Sanju Samson scored a half-century for Royals, but struggled to cut loose on a slow Wankhede pitch

Deivarayan Muthu02-May-20221:09

Vettori: KKR superb with their bowling plans for Buttler

Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh offset an early wobble and ensured Kolkata Knight Riders chased down 153 to snap their five-match losing streak, on a slow, grippy Wankhede Stadium track. After Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna had made early inroads for Rajasthan Royals, Rana and Rinku dismantled R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal respectively to bring the target within Knight Riders’ reach.Rana cracked Ashwin for 23 off 14 balls on Monday, taking his overall head-to-head to 99 off 52 balls without being dismissed by the spinner in the IPL. He first forged a 60-run third-wicket partnership with Shreyas Iyer (34) and then a livelier 66-run stand with Rinku to usher Knight Riders home.Sanju Samson’s wretched luck with the toss continued – he has won only one out of ten tosses this IPL – but despite that Royals made a decent fist of their defence by dragging it deep. However, with 31 needed off 18 balls, Rinku whacked back-to-back fours off Chahal to effectively kill off the game. It was Rana who ultimately finished it with five balls to spare, with an uppercut six off Kuldeep Sen.Sanju Samson began brightly but slowed down considerably after the 30-ball mark•BCCI

Royals’ go-slow
Umesh Yadav got the new ball to swing both ways to threaten both edges of Jos Buttler in his first over. Ankul Roy, who was picked in place of the out-of-form Venkatesh Iyer, kept Buttler – and Devdutt Padikkal – quiet with his stump-to-stump darts. Umesh struck in his second over when he had Padikkal spooning a return catch for 2.After watching Royals gulp down 18 dots in the first four overs, Samson got a move on in the fifth over, hitting Umesh for back-to-back fours. Buttler uncharacteristically dawdled to 22 off 24 balls before Shivam Mavi combined with Tim Southee to dismiss him. Southee had bowled one in his slot – or perhaps just short of it – and Buttler shovelled it away in the air with his powerful bottom wrist. For a moment, the ball seemed to sail away for six, but Mavi intervened by leaping athletically to his right at long-on to pluck the ball out of thin air. At that stage, Royals were 55 for 2 in the ninth over.Samson, Hetmyer give Royals a leg-up
Samson was more fluent, often jumping outside leg to manufacture swinging room and scoring opportunities. He progressed to 40 off 30 balls, but managed only 14 off his last 19 balls. The pick of his eight boundaries was a regal cut off Mavi, but the seamer bounced back to remove Samson for the fifth time in seven IPL innings. During the toss, Shreyas explained that Mavi had slotted back in place of Harshit Rana because of his favourable match-ups against the Royals batters. Mavi did his job, returning 1 for 33 in his four overs.Riyan Parg only flickered briefly (19 off 12 balls), but Shimron Hetmyer fired in the slog overs, as he has often done in the recent past, clattering an unbeaten 27 off 13 balls. He was particularly brutal on Southee, taking him for 17 off just five balls.Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh added an unbroken 66 for the fourth wicket•BCCI

KKR’s go-slow
Samson’s early impetus and Hetmyer’s late blows gave Royals’ attack something to work with. Trent Boult swung the new ball and bothered both Aaron Finch and B Indrajith – Knight Riders’ fifth different opening combination this IPL. It was Sen who made the first incision when he rushed Finch and had him chopping on for 4 off 7 balls.Indrajith showed a glimpse of his improved white-ball potential when he ramped Prasidh over short fine leg for four. Prasidh, however, banged in a head-high bouncer next ball to have Indrajith top-edging a hook to fine leg, who had been pushed back onto the boundary after that four. Knight Riders stuttered to 32 for 2 in the powerplay.The Rana-Rinku show
Ashwin was introduced into the attack in the next over, and Shreyas carved his first ball away between backward point and short third man. Rana then laid into him in his third over, picking him off for 4,6,4 with a variety of sweeps, including the reverse-hit.Boult had Shreyas caught by Samson down the leg side for 34 off 32 balls, but Rana and Rinku completed the job for Knight Riders without much fuss. With Rana vulnerable to rapid pace and bounce, Rinku took on both Prasidh and Sen before lining up Chahal too. Often confined to being KKR’s regular substitute fielder in the IPL, Rinku showed off his batting chops by contributing 42 off just 23 balls to an unbroken 66-run stand with Rana.

