Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has been termed as "the Messi of&nbsp;Africa" by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as the Bayern Munich CEO fueled transfer speculation by saying that&nbsp;"it would be an honour to have him" at the German club.&nbsp;

Salah, since his move to Liverpool in 2017, has become a prolific threat in front of the goal and is regarded as one of the most popular athletes in Africa.&nbsp;

The Egypt international has been a vital cog in Jurgen Klopp's Premier League and Champions League winning side. Reflecting on Salah's achievements and skills, Rummenigge said that the&nbsp;28-year-old can be compared to the likes of Lionel Messi at Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“In my opinion, Salah is the Messi of Africa and of course he has the skills to play for the best teams in the world,” Rummenigge told ON Time Sports.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/atletico-madrid-v-chelsea-champions-league-match-moved-to-bucharest-uefa-362652" hreflang="en">Atletico Madrid v Chelsea Champions League match moved to Bucharest: UEFA</a>

“What he [Salah] has achieved can be compared to what Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo did with Barcelona and Real Madrid.”&nbsp;

Salah has been constantly linked with a move away from the Anfield with reports, over the recent months, stating that the Egyptian is unhappy at the Merseyside club. However, with Barcelona and Real Madrid being tipped as the potential destination for Salah, the current financial problems of the clubs could make it difficult for them to sign the Liverpool star.&nbsp;

“At the moment we don’t plan on signing Salah, but certainly it would be an honour to have him,” Rummenigge said.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-no-hugs-to-150000-condoms-here-are-the-details-of-athlete-rulebook-for-tokyo-2020-362452" hreflang="en">From no hugs to 150,000 condoms: Here are the details of athlete rulebook for Tokyo 2020</a>

Salah is nearing his 200th&nbsp;goal of his club career and the Liverpool fans would love to see him touch another landmark in the red jersey.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Liverpool&nbsp;are&nbsp;currently struggling in the Premier League with the Reds losing last three home games at the Anfield.&nbsp;They currently sit fourth in the Premier League standings with 40 points, 10 points adrift of league leaders Manchester City.&nbsp;

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has been termed as "the Messi of Africa" by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as the Bayern Munich CEO fueled transfer speculation by saying that "it would be an honour to have him" at the German club.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has been termed as "the Messi of Africa" by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as the Bayern Munich CEO fueled transfer speculation by saying that "it would be an honour to have him" at the German club. Salah, since his move to Liverpool in 2017, has become a prolific threat in front of the goal and is regarded as one of the most popular athletes in Africa. The Egypt international has been a vital cog in Jurgen Klopp's Premier League and Champions League winning side. Reflecting on Salah's achievements and skills, Rummenigge said that the 28-year-old can be compared to the likes of Lionel Messi at Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid. “In my opinion, Salah is the Messi of Africa and of course he has the skills to play for the best teams in the world,” Rummenigge told ON Time Sports. ALSO READ: Atletico Madrid v Chelsea Champions League match moved to Bucharest: UEFA “What he [Salah] has achieved can be compared to what Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo did with Barcelona and Real Madrid.” Salah has been constantly linked with a move away from the Anfield with reports, over the recent months, stating that the Egyptian is unhappy at the Merseyside club. However, with Barcelona and Real Madrid being tipped as the potential destination for Salah, the current financial problems of the clubs could make it difficult for them to sign the Liverpool star. “At the moment we don’t plan on signing Salah, but certainly it would be an honour to have him,” Rummenigge said. ALSO READ: From no hugs to 150,000 condoms: Here are the details of athlete rulebook for Tokyo 2020 Salah is nearing his 200th goal of his club career and the Liverpool fans would love to see him touch another landmark in the red jersey. Meanwhile, Liverpool are currently struggling in the Premier League with the Reds losing last three home games at the Anfield. They currently sit fourth in the Premier League standings with 40 points, 10 points adrift of league leaders Manchester City.

Bayern Munich CEO's 'Messi of Africa' praise for Mohamed Salah fuels transfer speculation

Former England skipper Nasser Hussain has predicted that Joe Root will end up shattering all the Test batting records by country's batsmen while adding the 30-year-old is arguably England's best-ever player of spin bowling.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Root continued his purple patch with the willow as he hammered 218 runs and 40 runs off 32 deliveries in the two innings respectively in the first Test against India as England defeated the hosts&nbsp;by 227 runs in Chennai to complete a historic win.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Root sure is one of England’s greats. He will probably end up breaking all records, he will probably go past Sir Alastair Cook’s 161 Test matches and probably tally of runs as well,” Hussain wrote in his column for Sky Sports.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“He is in great&nbsp;nick, only 30 years old, and if you did a list of all-time England batting greats - the ones I have seen anyway - you’d have to have Root with Cook, Graham Gooch and Kevin Pietersen,” Hussain said.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-test-rankings-india-skipper-virat-kohli-slips-to-fifth-spot-as-joe-root-enters-top-3-362638" hreflang="en">ICC Test Rankings: India skipper Virat Kohli slips to fifth spot as Joe Root enters top 3</a>

“I would say he is arguably England’s best-ever player of spin, the way he sweeps spin away is outstanding to watch.”&nbsp;

Hussain further branded&nbsp;England's win against India as “perfect performance" while adding the triumph in Chennai is right up there with all the epic wins in the longest format of the game.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“People were writing England off, saying this series could be 4-0 to India. No one really gave this side much of a chance. India had won in Australia, Virat Kohli was back and India is a very difficult place to go and win in Test match cricket,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/when-india-wins-the-toss-he-will-score-250-ashish-nehra-on-virat-kohli-362622" hreflang="en">'When India wins the toss, he will score 250': Ashish Nehra on Virat Kohli</a>

"So, this win for England has to be right up there, especially away from home. They put in the perfect performance. From ball one to the final delivery, it was outstanding.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

England will look to carry the winning momentum when they take the field for the second Test against India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, scheduled to start from February 13. Whereas India would be itching to set the record straight and bounce back in the series, which England lead by 1-0.&nbsp;

Former England skipper Nasser Hussain has predicted that Joe Root will end up shattering all the Test batting records by country's batsmen while adding the 30-year-old is arguably England's best-ever player of spin bowling.

