Steve Smith might take up captaincy duties for the upcoming two Tests against Sri Lanka starting January 29, per the latest reports. With regular Test skipper Pat Cummins likely to miss the last Test series of the current WTC cycle for the birth of his second child, Smith stays ahead in the race to lead the Test team.
Australia is currently involved in the ongoing fifth and final BGT Test against India at the SCG, leading the five-match series 2-1. Should they win this match, the hosts would qualify for the WTC Final 2025, playing South Africa in the summit clash at the Lord&rsquo;s in June this year.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/scg-test-day-1-late-drama-highlights-another-shabby-outing-for-india-in-bgt-8587579" rel="dofollow">SCG Test, Day 1: Late drama highlights another shabby outing for India in BGT</a>
However, should they draw or lose to India, conceding the lead and the chance of winning back the coveted BGT trophy - last won ten years ago, Australia must win at least one of the two matches against Sri Lanka to ensure direct qualification.
According to a Code Sports report, Smith, who previously led Australia regularly until the infamous sandpaper gate in 2018, might wear the captain&rsquo;s hat again. Though that instance saw him facing a ban for 12 months and being stripped from captaincy duties, Smith has led in the past, mostly filing up for Cummins&rsquo; absence.
Smith last led Australia during the previous BGT (in India) after Cummins missed the final two Tests following his mother&rsquo;s demise.&nbsp;
<h2>Cummins on why he will miss Sri Lanka Tests</h2>
Cummins' mother&rsquo;s death reshaped his priorities in life, as he explains what&rsquo;s more important for him.&nbsp;
"In some ways it really makes you focus in on what I think is important. It's family, its enjoyment, it's trying to find joy in life and I think that's been a slight shift in the way I've approached playing and touring and it's just given me that real decluttering mindset,&rdquo; Cummins said in a chat with the Daily Telegraph at the launch of the Pink Test against India.&nbsp;
"When you go out you just want to play well, and of course, there's going to be pressure, but you don't want to forget that what mum and dad used to say to us every time we went and played as kids, was to go and enjoy it. Try your best, but make sure you enjoy it. I try and remind myself of that every time I go on a tour or play.
"Whatever you choose to do there's always an opportunity cost. And I think in the last few years that's probably rung true. That is when you go away on a tour you are missing out on maybe family time or moments. That's a deliberate choice so make sure you are making the most of that tour or that game if that makes sense,&rdquo; the Test captain added.
Meanwhile, Cummins was on top of India with his tactical changes on day one of the SCG Test, accounting for India&rsquo;s another low first-inning score in this BGT.
He even picked two wickets of Washington Sundar and Captain Jasprit Bumrah in the first innings.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: With Cummins likely to miss the last Test series of the current WTC cycle for the birth of his second child, Smith stays ahead in the race to lead the Test team.

Steve Smith might take up captaincy duties for the upcoming two Tests against Sri Lanka starting January 29, per the latest reports. With regular Test skipper Pat Cummins likely to miss the last Test series of the current WTC cycle for the birth of his second child, Smith stays ahead in the race to lead the Test team. Australia is currently involved in the ongoing fifth and final BGT Test against India at the SCG, leading the five-match series 2-1. Should they win this match, the hosts would qualify for the WTC Final 2025, playing South Africa in the summit clash at the Lord’s in June this year. Also read | SCG Test, Day 1: Late drama highlights another shabby outing for India in BGT However, should they draw or lose to India, conceding the lead and the chance of winning back the coveted BGT trophy - last won ten years ago, Australia must win at least one of the two matches against Sri Lanka to ensure direct qualification. According to a Code Sports report, Smith, who previously led Australia regularly until the infamous sandpaper gate in 2018, might wear the captain’s hat again. Though that instance saw him facing a ban for 12 months and being stripped from captaincy duties, Smith has led in the past, mostly filing up for Cummins’ absence. Smith last led Australia during the previous BGT (in India) after Cummins missed the final two Tests following his mother’s demise. Cummins on why he will miss Sri Lanka Tests Cummins' mother’s death reshaped his priorities in life, as he explains what’s more important for him. "In some ways it really makes you focus in on what I think is important. It's family, its enjoyment, it's trying to find joy in life and I think that's been a slight shift in the way I've approached playing and touring and it's just given me that real decluttering mindset,” Cummins said in a chat with the Daily Telegraph at the launch of the Pink Test against India. "When you go out you just want to play well, and of course, there's going to be pressure, but you don't want to forget that what mum and dad used to say to us every time we went and played as kids, was to go and enjoy it. Try your best, but make sure you enjoy it. I try and remind myself of that every time I go on a tour or play. "Whatever you choose to do there's always an opportunity cost. And I think in the last few years that's probably rung true. That is when you go away on a tour you are missing out on maybe family time or moments. That's a deliberate choice so make sure you are making the most of that tour or that game if that makes sense,” the Test captain added. Meanwhile, Cummins was on top of India with his tactical changes on day one of the SCG Test, accounting for India’s another low first-inning score in this BGT. He even picked two wickets of Washington Sundar and Captain Jasprit Bumrah in the first innings. (With inputs from agencies)

Steve Smith to captain Australia for Sri Lanka Tests – Report

Team India suffered a similar fate while batting first on day one of the fifth and final Test in Sydney but ended with Usman Khawaja&rsquo;s wicket. Batting first after winning the toss, India scored a paltry 185 in the first innings, with Rishabh Pant among runs (40). Scott Boland continued an impressive run with four wickets, but what unfolded between Sam Konstas and the stand-in Indian skipper Jasprit Bumrah was day one&rsquo;s highlight.
Day one began with the shocking news of regular Indian skipper Rohit Sharma opting out of the series decider, with Bumrah donning the captain&rsquo;s hat for the second time this series.
While India made two changes to their playing XI, bringing in seamer Prasidh Krishna for injured Akash Deep and replacing Rohit with Shubman Gill, Australia brought in the debutant Beau Webster for underfiring Mitchell Marsh.
Australia made most of the conditions, removing both openers &ndash; Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul inside the first eight overs.
However, the moment of the first hour came when Virat Kohli edged one to the slip cordon only for Steve Smith to grab it and later scoop it off the ground for the gully fielder to complete the catch, which, later, got adjudged not out.&nbsp;
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"100%. No denying it whatsoever." Steve Smith weighs in on whether he got his hand underneath the ball in the biggest moment of the morning. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/bqIy8iGIRm">pic.twitter.com/bqIy8iGIRm</a>
&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1874994592967176496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
Although Kohli survived a first-ball dismissal, he fell prey to Boland&rsquo;s peach after lunch, getting out caught in the slips.&nbsp;
Pant and Ravindra Jadeja tried saving India&rsquo;s grace and even managed to do it slightly, but Boland&rsquo;s dual strike later put their backs against the wall.
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Scott Boland picked up his 50th Test wicket... and nearly had a hat-trick too! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MilestoneMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MilestoneMoment</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/nrmainsurance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nrmainsurance</a> <a href="https://t.co/M5PTfgJnL0">pic.twitter.com/M5PTfgJnL0</a>
&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1875062567976014109?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
Boland picked Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy (0), with Mitchell Starc and Captain Cummins wrapping up the tail soon after.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/shocking-rohit-sharmas-name-missing-from-official-team-sheet-for-scg-test-in-bgt-8587521" rel="dofollow">SHOCKING! Rohit Sharma&rsquo;s name missing from official team sheet for SCG Test</a>
For the nth time in the series, India got all out under 200, mostly after batting first, a worrying sign for the team already undergoing some tough times both on and off the field. Even with a youngster replacing low-on-form Rohit, India failed to put a decent total on the board, putting pressure on the bowling unit to compensate.
<h2>&lsquo;Drama at SCG&rsquo;</h2>
Sam Konstas began proceedings with a four off the first ball of Bumrah, cheering the crowd up.
However, what happened just at the stroke of stumps made headlines.&nbsp;Standing at the non-striker end, Konstas interrupted Bumrah (before the final ball of the day) while having a go at the Indian seamer. Both shared a few words before the on-field umpire separated the two.&nbsp;
That moment riled up Bumrah, who picked Khawaja, caught in the slips on just two.
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Fiery scenes in the final over at the SCG! How's that for a finish to Day One 👀<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/BAAjrFKvnQ">pic.twitter.com/BAAjrFKvnQ</a>
&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1875076874495201743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
Australia ended day one of the fifth Test on 9/1, trailing by 175 runs.&nbsp;

Cricket, Sports: Australia trail by 176 runs at stumps on day one, losing Khawaja on the last ball of the day. Konstas and Bumrah shared some words a ball before his wicket.

