Team India coach blames Ahmedabad pitch for World Cup 2023 Loss: After nearly a fortnight of Team India's painful ICC ODI World Cup 2023 loss to Australia in Ahmedabad, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to seek accountability for the loss from the Indian management. The reports assert that head coach Rahul Dravid along with captain Rohit Sharma was subjected to questioning from the BCCI officials for the team's abysmal show in the Final on November 19.



As reported by Dainik Jagran, the BCCI during its selection meeting in Delhi for India's all-format squads for the South Africa series, hurled questions at Indian management. The meeting was attended by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, Treasurer Ashish Shelar, Vice-President Rajiv Shulka, head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma.



Rahul Dravid, who has been reportedly provided with an extension until the next T20 World Cup, reportedly blamed the pitch used at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad as one of the reasons why Team India couldn't defeat Australia in the World Cup 2023 Final on November 19. He added that the team didn't expect the surface to remain dull and it didn't turn as much as they had anticipated. 



The curators had prepared a used surface for the IND vs AUS WC Final. It was the same pitch in which India defeated Pakistan during the league stages. The Men in Blue defeated Pakistan in that fixture quite comfortably, and one of the reasons for that victory was the toss going in favour of the hosts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">IND vs AUS: Australia had better plans to counter India in World Cup 2023 Final</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2023/11/371588-1.jpg" alt="IND vs AUS: Team India coach BLAMES Ahmedabad pitch for World Cup 2023 Loss after BCCI asks accountability: Reports" class="wp-image-122752" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Starc dismissed Gill (Associate Press)</figcaption></figure>



However, during the India vs Australia fixture, the rub of the green was with Pat Cummins who won the toss and decided to do exactly what India did against Pakistan in the league stages. Although Indian captain Rohit Sharma during the toss asserted that his team was anyway looking to bat first, the decision turned out to be poor.



Australia tangled India with their precise strategies and smart moves. Despite the brisk start provided by the Indian captain, the surface had enough for the bowlers to keep India's scoring rate low throughout the contest. Team India could only manage 240 runs in the ICC World Cup 2023 Final in 50 overs.



In the batting department, Australia knew that they had a below-par total to chase and the pressure was always going to be on the opposition. Though the hosts managed to pick a few initial breakthroughs, the partnership between Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne did the trick for Australia as they defeated India by six wickets to clinch yet another World Cup title.



The report also added that on the advice of a local curator a used pitch was prepared. There is no specific rule that the knockout matches must only have a fresh pitch, but usually, fresh pitches are used for the crucial games. But for some strange reasons, in India, all the knockout games of the World Cup 2023 were held on the used surfaces.



ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ind-vs-aus-india-leaves-behind-pakistan-to-become-no-1-t20i-team-after-winning-4th-t20i-against-australia/#google_vignette">IND vs AUS: India Leaves Behind Pakistan to Become No 1 T20I Team after winning 4th T20I against Australia</a>



For More, Check The Official Site:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/homepage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ICC</a>

IND vs AUS: Team India coach BLAMES Ahmedabad pitch for World Cup 2023 Loss after BCCI asks accountability: Reports

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ICC Under-19 World Cup 2024 Final: The two best teams of this year's U19 World Cup, India U19 and Australia U19, are all set to take on each other in the final of the 2024 U19 World Cup. The match is scheduled to take place on the 11th of February at Benoni's Willowmoore Park Stadium, and the game will commence at 1:30 p.m. IST.



India, under the leadership of Uday Saharan, has been on a winning streak since the beginning of their group stage games, and they topped their group after securing victories in all three group stage matches against the United States, Bangladesh, and Ireland. In the Super Six, the Boys in Blue easily defeated Nepal and New Zealand and topped Super Six Group 1 with eight points. Uday Sharan's Boys in Blue dominated the game against New Zealand U19, winning by 214 runs. In the next game against Nepal, the Uday Saharan-led team won by 132 runs, effectively defending a target of 297 runs. Then Uday Saharan and company locked horns against the hosts South Africa in Semi-Final 1 of the 2024 U19 World Cup and won the game thanks to the match-winning efforts of in-form batsman Sachin Dhas (96 runs in 95 balls) and skipper Uday Saharan (81 runs in 124 balls).



The Junior Proteas rode on the back of fifties from openers Lhuan Dre-Pretorius (76 runs in 102 balls) and Richard Seletswane (64 runs in 100 balls) to post 244 runs in 50 overs and set a target of 245 runs for the Indians to qualify for their ninth U19 World Cup Final. In reply, the Boys in Blue suffered a top-order collapse as the trio of Adarsh Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, and Musheer Khan were sent packing to the pavilion inside the first ten overs of India's batting innings. But the deadly duo of Indian skipper Uday Saharan and Sachin Dhas with their outstanding knocks, steadied the Indian ship and helped the Boys in Blue qualify for the final of the U19 World Cup.



