The International Olympic Committee on Friday reacted to the speculations of the Tokyo Olympics 2020&nbsp;getting cancelled&nbsp;as the IOC dismissed all the reports while terming it "categorically untrue".&nbsp;&nbsp;

Earlier on Friday, The Times reported that the Japanese government has privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics will have to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai dismissed the report, the IOC has given an official statement saying that "they will be implementing all possible countermeasures against COVID-19 and will continue their preparations for holding a safe and secure Games this summer".&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-games-may-be-too-big-a-gamble-disease-expert-says-358262" hreflang="en">Tokyo Games may be too big a gamble, disease expert says</a>

<h2 lang="EN-US" paraeid="{5e26cd38-371c-46d9-b12d-5cf040f9145f}{210}" paraid="631709021" >Full statement by the International Olympic Committee on Tokyo Olympics:&nbsp;</h2>

We refer you to the strong and clear statement that the Japanese Government made today, saying that the report is "categorically untrue". Please find the statement here:&nbsp;

"Some news reports circulating today are claiming that the Government of Japan has privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics will have to be cancelled because of the coronavirus. This is categorically untrue.&nbsp;

"At an IOC Executive Board meeting in July last year, it was agreed that the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Tokyo&nbsp;2020 would be held on July 23 this year, and the&nbsp;programme&nbsp;and venues for the Games were rescheduled accordingly. All parties involved are working together to prepare for a successful Games this summer.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"We will be implementing all possible countermeasures against COVID-19 and will continue to work closely with the IOC, the Tokyo 2020&nbsp;Organising&nbsp;Committee and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in our preparations for holding a safe and secure Games this summer."&nbsp;

Together with its Japanese partners and friends, the IOC is fully concentrated on and committed to the successful delivery of the Olympic and Paralympics Games Tokyo 2020 this year.&nbsp;

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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-cancelled-japanese-government-issues-clarification-358428" hreflang="en">Tokyo Olympics cancelled? Japanese government issues clarification</a>

Earlier, both Australia and United States Olympic Committees said that they are completely focused on the Games as scheduled after the report from The Times surfaced that&nbsp;Tokyo Olympics, which was pushed back by a year due to the pandemic, will be cancelled. The report further stated that the Japanese&nbsp;government&nbsp;is now looking to&nbsp;secure the quadrennial event in the next available year in 2032.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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The International Olympic Committee on Friday reacted to the speculations of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 getting cancelled as the IOC dismissed all the reports while terming it "categorically untrue".

The International Olympic Committee on Friday reacted to the speculations of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 getting cancelled as the IOC dismissed all the reports while terming it "categorically untrue". Earlier on Friday, The Times reported that the Japanese government has privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics will have to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. While Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai dismissed the report, the IOC has given an official statement saying that "they will be implementing all possible countermeasures against COVID-19 and will continue their preparations for holding a safe and secure Games this summer". ALSO READ: Tokyo Games may be too big a gamble, disease expert says Full statement by the International Olympic Committee on Tokyo Olympics: We refer you to the strong and clear statement that the Japanese Government made today, saying that the report is "categorically untrue". Please find the statement here: "Some news reports circulating today are claiming that the Government of Japan has privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics will have to be cancelled because of the coronavirus. This is categorically untrue. "At an IOC Executive Board meeting in July last year, it was agreed that the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 would be held on July 23 this year, and the programme and venues for the Games were rescheduled accordingly. All parties involved are working together to prepare for a successful Games this summer. "We will be implementing all possible countermeasures against COVID-19 and will continue to work closely with the IOC, the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in our preparations for holding a safe and secure Games this summer." Together with its Japanese partners and friends, the IOC is fully concentrated on and committed to the successful delivery of the Olympic and Paralympics Games Tokyo 2020 this year. IOC statement on media reports regarding Tokyo 2020 pic.twitter.com/647pj5mx9U — IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) January 22, 2021 × ALSO READ: Tokyo Olympics cancelled? Japanese government issues clarification Earlier, both Australia and United States Olympic Committees said that they are completely focused on the Games as scheduled after the report from The Times surfaced that Tokyo Olympics, which was pushed back by a year due to the pandemic, will be cancelled. The report further stated that the Japanese government is now looking to secure the quadrennial event in the next available year in 2032.

IOC reacts to reports of Tokyo Olympics getting cancelled, says it is 'categorically untrue'

Team India's historic Test series win against Australia will be celebrated for ages.&nbsp;While the Ajinkya Rahane-led side won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1,&nbsp;the Indian team had to face numerous challenges during the series including quarantine restrictions, injuries to key players among other things.&nbsp;&nbsp;

India started off the Test series with a humiliating defeat in Adelaide where the visitors were bundled off for a record-low of 36. However, showing great grit and resilience, the Indian team bounced back to win the Melbourne Test, draw Sydney Test and end the series by breaching Australia's fortress the Gabba.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While the wins in Melbourne and Gabba will be remembered for long, the heroic show in Sydney will never be forgotten by the Indian fans.&nbsp;

During a conversation with India's fielding coach R Sridhar, Ravichandran Ashwin, in his YouTube channel, revealed an interesting yet hilarious incident involving Shardul Thakur.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/my-father-is-a-farmer-and-all-our-life-we-are-taught-to-keep-trying-shardul-thakur-358521" hreflang="en">'My father is a farmer and all our life we are taught to keep trying': Shardul Thakur</a>

While Ravichandran Ashwin, with a sore back, and Hanuma Vihari, with a torn hamstring, were battling out to save the Sydney Test on Day 5, Indian team management sent bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur to the ground to pass on a message for the duo in the middle.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2 lang="EN-US" paraeid="{7ef9f08a-fbd3-4b68-8c68-1b58bd6abc08}{244}" paraid="984069920" >The full conversation between Ravichandran Ashwin and R Sridhar on Shardul Thakur conveying the message from the dressing room:</h2>

Ashwin: Already I was padded up and standing from the morning because of my back pain. And then suddenly there was talk of Jadeja batting. And then suddenly Shastri came and said 'Ash, go!' After I went in, there were multiple messages from Shastri. Take us through those.

Sridhar: At one end, the bounce was a bit uneven and you got hit. We were worried about two things - one, a batsman getting out. And two, if Ash was injured, there was only Ravi Shastri left to play! Lot of things at stake, so he sent a message through Shardul.

He called for Shardul and said 'go tell Ashwin that I told him to play Lyon and Vihari to play the pacers'.

Ashwin: We were oblivious to it. We were keeping on playing the same way, and Vihari came and said Ash I'm feeling a bit distracting, so let's rotate strike for a couple of overs. And we got a single. Vihari played off-spin, and after an over, he came and said I'm unable to move my feet! Somehow we survived.

Shardul came running in and said "they're talking a lot of things inside. But I won't tell you anything! You both are playing well, just continue!" We were wondering what kind of a message this is.

Sridhar: And we were thinking he conveyed the message to you guys! And then every ball became an event. You batted till tea, and then we started believing. We had 249 balls, and Shastri would say 'Shabash' after every ball.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hanuma-vihari-talks-about-ravichandran-ashwins-struggles-during-the-sydney-test-358506" hreflang="en">Hanuma Vihari talks about Ravichandran Ashwin's struggles during the Sydney Test</a>

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Ashwin and Vihari, battling injuries, defied all the odds to remain unbeaten on Day 5 of the Sydney Test to help India draw the Test. Courtesy the drawn Sydney Test, the series remained at 1-1 which also gave a window to the Indian team to go for the kill in Brisbane as they won the&nbsp;Test series 2-1.&nbsp;

Team India's historic Test series win against Australia will be celebrated for ages. While the Ajinkya Rahane-led side won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1, the Indian team had to face numerous challenges during the series including quarantine restrictions, injuries to key players among other things.

