Crease Chronicles

Left-handed opener Tony de Zorzi scored a career-best unbeaten 119 from 122 balls to lead South Africa to an emphatic eight-wicket win over India in the second ODI at St George’s Park on Tuesday and level the three-match series at 1-1. South Africa won the toss and sent India into bat, restricting the visitors to 211 all out in 46.2 overs on a wicket that was not easy to score on. They chased down their target with 45 deliveries remaining to set up a series decider in Paarl on Thursday.

Making a mark in T20Is, the emerging talent Rinku Singh made his ODI debut during the second game of the three-match series against South Africa at St George's Park in Gqeberha on Tuesday.

Punjab Kings have secured Indian pacer Harshal Patel for Rs 11.75 crore in the Indian Premier League 2024 auction in Dubai. Patel, who had a base price of Rs 2 crore, has earned this massive bid due to his exceptional T20 skills. Patel, who took 111 wickets in 92 matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore, has been highly sought-after due to his consistent performance and ability to deliver under pressure.

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc smashed Indian Premier League (IPL) auction record on Tuesday when Kolkata Knight Riders paid Rs 24.75 crore ($2.98 million) for his services. Starc, 33, will return to the IPL after an eight-year absence, having previously played for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Before a bidding war for Starc, his teammate and Australia captain Pat Cummins held the new record for about one hour, having fetched Rs 20.50 crore from the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise.

Australian skipper Pat Cummins expressed his excitement about joining Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) next year. Cummins broke the roof as he became the costliest player in the history of the Indian Premier League when he was acquired by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for Rs 20.50 crore on Tuesday at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

For a brief period on Tuesday, Pat Cummins, the triumphant captain of Australia's 2023 ODI World Cup team, held the title of the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League, acquired by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 20.50 crore. However, this record was swiftly surpassed by his fellow Australian pacer, Mitchell Starc, who secured Rs 24.75 crore from Kolkata Knight Riders, establishing a new milestone.

Mitchell Starc, an Australian left-arm pacer, became the most expensive buy in IPL history when the Kolkata Knight Riders spent Rs 24.75 crore to acquire his services. This broke the record set by Pat Cummins, who had fetched Rs 20.5 crore from Sunrisers Hyderabad. The IPL auction, held in Dubai for the first time in its history, witnessed a fierce bidding war for Cummins, who was known for his exceptional skills with both bat and ball.

With Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar inspiring his first name, the emerging batting talent from New Zealand, Rachin Ravindra, is set to mark his debut in the IPL under another Indian legend, MS Dhoni. CSK secured the services of the 24-year-old New Zealander for a notable sum of Rs. 1.8 crore. Ravindra, who made a significant impact in the recently concluded ODI World Cup, accumulated an impressive total of 578 runs, which included three centuries.

Uncapped seamer Ottniel Baartman is also out of the squad with the same injury, and has been replaced by Beuran Hendricks, who won the last of his eight ODI caps in 2021. No replacement has been named for Phehlukwayo.

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for Rs 24.75 crore at the auction in Dubai on Tuesday. The 33-year-old Starc is set to make a comeback to the IPL after an eight-year hiatus, with his previous stint being with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Starc outbid his fellow Australian Pat Cummins, the World Cup-winning captain, who went to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for a whopping sum of Rs 20.50 crore.

Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant, who escaped a car accident last year, is on the road to recovery and optimistic about making a comeback to competitive cricket during the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Pant expressed gratitude for the overwhelming love and support from fans, which played a significant role in his quicker-than-expected recovery. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and is expected to lead the Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2024.

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Eoin Morgan is optimistic about the team's prospects in the upcoming IPL 2024, citing the potential resurgence of the team under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir and captain Shreyas Iyer. Morgan, an IPL expert with JIO Cinema, believes that Gambhir's winning mentality and Iyer's leadership will play a crucial role in guiding KKR to success. Morgan believes that Gambhir and Iyer will be mentoring the team in every aspect.

The Indian Premier League has introduced a rule allowing bowlers to deliver two bouncers per over, aiming to create a fair balance between batsmen and bowlers. This change, tested during the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, aims to provide bowlers with a wider range of options and add surprise for batsmen. Veteran bowler Jaydev Unadkat, who has set his base price at INR 50 lakh for the upcoming IPL 2024 auction, believes this change could be a game-changer for bowlers, offering more strategic opportunities.

Hardik Pandya was on Friday named Mumbai Indians captain in place of a highly-successful Rohit Sharma, who led the IPL giants to five trophies. The announcement from Mumbai Indians comes after Hardik made a return to the franchise last month, following a high-profile trade from Gujarat Titans, whom he led in the past two seasons.

The IPL player auction is always an exciting event. Players and fans from India and across the world tune in to see which team buys which players and for how much. The most sought after players who have registered their names for the auction watch with bated breath as teams enter into bidding wars for them. Many get the news of them having been bought at the auction from teammates, friends and family. The player auction is scheduled to take place at the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai on Tuesday, commencing at 1:00 pm IST.

Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar reckons that Hardik Pandya, as the new leader, will bring in 'fresh thinking' in the Mumbai Indians camp as Rohit Sharma appeared fatigued and has not contributed enough with the bat in the last few years. The India T20I skipper was traded to Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2024 IPL auction, scheduled to take place in Dubai on Tuesday.

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Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has praised the legacy of Rohit Sharma as a skipper for Mumbai Indians and compared it with MS Dhoni's stature in Chennai Super Kings. As the curtains fell on Rohit's captaincy era with the Mumbai Indians, a new chapter beckoned. On December 15, the franchise declared Hardik Pandya as Rohit's successor. This transition marked not only a change in leadership but also the conclusion of an era where Rohit had led the team to unparalleled heights.

Team India faces a selection dilemma over the batting spot for the second ODI against South Africa, with left-hander Rinku Singh and right-hander Rajat Patidar vying for the spot. With Shreyas Iyer joining the Test squad, a debut ODI cap is up for grabs. Rinku is emerging as a finisher at No. 6, while Patidar, a specialist No. 4, appears as a like-for-like replacement for Iyer. The team management may opt for continuity and give specialist batter Sanju Samson a chance before considering Rinku Singh.

Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh has light-heartedly credited a photo shoot with fellow bowler Avesh Khan for boosting his performance in the 1st ODI against South Africa. Both players played crucial roles in India's 8-wicket victory, restricting South Africa's ODI total to 116. Arshdeep acknowledged the positive impact of the photo shoot, jokingly stating that it felt good. While Arshdeep claimed his maiden five-for in ODIs, Avesh fell just one wicket short of securing a five-wicket haul.

Royal Challengers Bangalore are focusing on acquiring additional bowling options to support pace leader Mohammad Siraj during the upcoming IPL auctions. The team has retained key players like Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, and Siraj, while releasing 11 players. Mo Bobat, the team's Director of Cricket, emphasized the importance of strengthening the bowling department, particularly supporting Siraj. RCB is keen on securing additional bowling resources, including overseas options, to enhance their overall performance.

Former Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy believes that David Warner could prolong his Test cricket career for another year if he maintains his impressive form in the first Test against Pakistan. Healy praised Warner's durability, fitness, footwork, balance, and ability to maintain pace between wickets. He suggested that if Warner continues to bat in such a manner, he could potentially prolong his Test career for another year.

Amitabh Bachchan has signed a partnership with the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), the country's first T10 cricket tournament, as the owner of the Mumbai team. The inaugural edition, scheduled from March 2 to 9, will feature 19 high-intensity matches and six teams from Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, and Srinagar. The ISPL aims to showcase street-honed cricketers' skills to a global audience. Bachchan expressed his excitement on his personal blog, recognizing Mumbai as a great team.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction will take place in Dubai on Tuesday, featuring top cricketers with bids starting from a base price of Rs 2 crore. The 10 IPL franchises have a combined Rs 262.95 crore to spend. The Twenty20 tournament, the richest in cricket, is expected to begin in March. Five stars, including Australian fast bowler Cameron Cummins, New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra, England batter Harry Brook, are expected to hit the jackpot.

Indian batsman Sai Sudharsan made his international debut with a half-century, contributing significantly to India's victory over South Africa in the first ODI. The Men in Blue secured an eight-wicket win, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Sudharsan expressed his joy on social media, expressing his dream of playing for the country and the importance of hard work and grit. His memorable knock of 55 in 43 balls, along with Shreyas Iyer's 52 in 45 balls, played a pivotal role in the successful run chase.

Andy Balbirnie struck an unbeaten 82 as Ireland beat Zimbabwe by seven wickets in Harare on Sunday to seal a 2-0 one-day international series victory. Needing 201 runs to win a match reduced to 40 overs a side because of rain, the tourists lost captain Paul Stirling with just 12 on the scoreboard.

Indian left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh on Sunday revealed that he and pace-bowling partner Avesh Khan were actually planning on how to 'restrict the brutal South Africa under 400'.

Australia skittled Pakistan on a treacherous Perth pitch to record a thumping 360-run victory in the first Test inside four days with Nathan Lyon achieving the elusive landmark of 500 Test wickets on Sunday. Pakistan were blown away for 89 all out in 30.2 overs in the final session on Day 4 for its 15th consecutive Test defeat in Australia.

Wicketkeeper-batter Ashiqur Rahman Shibli continued his splendid run with a second century in five matches as Bangladesh crushed UAE by 195 runs to win the Under-19 Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday.

India were surprised how helpful the Wanderers pitch was for their seamers in their eight-wicket victory in the first One-Day International against South Africa on Sunday, as captain KL Rahul said he thought it was his spinners who would win the day. India bowled their hosts out for 116, a record low score for South Africa on home soil, and then easily chased down the runs with exactly 200 balls to spare.

