Virat Kohli is ready to put in the "hard yards" with the bat as he returns to India duty for the series-deciding second Test against New Zealand.
Captain Kohli elected to sit out the T20I series and the first Test against the Black Caps and has been working with former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar during his time away from the team.
He has made 41 centuries across all formats as captain of India, which puts him level with Ricky Ponting for the most while serving as an international skipper, and Kohli declared he feels ready to stay at the crease for a long time in Mumbai. Kohli's last international century came over two years ago, in November 2019 against Bangladesh.
Ahead of Friday's start to the match, rain impeded the teams and meant practice sessions at the Wankhede Stadium could not go ahead as planned on the eve of the Test.
Both sides were toying with selection options as a result of the weather, and it remained to be seen who would make way for Kohli's return, with Ajinkya Rahane perhaps the batter most vulnerable despite captaining India in the first Test.
Kohli said: "I really enjoy playing at the Wankhede. That's a ground that I've always had happy memories in. More than that, I think it's the impact you leave on the team that matters to me more. That was the focus in the past and that's precisely my focus every time I take the field.
"If the situation demands me to bat for longer periods and get the amount of runs that puts the team in a pole position or a dominant position or gets the team out of trouble, I take a lot of pride in doing that.
"Not all the time will you have phases where you bat the same way, and you have to understand and accept that in a long career span, so it's all about putting in the hard yards, working hard on your game, staying very balanced, staying in a space where you understand you are progressing in the right direction, and you walk on the field knowing you're prepared fully and you're ready to give your best, and after that it's all about execution.
"You have to be professional and understand when there is lack of execution or there is a lack of good decision-making. That's always been my point of analysis on my personal game, whether I've committed a mistake, what the situation was like, how can I improve, how can I get better, and that is something I will continue to strive to do and try to put in the performances that help the team in any way that I can."
It will be Kohli's first match under new coach Rahul Dravid, and follows on from the drawn opening Test in Kanpur that saw New Zealand's 10th-wicket pairing of Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel defy India, clinging on for the draw late on the fifth day.
Spin or extra speed? The choice facing both teams
With plenty of moisture in the air, and the suspicion the Mumbai pitch will serve the quicks well, there could well be changes to the bowling line-ups on both teams. India would consider bringing in Mohammed Siraj, while New Zealand have Neil Wagner waiting to come in, with William Somerville potentially vulnerable.
India chasing hat-trick of Wankhede wins
The hosts last played a Test at this ground in 2016, when Kohli made a double century in an innings win over England. They also won at the ground in the match before that, also by an innings but this time against West Indies. Victory by any means would be welcomed by India this time, given this is the second and last match in the series. They have won four of nine Tests at the ground since 2000, with South Africa, Australia and England (twice) having also enjoyed victories at the Wankhede.
Javelle Glenn’s maiden century leads high-scoring Jamaica Scorpions to CG Insurance Super50 Final
Javelle Glenn’s maiden List A century was the backbone of a remarkable recovery as the Jamaica Scorpions defeated the Leeward Islands Hurricanes by 107 runs in the second semifinal of the CG Insurance Super50 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Thursday. The victory secured the Scorpions a spot in the final against the Barbados Pride.
Set 353 to win, the Hurricanes were dismissed for 245.
Batting first, the Scorpions posted a tournament-high 352-9, overcoming a middle-order collapse thanks to Glenn’s composed and unbeaten 114. The innings was supported by crucial knocks from John Campbell (77), Jeavor Royal (73), and Kirk McKenzie (48).
The Scorpions started shakily, losing Carlos Brown early for one, leaving them at 12-1 in the third over. However, Campbell and McKenzie rebuilt with a 114-run stand for the second wicket. McKenzie fell to Rahkeem Cornwall for 48, sparking a dramatic collapse.
Cornwall and Hayden Walsh Jr wreaked havoc on the Scorpions’ middle order, reducing them from 132-2 in the 21st over to 138-7 in the 24th over. Glenn, who had been at the crease during this carnage, held firm as wickets tumbled around him. Jermaine Blackwood, Romaine Morris, and Peat Salmon all departed without scoring, while Brad Barnes managed just four.
