Three-time champion shuttler Carolina Marin on Friday pulled out of the 2021 BWF World Championship after failing to regain fitness following a knee injury.

The 28-year-old Marin had earlier withdrawn from the All England Championships this year after suffering the injury during the Swiss Open. However, she was planning to make a comeback at the World Championships beginning in Huelva, Spain this Sunday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bwf-world-tour-finals-pv-sindhu-loses-against-south-koreas-an-se-young-in-summit-clash-434270">BWF World Tour Finals: PV Sindhu loses against South Korea's An Se-young in summit clash</a> 
 
"I was having a really good start to the season, I had won four tournaments out of five. I was feeling very confident, strong and in a really good physical and psychological condition until just one bad movement broke my knee completely," Marin said in a video posted on her Twitter handle.

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Nos vemos la semana que viene en <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Huelva2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Huelva2021</a>, pero no en la pista 🏸🙏 
 
See you next week in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Huelva2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Huelva2021</a>, but not on court 🏸🙏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BWFWorldChampionships?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BWFWorldChampionships</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsSantander?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sportssantander</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/santander_es?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@santander_es</a> <a href="https://t.co/TEeSU2rvND">pic.twitter.com/TEeSU2rvND</a>
— Carolina Marín (@CarolinaMarin) <a href="https://twitter.com/CarolinaMarin/status/1469245603909705733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"Mentally it has been really hard to keep myself up, my priorities have always been health and well-being. Therefore my team and myself have decided not to play the Huelva World Championship," she added. 
 
The Rio Olympics gold medallist also said that her team will evaluate her knee progress and based on that she will take the call on her participation in upcoming tournaments. 
 
"We have also taken the decision of not having a formal date for a comeback to competitions until we are 100 percent sure my knee is fully recovered. So we will be evaluating slow knee progress and the sensations. I am having it daily, so we believe I might be officially playing again in February and March," she said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympic-champion-viktor-axelsen-silver-medallist-tai-tzu-ying-named-badminton-players-of-the-year-by-bwf-434111">Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, silver medallist Tai Tzu Ying named badminton players of the year by BWF</a> 
 
Apart from Marin, two-time gold medallist male shuttler Kento Momota of Japan and the 2017 World Championships gold medallist Nozomi Okuhara have already withdrawn from the tournament because of various reasons.

Three-time champion shuttler Carolina Marin on Friday pulled out of the 2021 BWF World Championship after failing to regain fitness following a knee injury. The 28-year-old Marin had earlier withdrawn from the All England Championships this year after suffering the injury during the Swiss Open.

Three-time champion shuttler Carolina Marin on Friday pulled out of the 2021 BWF World Championship after failing to regain fitness following a knee injury. The 28-year-old Marin had earlier withdrawn from the All England Championships this year after suffering the injury during the Swiss Open. However, she was planning to make a comeback at the World Championships beginning in Huelva, Spain this Sunday. ALSO READ: BWF World Tour Finals: PV Sindhu loses against South Korea's An Se-young in summit clash "I was having a really good start to the season, I had won four tournaments out of five. I was feeling very confident, strong and in a really good physical and psychological condition until just one bad movement broke my knee completely," Marin said in a video posted on her Twitter handle. Nos vemos la semana que viene en #Huelva2021, pero no en la pista 🏸🙏 See you next week in #Huelva2021, but not on court 🏸🙏#BWFWorldChampionships @sportssantander @santander_es pic.twitter.com/TEeSU2rvND — Carolina Marín (@CarolinaMarin) December 10, 2021 × "Mentally it has been really hard to keep myself up, my priorities have always been health and well-being. Therefore my team and myself have decided not to play the Huelva World Championship," she added. The Rio Olympics gold medallist also said that her team will evaluate her knee progress and based on that she will take the call on her participation in upcoming tournaments. "We have also taken the decision of not having a formal date for a comeback to competitions until we are 100 percent sure my knee is fully recovered. So we will be evaluating slow knee progress and the sensations. I am having it daily, so we believe I might be officially playing again in February and March," she said. ALSO READ: Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, silver medallist Tai Tzu Ying named badminton players of the year by BWF Apart from Marin, two-time gold medallist male shuttler Kento Momota of Japan and the 2017 World Championships gold medallist Nozomi Okuhara have already withdrawn from the tournament because of various reasons.

Carolina Marin withdraws from 2021 BWF World Championships over fitness issues

Spain's top soccer clubs approved on Friday a 2.1 billion euro ($2.37 billion) investment from private equity fund CVC Capital Partners for an 8.2% stake in a new company that would manage broadcasting revenues, a source close to LaLiga said.

The "LaLiga Boost" deal marked the first investment agreement from a private equity firm in a major European League.

During a LaLiga General Assembly, 37 clubs voted in favour of the deal, while Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao and Ibiza voted against, and one club abstained, the source told Reuters.

At least 32 of the 42 teams from the Spanish first and second divisions needed to back the deal to get it through.

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Goldman Sachs will contribute with a portion of the funds that CVC will invest in the Spanish football league and recover over 50 years, sources from LaLiga and the fund had said.

A source close to Real Madrid told Reuters that the club will begin legal action against LaLiga as they threatened to do after they announced their objection in August.

($1 = 0.8869 euros)

Spain's top soccer clubs approved on Friday a 2.1 billion euro ($2.37 billion) investment from private equity fund CVC Capital Partners for an 8.2% stake in a new company that would manage broadcasting revenues, a source close to LaLiga said.

Spain's top soccer clubs approved on Friday a 2.1 billion euro ($2.37 billion) investment from private equity fund CVC Capital Partners for an 8.2% stake in a new company that would manage broadcasting revenues, a source close to LaLiga said. The "LaLiga Boost" deal marked the first investment agreement from a private equity firm in a major European League. During a LaLiga General Assembly, 37 clubs voted in favour of the deal, while Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao and Ibiza voted against, and one club abstained, the source told Reuters. At least 32 of the 42 teams from the Spanish first and second divisions needed to back the deal to get it through. ALSO READ: Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur vs Brighton match postponed due to Covid-19 Goldman Sachs will contribute with a portion of the funds that CVC will invest in the Spanish football league and recover over 50 years, sources from LaLiga and the fund had said. A source close to Real Madrid told Reuters that the club will begin legal action against LaLiga as they threatened to do after they announced their objection in August. ($1 = 0.8869 euros)

La Liga clubs approve CVC's 2.1 billion euro capital injection despite Barcelona, Real Madrid opposing deal

BCCI named Rohit Sharma as India's ODI captain on Wednesday (December 8). Thus, Rohit has now replaced Virat Kohli as the new limited-overs captain along with also being promoted as the Test vice-captain.&nbsp;

"The All-India Senior Selection Committee also decided to name Mr Rohit Sharma as the Captain of the ODI &amp; T20I teams going forward,"&nbsp;BCCI said in&nbsp;a statement while announcing the 18-man squad for the upcoming South Africa Tests.

