Newcastle United's Premier League match at Southampton on Sunday has been postponed due to COVID-19 cases and injuries in their squad, the league announced on Friday.

It is the 18th Premier League match to be postponed due to COVID-19 cases and injuries this month.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chelseas-boss-thomas-tuchel-admits-being-frustrated-as-romelu-lukaku-dissatisfied-with-his-role-441415">Chelsea's boss Thomas Tuchel admits being frustrated as Romelu Lukaku dissatisfied with his role</a>

"The Board accepted the postponement application as the club (Newcastle) does not have the required number of players available for the match (13 outfield players and one goalkeeper)," the league said in a statement.

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Following a request from Newcastle, the Premier League Board has regrettably agreed to postpone the club's away fixture against Southampton, due to be played at 2pm on Sunday 2 January 
 
Full statement: <a href="https://t.co/Vn3i1npqym">https://t.co/Vn3i1npqym</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOUNEW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOUNEW</a> <a href="https://t.co/Zj4M0UxQZd">pic.twitter.com/Zj4M0UxQZd</a>
— Premier League (@premierleague) <a href="https://twitter.com/premierleague/status/1476897341521244162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Newcastle had their game at Everton postponed&nbsp;earlier this week after they were left with insufficient players to fulfil the fixture due to COVID-19 cases and injuries.

Southampton had their home game with Brentford on Dec. 18 postponed&nbsp;due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the visiting squad.

The league only grants a postponement if a club has fewer than 14 players available, with the board examining requests on a case-by-case basis.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-cristiano-ronaldo-scott-mctominay-star-in-manchester-uniteds-3-1-win-over-burnley-441404">Premier League: Cristiano Ronaldo, Scott Mctominay star in Manchester United's 3-1 win over Burnley</a>

Newcastle are second-bottom on 11 points, two points outside the safety zone, while Southampton are 13th on 21 after 19 matches.

The United Kingdom recorded 189,213 new cases nL1N2TF1AK of COVID-19 on Thursday, a daily record, and 332 deaths, as it continues to battle a surge in infections fuelled by the Omicron variant.

Newcastle United's Premier League match at Southampton on Sunday has been postponed due to COVID-19 cases and injuries in their squad, the league announced on Friday.

Newcastle United's Premier League match at Southampton on Sunday has been postponed due to COVID-19 cases and injuries in their squad, the league announced on Friday. It is the 18th Premier League match to be postponed due to COVID-19 cases and injuries this month. ALSO READ: Chelsea's boss Thomas Tuchel admits being frustrated as Romelu Lukaku dissatisfied with his role "The Board accepted the postponement application as the club (Newcastle) does not have the required number of players available for the match (13 outfield players and one goalkeeper)," the league said in a statement. Following a request from Newcastle, the Premier League Board has regrettably agreed to postpone the club's away fixture against Southampton, due to be played at 2pm on Sunday 2 January Full statement: https://t.co/Vn3i1npqym#SOUNEW pic.twitter.com/Zj4M0UxQZd — Premier League (@premierleague) December 31, 2021 × Newcastle had their game at Everton postponed earlier this week after they were left with insufficient players to fulfil the fixture due to COVID-19 cases and injuries. Southampton had their home game with Brentford on Dec. 18 postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the visiting squad. The league only grants a postponement if a club has fewer than 14 players available, with the board examining requests on a case-by-case basis. ALSO READ: Premier League: Cristiano Ronaldo, Scott Mctominay star in Manchester United's 3-1 win over Burnley Newcastle are second-bottom on 11 points, two points outside the safety zone, while Southampton are 13th on 21 after 19 matches. The United Kingdom recorded 189,213 new cases nL1N2TF1AK of COVID-19 on Thursday, a daily record, and 332 deaths, as it continues to battle a surge in infections fuelled by the Omicron variant.

Premier League: Newcastle game against Southampton postponed amid injuries and COVID-19 cases

An outstanding show by the bowlers followed by an unbeaten half-century from opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi led India to an easy nine-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a rain-hit final of U19 Asia Cup at the Dubai International Stadium here on Friday. The win also meant that India clinched the U19 Asia Cup trophy for the eighth time out of nine editions.

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WHAT. A. WIN! ☺️ 👏 
 
India U19 beat Sri Lanka U19 by 9⃣ wickets to clinch the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ACC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ACC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/U19AsiaCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#U19AsiaCup</a> title. 🏆 👍 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoysInBlue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoysInBlue</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvSL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvSL</a> 
 
Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/GPPoJpzNpQ">https://t.co/GPPoJpzNpQ</a> 
 
📸 📸: ACC <a href="https://t.co/bWBByGxc3u">pic.twitter.com/bWBByGxc3u</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1476897562795773955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
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After restricting Sri Lanka to 106/9 in 38 overs, India had to chase 102 in the same allotted overs. Sri Lanka struck an early blow as Harnoor Singh was trapped plumb lbw by Yasiru Rodrigo for just five. But his partner Raghuvanshi, who was hit early on the helmet, was unfazed in shot selection. He got his first boundary of the match with a lovely backfoot punch and followed it with a pull over square leg.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/u19-asia-cup-sheikh-rasheeds-unbeaten-90-helps-india-enter-final-to-face-sri-lanka-in-summit-clash-441222">U19 Asia Cup: Sheikh Rasheed's unbeaten 90 helps India enter final, to face Sri Lanka in summit clash</a> 
 
His partner Shaik Rasheed kept the scoreboard ticking by rotating the strike and hitting a boundary. The duo's efforts meant that they brought up the half-century of their stand for the second wicket. After that, Raghuvanshi brought out his stroke-play, smashing boundaries while using his feet, and found gaps with ease. 
 
Raghuvanshi completed his impressive fifty in 64 balls with a single through on-side. The Indian batters were also aided by the fact that the Sri Lanka bowling attack was too wide or gave too much room to effortlessly play their shots. It was fitting that Raghuvanshi hit the winning runs, a late squeeze on a Matheesha Pathirana yorker through the third man to help India maintain a clean slate in the finals of the tournament. 
 
Earlier, India`s bowling attack, with immaculate line and length and discipline, did exceedingly well to keep Sri Lanka to just 106/9. The fantastic show with the ball was started by pacers Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravi Kumar, and Raj Bawa. The trio pushed Sri Lanka on backfoot in the first ten overs, giving very little breathing space for the batters.

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C. H. A. M. P. I. O. N. S 🏆 
 
Congratulations and a huge round of applause for India U19 on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ACC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ACC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/U19AsiaCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#U19AsiaCup</a> triumph. 👏 👏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvSL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvSL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoysInBlue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoysInBlue</a> <a href="https://t.co/uys39M1b64">pic.twitter.com/uys39M1b64</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1476903987248992256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
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After Kumar and Bawa took a wicket apiece, off-spinner Kaushal Tambe increased Sri Lanka's problems by picking up two wickets. Left-arm spinner Vicky Ostwal was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/11 in eight overs. 
 
The toss went in Sri Lanka's favour, but the innings didn't go their way on a lush green pitch. Left-arm pacer Kumar provided the first breakthrough as Chamindu Wickramasinghe departed for three, giving a simple catch to Bawa at third man while going for a hoick over mid-wicket. Kumar could have got his second wicket if not for slip fielder dropping a tough chance apart from an early run-out chance missed. 
 
Kumar and Bawa kept things tight as Sri Lanka crawled to 15/1, without scoring a boundary. Bawa got his first wicket as Shevon Daniel nicked behind to keeper Aaradhya Yadav for six. Sadisha Rajapaksa and Anjala Bandara struck a boundary each but off-spinner Tambe trapped the latter lbw. 
 
Tambe returned to clean bowl Pawan Pathiraja for four. Rajapaksa, who had entered the double figures, holed out to Rasheed off left-arm spinner Ostwal. Ostwal returned in the 27th over to take out Dunith Wellalage (caught by Bawa at mid-wicket) and Ranuda Somarathne (trapped lbw). Sri Lanka laboured to reach 74/7 in 33 overs before rain halted play.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/u19-asia-cup-raj-bawa-and-kaushal-tambe-help-india-beat-afghanistan-by-6-wickets-to-enter-semi-finals-440446">U19 Asia Cup: Raj Bawa and Kaushal Tambe help India beat Afghanistan by 6 wickets to enter semi-finals</a> 
 
It took almost two and a half hours for the rain to relent before Sri Lanka could bat for five more overs to finish their innings. After the match re-started, a brilliant direct hit from Rasheed caught Raveen de Silva short of the crease. Rodrigo and Pathirana hit a couple of boundaries before the latter pulled straight to a diving Raghuvanshi at deep backward square leg to give Hangargekar a wicket on the last ball of the innings, ending Sri Lanka`s misery with the bat. 
 
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 106/9 in 38 overs (Yasiru Rodrigo 19 not out, Raveen de Silva 15; Vicky Ostwal 3/11, Kaushal Tambe 2/23) lost to India 104/1 in 21.3 overs (Angkrish Raghuvanshi 56 not out, Shaik Rasheed 31 not out; Yasiru Rodrigo 1/12)

An outstanding show by the bowlers followed by an unbeaten half-century from opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi led India to an easy nine-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a rain-hit final of U19 Asia Cup at the Dubai International Stadium here on Friday.

