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The BCCI medical team said it would be no less than a miracle if ace seamer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jasprit-bumrah" rel="dofollow">Jasprit Bumrah</a> attains full fitness in time for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy" rel="dofollow">ICC Champions Trophy</a> scheduled for a February 19 start. Bumrah injured his back during his last international outing (during the SCG Test against Australia) missing all action since. Though he was never in line to play the England T20Is (to manage his workload), getting ruled out of the three ODIs is a blow for the hosts.
The selectors named Bumrah in the 15-man ODI squad for the England series and the eight-team tournament in Pakistan, hoping for him to be declared fit in time for the first showpiece event of the year.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/jasprit-bumrah-attends-coldplay-concert-in-ahmedabad-lead-singer-chris-martin-dedicates-song-watch-8656865" rel="dofollow">Jasprit Bumrah attends Coldplay concert, lead singer Chris Martin dedicates song &ndash; Watch</a>
Per BCCI&rsquo;s squad announcement, Bumrah, if fit, would play the final England ODI (on Feb 12), with all participating CT teams needing to finalise their 15-member squad by a day earlier (February 11).
Per the latest report, Bumrah&rsquo;s Champions Trophy 2025 fate lies in the hands of an orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Rowan Schouten, from New Zealand, with his consultation also planned depending on the reports. The Times of India (TOI) has reported that the BCCI selectors are already preparing his backup for the Champions Trophy, with Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj leading the race.
Though neither made it to the CT squad, the BCCI selectors named Harshit as part of the first two England ODIs (on February 6 and 9) as Bumrah&rsquo;s backup. Considering head coach Gautam Gambhir prefers Rana, who even played the BGT opener in Perth, the lanky seamer could get his breakthrough call; however, Siraj&rsquo;s comeback for the ICC event, given his experience and numbers in the past two years, cannot be ruled out.
&ldquo;The BCCI medical team is in touch with Schouten in New Zealand. The board had also planned a visit for Bumrah to New Zealand. But that hasn&rsquo;t happened yet. The selectors know it will be a miracle if Bumrah turns up 100% fit in the given timeline,&rdquo; a BCCI source said in a chat with TOI.
<h2>BCCI, Bumrah unwilling to push</h2>
Like how the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/saim-ayub-injury-pcb-chair-mohsin-naqvi-provides-update-says-cannot-risk-career-for-one-champions-trophy-8655684" rel="dofollow">PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi said he is unwilling to risk opener Saim Ayub&rsquo;s career</a> by pushing him to get fit in time for the home event, the Indian Cricket Board is also not keen on pushing Bumrah to attain full fitness.&nbsp;
The source close to the information further revealed that the board would only take a call on Bumrah&rsquo;s participation after the completion of the medical process.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The reports will be shared with his doctor in New Zealand. Sending Bumrah to New Zealand will depend on the feedback. The board and Bumrah himself are not willing to push hard given his significance over a long period of time.
&ldquo;The selectors will only be informed if he is ready to take the field after the entire process is complete. The selectors will need to keep a backup plan ready for him. It will be a miracle if Bumrah makes it,&rdquo; the source added.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Considering Bumrah is highly unlikely to attain full fitness in time for the ICC Champions Trophy, the BCCI selectors have started working on preparing his backup.

The BCCI medical team said it would be no less than a miracle if ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah attains full fitness in time for the ICC Champions Trophy scheduled for a February 19 start. Bumrah injured his back during his last international outing (during the SCG Test against Australia) missing all action since. Though he was never in line to play the England T20Is (to manage his workload), getting ruled out of the three ODIs is a blow for the hosts. The selectors named Bumrah in the 15-man ODI squad for the England series and the eight-team tournament in Pakistan, hoping for him to be declared fit in time for the first showpiece event of the year. Also read | Jasprit Bumrah attends Coldplay concert, lead singer Chris Martin dedicates song – Watch Per BCCI’s squad announcement, Bumrah, if fit, would play the final England ODI (on Feb 12), with all participating CT teams needing to finalise their 15-member squad by a day earlier (February 11). Per the latest report, Bumrah’s Champions Trophy 2025 fate lies in the hands of an orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Rowan Schouten, from New Zealand, with his consultation also planned depending on the reports. The Times of India (TOI) has reported that the BCCI selectors are already preparing his backup for the Champions Trophy, with Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj leading the race. Though neither made it to the CT squad, the BCCI selectors named Harshit as part of the first two England ODIs (on February 6 and 9) as Bumrah’s backup. Considering head coach Gautam Gambhir prefers Rana, who even played the BGT opener in Perth, the lanky seamer could get his breakthrough call; however, Siraj’s comeback for the ICC event, given his experience and numbers in the past two years, cannot be ruled out. “The BCCI medical team is in touch with Schouten in New Zealand. The board had also planned a visit for Bumrah to New Zealand. But that hasn’t happened yet. The selectors know it will be a miracle if Bumrah turns up 100% fit in the given timeline,” a BCCI source said in a chat with TOI. BCCI, Bumrah unwilling to push Like how the PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi said he is unwilling to risk opener Saim Ayub’s career by pushing him to get fit in time for the home event, the Indian Cricket Board is also not keen on pushing Bumrah to attain full fitness. The source close to the information further revealed that the board would only take a call on Bumrah’s participation after the completion of the medical process. “The reports will be shared with his doctor in New Zealand. Sending Bumrah to New Zealand will depend on the feedback. The board and Bumrah himself are not willing to push hard given his significance over a long period of time. “The selectors will only be informed if he is ready to take the field after the entire process is complete. The selectors will need to keep a backup plan ready for him. It will be a miracle if Bumrah makes it,” the source added. (With inputs from agencies)

Bumrah ‘highly unlikely’ for Champions Trophy 2025; BCCI working on backups – Report

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jasprit-bumrah" rel="dofollow">Jasprit Bumrah</a> attended the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/coldplay" rel="dofollow">Coldplay concert</a> in Ahmedabad, with the band&rsquo;s lead singer Chris Martin dedicating a personalised song for the India ace quick. Days after Martin first mentioned Bumrah during his Mumbai concert the past week, saying, &lsquo;Bumrah wants to come and play backstage' - much to a boundless cheer from the crowd, the world&rsquo;s best bowler, as also mentioned by Martin, made his presence felt at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/good-looks-cost-me-a-lot-of-problems-ahmed-shehzad-on-jealousy-in-pakistan-dressing-room-8655370" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;Good looks caused me a lot of problems,&rsquo; Ahmed Shehzad on &lsquo;jealousy&rsquo; in Pakistan dressing room</a>
Amidst making headlines and turning heads with their recent packed house concerts, the widely acclaimed British band is winning hearts all across the country for connecting with the Indian audience, not only with their loyal fans but also with countless cricket-watching viewers.
Here is the video -
Bumrah, meanwhile, also acknowledged Martin&rsquo;s gesture of honouring him (during the Mumbai concert), saying it made him smile.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6ekt469-25v46ck3-z85q3lda">
Chris Martin honoring professional cricketer Jasprit Bumrah on the Jumbotron! 🏏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ColdplayAhmedabad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ColdplayAhmedabad</a> 2/2 🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/xB7O3yodPF">pic.twitter.com/xB7O3yodPF</a>
&mdash; Coldplay Access (@coldplayaccess) <a href="https://twitter.com/coldplayaccess/status/1883552830692438383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
Watch &ndash;&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6ekqpc2-1q4zopax-nhb86szp">
This made me smile! Incredible vibe at the <a href="https://twitter.com/coldplay?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coldplay</a> concert in Mumbai (from what I&rsquo;ve seen here) and even more special to be mentioned ✨ <a href="https://t.co/SQuTVbwhWs">pic.twitter.com/SQuTVbwhWs</a>
&mdash; Jasprit Bumrah (@Jaspritbumrah93) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jaspritbumrah93/status/1881316762635173953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
Besides, Coldplay also displayed Bumrah&rsquo;s famous Yorker to England Test batter Ollie Pope on the screen during their concert, with the crowd appreciating his gesture.&nbsp;
During England&rsquo;s tour of India last year, Bumrah stood out as the best seamer across both camps, with his searing Yorker to Pope, breaking his stumps, making headlines all across.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6ekvyc3-uf45s6yo-wbdgj5yw">
Timber Striker Alert 🚨 A Jasprit Bumrah special 🎯 🔥 Drop an emoji in the comments below 🔽 to describe that dismissal Follow the match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/X85JZGt0EV">https://t.co/X85JZGt0EV</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Jaspritbumrah93?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jaspritbumrah93</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> <a href="https://t.co/U9mpYkYp6v">pic.twitter.com/U9mpYkYp6v</a>
&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1753697345135583642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
Meanwhile, the Indian pacer had a memorable 2024. Not only did he pick 86 wickets across all formats, but doing that at an average of 13.76 has made everyone go bonkers. The right-arm seamer was instrumental in helping India win the T20 World Cup in the Americas last year, picking 15 wickets in eight contested matches, including two in the final. His heroics throughout helped India end an 11-year wait for an ICC trophy.
<h2>Bumrah in Australia</h2>
Following returning from a back injury during mid-2023, Bumrah featured in all major tournaments, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/border-gavaskar-trophy" rel="dofollow">Border-Gavaskar Trophy</a> in Australia.
On his third tour Down Under, Bumrah peaked like no Indian could. Playing five matches on the trot, Bumrah captained in two, helping India win one (the series opener in Perth and their only win on the tour). The right-arm seamer remained on the top of his game, putting the mighty Aussies under pressure.&nbsp;
In nine innings, he picked up 32 wickets &ndash; the most by an Indian bowler in a single edition Down Under, including bagging three five-wicket hauls.
Though India lost the series (1-3), conceding the chance to qualify for their third straight WTC Final 2025, Bumrah won the Player of the Series award for his outstanding performance.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Coldplay also displayed Bumrah’s famous Yorker to England Test batter Ollie Pope on the screen during their concert, with the crowd appreciating his gesture.

Jasprit Bumrah attended the Coldplay concert in Ahmedabad, with the band’s lead singer Chris Martin dedicating a personalised song for the India ace quick. Days after Martin first mentioned Bumrah during his Mumbai concert the past week, saying, ‘Bumrah wants to come and play backstage' - much to a boundless cheer from the crowd, the world’s best bowler, as also mentioned by Martin, made his presence felt at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Also read | ‘Good looks caused me a lot of problems,’ Ahmed Shehzad on ‘jealousy’ in Pakistan dressing room Amidst making headlines and turning heads with their recent packed house concerts, the widely acclaimed British band is winning hearts all across the country for connecting with the Indian audience, not only with their loyal fans but also with countless cricket-watching viewers. Here is the video - Bumrah, meanwhile, also acknowledged Martin’s gesture of honouring him (during the Mumbai concert), saying it made him smile. Chris Martin honoring professional cricketer Jasprit Bumrah on the Jumbotron! 🏏 #ColdplayAhmedabad 2/2 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/xB7O3yodPF — Coldplay Access (@coldplayaccess) January 26, 2025 Watch – This made me smile! Incredible vibe at the @coldplay concert in Mumbai (from what I’ve seen here) and even more special to be mentioned ✨ pic.twitter.com/SQuTVbwhWs — Jasprit Bumrah (@Jaspritbumrah93) January 20, 2025 Besides, Coldplay also displayed Bumrah’s famous Yorker to England Test batter Ollie Pope on the screen during their concert, with the crowd appreciating his gesture. During England’s tour of India last year, Bumrah stood out as the best seamer across both camps, with his searing Yorker to Pope, breaking his stumps, making headlines all across. Timber Striker Alert 🚨 A Jasprit Bumrah special 🎯 🔥 Drop an emoji in the comments below 🔽 to describe that dismissal Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/X85JZGt0EV#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @Jaspritbumrah93 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/U9mpYkYp6v — BCCI (@BCCI) February 3, 2024 Meanwhile, the Indian pacer had a memorable 2024. Not only did he pick 86 wickets across all formats, but doing that at an average of 13.76 has made everyone go bonkers. The right-arm seamer was instrumental in helping India win the T20 World Cup in the Americas last year, picking 15 wickets in eight contested matches, including two in the final. His heroics throughout helped India end an 11-year wait for an ICC trophy. Bumrah in Australia Following returning from a back injury during mid-2023, Bumrah featured in all major tournaments, including the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. On his third tour Down Under, Bumrah peaked like no Indian could. Playing five matches on the trot, Bumrah captained in two, helping India win one (the series opener in Perth and their only win on the tour). The right-arm seamer remained on the top of his game, putting the mighty Aussies under pressure. In nine innings, he picked up 32 wickets – the most by an Indian bowler in a single edition Down Under, including bagging three five-wicket hauls. Though India lost the series (1-3), conceding the chance to qualify for their third straight WTC Final 2025, Bumrah won the Player of the Series award for his outstanding performance. (With inputs from agencies)

Jasprit Bumrah attends Coldplay concert, lead singer Chris Martin dedicates song – Watch

Pakistan opener <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/saim-ayub" rel="dofollow">Saim Ayub</a> suffered a horrific ankle injury during the Newlands Test against South Africa earlier this year, getting ruled of all cricket action since. With the home <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy" rel="dofollow">Champions Trophy 2025</a> looming, starting February 19, the PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi is sweating over Ayub&rsquo;s injury status. Besides monitoring his fitness update regularly, Naqvi said he will not risk his career for one Champions Trophy.
Ayub made his ODI debut late last year and has been on a rampage since.
The left-handed opener enjoyed his brief outings at the top, helping Pakistan clinch a famous ODI series win Down Under. Against South Africa later on, he hit two tons in three One-Dayers, which saw the visitors inflict a series whitewash on the Proteas.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/good-looks-cost-me-a-lot-of-problems-ahmed-shehzad-on-jealousy-in-pakistan-dressing-room-8655370" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;Good looks caused me a lot of problems,&rsquo; Ahmed Shehzad on &lsquo;jealousy&rsquo; in Pakistan dressing room</a>
Meanwhile, since getting injured during the New Year&rsquo;s Test in Cape Town, Ayub is being treated for his injured ankle in the UK.&nbsp;Naqvi said Ayub&rsquo;s leg-plaster would come off in a day or two but kept mum over his participation in the eight-team tournament.
"I am closely monitoring Saim's condition. He is currently undergoing rehab. His leg cast will come off in 1-2 days. After that, he will enter the recovery phase, which will take time."&nbsp;
&ldquo;I don't want to put his future at risk because of one Champions Trophy. Saim Ayub is a valuable asset for us, and, God willing, he will recover soon,&rdquo; Naqvi said to the reporters, as quoted by India Today.
<h2>Ayub&rsquo;s rise to the top</h2>
The emerging Pakistan batter was rewarded for his brilliant start to his ODI career, with the ICC naming him in the 2024 ODI Team of the Year. An XI dominated by Sri Lankan, Afghanistan and Pakistani players, also includes seamers from the country&mdash;Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/in-crucial-moments-i-sometimes-lose-focus-shubman-gill-reflects-on-red-ball-struggle-despite-ranji-ton-8655256" rel="dofollow">'In crucial moments I sometimes lose focus,' Shubman Gill reflects on red-ball struggle</a>
While no Indian made it to the list, given the Men in Blue played just three ODIs in 2024, losing two of those, Ayub&rsquo;s mention as among the two openers speaks volumes of his potential at the international stage.
Meanwhile, Pakistan will host New Zealand and South Africa in a four-match tri-series at home just ahead of the first showpiece event of the year. The home side is placed in Group A with arch-rivals India, New Zealand and Afghanistan.
The Pakistan-India CT match is scheduled for February 23 in Dubai.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

Sports, Cricket: The emerging Pakistan batter was rewarded for his brilliant start to his ODI career, with the ICC naming him in the 2024 ODI Team of the Year.

