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Rohit Sharma could be on the cusp of retirement from Test cricket but an exit might not be too far from Virat Kohli too. The duo's performances in Australia have triggered a big debate over their future in the longest format of the game. For Rohit, an end seems to be inevitable after the conclusion of the Australia tour whereas Kohli's case remains touch-and-go. Former India cricketer Atul Wassan has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to have an exit plan ready amid the talismanic batter's inability to resolve form issues. Kohli, aged 36, has been struggling to resurrect his career for long. He has already quit T20 internationals and his Test career is hanging by a thread. While Wassan feels Virat's best might just be around the corner, he wants the BCCI to be ready with a successor and an exit plan. "Virat has got runs, but he also knows what's happening. They are very sorted mentally. A player always thinks that 'my best is around ...

India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal had an heated exchange with Australia debutant Sam Konstas on Day 5 of their just-concluded 4th Test in Melbourne on Monday. The incident happened during the post-Lunch session with Rishabh Pant batting alongside Jaiswal. Konstas, who was deployed at silly point, was heard sledging Jaiswal. While it was not clear what Konstas might have said to Jaiswal, the Indian batter was clearly not happy with the teenager. As a result, Jaiswal shouted at Konstas, saying "do your job". However, Konstas didn't stop there, forcing Jaiswal to deploy an unorthodox approach. As Nathan Lyon bowled a full length ball on the very next delivery, Jaiswal hit Konstas with a vicious drive, catching the latter on his body. Before the ball, Steve Smith tried to intervene between the two youngsters, but was stopped from doing so by wicketkeeper Alex Carey . #YashasviJaiswal didn't just let his bat do the talking! A cheeky 'Do your job!' to #SamKons...

The Australian media targeted Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma over his reaction to Yashasvi Jaiswal dropping three catches during the fourth Test encounter in Melbourne. Earlier, a Perth-based tabloid - The West Australian - called Virat Kohli a 'clown' over the controversy involving Sam Konstas . The same publication now took aim at Rohit who was left visibly frustrated with India's lackluster fielding performance with Jaiswal's misses resulting in him expressing his displeasure. The publication went with the headline - "Captain Cry Baby - along with an edited picture of Rohit crying. The slug further read: “Turns out Kohli isn't the only sook in Indian side.” Earlier, Rohit Sharma came under fire from broadcasters after showcasing an angry body language towards his young teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal, who dropped three catches on day four of the Boxing Day Test Jaiswal, generally a great third slip and gully catcher, had earlier dropped Usman Khawaja...

Nitish Kumar Reddy happy to have already proven his doubters wrong with the bat, but he wants to fill the allrounder's role better for India from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/8isp96a

A cricket World Cup, half a dozen Olympic medals and two chess world champions. Year 2024 gave the average Indian sports fan unprecedented reasons to celebrate as peaks outnumbered the valleys in a confident march towards a promising future. Tales that bear repeating were many but the year going by will primarily be remembered for four dates -- June 29, July 30, December 12 and December 28. A big step towards the future was the formal expression of intent to host the 2036 Olympics, a move that has the potential to change the sporting landscape of the country. When sport shone through in its purest form On a humid and nervy June evening in Barbados, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team won a long-awaited World Cup title after more than a decade of heartbreaks in knockout matches of ICC tournaments, the feat matching the country's undisputed status as the game's most influential voice. A month later, effervescent pistol shooter Manu Bhaker became India's first athlete ...

Former Australian cricketer Stuart Clark lauded the partnership between Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy, which helped India recover from a precarious position on Day 3 of the fourth Border-Gavaskar Test in Melbourne. When India was struggling at 221/7 on Saturday, Sundar and Reddy's crucial stand of 127 runs provided much-needed stability to the innings reducing the deficit to 116 runs. Sundar's gritty knock ended when he edged Nathan Lyon to slip, departing for a well-made 50 off 162 balls, which included just one boundary. Despite his dismissal, the partnership significantly boosted India's chances in the match. Stuart Clark commented on the partnership during an interview with ANI, saying, "India has put up a good partnership. Washington and Reddy are batting well. They're making Australians work hard for their wicket, and it's making the game interesting because they are getting closer to the Australian score." Clark also shared his thoughts...

