Jasprit Bumrah has been out of international cricket last September 2022 due to his back issues. He missed Asia Cup 2022 and didn't feature in all the games in the India-Australia home T20Is before eventually being ruled out of the home South Africa T20Is, T20 World Cup 2022 and the rest of 2022. Firstly, he was expected to return for the India-Sri Lanka white-ball home series (having been named in the ODI squad as well) but was not deemed fit. The Indian cricket fans expected him to be fit for the last two Tests versus Australia, after missing the first two, but he is well and truly out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

As per reports, Bumrah is set to miss IPL 2023 and ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final if India qualifies. In addition, there are chances of him missing the Asia Cup 2023 and ICC ODI World Cup, to be held later this year in India.

As per a report in PTI, where they quoted a source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Bumrah is unlikely to make a comeback in the next six months. He is yet to fully recover from his back injury and now there is no clarity on his participation in the Asia Cup and ICC ODI World Cup. Thus, Bumrah might take another six months to make a comeback in the national side.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-indore-test-explained-how-rohit-sharma-co-can-confirm-a-slot-in-wtc-final-567025">IND vs AUS, Indore Test: EXPLAINED! How Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. can confirm a slot in WTC final</a>

"Bumrah has been ruled out of the IPL as he will take another six months to come back. Even then, he might or might not make a comeback. The 50-over World Cup is the target, but that is also not guaranteed," the BCCI source said.

Bumrah has not been a regular in Team India since the start of 2022. He has&nbsp;appeared in five Tests and an equal number of ODIs&nbsp;and T20Is&nbsp;apart from featuring in all 14 matches for his IPL franchise, the Mumbai Indians since 2022. With his prolonged absence, both Team India and MI fans will miss him on the 22-yard cricket strip.

Jasprit Bumrah has been out of international cricket last September 2022 due to his back issues. He missed Asia Cup 2022 and didn't feature in all the games in the India-Australia home T20Is before eventually being ruled out of the home South Africa T20Is, T20 World Cup 2022 and the rest of 2022.

Jasprit Bumrah has been out of international cricket last September 2022 due to his back issues. He missed Asia Cup 2022 and didn't feature in all the games in the India-Australia home T20Is before eventually being ruled out of the home South Africa T20Is, T20 World Cup 2022 and the rest of 2022. Firstly, he was expected to return for the India-Sri Lanka white-ball home series (having been named in the ODI squad as well) but was not deemed fit. The Indian cricket fans expected him to be fit for the last two Tests versus Australia, after missing the first two, but he is well and truly out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. As per reports, Bumrah is set to miss IPL 2023 and ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final if India qualifies. In addition, there are chances of him missing the Asia Cup 2023 and ICC ODI World Cup, to be held later this year in India. As per a report in PTI, where they quoted a source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Bumrah is unlikely to make a comeback in the next six months. He is yet to fully recover from his back injury and now there is no clarity on his participation in the Asia Cup and ICC ODI World Cup. Thus, Bumrah might take another six months to make a comeback in the national side. Also Read: IND vs AUS, Indore Test: EXPLAINED! How Rohit Sharma & Co. can confirm a slot in WTC final "Bumrah has been ruled out of the IPL as he will take another six months to come back. Even then, he might or might not make a comeback. The 50-over World Cup is the target, but that is also not guaranteed," the BCCI source said. Bumrah has not been a regular in Team India since the start of 2022. He has appeared in five Tests and an equal number of ODIs and T20Is apart from featuring in all 14 matches for his IPL franchise, the Mumbai Indians since 2022. With his prolonged absence, both Team India and MI fans will miss him on the 22-yard cricket strip.

Indian fans, look away! After IPL & WTC final, Jasprit Bumrah also doubtful for Asia Cup and ODI WC: Report

Rafa&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;said on Tuesday he had decided to withdraw from two upcoming Masters 1000 hardcourt events in Indian Wells and Miami due to injury. The 22-times Grand Slam champion, who has not competed since his Australian Open title defence ended in a second-round loss during which he aggravated a hip problem, said he had started rehab and physiotherapy as instructed by doctors.

"I am sad that I won't be able to compete at Indian Wells nor Miami. Very sad not to be there," read a message posted on&nbsp;Nadal's Twitter account. "I'll miss all my US fans but I hope to see them later this year during the summer swing."

Nadal&nbsp;lost in straight sets to Taylor Fritz in last year's Indian Wells final and then skipped the Miami Open so that he could focus on his claycourt preparation. The 36-year-old Spaniard is a three-times champion at Indian Wells having triumphed in 2007, 2009 and 2013.&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;has reached the Miami final five times but has never won the title and has not competed there since 2017.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-no-19-nick-kyrgios-withdraws-from-indian-wells-and-miami-with-knee-issue-566673">World No. 19 Nick Kyrgios withdraws from Indian Wells and Miami due to knee issue</a>

"We wish Rafa continued healing, and hope to see him back at the BNP Paribas Open next year," Indian Wells tournament director Tommy Haas said in a statement. At the Australian Open, top seed&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;tweaked his left hip while running for a backhand in the second set at Rod Laver Arena, and after inspection from a trainer when trailing 6-4 5-3, he went off-court for a medical time-out.

The 22-times Grand Slam champion returned grim-faced to play out the match but his movement was clearly affected, paving the way for American Mackenzie McDonald to end the Spaniard's bid for a third title at Melbourne Park.

Rafa Nadal said on Tuesday he had decided to withdraw from two upcoming Masters 1000 hardcourt events in Indian Wells and Miami due to injury. The 22-times Grand Slam champion, who has not competed since his Australian Open title defence ended in a second-round loss during which he aggravated a hip problem, said he had started rehab and physiotherapy as instructed by doctors.

