Team India coach demands free-hit in Test cricket
India’s spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule has expressed concern over the Indian spinners bowling no-balls in the Colombo Test. “It’s something we are working on. It’s definitely a concern sometimes,” Bahutule said at the press conference after Wednesday’s play.
He says that, “When a bowler is putting in a lot of effort and getting wickets in difficult situations, they tend to push themselves too hard. However, this is not an excuse. We have worked a lot with Ravindra Jadeja and Saransh Jain on where their take-off point should be when bowling. But sometimes, on a particular delivery, they try a little too hard and overstep the crease. I am sure they will improve on this and get better.”
To address the no-ball problem, Bahutule suggested introducing the free hit in Test cricket, similar to the white-ball format. He made this somewhat humorous comment, saying, “I’m not the custodian of the rules, but if the free hit is introduced, the number of no-balls will certainly decrease.”
Jasprit Bumrah slips from top spot in ICC Test bowlers’ rankings
Jasprit Bumrah has lost his No. 1 spot in the latest ICC Test rankings. Not playing in the Test series against Sri Lanka has significantly impacted the player. Mitchell Starc has now become the world’s No. 1 Test bowler. The 36-year-old Australian fast bowler took 10 wickets in the second Test against Bangladesh, leading his team to victory, and this has earned him a boost in the ICC rankings.
Mitchell Starc has reached the number one spot with 872 rating points. Starc surpassed two bowlers to reach the number one ranking, surpassing Bumrah and Matt Henry. Mitchell Starc has become the No. 1 bowler for the first time in his Test career. He previously held the No. 1 ranking in ODIs. His best ranking in T20s has been 3rd. Mitchell Starc has taken 445 Test wickets in his career. He is the leading wicket-taker among left-arm fast bowlers in Test cricket. He has taken five wickets in an innings 19 times and ten wickets in a match four times.
North Zone secures place in Duleep semi-finals
North Zone defeated West Zone in the quarter-finals of the Duleep Trophy 2026. North Zone won the match by 52 runs. With this victory, they secured a place in the semi-finals. The hero of North Zone’s resounding victory was left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq, who single-handedly took nine wickets, forcing West Zone to surrender. West Zone boasted renowned batting talents like Prithvi Shaw, Mushir Khan, and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Despite this, Abid Mushtaq shone and showcased his abilities.
In the match played in Bengaluru, North Zone set a target of 287 runs for West Zone to win. However, while chasing this target, West Zone’s second innings was reduced to 234 runs. Abid Mushtaq played a key role in stopping West Zone from reaching the target, taking 4 wickets for 60 runs in 22 overs in the second innings.
India’s Asian Games cricket campaign to begin on September 18
Indian men will open their Asian Games campaign in Japan on September 28, while the women start their tournament against Japan on September 18.
Both teams from India are seeded and begin their campaign from the quarterfinals. The Shreyas Iyer-led men’s team and the Harmanpreet Kaur-led women are firm favourites for gold medals in the competition to be held at the Korogi Athletic Park near Nagoya. India had swept the competition in the previous edition in China.
While India’s quarterfinal opponent in the women’s draw had already been decided, the men will face the second-placed team from Group A, comprising Afghanistan, Japan, and Nepal.
The women’s final will be played on September 22 and the men’s summit clash on October 3. The seeded teams in the men’s competition include India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, while the women’s seeds have only eight teams, including India.
Dean Elgar announces retirement
Former South African captain and top-order batsman Dean Elgar has announced his retirement from professional cricket, revealing when he will play his last match. Elgar is currently playing for Essex in the County Championship. On Wednesday (August 26), Essex shared a video of Elgar discussing his retirement.
The African legend revealed that he will retire from professional cricket after the 2026 County Championship. However, no date was given for his final match. In the video, Elgar said, “I am retiring from professional cricket. I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart.”
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