Team India suffered a similar fate while batting first on day one of the fifth and final Test in Sydney but ended with Usman Khawaja’s wicket. Batting first after winning the toss, India scored a paltry 185 in the first innings, with Rishabh Pant among runs (40). Scott Boland continued an impressive run with four wickets, but what unfolded between Sam Konstas and the stand-in Indian skipper Jasprit Bumrah was day one’s highlight. Day one began with the shocking news of regular Indian skipper Rohit Sharma opting out of the series decider, with Bumrah donning the captain’s hat for the second time this series. While India made two changes to their playing XI, bringing in seamer Prasidh Krishna for injured Akash Deep and replacing Rohit with Shubman Gill, Australia brought in the debutant Beau Webster for underfiring Mitchell Marsh. Australia made most of the conditions, removing both openers – Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul inside the first eight overs. However, the moment of the first hour came when Virat Kohli edged one to the slip cordon only for Steve Smith to grab it and later scoop it off the ground for the gully fielder to complete the catch, which, later, got adjudged not out. "100%. No denying it whatsoever." Steve Smith weighs in on whether he got his hand underneath the ball in the biggest moment of the morning. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/bqIy8iGIRm — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 3, 2025 Although Kohli survived a first-ball dismissal, he fell prey to Boland’s peach after lunch, getting out caught in the slips. Pant and Ravindra Jadeja tried saving India’s grace and even managed to do it slightly, but Boland’s dual strike later put their backs against the wall. Scott Boland picked up his 50th Test wicket... and nearly had a hat-trick too! #AUSvIND | #MilestoneMoment | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/M5PTfgJnL0 — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 3, 2025 Boland picked Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy (0), with Mitchell Starc and Captain Cummins wrapping up the tail soon after. Also read | SHOCKING! Rohit Sharma’s name missing from official team sheet for SCG Test For the nth time in the series, India got all out under 200, mostly after batting first, a worrying sign for the team already undergoing some tough times both on and off the field. Even with a youngster replacing low-on-form Rohit, India failed to put a decent total on the board, putting pressure on the bowling unit to compensate. ‘Drama at SCG’ Sam Konstas began proceedings with a four off the first ball of Bumrah, cheering the crowd up. However, what happened just at the stroke of stumps made headlines. Standing at the non-striker end, Konstas interrupted Bumrah (before the final ball of the day) while having a go at the Indian seamer. Both shared a few words before the on-field umpire separated the two. That moment riled up Bumrah, who picked Khawaja, caught in the slips on just two. Fiery scenes in the final over at the SCG! How's that for a finish to Day One 👀#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/BAAjrFKvnQ — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 3, 2025 Australia ended day one of the fifth Test on 9/1, trailing by 175 runs.

SCG Test, Day 1: Late drama highlights another shabby outing for India in BGT

A tour Down Under makes or breaks a player&rsquo;s career. Though plenty benefited from regular outings in this ongoing five-match series, a few faced the wrath of poor form, including the Indian captain Rohit Sharma. The veteran batter is said to have &lsquo;opted out&rsquo; from the fifth and final Test in Sydney, but what baffled everyone was his name missing from the official team sheet for the series decider.
Even though the names of the reserve players were mentioned on the team sheet, Rohit&rsquo;s was missing, raising speculations of him cutting ties with the longest format.
Ahead of the fifth Test at the iconic SCG, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and not Rohit, attended the pre-game presser.
Upon being asked about Rohit&rsquo;s chances of retaining his place despite horrible form, Gambhir remained tight-lipped.
Instead, he gave an unconvincing reply, saying the final XI would be decided after looking at the pitch.
That fuelled speculations of Rohit not making it to the XI for the series decider, which, with the stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah walking out with the captain&rsquo;s blazer on during the coin toss, became a reality.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-the-captain-of-a-country-does-not-opt-out-hes-dropped-mark-taylor-on-rohit-sharmas-absence-from-scg-test-8587288" rel="dofollow">BGT - 'He's dropped but...,' Taylor on Rohit&rsquo;s absence from SCG Test</a>
Bumrah revealed Rohit &lsquo;opted out&rsquo; of the fifth Test considering his form, for which he called him a &lsquo;true leader&rsquo;.
"Obviously, our captain [Rohit Sharma] has shown his leadership as well. He's opted to rest in this game. So, that shows that there's a lot of unity in our team. There's no selfishness. Whatever is in the team's best interest, we're looking to do that," Bumrah said at the toss.
<h2>&lsquo;No Rohit on team sheet&rsquo;</h2>
Never before in Indian cricket did a serving captain bench himself.
A captain&rsquo;s name missing from the team sheet never happened either, though seamer Akash Deep&rsquo;s name was also not there (he's out of the SCG tie with an injury).
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Rohit Sharma hasn&rsquo;t stepped out with the rest of the squad &amp; his name no longer appears in the squad list either. A different meaning to &ldquo;opted to rest&rdquo; perhaps <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusvInd?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusvInd</a> <a href="https://t.co/yRb203Rmni">pic.twitter.com/yRb203Rmni</a>
&mdash; Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) <a href="https://twitter.com/beastieboy07/status/1874960422065119303?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
Should Rohit decide to call time on his Test career, he would become the second Indian player after ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to retire from Tests during the BGT 2024-25.&nbsp; Ashwin announced his shock decision to step aside after the third Test at the Gabba, which ended in a draw.
<h2>India is in shambles, again</h2>
The Indian Team failed to live up to the hype, getting out under 200 for the nth time in this series. Batting first after winning the toss, India got all out on 185, with Rishabh Pant being the highest scorer (40).&nbsp;
Scott Boland picked four wickets for Australia, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Pant and Nitish Reddy.&nbsp;
At stumps on day one, the hosts lost opener Usman Khawaja, with their scorecard reading 9/1 in three overs.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

BGT | Rohit Sharma retirment talk | Should Rohit decide to call time on his Test career, he would become the second Indian player after ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to retire from Tests during the BGT 2024-25.

