BANGALORE: After whitewashing Sri Lanka 3-0 on their own turf just months earlier, India found the home series a much tougher proposition. They battled back to dominate a weather-interrupted match in Kolkata, won by an innings in Nagpur, and were then thwarted by resolute batting in Delhi.
Here, we look at five things we learned as India prepare to face South Africa in the new year.
OPENING GAMBIT
If you’re an opening batsman, South Africa is the last place you want to go. At some venues, the ball can zip around, with the bounce enough to tattoo your helmet. At others, it wobbles around as it does in England. For an opener, Tests in Cape Town, Centurion and Johannesburg offer as thorough a test as is possible. India are fortunate to have three in-form batsmen to choose from, but which one will get the axe? KL Rahul was dropped for the final Test against Sri Lanka after falling victim to what we now call Joe Root Syndrome. In this past 12 innings, Rahul has crossed 50 nine times. His highest score is 90. In sharp contrast, Shikhar Dhawan has two centuries and a 94 in five Tests since his recall. Murali Vijay’s return from injury has seen him rack up 128 and 155 in consecutive Tests. At 25, Rahul represents the future, but the chances are that he’ll be on the bench at Newlands.
MIDDLE ORDER WOES
Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli pick themselves, but who will bat at No. 5 in South Africa? Given that it’s almost certain that Hardik Pandya will play as a hard-hitting No. 6 who can provide a fourth seam-bowling option, it comes down to a straight choice between Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma. Rahane had a horror series against Sri Lanka, scoring just 17 runs. Rohit made 217, including a century in Nagpur. But Rahane is one of those rare players who bats better away (average of 53.44) than he does at home (33.63). Rohit averages a whopping 85.44 at home, and a mere 26.33 away. As vice-captain of the side, Rahane will surely get at least the first Test to restore his reputation. But if his dreadful run continues, Rohit could get an extended run.
ASHWIN OR JADEJA?
As ever on home soil, there was almost nothing to separate India’s spin twins. Ravi Ashwin (pictured) took more wickets — 12 to Ravindra Jadeja’s 10 — but Jadeja had the better average and economy rate. The last time India went to South Africa, Ashwin’s failure to make breakthroughs on the final day of a Wanderers Test that India had dominated until then cost him his place in the side. Jadeja came in and took a six-wicket haul in Durban. But on pitches that don’t aid spin, Ashwin’s greater variations should see him get the nod. Jadeja is better at shutting down an end, Ashwin more accomplished at exposing chinks in batsmen’s technique. Ashwin, though currently out of form, is the better batsman, while Jadeja is probably India’s best all-round fielder. On a dry pitch, both might get to play. But on a green top, it’ll be fascinating to see who Kohli opts for.
PACE ACES
Both of India’s Test wins in South Africa, at The Wanderers in 2006 and Kingsmead in 2010, have come on green-tinged pitches that were expected to aid the Proteas’ quick bowlers. Back then, India could call on Zaheer Khan in his prime, and the mercurial S. Sreesanth. This time, they’re taking five pace bowlers, plus Pandya as a sixth seam option. Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma should get the nod on most pitches, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar coming into the mix if the ball is likely to hoop around corners. Umesh Yadav offers a pacy and skiddy option, while the uncapped Jasprit Bumrah is the wild card. A star of India’s limited-overs sides in the past two seasons, Bumrah has an excellent yorker and a mean bouncer, both delivered with the most ungainly of actions. But he last played a first-class match 11 months ago. Would they risk playing him with a series on the line?
SRI LANKA ON THE MEND
The home series against India, which they lost 3-0, was a nadir of sorts for Sri Lankan cricket. They acquitted themselves so much better in the return. Suranga Lakmal’s accurate seam bowling gave India a big scare in Kolkata, while Dhananjaya de Silva’s magnificent unbeaten 119 — he finally retired hurt with muscle spasms — helped them pull off a creditable draw in Delhi. Dinesh Chandimal batted beautifully for his century at the Kotla, and there was a welcome return to form for Angelo Mathews, who made 111 in the first innings. Lakshan Sandakan held his own against India’s rampaging batsmen, and Lahiru Gamage essayed the stock-bowler’s role to perfection. They beat Pakistan 2-0 in the United Arab Emirates before coming to India, and this 1-0 defeat, against a team that had thrashed them out of sight just months earlier, will feel like another corner turned.