Rafa Nadal said on Tuesday he had decided to withdraw from two upcoming Masters 1000 hardcourt events in Indian Wells and Miami due to injury. The 22-times Grand Slam champion, who has not competed since his Australian Open title defence ended in a second-round loss during which he aggravated a hip problem, said he had started rehab and physiotherapy as instructed by doctors. "I am sad that I won't be able to compete at Indian Wells nor Miami. Very sad not to be there," read a message posted on Nadal's Twitter account. "I'll miss all my US fans but I hope to see them later this year during the summer swing." Nadal lost in straight sets to Taylor Fritz in last year's Indian Wells final and then skipped the Miami Open so that he could focus on his claycourt preparation. The 36-year-old Spaniard is a three-times champion at Indian Wells having triumphed in 2007, 2009 and 2013. Nadal has reached the Miami final five times but has never won the title and has not competed there since 2017. Also Read: World No. 19 Nick Kyrgios withdraws from Indian Wells and Miami due to knee issue "We wish Rafa continued healing, and hope to see him back at the BNP Paribas Open next year," Indian Wells tournament director Tommy Haas said in a statement. At the Australian Open, top seed Nadal tweaked his left hip while running for a backhand in the second set at Rod Laver Arena, and after inspection from a trainer when trailing 6-4 5-3, he went off-court for a medical time-out. The 22-times Grand Slam champion returned grim-faced to play out the match but his movement was clearly affected, paving the way for American Mackenzie McDonald to end the Spaniard's bid for a third title at Melbourne Park.

'Very sad not to be there': Rafael Nadal withdraws from Indian Wells and Miami due to injury

Virat Kohli announced that he will step down as the T20I captain after the 2021 T20 World Cup. Post the showpiece event, he was sacked as the ODI captain before he eventually stepped down as the Test skipper. Under Kohli, India played four ICC tournaments where they reached the final twice, made it to the semi-finals once and bowed out of the group stage on one occasion. He led the charge for India in Tests and made them a ruthless side whereas the team remained consistent in bilaterals in white-ball formats but could not emerge on top in ICC knockouts.

During&nbsp;an appearance on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) podcast, the 34-year-old Kohli recently revealed how many labelled him a failed captain for not winning an ICC title. "Look, you play to win tournaments. I captained in Champions Trophy 2017 (reached the final), 2019 World Cup (reached the semifinal), I captained in World Test Championship (reached the final), and T20 World Cup in 2021 (failed to qualify for the knockouts). After three (four) ICC tournaments, I was considered as a failed captain," Kohli said.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-r-ashwin-overtakes-james-anderson-to-become-no-1-ranked-bowler-during-day-1-of-indore-test-567152">Ind vs Aus: R Ashwin overtakes James Anderson to become No. 1 ranked bowler during Day 1 of Indore Test</a>

Now, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has responded to Kohli's critics. He feels 'not winning&nbsp;an ICC tournament doesn't tell us that Kohli&nbsp;wasn't a strong leader'. On his Youtube channel, Butt said,&nbsp;"People who do not understand the game of cricket very well judge a captain's performance based on how he has fared in the Champions Trophy or the World Cup. However, if you have a good win percentage and are tactically very strong, but haven't won a big tournament, it wouldn't be fair to say that you haven't been a good captain."

Butt further added, "There might have been a few mistakes in high-pressure games, or it might just have been a case of luck. Not winning an ICC tournament doesn't tell us that he [Virat Kohli] wasn't a strong leader."

At present, the Kohli-starrer Indian team is involved in the four-match Test series versus Australia. On Day 1 of the third and penultimate Test, in Indore, hosts India are on the back foot at stumps after being dismissed for 109. Australia ended the day's play at 156 for 4, with an overall lead of 47.

Leading the series 2-0, Rohit Sharma-led India are aiming for another win in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy to cement a spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. If India manage to win the WTC final, in June, they will finally end their ten-year-long ICC-title drought. 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Virat Kohli announced that he will step down as the T20I captain after the 2021 T20 World Cup. Post the showpiece event, he was sacked as the ODI captain before he eventually stepped down as the Test skipper.

Virat Kohli announced that he will step down as the T20I captain after the 2021 T20 World Cup. Post the showpiece event, he was sacked as the ODI captain before he eventually stepped down as the Test skipper. Under Kohli, India played four ICC tournaments where they reached the final twice, made it to the semi-finals once and bowed out of the group stage on one occasion. He led the charge for India in Tests and made them a ruthless side whereas the team remained consistent in bilaterals in white-ball formats but could not emerge on top in ICC knockouts. During an appearance on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) podcast, the 34-year-old Kohli recently revealed how many labelled him a failed captain for not winning an ICC title. "Look, you play to win tournaments. I captained in Champions Trophy 2017 (reached the final), 2019 World Cup (reached the semifinal), I captained in World Test Championship (reached the final), and T20 World Cup in 2021 (failed to qualify for the knockouts). After three (four) ICC tournaments, I was considered as a failed captain," Kohli said. Also Read: Ind vs Aus: R Ashwin overtakes James Anderson to become No. 1 ranked bowler during Day 1 of Indore Test Now, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has responded to Kohli's critics. He feels 'not winning an ICC tournament doesn't tell us that Kohli wasn't a strong leader'. On his Youtube channel, Butt said, "People who do not understand the game of cricket very well judge a captain's performance based on how he has fared in the Champions Trophy or the World Cup. However, if you have a good win percentage and are tactically very strong, but haven't won a big tournament, it wouldn't be fair to say that you haven't been a good captain." Butt further added, "There might have been a few mistakes in high-pressure games, or it might just have been a case of luck. Not winning an ICC tournament doesn't tell us that he [Virat Kohli] wasn't a strong leader." At present, the Kohli-starrer Indian team is involved in the four-match Test series versus Australia. On Day 1 of the third and penultimate Test, in Indore, hosts India are on the back foot at stumps after being dismissed for 109. Australia ended the day's play at 156 for 4, with an overall lead of 47. Leading the series 2-0, Rohit Sharma-led India are aiming for another win in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy to cement a spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. If India manage to win the WTC final, in June, they will finally end their ten-year-long ICC-title drought. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

'Not winning an ICC event...': Ex-Pak captain hits back at Kohli's critics who labelled him a 'failed' captain

India had a forgettable day in the park when they locked horns with Australia in the third and penultimate Test, in Indore, on Wednesday (March 01). Opting to bat first, India only managed a paltry 109 in 33.2 overs before Australia went to stumps at 156 for 4, with an overall lead of 47. Only six Indian batters crossed the double digits, including tail-ender Umesh Yadav. Umesh, who featured in the playing XI in place of a rested Md Shami, scored an entertaining 13-ball 17, comprising two sixes, and equalled Virat Kohli in an elite batting list.&nbsp;

With two maximums in his inning, Umesh joined Kohli to&nbsp;become the joint 17th highest six-hitter for India in the longest format of the game (24). In addition, he surpassed former head coach Ravi Shastri's tally (22) in the process.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-r-ashwin-overtakes-james-anderson-to-become-no-1-ranked-bowler-during-day-1-of-indore-test-567152">Ind vs Aus: R Ashwin overtakes James Anderson to become No. 1 ranked bowler during Day 1 of Indore Test</a>

Top 5 six-hitters for India in Tests:

Virender Sehwag - 91 
MS Dhoni - 78 
Sachin Tendulkar - 69 
Rohit Sharma - 68 
Kapil Dev - 61

Umesh has featured in 54 Tests for India. Currently, he is playing his 55th match in whites. So far, he has accounted for 165 scalps and has a total of 454 runs under his belt, with a best of a 10-ball 31 versus South Africa in late 2019.&nbsp;With India being on the back foot at stumps on Day 1 of the Indore Test, Umesh will be desperate to step up with the ball on Day 2 and not allow Australia to take a sizeable lead.