Many believe Kohli's ODI captaincy was always under the radar ever since he decided to step down as the T20I skipper, citing workload issues. Hence, former India international Kirti Azad feels there's nothing wrong in Rohit's appointment as the limited-overs captain.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-being-able-to-win-icc-title-mightve-cost-virat-kohli-the-odi-captaincy-former-indian-wicketkeeper-435848">Not being able to win ICC title might've cost Virat Kohli the ODI captaincy: Former Indian wicketkeeper</a>

"Well, change is constant. This happens Rohit has been doing well and Virat had said that he wanted to be away from the captaincy in limited-overs. So, the right person to get into his place is Rohit Sharma. That's a call by the selectors. Virat wanted it but selectors thought that Rohit Sharma should come in and that's about it. I don't find anything wrong with it," said Azad while speaking to news agency ANI.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/easier-to-destroy-a-team-former-india-cricketer-blasts-selectors-for-removing-virat-kohli-as-odi-captain-435851">'Easier to destroy a team': Former India cricketer blasts selectors for removing Virat Kohli as ODI captain</a>

Kirti Azad also opined on Ajinkya Rahane's sacking as the Test vice-captain and said, "Every game that you play is a different game than the other. Yes, when you compare people you show records you say this guy was better and that guy was better. Somebody has got more centuries than the other but that doesn't mean one is better than the other. The importance of a player is not measured by his captaincy. Rahane is a very good player. His form was not good and keeping that in mind selectors have taken away the vice-captaincy. We try to read too much into it."

Coming to Rohit, he has led India whenever Kohli was rested and has already guided the national side to Nidahas Trophy and Asia Cup titles, both in 2018. He is also a proven leader in IPL, being the most-successful captain in the tournament with five titles for Mumbai Indians (MI).&nbsp;

Thus, Rohit-Rahul Dravid are now expected to end India's eight-year-long ICC-title drought in the coming years, which is filled with plenty of ICC events in white-ball formats.

BCCI named Rohit Sharma as India's ODI captain on Wednesday (December 8). Thus, Rohit has now replaced Virat Kohli as the new limited-overs captain along with also being promoted as the Test vice-captain.

BCCI named Rohit Sharma as India's ODI captain on Wednesday (December 8). Thus, Rohit has now replaced Virat Kohli as the new limited-overs captain along with also being promoted as the Test vice-captain. "The All-India Senior Selection Committee also decided to name Mr Rohit Sharma as the Captain of the ODI & T20I teams going forward," BCCI said in a statement while announcing the 18-man squad for the upcoming South Africa Tests. Many believe Kohli's ODI captaincy was always under the radar ever since he decided to step down as the T20I skipper, citing workload issues. Hence, former India international Kirti Azad feels there's nothing wrong in Rohit's appointment as the limited-overs captain. ALSO READ | Not being able to win ICC title might've cost Virat Kohli the ODI captaincy: Former Indian wicketkeeper "Well, change is constant. This happens Rohit has been doing well and Virat had said that he wanted to be away from the captaincy in limited-overs. So, the right person to get into his place is Rohit Sharma. That's a call by the selectors. Virat wanted it but selectors thought that Rohit Sharma should come in and that's about it. I don't find anything wrong with it," said Azad while speaking to news agency ANI. ALSO READ | 'Easier to destroy a team': Former India cricketer blasts selectors for removing Virat Kohli as ODI captain Kirti Azad also opined on Ajinkya Rahane's sacking as the Test vice-captain and said, "Every game that you play is a different game than the other. Yes, when you compare people you show records you say this guy was better and that guy was better. Somebody has got more centuries than the other but that doesn't mean one is better than the other. The importance of a player is not measured by his captaincy. Rahane is a very good player. His form was not good and keeping that in mind selectors have taken away the vice-captaincy. We try to read too much into it." Coming to Rohit, he has led India whenever Kohli was rested and has already guided the national side to Nidahas Trophy and Asia Cup titles, both in 2018. He is also a proven leader in IPL, being the most-successful captain in the tournament with five titles for Mumbai Indians (MI). Thus, Rohit-Rahul Dravid are now expected to end India's eight-year-long ICC-title drought in the coming years, which is filled with plenty of ICC events in white-ball formats.

Don't find anything wrong: Former India player opines on Rohit Sharma replacing Virat Kohli as ODI captain

BCCI, on Wednesday (December 8), named Rohit Sharma as Team India's ODI captain. Virat Kohli got replaced as captain in the 50-over format after he had already resigned as the T20I skipper. Thus, Rohit will now be in-charge of the limited-overs sides but Kohli will continue to serve as the Test captain, with Hitman as his deputy.

Under Kohli, India had a great run in ODIs and T20Is with plenty of success in bilateral series, however, the Men in Blue couldn't end their eight-year-long ICC-title drought. While many believe Kohli was set to be replaced as ODI captain as soon as he had decided to step aside as the T20I skipper, the 33-year-old hadn't mentioned that he is willing to give away the top job in the 50-over format as well.&nbsp;

Thus, former Indian wicketkeeper and national selector Saba Karim believes Kohli's inability to win an ICC trophy as captain cost him the top post in ODIs as well.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-succeeds-virat-kohli-sourav-ganguly-breaks-silence-as-hitman-named-indias-odi-captain-435527">Rohit Sharma succeeds Virat Kohli: Sourav Ganguly breaks silence as Hitman named India's ODI captain</a>

"It is right to say that Kohli has been sacked. He made the announcement while leaving the T20I captaincy and could have confirmed that he does not want to continue as ODI captain as well," Karim said on the YouTube show Khelneeti.&nbsp;"This meant he wanted to remain ODI captain. Not being able to win an ICC trophy could have cost Virat Kohli the ODI captaincy," he added.&nbsp;

"(Rahul) Dravid has often put emphasis on having clear communication with players. So, when it comes to taking such a big decision, I believe someone would have surely talked to Kohli," Karim concluded.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/have-to-prepare-for-103-situations-rohit-sharma-sets-sight-on-middle-order-to-end-indias-icc-title-drought-435813">Have to prepare for 10/3 situations: Rohit Sharma sets sight on middle-order to end India's ICC-title drought</a>

Recently, BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly had also opened up on Rohit replacing Kohli as the limited-overs captain. "It's a call that the BCCI and the selectors took together,"&nbsp;Ganguly told ANI. "Actually, the BCCI had requested Virat to not step down as the T20I skipper but obviously, he did not agree. And the selectors then did not feel it right to have two different captains for two white-ball formats. So it was decided that Virat will continue as Test captain and Rohit will take over as the white-ball captain. I as President personally spoke to Virat Kohli and the chairman of selectors has also spoken to him," he added.

The onus has, thus, shifted on Rohit to take India to greater heights and add more ICC titles in the shorter formats. The 34-year-old will take charge of the team for the first time, as full-time limited-overs captain, during the forthcoming South Africa ODIs in the African nation, in early 2022.

BCCI, on Wednesday (December 8), named Rohit Sharma as Team India's ODI captain. Virat Kohli got replaced as captain in the 50-over format after he had already resigned as the T20I skipper.

BCCI, on Wednesday (December 8), named Rohit Sharma as Team India's ODI captain. Virat Kohli got replaced as captain in the 50-over format after he had already resigned as the T20I skipper. Thus, Rohit will now be in-charge of the limited-overs sides but Kohli will continue to serve as the Test captain, with Hitman as his deputy. Under Kohli, India had a great run in ODIs and T20Is with plenty of success in bilateral series, however, the Men in Blue couldn't end their eight-year-long ICC-title drought. While many believe Kohli was set to be replaced as ODI captain as soon as he had decided to step aside as the T20I skipper, the 33-year-old hadn't mentioned that he is willing to give away the top job in the 50-over format as well. Thus, former Indian wicketkeeper and national selector Saba Karim believes Kohli's inability to win an ICC trophy as captain cost him the top post in ODIs as well. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma succeeds Virat Kohli: Sourav Ganguly breaks silence as Hitman named India's ODI captain "It is right to say that Kohli has been sacked. He made the announcement while leaving the T20I captaincy and could have confirmed that he does not want to continue as ODI captain as well," Karim said on the YouTube show Khelneeti. "This meant he wanted to remain ODI captain. Not being able to win an ICC trophy could have cost Virat Kohli the ODI captaincy," he added. "(Rahul) Dravid has often put emphasis on having clear communication with players. So, when it comes to taking such a big decision, I believe someone would have surely talked to Kohli," Karim concluded. ALSO READ | Have to prepare for 10/3 situations: Rohit Sharma sets sight on middle-order to end India's ICC-title drought Recently, BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly had also opened up on Rohit replacing Kohli as the limited-overs captain. "It's a call that the BCCI and the selectors took together," Ganguly told ANI. "Actually, the BCCI had requested Virat to not step down as the T20I skipper but obviously, he did not agree. And the selectors then did not feel it right to have two different captains for two white-ball formats. So it was decided that Virat will continue as Test captain and Rohit will take over as the white-ball captain. I as President personally spoke to Virat Kohli and the chairman of selectors has also spoken to him," he added. The onus has, thus, shifted on Rohit to take India to greater heights and add more ICC titles in the shorter formats. The 34-year-old will take charge of the team for the first time, as full-time limited-overs captain, during the forthcoming South Africa ODIs in the African nation, in early 2022.

