India's 156.7 Kmph Pace Sensation Mayank Yadav To Play In Place Of Mohammed Shami? Australia Great's Big Advice

24.10.2024 - 16:27 sports.ndtv.com

Mayank Yadav should be on the plane to Australia if Mohammed Shami is not available for selection, asserted Brett Lee, one of the most devastatingly destructive bowlers, who has high hopes from the Indian pace sensation on the true, bouncy wickets Down Under.

Aiming to qualify for a third successive World Test Championship (WTC) final, India will be travelling to Australia next month to defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and doubts remain over seasoned seamer Shami's selection in the squad for the five-match Test series. "I can tell you that batters are okay when you bowl that 135-140 kmph speed, but when you bowl high 150s, I don't care who it is, no one wants to face that." "He looks like someone who is a complete package, if Mohammed Shami is not ready, at least get him (Mayank) in the squad.

I think he would do pretty well on these Australian wickets," Lee told Fox Cricket. Shami has not played since featuring in the final of the ODI World Cup last November, and even though he went full tilt at the nets recently, India skipper Rohit Sharma is averse to taking an "undercooked" version of the seamer to Australia.

Former Aussie pacer Lee knows a thing or two about batters' discomfort while standing up to express pace. Lee said, "The great thing is with me that I get to work on the IPL and see a lot of good young Indian cricketers.

Australia Cricket Team India Cricket Team Mayank Yadav Rohit Sharma Brett Lee Mohammed Shami Australia India

Gujarat Titans are set to retain their captain Shubman Gill alongside star spinner Rashid Khan and left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan ahead of the IPL mega auction. Uncapped hitters Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan are also expected to be retained by the franchise. "Shubman, Rashid and Sai will be retained by the franchise," said an IPL source. Gill, who is seen a future leader in the Indian cricket setup, had captained Titans for the first time earlier this year when the side finished eighth out of 10 teams.

IPL Winning Pacer To Debut As India Take Drastic Step For 3rd Test vs New Zealand: Report

Delhi seamer Harshit Rana's promising domestic season took an exciting turn on Tuesday as he was called up to join India's squad for the third Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, sources say. The 22-year-old Delhi fast bowler, who impressed in the ongoing season with both ball and bat, is likely to make his Test debut on Friday. He is set to miss the round four matches for Delhi and will be leaving for Mumbai on Tuesday evening. The young pacer's call-up to the Test squad marks another step in what has been a rapid ascent in India's domestic scene. A day before India's recent series loss to New Zealand in Pune, he was also named in the 18-member squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

"Sorry To All Cricket Fans...": Mohammed Shami's 1st Reaction After Australia Tests Snub

Indian cricket team fast bowler Mohammed Shami took to social media to react to not getting selected for the upcoming Test series against Australia. Shami has been missing in action since the ODI World Cup 2023 final after suffering an ankle injury in November. The pacer underwent surgery and completed his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) before his return was derailed by swelling in his knees. While Shami recently said that he has no pain in his knees anymore, the selectors decided to not include him for the much-anticipated series.

India To Face Major 'Bowling' Crisis In Near Future? Report Makes Grim Claim

India's qualification for the World Test Championship final in June next year is hanging in balance and even if they make the grade for the third consecutive time, it will be a massive surprise if skipper Rohit Sharma stays available for the next two-year WTC cycle. Ditto for Ravichandran Ashwin, who will be 41 by then. Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli, the two supremely fit men, will be 39. The embarrassing Test series defeat at home against New Zealand has already triggered a debate around the effectiveness of a few seniors. Ravi Shastri could only empathize with Gambhir. "New Zealand have beaten them (India) handsomely in both the Test matches. It's food for thought (on series loss). He (Gambhir) has just taken over the job. It's never easy being coach of a team that has such a big following," Shastri said while commentating during the second Test in Pune.

Australia Coach Calls Mohammed Shami's Absence "Big Loss" For India In Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has acknowledged that Mohammed Shami's absence is a big loss for India, but added his team won't take the pacers who replace him lightly during the all-important Border-Gavaskar Trophy series starting on November 22 in Perth, citing the Gabba Test win of the visitors' in 2021. Shami has been out of action since last year's ODI World Cup in India due to an achilles injury which needed surgery this year. But there's a possibility that Shami might join the Indian team for the second half of the Australia tour provided he proves his fitness and readiness in Bengal's last two Ranji Trophy matches at Bengaluru and Indore respectively.

"Senior Players Need To...": Ex-India Star Irfan Pathan Sends Warning To Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma And Co.

Following India's series defeat to New Zealand on home soil, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan took to X to express both praise for New Zealand and concern for the Indian team's performance in the longer format. In his tweet, Pathan commended New Zealand's impressive achievement and emphasized the need for reflection and improvement within Team India. "Well done, New Zealand, on winning the series on Indian soil! For Team India, there's a lot to reflect on. Senior players need to step up and deliver in the ultimate format of the game. The next three months will be crucial for them."