Pakistan and Australia are involved in the third and final Test at the Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore. On Day Three of the series decider, on Wednesday (March 23), the Pat Cummins-led visitors managed to end the day's proceedings on a high courtesy an overall lead of 134 runs.&nbsp;

Talking about Day Three, it started with Babar Azam-led Pakistan well-placed at 90-1 in reply to Australia's first-innings total of 391. Azhar Ali's 78 and opener Abdullah Shafique's 81 enabled Pakistan to a strong position as they crossed the 150-run mark with the loss of a solitary wicket. From 214-2, they did lose the momentum to be 264-5, however, would've never imagined being&nbsp;dismissed&nbsp;for 268. In fact, they lose their last five wickets for four runs as Australia are now in the driver's seat. Cummins' 5 for 56 and Mitchell Starc's 4 for 36 propelled the Aussies on the top as they will now be desperate to create history and clinch&nbsp;the series 1-0.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-david-warner-shaheen-afridi-conclude-day-3-of-lahore-test-with-a-hilarious-face-off-464940">WATCH: David Warner, Shaheen Afridi conclude Day 3 of Lahore Test with a hilarious face-off</a>

Captain Cummins led from the front with the red cherry and&nbsp;also&nbsp;recorded an elite feat. His spell is now the best-ever figures by a visiting captain in Pakistan.

In this process, he went past India great Vinoo Mankad's record from 1955 (5/64). The top five also includes the likes of Courtney Walsh (twice) and Aussie great Richie Benaud.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cummins-starc-put-australia-in-prime-position-after-pakistans-batting-collapse-on-day-3-of-3rd-test-464917">Cummins, Starc put Australia in prime position after Pakistan's batting collapse on Day 3 of 3rd Test</a>

After putting Australia ahead, Cummins said post the evening session, "It's all a bit of a blur the last couple of hours. We'll sit back and bat tomorrow. A lot like last game, we've given ourselves a good opportunity here, really in front of the game, so hopefully bat well and then try to take those last 10 wickets."

For the unversed, Australia had set up a mammoth 506-run target versus the hosts in the second and penultimate Test in Karachi. However, the Babar-led side managed a fighting draw and, hence, Australia will be wary of Pakistan's potential comeback in the remaining two days of the Test series.

Pakistan and Australia are involved in the third and final Test at the Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore. On Day Three of the series decider, on Wednesday (March 23), the Pat Cummins-led visitors managed to end the day's proceedings on a high courtesy an overall lead of 134 runs.

Pakistan and Australia are involved in the third and final Test at the Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore. On Day Three of the series decider, on Wednesday (March 23), the Pat Cummins-led visitors managed to end the day's proceedings on a high courtesy an overall lead of 134 runs. Talking about Day Three, it started with Babar Azam-led Pakistan well-placed at 90-1 in reply to Australia's first-innings total of 391. Azhar Ali's 78 and opener Abdullah Shafique's 81 enabled Pakistan to a strong position as they crossed the 150-run mark with the loss of a solitary wicket. From 214-2, they did lose the momentum to be 264-5, however, would've never imagined being dismissed for 268. In fact, they lose their last five wickets for four runs as Australia are now in the driver's seat. Cummins' 5 for 56 and Mitchell Starc's 4 for 36 propelled the Aussies on the top as they will now be desperate to create history and clinch the series 1-0. ALSO READ | WATCH: David Warner, Shaheen Afridi conclude Day 3 of Lahore Test with a hilarious face-off Captain Cummins led from the front with the red cherry and also recorded an elite feat. His spell is now the best-ever figures by a visiting captain in Pakistan. In this process, he went past India great Vinoo Mankad's record from 1955 (5/64). The top five also includes the likes of Courtney Walsh (twice) and Aussie great Richie Benaud. ALSO READ | Cummins, Starc put Australia in prime position after Pakistan's batting collapse on Day 3 of 3rd Test After putting Australia ahead, Cummins said post the evening session, "It's all a bit of a blur the last couple of hours. We'll sit back and bat tomorrow. A lot like last game, we've given ourselves a good opportunity here, really in front of the game, so hopefully bat well and then try to take those last 10 wickets." For the unversed, Australia had set up a mammoth 506-run target versus the hosts in the second and penultimate Test in Karachi. However, the Babar-led side managed a fighting draw and, hence, Australia will be wary of Pakistan's potential comeback in the remaining two days of the Test series.

Pak vs Aus, 3rd Test: Pat Cummins achieves new feat as his 5/56 puts visitors on top in Lahore

Pakistan was 268 all out against the persistent pace of Australia captain Pat Cummins and impeccable reverse swing of Mitchell Starc to concede a massive 123-run lead on Wednesday in the third and final test.

In a sensational collapse after tea on Day 3, Pakistan lost seven wickets for 41 runs&nbsp;(the last four wickets without adding a run)&nbsp;as Cummins finished with 5-56 and Starc took 4-36.

Australia had stretched its lead to 134 runs by reaching 11-0 by stumps with Usman Khawaja not out on 7 and David Warner unbeaten on 4.

In-form opening batter Abdullah Shafique (81) and veteran Azhar Ali (78) had carried Pakistan to 170-1 and denied Australia a breakthrough in the first session after resuming on 90-1 before the visitors took control of the series-deciding test.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-test-rankings-jadeja-regains-no-1-spot-among-all-rounders-babar-azam-breaks-into-top-5-for-batters-464891">ICC Test rankings: Jadeja regains No. 1 spot among all-rounders, Babar Azam breaks into top 5 for batters</a>

Nathan Lyon (1-95), who dried up the runs with his marathon spell of 30 overs on Day 3, provided the opening when he found the outside edge of Shafique's bat after lunch to end a patient 150-run stand.

Shafique's prolific run in the series has seen the opening batter score his maiden test hundred in the drawn first test in Rawalpindi before his patient 96 in Karachi led Pakistan to force a draw.

Shafique defied Australia with yet another patient knock off 228 balls which featured 11 fours before Lyon struck in the fifth over after lunch and successfully overturned umpire Aleem Dar's not out decision through a television referral.

With the second new ball only seven overs old, Cummins took a spectacular return catch to dismiss Azhar in his homecoming test match as Pakistan was restricted at 227-3 at tea.

Azhar, playing in his 94th test match but for the first time in his hometown of Lahore, became the fifth Pakistani batter to complete 7,000 test runs when he reached 74 by sweeping hard at Lyon to deep square leg for a single.

Former test captains Younis Khan (10,099), Javed Miandad (8,832), Inzamam-ul-Haq (8,829) and Mohammad Yousuf (7,530) are the other Pakistan batters to score more than 7,000 test runs.

But Pakistan folded against Cummins and Starc after tea, losing the last six wickets off 40 balls.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/greatest-of-this-era-are-virat-kohli-babar-azam-former-spinner-heaps-praise-on-pakistan-captain-464911">'Greatest of this era are Virat Kohli, Babar Azam' - Former spinner heaps praise on Pakistan captain</a>

Starc, who bowled only two overs with the second new ball, returned in the last session and knocked back the off stumps of Fawad Alam (13) and Mohammad Rizwan (1) with Pakistan batters struggling to cope with the reverse swing.

Pakistan's long tail didn't last long with captain Babar Azam making a 67 off 131 balls. The home team had dropped all-rounder Faheem Ashraf to go with an extra fast bowler after drawing the first two test matches.

Cummins hurried the collapse by claiming the wickets of Sajid Khan, Nauman Ali and Hasan Ali within two overs to register his first five-wicket haul against Pakistan in a test match.

Starc wrapped up Pakistan's innings by trapping Babar leg before wicket off a delivery which shaped into the skipper and then clean bowled No. 11 batter Naseem Shah off a searing full pitched delivery.

Pakistan was 268 all out against the persistent pace of Australia captain Pat Cummins and impeccable reverse swing of Mitchell Starc to concede a massive 123-run lead on Wednesday in the third and final test.

Pakistan was 268 all out against the persistent pace of Australia captain Pat Cummins and impeccable reverse swing of Mitchell Starc to concede a massive 123-run lead on Wednesday in the third and final test. In a sensational collapse after tea on Day 3, Pakistan lost seven wickets for 41 runs (the last four wickets without adding a run) as Cummins finished with 5-56 and Starc took 4-36. Australia had stretched its lead to 134 runs by reaching 11-0 by stumps with Usman Khawaja not out on 7 and David Warner unbeaten on 4. In-form opening batter Abdullah Shafique (81) and veteran Azhar Ali (78) had carried Pakistan to 170-1 and denied Australia a breakthrough in the first session after resuming on 90-1 before the visitors took control of the series-deciding test. ALSO READ: ICC Test rankings: Jadeja regains No. 1 spot among all-rounders, Babar Azam breaks into top 5 for batters Nathan Lyon (1-95), who dried up the runs with his marathon spell of 30 overs on Day 3, provided the opening when he found the outside edge of Shafique's bat after lunch to end a patient 150-run stand. Shafique's prolific run in the series has seen the opening batter score his maiden test hundred in the drawn first test in Rawalpindi before his patient 96 in Karachi led Pakistan to force a draw. Shafique defied Australia with yet another patient knock off 228 balls which featured 11 fours before Lyon struck in the fifth over after lunch and successfully overturned umpire Aleem Dar's not out decision through a television referral. With the second new ball only seven overs old, Cummins took a spectacular return catch to dismiss Azhar in his homecoming test match as Pakistan was restricted at 227-3 at tea. Azhar, playing in his 94th test match but for the first time in his hometown of Lahore, became the fifth Pakistani batter to complete 7,000 test runs when he reached 74 by sweeping hard at Lyon to deep square leg for a single. Former test captains Younis Khan (10,099), Javed Miandad (8,832), Inzamam-ul-Haq (8,829) and Mohammad Yousuf (7,530) are the other Pakistan batters to score more than 7,000 test runs. But Pakistan folded against Cummins and Starc after tea, losing the last six wickets off 40 balls. ALSO READ: 'Greatest of this era are Virat Kohli, Babar Azam' - Former spinner heaps praise on Pakistan captain Starc, who bowled only two overs with the second new ball, returned in the last session and knocked back the off stumps of Fawad Alam (13) and Mohammad Rizwan (1) with Pakistan batters struggling to cope with the reverse swing. Pakistan's long tail didn't last long with captain Babar Azam making a 67 off 131 balls. The home team had dropped all-rounder Faheem Ashraf to go with an extra fast bowler after drawing the first two test matches. Cummins hurried the collapse by claiming the wickets of Sajid Khan, Nauman Ali and Hasan Ali within two overs to register his first five-wicket haul against Pakistan in a test match. Starc wrapped up Pakistan's innings by trapping Babar leg before wicket off a delivery which shaped into the skipper and then clean bowled No. 11 batter Naseem Shah off a searing full pitched delivery.

Cummins, Starc put Australia in prime position after Pakistan's batting collapse on Day 3 of 3rd Test

In what comes as a huge blow for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of the start of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) the Shreyas Iyer-led side is all set to miss the services of two of their overseas stars Aaron Finch and Pat Cummins for the start of the season. The duo Aussie duo are confirmed to miss at least the first five of KKR's matches in the upcoming IPL 2022.

Both Cummins and Finch are currently part of the Australia squad for their ongoing tour of Pakistan. KKR mentor David Huddey confirmed that the Aussie duo will miss the franchise's first five games this season due to international duty. KKR are set to open their IPL 2022 campaign against defending champions Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 26.