Not being able to win ICC title might've cost Virat Kohli the ODI captaincy: Former Indian wicketkeeper

India are set to tour South Africa where they will play three Tests and equal number of ODIs. The tour opener will commence on December 26 with the first Test scheduled to take place in Centurion. The No. 1 ranked Indian Test side have a huge opportunity to win their first-ever series in South Africa. On the other hand, Kohli will also be eager to win another series overseas, after the highs in Australia and England.

Back in early 2018, Kohli-led India had toured South Africa for three Tests, six ODIs and three T20Is. At that time, India had their chances in the first two Tests but ended on the losing side before finishing the series with a consolation win. While India did compete really well, many slammed the then team management for their poor selection calls. Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane was dropped for the first two Tests as Rohit Sharma was preferred in the middle-order. The move didn't pay rich dividends as Hitman amassed 78 runs in four innings, at 19.50.

Rahane was added to the playing XI for the third and final Test at Johannesburg, where his vital 48 in the second innings helped India win the Test by 63 runs. Ex-Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has now opened up on why Rahane wasn't preferred over Rohit.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-had-the-character-game-and-personality-to-step-into-ms-dhonis-shoes-says-ravi-shastri-435772">Virat Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes, says Ravi Shastri</a>

Speaking to&nbsp;Times Of India, Shastri said, "It was always going to be between Rohit &amp; Ajinkya. There was no space for both. Rohit had got runs and we had been watching Test hunger build in him. So, we went by form. That's why Ajinkya didn't find a place."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/have-to-prepare-for-103-situations-rohit-sharma-sets-sight-on-middle-order-to-end-indias-icc-title-drought-435813">Have to prepare for 10/3 situations: Rohit Sharma sets sight on middle-order to end India's ICC-title drought</a>

On Wednesday (December 8), BCCI named Rohit as Kohli's deputy in whites, replacing Rahane. For the unversed, Rohit has raised his stature as a Test batsman whereas Rahane has only two fifty-plus scores since his last ton, which came in late 2020.

It will be interesting to see how Rahul Dravid-Kohli strategise and take India ahead in the forthcoming three Tests versus Dean Elgar-led Proteas in the African nation.

India are set to tour South Africa where they will play three Tests and equal number of ODIs. The tour opener will commence on December 26 with the first Test scheduled to take place in Centurion.

India are set to tour South Africa where they will play three Tests and equal number of ODIs. The tour opener will commence on December 26 with the first Test scheduled to take place in Centurion. The No. 1 ranked Indian Test side have a huge opportunity to win their first-ever series in South Africa. On the other hand, Kohli will also be eager to win another series overseas, after the highs in Australia and England. Back in early 2018, Kohli-led India had toured South Africa for three Tests, six ODIs and three T20Is. At that time, India had their chances in the first two Tests but ended on the losing side before finishing the series with a consolation win. While India did compete really well, many slammed the then team management for their poor selection calls. Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane was dropped for the first two Tests as Rohit Sharma was preferred in the middle-order. The move didn't pay rich dividends as Hitman amassed 78 runs in four innings, at 19.50. Rahane was added to the playing XI for the third and final Test at Johannesburg, where his vital 48 in the second innings helped India win the Test by 63 runs. Ex-Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has now opened up on why Rahane wasn't preferred over Rohit. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes, says Ravi Shastri Speaking to Times Of India, Shastri said, "It was always going to be between Rohit & Ajinkya. There was no space for both. Rohit had got runs and we had been watching Test hunger build in him. So, we went by form. That's why Ajinkya didn't find a place." ALSO READ | Have to prepare for 10/3 situations: Rohit Sharma sets sight on middle-order to end India's ICC-title drought On Wednesday (December 8), BCCI named Rohit as Kohli's deputy in whites, replacing Rahane. For the unversed, Rohit has raised his stature as a Test batsman whereas Rahane has only two fifty-plus scores since his last ton, which came in late 2020. It will be interesting to see how Rahul Dravid-Kohli strategise and take India ahead in the forthcoming three Tests versus Dean Elgar-led Proteas in the African nation.

Ravi Shastri reveals why Ajinkya Rahane wasn't preferred over Rohit Sharma during 2018 SA tour

BCCI named Rohit Sharma as Team India's ODI captain on Wednesday (December 8) as Hitman replaced Virat Kohli from the top post. Thus, he has now become India's limited-overs captain&nbsp;having already succeeded Kohli in T20Is.&nbsp;

While Kohli will continue to lead in Tests, Rohit will now be looked upon to end India's eight-year-long ICC-title drought. Under Kohli, India reached the 2017 Champions Trophy final and 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal, however, couldn't return with the mega titles.&nbsp;

In the CT'2017 final, CWC'19 semis and during India's first two games in their horrible 2021 T20 World Cup campaign, their top-order failed and the middle-order couldn't revive their fortunes. Thus, new captain Rohit wants middle-order to prepare for 10/3 kind of situations going forward.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-had-the-character-game-and-personality-to-step-into-ms-dhonis-shoes-says-ravi-shastri-435772">Virat Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes, says Ravi Shastri</a>

Rohit was asked on YouTube show&nbsp;Backstage with Boria&nbsp;if he has been able to figure out what went wrong in those games.

To this, Rohit said, "To be honest, not really. I would say it was that initial phase of the game where we lost the game. So that's something I'll keep in mind and see that we prepare for the worst. We have to prepare when the team is 10 for 3. That's how I want to move forward and get the message across to the boys that guys who are batting at No. 3, 4, 5, 6, there's nowhere written that if you are 10 for 2 or 3 [in a T20I], you can't get 180 or you can't get 190, or maybe more.

"I want the guys to prepare in that fashion. Let's say we are playing the semi-final and we are 10 for 2 in the first two overs, what do we do? What is the plan? I want to put ourselves in that situation again and see if we can respond to that. We have got some games before the World Cup to try and test that out. Because if you look there is a similarity between all three games that we lost - two Pakistan games and one New Zealand game in three ICC tournaments," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/havent-seen-someone-throwback-when-virat-kohli-shared-his-first-impression-of-batsman-rohit-sharma-435787">'Haven't seen someone....' - THROWBACK! When Virat Kohli shared his first impression of batsman Rohit Sharma</a>

Rohit further pointed out, "I do understand that the quality of the bowling was exceptional at that point, but it has happened three times. I hope that it doesn't happen for the fourth time. So hopefully we will prepare for that, keeping that situation in mind and move forward and see how we can plan - whether we can just counterattack straight from ball one, whoever batter goes in.

"And then I don't want people to think that, 'Oh, they are 10 for 2, what shot is he playing?' The commentators, the people of India or anywhere else, they need to understand that this is a plan of the team."

