Ishant down with pain in right ankle, doubtful starter for second Test

Ishant, who was the best Indian bowler on view with figures of 5/68 in 22.2 overs against Kiwis in Wellington, joined the team before the series after recovering sufficiently from a grade three tear.

The Indian team's worries ahead of the second Test against New Zealand cricket team increased after senior-most pacer Ishant Sharma skipped Friday's practice session due to pain in his right ankle, making him a doubtful starter for the game.

Ishant came for practice but apparently felt discomfort after which he was taken for precautionary scan of his right ankle.

The reports are awaited and if Ishant is ruled unfit, then either Umesh Yadav or Navdeep Saini will take his place. Umesh looks a more likely candidate at the moment because of his experience of 45 Tests.

Ishant, who was the best Indian bowler on view with figures of 5/68 in 22.2 overs against New Zealand in Wellington, joined the team before the series after recovering sufficiently from a grade three tear on his right ankle sustained during a Ranji Trophy game against Vidarbha.

He was expected to be out for six weeks but apparently made a "miraculous recovery" at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) under physio Ashish Kaushik.

Ishant looked in good rhythm despite battling fatigue and jet lag as he arrived in Wellington from Bengaluru barely 72 hours before the start of the first Test.

Kohli one demerit point away from getting banned from international cricket

With three demerit points, Kohli needs to keep his on-field aggression in check as India have just started a hectic home season; one more demerit point before January 16 next year will trigger a ban.

Business Standard : India cricket team captain Virat Kohli, who received an official warning and one demerit point for breaching ICC Code of Conduct in India’s third T20 match against South Africa on Sunday, is just one demerit point away from getting banned from international cricket. On Sunday, Kohli had an inappropriate shoulder contact with pacer Beuran Hendricks in the fifth over of the Indian innings while taking a run.

Kohli admitted his offence and accepted the sanctions. Now, his total count of demerit points has reached three in less than two years. "Kohli admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, and as such, there was no need for a formal hearing," the ICC said in the statement.

Kohli needs to keep his aggression in check as India have just started a hectic home season. After having levelled the T20I series 1-1 with them, India will now play three Test matches with South Africa cricket team. Later, India will host Bangladesh for three T20Is and two Tests in November, and then go for bilateral series with West Indies, Zimbabwe, Australia and New Zealand.

How Virat Kohli earned three demerits points

Kohli received one demerit point during the Centurion Test against South Africa on January 15, 2018, for his misbehaviour with an on-field umpire. He was hit with a second demerit point during India's fixture against Afghanistan in the recently concluded ICC Cricket World World Cup for excessive appealing.

When a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, the player is suspended. It means if Kohli receives another demerit point before January 16 next year – two years from the Centurion Test – he will get a suspension.

How demerit points lead to suspension

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, and a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of the player's match fee, besides one or two demerit points.

When a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points and a player is banned.

Two suspension points equate a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.

Selectors are wrong, Gill, Rahane must be in team for West Indies: Ganguly

Gill has already expressed his disappointment at not being picked in the squad for the limited overs series in the Caribbean.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday questioned the omission of veteran Ajinkya Rahane and young Shubman Gill from the ODI squad for the tour of West Indies, urging the selection committee to be consistent with their policies.

An inconsistent Kedar Jadhav has been retained while Gill, who has been adjudged man-of-the-series in the five List A games in the West Indies, scoring 218 runs.

Ganguly took to Twitter to take a dig at the selectors stating the main agenda should be picking the best possible team and not making people happy.

"Time has come for Indian selectors to pick same players in all formats of the game for rhythm and confidence.. too few are playing in all formats ..great teams had consistent players ..it's not about making all happy but picking the best for the country and be consistent @bcci," Ganguly tweeted.

"Here are many in the squad who can play all formats ..surprised not to see Shubman Gill. Rahane in the one day squad," he added.

Gill has already expressed his disappointment at not being picked in the squad for the limited overs series in the Caribbean.

The MSK Prasad-led selection committee picked India's squads for the T20I, ODI and Test squads for the tour of West Indies on Sunday.

Barring left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, no other Indian player features in all 3 formats for the West Indies tour.

Business Standard

ICC CWC 19: A hopeful Kohli downplays top-order rout ahead of WC campaign

The top-order failed to fire in both the warm-up games with most experts suggesting that the batsmen are struggling to adapt to the English conditions.

Business Standard : "I am glad with what we got out of these two games," said Virat Kohli after the second warm-up match against Bangladesh which his side won comfortably by 95 runs.

But was it really the case?

In the first practice match, the famed Indian batting line-up struggled before the pace and swing of New Zealand bowlers, especially Trent Boult who wreaked havoc and picked up four wickets on May 25 in challenging batting conditions at Southampton. Apart from Ravindra Jadeja, none of the Indian batsmen managed to stay for long at the crease and as a result the Men in Blue were bundled out for mere 179 inside 40 overs which the Black Caps chased down without any hiccups.

In the second match as well, the Indian top-order failed to perform as per expectations and didn't seem to be in total control of their game. It was only K.L. Rahul and M.S. Dhoni, who managed to make the most of their batting as they scored brilliant hundreds to help India post a mammoth 360-run target, which it successfully defended against Bangladesh.

ICC World Cup 2019

Keeping aside those two knocks and the quickfire 46-ball 47 from Virat Kohli, it was again a case of conditions making the batsmen sweat.

ODI vice captain Rohit Sharma, who had scored just two runs against the Kiwis, managed 19 against the Bangladesh. He was seen struggling before the pace and swing of Boult, as well as that of Mustafizur Rahman.

Same was the case with Shikhar Dhawan who managed scores of 2 and 1 in both the warm-up matches. The much spoken about Vijay Shankar also managed just 2 on Tuesday as the Indian scoreboard read a scary 102/4 at one stage. But the 164-run partnership between Rahul (108) and Dhoni ensured that another embarrassing collapse was avoided.

However, Kohli doesn't appear much bothered by the form of his 'star openers'. "Shikhar and Rohit are quality players. They become stars in ICC events. I understand if guys don't get going rightaway in this format, but I am glad with what we got out of these two games," the skipper said on Tuesday.

When it comes to bowling, the Indian bowlers didn't have much to defend against the Black Caps. But still, they put up a good show, especially Jasprit Bumrah who was magnificent with his line and length. He bowled at a brisk pace and returned with figures of 2/4 from the four overs he bowled.