Sports

Afghanistan’s Mohammad Saleem, left, looks heavenwards, after taking five wickets. (AP Photo) TimesofIndia.com in Mullanpur: Three years ago, when Rana Naved-ul-Hasan arrived at Afghanistan’s high-performance centre in Kabul as bowling coach, one young fast bowler immediately grabbed his attention. Mohammad Saleem Safi, a lanky pacer from Baghlan province, was bowling with genuine pace and troubling…

England’s captain Ben Stokes, celebrates with teammates (AP Photo) The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has acknowledged concerns surrounding the Lord’s pitch used for the opening Test between England and New Zealand, admitting that the surface did not meet the standards expected at the iconic venue.Following England’s 115-run victory on Sunday, the MCC released a statement…

Manav Suthar (BCCI Photo) NEW DELHI: Manav Suthar could hardly have asked for a better start to his Test career. The left-arm spinner marked his debut with three wickets on Day 2 against Afghanistan, earning praise from legendary India captain and batting great Sunil Gavaskar.Suthar struck in his very first over in Test cricket, dismissing…

NEW DELHI: England registered a massive 115-run win over New Zealand before lunch on the fourth day of the opening Test at Lord’s on Sunday, making an encouraging start to a new chapter under the much-discussed “Bazball” philosophy following their disappointing Ashes campaign in Australia.Starting the day at 55 for 5 and needing an improbable…

India’s Kuldeep Yadav (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia) Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned the way Kuldeep Yadav has been managed in recent months, describing the left-arm wrist-spinner’s situation as “bizarre” and contrasting it with the backing he received under the previous team management.Speaking on ESPNcricinfo, Ashwin pointed to the difference in approach between the leadership…

India’s Manav Suthar (AP Photo) For Manav Suthar, the moment he learned about his maiden India call-up was one he will cherish forever. The young left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder revealed that it was his sister who first broke the life-changing news to him when his name appeared in India’s squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan.Suthar…

India’s captain Shubman Gill (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia) Shubman Gill is enjoying the finest phase of his Test career since taking over the captaincy of the Indian team. The right-hander has transformed into a run-scoring machine in red-ball cricket, producing one remarkable performance after another while leading from the front.Gill’s latest century against Afghanistan further strengthened…

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Photo by @BCCI on X) NEW DELHI: The BCCI has decided to allow teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s parents to accompany him on the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, with the board set to bear all expenses in a bid to help the 15-year-old adjust to life in the senior Indian team.BCCI secretary…

JAIPUR: The wait had lasted over a decade, but for Rajasthan’s cricket fraternity, the dry spell finally ended on a historic Saturday morning in New Chandigarh. Not since Pankaj Singh stepped out in the pristine India whites has a cricketer from the state earned a coveted Test cap. After a 12-year hiatus, the desert state…

India’s KL Rahul, left, celebrates his century with captain Shubman Gill (PTI Photo) Shubman Gill and KL Rahul produced centuries of contrasting styles as India dominated the opening day of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, finishing on a commanding 368 for 3 and firmly taking control of the contest.While Rahul relied on patience, discipline and…