Will Dravid-Rohit take India to glory?

Rohit and new head coach Rahul Dravid will look to end India's title-woes as the national side have plenty of ICC events to take part in the future.&nbsp;For the unversed, Rohit has also been promoted as India's Test vice-captain. He has replaced an under-performing Ajinkya Rahane.

BCCI named Rohit Sharma as Team India's ODI captain on Wednesday (December 8) as Hitman replaced Virat Kohli from the top post. Thus, he has now become India's limited-overs captain having already succeeded Kohli in T20Is.

BCCI named Rohit Sharma as Team India's ODI captain on Wednesday (December 8) as Hitman replaced Virat Kohli from the top post. Thus, he has now become India's limited-overs captain having already succeeded Kohli in T20Is. While Kohli will continue to lead in Tests, Rohit will now be looked upon to end India's eight-year-long ICC-title drought. Under Kohli, India reached the 2017 Champions Trophy final and 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal, however, couldn't return with the mega titles. In the CT'2017 final, CWC'19 semis and during India's first two games in their horrible 2021 T20 World Cup campaign, their top-order failed and the middle-order couldn't revive their fortunes. Thus, new captain Rohit wants middle-order to prepare for 10/3 kind of situations going forward. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes, says Ravi Shastri Rohit was asked on YouTube show Backstage with Boria if he has been able to figure out what went wrong in those games. To this, Rohit said, "To be honest, not really. I would say it was that initial phase of the game where we lost the game. So that's something I'll keep in mind and see that we prepare for the worst. We have to prepare when the team is 10 for 3. That's how I want to move forward and get the message across to the boys that guys who are batting at No. 3, 4, 5, 6, there's nowhere written that if you are 10 for 2 or 3 [in a T20I], you can't get 180 or you can't get 190, or maybe more. "I want the guys to prepare in that fashion. Let's say we are playing the semi-final and we are 10 for 2 in the first two overs, what do we do? What is the plan? I want to put ourselves in that situation again and see if we can respond to that. We have got some games before the World Cup to try and test that out. Because if you look there is a similarity between all three games that we lost - two Pakistan games and one New Zealand game in three ICC tournaments," he added. ALSO READ | 'Haven't seen someone....' - THROWBACK! When Virat Kohli shared his first impression of batsman Rohit Sharma Rohit further pointed out, "I do understand that the quality of the bowling was exceptional at that point, but it has happened three times. I hope that it doesn't happen for the fourth time. So hopefully we will prepare for that, keeping that situation in mind and move forward and see how we can plan - whether we can just counterattack straight from ball one, whoever batter goes in. "And then I don't want people to think that, 'Oh, they are 10 for 2, what shot is he playing?' The commentators, the people of India or anywhere else, they need to understand that this is a plan of the team." Will Dravid-Rohit take India to glory? Rohit and new head coach Rahul Dravid will look to end India's title-woes as the national side have plenty of ICC events to take part in the future. For the unversed, Rohit has also been promoted as India's Test vice-captain. He has replaced an under-performing Ajinkya Rahane.

Have to prepare for 10/3 situations: Rohit Sharma sets sight on middle-order to end India's ICC-title drought

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been the superstars of Indian cricket for quite sometime. Both of them were touted to be the next-big-thing when they were coming up the ranks in their early days.&nbsp;While Rohit debuted in early 2007 and was also part of the victorious MS Dhoni-led Men in Blue in the inaugural T20 World Cup, Kohli came into the scene in 2008. Since then, both have risen up the ladder through sheer consistency and talent. The duo are also part of the leadership group for long and continue to take Indian cricket forward.&nbsp;

However, not many know the first impression Rohit had created in Virat's mind during their early days.&nbsp;In a chat with Gaurav Kapur on his show&nbsp;'Breakfast with Champions',&nbsp;Kohli had recalled his first impression of Rohit the batsman. Back then, Kohli had confessed that he was curious to know why Rohit was hyped so much. However, after seeing him bat in the 2007 T20 WC, all of Kohli's questions were answered in a jiffy.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-had-the-character-game-and-personality-to-step-into-ms-dhonis-shoes-says-ravi-shastri-435772">Virat Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes, says Ravi Shastri</a>

Kohli told host Gaurav, "Initially when Rohit was bursting onto the scene...we were all very curios because everyone was talking about his player Rohit Sharma. We were very curios because we were also young players but nobody was talking about us. Then during the T20 World Cup I saw him bat...and I just slumped on the sofa. That shut my mouth forever. When you saw him play you understood what people were talking about. What we are witnessing here, amazing. I haven't seen someone time the ball better than him."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/throwback-when-virat-kohli-had-seen-a-future-team-india-captain-in-rohit-sharma-435458">Throwback: When Virat Kohli had seen a future Team India captain in Rohit Sharma</a>

Virat and Rohit -- Two superstars of Indian cricket

Speaking of Kohli's achievements to date, he led India to the U-19 World Cup in 2008, was part of India's 2011 ODI WC triumph and 2013 Champions Trophy title win. He has over 22,000 international runs and 70 centuries under his belt. In addition, he has led India to the No. 1 spot in ICC Test rankings on numerous occasions and to the 2019 ODI WC semi-finals and WTC final.

Rohit, on the other hand, has close to 10,000 ODI runs, is the third-highest run-getter in T20Is (after second-positioned Kohli)&nbsp;and remains the Indian opener across formats. He was part of India's 2007 T20 WC success as well as the CT'2013 win.&nbsp;

Recently, Rohit took over from Kohli to become India's limited-overs captain whereas the latter continues to remain the Test captain.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been the superstars of Indian cricket for quite sometime. Both of them were touted to be the next-big-thing when they were coming up the ranks in their early days.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been the superstars of Indian cricket for quite sometime. Both of them were touted to be the next-big-thing when they were coming up the ranks in their early days. While Rohit debuted in early 2007 and was also part of the victorious MS Dhoni-led Men in Blue in the inaugural T20 World Cup, Kohli came into the scene in 2008. Since then, both have risen up the ladder through sheer consistency and talent. The duo are also part of the leadership group for long and continue to take Indian cricket forward. However, not many know the first impression Rohit had created in Virat's mind during their early days. In a chat with Gaurav Kapur on his show 'Breakfast with Champions', Kohli had recalled his first impression of Rohit the batsman. Back then, Kohli had confessed that he was curious to know why Rohit was hyped so much. However, after seeing him bat in the 2007 T20 WC, all of Kohli's questions were answered in a jiffy. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes, says Ravi Shastri Kohli told host Gaurav, "Initially when Rohit was bursting onto the scene...we were all very curios because everyone was talking about his player Rohit Sharma. We were very curios because we were also young players but nobody was talking about us. Then during the T20 World Cup I saw him bat...and I just slumped on the sofa. That shut my mouth forever. When you saw him play you understood what people were talking about. What we are witnessing here, amazing. I haven't seen someone time the ball better than him." ALSO READ | Throwback: When Virat Kohli had seen a future Team India captain in Rohit Sharma Virat and Rohit -- Two superstars of Indian cricket Speaking of Kohli's achievements to date, he led India to the U-19 World Cup in 2008, was part of India's 2011 ODI WC triumph and 2013 Champions Trophy title win. He has over 22,000 international runs and 70 centuries under his belt. In addition, he has led India to the No. 1 spot in ICC Test rankings on numerous occasions and to the 2019 ODI WC semi-finals and WTC final. Rohit, on the other hand, has close to 10,000 ODI runs, is the third-highest run-getter in T20Is (after second-positioned Kohli) and remains the Indian opener across formats. He was part of India's 2007 T20 WC success as well as the CT'2013 win. Recently, Rohit took over from Kohli to become India's limited-overs captain whereas the latter continues to remain the Test captain.

