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Vaishnavi also shone with the ball, as England lost 6 for 11 in a middle-order collapse against India from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/5lCkwX1

The legendary Sachin Tendulkar, whose batting records and impact on international cricket have stood the test of time, will be conferred with the BCCI'S Lifetime Achievement Award at the Board's annual gala here on Saturday. The 51-year-old Tendulkar, who played 664 international games for India, holds the record for the highest number of Test and ODI runs in the history of the game. "Yes, he will be the recipient of the C K Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2024," a Board source told PTI. Tendulkar's 200 Test and 463 ODI appearances are also the highest by any player in the history of the game. He amassed 15,921 Test runs besides a whopping 18,426 in ODIs. However, he played only one T20 International in his stellar career. In 2023, the lifetime honour was bestowed on former India head coach Ravi Shastri and wicket-keeping great Farokh Engineer. Considered the greatest batter of his era, Tendulkar was not just a prolific run-scorer but also an ic...

While the return of India stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma , among others, to the domestic circuit has grabbed the eyeballs of cricket experts and fans alike, former India cricketer-turned-pundit Aakash Chopra has drawn out a major talking point. Chopra stated that all the senior players have played only one Ranji game, as stars who played in the first week of games (from January 23) are skipping the second week (from January 30). Only those India stars who missed the first week games are playing in the ongoing week. Barring Ravindra Jadeja , all senior India regulars who played in the January 23 games are giving the ongoing round a miss. Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal , Shreyas Iyer , Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant are some of the big names who participated in the January 23 ties, but are not playing any further. Chopra criticised this aspect, stating that this has made it seem like playing in Ranji was a token punishment for the players. "Virat Kohli is playing, but...

India head coach Gautam Gambhir and Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma haven't gotten off to the best of starts, at least when it comes to the results on the pitch. In their short while working together, Gambhir and Rohit have lost an ODI series in Sri Lanka and then back-to-back Test series against New Zealand and Australia. However, Gambhir's childhood coach Sanjay Bharadwaj picked Rohit Sharma as the best captain, stating that youngsters have told him stories about how he is a fun captain to play with. Given a selection between MS Dhoni , Virat Kohli , Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir from his Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captaincy days, Bharadwaj chose Rohit. "When I talk to the youngsters and players in the team, they tell me that it's Rohit Sharma," Bharadwaj said, speaking in an interview with The Raunac Podcast . "They (youngsters) tell me that he (Rohit) backs you a lot. It is a lot of fun playing with him. He himself is a fun-loving person, so it ...

England will miss the services of right-arm seamer Kate Cross or the one-off Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), while two important Australian players make comeback in the squad in order to seek a series whitewash, as per the ICC official website. Cross has failed to recover from the back injury that forced her to watch on from the sidelines during the ODI component of the ongoing Ashes series against Australia, with the veteran set to be replaced in England's XI by fellow pacer Ryana MacDonald-Gay or additional spinner. "Kate Cross is unfortunately not going to be playing. She's been amazing. She's worked so diligently to try and get over her (back) injury. Worked really hard, but she hasn't quite been able to get back to her pace and her performance level. Really gutted for her, because she's a key member for us, and it's been really great to have her back around the group actually the last couple of days, she's a huge memb...

Tilak Varma closed in on Travis Head's top spot in T20I batting by going up from third place to No. 2 from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/M907s5d

At exactly 9am when his jet black Porsche zoomed in through the Feroz Shah Kotla ground's 'Virender Sehwag Gate', it was homecoming for Delhi's very own Virat Kohli, who checked in for a training stint with his first-class team after more than 12 years. Save for pacer Navdeep Saini, all other 18 members of Delhi's squad had only seen him on TV and grown up listening to the tales of how 'Cheeku', the cherubic talent, became the 'King' of Indian cricket. In the last 15 years, Delhi's 'Cheeku' became a hazy memory as he turned into the most commercially viable brand in global cricket, the face that ICC sold in its Olympic bid presentation. On Monday, he was at his home ground for around three hours and had everyone in his vicinity hypnotised. Whether the young impressionable players, or seasoned head coach Sarandeep Singh or batting coach Bantu Singh -- all of them evidently wanted to be close to him. Though courteous with all, the former ...

