues to host a day-night almost every season Down Under, the innovation hasn’t taken off in other parts of the world. India hasn’t hosted a day-night Test since the game against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru in 2022. England, another venue …

McGrath, Gillespie and Fleming back BBL privatisation but warn Test cricket must be protected

McGrath, Gillespie and Fleming back BBL privatisation but warn Test cricket must be protected

Published by Webster

3 min readMay 18, 2026 12:20 PM IST Three of Australia’s popular fast bowlers have backed BBL privatisation as inevitable but warned Cricket Australia that Test cricket must be ringfenced from the fallout, speaking on the Fast Bowling Cartel podcast on Monday. Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Damian Fleming addressed the ongoing standoff between Cricket Australia and several state associations, with NSW and Queensland having already rejected CA’s initial proposal to sell stakes in BBL franchises to private investors.Gillespie, who recently coached Hyderabad Kings in the PSL, identified the core risk plainly. “Let’s say an IPL franchise comes in and buys one of the Big Bash teams,” he said. “They’ve signed Travis Head to a multi-million dollar contract. They want him playing Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve – and this coincides with test cricket. Does this change what the Boxing Day test, the New Year’s test looks like? I think a lot of these questions are being asked right now.” McGrath echoed those concerns. “Test cricket’s the ultimate. We need to protect test cricket,” …