Team India's historic Test series win against Australia will be celebrated for ages. While the Ajinkya Rahane-led side won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1, the Indian team had to face numerous challenges during the series including quarantine restrictions, injuries to key players among other things. India started off the Test series with a humiliating defeat in Adelaide where the visitors were bundled off for a record-low of 36. However, showing great grit and resilience, the Indian team bounced back to win the Melbourne Test, draw Sydney Test and end the series by breaching Australia's fortress the Gabba. While the wins in Melbourne and Gabba will be remembered for long, the heroic show in Sydney will never be forgotten by the Indian fans. During a conversation with India's fielding coach R Sridhar, Ravichandran Ashwin, in his YouTube channel, revealed an interesting yet hilarious incident involving Shardul Thakur. ALSO READ: 'My father is a farmer and all our life we are taught to keep trying': Shardul Thakur While Ravichandran Ashwin, with a sore back, and Hanuma Vihari, with a torn hamstring, were battling out to save the Sydney Test on Day 5, Indian team management sent bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur to the ground to pass on a message for the duo in the middle. The full conversation between Ravichandran Ashwin and R Sridhar on Shardul Thakur conveying the message from the dressing room: Ashwin: Already I was padded up and standing from the morning because of my back pain. And then suddenly there was talk of Jadeja batting. And then suddenly Shastri came and said 'Ash, go!' After I went in, there were multiple messages from Shastri. Take us through those. Sridhar: At one end, the bounce was a bit uneven and you got hit. We were worried about two things - one, a batsman getting out. And two, if Ash was injured, there was only Ravi Shastri left to play! Lot of things at stake, so he sent a message through Shardul. He called for Shardul and said 'go tell Ashwin that I told him to play Lyon and Vihari to play the pacers'. Ashwin: We were oblivious to it. We were keeping on playing the same way, and Vihari came and said Ash I'm feeling a bit distracting, so let's rotate strike for a couple of overs. And we got a single. Vihari played off-spin, and after an over, he came and said I'm unable to move my feet! Somehow we survived. Shardul came running in and said "they're talking a lot of things inside. But I won't tell you anything! You both are playing well, just continue!" We were wondering what kind of a message this is. Sridhar: And we were thinking he conveyed the message to you guys! And then every ball became an event. You batted till tea, and then we started believing. We had 249 balls, and Shastri would say 'Shabash' after every ball. ALSO READ: Hanuma Vihari talks about Ravichandran Ashwin's struggles during the Sydney Test × Ashwin and Vihari, battling injuries, defied all the odds to remain unbeaten on Day 5 of the Sydney Test to help India draw the Test. Courtesy the drawn Sydney Test, the series remained at 1-1 which also gave a window to the Indian team to go for the kill in Brisbane as they won the Test series 2-1.

'Just continue!': When Shardul Thakur didn't convey Ravi Shastri's message to Vihari and Ashwin in Sydney

Real Madrid's trust in Zinedine Zidane is being tested again after embarrassment in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday sparked fresh concerns about the club's present and future.&nbsp;

Humiliated in the cup by Segunda B's Alcoyano, a week after being outfought and largely outplayed in the Spanish Super Cup by Athletic Bilbao, Madrid find themselves in another slump.&nbsp;

Their season might well finish without a trophy, with Atletico Madrid marching on in La Liga and Europe's elite stretching the gap even further away from Spain's once formidable trio in the Champions League.&nbsp;

But more worrying is that this appears to be a squad now in desperate need of renovation and a team shorn of the strengths that took them to the title only six months ago.&nbsp;

The question is whether Zidane is the person for a rebuild, or even now if he wants to be. Asked if he still has the backing of the players on Wednesday, Zidane said: "I believe so, you have to ask them. We've done good things this season, apart from the last four games. Now we have La Liga and the Champions League and we have to work.&nbsp;

"Whether my message gets through, you have to ask them, I can't answer that."

Zidane has never been a coach to impose a clear identity, his numerous successes drawing suspicion in part because they seemed to arrive from nowhere, without a crescendo to give them more credibility.&nbsp;

But they were always built on a solid defence, a dependable core and a relentless will to win that meant close games became narrow victories and pressure periods brought a reaction.&nbsp;

Zidane needs another reaction now, starting at Mendizorrotza against Alaves on Saturday, like when Madrid won the Clasico at Camp Nou in October, and rattled off six victories on the bounce in December, each time after their coach's position had come under scrutiny.&nbsp;

The difference this time is not just the scale of the failure against Alcoyano - who have not played in the top flight in half a century - but that it left Zidane accused of ignoring the future too.&nbsp;

His reliance on a select core was underlined by the poor performances of fringe players like Isco, Marcelo and Eder Militao, who looked short of sharpness and, perhaps, motivation.

Even more jarring for those higher up the club may have been the struggles of Vinicius Junior, Fede Valverde and Alvaro Odriozola, youngsters once circled as players that could be part of a new era.

And what about those not there? Luka Jovic was sent back on loan to Eintracht Frankfurt and scored twice for them in 28 minutes.

Or Martin Odegaard, who was recalled early from his loan at Real Sociedad only to be left searching this month for another exit. Sergio Reguilon is at Tottenham, Dani Ceballos at Arsenal.

Zidane has decelerated the transition, perhaps because it was by relying on the old guard that Real Madrid beat Barcelona to the league last term.

And when Zidane demanded change in the summer of 2019, his first transfer window after coming back, it was the club that failed to deliver.

Eden Hazard, Jovic, Ferland Mendy, Militao and Rodrygo were signed for around 300 million euros but only Mendy at left-back has consistently improved the first team. Zidane's priorities, like Paul Pogba, were overlooked.

Nobody could have predicted those arrivals would have to last Real Madrid two seasons, the pandemic strangling the club financially meaning there were no new signings last year.

But their lack of impact has been laid bare, the price of failing to update growing ever more costly.

Zidane has always been trusted to pull Madrid out of a mess but never to build something new. When they won the title last season, it papered over the cracks, a testament to his ability to manage and motivate but the need for renewal remained.

Zidane wanted change in exchange for coming back. The change the club is now pondering is their coach.

<h2>Fixtures&nbsp;(all times GMT)</h2>

Friday

Levante v Real Sociedad (2100)

Saturday

Huesca v Villarreal (1400), Sevilla v Cadiz (1615), Real Sociedad v Real Betis (1830), Alaves v Real Madrid (2100)

Sunday

Osasuna v Granada (1400), Elche v Barcelona (1615), Celta Vigo v Eibar (1830), Atletico Madrid (2100)

Monday

Athletic Club v Getafe

Real Madrid's trust in Zinedine Zidane is being tested again after embarrassment in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday sparked fresh concerns about the club's present and future.