Pakistan opener Saim Ayub suffered a horrific ankle injury during the Newlands Test against South Africa earlier this year, getting ruled of all cricket action since. With the home Champions Trophy 2025 looming, starting February 19, the PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi is sweating over Ayub’s injury status. Besides monitoring his fitness update regularly, Naqvi said he will not risk his career for one Champions Trophy. Ayub made his ODI debut late last year and has been on a rampage since. The left-handed opener enjoyed his brief outings at the top, helping Pakistan clinch a famous ODI series win Down Under. Against South Africa later on, he hit two tons in three One-Dayers, which saw the visitors inflict a series whitewash on the Proteas. Also read | ‘Good looks caused me a lot of problems,’ Ahmed Shehzad on ‘jealousy’ in Pakistan dressing room Meanwhile, since getting injured during the New Year’s Test in Cape Town, Ayub is being treated for his injured ankle in the UK. Naqvi said Ayub’s leg-plaster would come off in a day or two but kept mum over his participation in the eight-team tournament. "I am closely monitoring Saim's condition. He is currently undergoing rehab. His leg cast will come off in 1-2 days. After that, he will enter the recovery phase, which will take time." “I don't want to put his future at risk because of one Champions Trophy. Saim Ayub is a valuable asset for us, and, God willing, he will recover soon,” Naqvi said to the reporters, as quoted by India Today. Ayub’s rise to the top The emerging Pakistan batter was rewarded for his brilliant start to his ODI career, with the ICC naming him in the 2024 ODI Team of the Year. An XI dominated by Sri Lankan, Afghanistan and Pakistani players, also includes seamers from the country—Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. Also read | 'In crucial moments I sometimes lose focus,' Shubman Gill reflects on red-ball struggle While no Indian made it to the list, given the Men in Blue played just three ODIs in 2024, losing two of those, Ayub’s mention as among the two openers speaks volumes of his potential at the international stage. Meanwhile, Pakistan will host New Zealand and South Africa in a four-match tri-series at home just ahead of the first showpiece event of the year. The home side is placed in Group A with arch-rivals India, New Zealand and Afghanistan. The Pakistan-India CT match is scheduled for February 23 in Dubai. (With inputs from agencies)

PCB chair provides update on Saim Ayub's injury - ‘Cannot risk his career for one Champions Trophy'

Has anyone ever complained of being good-looking? Perhaps not, but Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad feels his charming looks and how he talked made some seniors &lsquo;jealous&rsquo; in the dressing room, eventually leading to his exit from the national side.
Shahzad was an attacking opener during his playing days, doing the bulk of new-ball facing across formats. Having played several ICC tournaments, including a few T20 and a 50-over World Cup, Shehzad has the distinction of winning the Champions Trophy title with Pakistan &ndash; in the last held edition in 2017.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/in-crucial-moments-i-sometimes-lose-focus-shubman-gill-reflects-on-red-ball-struggle-despite-ranji-ton-8655256" rel="dofollow">'In crucial moments I sometimes lose focus,' Shubman Gill reflects on red-ball struggle</a>
Speaking on a podcast with Pakistan&rsquo;s Ahmed Ali, Shehzad didn&rsquo;t mince his words in accepting that not form, not fitness, but good looks troubled him in gelling with his teammates inside the dressing room.
&ldquo;Being good-looking has caused me a lot of problems. In our field, if you look good, know how to dress, and speak well, some people start to resent you,&rdquo; Shehzad said in a podcast with Ahmed Ali.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been a target within the Pakistani team for this. I&rsquo;m not defending myself here, but others have also faced this. If your fan following grows and people appreciate you, it&rsquo;s hard for some senior players to accept,&rdquo; he added.
&ldquo;We come from small areas. I lived in Anarkali, Lahore, and when I gained recognition, I worked on grooming myself and improving my personality. But this has also caused significant problems within Pakistan,&rdquo; the out-of-favour opener added.
<h2>When PSL owners kept him out deliberately&nbsp;</h2>
A cricketer-turned-YouTuber, Shehzad, earlier alleged that Pakistan Super League (PSL) owners used to deliberately keep him out of the side despite him doing fairly well in the domestic and National T20 Cup tournaments in the lead-up to that.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/whenever-the-team-needs-tilak-varma-credits-coach-gambhir-for-chennai-run-chase-against-england-8654879" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;Whenever the team needs&hellip;,' Tilak Varma credits coach Gambhir for Chennai run-chase</a>
&ldquo;I have tried really hard in domestic cricket consistently in the last few years and did reasonably well in the National T20 Cup just before the PSL draft,&rdquo; Shehzad wrote in a social media post.
&ldquo;There seems a deliberate effort to keep me out, even when franchises have opted for other performers with inferior numbers than me. But when everything is pre-planned it doesn&rsquo;t matter. I don&rsquo;t know whose responsibility it is to get top domestic performers in the PSL then,&rdquo; he continued.
Meanwhile, Shehzad last played for Pakistan six years ago in 2019. He represented Pakistan in 13 Tests, 81 ODIs, and 59 T20Is, scoring 982, 2605, and 1471 runs in each format, respectively.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Speaking on a podcast, Shehzad admitted that not form, not fitness, but good looks troubled him in gelling with his teammates inside the dressing room.
 

Has anyone ever complained of being good-looking? Perhaps not, but Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad feels his charming looks and how he talked made some seniors ‘jealous’ in the dressing room, eventually leading to his exit from the national side. Shahzad was an attacking opener during his playing days, doing the bulk of new-ball facing across formats. Having played several ICC tournaments, including a few T20 and a 50-over World Cup, Shehzad has the distinction of winning the Champions Trophy title with Pakistan – in the last held edition in 2017. Also read | 'In crucial moments I sometimes lose focus,' Shubman Gill reflects on red-ball struggle Speaking on a podcast with Pakistan’s Ahmed Ali, Shehzad didn’t mince his words in accepting that not form, not fitness, but good looks troubled him in gelling with his teammates inside the dressing room. “Being good-looking has caused me a lot of problems. In our field, if you look good, know how to dress, and speak well, some people start to resent you,” Shehzad said in a podcast with Ahmed Ali. “I’ve been a target within the Pakistani team for this. I’m not defending myself here, but others have also faced this. If your fan following grows and people appreciate you, it’s hard for some senior players to accept,” he added. “We come from small areas. I lived in Anarkali, Lahore, and when I gained recognition, I worked on grooming myself and improving my personality. But this has also caused significant problems within Pakistan,” the out-of-favour opener added. When PSL owners kept him out deliberately A cricketer-turned-YouTuber, Shehzad, earlier alleged that Pakistan Super League (PSL) owners used to deliberately keep him out of the side despite him doing fairly well in the domestic and National T20 Cup tournaments in the lead-up to that. Also read | ‘Whenever the team needs…,' Tilak Varma credits coach Gambhir for Chennai run-chase “I have tried really hard in domestic cricket consistently in the last few years and did reasonably well in the National T20 Cup just before the PSL draft,” Shehzad wrote in a social media post. “There seems a deliberate effort to keep me out, even when franchises have opted for other performers with inferior numbers than me. But when everything is pre-planned it doesn’t matter. I don’t know whose responsibility it is to get top domestic performers in the PSL then,” he continued. Meanwhile, Shehzad last played for Pakistan six years ago in 2019. He represented Pakistan in 13 Tests, 81 ODIs, and 59 T20Is, scoring 982, 2605, and 1471 runs in each format, respectively. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Good looks caused me a lot of problems,’ Ahmed Shehzad on ‘jealousy’ in Pakistan dressing room

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-round-up-shubman-gill-returns-to-form-but-star-studded-mumbai-lose-to-jk-8653101">Shubman Gill roared back to form with a hundred</a> against Karnataka in the recently concluded <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy" rel="dofollow">Ranji Trophy</a> tie, days after he returned from his second tour Down Under, where he failed with the bat. The newly-appointed Team India&rsquo;s ODI vice-captain reflected on what went wrong with his game and technique against Australia, admitting a few technical failures led to a dip in his form.
After the BCCI made it mandatory for every centrally contracted player to return to the drawing board (playing domestic cricket) following two series losses (to New Zealand and Australia), Gill opened for Punjab in their next Ranji game. He failed in the first innings, getting out on just four, but slammed his 14th first-class century in the next, even though that couldn't save Punjab from losing (by an innings and 207 runs).
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/nicholas-pooran-withdraws-run-out-appeal-strange-ilt20-episode-watch-mi-emirates-tom-curran-8655048" rel="dofollow">Nicholas Pooran withdraws run-out appeal in strange ILT20 episode &ndash; Watch</a>
Looking back at some of his dismissals on the tour Down Under, his mistimed and misjudged shots in a single Test (fifth match in Sydney) cost him his wicket at the wrong time and eventually the result for India. While he nicked one to Steve Smith in the first slip just at the stroke of lunch (by dancing down to Nathan Lyon), he tried taking on the debutant Beau Webster, only for him to find an inside edge to the keeper. Both came when India needed him in the middle, but he failed.
"Sometimes, I think with the red ball, in the matches that I play, I tend to get a very good 25-30, and, in those moments, I sometimes tend to put too much pressure on myself to be able to convert those," Gill said in Bengaluru.&nbsp;
"That is not the way that I have grown up playing my game.
"There is a certain zone that I am in, certain intent that I am in, and sometimes I think I lose that because I put too much pressure on myself that I have to get a big run now that I am set. I think in those crucial moments, I sometimes lose my focus and concentration,&rdquo; he added.
<h2>Time for white-ball cricket</h2>
Gill is among the selected star players returning to the ODI squad for the England series and the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/icc-champions-trophy" rel="dofollow">ICC Champions Trophy 2025</a>, alongside white-ball captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah.&nbsp;
India will play three ODIs against England (starting Feb 6) before flying to Dubai for the eight-team tournament beginning February 19. Given Gill's promotion to the leadership group, he would open alongside Rohit, with uncapped Yashasvi Jaiswal picked as a backup opener.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Gill reflected on what went wrong with his game and technique against Australia, admitting a few technical failures led to a dip in his form.

Shubman Gill roared back to form with a hundred against Karnataka in the recently concluded Ranji Trophy tie, days after he returned from his second tour Down Under, where he failed with the bat. The newly-appointed Team India’s ODI vice-captain reflected on what went wrong with his game and technique against Australia, admitting a few technical failures led to a dip in his form. After the BCCI made it mandatory for every centrally contracted player to return to the drawing board (playing domestic cricket) following two series losses (to New Zealand and Australia), Gill opened for Punjab in their next Ranji game. He failed in the first innings, getting out on just four, but slammed his 14th first-class century in the next, even though that couldn't save Punjab from losing (by an innings and 207 runs). Also read | Nicholas Pooran withdraws run-out appeal in strange ILT20 episode – Watch Looking back at some of his dismissals on the tour Down Under, his mistimed and misjudged shots in a single Test (fifth match in Sydney) cost him his wicket at the wrong time and eventually the result for India. While he nicked one to Steve Smith in the first slip just at the stroke of lunch (by dancing down to Nathan Lyon), he tried taking on the debutant Beau Webster, only for him to find an inside edge to the keeper. Both came when India needed him in the middle, but he failed. "Sometimes, I think with the red ball, in the matches that I play, I tend to get a very good 25-30, and, in those moments, I sometimes tend to put too much pressure on myself to be able to convert those," Gill said in Bengaluru. "That is not the way that I have grown up playing my game. "There is a certain zone that I am in, certain intent that I am in, and sometimes I think I lose that because I put too much pressure on myself that I have to get a big run now that I am set. I think in those crucial moments, I sometimes lose my focus and concentration,” he added. Time for white-ball cricket Gill is among the selected star players returning to the ODI squad for the England series and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, alongside white-ball captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah. India will play three ODIs against England (starting Feb 6) before flying to Dubai for the eight-team tournament beginning February 19. Given Gill's promotion to the leadership group, he would open alongside Rohit, with uncapped Yashasvi Jaiswal picked as a backup opener. (With inputs from agencies)

'In crucial moments I sometimes lose focus': Shubman Gill reflects on red-ball struggle

Several strange incidents have made headlines in cricket lately - from a bowler&rsquo;s father grabbing a catch in the crowd (off his son's bowling) in the BBL to a chasing team's coach forcing the opposition captain to withdraw a run-out appeal, already given out. During the ongoing ILT20 season, this incident divided fans over what happened on the field.
On Saturday in the ILT20, MI Emirates captain Nicholas Pooran withdrew a run-out appeal involving Gulf Giants bowling all-rounder Tom Curran. The incident unfolded on the last ball of the 18th over when Curran played a drive (to deep long-on) off Alzarri Joseph. Pollard collected the ball and threw it at the keeper&rsquo;s end, with Pooran receiving it and dislodging the bails as Curran was out of his crease.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/whenever-the-team-needs-tilak-varma-credits-coach-gambhir-for-chennai-run-chase-against-england-8654879" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;Whenever the team needs&hellip;,' Tilak Varma credits coach Gambhir for Chennai run-chase</a>
Pooran appealed for the run-out, with the standing umpires walking towards him before referring the call to the fourth umpire for the final decision. Upon checking it several times, Curran was clearly out of his crease (before Pooran even collected the ball), and despite him nodding the bat inside it, the fourth umpire adjudged him out.
As he walked towards the dugout, Curran's team's coach, Andy Flower, came near the boundary line, urging the umpire and the opposition captain (Pooran) to withdraw the appeal, which, after much deliberation, he did, wearing a disappointing look on his face.&nbsp;
<h3>Watch -</h3>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6dausg9-zhseh5o0-uet0lb1o">
Captain Pooran appeals ➡️ Run-out given ➡️ Coach Flower not happy ➡️ Tom Curran walks out ➡️Tom Curran walks back! 📹<a href="https://twitter.com/ILT20Official?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ILT20Official</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ILT20?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ILT20</a> <a href="https://t.co/3CMJ1WjeTt">pic.twitter.com/3CMJ1WjeTt</a>
&mdash; ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNcricinfo/status/1883235874194051142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
&ldquo;I think he (Pooran) has a very good reason for this to be given out. He was upset, and rightly so. He looked out from here,&rdquo; commentator Alan Wilkins said on air while calling out the whole episode. &ldquo;I honestly think Nicholas Puran is fully justified in appealing for this.&rdquo;
Former cricket legend Wasim Akram shared similar thoughts, saying, &ldquo;Yeah, he&rsquo;s out of the crease. What was he doing? What was he thinking? The ball wasn&rsquo;t even dead.&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-t20i-harry-brook-roasted-over-smog-remark-after-chepauk-failure-8654694" rel="dofollow">IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Harry Brook roasted over &lsquo;smog remark&rsquo; after Chepauk failure</a>
Meanwhile, at that time, the game was hanging in the balance, with Giants needing 18 off 13 balls and four wickets remaining. After this strange episode, with Curran back to the crease, the Giants won the match on the final ball of the 20th over.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6daz969-wrg19dcs-3b88tj0t">
WHAT. A. GAME. 🤯 Went down to the wire and kept us all on the edge of our seats! Great win for the <a href="https://twitter.com/GulfGiants?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gulfgiants</a>! 😵&zwj;💫👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIEvGG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIEvGG</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DPWorldILT20?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DPWorldILT20</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllInForCricket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllInForCricket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EnterTheEpic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EnterTheEpic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DPWorldUAE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DPWorldUAE</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DP_World?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DP_World</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ilt20onzee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ilt20onzee</a> <a href="https://t.co/He8BfVDbvX">pic.twitter.com/He8BfVDbvX</a>
&mdash; International League T20 (@ILT20Official) <a href="https://twitter.com/ILT20Official/status/1883233922882166861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>Why Pooran withdrew the call?</h2>
Pooran explained why he withdrew his run-out call in the post-match presentation.
&ldquo;It was about the Spirit of the Game. By the laws, he was out, yes. However, the batter seemed to have heard the call for the over, but I certainly didn&rsquo;t, which is why I appealed,&rdquo; Pooran said after the game.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: On Saturday in the ILT20, MI Emirates captain Nicholas Pooran withdrew a run-out appeal involving Gulf Giants bowling all-rounder Tom Curran.

