THE HIMALAYAN MAIL JAMMU Q TUESDAY Q NOVEMBER 10, 2020 11 Chappell, Clarke want Pucovski IPL final: Will Delhi deny as opener for India Tests mighty Mumbai a high five? NEW DELHI NOV 09: NEW DELHI, NOV 09: 'He is batting with a lot of The unmatched legacy and confidence so he wouldn't hegemony created by the have the fear of failure galacticos of Mumbai Indi- there.' ans will be thoroughly chal- Former captains, includ- lenged by a young Mum- ing Ian Chappell and baikar Shreyas Iyer, who will Michael Clarke, have called lead a passionate-but-unpre- for the inclusion of young dictable Delhi Capitals in a opener Will Pucovski in cracker of an Indian Premier Australia's team for the up- League final, in Dubai, on coming four-Test series Tuesday. against India. After 52 days of the most Victoria's Pucovski has closely-contested and produced successive double widely-watched edition hundreds, scoring 202 played in the UAE in the against Western Australia backdrop of the raging in a Sheffield Shield clash COVID-19 pandemic, the after an unbeaten 255 last BCCI can pat itself for pulling off a near flawless tourna- week against South Aus- Quinton de Kock's eries from Trent Boult, his wares, Ricky Ponting ment that gave people a tralia. panache has a foil in Rohit which will tail in at the last stamping his credentials as chance to withdraw from The 22-year-old has Sharma's style although moment.In the three con- an astute tactician, and prime time negativity that scored 457 runs so far this proving a point to all and tests this season, Mumbai Suryakumar looking to fur- dominated the air space. season and Clarke believes sundry about his hamstring Indians have blown away ther his credentials as one of And now, it's the corona- he must be handed a chance injury would also be on the Delhi in one-sided affairs but the best middle order bats- tion time with IPL's most to face India during the Test Indian's mind. all will come to a naught if men in the county. successful skipper Rohit series beginning in Adelaide Suryakumar Yadav's epic Iyer, a quintessential Mum- Teams: Sharma itching to win his on January 17. 'I am there' gesture after tak- baikar, can ensure that his Mumbai Indians: Rohit fifth title amid a stormy cou- "Got to pick him ... this is a ing the team to victory in the team are fourth time lucky. Sharma (captain), Aditya ple of weeks. great way to work him into league game against Royal The second qualifier Tare, Anmolpreet Singh, On the other hand, Delhi, Challengers Bangalore is showed that they have some- Anukul Roy, Chris Lynn, that Australian team," a team that had flattered to now a part of the MI folklore what found their ideal combi- Dhawal Kulkarni, Digvijay Clarke said on Sky Sports deceive for a dozen editions, and the elegant way of han- nation with Marcus Stoinis' Deshmukh, Hardik Pandya, radio. will finally realise its poten- dling fast bowlers has only all-round game (352 runs Ishan Kishan, James Patti- "Yeah, it's against a good tial on the grand stage of T20 exponentially increased his and 12 wickets) and ability to son, Jasprit Bumrah, Jayant team, India, but this kid's cricket. fan-base. open the innings bringing in Yadav, Kieron Pollard, ready ... With (David) There hasn't been too Ishan Kishan, in his five the required balance. Krunal Pandya, Mitchell Mc- Warner as his opening part- many editions where the two and half feet frame, has man- Shimron Hetmyer's six- Clenaghan, Mohsin Khan, ner, (Marnus) Labuschagne told the ABC. picked as an opening bats- and ready to go it would be most deserving teams aged to hit an astounding 29 hitting prowess will also be Nathan Coulter-Nile, Prince as his No.3, (Steve) Smith as "He's probably not going man," Waugh told foxs- now," Waugh said. squared off in a summit sixes while Kieron Pollard is a required considering that Balwant Rai, Quinton De his No.4, that's the leader- anywhere, really, and it's ports.com.au. "He is batting with a lot of clash unlike this edition bonafide legend with 190 Iyer and Rishabh Pant Kock, Rahul Chahar, ship and experience you time to have a look at Pu- "Joe Burns has got a de- confidence so he wouldn't where Mumbai reached the plus strike-rate. haven't exactly fired for the Saurabh Tiwary, Sherfane need around you as a young covski. cent enough record but his have the fear of failure title clash after winning 10 If Kagiso Rabada (29 better part of the tourna- Rutherford, Suryakumar Ya- batsman." "What's that now? Six or start to the season