"Well, it is a concern, you want your best players available, but international cricket should be the para-limit. Every cricketer should want to play international cricket for their countries so they have commitments that way. I think Cummins and Finch will miss the first five games but they will be cricket fit and cricket ready," Hussey said in a virtual presser.

"So, once they hit the ground running, both quality people and they will fit into the dressing room perfectly well," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/moeen-ali-likely-to-miss-ipl-2022-opener-3-csk-players-who-can-replace-england-all-rounder-against-kkr-464849">Moeen Ali likely to miss IPL 2022 opener: 3 CSK players who can replace England all-rounder against KKR</a>

Cummins's absence in particular is a big blow for KKR as the Australian Test skipper was set to spearhead their pace attack in the upcoming season. In his absence, KKR will rely heavily on the likes of Shivam Mavi, Umesh Yadav and Andre Russell to lead their pace attack. Meanwhile, Finch was roped in as a replacement for Alex Hales, who pulled out of the tournament.

Australia's ongoing tour of Pakitan is set to end on April 05 but both Cummins and Finch will have to serve mandatory three-day isolation in which case they are likely to miss KKR's fifth game of the season which is scheduled to take place on April 10. In the duo's absence, it remains to be seen what combination will KKR opt for at the start of the season.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gautam-gambhir-issues-warning-to-kl-rahul-no-guarantee-that-ipl-will-help-you-become-india-captain-464781">Gautam Gambhir issues warning to KL Rahul: No guarantee that IPL will help you become India captain</a>

While all-rounders Andre Russell and Sunil Narine are likely to be their two first-choice overseas players, there will be a battle betweem Sam Billings, Mohammad Nabi and Chamika Karunaratne for the remaining two slots.

 
&nbsp;

In what comes as a huge blow for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of the start of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) the Shreyas Iyer-led side is all set to miss the services of two of their overseas stars Aaron Finch and Pat Cummins for the start of the season.

In what comes as a huge blow for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of the start of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) the Shreyas Iyer-led side is all set to miss the services of two of their overseas stars Aaron Finch and Pat Cummins for the start of the season. The duo Aussie duo are confirmed to miss at least the first five of KKR's matches in the upcoming IPL 2022. Both Cummins and Finch are currently part of the Australia squad for their ongoing tour of Pakistan. KKR mentor David Huddey confirmed that the Aussie duo will miss the franchise's first five games this season due to international duty. KKR are set to open their IPL 2022 campaign against defending champions Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 26. "Well, it is a concern, you want your best players available, but international cricket should be the para-limit. Every cricketer should want to play international cricket for their countries so they have commitments that way. I think Cummins and Finch will miss the first five games but they will be cricket fit and cricket ready," Hussey said in a virtual presser. "So, once they hit the ground running, both quality people and they will fit into the dressing room perfectly well," he added. Also Read: Moeen Ali likely to miss IPL 2022 opener: 3 CSK players who can replace England all-rounder against KKR Cummins's absence in particular is a big blow for KKR as the Australian Test skipper was set to spearhead their pace attack in the upcoming season. In his absence, KKR will rely heavily on the likes of Shivam Mavi, Umesh Yadav and Andre Russell to lead their pace attack. Meanwhile, Finch was roped in as a replacement for Alex Hales, who pulled out of the tournament. Australia's ongoing tour of Pakitan is set to end on April 05 but both Cummins and Finch will have to serve mandatory three-day isolation in which case they are likely to miss KKR's fifth game of the season which is scheduled to take place on April 10. In the duo's absence, it remains to be seen what combination will KKR opt for at the start of the season. Also Read: Gautam Gambhir issues warning to KL Rahul: No guarantee that IPL will help you become India captain While all-rounders Andre Russell and Sunil Narine are likely to be their two first-choice overseas players, there will be a battle betweem Sam Billings, Mohammad Nabi and Chamika Karunaratne for the remaining two slots.

Huge blow for KKR as Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch to miss first 5 games for Shreyas Iyer & Co. in IPL 2022

The Pakistan-Australia Test series has made heads turn in the cricketing fraternity. While the first Test was a run-fest that saw only 14 wickets falling during the course of the day, the second and penultimate Test had a riveting finish on day five but it still didn't produce an even battle between bat and ball.

The third and final Test is currently underway at the iconic Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore. While the series decider's result will be out in a few days' time, former Aussie pacer-turned-commentator Michael Kasprowicz has given his verdict for the Lahore pitch, at least if his first opinion is taken into consideration.

While on air during Day Two's play, the former speedster said, "It's important, isn't it. We talk about the spinners, the variations, the speed is certainly one of those things. But also for the fast bowlers, and certainly Mitchell Starc's speeds have been very consistent here at 140. But I think, the key also, on these flat wickets -- sorry, on these good batting strips what we are seeing here, beautiful batting strips..."

Thus,&nbsp;Kasprowicz realised his folly and corrected himself in a jiffy and later called the Lahore surface a 'beautiful batting strip'. Here's the video of the incident:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pak-vs-aus-final-test-shaheen-afridi-naseem-shahs-fiery-spells-give-hosts-upper-hand-on-riveting-day-2-464681">Pak vs Aus, final Test: Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah's fiery spells give hosts upper hand on riveting Day 2</a>

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Have a listen to Michael Kasprowicz go into full panic mode once he realizes he’s called the pitches “flat” despite the PCB giving a directive to the commentators not to mention how flat they are… <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvAUS</a> <a href="https://t.co/8Li0CsDRz3">https://t.co/8Li0CsDRz3</a> <a href="https://t.co/SUXn9N2q9v">pic.twitter.com/SUXn9N2q9v</a>
— Darren Murphy 🏏 (@MrDMurphy) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrDMurphy/status/1506238809369100292?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/updated-icc-world-test-championship-points-table-after-pakistans-riveting-draw-vs-australia-463336">Updated ICC World Test Championship points table after Pakistan's riveting draw vs Australia</a>

According to some media reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has asked the commentary panel to not discuss&nbsp;the nature of the pitch during the series. Thus,&nbsp;Kasprowicz corrected himself and reframed his words.

Talking about the third Test in Lahore, Pat Cummins-led Australia posted 391 in the first innings. In reply, Babar Azam's Pakistan are going strong and crossed the 220-run mark with the loss of three wickets.

Who will seal the series? Only time will tell...

The Pakistan-Australia Test series has made heads turn in the cricketing fraternity. While the first Test was a run-fest that saw only 14 wickets falling during the course of the day, the second and penultimate Test had a riveting finish on day five but it still didn't produce an even battle between bat and ball.

The Pakistan-Australia Test series has made heads turn in the cricketing fraternity. While the first Test was a run-fest that saw only 14 wickets falling during the course of the day, the second and penultimate Test had a riveting finish on day five but it still didn't produce an even battle between bat and ball. The third and final Test is currently underway at the iconic Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore. While the series decider's result will be out in a few days' time, former Aussie pacer-turned-commentator Michael Kasprowicz has given his verdict for the Lahore pitch, at least if his first opinion is taken into consideration. While on air during Day Two's play, the former speedster said, "It's important, isn't it. We talk about the spinners, the variations, the speed is certainly one of those things. But also for the fast bowlers, and certainly Mitchell Starc's speeds have been very consistent here at 140. But I think, the key also, on these flat wickets -- sorry, on these good batting strips what we are seeing here, beautiful batting strips..." Thus, Kasprowicz realised his folly and corrected himself in a jiffy and later called the Lahore surface a 'beautiful batting strip'. Here's the video of the incident: ALSO READ | Pak vs Aus, final Test: Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah's fiery spells give hosts upper hand on riveting Day 2 Have a listen to Michael Kasprowicz go into full panic mode once he realizes he’s called the pitches “flat” despite the PCB giving a directive to the commentators not to mention how flat they are… #PAKvAUS https://t.co/8Li0CsDRz3 pic.twitter.com/SUXn9N2q9v — Darren Murphy 🏏 (@MrDMurphy) March 22, 2022 × ALSO READ | Updated ICC World Test Championship points table after Pakistan's riveting draw vs Australia According to some media reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has asked the commentary panel to not discuss the nature of the pitch during the series. Thus, Kasprowicz corrected himself and reframed his words. Talking about the third Test in Lahore, Pat Cummins-led Australia posted 391 in the first innings. In reply, Babar Azam's Pakistan are going strong and crossed the 220-run mark with the loss of three wickets. Who will seal the series? Only time will tell...

Pak vs Aus: Commentator Kasprowicz corrects himself in a jiffy after calling Lahore pitch flat - WATCH

Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah`s four-wicket hauls helped Pakistan in bundling out Australia at 391 and getting an upper hand on Day 2 of the ongoing third Test here in Lahore, on Tuesday. At stumps, Pakistan`s score read at 90/1 with hosts currently trailing by 301 runs. Batters Abdullah Shafique and Azhar Ali are standing unbeaten at the crease.

Resuming Day 2 at 232/5, Australia batters Cameron Green and Alex Carey continued with their decent knocks and scored their respective half-centuries. Their duo finally broke when Nauman Ali claimed Carey`s wicket with 341 runs on the board. Green then fell prey to Naseem`s fiery pace and got bowled after scoring 79 runs. Mitchell Starc and skipper Pat Cummins came to the crease and tried to anchor the innings but could not do much as the former got caught by Nauman Ali on Shaheen Afridi`s delivery, with the team`s total at 369/8. Naseem then dismissed Nathan Lyon for just 4 runs. Later, Mitchell Swepson joined hands with Cummins but got bowled by Shaheen, which ended the visitors` batting run at 391.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shaheen-shah-afridi-naseem-shah-keeps-australias-batting-in-check-as-visitors-end-day-1-on-232-5-in-lahore-464385">Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah keep Australia's batting in check as visitors end Day 1 on 232-5 in Lahore</a>

Coming to bat, Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq gave a steady start to Pakistan. Cummins then dismissed Imam-ul-Haq with just 20 runs on the board. Later, Azhar Ali joined hands with Abdullah and the duo ensured that there was no more damage in Pakistan`s batting line-up. Pakistan ended Day 2 at 90/1.Brief score: Australia 391 (Usman Khawaja 91, Cameron Green 79; Naseem Shah 4/58) vs Pakistan 90/1 (Abdullah Shafique 45*, Azhar Ali 30*; Pat Cummins 1/27).&nbsp;

Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah`s four-wicket hauls helped Pakistan in bundling out Australia at 391 and getting an upper hand on Day 2 of the ongoing third Test here in Lahore, on Tuesday.

Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah`s four-wicket hauls helped Pakistan in bundling out Australia at 391 and getting an upper hand on Day 2 of the ongoing third Test here in Lahore, on Tuesday. At stumps, Pakistan`s score read at 90/1 with hosts currently trailing by 301 runs. Batters Abdullah Shafique and Azhar Ali are standing unbeaten at the crease. Resuming Day 2 at 232/5, Australia batters Cameron Green and Alex Carey continued with their decent knocks and scored their respective half-centuries. Their duo finally broke when Nauman Ali claimed Carey`s wicket with 341 runs on the board. Green then fell prey to Naseem`s fiery pace and got bowled after scoring 79 runs. Mitchell Starc and skipper Pat Cummins came to the crease and tried to anchor the innings but could not do much as the former got caught by Nauman Ali on Shaheen Afridi`s delivery, with the team`s total at 369/8. Naseem then dismissed Nathan Lyon for just 4 runs. Later, Mitchell Swepson joined hands with Cummins but got bowled by Shaheen, which ended the visitors` batting run at 391. ALSO READ | Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah keep Australia's batting in check as visitors end Day 1 on 232-5 in Lahore Coming to bat, Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq gave a steady start to Pakistan. Cummins then dismissed Imam-ul-Haq with just 20 runs on the board. Later, Azhar Ali joined hands with Abdullah and the duo ensured that there was no more damage in Pakistan`s batting line-up. Pakistan ended Day 2 at 90/1.Brief score: Australia 391 (Usman Khawaja 91, Cameron Green 79; Naseem Shah 4/58) vs Pakistan 90/1 (Abdullah Shafique 45*, Azhar Ali 30*; Pat Cummins 1/27).