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Arshdeep Singh did feel the pressure of coming into his fourth career ODI without a wicket under his belt and now has a moment to savour for a lifetime after getting a maiden five-for in India's one-sided win against South Africa on Sunday. Arshdeep took 5/37 as the Proteas were bowled out for 116 and he looked a bit exhausted, having been blissfully unaware that Wanderers is located at a higher altitude and he ran out of breath after the first four overs.

Pacers Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan wreaked havoc as India thrashed South Africa by eight wickets in the opening ODI. On a wicket offering pace and bounce to the quicks, Avesh returned figures of 4 for 27 in his 8 overs, while left-armer Arshdeep had excellent figures of 5 for 37 in 10 overs as the Proteas were dismissed for a paltry 116 in 27.3 overs. Sai Sudharsan (55*) and Shreyas Iyer (52) then struck fine fiftues to chase down the target in 16.4 overs for the loss of two wickets.

Witnessing a cricket ball ascend into the air is a familiar scene, but the sight of a flying bat adds an uncommon spectacle to the game. Fans experienced this unusual occurrence during the inaugural India-South Africa ODI in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon on Sunday became the eighth bowler to reach 500 test wickets, holding the ball aloft after trapping Pakistan's Faheem Ashraf leg before for five to claim the milestone in the series opener at Perth Stadium. The 123-match veteran, affectionately nicknamed 'The GOAT', further cemented his place among the 'greatest of all time' during the third session to join Australia greats Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563) in the illustrious 500 club.

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Arshdeep Singh has achieved a milestone that had escaped all other Indian pacers on South African soil. The left-arm bowler made history by becoming the first Indian pacer to secure a five-wicket haul against the Proteas in South Africa. The 24-year-old Arshdeep was wicketless before this match despite featuring in three ODIs. Now, not only he took his maiden ODI wicket but went on to register a first fifer by an Indian pacer in South Africa.

Indian team's premier wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan will not be a part of the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa as he has flown back home due to personal reasons. Kona Bharat, who is currently in South Africa as India 'A' skipper, has been inducted into the main squad.

Australia's veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon was still in a state of disbelief after completing 500 Test wickets during their thumping 360-run victory over Pakistan on Sunday in the first Test of the three-match series.

Nathan Lyon joined the illustrious 500-wicket club on Sunday, picking up 2-18 on a seam-friendly Perth Stadium surface to help Australia bowl Pakistan out for 89 and cruise to a 360-run victory on day four of the first Test. Defending a victory target of 450, Australia's much-vaunted seam attack destroyed Pakistan's top-order in the afternoon, allowing Lyon to trap tail-ender Faheem Ashraf lbw and celebrate his milestone before the tourists folded inside 31 overs.

Mumbai Indians declared on December 14 that Hardik would assume the captaincy for IPL 2024 season, marking the conclusion of Rohit Sharma's illustrious ten-year leadership stint. Rohit had taken on the captain's role midway through the 2013 IPL season and led the team to five IPL titles. Hardik led Gujarat to victory in the 2022 IPL season with a win over Rajasthan Royals in the final in Ahmedabad and now steps into the leadership position for Mumbai Indians.

Former Indian cricketer Parthiv Patel has endorsed Sourav Ganguly as his captain over Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Patel, who made his debut for India at 17 in 2002, played 15 Test matches and 10 ODIs under Ganguly's captaincy between 2002 and 2004. Patel expressed his preference for Ganguly, stating that he had time for everyone and that he had the ability to support his players. Despite acknowledging the greatness of other captains like Dhoni and Kohli, Patel emphasized the soft corner he holds for Ganguly as his first skipper.

New Zealand Cricket has announced that captain Kane Williamson will make his return to international T20 cricket in a three-match home series against Bangladesh. Williamson has been absent for over a year due to a knee injury. He made a successful comeback during the drawn Test series in Bangladesh and played a key role in guiding New Zealand to the semi-finals of the 50-over World Cup in India. Key players Tim Southee, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, and Glenn Phillips will join Williamson in the T20 series.

Salt led an improbable English fightback with 109 not out while middle order batsman Harry Brook also emerged as a hero with an unbeaten 31 off just 7 balls as England finished on 226-3 with a ball to spare to eclipse the West Indies' mammoth total of 222-6.The visitors required 21 runs in the final over, and Brook delivered by smashing 4, 6, 6, 2, 6 off Andre Russell to win the match for his team.

Deepti Sharma, the off-spinning allrounder, earned praise from new head coach Amol Muzumdar, who called her the 'Ben Stokes of the team'. She became the second Indian after Shubhangi Kulkarni to score a fifty and pick up five wickets in a Test. Deepti, who plays for Bengal in domestic cricket, gained recognition in 2017 when she scored 188 against South Africa. Born in Agra, Deepti, who plays for Bengal in domestic cricket, shot into the limelight in 2017.