1. Kapil Dev – 23 fifers

The legendary all-rounder is not only the Indian pacer with the most fifers in Test cricket, but is also the seamer with the most wickets in red-ball cricket. Kapil played a total of 131 Tests throughout his career and best figures in the format are 9/83.

2. Jasprit Bumrah – 12 fifers

The India pace spearhead picked up his 12th fifer in red-ball cricket during the Men in Blue’s clash against Australia in Brisbane. The ongoing Test at The Gabba is Bumrah’s 43rd and he has so far taken 190 wickets. His best figures in the format are 6/27.

3. Zaheer Khan – 11 fifers

The former Indian pacer featured in a total of 92 matches for the Men in Blue in the longest format. Zaheer is one of the highest wicket-taking seamers that India has ever had. The left-handed bowler picked up 311 wickets in his Test career and had the best figures of 7/87.

4. Ishant Sharma – 11 fifers

The former Indian pacer gave some absolutely stellar bowling performances in his Test career. In the 105 Tests he played, Ishant picked up a total of 311 wickets, including best figures of 7/74.

5. Javagal Srinath – 10 fifers

The former Indian seamer picked up tons of wickets for his side in the longest format. Srinath played a total of 67 Test matches, picking up 236 wickets with the best figures of 8/86.

The post Top 5 Indian pacers with the most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket appeared first on Cricket Country.

In an interview with MyKhel, Ishant said that the responsibility of being the captain may have brought some minor changes but he added that people are mistaken when they believe that fame and time has changed the star batter.

“I don’t know whoever said that he [Kohli] has changed. But with me, the kind of relationship we share, he never changed for me. We’ve been playing together since U-17, so, you know, we are 36 now, I think he’ll be 36 soon. So, we’ve been playing together for, I don’t know, for even, you know, more than 10 years, 15 years. So, he hasn’t changed for me. I can pick up my phone, call him anytime, he calls me anytime,” Ishant said.

“I think, obviously if you’re a captain, there are certain responsibilities that come. You don’t have to see him as a captain, you have to see him as an individual. So, if he’s a captain, he has to look after 15 players. So, he can’t only focus on one player who’s not playing. So, I think maybe that’s why people have mistaken him that he has changed,” Ishant added.

“When he was captain, whenever I was not playing, I could go to his room and talk about why I’m not playing, even why I’m playing, we strategized. So, I think it’s all about communication. I had a very good communication level with him because I know that he’s my friend at the same time, you know, been playing for so long. So, he hasn’t changed for me,” Ishant concluded.

The post “People have mistaken him”: Ex-India pacer’s massive statement on Virat Kohli appeared first on Cricket Country.

1. Ravichandran Ashwin – 99 wickets

The veteran Indian spinner recently took 6 wickets in the fourth innings against Bangladesh in Chennai and took his tally to 99 wickets in the final inning of Test matches. Ashwin is expected to cross the 100-wicket mark in the next Test against Bangladesh that will commence in a few more days.

2. Anil Kumble – 94 wickets

The former Indian spinner was a nightmare for the opposing batting orders throughout his career and thus ended up taking a lot of wickets for India especially in the longest format of the game. Kumble carried India to several famous Test victories single-handedly through his incredible wicket-taking ability.

3. Bishan Singh Bedi – 60 wickets

The left-arm Indian spinner took a lot of crucial wickets for the team in the fourth innings. Bedi’s best figures in the final innings read 6/42. Taking over 200 Test wickets in his career, Bedi was one of India’s most important bowlers in red-ball cricket for several years.

4. Ravindra Jadeja – 54 wickets

The left-arm Indian spinner has so far taken 299 wickets in Test cricket and is expected to surpass the 300-wicket mark in the upcoming Test match against Bangladesh in Kanpur. Jadeja has been one of the most important players in the Indian Test team for almost a decade now thanks to his exceptional bowling and batting skills.

5. Ishant Sharma – 54 wickets

The Indian pacer is among the highest wicket-taking bowlers for India in Test cricket. Ishant definitely was one of India’s main bowlers in red-ball cricket for several years. His memorable spell of 7/70 against England at Lord’s that carried India to a very famous victory, is still fresh in hundreds of fans’ minds.

The post Top 5 Indian bowlers with the most wickets in the fourth innings in Test cricket appeared first on Cricket Country.

Even though India’s fastest bowler Mayank Yadav along with Team India’s contender Harshit Rana were named in the list, veteran pacer Ishant Sharma’s name was not seen anywhere.

“This is a protocol. They are our registered players and it is our duty to put their names in probables list in case they want to play,” a DDCA official told PTI anonymously.

In the case of Ishant Sharma, it is understood for him to be not playing Ranji Trophy since he no longer appears in the team’s scheme of things.

Ishant did not play in the inaugural Delhi Premier League (DPL) as well. It will be interesting to see if he makes himself available for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, set to be held before the IPL auctions.