India lead the four-match series 2-0 and another win will take them to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final.

&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

India had a forgettable day in the park when they locked horns with Australia in the third and penultimate Test, in Indore, on Wednesday (March 01). Opting to bat first, India only managed a paltry 109 in 33.

India had a forgettable day in the park when they locked horns with Australia in the third and penultimate Test, in Indore, on Wednesday (March 01). Opting to bat first, India only managed a paltry 109 in 33.2 overs before Australia went to stumps at 156 for 4, with an overall lead of 47. Only six Indian batters crossed the double digits, including tail-ender Umesh Yadav. Umesh, who featured in the playing XI in place of a rested Md Shami, scored an entertaining 13-ball 17, comprising two sixes, and equalled Virat Kohli in an elite batting list. With two maximums in his inning, Umesh joined Kohli to become the joint 17th highest six-hitter for India in the longest format of the game (24). In addition, he surpassed former head coach Ravi Shastri's tally (22) in the process. Also Read: Ind vs Aus: R Ashwin overtakes James Anderson to become No. 1 ranked bowler during Day 1 of Indore Test Top 5 six-hitters for India in Tests: Virender Sehwag - 91 MS Dhoni - 78 Sachin Tendulkar - 69 Rohit Sharma - 68 Kapil Dev - 61 Umesh has featured in 54 Tests for India. Currently, he is playing his 55th match in whites. So far, he has accounted for 165 scalps and has a total of 454 runs under his belt, with a best of a 10-ball 31 versus South Africa in late 2019. With India being on the back foot at stumps on Day 1 of the Indore Test, Umesh will be desperate to step up with the ball on Day 2 and not allow Australia to take a sizeable lead. India lead the four-match series 2-0 and another win will take them to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

IND vs AUS: Umesh equals Kohli's record, surpasses Shastri in unique list during Day 1 of Indore Test

IND vs AUS 3rd Test: On Wednesday (March 01), India locked horns with Australia in the third and penultimate Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Holkar Stadium, Indore. Having an unassailable 2-0 lead, India are very close to finalising a spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final.&nbsp;

India have been top-notch in the first two Tests versus Australia -- banking on Rohit Sharma's form, lower-order runs&nbsp;and spinners -- to win the back-to-back games and are just a step away from entering the WTC final, for the second time in a row. Here's what they need to do in the third and penultimate Test to book a slot in the summit clash, to be held at The Oval, London on June 07-11:&nbsp;

India are 2-0 ahead in the series and just need another win in the ongoing Test to cement a place in the WTC final. While India can go through even if they lose the next two encounters (but in such a case, they will have to depend on other results; hoping&nbsp;for Sri Lanka to not win their remaining two Tests), they will confirm a place with a 3-0, 3-1 or 4-0 scoreline. Hence, India already have one&nbsp;foot in the WTC finale.

On the other hand, Pat Cummins-led Australia -- who are the No. 1 ranked side in the purest format -- have so far had a forgettable trip to India. After being 2-0 down, they have a herculean task to end the series with a 2-2 scoreline. A 0-3 or 0-4 scoreline looks likely at this stage. For them to qualify, they can even do so despite being whitewashed by India. In such a scenario, they will have to hope for Sri Lanka to not whitewash the hosts New Zealand in their forthcoming two-match Test series. It is to be noted that Tim Southee &amp; Co. have not lost a home Test series since early 2017.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kl-rahuls-removal-as-vice-captain-doesnt-indicate-anything-says-rohit-sharma-ahead-of-ind-aus-3rd-test-566848">KL Rahul's removal as vice-captain doesn't indicate anything, says Rohit Sharma ahead of Ind-Aus 3rd Test</a>

Indore Test, Day 1

At the coin toss on Day 1&nbsp;of the Indore Test, Rohit called it right as India chose to bat first. India made two changes in their playing XI with former vice-captain and woefully out of form KL Rahul being sidelined whereas Md Shami was rested (with Shubman Gill and Umesh Yadav being the replacements, respectively).&nbsp;

At the toss, Rohit said, "We will have a bat first. It is a pretty good dressing room and like you said the morale is high. The guys are confident about their skills which is a good thing moving forward. We have played a lot of cricket (here) but this one (surface) is slightly different. Looks little dry and you have to adapt your skills and be at it all the time. We aren't there yet (WTC final) and we have to come and win this game, we have to try and repeat the things we did in the first two Tests. It is important to stay present. We have made two changes - Gill comes in place of KL. We have rested Shami and Umesh comes in."

Meanwhile, Australia are without regular skipper Cummins, who is in Australia to look after his ailing mother. In his absence, Steve Smith leads the side as they trail 0-2.&nbsp;

Playing XIs:

Australia: Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith(c), Peter Handscomb, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Matthew Kuhnemann

India&nbsp;Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Srikar Bharat(w), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj

After opting to bat first, Rohit-led India are on the back foot currently, having lost half of their side for 45.

How has Team India fared in the second cycle of WTC?&nbsp;

After losing the inaugural WTC final, to New Zealand, in 2021, India have had a decent run in the ongoing second cycle. They started the new cycle with a 2-1 lead over hosts England in the 2021 five-match series, which ended in a 2-2 stalemate a year later, before winning a home series versus the Kiwis 1-0. They lost 1-2 to South Africa during their tour of the African nation in early 2022; prompting&nbsp;Virat Kohli to step down as the red-ball captain.&nbsp;

Rohit took over from there on and while he missed a few games, India went on to beat Sri Lanka 2-0 at home and also whitewash Bangladesh in their own backyard in December 2022.&nbsp;

At present, India are favourites to whitewash the Aussie and storm into the WTC final. Currently, it looks like it will be a mouth-watering India versus Australia finale in the second cycle of the WTC (unless third-positioned Sri Lanka pulls off a surprise in NZ).&nbsp;Will India end their ICC-title drought by winning the second edition of the WTC? Only time will tell...

