Kl Rahul

Elgar will retire from international cricket after next week’s clash in Cape Town and offered a fitting reminder of his qualities with a polished 140 not out – his first Proteas ton in nearly three years.

The 36-year-old occupied the crease for 66 overs, facing 211 deliveries and cracking 23 fours to lead his side to 256 for five. That put South Africa into a narrow lead of 11, with the tourists having earlier been bowled out for 245.

KL Rahul, resuming on 70 overnight, completed a superb century of his own as he scored 31 of his side’s 37 runs in the morning session. He was last man out, bowled by debutant Nadre Burger, having almost single-handedly kept India competitive.

With Elgar holding firm at the top of the order and captain Temba Bavuma absent with a hamstring injury, India successfully chipped away Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi and Keegan Petersen to leave the hosts 113 for three.

But another newcomer, Durham batter David Bedingham, helped South Africa press ahead with an elegant 56 in his maiden Test innings. He put on 131 alongside Elgar, who brought up his 14th hundred, before being cleaned up by Mohamed Siraj.

Kyle Verreyne followed as Prasidh Krishna opened his account as a Test bowler before bad light brought an early finish.

Gayle hit four fours and two sixes in his 28-ball 40 as the Kings scored 221 for 6 in their 20 overs.

Gayle and KL Rahul put on 67 for the second wicket after they had lost Mayank Argawal for 14 with the score on 22.

Rahul and Deepak Hooda put on 105 for the third wicket, 64 of them coming from Hooda’s bat plundered four fours and sixes in his 28-ball bat.

Nicholas Pooran failed to trouble the scorers out first ball. Rahul eventually fell for 91 in the final over having hit seven fours and five sixes in his 50-ball innings. However, after has dismissed only one more run was scored from the remaining four deliveries.

Left-arm medium-pacer Chetan Sakariya claimed the wickets of Rahul Agarwal and Jyhe Richardson to return figures of 3-31 from his four overs.

Chris Morris, who got Gayle, took 2-41.

Needing 222 for victory, the Royals chase was led by Sanju Samson who a fantastic hundred.  With his team needing five runs to win from the last ball, Samson was caught in the deep, going for a six over sweeper cover.

Arriving at the crease after Ben Stokes was out for a duck, Samson plundered the Kings bowling scoring 119 runs off just 63 balls during and hit 12 fours and seven magnificent sixes.

Unfortunately, he did not have much support as Jos Butler and Riyan Parag each had cameos before getting out for 25 but were unable to stay with Samson. Shivan Dube also got 23, but he, too, didn’t last long.

Asrshdeep Singh who got Samson’s vital wicket returned figures of 3-35. Mohammed Sami took 2-33.

Already missing star batter Virat Kohli for personal reasons, Rohit Sharma’s side were on the wrong end of a huge upset on Sunday, when the tourists chased the game from behind to complete a 28-run win in Hyderabad.

The series moves on to Visakhapatnam this week, with the second Test starting on Friday, and two experienced players will not be involved for the hosts.

Jadeja, a world-class left-arm spin bowler as well as a dangerous top-six batter who top scored for India last week, pulled his hamstring while being run out by Ben Stokes on day four and the experienced Rahul has hurt his right thigh. Between them, the pair have 119 Test caps, know-how India cannot easily replace.

Jadeja’s place is liable to go to wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, but his absence with the bat threatens to unbalance India. All-rounders Washington Sundar and Sourabh Kumar and batter Sarfaraz Khan have been added to the squad.

It is not yet known whether Jadeja and Rahul will come back into contention for the remainder of the five-match series, with Kohli’s status also unclear. Pace bowler Mohammed Shami is working his way back to fitness and is expected to be in contention for the third Test.

Meanwhile, seamer Jasprit Bumrah has been reprimanded by the International Cricket Council for stepping into the path of England centurion Ollie Pope. Bumrah admitted a level one charge of causing “inappropriate physical contact”, earning one demerit point and losing half of his match fee.

The world’s number one-ranked Test bowler did not travel with the India squad as the two teams moved from Rajkot to the Jharkhand capital on a charter flight on Tuesday afternoon.

Bumrah has been the only frontline fast bowler from either side to be an ever-present in the series so far and there is just a four-day turnaround between the end of the third Test and start of the fourth.

It was widely reported that Bumrah would miss out in Rajkot after his starring role earlier this month in Visakhapatnam, where a nine-wicket match haul helped India level the series.