The post Ranji Trophy Probable Players: Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant named Yet Again appeared first on Cricket Country.

1. 7/74 vs England, Lord’s, 2014

After bowling out India for 342 runs in the second innings, England had to achieve the target of 319 runs. Looking at the hosts’ stacked batting lineup, it looked as if they would reach the target with rather ease, but Ishant’s career-best bowling figures helped in turning the match completely into India’s favour. An amazing 7-wicket haul by Ishant saw the opposing batters tumble like a pack of cards and The Three Lions would be bowled out for 223 runs and India would go on to complete a famous 95-run victory.

2. 6/51 vs New Zealand, Wellington, 2014

A brilliant bowling display by both Ishant and Mohammed Shami led to New Zealand getting bowled out for a mere 190 runs at home. Ishant took a 6-wicket haul while the other 4 scalps were bagged by Shami. After the bowlers restricted the Black Caps to a low score, the batters would then play their part and post 438 runs on the board and take a massive lead of 248 runs before the hosts’ second innings.

3. 6/55 vs West Indies, Bridgetown, 2011

After bowling out India for only 201 runs in the first innings, it was expected that the West Indies would take a massive lead over the visitors. However, the complete opposite happened as the hosts would get bowled out for just 190 runs. This was mainly thanks to Ishant’s amazing bowling spell. The pacer would take a 6-wicket haul to shatter the West Indian batting order and was assisted well by the rest of the bowlers who didn’t give away silly runs.

4. 5/43 vs West Indies, New Sound, 2019

After India would get bowled out for 297 in the first innings, Ishant’s magnificent 5-wicket haul would help the Men in Blue restrict the West Indies to a far lower total. Ravindra Jadeja and Shami would also contribute well with 2 wickets each as the Windies would be dismissed for 222 runs. India would then post a total of 343 runs, setting up a target of 419 for the Windies. Ishant would again contribute well with 3 wickets as India bowled out West Indies for a total of 100 and won the match by 318 runs.

5. 5/51 vs England, Birmingham, 2018

After missing out on taking the lead by only 13 runs in the first innings, the Indian bowlers knew that they had to restrict England to a low score otherwise the match would fall out of their grasp and that is exactly what they did. The Three Lions got bowled out for only 190 runs as Ishant bowled one of the best spells of his career. However, this incredible effort would all go in vain as India would not be able to chase the 193-run target and would be bowled out for 162 runs thanks to England pacers’ amazing effort.

The post Ishant Sharma turns 36: Here are the pacer’s 5 greatest Test spells appeared first on Cricket Country.

“Preparation for DPL has been good. I didn’t get much time to practice after the IPL. Just a little more preparations for my franchise and I’ll be ready to take the field in DPL. You all will see me bowling in the coming games for Purani Dilli 6,” said Ishant Sharma.

Ishant Sharma will be playing an important role in the DPL, as he will be guiding the young and less experienced players with his higher skills. He said, “My message for young players is to keep working hard and believe in your abilities, this format might be cruel but if trust your abilities and work hard you can do wonders in any format.”

Akash Nangia, owner of the Purani Dilli 6 team, also gave his opinion on Ishant Sharma leading the team.

“Ishant Sharma brings a wealth of experience to Purani Dilli 6. His guidance and mentorship are invaluable to our younger players. Having someone of his caliber in the squad enhances the learning curve for the entire team. He has been regular in the training session and we are all looking forward to his bowling,” said Akash.

The post Ishant Sharma Gives his Take on Playing First Delhi Premier League: ‘Didn’t Get Much Time After…’ appeared first on Cricket Country.

5) Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble somehow has his name in the list of ducks as he has a total of 35 ducks in while entirety of international matches.

4) Virat Kohli

It is surprising to see the star batter in this list, but he has had fair shares of out for a duck in the game. Kohli has gone out for a duck 37 times.

3) Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh was the bowling master of his career. He has taken out a lot of players in his career but has gone out for a duck at the same time as well. Just like Kohli, Harbhajan has also gone out 37 times as well.

2) Ishant Sharma

Ishant has also had a big time in batting with a good amount of ducks. He has had exactly 40 ducks in internationals.

1) Zaheer Khan

Indian player Zaheer Khan has had the most amount of recorded ducks. He sits as the first position with 43 ducks.

The post Most Ducks For an Indian Cricketer in International Matches appeared first on Cricket Country.

The Delhi Premier tournament (DPL), which will feature six men’s teams and four women’s teams, will begin play on August 17. Notable international players like Rishabh Pant and Ishant Sharma may be seen competing in Delhi’s debut T20 tournament.

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag served as the league’s ambassador on Tuesday, when the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) also held the draft.

Purani Delhi 6 has picked up Pant and Ishant. North Delhi Strikers have selected Harshit Rana, who is now traveling with the Indian team in Sri Lanka. Nonetheless, the selection of these Indian players was contingent upon their availability. The players’ ultimate availability for the Indian team will be determined by their dedication to the team. At the event, DDCA President Rohan Jaitley stated, “Rishabh has given his consent to be placed in the draft for the time being.”