A day after Virat Kohli's shoulder-bumping incident with Sam Konstas, the India star was seen sharing a heartfelt moment with opponent batter Steve Smith. Notably, Kohli was involved in a heated face-off with Konstas on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Kohli's act even saw him getting a fine of 20 per cent match fee from the International Cricket Council and one demerit point. However, what Kohli did on the next day of the match was just praiseworthy. He did something which will work as an inspiration for all. It all happened when Smith raced to his 34th Test century on Friday, equalling the feat of Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara, Mahela Jayawardene and Younis Khan. The entire stadium celebrated the hundred with Kohli also reaching out to Smith and patting the Australia batter on the back. Watch it here: Steve Smith Test hundred, number 34! He brings it up in style too #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/jRjwC6bdIZ — 7Cricket (...

Fanfare for Team India's biggest stars has been massive in Melbourne, as India play Australia in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. To catch a glimpse or get a feel of their favourite cricketers, some fans have gone the distance. While a few days ago, a fan tied a cricket bat to a rope in a unique way to get Rohit Sharma 's autograph, now another fan invaded the pitch during play to meet Virat Kohli . This fan even gave Kohli a hug when he got close to him. In a video shared online, the pitch invader can be seen going across and putting an arm around Kohli, who returns the favour. However, very soon, it is evident that Kohli wasn't best pleased with the invader, and he can be seen pointing him to leave the ground. Watch: Pitch invader tries to hug Virat Kohli Pitch invader huggs Kohli pic.twitter.com/RAz81zkfWc — rR (@ryandesa_7) December 27, 2024 Soon after, security guards emerged onto the turf at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to take the invader a...

India stalwart Virat Kohli clashed with Australia's 19-year-old opener Sam Konstas early on Day 1 of the fourth Test in Melbourne. During the ninth over, the duo shoulder-barged into each other, prompting Kohli to turn back and give Konstas a glaring look, as well as exchange a few words. Despite former Australia captain Ricky Ponting suggesting that Kohli was in the wrong, the 36-year-old escaped without a ban, instead only being fined 20 per cent of his match fees by the International Cricket Council (ICC), as per sources to NDTV. Now Ravi Shastri - who shared a good bond with Kohli during his time as head coach of Team India - has given his say on the matter. "It's unnecessary. Totally unnecessary. You don't want to see that. Virat's a senior player, he's been captain of the side, he'll have his own explanations regarding that, but it's something you don't want to see," Shastri said, speaking on Fox Cricket. Virat Kohli collision with...

Ahead of the fourth Test against Australia at Melbourne, former Indian all-rounder and head coach Ravi Shastri predicted that India will win the match, adding that the first day of the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will decide the way the series will go. With the series level at 1-1, both sides will be playing the much-anticipated Boxing Day Test intending to secure an all-important series lead needed to push a case for the ICC World Test Championship final. Speaking to news.com.au, Shastri said that the match would be a "cracking game". "I think India would take this, the way the series is poised. Any overseas team being 1-1, especially with the games being in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, they would take this. Going 1-1 into Boxing Day is the best-case scenario. I would say India has their nose ahead," he added. Shastri said that India has come here to "win" and not "fill in the numbers". He said that a team has to have w...