An outstanding show by the bowlers followed by an unbeaten half-century from opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi led India to an easy nine-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a rain-hit final of U19 Asia Cup at the Dubai International Stadium here on Friday. The win also meant that India clinched the U19 Asia Cup trophy for the eighth time out of nine editions. WHAT. A. WIN! ☺️ 👏 India U19 beat Sri Lanka U19 by 9⃣ wickets to clinch the #ACC #U19AsiaCup title. 🏆 👍 #BoysInBlue #INDvSL Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/GPPoJpzNpQ 📸 📸: ACC pic.twitter.com/bWBByGxc3u — BCCI (@BCCI) December 31, 2021 × After restricting Sri Lanka to 106/9 in 38 overs, India had to chase 102 in the same allotted overs. Sri Lanka struck an early blow as Harnoor Singh was trapped plumb lbw by Yasiru Rodrigo for just five. But his partner Raghuvanshi, who was hit early on the helmet, was unfazed in shot selection. He got his first boundary of the match with a lovely backfoot punch and followed it with a pull over square leg. ALSO READ: U19 Asia Cup: Sheikh Rasheed's unbeaten 90 helps India enter final, to face Sri Lanka in summit clash His partner Shaik Rasheed kept the scoreboard ticking by rotating the strike and hitting a boundary. The duo's efforts meant that they brought up the half-century of their stand for the second wicket. After that, Raghuvanshi brought out his stroke-play, smashing boundaries while using his feet, and found gaps with ease. Raghuvanshi completed his impressive fifty in 64 balls with a single through on-side. The Indian batters were also aided by the fact that the Sri Lanka bowling attack was too wide or gave too much room to effortlessly play their shots. It was fitting that Raghuvanshi hit the winning runs, a late squeeze on a Matheesha Pathirana yorker through the third man to help India maintain a clean slate in the finals of the tournament. Earlier, India`s bowling attack, with immaculate line and length and discipline, did exceedingly well to keep Sri Lanka to just 106/9. The fantastic show with the ball was started by pacers Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravi Kumar, and Raj Bawa. The trio pushed Sri Lanka on backfoot in the first ten overs, giving very little breathing space for the batters. C. H. A. M. P. I. O. N. S 🏆 Congratulations and a huge round of applause for India U19 on the #ACC #U19AsiaCup triumph. 👏 👏 #INDvSL #BoysInBlue pic.twitter.com/uys39M1b64 — BCCI (@BCCI) December 31, 2021 × After Kumar and Bawa took a wicket apiece, off-spinner Kaushal Tambe increased Sri Lanka's problems by picking up two wickets. Left-arm spinner Vicky Ostwal was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/11 in eight overs. The toss went in Sri Lanka's favour, but the innings didn't go their way on a lush green pitch. Left-arm pacer Kumar provided the first breakthrough as Chamindu Wickramasinghe departed for three, giving a simple catch to Bawa at third man while going for a hoick over mid-wicket. Kumar could have got his second wicket if not for slip fielder dropping a tough chance apart from an early run-out chance missed. Kumar and Bawa kept things tight as Sri Lanka crawled to 15/1, without scoring a boundary. Bawa got his first wicket as Shevon Daniel nicked behind to keeper Aaradhya Yadav for six. Sadisha Rajapaksa and Anjala Bandara struck a boundary each but off-spinner Tambe trapped the latter lbw. Tambe returned to clean bowl Pawan Pathiraja for four. Rajapaksa, who had entered the double figures, holed out to Rasheed off left-arm spinner Ostwal. Ostwal returned in the 27th over to take out Dunith Wellalage (caught by Bawa at mid-wicket) and Ranuda Somarathne (trapped lbw). Sri Lanka laboured to reach 74/7 in 33 overs before rain halted play. ALSO READ: U19 Asia Cup: Raj Bawa and Kaushal Tambe help India beat Afghanistan by 6 wickets to enter semi-finals It took almost two and a half hours for the rain to relent before Sri Lanka could bat for five more overs to finish their innings. After the match re-started, a brilliant direct hit from Rasheed caught Raveen de Silva short of the crease. Rodrigo and Pathirana hit a couple of boundaries before the latter pulled straight to a diving Raghuvanshi at deep backward square leg to give Hangargekar a wicket on the last ball of the innings, ending Sri Lanka`s misery with the bat. Brief scores: Sri Lanka 106/9 in 38 overs (Yasiru Rodrigo 19 not out, Raveen de Silva 15; Vicky Ostwal 3/11, Kaushal Tambe 2/23) lost to India 104/1 in 21.3 overs (Angkrish Raghuvanshi 56 not out, Shaik Rasheed 31 not out; Yasiru Rodrigo 1/12)

U-19 Asia Cup: Young India hammer Sri Lanka by 9 wickets to win trophy for eighth time

England Test captain Joe Root along with young Pakistan speed bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan&nbsp;and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has been nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Player of the Year 2021.&nbsp;

Surprisingly, no Indians were nominated. Though, Ravichandran Ashwin has been&nbsp;nominated in the ICC Test Player of the year category.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/r-ashwin-joe-root-and-two-others-nominated-for-icc-test-player-of-the-year-award-440867">R Ashwin, Joe Root and two others nominated for ICC Test Player of the Year award</a>

Joe Root

England&nbsp;may have lost the Ashes as Australia established an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-Test series, but&nbsp;Root has had a year to remember, scoring 1855 runs in 18 international matches at an average of 58.37 (six centuries).

Root, who has firmly established himself as the backbone of England's batting in Test cricket, has regularly been the lone man standing for the team. His year began with a 228-run knock against Sri Lanka in Galle, and only got better since then.

He backed up his achievements against Sri Lanka with a remarkable performance against India in Chennai, scoring a magnificent 218.

He maintained his form against India in the second leg of the Test series at home, accumulating 564 runs in four matches and three hundreds. His batting performance also helped him reach the top of the ICC Test Player Rankings, where he was later overtaken by Australia's Marnus Labuschagne.

Despite failing to convert his starts into large scores, Root was England's finest batsman in the first three Ashes Tests against Australia.

Root's biggest knock this year has been a 218 in the heat of Chennai against a top-tier Indian spin attack. In 377 deliveries, Root smashed 19 fours and two sixes, effectively neutralising the threat posed by Ravichandran Ashwin and company.

His effort helped England to a massive first innings total of 578, which helped them win the match by 227 runs.

Shaheen Afridi

Pakistan bowler Shaheen Afridi's 78 wickets in 36 internationals at an average of 22.20 and best bowling statistics of 6/51 have seen him dismiss some of the top batsmen in all three forms of the game. He was at his best in the T20 World Cup in the UAE, when he wowed the crowd with his speed and talent.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-kohli-or-bumrah-rohit-sharma-rishabh-pant-among-4-indians-in-cricket-australias-test-xi-of-2021-441447">No Kohli or Bumrah! Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant among 4 Indians in Cricket Australia's Test XI of 2021</a>

Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson's 693 runs in 16 internationals, along with his leadership, helped New Zealand win the ICC World Test Championship Final against India in Southampton. Williamson also contributed significantly with the bat in the game, scoring 49 runs in the opening innings. He followed it up with an unbeaten 52 in the 139-run chase, leading his team to lifting the mace.

Williamson also led the Kiwis to the T20 WC final, where they lost to Australia by 8 wickets.

Mohammad Rizwan

With 1,915 runs in 44 internationals and 56 dismissals, Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan dominated the roost this year in the shortest version of the game. Rizwan scored 1,326 runs in 29 matches at an average of 73.66 and a strike rate of 134.89. Apart from his achievements with the bat, he was as steady as ever behind the wickets, playing a major role in Pakistan's march to the T20 World Cup semi-finals.

England Test captain Joe Root along with young Pakistan speed bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has been nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Player of the Year 2021.