Former England skipper Nasser Hussain has predicted that Joe Root will end up shattering all the Test batting records by country's batsmen while adding the 30-year-old is arguably England's best-ever player of spin bowling. Root continued his purple patch with the willow as he hammered 218 runs and 40 runs off 32 deliveries in the two innings respectively in the first Test against India as England defeated the hosts by 227 runs in Chennai to complete a historic win. “Root sure is one of England’s greats. He will probably end up breaking all records, he will probably go past Sir Alastair Cook’s 161 Test matches and probably tally of runs as well,” Hussain wrote in his column for Sky Sports. “He is in great nick, only 30 years old, and if you did a list of all-time England batting greats - the ones I have seen anyway - you’d have to have Root with Cook, Graham Gooch and Kevin Pietersen,” Hussain said. ALSO READ: ICC Test Rankings: India skipper Virat Kohli slips to fifth spot as Joe Root enters top 3 “I would say he is arguably England’s best-ever player of spin, the way he sweeps spin away is outstanding to watch.” Hussain further branded England's win against India as “perfect performance" while adding the triumph in Chennai is right up there with all the epic wins in the longest format of the game. “People were writing England off, saying this series could be 4-0 to India. No one really gave this side much of a chance. India had won in Australia, Virat Kohli was back and India is a very difficult place to go and win in Test match cricket,” he said. ALSO READ: 'When India wins the toss, he will score 250': Ashish Nehra on Virat Kohli "So, this win for England has to be right up there, especially away from home. They put in the perfect performance. From ball one to the final delivery, it was outstanding.” England will look to carry the winning momentum when they take the field for the second Test against India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, scheduled to start from February 13. Whereas India would be itching to set the record straight and bounce back in the series, which England lead by 1-0.

Will end up breaking all records: Nasser Hussain praises Joe Root after Chennai Test heroics

Serena Williams strolled into the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday but former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu's emotional comeback from 15 months out ended at the hands of Taiwanese veteran Hsieh Su-wei.

Williams, 39, continued her quest to equal Margaret Court's all-time mark of 24 Grand Slams with a 6-3, 6-0 romp past 99th-ranked Serbian Nina Stojanovic in just 69 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

"l wasn't thinking as much in the second (set), as I was in the first," said Williams, who hit 27 winners in her 101st Australian Open match while again sporting her unique, one-legged catsuit inspired by track legend 'Flo-Jo'.&nbsp;

"I'm here to have fun and it's great to be playing in front of a crowd."&nbsp;

But eighth seed Andreescu, playing her first tournament since October 2019 after a serious knee injury, could never cope with Hsieh's quirky range of shots and lost 6-3, 6-2 in one hour 23 minutes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"You need to find a way to get through and the crowd helped me fight," said Hsieh after beating the Canadian, who was coming off a draining three-setter against Mihaela Buzarnescu in the first round.&nbsp;

Kvitova, the former Wimbledon champion and Melbourne runner-up in 2019, committed 44 unforced errors in her 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 defeat to Romania's Sorana Cirstea.

But seventh seed Aryna Sabalenka was little troubled in going&nbsp;through 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 against Russia's Daria Kasatkina.

In the men's draw, eighth seed Diego Schwartzmann of Argentina wasted little time in reaching the last 32, brushing aside Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-2, 6-0, 6-3 in an hour and 32 minutes on 1573 Arena.

<h2>- Djokovic affair -</h2>

Later Novak Djokovic will look to continue his Melbourne Park "love affair" and march towards a record-extending ninth title against young American Frances Tiafoe.

Djokovic demolished France's Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 on Monday as the year's first Grand Slam kicked off three weeks late because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"It is an ongoing love affair between me and this court, the Rod Laver Arena," said Djokovic after his opening win.

US Open champion Naomi Osaka will headline the evening session against France's former world number four Caroline Garcia, with the Japanese star seeking her second Australian Open title in three years.

Germany's volatile US Open finalist Alexander Zverev will close out the night session against America's Maxime Cressy.

The fifth seed is known for a short fuse and it showed on Monday as he smashed a racquet during a 6-7 (8/10), 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-2 win against another Marcos Giron.

The tantrum-prone Nick Kyrgios could also provide fireworks out on his favourite John Cain Arena against France's 29th seed Ugo Humbert.

Austrian third seed and US Open champion Dominic Thiem, last year's runner-up to Djokovic, is the highlight in the afternoon session on Margaret Court Arena against Germany's 70th-ranked Dominik Koepfer.

Women's second seed Simona Halep appeared to have overcome a lower back injury in 6-2, 6-1 romp past wildcard Lizette Cabrera on Monday and faces another Australian, Ajla Tomljanovic, in the night session.

Serena Williams strolled into the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday but former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu's emotional comeback from 15 months out ended at the hands of Taiwanese veteran Hsieh Su-wei.

Serena Williams strolled into the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday but former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu's emotional comeback from 15 months out ended at the hands of Taiwanese veteran Hsieh Su-wei. Williams, 39, continued her quest to equal Margaret Court's all-time mark of 24 Grand Slams with a 6-3, 6-0 romp past 99th-ranked Serbian Nina Stojanovic in just 69 minutes on Rod Laver Arena. "l wasn't thinking as much in the second (set), as I was in the first," said Williams, who hit 27 winners in her 101st Australian Open match while again sporting her unique, one-legged catsuit inspired by track legend 'Flo-Jo'. "I'm here to have fun and it's great to be playing in front of a crowd." But eighth seed Andreescu, playing her first tournament since October 2019 after a serious knee injury, could never cope with Hsieh's quirky range of shots and lost 6-3, 6-2 in one hour 23 minutes. "You need to find a way to get through and the crowd helped me fight," said Hsieh after beating the Canadian, who was coming off a draining three-setter against Mihaela Buzarnescu in the first round. Kvitova, the former Wimbledon champion and Melbourne runner-up in 2019, committed 44 unforced errors in her 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 defeat to Romania's Sorana Cirstea. But seventh seed Aryna Sabalenka was little troubled in going through 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 against Russia's Daria Kasatkina. In the men's draw, eighth seed Diego Schwartzmann of Argentina wasted little time in reaching the last 32, brushing aside Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-2, 6-0, 6-3 in an hour and 32 minutes on 1573 Arena. - Djokovic affair - Later Novak Djokovic will look to continue his Melbourne Park "love affair" and march towards a record-extending ninth title against young American Frances Tiafoe. Djokovic demolished France's Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 on Monday as the year's first Grand Slam kicked off three weeks late because of the coronavirus pandemic. "It is an ongoing love affair between me and this court, the Rod Laver Arena," said Djokovic after his opening win. US Open champion Naomi Osaka will headline the evening session against France's former world number four Caroline Garcia, with the Japanese star seeking her second Australian Open title in three years. Germany's volatile US Open finalist Alexander Zverev will close out the night session against America's Maxime Cressy. The fifth seed is known for a short fuse and it showed on Monday as he smashed a racquet during a 6-7 (8/10), 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-2 win against another Marcos Giron. The tantrum-prone Nick Kyrgios could also provide fireworks out on his favourite John Cain Arena against France's 29th seed Ugo Humbert. Austrian third seed and US Open champion Dominic Thiem, last year's runner-up to Djokovic, is the highlight in the afternoon session on Margaret Court Arena against Germany's 70th-ranked Dominik Koepfer. Women's second seed Simona Halep appeared to have overcome a lower back injury in 6-2, 6-1 romp past wildcard Lizette Cabrera on Monday and faces another Australian, Ajla Tomljanovic, in the night session.