With the Scorpions in dire straits, Glenn found a willing partner in Jeavor Royal. The pair staged a sensational eighth-wicket fightback, adding 124 runs in just 64 balls. Royal’s aggressive 73 off 42 deliveries included six fours and six sixes, providing the Scorpions with much-needed momentum before he fell to Walsh.
Glenn continued the charge, adding 78 runs for the ninth wicket with Gordon Bryan, who contributed 11 runs to the partnership. Glenn’s unbeaten knock ensured Jamaica crossed the 350-run mark, with Markino Mindley accompanying him in the final overs.
Cornwall ended with figures of 4-67, while Walsh Jr took 3-78, but their efforts were undone by Glenn’s heroics and the Scorpions’ lower-order resistance.
Chasing 353, the Hurricanes made a bright start despite losing early wickets and reached 60-3 in the eighth over. Kofi James led the charge with a spirited 79 off 64 balls, featuring seven fours and five sixes. He combined with Jewel Andrew for a 66-run fourth-wicket stand that kept the Hurricanes in contention.
Jahmar Hamilton added 58, while Walsh Jr chipped in with 31, but the Hurricanes fell short of the required tempo. Mindley’s incisive bowling broke key partnerships, finishing with 4-46. Javeor Royal (2-37) and Brad Barnes (2-65) also played important roles in dismissing the Hurricanes for 245 in 35.4 overs.
'What's gone, is gone': Brathwaite warns against complacency heading into Bangladesh Test Series
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite has struck a measured tone as his team readies to face Bangladesh in the opening contest of their two-match Test series at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Friday.
While acknowledging his team’s enthusiasm to return to the longest format, Brathwaite also stressed the need for focus and execution against what he believes is a talented Bangladesh team.
"Well, the guys are really looking forward to it. We haven't played Test cricket for a little while, so the guys are excited to get out there. You know it's a ground we love playing at; we enjoy playing here, and you know the guys are ready and raring to go,” Brathwaite said in a pre-game conference.
The Antigua venue has fond memories for the West Indies, most notably the dismissal of Bangladesh for a record-low 43 in 2018. However, Brathwaite insists that past triumphs are irrelevant heading into this series, as he warned against complacency.
His warning comes with the anticipation of a balanced wicket that will reward disciplined cricket, as he believes the pitch will offer movement and bounce for the pacers early on, with spin likely to play a role as the match progresses.
“Everything that’s gone is history. I mean, we're playing against a talented Bangladesh team now, so what's gone, is gone. We are obviously all looking forward to coming tomorrow and starting well in whatever we do,” he stated firmly.
“We got to focus on tomorrow morning and starting well; that's on our minds. Again, what is gone is gone, and we look forward to this challenge of playing good Test cricket,” Brathwaite noted.
That said, Brathwaite pointed to the invaluable presence of seasoned pacer Kemar Roach, both for his bowling prowess and his off-field mentorship. Roach’s devastating spell was pivotal in Bangladesh’s infamous 2018 collapse.
“Kemar is a very experienced player and obviously a Test bowler. On the field, he's great, but off the field, the information he shares with us is phenomenal. So having him around, I think, is very important for this team because on the field we know his statistics and he is playing here in the Caribbean as well.
“So I would say look forward to that. But, you know, on and off the field, I think Kemar is a true example of a leader for the West Indies going into this particular Test match,” the Barbadian said of his compatriot.
Interestingly, both Bangladesh and West Indies currently sit at the foot of the ICC World Test Championship standings in eighth and ninth positions, with both also coming off recent defeats to South Africa.
Despite that, Brathwaite expressed confidence in his batters, many of whom have recently shown form in the regional Super50 competition, as he highlighted the Caribbean side’s determination to finish the cycle on a high.
