With Pant and Iyer out and with Axar unlikely to play, a huge portion of the team’s batting has effectively been wiped off

ICC World Test Championship, 2023

India

Australia

The lower-order has bailed India out often — but that might not happen in the final

India have had the opportunity to test the water in England more recently than Australia, but have they learnt a thing?

Rohit Sharma

Mohammed Siraj

Mohammad Shami

Shardul Thakur

Shubman Gill

Cheteshwar Pujara

Virat Kohli

Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravindra Jadeja

Axar Patel

Third seamer, sloppy slip and more: learnings and conundrums for India

In this Newsletter, we take you through all important cricket updates, providing a one-stop destination to satiate the cricket nerd in you

Sai Sudharsan

MS Dhoni

Ibrahim Zadran

Ollie Pope

Ben Stokes

Brendon McCullum

Shweta Sehrawat

Kieron Pollard

Sunil Narine

Nicholas Pooran

Indian Premier League, 2023

Afghanistan tour of Sri Lanka, 3 ODI Series, 2022

Ireland tour of England,One-off Tour Match, 2023

Chennai Super Kings

Afghanistan

England

Ireland

Trinbago Knight Riders

The Cricket.com Weekly - Edition 33

We analyze how Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis emerge as the most tormenting fast bowling duo to play Test cricket since 1990

Wasim Akram

Waqar Younis

Mitchell Starc

Josh Hazlewood

Dale Steyn

James Anderson

Stuart Broad

Vernon Philander

Allan Donald

Morne Morkel

Shaun Pollock

Courtney Walsh

Sir Curtly Ambrose

Pakistan

Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis - The most deadly bowling duo

Josh Tongue holds his place following an impressive display against Ireland in the ongoing Test

Australia tour of England, 2023

Fit Anderson returns as England name squad for first two Ashes Tests

The Delhi Capitals batter did indeed turn his strength into his weakness

Prithvi Shaw

Delhi Capitals

Prithvi Shaw plays himself out of national contention with terrible IPL 2023

India may have lost the rain-marred ODI series in New Zealand but former coach <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/2716/ravi-shastri/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ravi Shastri</a> feels the visitors can still take a lot of positives from the three outings in Shubman Gill&#39;s batting and Umran Malik&#39;s bowling.New Zealand won the series 1-0 after the third and final ODI was washed out on Wednesday. The second game, in Hamilton, was also called off owing to rain. However, whenever the rains stayed away the likes of Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar and Umran shone, catching Shastri&#39;s attention.&quot;I think a lot of positives came from this one-day series. Shreyas Iyer getting runs in a couple of matches, willing to stay there and willing to go through the tough period. Suryakumar of course has the potential, has the talent, and he will deliver,&quot; Shastri said during Prime Video&#39;s post-match coverage.Opening up on the young Indian players in the current squad, he added, &quot;Washington Sundar, I thought was very good. And even Umran Malik, I like the way he bowled. There&#39;s potential there. If he can persevere, it will be very good.&quot;All around, there was very positive Shubman Gill at the start of the innings. These conditions are tough, you don&#39;t get these conditions often, and you don&#39;t travel to New Zealand that often.&quot;So I think for young cricketers to come here and get this kind of exposure is excellent. The weather and the ground dimensions need to be taken into account.&quot;&nbsp;Overall, only two matches in the white-ball series produced results, exposing the poor planning on part of the concerned authorities. The series was organised less than a week after the T20 World Cup in Australia.The tour proved to be most fruitful for Washington, who had missed quite a few assignments in the recent past owing to injuries. Shastri was effusive in his praise for the all-rounder, who made a composed 51 off 64 balls in tough conditions at the Hagley Oval, days after his brilliant cameo in the series opener.&quot;He grabbed the opportunity with both hands. And today I think he showed great maturity with the bat. Tough conditions, the top order struggled, and the ball was beating the bat but right from the outset in 5-7 minutes you knew this guy was composed.&quot;He looked organised, he left the ball well and the balance was fabulous and his footwork very positive. When he hit a couple of boundaries you knew he was on his way. So this innings will do him a world of good. Proper batter in tough conditions to get a half-century. I think he should take that.&quot;Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

The former India coach was impressed with Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar and Umran Malik