'Haven't seen someone....' - THROWBACK! When Virat Kohli shared his first impression of batsman Rohit Sharma

Dawid Malan and Joe Root's spirited fightback helped England close day three of first Ashes Test at The Gabba on a high as the tourists reached 220/2 at stumps, trailing by 58 runs. 
 
The 159-run partnership between Malan (80 not out) and Root (86 not out) has set the scene for an intriguing day four with eight wickets in hand. It was the day where England finally managed to claw their way back into the match after Australia took a lead of 278 runs. 
 
The tourists were 61/2 after 21 overs when Root joined Malan in the middle. Australia skipper Pat Cummins had taken the first wicket, with Rory Burns trying to cut but the short ball took the glove edge behind to keeper Alex Carey. Haseeb Hameed looked set for a big score before getting strangled down leg off Mitchell Starc in the 21st over.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2021-england-all-rounder-ben-stokes-suffers-knee-injury-medical-staff-to-assess-him-overnight-435601">Ashes 2021: England all-rounder Ben Stokes suffers knee injury, medical staff to assess him overnight</a> 
 
From that point, the fightback began with Root and Malan adding 46 runs off 90 balls till tea came. Malan was tentative in the beginning and Root took 20 balls to hit his first boundary of the innings, a clip through mid-wicket off Josh Hazlewood.

Though the duo had their own shares of luck and survival, especially for Malan against off-spinner Nathan Lyon, the duo turned the tide in the final session, playing with fluency and positivity as pitch started to become very good for some scintillating strokeplay. 
 
The partnership grew in confidence and runs as England made 113 runs in the final session but did not lose a single wicket. Add to it, Root went past former skipper Michael Vaughan for most Test runs by an England player in a calender year. 
 
Starc, Cummins (with his short-ball plan) and Lyon along with other bowling options in Cameron Green and Marnus Labuschagne weren't able to trouble Malan and Root much. But now it seems that the second new ball could provide Australia with much-needed breakthrough and could begin with Hazlewood, who was given just eight overs in the final session.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-1st-test-2nd-day-travis-head-slams-quickfire-112-to-put-australia-in-control-over-england-435413">Ashes, 1st Test 2nd day: Travis Head slams quickfire 112* to put Australia in control over England</a> 
 
Earlier, Travis Head, resuming from his overnight score of 112, started off in his aggressive fashion on day three with a pull through square leg off Chris Woakes. Starc gave him good company by smashing boundaries against Woakes, Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood.

Though Starc fell to Woakes, Head was unperturbed as he slammed a six each off Stokes and Wood over mid-off and fine leg respectively, before slog-sweeping Jack Leach through wide of mid-wicket to bring up his 150. 
 
Head was eventually bowled for 152 off 148 balls by a cracking yorker from Wood, becoming the last wicket to fall as Australia were 425 all out in 104.3 overs. Head's stands with Starc (85 runs) and Lyon (29 runs) were crucial for the hosts in stretching their lead to 278 runs, something which may not turn out to be enough if Root and Malan's association continues on Saturday. 
 
Brief scores: England 147 &amp; 220/2 in 70 overs (Joe Root 86 not out, Dawid Malan 80 not out, Pat Cummins 1/43, Mitchell Starc 1/60) trail Australia 425 in 104.3 overs (Travis Head 152, David Warner 94, Ollie Robinson 3/58, Mark Wood 3/85) by 58 runs.

Dawid Malan and Joe Root's spirited fightback helped England close day three of first Ashes Test at The Gabba on a high as the tourists reached 220/2 at stumps, trailing by 58 runs.

Dawid Malan and Joe Root's spirited fightback helped England close day three of first Ashes Test at The Gabba on a high as the tourists reached 220/2 at stumps, trailing by 58 runs. The 159-run partnership between Malan (80 not out) and Root (86 not out) has set the scene for an intriguing day four with eight wickets in hand. It was the day where England finally managed to claw their way back into the match after Australia took a lead of 278 runs. The tourists were 61/2 after 21 overs when Root joined Malan in the middle. Australia skipper Pat Cummins had taken the first wicket, with Rory Burns trying to cut but the short ball took the glove edge behind to keeper Alex Carey. Haseeb Hameed looked set for a big score before getting strangled down leg off Mitchell Starc in the 21st over. ALSO READ: Ashes 2021: England all-rounder Ben Stokes suffers knee injury, medical staff to assess him overnight From that point, the fightback began with Root and Malan adding 46 runs off 90 balls till tea came. Malan was tentative in the beginning and Root took 20 balls to hit his first boundary of the innings, a clip through mid-wicket off Josh Hazlewood. Though the duo had their own shares of luck and survival, especially for Malan against off-spinner Nathan Lyon, the duo turned the tide in the final session, playing with fluency and positivity as pitch started to become very good for some scintillating strokeplay. The partnership grew in confidence and runs as England made 113 runs in the final session but did not lose a single wicket. Add to it, Root went past former skipper Michael Vaughan for most Test runs by an England player in a calender year. Starc, Cummins (with his short-ball plan) and Lyon along with other bowling options in Cameron Green and Marnus Labuschagne weren't able to trouble Malan and Root much. But now it seems that the second new ball could provide Australia with much-needed breakthrough and could begin with Hazlewood, who was given just eight overs in the final session. ALSO READ: Ashes, 1st Test 2nd day: Travis Head slams quickfire 112* to put Australia in control over England Earlier, Travis Head, resuming from his overnight score of 112, started off in his aggressive fashion on day three with a pull through square leg off Chris Woakes. Starc gave him good company by smashing boundaries against Woakes, Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood. Though Starc fell to Woakes, Head was unperturbed as he slammed a six each off Stokes and Wood over mid-off and fine leg respectively, before slog-sweeping Jack Leach through wide of mid-wicket to bring up his 150. Head was eventually bowled for 152 off 148 balls by a cracking yorker from Wood, becoming the last wicket to fall as Australia were 425 all out in 104.3 overs. Head's stands with Starc (85 runs) and Lyon (29 runs) were crucial for the hosts in stretching their lead to 278 runs, something which may not turn out to be enough if Root and Malan's association continues on Saturday. Brief scores: England 147 & 220/2 in 70 overs (Joe Root 86 not out, Dawid Malan 80 not out, Pat Cummins 1/43, Mitchell Starc 1/60) trail Australia 425 in 104.3 overs (Travis Head 152, David Warner 94, Ollie Robinson 3/58, Mark Wood 3/85) by 58 runs.

Ashes: Joe Root, Dawid Malan's 159-run stand helps England fightback on Day 3 of 1st Test

Indian cricket has seen rapid changes being made in the senior men's team following the T20 World Cup edition, in the UAE. Ravi Shastri's tenure as head coach ended as Rahul Dravid replaced him from the top post. While Virat Kohli had already announced his resignation as T20I captain post the World Cup, Rohit not only replaced him in the shortest format but BCCI also named Hitman as the ODI skipper on Wednesday (December 8). Hence, Team India is slowly and steadily settling into the Dravid-Rohit era.

Recently, former coach Ravi Shastri stated that he felt Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes as the Indian captain. Shastri worked closely with Kohli after serving as Team India's director from 2014-16. In mid-2017, the former Indian all-rounder succeeded Anil Kumble to become the head coach and former a strong pair with Captain Kohli across formats till the 2021 T20 WC.