IND vs AUS 3rd Test: On Wednesday (March 01), India locked horns with Australia in the third and penultimate Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Holkar Stadium, Indore.

IND vs AUS 3rd Test: On Wednesday (March 01), India locked horns with Australia in the third and penultimate Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Holkar Stadium, Indore. Having an unassailable 2-0 lead, India are very close to finalising a spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. India have been top-notch in the first two Tests versus Australia -- banking on Rohit Sharma's form, lower-order runs and spinners -- to win the back-to-back games and are just a step away from entering the WTC final, for the second time in a row. Here's what they need to do in the third and penultimate Test to book a slot in the summit clash, to be held at The Oval, London on June 07-11: India are 2-0 ahead in the series and just need another win in the ongoing Test to cement a place in the WTC final. While India can go through even if they lose the next two encounters (but in such a case, they will have to depend on other results; hoping for Sri Lanka to not win their remaining two Tests), they will confirm a place with a 3-0, 3-1 or 4-0 scoreline. Hence, India already have one foot in the WTC finale. On the other hand, Pat Cummins-led Australia -- who are the No. 1 ranked side in the purest format -- have so far had a forgettable trip to India. After being 2-0 down, they have a herculean task to end the series with a 2-2 scoreline. A 0-3 or 0-4 scoreline looks likely at this stage. For them to qualify, they can even do so despite being whitewashed by India. In such a scenario, they will have to hope for Sri Lanka to not whitewash the hosts New Zealand in their forthcoming two-match Test series. It is to be noted that Tim Southee & Co. have not lost a home Test series since early 2017. Also read: KL Rahul's removal as vice-captain doesn't indicate anything, says Rohit Sharma ahead of Ind-Aus 3rd Test Indore Test, Day 1 At the coin toss on Day 1 of the Indore Test, Rohit called it right as India chose to bat first. India made two changes in their playing XI with former vice-captain and woefully out of form KL Rahul being sidelined whereas Md Shami was rested (with Shubman Gill and Umesh Yadav being the replacements, respectively). At the toss, Rohit said, "We will have a bat first. It is a pretty good dressing room and like you said the morale is high. The guys are confident about their skills which is a good thing moving forward. We have played a lot of cricket (here) but this one (surface) is slightly different. Looks little dry and you have to adapt your skills and be at it all the time. We aren't there yet (WTC final) and we have to come and win this game, we have to try and repeat the things we did in the first two Tests. It is important to stay present. We have made two changes - Gill comes in place of KL. We have rested Shami and Umesh comes in." Meanwhile, Australia are without regular skipper Cummins, who is in Australia to look after his ailing mother. In his absence, Steve Smith leads the side as they trail 0-2. Playing XIs: Australia: Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith(c), Peter Handscomb, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Matthew Kuhnemann India Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Srikar Bharat(w), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj After opting to bat first, Rohit-led India are on the back foot currently, having lost half of their side for 45. How has Team India fared in the second cycle of WTC? After losing the inaugural WTC final, to New Zealand, in 2021, India have had a decent run in the ongoing second cycle. They started the new cycle with a 2-1 lead over hosts England in the 2021 five-match series, which ended in a 2-2 stalemate a year later, before winning a home series versus the Kiwis 1-0. They lost 1-2 to South Africa during their tour of the African nation in early 2022; prompting Virat Kohli to step down as the red-ball captain. Rohit took over from there on and while he missed a few games, India went on to beat Sri Lanka 2-0 at home and also whitewash Bangladesh in their own backyard in December 2022. At present, India are favourites to whitewash the Aussie and storm into the WTC final. Currently, it looks like it will be a mouth-watering India versus Australia finale in the second cycle of the WTC (unless third-positioned Sri Lanka pulls off a surprise in NZ). Will India end their ICC-title drought by winning the second edition of the WTC? Only time will tell...

IND vs AUS, Indore Test: EXPLAINED! How Rohit Sharma & Co. can confirm a slot in WTC final

In the second Test between India and Australia, Cheteshwar Pujara played his 100th game in the red-ball format. India's No. 3 has been one of the most dependable batters in the batting line-up since his international debut. He has amassed&nbsp;7,052 runs in his glorious career and has been one of the key players in India's stupendous rise in Tests, especially during the Virat Kohli captaincy era.&nbsp;

At 35, Pujara is in the last phase of his international career. Whenever he will announce his retirement, he will leave a huge void in the batting line-up. Ahead of the third and penultimate Test between India and Australia, which kicked off on Wednesday (March 01) in Indore, former Indian opener&nbsp;Wasim Jaffer shared his pick on who can succeed Pujara at No. 3 after he hangs up his boots.&nbsp;

"I think Shreyas Iyer is the best option to succeed Cheteshwar Pujara at No.3. He has batted at No.3 for Mumbai and he is an attacking batter. If someone can come in at No.3 and score intently, putting the bowlers on the backfoot will do India a lot of good. Pujara has been brilliant at No.3," said Jaffer on his Youtube channel.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Who can be Pujara's successor? 
Full video: <a href="https://t.co/OrGoCXiKOH">https://t.co/OrGoCXiKOH</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BGT2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BGT2023</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ItsAJaffa?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ItsAJaffa</a> <a href="https://t.co/96StGjLOdK">pic.twitter.com/96StGjLOdK</a>
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) <a href="https://twitter.com/WasimJaffer14/status/1630575129267965953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-indore-test-explained-how-rohit-sharma-co-can-confirm-a-slot-in-wtc-final-567025">IND vs AUS, Indore Test: EXPLAINED! How Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. can confirm a slot in WTC final</a>

Iyer made his Test debut in late 2021, announcing his arrival with a ton and fifty in his maiden game. He ended as the second-highest run-getter for India in whites in 2022, amassing 422 runs in 5 Tests including four fifties. In the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he has not been in good form after missing the series opener. So far, he has managed scores of 4,12 and 0. He will be eager to get a big score in India's second essay after Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. were bundled out for a paltry 109 (opting to bat first) on Day 1 of the Indore Test.&nbsp;

In the second Test between India and Australia, Cheteshwar Pujara played his 100th game in the red-ball format. India's No. 3 has been one of the most dependable batters in the batting line-up since his international debut.