England Test captain Joe Root along with young Pakistan speed bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has been nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Player of the Year 2021. Surprisingly, no Indians were nominated. Though, Ravichandran Ashwin has been nominated in the ICC Test Player of the year category. ALSO READ: R Ashwin, Joe Root and two others nominated for ICC Test Player of the Year award Joe Root England may have lost the Ashes as Australia established an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-Test series, but Root has had a year to remember, scoring 1855 runs in 18 international matches at an average of 58.37 (six centuries). Root, who has firmly established himself as the backbone of England's batting in Test cricket, has regularly been the lone man standing for the team. His year began with a 228-run knock against Sri Lanka in Galle, and only got better since then. He backed up his achievements against Sri Lanka with a remarkable performance against India in Chennai, scoring a magnificent 218. He maintained his form against India in the second leg of the Test series at home, accumulating 564 runs in four matches and three hundreds. His batting performance also helped him reach the top of the ICC Test Player Rankings, where he was later overtaken by Australia's Marnus Labuschagne. Despite failing to convert his starts into large scores, Root was England's finest batsman in the first three Ashes Tests against Australia. Root's biggest knock this year has been a 218 in the heat of Chennai against a top-tier Indian spin attack. In 377 deliveries, Root smashed 19 fours and two sixes, effectively neutralising the threat posed by Ravichandran Ashwin and company. His effort helped England to a massive first innings total of 578, which helped them win the match by 227 runs. Shaheen Afridi Pakistan bowler Shaheen Afridi's 78 wickets in 36 internationals at an average of 22.20 and best bowling statistics of 6/51 have seen him dismiss some of the top batsmen in all three forms of the game. He was at his best in the T20 World Cup in the UAE, when he wowed the crowd with his speed and talent. ALSO READ: No Kohli or Bumrah! Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant among 4 Indians in Cricket Australia's Test XI of 2021 Kane Williamson Kane Williamson's 693 runs in 16 internationals, along with his leadership, helped New Zealand win the ICC World Test Championship Final against India in Southampton. Williamson also contributed significantly with the bat in the game, scoring 49 runs in the opening innings. He followed it up with an unbeaten 52 in the 139-run chase, leading his team to lifting the mace. Williamson also led the Kiwis to the T20 WC final, where they lost to Australia by 8 wickets. Mohammad Rizwan With 1,915 runs in 44 internationals and 56 dismissals, Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan dominated the roost this year in the shortest version of the game. Rizwan scored 1,326 runs in 29 matches at an average of 73.66 and a strike rate of 134.89. Apart from his achievements with the bat, he was as steady as ever behind the wickets, playing a major role in Pakistan's march to the T20 World Cup semi-finals.

Williamson, Root among 4 nominees for Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Player of 2021, no Indian included

The year 2021 is coming to an end. The calendar year saw plenty of action on the 22-yard cricket strip, especially in the purest format of the gentlemen's game. The year saw New Zealand become the first-ever World Test champions whereas many other riveting series was played out in the longest format of the game.&nbsp;

Many big guns made heads turn with their performances whereas some marquee players fell flat. On the other hand, some new faces made a mark in the toughest form of the game with their efforts on the field. Cricket Australia, thus, shared their Test XI for the year 2021, which featured some big names but the likes of Indian Test captain Virat Kohli and ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah found no place.&nbsp;

Cricket.com.au Test team features as many as four Indians, such as Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin, Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel. Rohit ended the year being the second-highest run-getter after Joe Root (1,708 runs). Rohit slammed 2 tons and 4 fifties whereas Pant finished with 748 runs, with 1 hundred and as many as five half-centuries. Ashwin is 2021's leading wicket-taker (54 scalps) whereas spin-bowling all-rounder Axar debuted in whites this year and returned with 36 scalps (second-most by an Indian).&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-womens-cricketer-of-the-year-award-smriti-mandhana-among-four-players-nominated-441424">ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year award: Smriti Mandhana among four players nominated</a>

The other players in the list are Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne (with 902 runs with 4 centuries and 3 fifties), also named the captain. Joe Root, Fawad Alam and Marnus Labuschagne also made the cut. Labuschagne ended being Australia's top run-getter in Tests (526 runs) whereas Fawad had three&nbsp;triple-figure knocks and two fifties. The rest of the list includes Kyle Jamieson (Player-of-the-Match in WTC final) and Pakistan's pace duo Hasan Ali and Shaheen Afridi (both among the top 3 wicket-takers in 2021).

Cricket Australia Test XI of 2021: Rohit Sharma, Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Joe Root, Fawad Alam, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Kyle Jamieson, Axar Patel, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi

The year 2021 is coming to an end. The calendar year saw plenty of action on the 22-yard cricket strip, especially in the purest format of the gentlemen's game. The year saw New Zealand become the first-ever World Test champions whereas many other riveting series was played out in the longest format of the game.

The year 2021 is coming to an end. The calendar year saw plenty of action on the 22-yard cricket strip, especially in the purest format of the gentlemen's game. The year saw New Zealand become the first-ever World Test champions whereas many other riveting series was played out in the longest format of the game. Many big guns made heads turn with their performances whereas some marquee players fell flat. On the other hand, some new faces made a mark in the toughest form of the game with their efforts on the field. Cricket Australia, thus, shared their Test XI for the year 2021, which featured some big names but the likes of Indian Test captain Virat Kohli and ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah found no place. Cricket.com.au Test team features as many as four Indians, such as Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin, Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel. Rohit ended the year being the second-highest run-getter after Joe Root (1,708 runs). Rohit slammed 2 tons and 4 fifties whereas Pant finished with 748 runs, with 1 hundred and as many as five half-centuries. Ashwin is 2021's leading wicket-taker (54 scalps) whereas spin-bowling all-rounder Axar debuted in whites this year and returned with 36 scalps (second-most by an Indian). ALSO READ | ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year award: Smriti Mandhana among four players nominated The other players in the list are Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne (with 902 runs with 4 centuries and 3 fifties), also named the captain. Joe Root, Fawad Alam and Marnus Labuschagne also made the cut. Labuschagne ended being Australia's top run-getter in Tests (526 runs) whereas Fawad had three triple-figure knocks and two fifties. The rest of the list includes Kyle Jamieson (Player-of-the-Match in WTC final) and Pakistan's pace duo Hasan Ali and Shaheen Afridi (both among the top 3 wicket-takers in 2021). Cricket Australia Test XI of 2021: Rohit Sharma, Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Joe Root, Fawad Alam, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Kyle Jamieson, Axar Patel, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi

No Kohli or Bumrah! Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant among 4 Indians in Cricket Australia's Test XI of 2021

The calendar year is coming to an end. A lot of action took place in the sporting arena after the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc in 2020.&nbsp;Some big-ticket tournaments took place in the 22-yard cricket strip, which tested Team India (the senior men's team)&nbsp;to the core. While India continued to dominate in Tests, despite missing out on the coveted WTC title in the inaugural cycle's finale, they were decent in ODIs but had a forgettable campaign in the T20 World Cup in UAE. Talking about Virat Kohli, the 33-year-old had a rather ordinary calendar year with the end quarter turning into a nightmare.&nbsp;

The superstar cricketer, who remains the poster boy of Indian cricket, finished 2021 without being able to lead India to an ICC title and went on to dent his terms with BCCI and the current selection committee in early December. In addition, the right-hander ended without a hundred in international cricket (with his century drought lasting for over two years).&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-conquering-aussies-down-under-to-t20-world-cup-debacle-team-india-in-2021-435891">From conquering Aussies Down Under to T20 World Cup debacle: Team India in 2021</a>

KING KOHLI BECOMES A PROUD FATHER&nbsp;BEFORE NATIONAL DUTY RESUMES

The year started for Kohli with some needless noise on his much-talked about paternity leave. On January 11, Kohli turned proud father&nbsp;as he welcomed his first child, daughter named Vamika, along with wife Anushka Sharma.&nbsp;

Watching India's glorious run in the Australia Tests Down Under by being miles away, Kohli returned to international cricket to take charge in the home Tests versus England. Losing his first Test of the year versus Joe Root &amp; Co., Kohli inspired India's comeback as the hosts romped past the Englishmen in the remainder of the series to win the four-match series 3-1&nbsp;and book a place in the WTC final.&nbsp;

Kohli, however, ended the series with 172 runs, including two fifty-plus scores, at an average of 28.66.&nbsp;

India then turned to the five T20Is and three ODIs against the same opposition. Facing a competitive Eoin Morgan-led side, India were tested before they won the series 3-2. The then Indian captain Kohli ended with 231 runs (most runs in bilateral T20Is involving Test-playing nations) to be adjudged the Player-of-the-Series.&nbsp;

In the ODIs, Kohli had two good outings with two fifties, but continued to remain away from triple-figure knocks.&nbsp;He, however, led his troops to a 2-1 series win. He was tested to the core as captain in terms of his bowling changes and field settings throughout the series against the ODI World champions.&nbsp;

IPL AMID COVID-19 SECOND WAVE

The IPL 2021 edition was the next assignment for Kohli. Leading the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), the right-hander started the season on a high with back-to-back victories. While RCB did lose the plot to an extend before the COVID-19 second wave halted the tournament, Kohli's numbers with the bat was pretty mediocre with 198 runs at 33 in 7 games. His strike-rate remained below 120 on six outings.

GLORIOUS CHANCE RUINED IN WTC FINAL

The biggest assignment for Kohli, both as captain and batsman, came when he led India to the WTC final versus New Zealand in Southampton in mid-June. While many termed India as the overwhelming favourites, it seemed as if Kohli would finally be able to break the national side's jinx of not being able to win an ICC title since 2013. However, all hopes were dented as his year remained ordinary.&nbsp;

His returns with the bat were 44&nbsp;and 13&nbsp;as India lost convincingly by 8 wickets to lose the marquee title. Thus, the team had no choice but to revamp soon as the second cycle commenced with India's five Tests versus England in the United Kingdom, from August 3.