Serena sails on, Andreescu comeback halted as Kvitova falls

James Anderson, in the first Test against India in Chennai, showed why he is hailed as one of the greatest exponents with the red-ball. The England veteran pacer enjoyed a fruitful outing on Day 5 of the first Test, wrapping up the likes of Shubman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane with some cracking display of reverse-swing. <o:p></o:p>

Anderson bowled two back-to-back peaches to dismiss Gill and Rahane in a similar fashion with the ball pitching just outside off-stump at a good length before coming back to take the stumps for a ride. Not only did Anderson’s dual blow allowed England to get a strong grip into the match, it also broke the backbone of the Indian batting unit. <o:p></o:p>

The 38-year-old then came back to get rid of an in-form Rishabh Pant to put England in a match-winning position. The visitors went on to win the match by 227 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rishabh-pant-factor-held-england-back-from-early-declaration-joe-root-362495" hreflang="en">Rishabh Pant factor held England back from early declaration: Joe Root</a>

<h2 class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Here's James Anderson's epic full-over:&nbsp;</o:p></h2>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
0W00W0 
Full over of James Anderson<a href="https://t.co/lWEEReud3T">pic.twitter.com/lWEEReud3T</a>
— Praveen (@iamPra98) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamPra98/status/1359146828759855105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Must be really cloudy in Chennai <a href="https://t.co/PVhX5SUjHC">pic.twitter.com/PVhX5SUjHC</a>
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheCricketGeek/status/1359026106205155328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“The ball was reversing. We knew we had to get the lengths right and I managed to do that. I got a bit of luck with the bounce there. Reverse swing was huge for us. The pitch was obviously slow and deteriorating so movement in the air makes us seamers feel we can get a wicket any ball. I am feeling great. Had a good tour of Sri Lanka and have managed to carry on the form here as well,” Anderson said after the end of the first Test.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-kevin-pietersen-tweets-in-hindi-reminds-fans-of-his-warning-following-chennai-test-362478" hreflang="en">IND vs ENG: Kevin Pietersen tweets in Hindi, reminds fans of his warning following Chennai Test</a>

“Glad to have got the nod for this game, we have a good lot of bowlers here. It was hard graft out there for five days, now need to rest well for three days and come hard again in... well three days (smiles). Root is a great player of spin. Has led us from the front, led by example. Hopefully, he can continue the form and the rest of us can chip in,” the England veteran added.<o:p></o:p>

It remains to be seen whether Anderson gets the nod for the second Test with England’s strong rotation policy coming into the play. It was Stuart Broad who missed out of the match and is expected to come back into the playing XI for the second Test, scheduled to start from February 13 in Chennai.<o:p></o:p>

James Anderson, in the first Test against India in Chennai, showed why he is hailed as one of the greatest exponents with the red-ball. The England veteran pacer enjoyed a fruitful outing on Day 5 of the first Test, wrapping up the likes of Shubman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane with some cracking display of reverse-swing.

James Anderson, in the first Test against India in Chennai, showed why he is hailed as one of the greatest exponents with the red-ball. The England veteran pacer enjoyed a fruitful outing on Day 5 of the first Test, wrapping up the likes of Shubman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane with some cracking display of reverse-swing. Anderson bowled two back-to-back peaches to dismiss Gill and Rahane in a similar fashion with the ball pitching just outside off-stump at a good length before coming back to take the stumps for a ride. Not only did Anderson’s dual blow allowed England to get a strong grip into the match, it also broke the backbone of the Indian batting unit. The 38-year-old then came back to get rid of an in-form Rishabh Pant to put England in a match-winning position. The visitors went on to win the match by 227 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series. ALSO READ: Rishabh Pant factor held England back from early declaration: Joe Root Here's James Anderson's epic full-over: 0W00W0 Full over of James Andersonpic.twitter.com/lWEEReud3T — Praveen (@iamPra98) February 9, 2021 × Must be really cloudy in Chennai pic.twitter.com/PVhX5SUjHC — Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) February 9, 2021 × “The ball was reversing. We knew we had to get the lengths right and I managed to do that. I got a bit of luck with the bounce there. Reverse swing was huge for us. The pitch was obviously slow and deteriorating so movement in the air makes us seamers feel we can get a wicket any ball. I am feeling great. Had a good tour of Sri Lanka and have managed to carry on the form here as well,” Anderson said after the end of the first Test. ALSO READ: IND vs ENG: Kevin Pietersen tweets in Hindi, reminds fans of his warning following Chennai Test “Glad to have got the nod for this game, we have a good lot of bowlers here. It was hard graft out there for five days, now need to rest well for three days and come hard again in... well three days (smiles). Root is a great player of spin. Has led us from the front, led by example. Hopefully, he can continue the form and the rest of us can chip in,” the England veteran added. It remains to be seen whether Anderson gets the nod for the second Test with England’s strong rotation policy coming into the play. It was Stuart Broad who missed out of the match and is expected to come back into the playing XI for the second Test, scheduled to start from February 13 in Chennai.

Watch: James Anderson dismisses Shubman Gill, Ajinkya Rahane with jaffas!

The 2021 Super Bowl was watched by 96.4 million people across all platforms, the host broadcaster said Tuesday, the lowest viewership since 2007 -- despite record-smashing streaming audiences.

The NFL championship match is the most-watched TV event of the year in the United States.

Some 102.3 million people tuned in for last year's Super Bowl. By comparison, the second-most watched event was another American football game which recorded 43 million views.

The most-watched non-sporting event in 2020 was "The Masked Singer," which attracted an audience of 27 million.

Sunday's Super Bowl was billed as a duel between legendary 43-year-old quarterback Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and wunderkind Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, who led his team to victory last year at age 24.

In the end it was a one-sided affair, with Brady leading Tampa Bay to a 31-9 victory as he collected a record seventh Super Bowl crown.

Friends and family usually get together for the annual showpiece, but coronavirus restrictions may have brought this year's viewing figures down.

The 55th Super Bowl was nonetheless a streaming success, becoming the most live-streamed NFL game ever, CBS said in a statement.

The average audience of 5.7 million watching online at any given minute was up 65 percent on last year's Super Bowl, the broadcaster said.

The NFL allowed several platforms to stream the game, including on CBS's All Access platform, Yahoo Sports, Verizon Media and the Chiefs and Buccaneers' mobile apps.