Talking about the Australians, they have been undefeated in this edition of the U19 World Cup as well. The Kangaroos managed to win comfortably against Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in the group-stage matches, and in the Super Six, Hugh Weibgen and his troops defeated rivals England by a big margin of 110 runs. Their second Super Six game against the Windies ended without any result due to rain, and if rain hadn't interfered with that encounter, the mighty Australians could have gone on to defeat the West Indies, as they were looking in a pretty strong position to secure a victory.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/02/Australia-1.jpg" alt="India vs Australia In U19 World Cup FINAL as Australia U19 Beat Pakistan U19 In Semifinal | ICC U19 World Cup 2024" class="wp-image-126396" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">India vs Australia In U19 World Cup FINAL (Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



Against Pakistan, Hugh Weibgen and his boys managed to secure a nail-biting one-wicket win in the second semi-final. Tom Straker (6-24) wrecked havoc with his bowling as the Saad Baig-led team were bundled out for 179 runs in 50 overs. Azan Awais (52 runs in 91 balls) and All-Rounder Arafat Minhas (52 runs in 61 balls) were the top scorers for the Pakistani team. It looked like a walk in the park for the Aussie batters, but the dangerous Pakistani bowling attack troubled them a lot as Ali Raza, with his four wicket haul, almost took the Saad Baig-led team to the Final of the U19 World Cup but Harry Dixon (50 runs in 75 balls), Ollie Peake (49 runs in 75 balls), and the finishing touches applied by Raf Macmillan (19 runs in 29 balls*) helped Australia qualify for the Final.



The 2024 U19 World Cup Final between defending champions India U19 and three-time winners Australia U19 will be nothing short of entertaining, as the arch rivals will battle it out against each other to get their hands on the Youth World Cup Trophy. The seniors took on each other in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, where Pat Cummins led his side to a record sixth World Cup title, and it remains to be seen whether Hugh Weibgen will follow in the footsteps of the seniors or not.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="icc-u-19-world-cup-2024-semifinalist-teams">ICC U19 World Cup 2024 Finalists</h3>



India U19 and Australia U19 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">India U19 vs Australia U19:&nbsp;Match Information</h4>



<ul>
<li>Tournament:&nbsp;Under 19 ICC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/category/cricket/">Cricket</a>&nbsp;World Cup</li>



<li>Match:&nbsp;India U19 vs Australia U19, Final </li>



<li>Date:&nbsp;February 11, 2024</li>



<li>Day and Time:&nbsp;Sunday, 1:30 pm IST</li>



<li>Venue:&nbsp;Willowmoore Park, Benoni </li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">India U19 vs Australia U19: Live Streaming and Broadcast Details</h3>



The final of the 2024 U19 World Cup will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network on television. Fans can also enjoy watching the match on the Disney+ Hotstar application and website. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">India U19 vs Australia U19: Squads</h3>



India U19: Uday Saharan (C), Arshin Kulkarni, Rudra Mayur Patel, Adarsh Singh, Priyanshu Moliya, Sachin Dhas, Musheer Khan, Saumy Kumar Pandey, Aravelly Avanish Rao (WK), Innesh Mahajan, Murugan Abhishek, Aaradhya Shukla, Dhanush Gowda, Naman Tiwar, and Raj Limbani.



Australia U19: Lachlan Aitken, Charlie Anderson, Harkirat Bajwa, Mahli Beardman, Tom Campbell, Harry Dixon, Ryan Hicks, Sam Konstas, Rafael MacMillan, Aidan O?Connor, Harjas Singh, Tom Straker, Corey Wasley, Callum Vidler, and Hugh Weibgen.



Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/india-vs-australia-in-u19-world-cup-final-as-australia-u19-beat-pakistan-u19-in-semifinal-icc-u19-world-cup-2024/">India vs Australia In U19 World Cup FINAL as Australia U19 Beat Pakistan U19 In Semifinal</a>



Source-?<a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/u19cricketworldcup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U19 World Cup 2024 @ICC</a>

ICC Under 19 World Cup 2024 Final: India U19 vs Australia U19 Match Details, Full Squad and Live Streaming Details

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The 2025 ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup begins January 18 in Malaysia, featuring 16 teams in four groups competing for the coveted title. India aims to defend their championship.

A thrilling U19 Women’s T20 World Cup kicks off in Malaysia, with 16 teams battling for glory in four groups.

ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup 2025 Schedule, Full Fixture, Teams, Venues and All You Need to Know!