The result ended a run of 12 successive T20I defeats to India

S Sudarshanan27-Jun-20221:15

Powar: ‘We are on right track as far as batting is concerned’

Sri Lanka had lost their last 12 T20Is against India, and had never beaten them in a home game. But all that was put to rest as their captain Chamari Athapaththu led them to a seven-wicket win in the final match of the three-match T20I series in Dambulla. The hosts managed to salvage pride after conceding the series with back-to-back defeats.Athapaththu averages 22.57 in T20Is, but when she’s captained Sri Lanka to victory, she averages 42.61 and strikes at 142.41. Her best version was on show on Monday.The Athapaththu show, the beginning
Sri Lanka’s pursuit of 139 began in an attacking fashion with young Vishmi Gunaratne whipping Renuka Singh for a four over midwicket in the first over. However, she fell two balls later, and Athapaththu took over. Her first boundary was a streaky slice in the fourth over, but she was more authoritative next ball when she danced down and smote the offspinner down the ground. The assault continued when she welcomed Radha Yadav with a fiercely cut four and followed it with a sweep through backward square leg.The marauding left-hander then hit the only six of the chase when she slinked down the track to smash Deepti over long-off in the final over of the powerplay. Just like that, she had 28 off 15 as Sri Lanka ended that phase at 47 for 2.The deciding alliance
In the experienced Nilakshi de Silva, Athapaththu found a reliable partner and the pair killed the chase, mixing caution with aggression. De Silva was happy to play her strokes as well, hitting Pooja Vastrakar down the ground before swiping Simran Dil Bahadur over the on side.India’s shoddy fielding also contributed to Sri Lanka’s cause. Athapaththu’s mistimed slog to deep midwicket off Bahadur was spilled by Jemimah Rodrigues running to her right, and off the very next ball she found the gap between backward point and short third man to bring up her fifth half-century.Athapaththu and de Silva added 77 in just 57 balls – the highest third-wicket stand for Sri Lanka in the format – before de Silva was run out. Athapaththu remained in the middle to ensure Sri Lanka ended their run of losses against India. She was aided by more fielding mishaps towards the close and finished unbeaten on 80 off just 48 balls.India’s batting misfires
On a surface that seemed good to bat on, India’s batters failed to find their footing and were restricted to 138, which eventually was not enough. Smriti Mandhana found the going tough in scoring 22 off 21, and fell to Oshadi Ranasinghe for the second time in three games.Sabbhineni Meghana hit three crisp fours but couldn’t rotate the strike constantly against Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers. It was once again down to Harmanpreet Kaur and Rodrigues to keep India on course. The pair added 64 for the fourth wicket but consumed 56 balls, leaving India devoid of momentum heading into the death overs.Rodrigues fell for 30 while trying to scoop Ama Kanchana over short fine leg in the 19th over. Vastrakar’s 13 off six balls helped India get closer to the 140 mark – which had proved enough in the first T20I – while Harmanpreet stayed unbeaten on 39 off 33 balls at the other end.

Steven Smith says he and Usman Khawaja have moved on following their mix-up in the first Test in Sri Lanka, with the pair chilled over Smith’s on-field reaction.