Series victory creates questions for King Kohli
Series victory creates questions for King Kohli
Letsile Tebogo says athletics saved him from life of crime
- “Sport has really helped me a lot because I think without sport ... probably I would be a criminal by now,” 21-year-old Tebogo told reporters on a video conference call
PARIS: Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo said on Wednesday he could have become a delinquent if the sport of athletics had not given him a focus.
Tebogo, who stunned the field in Paris last year to become Botswana’s first Olympic gold medalist in any sport, said he would take the lessons he learned from his childhood into his new role as a global ambassador for the Kids Athletics scheme.
“Sport has really helped me a lot because I think without sport ... probably I would be a criminal by now,” 21-year-old Tebogo told reporters on a video conference call.
“In the neighborhood where I grew up there were a lot of criminals, it was the only way to survive.
“But then with sport I knew I had to go to school and with training you are tired. You don’t have time to roam the streets and go into people’s houses,” he added.
“So once I discovered that I tried to pull in a few friends of mine ... and now they are playing football.
“We always talk about if this didn’t work out, where would we be?“
The Kids Athletics program, overseen by World Athletics and targeted at children aged four to 14, is focused on maximizing participation and enjoyment through modified games and competitions based on track and field events.
Tebogo, who after the call took part in a relay event with around 1,000 children on the same grounds in Botswana where he used to train as a boy, recalled that he initially preferred football.
“I was more of a footballer, a left-winger. The teachers at my primary school forced me into athletics,” he said.
“(Athletics) wasn’t that popular in Botswana back then, until the Commonwealth Games 2018.
“From my side I just wanted to see where it would take me. Athletics was just a part-time thing for me.”
His switch of sports paid off handsomely at the Olympics when he crossed the line at the Stade de France in an African record of 19.46sec, leaving Kenny Bednarek of the US second and 100m champion Noah Lyles in the bronze-medal position.
Tebogo called Lyles “arrogant” after that race and suggested the cameras would always prefer the brash American.
He clarified those remarks on Wednesday, saying: “When you get onto the track, it’s all about business.”
“When we finish, you can be friends, life goes on. “But the ‘arrogance’ (of Lyles)... he is good to sell our sport. But with me, I’ll always shy away from doing that because that’s me.”
Tebogo came second in a rare outing at 400m in Melbourne last weekend and will run a 200m race at a meeting in Botswana next week as he sharpens his speed before heading to the Diamond League meetings in Xiamen and Shanghai on April 26 and May 3 respectively.
‘I’ll be back’ vows Haaland after injury blow
- The Norway star had missed a penalty and scored his 30th goal of the season
- Haaland wrote on Instagram: “I’ll be back,” accompanied by a flexed biceps emoji
LONDON: Erling Haaland promised “I’ll be back” after the Manchester City striker learned he will be sidelined for seven weeks with an ankle injury.
Haaland limped off during the second half of City’s 2-1 win at Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.
The Norway star had missed a penalty and scored his 30th goal of the season before being hurt in a challenge with Bournemouth midfielder Lewis Cook.
City boss Pep Guardiola on Tuesday revealed Haaland would miss the majority of the remainder of the season, saying: “The doctors told me between five and seven weeks, so hopefully for the end of the season and the Club World Cup he will be ready.”
Haaland responded to his injury blow on Instagram on Wednesday, posting a message that read: “I’ll be back” — a quote made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in the Terminator movies — accompanied by a flexed biceps emoji.
The post also featured a photo of the 24-year-old with his left foot in a protective boot and each arm raised holding up a crutch.
Haaland’s absence is a major setback to City’s hopes of securing qualification for the Champions League.
Haaland will miss Sunday’s derby at Manchester United in the Premier League, as well as the FA Cup semifinal against Nottingham Forest on April 26 or 27.