Several strange incidents have made headlines in cricket lately - from a bowler’s father grabbing a catch in the crowd (off his son's bowling) in the BBL to a chasing team's coach forcing the opposition captain to withdraw a run-out appeal, already given out. During the ongoing ILT20 season, this incident divided fans over what happened on the field. On Saturday in the ILT20, MI Emirates captain Nicholas Pooran withdrew a run-out appeal involving Gulf Giants bowling all-rounder Tom Curran. The incident unfolded on the last ball of the 18th over when Curran played a drive (to deep long-on) off Alzarri Joseph. Pollard collected the ball and threw it at the keeper’s end, with Pooran receiving it and dislodging the bails as Curran was out of his crease. Also read | ‘Whenever the team needs…,' Tilak Varma credits coach Gambhir for Chennai run-chase Pooran appealed for the run-out, with the standing umpires walking towards him before referring the call to the fourth umpire for the final decision. Upon checking it several times, Curran was clearly out of his crease (before Pooran even collected the ball), and despite him nodding the bat inside it, the fourth umpire adjudged him out. As he walked towards the dugout, Curran's team's coach, Andy Flower, came near the boundary line, urging the umpire and the opposition captain (Pooran) to withdraw the appeal, which, after much deliberation, he did, wearing a disappointing look on his face. Watch - Captain Pooran appeals ➡️ Run-out given ➡️ Coach Flower not happy ➡️ Tom Curran walks out ➡️Tom Curran walks back! 📹@ILT20Official | #ILT20 pic.twitter.com/3CMJ1WjeTt — ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) January 25, 2025 “I think he (Pooran) has a very good reason for this to be given out. He was upset, and rightly so. He looked out from here,” commentator Alan Wilkins said on air while calling out the whole episode. “I honestly think Nicholas Puran is fully justified in appealing for this.” Former cricket legend Wasim Akram shared similar thoughts, saying, “Yeah, he’s out of the crease. What was he doing? What was he thinking? The ball wasn’t even dead.” Also read | IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Harry Brook roasted over ‘smog remark’ after Chepauk failure Meanwhile, at that time, the game was hanging in the balance, with Giants needing 18 off 13 balls and four wickets remaining. After this strange episode, with Curran back to the crease, the Giants won the match on the final ball of the 20th over. WHAT. A. GAME. 🤯 Went down to the wire and kept us all on the edge of our seats! Great win for the @gulfgiants! 😵‍💫👏#MIEvGG #DPWorldILT20 #AllInForCricket #EnterTheEpic @DPWorldUAE @DP_World @ilt20onzee pic.twitter.com/He8BfVDbvX — International League T20 (@ILT20Official) January 25, 2025 Why Pooran withdrew the call? Pooran explained why he withdrew his run-out call in the post-match presentation. “It was about the Spirit of the Game. By the laws, he was out, yes. However, the batter seemed to have heard the call for the over, but I certainly didn’t, which is why I appealed,” Pooran said after the game. (With inputs from agencies)

Nicholas Pooran withdraws run-out appeal in strange ILT20 episode – Watch

Credit should be given where it&rsquo;s due. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/tilak-varma">Tilak Varma</a>, India&rsquo;s match-winner at the Chepauk against England, attributed head coach Gautam Gambhir&rsquo;s advice after he pulled off a stunning run-chase to see the home side taking a 2-0 lead in this five-match series. Tilak remained unbeaten on 72 off 55 balls as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-tilak-varma-leads-from-front-as-india-beat-england-in-chennai-t20i-take-2-0-lead-in-series-8653984">India completed a two-wicket win in Chennai</a>.
The left-handed batter made most of his chance, smoking several beautiful-looking shots for boundaries, with a scoop over the fine leg for a massive six to pacer Jofra Archer being the best of the lot.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6d8bmw0-0kg8qptr-7fekxrt9">
Up and running in the chase! 💥 Tilak Varma gets going in style 😎 Fifty up for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> in the 5th over Follow The Match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i">https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> <a href="https://t.co/Dzdd5tgiPL">pic.twitter.com/Dzdd5tgiPL</a>
&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1883180034133053938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
Though he rode on his luck to see India through, Tilak revealed his chat with Gambhir, which helped him walk out as the star of the night.
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No better feeling than playing for my country 🇮🇳❤️ <a href="https://t.co/ABKvP1qD6o">pic.twitter.com/ABKvP1qD6o</a>
&mdash; Tilak Varma (@TilakV9) <a href="https://twitter.com/TilakV9/status/1883217819892146678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
&ldquo;First of all, the wicket was slightly too paced, and other wickets were falling. So, actually, I was talking with Gautam sir yesterday. He said that &lsquo;whatever happens, according to the situation you should play, you should be flexible in batting&rsquo;,&rdquo; Player of the Match Tilak said at the post-match presentation.
"Whenever the team needs, if you want 10 runs in an over, you can take the charge. Or else, if the low score or 7-8 runs if you need an over, he said to take that one boundary in the over and stand at the non-striker in the end," Varma continued, revealing what coach Gambhir said to him ahead of the game.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/india-pacer-arshdeep-singh-wins-icc-t20i-cricketer-of-the-year-2024-award-8653269" rel="dofollow">India pacer Arshdeep Singh wins ICC T20I Cricketer of the Year 2024 award</a>
Meanwhile, Tilak came onto bat after Sanju Samson&rsquo;s wicket inside the Powerplay and held one end since. Alongside captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/suryakumar-yadav" rel="dofollow">Suryakumar Yadav</a>, Tilak took the attack to the opposition, mainly going after the pace duo of Archer and Mark Wood.
<h2>How Tilak and Ravi won the match for India&nbsp;</h2>
Though the spinners and the middle over spells put brakes on his and India&rsquo;s beaming run-rate, Tilak&rsquo;s partnership with spinner Ravi Bishnoi won the game for India.
Reflecting on the stand that kept everyone on their toes, including the fans, Tilak said, "I told Ravi, hold the shape and look to hit in the gap. So, if you see he has done one flick against the fast bowler, and one four for the living stand has been extraordinary. That gave us a little more to finish the game a little more easier."
Besides, Tilak entered the record books with his unbeaten knock in Chennai, registering over 300 runs in his last four T20I innings (107* vs SA, 120* vs SA, 19* vs ENG and 72* vs ENG), remaining unbeaten in all.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Tilak made most of his chance, smoking several beautiful-looking shots for boundaries, including hitting the shot of the night to Jofra Archer for a six.

Credit should be given where it’s due. Tilak Varma, India’s match-winner at the Chepauk against England, attributed head coach Gautam Gambhir’s advice after he pulled off a stunning run-chase to see the home side taking a 2-0 lead in this five-match series. Tilak remained unbeaten on 72 off 55 balls as India completed a two-wicket win in Chennai. The left-handed batter made most of his chance, smoking several beautiful-looking shots for boundaries, with a scoop over the fine leg for a massive six to pacer Jofra Archer being the best of the lot. Up and running in the chase! 💥 Tilak Varma gets going in style 😎 Fifty up for #TeamIndia in the 5th over Follow The Match ▶️ https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i#INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/Dzdd5tgiPL — BCCI (@BCCI) January 25, 2025 Though he rode on his luck to see India through, Tilak revealed his chat with Gambhir, which helped him walk out as the star of the night. No better feeling than playing for my country 🇮🇳❤️ pic.twitter.com/ABKvP1qD6o — Tilak Varma (@TilakV9) January 25, 2025 “First of all, the wicket was slightly too paced, and other wickets were falling. So, actually, I was talking with Gautam sir yesterday. He said that ‘whatever happens, according to the situation you should play, you should be flexible in batting’,” Player of the Match Tilak said at the post-match presentation. "Whenever the team needs, if you want 10 runs in an over, you can take the charge. Or else, if the low score or 7-8 runs if you need an over, he said to take that one boundary in the over and stand at the non-striker in the end," Varma continued, revealing what coach Gambhir said to him ahead of the game. Also read | India pacer Arshdeep Singh wins ICC T20I Cricketer of the Year 2024 award Meanwhile, Tilak came onto bat after Sanju Samson’s wicket inside the Powerplay and held one end since. Alongside captain Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak took the attack to the opposition, mainly going after the pace duo of Archer and Mark Wood. How Tilak and Ravi won the match for India Though the spinners and the middle over spells put brakes on his and India’s beaming run-rate, Tilak’s partnership with spinner Ravi Bishnoi won the game for India. Reflecting on the stand that kept everyone on their toes, including the fans, Tilak said, "I told Ravi, hold the shape and look to hit in the gap. So, if you see he has done one flick against the fast bowler, and one four for the living stand has been extraordinary. That gave us a little more to finish the game a little more easier." Besides, Tilak entered the record books with his unbeaten knock in Chennai, registering over 300 runs in his last four T20I innings (107* vs SA, 120* vs SA, 19* vs ENG and 72* vs ENG), remaining unbeaten in all. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Whenever the team needs…,' Tilak Varma credits coach Gambhir for Chennai run-chase

England batter Harry Brook had a tough outing in the second T20I against India in Chennai, getting out clean bowled by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakravarthy" rel="dofollow">Varun Chakravarthy</a> on 11; however, what added salt to the injury was the commentators&rsquo; roasting of him for his &lsquo;smog remark&rsquo;. Veteran broadcasters Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar, alongside former English captain Michael Vaughan (on social media), took sly digs at Brook for his failure against spin for the second straight game.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6d5vd02-oyoor9jk-rxn9inff">
Much Smog in Chennai ? Just asking &hellip; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a>
&mdash; Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1883161598774378691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
Similarly, to how he got deceived and out bowled to Varun in the series opener at the Eden Gardens, where he blamed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-t20i-smog-cost-england-in-kolkata-chennai-clear-weather-should-help-our-batters-harry-brook-8650287" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;Kolkata smog&rsquo; for his and England&rsquo;s batting failure</a>, Brook suffered the same fate at the Chepauk, with Varun&rsquo;s mystery delivery tearing into his stumps, leaving Brook amused and smiling over it.
&ldquo;Chakaravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler. But with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick. Hopefully, the air is a bit clearer here, and we can see the ball a bit easier," Harry Brook had said after the first T20I in Kolkata.
Watch -
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Through the gates! 🎯 The in-form Varun Chakaravarthy strikes in his very first over ⚡️⚡️ Follow The Match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i">https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/chakaravarthy29?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chakaravarthy29</a> <a href="https://t.co/NddoPmTlDo">pic.twitter.com/NddoPmTlDo</a>
&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1883155321855832189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
The newly-appointed England T20I vice-captain, Brook scored a four and a six during his brief stay at the crease (13 off eight balls) before Varun sent him packing on the third ball of his first over. That dismissal again triggered an almost batting collapse for England before handy contributions from the lower order propelled them to a fighting 165 for nine in 20 overs.
Meanwhile, Gavaskar and Shastri, calling out the game, took digs at Brook.
"You don't need the smog. Once again, it is Varun Chakravarthy. This has sneaked through, and it's crashed into the stumps," Shastri said.&nbsp;
The former Indian captain Gavaskar didn&rsquo;t take a second before jumping onto the same, adding,
&ldquo;You said it, you said it. The light is clearer here. In Kolkata, there was some smog. No smog here. Had no idea where the ball was going. Harry Brook gone for 13. Chakravarthy is maybe asking, 'Is there any smog there'?&rdquo;
<h2>Tilak wins it for India</h2>
India took a 2-0 lead in this five-match series with a close two-wicket win over England in Chennai. A match that almost went to the wire had everything for everyone - be it the spinners, pacers or the batters having a go in a nail-biting finish.
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2️⃣-0️⃣ 🙌 Tilak Varma finishes in style and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> register a 2-wicket win in Chennai! 👌 Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i">https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> <a href="https://t.co/d9jg3O02IB">pic.twitter.com/d9jg3O02IB</a>
&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1883201668915118548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
The English bowlers might have done enough to help the side square the series, but India&rsquo;s T20I specialist <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/tilak-varma" rel="dofollow">Tilak Varma</a> inflicted some agony on them with his match-winning knock (72* off 55 balls). He weathered the express pace storm and with little luck on his side, helped <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-tilak-varma-leads-from-front-as-india-beat-england-in-chennai-t20i-take-2-0-lead-in-series-8653984" rel="dofollow">India win the game in the last over</a>.
Rajkot will host the third T20I on Tuesday (Jan 28).&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Veteran Indian broadcasters, alongside a former English captain, took sly digs at Brook for his failure against spin for the second straight game.

England batter Harry Brook had a tough outing in the second T20I against India in Chennai, getting out clean bowled by Varun Chakravarthy on 11; however, what added salt to the injury was the commentators’ roasting of him for his ‘smog remark’. Veteran broadcasters Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar, alongside former English captain Michael Vaughan (on social media), took sly digs at Brook for his failure against spin for the second straight game. Much Smog in Chennai ? Just asking … #INDvENG — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) January 25, 2025 Similarly, to how he got deceived and out bowled to Varun in the series opener at the Eden Gardens, where he blamed ‘Kolkata smog’ for his and England’s batting failure, Brook suffered the same fate at the Chepauk, with Varun’s mystery delivery tearing into his stumps, leaving Brook amused and smiling over it. “Chakaravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler. But with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick. Hopefully, the air is a bit clearer here, and we can see the ball a bit easier," Harry Brook had said after the first T20I in Kolkata. Watch - Through the gates! 🎯 The in-form Varun Chakaravarthy strikes in his very first over ⚡️⚡️ Follow The Match ▶️ https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @chakaravarthy29 pic.twitter.com/NddoPmTlDo — BCCI (@BCCI) January 25, 2025 The newly-appointed England T20I vice-captain, Brook scored a four and a six during his brief stay at the crease (13 off eight balls) before Varun sent him packing on the third ball of his first over. That dismissal again triggered an almost batting collapse for England before handy contributions from the lower order propelled them to a fighting 165 for nine in 20 overs. Meanwhile, Gavaskar and Shastri, calling out the game, took digs at Brook. "You don't need the smog. Once again, it is Varun Chakravarthy. This has sneaked through, and it's crashed into the stumps," Shastri said. The former Indian captain Gavaskar didn’t take a second before jumping onto the same, adding, “You said it, you said it. The light is clearer here. In Kolkata, there was some smog. No smog here. Had no idea where the ball was going. Harry Brook gone for 13. Chakravarthy is maybe asking, 'Is there any smog there'?” Tilak wins it for India India took a 2-0 lead in this five-match series with a close two-wicket win over England in Chennai. A match that almost went to the wire had everything for everyone - be it the spinners, pacers or the batters having a go in a nail-biting finish. 2️⃣-0️⃣ 🙌 Tilak Varma finishes in style and #TeamIndia register a 2-wicket win in Chennai! 👌 Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/d9jg3O02IB — BCCI (@BCCI) January 25, 2025 The English bowlers might have done enough to help the side square the series, but India’s T20I specialist Tilak Varma inflicted some agony on them with his match-winning knock (72* off 55 balls). He weathered the express pace storm and with little luck on his side, helped India win the game in the last over. Rajkot will host the third T20I on Tuesday (Jan 28). (With inputs from agencies)

IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Harry Brook roasted over ‘smog remark’ after Chepauk failure

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/arshdeep-singh" rel="dofollow">Arshdeep Singh</a> won the ICC T20I Cricketer of the Year 2024 award for his stellar performance last year. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/team-india" rel="dofollow">Team India</a>&rsquo;s highest wicket-taker in the shortest format, Arshdeep, was crucial in helping the Men in Blue end their ICC trophy drought with their second T20 World Cup title in the Americas in June 2024. Besides, he beat some heavyweights, including Australia&rsquo;s Travis Head, for his maiden ICC award.
The left-arm seamer has emerged among the top T20I bowlers worldwide despite his international debut just three years ago in 2022. In such a brief period, Arshdeep played two T20 World Cups, winning one in the USA and the Caribbean, alongside surpassing spinner Yuzvendra Chahal as India&rsquo;s top wicket-taker, nearing 100 international wickets in the shortest format.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-t20i-shivam-dube-to-replace-injured-nitish-reddy-in-squad-reports-8653211" rel="dofollow">IND vs ENG T20I: Shivam Dube to replace injured Nitish Reddy in squad- Reports</a>
In 2024, the 25-year-old picked up 36 T20I wickets in 18 matches &ndash; the most by an Indian and the fourth-highest among all bowlers, second after Wanindu Hasaranga (38) among a full-member nation. Even in the 2024 T20 World Cup, he bagged 17 wickets in eight outings &ndash; the joint-most, averaging 15.31.&nbsp;
Despite doing well at the start and the end, predominantly in the death throughout the last year, Arshdeep had an economy of 7.49 and a strike rate of 10.80.
<h2>Arshdeep shines</h2>
The left-arm seamer had a memorable T20 World Cup, picking four wickets against the USA for just nine runs in his four overs.&nbsp;
However, his most impressive outing was against South Africa in the summit clash in Barbados, helping India successfully defend 176 in the final.
Alongside the ace seamer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jasprit-bumrah" rel="dofollow">Jasprit Bumrah</a> and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep kept the Proteas under check, with his match figures of 4/20 in four overs.
He first removed Aiden Markram, caught behind in the third over, before returning to dismiss their star gloveman Quinton de Kock to put South Africa under pressure.
With the Proteas needing 20 off the last 12 balls, Arshdeep bowled a near-perfect death over, conceding just four runs before Pandya did his magic to defend 16 runs in the final over, helping India win the match and the title.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: In 2024, Arshdeep picked up 36 T20I wickets in 18 matches – the most by an Indian and second after Wanindu Hasaranga (38) among a full-member nation.

