Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had a significant and fascinating link to MS Dhoni’s three ICC trophy victories. During his tenure, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) proudly added three major ICC trophies to its cabinet, marking a golden era for Indian cricket. The era of MS Dhoni began in earnest with India’s triumph in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Despite the team's youthful and inexperienced composition, very few believed India could clinch the title. However, against all odds, India emerged victorious in the tournament, etching their name in cricketing history. Following the team’s return to India with the prestigious T20 World Cup trophy, Singh took the time to personally meet the players and congratulate them on their heroic and iconic achievement. September 24, 2007, is a date etched forever in the minds of cricket enthusiasts across the globe. On this day, India defeated their arch-rivals Pakistan by a mere 5 runs to secure their first-ever T20 World Cup title. This win also made India the first nation to hold both the ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup, further cementing their place in the annals of cricketing history. Meanwhile, the Indian men's and women's cricket teams sported black armbands in their respective matches on Friday to honour Singh on Friday, who died in New Delhi. Singh, a two-time former prime minister from 2004 to 2014, died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday after losing consciousness at his home owing to age-related ailments. He was 92. The men's team, led by Rohit Sharma, is playing the Boxing Day Test against Australia in Melbourne. The women's side, on the other hand, is facing West Indies in the third and final ODI in Vadodara. "The Indian team is wearing black arm bands as a mark of respect in the memory of former PM Dr Manmohan Singh, who passed away," the BCCI said in a statement. Singh, also a renowned economist, was the architect and the brainchild of economic reforms in 1991 that pulled India from the brink of bankruptcy and ushered in an era of economic liberalisation that is widely believed to have changed the course of India's economic trajectory.
27 December,2024 10:48 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRohit Sharma's wretched run Down Under continued as India slipped to 51 for 2 at tea on day two of the fourth Test after Australia rode on Steve Smith's 34th hundred to post a challenging first innings score of 474. Rohit's (3) mistimed a pull-short and Scott Boland had the easiest of takes at mid-on off a Pat Cummins' delivery. Seasoned KL Rahul (24), coming in at No. 3, looked confident before Australian captain bowled the delivery of the series at the stroke of tea to get rid of India's best batter on tour. The ball moved away late after pitching, clipping Rahul's off-bail and giving Australia a distinct advantage. India are way behind in this game due to Smith's 140 that took the hosts to an imposing first innings score. Starting the day at 311 for 6, Smith added 112 and 44 runs with Cummins (49) and Mitchell Starc (15) respectively, leaving the visitors searching for back-up plans. Jasprit Bumrah (4/99 in 28.4 oves) was once again brilliant despite the first spell thrashing from Sam Konstas but Mohammed Siraj's ordinary showing (0/122 in 23 overs) was the primary reason for pressure being released on batters. Smith, who was not out overnight on 68 off 111 balls, took another 56 deliveries in the second morning to complete a Test ton which puts him on even keel with the legendary Sunil Gavaskar (34). The century came with a push drive through the vacant cover region and celebrations were pretty muted with a just vigorous head nod for his teammates in the dug-out. Smith, who had a torrid run till the second Test of this series played both days in contrasting styles. On Thursday, he was ready to be patient and wait for deliveries at the expense of looking ugly. On Friday, the same batter was walking down the track to force the bowlers alter their length. He was ready to pull and hook, getting two sixes off Bumrah (3/97 in 28 overs) and Siraj (2/72 in 18 overs) respectively. Despite a significant drop in temperature and a nip in the air, Indians failed to make use of the semi-new Kookaburra, with lines going all awry and length short enough to be punished. Cummins was allowed to settled down and hit seven boundaries. Although skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir decided on dropping Shubman Gill, the ploy of playing two spinners has backfired with Ravindra Jadeja (2/72 in 18 overs) and Washington Sundar (1/49 in 15 overs) never looking penetrative. The hook off Siraj was so disdainfully hit that the bowler was left dumbfounded, hands-on-hips. For a change, Siraj didn't try and sledge an in-form batter, something he did in Adelaide with some disastrous results. But that didn't soften the Australian supporters, who constantly booed him and Virat Kohli as and when the ball went to them.