"Barring interviews on television (with players), I knew nobody (joining as team director in 2014) except probably MS Dhoni because I had worked with him in 2007. There was nobody from my generation, there was nobody from the immediate generation after me. For instance, I had a connect with players of the previous decade - Sachin, Rahul, Sourav, Anil. That generation was gone. So, once I came on board, my first challenge was to identify someone who could walk the talk and I found in Virat Kohli the guy with the character, game and personality to step into Dhoni's shoes," Shastri said in an interview with the&nbsp;Times of India.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/some-in-bcci-made-sure-i-dont-get-the-job-ex-india-head-coach-ravi-shastri-makes-glaring-remark-435719">'Some in BCCI made sure I don't get the job': Ex-India head coach Ravi Shastri makes glaring remark</a>

He further asserted, "Virat was reeling from that tour of England (where he amassed 134 runs in 5 Tests in England) because he hardly got runs. He was in a state of shock the way things had panned out. But you could see there was still enough there to get him going. Once he was back on his feet, there would be no looking back.

"I began watching him very closely. The more closely I saw him, I could see his sense of confidence returning back with each day. Those initial two-three months went in getting to know the team better. We began talking a lot, on various issues - batting techniques, the path forward, lot of things. And I think, it really came to the surface in Australia, when he finally bought into everything we discussed. He was absolutely ready to walk that talk - not just in the way he played his game but the way we wanted the team to play."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hes-still-a-leader-of-the-team-indias-newly-appointed-limited-overs-captain-rohit-sharma-opines-on-virat-kohli-435550">He's still a leader of the team: India's newly-appointed limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma opines on Virat Kohli</a>

Kohli-Shastri formed a deadly captain-coach pair for Team India. Under the duo, India won Test series in Australia (twice), earned an unassailable 2-1 lead in the England Tests in the United Kingdom early this year, won bilateral ODI series in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, won T20I series in SENA countries, played the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup and ended as the runners-up of the inaugural WTC. Nonetheless, they couldn't take India to an ICC title during their partnership.&nbsp;

Now, the onus is on Dravid-Rohit to take India to greater heights in limited-overs. However, Kohli remains the Test captain and will look to lead India to their first-ever series win on South African soil in the upcoming tour of the African nation, starting from December 26.

Indian cricket has seen rapid changes being made in the senior men's team following the T20 World Cup edition, in the UAE. Ravi Shastri's tenure as head coach ended as Rahul Dravid replaced him from the top post.

Indian cricket has seen rapid changes being made in the senior men's team following the T20 World Cup edition, in the UAE. Ravi Shastri's tenure as head coach ended as Rahul Dravid replaced him from the top post. While Virat Kohli had already announced his resignation as T20I captain post the World Cup, Rohit not only replaced him in the shortest format but BCCI also named Hitman as the ODI skipper on Wednesday (December 8). Hence, Team India is slowly and steadily settling into the Dravid-Rohit era. Recently, former coach Ravi Shastri stated that he felt Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes as the Indian captain. Shastri worked closely with Kohli after serving as Team India's director from 2014-16. In mid-2017, the former Indian all-rounder succeeded Anil Kumble to become the head coach and former a strong pair with Captain Kohli across formats till the 2021 T20 WC. "Barring interviews on television (with players), I knew nobody (joining as team director in 2014) except probably MS Dhoni because I had worked with him in 2007. There was nobody from my generation, there was nobody from the immediate generation after me. For instance, I had a connect with players of the previous decade - Sachin, Rahul, Sourav, Anil. That generation was gone. So, once I came on board, my first challenge was to identify someone who could walk the talk and I found in Virat Kohli the guy with the character, game and personality to step into Dhoni's shoes," Shastri said in an interview with the Times of India. ALSO READ | 'Some in BCCI made sure I don't get the job': Ex-India head coach Ravi Shastri makes glaring remark He further asserted, "Virat was reeling from that tour of England (where he amassed 134 runs in 5 Tests in England) because he hardly got runs. He was in a state of shock the way things had panned out. But you could see there was still enough there to get him going. Once he was back on his feet, there would be no looking back. "I began watching him very closely. The more closely I saw him, I could see his sense of confidence returning back with each day. Those initial two-three months went in getting to know the team better. We began talking a lot, on various issues - batting techniques, the path forward, lot of things. And I think, it really came to the surface in Australia, when he finally bought into everything we discussed. He was absolutely ready to walk that talk - not just in the way he played his game but the way we wanted the team to play." ALSO READ | He's still a leader of the team: India's newly-appointed limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma opines on Virat Kohli Kohli-Shastri formed a deadly captain-coach pair for Team India. Under the duo, India won Test series in Australia (twice), earned an unassailable 2-1 lead in the England Tests in the United Kingdom early this year, won bilateral ODI series in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, won T20I series in SENA countries, played the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup and ended as the runners-up of the inaugural WTC. Nonetheless, they couldn't take India to an ICC title during their partnership. Now, the onus is on Dravid-Rohit to take India to greater heights in limited-overs. However, Kohli remains the Test captain and will look to lead India to their first-ever series win on South African soil in the upcoming tour of the African nation, starting from December 26.

Virat Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes, says Ravi Shastri

Brendan Rodgers admitted he doesn't know what the Europa Conference League is after Leicester's 3-2 defeat at&nbsp;Napoli&nbsp;condemned them to a place in the unheralded competition on Thursday.

Napoli&nbsp;sent Leicester crashing out of the Europa League as the Italian side advanced to the knockout stages in a dramatic conclusion to Group C.

Leicester were top of the group going into the final round of matches, but the defeat in Naples dropped them to third place, meaning they will enter UEFA's third-tier tournament in the knockout play-off round in February.

"I've got to be honest I don't even know what the competition is," Rodgers said of the Europa Conference League.&nbsp;

"I was focused on the Europa League and winning this group or at the very least finishing second. I'm not sure what it is, but I'm sure we will find out soon enough."

Napoli&nbsp;had blown a two-goal lead as Leicester hit back to level by half-time, but Eljif Elmas's second goal of the game won it for the hosts after the interval.

Spartak Moscow finished top of the group after a 1-0 win at Legia Warsaw, secured by Zelimkhan Bakaev's 17th-minute goal.

Leicester, beset by Covid-19 cases and other illnesses, would have salvaged their Europa League place if Legia's Tomas Pekhart hadn't missed a stoppage-time penalty.

Napoli&nbsp;ended in second place, two points ahead of Leicester, and will feature in the Europa League knockout round play-offs in February.

Injury-hit&nbsp;Napoli&nbsp;took the lead in the fourth minute as Adam Ounas marked his first start for the club since 2019 with a clinical low strike from just inside the penalty area.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-tottenham-hotspur-vs-brighton-match-postponed-due-to-covid-19-435713">Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur vs Brighton match postponed due to Covid-19</a>

Napoli&nbsp;struck again in the 24th minute when Andrea Petagna beat Leicester's offside trap and squared his pass to Elmas, who slotted past Kasper Schmeichel with ease.

<h2>Leicester rocked</h2>

Jonny Evans gave Leicester hope when he fired home after&nbsp;Napoli&nbsp;failed to clear James Maddison's 27th-minute free-kick.

Evans' first goal in Europe for eight years was followed in the 33rd minute by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's maiden goal for Leicester.

Maddison's free-kick was only cleared to the edge of the area, where the 23-year-old midfielder smashed a superb volley into the bottom corner.

But&nbsp;Napoli&nbsp;won it in the 53rd minute as Elmas lashed home from Giovanni Di Lorenzo's cross to continue a disappointing season for the FA Cup holders.

Rodgers could face his former club Celtic in the Europa Conference League as they finished third despite a 3-2 win over second-placed Real Betis in Group G.

However, Celtic's Japan forward Kyogo Furuhashi suffered a hamstring injury and boss Ange Postecoglou said: "It's not good. We will just wait and see what the assessment is."