A tour Down Under makes or breaks a player’s career. Though plenty benefited from regular outings in this ongoing five-match series, a few faced the wrath of poor form, including the Indian captain Rohit Sharma. The veteran batter is said to have ‘opted out’ from the fifth and final Test in Sydney, but what baffled everyone was his name missing from the official team sheet for the series decider. Even though the names of the reserve players were mentioned on the team sheet, Rohit’s was missing, raising speculations of him cutting ties with the longest format. Ahead of the fifth Test at the iconic SCG, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and not Rohit, attended the pre-game presser. Upon being asked about Rohit’s chances of retaining his place despite horrible form, Gambhir remained tight-lipped. Instead, he gave an unconvincing reply, saying the final XI would be decided after looking at the pitch. That fuelled speculations of Rohit not making it to the XI for the series decider, which, with the stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah walking out with the captain’s blazer on during the coin toss, became a reality. Also read | BGT - 'He's dropped but...,' Taylor on Rohit’s absence from SCG Test Bumrah revealed Rohit ‘opted out’ of the fifth Test considering his form, for which he called him a ‘true leader’. "Obviously, our captain [Rohit Sharma] has shown his leadership as well. He's opted to rest in this game. So, that shows that there's a lot of unity in our team. There's no selfishness. Whatever is in the team's best interest, we're looking to do that," Bumrah said at the toss. ‘No Rohit on team sheet’ Never before in Indian cricket did a serving captain bench himself. A captain’s name missing from the team sheet never happened either, though seamer Akash Deep’s name was also not there (he's out of the SCG tie with an injury). Rohit Sharma hasn’t stepped out with the rest of the squad & his name no longer appears in the squad list either. A different meaning to “opted to rest” perhaps #AusvInd pic.twitter.com/yRb203Rmni — Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) January 2, 2025 Should Rohit decide to call time on his Test career, he would become the second Indian player after ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to retire from Tests during the BGT 2024-25. Ashwin announced his shock decision to step aside after the third Test at the Gabba, which ended in a draw. India is in shambles, again The Indian Team failed to live up to the hype, getting out under 200 for the nth time in this series. Batting first after winning the toss, India got all out on 185, with Rishabh Pant being the highest scorer (40). Scott Boland picked four wickets for Australia, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Pant and Nitish Reddy. At stumps on day one, the hosts lost opener Usman Khawaja, with their scorecard reading 9/1 in three overs. (With inputs from agencies)

SHOCKING! Rohit Sharma’s name missing from official team sheet for SCG Test

Former Australia captain Mark Taylor doesn&rsquo;t feel that Rohit Sharma is &lsquo;rested&rsquo; from the series decider at the SCG, something the stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah revealed at the coin toss, instead claimed that the management dropped him from the playing XI.
Before the start of the fifth and final BGT Test on January 3, several media reports had indicated Rohit&rsquo;s exclusion from the Sydney tie, which became a reality on the game day.
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir attended the pre-game presser on Thursday (Dec 2), remaining tight-lipped on Rohit&rsquo;s selection stance following the dressing room leak drama.
When asked if Rohit will be part of the playing XI for the SCG Test, Gautam said the management will finalise the team after looking at the pitch ahead of day one and that everything is fine between the two.
&ldquo;Everything is fine with Rohit and I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s (the captain&rsquo;s presence at the press conference) anything traditional. The head coach is here and that should be fine,&rdquo; Gambhir told the media ahead of the SCG Test.
That, however, fuelled the speculations of Rohit nearing the end of his Test career, with Bumrah walking towards the pitch with the captain&rsquo;s blazer on day one, asserted it.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ravi-shastri-expects-rested-rohit-sharma-to-take-call-on-test-career-post-bgt-final-at-scg-8587014" rel="dofollow">BGT: Shastri expects Rohit to take call on Test career after SCG game</a>
Speaking on the same lines on the sidelines of the ongoing Test, Taylor said the captain never opts out, at least when the series is on the line, adding Rohit is dropped but not forever.
&ldquo;The bottom line is, the captain of a country does not opt out for the final test match, the final deciding test match of a series,&rdquo; Mark Taylor said on Triple M, as quoted by the Indian Express. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s... no doubt, he&rsquo;s been dropped. And I don&rsquo;t know why they just don&rsquo;t say he&rsquo;s been dropped.
&ldquo;It doesn&rsquo;t mean he&rsquo;s dropped forever. It means he&rsquo;s missing this test match because he&rsquo;s been out of form.&nbsp;
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s not a crime. That&rsquo;s unfortunately professional sport, and that&rsquo;s what&rsquo;s happened,&rdquo; Taylor continued.
Watch Video -
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m5gbzy00-omhq9194-l72fjrbr">
Rohit Sharma has... chosen to rest? 🤔 Mark Taylor: "He's been dropped and I don't know why they don't just say he's been dropped."<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/SHfHCuJwcn">pic.twitter.com/SHfHCuJwcn</a>
&mdash; Triple M Cricket (@triplemcricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/triplemcricket/status/1874965839436497115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>Bumrah lauds Rohit for being a &lsquo;leader&rsquo;</h2>
Rohit&rsquo;s form has put him under scrutiny in the Test side.
Having missed the BGT opener in Perth due to personal reasons, Rohit returned to the side for the second Test in Adelaide, but in the middle order.
That move did no good to either Rohit or the team, as India conceded the 1-0 lead with a 10-wicket loss in the Pink-Ball Test.
While regular interruptions forced a draw in the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, India lost the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, trailing by 1-2 in the five-match series. This was India's first loss at MCG in a test against Australia since 2011.
Rohit, who opened at the &lsquo;G&rsquo;, failed miserably with the bat, scoring less than 10 across two outings.&nbsp;
However, knowing he hasn&rsquo;t justified his place in the team, Rohit opted out of the SCG Test, a move the stand-in skipper Bumrah lauds Rohit for.
"Obviously, our captain [Rohit Sharma] has shown his leadership as well. He's opted to rest in this game. So, that shows that there's a lot of unity in our team. There's no selfishness. Whatever is in the team's best interest, we're looking to do that," Bumrah said at the toss.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Before the fifth and final BGT Test on January 3, several media reports predicted Rohit’s exclusion from the Sydney tie, which became a reality on the game day.

Former Australia captain Mark Taylor doesn’t feel that Rohit Sharma is ‘rested’ from the series decider at the SCG, something the stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah revealed at the coin toss, instead claimed that the management dropped him from the playing XI. Before the start of the fifth and final BGT Test on January 3, several media reports had indicated Rohit’s exclusion from the Sydney tie, which became a reality on the game day. Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir attended the pre-game presser on Thursday (Dec 2), remaining tight-lipped on Rohit’s selection stance following the dressing room leak drama. When asked if Rohit will be part of the playing XI for the SCG Test, Gautam said the management will finalise the team after looking at the pitch ahead of day one and that everything is fine between the two. “Everything is fine with Rohit and I don’t think it’s (the captain’s presence at the press conference) anything traditional. The head coach is here and that should be fine,” Gambhir told the media ahead of the SCG Test. That, however, fuelled the speculations of Rohit nearing the end of his Test career, with Bumrah walking towards the pitch with the captain’s blazer on day one, asserted it. Also read | BGT: Shastri expects Rohit to take call on Test career after SCG game Speaking on the same lines on the sidelines of the ongoing Test, Taylor said the captain never opts out, at least when the series is on the line, adding Rohit is dropped but not forever. “The bottom line is, the captain of a country does not opt out for the final test match, the final deciding test match of a series,” Mark Taylor said on Triple M, as quoted by the Indian Express. “He’s... no doubt, he’s been dropped. And I don’t know why they just don’t say he’s been dropped. “It doesn’t mean he’s dropped forever. It means he’s missing this test match because he’s been out of form. “That’s not a crime. That’s unfortunately professional sport, and that’s what’s happened,” Taylor continued. Watch Video - Rohit Sharma has... chosen to rest? 🤔 Mark Taylor: "He's been dropped and I don't know why they don't just say he's been dropped."#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/SHfHCuJwcn — Triple M Cricket (@triplemcricket) January 2, 2025 Bumrah lauds Rohit for being a ‘leader’ Rohit’s form has put him under scrutiny in the Test side. Having missed the BGT opener in Perth due to personal reasons, Rohit returned to the side for the second Test in Adelaide, but in the middle order. That move did no good to either Rohit or the team, as India conceded the 1-0 lead with a 10-wicket loss in the Pink-Ball Test. While regular interruptions forced a draw in the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, India lost the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, trailing by 1-2 in the five-match series. This was India's first loss at MCG in a test against Australia since 2011. Rohit, who opened at the ‘G’, failed miserably with the bat, scoring less than 10 across two outings. However, knowing he hasn’t justified his place in the team, Rohit opted out of the SCG Test, a move the stand-in skipper Bumrah lauds Rohit for. "Obviously, our captain [Rohit Sharma] has shown his leadership as well. He's opted to rest in this game. So, that shows that there's a lot of unity in our team. There's no selfishness. Whatever is in the team's best interest, we're looking to do that," Bumrah said at the toss. (With inputs from agencies)

