Cricketers of the Week - February 19th to February 25th

The internet will probably take a while before it moves on from India’s latest debacle against Australia at Pune – one of its biggest defeats in Test cricket and probably its most humiliating loss at home. On a turning track, India got a taste of its own medicine as it succumbed to a 333-run defeat and thus ended Virat Kohli’s fabulous undefeated streak in Tests as captain.

In another part of the world, New Zealand and South Africa are currently playing an exciting ODI series. Zimbabwe and Afghanistan are indulging in a tussle too with Afghanistan getting the better of the hosts so far.

As usual, there have been some fantastic performances and picking five, as clichéd as it may sound, has been extremely difficult. AB de Villiers misses out and so do Mitchell Starc and Matt Renshaw, despite their individual brilliance.

Zimbabwe’s Chris Mpofu and Afghanistan’s Gulbadin Naib also miss out, only barely, despite scintillating bowling performances. On that note, take a look at the five men left standing in the latest edition of the Cricketer of the Week segment.

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#5 Umesh Yadav

Yadav was a shining light in an otherwise forgettable outing for the Indians in the first Test against Australia at Pune. In a sensational spell of fast bowling, Yadav picked up the wickets of Matthew Wade, Steve O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon in the space of four overs.

He had also given India their first breakthrough earlier in the day by breaching the defence of David Warner after the visitors added an impressive 82 for the opening wicket. Yadav’s impressive figures of 12-3-32-4, in fact, didn’t do justice to the quality of his bowling that had venom, pace and aggression. He picked up two more wickets in Australia’s second innings to end the Test as the most successful fast bowler on an extremely spin-friendly track.

#4 Steve Smith

Smith played some sublime strokes en route to his century

Smith scored one of the most wonderful centuries by an Australian in India on a minefield of a track in Pune, to script a memorable, almost entirely unexpected, 333-run win for his side in the first Test of the four-match series.

Smith, who was given several reprieves, cashed in heavily, scoring 109 in a game in which the second highest individual score in the innings was 31. His innings pushed Australia to 285, setting India an insurmountable target of 441.

Smith also scored a diligent 27 in the first innings before chipping one straight to Kohli. The Australian skipper, who is also the No. 1 ICC Test batsman, deserves plaudits for the way he handled his troops, most of them young in the international arena.

#3 Dwaine Pretorius

Pretorius wrecked the New Zealand batting lineup

Pretorius healed himself after a heart-breaking loss in the second ODI, by helping South Africa take back the lead against New Zealand in the third ODI at Wellington. In a match that South Africa won by a whopping 159 runs after posting 271, Pretorius was sensational with the ball with figures of 5.2-1-5-3.

The 27-year-old, playing just his third ODI, picked up the wickets of Ross Taylor, Mitchell Santner and then Trent Boult as New Zealand were bundled out for 112. Pretorius’ bowling was the high-point in a match where Player of the Match, AB de Villiers scored an 80-ball 85 to lay the foundations for a strong score.

de Villiers, in fact, took the score from 180 for 6 to 264 for 7, adding 84 with Wayne Parnell, who scored 35 to go along with his two wickets. Pretorius had also contributed in a big way in the second ODI when he had match figures of 2-40 in 10 overs preceding his blitzkrieg 27-ball half-century.

#2 Ross Taylor

Taylor helped New Zealand level the series with his century

Taylor scored a 110-ball-102 for New Zealand against South Africa in the second ODI at Christchurch to help the Kiwis set a daunting target of 289 for the visitors. He was ably aided by James Neesham, who smashed an unbeaten 57 off 71.

In reply, South Africa almost made it, eventually huffing and puffing to 283 and losing the match by six runs. They came close thanks to some sensational batting by Dwaine Pretorius whose 27-ball 50 lifted South Africa from 214 for 8 in the 42nd over to 275 for 9 in the 49th over.

Taylor, who picked up the Player of the Match award, also has his teammate Trent Boult to thank. Boult, who cleaned up Pretorius in the last ball of his bowling spell returned match figures of 3-63, also picking up the big wickets of AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock for 45 and 57, respectively, giving New Zealand the edge at crucial times.

Taylor’s knock was workmanlike with only eight fours as he added 104 for the third wicket with skipper Kane Williamson and then 123* with Neesham for the fifth wicket.

#1 Steve O’Keefe

O’Keefe was on fire in the first Test against India

O’Keefe registered the second-best match figures by a bowler versus India in India in the first Test between India and Australia at Pune. He picked up two six-wicket hauls for a match tally of 12 wickets, conceding just 70 runs, as he traumatised the Indian batsmen.

Yet, he didn’t produce anything extraordinary. It was the good old spinner’s discipline and usage of the pitch, making the ball do just enough to pick the wickets, outplaying and out-bowling the much-vaunted Indian spin duo.

The 32-year-old, who picked up the Player of the Match award, made it to the Test team thanks to Steve Smith’s confidence in him, and god, did he justify his captain’s faith in him.