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The 5th &amp; Final Test-Match in Sydney between Fierce-Rivals Australia and India ended today and the home team secured an easy six-wicket win and this win allowed them to secure the series by 3-1.This win of the Aussies has also made some significant changes in the overall standings of the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. 
Talking about the contest, the Jasprit Bumrah-led team were at 124-4 in their 2nd inning and they were looking set to set a big target for the Pat Cummins-led team. However, the Australian bowlers were in deadly mood as their perfect bowling display led to Team India suffering a batting collapse and they lost wickets in quick succession and eventually got bundled out for a mere score of 157 runs. 
Wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant fought the lone warrior's battle as he played an impressive inning of 61 runs in just 33 deliveries but he didn't get any kind of support from his fellow batters at the other end and the Kangaroos took full advantage of this and eventually the game turned in the favour of the Defending Champions. 
For the Australian team, Scott Boland took 6 wickets while giving away 45 runs while skipper Pat Cummins also played a good hand with figures of 3-44 next to his name. 
The Aussies were given a target of 162 runs to win the Sydney Test-Match but they lost wickets unnecessarily as Sam Konstas (22 runs in 17 deliveries), Marnus Labuschagne (6 runs in 20 deliveries), and Steve Smith (4 runs in 9 balls) went back to the pavilion cheaply, leaving the Australian team suddenly in a dire position of 58/3.
Next, opening batter Usman Khawaja played a good knock of 41 runs in 45 deliveries which allowed his team to initiate a comeback in the contest. If Bumrah wouldn't have got injured, then Khawaja wouldn't even get the chance to go past the 10 runs mark. 
Without the availability of Bumrah, the Aussie batters started to play their shots freely and theu began creating a lot of pressure on the Indian bowling unit. While Prasidh Krishna did his best to help his team stay alive in the contest, he began to falter and this worked in the favour of the Australians. 
As a result, the duo of Beau Webster &amp; Travis Head got involved in a strong partnership for thethe fifth wicket and added 58 runs in just 53 balls and this turned out to be winning factor. They helped their team reach a score of 162-4 and the Kangaroos won the encounter by a margin of six wickets.
<h2>WTC Final Chance:</h2>
Pat Cummins-led Aussies have successfully qualified for the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) Final after securing the BGT series 3-1. Temba Bavuma-led South Africa have already secured their tickets for the Final after defeating Pakistan in the first Test-Match. 
Keeping the statistics in mind, Team India have failed to qualify for the WTC Final for the first time since 2021. They are ranked third in the overall Standings with a PCT of 50. South Africa are the table toppers with a PCT of 66.67 while the Kangaroos are ranked 2nd with 63.73 PCT next to their name. They are followed by the likes of New Zealand (48.21) and Sri Lanka (45.45) respectively.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/india-vs-pakistan-will-the-two-rivals-play-a-test-match-versus-each-other-this-english-legend-wants-them-to-play-in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India vs Pakistan: Will the two rivals play a test match versus each other? This English legend wants them to play in</a>

Indian Captain Rohit Sharma couldn't really have a say in the way things panned out in the Sydney Test-Match| Image: Getty Images

Can Team India still qualify for the WTC Final after suffering an embarrassing defeat in the Sydney Test-Match Or have they been eliminated completely?

Team India lost the Sydney Test Match, do they have any chances of qualifying for the WTC Final? Explained!

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Day 3 of the fifth and final test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground ended India's one-and-a-half-month-long tour of Australia. With that, Australia also ended their long wait to clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and won it with a margin of 3-1.
Apart from the first test, Australia dominated India throughout the series, including the third day at SCG. As a result, the Australian crowd was also animated and tried to put pressure on Team India. But Virat Kohli, who is known for his passionate persona, came up with his own way to answer.
<h2>IND vs AUS: Virat Kohli mocks Australian crowd with "Sandpapar" gesture on Day 3</h2>
The Australian crowd has a history of involvement with visiting teams time and time again, and this BGT 2024-25 was not new. There were many instances during the series when they targeted Indian players. Especially when it comes to Virat Kohli, the Australian crowd often welcomes him or reacts to his actions with boos. But Virat has always been the approach of giving it back.
Something similar happened on Sunday as well. Notably, Virat was the stand-in captain in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. Responding to Australian crowds, Virat gestures with his "empty pocket." This incident happened just when Steve Smith got out on Day 3. Smith was part of the infamous "Sandpapergate" incident during a Cape Town test against South Africa in 2018.
Australia used sandpaper in order to tamper with the cricket ball to get more reverse swing from the ball. Unfortunately for them, it was caught on camera, and players involved in it, Smith, along with David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, faced bans. As a result, Virat was seen doing the "sandpapar" gesture after Smith's wickets to provoke the Australian fans.
As soon as it happened, the video of the incident went viral, and everyone was talking about it on social media. Speaking of the game, India started Day 3 at 142/6 and were bowled out for 157 runs, setting a target of 161 to win. Australia reached the target with six wickets in hand and registered the 3-1 series win. It was their first BGT win since 2014-15. With this, they also qualified for the final of the World Test Championship 2023-25.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/3-big-positives-for-team-india-from-the-embarrassing-bgt-series-loss-against-australia/">3 Big Positives for Team India from the Embarrassing BGT Series Loss against Australia</a>

Virat Kohli was the Stand-in captain for Team India in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.