Pak vs Aus, final Test: Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah's fiery spells give hosts upper hand on riveting Day 2

Kolkata Knight Riders made a huge investment in the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions when they picked up Shreyas Iyer and gave him the captaincy for this season. Iyer was a top performer for India in the series against Sri Lanka and he will be looking to continue his great run. <o:p></o:p>

KKR also got back Australia Test captain Pat Cummins after releasing him ahead of the auction. Cummins joined the side in 2020. In the buildup&nbsp;to final Test against Pakistan, the fast bowler opened up about his experience of sharing the dressing room with Shreyas during IPL 2017.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kumar-sangakkara-calls-indian-cricketer-one-of-the-best-t20-players-ahead-of-ipl-2022-464317" hreflang="en">Sangakkara calls Indian cricketer 'one of the best T20 players' ahead of IPL</a>

"Shreyas, I played with (him) at Delhi (Daredevils), we got on really well. He seems like a very calm guy and seems in form at the moment. I'm so excited to go over there, I have some close friends I will be playing alongside, can't wait," Cummins said during a pre-match press conference in Lahore.<o:p></o:p>

Cummins also weighed in on the performance of KKR in the auctions this year and said that the team made the right choice by retaining the core group players and coaching support staff.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-kohli-or-rohit-shreyas-iyer-picks-kl-rahul-as-his-favourite-captain-explains-why-464258" hreflang="en">Not Kohli or Rohit! Shreyas Iyer picks KL Rahul as his 'favourite' captain</a><o:p></o:p>

"Really excited. It's been great that most of the squad has been able to kept together. So, most of the players and staff know really well," he added during the press interaction.<o:p></o:p>

Cummins will not be available for KKR towards the start of the season due to the ongoing series against Pakistan. KKR will play their first game against CSK in the tournament opener on March 26.<o:p></o:p>

Kolkata Knight Riders made a huge investment in the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions when they picked up Shreyas Iyer and gave him the captaincy for this season.

Kolkata Knight Riders made a huge investment in the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions when they picked up Shreyas Iyer and gave him the captaincy for this season. Iyer was a top performer for India in the series against Sri Lanka and he will be looking to continue his great run. KKR also got back Australia Test captain Pat Cummins after releasing him ahead of the auction. Cummins joined the side in 2020. In the buildup to final Test against Pakistan, the fast bowler opened up about his experience of sharing the dressing room with Shreyas during IPL 2017. Also read | Sangakkara calls Indian cricketer 'one of the best T20 players' ahead of IPL "Shreyas, I played with (him) at Delhi (Daredevils), we got on really well. He seems like a very calm guy and seems in form at the moment. I'm so excited to go over there, I have some close friends I will be playing alongside, can't wait," Cummins said during a pre-match press conference in Lahore. Cummins also weighed in on the performance of KKR in the auctions this year and said that the team made the right choice by retaining the core group players and coaching support staff. Also read | Not Kohli or Rohit! Shreyas Iyer picks KL Rahul as his 'favourite' captain "Really excited. It's been great that most of the squad has been able to kept together. So, most of the players and staff know really well," he added during the press interaction. Cummins will not be available for KKR towards the start of the season due to the ongoing series against Pakistan. KKR will play their first game against CSK in the tournament opener on March 26.

Pat Cummins opens up about sharing dressing room with Shreyas Iyer ahead of IPL 2022

There is a lot of action taking place in the longest format of the game and, hence, leading to rapid changes in the points table of the second cycle of the ICC World Test Championship. After Babar Azam-led Pakistan's riveting draw versus Australia in the second and penultimate Test, in Karachi, there have been some changes in the overall standings.

Talking about the second Test, Pat Cummins-led Australia rode on Marnus Labuschagne's 160 to post 556-9 decl. after opting to bat first at the National Stadium, Karachi. In reply, Pakistan fell flat for 148, conceding a whopping 408-run lead in the process. Despite the humongous lead conceded, Babar-led Pakistan managed to draw the Test while chasing 506 in the fourth and final innings. Babar's 196 and Mohammad Rizwan's 104 not out led the home side to 443-7 when both sides settled for a draw on the final day's play. Following the enthralling battle, Australia and Pakistan remain at the top two positions, respectively, but there are some changes in PCT (i.e. Points won by a team / Points contested * 100).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/imran-khan-shares-cryptic-tweet-reveals-he-couldnt-watch-pak-vs-aus-2nd-test-for-fighting-match-fixing-463229">Imran Khan shares cryptic tweet, reveals he couldn't watch Pak vs Aus 2nd Test for 'fighting match fixing'</a>

Here's a look at the updated World Test Championship points table after the Karachi encounter:

<img alt="WTC Points Table" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bb6d03b3-68cd-4116-a0ff-168094b39906" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WTC%20points%20table.PNG" />

After the Karachi Test, Pakistan skipper Babar said at the post-match presentation, "The plan was to bat session-by-session and build partnerships. It was a team effort, as others (Shafique and Rizwan) chipped in with useful contributions too. We took the onus and the main focus was to build partnerships right throughout the day. Rizwan was outstanding as he saved the Test for us eventually. We wanted to continue to bat in the same way (after the tea break) and we tried to be positive and play our shots. The team needed this knock, so I tried to bat for as long as I could."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/babar-azam-led-pakistan-become-second-team-to-achieve-historic-feat-after-drawn-test-vs-australia-462960">Babar Azam-led Pakistan become second team to achieve historic feat after drawn Test vs Australia</a>

Meanwhile, Cummins stated, "I think so, I think we had enough overs, it was a pretty good wicket even on day 4 and day 5. We created a few chances, but we failed to grab them. Mitch Swepson was fantastic on debut, his figures don't do justice to the way he bowled. Nathan was impressive towards the end, as he always does on day 5. For an Australian team to bat over two days at the start of a Test match, I don't think we've done that for a long time. Lots of positives from this match and so far in the series. The way we batted was fantastic, the way we hunted and took those wickets on day 3 with reverse swing, that was brilliant as well. And we were always ahead in the game, so really proud of the boys."

More changes are expected in the WTC points table with the conclusion of the Pakistan-Australia Tests and the ongoing second and penultimate Test between hosts West Indies and England.

There is a lot of action taking place in the longest format of the game and, hence, leading to rapid changes in the points table of the second cycle of the ICC World Test Championship.

There is a lot of action taking place in the longest format of the game and, hence, leading to rapid changes in the points table of the second cycle of the ICC World Test Championship. After Babar Azam-led Pakistan's riveting draw versus Australia in the second and penultimate Test, in Karachi, there have been some changes in the overall standings. Talking about the second Test, Pat Cummins-led Australia rode on Marnus Labuschagne's 160 to post 556-9 decl. after opting to bat first at the National Stadium, Karachi. In reply, Pakistan fell flat for 148, conceding a whopping 408-run lead in the process. Despite the humongous lead conceded, Babar-led Pakistan managed to draw the Test while chasing 506 in the fourth and final innings. Babar's 196 and Mohammad Rizwan's 104 not out led the home side to 443-7 when both sides settled for a draw on the final day's play. Following the enthralling battle, Australia and Pakistan remain at the top two positions, respectively, but there are some changes in PCT (i.e. Points won by a team / Points contested * 100). ALSO READ | Imran Khan shares cryptic tweet, reveals he couldn't watch Pak vs Aus 2nd Test for 'fighting match fixing' Here's a look at the updated World Test Championship points table after the Karachi encounter: After the Karachi Test, Pakistan skipper Babar said at the post-match presentation, "The plan was to bat session-by-session and build partnerships. It was a team effort, as others (Shafique and Rizwan) chipped in with useful contributions too. We took the onus and the main focus was to build partnerships right throughout the day. Rizwan was outstanding as he saved the Test for us eventually. We wanted to continue to bat in the same way (after the tea break) and we tried to be positive and play our shots. The team needed this knock, so I tried to bat for as long as I could." ALSO READ | Babar Azam-led Pakistan become second team to achieve historic feat after drawn Test vs Australia Meanwhile, Cummins stated, "I think so, I think we had enough overs, it was a pretty good wicket even on day 4 and day 5. We created a few chances, but we failed to grab them. Mitch Swepson was fantastic on debut, his figures don't do justice to the way he bowled. Nathan was impressive towards the end, as he always does on day 5. For an Australian team to bat over two days at the start of a Test match, I don't think we've done that for a long time. Lots of positives from this match and so far in the series. The way we batted was fantastic, the way we hunted and took those wickets on day 3 with reverse swing, that was brilliant as well. And we were always ahead in the game, so really proud of the boys." More changes are expected in the WTC points table with the conclusion of the Pakistan-Australia Tests and the ongoing second and penultimate Test between hosts West Indies and England.

Updated ICC World Test Championship points table after Pakistan's riveting draw vs Australia

After the end of the second and penultimate Test between hosts Pakistan and Australia, the series scoreline remains 0-0. While the series opener was a run-fest in Rawalpindi, the pitch at Karachi also failed to provide a result as the two teams have shifted focus to the series finale, which will get underway at the Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore on March 21.

Ahead of the third and final Test, former Pakistan cricketer Aquib Javed has slammed the Ramiz Raja-led Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the pitches it has produced and asked them to take a leaf from the curators in India. In this regard, he said on his Youtube channel, "Why go anywhere else? I would say find out from the curators in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai etc how they prepare the turners on which Indian spinners dominate. I am surprised until now Pakistan has not been able to produce pure turning tracks, which will help our spinners."

Thus, Javed has asked PCB to learn from the Indian curators in preparing turning pitches which would benefit the hosts. In the recently-concluded India-Sri Lanka Test series, in India, Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. whitewashed the Lankans despite not playing on rank-turners but on pitches which did offer adequete help for the spinners and also led to pacers chipping in with regular scalps. Thus, it will be interesting to see what kind of a surface is prepared for the Pakistan-Australia Test series finale.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/best-all-round-batter-in-the-world-vaughan-lavishes-huge-praise-on-pakistan-captain-after-2nd-test-vs-aus-463099">Best all-round batter in the world: Vaughan lavishes huge praise on Pakistan captain after 2nd Test vs AUS</a>

Talking about the second and final Test, Australia rode on Marnus Labuschagne's 160 to post 556-9 decl, after opting to bat first at the National Stadium, Karachi. In reply, Babar Azam-led home side managed only 148 in their first innings (conceding a whopping 408-run lead). After Pat Cummins' Australia set a massive 506-run target for the hosts, Babar's 196, Mohammad Rizwan's 104* led Pakistan to 443-7 as both sides settled for a draw on the final day's play on Wednesday (March 16).

The series decider will now be held on March 21 at Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore.

After the end of the second and penultimate Test between hosts Pakistan and Australia, the series scoreline remains 0-0. While the series opener was a run-fest in Rawalpindi, the pitch at Karachi also failed to provide a result as the two teams have shifted focus to the series finale, which will get underway at the Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore on March 21.