THE HIGHS AGAINST HOSTS ENGLAND

While India rode on KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma's batting performances, Kohli continued to remain below par despite few good innings. He averaged only 31.14 after the series was interrupted due to Covid crisis in Indian camp after the fourth and penultimate Test.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/md-kaif-acknowledges-trouble-shooter-rahul-dravids-presence-in-team-india-amid-virat-kohli-vs-bcci-row-439634">Md Kaif acknowledges 'trouble-shooter' Rahul Dravid's presence in Team India amid Virat Kohli vs BCCI row</a>

TWO BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS - WHO SAW IT COMING?

The action moved to the second and final leg of IPL 2021, in the UAE. Kohli returned to lead RCB after making two massive announcements.&nbsp;

In mid-September, Kohli announced his decision to step aside as the T20I captain. He tweeted saying, "I have been fortunate enough to not only represent India but also lead the Indian Cricket Team to my utmost capability. I thank everyone who has supported me in my journey as the Captain of the Indian Cricket Team."

"I couldn't have done it without them - the boys, the support staff, the selection committee, my coaches, and each and every Indian who prayed for us to win. Understanding workload is a very important thing and considering my immense workload over the last 8-9 years playing all 3 formats and captaining regularly for last 5-6 years, I feel I need to give myself space to be fully ready to lead the Indian Team in Test and ODI Cricket. I have given everything to the Team during my time as T20 Captain and I will continue to do so for the T20 Team as a batsman moving forward."

"Of course, arriving at this decision took a lot of time. After a lot of contemplation and discussions with my close people, Ravi bhai and also Rohit, who have been an essential part of the leadership group, I've decided to step down as the T20 Captain after this T20 World Cup in Dubai in October. I have also spoken to the secretary Mr Jay Shah and the President of BCCI Mr Sourav Ganguly along with all the selectors about the same. I will continue to serve Indian Cricket and the Indian Team to the best of my ability."

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🇮🇳 ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/Ds7okjhj9J">pic.twitter.com/Ds7okjhj9J</a>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1438478585518456832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Thus, a prolonged dry spell with the bat, bio-bubble restrictions and burden of leading across formats hampered even someone of the statute of King Kohli. It was visible as while his ardent fans always waited for the real Kohli to show up, but he often kept returning with below-par performances as per his standards (For the unversed, vital knocks kept coming from his willow at regular intervals. However, one cannot get content with substandard showings when it comes to the superstar cricketer).

The day IPL 14 resumed, on September 19 in the UAE, Kohli also announced that this will be his last season as RCB captain. He said, "This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me."

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Virat Kohli to step down from RCB captaincy after <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2021</a> 
 
“This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me.”: Virat Kohli<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreChallengers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreChallengers</a> <a href="https://t.co/QSIdCT8QQM">pic.twitter.com/QSIdCT8QQM</a>
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1439635618846281728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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NO IPL TROPHY OR T20 WC HEROICS

Thus, Kohli entered the IPL final leg with his loyalists hoping for him to sign off&nbsp;on a high as captain;&nbsp;winning RCB and his maiden trophy. Nonetheless, it didn't turn out that way as Bengaluru lost in the Eliminator with Kohli ending the season with 405 runs in 14 games at 119.46.&nbsp;

Post the IPL, Kohli moved to the T20 World Cup, which was to be his last assignment as T20I captain. Needless to say, the countrymen hoped for him to take India to the title and also sign off on a fitting note as the captain in the shortest format. However, Kohli endured back-to-back failures as India bowed out in the Super 12 round, also becoming the first Indian captain to lose a WC clash versus the Men in Green.&nbsp;

Kohli's dubious captaincy calls hogged headlines before India's untimely exit. Meanwhile, he finished with 68 runs in 5 games, with a high-score of 57 and not batting at all on two instances.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dont-think-virat-kohlis-relation-with-rahul-dravid-will-be-good-in-long-run-predicts-danish-kaneria-439563">Don't think Virat Kohli's relation with Rahul Dravid will be good in long run, predicts Danish Kaneria</a>

While Kohli was on a break during India's home T20Is and first Test versus New Zealand, he returned back to action for the second and final Test against the Black Caps. He led India with aplomb as they achieved their biggest win in terms of runs but once again couldn't break his century-drought, returning with 0 and 36. He has four ducks in Tests in 2021 with one more match to go in the calendar year.&nbsp;

BCCI ROW&nbsp;

On December 8, BCCI removed Kohli as the ODI captain and appointed Rohit as the limited-overs skipper. While many speculated a rift between the two cricketers, Kohli rubbished all such rumours in an explosive presser before India's departure to South Africa. However, he made some glaring statements, contradicting from the claims made by BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly and a board member.&nbsp;

While Ganguly had claimed that he had requested Kohli to keep the top job in T20Is, as captain, Kohli denied all such claims. Moreover, he also stated that he was always available for the SA ODIs, contrary to statements made by BCCI treasurer Arun Dhamal.&nbsp;

Hence, it has now become BCCI vs Kohli as things have continued to go downhill for the 33-year-old batsman. Overall, 2021 has been a mixed bag for Kohli and he will be tested in the new calendar year as well. After all, he has endured more disappointments than spirited highs.&nbsp;

The calendar year is coming to an end. A lot of action took place in the sporting arena after the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc in 2020. Some big-ticket tournaments took place in the 22-yard cricket strip, which tested Team India (the senior men's team) to the core.

The calendar year is coming to an end. A lot of action took place in the sporting arena after the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc in 2020. Some big-ticket tournaments took place in the 22-yard cricket strip, which tested Team India (the senior men's team) to the core. While India continued to dominate in Tests, despite missing out on the coveted WTC title in the inaugural cycle's finale, they were decent in ODIs but had a forgettable campaign in the T20 World Cup in UAE. Talking about Virat Kohli, the 33-year-old had a rather ordinary calendar year with the end quarter turning into a nightmare. The superstar cricketer, who remains the poster boy of Indian cricket, finished 2021 without being able to lead India to an ICC title and went on to dent his terms with BCCI and the current selection committee in early December. In addition, the right-hander ended without a hundred in international cricket (with his century drought lasting for over two years). ALSO READ | From conquering Aussies Down Under to T20 World Cup debacle: Team India in 2021 KING KOHLI BECOMES A PROUD FATHER BEFORE NATIONAL DUTY RESUMES The year started for Kohli with some needless noise on his much-talked about paternity leave. On January 11, Kohli turned proud father as he welcomed his first child, daughter named Vamika, along with wife Anushka Sharma. Watching India's glorious run in the Australia Tests Down Under by being miles away, Kohli returned to international cricket to take charge in the home Tests versus England. Losing his first Test of the year versus Joe Root & Co., Kohli inspired India's comeback as the hosts romped past the Englishmen in the remainder of the series to win the four-match series 3-1 and book a place in the WTC final. Kohli, however, ended the series with 172 runs, including two fifty-plus scores, at an average of 28.66. India then turned to the five T20Is and three ODIs against the same opposition. Facing a competitive Eoin Morgan-led side, India were tested before they won the series 3-2. The then Indian captain Kohli ended with 231 runs (most runs in bilateral T20Is involving Test-playing nations) to be adjudged the Player-of-the-Series. In the ODIs, Kohli had two good outings with two fifties, but continued to remain away from triple-figure knocks. He, however, led his troops to a 2-1 series win. He was tested to the core as captain in terms of his bowling changes and field settings throughout the series against the ODI World champions. IPL AMID COVID-19 SECOND WAVE The IPL 2021 edition was the next assignment for Kohli. Leading the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), the right-hander started the season on a high with back-to-back victories. While RCB did lose the plot to an extend before the COVID-19 second wave halted the tournament, Kohli's numbers with the bat was pretty mediocre with 198 runs at 33 in 7 games. His strike-rate remained below 120 on six outings. GLORIOUS CHANCE RUINED IN WTC FINAL The biggest assignment for Kohli, both as captain and batsman, came when he led India to the WTC final versus New Zealand in Southampton in mid-June. While many termed India as the overwhelming favourites, it seemed as if Kohli would finally be able to break the national side's jinx of not being able to win an ICC title since 2013. However, all hopes were dented as his year remained ordinary. His returns with the bat were 44 and 13 as India lost convincingly by 8 wickets to lose the marquee title. Thus, the team had no choice but to revamp soon as the second cycle commenced with India's five Tests versus England in the United Kingdom, from August 3. THE HIGHS AGAINST HOSTS ENGLAND While India rode on KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma's batting performances, Kohli continued to remain below par despite few good innings. He averaged only 31.14 after the series was interrupted due to Covid crisis in Indian camp after the fourth and penultimate Test. ALSO READ | Md Kaif acknowledges 'trouble-shooter' Rahul Dravid's presence in Team India amid Virat Kohli vs BCCI row TWO BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS - WHO SAW IT COMING? The action moved to the second and final leg of IPL 2021, in the UAE. Kohli returned to lead RCB after making two massive announcements. In mid-September, Kohli announced his decision to step aside as the T20I captain. He tweeted saying, "I have been fortunate enough to not only represent India but also lead the Indian Cricket Team to my utmost capability. I thank everyone who has supported me in my journey as the Captain of the Indian Cricket Team." "I couldn't have done it without them - the boys, the support staff, the selection committee, my coaches, and each and every Indian who prayed for us to win. Understanding workload is a very important thing and considering my immense workload over the last 8-9 years playing all 3 formats and captaining regularly for last 5-6 years, I feel I need to give myself space to be fully ready to lead the Indian Team in Test and ODI Cricket. I have given everything to the Team during my time as T20 Captain and I will continue to do so for the T20 Team as a batsman moving forward." "Of course, arriving at this decision took a lot of time. After a lot of contemplation and discussions with my close people, Ravi bhai and also Rohit, who have been an essential part of the leadership group, I've decided to step down as the T20 Captain after this T20 World Cup in Dubai in October. I have also spoken to the secretary Mr Jay Shah and the President of BCCI Mr Sourav Ganguly along with all the selectors about the same. I will continue to serve Indian Cricket and the Indian Team to the best of my ability." 🇮🇳 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Ds7okjhj9J — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) September 16, 2021 × Thus, a prolonged dry spell with the bat, bio-bubble restrictions and burden of leading across formats hampered even someone of the statute of King Kohli. It was visible as while his ardent fans always waited for the real Kohli to show up, but he often kept returning with below-par performances as per his standards (For the unversed, vital knocks kept coming from his willow at regular intervals. However, one cannot get content with substandard showings when it comes to the superstar cricketer). The day IPL 14 resumed, on September 19 in the UAE, Kohli also announced that this will be his last season as RCB captain. He said, "This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me." Virat Kohli to step down from RCB captaincy after #IPL2021 “This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me.”: Virat Kohli#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers pic.twitter.com/QSIdCT8QQM — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) September 19, 2021 × NO IPL TROPHY OR T20 WC HEROICS Thus, Kohli entered the IPL final leg with his loyalists hoping for him to sign off on a high as captain; winning RCB and his maiden trophy. Nonetheless, it didn't turn out that way as Bengaluru lost in the Eliminator with Kohli ending the season with 405 runs in 14 games at 119.46. Post the IPL, Kohli moved to the T20 World Cup, which was to be his last assignment as T20I captain. Needless to say, the countrymen hoped for him to take India to the title and also sign off on a fitting note as the captain in the shortest format. However, Kohli endured back-to-back failures as India bowed out in the Super 12 round, also becoming the first Indian captain to lose a WC clash versus the Men in Green. Kohli's dubious captaincy calls hogged headlines before India's untimely exit. Meanwhile, he finished with 68 runs in 5 games, with a high-score of 57 and not batting at all on two instances. ALSO READ | Don't think Virat Kohli's relation with Rahul Dravid will be good in long run, predicts Danish Kaneria While Kohli was on a break during India's home T20Is and first Test versus New Zealand, he returned back to action for the second and final Test against the Black Caps. He led India with aplomb as they achieved their biggest win in terms of runs but once again couldn't break his century-drought, returning with 0 and 36. He has four ducks in Tests in 2021 with one more match to go in the calendar year. BCCI ROW On December 8, BCCI removed Kohli as the ODI captain and appointed Rohit as the limited-overs skipper. While many speculated a rift between the two cricketers, Kohli rubbished all such rumours in an explosive presser before India's departure to South Africa. However, he made some glaring statements, contradicting from the claims made by BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly and a board member. While Ganguly had claimed that he had requested Kohli to keep the top job in T20Is, as captain, Kohli denied all such claims. Moreover, he also stated that he was always available for the SA ODIs, contrary to statements made by BCCI treasurer Arun Dhamal. Hence, it has now become BCCI vs Kohli as things have continued to go downhill for the 33-year-old batsman. Overall, 2021 has been a mixed bag for Kohli and he will be tested in the new calendar year as well. After all, he has endured more disappointments than spirited highs.