Arshdeep Singh won the ICC T20I Cricketer of the Year 2024 award for his stellar performance last year. Team India’s highest wicket-taker in the shortest format, Arshdeep, was crucial in helping the Men in Blue end their ICC trophy drought with their second T20 World Cup title in the Americas in June 2024. Besides, he beat some heavyweights, including Australia’s Travis Head, for his maiden ICC award. The left-arm seamer has emerged among the top T20I bowlers worldwide despite his international debut just three years ago in 2022. In such a brief period, Arshdeep played two T20 World Cups, winning one in the USA and the Caribbean, alongside surpassing spinner Yuzvendra Chahal as India’s top wicket-taker, nearing 100 international wickets in the shortest format. Also read | IND vs ENG T20I: Shivam Dube to replace injured Nitish Reddy in squad- Reports In 2024, the 25-year-old picked up 36 T20I wickets in 18 matches – the most by an Indian and the fourth-highest among all bowlers, second after Wanindu Hasaranga (38) among a full-member nation. Even in the 2024 T20 World Cup, he bagged 17 wickets in eight outings – the joint-most, averaging 15.31. Despite doing well at the start and the end, predominantly in the death throughout the last year, Arshdeep had an economy of 7.49 and a strike rate of 10.80. Arshdeep shines The left-arm seamer had a memorable T20 World Cup, picking four wickets against the USA for just nine runs in his four overs. However, his most impressive outing was against South Africa in the summit clash in Barbados, helping India successfully defend 176 in the final. Alongside the ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep kept the Proteas under check, with his match figures of 4/20 in four overs. He first removed Aiden Markram, caught behind in the third over, before returning to dismiss their star gloveman Quinton de Kock to put South Africa under pressure. With the Proteas needing 20 off the last 12 balls, Arshdeep bowled a near-perfect death over, conceding just four runs before Pandya did his magic to defend 16 runs in the final over, helping India win the match and the title. (With inputs from agencies)

India pacer Arshdeep Singh wins ICC T20I Cricketer of the Year 2024 award

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shivam-dube">Shivam Dube</a>, part of the T20 World Cup-winning team in 2024, has been added to India&rsquo;s T20I side for the ongoing series against England. He is set to join the squad in Rajkot ahead of the third game.&nbsp;
Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was part of the playing XI for the first T20I in Kolkata, suffered an injury that kept him sidelined. The senior selection committee has opted to bring in Shivam Dube as his replacement, as per reports in The Indian Express.
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Dube&rsquo;s most recent outing for Mumbai was the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> encounter against Jammu and Kashmir, where he scored a duck in both innings and Mumbai lost.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-jasprit-bumrah-among-four-indians-included-in-icc-mens-t20i-team-of-the-year-8652840" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah among four Indians included in ICC Men's T20I Team of the Year</a>
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Dube had missed the initial stages of the Ranji Trophy due to a back injury but played the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20, where he made 151 runs in five matches at 179.76 and picked up three wickets at an economy rate of just under 10. He also played the Vijay Hazare Trophy.&nbsp;
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He last played for India during an ODI series in Sri Lanka in August last year. The all-rounder was originally not picked in the squad for the T20I series against England as selectors opted to go with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Hardik Pandya.&nbsp;
<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW202864288 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraid="1757040102" paraeid="{dc8fafe2-50fb-4fec-9c15-7dd59082c315}{53}">Rinku Singh also ruled out</h2>
Rinku Singh sustained a low back spasm while fielding in the 1st T20I against England on 22nd January. He is progressing well and the BCCI medical team is monitoring him closely. He is ruled out of the 2nd and 3rd games of the ongoing 5-match T20I series.
India and England will take on each other in the 2nd T20I on Saturday (Jan 25) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;
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Sports, Cricket: Shivam Dube will join the team in Rajkot as Nitish Reddy has suffered a setback from an injury. Shivam recently played for Mumbai in Ranji Trophy tie against J&K.

Shivam Dube, part of the T20 World Cup-winning team in 2024, has been added to India’s T20I side for the ongoing series against England. He is set to join the squad in Rajkot ahead of the third game. Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was part of the playing XI for the first T20I in Kolkata, suffered an injury that kept him sidelined. The senior selection committee has opted to bring in Shivam Dube as his replacement, as per reports in The Indian Express. Dube’s most recent outing for Mumbai was the Ranji Trophy encounter against Jammu and Kashmir, where he scored a duck in both innings and Mumbai lost. Also Read: Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah among four Indians included in ICC Men's T20I Team of the Year Dube had missed the initial stages of the Ranji Trophy due to a back injury but played the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20, where he made 151 runs in five matches at 179.76 and picked up three wickets at an economy rate of just under 10. He also played the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He last played for India during an ODI series in Sri Lanka in August last year. The all-rounder was originally not picked in the squad for the T20I series against England as selectors opted to go with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Hardik Pandya. Rinku Singh also ruled out Rinku Singh sustained a low back spasm while fielding in the 1st T20I against England on 22nd January. He is progressing well and the BCCI medical team is monitoring him closely. He is ruled out of the 2nd and 3rd games of the ongoing 5-match T20I series. India and England will take on each other in the 2nd T20I on Saturday (Jan 25) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. (With inputs from agencies)

IND vs ENG T20I: Shivam Dube to replace injured Nitish Reddy in squad- Reports

In a massive boost to Team India&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy-2025">Champions Trophy 2025</a> chances, new vice-captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shubman-gill">Shubman Gill</a> has returned to form. Playing against Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy tie in Bengaluru, Gill slammed a stunning hundred for Punjab, though his side lost the game. Elsewhere, the star-studded Mumbai Ranji Trophy team suffered a shock five-wicket defeat to Jammu &amp; Kashmir at BKC.
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J &amp; K WIN! 👏👏 Abid Mushtaq finishes it off in style with a 6⃣ 💥 J &amp; K beat Mumbai by 5 wickets, chasing down 205 👌 What a crucial &amp; fantastic victory for them! 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RanjiTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RanjiTrophy</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/oYXDhqotjO">https://t.co/oYXDhqotjO</a> <a href="https://t.co/SG0Ni1n9ZO">pic.twitter.com/SG0Ni1n9ZO</a>
&mdash; BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCIdomestic/status/1883080536866136550?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
For Mumbai, CT-bound players failed, but out-of-favour all-rounder Shardul Thakur impressed everyone with a second-inning hundred.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-jasprit-bumrah-among-four-indians-included-in-icc-mens-t20i-team-of-the-year-8652840" rel="dofollow">Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah among four Indians included in ICC Men's T20I Team of the Year</a>
Upon returning to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/domestic-cricket">domestic cricket</a> following a horrid tour Down Under, Gill opened for Punjab, scoring a mere four. With the visiting side trailing behind by over 400 runs in the second innings, Gill hit a resilient 102 off 171 balls, hitting 14 fours and three sixes.
The right-handed batter looked out of touch during his second tour Down Under, scoring just 93 runs from five innings. Though he missed the series opener with a thumb injury he sustained in the lead-up to the Perth Test, the selectors dropped him for his poor run with the bat for the Boxing Day Test, which India lost.
<h2>J&amp;K beat Mumbai</h2>
On the other side, Mumbai tumbled to a five-wicket loss at the hands of the touring J&amp;K side. Despite having heavyweights like Rohit Sharma, captain Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal and even Shardul Thakur in their ranks, Mumbai failed to defend the total.
Chasing over 200, J&amp;K completed the chase with five wickets remaining, sealing their knockout berth. Also, it was their first win over the 42-time champions in over a decade, having last won against Mumbai in December 2014 at the Wankhede.&nbsp;
Though Thakur impressed all with his magical hundred in the second innings, saving Mumbai&rsquo;s sinking ship (after they got reduced to 101 for seven at one stage), none of the India internationals had a noteworthy outing. Rohit and Jaiswal scored 28 and 26, respectively, while Iyer (17) and Rahane (16) were far from impressive.&nbsp;
<h3>What&rsquo;s next for Rohit?</h3>
Rohit will feature in Mumbai&rsquo;s last Ranji Trophy league game against Meghalaya at home starting January 30. While other teammates might retain their places in the XI, Virat Kohli&rsquo;s return to the Delhi side for their last game against the Railways remains the highlight.
After this, all CT-bound players will return to playing the first ODI against England starting February 6, with two more ODIs scheduled on 9 and 12.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, the eight-team tournament begins in Pakistan (on February 19). India will play Bangladesh in their tournament opener in Dubai the next day.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: For Mumbai, CT-bound players failed, but out-of-favour all-rounder Shardul Thakur impressed everyone with a second-inning hundred.

In a massive boost to Team India’s Champions Trophy 2025 chances, new vice-captain Shubman Gill has returned to form. Playing against Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy tie in Bengaluru, Gill slammed a stunning hundred for Punjab, though his side lost the game. Elsewhere, the star-studded Mumbai Ranji Trophy team suffered a shock five-wicket defeat to Jammu & Kashmir at BKC. J & K WIN! 👏👏 Abid Mushtaq finishes it off in style with a 6⃣ 💥 J & K beat Mumbai by 5 wickets, chasing down 205 👌 What a crucial & fantastic victory for them! 🔥#RanjiTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/oYXDhqotjO pic.twitter.com/SG0Ni1n9ZO — BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 25, 2025 For Mumbai, CT-bound players failed, but out-of-favour all-rounder Shardul Thakur impressed everyone with a second-inning hundred. Also read | Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah among four Indians included in ICC Men's T20I Team of the Year Upon returning to domestic cricket following a horrid tour Down Under, Gill opened for Punjab, scoring a mere four. With the visiting side trailing behind by over 400 runs in the second innings, Gill hit a resilient 102 off 171 balls, hitting 14 fours and three sixes. The right-handed batter looked out of touch during his second tour Down Under, scoring just 93 runs from five innings. Though he missed the series opener with a thumb injury he sustained in the lead-up to the Perth Test, the selectors dropped him for his poor run with the bat for the Boxing Day Test, which India lost. J&K beat Mumbai On the other side, Mumbai tumbled to a five-wicket loss at the hands of the touring J&K side. Despite having heavyweights like Rohit Sharma, captain Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal and even Shardul Thakur in their ranks, Mumbai failed to defend the total. Chasing over 200, J&K completed the chase with five wickets remaining, sealing their knockout berth. Also, it was their first win over the 42-time champions in over a decade, having last won against Mumbai in December 2014 at the Wankhede. Though Thakur impressed all with his magical hundred in the second innings, saving Mumbai’s sinking ship (after they got reduced to 101 for seven at one stage), none of the India internationals had a noteworthy outing. Rohit and Jaiswal scored 28 and 26, respectively, while Iyer (17) and Rahane (16) were far from impressive. What’s next for Rohit? Rohit will feature in Mumbai’s last Ranji Trophy league game against Meghalaya at home starting January 30. While other teammates might retain their places in the XI, Virat Kohli’s return to the Delhi side for their last game against the Railways remains the highlight. After this, all CT-bound players will return to playing the first ODI against England starting February 6, with two more ODIs scheduled on 9 and 12. Meanwhile, the eight-team tournament begins in Pakistan (on February 19). India will play Bangladesh in their tournament opener in Dubai the next day. (With inputs from agencies)

Ranji Trophy round up: Shubman Gill shines, Mumbai's heavyweights fail

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Ahead of the upcoming ICC <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> 2025, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/pakistan-cricket-board">Pakistan Cricket Board</a> (PCB) on Saturday (Jan 25) has announced the schedule for the tri-nation ODI series, featuring New Zealand, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/south-africa-cricket">South Africa</a> and hosts Pakistan.&nbsp;
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The PCB in a statement said, &ldquo;The series will be played on a single-league basis from February 8 to 14, with Lahore&rsquo;s Gaddafi Stadium hosting the opening two matches and Karachi&rsquo;s National Banwionk Stadium staging the final league match and the final.&rdquo;&nbsp;
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Pakistan and New Zealand will kick off the series at the Gaddafi Stadium on February 8. New Zealand will then lock horns with South Africa on February 10. The action will shift to Karachi, where Pakistan will take on South Africa on February 12 in a day/night match at the National Bank Stadium. The final will be played on February 14.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/if-they-can-play-leagues-they-can-also-pakistan-head-coach-aaqib-javed-explains-shaheen-afridis-absence-from-west-indies-tests-8652503">&lsquo;If they can play leagues, they can also&hellip;,&rsquo; Aaqib Javed explains Shaheen Afridi&rsquo;s omission</a> 
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Both Pakistan and New Zealand are scheduled to train at the Gaddafi Stadium on February 6 under lights while South Africa&rsquo;s first outing at the historic venue will be on the morning of February 9.&nbsp;
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&ldquo;At the Gaddafi Stadium, the spectator capacity has been increased, with new chairs installed throughout the venue. Additionally, 480 state-of-the-art LED lights have been installed to enhance broadcast LUX levels, ensuring a superior viewing experience for fans worldwide. To further elevate the spectator experience, two giant digital replay screens &ndash; measuring 80 feet x 30 feet and 22 feet x 35 feet &ndash; have been installed. A brand-new hospitality enclosure for players and officials is near completion, ensuring that the iconic stadium is fully operational to deliver an unparalleled experience for all stakeholders,&rdquo; the PCB said.&nbsp;
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Defending champions Pakistan will kickstart their Champions Trophy campaign against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19.&nbsp;
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Sports, Cricket: Pakistan and New Zealand will kick off the series at the Gaddafi Stadium on February 8. New Zealand will then face South Africa on February 10

Ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday (Jan 25) has announced the schedule for the tri-nation ODI series, featuring New Zealand, South Africa and hosts Pakistan. The PCB in a statement said, “The series will be played on a single-league basis from February 8 to 14, with Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium hosting the opening two matches and Karachi’s National Banwionk Stadium staging the final league match and the final.” Pakistan and New Zealand will kick off the series at the Gaddafi Stadium on February 8. New Zealand will then lock horns with South Africa on February 10. The action will shift to Karachi, where Pakistan will take on South Africa on February 12 in a day/night match at the National Bank Stadium. The final will be played on February 14. Also Read: ‘If they can play leagues, they can also…,’ Aaqib Javed explains Shaheen Afridi’s omission Both Pakistan and New Zealand are scheduled to train at the Gaddafi Stadium on February 6 under lights while South Africa’s first outing at the historic venue will be on the morning of February 9. “At the Gaddafi Stadium, the spectator capacity has been increased, with new chairs installed throughout the venue. Additionally, 480 state-of-the-art LED lights have been installed to enhance broadcast LUX levels, ensuring a superior viewing experience for fans worldwide. To further elevate the spectator experience, two giant digital replay screens – measuring 80 feet x 30 feet and 22 feet x 35 feet – have been installed. A brand-new hospitality enclosure for players and officials is near completion, ensuring that the iconic stadium is fully operational to deliver an unparalleled experience for all stakeholders,” the PCB said. Defending champions Pakistan will kickstart their Champions Trophy campaign against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19.

Ahead of Champions Trophy 2025, Pak to host New Zealand, South Africa for ODI tri-series

The Pakistan selectors overlooked ace seamer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shaheen-afridi" rel="dofollow">Shaheen Shah Afridi</a> for the two-match home Test series against West Indies, with head coach and former pacer Aaqib Javed explaining his omission. A force to reckon with across formats, Afridi last played a Test in October 2024 (against England in Multan), when Pakistan conceded 823 runs in an innings, missing all five-day action since.
Taking a jibe at his fitness, Javed said if Afridi can feature in franchise-based leagues worldwide, he can also play four-day matches to ensure his stamina levels do not drop. Speaking on the sidelines of the second Test in Multan, Javed said, "If you're playing all three formats, then in one series you're bowling in Tests, where you need to bowl 25-30 overs, and then for three months, you're not playing any four-day games.&nbsp;
This is why fast bowlers' energy levels drop when you need them to bowl to the tail-enders after sending down 20-25 overs in a day," he said, as quoted by the Times of India (TOI).
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-t20i-varun-chakravarthy-attributes-domestic-cricket-for-his-t20i-career-boom-says-smat-is-at-par-with-ipl-8652112" rel="dofollow">IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Varun attributes domestic cricket for his T20I career boom</a>
Had Afridi played ahead of Mohammad Abbas in the Cape Town Test (against South Africa last month), Pakistan wouldn&rsquo;t have come that close to winning, which they didn&rsquo;t though, added Javed.&nbsp;
"If Shaheen played in Cape Town, Mohammad Abbas would not have played. Abbas was playing after three years, and because of him, the match reached an interesting end. If they can play leagues before Test matches, they also need to play four-day cricket to ensure their stamina is of that level."
<h2>Javed hits back at critics</h2>
Though Pakistan never came close to fighting for a spot in the current <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/icc-world-test-championship-final" rel="dofollow">World Test Championship (WTC) Final</a>, reeling in the bottom half of the table, they have begun putting efforts in the right direction to claim their maiden Test title.&nbsp;They did what most teams from the sub-continent have been doing for the past decade - preparing pitches to their advantage.
Following <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shambles-pakistan-fall-to-a-new-low-loses-multan-test-against-england-by-an-inning-766544" rel="dofollow">losing the Multan Test (to England) by an innings</a>, Pakistan prepared dust bowls for the remaining two matches in that series, winning both and claiming the series.&nbsp;Fast forward to January 2025, they did the same for the home series against West Indies, having won the first Test convincingly.
"Why is it that if fast bowlers take wickets, [people say] Test cricket is moving forward, and if spinners take wickets, Test cricket's going backwards?" Aaqib said.
"I don't understand this. When you go to Australia and England, they prepare pitches how they like. So, if we prepare turning wickets and spinners take wickets, what is the problem?
"Of course, we were right to prepare a spin pitch [in the first Test] against West Indies. Their batters are not as proficient against spin when compared to fast bowling. I also want to address concerns about where our Test cricket is going. If we had taken these decisions earlier, then we would have been in the race for the WTC [final]. The rule of Test cricket is to win at home. If you win at home and you win two to three Tests away, you become a strong candidate for the final,&rdquo; he added.
Meanwhile, Noman Ali created history on day one of the second Test, becoming the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pak-vs-wi-2nd-test-noman-ali-becomes-first-pakistan-spinner-to-pick-test-hat-trick-8652161">first Pakistani spinner to pick a Test hat-trick</a>. He picked six wickets in the first innings, wrapping the visitors on 163 inside two sessions.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6bwg9v9-q4ic3rhv-cjtjx8ai">
𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭! 😍 Hat-trick hero Noman Ali makes history in Multan 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvWI</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RedBallRumble?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RedBallRumble</a> <a href="https://t.co/2xRLeYpVXl">pic.twitter.com/2xRLeYpVXl</a>
&mdash; Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB/status/1883027906454241612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Afridi last played a Test in October 2024 (against England), when Pakistan conceded 823 runs in an innings, missing all five-day action since.