AAP06-Jul-2022Steven Smith insists there is no lingering fallout from his mid-wicket mix-up with Usman Khawaja after his fiery first Test dismissal against Sri Lanka.Smith created headlines last week when he gestured back at Khawaja and stormed off the field after being run out for six in Galle. The incident drew criticism back home in Australia, including from former captains Mark Taylor and Ian Chappell.Chappell in particular was harsh on the right-hander, claiming he should have been in better check of his emotions as a vice-captain on the field. But Smith insisted he and Khawaja had immediately moved on, and he was more frustrated at his own dismissal.”I hate getting run out. I think anyone does,” Smith said on Wednesday when asked if he had reflected on the situation. “Particularly given the [tough] conditions and gifting them a wicket. As one of the most experienced players I was pretty upset.”That happens in the game. I got over it pretty quickly. I had to keep moving forward and that is part of the game.”I spoke to Uz straight after and he was pretty chilled. Mix-ups happen, we keep moving on.”What Smith is desperate for is more time in the middle. He missed the final three one-day internationals in Sri Lanka with a quad injury and only faced 11 balls in his one innings in Galle before his run out.The former captain batted through another lengthy net session on Wednesday, working hard on facing left-arm spin with throwdowns from former New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori.Smith employs a different approach to most Australians against the spinners, only using the sweep when the ball spins back into him. He was Australia’s leading run-scorer on the last tour of Sri Lanka, relying on a fast-feet method to try and unsettle the bowlers.”I’m not a huge sweeper so I prefer to run down the wicket and get them off their lengths that way or come back into my crease,” Smith said. “Really it’s about not getting stuck on the crease with the ball spinning into me.”If I’m doing that well and fast on my feet, I usually feel pretty good.”Australia expect the wicket to spin just as much in the second Test in Galle starting Friday, with Sri Lanka adding more spinners to their squad.Smith had attempted to lead a more positive team with the bat when he captained Australia’s 3-0 loss in 2016, only for the side to be tentative in defeat. But that approach has been put into far better effect on this tour, as Australia scored at a rapid rate in the first Test.”It’s about having courage in the way guys are playing,” Smith said. “It’s good we all play a little bit differently.”There’s not the same continuity, so bowlers have to change their lengths a bit and when they’re doing that in a partnership you can cruise along quite freely.”

“He has taken his role as the senior pro very seriously and it shows on the field”

Mohammad Isam28-Jun-2022The fast bowlers showing the ability to take wickets from slow pitches was the biggest gain for West Indies from their 2-0 win over Bangladesh, according to head coach Phil Simmons.Alzarri Joseph was the series’ top wicket-taker while Kemar Roach became only the sixth West Indies bowler to take 250 wickets during the series. Kyle Mayers and Jayden Seales contributed with regular wickets while Anderson Phillip made an impressive debut in St Lucia.Related

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It had a big impact on Bangladesh, who got bowled out for less than 250 in all four innings in the Test series, losing both games by big margins.”The first (Test) wicket wasn’t conducive to fast bowling but we got them out for low scores,” Simmons said. “In this Test match, to get them bowled out on the first day on a comparatively slow wicket, gave us the driver’s seat. The fast bowlers deserve a lot of credit. We have worked hard in the two series, and come out victorious. This one maybe wasn’t as hard as the first one, the important thing is that at the end of the day, the W is behind the two Tests. We won 2-0 in Bangladesh in 2021 as well. You have to take all those things, and sit back and enjoy it.”Simmons was happy with Roach in particular helping out the young pace attack. Roach, who debuted in 2009, had a series to remember for reaching the 250-wicket milestone. He was lauded by West Indies greats Curtly Ambrose and Michael Holding, whose tally he crossed during the St Lucia Test.”(Roach) is helping the fast bowlers to mature quicker. I think he has an exceptional influence on all the young fast bowlers. He has taken his role as the senior pro very seriously. It shows on the field. You can see him talking to them, who are trying to do the right things all the time. I think his influence has been massive to these young fast bowlers.”Mayers, too, emerged as an all-round factor for the first time in his short Test career. He contributed mainly with the ball in Antigua, before hitting his second Test century in St Lucia, a backs-to-the-wall counterattack.”He brings in the wicket-taking factor. He is not express, but he puts the ball in the right areas. If he bats normally, he scores quickly in all three formats. I have to get him to understand that he needs to bat normally. Once we get that, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with.”Phillip also had a good first outing but Simmons felt that nerves got the better of him at times. “I think he had a good debut. Two wickets earlier on, but he got a bit of cramps. It comes with all the nervousness that comes with your first Test match. If you are not nervous, something is wrong.”He was nervous, and it didn’t help him. He bowled well in both the innings. He did what the captain wanted him to do.”

