Top Stories: Things that made news in the cricket world today

Kevin Pietersen feels Rishabh Pant can be an ‘absolute’ superstar in the future

• Two of the biggest talking points around Indian cricket this year has been- one, the form of Rishabh Pant and the absence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni from the set-up since the 2019 World Cup.
• Not long ago, Pant was hailed as the next best thing in Indian cricket after he had a breakout first year in Test cricket where he became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score tons in both England and Australia.
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Rohit bhai asked me to back my ability and helped me calm down – Shivam Dube

• India may have lost the second Twenty20 International but Shivam Dube’s success with the bat after being promoted to number three ahead of Virat Kohli was an interesting as well as refreshing change.
• This has the potential to open up a lot of options for the team-management in the shortest format of the game.
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Amid concerns over MCG pitch, Steve Smith wants iconic venue to continue hosting Boxing Day Test

• Former Australia captain Steve Smith has come out in support of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to remain as the permanent venue for the Boxing Day Test amid concerns over the quality of the pitch.
• This year, the Kangaroos will take on neighbours New Zealand at the iconic venue in the Test match starting December 26.
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Brian Lara picks two batsmen who can break his highest Test score of 400*

• Former West Indies batsman Brian Lara is widely considered to be one of the all-time greatest batsmen the cricket has seen and perhaps the most complete left-hander to play the game.
• Making his Test debut in 1990, Lara went onto achieve greatness showing his penchant for huge scores and batting for a long time, given his first hundred was 277 against Australia at SCG in 1993.
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‘My father is not Courtney Walsh’ – Hayden Walsh clarifies the rumours

• Hayden Walsh, the right arm spinner from West Indies had a great stint in this season of Caribbean Premier League.
• He played in nine games and grabbed 22 wickets in the T20 Tournament.
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‘You cannot expect Rishabh Pant to replace MS Dhoni immediately’ – Brian Lara

• Brian Lara, the former legendary batsman from West Indies has stated his opinion on struggling Rishabh Pant and he feels that the Indian fans should not put unnecessary pressure over the young Indian wicketkeeper.
• Pant has failed to impress with the bat and had dropped several important catches behind the stumps while playing for the national side.
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MS Dhoni mesmerizes the crowd by singing old Hindi song

• Former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni may not be involved with the national side since the Men in Blue’s heartbreaking exit from the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, but the champion cricketer continues to flare up headlines on a timely basis.
• Dhoni has been on a sabbatical ever since India lost the World Cup semi-final to New Zealand since July.
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Playing two pink-ball affairs against India may backfire on Australia: Ian Chappell

• Virat Kohli-led team played the historic pink-ball Test match at the home of cricket, Eden Gardens against Bangladesh last month.
• India won by an innings and 46 runs to kick-start the pink-ball format on a high.
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Report: Naseem Shah likely to be replaced from Pakistan U19 World Cup squad

• 16-year-old Naseem Shah has been racking up headlines one after the other ever since he was named in Pakistan’s touring party for Test series against Australia.
• The right-handed fast bowler has been flaring up headlines than to his precocious pace and action which has already compared to the former greats and, sometimes, also for the fact that he is just ‘sixteen’ years old.
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Wes Agar ends future Australian selector George Bailey’s First-class career with a golden duck

• George Bailey, the Tasmania captain must have hoped for a more fairy tale ending to his cricketing career when he walked out to bat against South Australia at Blundstone Arena.
• The former Australia limited-overs captain is supposed to begin his next innings as a national selector after Greg Chappell’s tenure came to an end.
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‘Confident of performing in second debut’: Fawad Alam after being recalled to Pakistan Test side after 10 years

• Fawad Alam is one among the several Pakistani openers who made promising starts in cricketing career but struggled to touch the pinnacle of success.
• It has been over a decade since he played the last of his three Test matches and around 5 years since he played any international cricket.
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“If we field so poorly, no amount of runs will be enough”- Virat Kohli after defeat against West Indies

• The second Twenty20 International between India and the West Indies once again exposed a plethora of chinks in the Men in Blue’s armour when it comes to the shortest format of the game.
• But apart from their obvious fallacies, one thing that has stood out in the ongoing series thus far is the home sides’ shoddy fielding as well as catching.
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Virat Kohli miffed with crowd for chanting Dhoni’s name after Rishabh Pant dropped a catch in the second T20I

• India couldn’t defend their total of 170 in Thiruvananthapuram as the two-time defending world champions – riding on the back of an imperious batting performance- finally broke the shackles of seven consecutive defeats in the shortest format of the game against the Men in Blue.
• While India’s bowling- whether it is fast bowling or the spinners- wasn’t really up to the mark and matters accentuated to the hilt courtsey his sloppy outfielding and dismal catching.
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