Four varieties of spin in India’s net bowlers line-up ahead of Sri La…

New Delhi [India], August 5 (ANI): India has included Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Tanush Kotian and Vipraj Nigam among their net bowlers ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle from August 15 onwards.

As per the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Indian batters, who have had their share of struggles against spin at home, have ramped up their preparation against the tweakers in spin-friendly Sri Lankan conditions by adding four spinners to their net bowlers line-up. forestarrow.help

“Update: Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Tanush Kotian and Vipraj Nigam have joined the Indian squad as net bowlers to assist the team in the build-up to the first Test against Sri Lanka," said BCCI’s statement.

Harsh, a slow left-arm orthodox spinner, had made his Indian debut during the ODI series against Afghanistan, taking four wickets in two matches. He had made his way into the Indian side after promising performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), taking eight wickets in eight matches at an average of 28.50 and a solid domestic season before that for Vidarbha.

24-year-old Shivang, a left-arm wrist spinner, had also been a regular for SRH in the IPL this year, taking nine wickets in 13 matches at an average of 41.66 and, like Harsh, is a very handy lower-order batter. Recently, he has shown solid performances in the MP T20 League, scoring 194 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 176.36 with a half-century and taking seven wickets.

Tanush, 27, a right-arm off-break bowler, is a proven performer for Mumbai in the domestic circuit, with 131 wickets in 44 first-class matches at an average of 27.48, with eight four-fers and three five-wicket hauls to his name. He has also made 2,168 runs in 65 innings with two centuries and 17 fifties at an average of 42.50.

Lastly, Vipraj Nigam, a right-arm leg-break bowler, has been a part of the Delhi Capitals (DC) camp in the IPL for past two seasons, with 13 wickets in 19 matches and is also a handy batsman down the order.

In the tri-nation series against Sri Lanka in the 50-over format after the IPL, Vipraj delivered promising performances with seven wickets in five innings, with an economy rate of 5.38 and scored 116 runs in four matches, with a half-century to his name.

The two-match Test series will get underway with the opening game at the Galle International Cricket Stadium from August 15 to 19, before the teams move to Colombo for the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club from August 23 to 27.

India’s ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the series as he has not fully recovered from the left knee injury he sustained during the ODI series against England.

The Men’s Selection Committee has included Aquib Nabi in the squad as Bumrah’s replacement.

India are also grappling with multiple injury concerns ahead of the series, with Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy sidelined due to hamstring and quadriceps injuries, respectively.

Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the opening Test with a hamstring issue, while Akash Deep remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from stress reactions in his back.

The series will form part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. Led by Shubman Gill, India are currently fifth in the World Test Championship standings, having registered four wins and four losses in nine matches, with a Points Percentage (PCT) of 48.150.

India’s squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka is: Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain and Auqib Nabi.

*Subject to fitness clearance. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Ace speedster Jasprit Bumrah, 32, is the only Indian bowler who has 100-plus scalps in each of the three formats so far —234 in Tests, 151 in ODIs, and 121 T20Is.

However, injury concerns due to his unique bowling action and workload management see him missing from the India line-up more often than not, and this often has an adverse effect on the team’s bowling department. Former India and Mumbai pacers Karsan Ghavri and Raju Kulkarni believe Team India should stop relying only on Bumrah hereon.

“Bumrah should take a break for five-six months or even a year, and get back to 100 per cent fitness. The issue is that he goes into tournaments even if he’s half-fit and then, due to workload management, halfway through, there’s a breakdown. This is unnecessary. Only if he can manage his workload throughout a tournament, should he be included in the team,” Ghavri told mid-day on Tuesday.

Karsan Ghavri and Raju Kulkarni

Ghavri, 75, who played 39 Tests and 19 ODIs for India from 1974 to 1981, felt in-form pacers like Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar should be brought in. Shami, 35, claimed 37 wickets for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy last season, while Bhuvneshwar, 36, played a crucial role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 2026 IPL triumph, taking 28 wickets. “Shami and Bhuvi have been playing consistently in the IPL without injuries and should return to the national set-up.

Selectors should consider them,” Ghavri said, adding that Bumrah’s injuries are not a good sign. “All fast bowlers face niggles or injuries, but Bumrah has been on and off for the last two-three years. He has hardly played an entire series. That’s not a good sign for him or for the country,” added Ghavri.

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Meanwhile, Kulkarni, who played three Tests and 10 ODIs between 1983 and 1987, and currently is the Mumbai Cricket Association’s Cricket Improvement Committee chief, felt Bumrah lacks a bit in the technical aspect. “Bumrah’s our golden boy. He’s India’s best ever fast bowler. But I think he’s not a technically sound bowler which is why he’s so injury prone. Bowlers like Richard Hadlee or Kapil Dev were technically sound and that’s why they kept on going,” Kulkarni told mid-day over the phone from London on Tuesday.