Chasing 191, West Indies’ batting struggled against the spin of Ashwin, Jadeja and Bishnoi

S Sudarshanan29-Jul-2022In the first international game at the Brian Lara Stadium, India’s move to play three spinners – as opposed to West Indies’ one – reaped rich dividends as Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi combined to pick up five wickets, helping the visitors to a 68-run win in the first T20I of the five-match series.In T20s before Friday at this ground, spinners had an economy rate of 6.31, which is the fourth-lowest at any venue in the West Indies, and they had averaged 20.91 – the fourth-lowest at any Caribbean venue where spinners have bowled in more than ten innings.Related

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India managed to post 190 for 6 on a seemingly slowish surface, thanks to captain Rohit Sharma’s half century and Dinesh Karthik’s unbeaten 41 off just 19 balls at the finish, before West Indies’ batting was entangled in the web of spin.Another partner for Rohit
After India were put in to bat, Rohit walked out with a new partner, Suryakumar Yadav, the seventh opener for India in T20Is this year. Suryakumar got going quickly with a four off Obed McCoy in the first over and then another off Jason Holder in the next. His trademark wristy flick for six over fine leg also made an appearance against debutant Alzarri Joseph.Akeal Hosein’s introduction, however, stalled Suryakumar’s progress. He was dropped off the first ball from the spinner before a top edge off the next ball evaded the bowler running back. Hosein had the last laugh in his next over when Suryakumar’s attempted whip resulted in a thick leading edge to short third.Change in pace leads to change of momentum
India had raced to 44 inside five overs but Suryakumar’s wicket slowed them down. Despite finding a couple of boundaries early on, Rohit struggled to get the ball away. With the odd ball gripping the surface, Hosein and McCoy thrived, the latter dismissing Shreyas Iyer for a four-ball duck.Rohit and Rishabh Pant then added 43 off 25 balls before West Indies struck again, dismissing Pant and Hardik Pandya – who ramped Joseph straight to deep third for his maiden T20I wicket – in quick succession to leave India 102 for 4 with over eight overs remaining.Dinesh Karthik and Ravichandran Ashwin added an unbeaten 52-run stand to take India to 190•Associated Press

The perfect finish

In the interim Rohit got to his 27th half-century in T20Is off 35 balls. Just when he had begun accelerating, he slapped Holder straight to sweeper cover. At 131 for 5 in 15 overs on a track that was slowing down, India looked on course to finish at around 170.But Karthik once again aced the finisher’s role to move India well past that score. He used the crease well to put the bowlers off their lines and lengths, and, in the company of Ashwin, took a toll on Holder and McCoy to help India amass 36 off the last two overs.Spin to win
In their pursuit of 191, Kyle Mayers got West Indies off to a rapid start, helping them score 11 off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s first over and as many off the first two legal balls of the next over, bowled by Arshdeep Singh. However, Arshdeep deceived Mayers with an off-pace short ball immediately afterwards, and India’s bowlers had landed their first blow.Holder, sent in at No. 3, couldn’t see off Ravindra Jadeja’s spin, while Ashwin sent back the left-hand batters Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer. Ravi Bishnoi then dismissed Rovman Powell and Odean Smith in successive overs to pretty much seal the game.