hasn't there. He would be in a re- out of their 15 games while wickets) and Anrich Nortje ment.Another big factor for dav, Trent Boult. Chappell, who captained seven first-class centuries? been ideal and he just has- ally good head space at the Delhi, despite a slump, man- (20 wickets) get rid of this the Delhi could be Ravichan- Delhi Capitals: Shreyas Australia between 1971 and That includes a couple of n't nailed that spot down. moment. Without knowing aged to triumph in nine out lot, Delhi will have to deal dran Ashwin's quality as a Iyer (captain), Kagiso 1975, said Pucovski could be doubles. He's ready." "Last summer he looked the intimate details I would of their 16 games. with the Pandya brothers -- Powerplay operator. Rabada, Marcus Stoinis, Pucovski has scored six good at times without mak- say he is ready to go." There haven't been too a better long-term option the cool Krunal and the flam- A crafty Ashwin can al- Sandeep Lamichhane, Is- hundreds in 22 first-class ing the big score and he has Kim Hughes, who cap- many teams that have shown than Test opener Joe Burns, boyant Hardik -- both of ways alter the length and hant Sharma, Ajinkya Ra- the flair and balance of who averaged 32 for Aus- matches at an average of just left the door open for a tained Australia in 28 Test whom are imposing and ca- check how much of an im- hane, Ravichandran Ash- Mumbai Indians, an envy for tralia last summer and had 57.93. younger player or an in- matches between 1979 and pable of striking muscular pact his bowling would have win, Shikhar Dhawan, any opposition. scores of 7, 29, 0, and 10 for Former Australian form player to pop in there." 1984, too believes Pucovski hits. on Rohit's hamstring if he Shimron Hetmyer, Alex Sample this scary piece of Queensland this season. opener Mark Waugh also Pucovski has been out of is in a "good space" and Shikhar Dhawan (603 tries to dance down the Carey, Mohit Sharma, statistics and one can gauge "Burns has made not backed the youngster for cricket due to concussion should be included in the runs), who has enjoyed his track. Prithvi Shaw, Lalit Yadav, the might of defending many runs at all in this the opening slot in the first and mental health issues. opening Test. best IPL, will have to do The sub-plots and little Avesh Khan, Axar Patel, champions Mumbai Indi- summer and there comes a Test against India. "I don't know the ins and "He seems to have got something out of the ordi- battles within are going to be Tushar Deshpande, Rishabh ans. In all, their players have time where you think to "I would definitely be outs of what his issues have those mental challenges nary to tackle the yorkers enticing. Pant, Harshal Patel, Keemo hit 130 sixes compared to yourself, 'well, where is picking him for the first Test been but I would imagine if sorted out. I would pick Pu- from Jasprit Bumrah and These include a young Paul, Amit Mishra, Anrich Capitals' 84. Burns going?'," Chappell against India. He should be he is ever going to be right covski." those vicious incoming deliv- captain Iyer trying to show Nortje, Daniel Sams. Rohit to travel to Australia for Tests? Medvedev wears down Zverev NEW DELHI, NOV With India sitting at the 09: India opener and top of the points table in the Mumbai Indians skipper Test Championship and to claim third Masters title Rohit Sharma is set to be a Australia second, it is ex- part of the Australia tour pected to be a thrilling con- NEW DELHI, NOV that follows the Indian Pre- test with the first Test set to 09: Russian Daniil mier League. be played under lights from Medvedev outclassed Ger- Rohit had missed four December 17 to 21 at the man Alexander Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 in the Paris final IPL games before making a Adelaide Oval. on Sunday to claim his comeback on October 3, a The second is the Boxing third Masters title. day when BCCI president Day Test which will be at The third seed, who also Sourav Ganguly, in an inter- the Melbourne Cricket defeated Zverev in the view to PTI, advised him Ground from December 26 Shanghai final last year, not to rush his return to the to 30. The third Test will be returned strongly through- field. at the Sydney Cricket out the match to take his For the same injury, the Ground from January 7 to first title of the year. Indian team selectors de- 11 and the final Test at the Medvedev, 24, had more cided not to include Rohit in Gabba from January 15 to energy in the deciding set the squad for the Australia 19.