THE HIMALAYAN MAIL JAMMU Q THURSDAY Q JANUARY 21, 2021 11 'Today, the whole world will Pant is now world's best-ranked stand up and salute you' keeper-batsman in Tests NEW DELHI, JAN 20: said. Pujara) you will be known And finally, Shastri ap- NEW DELHI, JAN 20: India Head Coach Ravi 'It doesn't come as the ultimate warrior. plauded Thangarasu India's Rishabh Pant be- Shastri commended the overnight, but now that you And Rishabh (Pant), simply Natarajan, the net bowler came the top-ranked 'courage, resolve and spirit' have this self-belief, you outstanding. The way you who became a front-liner, wicket-keeper batsman in of his wounded warriors in a can see where you have were batting, you gave and the duo of Washington the world after his sensa- stirring dressing room taken a game as a team. To- heart attacks to a few every Sundar and Shardul tional series-winning 89- speech after the conquest at day forget India, the whole moment but what you have Thakur, the men who made run knock in the Brisbane Gabba on Tuesday. world will stand up and done is magnificent,' he as much difference with the match pushed him to a ca- Injury-ravaged India salute you.' added. bat as with the ball. reer-best 13th spot in the chased down an imposing 'So remember what you Shastri acknowledged '...in this Test match, I ICC Test batting rankings, 328 in the final Test to hand guys have done today. You Ajinya Rahane's leadership. would not want to forget is issued on Wednesday. Australia their first loss in need to enjoy this moment, 'Jinx to lead the side from three debutants and their Pant, who won many ad- 32 years at 'Fortress Gabba' don't let it just go away, en- the position where we were performances in that first mirers for his fearless and to retain the Border- joy as much as you can,' he and to make them bounce innings. Nattu, Washi and mature batting, has 691 Gavaskar Trophy in style. advised the young team. back and control things in I say Shardul because he points in his kitty. South In a three-minute speech 'It started in Melbourne. the middle like the way you was injured in the first Test Africa's Quinton de Kock Shastri said: 'The courage, Sydney was fantastic, it al- have done is simply, simply, he played (in 2018).' (677) is the next best the resolve, the spirit, that lowed us to come here brilliant,' Shastri, who led 'For you to show that wicket-keeper batsman in you guys have shown is un- even-steven. And to pull off India in only one Test -- spirit, that's what broke the the list in the 15th position. real. Not for once you were something (like this) today against the West Indies in back of Australia, more Australia batsman Mar- down, injuries, 36 all out (in was simply outstanding,' 1987 and won that game in than anything else, that we nus Labuschagne's first-in- the first Test at Adelaide), Shastri said. style, by 255 runs as Naren- could come back and get nings century in Brisbane six wickets in the match, in- Tim Southee to the fourth Galle. Leach's second in- you had the self-belief in 'Shubman (Gill) great, dra Hirwani took 16/136 -- 330 or 340 on this wicket took him past India skipper cluding a five-wicket haul in spot after grabbing six wick- nings' figures of five for 122 you,' an emotional Shastri great. Puji (Cheteshwara declared. after being 180/6,' he said. Virat Kohli (862 points) to the second innings. ets in the match, including a lifted him three places to third position with a career- Debutant Washington haul of five for 57 in the first 40th while Bess's five for 30 best 878 rating points. Sundar and Shardul Thakur innings. in the first innings took him Kohli missed the action as too gained in rankings fol- England's Joe Root has re- from 67th to 50th position. Bhajji's IPL contract with CSK ends he was on paternity leave. lowing their useful contribu- turned to the top five with Jonny Bairstow (up five Young India opener tions with both bat and ball. his highest rating points places to 58th in batting) NEW DELHI, JAN 20: Shubman Gill continued his Washington entered the tally (738) in two years after and Sam Curran (up two Veteran Indian off-spinner upward trajectory, moving rankings in 82nd (batting) scoring a first-innings 228 to places to 39th in bowling) Harbhajan Singh on up from 68th to 47th spot af- and 97th (bowling) posi- help his team win the first also climbed the charts. Wednesday said his con- ter a crucial 91 in the second tions, while Thakur re-en- Test against Sri Lanka by For Sri Lanka, Lahiru tract with IPL franchise innings of the fourth Test, tered the batting list in 113th seven wickets in Galle. Thirimanne's second in- Chennai Super Kings has which India won by three position and bowling list in Root has advanced six nings century helped him ended, bringing to a conclu- wickets on Tuesday. 