After the end of the second and penultimate Test between hosts Pakistan and Australia, the series scoreline remains 0-0. While the series opener was a run-fest in Rawalpindi, the pitch at Karachi also failed to provide a result as the two teams have shifted focus to the series finale, which will get underway at the Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore on March 21. Ahead of the third and final Test, former Pakistan cricketer Aquib Javed has slammed the Ramiz Raja-led Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the pitches it has produced and asked them to take a leaf from the curators in India. In this regard, he said on his Youtube channel, "Why go anywhere else? I would say find out from the curators in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai etc how they prepare the turners on which Indian spinners dominate. I am surprised until now Pakistan has not been able to produce pure turning tracks, which will help our spinners." Thus, Javed has asked PCB to learn from the Indian curators in preparing turning pitches which would benefit the hosts. In the recently-concluded India-Sri Lanka Test series, in India, Rohit Sharma & Co. whitewashed the Lankans despite not playing on rank-turners but on pitches which did offer adequete help for the spinners and also led to pacers chipping in with regular scalps. Thus, it will be interesting to see what kind of a surface is prepared for the Pakistan-Australia Test series finale. ALSO READ | Best all-round batter in the world: Vaughan lavishes huge praise on Pakistan captain after 2nd Test vs AUS Talking about the second and final Test, Australia rode on Marnus Labuschagne's 160 to post 556-9 decl, after opting to bat first at the National Stadium, Karachi. In reply, Babar Azam-led home side managed only 148 in their first innings (conceding a whopping 408-run lead). After Pat Cummins' Australia set a massive 506-run target for the hosts, Babar's 196, Mohammad Rizwan's 104* led Pakistan to 443-7 as both sides settled for a draw on the final day's play on Wednesday (March 16). The series decider will now be held on March 21 at Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore.

'Find out from Indian curators...' - Ex-Pak cricketer lashes out at PCB over pitches prepared for AUS Tests

Babar Azam's 196 stood tall as Pakistan fought hard to achieve a draw in the second and penultimate Test versus Australia at the National Stadium, Karachi on Wednesday (March 16). After conceding a whopping 408-run lead in the first innings, hosts Pakistan had a herculean task to weather the storm when they came out to bat in pursuit of a mammoth 506-run target set up by Pat Cummins &amp; Co.

On Day 4, Pakistan went to stumps at 192-2, with skipper Babar surpassing the triple-figure mark. On the final day, he led the charge once again -- despite losing opener&nbsp;Abdullah Shafique (96) -- with wicketkeeper-batsman and vice-captain Mohammad Rizwan (104 not out) as the home side managed to reach 443-7 when the match ended in a riveting draw.

Following Babar's stellar innings, where he became the first Pakistani batter to face&nbsp;400-plus deliveries in the fourth innings, former England captain Michael Vaughan lavished huge praise on the right-hander. Vaughan, who remains vocal on various aspects of the gentlemen's game, took to his official Twitter handle and lauded Babar.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/babar-azam-led-pakistan-become-second-team-to-achieve-historic-feat-after-drawn-test-vs-australia-462960">Babar Azam-led Pakistan become second team to achieve historic feat after drawn Test vs Australia</a>

“Without question I think @babarazam258 is the best all round Batter in the World right now .. Brilliant across all the formats .. #PAKvAUS ..”, Vaughan tweeted.

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Without question I think <a href="https://twitter.com/babarazam258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@babarazam258</a> is the best all round Batter in the World right now .. Brilliant across all the formats .. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvAUS</a> ..
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1504088162276155394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Thus, this surely is a big compliment for Babar, who as per Vaughan is currently above the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, etc. in the modern era.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/babar-azam-scripts-history-achieves-elite-feat-during-marathon-196-run-knock-in-2nd-test-vs-australia-462928">Babar Azam scripts history, achieves elite feat during marathon 196-run knock in 2nd Test vs Australia</a>

For the unversed, Babar now also has the highest score by&nbsp;a captain in the fourth innings of a Test match following his 196-run knock, studded with 21 fours and a six. He displayed great determination, patience, composure and solid technique to keep the Aussie bowlers at bay and single-handedly lead the show for his side.

The third and final Test will now commence on March 21&nbsp;at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore with the series currently levelled at 0-0.

Babar Azam's 196 stood tall as Pakistan fought hard to achieve a draw in the second and penultimate Test versus Australia at the National Stadium, Karachi on Wednesday (March 16).

Babar Azam's 196 stood tall as Pakistan fought hard to achieve a draw in the second and penultimate Test versus Australia at the National Stadium, Karachi on Wednesday (March 16). After conceding a whopping 408-run lead in the first innings, hosts Pakistan had a herculean task to weather the storm when they came out to bat in pursuit of a mammoth 506-run target set up by Pat Cummins & Co. On Day 4, Pakistan went to stumps at 192-2, with skipper Babar surpassing the triple-figure mark. On the final day, he led the charge once again -- despite losing opener Abdullah Shafique (96) -- with wicketkeeper-batsman and vice-captain Mohammad Rizwan (104 not out) as the home side managed to reach 443-7 when the match ended in a riveting draw. Following Babar's stellar innings, where he became the first Pakistani batter to face 400-plus deliveries in the fourth innings, former England captain Michael Vaughan lavished huge praise on the right-hander. Vaughan, who remains vocal on various aspects of the gentlemen's game, took to his official Twitter handle and lauded Babar. ALSO READ | Babar Azam-led Pakistan become second team to achieve historic feat after drawn Test vs Australia “Without question I think @babarazam258 is the best all round Batter in the World right now .. Brilliant across all the formats .. #PAKvAUS ..”, Vaughan tweeted. Without question I think @babarazam258 is the best all round Batter in the World right now .. Brilliant across all the formats .. #PAKvAUS .. — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 16, 2022 × Thus, this surely is a big compliment for Babar, who as per Vaughan is currently above the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, etc. in the modern era. ALSO READ | Babar Azam scripts history, achieves elite feat during marathon 196-run knock in 2nd Test vs Australia For the unversed, Babar now also has the highest score by a captain in the fourth innings of a Test match following his 196-run knock, studded with 21 fours and a six. He displayed great determination, patience, composure and solid technique to keep the Aussie bowlers at bay and single-handedly lead the show for his side. The third and final Test will now commence on March 21 at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore with the series currently levelled at 0-0.

Best all-round batter in the world: Vaughan lavishes huge praise on Pakistan captain after 2nd Test vs AUS

Babar Azam's 196 and Mohammad Rizwan's 104* helped Pakistan prevent Australia from registering a&nbsp;memorable win&nbsp;in the second and penultimate Test at the National Stadium, Karachi on Wednesday (March 16). Babar's century had set up the match at stumps on Day 4, with Pakistan 192-2 in pursuit of a mammoth 506-run target.

Babar carried on from where he had left, on the penultimate day, when he came out to bat on Day Five. The right-hander showed grit, character, class and patience to take his side to a hard-earned draw with an impressive and career-best 196-run knock. While he fell with in excess of 12 overs to go in the day's play, Md Rizwan rescued the hosts and denied Pat Cummins &amp; Co. from taking a 1-0 lead.

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Such was Babar's innings that his knock was studded with 21 fours and a six, playing as many as 425&nbsp;deliveries. Thus, he became the first Pakistani batter to play 400-plus deliveries in the fourth innings along with achieving another&nbsp;huge feat. Courtesy his 196, Babar now has the highest score&nbsp;by a captain in the fourth innings of a Test match. He surpassed England's Michael Artherton's 185, versus South Africa in 1995, to attain the historic record. Before him, Younis Khan held the record for the highest score by a Pakistan skipper in the final innings (107 versus India in 2007).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/babar-azam-md-rizwans-heroics-helps-pakistan-draw-2nd-test-against-australia-in-karachi-462915">Babar Azam, Md Rizwan's heroics helps Pakistan draw 2nd Test against Australia in Karachi</a>

After the epic Test between Pakistan and Australia, Babar said at the post-match presentation, "The plan was to bat session-by-session and build partnerships. It was a team effort, as others (Shafique and Rizwan) chipped in with useful contributions too. We took the onus and the main focus was to build partnerships right throughout the day. Rizwan was outstanding as he saved the Test for us eventually. We wanted to continue to bat in the same way (after the tea break) and we tried to be positive and play our shots. The team needed this knock, so I tried to bat for as long as I could."

Talking about the second Test, Australia opted to bat first and post 556-9 decl. riding on Marnus Labuschagne's 160. In reply, Pakistan fell flat for 148 all-out before the Aussies set a humongous 506-run target for the hosts. At stumps on Day 5, Pakistan survived with the scoreboard reading 443-7.&nbsp;

Babar Azam's 196 and Mohammad Rizwan's 104* helped Pakistan prevent Australia from registering a memorable win in the second and penultimate Test at the National Stadium, Karachi on Wednesday (March 16).

Babar Azam's 196 and Mohammad Rizwan's 104* helped Pakistan prevent Australia from registering a memorable win in the second and penultimate Test at the National Stadium, Karachi on Wednesday (March 16). Babar's century had set up the match at stumps on Day 4, with Pakistan 192-2 in pursuit of a mammoth 506-run target. Babar carried on from where he had left, on the penultimate day, when he came out to bat on Day Five. The right-hander showed grit, character, class and patience to take his side to a hard-earned draw with an impressive and career-best 196-run knock. While he fell with in excess of 12 overs to go in the day's play, Md Rizwan rescued the hosts and denied Pat Cummins & Co. from taking a 1-0 lead. ALSO READ | Will R Ashwin go past Anil Kumble's Test wicket-tally? Sunil Gavaskar answers the big question Such was Babar's innings that his knock was studded with 21 fours and a six, playing as many as 425 deliveries. Thus, he became the first Pakistani batter to play 400-plus deliveries in the fourth innings along with achieving another huge feat. Courtesy his 196, Babar now has the highest score by a captain in the fourth innings of a Test match. He surpassed England's Michael Artherton's 185, versus South Africa in 1995, to attain the historic record. Before him, Younis Khan held the record for the highest score by a Pakistan skipper in the final innings (107 versus India in 2007). ALSO READ | Babar Azam, Md Rizwan's heroics helps Pakistan draw 2nd Test against Australia in Karachi After the epic Test between Pakistan and Australia, Babar said at the post-match presentation, "The plan was to bat session-by-session and build partnerships. It was a team effort, as others (Shafique and Rizwan) chipped in with useful contributions too. We took the onus and the main focus was to build partnerships right throughout the day. Rizwan was outstanding as he saved the Test for us eventually. We wanted to continue to bat in the same way (after the tea break) and we tried to be positive and play our shots. The team needed this knock, so I tried to bat for as long as I could." Talking about the second Test, Australia opted to bat first and post 556-9 decl. riding on Marnus Labuschagne's 160. In reply, Pakistan fell flat for 148 all-out before the Aussies set a humongous 506-run target for the hosts. At stumps on Day 5, Pakistan survived with the scoreboard reading 443-7.

Babar Azam scripts history, achieves elite feat during marathon 196-run knock in 2nd Test vs Australia

Pakistan and Australia played out a humdinger of a clash in the just-concluded second and penultimate Test at the National Stadium, Karachi on Wednesday (March 16). After Day 4 ended with Pakistan at 192-2, in pursuit of a mammoth 506-run target set by Pat Cummins &amp; Co., Babar Azam stood tall from one end to prevent a memorable win for the visitors with an impressive 196-run knock in Karachi. After Babar fell with over 12 overs remaining in the final day's play, Mohammad Rizwan's 104 not out propelled Pakistan to 443-7 as both sides settled for a draw with the series scoreline still reading 0-0.