The Pakistan selectors overlooked ace seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi for the two-match home Test series against West Indies, with head coach and former pacer Aaqib Javed explaining his omission. A force to reckon with across formats, Afridi last played a Test in October 2024 (against England in Multan), when Pakistan conceded 823 runs in an innings, missing all five-day action since. Taking a jibe at his fitness, Javed said if Afridi can feature in franchise-based leagues worldwide, he can also play four-day matches to ensure his stamina levels do not drop. Speaking on the sidelines of the second Test in Multan, Javed said, "If you're playing all three formats, then in one series you're bowling in Tests, where you need to bowl 25-30 overs, and then for three months, you're not playing any four-day games. This is why fast bowlers' energy levels drop when you need them to bowl to the tail-enders after sending down 20-25 overs in a day," he said, as quoted by the Times of India (TOI). Also read | IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Varun attributes domestic cricket for his T20I career boom Had Afridi played ahead of Mohammad Abbas in the Cape Town Test (against South Africa last month), Pakistan wouldn’t have come that close to winning, which they didn’t though, added Javed. "If Shaheen played in Cape Town, Mohammad Abbas would not have played. Abbas was playing after three years, and because of him, the match reached an interesting end. If they can play leagues before Test matches, they also need to play four-day cricket to ensure their stamina is of that level." Javed hits back at critics Though Pakistan never came close to fighting for a spot in the current World Test Championship (WTC) Final, reeling in the bottom half of the table, they have begun putting efforts in the right direction to claim their maiden Test title. They did what most teams from the sub-continent have been doing for the past decade - preparing pitches to their advantage. Following losing the Multan Test (to England) by an innings, Pakistan prepared dust bowls for the remaining two matches in that series, winning both and claiming the series. Fast forward to January 2025, they did the same for the home series against West Indies, having won the first Test convincingly. "Why is it that if fast bowlers take wickets, [people say] Test cricket is moving forward, and if spinners take wickets, Test cricket's going backwards?" Aaqib said. "I don't understand this. When you go to Australia and England, they prepare pitches how they like. So, if we prepare turning wickets and spinners take wickets, what is the problem? "Of course, we were right to prepare a spin pitch [in the first Test] against West Indies. Their batters are not as proficient against spin when compared to fast bowling. I also want to address concerns about where our Test cricket is going. If we had taken these decisions earlier, then we would have been in the race for the WTC [final]. The rule of Test cricket is to win at home. If you win at home and you win two to three Tests away, you become a strong candidate for the final,” he added. Meanwhile, Noman Ali created history on day one of the second Test, becoming the first Pakistani spinner to pick a Test hat-trick. He picked six wickets in the first innings, wrapping the visitors on 163 inside two sessions. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭! 😍 Hat-trick hero Noman Ali makes history in Multan 🙌#PAKvWI | #RedBallRumble pic.twitter.com/2xRLeYpVXl — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 25, 2025 (With inputs from agencies)

‘If they can play leagues, they can also…,’ Aaqib Javed explains Shaheen Afridi’s omission

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Former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif on Saturday (Jan 25) said that Indian senior duo <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> are being targeted for their red-ball form and are forced to play domestic cricket ahead of the white-ball tournaments.&nbsp;
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Rohit turned up for Mumbai in their ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Jammu &amp; Kashmir. He scored 3 and 28 runs in the match. Meanwhile, Kohli will join Delhi's squad for the match against Railways from January 30.&nbsp;
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Other than the star duo, members of the Test squad that faced a 1-3 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia are also featuring for their respective state sides for the latest round of Ranji Trophy matches. The other notable players include Yashasvi Jaiswal (Mumbai), Rishabh Pant (Delhi), Ravindra Jadeja (Saurashtra) and Shubman Gill (Punjab).&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-t20i-varun-chakravarthy-attributes-domestic-cricket-for-his-t20i-career-boom-says-smat-is-at-par-with-ipl-8652112">IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Varun attributes domestic cricket for his T20I career boom</a> 
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Latif said that Rohit and Kohli should focus on their upcoming white-ball tournaments against England and next month&rsquo;s Champions Trophy in Dubai.&nbsp;
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Latif said that due to the busy international calendar, players don&rsquo;t get much time to play domestic cricket. He went on to say that the star duo played two World Cup finals in the last two years without playing domestic cricket.&nbsp;
<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW169062253 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraid="433085391" paraeid="{7cce9581-a817-48ac-a2ac-951d36acae50}{90}">White-ball is a totally different game: Rashid</h2>
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&ldquo;There is no time for players to play domestic cricket due to the packed international calendar. If needed they should play domestic cricket but due to the targeting of Rohit and Virat, they&rsquo;re forcing everyone to play domestic cricket. In the past, barring <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sachin-tendulkar">Sachin Tendulkar</a>, others have not played much domestic cricket... Rohit and Virat have won the T20 World Cup and reached the final of the ODI World Cup without playing domestic cricket. They will next play the ODI series against England so they should prepare for it as white-ball is a totally different game,&rdquo; Latif was quoted saying to IANS news agency.<span class="EOP SCXW169062253 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Rohit and Kohli will feature in the three-match ODI series against England starting on February 6. Both teams are currently playing the five-match T20I series. India started with a thumping win at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in the first T20I.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Sports, Cricket: Rohit turned up for Mumbai in match against J&K. He scored 3 and 28 runs. Meanwhile, Kohli will join Delhi's squad for match against Railways from Jan 30

Former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif on Saturday (Jan 25) said that Indian senior duo Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are being targeted for their red-ball form and are forced to play domestic cricket ahead of the white-ball tournaments. Rohit turned up for Mumbai in their ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir. He scored 3 and 28 runs in the match. Meanwhile, Kohli will join Delhi's squad for the match against Railways from January 30. Other than the star duo, members of the Test squad that faced a 1-3 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia are also featuring for their respective state sides for the latest round of Ranji Trophy matches. The other notable players include Yashasvi Jaiswal (Mumbai), Rishabh Pant (Delhi), Ravindra Jadeja (Saurashtra) and Shubman Gill (Punjab). Also Read: IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Varun attributes domestic cricket for his T20I career boom Latif said that Rohit and Kohli should focus on their upcoming white-ball tournaments against England and next month’s Champions Trophy in Dubai. Latif said that due to the busy international calendar, players don’t get much time to play domestic cricket. He went on to say that the star duo played two World Cup finals in the last two years without playing domestic cricket. White-ball is a totally different game: Rashid “There is no time for players to play domestic cricket due to the packed international calendar. If needed they should play domestic cricket but due to the targeting of Rohit and Virat, they’re forcing everyone to play domestic cricket. In the past, barring Sachin Tendulkar, others have not played much domestic cricket... Rohit and Virat have won the T20 World Cup and reached the final of the ODI World Cup without playing domestic cricket. They will next play the ODI series against England so they should prepare for it as white-ball is a totally different game,” Latif was quoted saying to IANS news agency. Rohit and Kohli will feature in the three-match ODI series against England starting on February 6. Both teams are currently playing the five-match T20I series. India started with a thumping win at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in the first T20I. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Rohit, Kohli are being forced to play...’ says former Pak cricketer Rashid Latif

Pakistan spinner Noman Ali created history on day one of the second ongoing Test against West Indies in Multan. Inside the first session, he picked his maiden <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/test-hat-trick" rel="dofollow">Test hat-trick</a>, becoming the first spinner from the country to achieve this feat.
Although Pakistan&rsquo;s rich Test cricket history has a few bowlers who unlocked this achievement before, none of the spinners could, with seamer Naseem Shah being the last to do so (against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi in 2020).
The left-arm orthodox bowler removed Justin Greaves, Tevin Imlach and Kevin Sinclair off successive deliveries in only his third over of the day to become the Pakistani spinner to pick a Test hat-trick.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-t20i-varun-chakravarthy-attributes-domestic-cricket-for-his-t20i-career-boom-says-smat-is-at-par-with-ipl-8652112" rel="dofollow">IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Varun attributes domestic cricket for his T20I career boom</a>
After electing to bat first in Multan, West Indies&rsquo; back was against the wall in no time, with the spin duo of Noman and Sajid Ali, alongside debutant seamer Kashif Ali, wreaking havoc inside the first hour. Reeling at 38 for four after 11 overs, West Indies lost three wickets in the next, with their scorecard reading 38/7 in 12 overs.
Noman, bowling over the wicket, first removed Greaves (caught in the slips) before trapping Imlach right in front of the wicket. On his hat-trick delivery, he bowled a fuller length only for Sinclair to find the edge, with Babar Azam completing a stunner in the second slip.
That wicket led to jubilation in the ground, dressing room and the stadium, with everyone celebrating Noman&rsquo;s first Test hat-trick.
<h3>Watch -</h3>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6buu631-cqvvjp87-b99aoqsk">
𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭! 😍 Hat-trick hero Noman Ali makes history in Multan 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvWI</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RedBallRumble?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RedBallRumble</a> <a href="https://t.co/2xRLeYpVXl">pic.twitter.com/2xRLeYpVXl</a>
&mdash; Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB/status/1883027906454241612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
West Indies then lost two more wickets before the century-mark, with Noman completing another five-for of the series. Though only Kavem Hodge could get into the double digits among the top seven batters, the bowlers saved the day for the touring side, with each of Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach (25) and Jomel Warrican scoring handy runs.
<h2>Pakistan bowlers to pick Test hat-tricks</h2>
Noman Ali became the first Pakistani spinner and fifth overall from the country after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/wasim-akram">Wasim Akram</a> (2), Abdul Razzaq (1), Mohammad Sami (1) and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/naseem-shah" rel="dofollow">Naseem Shah</a> (1) to pick Test hat-tricks.
While Wasim was the first to do so, twice against Sri Lanka during the 1998/99 series, all-rounder Razzaq was the next, picking his first against the same team in 1999.&nbsp;
A couple of years later, express pacer Sami picked his first Test hat-trick against the Lankans in 2001, with Naseem Shah adding one to his name in 2020 against Bangladesh.&nbsp;

Sports, Cricket: Noman removed Justin Greaves, Tevin Imlach and Kevin Sinclair off successive deliveries to become the Pakistani spinner to pick a Test hat-trick.

Pakistan spinner Noman Ali created history on day one of the second ongoing Test against West Indies in Multan. Inside the first session, he picked his maiden Test hat-trick, becoming the first spinner from the country to achieve this feat. Although Pakistan’s rich Test cricket history has a few bowlers who unlocked this achievement before, none of the spinners could, with seamer Naseem Shah being the last to do so (against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi in 2020). The left-arm orthodox bowler removed Justin Greaves, Tevin Imlach and Kevin Sinclair off successive deliveries in only his third over of the day to become the Pakistani spinner to pick a Test hat-trick. Also read | IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Varun attributes domestic cricket for his T20I career boom After electing to bat first in Multan, West Indies’ back was against the wall in no time, with the spin duo of Noman and Sajid Ali, alongside debutant seamer Kashif Ali, wreaking havoc inside the first hour. Reeling at 38 for four after 11 overs, West Indies lost three wickets in the next, with their scorecard reading 38/7 in 12 overs. Noman, bowling over the wicket, first removed Greaves (caught in the slips) before trapping Imlach right in front of the wicket. On his hat-trick delivery, he bowled a fuller length only for Sinclair to find the edge, with Babar Azam completing a stunner in the second slip. That wicket led to jubilation in the ground, dressing room and the stadium, with everyone celebrating Noman’s first Test hat-trick. Watch - 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭! 😍 Hat-trick hero Noman Ali makes history in Multan 🙌#PAKvWI | #RedBallRumble pic.twitter.com/2xRLeYpVXl — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 25, 2025 West Indies then lost two more wickets before the century-mark, with Noman completing another five-for of the series. Though only Kavem Hodge could get into the double digits among the top seven batters, the bowlers saved the day for the touring side, with each of Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach (25) and Jomel Warrican scoring handy runs. Pakistan bowlers to pick Test hat-tricks Noman Ali became the first Pakistani spinner and fifth overall from the country after Wasim Akram (2), Abdul Razzaq (1), Mohammad Sami (1) and Naseem Shah (1) to pick Test hat-tricks. While Wasim was the first to do so, twice against Sri Lanka during the 1998/99 series, all-rounder Razzaq was the next, picking his first against the same team in 1999. A couple of years later, express pacer Sami picked his first Test hat-trick against the Lankans in 2001, with Naseem Shah adding one to his name in 2020 against Bangladesh.

PAK vs WI 2nd Test: Noman Ali becomes first Pakistan spinner to pick Test hat-trick

For those wondering what good domestic cricket would do to their game, look at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakravarthy">Varun Chakravarthy</a>. The India spinner has been making all the right noises since returning to the T20I side late last year, picking wickets for fun. In Kuldeep Yadav&rsquo;s absence, Varun is leading the spin-bowling unit, doing justice to his role; his three-wicket haul against England in the series opener in Kolkata is one example of it.
The mystery spinner has been making headlines for consistently performing in the shortest format across domestic and international arenas. Attributing India&rsquo;s domestic structure, mainly the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/smat">Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy (SMAT)</a>, which he feels is at par with the cash-rich IPL, Varun urged everyone to play in that tournament to improve their game.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-2nd-t20i-live-streaming-when-where-to-watch-india-vs-england-live-on-laptop-tv-8650902" rel="dofollow">IND vs ENG, 2nd T20I live streaming: When and where to watch India vs England live on laptop, TV</a>
"The level of cricket in the domestic [circuit] is extremely high. I would say [it is] almost on par with IPL and the other international matches we play. I would really suggest everyone to go and play the Syed Mushtaq Ali because we play on small grounds. It is very challenging [for bowlers],&rdquo; Varun said ahead of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-t20i-chennai-match-preview-and-result-prediction-8651972">India&rsquo;s second T20I against England in Chennai</a>.&nbsp;
Varun made most of his chances playing in the domestic tournaments. For instance, in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (2023-24 season) - his first in five years, Varun returned with 19 wickets (the joint-most), averaging 13.05.
In the just-concluded season, the right-arm spinner picked 18 (in six matches),&nbsp;bettering his average to 12.16.
Meanwhile, Varun returned with nine scalps in SMAT (the last season), which he reckons is tougher to succeed at (given smaller venues).
&ldquo;I find it very tough playing SMAT. It has definitely helped me to get better, be more instinctive, be on my toes, and think correctly at the right moment,&rdquo; Varun said.&nbsp;
<h2>&lsquo;Homecoming&rsquo;&nbsp;</h2>
After breaking England&rsquo;s back inside just one over in the Kolkata T20I (his adopted home ground &ndash; given he plays for KKR in the IPL), Varun returns to his home ground in Chennai for the second match on Saturday (Jan 25).
Reflecting on what it means for him to play for India at his home venue in front of his family and friends, Varun said it&rsquo;s nothing short of feeling special.
"Definitely [special]," Varun said of his homecoming.&nbsp;
"Back to Chennai and in the Blues is very important for me. I see it as a very important day for me. I'm coming back to Chennai after a long time. Playing for the country in front of my parents and the home crowd. Yeah, it is very special for me,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Attributing India’s domestic structure, mainly SMAT, which he feels is at par with IPL, Varun urged all players to play in that tournament to improve their game.