In the second Test between India and Australia, Cheteshwar Pujara played his 100th game in the red-ball format. India's No. 3 has been one of the most dependable batters in the batting line-up since his international debut. He has amassed 7,052 runs in his glorious career and has been one of the key players in India's stupendous rise in Tests, especially during the Virat Kohli captaincy era. At 35, Pujara is in the last phase of his international career. Whenever he will announce his retirement, he will leave a huge void in the batting line-up. Ahead of the third and penultimate Test between India and Australia, which kicked off on Wednesday (March 01) in Indore, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer shared his pick on who can succeed Pujara at No. 3 after he hangs up his boots. "I think Shreyas Iyer is the best option to succeed Cheteshwar Pujara at No.3. He has batted at No.3 for Mumbai and he is an attacking batter. If someone can come in at No.3 and score intently, putting the bowlers on the backfoot will do India a lot of good. Pujara has been brilliant at No.3," said Jaffer on his Youtube channel. Who can be Pujara's successor? Full video: https://t.co/OrGoCXiKOH #INDvAUS #BGT2023 #ItsAJaffa pic.twitter.com/96StGjLOdK — Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) February 28, 2023 × Also Read: IND vs AUS, Indore Test: EXPLAINED! How Rohit Sharma & Co. can confirm a slot in WTC final Iyer made his Test debut in late 2021, announcing his arrival with a ton and fifty in his maiden game. He ended as the second-highest run-getter for India in whites in 2022, amassing 422 runs in 5 Tests including four fifties. In the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he has not been in good form after missing the series opener. So far, he has managed scores of 4,12 and 0. He will be eager to get a big score in India's second essay after Rohit Sharma & Co. were bundled out for a paltry 109 (opting to bat first) on Day 1 of the Indore Test.

He is the best option to succeed Cheteshwar Pujara at No. 3: Wasim Jaffer pins hopes on India's star batter

New Zealand and England resumed the fifth and last day of the second and final Test, in Wellington, with the Tim Southee-led hosts needing nine more wickets whereas Ben Stokes &amp; Co. required 210 more runs, ending&nbsp;Day 4 at 48 for 1, in pursuit of 258 to inflict a series whitewash. In what was a humdinger of a final day, the Black Caps emerged on top by the barest of margins, winning by a run to level the series 1-1. The Kiwis also became only the third side in the history of Test cricket to win after following-on.

Earlier, NZ won the toss and opted to bowl first. In the first innings, England rode on daddy hundreds from Harry Brook (186) and Joe Root (153)&nbsp;to declare at 435 for 8. In reply, the Kiwis bundled out for 209 before they were asked to follow-on. In their second essay, the home side was dismissed for 483 courtesy of Joe Root's 132 and fifties from Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell. In the final innings, England was in the game with Root's 95 whereas captain Stokes (35) and Ben Foakes (33) also chipped in with handy contributions but it wasn't enough for them to go past the finish line. They were all-out for 256 in 74.2 overs.&nbsp;Here's the video of the final wicket when England needed only two for a memorable win:

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/by-the-barest-of-margins-new-zealand-beat-england-by-1-run-at-basin-reserve-566636">'By the barest of margins': New Zealand beat England by one run at Basin Reserve</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
One of the greatest ever comebacks in Test cricket history - 1-run win after following-on<a href="https://twitter.com/BLACKCAPS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BLACKCAPS</a> ❤ hard luck, England<a href="https://t.co/0D51tV1sFE">pic.twitter.com/0D51tV1sFE</a>
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) <a href="https://twitter.com/bhaleraosarang/status/1630408272787431425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

By virtue of this win, New Zealand have become only the second team -- after West Indies -- to win a Test by a run.

West Indies defeated Australia by a run in Adelaide Test, 1993

New Zealand beat England by a run in Wellington Test, 2023

This is only the third time in the history of Test cricket that a team won after following-on.

England have achieved this feat twice. 
Here's a look at overall instances:

England defeated Australia by 10 runs in Sydney Test, 1894

England defeated Australia by 18 runs in Leeds Test in 1981

India beat Australia by 171 runs in the famous Kolkata Test, 2001

NZ beat England by a run in Wellington Test, 2023*

At the post-match presentation, Southee said, "A special win to come back after being asked to follow-on. The guys will soak this up. The character showed by the guys has been very special. Try to stay as calm. Just give it your best shot. Great Test to be involved in. We couldn't read much into the Day-Night Test. England were all class in the first two days. Number of guys to thank. The openers held it together in the second innings. Then Kane and Blundell. Neil has been doing this us for a long period of time. It came off for him at the right time. Great for Test cricket for all the guys that are here. Having Test matches like these is good for Tests going forward."

New Zealand and England resumed the fifth and last day of the second and final Test, in Wellington, with the Tim Southee-led hosts needing nine more wickets whereas Ben Stokes & Co.