Watch: Virat Kohli teases the over-aggressive Australian crowd with "Sandpapar" gesture on Day 3

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The Australian Cricket Team, under the leadership of Pat Cummins successfully defeated Team India in the Sydney Test-Match by a margin of six wickets and this wicket helped them to seal the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series by 3-1.
While the Aussie players are going to be really happy with this series win, the Indians on the other hand, are facing a lot of criticism following the series defeat especially the Indian batters. Senior players like Virat Kohli are the main targets of the critics. 
In the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, Kohli got dismissed on the outside off-stump line eight times and versus the Aussie bowlers, the former Indian skipper looked helpless &amp; cluseless versus the them. Now, AB De Villiers, the South African legend has made a huge revelation regarding how the former Indian and RCB skipper can tackle the outside off-stump deliveries.
<h2>'Every Batsman in the world struggles with some weakness'</h2>
AB De Villiers said, "He (Virat) can definitely find a solution to the the outside off-stump deliveries. Every batsman out there has a weakness and if I talk about myself, then the deliveries which used to come towards the pads in a straight line used to trouble me a lot. But I learnt from it and scored a lot of runs in the remainder of my career. 
I still remember the Test-Series versus England (ENG). The series kicked off on a positive note and I scored good amount of runs in the Durban Test-Match and everything was going smoothly. But, then the duo of Stuart Broad and James Anderson started dismissing me on a successive note and especially, with the new ball, I got out constantly".
<h2>What's the solution to the problem of Virat Kohli? </h2>
AB de Villiers believes that old balls keep running in the mind of the 36-year-old, which automatically affects the next forthcoming delivery. What happened before on the previous ball doesn't matter... He (Virat) should play every ball like a new and fresh one, he should just forget thinking about the previous deliveries. If finds success in doing this properly, then he can play the outside off-stump deliveries in a much better way.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/3-big-positives-for-team-india-from-the-embarrassing-bgt-series-loss-against-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3 Big Positives for Team India from the Embarrassing BGT Series Loss against Australia</a>

Scott Boland got the better of Virat Kohli for the fourth time in the BGT 2024-25 series | Image: Getty Images

Virat Kohli has struggled a lot with the outside off-stump deliveries in the ongoing BGT Series

Will Virat Kohli stop getting dismissed on the outside off stump line now? AB De Villiers gives a solution

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India batter Virat Kohli has been at the receiving end of heavy criticism after his failures in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The batter looked torrid with the bat in the majority of the series and there have been calls related to his retirement as well. 
Virat Kohli, who hit a century in the first Test, looked absolutely torrid with the bat in the rest of the games of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The premier batter was troubled by the balls outside off stump as it brought his downfall in almost every match of the five-match Test series. 
When Virat Kohli hit a century in Perth, it was expected that he would have a breakthrough series and would be setting the stage on fire. But that wasn't the case, as, after the ton in the opening match, he failed in the entire series and ended up getting just around 90 runs in the rest of the games. 
Since 2020, Virat Kohli has looked extremely torrid with the bat and has been averaging just in the 20s. This has seen him getting a lot of criticism for his poor outings. Many fans and experts have lashed out at him for his poor performances and hence they want him to make way for youngster. 
One of the heavy criticism came from Irfan Pathan, who pointed out the batter's poor average, saying that Virat Kohli averaged just 15 in the first innings of the Test. He said that the players with these low averages don't deserve a place in the Indian Team. 
<h2>He has made a lot of runs, but in 2024, batting in the first innings where you set up the match, Kohli averages just 15 - Irfan Pathan</h2>
Irfan Pathan added that it's time for Virat Kohli to make way for youngsters and that even young players will maintain a batting average of 25-30. Speaking to Star Sports, he explained: 
"He has made a lot of runs, but in 2024, batting in the first innings where you set up the match, Kohli averages just 15. If we take out his stats for the last five years, he barely averages 30. Does the Indian team deserve that from its senior player? It's better to give a youngster a long run, tell him to get ready; even that guy will maintain a batting average of 25-30." 
India's next Test series will be against England. It remains to be seen if he will be part of the series or not.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/shocking-jasprit-bumrah-accused-of-using-sandpaper-video-goes-viral/">Shocking! Jasprit Bumrah accused of using sandpaper, video goes viral</a>

India batter Virat Kohli has been at the receiving end of heavy criticism after his failures in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.