For those wondering what good domestic cricket would do to their game, look at Varun Chakravarthy. The India spinner has been making all the right noises since returning to the T20I side late last year, picking wickets for fun. In Kuldeep Yadav’s absence, Varun is leading the spin-bowling unit, doing justice to his role; his three-wicket haul against England in the series opener in Kolkata is one example of it. The mystery spinner has been making headlines for consistently performing in the shortest format across domestic and international arenas. Attributing India’s domestic structure, mainly the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy (SMAT), which he feels is at par with the cash-rich IPL, Varun urged everyone to play in that tournament to improve their game. Also read | IND vs ENG, 2nd T20I live streaming: When and where to watch India vs England live on laptop, TV "The level of cricket in the domestic [circuit] is extremely high. I would say [it is] almost on par with IPL and the other international matches we play. I would really suggest everyone to go and play the Syed Mushtaq Ali because we play on small grounds. It is very challenging [for bowlers],” Varun said ahead of India’s second T20I against England in Chennai. Varun made most of his chances playing in the domestic tournaments. For instance, in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (2023-24 season) - his first in five years, Varun returned with 19 wickets (the joint-most), averaging 13.05. In the just-concluded season, the right-arm spinner picked 18 (in six matches), bettering his average to 12.16. Meanwhile, Varun returned with nine scalps in SMAT (the last season), which he reckons is tougher to succeed at (given smaller venues). “I find it very tough playing SMAT. It has definitely helped me to get better, be more instinctive, be on my toes, and think correctly at the right moment,” Varun said. ‘Homecoming’ After breaking England’s back inside just one over in the Kolkata T20I (his adopted home ground – given he plays for KKR in the IPL), Varun returns to his home ground in Chennai for the second match on Saturday (Jan 25). Reflecting on what it means for him to play for India at his home venue in front of his family and friends, Varun said it’s nothing short of feeling special. "Definitely [special]," Varun said of his homecoming. "Back to Chennai and in the Blues is very important for me. I see it as a very important day for me. I'm coming back to Chennai after a long time. Playing for the country in front of my parents and the home crowd. Yeah, it is very special for me,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Varun attributes domestic cricket for his T20I career boom

India will face England in the second T20I at the Chepauk in Chennai on Saturday (Jan 25). The hosts drew first blood in the five-match series with a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-1st-t20i-live-score-today-india-vs-england-latest-scorecard-jan-22-ind-vs-eng-playing-xi-prediction-pitch-report-toss-timing-venue-eden-gardens-kolkata-8644275">seven-wicket win in Kolkata</a>. Heading down south for the next game, where the wicket usually assists spinners, the ones in the Indian camp must be licking their lips. Besides, England must be hoping for an improved outing, especially with the bat.
Here is the match preview and result prediction of the second T20I between India and England.
<h2>Match Preview&nbsp;</h2>
India ticked all boxes in a thumping win at the Eden Gardens. From <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/arshdeep-singh">Arshdeep Singh</a> to Varun Chakaravarthy (Player of the Match) to opener Abhishek - everyone performed brilliantly, helping India take a 1-0 lead in this marquee series.&nbsp;
Though the conditions assisted the seamers upfront in Kolkata, with Arshdeep returning with two wickets inside the Powerplay and surpassing Yuzvendra Chahal to become India&rsquo;s leading wicket-taker in this format, the dryness on the pitch made it tougher for the English batters, with Varun and Axar Patel bagging five wickets among them.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-abhishek-sharma-twists-right-ankle-in-training-remains-doubtful-for-chennai-t20i-report-8651117" rel="dofollow">IND vs ENG: Abhishek Sharma twists right ankle in training, doubtful for Chennai T20I - Report</a>
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-t20i-smog-cost-england-in-kolkata-chennai-clear-weather-should-help-our-batters-harry-brook-8650287">Harry Brook,&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-t20i-smog-cost-england-in-kolkata-chennai-clear-weather-should-help-our-batters-harry-brook-8650287">however, blamed &lsquo;Kolkata smog&rsquo; for England&rsquo;s dismal show against spin</a>.
In the bowling department for the visitors, the seamers had a mixed outing, with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood impressing with sheer pace, though the rookie opener Abhishek punished them with a match-winning 79 off 34.
While India is unlikely to change its batting order for the Chennai game, it remains to be seen if the management brings in Mohammed Shami for his first India match since the ODI World Cup final in November 2023. Given that Arshdeep had a ball in the series opener and three spinners already making the right noises, the home side might stick with a similar playing XI.
On the other hand, England confirmed at least one change for the second T20I, bringing in seamer Brydon Carse for Gus Atkinson in Chennai; England also added gloveman Jamie Smith as a cover backup for Jacob Bethell, who missed Friday&rsquo;s training as he was unwell.
<h3>Result Prediction &ndash;</h3>
Despite England wanting to go an extra yard to square the series, India, with their spin attack, will enter the contest as favourites.
<h3>Predicted Playing XIs &ndash;</h3>
India &ndash; Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy
England &ndash; Phil Salt (wk), Ben Duckett, Jos Buttler (captain), Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Rehan Ahmed, Adil Rashid and Brydon Carse

Sports, cricket: Heading down south for the next game against England, where the wicket usually assists spinners, the ones in the Indian camp must be licking their lips.

India will face England in the second T20I at the Chepauk in Chennai on Saturday (Jan 25). The hosts drew first blood in the five-match series with a seven-wicket win in Kolkata. Heading down south for the next game, where the wicket usually assists spinners, the ones in the Indian camp must be licking their lips. Besides, England must be hoping for an improved outing, especially with the bat. Here is the match preview and result prediction of the second T20I between India and England. Match Preview India ticked all boxes in a thumping win at the Eden Gardens. From Arshdeep Singh to Varun Chakaravarthy (Player of the Match) to opener Abhishek - everyone performed brilliantly, helping India take a 1-0 lead in this marquee series. Though the conditions assisted the seamers upfront in Kolkata, with Arshdeep returning with two wickets inside the Powerplay and surpassing Yuzvendra Chahal to become India’s leading wicket-taker in this format, the dryness on the pitch made it tougher for the English batters, with Varun and Axar Patel bagging five wickets among them. Also read | IND vs ENG: Abhishek Sharma twists right ankle in training, doubtful for Chennai T20I - Report Harry Brook, however, blamed ‘Kolkata smog’ for England’s dismal show against spin. In the bowling department for the visitors, the seamers had a mixed outing, with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood impressing with sheer pace, though the rookie opener Abhishek punished them with a match-winning 79 off 34. While India is unlikely to change its batting order for the Chennai game, it remains to be seen if the management brings in Mohammed Shami for his first India match since the ODI World Cup final in November 2023. Given that Arshdeep had a ball in the series opener and three spinners already making the right noises, the home side might stick with a similar playing XI. On the other hand, England confirmed at least one change for the second T20I, bringing in seamer Brydon Carse for Gus Atkinson in Chennai; England also added gloveman Jamie Smith as a cover backup for Jacob Bethell, who missed Friday’s training as he was unwell. Result Prediction – Despite England wanting to go an extra yard to square the series, India, with their spin attack, will enter the contest as favourites. Predicted Playing XIs – India – Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy England – Phil Salt (wk), Ben Duckett, Jos Buttler (captain), Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Rehan Ahmed, Adil Rashid and Brydon Carse

IND vs ENG 2nd T20I, Chennai - Match preview and result prediction

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravindra-jadeja" rel="dofollow">Ravindra Jadeja</a> stole the show for Saurashtra in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a>, helping them squash Delhi by ten wickets inside two days in Rajkot. Jadeja, the bowler, came to the fore for his state side unlike his fellow India teammates (for their respective teams), who suffered contrasting fates. The left-arm spinner returned with 12 wickets across both innings, conceding 104 runs.
He picked a five-for in the first innings (5/66) before tearing into Delhi&rsquo;s middle order with a stunning seven-wicket haul (7/38) in the next.
After reducing Virat Kohli-less Delhi to 188 in the first innings, Saurashtra scored 271 in reply, with gloveman Harvik Desai hitting a gritty 93. Delhi&rsquo;s second innings was worse than the first, with the touring team getting all out on a mere 94, giving the hosts just 12 runs to win, which they did with ten wickets in hand.
Of all the seven wickets he picked in the second innings, Jadeja removed his Team India mate Rishabh Pant (on 17). Even with the bat in hand, Jadeja impressed, scoring 38 in the first innings.
<h2>Who shone, and who failed?</h2>
Meanwhile, after the BCCI laid out a new ten-point policy mandate for all centrally contracted players (not picked for any India squad), everyone is now supposed to feature for their respective state teams, and those missing should have an unavoidable reason for that.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-t20i-smog-cost-england-in-kolkata-chennai-clear-weather-should-help-our-batters-harry-brook-8650287" rel="dofollow">'Smog' cost England in Kolkata - Harry Brook's bizarre excuse for 1st T20I loss</a>
Indian captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a>, openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, and middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer, among others, featured for their state teams in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. Unlike Jadeja, everyone fared poorly. Rohit and Jaiswal managed 28 and 26 runs, respectively, against Jammu &amp; Kashmir in the second innings, Iyer got out on 17. All three fell for a single-digit score in their first outing.
However, out-of-favour India all-rounder Shardul Thakur slammed a hundred in the second innings, scoring a brilliant unbeaten 113, with Mumbai leading J&amp;K by 188 runs.
Elsewhere, Punjab opener Shubman Gill failed in the first innings against Karnataka, getting out cheaply on just four. After the hosts made light work of
Punjab in their first innings, Gill remains unbeaten on seven at stumps on day two.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket Sports: Ravindra Jadeja picked a five-for in the first innings (5/66) before tearing into Delhi’s middle order with a stunning seven-wicket haul (7/38) in the next.

Ravindra Jadeja stole the show for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy, helping them squash Delhi by ten wickets inside two days in Rajkot. Jadeja, the bowler, came to the fore for his state side unlike his fellow India teammates (for their respective teams), who suffered contrasting fates. The left-arm spinner returned with 12 wickets across both innings, conceding 104 runs. He picked a five-for in the first innings (5/66) before tearing into Delhi’s middle order with a stunning seven-wicket haul (7/38) in the next. After reducing Virat Kohli-less Delhi to 188 in the first innings, Saurashtra scored 271 in reply, with gloveman Harvik Desai hitting a gritty 93. Delhi’s second innings was worse than the first, with the touring team getting all out on a mere 94, giving the hosts just 12 runs to win, which they did with ten wickets in hand. Of all the seven wickets he picked in the second innings, Jadeja removed his Team India mate Rishabh Pant (on 17). Even with the bat in hand, Jadeja impressed, scoring 38 in the first innings. Who shone, and who failed? Meanwhile, after the BCCI laid out a new ten-point policy mandate for all centrally contracted players (not picked for any India squad), everyone is now supposed to feature for their respective state teams, and those missing should have an unavoidable reason for that. Also read | 'Smog' cost England in Kolkata - Harry Brook's bizarre excuse for 1st T20I loss Indian captain Rohit Sharma, openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, and middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer, among others, featured for their state teams in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. Unlike Jadeja, everyone fared poorly. Rohit and Jaiswal managed 28 and 26 runs, respectively, against Jammu & Kashmir in the second innings, Iyer got out on 17. All three fell for a single-digit score in their first outing. However, out-of-favour India all-rounder Shardul Thakur slammed a hundred in the second innings, scoring a brilliant unbeaten 113, with Mumbai leading J&K by 188 runs. Elsewhere, Punjab opener Shubman Gill failed in the first innings against Karnataka, getting out cheaply on just four. After the hosts made light work of Punjab in their first innings, Gill remains unbeaten on seven at stumps on day two. (With inputs from agencies)

Ravindra Jadeja shines in Ranji Trophy unlike other stars, picks 12 wickets against Delhi

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Pacer Brydon Carse will replace Gus Atkinson in England's playing XI for the second T20I against India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday (Jan 25).<span class="EOP SCXW221495404 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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The visitors made only one change in their side after suffering a crushing seven-wicket defeat in the series opener in Kolkata on Wednesday. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith has also been added to the 12-player squad, England Cricket informed on X.<span class="EOP SCXW221495404 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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In the first T20I, Atkinson had a miserable day in the middle as he conceded a staggering 38 runs in his two overs. He didn't finish his full quota of four overs as Abhishek Sharma's 34-ball 79 sealed the victory for India with 43 balls to spare.<span class="EOP SCXW221495404 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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After the loss, England captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jos-buttler">Jos Buttler</a> said they will assess conditions for the upcoming games of the series.
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"There was a little in the wicket early on, didn't expect that, but if you came through that phase it was a good pitch and a fast-scoring ground. Some really good players in there, we'll be better for the run-out. Jof looked good, superstar, looked threatening, Mark Wood bowled fast, exciting. We want to be aggressive and watchable, but venue to venue got to assess conditions. Enjoyment of the game is always there, I'm enjoying the environment. I'm a big McCullum fan, always have been. Enjoying working with him," Buttler said in the post-match interaction.<span class="EOP SCXW221495404 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
<span class="EOP SCXW221495404 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-t20i-smog-cost-england-in-kolkata-chennai-clear-weather-should-help-our-batters-harry-brook-8650287">'Smog' cost England in Kolkata - Harry Brook's bizarre excuse for 1st T20I loss</a> 
<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW221495404 BCX0" lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW221495404 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">We want to play a bit different: Suryakumar Yadav</h2>
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On the other hand, India captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/suryakumar-yadav">Suryakumar Yadav</a> said enthusiasm shown by teammates after winning the toss set the benchmark for them.<span class="EOP SCXW221495404 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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"The energy after we won the toss set the benchmark. Bowlers had plans, executed, and the way we batted was icing on the cake. We did the same in South Africa, Hardik had responsibility to bowl new ball so cushion to play the extra spinner. Varun's preparations are on point, and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/arshdeep-singh">Arshdeep </a>is taking the extra responsibility. There's a lot of freedom given, we want to play a bit different. The fielding is one area we've been working really hard. Let's take those half chances and make a difference," Suryakumar said after taking the 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.<span class="EOP SCXW221495404 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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England's XI for second T20I: Ben Duckett, Phil Salt (WK), Jos Buttler (C), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.<span class="EOP SCXW221495404 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Cricket Sports: The visitors made only one change in their side after suffering a seven-wicket defeat in the series opener. Jamie Smith has also been added to the squad

Pacer Brydon Carse will replace Gus Atkinson in England's playing XI for the second T20I against India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday (Jan 25). The visitors made only one change in their side after suffering a crushing seven-wicket defeat in the series opener in Kolkata on Wednesday. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith has also been added to the 12-player squad, England Cricket informed on X. In the first T20I, Atkinson had a miserable day in the middle as he conceded a staggering 38 runs in his two overs. He didn't finish his full quota of four overs as Abhishek Sharma's 34-ball 79 sealed the victory for India with 43 balls to spare. After the loss, England captain Jos Buttler said they will assess conditions for the upcoming games of the series. "There was a little in the wicket early on, didn't expect that, but if you came through that phase it was a good pitch and a fast-scoring ground. Some really good players in there, we'll be better for the run-out. Jof looked good, superstar, looked threatening, Mark Wood bowled fast, exciting. We want to be aggressive and watchable, but venue to venue got to assess conditions. Enjoyment of the game is always there, I'm enjoying the environment. I'm a big McCullum fan, always have been. Enjoying working with him," Buttler said in the post-match interaction. Also Read: 'Smog' cost England in Kolkata - Harry Brook's bizarre excuse for 1st T20I loss We want to play a bit different: Suryakumar Yadav On the other hand, India captain Suryakumar Yadav said enthusiasm shown by teammates after winning the toss set the benchmark for them. "The energy after we won the toss set the benchmark. Bowlers had plans, executed, and the way we batted was icing on the cake. We did the same in South Africa, Hardik had responsibility to bowl new ball so cushion to play the extra spinner. Varun's preparations are on point, and Arshdeep is taking the extra responsibility. There's a lot of freedom given, we want to play a bit different. The fielding is one area we've been working really hard. Let's take those half chances and make a difference," Suryakumar said after taking the 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series. England's XI for second T20I: Ben Duckett, Phil Salt (WK), Jos Buttler (C), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.

IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Carse replaces Atkinson in England's playing XI; Smith added to squad

Harry Brook reflected on his team&rsquo;s failed batting performance against India in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-1st-t20i-live-score-today-india-vs-england-latest-scorecard-jan-22-ind-vs-eng-playing-xi-prediction-pitch-report-toss-timing-venue-eden-gardens-kolkata-8644275" rel="dofollow">first T20I in Kolkata</a>. Looking back at how they fared at the Eden Gardens after being asked to bat first, Brook said &lsquo;smog&rsquo; made it tougher for him and other visiting batters to pick the ball, adding he is expecting a clear weather at the Chepauk (in Chennai).
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jos-buttler?page=24" rel="dofollow">Jos Buttler</a>&rsquo;s England side scored just 132, with the captain scoring the bulk of runs (68). Though Brook (17) and Buttler tried saving England&rsquo;s sinking ship (after losing two early wickets to Arshdeep Singh),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/95-of-my-focus-is-on-myself-says-wrist-spinner-varun-chakaravarthy-8647159">Varun Chakaravarthy</a>&rsquo;s twin strike in the 8th over broke their back, and wickets kept tumbling after that.
&ldquo;Chakaravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler,&rdquo; Brook said ahead of the second T20I against India in Chennai. &ldquo;But with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick. Hopefully, the air is a bit clearer here, and we can see the ball a bit easier.&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/no-indian-in-iccs-odi-team-of-the-year-2024-4-sri-lankans-3-pakistani-included-afghanistan-west-indies-8649889" rel="dofollow">No Indian in ICC&rsquo;s ODI Team of the Year 2024; 3 Afghanistan players included</a>
Although Brook is among the best Test batters going around, having scored plenty of runs in red-ball cricket lately and even having a T20 World Cup title to boast about in the shortest format, he admits struggling to take on spin like he does to pace.
&ldquo;Facing spin in T20 cricket is probably the hardest thing in the game, especially because I always get out trying to absolutely smack it. Maybe I&rsquo;ve got to rein in a little bit, but we&rsquo;ll see,&rdquo; Brook said.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think I do have a method. It&rsquo;s just trying to do it consistently and more often. I come in the middle order, so the first few balls I face are usually off-spin." &ldquo;If I get out early, it&rsquo;s usually against a spinner, so maybe my stats aren&rsquo;t as good against spin, but there&rsquo;s always going to be criticism in some parts,&rdquo; he continued.
<h2>Changes to England Team for 2nd T20I</h2>
Following the thrashing they suffered in the first T20I in Kolkata, England are bound to make a few changes to their line-up.
For the next T20I in Chepauk, traditionally a spin-friendly venue, scheduled on Saturday (Jan 25), England have replaced seamer Gus Atkinson with Brydon Carse, while rookie all-rounder Jacob Bethell is also facing a health scare and missed Friday&rsquo;s training. England has called up keeper-batter Jamie Smith as his backup.
India lead England 1-0 in the five-match T20I series.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket Sports: Following the thrashing they suffered in the first T20I at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, England are bound to make a few changes to their line-up.

Harry Brook reflected on his team’s failed batting performance against India in the first T20I in Kolkata. Looking back at how they fared at the Eden Gardens after being asked to bat first, Brook said ‘smog’ made it tougher for him and other visiting batters to pick the ball, adding he is expecting a clear weather at the Chepauk (in Chennai). Jos Buttler’s England side scored just 132, with the captain scoring the bulk of runs (68). Though Brook (17) and Buttler tried saving England’s sinking ship (after losing two early wickets to Arshdeep Singh), Varun Chakaravarthy’s twin strike in the 8th over broke their back, and wickets kept tumbling after that. “Chakaravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler,” Brook said ahead of the second T20I against India in Chennai. “But with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick. Hopefully, the air is a bit clearer here, and we can see the ball a bit easier.” Also read | No Indian in ICC’s ODI Team of the Year 2024; 3 Afghanistan players included Although Brook is among the best Test batters going around, having scored plenty of runs in red-ball cricket lately and even having a T20 World Cup title to boast about in the shortest format, he admits struggling to take on spin like he does to pace. “Facing spin in T20 cricket is probably the hardest thing in the game, especially because I always get out trying to absolutely smack it. Maybe I’ve got to rein in a little bit, but we’ll see,” Brook said. “I think I do have a method. It’s just trying to do it consistently and more often. I come in the middle order, so the first few balls I face are usually off-spin." “If I get out early, it’s usually against a spinner, so maybe my stats aren’t as good against spin, but there’s always going to be criticism in some parts,” he continued. Changes to England Team for 2nd T20I Following the thrashing they suffered in the first T20I in Kolkata, England are bound to make a few changes to their line-up. For the next T20I in Chepauk, traditionally a spin-friendly venue, scheduled on Saturday (Jan 25), England have replaced seamer Gus Atkinson with Brydon Carse, while rookie all-rounder Jacob Bethell is also facing a health scare and missed Friday’s training. England has called up keeper-batter Jamie Smith as his backup. India lead England 1-0 in the five-match T20I series. (With inputs from agencies)

'Smog' cost England in Kolkata - Harry Brook's bizarre excuse for 1st T20I loss

Despite leading the team ranking chart in the One-Day Internationals, none of the Indian players made it to ICC&rsquo;s ODI Team of the Year 2024. Four Sri Lankan players, including their ODI captain Charith Asalanka, three Pakistanis, two from Afghanistan and one from West Indies, made it to the combined XI of the top ODI players from the past year.
To everyone&rsquo;s surprise, no player from the top-ranked sides, including Australia, India, England, New Zealand and South Africa, made the cut.
Meanwhile, after a super successful 2023, where India won the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and made it to the final of the home ODI World Cup, the Men in Blue played just three ODIs last year, losing two to Sri Lanka, conceding the bilateral series for the first time in 27 years; as a result, none could find a place.
<h2>Openers and middle order &ndash;</h2>
Rookie Pakistan opener Saim Ayub got rewarded for his impressive year with the bat, wherein he returned 515 runs from nine outings, averaging 64.37 and striking at over 100 (105.53). In 2024, Ayub scored two ODI hundreds and a fifty. Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz accompanies him at the top, having registered almost similar runs (531) from 11 matches, including three centuries and two fifties.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/sam-konstas-on-shoulder-bump-with-kohli-its-good-to-have-a-bit-of-theatre-in-the-game-8649673" rel="dofollow">Konstas on shoulder bump with Kohli: &lsquo;It&rsquo;s good to have a bit of theatre in the game&rsquo;</a>
Three Sri Lankan batters, a West Indian and an all-rounder from Afghanistan, completed the middle and lower orders. Opener Pathum Nissanka (who scored 210* against Afghanistan in an ODI in February last year) bats at number three (on ICC's list), with keeper-batter Kusal Mendis and Asalanka taking the number four and fifth spots respectively.
While Mendis had a fantastic 2024, scoring 742 runs from 17 matches, the left-handed Asalanka averaged over 50 (50.2) playing in the middle overs, besides scoring 605 runs in 16 outings.
However, the breakthrough inclusion is of West Indies batter Sherfane Rutherford, who had a stellar 2024. The left-handed batter scored 425 runs, averaging a whopping 106 and striking at 120.1. Azmatullah Omarzai comes in at number seven for having scored 417 runs and picking 17 wickets across 12 ODIs in the past year.
<h2>The bowlers</h2>
Of the four bowlers, two are from Pakistan and one each from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/boost-for-australia-as-test-specialist-cleared-for-sri-lanka-tests-matthew-kuhnemann-steve-smith-8649272" rel="dofollow">Boost for Australia as Test specialist cleared of injury for Sri Lanka Tests</a>
The two pacers picked are Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, who picked 15 and 13 wickets, respectively. While Shaheen bagged those at a bowling average of 17.6, Rauf&rsquo;s read 22.4.&nbsp;
The two remaining bowlers are the spinners, Wanindu Hasaranga from Sri Lanka and Allah Ghazanfar from Afghanistan. Hasaranga was perhaps the best bowler of the year, picking 26 wickets from 10 matches, averaging just 15.6, while teenager Ghazanfar had a better bowling average of 13.57, bagging 21 wickets from 11 games.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6ak3xm6-zox1visa-upxv0io8">
Presenting the ICC Men&rsquo;s ODI Team of the Year 2024 featuring the finest players from around the world 👏 <a href="https://t.co/ic4BSXlXCc">pic.twitter.com/ic4BSXlXCc</a>
&mdash; ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1882692313392251067?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>Here is ICC&rsquo;s ODI Team of the Year 2024 &ndash;</h2>
Saim Ayub, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka (captain), Sherfane Rutherford, Azmatullah Omarzai, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Allah Ghazanfar
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket Sports: To everyone’s surprise, no player from the top-ranked sides, including Australia, India, England, New Zealand and South Africa, made the cut.

Despite leading the team ranking chart in the One-Day Internationals, none of the Indian players made it to ICC’s ODI Team of the Year 2024. Four Sri Lankan players, including their ODI captain Charith Asalanka, three Pakistanis, two from Afghanistan and one from West Indies, made it to the combined XI of the top ODI players from the past year. To everyone’s surprise, no player from the top-ranked sides, including Australia, India, England, New Zealand and South Africa, made the cut. Meanwhile, after a super successful 2023, where India won the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and made it to the final of the home ODI World Cup, the Men in Blue played just three ODIs last year, losing two to Sri Lanka, conceding the bilateral series for the first time in 27 years; as a result, none could find a place. Openers and middle order – Rookie Pakistan opener Saim Ayub got rewarded for his impressive year with the bat, wherein he returned 515 runs from nine outings, averaging 64.37 and striking at over 100 (105.53). In 2024, Ayub scored two ODI hundreds and a fifty. Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz accompanies him at the top, having registered almost similar runs (531) from 11 matches, including three centuries and two fifties. Also read | Konstas on shoulder bump with Kohli: ‘It’s good to have a bit of theatre in the game’ Three Sri Lankan batters, a West Indian and an all-rounder from Afghanistan, completed the middle and lower orders. Opener Pathum Nissanka (who scored 210* against Afghanistan in an ODI in February last year) bats at number three (on ICC's list), with keeper-batter Kusal Mendis and Asalanka taking the number four and fifth spots respectively. While Mendis had a fantastic 2024, scoring 742 runs from 17 matches, the left-handed Asalanka averaged over 50 (50.2) playing in the middle overs, besides scoring 605 runs in 16 outings. However, the breakthrough inclusion is of West Indies batter Sherfane Rutherford, who had a stellar 2024. The left-handed batter scored 425 runs, averaging a whopping 106 and striking at 120.1. Azmatullah Omarzai comes in at number seven for having scored 417 runs and picking 17 wickets across 12 ODIs in the past year. The bowlers Of the four bowlers, two are from Pakistan and one each from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Also read | Boost for Australia as Test specialist cleared of injury for Sri Lanka Tests The two pacers picked are Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, who picked 15 and 13 wickets, respectively. While Shaheen bagged those at a bowling average of 17.6, Rauf’s read 22.4. The two remaining bowlers are the spinners, Wanindu Hasaranga from Sri Lanka and Allah Ghazanfar from Afghanistan. Hasaranga was perhaps the best bowler of the year, picking 26 wickets from 10 matches, averaging just 15.6, while teenager Ghazanfar had a better bowling average of 13.57, bagging 21 wickets from 11 games. Presenting the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year 2024 featuring the finest players from around the world 👏 pic.twitter.com/ic4BSXlXCc — ICC (@ICC) January 24, 2025 Here is ICC’s ODI Team of the Year 2024 – Saim Ayub, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka (captain), Sherfane Rutherford, Azmatullah Omarzai, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Allah Ghazanfar (With inputs from agencies)

No Indian in ICC’s ODI Team of the Year 2024; 3 Afghanistan players included

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Adam Griffith has been appointed as Cricket Australia's new national pace bowling coach. The former Tasmania first-class cricketer will work with the country&rsquo;s men&rsquo;s teams, focusing on the development and preparation of pace bowlers, said <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/cricket-australia">Cricket Australia</a> (CA) on Friday (Jan 24).<span class="EOP SCXW213355639 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Griffith transitions to this role from his position as assistant coach of Victoria. Based at CA's National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, he will oversee a range of responsibilities, including leading the national strategy for pace bowler development, managing the preparation of national pacers, supporting the Australian men&rsquo;s and Australia A men&rsquo;s teams, and mentoring pace bowling coaches.<span class="EOP SCXW213355639 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Andrew McDonald, head coach of the Australian men&rsquo;s team, welcomed Griffith&rsquo;s appointment, stating, "I'm delighted Adam will bring his extensive experience to Cricket Australia as National Pace Bowling Coach and become an important part of our coaching set up. Adam's expertise across all formats will be invaluable in the preparation of pace bowlers for Australia's national men's teams."<span class="EOP SCXW213355639 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/sam-konstas-on-shoulder-bump-with-kohli-its-good-to-have-a-bit-of-theatre-in-the-game-8649673">Konstas on shoulder bump with Kohli: &lsquo;It&rsquo;s good to have a bit of theatre in the game&rsquo;</a> 
Griffith brings a wealth of coaching experience at the elite level. He has previously&nbsp;served as senior assistant coach for Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers, Director of Coaching for Tasmania, and head coach of both the Tasmania Tigers and Hobart Hurricanes.<span class="EOP SCXW213355639 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Additionally, he worked as an assistant coach (bowling) for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/royal-challengers-bangalore">Royal Challengers Bengaluru</a> during the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">IPL</a> 2024 season.<span class="EOP SCXW213355639 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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At the international level, Griffith has supported Australian men&rsquo;s teams on several occasions, including bilateral tours in 2012 and 2016, and at the 2019 ICC World Cup in England.<span class="EOP SCXW213355639 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Sports, Cricket: Griffith has supported Australian men’s teams on several occasions, including bilateral tours in 2012 and 2016, and at the 2019 ICC World Cup in England

Adam Griffith has been appointed as Cricket Australia's new national pace bowling coach. The former Tasmania first-class cricketer will work with the country’s men’s teams, focusing on the development and preparation of pace bowlers, said Cricket Australia (CA) on Friday (Jan 24). Griffith transitions to this role from his position as assistant coach of Victoria. Based at CA's National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, he will oversee a range of responsibilities, including leading the national strategy for pace bowler development, managing the preparation of national pacers, supporting the Australian men’s and Australia A men’s teams, and mentoring pace bowling coaches. Andrew McDonald, head coach of the Australian men’s team, welcomed Griffith’s appointment, stating, "I'm delighted Adam will bring his extensive experience to Cricket Australia as National Pace Bowling Coach and become an important part of our coaching set up. Adam's expertise across all formats will be invaluable in the preparation of pace bowlers for Australia's national men's teams." Also Read: Konstas on shoulder bump with Kohli: ‘It’s good to have a bit of theatre in the game’ Griffith brings a wealth of coaching experience at the elite level. He has previously served as senior assistant coach for Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers, Director of Coaching for Tasmania, and head coach of both the Tasmania Tigers and Hobart Hurricanes. Additionally, he worked as an assistant coach (bowling) for Royal Challengers Bengaluru during the IPL 2024 season. At the international level, Griffith has supported Australian men’s teams on several occasions, including bilateral tours in 2012 and 2016, and at the 2019 ICC World Cup in England.

Ahead of Champions Trophy 2025, Australia rope in Adam Griffith as pace bowling coach

Australia&rsquo;s newbie opener <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sam-konstas" rel="dofollow">Sam Konstas</a> made the most of his enthralling debut against India at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/boxing-day-test" rel="dofollow">Boxing Day Test</a> in Melbourne. The rookie batter enjoyed his time in the middle, hitting a fifty on his first outing, smashing ace seamer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jasprit-bumrah">Jasprit Bumrah</a> for a six off a ramp shot and getting a shoulder bumping from cricket&rsquo;s beloved Virat Kohli, all in the same innings. Reflecting on his talked-about international debut, Konstas regrets nothing.
Almost one month since emerging onto the Test scene as among the youngest present across both camps, Konstas admitted watching videos of it, reflecting how he felt about playing in front of a packed house at the &lsquo;G&rsquo;.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t believe (it),&rdquo; Konstas said in a video chat shared by cricket.com.au on their social media handle.
&ldquo;The first hour of the Boxing Day Test and (the way) I went about it. I watched it quite a few times &ndash; the videos and the crowd&rsquo;s reaction.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Obviously, I felt at times (that) the emotions did get to me, which was a great learning. Hopefully, if I do play with the bigger crowds, I can control that,&rdquo; he said.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/boost-for-australia-as-test-specialist-cleared-for-sri-lanka-tests-matthew-kuhnemann-steve-smith-8649272" rel="dofollow">Boost for Australia as Test specialist cleared of injury for Sri Lanka Tests</a>
Though he was tipped for bigger things in Australian cricket even before his Test debut, considering his pedigree for success, Konstas did justice to his reputation. Replacing Nathan McSweeney at the top, Konstas opened with Usman Khawaja and, in no time, took the attack to Bumrah &ndash; India&rsquo;s best bowler on the tour.
Before he smoked him for 18 runs in one over (11th) &ndash; the most that Bumrah conceded in his Test career thus far, Konstas made headlines for hitting Bumrah for a six and four off two ramp shots, breaking the internet. His sweep to Bumrah for a boundary came in the same over, adding up to 14.&nbsp;
A few overs later, he smashed the ace quick for another six down the ground, hitting two off his bowling on his Test debut.
&ldquo;Probably my ramp shots (to be fair),&rdquo; Sam replied when asked what clips did he watch the most. &ldquo;Watched that a few times; me trying to smack him (Jasprit Bumrah) in the first innings.&rdquo;
<h2>Shoulder bumping Kohli</h2>
Even with all of that happening around, with the crowd and the visitors loving every moment of it, Kohli's shoulder bump to Konstas took the viewing to the next level. With both sharing some words, the umpires and Khawaja had to intervene to separate them.&nbsp;
Though Kohli faced a wrath for the same with the ICC punishing him, Konstas said such things happen in cricket, and a bit of theatre is good for the game.
&ldquo;Nah, not really. I haven&rsquo;t watched that as much, but I felt like it was in the contest. It&rsquo;s good to have a bit of theatre in the game,&rdquo; he&nbsp;added.
Watch -
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6ahu9d3-lqay1ph6-dd7pxvgu">
"I've watched it quite a bit!" Almost one month (!) on, Sam Konstas reflects on his WILD first hour of Test cricket <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnplayablePodcast?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnplayablePodcast</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Qantas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Qantas</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SLvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SLvAUS</a> <a href="https://t.co/Y3R6NPPr42">pic.twitter.com/Y3R6NPPr42</a>
&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1882668913332552081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
Meanwhile, the opener&nbsp;will fly to Sri Lanka for his first away series starting January 29 in Galle.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Replacing Nathan McSweeney at the top, Konstas opened with Usman Khawaja and, in no time, took the attack to Bumrah – India’s best bowler on the tour.

