Tag Archives: wicketkeeper-batter

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Why is Sanju Samson not playing today’s AUS vs IND 2025 3rd T20I?

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Sanju Samson’s name was notably missing from India’s playing XI for the third T20I of their ongoing five-match series against Australia. The match kicked off at Bellerive Oval, Hobart, on Sunday, November 2. This omission left many fans wondering why the wicketkeeper-batter was left out for such a crucial fixture.

However, Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav did not specify any particular reason for the change, indicating it appeared to be a tactical decision from the Indian team management.

In the series so far, Sanju Samson did not get a chance to bat in the opening encounter as the match ended in a no-result due to rain. In the second game, he batted at number three but was dismissed cheaply, scoring just two runs from four balls. He was out LBW to a sharp nip-backer from Australian pacer Nathan Ellis. Australia went on to win that match by four wickets, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.

### Jitesh Sharma Replaces Sanju Samson

For the third T20I, Jitesh Sharma has been brought into the Indian lineup as the wicketkeeper, replacing Sanju Samson. Alongside this change, India made two more adjustments: Arshdeep Singh and Washington Sundar came in for Harshit Rana and Kuldeep Yadav respectively.

Suryakumar Yadav won the toss for India and elected to field first. He commented on the pitch, saying, “The ball will come on nicely to the bat in the 2nd innings. Happy to take it one game at a time. We have three changes – Jitesh, Arshdeep, and Washington come in.”

### Playing XIs for AUS vs IND 2025 3rd T20I

**Australia:**
Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Josh Inglis (w), Tim David, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Short, Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann

**India:**
Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma (w), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah

Stay tuned for more updates as the series progresses.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/news-why-sanju-samson-playing-today-s-aus-vs-ind-2025-3rd-t20i

general

“That just got him off” – Former India bowler on Suryakumar Yadav’s knock in AUS vs IND 2025 1st T20I

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Former India seamer Varun Aaron has opined that Suryakumar Yadav’s knock in the first T20I against Australia would give him a lot of confidence. He noted that the unconventional batter’s six off Josh Hazlewood’s bowling provided the required momentum.

Suryakumar scored an unbeaten 39 off 24 deliveries in the first T20I between India and Australia played in Canberra on Wednesday, October 29. However, the match ended without a result as rain interrupted play when India were 97/1 in 9.4 overs after being asked to bat first.

During an interaction on the Star Sports show ‘Follow the Blues,’ Aaron was asked about his thoughts on Suryakumar’s innings in the game. He said,
“I think this will give him a lot of confidence. No matter how big a batter you are, we saw it with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the ODI series — even with almost 15,000 ODI runs, when you don’t get runs, you suddenly feel like you can’t hit a single boundary. Suryakumar was averaging 11 before he came into this innings, and he has batted just like Suryakumar Yadav.”

Aaron further highlighted the significance of Suryakumar’s first shot off Hazlewood, adding,
“That first shot against Josh Hazlewood was just a statement shot because the previous ball, most batsmen after getting a ball like that, to which he was beaten all ends up, would be a bit cautious and try and take a safe route. But Suryakumar Yadav did what he does best. That was an unbelievable six. That just got him off.”

Aaron also lamented how rain played spoilsport as Suryakumar seemed on course for a big score while targeting Nathan Ellis in the tenth over. The Indian captain had already smashed the Aussie seamer for two fours and a six off the first three balls of that over.

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel also shared his thoughts on Star Sports, focusing on Suryakumar’s footwork after the six off Hazlewood.
“When you get one of your favorite shots at the start, which Suryakumar got here, the shot he played off Hazlewood’s bowling, after that, although no runs came off two balls, it seemed like the footwork had almost returned. The surety was being seen in the footwork,” he said.

Parthiv added that the defensive field settings by Australian bowler Matthew Kuhnemann also worked in Suryakumar’s favour.
“After that, when Kuhnemann came to bowl, he hadn’t bowled even his first ball and had kept the cover fielder back. It means the thought process was defensive. When such big players know that the bowler is bowling only with a defensive thought process, then you can attack,” observed Parthiv.

To conclude, Parthiv expressed surprise at Australia’s game plan against Suryakumar Yadav. He pointed out that the hosts kept two fielders in the deep on the leg side and bowled on the Indian captain’s legs, noting that boundary dimensions don’t matter much when the ball is played in that area.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/news-that-just-got-off-former-india-bowler-suryakumar-yadav-s-knock-aus-vs-ind-2025-1st-t20i

cricket, international, sport

“If match practice is not there, it’s not easy to score runs in international cricket” – Former keeper on Virat Kohli’s 2nd duck in AUS vs IND ODIs

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Former India player Parthiv Patel has noted that it is difficult to judge Virat Kohli’s form as the batter hasn’t spent enough time in the middle. He highlighted that scoring runs in international cricket is challenging without adequate match practice.

Kohli was dismissed for a four-ball duck as India set a target of 265 runs in the second ODI against Australia in Adelaide on Thursday, October 23. The hosts registered a two-wicket win with 22 deliveries to spare, securing the series 2-0 ahead of the final game in Sydney on Saturday, October 25.

During an interaction on the Star Sports show *Follow the Blues*, Parthiv was asked whether Kohli’s second successive duck could be attributed to a mental or technical issue.

“If a batter spends time in the middle, then you try to see if he is in form or not, and if there is any technical fault or not. However, if he hasn’t spent that much time, you can’t say what form he is going through,” the former India wicketkeeper-batter responded.