“Obviously, we looked at the points as a team, and we know we got four games left in this cycle and we could still pretty much come high up in the table. We just got to believe, and as I said, we are playing against a talented Bangladesh team, so it won't be easy, and we got to come ready and raring to go tomorrow morning,” Brathwaite said.
“I think they (batsmen) are in a good space; a few of the guys have played in the Super50 tournament and got some scores, so that was good to see. It's just all about that belief now; we’ve had a difficult year thus far, but we also had some good performances with the bat. It's just to draw from those performances as much as possible; we got four innings here, and it's just to bat and give it 100%,” he ended.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh enters the series missing key players like Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto. However, all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who will serve as stand-in captain, believes the team’s younger players have the opportunity to step up.
“It’s tough without some of our senior players, but we’ve worked hard in practice and are focused on playing positive cricket. We still have a good side right now. Some of the young players coming have a good opportunity to perform well in these conditions, so we actually believe that we can play well and we can come strongly,” Hasan Miraz shared.
West Indies have named a pace-heavy lineup that includes Roach, Jayden Seales, Alzarri Joseph, and Shemar Joseph to complement the batting of Brathwaite, Mikyle Louis, Keacy Carty, Kavem Hodge, Alick Athanaze, Justin Greaves, and wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva.
Bangladesh: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Capt), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Litton Das (wkt), Jaker Ali Anik, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Hasan Murad
Barbados Pride soar into CG United Super50 final after commanding 153-run win over T&T Red Force
Barbados Pride delivered a clinical performance to storm into the CG United Super50 Cup final, as they hammered defending champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by a massive 153 runs in their semi-final clash at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Wednesday.
This victory propelled the Pride—who last tasted glory in the 2016-17 season and reached their last final in 2017-18—into contention for their seventh title.
Scores: Barbados Pride 339-7 (50 overs); Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 186 all out (36.3 overs)
After being sent in to bat, the Pride’s openers, Zachary McCaskie and Leniko Boucher, laid the foundation with a scintillating 142-run partnership. McCaskie, the more aggressive of the pair, entertained with a blistering 94 off just 82 deliveries, smashing six boundaries and six towering sixes.
However, his departure, courtesy of Mark Deyal, did little to disrupt the Pride’s momentum.
This, as Captain Raymond Reifer joined the fray with a brisk 65 and added another crucial 50-run stand with Boucher, who contributed a steady 69 off 84 balls in a knock that had seven boundaries. Reifer's 60-ball knock, which included six fours and a six, epitomized controlled aggression that applied further pressure to the Red Force bowlers.
Even when Boucher fell to Deyal and Kevin Wickham (14) went to spinner Khary Pierre, Reifer, and Roston Chase (43), on return from West Indies duties, added another 50 for the fourth wicket.
Chase’s quick-fire 31-ball knock, which had only two fours and a six, ensured the Pride capitalized on the foundation laid by the top order.
Reifer eventually became Deyal’s third scalp, and Chase went to Shannon Gabriel, but the damage was already done as the Pride were at 297-5 at that point. The lower order contributed the remaining runs to the daunting total.
Deyal stood out for the Red Force with figures of 4-53, but his efforts were insufficient to stem the tide.
Facing a mountain of runs, the Red Force faltered early and never recovered. The only bright spot in their reply was a 68-run second wicket partnership between Tion Webster and Amir Jangoo (16). Webster’s aggressive 56 off 47 balls, which featured eight boundaries and a six, gave fleeting hope before he became the fourth wicket to fall with the score at 91.
After Webster’s dismissal, Deyal (34) and Isiah Rajah (28) added a brief 53-run stand for the seventh wicket, but the Red Force were ultimately bowled out for a paltry 186 in just 36.3 overs.
Dominic Drakes led the Pride’s bowling charge with 3-24, with Chase (2-40) and Kemar Smith (2-42) also doing some damage.
The Pride’s dominance sets up a highly anticipated final against the winner of the Jamaica Scorpions versus Leeward Islands Hurricanes semi-final, scheduled for Thursday.
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