CBS All Access, the flagship online video service of the ViacomCBS group, experienced technical difficulties at the start of the broadcast before returning to normal, several US media reported.

Technical reliability, particularly of live broadcasts, is becoming a big issue for broadcasters as viewers move away from traditional television to online streaming.

Paramount Plus, the successor to CBS All Access, is due to launch on March 4, with an expanded offering as it tries to compete in a fiercely competitive market.

The 2021 Super Bowl was watched by 96.4 million people across all platforms, the host broadcaster said Tuesday, the lowest viewership since 2007 -- despite record-smashing streaming audiences.

The 2021 Super Bowl was watched by 96.4 million people across all platforms, the host broadcaster said Tuesday, the lowest viewership since 2007 -- despite record-smashing streaming audiences. The NFL championship match is the most-watched TV event of the year in the United States. Some 102.3 million people tuned in for last year's Super Bowl. By comparison, the second-most watched event was another American football game which recorded 43 million views. The most-watched non-sporting event in 2020 was "The Masked Singer," which attracted an audience of 27 million. Sunday's Super Bowl was billed as a duel between legendary 43-year-old quarterback Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and wunderkind Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, who led his team to victory last year at age 24. In the end it was a one-sided affair, with Brady leading Tampa Bay to a 31-9 victory as he collected a record seventh Super Bowl crown. Friends and family usually get together for the annual showpiece, but coronavirus restrictions may have brought this year's viewing figures down. The 55th Super Bowl was nonetheless a streaming success, becoming the most live-streamed NFL game ever, CBS said in a statement. The average audience of 5.7 million watching online at any given minute was up 65 percent on last year's Super Bowl, the broadcaster said. The NFL allowed several platforms to stream the game, including on CBS's All Access platform, Yahoo Sports, Verizon Media and the Chiefs and Buccaneers' mobile apps. CBS All Access, the flagship online video service of the ViacomCBS group, experienced technical difficulties at the start of the broadcast before returning to normal, several US media reported. Technical reliability, particularly of live broadcasts, is becoming a big issue for broadcasters as viewers move away from traditional television to online streaming. Paramount Plus, the successor to CBS All Access, is due to launch on March 4, with an expanded offering as it tries to compete in a fiercely competitive market.

Super Bowl draws 96.4 million viewers, lowest in 14 years

Rafael Nadal Tuesday said his back is still "not great" despite opening his campaign for a record 21st Grand Slam title with a routine straight-sets win.

The world number two pulled out of the ATP Cup last week with the niggle and said ahead of the Australian Open that he was "suffering".

He motored through his first-round clash against valiant Serb Laslo Djere with little drama, racing to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-1, victory under blue skies on Rod Laver Arena, but admitted he was still struggling.

"My back is not perfect, as I said a couple of days ago," said the Spaniard, whose only appearance this year had been an exhibition against Dominic Thiem in Adelaide 12 days ago, where he first experienced stiffness in his back.

"Every day that I'm able to go through, probably there are more chances to be better. That's the thing now.&nbsp;

"There is always a chance to improve, and that's why I'm here playing and fighting to try to get better and then give myself a chance."

The injury forced him to make changes in his service action against Djere, who didn't have the weapons to trouble the second seed despite Nadal being below par.

"Today it's not great. I needed to change a little bit the motion of my serve," he said.&nbsp;

"I need to go day-to-day and just try to stay positive. I'm trying to do all the things possible to be ready for compete -- that's what I came here for."

It was his first competitive match since the semi-finals of the ATP Finals in London on November 21.

Nadal raced to a 3-0 first-set lead and wrapped it up before a tougher set two as Djere raised his first serve percentage and got himself in the rallies, with Nadal saving three break points.

But the unrelenting Spaniard was never in jeopardy, dominating off his first serve and outlasting the 56th-ranked Serb on the long rallies.

"I wish him all the best for the rest of the season," Nadal said. "Laslo has a great story. I wish him the best of luck."&nbsp;

The 2009 champion, who has a history of back problems, is looking to edge ahead of Roger Federer in career Slam titles, with both men having 20 to their name.

But the king of clay has often laboured in vain on Melbourne's hardcourts, reaching five finals but only having the one title, falling in the quarter-finals last year to Dominic Thiem.

Nadal next plays either Serb veteran Viktor Troicki or qualifier Michael Mmoh and is on course to meet Greek rising star and fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals.

Rafael Nadal Tuesday said his back is still "not great" despite opening his campaign for a record 21st Grand Slam title with a routine straight-sets win. The world number two pulled out of the ATP Cup last week with the niggle and said ahead of the Australian Open that he was "suffering".

Rafael Nadal Tuesday said his back is still "not great" despite opening his campaign for a record 21st Grand Slam title with a routine straight-sets win. The world number two pulled out of the ATP Cup last week with the niggle and said ahead of the Australian Open that he was "suffering". He motored through his first-round clash against valiant Serb Laslo Djere with little drama, racing to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-1, victory under blue skies on Rod Laver Arena, but admitted he was still struggling. "My back is not perfect, as I said a couple of days ago," said the Spaniard, whose only appearance this year had been an exhibition against Dominic Thiem in Adelaide 12 days ago, where he first experienced stiffness in his back. "Every day that I'm able to go through, probably there are more chances to be better. That's the thing now. "There is always a chance to improve, and that's why I'm here playing and fighting to try to get better and then give myself a chance." The injury forced him to make changes in his service action against Djere, who didn't have the weapons to trouble the second seed despite Nadal being below par. "Today it's not great. I needed to change a little bit the motion of my serve," he said. "I need to go day-to-day and just try to stay positive. I'm trying to do all the things possible to be ready for compete -- that's what I came here for." It was his first competitive match since the semi-finals of the ATP Finals in London on November 21. Nadal raced to a 3-0 first-set lead and wrapped it up before a tougher set two as Djere raised his first serve percentage and got himself in the rallies, with Nadal saving three break points. But the unrelenting Spaniard was never in jeopardy, dominating off his first serve and outlasting the 56th-ranked Serb on the long rallies. "I wish him all the best for the rest of the season," Nadal said. "Laslo has a great story. I wish him the best of luck." The 2009 champion, who has a history of back problems, is looking to edge ahead of Roger Federer in career Slam titles, with both men having 20 to their name. But the king of clay has often laboured in vain on Melbourne's hardcourts, reaching five finals but only having the one title, falling in the quarter-finals last year to Dominic Thiem. Nadal next plays either Serb veteran Viktor Troicki or qualifier Michael Mmoh and is on course to meet Greek rising star and fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals.