Courtesy Babar's lengthy stay in the middle, Pakistan managed to escape from the jaws of a defeat after conceding a big first-innings lead. Babar batted for over 400 deliveries and registered the highest score by a captain in the final innings of a Test match. With a terrific draw, courtesy Babar, Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique (96), Pakistan created history and became only the second team to bat over 1,000 deliveries (1,030) in the fourth and final innings for a draw.

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The first instance came during&nbsp;England's&nbsp;timeless Test in Durban, versus South Africa, in 1939. That match went on for as many as 10 days and had to be stopped as the English team&nbsp;would've missed the boat for home. Back then, England were 654/5 in chase of 696 in 218.2 overs (1,746) when the match ended in a draw.

After the match, Babar said at the post-match presentation, "The plan was to bat session-by-session and build partnerships. It was a team effort, as others (Shafique and Rizwan) chipped in with useful contributions too. We took the onus and the main focus was to build partnerships right throughout the day. Rizwan was outstanding as he saved the Test for us eventually. We wanted to continue to bat in the same way (after the tea break) and we tried to be positive and play our shots. The team needed this knock, so I tried to bat for as long as I could."

Meanwhile, Cummins stated, "I think so, I think we had enough overs, it was a pretty good wicket even on day 4 and day 5. We created a few chances, but we failed to grab them. Mitch Swepson was fantastic on debut, his figures don't do justice to the way he bowled. Nathan was impressive towards the end, as he always does on day 5. For an Australian team to bat over two days at the start of a Test match, I don't think we've done that for a long time. Lots of positives from this match and so far in the series. The way we batted was fantastic, the way we hunted and took those wickets on day 3 with reverse swing, that was brilliant as well. And we were always ahead in the game, so really proud of the boys."

Pakistan and Australia played out a humdinger of a clash in the just-concluded second and penultimate Test at the National Stadium, Karachi on Wednesday (March 16).

Pakistan and Australia played out a humdinger of a clash in the just-concluded second and penultimate Test at the National Stadium, Karachi on Wednesday (March 16). After Day 4 ended with Pakistan at 192-2, in pursuit of a mammoth 506-run target set by Pat Cummins & Co., Babar Azam stood tall from one end to prevent a memorable win for the visitors with an impressive 196-run knock in Karachi. After Babar fell with over 12 overs remaining in the final day's play, Mohammad Rizwan's 104 not out propelled Pakistan to 443-7 as both sides settled for a draw with the series scoreline still reading 0-0. Courtesy Babar's lengthy stay in the middle, Pakistan managed to escape from the jaws of a defeat after conceding a big first-innings lead. Babar batted for over 400 deliveries and registered the highest score by a captain in the final innings of a Test match. With a terrific draw, courtesy Babar, Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique (96), Pakistan created history and became only the second team to bat over 1,000 deliveries (1,030) in the fourth and final innings for a draw. ALSO READ | Babar Azam scripts history, achieves elite feat during marathon 196-run knock in 2nd Test vs Australia The first instance came during England's timeless Test in Durban, versus South Africa, in 1939. That match went on for as many as 10 days and had to be stopped as the English team would've missed the boat for home. Back then, England were 654/5 in chase of 696 in 218.2 overs (1,746) when the match ended in a draw. After the match, Babar said at the post-match presentation, "The plan was to bat session-by-session and build partnerships. It was a team effort, as others (Shafique and Rizwan) chipped in with useful contributions too. We took the onus and the main focus was to build partnerships right throughout the day. Rizwan was outstanding as he saved the Test for us eventually. We wanted to continue to bat in the same way (after the tea break) and we tried to be positive and play our shots. The team needed this knock, so I tried to bat for as long as I could." Meanwhile, Cummins stated, "I think so, I think we had enough overs, it was a pretty good wicket even on day 4 and day 5. We created a few chances, but we failed to grab them. Mitch Swepson was fantastic on debut, his figures don't do justice to the way he bowled. Nathan was impressive towards the end, as he always does on day 5. For an Australian team to bat over two days at the start of a Test match, I don't think we've done that for a long time. Lots of positives from this match and so far in the series. The way we batted was fantastic, the way we hunted and took those wickets on day 3 with reverse swing, that was brilliant as well. And we were always ahead in the game, so really proud of the boys."

Babar Azam-led Pakistan become second team to achieve historic feat after drawn Test vs Australia

Babar Azam-led Pakistan locked horns with Australia in the first Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on March 04. The match was a run-fest that produced as many as&nbsp;1,187 runs with only 14 wickets falling overall.&nbsp;

Thus, the historic Test between Pakistan and Australia was a dull affair and ended in&nbsp;a tame draw with no even contest between bat and ball. The pitch for the three-match series opener was, thus, heavily criticised on social media platforms as it wasn't a perfect endorsement for Test cricket. Following the criticism, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja came forward and defended the Rawalpindi pitch.

"A drawn match is never a good advertisement for Test cricket, and I totally understand that we need to get a result in five days these days, and we get it 90% [of the time], but I want to remind you of 2-3 things," Ramiz said in a video message posted on PCB's official Twitter handle.

"It takes 5-6 months to prepare pitches, and during the off-season, you will see - soil is coming from Australia; we've experimented, consulted soil experts and prepared soils, and we will redo 50-60 pitches all over Pakistan once our season ends in March-April. " He further opined, "I understand the fans' frustration and it would have been great if there was a result in this Test match. But do remember that this is a three-Test series and there is a lot of cricket left to be played. We cannot make a fast or bouncy pitch for the heck of it and put the conditions in Australia's lap. It is important that when we play at home, we play according to our strengths."

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Following Ramiz's comments, ex-Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has slammed the former Men in Green captain. Speaking on his Youtube channel, he said,&nbsp;"What Ramiz Raja said today was nothing but a lame excuse and has misled Pakistani fans with the same. He has lied and has betrayed the fans. It's okay, he was busy in his son's wedding. He attended the wedding but then saw there was a lot of noise surrounding the dead wicket. The Test grew a lot of eyeballs as Australia was touring Pakistan after these many years, but what wicket did they produce for that?," questioned the tainted cricketer.

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Kaneria also slammed Babar and said, "What were you afraid of? You had bowlers, but you didn't play them. You have a weak captain who cannot be aggressive while leading the side. It was such a wicket that even Ramiz Raja would have scored runs on it even at this age."

The second and penultimate Test between both sides will commence on March 12 at&nbsp;National Stadium, Karachi.

Babar Azam-led Pakistan locked horns with Australia in the first Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on March 04. The match was a run-fest that produced as many as 1,187 runs with only 14 wickets falling overall.

Babar Azam-led Pakistan locked horns with Australia in the first Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on March 04. The match was a run-fest that produced as many as 1,187 runs with only 14 wickets falling overall. Thus, the historic Test between Pakistan and Australia was a dull affair and ended in a tame draw with no even contest between bat and ball. The pitch for the three-match series opener was, thus, heavily criticised on social media platforms as it wasn't a perfect endorsement for Test cricket. Following the criticism, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja came forward and defended the Rawalpindi pitch. "A drawn match is never a good advertisement for Test cricket, and I totally understand that we need to get a result in five days these days, and we get it 90% [of the time], but I want to remind you of 2-3 things," Ramiz said in a video message posted on PCB's official Twitter handle. "It takes 5-6 months to prepare pitches, and during the off-season, you will see - soil is coming from Australia; we've experimented, consulted soil experts and prepared soils, and we will redo 50-60 pitches all over Pakistan once our season ends in March-April. " He further opined, "I understand the fans' frustration and it would have been great if there was a result in this Test match. But do remember that this is a three-Test series and there is a lot of cricket left to be played. We cannot make a fast or bouncy pitch for the heck of it and put the conditions in Australia's lap. It is important that when we play at home, we play according to our strengths." ALSO READ | 'Understand fans' frustration': Ramiz Raja reacts as PCB gets slammed for 'flat' pitch in Rawalpindi Test Following Ramiz's comments, ex-Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has slammed the former Men in Green captain. Speaking on his Youtube channel, he said, "What Ramiz Raja said today was nothing but a lame excuse and has misled Pakistani fans with the same. He has lied and has betrayed the fans. It's okay, he was busy in his son's wedding. He attended the wedding but then saw there was a lot of noise surrounding the dead wicket. The Test grew a lot of eyeballs as Australia was touring Pakistan after these many years, but what wicket did they produce for that?," questioned the tainted cricketer. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma to join Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni in elite list in India's pink-ball Test vs Sri Lanka Kaneria also slammed Babar and said, "What were you afraid of? You had bowlers, but you didn't play them. You have a weak captain who cannot be aggressive while leading the side. It was such a wicket that even Ramiz Raja would have scored runs on it even at this age." The second and penultimate Test between both sides will commence on March 12 at National Stadium, Karachi.

He has lied, betrayed fans: Kaneria slams PCB chairman Ramiz Raja after his remarks on Rawalpindi pitch

International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday rated the pitch at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi that was used for the first Test between Pakistan and Australia as "below average". Due to this rating, the venue has received one demerit point under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process."The character of the pitch hardly changed over the course of five days and that there has been no deterioration apart from the bounce getting slightly lower. The pitch did not have a great deal of pace and bounce in it for the seamers nor assisted the spinners as the match progressed," Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees stated in an official statement.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-has-lied-betrayed-fans-kaneria-slams-pcb-chairman-ramiz-raja-after-his-remarks-on-rawalpindi-pitch-460984">He has lied, betrayed fans: Kaneria slams PCB chairman Ramiz Raja after his remarks on Rawalpindi pitch</a>

"In my view, this does not represent an even contest between bat and ball. Therefore, in keeping with the ICC guidelines, I rate this pitch as below average," he added. The first Test between Pakistan and Australia ended in a draw on Tuesday. Pakistan openers Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique scored unbeaten centuries as Pakistan scored 252 without losing any wicket on the fifth and final day. Both the teams will be squaring off for the second Test of the three-match series on Saturday at National Stadium, Karachi.

International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday rated the pitch at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi that was used for the first Test between Pakistan and Australia as "below average".

International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday rated the pitch at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi that was used for the first Test between Pakistan and Australia as "below average". Due to this rating, the venue has received one demerit point under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process."The character of the pitch hardly changed over the course of five days and that there has been no deterioration apart from the bounce getting slightly lower. The pitch did not have a great deal of pace and bounce in it for the seamers nor assisted the spinners as the match progressed," Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees stated in an official statement. ALSO READ | He has lied, betrayed fans: Kaneria slams PCB chairman Ramiz Raja after his remarks on Rawalpindi pitch "In my view, this does not represent an even contest between bat and ball. Therefore, in keeping with the ICC guidelines, I rate this pitch as below average," he added. The first Test between Pakistan and Australia ended in a draw on Tuesday. Pakistan openers Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique scored unbeaten centuries as Pakistan scored 252 without losing any wicket on the fifth and final day. Both the teams will be squaring off for the second Test of the three-match series on Saturday at National Stadium, Karachi.