Ravi Shastri

India tour of New Zealand, 2022

A lot of positives came from this ODI series: Shastri

India&#39;s stand-in skipper <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/3722/shikhar-dhawan/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shikhar Dhawan</a> said under-fire <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/65756/rishabh-pant/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rishabh Pant</a> is a proven &quot;match-winner&quot; and <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/61837/sanju-samson/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sanju Samson</a> will have to wait for his chances. Pant has been brilliant for India in Test cricket but hasn&#39;t really been able to ace the two white-ball formats.In his last nine innings across the two white-ball formats, Pant has scores of 10, 15, 11, 6, 6, 3, 9, 9 and 27. The wicketkeeper-batter has clearly struggled to stamp his authority in T20Is but his numbers in the 50-over format are quite impressive.&nbsp;In ODIs since 2021, Pant has slammed 491 runs in 12 innings at an average of 44.64 and a strike rate of just 110. However, in the same time frame, Samson has smashed 330 runs in 10 innings at an average of 66 and a strike rate of 104.8. The latter played a crucial knock of 36 in the first ODI but was then left out for the remaining two encounters.&quot;Overall you have to see the larger picture and who is your match winner. You analyse and your decisions are based on that,&quot; said Dhawan after <a href="https://www.cricket.com/news/live-blog/213905/nz-vs-ind-3rd-odi-india-in-new-zealand-3-odi-series-2022/live-new-zealand-vs-india-3rd-odi-christchurch-1669767882226" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the third ODI was washed out</a> as India lost the three-match series 0-1.&quot;Of course, Sanju Samson has been doing really well in whatever opportunity he got. But sometimes you got to wait for your chances, because the other player has done well and we know based on his (Pant&#39;s) skill that he&#39;s a match-winner. So you need to back him when he&#39;s not doing well.&quot;Meanwhile, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson feels it&rsquo;s not easy for the Indian management to play everyone as there are so many talented players waiting in the wings.&nbsp;&quot;The Indian team and the country is blessed with so much talent that sometimes you are faced with challenges that you have to weigh out different options. The Indian team and the country is blessed with so much talent that sometimes you are faced with challenges that you have to weigh out different options,&rdquo; said Williamson.India won the T20I leg 1-0, while the hosts took the ODI series by an identical margin. However, rain was the clear winner in the six-match white-ball series, with three games being washed out. One match (third T20I) was decided on Duckworth/Lewis method.&quot;It&#39;s frustrating. We can&#39;t control rain. But yes, we got opportunities and got a chance to discuss our flaws, and where we can improve. We discuss all that and analyse,&quot; Dhawan said.&quot;The team bonding will be our biggest positive. The main team will now play in Bangladesh. But if one or two may get injured, this experience will come in handy there. The young players from this series will get a chance.&quot;(With inputs from PTI)Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Rishabh Pant could only manage 42 runs across four innings in New Zealand

Shikhar Dhawan

Sanju Samson

Rishabh Pant

Pant is a match-winner, Samson will have to wait for his chances: Dhawan

India have lost back-to-back series against New Zealand, away from home. Whilst last time, it was a 3-0 loss, this time India were dealt a 1-0 loss. There were plenty of concerns with the Men in Blue after the series loss against New Zealand, including their bowling unit, who were lacklustre in the opener.&nbsp;In the wake of the loss, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=shikhar+dhawan+cricket.com&rlz=1C1CHBD_enIN981IN981&oq=shikhar+dhawan+cricket.com&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j0i546l4.3352j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shikhar Dhawan</a> insisted that the bowling unit were short at times, and are in the process of learning about bowling in good length area more. At the same time, Dhawan did not mince his words, stating that Asian wickets will provide India with a more practical journey practising for the ODI World Cup.&nbsp;&ldquo;Absolutely, going to Bangladesh, hopefully the weather will be better there. We are a young unit. The bowling unit learnt about bowling the good length area more. We were short at times. All the seniors are going to be back in the side,&rdquo; Dhawan said in the post-match presentation.&nbsp;&ldquo;More Asian wickets is a more practical journey to the World Cup for us. Important to get the small things right - right lengths for the bowlers, batting close to the body in these conditions for the batters... these are the learnings,&rdquo; he added.On the other hand, <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/4330/kane-williamson/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kane Williamson</a> was more than content with how the team applied themselves here against India. Whilst saying that, Williamson was pretty upset that the weather ruined the fun of the series.&nbsp;&ldquo;When we have been playing cricket we have been applying ourselves. Some good stuff in the rained off games too. We knew that 20 overs would constitute a match, but we could see the weather coming, it has been following us.&rdquo;Daryl Mitchell was a key performer for New Zealand on the day, with figures of 3/25, including the prized scalp of Rishabh Pant, who was bounced out by the right-arm seamer. Williamson also gave an update on Adam Milne, stating that he felt a niggle during the clash but didn&rsquo;t stop.&nbsp;&ldquo;Daryl has been hanging out for a bowl for ages. Milne felt a niggle but didn&#39;t want to stop. Focus changes to the Test arena. Guys get a break now and that&#39;s important too. Been pretty busy. We will regroup as a Test team after the break.&rdquo;Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Shikhar Dhawan also spoke about preparations ahead of ODI World Cup