Australia's captain completed running, fielding and batting just days after being in a moon boot from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/uSRzKoj

Injured Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka is unlikely to play the first Test against Australia in Galle, starting on Wednesday. Nissanka is undergoing rehabilitation in Colombo for the groin strain he sustained during the third T20I against New Zealand earlier this month. He has not joined the rest of the squad in Galle, team manager Mahinda Halangoda confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. Sri Lanka's team management is hopeful of his availability for the second Test starting on February 6. The remaining 17 players in Sri Lanka's Test squad are expected to be available, according to team manager Halangoda. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva, recovering from a side strain, and Kamindu Mendis, who suffered a split webbing during domestic matches in the past two weeks, have both travelled with the team to Galle. With Nissanka unavailable, Sri Lanka need a second opener to partner Dimuth Karunaratne. The most likely option is Oshada Fernando, who has opened in 19 Test innings. Another possibility is...

Out of favour Pakistan cricket team batter Ahmed Shahzad made a shocking claim that he has faced a number of issues during his career because of his "good looks". Shahzad was part of the Pakistan side that won the T20 World Cup in 2009 and Champions Trophy in 2017. However, the batter last played for the national side in 2019. During a recent interview , Shahzad claimed that he was targeted during his career for being good-looking. He went on to say that when a player is good looking and has a 'good dressing sense', that person becomes a target in Pakistan cricket. “Being good-looking has caused me a lot of problems. In our field, if you look good, know how to dress, and speak well, some people start to resent you," he said. “I've been a target within the Pakistani team for this. I'm not defending myself here, but there are others who have also faced this. If your fan following grows and people appreciate you, it's hard for some senior players to ac...

Describing the ICC as an "event management company", former Australia captain Ian Chappell has observed that the financially stronger boards are getting their way in producing self-serving schedule while harming the interest of Test cricket. Chappell also felt that a viable two-tier system for Test cricket should have been in place by now but added that there are other pressing matters that need urgent attention to keep the game's traditional format relevant. "On the subject of a two-tier Test system, former West Indies pace-bowling champion Michael Holding noted: 'For all its faults, at least FIFA actually runs soccer. The ICC must run cricket'," Chappell wrote in his column for 'ESPNcricinfo'. "Therein lies a perplexing problem. The ICC doesn't run cricket, and unless there's a major change of heart, the financially desirable nations will continue to have a huge say in producing a self-serving schedule." Chappell though agree...

After a disappointing outing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he was dropped from a match too, Shubman Gill made a memorable return to domestic red-ball cricket, with a century for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy. Despite lacking support from the other end of the pitch, Gill brought up his century, scoring 102 runs off 171 balls before being undone in a controversial manner. Due to the absence of the Decision Review System in the Ranji Trophy, Gill couldn't challenge his dismissal. Gill was livid with the manner of his dismissal as he believed to have edged the ball onto his pads, yet was given out by the umpire. With no DRS in the Ranji Trophy, Gill couldn't challenge the call. Gill even tossed his bat onto the ground in frustration. Here's the video: Shubman Gill was not out but umpire give him LBW and there was no DRS Gill was looking frustrated as his team lose the match pic.twitter.com/aE0b0gYQc3 — Ahmed Says (@AhmedGT_) January 25, 2025 As for the match, He was ...

She will also miss the remainder of the Super Smash; a decision on her playing future "will be announced in due course" from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/oaldNOX

Rohit Sharma was elected as the captain of the ICC T20I Team of the Year for 2024, after leading India to a second T20 World Cup title in the year. Despite poor form in Test cricket, Rohit won his first piece of ICC silverware as India captain, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament as well. Three other Indians featured in the ICC XI, in the form of pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh and all-rounder Hardik Pandya . Bumrah was adjudged the Player of the Tournament of the T20 World Cup 2024. Travis Head was selected to open alongside Rohit Sharma, while Phil Salt was also included in the XI, as the No. 3 batter. Head amassed 255 runs in seven games at the T20 World Cup, finishing as the third-highest run-scorer. The Australian had a superb 2024, and also made his mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Phil Salt hit three T20I centuries in 2024, and found a spot in the ICC XI. Nicholas Pooran was the highest run-scorer across T20s in 2024, amassing o...