Pakistan's premier fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has requested the team management and national selectors to not consider him for the Test matches in South Africa because of workload management since he wants to be "100 percent fit" for the ICC Champions Trophy in February-March. After the Pakistan squad was announced for the two Tests in South Africa without Shaheen, the interim head coach and senior selector, Aaqib Javed, said that the left-arm pacer's workload is being managed to keep him fresh for the Champions Trophy. "The truth is Shaheen himself requested he not be considered for Test matches until the Champions Trophy is over," a source said. He said Shaheen had also apparently informed the team management and Pakistan board that he had got a lucrative offer from a franchise in the Bangladesh Premier League and he assured that he would manage his workload during the T20 league which will be held from December 30 to February 7. "He assured t...

India captain Rohit Sharma 's fitness remains a hot topic of debate amid his lean patch with the bat in Test cricket. Recently, former South African cricketer  Daryll Cullinan had taken a swipe at Rohit's fitness, calling him "overweight" and unfit for the rigours of a five-match Test series. Cullinan had labelled Rohit a "flat track bully" and even called him a liability to the team. Now, Cullinan's compatriot Herschelle Gibbs has reacted to his comments on the Indian skipper. Gibbs, a former teammate of Rohit at Mumbai Indians and Deccan Chargers (now defunct), has echoed Cullinan's sentiments, saying that everything is visible on TV and doesn't need to mention any names. "I don't need to mention any names. You can see everything on TV. Those guys that are unfit and carrying a little bit extra, I mean, the whole world is there to see. I think it's up to the individual. I was only a batter. Rohit doesn't bowl. It's up to...

Curran, Topley, Jacks among key omissions as McCullum leans on Test squad for first white-ball campaign from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/tFJ6SzV

Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief selector Chetan Sharma on Saturday said that India skipper Rohit Sharma should open in the upcoming Boxing Day Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The 2024/25 Test season, which started with a series against Bangladesh, has been disastrous for Rohit. Not only did he endure a rare home series loss--a 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand, India's first series defeat at home in 12 years--but he has also managed just 152 runs in seven Tests at an average of 11.69, with only one fifty in 13 innings. His highest score this season is 52. In 13 Tests this year, Rohit has scored 607 runs at an average of 26.39, with two centuries and two fifties in 24 innings. His highest score is 131. The series is currently tied at 1-1 ahead of the Boxing Day Test, set to be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday. Speaking to ANI, Chetan Sharma reflected on the performance of the Indian bowlers, noting that they...

Star India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja on Saturday said lack of runs from the top-order builds pressure on the lower-order and called for an improved performance from the batting unit in the Boxing Day Test. Jadeja played a crucial role in the rain-hit third Test against Australia at Brisbane, scoring a gritty 77 in the first innings to help India secure a draw. "Top-order runs are very important when you play outside India, especially in Australia and South Africa. When the top order doesn't score runs, the responsibility and pressure increase on the lower order," Jadeja said during an interaction at the MCG. "Hopefully, the top-order and the middle-order do well in this Test. As a team, we need the top order to perform. If everyone contributes in the batting unit, the team will do well."  India's top-order struggled in Brisbane, barring opener KL Rahul , who scored a valiant 84. The rest of the top and middle order crumbled, but Jadeja, playing his firs...

The BCCI will hold a Special General Meeting (SGM) in Mumbai on January 12 to elect its new secretary and treasurer after the two posts were vacated by Jay Shah and Ashish Shelar respectively earlier this month. The BCCI constitution states that any post lying vacant should be filled within 45 days by calling a Special General Meeting. The upcoming BCCI SGM will be held within 43 days of the deadline. "Yes, after the Apex Council Meeting on Thursday, state units were sent a notification about the date of the SGM, which is January 12 at the BCCI headquarters," a state association president told PTI. Shah has already taken over as the youngest chairman of ICC on December 1 and Shelar, a seasoned BJP politician, has been sworn in as a cabinet minister in the recently-formed Maharashtra government. As per the Lodha Committee reforms accepted by the Supreme Court, one person can't hold two positions. Shah, who still had a year left in his BCCI tenure before the mandatory coo...