27 December,2024 10:36 AM IST | Melbourne | mid-day online correspondentRohit Sharma’s return to the opening role in the Boxing Day Test on Friday turned out to be an outing he would rather forget. The India captain was dismissed cheaply by Pat Cummins for just three runs on Day 2, continuing his struggles with form. Facing a short-of-length delivery outside off stump, Rohit attempted an unconvincing pull shot. It was a half-hearted effort that resulted in a mistimed top-edge, which looped towards mid-on. Scott Boland made no mistake, easily claiming the catch to send Rohit back to the pavilion. This experiment, where Rohit opened the batting alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, appeared to be an attempt to rejuvenate his approach, but it failed to yield any positive results. His series scores now stand at a disappointing 3, 6, 10, and 3. Captain Rohit Sharma loses his wicket early for 3 off 5 #INDvsAUS #RohitSharma pic.twitter.com/dMyTerXCRR — Cricket Kraze (@cricketKraze11) December 27, 2024 Rohit’s struggles against Cummins in Tests have become a recurring issue, with the numbers highlighting his ongoing challenges. Over 13 innings, Rohit has faced 199 deliveries from Cummins, scoring a mere 127 runs while being dismissed seven times. Ricky Ponting, speaking on Seven Cricket, was critical of the shot selection: “That’s just a lazy, not switched on, not up for the moment type of shot. He’s been known as one of the best hookers and pullers of the ball since he made his debut but that’s just not there. It’s nothing. It’s not committed, not really looking to be aggressive, he’s just looking to tap it on the head. Might have held in the wicket yes, it might have seamed away from him a fraction. But if you’re going to survive against this Australian attack, you’ve got to be switched on. You’ve got to be making good decisions. If you’re not, they’ll knock you over every time.” Earlier on Day 2, Rohit faced criticism for his perplexing captaincy decisions and team selections during the Melbourne Test. His decision to bring Washington Sundar into the playing XI for the Boxing Day Test, at the expense of Shubman Gill, has drawn repeated scrutiny. From his handling of the bowlers to the specific match-ups deployed against Australian batters, Rohit struggled to optimize India’s bowling resources in the opening two days. Former Indian coach Ravi Shastri was particularly critical of Rohit and head coach Gautam Gambhir for opting to play two spinners in the XI, given their evident lack of trust in the spinners' ability to deliver. Meanwhile, Australia asserted their dominance with Steve Smith’s century powering them to a commanding 474 in their first innings on Day 2. Despite a spirited fightback from India on Day 1, the Indian bowlers were unable to dismiss the overnight pair of Smith and skipper Pat Cummins, who contributed 49 runs off 63 balls. The duo added 112 runs for the seventh wicket, nullifying the slight advantage that Jasprit Bumrah had provided his team earlier in the match.
27 December,2024 10:08 AM IST | Melbourne | mid-day online correspondentFormer Indian cricketers Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, and Shikhar Dhawan expressed their condolences following the death of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, lauding his contributions to the Indian economy and his visionary leadership. Singh, who passed away on Thursday night, is remembered for his pivotal role in shaping India's economic reforms. Taking to X, Gambhir said that Manmohan was "one of a kind". "Dr Manmohan Singh Ji was truly one of a kind. His contribution especially towards bringing economic stability to our country will be studied by future generations. May god give strength to his family and loved ones," Gambhir wrote in his post. Dr Manmohan Singh Ji was truly one of a kind. His contribution especially towards bringing economic stability to our county will be studied by future generations. May god give strength to his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/1kpXntJ1jj — Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) December 26, 2024 Suresh Raina expressed his condolences on X, saying "Rest In Peace" 🕉️🙏#RestInPeace pic.twitter.com/LhrIk9XViU — Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) December 26, 2024 Shikhar Dhawan said that the former PM will be missed, hailing him as a "visionary leader". A great soul and a visionary leader. You will be missed. Rest in peace, sir 🙏 pic.twitter.com/PG3YkWtkZq — Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) December 26, 2024 "A great soul and a visionary leader. You will be missed. Rest in peace, sir," he wrote in his post on X. Irfan Pathan also posted on X saying that India and its economy will forever be "indebted" to Manmohan. "India and its economy will forever be indebted to Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji for his remarkable contributions. May his soul rest in peace. Heartfelt condolences to his family," he wrote. India and its economy will forever be indebted to Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji for his remarkable contributions. May his soul rest in peace. Heartfelt condolences to his family. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/o0gVq3xe84 — Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) December 26, 2024 Manmohan Singh passed away on Thursday night at the age of 92 due to age-related medical conditions, AIIMS informed. He had a sudden loss of consciousness at home after which he was rushed to the AIIMS Delhi. "With profound grief, we inform the demise of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, aged 92. He was being treated for age-related medical conditions and had sudden loss of consciousness at home on 26th December 2024. Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency at AIIMS, New Delhi at 8:06 PM. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 PM," AIIMS said in a statement. Manmohan Singh, born in Punjab in 1932, served two terms as Prime Minister of India- from 2004 to 2014. He took the oath of office for the first time in 2004, after Congress' win in the 2004 Lok Sabha election against Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA. He served his second term from 2009 to 2014. He was then succeeded by PM Narendra Modi in 2014. He retired from the Rajya Sabha earlier this year after serving for 33 years in the house.