“The unveiling of the DPL Trophy and the jerseys for all franchises symbolizes the start of an exciting journey. We are proud to showcase the unique identities of each team and the spirit of competition they bring to the league. This event is a celebration of Delhi’s rich cricketing heritage and a glimpse into the bright future we envision for the sport in our region,” Jaitley said.

Additionally, Jaitley gave his word that Delhi’s long-format team would continue to be the primary emphasis of DDCA. The league has been cleared by the BCCI following extensive scrutiny, he added, and there would be zero tolerance for any fraudulent practises.

Men’s Teams:

South Delhi Superstarz – Acquired by Real Force Resources Pvt Ltd for INR 8.95 crore

Purani Dilli 6 – Acquired by SISL Infotech Pvt. Ltd. for INR 8 crore

Central Delhi Kings – Acquired by Utech Developers Pvt. Ltd. for INR 8.25 crore

North Delhi Strikers – Acquired by Gupta Jee Tent Services Pvt. Ltd. for INR 8.15 crore

West Delhi Lions – Acquired by Brew Force Limited for INR 8 crore

East Delhi Riders – Acquired by Areion Finserve Pvt. Ltd. for INR 8.3 crore

The top four bidders in the men’s franchise auction also secured the women’s teams, which include:

South Delhi Superstars – Real Force Resources Pvt Ltd

Central Delhi Queens – Utech Developers Pvt. Ltd.

North Delhi Strikers – Gupta Jee Tent Services Pvt. Ltd.

East Delhi Riders – Areion Finserve Pvt. Ltd.

Classification of Players:

The inaugural edition of the tournament has a draft of 270 players from all across Delhi, including national, U-23, and U-19. The players have been classified into four categories mentioned as follows:

Category A: IPL stars/ players with international experience

Category B: Players from the current senior Delhi team

Category C: Players from Delhi’s U-19 & U-23 teams

Category D: Top Performers of the Leagues of Delhi’s Clubs

The post Delhi Premier League Set to Shine with Big Indian Cricket Stars appeared first on Cricket Country.

In-between this ongoing debate, an old video from 2014 of Virat Kohli in India’s tour of Australia, has resurfaced on social media. In the series, Virat was constantly targeted by Australians to have verbal battles on the field.

When asked about the incident, especially taking the ‘respect’ perspective on mind, Virat said that he has come out to play cricket and not earn anyone’s respect.

“I am out here to play cricket, not to earn anyone’s respect. As long as I’m scoring runs I’m happy with it. If you like it, good,” he said.

Virat further added “I’m not bothered. I don’t really care what they think.”

While chatting with Shubhankar Mishra on YouTube show ‘Unplugged’, Amit Mishra said: “I have seen Virat change a lot. We had almost stopped talking. When you get fame and power, they think people are reaching out to them for a purpose. I was never one of those. I have known Cheeku since the time he was 14, when he used to eat Samosas, when he needed Pizza every night. But there is a huge difference in the Cheeku I knew and Virat Kohli the captain. Whenever he meets me, he is very respectful, but it’s obviously not the same anymore.”

The post ‘Not Here to earn Respect’- Virat Kohli’s old Video Resurfaces With The Ongoing Amit Mishra Allegations appeared first on Cricket Country.

Ishant recalled his ODI debut for India, he was sent alone to Ireland since the rest of the team was already there. He lost his kitbag and stolen cash, partly due to his innocence and limited experience in international travel.

Ishant revealed he played his debut match wearing Zaheer Khan’s shoes as he lost his cash, Kitbag.

“I was more nervous about the whole travel bit than about a match. Somehow, I made it to Ireland, jet-lagged, only to realize that my kit bag was missing. I knew that stuff gets stolen on the train but I had no idea this could happen on a flight,” Ishant Sharma said on Home of Heroes on JioCinema.

“I slept that night in the clothes I traveled in. I didn’t have my suitcase and my kit bag. I didn’t have any cards back then, so all my money was also there. I never knew what to use between a debit or credit card, so my father just told me to use cash. I didn’t even know I could claim that my kit bag was stolen, so I hadn’t done that,” he added.

“Rahul Dravid told me that I have to debut tomorrow and I responded, ‘But I can’t play barefoot!’ I didn’t even practice. I asked Zak (Zaheer Khan) for a pair of size 11 shoes so I could play the match. He gave me some shoes, but my toe kept hurting, but I didn’t care,” Ishant said on JioCinema.

Ishant further shared his dressing room experience, saying: “The dressing room was overwhelming for me, with stalwarts like Harbhajan Singh, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, and Wasim Jaffer.”

The post ‘Can’t Play Barefoot, Asked Zaheer Khan For A Pair Of Shoes’: Ishant Sharma appeared first on Cricket Country.