BGT - 'He's dropped but...,' Taylor on Rohit’s absence from SCG Test

Rohit Sharma opted out of the Sydney Test as ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah captained India in the BGT finale, deciding to bat first after winning the toss. Bumrah walking down for the toss cleared the air on Rohit&rsquo;s absence from the last match of the series following days of drama surrounding dressing room leaks. However, the story remained the same in 2025, as India&rsquo;s top order struggled, with four players back in the hut, including star batter Virat Kohli, caught in the second slip.
Shubman Gill returned to the side replacing Rohit but failed to leave any mark, getting out on the last ball before lunch on day one to Nathan Lyon.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m5g8gya9-8g2lmupw-1rhqtb0d">
Nathan Lyon gets a wicket on the last ball before lunch 👀<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/B5nfTtBvem">pic.twitter.com/B5nfTtBvem</a>
&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1874993122607788258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
Earlier, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal &ndash; the two openers made mediocre starts, with Mitchell Starc accounting for Rahul, caught at the square leg for just four. Seamer Scott Boland removed in-form Jaiswal a couple of overs later on 10. India&rsquo;s scorecard read 17 for two at that stage.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/border-gavaskar-trophy-bgt-gautam-gambhir-reacts-to-reports-of-indian-dressing-room-leaks-ahead-of-scg-test-says-this-8584659" rel="dofollow">BGT: Gautam Gambhir reacts to reports of Indian dressing room leaks, says THIS</a>
That, however, could have been 17 for three the next ball had the third umpire overturned the on-field decision on Virat Kohli.&nbsp;
The Indian batter edged one to Steve Smith in the second slip (on his first ball), only for him to try to grab it by putting his hands underneath and later scooping it in the air for the gully to jump in and complete the catch. Though it looked out with the naked eye, the decision was referred to the third umpire, Joel Wilson, who, with less evidence going against Kohli, adjudged it not out.
Smith stood his ground, admitting to claim the catch cleanly and showing no dissent against the umpire&rsquo;s decision.&nbsp;
<h3>Watch Video &ndash;</h3>
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"100%. No denying it whatsoever." Steve Smith weighs in on whether he got his hand underneath the ball in the biggest moment of the morning. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/bqIy8iGIRm">pic.twitter.com/bqIy8iGIRm</a>
&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1874994592967176496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>Kohli out in the slips</h2>
Kohli has been a pale shadow of himself since his Perth hundred in the BGT opener, more so for getting out similarly across almost all innings. Even in the final Test of the series, where the onus was on him in Rohit&rsquo;s absence, Kohli edged one to the second slip off Boland for the debutant Beau Webster to collect a sensational catch.
The left-handed pair of Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja copped a few blows, with the Australian attack continuing to pile pressure. All bowlers, including spinner Lyon, looked effective early on day one.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m5g8hcsn-o1m65x74-wtny5ulh">
Rishabh Pant took a number of heavy hits to the body.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/TdyJ1qhm9C">pic.twitter.com/TdyJ1qhm9C</a>
&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1875019635822559412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
India is 107/4 at tea on day one.&nbsp;&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

BGT test series at SCG: The story remained the same in 2025, as India's top-order struggled early on day one of the SCG Test, including star batter Virat Kohli, who got out on 17. 

Rohit Sharma opted out of the Sydney Test as ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah captained India in the BGT finale, deciding to bat first after winning the toss. Bumrah walking down for the toss cleared the air on Rohit’s absence from the last match of the series following days of drama surrounding dressing room leaks. However, the story remained the same in 2025, as India’s top order struggled, with four players back in the hut, including star batter Virat Kohli, caught in the second slip. Shubman Gill returned to the side replacing Rohit but failed to leave any mark, getting out on the last ball before lunch on day one to Nathan Lyon. Nathan Lyon gets a wicket on the last ball before lunch 👀#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/B5nfTtBvem — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 3, 2025 Earlier, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal – the two openers made mediocre starts, with Mitchell Starc accounting for Rahul, caught at the square leg for just four. Seamer Scott Boland removed in-form Jaiswal a couple of overs later on 10. India’s scorecard read 17 for two at that stage. Also read | BGT: Gautam Gambhir reacts to reports of Indian dressing room leaks, says THIS That, however, could have been 17 for three the next ball had the third umpire overturned the on-field decision on Virat Kohli. The Indian batter edged one to Steve Smith in the second slip (on his first ball), only for him to try to grab it by putting his hands underneath and later scooping it in the air for the gully to jump in and complete the catch. Though it looked out with the naked eye, the decision was referred to the third umpire, Joel Wilson, who, with less evidence going against Kohli, adjudged it not out. Smith stood his ground, admitting to claim the catch cleanly and showing no dissent against the umpire’s decision. Watch Video – "100%. No denying it whatsoever." Steve Smith weighs in on whether he got his hand underneath the ball in the biggest moment of the morning. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/bqIy8iGIRm — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 3, 2025 Kohli out in the slips Kohli has been a pale shadow of himself since his Perth hundred in the BGT opener, more so for getting out similarly across almost all innings. Even in the final Test of the series, where the onus was on him in Rohit’s absence, Kohli edged one to the second slip off Boland for the debutant Beau Webster to collect a sensational catch. The left-handed pair of Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja copped a few blows, with the Australian attack continuing to pile pressure. All bowlers, including spinner Lyon, looked effective early on day one. Rishabh Pant took a number of heavy hits to the body.#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/TdyJ1qhm9C — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 3, 2025 India is 107/4 at tea on day one. (With inputs from agencies)