27 December,2024 08:57 AM IST | Melbourne | mid-day online correspondentA resurgent Steve Smith crunched his second century in as many Tests as Australia made a daunting 474 in their first innings of the fourth Test against India in Melbourne on Friday. The hosts resumed on 311-6 after a dominant opening day where all their top four blasted 50 or more to lay a solid platform, spearheaded by carefree debutant Sam Konstas. That thrilling action in front of 87,000 fans was equally notable for Virat Kohli's shoulder barge on Konstas, with the Indian superstar fined 20 percent of his match fee. There was no let up from Australia on Friday, plundering another 163 before finally being dismissed soon after lunch, with the composed Smith making a heroic 140, slamming 13 fours and three sixes. Paceman Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the bowlers with 4-99, while spinner Ravindra Jadeja took 3-78. Smith padded up again on 68, with skipper Pat Cummins alongside him on eight. The veteran batsman showed his intent early with a four from Bumrah while Cummins also batted with freedom, not afraid to play his shots. They took 15 off one Akash Deep over to bring up their 50-run partnership before Smith hooked Bumrah for six to rub salt in the wounds. India's body language showed their frustration as the Test slipped away on a benign pitch offering them little. Smith reached his 34th Test century with a boundary off Nitish Kumar Reddy, which came on the back of a return to form at the last Test in Brisbane where he made 101. It was a patient innings from the 35-year-old and moved him alongside four other players on the all-list of century-makers, including Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Lara. Only six players have scored more, led by Sachin Tendulkar's 51. With the landmark out of the way, both players began swinging the bat, with Cummins paying the price, caught for a fine 49 by Reddy in the deep off Ravindra Jadeja to end a 112-run stand. Mitchell Starc was bowled by Jadeja for 15 in the first over after lunch, with Smith following in bizarre fashion soon after. Facing Deep, he danced down the wicket looking to drive but got an inside edge, with the ball bouncing off his pads and trickling onto leg stump and dislodging a bail. Nathan Lyon (13) was the final wicket to fall, lbw to Bumrah. The five-match series is locked at 1-1 after India won by 295 runs in Perth before being crushed by 10 wickets in Adelaide. The rain-affected third Test in Brisbane was drawn.
27 December,2024 08:46 AM IST | Melbourne | mid-day online correspondentIn what should have been a celebration of sportsmanship and skill, the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was marred by an incident that left many in the cricketing community disappointed. The altercation between Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas during the opening session has sparked widespread criticism and reflection on the spirit of the game. Former ICC Australian umpire, Daryl Harper, who has witnessed Kohli’s journey since his debut Test in Jamaica in June 2011, expressed dismay at the turn of events. Harper remembered about officiating Kohli’s first match, where his enthusiasm bordered on excessive, leading to a caution from ICC Match Referee Jeff Crowe. Harper stated, “I vividly recall that my colleague Ian Gould and I asked ICC Match Referee Jeff Crowe to take him aside and explain that his persistent and unnecessary appealing was not the acceptable behaviour for players at the Test level.” Daryl Harper Harper noted that despite Kohli’s fiery debut, the West Indian players, led by Darren Sammy, displayed exemplary sportsmanship. “I can also recall that none of the West Indian players targeted the young Kohli on his debut with any kind of deliberate physical contact. In fact, I can’t recall any verbal comments from Darren Sammy’s team towards any opponent. They understood the meaning of the Spirit of Cricket,” he remarked. Reflecting on the recent incident, Harper expressed his disappointment at Kohli’s actions against Konstas. “To see any player take a course that ensured contact with an opponent, as Kohli clearly did with Konstas in the opening session on the big stage at the MCG was quite deflating for anyone who cares about our wonderful game.”
27 December,2024 08:42 AM IST | Mumbai | Bipin DaniAustralian star Steve Smith continued to find his way back into consistent runs as he slammed a record-breaking century against India during the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), continuing his love affair with the venue and the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 runners-up. Having entered the series under scrutiny for poor form and being century-less for over a year, Smith got some respite with a century at the third Test in Brisbane, which saw him grind and play some scratchy cricket on his way to the century. However, 'cometh the hour, cometh the man'. During a crucial MCG Test, Smith continued his consistent Boxing Day Test record, slamming a dominant 139 (not out) in 194 balls, with 13 fours and three sixes at a strike rate of over 71 and finishing the first session of day two on a high. Smith now has 11 centuries in 43 innings against India, outdoing England's Joe Root, who has 10 tons against India in 55 innings. In 23 Tests against India, he has made 2,305 runs at an average of 2,305 runs at an average of 64.02, with 11 centuries and five fifties. His best score is 192. Smith is also the first-ever player to have 10 centuries in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, outdoing Virat Kohli (9) and Sachin Tendulkar (9). At MCG and Boxing Day Tests so far, Smith has made 1,232 runs in 12 Tests and 19 innings at an average of 88.00, with five centuries and five fifties and their best score is 192. Now, Smith has risen to joint-sixth highest among century makers in Tests alongside Younis Khan (Pakistan), Sunil Gavaskar (India), Brian Lara (West Indies) and Mahela Jayawardena (Sri Lanka). Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. Half-centuries from Konstas (60 in 65 balls, with six fours and two sixes), Usman Khawaja (57 in 121 balls, with six fours), Marnus Labuschagne (72 in 145 balls, with seven fours) and Steve Smith (68*) justified the decision with their fine knocks, pushing Australia to 311/6 at the day one end despite India taking some quick wickets. On day two, Smith scored a century and had a 112-run stand with skipper Pat Cummins (49 in 63 balls, with seven fours) which helped Australia end the first session at 454/7.