The BCCI has called an emergent meeting of its Apex Council on Friday to appoint former chief election commissioner Achal Kumar Jyoti as the electoral officer to conduct the polls for the positions of secretary and treasurer. The two posts were recently vacated by Jay Shah (secretary) and Ashish Shelar (treasurer). While Shah took charge as ICC chairman on December 1, Shelar took oath as a cabinet minister in the new Maharashtra government. From the time an elected office-bearer resigns, the board has 45 days to call for a Special General Meeting and choose his successor. The BCCI also needs to appoint an electoral officer at least four weeks prior to the election, as per the constitution. "As the posts of Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer have been vacated, the same are required to be filled up for the remaining period at a Special General Meeting by way of elections," reads an official Board document which is in PTI's possession. "In this regard, the Ape...

KL Rahul has been a polarizing person in Indian cricket, who has divided opinion among former cricketers, experts and fans. Be it for his strike rate in T20 cricket or for his knock in the 2023 ODI World Cup final or whether he deserves a place in India's Test side, question marks have always hovered over Rahul. But Rahul stood tall amidst India's batting struggles in the ongoing third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, making a brilliant 84 in Brisbane. Former India cricketer-turned-pundit Aakash Chopra has now hit back at other ex-India players who have criticised Rahul in the past. "We know of KL Rahul's celebration (shutting ears celebration). Now he has probably eliminated any outside noise and is completely focused on his game," said Chopra, speaking on his YouTube channel. "There are several former cricketers who sit and wait for Rahul to fail, and write essays on Rahul's form. They are all silent now. They won't speak about anyone anymore...

Joe Root has taken back the top spot in the Test batting rankings back from team-mate Harry Brook from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/QZL7A8Y

Australia's man in form Travis Head played down concerns over his fitness after appearing to struggle with a potential groin issue during the rain-marred drawn third Test against India at the Gabba in Brisbane on Wednesday. Head said he expects to be "fine" for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. The five-match series is tied 1-1 going into the Boxing Day Test after the drawn affair. "Very pleased with the way I am batting at the moment. Just a little sore, but I should be fine (before the next game)," Head, who was adjudged the player of the match, said after the game. The 30-year-old, who has been in red-hot form with 409 runs at an average of 81.80 this series, noticeably struggled to run between the wickets during his brief innings of 17 on day five. At times, he was seen clutching his groin, raising concerns among the commentators. Former pacer Brett Lee called the visuals "worrying signs", noting Head's limited movement, while Indian great R...

Legendary Indian cricket team spinner Anil Kumble took to social media to address the misuse of his name in connection to a fabricated comment on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli . Kumble made it clear that the comments attributed to him on social media were not made by him and they were completely false. A post regarding the two stalwarts - Virat and Rohit - attributed to the former Indian cricket team skipper went viral on social media that read - "I don't understand how the captain doesn't have a plan for Travis Head . He always been a problem for India. This is disgraceful captaincy."  However, Kumble said that they were completely wrong. "It has come to my attention that some social media accounts are using my image and attributing fabricated quotes to me. I want to categorically deny any association with these accounts and their content. The statements being circulated are not my views and do not reflect my opinions in any way. I urge everyone to be vigilan...

Zimbabwe hand debuts to Ben Curran and Newman Nyamhuri; Rahmnuallah Gurbaz is injured while Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been rested from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/PVK0cU7

The Indian cricket team's hopes of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) were dealt a massive blow as they slumped to a big loss in the pink-ball Test against Australia in Adelaide. With the third Test also placed in a precarious position due to India's batting show and heavy chances of rain, the WTC dream seems to be slipping away slowly. India need a 4-1 win in the 5-match Test series to qualify without depending on any other results. However, if the third match ends in a draw, Rohit Sharma and Co will have to win at least one of the final two Test matches to keep their dream alive. A win will mean that India's PCT will be better than Australia if the hosts lose both of their matches against Sri Lanka. However, two wins in the next two games will make sure that India will qualify for the WTC Final even if Australia win both of their matches against Sri Lanka. If the series ends 2-2, India will qualify if Sri Lanka beat Australia 1-0 in the two-match series. Howeve...