BGT: Rohit-less India struggle at SCG; lose 4 wickets early on day 1

Iga Swiatek romped to an emphatic victory in her season-opening match at the United Cup Monday, but Stefanos Tsitsipas crashed as Kazakhstan upset Greece to make the knockout round of the mixed-team tournament.<o:p></o:p>
Five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek was on court for the first time since news broke in late November that she served a one-month ban for a doping violation.<o:p></o:p>
But the Pole quickly shook off any nerves in Sydney with a 6-1, 6-0 thrashing of Norway's Malene Helgo.<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba/nba-fines-minnesota-timberwolves-star-anthony-edwards-for-profanity-basketball-8576803" rel="dofollow">NBA fines Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards for profanity</a>
"Pleased with everything, honestly. I'm happy for sure with the performance," said the world number two. "It's not always easy to play for your country, sometimes the pressure is a bit bigger.<o:p></o:p>
"I feel good, I feel happy, happy I can play tennis overall," she added. "I'm just going step by step and we'll see what's next."<o:p></o:p>
The 23-year-old had tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August, when she was ranked number one.<o:p></o:p>
However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted that the violation was not intentional, and she escaped with a one-month sanction.<o:p></o:p>
While she was in electric form, Greek star Tsitsipas had a day to forget.<o:p></o:p>
He is coming off a mediocre 2024 in which his ranking dropped to its current 11 from a career-high three and was hoping for a confidence-boosting fresh start in Perth.<o:p></o:p>
But he was stunned 6-4, 7-6 (7/0) by 78th-ranked Alexander Shevchenko.<o:p></o:p>
<h2>Germany and China go through<o:p></o:p></h2>
Kazakh world number six and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina then survived a late wobble before burying Greek hopes with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Maria Sakkari.<o:p></o:p>
"I'm really happy for the team," said Rybakina, now working with Novak Djokovic's former coach Goran Ivanisevic. "We all tried hard. <o:p></o:p>
"It was a tough match for me today, and I'm so happy to be in the quarter-finals."<o:p></o:p>
Rybakina took the first set and led 5-0 in the second, but the former world number three Sakkari won three games in a row to threaten a comeback.<o:p></o:p>
Rybakina came through on her third match point as Sakkari mishit an overhead.<o:p></o:p>
"At 5-0 you have nothing to lose, she played more aggressively and hit some good shots," said Rybakina.<o:p></o:p>
Shevchenko called his defeat of a sluggish Tsitsipas "one of the best" of his career.<o:p></o:p>
"He was not at his best today. But I played really well and found the moment to win that match," he said. "It will definitely go in my record as one of my best wins."<o:p></o:p>
Defending champions Germany, led by Alexander Zverev, defeated China 2-1 in the Perth evening session as both nations reached the quarterfinals.<o:p></o:p>
The Germans finished top in their group and will line up on Wednesday against Kazakhstan. China advanced as the best of the three runners-up in Perth.<o:p></o:p>
Second-ranked Zverev recovered from a bad start to beat Zhang Zhizhen 2-6, 6-0, 6-2 but unfancied Gao Xinyu stunned German Laura Siegemund 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to even the tie.<o:p></o:p>
The German pair combined in mixed doubles to defeat Zhang Shuai and Zhang Zhizhen 6-2, 7-6 (7/3).<o:p></o:p>
Zverev had his problems in the opening rubber against an inconsistent Zhang, who swept the opening set but disappeared after that.<o:p></o:p>
"I didn't start off well. I was missing more shots from my backhand side, which is normally the most stable," said Zverev. "He was also playing extremely well, so aggressive. He was not letting me into the match or find my rhythm. <o:p></o:p>
"Then I found my rhythm, and I'm happy with my performance in the second and third sets."<o:p></o:p>
In Sydney, Katie Boulter led Britain to victory over Argentina with all three teams in the group, which also includes hosts Australia, still in contention for the knockout rounds&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
World number 24 Boulter downed 100th-ranked Nadia Podoroska 6-2, 6-3. <o:p></o:p>
Underdog Billy Harris looked on track to seal the tie for Britain when he went a set up against Tomas Martin Etcheverry.<o:p></o:p>
But the Argentine rallied for a gutsy 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win to send the tie to a deciding mixed doubles.<o:p></o:p>
Etcheverry fronted up again with Maria Carle to take on Boulter and Charles Broom, with the British pair coming out on top 7-6 (7/4), 7-5.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports: Five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek was on court for the first time since news broke in late November that she served a one-month ban for a doping violation.

Iga Swiatek romped to an emphatic victory in her season-opening match at the United Cup Monday, but Stefanos Tsitsipas crashed as Kazakhstan upset Greece to make the knockout round of the mixed-team tournament. Five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek was on court for the first time since news broke in late November that she served a one-month ban for a doping violation. But the Pole quickly shook off any nerves in Sydney with a 6-1, 6-0 thrashing of Norway's Malene Helgo. Also read | NBA fines Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards for profanity "Pleased with everything, honestly. I'm happy for sure with the performance," said the world number two. "It's not always easy to play for your country, sometimes the pressure is a bit bigger. "I feel good, I feel happy, happy I can play tennis overall," she added. "I'm just going step by step and we'll see what's next." The 23-year-old had tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August, when she was ranked number one. However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted that the violation was not intentional, and she escaped with a one-month sanction. While she was in electric form, Greek star Tsitsipas had a day to forget. He is coming off a mediocre 2024 in which his ranking dropped to its current 11 from a career-high three and was hoping for a confidence-boosting fresh start in Perth. But he was stunned 6-4, 7-6 (7/0) by 78th-ranked Alexander Shevchenko. Germany and China go through Kazakh world number six and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina then survived a late wobble before burying Greek hopes with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Maria Sakkari. "I'm really happy for the team," said Rybakina, now working with Novak Djokovic's former coach Goran Ivanisevic. "We all tried hard. "It was a tough match for me today, and I'm so happy to be in the quarter-finals." Rybakina took the first set and led 5-0 in the second, but the former world number three Sakkari won three games in a row to threaten a comeback. Rybakina came through on her third match point as Sakkari mishit an overhead. "At 5-0 you have nothing to lose, she played more aggressively and hit some good shots," said Rybakina. Shevchenko called his defeat of a sluggish Tsitsipas "one of the best" of his career. "He was not at his best today. But I played really well and found the moment to win that match," he said. "It will definitely go in my record as one of my best wins." Defending champions Germany, led by Alexander Zverev, defeated China 2-1 in the Perth evening session as both nations reached the quarterfinals. The Germans finished top in their group and will line up on Wednesday against Kazakhstan. China advanced as the best of the three runners-up in Perth. Second-ranked Zverev recovered from a bad start to beat Zhang Zhizhen 2-6, 6-0, 6-2 but unfancied Gao Xinyu stunned German Laura Siegemund 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to even the tie. The German pair combined in mixed doubles to defeat Zhang Shuai and Zhang Zhizhen 6-2, 7-6 (7/3). Zverev had his problems in the opening rubber against an inconsistent Zhang, who swept the opening set but disappeared after that. "I didn't start off well. I was missing more shots from my backhand side, which is normally the most stable," said Zverev. "He was also playing extremely well, so aggressive. He was not letting me into the match or find my rhythm. "Then I found my rhythm, and I'm happy with my performance in the second and third sets." In Sydney, Katie Boulter led Britain to victory over Argentina with all three teams in the group, which also includes hosts Australia, still in contention for the knockout rounds World number 24 Boulter downed 100th-ranked Nadia Podoroska 6-2, 6-3. Underdog Billy Harris looked on track to seal the tie for Britain when he went a set up against Tomas Martin Etcheverry. But the Argentine rallied for a gutsy 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win to send the tie to a deciding mixed doubles. Etcheverry fronted up again with Maria Carle to take on Boulter and Charles Broom, with the British pair coming out on top 7-6 (7/4), 7-5. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Tennis: Iga Swiatek romps as Stefanos Tsitsipas crashes at United Cup

Rewind 2024: Top 7 Indian Batters with Most T20Is Runs 

Sanju Samson

Suryakumar Yadav

Rohit Sharma

Hardik Pandya

Tilak Varma

Shivam Dube

Yashasvi Jaiswal

Sports, Cricket: As 2024 comes to an end, it's time we take a look at Indian batters who topped the chart with most runs in the shortest format. 

Rewind 2024: Top 7 Indian Batters with Most T20Is Runs

Rewind 2024: Top 7 Indian Batters with Most Runs in Tests

Yashasvi Jaiswal 

Shubman Gill

Rishabh Pant

Ravindra Jadeja

KL Rahul

Virat Kohli

Sports, Cricket: As we wrap up 2024, it's time we take a look at India's top seven run-getters in Tests this year. From the veterans, an all-rounder also made the cut. 