Kane Williamson

Daryl Mitchell

New Zealand

Important to get small things right: Dhawan after New Zealand series loss

<a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/65756/rishabh-pant/recent" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rishabh Pant</a>&rsquo;s form in white-ball cricket has been pretty confusing. Whilst he has had a torrid time in the shortest format, with just 987 runs in 56 innings, averaging 22, his form in the ODI format has been good. Over the last two years, Pant has scored over 500 runs in the 50-over format, with a staggering strike-rate of above 100.&nbsp;But somehow there has been a middling perception, with criticisms around Pant in the 50-over format. However, ahead of the third ODI, Pant admitted that his numbers in the shortest format hasn&rsquo;t been the best.&nbsp;&quot;There is no need to premeditate in ODIs, only in T20s you need to premeditate. I don&#39;t look at numbers, yes my T20I numbers are not great but I am still 25 and there is time to compare. No logic in comparing now,&rdquo; Pant told Bhogle on Amazon Prime.If given a choice, the southpaw insisted that he would rather bat at the top of the order in T20Is, whilst batting at No.4-5 in the ODIs. In the longest format, however, his form has been untouchable. Perhaps, he is India&rsquo;s biggest differentiator in the red-ball format.&nbsp;&quot;I would choose to bat in the top order in T20Is, number 4-5 in ODIs and in Test I am batting at 5. Yes, the game plan changes when you are batting lower down the order but at the same time you have to bat where the team wants you to,&quot; Pant said.&nbsp;However, Pant failed for the second game in a row in ODIs, hooking the ball straight to Glenn Phillips off Daryl Mitchell&rsquo;s bowling, for just 10.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Rishabh Pant also talked about his approach in all the three formats

