In a strange move by India’s captain Rohit Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan was given the responsibility of keeping wickets for a few overs, after the team decided to give Rishabh Pant some rest. Sarfaraz, however, had his typical quirks behind the stumps, especially with skipper Rohit. Once, Sarfaraz even received a friendly punch from Rohit after failing to collect a ball. Later, Sarfaraz was also seen demanding the dismissal of Australian batter Hanno Jacobs as he had hit the ball twice.

As for the rules, a batter isn’t technically allowed to strike the ball twice but can do so if the sole aim is to protect the ball from hitting the stumps.

In this case, Jacobs didn’t really hit the ball with the intent of scoring runs but only ensured that the ball didn’t threaten to disturb his stumps. Hence, Sarfaraz’s passionate appeal wasn’t considered.

 

Drama on the field! Sarfaraz Khan engaged in a serious conversation with Hanno Jacobs – while keeping behind the stumps. Always leading from the front with his passion! #SarfarazKhan#ManukaOval #PMXIvIND #INDvsAUS #BGT #Canberra #CricketAustralia #BCCI pic.twitter.com/OITOvSquU3

— lightningspeed (@lightningspeedk) December 1, 2024

 

pic.twitter.com/N0BQcNSIFC

— Kaushik Kashyap (@CricKaushik_) December 1, 2024

While it looked like a pun initially, Sarfaraz did seem to be serious over the discussion. Jacobs even had to clarify his stance to the Indian.

Jacobs was eventually dismissed for 61 runs from 60 balls by Indian spinner Washington Sundar. Courtesy of his brilliant knock, Australia PM’s XI managed to put 240 runs on the board. For India, Harshit Rana was the pick of the bowlers, picking up 4 wickets for 44 runs.

Opening batter Sam Konstas was the top-scoring batter for Australia PM’s XI, registering a memorable ton (107 runs) in the pink-ball match.

In the match, a rather baffling decision from captain Rohit was also witnessed as premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who led the team in the Perth Test, didn’t bowl a single over.

Shubman Gill dispelled all doubts about his thumb injury with a stylish fifty even as skipper Rohit Sharma kept cards close to his chest by coming in at No. 4 in India’s curtailed pink-ball warm-up game against Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra on Sunday. The visitors won the match by six wickets. It, however, remains to be seen if the Indian captain would come out to open in the second Test against Australia, starting Friday in Adelaide. It was a 46-overs-a-side affair, which India won by chasing down an easy target of 241 in 42.5 overs, but they carried on batting till the end of the final over.

For Australia, Test hopeful Sam Konstas’ 107 off 97 balls went in vain.

The Indian team management was tactical in its choices as Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah decided on facing each other at the nets rather than providing data to the Aussie think-tank.

Interestingly, Ravichandran Ashwin, who didn’t play the Perth Test, was seen at the nets, mostly bowling to Kohli. Ashwin had a four-wicket haul in the last Pink-ball Test in Adelaide in 2020-21.

Ravindra Jadeja, however, got a few overs and also batted for some time.

Rohit persisted with the opening combination of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, dropping himself down to number four. However, his own game time was limited to 11 deliveries as he edged one to the slips under the night lights.

The biggest piece of news for India was Gill’s batting. A cracking square cut first up off seamer Mahli Beardman indicated that his fractured left thumb has completely healed and he is ready to play the Adelaide game.

He looked pretty comfortable against Scott Boland, whom he faced during his second spell.

Gill punished the pacers and spinners alike with seven boundaries before he retired after facing 62 balls.

Jaiswal (45 off 59 balls) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (42 off 32 balls), both players with virtually no experience of facing the pink ball at domestic level, threw their bats around and got some runs.

Rishabh Pant also didn’t come out to bat, much to the disappointment of the 1000-odd Indian fans present at the Manuka Oval.

Harshit shows big heart

Harshit Rana has already earned the vote of confidence from the team management with an impressive Test debut at Perth and picked four wickets here to strengthen his credentials as a wicket-taking bowler.

Still very raw at the international level, Harshit’s inexperience became his undoing during the first three overs as he wasn’t able to hit the right length with the pink ball.

But then he went round the wicket against a set southpaw Jack Clayton (40) and bowled a quick delivery that came in with the angle as the batter played inside the line.

Within a space of a delivery, he came over the wicket to right-hander Ollie Davis (0) and a fullish ball had him playing all over.

In his next over, he bowled two different types of bouncers — the one to skipper Jack Edwards climbed steeply as he went for a pull while the next one to Sam Harper was aimed at rib cage and forced the batter to go for a swivel pull. Both catches landed safely inside Prasidh Krishna’s palms.