65th position. places, overtaking Pak- progress 12 places to 87th sion his "wonderful" two- Middle-order mainstay Australia captain Tim istan's Babar Azam and Pu- position while left-arm year stint with the side. Cheteshwar Pujara moved Paine moved up three spots jara in the process. spinner Lasith Em- The 40-year-old spinner up one place to seventh after to 42nd after scores of 50 England spinners Jack buldeniya (up six places to revealed this ahead of next his dogged effort, while Mo- and 27 while fast bowler Leach and Dominic Bess 47th) and medium pacer month's IPL auction and hammad Siraj jumped 32 Josh Hazlewood made notable progress after Asitha Fernando (up 11 hours before the list of re- places to 45th after taking leapfrogged New Zealand's their five-wicket hauls in places to 96th) also gained. tained players for the up- coming edition was an- nounced. "As my contract comes to Leicester go top of Premier an end with @ChennaiIPL, playing for this team was a great experience...beautiful League with win over Chelsea memories made &some great friends which I will re- NEW DELHI, JAN 20: aged in 16 matches against member fondly for years to Cup in 2016 and has fea- personal call to return from past and the time has come Leicester City beat Chelsea 2- Chelsea. come...Thank you @Chen- tured in 103 Tests, 236 UAE and the management to introduce young guns in 0 on Tuesday to go top of the "Sounds nice to say we're naiIPL, management, staff ODIs and 28 T20Is. was clear that his space the side. Premier League, for 24 hours top of the league - probably and fans for a wonderful The IPL trading window needed to be respected. We Mahendra Dhoni-led at least, thanks to goals from for about 24 hours but it's a 2years... All the best," Harb- for the franchises closes on expect him to fire on all CSK had a dismal outing in Wilfred Ndidi and James good one psychologically be- hajan tweeted. February 4. cylinders this time around. last year's IPL. The Chennai Maddison. cause we've worked really He was part of the CSK Later in the day, Chennai "As for Kedar, Piyush and based franchise finished at Leicester have 38 points hard it's a great achievement team that won the Indian Super Kings said that they Vijay, we will have to see. It the seventh position in the from 19 games but Manches- for us and I don't think you'll Premier League title in have retained Suresh Raina is a touch and go situation points table. Chopra said ter United, on 37 points, can see a better team perfor- 2018. going into the mini-auction and a final call will be taken CSK need to change their return to the top with a vic- mance from us this season so Harbhajan was one of the ahead of the 14th edition of by the senior management strategy and must retain tory at Fulham on Wednes- far," said Maddison, who was two CSK players, along with the Indian Premier League. before the final list is sub- last year's match-winners day. outstanding for City. Suresh Raina, who chose to But Kedar Jadhav, Piyush mitted to the BCCI today," like Shardul Thakur and Chelsea's fifth defeat in "It had a bit of everything, skip the 13th edition of the Chawla and Murali Vijay's the source said. Ruturaj Gaikwad. eight matches dropped them bit of tactical nous, I thought IPL in the UAE last year, fate hangs in balance. For- Asked about any other big "As the deadline for the to eighth place, nine points whose shot flew in off the in- to being 2-0 down when we were brilliant today," he held in a bio-secure bubble eign stars like Dwayne name who could miss out, IPL Player Retention behind the leaders. side of the post. Chelsea's defence failed to said. amid the COVID-19 pan- Bravo and Faf du Plessis are the source said that the core process approaches, I feel While Chelsea had 65 per Chelsea were awarded a deal with a high ball from Lampard said his side had demic. Raina, though, had also set to be retained while would very much remain now would be the right time cent possession, it was the penalty in the 38th minute Marc Albrighton, which fell been beaten by the better to rush home after a tragedy Harbhajan Singh has been the same.