Limited play enhances Middlesex’s hopes against promotion rival

Paul Edwards13-Sep-2022
The floodlights were on at the start of play today but only meteorologists would have called the morning autumnal. Although leaves on trees close to traffic lights or busy junctions have been exhausted to crisp death, most of the others remain green in the suburbs this September. It was shirt-sleeve order in MCC’s pavilion yesterday and London retains the lingering sense of summer that Clarissa Dalloway recognised nearly a century ago: “The King and Queen were at the palace. And everywhere, though it was still so early, there was a beating, a stirring of galloping ponies, tapping of cricket bats; Lord’s, Ascot, Ranelagh and all the rest of it; wrapped in the soft mesh of the grey-blue morning air…”By noon, though, we were taking an early luncheon and the light rain may have come as a relief to Glamorgan who had neither taken a wicket nor looked like doing so. The obstacles blocking their path towards bowling bonus points and parity in the game were all too predictable. Mark Stoneman and John Simpson had scored 1501 first-class runs this season before this match began and their 134-run stand for the fifth wicket earned Middlesex a first-innings lead whose final size has yet to be determined. And after that early lunch, the umpires also opted for an early tea when bad light and then rain returned just before four o’clock.So it was Stoneman’s day and certainly the first session had reminded us how well-organised a player he is and how many productive strokes he possesses without having recourse to his muscly thumps to leg or his iron-wristed cuts past point. By contrast, there was something damagingly soporific about the opener’s batting this morning; he didn’t destroy David Lloyd’s attack or smack boundaries to all parts. He merely went about his professional business so efficiently that by at lunchtime he was on 96 and Middlesex’s deficit was 30.This pattern changed a little in the afternoon session, although Stoneman would insist that he was simply responding to the balls he’d received. Soon after reaching his third century of the season he took three fours in an over off James Harris: a squeeze past the slips, a pull and a cut. Simpson took up the theme with a couple of boundaries off Michael Hogan before reaching his own fifty off 109 balls. Then two overs later, Stoneman was gone for 128 when fishing limply at a ball outside off stump from Ajaz Patel.Nevertheless, as he stomped off unhappily – another good sign – one was reminded that he might be one of the ex-England openers in the county game with a chance of returning to the Test team. There is, of course, so much competition that one wouldn’t be astonished to hear that the group hold self-help meetings in which they share their experiences and their woes: “My name is Haseeb and I opened for England.”As it stands, Rory Burns, Ben Duckett, Haseeb Hameed, Keaton Jennings, Adam Lyth, Jason Roy, Sam Robson and Dom Sibley are all playing county cricket and each of them probably nurtures hopes of receiving that call from Brendon McCullum. So long is the list that Chris Dent is entitled to wonder who he’s upset. There have been summers in which he would have let no-one down.After much umming and ahing and standing about, we got back on at 4.45 with a fond hope – it was more statistical calculation really – that we would play another 25 overs. It turned out to be as realistic as an NHS target. Simpson and Higgins tucked into some loose stuff from the spinners before Lloyd took the new ball and the rain returned just after five. Before long, the umpires had given the day up as a bad job.Not for Simpson, of course. His fidgets have become mannerisms and they are barely separable from his cover-drives, his firm persuasions through midwicket or his extraordinary value to Middlesex’s cricket for a dozen summers. He is unbeaten on 72 and he will resume his 60-run partnership with Higgins, secure in the plain assurance that his team is winning a game that should go far towards deciding the second promotion place.They are not winning by much, though, and not irrecoverably, but a lead of 72 and five wickets to fall still suggests a match-shaping advantage. And suddenly one was beguiled by the simple prospect of watching 104 overs tomorrow; 624 tiny segments of action that should make up a full day’s cricket. That is an end-of-season reflection, of course; every defensive prod, every smart stop is suddenly precious. Maybe it is autumn, after all.