'Not great' - Nadal cruises despite lingering back injury

Sexist comments made by Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori were "completely inappropriate", the International Olympic Committee said Tuesday, as the row over his controversial remarks continues to simmer.

The IOC's statement came as Japanese media said organisers were planning to meet this week to discuss their response to the uproar.

Several hundred Olympic volunteers have quit since Mori last week said women speak too much in meetings. He has since apologised but not stepped down, and the IOC last week said it considered the matter closed.

But on Tuesday it released a lengthy statement citing its commitment to gender equality and distancing itself from the remarks made by Mori.

"The recent comments of Tokyo 2020 President Mori were absolutely inappropriate and in contradiction to the IOC's commitments and the reforms of its Olympic Agenda 2020," it said.

It noted Mori had apologised "and later made a number of subsequent comments".

After apologising, Mori appeared to dig himself in deeper, however, explaining he "doesn't speak to women much".

The IOC made no reference to calls for Mori's resignation, noting only that Tokyo's organising committee "also considers his comment to be inappropriate and has reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality".

Japanese media said Tuesday the organising committee could meet as soon Friday to discuss its response as calls grow for Mori to resign.

Since Mori's remarks, nearly 400 Olympic and Paralympic volunteers have quit, according to the committee, which said the number includes withdrawals for all reasons.

A total of 80,000 volunteers from Japan and overseas have been recruited for this summer's virus-postponed Games.

Two people have pulled out of the torch relay and around 4,000 people complained to organisers, said public broadcaster NHK.

The row is the latest headache for organisers already battling public disquiet about the delayed Olympics, with polls showing more than 80 percent of Japanese oppose holding it this summer.

An online campaign calling for action against Mori has attracted more than 140,000 signatures, while tennis superstar Naomi Osaka slammed his comments as "ignorant".

Top government spokesman Katsunobu Kato said Tuesday that organisers should try and convince volunteers to return.

"It is important that the organising committee gives a careful explanation to volunteers," he said, days after a Tokyo 2020 statement reaffirmed a commitment to gender equality and diversity.

But ruling-party heavyweight Toshihiro Nikai reportedly said Monday that volunteers "would change their mind when things calm down" -- sparking further ire online and from other politicians.

"If they really want to quit, we'll need to recruit new ones," he said, according to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper.

Some Olympic sponsors have told organisers they received complaints and boycott threats over Mori's comments, the Mainichi Shimbun daily reported.

"We would like to refrain from 'performing' with president Mori" to promote products, the newspaper quoted one anonymous company official as saying.

Sexist comments made by Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori were "completely inappropriate", the International Olympic Committee said Tuesday, as the row over his controversial remarks continues to simmer.

Sexist comments made by Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori were "completely inappropriate", the International Olympic Committee said Tuesday, as the row over his controversial remarks continues to simmer. The IOC's statement came as Japanese media said organisers were planning to meet this week to discuss their response to the uproar. Several hundred Olympic volunteers have quit since Mori last week said women speak too much in meetings. He has since apologised but not stepped down, and the IOC last week said it considered the matter closed. But on Tuesday it released a lengthy statement citing its commitment to gender equality and distancing itself from the remarks made by Mori. "The recent comments of Tokyo 2020 President Mori were absolutely inappropriate and in contradiction to the IOC's commitments and the reforms of its Olympic Agenda 2020," it said. It noted Mori had apologised "and later made a number of subsequent comments". After apologising, Mori appeared to dig himself in deeper, however, explaining he "doesn't speak to women much". The IOC made no reference to calls for Mori's resignation, noting only that Tokyo's organising committee "also considers his comment to be inappropriate and has reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality". Japanese media said Tuesday the organising committee could meet as soon Friday to discuss its response as calls grow for Mori to resign. Since Mori's remarks, nearly 400 Olympic and Paralympic volunteers have quit, according to the committee, which said the number includes withdrawals for all reasons. A total of 80,000 volunteers from Japan and overseas have been recruited for this summer's virus-postponed Games. Two people have pulled out of the torch relay and around 4,000 people complained to organisers, said public broadcaster NHK. The row is the latest headache for organisers already battling public disquiet about the delayed Olympics, with polls showing more than 80 percent of Japanese oppose holding it this summer. An online campaign calling for action against Mori has attracted more than 140,000 signatures, while tennis superstar Naomi Osaka slammed his comments as "ignorant". Top government spokesman Katsunobu Kato said Tuesday that organisers should try and convince volunteers to return. "It is important that the organising committee gives a careful explanation to volunteers," he said, days after a Tokyo 2020 statement reaffirmed a commitment to gender equality and diversity. But ruling-party heavyweight Toshihiro Nikai reportedly said Monday that volunteers "would change their mind when things calm down" -- sparking further ire online and from other politicians. "If they really want to quit, we'll need to recruit new ones," he said, according to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. Some Olympic sponsors have told organisers they received complaints and boycott threats over Mori's comments, the Mainichi Shimbun daily reported. "We would like to refrain from 'performing' with president Mori" to promote products, the newspaper quoted one anonymous company official as saying.

IOC calls 2020 chief's sexist comments 'completely inappropriate'

Premier League referee Mike Dean will not officiate this weekend after he and his family received online death threats following two controversial incidents.

The 52-year-old referee sent off West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek for catching Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic with his elbow on Saturday, days after dismissing Southampton defender Jan Bednarek at Old Trafford.

Dean reviewed the incidents on the pitchside monitor after consulting VAR before making his decisions. Both have since been overturned on appeal.

The referee asked to be stood down from the next round of Premier League fixtures and was not included on the match officials list for the forthcoming weekend, though he will be in charge of Wednesday's FA Cup tie between Leicester and Brighton.

Professional Game Match Officials Board managing director and former referee Mike Riley offered Dean the organisation's full support.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the threats to Dean and his family were "inexcusable" and called for more action from social media companies.

Soucek also spoke out against the abuse levelled at Dean, tweeting that decisions "made on the pitch should stay on the pitch".

"There is no place for abuse of any kind," he said. "It is in the past and I'm now focused on the rest of the season."

Premier League managers mobilised in support of Dean, with Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder labelling the abuse "inhumane".

"Mike Dean is an honourable referee and a decent guy, and these guys are doing their best, as the players and coaches are," he said.

"They don't deserve it. It's disgusting, the individuals need nailing and I wish I could nail them in my way, but I won't be allowed to.

"We've all been subjected to the abuse and I think it's cowardly, disgusting and inhumane. It isn't football and it isn't life. No-one should be able to get away with it."

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho said that criticism of officials like Dean on a professional level was inevitable, but threatening his family was completely unacceptable.

"I think something has to be done. Because one thing is professional life and what we do in our professional lives, and the success we have, the mistakes we make, the frustrations we have," Mourinho said.