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has made headlines lately for all bad reasons. As if his poor run with the bat in hand wasn&rsquo;t enough, his tactical changes on the field baffled a whole fan base worldwide. After India lost the Boxing Day Test by 184 runs, conceding a one-nil lead after the series opener in Perth, Rohit finds himself in a tight spot, with talk of his potential Test retirement looming.
Although social media is flooded with expert advice on what the batting veterans&mdash;Rohit and Virat Kohli&mdash;should do given their poor run of form in this series, the former Australian coach Justin Langer&rsquo;s latest remarks on Rohit&rsquo;s &lsquo;tired body language&rsquo; have fuelled up that conversation again.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/coach-conrad-unapologetic-about-south-africas-easy-route-to-wtc-final-2025-8578778" rel="dofollow">Coach Conrad unapologetic about South Africa's easy route to WTC Final</a>
During the post-match presser, Rohit stressed trying to do more rights than wrongs in the Sydney Test in the quest to keep India's WTC Final 2025 hopes alive; with that, he indicated on retaining his place in the XI for the final Test despite scoring just 31 runs across five innings on this tour thus far.
Even during Australia&rsquo;s second innings, when Jasprit Bumrah reduced them to 91 for six, picking three wickets in 11 balls after lunch, Rohit&rsquo;s defensive tactics helped the hosts gain momentum, eventually ending the day with their heads held high. A 50-plus run stand for the tenth wicket exposed Rohit&rsquo;s strategies, which looked tired and out of place, just like his body language.
"Rohit Sharma looks very tired to me. I saw him quite emotional on the field yesterday. That's unusual for us to see Rohit like that. He's usually so calm, so chilled out. But he was showing his emotions; he looks tired,&rdquo; Langer said after Australia clinched their first Test against India at the MCG since 2011.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It's understandable because, as a cricketer, when you're not making runs, that's all that stays on your mind. And as captain, if you're not making runs and your team is not winning, the stress starts to come into the game.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Whether he can get up for Sydney, that's up to him. It's a big challenge. India need him to get up to speed in Sydney," Langer continued, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
<h2>Langer on Virat</h2>
Keeping aside his famous hundred at the Optus Stadium in the BGT opener, Kohli has been short of runs since, with his dismissals&nbsp; in similar manner across innings (outside the off stump) adding salt to injury.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m5b8ye3l-p88x6h07-ldygr423">
Edged and caught behind the wicket, all of Virat Kohli's dismissals this series have had a common theme <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/5mz5SGcAbh">pic.twitter.com/5mz5SGcAbh</a>
&mdash; 7Cricket (@7Cricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/7Cricket/status/1873544972500410662?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
Langer, however, believes Kohli&rsquo;s fitness and hunger for runs will return sooner.
"With Virat, I agree [with Shastri]. He looked excellent in that first innings. Maybe the run out [of Jaiswal] did ruffle him, but we were surprised to see him get out the way he did. He is still a great player, is in outstanding physical condition, and all Indians would be hoping he comes good," Langer noted.
Meanwhile, Australia now lead the five-match series 2-1, with the final match scheduled in Sydney for the January 3 start.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket: Although social media is flooded with advice on what the batting veterans Rohit and Virat Kohli should do, Langer’s latest remarks on Rohit’s ‘body language’ fuelled the conversation again. 

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has made headlines lately for all bad reasons. As if his poor run with the bat in hand wasn’t enough, his tactical changes on the field baffled a whole fan base worldwide. After India lost the Boxing Day Test by 184 runs, conceding a one-nil lead after the series opener in Perth, Rohit finds himself in a tight spot, with talk of his potential Test retirement looming. Although social media is flooded with expert advice on what the batting veterans—Rohit and Virat Kohli—should do given their poor run of form in this series, the former Australian coach Justin Langer’s latest remarks on Rohit’s ‘tired body language’ have fuelled up that conversation again. Also read | Coach Conrad unapologetic about South Africa's easy route to WTC Final During the post-match presser, Rohit stressed trying to do more rights than wrongs in the Sydney Test in the quest to keep India's WTC Final 2025 hopes alive; with that, he indicated on retaining his place in the XI for the final Test despite scoring just 31 runs across five innings on this tour thus far. Even during Australia’s second innings, when Jasprit Bumrah reduced them to 91 for six, picking three wickets in 11 balls after lunch, Rohit’s defensive tactics helped the hosts gain momentum, eventually ending the day with their heads held high. A 50-plus run stand for the tenth wicket exposed Rohit’s strategies, which looked tired and out of place, just like his body language. "Rohit Sharma looks very tired to me. I saw him quite emotional on the field yesterday. That's unusual for us to see Rohit like that. He's usually so calm, so chilled out. But he was showing his emotions; he looks tired,” Langer said after Australia clinched their first Test against India at the MCG since 2011. “It's understandable because, as a cricketer, when you're not making runs, that's all that stays on your mind. And as captain, if you're not making runs and your team is not winning, the stress starts to come into the game. “Whether he can get up for Sydney, that's up to him. It's a big challenge. India need him to get up to speed in Sydney," Langer continued, as quoted by Hindustan Times. Langer on Virat Keeping aside his famous hundred at the Optus Stadium in the BGT opener, Kohli has been short of runs since, with his dismissals in similar manner across innings (outside the off stump) adding salt to injury. Edged and caught behind the wicket, all of Virat Kohli's dismissals this series have had a common theme #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/5mz5SGcAbh — 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 30, 2024 Langer, however, believes Kohli’s fitness and hunger for runs will return sooner. "With Virat, I agree [with Shastri]. He looked excellent in that first innings. Maybe the run out [of Jaiswal] did ruffle him, but we were surprised to see him get out the way he did. He is still a great player, is in outstanding physical condition, and all Indians would be hoping he comes good," Langer noted. Meanwhile, Australia now lead the five-match series 2-1, with the final match scheduled in Sydney for the January 3 start. (With inputs from agencies)

BGT - Rohit's retirement rumours get more fuel after Langer’s ‘body language’ remark