Fast bowler doubt for remainder of England series, faces race for recovery ahead of World Cup

Danyal Rasool28-Sep-2022Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah has contracted pneumonia, and will stay in hospital overnight. The PCB announced that their in-house medical panel was monitoring him, and that any calls on his participation in the remainder of the ongoing series against England would be made after assessing his medical reports.However, the development effectively rules him out of the entirety of the Lahore leg of the series against England, and also leaves him a significant doubt for the forthcoming tour of New Zealand, which is due to get underway in Christchurch on October 7, as preparation for the T20 World Cup.The Pakistan squad leaves for New Zealand on October 3 to play a T20I tri-series also featuring Bangladesh, with the final on October 14. They then depart for Australia for the World Cup, where, after a pair of warm-ups – including against England – they play their first group game in Melbourne on October 23 against India.Naseem featured in the first match of the current series against England, and also played a full part in the recently concluded Asia Cup. In the absence of Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is also currently ruled out with injury, he had taken over the left-armer’s responsibility up top as Pakistan’s premier new-ball bowler.Afridi, who has been undergoing treatment in London for a knee injury, is expected to be available for Pakistan for the World Cup.

Chamari Athapaththu dominated for Renegades but her 75 wasn’t enough

AAP03-Nov-2022Hobart Hurricanes legspinner Maisy Gibson returned career-best figures in a four-wicket win over the Melbourne Renegades in the WBBL.Gibson put in a supreme display with the ball to help restrict the Renegades to a modest 5 for 133 batting first at Blundstone Arena.In the run chase, Hurricanes allrounder Heather Graham (39* off 26 balls) put her foot on the accelerator at the right time to ensure her side cruised to victory with 11 balls to spare.The turning point in the chase was the 27 runs Hurricanes made in the power surge, which they took in the 13th and 14th overs.Hurricanes captain Elyse Villani (29) made her highest score this season before she was bowled by a superb skidding delivery from Renegades captain Sophie Molineux.Renegades slumped to their sixth consecutive defeat and are in last position in the ladder, while Hurricanes are in fifth spot but have a game in hand over the top four sides.Opener Chamari Athapaththu was the star of the Renegades innings with an unbeaten 75 from 59 deliveries. The Sri Lanka captain was on a different level to the rest of the batters, with her straight hitting clinical and power-packed.Renegades got off to a fast start with the bat, with opener Hayley Matthews (26 off 23) the prime mover.Gibson took two wickets in her first over, including Josephine Dooley with an athletic caught and bowled in her outstretched left hand. She was in the groove and another over where she snared two wickets made sure the Renegades never got away.The fielding of the hosts was supreme, with Ruth Johnston diving full stretch to take a one-handed diving catch with her left to dismiss Molineux.

Chris Green, making a rare appearance for his state, picked up four wickets

AAP17-Nov-2022Daniel Hughes smacked yet another century before spinner Chris Green weaved his magic with the ball to lead New South Wales to a crushing 160-run win over Tasmania in the one-day clash at Blundstone Arena.Just days after missing a Sheffield Shield clash due to Covid-19, Hughes scored 101 off 114 balls as the visitors reached 8 for 300 after being sent in to bat.In reply, Tasmania were skittled for 140 in 28.1 overs, with Matthew Wade (42 off 49 balls) the only home batter to post a score of any substance. Green starred with the ball, finishing with figures of 4 for 20 off nine overs.NSW entered the match yet to taste victory this season in either the one-day competition or the Sheffield Shield.But the 207-run opening stand between Hughes and Kurtis Patterson (92) put the Blues on track to end the rut. Hughes has now posted three one-day centuries this season and he can consider himself unlucky to be overlooked for Australian selection following Aaron Finch’s retirement.Thursday’s innings took his average to 67.8 for the past four seasons with only Shaun Marsh having more one-day domestic centuries – 10 to Hughes’s nine – of current players.The left-hander was strong square of the wicket, cutting, pulling and pushing off the back foot whenever Tasmania dropped short.Sitting pretty at 0 for 194 after 32 overs, the runs dried up slightly for NSW after Patterson picked out the man on the legside boundary while trying to pull Tom Rogers.It kickstarted a collapse of 5 for 35 in the next six overs as Rogers, Nathan Ellis and Tom Andrew pulled back the Blues. Jason Sangha and Baxter Holt were the only remaining batters to pass 20, as NSW took just 63 runs from the last 10 overs.Tasmania’s run chase started poorly with the home side crashing to 3 for 35. Wade sent a scare through the camp when he was struck on the side of the helmet by a Liam Hatcher bouncer. The veteran had raced to 21 off just 11 balls but struggled for fluency after being hit.Wade even fell to the ground later that over while evading another Hatcher bouncer and he eventually holed out 10 overs later in the search for quick runs.The bonus-point win lifted NSW (five points) off the bottom of the ladder, but they are still five points adrift of the third-placed Tasmania (10 points).