"Another thing is to go to the private life and go to the social life. And then, of course, something has to be done."

Premier League referee Mike Dean will not officiate this weekend after he and his family received online death threats following two controversial incidents. The 52-year-old referee sent off West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek for catching Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic with his elbow on Saturday, days after dismissing Southampton defender Jan Bednarek at Old Trafford.

Premier League referee Mike Dean will not officiate this weekend after he and his family received online death threats following two controversial incidents. The 52-year-old referee sent off West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek for catching Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic with his elbow on Saturday, days after dismissing Southampton defender Jan Bednarek at Old Trafford. Dean reviewed the incidents on the pitchside monitor after consulting VAR before making his decisions. Both have since been overturned on appeal. The referee asked to be stood down from the next round of Premier League fixtures and was not included on the match officials list for the forthcoming weekend, though he will be in charge of Wednesday's FA Cup tie between Leicester and Brighton. Professional Game Match Officials Board managing director and former referee Mike Riley offered Dean the organisation's full support. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the threats to Dean and his family were "inexcusable" and called for more action from social media companies. Soucek also spoke out against the abuse levelled at Dean, tweeting that decisions "made on the pitch should stay on the pitch". "There is no place for abuse of any kind," he said. "It is in the past and I'm now focused on the rest of the season." Premier League managers mobilised in support of Dean, with Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder labelling the abuse "inhumane". "Mike Dean is an honourable referee and a decent guy, and these guys are doing their best, as the players and coaches are," he said. "They don't deserve it. It's disgusting, the individuals need nailing and I wish I could nail them in my way, but I won't be allowed to. "We've all been subjected to the abuse and I think it's cowardly, disgusting and inhumane. It isn't football and it isn't life. No-one should be able to get away with it." Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho said that criticism of officials like Dean on a professional level was inevitable, but threatening his family was completely unacceptable. "I think something has to be done. Because one thing is professional life and what we do in our professional lives, and the success we have, the mistakes we make, the frustrations we have," Mourinho said. "Another thing is to go to the private life and go to the social life. And then, of course, something has to be done."

Premier League ref misses game after death threats

England faced a lot of criticism for holding on to their declaration on Day 4 of the first Test against India. While the visitors decided to set a target for Team India without declaring early or either enforcing the follow-on.&nbsp;

England went on to set a target of 420 runs for Team India. As the decision to not declare the innings stood right following England’s massive 227-run win against India, Joe Root explained why he decided against declaring the innings early.&nbsp;

Root said that Rishabh Pant’s ability to change the game in one session while adding he didn’t want the England bowlers to be in two minds about the final day of the match.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-kevin-pietersen-tweets-in-hindi-reminds-fans-of-his-warning-following-chennai-test-362478" hreflang="en">IND vs ENG: Kevin Pietersen tweets in Hindi, reminds fans of his warning following Chennai Test</a>

"We could have declared earlier, for sure, we could have. I wanted to make sure that there were only two results possible in this game. I wanted to make sure that we turned up today with the ball still being hard. We wanted to give our bowlers an extra bit of time to be raring to go," Root told reporters at the virtual press conference.

"We wanted to get to 400 and then we wanted to press the accelerator. Actually, it was going to be really important that we had runs on the board as it was a fast outfield," he added.

"Rishabh Pant bats for one session and he can make things quite interesting. I did not want the pressure of having to contain and as well as take wickets. I wanted to make sure that the bowlers were concentrating on the ways of finding the wickets on that surface.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/joe-root-equals-michael-vaughan-as-most-successful-england-captain-in-his-100th-test-362448" hreflang="en">Joe Root equals Michael Vaughan as most successful England captain in his 100th Test</a>

"We were always going to create ten chances, we just had to be disciplined and take the chances that came our way. We could have declared earlier, I am just glad how it has turned out," he further said.

Root capped off his 100th Test match in style with the England skipper scoring a scintillating double century in the first innings to help his side gain advantage going into the second innings. Eventually, England took a 1-0 lead in the series and will look to continue their winning run when they take the field for the second Test starting from February 13 in Chennai. 
<o:p></o:p>

England faced a lot of criticism for holding on to their declaration on Day 4 of the first Test against India. While the visitors decided to set a target for Team India without declaring early or either enforcing the follow-on.

England faced a lot of criticism for holding on to their declaration on Day 4 of the first Test against India. While the visitors decided to set a target for Team India without declaring early or either enforcing the follow-on. England went on to set a target of 420 runs for Team India. As the decision to not declare the innings stood right following England’s massive 227-run win against India, Joe Root explained why he decided against declaring the innings early. Root said that Rishabh Pant’s ability to change the game in one session while adding he didn’t want the England bowlers to be in two minds about the final day of the match. ALSO READ: IND vs ENG: Kevin Pietersen tweets in Hindi, reminds fans of his warning following Chennai Test "We could have declared earlier, for sure, we could have. I wanted to make sure that there were only two results possible in this game. I wanted to make sure that we turned up today with the ball still being hard. We wanted to give our bowlers an extra bit of time to be raring to go," Root told reporters at the virtual press conference. "We wanted to get to 400 and then we wanted to press the accelerator. Actually, it was going to be really important that we had runs on the board as it was a fast outfield," he added. "Rishabh Pant bats for one session and he can make things quite interesting. I did not want the pressure of having to contain and as well as take wickets. I wanted to make sure that the bowlers were concentrating on the ways of finding the wickets on that surface. ALSO READ: Joe Root equals Michael Vaughan as most successful England captain in his 100th Test "We were always going to create ten chances, we just had to be disciplined and take the chances that came our way. We could have declared earlier, I am just glad how it has turned out," he further said. Root capped off his 100th Test match in style with the England skipper scoring a scintillating double century in the first innings to help his side gain advantage going into the second innings. Eventually, England took a 1-0 lead in the series and will look to continue their winning run when they take the field for the second Test starting from February 13 in Chennai.

Rishabh Pant factor held England back from early declaration: Joe Root

The pilot in the January 2020 helicopter crash that killed retired NBA star Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others was "legally prohibited" from flying into clouds but did so anyway, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board's chairman said on Tuesday.

Pilot Ara Zobayan told air traffic controllers that his helicopter was climbing out of heavy clouds when in fact it was descending immediately before slamming into a hillside near the town of Calabasas, the agency said in June. Zobayan's actions have been in focus in the investigation into the crash of the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter outside Los Angeles into hilly terrain.

NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said the pilot was "flying under visual flight orders or VFR which legally prohibited him from penetrating the clouds" but he continued into clouds. The board was meeting to vote on the probable cause of the crash.