The FA Cup final takes place on May 17, a day short of seven weeks after he suffered the injury.
City’s final Premier League game is at Fulham on May 25, with their first match in the Club World Cup against Wydad Casablanca being played on June 18.
Bundesliga to open additional transfer window for Club World Cup
- The 32-team Club World Cup in the United States runs from June 14 to July 13
BERLIN: The Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 will have an additional transfer window running from June 1-10 ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, the German soccer league (DFL) said on Tuesday.
World soccer’s governing body has given member associations of participating clubs the option of opening an “exceptional registration window” in June before the Club World Cup begins to sign players.
The 32-team Club World Cup in the United States runs from June 14 to July 13, with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich the two Bundesliga teams taking part.
Second ‘Derby Week’ set to have major impact on SPL outcomes
- Al-Hilal host Al-Nassr on Friday, while Al-Ahli welcome Al-Ittihad and Al-Qadsiah clash with Ettifaq the following day
LONDON: The Saudi Pro League returns from the international break with the biggest of possible bangs. It is “Derby Week.” In Riyadh on Friday, Al-Hilal will no doubt warmly welcome their close rivals Al-Nassr, while 24 hours later, the focus of the country’s fans moves west to Jeddah with Al-Ahli hosting Al-Ittihad in what is known as “The Sea Derby.” There is also the small matter of “The Eastern Derby.”
These meetings are big enough in their own right but they will also have a major impact on the title race. As things stand, with 25 out of 34 games played, it is like this: Al-Ittihad are first with 61 points, then comes Al-Hilal with 57, Al-Nassr and Al-Qadsiah have 51 each with Al-Ahli back in fifth with three points fewer.
If Al-Hilal win then they really put the pressure on the leaders. It would not be a surprise given that the last time Nassr won a league clash between the two Riyadh giants was back in 2021. Yet Al-Hilal are on a relatively poor run of just five wins from their last 10 games. That has even led to talk of Jorge Jesus, the coach who delivered the world record-winning streak of 34 games last year, being under pressure. Yet, the Portuguese boss has even been named a contender to take the Brazil job with the South Americans in shock after a 4-1 loss to Argentina last week that led to the firing of Dorival Junior.
Whatever happens with Jesus — and it would be quite something if a coach left an SPL club to take over the most successful national team in the world — there is some good news in the short term. OK, he is without his compatriot and right-back Joao Cancelo, who has impressed since his move from Manchester City but is not quite recovered from a hamstring injury, but others are returning. At the back Yasser Al-Shahrani is ready to come back after a lengthy playoff and Renan Lodi is also available.
Further up the pitch, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic should be fit as should Mohamed Kanno, injured while on recent international duty. And then there is the long-awaited return of Aleksander Mitrovic. The Serbian striker scored 13 goals in 14 league games before his injury and his absence since December has been an issue. Fit and raring to go, he could just make the difference. For sure, Al-Nassr will not be too happy to see him.
Hilal need the win to keep pressure up at the top but the Yellows are in a battle for third and a place in the AFC Champions Elite with Al-Qadsiah and Al-Ahli. A victory for Al-Nassr, after three defeats and three draws since their last league win, would also be meaningful for coach Stefano Pioli as the Italian has yet to show he can produce a title-winning team.
As ever there will be plenty of attention, on and off the pitch, on Cristiano Ronaldo. The league’s top scorer with 19 goals will be keen to add to his haul — and renew his rivalry with Ali Al-Bulaihi if the defender is fit — as well as continue his partnership with Jhon Duran. At the back, Spanish defender Aymeric Laporte looks to have recovered from injury. Al-Nassr have the faintest of title hopes and a win keeps those alive and will do plenty of damage to those of their biggest rival.
Laurent Blanc would love for that to happen even if Al-Ittihad have failed to take advantage of the relative stumbles of Hilal, drawing three of their last four games. The four-point gap could be crucial, however, especially as Hilal are still very much in the running for the Asian Champions League and could face three games in the space of 10 days from the end of April to early May.