No IPL title or ICC silverware, captaincy resignation and BCCI row: Reliving Virat Kohli's eventful 2021

Thomas Tuchel admitted on Friday that he was frustrated with the "noise" around Romelu Lukaku's situation at Chelsea after the Belgium forward expressed his dissatisfaction with his role at the club.

The "surprised" Chelsea boss said he would sit down with the 28-year-old to discuss the issues but did not see any evidence that his player was unhappy.

Lukaku rejoined the Premier League side from Inter Milan for a club-record fee of £97.5 million ($132 million) in August.

He has scored seven times in a season hampered by injury and coronavirus but Chelsea boss Tuchel has at times left him out of the starting XI even when he has been fit.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-cristiano-ronaldo-scott-mctominay-star-in-manchester-uniteds-3-1-win-over-burnley-441404">Premier League: Cristiano Ronaldo, Scott Mctominay star in Manchester United's 3-1 win over Burnley</a>

Lukaku told Sky Italy he was "not happy with the situation" at Stamford Bridge in an interview released on Thursday, but it was understood to have been conducted three weeks ago.

The player has since told ESPN Brazil he had "a couple of conversations" with Tuchel about what the German wanted from him, during which he told his boss he was "multidimensional".

Tuchel, whose second-placed side face Liverpool this weekend, told his pre-match press conference that the situation was frustrating.

"We don't like it, of course, because it brings noise that we don't need and is not helpful," said the Chelsea boss. "But on the other side, we don't want to make more out of it than it actually is.

"You know very well how it is -- it's very easy to take lines out of context, to shorten lines to make headlines, then realise later it's not so bad or what he meant."

Tuchel said he was not aware that Lukaku was unhappy at the club.

"The thing with Romelu is that I don't think anyone in this building is aware he's unhappy," he added.

"That's why (there is) surprise at the statement. That's why we need to check with him now, because I can see no reason why it should be like this.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chelsea-record-1534-mn-pounds-loss-for-financial-year-ending-in-june-says-covid-19-had-a-severe-impact-441260">Chelsea record 153.4 mn pounds loss for financial year ending in June, says COVID-19 had a 'severe impact'</a>

"So I will wait to see what Romelu has to say and then we will deal with this."

The former Paris Saint-Germain boss said a certain level of tension in a dressing room could be turned into an advantage.

"It's not necessary for the dressing room to be always in harmony," he said. "You don't have to hug each other and love each other every day.

"Sometimes it's good to be on the edge, sometimes it's good to be in disharmony, when it is in between certain boundaries."

Thomas Tuchel admitted on Friday that he was frustrated with the "noise" around Romelu Lukaku's situation at Chelsea after the Belgium forward expressed his dissatisfaction with his role at the club.

Thomas Tuchel admitted on Friday that he was frustrated with the "noise" around Romelu Lukaku's situation at Chelsea after the Belgium forward expressed his dissatisfaction with his role at the club. The "surprised" Chelsea boss said he would sit down with the 28-year-old to discuss the issues but did not see any evidence that his player was unhappy. Lukaku rejoined the Premier League side from Inter Milan for a club-record fee of £97.5 million ($132 million) in August. He has scored seven times in a season hampered by injury and coronavirus but Chelsea boss Tuchel has at times left him out of the starting XI even when he has been fit. ALSO READ: Premier League: Cristiano Ronaldo, Scott Mctominay star in Manchester United's 3-1 win over Burnley Lukaku told Sky Italy he was "not happy with the situation" at Stamford Bridge in an interview released on Thursday, but it was understood to have been conducted three weeks ago. The player has since told ESPN Brazil he had "a couple of conversations" with Tuchel about what the German wanted from him, during which he told his boss he was "multidimensional". Tuchel, whose second-placed side face Liverpool this weekend, told his pre-match press conference that the situation was frustrating. "We don't like it, of course, because it brings noise that we don't need and is not helpful," said the Chelsea boss. "But on the other side, we don't want to make more out of it than it actually is. "You know very well how it is -- it's very easy to take lines out of context, to shorten lines to make headlines, then realise later it's not so bad or what he meant." Tuchel said he was not aware that Lukaku was unhappy at the club. "The thing with Romelu is that I don't think anyone in this building is aware he's unhappy," he added. "That's why (there is) surprise at the statement. That's why we need to check with him now, because I can see no reason why it should be like this. ALSO READ: Chelsea record 153.4 mn pounds loss for financial year ending in June, says COVID-19 had a 'severe impact' "So I will wait to see what Romelu has to say and then we will deal with this." The former Paris Saint-Germain boss said a certain level of tension in a dressing room could be turned into an advantage. "It's not necessary for the dressing room to be always in harmony," he said. "You don't have to hug each other and love each other every day. "Sometimes it's good to be on the edge, sometimes it's good to be in disharmony, when it is in between certain boundaries."

Chelsea's boss Thomas Tuchel admits being frustrated as Romelu Lukaku dissatisfied with his role

India women's team cricketer Smriti Mandhana is among four players who have been nominated for the prestigious Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year 2021 on Friday. 
 
In a field dominated by opening batters, the other three cricketers are England's Tammy Beaumont, Australia's Lizelle Lee and Ireland's Gaby Lewis. 
 
With 855 runs in 22 internationals, at an average of 38.86 with one century and five half-centuries, the year gone by has seen the 25-year-old Mandhana touch new heights despite the country's cricketers enduring difficult circumstance.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-president-sourav-ganguly-discharged-following-covid-treatment-to-remain-in-home-isolation-for-two-weeks-441389">BCCI President Sourav Ganguly discharged following COVID treatment, to remain in home isolation for two weeks</a> 
 
In the limited-overs series against South Africa where India won just two of the eight matches at home, Mandhana played a major role in both of the wins. She scored an unbeaten 80 as India chased down 158 in the second ODI that helped them level the series and scored an unbeaten 48 in the win in the final T20I. 
 