Akash Deep (2/58) bowled a few wicket-taking deliveries but didn’t look as menacing as Harshit when the latter bowled the ‘heavy ball’. In all, India made the best use of the limited practice opportunity.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

India captain Rohit Sharma and his wife Ritika Sajdeh were blessed with a baby boy earlier this month. With Ritika’s due delivery date close to the 1st Test against Australia in Perth, Rohit decided to skip the match, which India won by 295 runs under the leadership of Jasprit Bumrah. Rohit and Ritika’s son was born on November 15, 2024 and the latter has now revealed the name of the newborn. Taking to Instagram, Ritika shared a photo of a Christmas-themed family cutout.The post was simply captioned “December”. The cutout depicted Rohit as “Ro,” Ritika as “Rits,” their daughter Samaira as “Sammy,” and their newborn son named “Ahaan.”

 

“Ahaan” is the name of Junior Rohit Sharmapic.twitter.com/in71WMuHWA

— R A T N I S H (@LoyalSachinFan) December 1, 2024

In November, Rohit had subtly announced the family’s new addition with a reference to the beloved sitcom Friends. His post, captioned “15.11.2024,” hinted at the date of birth of their second child and read, “The FAMILY, the one where we are four.” Rohit and Ritika’s first child, Samaira, was born in 2018.

Due to the birth of his second child, Rohit did not travel with the Indian team to Perth ahead of the Border-Gavaskar series opener. Vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah stepped in as captain and led the team to a resounding 295-run victory.

Rohit later joined the team for the pink-ball warm-up match against Prime Minister’s XI at Manuka Oval in Canberra. The two-day match, shortened to one day due to rain, took place on Sunday. Rohit batted at number four, a deviation from his usual opening role, and managed only three runs off 11 balls. He is set to return to his usual position for the Adelaide pink-ball day-night Test starting on December 6.

The upcoming Test series is crucial for India as they aim to secure a spot in the ICC World Test Championship final. Rohit, too, will be keen to make a significant impact.

In seven Test matches in Australia, Rohit has scored 408 runs at an average of 31.38, with three half-centuries and a top score of 63*. However, his recent form has been underwhelming. In five Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand, he managed only 133 runs in 10 innings, averaging 13.30, with a highest score of 52. His home season scores read: 6, 5, 23, 8, 2, 52, 0, 8, 18, and 11.

In 2023, Rohit amassed 588 runs in 11 Tests (21 innings) at an average of 29.40, with two centuries, two fifties, and a top score of 131. During the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2023-25, he has scored 833 runs in 14 Tests at an average of 33.32, including three centuries and four fifties, with a best score of 131.

(With ANI Inputs)

The BCCI’s outgoing secretary Jay Shah on Sunday took charge as the chairman of the International Cricket Council, becoming the fifth Indian to head the global body. The 36-year-old Shah, who has been the BCCI secretary for the last five years, was the unanimous choice of ICC’s Board of Directors and replaced New Zealand attorney Greg Barclay, who didn’t wish to continue for a third consecutive term.

Before Shah, businessman late Jagmohan Dalmiya, politician Sharad Pawar, lawyer Shashank Manohar and industrialist N Srinivasan had all headed the world cricket body.

Shah, the son of India’s Home Minister Amit Shah, will have his task cut out as the ICC needs to find an acceptable solution to implement the ‘Hybrid Model’ for the Champions Trophy originally scheduled in Pakistan.

In his first statement as ICC Chair, Shah outlined his priorities for his term, including leveraging the sport’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as a pivotal opportunity as well as further accelerating the growth of the women’s game.

“I am honoured to take on the role of ICC Chair and grateful for the support and trust of the ICC Directors and Member Boards,” Shah said in a statement.

“This is an exciting time for the sport as we prepare for the LA28 Olympic Games and work to make cricket more inclusive and engaging for fans worldwide.

“We are at a critical juncture with the coexistence of multiple formats and the need to accelerate the growth of the women’s game.

“Cricket holds immense potential globally, and I look forward to working closely with the ICC team and Member countries to seize these opportunities and take the sport to new heights.”

Shah brings extensive experience in cricket administration, having started his journey in 2009 with the Gujarat Cricket Association. During his tenure, he oversaw the development of the world’s largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

In 2019, Shah joined the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), becoming its youngest-ever Honorary Secretary.

He has also played important roles as the President of the Asian Cricket Council and as Chair of the ICC’s Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee.

Shah will now succeed Greg Barclay as ICC Chair. Barclay was in the role from November 2020, and Shah acknowledged his contribution to ICC’s achievements over the last four years.

“I would also like to thank Greg Barclay for his leadership in the role for the past four years and the milestones achieved during that period,” he said.

“I look forward to working closely with the ICC team and the Member countries to expand the game’s reach and evolution on the global stage.”

With PTI Inputs