Indian captain Rohit Sharma is under massive scrutiny for his below-par performance in the ongoing BGT Down Under. Having failed with the bat since his return to the Test side, Rohit&rsquo;s future in the whites has started to look gloomy, with Irfan Pathan saying that wearing the captain&rsquo;s hat has been saving his place in the Test team.
India lost the fourth Test at the MCG by 184 runs, conceding the lead they took with a staggering win in the series opener in Perth, where Rohit remained absent for personal reasons and ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah captained in his place. Rohit, however, returned to the XI from the second game at the Adelaide Oval, where Australia won by ten wickets.&nbsp;
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LYON DOES IT! What a remarkable win for Australia! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/SGbA3R797X">pic.twitter.com/SGbA3R797X</a>
&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1873617184385077618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
India was on the back foot in the next two matches at the Gabba and MCG, respectively. Though the third Test ended in a draw, thanks to several rain interruptions, the hosts beat India at the &lsquo;G&rsquo; for the first time since 2011, taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/icc-awards-2024-jasprit-bumrah-nominated-for-sir-garfield-sobers-trophy-for-mens-cricketer-of-the-year-8578356" rel="dofollow">Bumrah rewarded with twin ICC Awards nominations for a staggering 2024</a>
Besides the results, Rohit&rsquo;s poor performance across five innings has been no short of an embarrassment; having scored just 31 runs on this tour, Rohit not finding his groove at all is a worrying point for the veteran batter and the team management.
Amidst reports of the selectors contemplating Rohit&rsquo;s future in the longer format beyond the fifth and final BGT Test at the SCG, starting January 3, the right-handed batter will continue as the captain and an opener in Sydney.&nbsp;
Pathan, a cricketer-turned-broadcaster, explains what, despite his horrible show with the bat, helped Rohit retain his place in the XI.
<h2>What&rsquo;s going wrong with Rohit&rsquo;s form?</h2>
&ldquo;A player who has made about 20,000 runs&mdash;yet the way Rohit is struggling now, it seems his form is not supporting him at all,&rdquo; Pathan said on Star Sports following the MCG Test loss.
&ldquo;What&rsquo;s happening now is that he is the captain, so he is playing. If he were not the captain, he might not be playing right now. You would have had a set team. K.L. Rahul would have been playing at the top, Jaiswal would have been there, and Shubman Gill would have been there. If we talk about reality, considering how he is struggling with the bat, there might not have been a place for him in the playing XI,&rdquo; he continued.&nbsp;
Now, with Rohit back at the top after a few failures down the order, KL Rahul is demoted to number three, with Shubman Gill out of the XI. Considering India has to win the next Test in Sydney to give them any chance of qualifying for the WTC Final 2025, they might press the panic button, bringing in Gill and continuing playing Bumrah despite fearing burnout.&nbsp;
&ldquo;But because he is the captain, and you want to win the next match to draw the series, he stays in the team.&nbsp;
&ldquo;But his form is so poor. Even in India, even before coming here, he wasn&rsquo;t scoring runs, and he still hasn&rsquo;t scored runs. This is a very disappointing scene when I see Rohit Sharma batting.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Because whenever I see Rohit Sharma batting, I always want to see him bat, whether it is Test cricket or one-day cricket. But now, his form, the way he is going forward, whether it is his mindset or the coordination with his body, I can&rsquo;t see that at all,&rdquo; he added.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket: Having scored just 31 runs on this tour thus far, Rohit Sharma not finding his groove at all is a worrying point for the veteran batter and the team management.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma is under massive scrutiny for his below-par performance in the ongoing BGT Down Under. Having failed with the bat since his return to the Test side, Rohit’s future in the whites has started to look gloomy, with Irfan Pathan saying that wearing the captain’s hat has been saving his place in the Test team. India lost the fourth Test at the MCG by 184 runs, conceding the lead they took with a staggering win in the series opener in Perth, where Rohit remained absent for personal reasons and ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah captained in his place. Rohit, however, returned to the XI from the second game at the Adelaide Oval, where Australia won by ten wickets. LYON DOES IT! What a remarkable win for Australia! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/SGbA3R797X — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 30, 2024 India was on the back foot in the next two matches at the Gabba and MCG, respectively. Though the third Test ended in a draw, thanks to several rain interruptions, the hosts beat India at the ‘G’ for the first time since 2011, taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Also read | Bumrah rewarded with twin ICC Awards nominations for a staggering 2024 Besides the results, Rohit’s poor performance across five innings has been no short of an embarrassment; having scored just 31 runs on this tour, Rohit not finding his groove at all is a worrying point for the veteran batter and the team management. Amidst reports of the selectors contemplating Rohit’s future in the longer format beyond the fifth and final BGT Test at the SCG, starting January 3, the right-handed batter will continue as the captain and an opener in Sydney. Pathan, a cricketer-turned-broadcaster, explains what, despite his horrible show with the bat, helped Rohit retain his place in the XI. What’s going wrong with Rohit’s form? “A player who has made about 20,000 runs—yet the way Rohit is struggling now, it seems his form is not supporting him at all,” Pathan said on Star Sports following the MCG Test loss. “What’s happening now is that he is the captain, so he is playing. If he were not the captain, he might not be playing right now. You would have had a set team. K.L. Rahul would have been playing at the top, Jaiswal would have been there, and Shubman Gill would have been there. If we talk about reality, considering how he is struggling with the bat, there might not have been a place for him in the playing XI,” he continued. Now, with Rohit back at the top after a few failures down the order, KL Rahul is demoted to number three, with Shubman Gill out of the XI. Considering India has to win the next Test in Sydney to give them any chance of qualifying for the WTC Final 2025, they might press the panic button, bringing in Gill and continuing playing Bumrah despite fearing burnout. “But because he is the captain, and you want to win the next match to draw the series, he stays in the team. “But his form is so poor. Even in India, even before coming here, he wasn’t scoring runs, and he still hasn’t scored runs. This is a very disappointing scene when I see Rohit Sharma batting.” “Because whenever I see Rohit Sharma batting, I always want to see him bat, whether it is Test cricket or one-day cricket. But now, his form, the way he is going forward, whether it is his mindset or the coordination with his body, I can’t see that at all,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

BGT - Irfan Pathan reveals reason behind Rohit Sharma's selection amid form worry

Ace Indian seamer Jasprit Bumrah got rewarded for his supreme performance in Tests this year with two nominations in the latest ICC Awards 2024 - Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for Men&rsquo;s Cricketer of the Year and ICC Men&rsquo;s Test Cricketer of the Year. Bumrah is among four Indians, including fellow seamer Arshdeep Singh and two women&rsquo;s cricketers, Shreyanka Patil and Smriti Mandhana, zeroed in for the coveted individual awards.
Bumrah was the vital cog in the wheel for India across formats this year, helping them win their second T20 World Cup in the Americas in June. He won the Player of the Tournament for his 15 wickets in eight outings, two of which came in the final against South Africa in Barbados.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh, nominated for his maiden ICC Men&rsquo;s T20I Cricketer of the Year award, was the tournament&rsquo;s highest wicket-taker with 17 scalps. Overall, in the shortest format this year, the emerging left-arm quick picked 36 wickets in 18 matches, averaging 13.5. Even in the summit clash against the Proteas, Arshdeep conceded just four runs in the penultimate over during the chase.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/explained-how-india-can-reach-the-wtc-final-2025-after-losing-mcg-test-to-australia-8578119" rel="dofollow">Explained - How India can reach the WTC Final after losing MCG Test</a>
Suryakumar Yadav, the winner of the ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year for the last two years and who picked perhaps the catch of the year in that final, dismissing David Miller off Hardik Pandya, missed out on the cut this time.
Moving to women&rsquo;s cricket, Mandhana and Patil are two names who made headlines for star performances this year.&nbsp;
While Mandhana has been nominated for the ICC Women&rsquo;s ODI Cricketer of the Year, having scored 747 runs from 13 innings at an average of 57.46, the off-spinner Patil earned a nomination for the ICC Emerging Women&rsquo;s Cricketer of the Year. In 17 matches (13 T20Is and 4 ODIs) played this year, the youngster bagged 19 wickets.
<h2>Bumrah, the superstar!</h2>
Bumrah has had his best cricketing year, finishing at the top of the wickets chart in Tests. He picked a staggering 71 wickets in 2024 in 13 matches, averaging 14.92 and an economy of 2.96. He bagged five five-wicket hauls this year, with his best of 6/45 coming against England in February.
In the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Bumrah leads the wicket-takers tally with 30 scalps from four contested matches, including three five-fors and two four-wicket hauls. Even in the recently concluded MCG Test, which the hosts won by 184 runs, Bumrah picked nine wickets, including a five-for in the second innings.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m5b1wym9-5z1ulwr4-rouprik2">
Jasprit Bumrah's fifth wicket was an absolute belter! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DeliveredWithSpeed?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DeliveredWithSpeed</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/NBN_Australia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBN_Australia</a> <a href="https://t.co/vfDI5gEN3n">pic.twitter.com/vfDI5gEN3n</a>
&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1873509891110846966?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
During this Test, he created history by becoming the quickest Indian and the fourth overall to bag 200 Test wickets.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket: Bumrah was the vital cog in the wheel for India across formats this year, helping them win their second T20 World Cup. He won the Player of the Tournament.

