Kuldeep Yadav is absence from the Indian squad for the upcoming match has been clarified as a visa-related issue. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Kuldeep Yadav could not travel due to pending visa approvals, creating a gap in the team’s spin options.

With Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin unavailable, the selectors had to choose a replacement quickly. Tanush Kotian, a promising young spinner, was picked as a temporary substitute for Ashwin. Kotian’s inclusion aims to maintain balance in the team’s bowling lineup.

Captain Rohit Sharma addressed the situation, explaining the decision-making process behind Kotian’s selection. He emphasized the importance of having a reliable spin option for the game. Sharma also highlighted Kotian’s consistent performances in domestic cricket, making him a suitable choice under challenging circumstances.

The absence of key players like Axar Patel and Ashwin left the team short of experienced spinners. This situation forced selectors to consider emerging talent, with Kotian fitting the requirements. Although not yet tested at the international level, Kotian has shown promise in domestic tournaments.

Kuldeep Yadav’s visa issue has also raised questions about the coordination and logistics involved in preparing for international matches. Fans expressed concern over the administrative oversight, calling for better planning to avoid such situations in the future.

The team management remains confident about Kotian’s ability to adapt and perform. They believe his inclusion will provide valuable experience and strengthen India’s spin department for the match.

As India heads into the game with a restructured bowling attack, the spotlight will remain on Kotian’s debut performance. This match also underscores the need for smoother administrative processes to support players effectively.

Fans trolled Ajinkya Rahane for his poor form in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024 for Mumbai. The experienced batter has been going through a lean patch in the ongoing tournament and has not been able to contribute to the team in any capacity. It has frustrated the fans to the core who want to see him back in the Indian team.

In the WTC 2023 final, Rahane last appeared for India. Although he was impressive with a score of 90 in the first innings and a 30 odd in the second innings, Rahane was not picked for the series following it. India seems to have moved on from him, as the experienced batter did not feature in the series against the West Indies, South Africa, and England.

However, the fans were angry with the fact that the star batter was left out of the series. The furious nature of the fans led them to claim that the right-handed batter would certainly return to the Indian squad by performing in the Ranji Trophy 2024 for Mumbai. But it does not seem to be a good tournament with the bat for Rahane, who has struggled to score a single hundred for Mumbai.

Poor performance in the quarterfinal against Baroda

His struggles in the Ranji Trophy continued even in the quarterfinal match against Baroda. Batting first, Mumbai scored 384 runs. Rahane was poor with the bat again as he was dismissed for just 3(13). His dismissal paved the way for the great innings of the U19 World Cup 2024 hero Musheer Khan, who scored a double hundred and shined with the bat. He did not have a good 2nd inning either.

As Baroda replied with a score of 348 runs, Mumbai got off to a decent start before Rahane got a chance to bat for the 2nd time. In the 2nd inning, he had a worse outing. The 35-year-old registered a 4-ball duck and became the scapegoat of the anger of the fans. The Mumbai batter has been trolled on social media by the fans, who believe that his time is up in cricket.

Shubman Gill had an animated reply to a question asked about MS Dhoni. When asked if he and the Indian team miss the star batter, Gill claimed in a low voice that everyone in the team and fact in entire India misses the former Indian skipper. He felt that no matter where India plays, the former Indian wicketkeeper batter will be missed genuinely. 

“The entire India misses Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni). It does not matter where we play, in Ranchi or anywhere in the world,” said Gill when asked about the CSK skipper. Gill was in the press conference ahead of the fourth Test between India and England. The youngster was asked a lot of questions about his form and the confidence he gained in the last two Tests. 

Gill has been in good form in the ongoing series. The right-handed batter has adapted well to the number 3 position after failing to perform in the first Test. In the 2nd Test, the star batter scored 35 runs in the first innings and a much-required hundred in the second innings. At Vizag, Gill helped India to claim a crucial win against England to level the series 1-1. 

Shubman Gill hopes to make the most of his form

When India went to Rajkot for the third Test, Gill did not have the greatest of starts as he was dismissed for a golden duck in the 1st innings. However, the Indian batter proved the critics wrong by scoring 91 runs in the 2nd innings. A big gorilla has been off Gill’s back. The youngster has been away from the criticism after his knock in the last two Tests against England. 

He would be hoping to continue the form in the fourth Test which is set to take place in Ranchi. The city is the birthplace of Dhoni, the former Indian cricketer, who was instrumental in India winning the T20 WC 2007, the ODI WC 2011, and the Champions Trophy 2013 as a skipper. Gill will be in action against Dhoni later this year as the skipper of GT in the IPL 2024.