Real Madrid's trust in Zinedine Zidane is being tested again after embarrassment in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday sparked fresh concerns about the club's present and future. Humiliated in the cup by Segunda B's Alcoyano, a week after being outfought and largely outplayed in the Spanish Super Cup by Athletic Bilbao, Madrid find themselves in another slump. Their season might well finish without a trophy, with Atletico Madrid marching on in La Liga and Europe's elite stretching the gap even further away from Spain's once formidable trio in the Champions League. But more worrying is that this appears to be a squad now in desperate need of renovation and a team shorn of the strengths that took them to the title only six months ago. The question is whether Zidane is the person for a rebuild, or even now if he wants to be. Asked if he still has the backing of the players on Wednesday, Zidane said: "I believe so, you have to ask them. We've done good things this season, apart from the last four games. Now we have La Liga and the Champions League and we have to work. "Whether my message gets through, you have to ask them, I can't answer that." Zidane has never been a coach to impose a clear identity, his numerous successes drawing suspicion in part because they seemed to arrive from nowhere, without a crescendo to give them more credibility. But they were always built on a solid defence, a dependable core and a relentless will to win that meant close games became narrow victories and pressure periods brought a reaction. Zidane needs another reaction now, starting at Mendizorrotza against Alaves on Saturday, like when Madrid won the Clasico at Camp Nou in October, and rattled off six victories on the bounce in December, each time after their coach's position had come under scrutiny. The difference this time is not just the scale of the failure against Alcoyano - who have not played in the top flight in half a century - but that it left Zidane accused of ignoring the future too. His reliance on a select core was underlined by the poor performances of fringe players like Isco, Marcelo and Eder Militao, who looked short of sharpness and, perhaps, motivation. Even more jarring for those higher up the club may have been the struggles of Vinicius Junior, Fede Valverde and Alvaro Odriozola, youngsters once circled as players that could be part of a new era. And what about those not there? Luka Jovic was sent back on loan to Eintracht Frankfurt and scored twice for them in 28 minutes. Or Martin Odegaard, who was recalled early from his loan at Real Sociedad only to be left searching this month for another exit. Sergio Reguilon is at Tottenham, Dani Ceballos at Arsenal. Zidane has decelerated the transition, perhaps because it was by relying on the old guard that Real Madrid beat Barcelona to the league last term. And when Zidane demanded change in the summer of 2019, his first transfer window after coming back, it was the club that failed to deliver. Eden Hazard, Jovic, Ferland Mendy, Militao and Rodrygo were signed for around 300 million euros but only Mendy at left-back has consistently improved the first team. Zidane's priorities, like Paul Pogba, were overlooked. Nobody could have predicted those arrivals would have to last Real Madrid two seasons, the pandemic strangling the club financially meaning there were no new signings last year. But their lack of impact has been laid bare, the price of failing to update growing ever more costly. Zidane has always been trusted to pull Madrid out of a mess but never to build something new. When they won the title last season, it papered over the cracks, a testament to his ability to manage and motivate but the need for renewal remained. Zidane wanted change in exchange for coming back. The change the club is now pondering is their coach. Fixtures (all times GMT) Friday Levante v Real Sociedad (2100) Saturday Huesca v Villarreal (1400), Sevilla v Cadiz (1615), Real Sociedad v Real Betis (1830), Alaves v Real Madrid (2100) Sunday Osasuna v Granada (1400), Elche v Barcelona (1615), Celta Vigo v Eibar (1830), Atletico Madrid (2100) Monday Athletic Club v Getafe

Resistance to change leaves Madrid and Zidane pondering futures again

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a new fitness test for the Indian cricket team. The new fitness test will be an addition to the already existing Yo-Yo test, that has played an important role in converting this Indian side into world-beaters.&nbsp;

The Yo-Yo fitness test has set fresh benchmarks in terms of fitness when it comes to Indian cricket and its introduction has helped Indian players become better on the field in all departments of the game.&nbsp;

The players who want to represent India will now have to clear another speed and endurance test over a distance of 2km in what will be a time-trial test.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/my-father-is-a-farmer-and-all-our-life-we-are-taught-to-keep-trying-shardul-thakur-358521" hreflang="en">'My father is a farmer and all our life we are taught to keep trying': Shardul Thakur</a>

According to a report in The Indian Express, the benchmark for the pace bowlers would be 8 minutes and 15 seconds whereas the batsmen, spinners and wicket-keepers would have to cover the 2km distance in 8 minutes and 30 seconds. Notably, the latest speed and endurance test doesn't replace the Yo-Yo test&nbsp;but will act as another assessment test.&nbsp;

“The Board felt that the current fitness standard played a huge role in getting our fitness to the next level. It is important to take our fitness level to another level now. The time trial exercise will help us to compete even better. The Board will keep updating the standards every year,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by the&nbsp;daily.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hanuma-vihari-reveals-rahul-dravids-message-after-sydney-heroics-358303" hreflang="en">Hanuma Vihari reveals Rahul Dravid's message after Sydney heroics</a>

&nbsp;Elite athletes such as Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit&nbsp;Bumrah, Manish Pandey among others would be expected to clear the new test in lesser time while the minimum score for the Yo-Yo test remains at 17.1&nbsp;

All the BCCI contracted players have been informed about the latest development and the criteria following necessary clearance from the BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah. The new test&nbsp;will reportedly be carried out from the next series. However, the players who were a part of the Test series in Australia have been exempted from the speed and endurance test for the month of February but those who are in contention for the limited-overs series would be&nbsp;required&nbsp;to clear it.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a new fitness test for the Indian cricket team. The new fitness test will be an addition to the already existing Yo-Yo test, that has played an important role in converting this Indian side into world-beaters.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a new fitness test for the Indian cricket team. The new fitness test will be an addition to the already existing Yo-Yo test, that has played an important role in converting this Indian side into world-beaters. The Yo-Yo fitness test has set fresh benchmarks in terms of fitness when it comes to Indian cricket and its introduction has helped Indian players become better on the field in all departments of the game. The players who want to represent India will now have to clear another speed and endurance test over a distance of 2km in what will be a time-trial test. ALSO READ: 'My father is a farmer and all our life we are taught to keep trying': Shardul Thakur According to a report in The Indian Express, the benchmark for the pace bowlers would be 8 minutes and 15 seconds whereas the batsmen, spinners and wicket-keepers would have to cover the 2km distance in 8 minutes and 30 seconds. Notably, the latest speed and endurance test doesn't replace the Yo-Yo test but will act as another assessment test. “The Board felt that the current fitness standard played a huge role in getting our fitness to the next level. It is important to take our fitness level to another level now. The time trial exercise will help us to compete even better. The Board will keep updating the standards every year,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by the daily. ALSO READ: Hanuma Vihari reveals Rahul Dravid's message after Sydney heroics Elite athletes such as Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Manish Pandey among others would be expected to clear the new test in lesser time while the minimum score for the Yo-Yo test remains at 17.1 All the BCCI contracted players have been informed about the latest development and the criteria following necessary clearance from the BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah. The new test will reportedly be carried out from the next series. However, the players who were a part of the Test series in Australia have been exempted from the speed and endurance test for the month of February but those who are in contention for the limited-overs series would be required to clear it.

After Yo-Yo, BCCI introduces new fitness test for Team India

Indian pacer Shardul Thakur has lauded "warrior" Cheteshwar Pujara for his gritty and resolute show against Australia in the recently concluded four-match Test series. Pujara&nbsp;faced the most number of deliveries in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (928) and faced the heat of the Aussie pacers on some tough pitches in Australia.&nbsp;

While Pujara was the orchestrator of India's historic show in 2018-19, the top-order batsman continued his terrific run against Australia as he helped the visitors seal back-to-back series on Australian soil by ending up as the second-highest scorer for the team.&nbsp;

After receiving a grand welcome in Mumbai, Shardul recalled Pujara's breathtaking batting efforts in Australia.&nbsp;

ALSO REA:D&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hanuma-vihari-talks-about-ravichandran-ashwins-struggles-during-the-sydney-test-358506" hreflang="en">Hanuma Vihari talks about Ravichandran Ashwin's struggles during the Sydney Test</a>

"I think Pujara batted like an absolute warrior. In the dressing room, even though he was getting hit, we never felt that he wasn't confident. He was ready to take those blows."&nbsp;

While youngsters like Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant based their game flow around Pujara's gritty knocks, India reaped the maximum rewards of two sides of the coin. Not only did Pujara suffered some tough blows to his body, but he also made sure that India&nbsp;remain&nbsp;in the games during the course of the series.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-the-great-batsman-or-a-mediocre-captain-bishan-singh-bedi-opines-358468" hreflang="en">'Virat Kohli the great batsman or a mediocre captain?': Bishan Singh Bedi opines</a>

Thakur&nbsp;added,&nbsp;"he was pretty solid in his&nbsp;defence. At times, he might have looked ugly while watching him on TV, but he played his role sensationally. He batted superbly. There was no sense of fear in us," he told the Times of India.&nbsp;

Shardul, who made a comeback into the Indian Test squad, made an instant impact as he wreaked havoc with the ball while also playing a crucial knock of 67 runs at the Gabba. Shardul ended up with seven wickets to help India defeat Australia by three wickets and conquer the fortress call the Gabba.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Indian pacer Shardul Thakur has lauded "warrior" Cheteshwar Pujara for his gritty and resolute show against Australia in the recently concluded four-match Test series.