My T20I numbers are not great but there is still time: Pant

Live: New Zealand vs India, 3rd ODI, Christchurch

As it happened: Rain reduces final ODI to no result; NZ take series 1-0

After the rain-fest in Hamilton, the bandwagon has now moved to Christchurch, at the scenic Hagley Oval, which will host the third and final ODI of the series. Whilst there is some news around the corner that rain is following both the teams very closely, a keen cricket fan would want this series to be only decided over 100 riveting overs of action.&nbsp;In case you missed it, New Zealand lead the series 1-0, courtesy of the stunning knock from Tom Latham (145*), well supported by his skipper, Kane Williamson, as they chased down a record score of 309 at the Eden Park in Auckland.&nbsp;What to expect here?&nbsp;Ground DetailsHagley Oval, another venue where seamers are going to get maximum movement, right? Well, we have news for you. It is one of the few venues, where there isn&rsquo;t a lot to differentiate between the spinners and pacers. Whilst the spinners have picked four wickets, the seamers are marginally better with five wickets.&nbsp;<img src="https://images-cricketcom.imgix.net/1669721953771-articleimg" style="width: 700px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">On the batting front, the average batting score has been around the 275 brackets. Remember, there hasn&rsquo;t been a whole lot of ODIs being played at the venue. In fact, there has been only one ODI at the venue since 2020 &ndash; Bangladesh vs New Zealand &ndash; where the hosts won the clash by five wickets, with ten balls remaining.&nbsp;Also, unlike the Eden Park, which had so much on offer for the opening batters, the Hagley Oval is more comfortable for the middle-order batters, with an average of 56.6 since 2020, striking at a healthy strike-rate of 96.3. It would be a safe bet to trust on the middle-order batters.&nbsp;Suggested Team<img src="https://images-cricketcom.imgix.net/1669721979713-articleimg" style="width: 700px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">While you could go for the above team, you can also choose your team from <a href="https://www.cricket.com/fantasy-research-center/213905/nz-vs-ind-3rd-odi-india-tour-of-new-zealand-2022/create-team" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cricket.com&rsquo;s Fantasy Research Centre</a>. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Then, based on your preferences, the platform will guide you through creating the ideal fantasy XI.Captaincy SuggestionsFor small leagues: <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/10167/tom-latham/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tom Latham </a>(c), <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/66818/shubman-gill/recent" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shubman Gill (vc)</a>For grand leagues: <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/63961/shreyas-iyer/articles" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shreyas Iyer </a>(c), <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/62325/michael-bracewell/recent" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Michael Bracewell (vc)</a>Stats that matter- &nbsp; &nbsp;Unlike the Eden Park, which had so much on offer for the opening batters, the Hagley Oval is more comfortable for the middle-order batters, with an average of 56.6 since 2020, striking at a healthy strike-rate of 96.3. It would be a safe bet to trust on the middle-order batters- &nbsp; &nbsp;Shubman Gill continued his stunning form through to the second ODI, where before rain decided it was enough, the opener had scored an unbeaten 45. With that, Gill has taken his year&rsquo;s runs tally in ODIs to 625, with a staggering average of 78.13. And, with a high-score of 130, you wouldn&rsquo;t want to take him lightly.&nbsp;- &nbsp; &nbsp;In ODIs since 2020, it is one of the rare venues in New Zealand, where not a whole lot of differentiator is there between pacers and spinners. At the venue, the pacers have picked up five wickets, with the spinners having picked up four wickets.&nbsp;- &nbsp; &nbsp;Tom Latham is comfortably up there, as New Zealand&rsquo;s top run-scorer of the year. Chuck that, in ODIs since 2020, no Kiwi batter has scored more runs than Latham, who averages 59.43, with three 50s and three 100s in that timeline.&nbsp;Grand League Punts- &nbsp; &nbsp;All talks of Suryakumar Yadav, it has been Shreyas Iyer, who has been an absolute beast in the 50-over format. Over the last two years, the right-hander is India&rsquo;s second highest run-scorer, with 903 runs, with seven 50s and two hundreds. It is these epic numbers that really prompt us to put your faith in him.&nbsp;- &nbsp; &nbsp;Michael Bracewell really is a game-changer. Last ODI, he bowled just the two overs but in spin-friendly conditions, expect the all-rounder to play an important role. Since his debut, Bracewell has scored 264 runs, averaging 44, with ten wickets. He&rsquo;s their seventh-best batter and bowler, isn&rsquo;t that pretty cool?&nbsp;Here are the Top 10 Criclytics Projections<img src="https://images-cricketcom.imgix.net/1669722020763-articleimg" style="width: 700px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Probable XIsNew Zealand XI: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Lockie FergusonIndia XI: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra ChahalPowered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Here are a few tips that could help you create your fantasy XI for the first ODI between New Zealand and India at Hagley Oval

