India vs England: Vikram Rathour Discusses Ranchi Pitch for Fourth Test

Indian Pitches: Unveiling the Mystery

Vikram Rathour, India's batting coach, delves into the enigmatic nature of Indian pitches and offers insights into the Ranchi pitch before the fourth Test against England.

Ranchi Pitch: A Typical Indian Wicket

Rathour characterizes the Ranchi pitch as quintessentially Indian, featuring cracks and a preference for spin bowlers. However, he highlights the challenge in precisely predicting the degree and timing of spin.

Delayed Pitch Discussion

Due to the compressed schedule of the series, pitch discussions were postponed until now. With Jasprit Bumrah rested, expectations arise that the pitch will assist spinners, unlike in previous venues.

Insights from Rathour

In his pre-match briefing, Rathour acknowledges the unpredictability of Indian pitches. He notes the visible cracks on the Ranchi pitch, indicating its propensity to aid spin, but emphasizes the difficulty in forecasting spin intensity and onset.

Series Update and Pitch Impact

With India leading 2-1 in the series, all eyes are on the Ranchi Test. However, discussions about the pitch's peculiarities, particularly the "platey cracks" mentioned by England's Ollie Pope, have taken precedence.

Team Selection Conundrum

The nature of the Ranchi pitch poses a selection dilemma for India. Should they opt for another spinner in place of Bumrah or entrust speedster Mukesh Kumar alongside Mohammed Siraj? This decision will significantly influence the team's bowling strategy.

Indian Cricket Team Faces Tough Start in ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Opener Against Australia

Chennai, India - October 7, 2023 - The Indian cricket team played their first game in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, and it didn't go as planned. They faced Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, and things got off to a rough start.

Early Trouble for Team India

Australia won the coin toss and chose to bowl first. This meant that India had to bat first. But their batting didn't do well at all.

Ishan Kishan's Disappointing Start

Ishan Kishan, who filled in for the sick Shubman Gill as an opening batsman, had a tough time. In the very first over, Australia's Mitchell Starc got him out for zero. Ishan tried to hit the ball hard but didn't succeed, and he was caught out.

Sadness in the Stadium

After Ishan Kishan got out, there was a lot of sadness in the stadium. The fans were really disappointed. Even the wives of the Indian captain, Rohit Sharma, and star bowler Ravichandran Ashwin looked shocked in the stands.

Pictures Go Viral

Photos of the shocked reactions of Rohit Sharma's wife, Ritika Sajdeh, and Ravichandran Ashwin's wife, Preeti, spread quickly on social media. It showed how unexpected and disappointing Ishan Kishan's dismissal was.

What's Next for India?

Cricket can be unpredictable, and India now needs to bounce back after this tough start. They have to try and score a good number of runs against Australia in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023.

How the Cricket World Cup Changed Cricket Forever

The Cricket World Cup has been like a game-changer for cricket. It's held every four years and has been going on for a long time. But before the first World Cup in 1975, cricket didn't have a way to rate how good teams were.

The Old Days of Cricket

In the old days, cricket matches were pretty much like Test matches. They had 60 overs a side, used a special Dukes ball, and everyone wore white clothes. Day games had to finish before dark, and it was like a shorter version of Test cricket.

Adding Some Color and Lights

Things got exciting in the 1992 World Cup when they introduced colorful clothing, a white Kookaburra ball, and big floodlights. It made cricket look cooler and more modern.

Big Moments in World Cup History

The World Cup has had some really big moments. Like in 1992, when Imran Khan came out of retirement to lead Pakistan to their first World Cup win. And in 1996, when Sri Lanka surprised everyone by winning. This inspired other countries to start playing and getting better at cricket.

New Strategies and Records

The way teams played cricket also changed. Spin bowlers started the game, and the middle part of the innings became more important. More sixes were hit, and special wrist spin bowlers became famous. Teams also learned to save wickets for the end of the game. Lots of records were broken in the World Cup.

Pushing the Limits

In 1987, Viv Richards scored an incredible 181 runs against Sri Lanka, a record that stood for eight years. It wasn't until 2019 that we had a tied final match in the World Cup, and they had to count how many boundaries teams hit to decide the winner. These moments showed how exciting cricket can be.

Cricket Gets Famous Around the World

Even though Twenty20 cricket is now popular, the World Cup made cricket famous worldwide. It helped cricket become a sport that people all over the world love and recognize.

In summary, the Cricket World Cup has changed cricket a lot. It introduced new things and made cricket more exciting. The World Cup keeps cricket moving forward and making fans happy all over the world.