Heading into the “Sea Derby,” a 60,000 sellout, coach Blanc is going to be without Mario Mitaj for some time as the Albanian defender is injured, but the Tigers will be on a high after their dramatic 3-2 win over Al-Shabab in the semifinal of the King’s Cup on Tuesday.
Al-Ahli would also love to damage the title chances of their Jeddah rivals but for the Greens, it is also about getting into next season’s Champions League. Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney have been in excellent form of late and are capable of winning any match.
And, not to be forgotten, is the Eastern Derby. Al-Qadsiah are enjoying themselves after promotion and a fine season would become even better if they can beat their local rivals Ettifaq and gain some ground in the race for third, and even second. Fourteen wins from 16 league games from October to February had them near the title race before just one win from the last four.
Ettifaq have been on a decent run since the departure of Steven Gerrard in January and have climbed into seventh. It will not be an easy game for Al-Qadsiah but then, this is “Derby Week” after all.
Jokic scores career-high 61 points, plays nearly 53 minutes in 140-139 double-OT loss to Wolves
- Nikola Jokic’s scoring spree was the most by a player in the NBA this season
- Jokic’s previous career best was 56 points in a loss at Washington on Dec. 7
DENVER: Michael Malone called him Superman. At the moment, Nikola Jokic’s just super-tired.
The Denver Nuggets big man can’t wait to get some sleep after a career-best 61-point performance in which he played nearly 53 minutes. He didn’t leave the court after halftime of a 140-139 double-overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.
His scoring spree was the most by a player in the NBA this season. Jokic also had 10 rebounds and 10 assists, notching the third 60-point triple-double in NBA history. Luka Doncic did it on Dec. 27, 2022 and James Harden did it on Jan. 30, 2018.
“The guy’s Superman,” Nuggets coach Malone said. “He’s on a whole other level, man. People say he’s not athletic, but not many guys can do what he does.”
Jokic’s previous career best was 56 points in a loss at Washington on Dec. 7. The franchise mark is held by David Thompson, who had 73 points at Detroit on April 9, 1978.
On Tuesday, Jokic attempted 24 free throws – making 19 – to match the team mark held by Carmelo Anthony. For all his exploits, Jokic had just one over-riding emotion: “Tired,” he said. “It was an exhausting game.”
Anthony Edwards gave the three-time NBA MVP major props. Jokic’s in a heated race for another MVP award with Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“Nikola Jokic, he might be the best basketball player that I have ever seen close up, besides myself,” cracked Edwards, who had 34 points and 10 rebounds. “He is incredible. The MVP race is tough. I don’t know. He had 60. That is crazy.”
Of course, this game – a sixth straight loss to Minnesota, including playoffs – will be remembered by Nuggets fans for Jokic’s exploits on the court. But it will also be remembered for a wild finish.
Leading 139-138 with around 14 seconds left, Russell Westbrook stole the ball and dished it over to Christian Braun who then sent it right back to Westbrook for a layup. But Westbrook’s layup clanked off the rim and started a break the other way.
Westbrook ran down the court and fouled Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the corner with 0.1 seconds remaining. The Timberwolves guard hit two of three free throws to steal the victory.
“Obviously, I feel awful for Russ,” Malone said. “That last play we get the turnover, we don’t convert, and then the foul. It was not from a lack of effort or care.
“Sometimes it goes like that, and that’s why we’ve just got to be strong. We’ve got to be resilient.”
The big question: Should the Nuggets have not attempted the layup and pulled the ball back out to run down the clock?
“It’s tough. You’ve got a two-on-one break,” Malone said. “As a coach, am I up on the sideline yelling, ‘Don’t go?’ We’ve got a layup. But it’s easy to say that (pull the ball out) in hindsight, because we missed a layup. ... He (Westbrook) is a tough kid, and I think he knows that everybody in that locker room’s got his back.”
For Jokic, there’s not much time for rest. The Nuggets play Wednesday night against San Antonio. All he said he needs was a little break.
“I think we’re so used to this,” Jokic said. “Tomorrow, I’m not going to remember I played so many minutes.”