Kulkarni, 63, insisted that Bumrah should pick just one format. “I don’t think Bumrah can sustain playing all formats. The team management must consider playing him only in Tests as that’s a critical format. Though he may want to play IPL, T20I and ODIs too, it’s not viable. For this reason, it will be great if Mohammed Siraj can get the support of senior pacers like Shami and Bhuvi. Bhuvi should be used in T20Is because he’s done brilliantly in the IPL. And you can rotate Shami and Siraj in Tests. This will reduce the pressure on Bumrah.”

13
No. of wickets claimed by Mohammed Shami in his last four Tests, all vs Australia in 2023

3
No. of Tests Jasprit Bumrah has missed since July last year; he has played six out of nine games

Pakistan rallied from a halftime deficit to defeat South Korea 4-3 in the third match of their four-test men's hockey series on Tuesday, clinching their third successive victory and taking an unassailable lead in the series.

After falling behind in the opening half, Pakistan produced a dominant second-half display at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium in Islamabad, scoring four field goals to overturn the deficit before holding off a late South Korean response.

South Korea made the brighter start and took a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute when Kim Hyung Jin converted a penalty corner. The visitors maintained their advantage through halftime after controlling much of the opening period.

Pakistan responded immediately after the break. Hayat Zakaria equalized in the 32nd minute before Rana Waheed Ashraf put the hosts ahead with a field goal in the 45th minute.

South Korea remained in the contest as Yang Ji Hoon converted another penalty corner in the 33rd minute, while Kim Yong Bok added a field goal in the 50th minute.

Pakistan finished strongly, with Abdul Rehman restoring the lead through a field goal in the 55th minute before Hannan Shahid struck two minutes later to complete a 4-3 victory.

The result gave Pakistan their third consecutive win in the four-match series, handing the hosts an unbeatable 3-0 lead with one match remaining.

Federal Ombudsman Naveed Kamran Baloch attended the match as chief guest and later received a commemorative shield from Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani during the post-match ceremony.

Also present were PHF Development Committee Chairman Olympian Hasan Sardar, selection committee chairman Olympian Samiullah Khan, Pakistan Sports Board Director General Yawar Hussain and other federation officials.

The match was supervised by Fahad Ali Khan and Haroon Rashid. Muhammad Sajid Raza served as reserve umpire, Haroon Asad Abbas as video umpire, Adnan Shehzad as scoring judge, Mehboob Javed as timing judge, Muhammad Waqas Khan as technical official, Muhammad Shafiq as technical delegate and Faiz Muhammad Faizi as umpire manager.

The fourth and final test between the two nations will be held on August 7 at the same venue.

For generations, Kolkata has worn its heart on its sleeve. The city is known for its rosogolla, its kosha mangsho and, above all, its undying love for sport. Cricket, football, athletics, swimming, hockey, tennis, every sport has found passionate followers here. And whenever a young cricketer needed a new bat, a footballer wanted a fresh pair of boots, a swimmer searched for a new cap or a club player looked for a jersey, there was only one destination: Maidan Market.

Officially known as the B.C. Roy Market, it has never been just another shopping hub. It is a landmark woven into Kolkata’s sporting culture. The narrow, crowded lanes lined with tiny shops, the familiar faces behind the counters, the endless bargaining and the excitement of buying new equipment before a big tournament have all become part of countless childhood memories.

Now, that landmark stands at the brink of change.

A recent notice has informed shopkeepers that the market will be relocated to the nearby Paddock Ground to facilitate the construction of the underground metro corridor connecting Joka and Esplanade. More than 500 permanent stalls have been built at the new site, and licensed hawkers will be allotted these shops. The authorities have asked traders to vacate the existing market by August 26.

On paper, the transition appears organised. The new market offers structured stalls with shutters, wider spaces and a more modern layout. It promises better infrastructure and improved facilities for traders and customers alike.

Yet, what it cannot promise is the preservation of an emotion.

Maidan Market has never been defined by its buildings. Its identity lies in its chaos,the tightly packed lanes, the conversations between shopkeepers and loyal customers, the excitement of discovering hidden gems and the nostalgia attached to every visit. It is one of those rare places where fathers who once bought their first cricket bat now bring their children to purchase theirs. It is where stories are exchanged as often as sporting equipment.

The move may be necessary. Kolkata’s expanding metro network is a vital infrastructure project that will benefit lakhs of commuters in the years ahead. Progress often demands change, and the relocation ensures that the livelihoods of licensed traders are protected with new permanent stalls.

The uncertainty surrounding Maidan Market is not about whether businesses will continue. It is about whether memories can be relocated. Can the spirit of a place built over decades simply be recreated within neat rows of modern stalls? Can an institution that has witnessed generations of Kolkata’s sporting dreams retain the same soul after changing its home?

For now, the notice hanging across the market is more than an administrative order. It is a reminder that while cities must evolve, they also carry the responsibility of preserving the emotions that define them.

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