“One thing is clear. All of us have been talking about it—that if match practice is not there, it’s not easy to score runs in international cricket. We don’t need to tell anyone that Virat is a great player, we know his numbers, but match practice is a massive factor when you come to play international cricket or any level of cricket,” he added.

Prior to the ODIs against Australia, Virat Kohli last played for India in the 2025 Champions Trophy final on March 9. The former India skipper hadn’t played a competitive game since the IPL 2025 final on June 3.

### “You Don’t Need Motivation” – Parthiv Patel on Virat Kohli Ahead of AUS vs IND 2025 3rd ODI

In the same interaction, Parthiv was asked if Kohli needs to draw motivation from somewhere to get back to his vintage best in the third ODI against Australia.

“We all hope that he bats like that, and we have seen that kind of batting many times as well from Virat, but unfortunately, it’s not happening currently. You don’t need motivation and Virat Kohli is that kind of person,” he replied.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the modern batting great would be in search of one good knock that could change the tide.

“When he wears the Indian jersey, he knows he has to perform well. I don’t think he needs to search for something from outside. As coaches or former players, we always say that you need one inning to click and then everything changes. Virat will be in search of that one inning,” Parthiv observed.

### Match Recap

Virat Kohli was caught plumb in front of the wickets by a Xavier Bartlett delivery in the second ODI against Australia. His dismissal reduced India to 17/2 after 6.5 overs. Following this, Rohit Sharma (73 off 97) and Shreyas Iyer (61 off 77) added 118 runs for the third wicket, helping the visitors post a competitive total.

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**About the Author: Kartik Iyer**

Kartik is a cricket writer at Sportskeeda with four years of professional experience. He specializes in news articles and is dedicated to delivering authentic and accurate content by sourcing information only from credible outlets.

Kartik’s love for cricket began in childhood, and he has been closely following the sport ever since. A passionate supporter of Team India, his all-time favorite cricketer is Rahul Dravid, admired for his impeccable technique and approach to the game.

With over 5,500 articles written for Sportskeeda, Kartik possesses strong knowledge of SEO and journalism guidelines, which has helped him gather a loyal readership of nearly 12 million. He holds a B.Tech degree and enjoys watching sports other than cricket in his free time.

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https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/news-if-match-practice-there-easy-score-runs-international-cricket-former-keeper-virat-kohli-s-2nd-duck-aus-vs-ind-odis

cricket, international, sports, women, worldcup

England thrash South Africa in ICC Women’s World Cup: Stats

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**England thrash South Africa in ICC Women’s World Cup**

*Stats By Rajdeep Saha | Oct 03, 2025, 06:31 pm*

England’s women’s cricket team has made a spectacular start to their ICC Women’s World Cup campaign, overwhelming South Africa by 10 wickets in a dominant performance. The match, held in Guwahati on Friday, saw the Proteas bowled out for just 69 runs in 20.4 overs—their second-lowest total in World Cup ODI history.

### Bowling brilliance sets the tone

England’s decision to bowl first proved decisive as Linsey Smith delivered a standout performance, taking early wickets and restricting South Africa’s batting line-up. Smith struck in her first two overs, dismissing both openers. She trapped South African captain Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits each for 5 runs, with Wolvaardt caught and bowled by Smith. Lauren Bell also contributed with a crucial wicket, removing Sune Luus for 2.

Smith continued her onslaught by sending back Marizanne Kapp for 4 runs, leaving South Africa struggling at 38 for 5 after the 10-over powerplay. Her final bowling figures of 3 wickets for just 7 runs in 4 overs dismantled the top order and ensured England retained full control.

### Spin attack seals the win

Despite a gritty 22 off 36 balls by wicketkeeper-batter Sinalo Jafta—the South African top scorer—the Proteas were unable to stabilize their innings. Jafta was eventually bowled by left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone in the 18th over. Ecclestone finished with impressive figures of 2 for 19, also claiming Nadine de Klerk.

Charlie Dean wrapped up the tail with 2 wickets for 14 runs while Lauren Bell ended with 1 for 24, as South Africa crumbled for just 69 runs.

### England’s effortless chase

Chasing a mere 70 runs, England’s batters completed the job comfortably in just 14.1 overs. Amy Jones remained unbeaten on 40 off 50 balls, with Tammy Beaumont supporting with 21 not out off 35 balls. Their calm and steady partnership sealed a convincing 10-wicket victory and gave England a significant boost in net run rate ahead of their next game against Bangladesh, which is weather-dependent.

### Records and milestones

This victory marked England’s third 10-wicket win in ICC Women’s World Cup history and only their second such win over South Africa. The previous 10-wicket triumph against the Proteas was achieved by Australia in Bengaluru in 1997 with a target of 164 runs.

England’s 10-wicket World Cup wins include:

– vs India, Nelson, 1982 (target: 62)
– vs Ireland, Melbourne, 1988 (target: 110)
– vs South Africa, Guwahati, 2025 (target: 70)

On the other hand, South Africa’s total of 69 runs ranks as their third-lowest in Women’s ODIs. Their lowest team totals are:

– 51 vs New Zealand, Bowral, 2009 WC
– 63 vs Pakistan, Potchefstroom, 2019
– 69 vs England, Guwahati, 2025 WC
– 75 vs Bangladesh, Mirpur, 2012
– 77 vs England, Cuttack, 2013 WC

England’s commanding win sends a strong statement in the tournament, and fans will be eager to see if they can maintain this form in the upcoming matches.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/england-tame-south-africa-in-women-s-world-cup/story