India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav does not want to be just a captain but a leader of the group. He reflected on his thoughts before the second T20I against England in Chennai. Suryakumar-led India defeated England by seven wickets in the series opener at Eden Gardens on Wednesday. The home side took an early 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series. "I feel I don't just want to be a captain; I want to be a leader. If we want to achieve something as a group, everyone has to be on the same page. These are the small things I keep telling them - the basics, good habits to follow on the ground and off the field. And when you step onto the ground, just leave your body and enjoy what's happening," Suryakumar said on Hotstar's special show 'Superstars'. Suryakumar was appointed as India's T20I captain last year following the retirement of his predecessor Rohit Sharma from the format. Rohit, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja called time on their T20I careers aft...

Georgia Voll could make a Test debut while Beth Mooney will take the keeping gloves from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/aDtYHwX

India's Champions Trophy squad had few notable omissions like Mohammed Siraj , Sanju Samson , Suryakumar Yadav . Barring Yashasvi Jaiswal , who is yet to play an ODI, the rest of the squad seems pretty experienced. While Jasprit Bumrah has been named, the star pacer's back injury status will be monitored in the coming days. More or less the same side will be playing in a three-ODI series against England ahead of the February 19-March 9 Champions Trophy. Among the spinners picked for the Champions Trophy are Ravindra Jadeja , Kuldeep Yadav , Axar Patel , Washington Sundar .  However, one player, who former India star Dinesh Karthik advocated for inclusion in the Champions Trophy was Varun Chakravarthy , but he was ignored. On Wednesday, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy (3/23) was the most successful Indian bowler against England in the first T20I of a five-match series. He was even adjudged the Player Of The Match.  Karthik while calling for the inclusion of Chakravarthy ...

It is certainly a transitioning time for hosts India as they adjust to life without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who retired from the shortest format after the 2024 T20 WC victory. Abhishek Sharma is one of the few players on the shortlist of replacements but has failed to show consistency in his brief tenure with the national team. The left-handed top-order batter is known for his ability to hit all parts of the ground. This prowess was on full display when he scored a blistering century off 47 deliveries in the second T20I vs Zimbabwe in July 2024. Former India batter Aakash Chopra has acknowledged Sharma's potential but believes he will need to be in full form in the five-match series against England, beginning on Wednesday at the Eden Gardens, if he wants to maintain his spot in the side. "Abhishek's form has been a little up and down. In the beginning, in his second T20I, he scored a century against Zimbabwe. After that, a lot of promise, and a lot of potential, bu...

England captain also talks up 21-year-old Bethell who is on his first international tour of Asia from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/2wbVtPR

Fit-again pacer Mohammed Shami's comeback would be keenly watched when the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian T20 team takes on an evenly-matched England in a five-match series starting on Wednesday, aiming to make up for the recent Test disasters that have caused considerable turmoil and heartbreak. The white-ball rubber, comprising five T20Is and three ODIs after that, presents an ideal platform for both the teams to experiment with combinations and assess form before next month's Champions Trophy. Shami, despite missing four matches, emerged as India's leading wicket-taker in the ODI World Cup 2023 with 24 scalps, including a sensational 7/57 in the semifinal against New Zealand at the Wankhede. Interestingly, the pacer has claimed the same number of wickets -- 24 at an average of 29.62 -- in his limited T20I career and will aim to improve on that while proving his fitness. Shami was sidelined after the lost final against Australia on November 19, 2023 due to an ankle injury ...