England received a major blow after their Test captain Ben Stokes once again sustained a hamstring injury during the ongoing Test match against New Zealand. England Cricket took to X (formerly Twitter) and confirmed that Stokes ended up injuring his hamstring during the third day of the final match of the Test series. Stokes was bowling to New Zealand youngster Rachin Ravindra at Seddon Park when he immediately held his hamstring tightly and left the field for treatment. The seasoned all-rounder has been plagued with hamstring injuries throughout the year. He suffered a hamstring injury during The Hundred in August. The injury ruled him out of the opening Test of the three-match series against Pakistan in Multan in October. The nature of the injury still remains unknown, and it is yet to be seen if Stokes will come in to bat for England in the second innings. If he remains unavailable for batting, then the duration of his absence also remains unknown. Stokes bowled 12.2 overs, conce...

Steven Smith returned to his peak just at the right moment, making a big statement amid his lean form by hammering his 33rd Test century for Australia in Brisbane. While Travis Head went on with his business in his usual destructive sense of the game, Smith took the anchor's role throughout their electrifying 241-run partnership. He bid his time, decided to tread with caution and played a picture-perfect Test knock straight out of the classic cricket textbooks. His 101 runs from 190 deliveries had everything, including elegance, balance, technique and class. With Smith once again finding his lost rhythm, he is once again staring at former captain Ricky Ponting's record of most Test centuries for Australia. With his 33rd Test ton, Smith moved past Steve Waugh's impressive tally of 32. His record of 33 Test centuries is only bettered by Ponting's whopping 41 tons. Smith's fairytale outing arrived at its conclusion when he gave away to his temptation. He picked up a...

Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I Live Streaming: Zimbabwe are all set to square off against Afghanistan in the third and final T20I of the three-match series on Saturday in Harare. The series is currently levelled 1-1 after the visitors bounced back in the T20I and registered a victory by 50 runs. Earlier on Friday, Darwish Rasooli made his first international fifty while Naveen-ul-Haq and Rashid Khan each took three wickets. Afghanistan won the toss and posted 153-6 off 20 overs, thanks to the recalled Rasooli's 58. In reply, Zimbabwe were dismissed for 103 in 17.4 overs. When will the Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I match take place? The Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I match will take place on Saturday, December 14 (IST). Where will the Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I match take place? The Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I match will take place at the Harare Sports Club, Harare. What time will the Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I match start? The Zimbabwe vs Afghanista...

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy - India's domestic T20 tournament - is in full swing, with several India T20I regulars also taking part in it. Arguably the most popular Indian cricketer, at least when it comes to Google search in 2024, is Hardik Pandya , who is representing Baroda in the tournament. The presence of stars like Pandya has drawn in decent crowds even for the domestic games, and a few fans even breached security and tried to enter the stadium to catch a glimpse of their favourite cricketers. But, as security attempted to force them off, the crowd cheered a warm gesture by Pandya. A few fans entered the pitch at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, the venue for the semi-final between Baroda and Mumbai. The game was headlined by several current and former India regulars, such as Pandya, Shreyas Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane . However, the fans' enthusiasm was short-lived, as they were taken off the field by security personnel. Watch: Hardik Pandya's warm gesture wi...

ECB chief executive confident that process can be game-changing if money is spent well from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/UEGIa4f

Despite a long-awaited entrance back into Team India for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Mohammed Shami may choose to forego the series if the decision rests soley on him. Shami, who has played nine Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 games after his Ranji Trophy comeback, himself "feels" that he is not ready to take the rigours of red ball cricket right now. As per a BCCI source, Shami may choose to preserve himself for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the subsequent Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, where he has picked up by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for Rs 10 crore. "The swelling seems to come and go. He himself is keen on playing more and more domestic cricket and hence the possibility of him once again playing Vijay Hazare Trophy for Bengal (starting December 21) looks imminent at the moment. "He can then bowl at least three spells and 10 overs per game," a BCCI source told PTI on the condition of anonymity. "Shami is at the business end of his caree...