Tom Latham

Shreyas Iyer

Michael Bracewell

Fantasy: Latham, Gill and batters could be your best bet

After rain washed the game away in Hamilton, here we are in Christchurch, the scenic and picturesque Hagley Oval. Over the years though, the amount of ODIs here at the venue has diminished, with just one ODI being played over the last two years. But the focus is once again back on Hagley Oval, which is host to the decider.<img src="https://images-cricketcom.imgix.net/1669718840232-articleimg" style="width: 700px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">&quot;It&#39;s slightly frustrating,&quot; Gill said, in the aftermath of the second ODI being cancelled. Well, bad news for you Gill, it is going to continue, with heavy chances of rain affecting the encounter. While India still top the inconsequential ODI Super League, the hosts &ndash; New Zealand &ndash; have bagged some important points after their win in the first ODI.So, naturally the focus shifts. India still have to treat this ODI very very seriously, given how there are plenty of selection calls for them, with the ODI World Cup looming largely in just a year. The Blackcaps will want to ensure that the unbeaten streak in home ODIs continues.Where have India found themselves with Suryakumar?In the aftermath of the second ODI, we all know the common consensus: Rain rain, please you go away. It not only took away the joy of watching a closely fought encounter between the two sides but also spoiled India&#39;s time of tinkering with their team combination. One name that has caught the eye thus, <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/11803/suryakumar-yadav/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Suryakumar Yadav.</a><img src="https://images-cricketcom.imgix.net/1669718796872-articleimg" style="width: 700px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Suryakumar is a genius. Perhaps, the greatest T20I player that the game has ever seen. Perhaps, even second-best to just AB de Villiers when it comes to innovation but in ODIs, the Mumbaikar really hasn&rsquo;t lit things up as effectively thus far. But what&rsquo;s interesting is that the Indian team is persisting with him.What&rsquo;s the plan, India? In 14 innings, Suryakumar has 378 runs, an average of 34.36 in the longest white-ball format. His selection in the second ODI, accounted for India not having a place for <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/61837/sanju-samson/articles" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sanju Samson</a>, who has been home in the 50-over format. Whilst he definitely has the game to succeed in the 50-over format, why are India mixing with formats yet again?Even in the larger scheme of things, there can only be one spot available between him and KL Rahul, given that Hardik and Jadeja would walk into the setup right away. Are India taking the SKY experiment too seriously?<img src="https://images-cricketcom.imgix.net/1669718816769-articleimg" style="width: 700px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Whilst that is a big problem, India would also have an eye on <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/65756/rishabh-pant/recent" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rishabh Pant</a>. His form over the last two years in ODI cricket has been top-notch, and it would be wrong to say he has failed, it is a very tricky position for the selectors. If he does fail yet again in the series, would India then once again look at the bench, trying to fit both Rahul and SKY in the setup?See, there are a lot of questions.New Zealand would aim to keep their good run goingNew Zealand have a streak ongoing in ODI cricket (not you Snapchat). Jokes aside, the Blackcaps ahead of the series had a few things that required a check against it, one was Kane Williamson&rsquo;s form in the white-ball format. If the fast-paced T20Is has been an area of struggle for the Blackcaps&rsquo; skipper, he quickly put out all the doubt in the bigger brother format of that &ndash; the ODIs.Whilst he hasn&rsquo;t played a whole lot of ODIs, with his dodgy elbow, since the end of the 2019 ODI World Cup, with under a year for the next edition, Williamson sprung right into form, with a steady 94 off 98 deliveries. It was a knock where he never looked in doubt, and that&rsquo;s perhaps the best sign for the BlackCaps.<img src="https://images-cricketcom.imgix.net/1669718895790-articleimg" style="width: 700px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">But in Trent Boult&rsquo;s absence, New Zealand do have some things to figure out. Or at least, they have been trying to figure it out. In Auckland, India breezed past the daunting challenge presented by the Kiwi bowlers. Maybe, there is a question to be asked, was it as daunting?The answer being no. In the second ODI too, the pacers were breathing fire but only managed to pick up the solitary wicket of Shikhar Dhawan. So, the focus naturally would be on their pace attack, the trio of Tim Southee, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson, who would want to prove everyone wrong.&nbsp;Team Combination and Predicted XINew Zealand made a big call last game, when they decided to replace Adam Milne with Michael Bracewell. But you would think that is the right call, considering they have to keep an eye on next year&rsquo;s World Cup as well. So, they might really stick with the same XI here too.New Zealand XI: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson.Suryakumar Yadav or no Suryakumar Yadav? How do we fit in Sanju Samson? And that guy, Pant? India have some questions to answer. It would be a tricky selection call but maybe some hard calls need to be taken.India XI: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