Openers are the only ones with a fixed slot in the Indian T20 line-up and the batting order that follows will be made up of "multiple floaters", new vice-captain Axar Patel said on Monday while spelling out the team's strategy ahead the five-match series against England. India will start their campaign against England in a five-match T20I series at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday. Asked about being a floater in batting order, the all-rounder replied: "...it's not just about me; it applies to everyone in the team. "Right from the start of 2024, we had decided to have a fixed opening slot, and from No. 3 to No. 7, everyone has been told to be flexible based on the situation, combinations, and match-ups." Axar, who is now a part of the team management for the series, spoke in a manner that reminded one of Rohit Sharma's interaction before the 2023 ODI World Cup where he called for flexibility in the middle-order. "There is no fixed position where ...

Indian cricket team wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant has been appointed Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. Pant, who has previously captained Delhi Capitals in the competition, was bought by LSG for a record Rs 27 crore. Pant was the DC skipper in 2021, 2022 and 2024 but he decided to part ways with the franchise ahead of the new season. Pant became the costliest player to be sold in the history of IPL auctions following a bidding war between LSG and DC. While DC used their Right To Match (RTM), LSG clinched the deal with a record bid. "Rishabh Pant will not only be the most valuable player of IPL but the best player," LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka said on Monday. Pant became the most expensive player in the IPL mega auction in Jeddah last year when he was brought by LSG for Rs 27 crore. He will now be LSG's fourth captain in their history of playing in the IPL after KL Rahul, Nicholas Pooran and Krunal Pandya. After making ...

Former India all-rounder Suresh Raina feels middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav will be sorely missed in the upcoming Champions Trophy as he could have provided the 'X-factor' in Dubai, where Rohit Sharma's side will play all its games. Suryakumar and fast bowler Mohammed Siraj were the two big names missing from the Champions Trophy squad announced on Saturday. They are among a total of six players who featured in the 2023 ODI World Cup squad. The others to miss out are Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur and Ishan Kishan, while Ravichandran Ashwin has recently retired from the game. "Surya was an integral part of the World Cup squad, he is a 360 player who can score at 9 runs per over at any stage of the game. He can dominate the opposition and bats in a different way," Raina said on Star Sports Press Room. "If Surya was there there would have been an X-factor, he will be missed. The responsibility will be now on top 3 who are not in form. Surya is someone w...

The home side pulled off a fantastic chase after earlier seeing two of their bowlers ordered out of the attack for running on the pitch from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/7z2w1Lr

Jasprit Bumrah was included while fellow fast bowler Mohammed Shami made a comeback as India announced their squad for the Champions Trophy 2025. Rohit Sharma will lead the side in the competition with Shubman Gill acting as his deputy. "We are waiting on Jasprit Bumrah's fitness and will know his status in early February from BCCI's medical team," chief selector Ajit Agarkar said during the press conference. The same squad will also take on England in the three-match ODI series with Harshit Rana included for the ODI series only keeping Bumrah's fitness in mind. Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul will be the two wicketkeepers for both Champions Trophy and the England ODI series. There's no place for pacer Mohammed Siraj though, as India have opted to go with left-arm fast-bowler Arshdeep Singh. The eight-team tournament will feature 15 50-over matches and will be played across Pakistan and Dubai. The biggest match of the tournament between two arch-rivals India and P...

South Africa's bowling resources have taken another blow, with Gerald Coetzee, anticipated to replace Anrich Nortje in the Champions Trophy squad, missing the Joburg Super Kings' (JSK) SA20 match against Pretoria Capitals. Coetzee is dealing with a hamstring issue and is casting doubt over his participation in the tournament for the coming weeks. ESPNcricinfo reported that his fitness is being closely monitored. Although no official explanation was provided for his absence, Coetzee had only recently returned from injury. Given the conditions on the ground, which favour his pace-bowling strengths, he was expected to feature in the playing XI. Coetzee last played for JSK against Durban's Super Giants at Kingsmead, marking his first competitive outing since injuring his groin during a Test against Sri Lanka in Durban. That injury ended his international summer prematurely, following a hip niggle and a 12-week conditioning program. Between his sole MLC match in July and a dome...