Australia roared back into contention in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, levelling the series 1-1 with a dominant 10-wicket victory in the pink-ball Test at Adelaide. Now, with the third Test set to commence at the Gabba on Saturday, former cricketing legends Sunil Gavaskar and Harbhajan Singh believe the balance of power has shifted in Australia's favour. Gavaskar highlighted the impact of momentum on the series. "The momentum that India got after the win in Perth went away in the ten-day gap before the second Test," Gavaskar told the official broadcasters Star Sports. "Now the momentum is with Australia because they have won the Adelaide Test, and with just three days before the Gabba Test starts, the momentum is certainly with them." Harbhajan echoed Gavaskar's sentiments, calling the series one of the toughest in recent years due to both teams' ability to bounce back from adversity. Reflecting on the high stakes, the former spinner said, "What happ...

The form of India's batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been massively discussed in recent months, with both batters suffering from inconsistency and getting out cheaply. While Kohli managed a hundred in good batting conditions in the first Test between India and Australia at Perth, the duo failed to contribute in the second Test at Adelaide, as India crashed to defeat. Now, a video of the duo practising in the nets ahead of the third Test does not seem to have raised the confidence of fans. In the second Test, Kohli and Rohit managed a combined 27 runs across four innings. The former got out on 7 and 11 respectively, while the latter only managed 3 and 6 in his two efforts. Rohit has also given up his spot at the top of the order following KL Rahul 's impressive showing as an opener, but evidently looked out of sorts at No. 6. While the training video of the duo showed them blocking out balls, it did not do much to renew fans' hopes. "Both will n...

It's not just Usman Khawaja but the entire Australian top-order that is feeling the "pressure" despite the series-levelling win in Adelaide, reckons former opener David Warner. While the under-fire Marnus Labuschagne found form with a resolute fifty, batting mainstay Steve Smith and rookie opener Nathan McSweeney continue to search for runs in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. "I think the pressure is on all the top order, not just ‘Uzzie',” the former Australian left-hander was quoted saying by Fox Cricket. Travis Head smashed a memorable hundred at home as Australia bounce back to level the five match series after a crushing loss in Perth. "Travis came out and counterpunched and scored a brilliant hundred, and we know he's capable of doing it. But it's everyone else around supporting that," said Warner. "It's not just one player in particular, it's the top six scoring bulk runs and making sure you're giving rest to the fa...

Legendary wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist believes Australia were "stung" by the criticism following their loss in Perth, but have returned to their best, driven by captain Pat Cummins' controlled aggression. Australia, who had drawn a lot of flak for the 295-run loss in the opening Perth Test, bounced back by registering an emphatic 10-wicket win in the second game to level the five match series 1-1. "You could see just through his (Cummins) celebrations that… every wicket that he took he was more aggressive in his celebration," Gilchrist said on Fox Cricket. "Not in that lose control extent but you could just see that clearly they'd been stung by a bit of criticism around after their performance (in Perth) and they internally would have been so disappointed with the way they played in Perth. "So it (Adelaide celebrations) showed you what it meant to them and they knew that they were back at the level they want to play their cricket," Gi...