Mandhana scored 78 in the first innings of the one-off Test against England that ended in a draw. She played an important knock of 49 in India`s only win in the ODI series. Her 15-ball 29 and fifty in the T20I series went in vain, though, as India fell short in both the matches and lost the series 2-1. 
 
Mandhana was in good touch in the series against Australia, starting with the ODI series where she scored 86 in the second ODI. She scored a brilliant century in the only Test, the first of her career, and was awarded the `Player of the Match`. She scored her second T20I fifty of the year in the final T20I, though India fell short and lost the series 2-0. 
 
During the pink-ball Test Down Under, Mandhana made the game memorable by smashing her maiden century in the longest format of the game. She played her natural game, and scored a run-a-ball half-century but played with caution under the lights.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-ind-coach-interested-in-coaching-eng-test-side-as-silverwoods-role-under-threat-post-ashes-debacle-441373">Former IND coach interested in coaching ENG Test side as Silverwood's role under threat post Ashes debacle</a> 
 
She was caught when she was 80 but Ellyse Perry had overstepped, giving her a reprieve. She made the most of the lifeline and got her first Test century in style with a boundary. Her innings finally came to an end at 127, after putting India in a strong position. The match ended in a draw and Mandhana was declared the Player of the Match. 
 
With 872 runs in 21 internationals at an average of 48.44, England's Tammy Beaumont finished as the highest run-getter in the calendar year and is a leading contender for the prestigious award. Lizelle Lee of Australia -- with 864 runs in 19 internationals at an average of 57.6 with one century and seven half-centuries -- and Ireland's Gaby Lewis -- 624 runs in 15 internationals at an average of 52 with one century and four half-centuries - are the other contenders.

India women's team cricketer Smriti Mandhana is among four players who have been nominated for the prestigious Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year 2021 on Friday.

India women's team cricketer Smriti Mandhana is among four players who have been nominated for the prestigious Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year 2021 on Friday. In a field dominated by opening batters, the other three cricketers are England's Tammy Beaumont, Australia's Lizelle Lee and Ireland's Gaby Lewis. With 855 runs in 22 internationals, at an average of 38.86 with one century and five half-centuries, the year gone by has seen the 25-year-old Mandhana touch new heights despite the country's cricketers enduring difficult circumstance. ALSO READ: BCCI President Sourav Ganguly discharged following COVID treatment, to remain in home isolation for two weeks In the limited-overs series against South Africa where India won just two of the eight matches at home, Mandhana played a major role in both of the wins. She scored an unbeaten 80 as India chased down 158 in the second ODI that helped them level the series and scored an unbeaten 48 in the win in the final T20I. Mandhana scored 78 in the first innings of the one-off Test against England that ended in a draw. She played an important knock of 49 in India`s only win in the ODI series. Her 15-ball 29 and fifty in the T20I series went in vain, though, as India fell short in both the matches and lost the series 2-1. Mandhana was in good touch in the series against Australia, starting with the ODI series where she scored 86 in the second ODI. She scored a brilliant century in the only Test, the first of her career, and was awarded the `Player of the Match`. She scored her second T20I fifty of the year in the final T20I, though India fell short and lost the series 2-0. During the pink-ball Test Down Under, Mandhana made the game memorable by smashing her maiden century in the longest format of the game. She played her natural game, and scored a run-a-ball half-century but played with caution under the lights. ALSO READ: Former IND coach interested in coaching ENG Test side as Silverwood's role under threat post Ashes debacle She was caught when she was 80 but Ellyse Perry had overstepped, giving her a reprieve. She made the most of the lifeline and got her first Test century in style with a boundary. Her innings finally came to an end at 127, after putting India in a strong position. The match ended in a draw and Mandhana was declared the Player of the Match. With 872 runs in 21 internationals at an average of 48.44, England's Tammy Beaumont finished as the highest run-getter in the calendar year and is a leading contender for the prestigious award. Lizelle Lee of Australia -- with 864 runs in 19 internationals at an average of 57.6 with one century and seven half-centuries -- and Ireland's Gaby Lewis -- 624 runs in 15 internationals at an average of 52 with one century and four half-centuries - are the other contenders.

ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year award: Smriti Mandhana among four players nominated

India beat South Africa in the first Test at the SuperSport Park, Centurion by 113 runs to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. Batting first, India made 327 riding on KL Rahul's 123 whereas Mohammed Shami's five-fer led to the Proteas conceding a whopping 130-run first-innings lead to the visitors.&nbsp;

While Virat Kohli-led India collapsed for a mere 174 in their second essay, they managed to setup a competitive 305-run target for the home side as Dean Elgar &amp; Co. fell for 191 to lose by 113 runs. After the first Test, former SA pacer Morne Morkel lavished huge praise on the Indian Test team, calling them the 'best in the world today'.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-virat-kohli-dances-with-resort-staff-as-india-cap-off-2021-with-historic-centurion-test-win-441406">Watch: Virat Kohli dances with resort staff as India cap off 2021 with historic Centurion Test win</a>

"Well Done. They (Team India) are by far the best team in the world today. In a short time now, you deserve it, they've worked long and hard to support their team that can go an compete away from home," Morkel said talking to Star Sports during the post-match show.

"The clear game plan that the bowlers can take 20 wickets; so enjoy this moment. I think it's a special feat to be a part of. For me, India are definitely leading the way," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-played-some-outstanding-cricket-virat-kohli-looks-back-at-indias-glorious-test-run-in-2021-441357">We played some outstanding cricket: Virat Kohli looks back at India's glorious Test run in 2021</a>

The No. 1 ranked Indian Test side will now aim to add to Proteas' woes and win the second and penultimate Test, starting on January 3 at The Wanderers, Johannesburg, to script history by achieving their maiden series triumph on South African soil.&nbsp;

After winning two Test series in a row in Australia and gaining an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom early this year, Kohli-led India will aim to create history in South Africa this time around.

India beat South Africa in the first Test at the SuperSport Park, Centurion by 113 runs to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. Batting first, India made 327 riding on KL Rahul's 123 whereas Mohammed Shami's five-fer led to the Proteas conceding a whopping 130-run first-innings lead to the visitors.

India beat South Africa in the first Test at the SuperSport Park, Centurion by 113 runs to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. Batting first, India made 327 riding on KL Rahul's 123 whereas Mohammed Shami's five-fer led to the Proteas conceding a whopping 130-run first-innings lead to the visitors. While Virat Kohli-led India collapsed for a mere 174 in their second essay, they managed to setup a competitive 305-run target for the home side as Dean Elgar & Co. fell for 191 to lose by 113 runs. After the first Test, former SA pacer Morne Morkel lavished huge praise on the Indian Test team, calling them the 'best in the world today'. ALSO READ | Watch: Virat Kohli dances with resort staff as India cap off 2021 with historic Centurion Test win "Well Done. They (Team India) are by far the best team in the world today. In a short time now, you deserve it, they've worked long and hard to support their team that can go an compete away from home," Morkel said talking to Star Sports during the post-match show. "The clear game plan that the bowlers can take 20 wickets; so enjoy this moment. I think it's a special feat to be a part of. For me, India are definitely leading the way," he added. ALSO READ | We played some outstanding cricket: Virat Kohli looks back at India's glorious Test run in 2021 The No. 1 ranked Indian Test side will now aim to add to Proteas' woes and win the second and penultimate Test, starting on January 3 at The Wanderers, Johannesburg, to script history by achieving their maiden series triumph on South African soil. After winning two Test series in a row in Australia and gaining an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom early this year, Kohli-led India will aim to create history in South Africa this time around.

Team India by far the best in the world: Former SA pacer lauds Virat Kohli & Co. post Centurion Test win

Manchester United climbed up to sixth in the Premier League with a 3-1 victory against struggling Burnley at Old Trafford on Thursday, keeping their undefeated run&nbsp;under interim manager Ralf Rangnick intact.

United went above Tottenham Hotspur to the sixth position, tied on 31 points with fifth-placed West Ham United. Burnley is still in 18th place with 11 points.

Rangnick made six changes to his team following Monday's 1-1 draw against Newcastle, with Edinson Cavani starting in attack alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

Burnley, who had their last three games postponed due to COVID-19 instances among their opponents, were hit by four positives of their own, including goalkeeper Nick Pope, while crucial attacker Maxwel Cornet was ruled out due to injury.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chelsea-record-1534-mn-pounds-loss-for-financial-year-ending-in-june-says-covid-19-had-a-severe-impact-441260">Chelsea record 153.4 mn pounds loss for financial year ending in June, says COVID-19 had a 'severe impact'</a>

The game's open nature was obvious from the start, with Chris Wood losing an early chance, headed wide for the visitors, and then Ronaldo wasting a great opportunity, hitting over the bar when clear on goal.