Ravichandran Ashwin 's international retirement midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 took fellow cricketers, former cricketers, experts and fans by surprise, and 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev was seemingly one of them. Ashwin's retirement led to a lot of speculation on why he had hastily called time, although the spinner himself reiterated that it was his own choice. However, reflecting on Ashwin's retirement, Kapil Dev has opined that while Ashwin is a strong-headed individual, he could've taken a different decision. Asked on the issue of Ashwin's retirement by Gulf News, Kapil Dev said: "Ashwin is a very strong-headed guy. I like to see this kind of character in cricketers. I felt a little sad when he left in the middle of the tour. He is a great cricketer whom India produced and served the game so well, but he could have waited and done it differently. Nevertheless, what he did for the country is unbelievable. Sad he's gone....

Smriti Mandhana waltzed her way to the fastest century by an Indian while Pratika Rawal compiled her maiden hundred as India amassed 435/5, their highest-ever total in the 50-over format, in the third and final women's ODI against Ireland in Rajkot on Wednesday. The stand-in skipper Smriti's scintillating 135 (80 balls), her 10th ODI century, came off just 70 deliveries, set the tone for India breaching the 400-run mark for the first time, joining Australia and New Zealand in that elite list. It was also the fourth-highest total in women's ODI, and Smriti also surpassed Harmanpreet Kaur's 87-ball hundred mark against South Africa last year. Smriti reached her 31st ODI fifty in 39 balls, her second half-century of the series and the southpaw was not afraid to take the aerial route over the 'V' and clear the 30-yard circle in an innings studded with seven sixes and 12 fours. Pratika, a Delhi cricketer representing Railways, complemented her captain brilliantly ...

Set to enter the upcoming U19 Women's T20 World Cup in Malaysia as defending champions, there will be high hopes from India to replicate their title-winning performance from the inaugural edition in 2023. Left-handed wicketkeeper-batter Bhavika Ahire aims to excel in the U19 World Cup, given that India will be playing in conditions where they won the inaugural U19 Women's Asia Cup last month. “I am very excited about representing India in a World Cup for the first time. The coaches have been good, all of them back us and give lots of confidence before every match. “We will take a lot of confidence from the Asia Cup win from that because our team bonding was good there, and everyone was backing each other. So, with that confidence, we will now go for winning the World Cup. “I understood the ground conditions during the Asia Cup win, and that information will be useful in the World Cup. Winning the Asia Cup was good, but I can improve and do better in the World Cup,” said Bhavi...

What comes as a big development after India's disappointing Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign, Shubman Gill has reportedly made himself available for Punjab's Ranji Trophy campaign. While India captain Rohit Sharma has already hit the nets with the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team, Gill has also made himself available for selection. The developments show a much more promising picture concerning Indian players' red-ball commitment after head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed his desire to see players giving domestic cricket a priority amid poor form. Gill was among those batters who struggled for runs in Australia. He was also dropped from the Melbourne Test as the team management preferred to play KL Rahul in the middle-order instead. "Yes, Shubman Gill is available for Punjab's Ranji match against Karnataka on January 23," Hindustan Times quoted a source within the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) saying. Gill wasn't picked for India's T20I series against ...

Fast bowler forced to miss training camp in Abu Dhabi but ECB confident of resolving issue from Cricket news from ESPN Cricinfo.com https://ift.tt/5FxNvLh

Shreyas Iyer, the newly appointed captain of Indian Premier League (IPL) team Punjab Kings (PBKS), expressed his excitement and gratitude following his appointment. Iyer thanked the fans, team owners, and coaches for placing their trust in him as captain. In a video shared by the official X handle of Punjab Kings, Iyer said, "Feeling ecstatic. Thank you so much to the fans and the owners and the coaches for believing in me, for trusting in me as the captain. We know what the team has been through in the past few years, but this time we'll put in our full efforts to ensure that we perform at our best level possible. Obviously, all of us would enjoy and cherish the moment together." ??????? ???? ➡️ ??? ?????? ???! #CaptainShreyas #SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings pic.twitter.com/EFxxWYc44b — Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) January 12, 2025 He also praised the efforts of the coaches and management during the auction, highlighting their success in assembling a strong squad. ...