Sunny Dhillon was charged in September 2023 and is the latest to be banned from the Pune Devils franchise from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/E3gsSop

A battered and bruised India will look to avoid a clean sweep and address some glaring issues ahead of next year's 50-over World Cup at home when they face Australia in the third and final women's ODI in Perth on Wednesday. The three-match series against the seven-time defending world champions has served as a harsh reality check for India, who have faltered in batting, bowling and fielding, with each area contributing to their struggles. A record 122-run defeat in the second ODI highlighted India's vulnerability. Even thought the batters shone in patches, they never truly looked to chase down Australia's 371/8. In batting, the biggest disappointment has come from India's two big stars -- skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and her deputy Smriti Mandhana. Mandhana has capped scores of 8 and 9 in Australia following her century in India's 2-1 home series win over New Zealand in October. The flamboyant opener had been in fine form earlier this year, scoring 450-plus runs ...

India's pace-bowling unit seems to be in a state of bother after the likes of Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj failed to effectively company Jasprit Bumrah . India only managed to take 10 wickets in the match as Australia secured a 10-wicket win to level the series 1-1. The defeat in the pink-ball Test quickly prompted calls for the fit-again Mohammed Shami to be flown to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. When India captain Rohit Sharma was asked about Shami's availability, he remained coy. However, a report has now claimed that not all is well between Shami and Rohit over the subject of the veteran pacer's fitness. The two seem to be standing on different chapters of the book, making contrasting statements. A similar story had unfolded during the New Zealand series at home when Rohit was asked about Shami's availability for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. While Shami had claimed that he had fully recovered, Rohit had suggested that the pacer wasn't 100% fi...

Sri Lanka lost five wickets for 19 runs in 62 balls in a lower collapse that undid their work from the previous day from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/HdrnLcI

Former captain Shahid Afridi has advised the PCB to refrain from sending the national team to India for any cricket event, including ICC tournaments, unless India agrees to send its team to Pakistan. Speaking at the Urdu conference at the Karachi Arts Council, Afridi emphasized the need for the Pakistan Cricket Board to adopt a firm stance on cricketing ties with India, asserting that Pakistan must become self-reliant to make strong decisions, particularly regarding participation in ICC events like the Champions Trophy. "Pakistan cricket should be strong and self sufficient and take strong principled decisions. If India can't come and play in Pakistan then there is no reason for us to go and play any event in India," he said. The Champions Trophy is slated to take place in Pakistan between January and March next year. India has refused to play its Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan and instead demanded the tournament be played in a 'hybrid model', which would ...

Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has reserved the highest of praises for India pacer Jasprit Bumrah , who single-handedly led India to a crushing 295-run win over Australia in the first Test in Adelaide last month. Basit suggested that the Australian batters are afraid to take on Bumrah, who bagged eight wickets in the series-opener. In the ongoing Pink-Ball Test in Adelaide, Bumrah showcased his wicket-taking prowess once again in Australia's first innings, registering figures of 4/61. While analysing Bumrah's performances Down Under, Basit went on to claim that he hasn't seen someone rattle Australians in their own backyard since former Pakistan captain and legendary pacer Wasim Akram . "Australia are focusing on Bumrah. They won't take a chance against him. Maine agar Wasim Akram ke baad Australians ko kisi bowler se ghabraate hue dekha hai, toh woh Bumrah hai (after Wasim Akram, if I have seen the Australians scared of a bowler, it is Bumrah). They never took...

South Africa's lead swelled past 300 but they lost five wickets in the morning session from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/y2caNdD

Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden has weighed in on the struggles of star batter Steve Smith, who continued his poor run of form in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. On Day 2 of the Pink Ball Test in Adelaide, Smith was dismissed cheaply for the third time in the series, falling to India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah yet again. This time, Smith was strangled down the leg side, a dismissal Hayden labeled as one of the worst ways to get out. Smith's dismissal by Bumrah marks the third consecutive time the Indian pacer has got the better of him in the series. The Australian batting maestro has managed only 10 runs in four innings so far, averaging a mere 3.33 against Bumrah. His overall numbers this year have also been underwhelming: 232 runs in 13 innings at an average of 23.20, with just one half-century. Hayden, speaking on Star Sports, dissected the dismissal, highlighting Smith's vulnerability. "I mean, as you know, there's probably only one way to...