Second-placed Dinamo Zagreb advanced to the knockout play-offs as Mislav Orsic's long-range curler in the third minute clinched a 1-0 victory at Group H winners West Ham, who fielded a largely inexperienced team.

Marseille, already destined for the Europa Conference League, beat Lokomotiv Moscow 1-0 in Group E, which was won by a Galatasaray team who settled for a 0-0 draw with second-placed Lazio.

Real Sociedad secured second place in Group B with a 3-0 win against PSV Eindhoven, who drop into the Europa Conference League.

Mikel Oyarzabal netted a 43rd-minute penalty and scored again in the 62nd minute before Alexander Sorloth struck in the final moments after Ibrahim Sangare's red card for PSV.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-manchester-united-held-by-young-boys-1-1-in-their-last-group-encounter-435397">Champions League: Manchester United held by Young Boys 1-1 in their last group encounter</a>

Group A winners Lyon lost their 100 percent record in this season's competition after a 1-1 draw against second-placed Rangers.

In the Europa Conference League, Tottenham's postponed match against Rennes -- called off due to a severe coronavirus outbreak at the north London club -- looms large over Group G.

Second-placed Vitesse Arnhem beat Mura 3-1 to move three points clear of Tottenham, who now know they must beat group winners Rennes when the game is eventually rearranged if they are to qualify for the knockout stages.

Tammy Abraham scored twice for Jose Mourinho's troubled Roma in a 3-2 win at CSKA Sofia that gave them top spot in Group C after second-placed Bodo/Glimt were held to a 1-1 draw by Zorya Luhansk.

Brendan Rodgers admitted he doesn't know what the Europa Conference League is after Leicester's 3-2 defeat at Napoli condemned them to a place in the unheralded competition on Thursday.

Brendan Rodgers admitted he doesn't know what the Europa Conference League is after Leicester's 3-2 defeat at Napoli condemned them to a place in the unheralded competition on Thursday. Napoli sent Leicester crashing out of the Europa League as the Italian side advanced to the knockout stages in a dramatic conclusion to Group C. Leicester were top of the group going into the final round of matches, but the defeat in Naples dropped them to third place, meaning they will enter UEFA's third-tier tournament in the knockout play-off round in February. "I've got to be honest I don't even know what the competition is," Rodgers said of the Europa Conference League. "I was focused on the Europa League and winning this group or at the very least finishing second. I'm not sure what it is, but I'm sure we will find out soon enough." Napoli had blown a two-goal lead as Leicester hit back to level by half-time, but Eljif Elmas's second goal of the game won it for the hosts after the interval. Spartak Moscow finished top of the group after a 1-0 win at Legia Warsaw, secured by Zelimkhan Bakaev's 17th-minute goal. Leicester, beset by Covid-19 cases and other illnesses, would have salvaged their Europa League place if Legia's Tomas Pekhart hadn't missed a stoppage-time penalty. Napoli ended in second place, two points ahead of Leicester, and will feature in the Europa League knockout round play-offs in February. Injury-hit Napoli took the lead in the fourth minute as Adam Ounas marked his first start for the club since 2019 with a clinical low strike from just inside the penalty area. ALSO READ: Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur vs Brighton match postponed due to Covid-19 Napoli struck again in the 24th minute when Andrea Petagna beat Leicester's offside trap and squared his pass to Elmas, who slotted past Kasper Schmeichel with ease. Leicester rocked Jonny Evans gave Leicester hope when he fired home after Napoli failed to clear James Maddison's 27th-minute free-kick. Evans' first goal in Europe for eight years was followed in the 33rd minute by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's maiden goal for Leicester. Maddison's free-kick was only cleared to the edge of the area, where the 23-year-old midfielder smashed a superb volley into the bottom corner. But Napoli won it in the 53rd minute as Elmas lashed home from Giovanni Di Lorenzo's cross to continue a disappointing season for the FA Cup holders. Rodgers could face his former club Celtic in the Europa Conference League as they finished third despite a 3-2 win over second-placed Real Betis in Group G. However, Celtic's Japan forward Kyogo Furuhashi suffered a hamstring injury and boss Ange Postecoglou said: "It's not good. We will just wait and see what the assessment is." Second-placed Dinamo Zagreb advanced to the knockout play-offs as Mislav Orsic's long-range curler in the third minute clinched a 1-0 victory at Group H winners West Ham, who fielded a largely inexperienced team. Marseille, already destined for the Europa Conference League, beat Lokomotiv Moscow 1-0 in Group E, which was won by a Galatasaray team who settled for a 0-0 draw with second-placed Lazio. Real Sociedad secured second place in Group B with a 3-0 win against PSV Eindhoven, who drop into the Europa Conference League. Mikel Oyarzabal netted a 43rd-minute penalty and scored again in the 62nd minute before Alexander Sorloth struck in the final moments after Ibrahim Sangare's red card for PSV. ALSO READ | Champions League: Manchester United held by Young Boys 1-1 in their last group encounter Group A winners Lyon lost their 100 percent record in this season's competition after a 1-1 draw against second-placed Rangers. In the Europa Conference League, Tottenham's postponed match against Rennes -- called off due to a severe coronavirus outbreak at the north London club -- looms large over Group G. Second-placed Vitesse Arnhem beat Mura 3-1 to move three points clear of Tottenham, who now know they must beat group winners Rennes when the game is eventually rearranged if they are to qualify for the knockout stages. Tammy Abraham scored twice for Jose Mourinho's troubled Roma in a 3-2 win at CSKA Sofia that gave them top spot in Group C after second-placed Bodo/Glimt were held to a 1-1 draw by Zorya Luhansk.

Napoli upset Leicester City 3-2, send them packing from Europa League

Team India have gone through rapid changes ever since their disappointing run in the T20 World Cup came to an end. While Ravi Shastri's tenure came to an end, he was replaced by Rahul Dravid as the head coach. Rohit Sharma took over as the T20I captain after Virat Kohli had announced that the T20 WC would be his last assignment as the captain in the shortest format.

On Wednesday (December 8), the BCCI announced Rohit as the ODI captain, replacing Kohli, whereas Hitman has also been promoted as the Test vice-captain. Kohli will, however, continue to lead the Test line-up.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/some-in-bcci-made-sure-i-dont-get-the-job-ex-india-head-coach-ravi-shastri-makes-glaring-remark-435719">'Some in BCCI made sure I don't get the job': Ex-India head coach Ravi Shastri makes glaring remark</a>

Speaking on his official YouTube channel in a video, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra opined on the changes taken place in Team India. He said that the team has maintained the difference between red and white-ball cricket with Rohit taking over as ODI captain.&nbsp;

“The day Virat Kohli left his T20 captaincy, it was a foregone conclusion that he will also lose his one-day captaincy. You would always want to go with the captain who leads the T20 team (for the ODI side). In world cricket, you don’t see a player leading the Test and ODI team not captaining the side in T20s. A distinction is always over white-ball cricket and red-ball cricket, and now we have that distinction," he stated.

The former cricketer also sounded optimistic of India's fortunes under Rohit.&nbsp;“What he brings to the table is his tactical acumen. He is very good tactically. Rohit Sharma has always been a lucky captain, so that also helps!", Chopra further added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-succeeds-virat-kohli-sourav-ganguly-breaks-silence-as-hitman-named-indias-odi-captain-435527">Rohit Sharma succeeds Virat Kohli: Sourav Ganguly breaks silence as Hitman named India's ODI captain</a>

Meanwhile, Chopra also made a valid point that Rohit the batter will have to assist Rohit the captain. "Rohit Sharma the batsman will have to help Rohit Sharma the captain. Indian cricket is a lot about 1-2-3 (top order), so when Rohit, Rahul and Virat Kohli score big, it’s always good for Indian cricket,” he concluded.