Indian pacer Shardul Thakur has lauded "warrior" Cheteshwar Pujara for his gritty and resolute show against Australia in the recently concluded four-match Test series. Pujara faced the most number of deliveries in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (928) and faced the heat of the Aussie pacers on some tough pitches in Australia. While Pujara was the orchestrator of India's historic show in 2018-19, the top-order batsman continued his terrific run against Australia as he helped the visitors seal back-to-back series on Australian soil by ending up as the second-highest scorer for the team. After receiving a grand welcome in Mumbai, Shardul recalled Pujara's breathtaking batting efforts in Australia. ALSO REA:D Hanuma Vihari talks about Ravichandran Ashwin's struggles during the Sydney Test "I think Pujara batted like an absolute warrior. In the dressing room, even though he was getting hit, we never felt that he wasn't confident. He was ready to take those blows." While youngsters like Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant based their game flow around Pujara's gritty knocks, India reaped the maximum rewards of two sides of the coin. Not only did Pujara suffered some tough blows to his body, but he also made sure that India remain in the games during the course of the series. ALSO READ: 'Virat Kohli the great batsman or a mediocre captain?': Bishan Singh Bedi opines Thakur added, "he was pretty solid in his defence. At times, he might have looked ugly while watching him on TV, but he played his role sensationally. He batted superbly. There was no sense of fear in us," he told the Times of India. Shardul, who made a comeback into the Indian Test squad, made an instant impact as he wreaked havoc with the ball while also playing a crucial knock of 67 runs at the Gabba. Shardul ended up with seven wickets to help India defeat Australia by three wickets and conquer the fortress call the Gabba.

Shardul Thakur all praise for 'warrior' Cheteshwar Pujara after India's historic show in Australia

LeBron James scored a season-high 34 points as the Los Angeles Lakers won their eighth straight road game with a 113-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.

The victory opened a seven-game road trip for the NBA champion Lakers, who are hoping this is the beginning of another run of victories.&nbsp;

They had a five-game winning streak snapped in their most recent outing, a 115-113 loss to Golden State.

"Our motivation was not losing two in a row tonight. We were able to get that accomplished," said forward Anthony Davis.

James made a key three pointer and capped his night with an emphatic double clutch slam dunk as the Lakers improved to a NBA best 12-4 on the season after Thursday's gritty performance at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 23 points and Davis finished with 18 points and nine rebounds in the win. Caldwell-Pope sank seven-of-10 threes as the Lakers went 19-of-37 from three-point range.

Going on a seven-game road trip might be a daunting task for some teams but not the Lakers, who have the best record in the league.

They have excelled away from Staples Center arena by compiling a franchise best 8-0 start on the road this season.

"It is coming along. We are just playing for each other," said Caldwell-Pope.

The Lakers bottled up reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds but had a career high nine turnovers.

"We've got to keep working, keep playing good basketball for longer periods of time, make shots, defend better, rebound the ball better," Antetokounmpo said. "Ultimately we've got to get better."

Jrue Holiday tallied 22 points and Khris Middleton scored 20 for the Bucks, who dropped their second straight game for the first time this season.

The Bucks led by as many as seven in the first quarter before taking a 33-29 lead into the second.

The Lakers started the fourth with a five-point lead, 86-81, but quickly extended that to 11 points. The Bucks took advantage of some sloppy Laker defence to go on a 9-0 run to close the gap to 98-96 with three minutes to go on a layup by Middleton.

But four-time MVP James and Alex Caruso each drained key three pointers in the final two minutes. James, who beat the shot clock with his three pointer, then put the game away in style by driving hard to the basket and dunking it with 15 seconds remaining in the fourth.

"There were stretches where we were really good on both ends of the court," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.&nbsp;

"We had a bad stretch, I felt like the last four or five minutes of the second quarter, on both ends of the court we were not good. We were not sharp like you need to be for 48 minutes."

&nbsp;

<h2>- Green ejected for yelling -</h2>

&nbsp;

Elsewhere, R.J. Barrett recorded a career best with 28 points, and the&nbsp;New York Knicks used a 40-point first quarter to build a lead they relinquished only momentarily in a 119-104 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

Stephen Curry had a game-high 30 points for the Warriors, who were coming off back-to-back wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs.&nbsp;

The Warriors lost Draymond Green to a disputed technical ejection in the second quarter, when he appeared to be yelling at his own teammate&nbsp;James Wiseman -- but the officials saw it differently.

The Knicks outshot the Warriors 46.3 percent to 38.4 from the floor.

LeBron James scored a season-high 34 points as the Los Angeles Lakers won their eighth straight road game with a 113-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.

LeBron James scored a season-high 34 points as the Los Angeles Lakers won their eighth straight road game with a 113-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. The victory opened a seven-game road trip for the NBA champion Lakers, who are hoping this is the beginning of another run of victories. They had a five-game winning streak snapped in their most recent outing, a 115-113 loss to Golden State. "Our motivation was not losing two in a row tonight. We were able to get that accomplished," said forward Anthony Davis. James made a key three pointer and capped his night with an emphatic double clutch slam dunk as the Lakers improved to a NBA best 12-4 on the season after Thursday's gritty performance at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 23 points and Davis finished with 18 points and nine rebounds in the win. Caldwell-Pope sank seven-of-10 threes as the Lakers went 19-of-37 from three-point range. Going on a seven-game road trip might be a daunting task for some teams but not the Lakers, who have the best record in the league. They have excelled away from Staples Center arena by compiling a franchise best 8-0 start on the road this season. "It is coming along. We are just playing for each other," said Caldwell-Pope. The Lakers bottled up reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds but had a career high nine turnovers. "We've got to keep working, keep playing good basketball for longer periods of time, make shots, defend better, rebound the ball better," Antetokounmpo said. "Ultimately we've got to get better." Jrue Holiday tallied 22 points and Khris Middleton scored 20 for the Bucks, who dropped their second straight game for the first time this season. The Bucks led by as many as seven in the first quarter before taking a 33-29 lead into the second. The Lakers started the fourth with a five-point lead, 86-81, but quickly extended that to 11 points. The Bucks took advantage of some sloppy Laker defence to go on a 9-0 run to close the gap to 98-96 with three minutes to go on a layup by Middleton. But four-time MVP James and Alex Caruso each drained key three pointers in the final two minutes. James, who beat the shot clock with his three pointer, then put the game away in style by driving hard to the basket and dunking it with 15 seconds remaining in the fourth. "There were stretches where we were really good on both ends of the court," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "We had a bad stretch, I felt like the last four or five minutes of the second quarter, on both ends of the court we were not good. We were not sharp like you need to be for 48 minutes." - Green ejected for yelling - Elsewhere, R.J. Barrett recorded a career best with 28 points, and the New York Knicks used a 40-point first quarter to build a lead they relinquished only momentarily in a 119-104 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Stephen Curry had a game-high 30 points for the Warriors, who were coming off back-to-back wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors lost Draymond Green to a disputed technical ejection in the second quarter, when he appeared to be yelling at his own teammate James Wiseman -- but the officials saw it differently. The Knicks outshot the Warriors 46.3 percent to 38.4 from the floor.

James scores 34 as Lakers improve to 8-0 on the road

South Korean double Olympic champion skater Shim Suk-hee is seeking a heavier sentence for her former coach, her lawyer said Friday, after he was jailed for more than a decade for sexually assaulting her over several years.