New Zealand and England resumed the fifth and last day of the second and final Test, in Wellington, with the Tim Southee-led hosts needing nine more wickets whereas Ben Stokes & Co. required 210 more runs, ending Day 4 at 48 for 1, in pursuit of 258 to inflict a series whitewash. In what was a humdinger of a final day, the Black Caps emerged on top by the barest of margins, winning by a run to level the series 1-1. The Kiwis also became only the third side in the history of Test cricket to win after following-on. Earlier, NZ won the toss and opted to bowl first. In the first innings, England rode on daddy hundreds from Harry Brook (186) and Joe Root (153) to declare at 435 for 8. In reply, the Kiwis bundled out for 209 before they were asked to follow-on. In their second essay, the home side was dismissed for 483 courtesy of Joe Root's 132 and fifties from Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell. In the final innings, England was in the game with Root's 95 whereas captain Stokes (35) and Ben Foakes (33) also chipped in with handy contributions but it wasn't enough for them to go past the finish line. They were all-out for 256 in 74.2 overs. Here's the video of the final wicket when England needed only two for a memorable win: Also Read: 'By the barest of margins': New Zealand beat England by one run at Basin Reserve One of the greatest ever comebacks in Test cricket history - 1-run win after following-on@BLACKCAPS ❤ hard luck, Englandpic.twitter.com/0D51tV1sFE — Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) February 28, 2023 × By virtue of this win, New Zealand have become only the second team -- after West Indies -- to win a Test by a run. West Indies defeated Australia by a run in Adelaide Test, 1993 New Zealand beat England by a run in Wellington Test, 2023 This is only the third time in the history of Test cricket that a team won after following-on. England have achieved this feat twice. Here's a look at overall instances: England defeated Australia by 10 runs in Sydney Test, 1894 England defeated Australia by 18 runs in Leeds Test in 1981 India beat Australia by 171 runs in the famous Kolkata Test, 2001 NZ beat England by a run in Wellington Test, 2023* At the post-match presentation, Southee said, "A special win to come back after being asked to follow-on. The guys will soak this up. The character showed by the guys has been very special. Try to stay as calm. Just give it your best shot. Great Test to be involved in. We couldn't read much into the Day-Night Test. England were all class in the first two days. Number of guys to thank. The openers held it together in the second innings. Then Kane and Blundell. Neil has been doing this us for a long period of time. It came off for him at the right time. Great for Test cricket for all the guys that are here. Having Test matches like these is good for Tests going forward."

NZ vs ENG, 2nd Test: Kiwis register historic feats after winning Wellington thriller by the barest of margins

LeBron James could face multiple weeks on the sidelines after suffering a foot injury, US media said Monday, dealing a blow to the Los Angeles Lakers hopes of forcing their way into the playoffs. The Lakers confirmed that the NBA's all-time leading scorer would play no part in the game against Memphis on Tuesday due to "right foot soreness".

However, multiple US media reported that the Lakers feared James would be sidelined for multiple weeks after injuring his foot in Sunday's comeback win over the Dallas Mavericks. James played on after landing awkwardly on his foot in the third quarter but was later seen limping away from the venue following the game.

James later said he was determined not to leave the game in a bid to help the recently revitalised Lakers claim victory. "I definitely wasn't going to go to the locker room and not finish the game out tonight," he said after the win. "We'll monitor (the foot) the next couple days, see how it feels and go from there."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/college-basketball-legendary-virginia-coach-terry-holland-dies-at-80-566565">College Basketball: Legendary Virginia coach Terry Holland dies at 80</a>

ESPN reported Monday that James was undergoing further "testing and conversations" to determine the extent of the injury. James, 38, has been in blistering form for the Lakers this season, averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists while also breaking the NBA's all-time scoring record in early February.

After a shaky start to the season, the Lakers have improved markedly in recent weeks following a flurry of roster moves that has strengthened the team's lineup. The Lakers remain 12th in the Western Conference with a 29-32 record, but a congested table means they are well within striking distance of securing a playoff spot.&nbsp;

LeBron James could face multiple weeks on the sidelines after suffering a foot injury, US media said Monday, dealing a blow to the Los Angeles Lakers hopes of forcing their way into the playoffs.

LeBron James could face multiple weeks on the sidelines after suffering a foot injury, US media said Monday, dealing a blow to the Los Angeles Lakers hopes of forcing their way into the playoffs. The Lakers confirmed that the NBA's all-time leading scorer would play no part in the game against Memphis on Tuesday due to "right foot soreness". However, multiple US media reported that the Lakers feared James would be sidelined for multiple weeks after injuring his foot in Sunday's comeback win over the Dallas Mavericks. James played on after landing awkwardly on his foot in the third quarter but was later seen limping away from the venue following the game. James later said he was determined not to leave the game in a bid to help the recently revitalised Lakers claim victory. "I definitely wasn't going to go to the locker room and not finish the game out tonight," he said after the win. "We'll monitor (the foot) the next couple days, see how it feels and go from there." Also Read: College Basketball: Legendary Virginia coach Terry Holland dies at 80 ESPN reported Monday that James was undergoing further "testing and conversations" to determine the extent of the injury. James, 38, has been in blistering form for the Lakers this season, averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists while also breaking the NBA's all-time scoring record in early February. After a shaky start to the season, the Lakers have improved markedly in recent weeks following a flurry of roster moves that has strengthened the team's lineup. The Lakers remain 12th in the Western Conference with a 29-32 record, but a congested table means they are well within striking distance of securing a playoff spot.

LA Lakers suffer massive blow as injured LeBron James facing 'weeks' on sidelines: Reports

After the second Test between India and Australia, in the national capital, KL Rahul was removed as the vice-captain when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the national side's squad for the final two Tests. Rahul has been in woeful form and has been facing severe criticism from all corners. It is to be noted that Rahul has only 198 runs in the last 12 innings and has only managed 38 runs in the three outings in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home.&nbsp;

Hence, a lot has been said and written about Rahul. Many feel he should be dropped with Shubman Gill being in the form of his life. His sacking as the Test vice-captain has also been highlighted but captain Rohit Sharma stated that his opening partner's removal from the post indicates nothing.&nbsp;

"I said it after the last game also. When we talk about players going through a tough time, anyone with potential will be given enough time to prove himself. Being vice-captain or not being vice-captain doesn't tell you anything. At that point in time, when he was the vice-captain, he was probably the most senior. His removal of the vice-captaincy doesn't indicate anything," Rohit said on Tuesday ahead of the third and penultimate Test, which kicks off on Wednesday (March 01) in Indore.

Also Read:&nbsp;

On being&nbsp;asked about the practice sessions and if Gill's active participation in the nets ahead of the Indore Test means he is set to replace Rahul in the playing XI, Rohit shied away from sharing any details on the team combination.

"As far as Gill and KL are both concerned, that is how they train and practice before any game. Today was an optional training session for the entire group. All 17-18 are in the reckoning. It's not just about Gill and Rahul. But as far as our XI is concerned, we have not finalised it yet. I prefer it to be announced at the toss. Can't count out last-minute injuries and all and we will keep it interesting for you guys as well," Rohit added.

India squad for final two Tests vs Australia

India’s Test squad for the third and fourth Test against Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), K L Rahul, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.

After the second Test between India and Australia, in the national capital, KL Rahul was removed as the vice-captain when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the national side's squad for the final two Tests.