Talking about Kohli, India did fairly well in bilateral series in limited-overs but couldn't win an ICC title. The Men in Blue reached the 2017 Champions Trophy final and also played the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup. India will now hope to end their ICC-title drought under new captain Rohit.

Rohit, on the other hand, will have to replicate Kohli's efforts as a batsman while captaining the side. The 33-year-old did a brilliant job while leading from the front with the willow in hand and, hence, his successor will hope to carry on in a similar manner.

Team India have gone through rapid changes ever since their disappointing run in the T20 World Cup came to an end. While Ravi Shastri's tenure came to an end, he was replaced by Rahul Dravid as the head coach.

Team India have gone through rapid changes ever since their disappointing run in the T20 World Cup came to an end. While Ravi Shastri's tenure came to an end, he was replaced by Rahul Dravid as the head coach. Rohit Sharma took over as the T20I captain after Virat Kohli had announced that the T20 WC would be his last assignment as the captain in the shortest format. On Wednesday (December 8), the BCCI announced Rohit as the ODI captain, replacing Kohli, whereas Hitman has also been promoted as the Test vice-captain. Kohli will, however, continue to lead the Test line-up. ALSO READ | 'Some in BCCI made sure I don't get the job': Ex-India head coach Ravi Shastri makes glaring remark Speaking on his official YouTube channel in a video, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra opined on the changes taken place in Team India. He said that the team has maintained the difference between red and white-ball cricket with Rohit taking over as ODI captain. “The day Virat Kohli left his T20 captaincy, it was a foregone conclusion that he will also lose his one-day captaincy. You would always want to go with the captain who leads the T20 team (for the ODI side). In world cricket, you don’t see a player leading the Test and ODI team not captaining the side in T20s. A distinction is always over white-ball cricket and red-ball cricket, and now we have that distinction," he stated. The former cricketer also sounded optimistic of India's fortunes under Rohit. “What he brings to the table is his tactical acumen. He is very good tactically. Rohit Sharma has always been a lucky captain, so that also helps!", Chopra further added. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma succeeds Virat Kohli: Sourav Ganguly breaks silence as Hitman named India's ODI captain Meanwhile, Chopra also made a valid point that Rohit the batter will have to assist Rohit the captain. "Rohit Sharma the batsman will have to help Rohit Sharma the captain. Indian cricket is a lot about 1-2-3 (top order), so when Rohit, Rahul and Virat Kohli score big, it’s always good for Indian cricket,” he concluded. Talking about Kohli, India did fairly well in bilateral series in limited-overs but couldn't win an ICC title. The Men in Blue reached the 2017 Champions Trophy final and also played the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup. India will now hope to end their ICC-title drought under new captain Rohit. Rohit, on the other hand, will have to replicate Kohli's efforts as a batsman while captaining the side. The 33-year-old did a brilliant job while leading from the front with the willow in hand and, hence, his successor will hope to carry on in a similar manner.

You'd always go with captain who leads in T20Is: Aakash Chopra reacts to ODI captaincy switch in Team India

The West Indies cricket team arrived here on Thursday for three Twenty20 and three one-day internationals series. All the matches will be played in Karachi from December 13. 
 
This is the Caribbean team's first visit to Pakistan since 2018. A Pakistani official said that a 26-member team had flown to Karachi on Thursday before being escorted by heavy security to the team hotel.

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WI have arrived safe and sound in Pakistan ahead of the T20I and ODI series! 🌴🇵🇰 
 
Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheRealPCB</a> for hosting us! 🏏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvWI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MenInMaroon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MenInMaroon</a> <a href="https://t.co/X1JYIG9e9m">pic.twitter.com/X1JYIG9e9m</a>
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/windiescricket/status/1468948339509108737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The series comes three months after New Zealand quit their first tour to Pakistan in 18 years shortly before the opening match was due to start following a security alert. That was followed by England`s decision to withdraw visits by their men's and women's teams scheduled for October.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/commandos-sharpshooters-over-1500-security-personnel-paks-arrangements-for-wi-home-series-revealed-report-433585">Commandos, sharpshooters, over 1500 security personnel? PAK's arrangements for WI home series revealed: Report</a> 
 
Pakistan endured a long spell without a visit from an international team following a terror attack on a bus carrying the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009. After that Pakistan were forced to play their home international matches abroad - mostly in the United Arab Emirates - until 2015 when normal service tentatively resumed. 
 
This West Indian squad is somewhat understrength, with regulars Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer, Andre Russell and Lendl Simmons all opting out for personal reasons. Former skipper Jason Holder is being rested, while Fabian Allen and Obed McCoy are out because of injuries. Last week, captain Kieron Pollard also withdrew through a hamstring injury, leaving the Twenty20 leadership to Nicholas Pooran and ODIs to Shai Hope. 
 
The three T20Is are on December 13, 14 and 16, while the ODIs will be on Dec 18, 20 and 22.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/west-indies-tour-of-pakistan-injured-kieron-pollard-ruled-out-shai-hope-to-lead-team-in-odis-434374">West Indies tour of Pakistan: Injured Kieron Pollard ruled out, Shai Hope to lead team in ODIs</a> 
 
West Indies T20I squad: Nicholas Pooran (captain), Shai Hope, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr, Rovman Powell. 
 
West Indies ODI squad: Shai Hope (captain), Nicholas Pooran, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr, Devon Thomas.

The West Indies cricket team arrived here on Thursday for three Twenty20 and three one-day internationals series. All the matches will be played in Karachi from December 13.

The West Indies cricket team arrived here on Thursday for three Twenty20 and three one-day internationals series. All the matches will be played in Karachi from December 13. This is the Caribbean team's first visit to Pakistan since 2018. A Pakistani official said that a 26-member team had flown to Karachi on Thursday before being escorted by heavy security to the team hotel. WI have arrived safe and sound in Pakistan ahead of the T20I and ODI series! 🌴🇵🇰 Thanks to @TheRealPCB for hosting us! 🏏#PAKvWI #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/X1JYIG9e9m — Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) December 9, 2021 × The series comes three months after New Zealand quit their first tour to Pakistan in 18 years shortly before the opening match was due to start following a security alert. That was followed by England`s decision to withdraw visits by their men's and women's teams scheduled for October. ALSO READ | Commandos, sharpshooters, over 1500 security personnel? PAK's arrangements for WI home series revealed: Report Pakistan endured a long spell without a visit from an international team following a terror attack on a bus carrying the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009. After that Pakistan were forced to play their home international matches abroad - mostly in the United Arab Emirates - until 2015 when normal service tentatively resumed. This West Indian squad is somewhat understrength, with regulars Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer, Andre Russell and Lendl Simmons all opting out for personal reasons. Former skipper Jason Holder is being rested, while Fabian Allen and Obed McCoy are out because of injuries. Last week, captain Kieron Pollard also withdrew through a hamstring injury, leaving the Twenty20 leadership to Nicholas Pooran and ODIs to Shai Hope. The three T20Is are on December 13, 14 and 16, while the ODIs will be on Dec 18, 20 and 22. ALSO READ: West Indies tour of Pakistan: Injured Kieron Pollard ruled out, Shai Hope to lead team in ODIs West Indies T20I squad: Nicholas Pooran (captain), Shai Hope, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr, Rovman Powell. West Indies ODI squad: Shai Hope (captain), Nicholas Pooran, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr, Devon Thomas.

West Indies cricket team arrives in Pakistan, after 2018, for limited-overs tour

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