Thursday, November 28
Ravichandran Ashwin provided India with an early breakthrough by dismissing New Zealand captain Tom Latham for 15 runs, followed by the wicket of Will Young. Ashwin's precision spin on the leg stump and sharp turn led to effective lbw and catch dismissals, solidifying India's position in the second Test against New Zealand.
Ahead of the second Test in Pune, Rohit Sharma addressed the KL Rahul vs Sarfaraz Khan debate by choosing Sarfaraz, who has consistently performed. Despite being supported by the team, pressure mounts on KL Rahul due to his recent lack of form in Test cricket. Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra believes that time is running out for KL Rahul, who has struggled in red-ball cricket recently.
Sunil Gavaskar criticizes India's decision to exclude Kuldeep Yadav in favor of Washington Sundar for the second Test against New Zealand, viewing it as a sign of panic. He believes Yadav's left-arm wrist spin was crucial against New Zealand’s left-handers. India, trailing in the series, must win to protect their home record and WTC final hopes.
India seamer Harshit Rana will leave the Test set-up to play for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy against Assam at Arun Jaitley Stadium. With Navdeep Saini in the India A squad, Rana will boost Delhi's pace attack. Other roster changes include Dhruv Kaushik's injury replacement and the addition of fit-again seamer Money Grewal.
On Beyond the Boundary, host Chetan Narula and Times of India journalists reviewed India's dominant opening day against New Zealand in the second Test. Washington Sundar's stellar 7-wicket haul was the biggest talking point as it restricted New Zealand to 259 runs. In reply, India's top order responded cautiously, ending the day at 16 for 1.
England’s cricket team demonstrated exceptional teamwork by rearranging chairs after their team photo ahead of the third Test against Pakistan. With the series tied 1-1, England aims to regain momentum despite facing spin challenges. Captain Ben Stokes emphasizes strategic adaptations, while Pakistan remains confident with an unchanged XI. Both teams seek a crucial victory on a variable Rawalpindi pitch.