The board "will discuss whether the pilot faced pressure to complete the flight. .... What were the expectations of the pilot under the company policy? Did he put pressure on himself and what actions could he have taken to avoid flying into the clouds?" Sumwalt said.

Zobayan was killed in the crash.

The board has said pilots can become confused about an aircraft's attitude and acceleration when they cannot see the sky or landscape around them. Sumwalt said the board "will discuss the phenomenon of spatial disorientation, which is the powerful sensation that confuses pilots who lose visual reference and what types of training can be effective in countering this effect."

The board said previously an examination of the helicopter's engines and rotors found no evidence of "catastrophic mechanical failure."

Bryant, 41, an 18-time National Basketball Association all-star with the Los Angeles Lakers, was traveling with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, two other girls and several friends to a youth basketball tournament at the time of the crash. The accident prompted an outpouring of shock and grief from sports fans worldwide.

The pilot in the January 2020 helicopter crash that killed retired NBA star Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others was "legally prohibited" from flying into clouds but did so anyway, the U.

The pilot in the January 2020 helicopter crash that killed retired NBA star Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others was "legally prohibited" from flying into clouds but did so anyway, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board's chairman said on Tuesday. Pilot Ara Zobayan told air traffic controllers that his helicopter was climbing out of heavy clouds when in fact it was descending immediately before slamming into a hillside near the town of Calabasas, the agency said in June. Zobayan's actions have been in focus in the investigation into the crash of the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter outside Los Angeles into hilly terrain. NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said the pilot was "flying under visual flight orders or VFR which legally prohibited him from penetrating the clouds" but he continued into clouds. The board was meeting to vote on the probable cause of the crash. The board "will discuss whether the pilot faced pressure to complete the flight. .... What were the expectations of the pilot under the company policy? Did he put pressure on himself and what actions could he have taken to avoid flying into the clouds?" Sumwalt said. Zobayan was killed in the crash. The board has said pilots can become confused about an aircraft's attitude and acceleration when they cannot see the sky or landscape around them. Sumwalt said the board "will discuss the phenomenon of spatial disorientation, which is the powerful sensation that confuses pilots who lose visual reference and what types of training can be effective in countering this effect." The board said previously an examination of the helicopter's engines and rotors found no evidence of "catastrophic mechanical failure." Bryant, 41, an 18-time National Basketball Association all-star with the Los Angeles Lakers, was traveling with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, two other girls and several friends to a youth basketball tournament at the time of the crash. The accident prompted an outpouring of shock and grief from sports fans worldwide.

Pilot in fatal Kobe Bryant crash legally prohibited from flying into clouds: NTSB chief

England on Tuesday defeated India by a crushing 227-run margin in the first Test of the four-match series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. While the match marked an end to India’s 14-match unbeaten streak at home, former England batsman Kevin Pietersen took to social media platform to tweet in the Hindi language to celebrate and remind Indian fans of what he had said before the series started.

Ahead of the series, Pietersen had warned Indian fans not to celebrate the historic Test series triumph against Australia much. At that time, the former England batsman had said that the real team will arrive in India a few weeks later while adding that a lot can change within a span of two weeks.

England dominated the proceedings against India in Chennai to win the Test 227 runs. While skipper Joe Root celebrated his 100th Test with a cracking double century, the likes of Dom Bess and James Anderson rattled the Indian batsmen with their classy bowling display.

“India , yaad hai maine pehele hi chetawani di thi ke itna jasn na manaye jab aapne Australia ko unke ghar pe haraya tha,” tweeted Pietersen. (India, remember when I warned you before to refrain from celebrating too much when you had beaten Australia in their backyard).

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/family-live-streams-india-vs-england-chennai-test-at-wedding-venue-photograph-goes-viral-362460" hreflang="en">Family live-streams India vs England Chennai Test at wedding venue, photograph goes viral</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
India , yaad hai maine pehele hi chetawani di thi ke itna jasn na manaye jab aapne Australia ko unke ghar pe haraya tha 😉
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1359059768082579456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“India - yeh aitihaasik jeet ka jashn manaye kyuki yeh sabhi baadhao ke khilaap hasil hui hai (This is a historic win, you must celebrate because it has been achieved despite all obstacles),” the ex-England captain had tweeted.

“LEKIN, ASLI TEAM toh kuch hafto baad a rahi hai jisse aapko harana hoga apne ghar mein. Satark rahe, 2 saptaah mein bahut adhik jashn manaane se saavadhaan rahen (However, the real challenge comes your way in a few weeks, and you have to beat them at home. Be careful, refrain from celebrating too much in the coming two weeks),” he had written while referring to the England team.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-are-no-regrets-whatsoever-on-that-decision-virat-kohli-on-kuldeep-yadavs-omission-from-playing-xi-362444" hreflang="en">'There are no regrets whatsoever on that decision': Virat Kohli on Kuldeep Yadav's omission from playing XI</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
India 🇮🇳 - yeh aitihaasik jeet ka jashn manaye kyuki yeh sabhi baadhao ke khilaap hasil hui hai 
 
LEKIN , ASLI TEAM 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 😉 toh kuch hafto baad a rahi hai jisse aapko harana hoga apne ghar mein . 
 
Satark rahe , 2 saptaah mein bahut adhik jashn manaane se saavadhaan rahen 😉
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1351501549013504001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

England will now look to continue their winning run at the same venue in Chennai in the second Test, scheduled to commence from February 13 whereas India will be gunning to bounce back from the setback and level the series.

<o:p></o:p>

England on Tuesday defeated India by a crushing 227-run margin in the first Test of the four-match series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. While the match marked an end to India’s 14-match unbeaten streak at home, former England batsman Kevin Pietersen took to social media platform to tweet in the Hindi language to celebrate and remind Indian fans of what he had said before the series started.