The Blackcaps would hope to keep their record against India at home intact

Matt Henry

Tim Southee

Suryakumar Yadav

India aim to beat New Zealand, rain to square the series

New Zealand pacer <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/4235/tim-southee/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tim Southee</a> hinted that more players could follow the path of <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/4338/trent-boult/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Trent Boult</a>, <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/10172/james-neesham/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">James Neesham</a> and <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/4964/martin-guptill/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Martin Guptill</a> by giving up their central contracts to pursue a career in franchise leagues.Speaking ahead of the third ODI against India at Christchurch, the 33-year old said he is not thinking on similar lines as he contracted with New Zealand Cricket.&quot;It has been an interesting last few months where the landscape of cricket has changed, quicker than most thought. I am contracted to New Zealand Cricket at the moment and I&#39;ve been back to the IPL (Indian Premier League) this year and we&#39;ll see what happens over the coming years. But it&#39;s definitely changing the landscape of cricket to what it was two-three years ago,&quot; Southee said on Tuesday.Besides the huge boost in the broadcasting revenues of the IPL, the UAE-based International League T20 (ILT20) and South Africa&#39;s SA20 are set to be added to a long list of lucrative T20 leagues next year.Southee, who has 683 international wickets to his name, said he is not looking too far ahead.&quot;I haven&#39;t looked too far ahead, to be honest. There&#39;s enough cricket to come in the coming months to worry about before having to look too far ahead. But it&#39;s something all players are trying to stay with and think about in the moving landscape of the game,&quot; the pacer said.Giving up central contracts with the national Board means players are not guaranteed an automatic spot for the international series.&quot;When you finish your career and when you look back, hopefully be proud what you have achieved. I enjoyed my time and hopefully have many years to go and few more wickets as well,&quot; Southee said about himself.&quot;The body feels pretty good at the moment. So as long as I can still handle juggling all three and still being able to perform at the level I need to at this level. I love playing all three formats, so hopefully can do that for a wee bit while longer,&quot; he added.New Zealand are leading the three-match ODI series 1-0 and will look seal it by winning the third match at Christchurch on Wednesday.(With inputs from PTI)Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Trent Boult, Martin Guptill and James Neesham had opted of NZC contracts in order to focus on franchise cricket

Trent Boult

Martin Guptill

Southee predicts more players giving up central contracts for franchise leagues

<a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/67905/arshdeep-singh/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Arshdeep Singh&nbsp;</a>was playing just his ninth T20I when he <a href="https://www.cricket.com/news/wikipedia-given-notice-by-government-after-arshdeeps-page-vandalized-1662394683890" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">became a target for all kinds of abuse on social media</a>. In September, the 23-year old dropped a crucial catch of Asif Ali in the <a href="https://www.cricket.com/news/live-blog/215322/ind-vs-pak-super-four---match-2-asia-cup-2022/asia-cup-super-four-india-vs-pakistan-live-1662296033155" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Asia Cup 2022 Super Four match against Pakistan</a> which put a dent in India&#39;s chances to qualify for the final. That was September.In just over a month, he was the hero for many Indian fans as he was the team&#39;s best bowler at the T20 World Cup in Australia by claiming 10 wickets from six matches. India captain <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/3852/rohit-sharma/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rohit Sharma</a>, head coach Rahul Dravid and other player were questioned on how Arshdeep had dealt with the extreme reactions. They mostly replied that the youngster doesn&#39;t bother to look up social media.On Tuesday, Arshdeep had to face the question himself, to which he had a mature response.&quot;I love cricket. I feel lucky to be playing the game as a professional. People also love the game. When a player does well and wins the game, they praise him. When something goes bad and we lose, even they feel bad so they express their emotions in their own way,&quot; Arshdeep said.&quot;Fans have that right because we represent India. They can show love or anger, we need to accept it,&quot; he added.His impressive performances in the T20Is earned him his ODI debut against New Zealand in the first ODI at Auckland where he went wicketless from 8.1 overs and conceded 68 runs. When asked about the difference in approach for both formats, Arshdeep said he didn&#39;t feel any change.&quot;I haven&#39;t thought about the difference in ODIs and T20s with my &nbsp;bowling approach. I attack at the start and be defensive at the end in T20s, its the same in ODIs,&quot; he said ahead of the third ODI in Christchurch.The left-armer stressed on the importance of bowling partnerships which help the team strategy.&quot;One-days are long so we need partnerships in bowling just like with batting. If my bowling partner is getting help from other end, I&#39;ll try to stop the runs. Supporting each other will always be the team motto,&quot; he said.The youngster also spoke about his simple view of playing different formats and not being overwhelmed after making his ODI debut.&quot;Emotions were fine. I can&#39;t say that they were high or low. I didn&#39;t feel any change. I am a fun-loving person and the team environment is also great as the seniors and coaches make sure it stays that way,&quot; Arshdeep said.Despite the heavy competition for playing spots in the team, Arshdeep has earned his place a regular starter. Even though pace spearhead <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/63755/jasprit-bumrah/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jasprit Bumrah</a> is out with a back injury, Arshdeep is not eyeing the position.&quot;There&#39;s nothing easy or difficult about it (competition for places). We just try to make the most of our opportunities and enjoy our time. Nothing is guaranteed. I don&#39;t think about becoming the main bowler of the team. When a player tries to focus on the match ahead, it helps him and the team as well,&quot; Arshdeep said.India, who are trailing the three-match series by 0-1, will look to finish on even terms at Christchurch on Wednesday.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