The short track skater -- one of the country's top female sports stars -- went public in 2019 with accusations that Cho Jae-beom had sexually abused her over three years, starting when she was 17.

Her action confronted a culture of shame in the socially conservative South and prompted a series of athletes to come forward with similar allegations, leading to apologies from sporting authorities.

Cho was convicted and sentenced to 10 and a half years in jail by the Suwon District Court on Thursday, but Shim's lawyer said they will ask the court to impose a longer term.

Prosecutors had initially demanded 20 years in prison.

"As a victim, (Shim) hopes that an appeal by the prosecution will result in more severe punishment," Im Sang-hyeok, Shim's lawyer, told AFP.

The Suwon Prosecutor's Office told AFP that it will "thoroughly" consider the ruling and Shim's demand for a heavier penalty.

Now aged 23, Shim has four Olympic medals to her name, including relay golds at both Sochi 2014 and on home ice during the Pyeongchang Games four years later.

South Korea is a regional sporting powerhouse, regularly in the top 10 medal table places at both the summer and winter Olympics, with short-track speed skating providing many of its titles.

But in an already intensely competitive society where coaches hold immense sway over athletes' careers, the sport was long known to be rife with physical and verbal abuse.

Cho was sentenced to 18 months in jail in January 2019 on separate charges of physically abusing her -- violence that she told the court began when she was seven.

Shim exposed the truth out of a desire "to convince the world that no-one should ever again be victimised like her", her lawyer Im said, and hoped that the ruling "helps victims somewhere in our society to speak up in the future".

South Korean double Olympic champion skater Shim Suk-hee is seeking a heavier sentence for her former coach, her lawyer said Friday, after he was jailed for more than a decade for sexually assaulting her over several years.

South Korean double Olympic champion skater Shim Suk-hee is seeking a heavier sentence for her former coach, her lawyer said Friday, after he was jailed for more than a decade for sexually assaulting her over several years. The short track skater -- one of the country's top female sports stars -- went public in 2019 with accusations that Cho Jae-beom had sexually abused her over three years, starting when she was 17. Her action confronted a culture of shame in the socially conservative South and prompted a series of athletes to come forward with similar allegations, leading to apologies from sporting authorities. Cho was convicted and sentenced to 10 and a half years in jail by the Suwon District Court on Thursday, but Shim's lawyer said they will ask the court to impose a longer term. Prosecutors had initially demanded 20 years in prison. "As a victim, (Shim) hopes that an appeal by the prosecution will result in more severe punishment," Im Sang-hyeok, Shim's lawyer, told AFP. The Suwon Prosecutor's Office told AFP that it will "thoroughly" consider the ruling and Shim's demand for a heavier penalty. Now aged 23, Shim has four Olympic medals to her name, including relay golds at both Sochi 2014 and on home ice during the Pyeongchang Games four years later. South Korea is a regional sporting powerhouse, regularly in the top 10 medal table places at both the summer and winter Olympics, with short-track speed skating providing many of its titles. But in an already intensely competitive society where coaches hold immense sway over athletes' careers, the sport was long known to be rife with physical and verbal abuse. Cho was sentenced to 18 months in jail in January 2019 on separate charges of physically abusing her -- violence that she told the court began when she was seven. Shim exposed the truth out of a desire "to convince the world that no-one should ever again be victimised like her", her lawyer Im said, and hoped that the ruling "helps victims somewhere in our society to speak up in the future".

South Korean Olympic champion seeks heavier sentence for sex-assault coach

Ronald Koeman criticised his Barcelona players for missing two penalties on Thursday as they needed extra time to end the cup run of third-division side Cornella and reach the Copa del Rey last 16.

Goals from Ousmane Dembele and Martin Braithwaite in extra time sealed a 2-0 victory for Barca but only after Miralem Pjanic and Dembele had both failed to score penalties in normal time.

Pjanic and Dembele join a list of five Barcelona players to have missed penalties this season, along with Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Braithwaite.

"I don't understand because normally there are enough players who can score penalties," said Barca coach Koeman. "Maybe they are scary, I don't know.&nbsp;Several players have failed and, above all, if you score one of the two penalties, you calm down.

"You cannot miss two penalties as Barca players. It's not serious."

Barca were looking for a reaction on the back of their shock loss to Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, when Messi was sent off for the club for the first time.

With Messi suspended, a rotated line-up laboured to victory after a third consecutive extra-time in eight days.

Pjanic missed the first penalty in the 39th minute after Ronald Araujo went down under a high foot from Albert Estelles, Cornella goalkeeper Ramon Juan diving low to his right.

Griezmann and Braithwaite both failed to finish early in the second half and then Griezmann blazed over on the volley after a clever free-kick from Pjanic.

Another penalty presented a golden opportunity in the 80th minute after another Estelles error, this time a handball. Dembele stepped up but the result was the same, his driven effort down the middle again kept out by Ramon Juan.

Cornella, who beat Atletico Madrid in the previous round, saw their resistance last only two minutes into extra time as the power of Dembele's shot from distance was too much for the keeper, who could only divert the ball in off the crossbar.

Estelles completed his nightmare night by being sent off before Braithwaite added a second on the counter-attack.

Ronald Koeman criticised his Barcelona players for missing two penalties on Thursday as they needed extra time to end the cup run of third-division side Cornella and reach the Copa del Rey last 16.

Ronald Koeman criticised his Barcelona players for missing two penalties on Thursday as they needed extra time to end the cup run of third-division side Cornella and reach the Copa del Rey last 16. Goals from Ousmane Dembele and Martin Braithwaite in extra time sealed a 2-0 victory for Barca but only after Miralem Pjanic and Dembele had both failed to score penalties in normal time. Pjanic and Dembele join a list of five Barcelona players to have missed penalties this season, along with Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Braithwaite. "I don't understand because normally there are enough players who can score penalties," said Barca coach Koeman. "Maybe they are scary, I don't know. Several players have failed and, above all, if you score one of the two penalties, you calm down. "You cannot miss two penalties as Barca players. It's not serious." Barca were looking for a reaction on the back of their shock loss to Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, when Messi was sent off for the club for the first time. With Messi suspended, a rotated line-up laboured to victory after a third consecutive extra-time in eight days. Pjanic missed the first penalty in the 39th minute after Ronald Araujo went down under a high foot from Albert Estelles, Cornella goalkeeper Ramon Juan diving low to his right. Griezmann and Braithwaite both failed to finish early in the second half and then Griezmann blazed over on the volley after a clever free-kick from Pjanic. Another penalty presented a golden opportunity in the 80th minute after another Estelles error, this time a handball. Dembele stepped up but the result was the same, his driven effort down the middle again kept out by Ramon Juan. Cornella, who beat Atletico Madrid in the previous round, saw their resistance last only two minutes into extra time as the power of Dembele's shot from distance was too much for the keeper, who could only divert the ball in off the crossbar. Estelles completed his nightmare night by being sent off before Braithwaite added a second on the counter-attack.