England on Tuesday defeated India by a crushing 227-run margin in the first Test of the four-match series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. While the match marked an end to India’s 14-match unbeaten streak at home, former England batsman Kevin Pietersen took to social media platform to tweet in the Hindi language to celebrate and remind Indian fans of what he had said before the series started. Ahead of the series, Pietersen had warned Indian fans not to celebrate the historic Test series triumph against Australia much. At that time, the former England batsman had said that the real team will arrive in India a few weeks later while adding that a lot can change within a span of two weeks. England dominated the proceedings against India in Chennai to win the Test 227 runs. While skipper Joe Root celebrated his 100th Test with a cracking double century, the likes of Dom Bess and James Anderson rattled the Indian batsmen with their classy bowling display. “India , yaad hai maine pehele hi chetawani di thi ke itna jasn na manaye jab aapne Australia ko unke ghar pe haraya tha,” tweeted Pietersen. (India, remember when I warned you before to refrain from celebrating too much when you had beaten Australia in their backyard). ALSO READ: Family live-streams India vs England Chennai Test at wedding venue, photograph goes viral India , yaad hai maine pehele hi chetawani di thi ke itna jasn na manaye jab aapne Australia ko unke ghar pe haraya tha 😉 — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) February 9, 2021 × “India - yeh aitihaasik jeet ka jashn manaye kyuki yeh sabhi baadhao ke khilaap hasil hui hai (This is a historic win, you must celebrate because it has been achieved despite all obstacles),” the ex-England captain had tweeted. “LEKIN, ASLI TEAM toh kuch hafto baad a rahi hai jisse aapko harana hoga apne ghar mein. Satark rahe, 2 saptaah mein bahut adhik jashn manaane se saavadhaan rahen (However, the real challenge comes your way in a few weeks, and you have to beat them at home. Be careful, refrain from celebrating too much in the coming two weeks),” he had written while referring to the England team. ALSO READ: 'There are no regrets whatsoever on that decision': Virat Kohli on Kuldeep Yadav's omission from playing XI India 🇮🇳 - yeh aitihaasik jeet ka jashn manaye kyuki yeh sabhi baadhao ke khilaap hasil hui hai LEKIN , ASLI TEAM 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 😉 toh kuch hafto baad a rahi hai jisse aapko harana hoga apne ghar mein . Satark rahe , 2 saptaah mein bahut adhik jashn manaane se saavadhaan rahen 😉 — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) January 19, 2021 × England will now look to continue their winning run at the same venue in Chennai in the second Test, scheduled to commence from February 13 whereas India will be gunning to bounce back from the setback and level the series.

IND vs ENG: Kevin Pietersen tweets in Hindi, reminds fans of his warning following Chennai Test

The phrase – cricket is a religion in India – is known to all the cricket-frenzy fans and a recent incident during a wedding ceremony in Tamil Nadu summed up the feelings of cricket lovers towards the gentlemen’s game. A family, which hosted a wedding ceremony in Tamil Nadu, made sure that guests don’t miss a single ball of the first Test between India and England, which was played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

The family live-streamed the Chennai Test on a giant screen at the location of the wedding. The photo of the event was posted by a social media user which went viral in no time, garnering attention from fans from all over the world.

A user named Akshay Natarajan took to social media platform Twitter to share the photograph where it was clearly visible that a big screen set near the wedding stage was live-streaming India vs England first Test in Chennai. While the ceremony continued on the stage, the big screens kept the guests updated with the development of the match.

“A Chennai test, with 2 Chennai boys batting. How can you not??” the user wrote referencing Washington Sundar and Ravichandran Ashwin. “Happy married life da Anand,” the user posted while wishing his friend on his wedding.&nbsp; 
The viral photograph caught attention of many cricket fans as the reacted by saying that they will follow the same norm on their wedding.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohlis-captaincy-career-could-end-if-india-lose-2nd-test-against-england-monty-panesar-to-wion-362418" hreflang="en">Virat Kohli's captaincy career could end if India lose 2nd Test against England: Monty Panesar to WION</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A Chennai test, with 2 Chennai boys batting. How can you not?? 
 
Happy married life da Anand 😁<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvsENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvsENG</a> <a href="https://t.co/ClY34ri83G">pic.twitter.com/ClY34ri83G</a>
— Akshay Natarajan (@akshaynatarajan) <a href="https://twitter.com/akshaynatarajan/status/1358646445730000896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Have skipped many family functions as they coincided with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> matches in the pre-digital era. 
 
Wedding invites now must mention that match will be streamed live to ensure full attendance😁. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvsENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvsENG</a> 
📷 - Akshay Natarajan <a href="https://t.co/2K8OowtNhH">pic.twitter.com/2K8OowtNhH</a>
— Moulin (@Moulinparikh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Moulinparikh/status/1358802282993750016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-world-test-championship-india-drop-to-4th-after-chennai-test-heres-updated-standings-362403" hreflang="en">ICC World Test Championship: India drop to 4th after Chennai Test; Here's updated standings</a>

However, it is not the first time an incident like this has happened in India. From IPL matches being live-streamed in wedding receptions to football-themed parties, India continue to take the frenzy around sports to a different level.

Meanwhile, India lost the first Test against England by 227-runs with the visitors leading the four-match rubber by 1-0.

The phrase – cricket is a religion in India – is known to all the cricket-frenzy fans and a recent incident during a wedding ceremony in Tamil Nadu summed up the feelings of cricket lovers towards the gentlemen’s game.

The phrase – cricket is a religion in India – is known to all the cricket-frenzy fans and a recent incident during a wedding ceremony in Tamil Nadu summed up the feelings of cricket lovers towards the gentlemen’s game. A family, which hosted a wedding ceremony in Tamil Nadu, made sure that guests don’t miss a single ball of the first Test between India and England, which was played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The family live-streamed the Chennai Test on a giant screen at the location of the wedding. The photo of the event was posted by a social media user which went viral in no time, garnering attention from fans from all over the world. A user named Akshay Natarajan took to social media platform Twitter to share the photograph where it was clearly visible that a big screen set near the wedding stage was live-streaming India vs England first Test in Chennai. While the ceremony continued on the stage, the big screens kept the guests updated with the development of the match. “A Chennai test, with 2 Chennai boys batting. How can you not??” the user wrote referencing Washington Sundar and Ravichandran Ashwin. “Happy married life da Anand,” the user posted while wishing his friend on his wedding. The viral photograph caught attention of many cricket fans as the reacted by saying that they will follow the same norm on their wedding. ALSO READ: Virat Kohli's captaincy career could end if India lose 2nd Test against England: Monty Panesar to WION A Chennai test, with 2 Chennai boys batting. How can you not?? Happy married life da Anand 😁#INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/ClY34ri83G — Akshay Natarajan (@akshaynatarajan) February 8, 2021 × Have skipped many family functions as they coincided with #TeamIndia matches in the pre-digital era. Wedding invites now must mention that match will be streamed live to ensure full attendance😁. #INDvsENG 📷 - Akshay Natarajan pic.twitter.com/2K8OowtNhH — Moulin (@Moulinparikh) February 8, 2021 × ALSO READ: ICC World Test Championship: India drop to 4th after Chennai Test; Here's updated standings However, it is not the first time an incident like this has happened in India. From IPL matches being live-streamed in wedding receptions to football-themed parties, India continue to take the frenzy around sports to a different level. Meanwhile, India lost the first Test against England by 227-runs with the visitors leading the four-match rubber by 1-0.

Family live-streams India vs England Chennai Test at wedding venue, photograph goes viral

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Subhayan Chakraborty

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

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