India pacer Arshdeep Singh felt that the players will have to accept fans' love and anger as they are representing the country

Arshdeep Singh

Umran Malik

Fans have the right to express their anger: Arshdeep

<a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/67905/arshdeep-singh/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Arshdeep Singh</a> has had a terrific year in T20is since making his debut in July. He has picked up 33 wickets in 21 T20 Internationals (T20I) for India and is also looking to cement his place in One-Day Internationals (ODI) having made his debut in the ongoing series against New Zealand.Former Australia pacer <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/151/brett-lee/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brett Lee</a> feels that the young pacer should be protected from getting heaps of advices be it from cricketers, commentators or elsewhere which might do him more harm than good. Lee wants skipper <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/3852/rohit-sharma/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rohit Sharma</a> and head coach <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/1004/rahul-dravid/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rahul Dravid</a> to shield the fast bowler from such bombardment.&quot;Very often teams don&#39;t know what to do with these young and breakout stars. We have seen it before when young players get involved and advices from players, TV, commentators, at the hotel. Every man means well but very often, too much advice can be counter-productive. So, I think Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma have the responsibility to shield Arshdeep Singh from this overdose of advice,&quot; Lee said on his YouTube channel.The former Aussie quick also feels Arshdeep should strike a balance between playing and spending time on social media to ensure that the trolls do not affect his game. Arshdeep faced the wrath of social media when he dropped a sitter in an Asia Cup match against Pakistan, which could have shattered the confidence of any young cricketer. Lee furthermore also wishes Arshdeep would go back and play domestic cricket whenever the opportunity occurs.&quot;Number 2 will be to build a mental filter to social media comments because we know that the guys and girls playing are all on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter,&quot; Lee said.&quot;If you&#39;re going to play a sport and have a social media presence, you have to understand that you should turn off notifications. Don&#39;t read what&#39;s written. Have the brains and commonsense to separate that. If you don&#39;t like it, get off social media and focus on your cricket.&quot;&quot;Keep working on your skills in domestic cricket, because when there is no big World Cups, and you&#39;re not playing Test cricket, there aren&#39;t any spectators. This is where you have to shine. So this is what I believe what was the bread and butter of my career.&nbsp;&quot;Going back to First-Class cricket, enjoy the quietness of the crowd and hone and build those skills. If you can look after that, the high-level will follow,&quot; Lee who has 718 international wickets to his name further added.The Australia bowling great, who made debut back in 1999 finally was someone who could clock 145-150 KMPH at a regular basis and wants Arshdeep also to focus on his pace. The Punjab pacer very rarely clocks 145 KMPH and is around the 130-135 KMPH mark. Lee feels pace should not be a priority for Arshdeep.&quot;We also often hear about fast bowlers trying to bowl too fast. Don&#39;t be obsessed with bowling at 150 KMPH ball every time. On one hand, I would always say bowl as quick but you also ought to bowl that right line and length. We talk about bowlers trying to bowl too fast, they lose their shape, rhythm and seam position. Make sure you work on optimizing what is your best speed and work on your execution,&quot; Lee explained.&quot;It will come from practice and bowling line and length. Can you get fast and have a good line and length? Of course, but don&#39;t try to bowl every ball at 160. That would be the best way for Arshdeep. At the same time, don&#39;t be bowling all slower balls every single time. Work on containing that speed but sometimes take 5 KMPH off and hit that line and length. Get that wicket. That is my advice to you.&quot;Arshdeep has been Rohit&#39;s go-to bowler especially in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and the 23-year-old has delivered thus far. With the 2023 50-pover World Cup se to be played in India, will Arshdeep be a certain starter then too? The next few months will be crucial in determining that.The left-arm pacer will once again be in action in the third ODI against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch on Wednesday (November 30). The hosts lead the three-match series 1-0, following their seven-wicket win in the first game in Auckland. The second match in Hamilton was however washed out, making the final game a must-win for India to draw level.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

The former Australia pacer also feels Arshdeep should get back to domestic cricket whenever the opportunity arises

NZ VS IND,3rd ODI

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