Koeman says Barca 'not serious' after missing two penalties in cup win

With the deadline to retain players ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 mini-auction, franchises on Wednesday&nbsp;released some of their respective players&nbsp;to increase their purse before the auction. Teams are looking to bolster their squad for IPL 2021&nbsp;with mini-auction likely to take place in February.&nbsp;

With the list of retained and released players out ahead of IPL 2021 mini-auction, let us take a look at some of the players who have been released by IPL franchises so far.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Harbhajan Singh started the day by announcing that his contract with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has come to an end. The veteran off-spinner, if available, will go straight to the mini-auction pool after spending a couple of seasons with the Yellow Army.&nbsp;

A Chennai Super Kings (CSK) source confirmed to WION that Suresh Raina has been retained by the franchise with the veteran southpaw all set to don the yellow jersey again after missing IPL 2020 due to personal reasons. The likes of Kedar Jadhav, Piyush Chawla,&nbsp;Murali Vijay have also been released by CSK as the MS Dhoni-led outfit look to bring new faces into the squad.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chennai-super-kings-release-harbhajan-singh-ahead-of-ipl-2021-mini-auction-357900" hreflang="en">Chennai Super Kings release Harbhajan Singh ahead of IPL 2021 mini-auction</a>

The biggest released player ahead of IPL 2021 mini-auction has arguably been&nbsp;Steve Smith as Rajasthan Royals have released the&nbsp;Australian batsman. Sanju Samson has been named as the new captain of Rajasthan Royals.&nbsp;

Mumbai Indians have released the likes of Lasith Malinga and&nbsp;Sherfane&nbsp;Rutherford while Delhi Capitals have moved away from Sandeep&nbsp;Lamicchane, Mohit Sharma, Jason Roy and Alex Carey.&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders have also decided to part ways with flamboyant English opener Tom Banton after buying him in IPL 2019 auction pool.&nbsp;They have also let go&nbsp;Chris Green, Siddesh Lad, Nikhil Naik and M Siddharth.

Chennai Super Kings have released Monu Singh as well.&nbsp;

Kings XI Punjab have released Glenn Maxwell, Sheldon Cottrell, Krishnappa Gowtham, Mujeeb ur Rahman and Jimmy Neesham.

<h2 lang="EN-US" paraeid="{ba11a142-7141-440a-a0e9-2375d483a0e8}{212}" paraid="1724536750" >Released players ahead of IPL 2021 mini-auction:&nbsp;</h2>

Steve Smith,&nbsp;Lasith Malinga,&nbsp;Sherfane&nbsp;Rutherford,&nbsp;Sandeep&nbsp;Lamicchane,&nbsp;Mohit Sharma,&nbsp;Jason Roy,&nbsp;Alex Carey,&nbsp;Tom Banton,&nbsp;Piyush Chawla,&nbsp;Murali Vijay,&nbsp;Kedar Jadhav,&nbsp;Harbhajan Singh, Monu Singh, Daniel Sams (traded to RCB). Harshal Patel (traded to RCB), Chris Green, Nikhil Naik, M Siddharth, Siddesh Lad, Chris Morris, Umesh Yadav, Shivam Dube,&nbsp;Glenn Maxwell, Sheldon Cottrell, K Gowtham, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Jimmy Neesham,&nbsp;Aaron Finch, Moeen Ali, Isuru Udana, Dale Steyn,&nbsp;Pawan Negi, Gurkeerat Mann, Parthiv Patel,&nbsp;James Pattinson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell McClenaghan, Robin Uthappa (traded to CSK)

<h2 lang="EN-US" paraeid="{ba11a142-7141-440a-a0e9-2375d483a0e8}{178}" paraid="210706058" >Retained players list of all IPL 2021 franchise:</h2>

List of retained players by Royal Challengers Bangalore:&nbsp;Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Yuzvendra Chahal, Devdutt Padikkal, Josh Philippe, Mohammad Siraj, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pavan Deshpande, Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson

List of retained players by Chennai Super Kings: N Jagadeesan, R Gaikwad, KM Asif, R Jadeja, MS Dhoni, J Hazlewood, K Sharma, A Rayudu, S Raina, I Tahir, D Chahar, Faf du Plessis, S Thakur, M Santner, D Bravo, L Ngidi, S Curran, S Kishore.

List of retained players by Kings XI Punjab: KL Rahul, Gayle, Pooran, Shami, Jordan, Mandeep, Mayank, Bishnoi, Prabhsimran, Hooda, Sarfaraz, Arshdeep, M Ashwin, Arshdeep, Porel,&nbsp;Harpreet

List of retained players by Sunrisers Hyderabad:&nbsp;David Warner (c), Abhishek Sharma, Basil Thampi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jonny Bairstow, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Shreevats Goswami, Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, T Natarajan, Vijay Shankar, Wriddhiman Saha, Abdul Samad, Mitchell Marsh, Priyam Garg, Virat Singh

List of retained players by Kolkata Knight Riders:&nbsp;Dinesh Karthik, Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Eoin Morgan, Rahul Tripathi, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Varun Chakravarthy, Lockie Ferguson, Kuldeep Yadav, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Prasidh Krishna, Harry Gurney, Sandeep Warrier.

List of retained players by Rajasthan Royals:&nbsp;Robin Uthappa, Mahipal Lomror, Manan Vohra, Riyan Parag, Mayank Markande, Shreyas Gopal, Varun Aaron, Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi, Akash Singh, Rahul Tewatia, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Anuj Rawat, David Miller, Jofra Archer, Andrew Tye, Ben Stokes, Tom Curran, Jos Buttler.

List of retained players by Mumbai Indians:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (c), Suryakumar Yadav, Anmolpreet Singh, Saurabh Tiwary, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul Chahar, Hardik Pandya, Jayant Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Anukul Roy, Ishan Kishan, Aditya Tare, Chris Lynn, Trent Boult, Kieron Pollard, Quinton de Kock.

List of retained players by Delhi Capitals:&nbsp;Shreyas Iyer, Rahane, Dhawan, Shaw, Pant, Hetmyer, Axar Patel, Stoinis, Lalit Yadav, Chris Woakes, Pravin Dubey, Amit Mishra, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, R. Ashwin, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje. 
&nbsp;

With the deadline to retain players ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 mini-auction, franchises on Wednesday released some of their respective players to increase their purse before the auction.