After the second Test between India and Australia, in the national capital, KL Rahul was removed as the vice-captain when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the national side's squad for the final two Tests. Rahul has been in woeful form and has been facing severe criticism from all corners. It is to be noted that Rahul has only 198 runs in the last 12 innings and has only managed 38 runs in the three outings in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home. Hence, a lot has been said and written about Rahul. Many feel he should be dropped with Shubman Gill being in the form of his life. His sacking as the Test vice-captain has also been highlighted but captain Rohit Sharma stated that his opening partner's removal from the post indicates nothing. "I said it after the last game also. When we talk about players going through a tough time, anyone with potential will be given enough time to prove himself. Being vice-captain or not being vice-captain doesn't tell you anything. At that point in time, when he was the vice-captain, he was probably the most senior. His removal of the vice-captaincy doesn't indicate anything," Rohit said on Tuesday ahead of the third and penultimate Test, which kicks off on Wednesday (March 01) in Indore. Also Read: On being asked about the practice sessions and if Gill's active participation in the nets ahead of the Indore Test means he is set to replace Rahul in the playing XI, Rohit shied away from sharing any details on the team combination. "As far as Gill and KL are both concerned, that is how they train and practice before any game. Today was an optional training session for the entire group. All 17-18 are in the reckoning. It's not just about Gill and Rahul. But as far as our XI is concerned, we have not finalised it yet. I prefer it to be announced at the toss. Can't count out last-minute injuries and all and we will keep it interesting for you guys as well," Rohit added. India squad for final two Tests vs Australia India’s Test squad for the third and fourth Test against Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), K L Rahul, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.

KL Rahul's removal as vice-captain doesn't indicate anything, says Rohit Sharma ahead of Ind-Aus 3rd Test

Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from next month's Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami as he continues to recover from surgery on his left knee, event organisers said on Monday.

The 27-year-old Australian had a terrific second half of 2022. After contesting his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in July, he won the ATP 500 Citi Open in August, and reached to US Open quarter-finals in September. But pain in his knee forced him to withdraw from the Japan Open in October and he then pulled out of his home major, the Australian Open, in January and underwent surgery.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-number-one-novak-djokovic-pain-free-as-he-prepares-for-return-in-dubai-566475">World number one Novak Djokovic 'pain-free' as he prepares for return in Dubai</a>

The world number 19, who is known for his thunderous serve and on-court outbursts, has yet to make his 2023 season debut.

Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from next month's Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami as he continues to recover from surgery on his left knee, event organisers said on Monday.

Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from next month's Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami as he continues to recover from surgery on his left knee, event organisers said on Monday. The 27-year-old Australian had a terrific second half of 2022. After contesting his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in July, he won the ATP 500 Citi Open in August, and reached to US Open quarter-finals in September. But pain in his knee forced him to withdraw from the Japan Open in October and he then pulled out of his home major, the Australian Open, in January and underwent surgery. Also Read: World number one Novak Djokovic 'pain-free' as he prepares for return in Dubai The world number 19, who is known for his thunderous serve and on-court outbursts, has yet to make his 2023 season debut.

World No. 19 Nick Kyrgios withdraws from Indian Wells and Miami due to knee issue

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. He had a stellar run in international cricket where he ended with 17,266 runs, 16 tons, 634 catches, 195 stumpings and led India to three major ICC titles. During his playing days, he remained India's most-preferred wicketkeeper-batter across formats.&nbsp;He ruled over international cricket for over a decade which led to the likes of Dinesh Karthik, Parthiv Patel and others not getting enough run.

Recently, Karthik opened up on his overall journey and shared how he met Dhoni and eventually got replaced by him across formats.&nbsp;On RCB Podcast, Karthik said, "I made my debut before him. We went together on an India A tour and from there I got picked for the Indian team, he was still there in India A team."

He further opined, "That was the first time I played a four-day match together with him. I did so well that they picked me for the Indian team. From there, they went on another trip, there was an ODI tournament where he just blasted it. People stood up and said there is nobody like him. They said he's a special player. Obviously, I came to the Indian team, but by then the Dhoni mania was so big that you had to pick him. He then replaced me in all formats and he did very well. At the end of the day, it is all about taking opportunities. You got to be ready to take opportunities."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/master-blaster-sachin-tendulkar-to-receive-a-life-sized-statue-at-iconic-wankhede-stadium-in-mumbai-566740">Sachin Tendulkar to receive a life-sized statue at iconic Wankhede Stadium, Master Blaster reacts - WATCH</a>

Karthik went on to add that how Dhoni was doing was never a cause of concern for him as he wanted to keep improving. However, Dhoni's stupendous rise and success forced Karthik to be his understudy and he soon became a backup keeper-batter for India across formats.

"I was chasing excellence. I was constantly on the path of becoming the best cricketer in the world. Dhoni was there, he wasn't there – that wasn't my lookout. He was doing very well for himself. I knew that he had settled in the team. He made no mistake at the start. They sent him up an order, he got a hundred in ODI. He then went to Test cricket and scored 85. He kept brilliantly. Most importantly, he became a brand overnight. People were after him. He was hugely popular sportsperson right from the outset. I was always the understudy but I was always on the lookout for opportunities, doing something special," Karthik further added.

Both Karthik and Dhoni were part of India's 2019 ODI World Cup squad. After that, Dhoni took a sabbatical before announcing his international retirement in mid-2020. The former still couldn't become India's first-choice glovesman in white-ball formats as Rishabh Pant's emergence led to him remaining the second fiddle. Karthik was part of India's 2022 T20 World Cup squad but many feel he has already played his last for the Men in Blue after his poor run in the showpiece event. 
&nbsp;

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. He had a stellar run in international cricket where he ended with 17,266 runs, 16 tons, 634 catches, 195 stumpings and led India to three major ICC titles.