Mason Greenwood's cross to Ronaldo was misjudged, but Scott McTominay grabbed on the loose ball and fired a low drive through the congested area and into the bottom corner.

As United's confidence rose, Luke Shaw surged through the heart of the Burnley defence but sent his attempt into the side netting.

After a mix-up in the Burnley defence, Jadon Sancho cut through from the left and his low shot deflected off the outstretched foot of Burnley skipper Ben Mee and past Wayne Hennessey.

United, who were using an offensive 4-4-2 shape, were giving space for Burnley to exploit and appeared vulnerable at the back, but their optimistic attitude paid off when they scored the third goal in the 35th minute.

Hennessey deflected a powerful McTominay effort against the post, but the ball went straight to Ronaldo, who guided it into the unguarded goal.

That seemed like the end of the game, but Burnley hung on courtesy to a great solo effort from Aaron Lennon, the former Tottenham Hotspur winger taking advantage of a weak touch from Eric Bailly, cutting into the United area, and beating David De Gea with a well-placed angled strike.

After the interval, Hennessey did well to keep out attempts from Greenwood and Cavani, while Burnley's opportunities were confined to headers from James Tarkowski at set-pieces.

Rangnick was particularly delighted with the aggressive effort in the first half.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-united-must-focus-on-getting-better-as-a-team-not-individuals-says-manager-ralf-rangnick-441011">Manchester United must focus on getting better as a team not individuals, says manager Ralf Rangnick</a>

"The whole team performance was a lot better, I was pleased with the performances of our wingers. Jadon did well and Mason. Edi (Cavani) and Cristiano, the work effort was amazing," he said.

The German claimed he still needed to work on his defence but that "physically and energetically it was a good performance."

"For us it's about taking next development steps&nbsp;therefore it was important for us to win this game today," he said. "Now we've gone eight games in a row without a defeat and since I arrived we have three wins and one draw (in the league), which is OK, we've got enough points."

Manchester United climbed up to sixth in the Premier League with a 3-1 victory against struggling Burnley at Old Trafford on Thursday, keeping their undefeated run under interim manager Ralf Rangnick intact.

Manchester United climbed up to sixth in the Premier League with a 3-1 victory against struggling Burnley at Old Trafford on Thursday, keeping their undefeated run under interim manager Ralf Rangnick intact. United went above Tottenham Hotspur to the sixth position, tied on 31 points with fifth-placed West Ham United. Burnley is still in 18th place with 11 points. Rangnick made six changes to his team following Monday's 1-1 draw against Newcastle, with Edinson Cavani starting in attack alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Burnley, who had their last three games postponed due to COVID-19 instances among their opponents, were hit by four positives of their own, including goalkeeper Nick Pope, while crucial attacker Maxwel Cornet was ruled out due to injury. ALSO READ: Chelsea record 153.4 mn pounds loss for financial year ending in June, says COVID-19 had a 'severe impact' The game's open nature was obvious from the start, with Chris Wood losing an early chance, headed wide for the visitors, and then Ronaldo wasting a great opportunity, hitting over the bar when clear on goal. Mason Greenwood's cross to Ronaldo was misjudged, but Scott McTominay grabbed on the loose ball and fired a low drive through the congested area and into the bottom corner. As United's confidence rose, Luke Shaw surged through the heart of the Burnley defence but sent his attempt into the side netting. After a mix-up in the Burnley defence, Jadon Sancho cut through from the left and his low shot deflected off the outstretched foot of Burnley skipper Ben Mee and past Wayne Hennessey. United, who were using an offensive 4-4-2 shape, were giving space for Burnley to exploit and appeared vulnerable at the back, but their optimistic attitude paid off when they scored the third goal in the 35th minute. Hennessey deflected a powerful McTominay effort against the post, but the ball went straight to Ronaldo, who guided it into the unguarded goal. That seemed like the end of the game, but Burnley hung on courtesy to a great solo effort from Aaron Lennon, the former Tottenham Hotspur winger taking advantage of a weak touch from Eric Bailly, cutting into the United area, and beating David De Gea with a well-placed angled strike. After the interval, Hennessey did well to keep out attempts from Greenwood and Cavani, while Burnley's opportunities were confined to headers from James Tarkowski at set-pieces. Rangnick was particularly delighted with the aggressive effort in the first half. ALSO READ: Manchester United must focus on getting better as a team not individuals, says manager Ralf Rangnick "The whole team performance was a lot better, I was pleased with the performances of our wingers. Jadon did well and Mason. Edi (Cavani) and Cristiano, the work effort was amazing," he said. The German claimed he still needed to work on his defence but that "physically and energetically it was a good performance." "For us it's about taking next development steps therefore it was important for us to win this game today," he said. "Now we've gone eight games in a row without a defeat and since I arrived we have three wins and one draw (in the league), which is OK, we've got enough points."

Premier League: Cristiano Ronaldo, Scott Mctominay star in Manchester United's 3-1 win over Burnley

Virat Kohli-led India won the Centurion Test versus South Africa by 113 runs to go 1-0 up in the three-match series in the African nation on Thursday (December 30). Team India also ended their calendar year on an emphatic note with their maiden Test win at Centurion, where the Proteas hadn't lost since 2014.

Talking about the series opener at SuperSpork Park, Centurion, India won the toss and rode on opener KL Rahul's 123 to post 327 all-out. In reply, South Africa folded for 197 as Mohammed Shami returned with a five-fer. While India collapsed for 174, they managed to setup a competitive 305-run target for the hosts. On Day 5, Dean Elgar-led SA resumed at 94-4 and were soon folded for 191; losing the clash by 113 runs.&nbsp;

Thus, this became India's fourth Test victory on South African soil and the first at Centurion. As India are now on the cusp of winning their maiden Test series in the rainbow nation, the Team India players were in celebratory mode after the win. Hence, Captain Kohli shook a leg with the resort staff on Indian players' return to the hotel post the historic win. Here's the video shared on BCCI's official Twitter handle:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-played-some-outstanding-cricket-virat-kohli-looks-back-at-indias-glorious-test-run-in-2021-441357">We played some outstanding cricket: Virat Kohli looks back at India's glorious Test run in 2021</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Cannot ask for a better end to 2021! 👏 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/28anand?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@28anand</a> captures the essence and vibes in Centurion post <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a>'s historic Test win at SuperSport Park. 👌 👌 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAvIND</a> 
 
Watch the full video 🎥 🔽<a href="https://t.co/49IFMY2Lxl">https://t.co/49IFMY2Lxl</a> <a href="https://t.co/PnIaswqsH7">pic.twitter.com/PnIaswqsH7</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1476757503056646146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</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/a-look-at-plethora-of-records-achieved-by-virat-kohli-as-india-thrash-south-africa-in-centurion-441243">A look at plethora of records achieved by Virat Kohli as India thrash South Africa in Centurion</a>

After the victory, the 33-year-old Kohli lauded the team effort and was all praise for the seamers. He told at the post-match presentation, "Got off to the perfect start. Have to understand one day was washed out - shows how well we played. It's always a difficult place to play against SA (Centurion). The discipline that the batters showed. Winning the toss, batting first overseas is a tough challenge. Credit to Mayank and KL the way they set it up. We knew we were in pole position with anything over 300-320. Knew the bowlers will do the job. Spoke about it in the change room - the fact he didn't bowl much in the first innings, it allowed SA to get around 40 more runs (Bumrah). Just the way these guys bowl together has been a hallmark of our team getting a result in difficult situations. Absolutely world class talent (Shami).&nbsp;For me he's in the best three seamers in the world at the moment. His strong wrist, his seam position and his ability to hit a length consistently. Got so much confidence out of Johannesburg last time. It's a ground we love playing at."

The second and penultimate Test starts on January 3 at The Wanderers, Johannesburg.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli-led India won the Centurion Test versus South Africa by 113 runs to go 1-0 up in the three-match series in the African nation on Thursday (December 30).