Pak vs Aus: Amid criticism, ICC rates Rawalpindi pitch as 'below average', venue receives one demerit point

Virat Kohli remains a big name in world cricket. The 33-year-old recently became the 12th Indian cricketer to enter the 100-Test club when Rohit Sharma's Team India locked horns with Sri Lanka in the two-match series opener in Mohali.&nbsp;

Kohli contributed with a well-made 76-ball 45, however, once again missed out on scoring a triple-figure knock. Thus, he also couldn't&nbsp;end his two-year-long century drought at the international level. The wait for Kohli's international century continues as the right-hander has failed to deliver as per his credentails despite crossing the fifty-run mark on several occasions across formats (since his last ton&nbsp;in late 2019).

The cricketing fraternity, thus, continues to wait for Kohli's century and the cameraman in the ongoing Pakistan vs Australia 1st Test caught hold of two fans, with one of them having a special message for the Indian star batter.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-would-say-just-how-much-i-love-him-ricky-ponting-breaks-down-as-he-recalls-late-shane-warne-460021">I would say just how much I love him: Ricky Ponting breaks down as he recalls late Shane Warne</a>

One of the banners read that the fan really wanted&nbsp;Kohli to break his century drought and get to&nbsp;his 71st&nbsp;international ton&nbsp;in Pakistan. On the other hand,&nbsp;the other fan's banner read, "Biggest Match, 23rd Oct 2022, IND vs PAK (T20WC), Rohit v Shaheen."

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Some Virat Kohli fans have made a wish during Rawalpindi Test at Pindi Cricket Stadium <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvAUS</a> <a href="https://t.co/mrKEaPFQEe">pic.twitter.com/mrKEaPFQEe</a>
— Arfa Feroz Zake (@ArfaSays_) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArfaSays_/status/1500414935796441093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-top-earners-to-players-with-big-pay-cuts-bccis-new-central-contracts-list-for-2021-22-459987">From top earners to players with big pay cuts: BCCI's new central contracts list for 2021-22</a>

For the unversed, another fan had&nbsp;a banner-- during PSL 2022 --&nbsp;in which he expressed his desire&nbsp;to see Kohli play on their home soil and score a hundred.&nbsp;

With the whole cricketing world waiting for Kohli's next ton, it will be interesting to see if he gets there in India's second and final Test versus Sri Lanka, commencing on March 12&nbsp;at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, Pakistan-Australia's first Test is heading for a dull draw after the visitors came close to Babar Azam &amp; Co.'s first-innings total at stumps on Day 4, on Monday (March 07).

Virat Kohli remains a big name in world cricket. The 33-year-old recently became the 12th Indian cricketer to enter the 100-Test club when Rohit Sharma's Team India locked horns with Sri Lanka in the two-match series opener in Mohali.

Virat Kohli remains a big name in world cricket. The 33-year-old recently became the 12th Indian cricketer to enter the 100-Test club when Rohit Sharma's Team India locked horns with Sri Lanka in the two-match series opener in Mohali. Kohli contributed with a well-made 76-ball 45, however, once again missed out on scoring a triple-figure knock. Thus, he also couldn't end his two-year-long century drought at the international level. The wait for Kohli's international century continues as the right-hander has failed to deliver as per his credentails despite crossing the fifty-run mark on several occasions across formats (since his last ton in late 2019). The cricketing fraternity, thus, continues to wait for Kohli's century and the cameraman in the ongoing Pakistan vs Australia 1st Test caught hold of two fans, with one of them having a special message for the Indian star batter. ALSO READ | I would say just how much I love him: Ricky Ponting breaks down as he recalls late Shane Warne One of the banners read that the fan really wanted Kohli to break his century drought and get to his 71st international ton in Pakistan. On the other hand, the other fan's banner read, "Biggest Match, 23rd Oct 2022, IND vs PAK (T20WC), Rohit v Shaheen." Some Virat Kohli fans have made a wish during Rawalpindi Test at Pindi Cricket Stadium #PAKvAUS pic.twitter.com/mrKEaPFQEe — Arfa Feroz Zake (@ArfaSays_) March 6, 2022 × ALSO READ | From top earners to players with big pay cuts: BCCI's new central contracts list for 2021-22 For the unversed, another fan had a banner-- during PSL 2022 -- in which he expressed his desire to see Kohli play on their home soil and score a hundred. With the whole cricketing world waiting for Kohli's next ton, it will be interesting to see if he gets there in India's second and final Test versus Sri Lanka, commencing on March 12 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Meanwhile, Pakistan-Australia's first Test is heading for a dull draw after the visitors came close to Babar Azam & Co.'s first-innings total at stumps on Day 4, on Monday (March 07).

We want your 71st century in Pakistan: Fan's message for Virat Kohli wins hearts

The Australian cricket team was left devastated and shocked after the news of Shane Warne's sudden demise emerged. Warne breathed his last in Thailand on Friday (March 04) after suffering from a suspected heart attack aged 52. One of the greatest Australian cricketers of all time, Warne was a hero for many in the current Aussie dressing room.

Australia's Test captain Pat Cummins joined several other current&nbsp;and former cricketers in paying rich tributes to Warne, who is regarded as one of the best spinners to have played the game. Cummins called Warne a once-in-a-century kind of cricketer and revealed many in the current Australian side idolised the legendary spinner.

Cummins said growing up some of the current cricketers had posters of Warne on their walls and his charisma was infectious. The Australian Test skipper said the team was still trying to wrap their heads around the tragic demise of Warne and sent condolences to the family of the spin great.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-pays-heartfelt-tribute-to-shane-warne-hails-him-as-greatest-spinner-ever-watch-459174">Virat Kohli pays heartfelt tribute to Shane Warne, hails him as 'greatest spinner ever' - WATCH</a>

"Warny was an all-time great and a once-in-a-century kind cricketer. His records will live on forever. We all grew up idolizing him. We had posters of him on the wall. We love so much about Warny - his showmanship, his charisma, his tactics, the way he helped Australia win so many games, and above everything else he is an incredibly skilled leg-spinner," said Cummins to Cricketcomau.

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Test captain Pat Cummins reacts to the shock news of Shane Warne's passing. 
 
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"Apart from the wickets he took and the games he helped Australia win, what he did was draw so many people to the sport.&nbsp;So many guys in this team and squad still hold him as a hero, their all-time favourite player. The loss that we are all trying to wrap our heads around is huge. It's been a tough couple of days for Australian cricket, with the passing of Rod.

"We just wish the best to both families. Especially Shane's parents and kids. The game was never the same after Warnie emerged and the game will never be the same after his passing," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/the-spin-wizard-five-records-held-by-legendary-shane-warne-459050">The spin wizard! Five records held by legendary Shane Warne</a>

The Australian team is currently on their tour of Pakistan for a three-match Test series followed by as many ODIs and a one-off T20I. The first Test between the two sides got underway at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Friday. The Australian cricket team is touring Pakistan for the first time in 24 years.

The Australian cricket team was left devastated and shocked after the news of Shane Warne's sudden demise emerged. Warne breathed his last in Thailand on Friday (March 04) after suffering from a suspected heart attack aged 52.

The Australian cricket team was left devastated and shocked after the news of Shane Warne's sudden demise emerged. Warne breathed his last in Thailand on Friday (March 04) after suffering from a suspected heart attack aged 52. One of the greatest Australian cricketers of all time, Warne was a hero for many in the current Aussie dressing room. Australia's Test captain Pat Cummins joined several other current and former cricketers in paying rich tributes to Warne, who is regarded as one of the best spinners to have played the game. Cummins called Warne a once-in-a-century kind of cricketer and revealed many in the current Australian side idolised the legendary spinner. Cummins said growing up some of the current cricketers had posters of Warne on their walls and his charisma was infectious. The Australian Test skipper said the team was still trying to wrap their heads around the tragic demise of Warne and sent condolences to the family of the spin great. Also Read: Virat Kohli pays heartfelt tribute to Shane Warne, hails him as 'greatest spinner ever' - WATCH "Warny was an all-time great and a once-in-a-century kind cricketer. His records will live on forever. We all grew up idolizing him. We had posters of him on the wall. We love so much about Warny - his showmanship, his charisma, his tactics, the way he helped Australia win so many games, and above everything else he is an incredibly skilled leg-spinner," said Cummins to Cricketcomau. Test captain Pat Cummins reacts to the shock news of Shane Warne's passing. "Rest in peace, King." pic.twitter.com/yUOGHuKNei — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 4, 2022 × "Apart from the wickets he took and the games he helped Australia win, what he did was draw so many people to the sport. So many guys in this team and squad still hold him as a hero, their all-time favourite player. The loss that we are all trying to wrap our heads around is huge. It's been a tough couple of days for Australian cricket, with the passing of Rod. "We just wish the best to both families. Especially Shane's parents and kids. The game was never the same after Warnie emerged and the game will never be the same after his passing," he added. Also Read: The spin wizard! Five records held by legendary Shane Warne The Australian team is currently on their tour of Pakistan for a three-match Test series followed by as many ODIs and a one-off T20I. The first Test between the two sides got underway at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Friday. The Australian cricket team is touring Pakistan for the first time in 24 years.

'We grew up idolising him, had his posters': Australia captain Pat Cummins reacts to Shane Warne's demise

Australia are set to kick off their historic tour of Pakistan with the commencement of the series opener of the three Tests, which will get underway on March 04 in Rawalpindi. For the unversed, Australia are touring Pakistan after a long gap of 24 years. The last time when&nbsp;the Aussies visited the Asian country, Mark Taylor-led visitors had won the three Tests 1-0.

Pat Cummins-led Australia is coming to the series on the back of their impressive Ashes 2021/22 edition win over Joe Root's England at home. On the other hand, Babar Azam &amp; Co. remain a daunting force at home and will give the visitors a tough challenge. All eyes will be on the likes of David Warner, Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon, Babar, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, etc. in what promises to be an enthralling series on Pakistan soil.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pcb-introduces-benaud-qadir-trophy-to-celebrate-australias-first-test-series-in-pakistan-in-24-years-458173">PCB introduces Benaud-Qadir Trophy to celebrate Australia's first Test series in Pakistan in 24 years</a>

Here's everything to know about the squads, streaming, schedule and telecast details before the Test series:

Squads

Pakistan Test squad:&nbsp;Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Zahid Mahmood

Australia Test squad:&nbsp;Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

Schedule

March 04-08: Pakistan vs Australia, 1st Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

March 12-16: Pakistan vs Australia, 2nd Test at National Stadium, Karachi

March 20-24: Pakistan vs Australia, 3rd Test at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Telecast and streaming details

The Test series will commence at 10:30 AM IST.&nbsp;The ardent cricket fans&nbsp;can watch the high-voltage series live on Sony&nbsp;Six &amp; Sony Six HD.&nbsp;

Australia are set to kick off their historic tour of Pakistan with the commencement of the series opener of the three Tests, which will get underway on March 04 in Rawalpindi.

Australia are set to kick off their historic tour of Pakistan with the commencement of the series opener of the three Tests, which will get underway on March 04 in Rawalpindi. For the unversed, Australia are touring Pakistan after a long gap of 24 years. The last time when the Aussies visited the Asian country, Mark Taylor-led visitors had won the three Tests 1-0. Pat Cummins-led Australia is coming to the series on the back of their impressive Ashes 2021/22 edition win over Joe Root's England at home. On the other hand, Babar Azam & Co. remain a daunting force at home and will give the visitors a tough challenge. All eyes will be on the likes of David Warner, Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon, Babar, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, etc. in what promises to be an enthralling series on Pakistan soil. ALSO READ | PCB introduces Benaud-Qadir Trophy to celebrate Australia's first Test series in Pakistan in 24 years Here's everything to know about the squads, streaming, schedule and telecast details before the Test series: Squads Pakistan Test squad: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Zahid Mahmood Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner Schedule March 04-08: Pakistan vs Australia, 1st Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi March 12-16: Pakistan vs Australia, 2nd Test at National Stadium, Karachi March 20-24: Pakistan vs Australia, 3rd Test at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore Telecast and streaming details The Test series will commence at 10:30 AM IST. The ardent cricket fans can watch the high-voltage series live on Sony Six & Sony Six HD.