Australia coach doesn’t expect the controversy over the leadership ban issue to affect the out-of-form opener against South Africa

Tristan Lavalette13-Dec-2022Struggling opener David Warner has “not hinted” at an impending Test retirement, according to head coach Andrew McDonald.Warner had said last month that he was not going to play the longest format beyond another 12 months. However, his experience is pivotal for Australia’s tour of India early next year. And, before that, he is expected to play his 100th Test starting Boxing Day against South Africa, who round off the series at his home ground at the SCG just after that. It could prove something of a fitting send off, but McDonald was confident of Warner extending his Test cricket beyond the home summer.”He’s eager to continue on at this stage. He has not hinted [at] anything else,” McDonald said. “His appetite for the work – in and around training – is still there. He’s busy at the crease, and you’ve seen signs that he is going well. He’s just found different ways to get out, and sometimes that can happen.Related

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“We are building towards a World Test Championship [final], and he wants to be part of that. So that’s a clear focus for us, and we’ve got South Africa as a part of that. And then on to India.”As Australia’s other top-order batters feasted on a listless West Indies bowling in the series – Australia declared each of their four innings during comprehensive victories in Perth and Adelaide – Warner missed out each time, with just 102 runs at an average of 25.50.It continued a rut for 36-year-old Warner, who has scored only 675 runs at 28.12 in 25 Test innings since his last century in January 2020. Pressure has increased on Warner, with speculation building on his Test career ahead of tough tours of India and England next year, where he has modest records.But unless something dramatic happens against South Africa, Warner is set for his third Test tour of India, where he has never scored a century, and averages just 24 from 16 innings. And his wealth of experience is seen as important for a team likely to boast several batters who have never played Test cricket there.”We’ll see what happens in the next three Test matches. But at this stage, he’s firmly in our thoughts for India,” McDonald said. “We’ve seen the more times you tour certain areas of the world, the better you get at it.David Warner hasn’t scored a century in 16 Test innings in India•AFP

“But it’s also the knowledge that he can pass on to the younger players in and amongst that. We really value our senior players – both on and off the field – in terms of that education process. So there’s huge benefit for those players to be touring those areas, and albeit if they don’t play, they can still have an impact.”Warner has also been engulfed in controversy after withdrawing a bid before the second Test against West Indies to have his lifetime leadership suspension lifted. But McDonald felt that Warner had the mental resolve to overcome that saga.Ahead of what should be a tough three-match series against South Africa – who boast a star-studded pace attack – Warner has been backed to shrug off any distraction from the lingering off-field tumult before the first Test at the Gabba starts on December 17.”He’s great at compartmentalising, [and] separating the off-field from the on-field. And I think most of the great champions do that very well,” McDonald said. “I sense this situation is not different. We respect and understand David’s decision to withdraw from that appeals process.’He’s moved forward, we’re moving forward as a team, and we’ve got a seriously good opponent confronting us at the Gabba. So our focus is firmly on that… and so is David’s.”