Bumrah featured in the third Test but had a more understated role with just one wicket in each innings on a flat pitch as India claimed victory by a record 434-run margin to move 2-1 up with two to play.

Despite being without several regulars in this series, including Virat Kohli because of personal reasons and injuries sidelining Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant, India have opted to rest Bumrah this week where conditions are again unlikely to be in his favour.

Batter KL Rahul will sit out again having missed the third Test with a quad injury.

“Jasprit Bumrah has been released from the squad for the 4th IDFC First Bank Test against England in Ranchi. The decision was taken keeping in mind the duration of the series and amount of cricket he has played in recent times,” a Board of Control for Cricket in India statement read.

“Meanwhile, KL Rahul is ruled out of the fourth Test. His participation in the final Test match in Dharamsala is subject to fitness.

“Mukesh Kumar, who was released from the squad for the third Test in Rajkot, has joined the squad in Ranchi.”

Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 17 dismissals at a stunning average of 13.64 and it is thought the more seam-friendly conditions in Dharamshala – the venue for the fifth Test – will be much more to his liking.

England head coach Brendon McCullum anticipates a wicket which will turn as they take a step into the unknown later this week at the JSCA International Stadium Complex.

The venue has played host to just two Tests, the most recent in October 2019 where India beat South Africa by an innings and 202 runs, while England’s only previous visit to Ranchi was 11 years ago in an ODI.

Joe Root is the only survivor from that match in the current England squad. The Yorkshireman has struggled with the bat in the past few weeks, yet to reach 30 in six attempts although he has had a more prominent bowling role, sending down 107 overs so far.

Asked if Root could shuffle down the batting order by a place or two to make allowances for his extra workload, McCullum insisted the idea has not been discussed between him and captain Ben Stokes.

“I haven’t thought about it,” McCullum said. “I think Joe wants to be in the game. He’s totally invested in where this team wants to go. You see him on the field: he’s constantly going up to Stokesy.

“He’s incredibly invested. He spent a lot of time with his team-mates working in the nets on stuff as well. He wants a bigger role that he’s obviously offering. Honestly, I think Joe will be absolutely fine.”

Despite Pooran's unbeaten 64 and Rahul's composed 58, Lucknow Super Giants were unable to chase down the imposing target of 194 set by Rajasthan Royals. Sanju Samson's brilliant innings of 82 not out from 52 balls laid the foundation for Rajasthan's victory, propelling them to a commanding total of 193 for 4.

Lucknow Super Giants faced an uphill battle early in their innings as they were reduced to 11 for 3 within the first four overs, courtesy of Trent Boult and Nandre Burger's fiery spells. However, Rahul and Pooran resurrected the innings with a fifth-wicket partnership of 85 runs from 52 balls, keeping their team in the hunt.

Despite their valiant efforts, Lucknow Super Giants found themselves needing 38 runs from the final two overs. Sandeep Sharma's tight bowling in the penultimate over restricted Pooran's big-hitting, leaving too much for Lucknow to achieve in the final over. Avesh Khan closed out the contest comfortably for Rajasthan Royals, sealing their victory.

Sanju Samson's exceptional knock for Rajasthan Royals was the standout performance of the match, anchoring their innings with a blend of finesse and power. His unbeaten 82 provided the necessary impetus for Rajasthan's formidable total, setting the stage for their bowlers to defend the target.

Despite the loss, KL Rahul's return from injury showcased his class and resilience, offering a glimmer of hope for Lucknow Super Giants. His innings of 58 played a crucial role in keeping his team's chase alive, but ultimately, they fell short of the target set by Rajasthan Royals.

Nicholas Pooran's unbeaten 64 was another highlight for Lucknow Super Giants, as he displayed his ability to accelerate the scoring rate under pressure. However, his efforts were in vain as Lucknow Super Giants succumbed to Rajasthan Royals' bowling attack.

The hosts brushed aside all-comers – including Australia in their opening group game – as they marched to the final with a 100 per cent record, but came up short in a six-wicket loss in front of an enormous but increasingly morose crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

They posted a modest 240 all out after being sent in on a sluggish surface – just one run fewer than New Zealand and England tied with in the Lord’s showpiece four years ago – before watching Head take the game away from them with a masterful 137 from 120 balls.

Head played with aggression, imagination and self-belief on a worn pitch that left almost every other batter fumbling for the fluency he showed.