Pakistan vs Australia Test series: Everything to know about squads, schedule, telecast, streaming details

The Australian cricket team arrived in Pakistan on Sunday (February 27) ahead of their historic series against the hosts. Australia are in Pakistan to play three Tests, as many ODIs and a one-off T20I game. The Aussies are touring Pakistan for the first time in 24 years making it a historic affair for both nations.

Australia had last toured Pakistan in 1998 and have since refrained from visiting the country like a number of other top cricketing nations. The high-profile teams had stopped visiting Pakistan post the attack of the bus of the Sri Lankan side in Lahore in 2009.

Over the last few years, Pakistan have hosted the likes of West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at home but Australia will be the first high-profile team to play a full-fledged series in Pakistan. Though the Aussie side is missing a number of key players, the team's visit to Pakistan is a big boost for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

After arriving in Islamabad on Sunday, Australian Test skipper Pat Cummins spoke about the security arrangements by the Pakistan Cricket Board for the visitors and said he and his teammates feel incredibly safe. Cummins also thanked the PCB for looking after the players well. The Australian team will be confined in their hotel except for their training and matches.

"I feel incredibly safe. We've been really well looked after by the PCB. Upon arrival, there's been lots of security. We were straight off the plane and straight to the hotel," Cummins said on Sunday.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/it-was-dream-come-true-cant-forget-that-pakistan-pacer-shahnawaz-dahani-on-meeting-idol-ms-dhoni-456548">It was dream come true, can't forget that: Pakistan pacer Shahnawaz Dahani on meeting idol MS Dhoni</a>

"We've got a pretty good set-up here and we'll be confined to the hotel except for games and training. It's comforting and we're really lucky to be surrounded by so many professionals.

"There are lots of things around which might be a little bit different to what we're used to but we know it's been taken care of, so we can just really enjoy ourselves here," he added.

The three-match Test series between Australia and Pakistan will get underway from March 04 with the first Test in Rawalpinidi. The Aussies will then head to Karachi and Lahore for the next two matches before the start of the ODIsin Rawalpindi.

Australia are heading into the Tet series against Pakistan on the back of a comprehenive 4-0 thrashing of England in the Ashes 2021-22. The Aussies will start as favourites against the hosts but will be wary of Pakistan's bowling prowess which can prove tricky for the Australian batters.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-achieves-new-milestone-as-captain-after-india-hammer-sri-lanka-in-2nd-t20i-457071">&nbsp;Rohit Sharma achieves new milestone as captain after India hammer Sri Lanka in 2nd T20I</a>

Cummins is looking forward to the challenge of playing against Pakistan in their own backyard and hopes his team will continue their stellar run against the hosts in the upcoming Test series.

"I really hope so. I was really proud of how we performed throughout the Ashes summer back home in Australia, and now that’s the challenge to continue that and be just as relentless on an overseas tour," said the Aussie Test captain.

"Pakistan is an incredible cricket nation. We feel lucky to get to come back here after a whole generation didn’t get the chance to play any cricket over here," he added.

&nbsp;

The Australian cricket team arrived in Pakistan on Sunday (February 27) ahead of their historic series against the hosts. Australia are in Pakistan to play three Tests, as many ODIs and a one-off T20I game.

The Australian cricket team arrived in Pakistan on Sunday (February 27) ahead of their historic series against the hosts. Australia are in Pakistan to play three Tests, as many ODIs and a one-off T20I game. The Aussies are touring Pakistan for the first time in 24 years making it a historic affair for both nations. Australia had last toured Pakistan in 1998 and have since refrained from visiting the country like a number of other top cricketing nations. The high-profile teams had stopped visiting Pakistan post the attack of the bus of the Sri Lankan side in Lahore in 2009. Over the last few years, Pakistan have hosted the likes of West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at home but Australia will be the first high-profile team to play a full-fledged series in Pakistan. Though the Aussie side is missing a number of key players, the team's visit to Pakistan is a big boost for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). After arriving in Islamabad on Sunday, Australian Test skipper Pat Cummins spoke about the security arrangements by the Pakistan Cricket Board for the visitors and said he and his teammates feel incredibly safe. Cummins also thanked the PCB for looking after the players well. The Australian team will be confined in their hotel except for their training and matches. "I feel incredibly safe. We've been really well looked after by the PCB. Upon arrival, there's been lots of security. We were straight off the plane and straight to the hotel," Cummins said on Sunday. Also Read: It was dream come true, can't forget that: Pakistan pacer Shahnawaz Dahani on meeting idol MS Dhoni "We've got a pretty good set-up here and we'll be confined to the hotel except for games and training. It's comforting and we're really lucky to be surrounded by so many professionals. "There are lots of things around which might be a little bit different to what we're used to but we know it's been taken care of, so we can just really enjoy ourselves here," he added. The three-match Test series between Australia and Pakistan will get underway from March 04 with the first Test in Rawalpinidi. The Aussies will then head to Karachi and Lahore for the next two matches before the start of the ODIsin Rawalpindi. Australia are heading into the Tet series against Pakistan on the back of a comprehenive 4-0 thrashing of England in the Ashes 2021-22. The Aussies will start as favourites against the hosts but will be wary of Pakistan's bowling prowess which can prove tricky for the Australian batters. Also Read: Rohit Sharma achieves new milestone as captain after India hammer Sri Lanka in 2nd T20I Cummins is looking forward to the challenge of playing against Pakistan in their own backyard and hopes his team will continue their stellar run against the hosts in the upcoming Test series. "I really hope so. I was really proud of how we performed throughout the Ashes summer back home in Australia, and now that’s the challenge to continue that and be just as relentless on an overseas tour," said the Aussie Test captain. "Pakistan is an incredible cricket nation. We feel lucky to get to come back here after a whole generation didn’t get the chance to play any cricket over here," he added.

Feel incredibly safe, PCB looking after us really well, says Pat Cummins as Australian team reaches Pakistan

Australia test captain Pat Cummins and opening batsman David Warner will not feature in the limited-overs meetings with Pakistan next month after they were left out of the squad for a trio of one-day internationals and a Twenty20 clash.

Cummins and Warner, along with bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, have been included in the squad for Australia's three-test tour of Pakistan, but will not be involved following the conclusion of that series.

The quartet of Cummins, Warner, Hazlewood and Maxwell have contracts in the cash-rich Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament, which is expected to start at the end of March.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-dont-even-think-were-competing-with-each-other-ishan-kishan-plays-down-rivalry-with-rishabh-pant-455362">We don’t even think we’re competing with each other: Ishan Kishan plays down rivalry with Rishabh Pant</a>

They will, however, only be able to join their respective franchises after Australia play their lone T20 match against Pakistan on April 5, chair of selectors George Bailey confirmed.

While Maxwell has been granted time off for his wedding, the others are expected to return to Australia after the third and final test in Lahore from March 21 to 25.

"We've worked really hard with our multi-format players over a long period, not just this series coming up and leading into the IPL," Bailey said, adding that they have taken a "pragmatic approach".

"One of the things we're keen to ensure is we maintain having our best Australian players playing for Australia for as long as possible in the medium and longer-term.

"We're constantly managing and working with them around their personal situations to get what they need and continue to get what they need."

With the T20 World Cup coming up at home later this year and a 50-over World Cup scheduled next year in India, former Australia captain Bailey had no issues with the IPL.

&nbsp;ALSO READ:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/my-heart-skipped-a-beat-ishan-kishan-on-becoming-ipl-2022-mega-auctions-most-expensive-signing-455344">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/my-heart-skipped-a-beat-ishan-kishan-on-becoming-ipl-2022-mega-auctions-most-expensive-signing-455344">'My heart skipped a beat': Ishan Kishan on becoming IPL 2022 mega auction's most expensive signing</a>

"I fully respect the IPL as a tournament," Bailey said responding to a question about playing for country or IPL. "I think they`re at the forefront of the T20 game.

"I think it's been a really important tournament for the skill development of some of our players, so it's important not to underestimate that going forward."

Australia will be embarking on their first trip to Pakistan since 1998, playing test matches in Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore before returning to Rawalpindi for limited-overs matches from March 29 to April 5.

Aaron Finch will lead a 16-man limited-overs squad that includes test players Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith.

Squad: Aaron Finch, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.

Australia test captain Pat Cummins and opening batsman David Warner will not feature in the limited-overs meetings with Pakistan next month after they were left out of the squad for a trio of one-day internationals and a Twenty20 clash.

Australia test captain Pat Cummins and opening batsman David Warner will not feature in the limited-overs meetings with Pakistan next month after they were left out of the squad for a trio of one-day internationals and a Twenty20 clash. Cummins and Warner, along with bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, have been included in the squad for Australia's three-test tour of Pakistan, but will not be involved following the conclusion of that series. The quartet of Cummins, Warner, Hazlewood and Maxwell have contracts in the cash-rich Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament, which is expected to start at the end of March. ALSO READ: We don’t even think we’re competing with each other: Ishan Kishan plays down rivalry with Rishabh Pant They will, however, only be able to join their respective franchises after Australia play their lone T20 match against Pakistan on April 5, chair of selectors George Bailey confirmed. While Maxwell has been granted time off for his wedding, the others are expected to return to Australia after the third and final test in Lahore from March 21 to 25. "We've worked really hard with our multi-format players over a long period, not just this series coming up and leading into the IPL," Bailey said, adding that they have taken a "pragmatic approach". "One of the things we're keen to ensure is we maintain having our best Australian players playing for Australia for as long as possible in the medium and longer-term. "We're constantly managing and working with them around their personal situations to get what they need and continue to get what they need." With the T20 World Cup coming up at home later this year and a 50-over World Cup scheduled next year in India, former Australia captain Bailey had no issues with the IPL. ALSO READ: 'My heart skipped a beat': Ishan Kishan on becoming IPL 2022 mega auction's most expensive signing "I fully respect the IPL as a tournament," Bailey said responding to a question about playing for country or IPL. "I think they`re at the forefront of the T20 game. "I think it's been a really important tournament for the skill development of some of our players, so it's important not to underestimate that going forward." Australia will be embarking on their first trip to Pakistan since 1998, playing test matches in Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore before returning to Rawalpindi for limited-overs matches from March 29 to April 5. Aaron Finch will lead a 16-man limited-overs squad that includes test players Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith. Squad: Aaron Finch, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.