Virat Kohli-led India won the Centurion Test versus South Africa by 113 runs to go 1-0 up in the three-match series in the African nation on Thursday (December 30). Team India also ended their calendar year on an emphatic note with their maiden Test win at Centurion, where the Proteas hadn't lost since 2014. Talking about the series opener at SuperSpork Park, Centurion, India won the toss and rode on opener KL Rahul's 123 to post 327 all-out. In reply, South Africa folded for 197 as Mohammed Shami returned with a five-fer. While India collapsed for 174, they managed to setup a competitive 305-run target for the hosts. On Day 5, Dean Elgar-led SA resumed at 94-4 and were soon folded for 191; losing the clash by 113 runs. Thus, this became India's fourth Test victory on South African soil and the first at Centurion. As India are now on the cusp of winning their maiden Test series in the rainbow nation, the Team India players were in celebratory mode after the win. Hence, Captain Kohli shook a leg with the resort staff on Indian players' return to the hotel post the historic win. Here's the video shared on BCCI's official Twitter handle: ALSO READ | We played some outstanding cricket: Virat Kohli looks back at India's glorious Test run in 2021 Cannot ask for a better end to 2021! 👏 👏@28anand captures the essence and vibes in Centurion post #TeamIndia's historic Test win at SuperSport Park. 👌 👌 #SAvIND Watch the full video 🎥 🔽https://t.co/49IFMY2Lxl pic.twitter.com/PnIaswqsH7 — BCCI (@BCCI) December 31, 2021 × ALSO READ | A look at plethora of records achieved by Virat Kohli as India thrash South Africa in Centurion After the victory, the 33-year-old Kohli lauded the team effort and was all praise for the seamers. He told at the post-match presentation, "Got off to the perfect start. Have to understand one day was washed out - shows how well we played. It's always a difficult place to play against SA (Centurion). The discipline that the batters showed. Winning the toss, batting first overseas is a tough challenge. Credit to Mayank and KL the way they set it up. We knew we were in pole position with anything over 300-320. Knew the bowlers will do the job. Spoke about it in the change room - the fact he didn't bowl much in the first innings, it allowed SA to get around 40 more runs (Bumrah). Just the way these guys bowl together has been a hallmark of our team getting a result in difficult situations. Absolutely world class talent (Shami). For me he's in the best three seamers in the world at the moment. His strong wrist, his seam position and his ability to hit a length consistently. Got so much confidence out of Johannesburg last time. It's a ground we love playing at." The second and penultimate Test starts on January 3 at The Wanderers, Johannesburg.

Watch: Virat Kohli dances with resort staff as India cap off 2021 with historic Centurion Test win

On Thursday (December 30), South Africa's keeper-batsman Quinton De Kock announced his decision to retire from Test cricket. The move left many shocked as the 29-year-old batter remains one of the key players for the Proteas across formats. Amassing&nbsp;3300 runs at 38.82 in 54 Tests, de Kock decided to step aside from the red-ball format to spend more time with his growing family.

De Kock's move drew parallels with MS Dhoni, who had also shocked one and all with his sudden Test retirement decision on December 30, 2014. The former Indian captain shared his decision post India's 2014/15 Boxing Day Test versus Australia at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne. With India having already lost the series 2-0 after the drawn Test in Melbourne, with a encounter to go in the four-match series, Dhoni decided to call it quits.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-played-some-outstanding-cricket-virat-kohli-looks-back-at-indias-glorious-test-run-in-2021-441357">We played some outstanding cricket: Virat Kohli looks back at India's glorious Test run in 2021</a>

"One of India's greatest Test Captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in the Test Rankings MS Dhoni, has decided to retire from Test Cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of Cricket," the BCCI said in a statement.

"MS Dhoni has chosen to retire from Test Cricket with immediate effect in order to concentrate on ODI and T20 formats. BCCI while respecting the decision of MS Dhoni to retire from Test Cricket, wishes to thank him for his enormous contribution to Test Cricket and the laurels that he has brought to India," it added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sa-1st-test-rishabh-pant-goes-past-ms-dhoni-to-become-quickest-indian-keeper-to-100-dismissals-440741">Ind vs SA, 1st Test: Rishabh Pant goes past MS Dhoni to become quickest Indian keeper to 100 dismissals</a>

While Dhoni is known for his white-ball heroics, as an astute and tactical captain, finisher and power-hitter, the former keeper-batsman had plenty of highs in Tests as well; amassing 4,876 runs in 90 Tests at&nbsp;38.09 with a high-score of 224. The swashbuckling right-hander played several memorable knocks at home (double-ton versus Australia, twin centuries against Sri Lanka and a century versus the Proteas) whereas he played a vital role in India's draw versus England in the Lord's Test in 2007. In addition, Dhoni scored several half-centuries in England, New Zealand, Bangladesh, West Indies and South Africa whereas he smacked a memorable ton against Pakistan in the 2006 Faisalabad Test.&nbsp;

Dhoni accounted for 78 sixes and 294 dismissals in whites (most by any Indian keeper-batsman). Six years after his Test exit, the former Indian captain announced his international retirement on August 15, 2020 with 17,266 runs, 108 half-centuries, 16 tons, 829 dismissals overall.

On Thursday (December 30), South Africa's keeper-batsman Quinton De Kock announced his decision to retire from Test cricket. The move left many shocked as the 29-year-old batter remains one of the key players for the Proteas across formats.

On Thursday (December 30), South Africa's keeper-batsman Quinton De Kock announced his decision to retire from Test cricket. The move left many shocked as the 29-year-old batter remains one of the key players for the Proteas across formats. Amassing 3300 runs at 38.82 in 54 Tests, de Kock decided to step aside from the red-ball format to spend more time with his growing family. De Kock's move drew parallels with MS Dhoni, who had also shocked one and all with his sudden Test retirement decision on December 30, 2014. The former Indian captain shared his decision post India's 2014/15 Boxing Day Test versus Australia at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne. With India having already lost the series 2-0 after the drawn Test in Melbourne, with a encounter to go in the four-match series, Dhoni decided to call it quits. ALSO READ | We played some outstanding cricket: Virat Kohli looks back at India's glorious Test run in 2021 "One of India's greatest Test Captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in the Test Rankings MS Dhoni, has decided to retire from Test Cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of Cricket," the BCCI said in a statement. "MS Dhoni has chosen to retire from Test Cricket with immediate effect in order to concentrate on ODI and T20 formats. BCCI while respecting the decision of MS Dhoni to retire from Test Cricket, wishes to thank him for his enormous contribution to Test Cricket and the laurels that he has brought to India," it added. ALSO READ | Ind vs SA, 1st Test: Rishabh Pant goes past MS Dhoni to become quickest Indian keeper to 100 dismissals While Dhoni is known for his white-ball heroics, as an astute and tactical captain, finisher and power-hitter, the former keeper-batsman had plenty of highs in Tests as well; amassing 4,876 runs in 90 Tests at 38.09 with a high-score of 224. The swashbuckling right-hander played several memorable knocks at home (double-ton versus Australia, twin centuries against Sri Lanka and a century versus the Proteas) whereas he played a vital role in India's draw versus England in the Lord's Test in 2007. In addition, Dhoni scored several half-centuries in England, New Zealand, Bangladesh, West Indies and South Africa whereas he smacked a memorable ton against Pakistan in the 2006 Faisalabad Test. Dhoni accounted for 78 sixes and 294 dismissals in whites (most by any Indian keeper-batsman). Six years after his Test exit, the former Indian captain announced his international retirement on August 15, 2020 with 17,266 runs, 108 half-centuries, 16 tons, 829 dismissals overall.

THROWBACK: When MS Dhoni shocked one and all with sudden retirement from Test cricket in 2014

BCCI president and former India skipper Sourav Ganguly was on Friday discharged from the hospital after being treated for COVID-19 but will remain in home isolation for the next two weeks.

The former skipper will be in home isolation under doctors' supervision and has not been infected with the Omicron variant, hospital authorities said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-ind-coach-interested-in-coaching-eng-test-side-as-silverwoods-role-under-threat-post-ashes-debacle-441373">Former IND coach interested in coaching ENG Test side as Silverwood's role under threat post Ashes debacle</a>

"We have discharged Ganguly this afternoon. He will have to be in home isolation for the next fortnight under doctors' observation. After that the next course of treatment will be decided," a hospital official told PTI.

The 49-year-old was rushed to the Woodlands Multispeciality hospital on Monday night as a precautionary measure after his RT-PCR test came positive for COVID-19.

He received the "Monoclonal Antibody Cocktail therapy" after admission.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2021-australia-suffers-big-blow-as-travis-head-tests-positive-for-covid-19-ruled-out-of-sydney-test-441353">Ashes 2021: Australia suffers big blow as Travis Head tests positive for COVID-19, ruled out of Sydney Test</a>

Ganguly was admitted to hospital twice earlier this year and underwent emergency angioplasty after having some cardiac issues.

His elder brother Snehasish Ganguly had also tested positive for COVID-19 early this year.

BCCI president and former India skipper Sourav Ganguly was on Friday discharged from the hospital after being treated for COVID-19 but will remain in home isolation for the next two weeks.

BCCI president and former India skipper Sourav Ganguly was on Friday discharged from the hospital after being treated for COVID-19 but will remain in home isolation for the next two weeks. The former skipper will be in home isolation under doctors' supervision and has not been infected with the Omicron variant, hospital authorities said. ALSO READ: Former IND coach interested in coaching ENG Test side as Silverwood's role under threat post Ashes debacle "We have discharged Ganguly this afternoon. He will have to be in home isolation for the next fortnight under doctors' observation. After that the next course of treatment will be decided," a hospital official told PTI. The 49-year-old was rushed to the Woodlands Multispeciality hospital on Monday night as a precautionary measure after his RT-PCR test came positive for COVID-19. He received the "Monoclonal Antibody Cocktail therapy" after admission. ALSO READ: Ashes 2021: Australia suffers big blow as Travis Head tests positive for COVID-19, ruled out of Sydney Test Ganguly was admitted to hospital twice earlier this year and underwent emergency angioplasty after having some cardiac issues. His elder brother Snehasish Ganguly had also tested positive for COVID-19 early this year.

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly discharged following COVID treatment, to remain in home isolation for two weeks

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