The 29-year-old was not even in the country when the campaign began, joining up late due to a fractured left hand that sidelined him for Australia’s first four matches, but the selectors’ faith paid off lavishly after he followed up his player-of-the-match effort in the semi-final against South Africa with something even better.

Watching from the other end as the score slipped to 47 for three, he slugged four sixes and 15 fours as he dominated a 192-run stand with Marnus Labuschagne (58 not out).

Head deserved to carry his bat but fell with two runs needed, caught in the deep looking to end it in style, allowing new man Glenn Maxwell to hit the winning runs.

That confirmed another chapter in Australia’s proud story as an ODI side, joining the teams of 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015 in lifting the trophy and rounding off a marquee year that has seen them win the World Test Championship, also against India, and retain the Ashes.

Victorious captain Pat Cummins called correctly at the toss by sending the hosts in and took a vital haul of two for 34, while Mitchell Starc claimed three for 55 as he set the tone for an excellent bowling effort.

The initial skirmishes were suitably thrilling, India hammering 80 off the first 10 overs while also losing both openers.

Shubman Gill was first to go, mis-hitting a pull off Starc, but India captain Rohit Sharma showed his intent by charging Josh Hazlewood in just the second over of the day.

He unloaded a handful of fierce blows, with three sixes in his rapid 47, but perished going for one big hit too many off Maxwell’s first over. He offered a tough catch arcing over cover, but Head kept an eagle eye on it to start his memorable day.

Cummins chipped away another when Shreyas Iyer was lbw before a painstaking stand of 67 between Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. Their time together was tough going, with a solitary boundary in 109 deliveries as Australia exerted admirable control of foreign conditions.

Both batters made gritty half-centuries – tournament top-scorer Kohli doing so for the ninth time in 11 knocks at the World Cup – but neither converted their platform. Kohli dragged Cummins back into his stumps searching for width on 54, and Rahul nicked Starc behind for 66 as the ball began to reverse.

That was the first of five wickets for 37 in the closing stages, India all out courtesy of a run out from the last ball of the innings.

David Warner nicked the first ball of the chase between first and second slip for four, but India picked up to put themselves right in the hunt.

Warner nicked Mohammed Shami behind chasing a ball he had no business playing, Mitch Marsh departed with similar carelessness against Jasprit Bumrah and linchpin Steve Smith accepted an lbw decision that would have been overturned by DRS.

India, and their supporters, were pumped up but found Head unfazed. With a solid start behind him he took the bull by the horns, slog-sweeping Kuldeep Yadav for six in the 16th over and making steady inroads into the slender target.

He had an answer for everything, making light of Shami’s return to the attack by smashing his loosener back down the ground for a one-bounce four and peeling off muscular pulls when the seamers went short.

With Labuschagne content to play the supporting role, Head tucked in. He took the target below 100 by whipping Shami behind square and under 50 with a mighty six off Ravindra Jadeja.

His century, the third by an Australian in a World Cup final after Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist, came off a rare misjudgement as he almost ran himself out dashing a single.

By then the job was all but done, Head denied the tournament-winning moment when he picked out Gill on the ropes, but rightly mobbed by his team-mates as they basked in the moment.

Kohli withdrew from the first two Tests citing personal reasons and several Indian media outlets are reporting his absence will extend into at least the next two matches in Rajkot and Ranchi this month.

While there has been no official confirmation about the speculation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Kohli could also be unavailable for next month’s fifth and final Test in Dharamshala.

With almost 9,000 Test runs and 29 centuries banked, Kohli, who averages 56.38 on home soil against England, has been a big miss in India’s middle-order in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.

Shreyas Iyer has failed to pass 35 in his four innings but could be given a stay of execution if Kohli, the former India captain, continues to sit out.

It has also been reported India are giving serious consideration to resting Jasprit Bumrah when the series, currently level at 1-1, resumes in Rajkot next week in a further boost to the tourists’ hopes.

Bumrah was in electrifying form in Vizag with a match haul of nine wickets for 91 runs, helping him become the first India paceman to go top of the International Cricket Council’s Test bowling rankings.

Despite a 10-day gap between the end of the second and start of the third Tests, India are said to be mindful of Bumrah’s workload after returning from back surgery last year.

The 30-year-old has bowled 57.5 overs in the series so far and could be kept fresh for the fourth and fifth Tests.

Ahead of naming their squad for the third Test later this week, India must decide whether all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and batter KL Rahul are ready to return from injury.