27 December,2024 08:32 AM IST | Melbourne | mid-day online correspondentIndian players began the second day of the fourth Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) wearing black armbands as a mark of respect for former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who passed away in Delhi on Thursday. "The Indian Cricket Team is wearing black armbands as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh who passed away on Thursday," the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a post on X. The Indian Cricket Team is wearing black armbands as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh who passed away on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/nXVUHSaqel — BCCI (@BCCI) December 27, 2024 Manmohan Singh, aged 92, died due to age-related medical conditions, as confirmed by AIIMS. He had a sudden loss of consciousness at home and was rushed to AIIMS Delhi, where he was declared dead. "With profound grief, we inform the demise of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, aged 92. He was being treated for age-related medical conditions and had sudden loss of consciousness at home on 26th December 2024. Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency at AIIMS, New Delhi at 8:06 PM. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 PM," AIIMS said in a statement. Following his passing, several former cricketers, including Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Gautam Gambhir, and VVS Laxman, took to social media to pay tribute to the former Prime Minister, praising his leadership and significant contributions to the Indian economy. Former cricketers Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, and Shikhar Dhawan also expressed their condolences following the death of Dr Manmohan Singh. Manmohan Singh, born in Punjab in 1932, served two terms as Prime Minister of India- from 2004 to 2014. He took the oath of office for the first time in 2004, after Congress' win in the 2004 Lok Sabha election against Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA. He served his second term from 2009 to 2014. He was then succeeded by PM Narendra Modi in 2014. He retired from the Rajya Sabha earlier this year after serving 33 years in the house.
27 December,2024 08:19 AM IST | Melbourne | mid-day online correspondentAustralia's Steve Smith slammed his second century of the series against India on Friday, reaching three figures on day two at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Steve Smith Test hundred, number 34!He brings it up in style too 🙌#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/jRjwC6bdIZ — 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 27, 2024 It was a patient and well-constructed innings from the 35-year-old, who hit nine fours and two sixes in the 167-ball knock to help put the hosts in a strong position. Smith also scored a ton at the last Test in Brisbane -- his first since June 2023 -- with the latest his 34th in his 113th match. It moves him alongside four other players on the all-list of century-makers, including Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Lara. Only six players have scored more, led by Sachin Tendulkar's 51. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 December,2024 06:28 AM IST | Melbourne | AFPSeveral former players disapproved of Virat Kohli’s avoidable tiff with young Sam Konstas on Thursday while Australia opener Usman Khawaja said he stepped in to diffuse the tension because he did not want the situation to go out of hands. Khawaja was at the crease when the incident took place in the 10th over of the Australian innings on the opening day of the fourth Test here. While crossing over, Kohli and Konstas bumped shoulders and quickly turned around to glance at each other, engaging in a heated exchange of words. “I like the emotion. There was a bit of chirp going on between Sam and (Jasprit) Bumrah and Virat the whole time. But I didn’t want it to be tainted by any physical contact,” Khawaja told the ABC. Khawaja immediately stepped in to separate them, putting his arm around Kohli. The on-field umpires also had a word with the two, as things cooled down rather quickly. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 December,2024 06:16 AM IST | Melbourne | PTIThe foundation of Sam Konstas’ whirlwind 60 off 65 balls on his Australia Test debut against India in the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was of the teenager playing ramp shots and taking down the lethal Jasprit Bumrah in a way no one ever thought would happen. Revealing in the joy of Konstas’ hitting a breathtaking half-century on debut have been his family members, including his elder brother Billy. “In the backyard, we did have the auto-wicketkeeper, so the ramp [shot] was out of play. I didn’t know what to expect, to be honest with you. “I was shaking, my heart rate was up, and I was like, ‘Sammy, straight bat, straight bat’, but yeah … it works! We had no expectation coming into today. We were just taking it moment by moment,” said Billy on SEN Radio. Asked about his view on Konstas’ shoulder collision with Virat Kohli, Billy said, “I didn’t mind it — it added a bit of a spectacle to cricket, a bit of rugby league action going on in the cricket space. Out on the field [Sam] has got such a hard exterior, but off the field he’s such a humble guy.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 December,2024 06:15 AM IST | Melbourne | IANSADVERTISEMENT