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. He had a stellar run in international cricket where he ended with 17,266 runs, 16 tons, 634 catches, 195 stumpings and led India to three major ICC titles. During his playing days, he remained India's most-preferred wicketkeeper-batter across formats. He ruled over international cricket for over a decade which led to the likes of Dinesh Karthik, Parthiv Patel and others not getting enough run. Recently, Karthik opened up on his overall journey and shared how he met Dhoni and eventually got replaced by him across formats. On RCB Podcast, Karthik said, "I made my debut before him. We went together on an India A tour and from there I got picked for the Indian team, he was still there in India A team." He further opined, "That was the first time I played a four-day match together with him. I did so well that they picked me for the Indian team. From there, they went on another trip, there was an ODI tournament where he just blasted it. People stood up and said there is nobody like him. They said he's a special player. Obviously, I came to the Indian team, but by then the Dhoni mania was so big that you had to pick him. He then replaced me in all formats and he did very well. At the end of the day, it is all about taking opportunities. You got to be ready to take opportunities." Also Read: Sachin Tendulkar to receive a life-sized statue at iconic Wankhede Stadium, Master Blaster reacts - WATCH Karthik went on to add that how Dhoni was doing was never a cause of concern for him as he wanted to keep improving. However, Dhoni's stupendous rise and success forced Karthik to be his understudy and he soon became a backup keeper-batter for India across formats. "I was chasing excellence. I was constantly on the path of becoming the best cricketer in the world. Dhoni was there, he wasn't there – that wasn't my lookout. He was doing very well for himself. I knew that he had settled in the team. He made no mistake at the start. They sent him up an order, he got a hundred in ODI. He then went to Test cricket and scored 85. He kept brilliantly. Most importantly, he became a brand overnight. People were after him. He was hugely popular sportsperson right from the outset. I was always the understudy but I was always on the lookout for opportunities, doing something special," Karthik further added. Both Karthik and Dhoni were part of India's 2019 ODI World Cup squad. After that, Dhoni took a sabbatical before announcing his international retirement in mid-2020. The former still couldn't become India's first-choice glovesman in white-ball formats as Rishabh Pant's emergence led to him remaining the second fiddle. Karthik was part of India's 2022 T20 World Cup squad but many feel he has already played his last for the Men in Blue after his poor run in the showpiece event.

'I came to Indian team, but by then MS Dhoni mania was so big...': Veteran keeper on ex-captain's effect

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar remains one of the biggest names in world cricket. Despite retiring from international cricket in late 2013, his name continues to make heads turn as the Mumbaikar remains a fan-favourite across the globe and is worshipped in India. Tendulkar had a glorious run in international cricket, ending with 34,000 runs and 100 hundreds along with winning the ODI World Cup with Team India in 2011. Now, as per a report, he is set to have a life-sized statue at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

The MCA president Amol Kale stated that it will be the first statue at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. He revealed that it will be a small gesture of gratitude from the association towards Tendulkar for his overall contribution to Indian cricket. In addition, he revealed that they got the green signal from the legendaryc cricketer for having the life-sized statue erected at the Wankhede.

Kale told The Indian Express, “It will be the first statue in Wankhede Stadium, we will decide where it will be placed. He (Tendulkar) is a Bharat Ratna and everyone knows what he has done for cricket. As he turns 50 (on April 24), it will be a small token of appreciation from the MCA. I spoke to him three weeks ago and his consent was received,” Kale told the publication.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wpl-2023-who-is-mis-young-recruit-sonam-yadava-labourers-daughter-who-is-set-to-earn-inr-1-million-566689">WPL 2023: Who is MI's young recruit Sonam Yadav?A labourer's daughter who is set to earn INR 1 million</a>

Tendulkar also reacted to receiving the life-sized statue at his home ground. In an interaction with ANI, he said, "Pleasant surprise. My career started here. It was a journey with unbelievable memories. Best moment of my career came here when we won 2011 World Cup..."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Mumbai: On his life-size statue being erected inside Wankhede stadium by MCA, Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar says, "Pleasant surprise. My career started here. It was a journey with unbelievable memories. Best moment of my career came here when we won 2011 World Cup..." <a href="https://t.co/OAHPP7QkSB">pic.twitter.com/OAHPP7QkSB</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1630435848297783296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The MCA officials are&nbsp;hoping to unveil the statue on April 23, 2023; i.e. on the eve of Tendulkar's 50th. The Master Blaster retired from international cricket amassing 34,357 runs and 100 centuries. He slammed 51 Test hundreds and 49 tons in the 50-over format. He ended with 6 ODI WC tons and won the mega event during MS Dhoni-led Men in Blue's 2011 triumph on home soil.&nbsp;

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar remains one of the biggest names in world cricket. Despite retiring from international cricket in late 2013, his name continues to make heads turn as the Mumbaikar remains a fan-favourite across the globe and is worshipped in India.

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar remains one of the biggest names in world cricket. Despite retiring from international cricket in late 2013, his name continues to make heads turn as the Mumbaikar remains a fan-favourite across the globe and is worshipped in India. Tendulkar had a glorious run in international cricket, ending with 34,000 runs and 100 hundreds along with winning the ODI World Cup with Team India in 2011. Now, as per a report, he is set to have a life-sized statue at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The MCA president Amol Kale stated that it will be the first statue at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. He revealed that it will be a small gesture of gratitude from the association towards Tendulkar for his overall contribution to Indian cricket. In addition, he revealed that they got the green signal from the legendaryc cricketer for having the life-sized statue erected at the Wankhede. Kale told The Indian Express, “It will be the first statue in Wankhede Stadium, we will decide where it will be placed. He (Tendulkar) is a Bharat Ratna and everyone knows what he has done for cricket. As he turns 50 (on April 24), it will be a small token of appreciation from the MCA. I spoke to him three weeks ago and his consent was received,” Kale told the publication. Also Read: WPL 2023: Who is MI's young recruit Sonam Yadav?A labourer's daughter who is set to earn INR 1 million Tendulkar also reacted to receiving the life-sized statue at his home ground. In an interaction with ANI, he said, "Pleasant surprise. My career started here. It was a journey with unbelievable memories. Best moment of my career came here when we won 2011 World Cup..." #WATCH | Mumbai: On his life-size statue being erected inside Wankhede stadium by MCA, Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar says, "Pleasant surprise. My career started here. It was a journey with unbelievable memories. Best moment of my career came here when we won 2011 World Cup..." pic.twitter.com/OAHPP7QkSB — ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2023 × The MCA officials are hoping to unveil the statue on April 23, 2023; i.e. on the eve of Tendulkar's 50th. The Master Blaster retired from international cricket amassing 34,357 runs and 100 centuries. He slammed 51 Test hundreds and 49 tons in the 50-over format. He ended with 6 ODI WC tons and won the mega event during MS Dhoni-led Men in Blue's 2011 triumph on home soil.

Sachin Tendulkar to receive a life-sized statue at iconic Wankhede Stadium, Master Blaster reacts - WATCH

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Aditya Sahay

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.