Google and Tesla CEOs Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk reacted to a viral video featuring Indian cricketer Jasprit Bumrah, who cheekily told a reporter to "Google" his batting skills. Pichai admitted he did just that, while Musk added a simple "Nice" comment. Pichai also suggested they watch a South Africa vs India match together someday. As Pichai once shared his childhood dream of becoming a cricketer, his love for the sport is no secret.
Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah shined in the ongoing third Test against Australia, taking five wickets for 72 runs in 25 overs. With this performance, he not only broke Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma's record for most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket for India, but also became the first Indian bowler to pick up eight fifers in countries like Australia, England, South Africa, and New Zealand. Bumrah's impressive numbers also put him ahead of iconic figures like Kapil Dev in this category.
After South Africa's convincing win over Sri Lanka in the second Test at Gqeberha, India's chances of making it to the ICC World Test Championship Final for the third time in a row have been greatly reduced. This win has propelled South Africa to the top of the WTC Final standings, pushing India down to third place. Australia's 10-wicket win against India in the second Test in Adelaide has put them in second place, making the race for the WTC Final even more intense.
Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian cricket team's T20 captain, is set to return to the field for Mumbai's next game in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Andhra on Tuesday, December 3. Despite leading India to a successful series win against South Africa, Surya has taken a two-week break for a family function and will now resume playing for his domestic team. While he may not lead the side as Shreyas Iyer is the current captain, Surya is expected to be a valuable player for Mumbai in their upcoming matches. He remains committed to playing for Mumbai in all domestic tournaments and has his sights set on playing for India across all formats.
The first day of the India vs Australia Test match at Perth was a rollercoaster ride, with 17 wickets falling and Australia reeling at 67 for 7 at stumps. The star of the day was Jasprit Bumrah who ripped apart the Australian top-order with four wickets, making it one of the worst starts for the hosts at home this century. With India's lowest Test score at home at 85 against South Africa in 2016, Bumrah's pacy unit will be aiming to create history on Day 2. The rest of the series and even Saturday's match is now up in the air, making it a thrilling and unpredictable game for both teams.
After playing a crucial role in India's T20 World Cup triumph, Hardik Pandya once again climbed to the top of the ICC Men's T20I All-Rounder rankings. This is his second time at the top spot in 2021. With his batting and bowling prowess, Pandya helped India win the T20I series against South Africa, with Tilak Varma also making it to the top 3 in the batter's rankings.
Tilak Varma made history in the recently concluded T20I series against South Africa, breaking multiple records and showcasing his batting prowess. The 22-year-old left-handed batter from Hyderabad scored a total of 280 runs in four matches, surpassing Virat Kohli's record for the most runs in a bilateral T20I series for India. Tilak's stellar performance earned him two Player of the Match awards and the Player of the Series award, making him the youngest Indian to win the latter in T20Is. He also equaled the record for most sixes in a T20I match for India, and with Sanju Samson, he became the first Indian batting pair to score over 200 runs for any wicket in a T20I match. Tilak's incredible performance has solidified his position as a rising star in Indian cricket.
After a dominating performance by India in the T20 series against South Africa, the young Indian cricketer Tilak Verma received the "impact fielder of the series" award in the final match. With his brilliant performance in the series, Verma left everyone in awe and even impressed coach VVS Laxman with his catch of South African captain Aiden Markram. In a comical turn of events, captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed the winner in a unique and entertaining manner, leading to a moment of celebration for the team. The video of this moment was shared by BCCI, showcasing the camaraderie and talent of Team India.
In a thrilling T20I match against South Africa, Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma put on an electrifying display of batting, smashing a total of 19 sixes to propel India to a colossal total of 283/1. This proved to be too much for Proteas as they failed to match the relentless onslaught of the Indian openers. Samson and Varma both reached their respective centuries, establishing themselves as top T20I batsmen.
India ended their T20I campaign for the year with a bang, sealing a convincing victory over South Africa in the fourth and final match of the series. Led by record-breaking centuries from Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma, India posted a mammoth total of 283 for 1, the highest ever against South Africa in T20Is. The Indian bowlers then put in a dominant performance to clinch a 135-run win, making it their biggest T20I victory against the Proteas and ending their year on a high note.