As Indian cricket fans await the big ICC Champions Trophy announcement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), former cricketers like Irfan Pathan and Sunil Gavaskar have shared their preferences. The BCCI selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar , recently sought an extension from the ICC over the squad announcement due to the suspense over Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav 's availability. While the official squad is expected to be announced on January 19, Gavaskar and Pathan made some glaring omissions as they revealed their choices. India's batting legend Sunil Gavaskar feels both Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul have to be picked for the Champions Trophy, forming the core of India's middle-order while Sanju Samson can't be overlooked either, especially in the wake of his exemplary performances in the shortest format. Rishabh Pant is also a certainty in Gavaskar's roster. "If I am sitting there I will say who has done really well in the r...

Devajit Saikia and Prabhtej Singh Bhatia were on Sunday elected secretary and treasurer, respectively, unopposed at the BCCI Special General Meeting in Mumbai. They both were elected unopposed after being the only ones to file nomination for the posts vacated by Jay Shah and Ashish Shelar. Shah had to leave the secretary's post after becoming the ICC chairman last month while Shelar resigned after taking oath as a cabinet minister in the Maharashtra government. Saikia hails from Assam and Bhatia from Chhattisgarh. Saikia was performing the additional duties of secretary after Shah took over as ICC chairman on December 1. He was the joint secretary and now that post lies vacant. "The Two (02) Elective Posts of the Office Bearers - Secretary and Treasurer were Uncontested, and it was not necessary to conduct a Poll in respect of these Two (02) Posts," stated electoral officer A K Joti in his declaration of results. Shah, who was felicitated by the BCCI on Saturday night,...

Nearly 14 months after he last played an international game, veteran seamer Mohammed Shami on Saturday returned to the Indian team for the upcoming five-match T20I series against visiting England. The 34-year-old Shami's last outing for India was the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia at Ahmedabad on November 19, after which he was out of the team for a long time due to an ankle injury for which he underwent surgery in the UK last year. Shami's rehabilitation process was a long and arduous one and a swelling on his knee then prevented him from joining the Indian team for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, leaving Jasprit Bumrah to shoulder the bulk of the pace bowling load. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the 15-member team in the series starting in Kolkata on January 22. It is understood that Shami has been picked because he will also be a part of the Champions Trophy squad and will be gradually working on his bowling load. He is not going to play all five games...

It was a horrible campaign for Indian cricket team star batter Virat Kohli in the recently-concluded Test series against Australia. Although he scored a brilliant century in the first Test encounter in Perth, he failed to score big after that and finished with just 190 runs in 5 matches. Kohli's weakness against bowls outside the off-stump was another point of discussion and it resulted in massive criticism both from fans as well as experts. Recently, there has been a lot of chat about Kohli not learning from his mistakes and allegedly not paying heed to coaching instructions. In a conversation with former India batter  Subramaniam Badrinath on YouTube , former India coach Bharat Arun opened up about what it was like coaching Kohli and how exactly he reacted to criticism and advice from the coaches. "See, Virat Kohli will definitely ask. If you suggest changes to him or anything like that, you should have a very good reason as to why you are suggesting it. I am sure that h...

Pakistan batter Saim Ayub on Saturday completed his assessments with orthopaedic surgeons in London for his ankle injury, but it will require a week to know if he can play in the next month's ICC Champions Trophy. Saim was examined by two noted orthopedic surgeons in London, Dr David Redfern and Dr Lucky Jeyaseelan. A source close to Saim said the Pakistan Cricket Board is very keen on having Saim fit in time for the Champions Trophy game against India on February 23 in Dubai. “Even if the doctors say he will not have recovered from his injury in time for Pakistan's opening CT game against New Zealand on February 19 in Karachi but he could be fit for the India game, the selectors and PCB are willing to take the risk,” the source said. He said Saim had been sent to London for consultations with specialists even after he was initially advised a six-week rest for his ankle injury because the PCB is very keen to see him fit for the marquee event and particularly the India match. ...