Australia’s newbie opener Sam Konstas made the most of his enthralling debut against India at the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. The rookie batter enjoyed his time in the middle, hitting a fifty on his first outing, smashing ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah for a six off a ramp shot and getting a shoulder bumping from cricket’s beloved Virat Kohli, all in the same innings. Reflecting on his talked-about international debut, Konstas regrets nothing. Almost one month since emerging onto the Test scene as among the youngest present across both camps, Konstas admitted watching videos of it, reflecting how he felt about playing in front of a packed house at the ‘G’. “I couldn’t believe (it),” Konstas said in a video chat shared by cricket.com.au on their social media handle. “The first hour of the Boxing Day Test and (the way) I went about it. I watched it quite a few times – the videos and the crowd’s reaction. “Obviously, I felt at times (that) the emotions did get to me, which was a great learning. Hopefully, if I do play with the bigger crowds, I can control that,” he said. Also read | Boost for Australia as Test specialist cleared of injury for Sri Lanka Tests Though he was tipped for bigger things in Australian cricket even before his Test debut, considering his pedigree for success, Konstas did justice to his reputation. Replacing Nathan McSweeney at the top, Konstas opened with Usman Khawaja and, in no time, took the attack to Bumrah – India’s best bowler on the tour. Before he smoked him for 18 runs in one over (11th) – the most that Bumrah conceded in his Test career thus far, Konstas made headlines for hitting Bumrah for a six and four off two ramp shots, breaking the internet. His sweep to Bumrah for a boundary came in the same over, adding up to 14. A few overs later, he smashed the ace quick for another six down the ground, hitting two off his bowling on his Test debut. “Probably my ramp shots (to be fair),” Sam replied when asked what clips did he watch the most. “Watched that a few times; me trying to smack him (Jasprit Bumrah) in the first innings.” Shoulder bumping Kohli Even with all of that happening around, with the crowd and the visitors loving every moment of it, Kohli's shoulder bump to Konstas took the viewing to the next level. With both sharing some words, the umpires and Khawaja had to intervene to separate them. Though Kohli faced a wrath for the same with the ICC punishing him, Konstas said such things happen in cricket, and a bit of theatre is good for the game. “Nah, not really. I haven’t watched that as much, but I felt like it was in the contest. It’s good to have a bit of theatre in the game,” he added. Watch - "I've watched it quite a bit!" Almost one month (!) on, Sam Konstas reflects on his WILD first hour of Test cricket #UnplayablePodcast | @Qantas | #SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/Y3R6NPPr42 — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 24, 2025 Meanwhile, the opener will fly to Sri Lanka for his first away series starting January 29 in Galle. (With inputs from agencies)

Konstas on shoulder bump with Kohli: ‘It’s good to have a bit of theatre in the game’

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Former South African Cricketer, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jonty-rhodes">Jonty Rhodes</a> on Friday (Jan 24) shared his thoughts as his national team reached the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/world-test-championship">World Test Championship</a> for the first time since its inception.<span class="EOP SCXW222619477 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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South Africa booked their place in the one-off final with a commanding performance in the first Test against Pakistan in Centurion. This victory marked the culmination of a successful campaign in the 2023-25 WTC cycle, during which the Proteas won eight out of 12 Tests.<span class="EOP SCXW222619477 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Their dominant 10-wicket victory over Pakistan in the final Test of the series sealed a 2-0 victory and confirmed their top position on the nine-team points table.<span class="EOP SCXW222619477 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a South African cricket player. I'm very happy with the South African cricket team in the World Test Championship final. We have never been there before. It is a great effort to get ahead of some of the strong teams in the world currently,&rdquo; Jonty said in an interview.
<span class="EOP SCXW222619477 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-2025-meet-ankit-chatterjee-bengals-youngest-player-at-15-surpassing-ganguly-8649281">Ranji Trophy 2025: Meet Ankit Chatterjee, Bengal&rsquo;s youngest player at 15, surpassing Ganguly</a>
<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW222619477 BCX0" lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW222619477 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">A fairytale journey&nbsp;</h2>
The Proteas&rsquo; journey to the WTC finals is a fairytale one. They started the 2023-25 WTC cycle on a shaky note with a 1-1 draw against India at home. It was followed by a second-string side led by Neil Brand touring New Zealand amid SA20 season two, for a two-Test series and losing 2-0. This series and SA&rsquo;s move to send a second-string, largely inexperienced side raised questions over their commitment to Tests.<span class="EOP SCXW222619477 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Apart from veterans like <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kagiso-rabada">Kagiso Rabada</a>, Aiden Markram, and skipper Temba Bavuma, young talents such as Ryan Rickelton, Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch, and David Bedingham have delivered exceptional performances.<span class="EOP SCXW222619477 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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The WTC final against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/australia-cricket">Australia</a> is scheduled to take place at Lord's on June 11.<span class="EOP SCXW222619477 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
<span class="EOP SCXW222619477 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">(With inputs from agencies)
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Sports, Cricket: South Africa secured their place in the one-off final with a commanding performance in the first Test against Pakistan in Centurion

Former South African Cricketer, Jonty Rhodes on Friday (Jan 24) shared his thoughts as his national team reached the World Test Championship for the first time since its inception. South Africa booked their place in the one-off final with a commanding performance in the first Test against Pakistan in Centurion. This victory marked the culmination of a successful campaign in the 2023-25 WTC cycle, during which the Proteas won eight out of 12 Tests. Their dominant 10-wicket victory over Pakistan in the final Test of the series sealed a 2-0 victory and confirmed their top position on the nine-team points table. “I’m a South African cricket player. I'm very happy with the South African cricket team in the World Test Championship final. We have never been there before. It is a great effort to get ahead of some of the strong teams in the world currently,” Jonty said in an interview. Also Read: Ranji Trophy 2025: Meet Ankit Chatterjee, Bengal’s youngest player at 15, surpassing Ganguly A fairytale journey The Proteas’ journey to the WTC finals is a fairytale one. They started the 2023-25 WTC cycle on a shaky note with a 1-1 draw against India at home. It was followed by a second-string side led by Neil Brand touring New Zealand amid SA20 season two, for a two-Test series and losing 2-0. This series and SA’s move to send a second-string, largely inexperienced side raised questions over their commitment to Tests. Apart from veterans like Kagiso Rabada, Aiden Markram, and skipper Temba Bavuma, young talents such as Ryan Rickelton, Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch, and David Bedingham have delivered exceptional performances. The WTC final against Australia is scheduled to take place at Lord's on June 11. (With inputs from agencies)

WTC Final: ‘Great effort to...’, says former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes

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When 15-year-old Ankit Chatterjee stepped onto the field for Bengal in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a>, he made history as the youngest cricketer from the state to debut in the tournament.&nbsp;<span class="EOP SCXW228433161 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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At 15 years and 361 days, Ankit broke India&rsquo;s former captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sourav-ganguly">Sourav Ganguly</a>&rsquo;s record, who had debuted at 17 during Bengal&rsquo;s title-winning 1989-90 final.<span class="EOP SCXW228433161 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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The Class X student from Bangaon High School started his first-class career in style, hitting a beautiful cover drive off Haryana&rsquo;s seasoned pacer Anshul Kamboj. For Ankit, this was the culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice.<span class="EOP SCXW228433161 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Every morning, Ankit would wake up at 3:30 a.m. and take a two-hour train journey from Bongaon to Kolkata, followed by another half-hour to the Maidan for practice. His cousins accompanied him daily, and their routine often stretched late into the night.<span class="EOP SCXW228433161 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Ankit&rsquo;s debut came sooner than expected when Bengal&rsquo;s experienced opener, Abhimanyu Easwaran, was ruled out with an injury. Instead of being overwhelmed, the young left-hander embraced the moment calmly. &ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t nervous. I slept well and played the ball on merit,&rdquo; he said after ending the day unbeaten on five runs.<span class="EOP SCXW228433161 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
<span class="EOP SCXW228433161 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/boost-for-australia-as-test-specialist-cleared-for-sri-lanka-tests-matthew-kuhnemann-steve-smith-8649272" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Boost for Australia as Test specialist cleared of injury for Sri Lanka Tests</a> 
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Ankit&rsquo;s cricketing journey took off as he excelled in age-group tournaments. He was Bengal&rsquo;s leading run-scorer in the Vijay Merchant Trophy (U-16) and smashed a stunning century off 75 balls in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, hitting nine sixes. This season, he topped Bengal&rsquo;s run charts in the tournament and impressed in the Cooch Behar Trophy with a century against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mumbai">Mumbai</a>.<span class="EOP SCXW228433161 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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His father, Anup Chatterjee, recalled Ankit&rsquo;s early days when he played cricket in their backyard. Recognising his passion, Anup encouraged him by buying his first cricket bat. Soon, Ankit began formal training under coach Dolon Goldar at Sonali Cricket Coaching Centre, where his dedication and quiet demeanor stood out.<span class="EOP SCXW228433161 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Saurasish Lahiri, Bengal&rsquo;s U-19 coach, called Ankit a &ldquo;fearless team player&rdquo; and praised his signature cover drive. &ldquo;He has flair and elegance, much like other left-handers. He&rsquo;ll fail at times, but with confidence and backing, he can serve Bengal for years,&rdquo; Lahiri said.<span class="EOP SCXW228433161 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Ankit, who admires <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>&rsquo;s work ethic, knows this is just the beginning. &ldquo;I waited for this day, but it&rsquo;s only the start,&rdquo; he signed off.<span class="EOP SCXW228433161 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
<span class="EOP SCXW228433161 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">(With inputs from agencies)
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Sports, Cricket: At 15 years and 361 days, Ankit broke India’s former captain Sourav Ganguly’s record, who had debuted at 17 during Bengal’s title-winning 1989-90 final

When 15-year-old Ankit Chatterjee stepped onto the field for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy, he made history as the youngest cricketer from the state to debut in the tournament. At 15 years and 361 days, Ankit broke India’s former captain Sourav Ganguly’s record, who had debuted at 17 during Bengal’s title-winning 1989-90 final. The Class X student from Bangaon High School started his first-class career in style, hitting a beautiful cover drive off Haryana’s seasoned pacer Anshul Kamboj. For Ankit, this was the culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice. Every morning, Ankit would wake up at 3:30 a.m. and take a two-hour train journey from Bongaon to Kolkata, followed by another half-hour to the Maidan for practice. His cousins accompanied him daily, and their routine often stretched late into the night. Ankit’s debut came sooner than expected when Bengal’s experienced opener, Abhimanyu Easwaran, was ruled out with an injury. Instead of being overwhelmed, the young left-hander embraced the moment calmly. “I wasn’t nervous. I slept well and played the ball on merit,” he said after ending the day unbeaten on five runs. Also Read: Boost for Australia as Test specialist cleared of injury for Sri Lanka Tests Ankit’s cricketing journey took off as he excelled in age-group tournaments. He was Bengal’s leading run-scorer in the Vijay Merchant Trophy (U-16) and smashed a stunning century off 75 balls in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, hitting nine sixes. This season, he topped Bengal’s run charts in the tournament and impressed in the Cooch Behar Trophy with a century against Mumbai. His father, Anup Chatterjee, recalled Ankit’s early days when he played cricket in their backyard. Recognising his passion, Anup encouraged him by buying his first cricket bat. Soon, Ankit began formal training under coach Dolon Goldar at Sonali Cricket Coaching Centre, where his dedication and quiet demeanor stood out. Saurasish Lahiri, Bengal’s U-19 coach, called Ankit a “fearless team player” and praised his signature cover drive. “He has flair and elegance, much like other left-handers. He’ll fail at times, but with confidence and backing, he can serve Bengal for years,” Lahiri said. Ankit, who admires Virat Kohli’s work ethic, knows this is just the beginning. “I waited for this day, but it’s only the start,” he signed off. (With inputs from agencies)

Ranji Trophy 2025: Meet Ankit Chatterjee, Bengal’s youngest player at 15, surpassing Ganguly

Australia received a massive boost in their quest to conquer Sri Lanka at their home with the left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann cleared of his right thumb injury ahead of the away two-match Test series starting later this week. Kuhnemann was among the doubtful starters for the series, with the stand-in captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/steve-smith">Steve Smith</a> also suffering an injury scare in the lead-up to the last series of this WTC cycle.
The left-arm spinner, who made his Test debut during the away <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/border-gavaskar-trophy">BGT</a> two years ago, fractured the thumb of his non-bowling hand during Brisbane Heat&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/big-bash-league">Big Bash League</a> clash last week, undergoing surgery for the same.
This injury also forced him to miss Australia&rsquo;s ICC training camp at the ICC academy in Dubai, and instead, he stayed back to allow healing to his injured thumb. The spinner will link up with the touring Australian team in Sri Lanka, with the remainder of the squad leaving from Dubai on Friday (Jan 24).
Meanwhile, Kuhnemann has since resumed bowling and was in action at the Allan Border Field, where Cricket Australia XI is hosting the England Lions side, Cricket Australia confirmed.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/icc-chair-jay-shah-adds-another-feather-to-his-illustrious-administrative-cap-marylebone-cricket-club-mcc-advisory-board-8648940" rel="dofollow">ICC chair Jay Shah adds another feather to his illustrious administrative cap</a>
"I am feeling really good and very grateful how it progressed last week," Kuhnemann said in a chat with News Corp. "I stopped the painkillers a few days ago. There is not much pain at all anymore.
"If anything, I think it can make you more confident because you know the finger is covered. The surgeon has put a nail in it, and if anything (the finger) is probably more stable than it was before.
"I have had balls hit back at me a lot harder, and I have been fine. It was one of those freak things where it hit the exact spot it had to cause damage,&rdquo; he continued.&nbsp;
Kuhnemann will have an elite company of veteran spinner Nathan Lyon, with Todd Murphy and uncapped Corner Connolly adding options on the Sri Lankan tour.
The first of the two Tests begins in Galle starting January 29.
<h2>Australia Test squad -&nbsp;</h2>
Steve Smith (captain), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vice-captain), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc and Beau Webster
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Kuhnemann was among the doubtful starters for the series, with Steve Smith also suffering an injury scare in the lead-up to the last series of this WTC cycle.

Australia received a massive boost in their quest to conquer Sri Lanka at their home with the left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann cleared of his right thumb injury ahead of the away two-match Test series starting later this week. Kuhnemann was among the doubtful starters for the series, with the stand-in captain Steve Smith also suffering an injury scare in the lead-up to the last series of this WTC cycle. The left-arm spinner, who made his Test debut during the away BGT two years ago, fractured the thumb of his non-bowling hand during Brisbane Heat’s Big Bash League clash last week, undergoing surgery for the same. This injury also forced him to miss Australia’s ICC training camp at the ICC academy in Dubai, and instead, he stayed back to allow healing to his injured thumb. The spinner will link up with the touring Australian team in Sri Lanka, with the remainder of the squad leaving from Dubai on Friday (Jan 24). Meanwhile, Kuhnemann has since resumed bowling and was in action at the Allan Border Field, where Cricket Australia XI is hosting the England Lions side, Cricket Australia confirmed. Also read | ICC chair Jay Shah adds another feather to his illustrious administrative cap "I am feeling really good and very grateful how it progressed last week," Kuhnemann said in a chat with News Corp. "I stopped the painkillers a few days ago. There is not much pain at all anymore. "If anything, I think it can make you more confident because you know the finger is covered. The surgeon has put a nail in it, and if anything (the finger) is probably more stable than it was before. "I have had balls hit back at me a lot harder, and I have been fine. It was one of those freak things where it hit the exact spot it had to cause damage,” he continued. Kuhnemann will have an elite company of veteran spinner Nathan Lyon, with Todd Murphy and uncapped Corner Connolly adding options on the Sri Lankan tour. The first of the two Tests begins in Galle starting January 29. Australia Test squad - Steve Smith (captain), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vice-captain), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc and Beau Webster (With inputs from agencies)

Boost for Australia as Test specialist cleared of injury for Sri Lanka Tests

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