With the deadline to retain players ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 mini-auction, franchises on Wednesday released some of their respective players to increase their purse before the auction. Teams are looking to bolster their squad for IPL 2021 with mini-auction likely to take place in February. With the list of retained and released players out ahead of IPL 2021 mini-auction, let us take a look at some of the players who have been released by IPL franchises so far. Harbhajan Singh started the day by announcing that his contract with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has come to an end. The veteran off-spinner, if available, will go straight to the mini-auction pool after spending a couple of seasons with the Yellow Army. A Chennai Super Kings (CSK) source confirmed to WION that Suresh Raina has been retained by the franchise with the veteran southpaw all set to don the yellow jersey again after missing IPL 2020 due to personal reasons. The likes of Kedar Jadhav, Piyush Chawla, Murali Vijay have also been released by CSK as the MS Dhoni-led outfit look to bring new faces into the squad. ALSO READ: Chennai Super Kings release Harbhajan Singh ahead of IPL 2021 mini-auction The biggest released player ahead of IPL 2021 mini-auction has arguably been Steve Smith as Rajasthan Royals have released the Australian batsman. Sanju Samson has been named as the new captain of Rajasthan Royals. Mumbai Indians have released the likes of Lasith Malinga and Sherfane Rutherford while Delhi Capitals have moved away from Sandeep Lamicchane, Mohit Sharma, Jason Roy and Alex Carey. Kolkata Knight Riders have also decided to part ways with flamboyant English opener Tom Banton after buying him in IPL 2019 auction pool. They have also let go Chris Green, Siddesh Lad, Nikhil Naik and M Siddharth. Chennai Super Kings have released Monu Singh as well. Kings XI Punjab have released Glenn Maxwell, Sheldon Cottrell, Krishnappa Gowtham, Mujeeb ur Rahman and Jimmy Neesham. Released players ahead of IPL 2021 mini-auction: Steve Smith, Lasith Malinga, Sherfane Rutherford, Sandeep Lamicchane, Mohit Sharma, Jason Roy, Alex Carey, Tom Banton, Piyush Chawla, Murali Vijay, Kedar Jadhav, Harbhajan Singh, Monu Singh, Daniel Sams (traded to RCB). Harshal Patel (traded to RCB), Chris Green, Nikhil Naik, M Siddharth, Siddesh Lad, Chris Morris, Umesh Yadav, Shivam Dube, Glenn Maxwell, Sheldon Cottrell, K Gowtham, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Jimmy Neesham, Aaron Finch, Moeen Ali, Isuru Udana, Dale Steyn, Pawan Negi, Gurkeerat Mann, Parthiv Patel, James Pattinson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell McClenaghan, Robin Uthappa (traded to CSK) Retained players list of all IPL 2021 franchise: List of retained players by Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Yuzvendra Chahal, Devdutt Padikkal, Josh Philippe, Mohammad Siraj, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pavan Deshpande, Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson List of retained players by Chennai Super Kings: N Jagadeesan, R Gaikwad, KM Asif, R Jadeja, MS Dhoni, J Hazlewood, K Sharma, A Rayudu, S Raina, I Tahir, D Chahar, Faf du Plessis, S Thakur, M Santner, D Bravo, L Ngidi, S Curran, S Kishore. List of retained players by Kings XI Punjab: KL Rahul, Gayle, Pooran, Shami, Jordan, Mandeep, Mayank, Bishnoi, Prabhsimran, Hooda, Sarfaraz, Arshdeep, M Ashwin, Arshdeep, Porel, Harpreet List of retained players by Sunrisers Hyderabad: David Warner (c), Abhishek Sharma, Basil Thampi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jonny Bairstow, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Shreevats Goswami, Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, T Natarajan, Vijay Shankar, Wriddhiman Saha, Abdul Samad, Mitchell Marsh, Priyam Garg, Virat Singh List of retained players by Kolkata Knight Riders: Dinesh Karthik, Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Eoin Morgan, Rahul Tripathi, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Varun Chakravarthy, Lockie Ferguson, Kuldeep Yadav, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Prasidh Krishna, Harry Gurney, Sandeep Warrier. List of retained players by Rajasthan Royals: Robin Uthappa, Mahipal Lomror, Manan Vohra, Riyan Parag, Mayank Markande, Shreyas Gopal, Varun Aaron, Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi, Akash Singh, Rahul Tewatia, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Anuj Rawat, David Miller, Jofra Archer, Andrew Tye, Ben Stokes, Tom Curran, Jos Buttler. List of retained players by Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Suryakumar Yadav, Anmolpreet Singh, Saurabh Tiwary, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul Chahar, Hardik Pandya, Jayant Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Anukul Roy, Ishan Kishan, Aditya Tare, Chris Lynn, Trent Boult, Kieron Pollard, Quinton de Kock. List of retained players by Delhi Capitals: Shreyas Iyer, Rahane, Dhawan, Shaw, Pant, Hetmyer, Axar Patel, Stoinis, Lalit Yadav, Chris Woakes, Pravin Dubey, Amit Mishra, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, R. Ashwin, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje.

IPL 2021: From Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell to Lasith Malinga - List of released players ahead of mini-auction

Czech football federation has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo has not broken Josef Bican's all-time goalscoring record as they said the Portuguese stalwart will have to score 62 more goals to clinch the record.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Wednesday, Ronaldo netted his 760th&nbsp;goal for club and country in Juventus’ 2-0 victory against Napoli in the Italian Super Cup. According to previously documented record, Ronaldo had surpassed the Czech legend's record tally of 759 goals.&nbsp;

However, Czech football's governing body, soon after Juventus’ match, published a statement claiming that Bican's goal tally stands at 821, which means Ronaldo would have to score 62 more goals to become the top&nbsp;goalscorer&nbsp;in the history of football.&nbsp;

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"The History and Statistics committee of the Czech FA counted all the goals scored by the legendary Josef Bican and we can declare he scored 821 goals in official matches,"&nbsp;the Czech football federation&nbsp;tweeted.&nbsp;

&nbsp;In a lengthy statement by Czech football federation, it is claimed that 821 is the "most accurate number possible” when it comes to Bican's goalscoring tally during the course of his career.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The answer is - Josef Bican scored 821 goals in official matches," the statement read.&nbsp;

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"Goals from matches in the first and second leagues, national cups, the Central European Cup and national team selections are included. On the contrary, friendly matches are not included in the statistics, with the exception of the national team.&nbsp;

"It can be stated with full seriousness that this is a number that corresponds to the current state of the possibility of verifying all data, so it is the most accurate number possible."&nbsp;

In December 2020, Brazilian club Santon had disputed the claim that Lionel Messi broke Pele's long-standing record for a single club as they claimed that Pele's official goal stands at 1,091 and not 643.&nbsp;

Czech football federation has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo has not broken Josef Bican's all-time goalscoring record as they said the Portuguese stalwart will have to score 62 more goals to clinch the record.

Czech football federation has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo has not broken Josef Bican's all-time goalscoring record as they said the Portuguese stalwart will have to score 62 more goals to clinch the record. On Wednesday, Ronaldo netted his 760th goal for club and country in Juventus’ 2-0 victory against Napoli in the Italian Super Cup. According to previously documented record, Ronaldo had surpassed the Czech legend's record tally of 759 goals. However, Czech football's governing body, soon after Juventus’ match, published a statement claiming that Bican's goal tally stands at 821, which means Ronaldo would have to score 62 more goals to become the top goalscorer in the history of football. ALSO READ: Man City's Sergio Aguero tests positive for COVID-19 "The History and Statistics committee of the Czech FA counted all the goals scored by the legendary Josef Bican and we can declare he scored 821 goals in official matches," the Czech football federation tweeted. In a lengthy statement by Czech football federation, it is claimed that 821 is the "most accurate number possible” when it comes to Bican's goalscoring tally during the course of his career. "The answer is - Josef Bican scored 821 goals in official matches," the statement read. ALSO READ: Breakaway European Super League 'would not be recognised' by FIFA "Goals from matches in the first and second leagues, national cups, the Central European Cup and national team selections are included. On the contrary, friendly matches are not included in the statistics, with the exception of the national team. "It can be stated with full seriousness that this is a number that corresponds to the current state of the possibility of verifying all data, so it is the most accurate number possible." In December 2020, Brazilian club Santon had disputed the claim that Lionel Messi broke Pele's long-standing record for a single club as they claimed that Pele's official goal stands at 1,091 and not 643.

Cristiano Ronaldo has not broken Josef Bican's goalscoring record, claims Czech FA

Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero on Thursday confirmed that he has tested positive for COVID-19. The Argentine star has struggled with injuries during the course of the ongoing 2020-21 season with a bad knee keeping him out for major&nbsp;part of the season. While Aguero returned fit to play for Man City again, the veteran came in close contact with a person&nbsp;-&nbsp;who had tested positive for the dreaded coronavirus&nbsp;– forcing the forward to go into isolation as per the health protocols.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The latest development means Aguero would miss Man City's FA Cup tie against Cheltenham and Premier League matches against West Brom and Sheffield United.&nbsp;

Taking to social media platform Twitter, Aguero said he had some symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19 while adding he is following doctor's instruction in a bid to recover quickly.&nbsp;

"After a close contact, I've been self-isolating and the latest test I took was positive for COVID 19. I had some symptoms and I'm following doctor's orders for recovery. Take care,&nbsp;everyone!," Aguero&nbsp;tweeted.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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After a close contact, I've been self-isolating and the latest test I took was positive for COVID 19. I had some symptoms and I'm following doctor's orders for recovery. Take care, everyone!
— Sergio Kun Aguero (@aguerosergiokun) <a href="https://twitter.com/aguerosergiokun/status/1352251033179877377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Earlier, before Man City's Premier League match against Aston Villa, Pep Guardiola said the Blues need Aguero's quality in the league while adding the club will have to use the quality they have, at the moment, hinting at life without the Argentine forward.&nbsp;

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“We need him and we miss him because his numbers speak for themselves. He is the best striker in our history," Guardiola said.&nbsp;

“He can create and win games for himself. We could have complained (about being without him), but we did the opposite.&nbsp;We want him back, but we have to move forward, find alternatives, use the quality we have and move ­forward,” the Man City manager added.&nbsp;

Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero on Thursday confirmed that he has tested positive for COVID-19. The Argentine star has struggled with injuries during the course of the ongoing 2020-21 season with a bad knee keeping him out for major part of the season.

Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero on Thursday confirmed that he has tested positive for COVID-19. The Argentine star has struggled with injuries during the course of the ongoing 2020-21 season with a bad knee keeping him out for major part of the season. While Aguero returned fit to play for Man City again, the veteran came in close contact with a person - who had tested positive for the dreaded coronavirus – forcing the forward to go into isolation as per the health protocols. The latest development means Aguero would miss Man City's FA Cup tie against Cheltenham and Premier League matches against West Brom and Sheffield United. Taking to social media platform Twitter, Aguero said he had some symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19 while adding he is following doctor's instruction in a bid to recover quickly. "After a close contact, I've been self-isolating and the latest test I took was positive for COVID 19. I had some symptoms and I'm following doctor's orders for recovery. Take care, everyone!," Aguero tweeted. ALSO READ: Breakaway European Super League 'would not be recognised' by FIFA After a close contact, I've been self-isolating and the latest test I took was positive for COVID 19. I had some symptoms and I'm following doctor's orders for recovery. Take care, everyone! — Sergio Kun Aguero (@aguerosergiokun) January 21, 2021 × Earlier, before Man City's Premier League match against Aston Villa, Pep Guardiola said the Blues need Aguero's quality in the league while adding the club will have to use the quality they have, at the moment, hinting at life without the Argentine forward. ALSO READ: F1 CEO opens up about Lewis Hamilton's future with Mercedes “We need him and we miss him because his numbers speak for themselves. He is the best striker in our history," Guardiola said. “He can create and win games for himself. We could have complained (about being without him), but we did the opposite. We want him back, but we have to move forward, find alternatives, use the quality we have and move forward,” the Man City manager added.

Man City's Sergio Aguero tests positive for COVID-19

The England National Selectors on Thursday named a 16-member squad and six travelling reserves for the first and second Test matches against India starting on Friday February 5&nbsp;at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

England will be playing four Tests, five T20Is and three ODIs in what will be a gruelling tour of India. The likes of Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer return to the squad after being rested for their tour to Sri Lanka.

England Men’s Test Squad:

Joe Root&nbsp;(Yorkshire) (captain),&nbsp;Jofra Archer&nbsp;(Sussex),&nbsp;Moeen Ali&nbsp;(Worcestershire),&nbsp;James Anderson&nbsp;(Lancashire),&nbsp;Dom Bess&nbsp;(Yorkshire),&nbsp;Stuart Broad&nbsp;(Nottinghamshire),&nbsp;Rory Burns&nbsp;(Surrey),&nbsp;Jos Buttler&nbsp;(Lancashire),&nbsp;Zak Crawley&nbsp;(Kent),&nbsp;Ben Foakes&nbsp;(Surrey),&nbsp;Dan Lawrence&nbsp;(Essex),&nbsp;Jack Leach&nbsp;(Somerset),&nbsp;Dom Sibley&nbsp;(Warwickshire),&nbsp;Ben Stokes&nbsp;(Durham),&nbsp;Olly Stone&nbsp;(Warwickshire),&nbsp;Chris Woakes&nbsp;(Warwickshire).

Reserves:

James Bracey&nbsp;(Gloucestershire),&nbsp;Mason Crane&nbsp;(Hampshire),&nbsp;Saqib Mahmood&nbsp;(Lancashire),&nbsp;Matthew Parkinson&nbsp;(Lancashire),&nbsp;Ollie Robinson&nbsp;(Sussex),&nbsp;Amar Virdi&nbsp;(Surrey).

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Jofra Archer, Rory Burns and Ben Stokes return to the squad. Archer and Stokes were rested for the Sri Lanka series and Burns was at home for the birth of his first child.

Surrey’s Ollie Pope will travel to India and will be added to the squad when passed fit. Pope is recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in September during the Test series against Pakistan.

The National Selectors have provided a block of rest for Jonathan Bairstow, Sam Curran and Mark Wood. The three players, who are currently in Sri Lanka, will miss the first and second Tests in India.

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This is consistent with the selection policy of finding a block of rest for all multi-format players at some point during post-Christmas winter schedule.

With Archer and Stokes returning, and subject to fitness of the rest of the squad, Somerset’s Craig Overton will return home after the Sri Lanka series.

<h2 data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">England Tour of India: Full Schedule</h2>

Tests

Friday 5-9 February:&nbsp;1st Test – India v England, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

Saturday 13-17 February:&nbsp;2nd Test – India v England, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

Wednesday 24-28 February: 3rd&nbsp;Test - India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

Thursday 4-8 March: 4th&nbsp;Test – India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

T20Is

Friday 12 March:&nbsp;1st T20I – India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

Sunday 14 March:&nbsp;2nd T20I – India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

Tuesday 16 March:&nbsp;3rd T20I - India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

Thursday 18 March:&nbsp;4th T20I - India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

Saturday 20 March:&nbsp;5th T20I - India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

ODIs

Tuesday 23 March:&nbsp;1st ODI - India v England, MCA Stadium, Pune

Friday 26 March:&nbsp;2nd ODI - India v England, MCA Stadium, Pune

Sunday 28 March:&nbsp;3rd ODI - India v England, MCA Stadium, Pune

Monday 29 March:&nbsp;Touring party departs India

The England National Selectors on Thursday named a 16-member squad and six travelling reserves for the first and second Test matches against India starting on Friday February 5 at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

The England National Selectors on Thursday named a 16-member squad and six travelling reserves for the first and second Test matches against India starting on Friday February 5 at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. England will be playing four Tests, five T20Is and three ODIs in what will be a gruelling tour of India. The likes of Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer return to the squad after being rested for their tour to Sri Lanka. England Men’s Test Squad: Joe Root (Yorkshire) (captain), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Dom Bess (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire). Reserves: James Bracey (Gloucestershire), Mason Crane (Hampshire), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Amar Virdi (Surrey). ALSO READ: Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes to give England 'huge boost' vs India: England captain Joe Root Jofra Archer, Rory Burns and Ben Stokes return to the squad. Archer and Stokes were rested for the Sri Lanka series and Burns was at home for the birth of his first child. Surrey’s Ollie Pope will travel to India and will be added to the squad when passed fit. Pope is recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in September during the Test series against Pakistan. The National Selectors have provided a block of rest for Jonathan Bairstow, Sam Curran and Mark Wood. The three players, who are currently in Sri Lanka, will miss the first and second Tests in India. ALSO READ: Inside Team Room: Wear that 36 all out like a badge, R Sridhar recalls 'Raviship' and more This is consistent with the selection policy of finding a block of rest for all multi-format players at some point during post-Christmas winter schedule. With Archer and Stokes returning, and subject to fitness of the rest of the squad, Somerset’s Craig Overton will return home after the Sri Lanka series. England Tour of India: Full Schedule Tests Friday 5-9 February: 1st Test – India v England, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Saturday 13-17 February: 2nd Test – India v England, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Wednesday 24-28 February: 3rd Test - India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad Thursday 4-8 March: 4th Test – India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad T20Is Friday 12 March: 1st T20I – India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad Sunday 14 March: 2nd T20I – India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad Tuesday 16 March: 3rd T20I - India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad Thursday 18 March: 4th T20I - India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad Saturday 20 March: 5th T20I - India v England, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad ODIs Tuesday 23 March: 1st ODI - India v England, MCA Stadium, Pune Friday 26 March: 2nd ODI - India v England, MCA Stadium, Pune Sunday 28 March: 3rd ODI - India v England, MCA Stadium, Pune Monday 29 March: Touring party departs India

England announce squad for first 2 Tests vs India as Archer, Stokes return

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