Ace Indian seamer Jasprit Bumrah got rewarded for his supreme performance in Tests this year with two nominations in the latest ICC Awards 2024 - Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for Men’s Cricketer of the Year and ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year. Bumrah is among four Indians, including fellow seamer Arshdeep Singh and two women’s cricketers, Shreyanka Patil and Smriti Mandhana, zeroed in for the coveted individual awards. Bumrah was the vital cog in the wheel for India across formats this year, helping them win their second T20 World Cup in the Americas in June. He won the Player of the Tournament for his 15 wickets in eight outings, two of which came in the final against South Africa in Barbados. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh, nominated for his maiden ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award, was the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 17 scalps. Overall, in the shortest format this year, the emerging left-arm quick picked 36 wickets in 18 matches, averaging 13.5. Even in the summit clash against the Proteas, Arshdeep conceded just four runs in the penultimate over during the chase. Also read | Explained - How India can reach the WTC Final after losing MCG Test Suryakumar Yadav, the winner of the ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year for the last two years and who picked perhaps the catch of the year in that final, dismissing David Miller off Hardik Pandya, missed out on the cut this time. Moving to women’s cricket, Mandhana and Patil are two names who made headlines for star performances this year. While Mandhana has been nominated for the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year, having scored 747 runs from 13 innings at an average of 57.46, the off-spinner Patil earned a nomination for the ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year. In 17 matches (13 T20Is and 4 ODIs) played this year, the youngster bagged 19 wickets. Bumrah, the superstar! Bumrah has had his best cricketing year, finishing at the top of the wickets chart in Tests. He picked a staggering 71 wickets in 2024 in 13 matches, averaging 14.92 and an economy of 2.96. He bagged five five-wicket hauls this year, with his best of 6/45 coming against England in February. In the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Bumrah leads the wicket-takers tally with 30 scalps from four contested matches, including three five-fors and two four-wicket hauls. Even in the recently concluded MCG Test, which the hosts won by 184 runs, Bumrah picked nine wickets, including a five-for in the second innings. Jasprit Bumrah's fifth wicket was an absolute belter! #AUSvIND | #DeliveredWithSpeed | @NBN_Australia pic.twitter.com/vfDI5gEN3n — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 29, 2024 During this Test, he created history by becoming the quickest Indian and the fourth overall to bag 200 Test wickets. (With inputs from agencies)

Bumrah rewarded with twin ICC Awards nominations for a staggering 2024

India, Australia and Sri Lanka - all remain in contention for the one remaining spot in the WTC Final 2025. After South Africa became the first team to qualify directly for the summit clash scheduled for June 2025 at Lord&rsquo;s, Australia strengthened their chances of reaching their second WTC Final on the trot after beating India in the fourth BGT Test at the MCG by 184 runs.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m5azks8z-2rgj202h-drhmkm1o">
LYON DOES IT! What a remarkable win for Australia! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/SGbA3R797X">pic.twitter.com/SGbA3R797X</a>
&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1873617184385077618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
Though that win hasn&rsquo;t guaranteed them a spot in the grand finale yet, it squashed India&rsquo;s chances of making it thrice in a row, leaving the final match of the marquee series at the SCG to decide their fate. It remains bleak, but they still have an outside chance of reaching the WTC Final and completing their trophy cabinet with the only ICC title that has eluded them till now.
<h2>How can India still qualify for WTC Final after MCG loss?</h2>
India lost the fourth Test at the MCG&mdash;their second of the series to the hosts, conceding the lead they took after bagging a massive win in the series opener in Perth. With the scoreline reading 2-1 in Australia&rsquo;s favour, they are beaming confidently, entering the fifth Test of the series with an upper hand over India.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-pat-cummins-rates-mcg-test-win-over-india-his-greatest-ever-in-australian-jersey-8577760" rel="dofollow">BGT &ndash; Pat Cummins rates MCG Test win over India his &lsquo;greatest ever&rsquo;</a>
For India to reach the WTC Final 2025, they must not only beat Australia significantly but also hope for other results to fall in place for them. Should India win at the SCG, their PCT (of 55.26) would be enough for them to finish second if Australia achieves no more than just a draw in two Tests in Sri Lanka. In that case, Australia&rsquo;s PCT would read 53.51, while Sri Lanka would finish at 48.72 (with one win).&nbsp;
However, in case of a draw in the final match of the series, India&rsquo;s PCT would drop to 51.75, ruling them out of the WTC Final race; and this is because even if Australia play a draw at the SCG and lose to Sri Lanka 0-2, they would finish on 53.51, while Sri Lanka would climb up to 53.85, piping India and Australia to qualify for their maiden WTC Final.
<h3>Which team stands a better chance?</h3>
Following the win in the MCG Test, Australia is a frontrunner to qualify for the WTC Final 2025 and face South Africa in the clash of titans.&nbsp;
Should they beat India at the SCG Test starting January 3 next year, Australia will qualify regardless of the result against Sri Lanka that follows.&nbsp;
If they win the final Test in Sydney, which sees them bagging the coveted BGT after ten years, and lose the two games in the Island Nation, their PCT would read 57.02 compared to India&rsquo;s 50 and Sri Lanka&rsquo;s 53.85.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket: South Africa qualified for their maiden WTC Final 2025 after beating Pakistan in the first Test in Centurion. India, Australia and Sri Lanka, all remain active in race. 

India, Australia and Sri Lanka - all remain in contention for the one remaining spot in the WTC Final 2025. After South Africa became the first team to qualify directly for the summit clash scheduled for June 2025 at Lord’s, Australia strengthened their chances of reaching their second WTC Final on the trot after beating India in the fourth BGT Test at the MCG by 184 runs. LYON DOES IT! What a remarkable win for Australia! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/SGbA3R797X — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 30, 2024 Though that win hasn’t guaranteed them a spot in the grand finale yet, it squashed India’s chances of making it thrice in a row, leaving the final match of the marquee series at the SCG to decide their fate. It remains bleak, but they still have an outside chance of reaching the WTC Final and completing their trophy cabinet with the only ICC title that has eluded them till now. How can India still qualify for WTC Final after MCG loss? India lost the fourth Test at the MCG—their second of the series to the hosts, conceding the lead they took after bagging a massive win in the series opener in Perth. With the scoreline reading 2-1 in Australia’s favour, they are beaming confidently, entering the fifth Test of the series with an upper hand over India. Also read | BGT – Pat Cummins rates MCG Test win over India his ‘greatest ever’ For India to reach the WTC Final 2025, they must not only beat Australia significantly but also hope for other results to fall in place for them. Should India win at the SCG, their PCT (of 55.26) would be enough for them to finish second if Australia achieves no more than just a draw in two Tests in Sri Lanka. In that case, Australia’s PCT would read 53.51, while Sri Lanka would finish at 48.72 (with one win). However, in case of a draw in the final match of the series, India’s PCT would drop to 51.75, ruling them out of the WTC Final race; and this is because even if Australia play a draw at the SCG and lose to Sri Lanka 0-2, they would finish on 53.51, while Sri Lanka would climb up to 53.85, piping India and Australia to qualify for their maiden WTC Final. Which team stands a better chance? Following the win in the MCG Test, Australia is a frontrunner to qualify for the WTC Final 2025 and face South Africa in the clash of titans. Should they beat India at the SCG Test starting January 3 next year, Australia will qualify regardless of the result against Sri Lanka that follows. If they win the final Test in Sydney, which sees them bagging the coveted BGT after ten years, and lose the two games in the Island Nation, their PCT would read 57.02 compared to India’s 50 and Sri Lanka’s 53.85. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained - How India can reach the WTC Final after losing MCG Test

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