Australia stars Pat Cummins, David Warner set to miss white-ball leg against Pakistan ahead of IPL

Tymal Mills to K Gowtham: Players who took biggest pay cuts at IPL 2022 auction

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a good run in the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, held in Bengaluru. The mega auction was an entertaining affair as several marquee players were sold at a whopping price whereas some unknown and relatively inexperienced campaigners also made a mark by attracting quite a lot of bids.&nbsp;

The mega auction, held after four years, also stood out for many players being shifted to a new franchise as the IPL 2022 edition promises to be an enthralling and engaging ten-team tournament, set to be held in March-May this year. Talking about the two-time winners and IPL 2021 runners-up KKR, they entered the auction pool with INR 480 million (INR 48 crore). Prior to the mega auction, the Shahrukh Khan-co-owned franchise had retained four players: Varun Chakravarthy (INR 80 million), Sunil Narine (INR 60 million), Venkatesh Iyer (INR 80 million) and Andre Russell (INR 120 million).&nbsp;

In the mega auction, KKR have revamped decently with plenty of new additions whereas they have also managed to bring back some vital cogs. However, some questions still remain.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chennai-super-kings-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-deepak-chahar-most-expensive-in-raina-less-line-up-453033">Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up</a>

KKR's 22-member squad comprises 15 Indian players along with 7 foreign recruits. They have invested heavily on various all-rounders, such as Pat Cummins (re-signed for INR 72.5 million), Md Nabi, Nitish Rana, etc. The KKR unit managed to include wily swing bowler Tim Southee&nbsp;in their line-up as well and got some big names to fill their batting department, such as Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (INR 10 million), Sheldon Jackson, Alex Hales, Sam Billings (INR 20 million).

KKR broke the bank for Iyer, the former Delhi Capitals' (DC) skipper, for INR 122.5 million (INR 12.25 crore). The Kolkata-based franchise, however, will feel too dependent on Cummins and Southee in the pace department. While they did manage to add Umesh Yadav (INR 20 million) to the squad, the Indian pacer hasn't been a regular in IPL and in Team India's white-ball squads. On the other hand, a lot of onus will be on Varun and Narine to handle the spin workload.

Overall, Iyer seems like a frontrunner to succeed Eoin Morgan -- not re-signed by the team management -- to lead KKR in IPL 2022.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mumbai-indians-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-ishan-kishan-jofra-archer-top-buys-for-rohit-sharma-co-453026">Mumbai Indians complete squad for IPL 2022: Ishan Kishan, Jofra Archer top buys for Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.</a>

Complete squad of KKR for IPL 2022:&nbsp;

Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Baba Indrajith, Abhijit Tomar,&nbsp;Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Rasikh Dar, Ashok Sharma, Tim Southee,&nbsp;Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana,&nbsp;Shivam Mavi, Anukul Roy, Chamika Karunaratne, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Md Nabi

Purse Remaining:&nbsp;INR 4.5 million

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a good run in the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, held in Bengaluru. The mega auction was an entertaining affair as several marquee players were sold at a whopping price whereas some unknown and relatively inexperienced campaigners also made a mark by attracting quite a lot of bids.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a good run in the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, held in Bengaluru. The mega auction was an entertaining affair as several marquee players were sold at a whopping price whereas some unknown and relatively inexperienced campaigners also made a mark by attracting quite a lot of bids. The mega auction, held after four years, also stood out for many players being shifted to a new franchise as the IPL 2022 edition promises to be an enthralling and engaging ten-team tournament, set to be held in March-May this year. Talking about the two-time winners and IPL 2021 runners-up KKR, they entered the auction pool with INR 480 million (INR 48 crore). Prior to the mega auction, the Shahrukh Khan-co-owned franchise had retained four players: Varun Chakravarthy (INR 80 million), Sunil Narine (INR 60 million), Venkatesh Iyer (INR 80 million) and Andre Russell (INR 120 million). In the mega auction, KKR have revamped decently with plenty of new additions whereas they have also managed to bring back some vital cogs. However, some questions still remain. ALSO READ | Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up KKR's 22-member squad comprises 15 Indian players along with 7 foreign recruits. They have invested heavily on various all-rounders, such as Pat Cummins (re-signed for INR 72.5 million), Md Nabi, Nitish Rana, etc. The KKR unit managed to include wily swing bowler Tim Southee in their line-up as well and got some big names to fill their batting department, such as Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (INR 10 million), Sheldon Jackson, Alex Hales, Sam Billings (INR 20 million). KKR broke the bank for Iyer, the former Delhi Capitals' (DC) skipper, for INR 122.5 million (INR 12.25 crore). The Kolkata-based franchise, however, will feel too dependent on Cummins and Southee in the pace department. While they did manage to add Umesh Yadav (INR 20 million) to the squad, the Indian pacer hasn't been a regular in IPL and in Team India's white-ball squads. On the other hand, a lot of onus will be on Varun and Narine to handle the spin workload. Overall, Iyer seems like a frontrunner to succeed Eoin Morgan -- not re-signed by the team management -- to lead KKR in IPL 2022. ALSO READ | Mumbai Indians complete squad for IPL 2022: Ishan Kishan, Jofra Archer top buys for Rohit Sharma & Co. Complete squad of KKR for IPL 2022: Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Baba Indrajith, Abhijit Tomar, Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Rasikh Dar, Ashok Sharma, Tim Southee, Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana, Shivam Mavi, Anukul Roy, Chamika Karunaratne, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Md Nabi Purse Remaining: INR 4.5 million

Kolkata Knight Riders complete squad for IPL 2022: Shreyas Iyer joins Galaxy of Knights, Cummins returns

Team India star Shreyas Iyer was the most expensive pick among the marquee set of players on Day 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12). The IPL 2022 mega auction got underway in Bengaluru on Saturday with some of the top cricketers from across the globe going under the hammer.

The proceedings kick-started with the marquee set of players consisting of ten big names from around the world. The lists consisted of some of the best Indian and overseas players, who have been proven performers in the league over the years and were expected to be the top buys at the mega auction.

While former Delhi Capitals skipper Iyer was roped in by KKR for a huge sum of Rs 12.25 crore (INR 122.5 million), South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada was the second-most expensive pick from the marquee list as he was roped in by Punjab Kings for a sum of Rs 9.25 crore (INR 92.5 million).

Shikhar Dhawan was the third most expensive pick as the senior India batter was also roped in by Punjab Kings, who headed into the mega auction with the largest purse among all ten teams. Punjab Kings spent a whopping Rs 8.25 crore (INR 82.5 million) to rope in Dhawan, who has been a consistent run-getter in the IPL over the years.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-rs-20-lakh-to-rs-1075-crore-rcb-break-the-bank-for-harshal-patel-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-452648">From Rs 20 lakh to Rs 10.75 crore! RCB break the bank for Harshal Patel at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Rajasthan Royals also went big and roped in two marquee players from the list of ten as they secured the signings of R Ashwin and Trent Boult for Rs 5 crore (INR 50 million) and Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) respectively.

Debutants Gujarat Titans roped in Team India pacer Mohammed Shami for Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million) while Lucknow Super Giants managed to get South Africa wicket-keeper batter Quinton de Kock for Rs 6.25 crore (INR 625 million).

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-mumbai-indians-go-all-out-to-buy-back-ishan-kishan-for-rs-1525-crore-452668">Mumbai&nbsp;Indians go all out to buy back Ishan Kishan for Rs 15.25 crore</a>

Here is a look at the complete list of marquee players sold at IPL 2022 mega auction:

Shikhar Dhawan - Punjab Kings 8.25 crore (INR 82.5 million)

R Ashwin - Rajasthan Royals - Rs 5 crore (INR 50 million)

Pat Cummins - Kolkata Knight Riders - Rs 7.25 crore (INR 72.5 million)

Kagiso Rabada - Punjab Kings - Rs 9.25 crore (INR 92.5 million)

Trent Boult - Rajasthan Royals - Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million)

Shreyas Iyer - Kolkata Knight Riders - Rs 12.25 crore (INR 122.5 million)

Mohammed Shami - Gujarat Titans - Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million)

Faf du Plessis - RCB - Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million)

Quinton de Kock - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million)

David Warner - Delhi Capitals - Rs 6.25 crore&nbsp;(INR 62.5 million)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Team India star Shreyas Iyer was the most expensive pick among the marquee set of players on Day 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12).

Team India star Shreyas Iyer was the most expensive pick among the marquee set of players on Day 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12). The IPL 2022 mega auction got underway in Bengaluru on Saturday with some of the top cricketers from across the globe going under the hammer. The proceedings kick-started with the marquee set of players consisting of ten big names from around the world. The lists consisted of some of the best Indian and overseas players, who have been proven performers in the league over the years and were expected to be the top buys at the mega auction. While former Delhi Capitals skipper Iyer was roped in by KKR for a huge sum of Rs 12.25 crore (INR 122.5 million), South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada was the second-most expensive pick from the marquee list as he was roped in by Punjab Kings for a sum of Rs 9.25 crore (INR 92.5 million). Shikhar Dhawan was the third most expensive pick as the senior India batter was also roped in by Punjab Kings, who headed into the mega auction with the largest purse among all ten teams. Punjab Kings spent a whopping Rs 8.25 crore (INR 82.5 million) to rope in Dhawan, who has been a consistent run-getter in the IPL over the years. Also Read: From Rs 20 lakh to Rs 10.75 crore! RCB break the bank for Harshal Patel at IPL 2022 mega auction Rajasthan Royals also went big and roped in two marquee players from the list of ten as they secured the signings of R Ashwin and Trent Boult for Rs 5 crore (INR 50 million) and Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) respectively. Debutants Gujarat Titans roped in Team India pacer Mohammed Shami for Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million) while Lucknow Super Giants managed to get South Africa wicket-keeper batter Quinton de Kock for Rs 6.25 crore (INR 625 million). Also Read: Mumbai Indians go all out to buy back Ishan Kishan for Rs 15.25 crore Here is a look at the complete list of marquee players sold at IPL 2022 mega auction: Shikhar Dhawan - Punjab Kings 8.25 crore (INR 82.5 million) R Ashwin - Rajasthan Royals - Rs 5 crore (INR 50 million) Pat Cummins - Kolkata Knight Riders - Rs 7.25 crore (INR 72.5 million) Kagiso Rabada - Punjab Kings - Rs 9.25 crore (INR 92.5 million) Trent Boult - Rajasthan Royals - Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) Shreyas Iyer - Kolkata Knight Riders - Rs 12.25 crore (INR 122.5 million) Mohammed Shami - Gujarat Titans - Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million) Faf du Plessis - RCB - Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) Quinton de Kock - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million) David Warner - Delhi Capitals - Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million)

From Shreyas Iyer to Kagiso Rabada: Complete list of 10 marquee players sold at IPL 2022 mega auction

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore on Saturday said that his franchise has two solid captaincy options in the form of Pat Cummins and Shreyas Iyer.

KKR picked up Cummins for Rs 7.25 crore and Iyer for Rs 12.25 crore in the ongoing IPL mega auction here in Bengaluru."First of all, delighted with how the first session went for us.

To get back Pat Cummins at that price, actually, we thought he would go at a higher price so we are delighted with that. Obviously, Shreyas is a quality Indian batter, so that's fantastic and we are very excited," said Mysore while replying to an ANI query during a virtual press conference.

ALSO READ:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-stalwart-suresh-raina-goes-unsold-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-452593">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-stalwart-suresh-raina-goes-unsold-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-452593">CSK stalwart Suresh Raina goes UNSOLD at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Replying to ANI about whether Shreyas will possibly be the captain of KKR, Mysore said: "That is the decision the coach and think-tank will take. We need to digest the activities of the auction. Between Cummins and Shreyas, you have two solid options for captaincy."

Earlier in the auction, India opening batter Shikhar Dhawan was acquired by Punjab Kings for Rs 8.25 crore.

Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 5 crore. Australia Test captain Pat Cummins was taken by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for Rs 7.25 crore.

Proteas pacer Kagiso Rabada was acquired by Punjab Kings for Rs 9.25 crore. Kiwi pacer Trent Boult was sold to Rajasthan Royals for Rs 8 crore.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-david-warner-goes-back-to-dc-trent-boult-and-r-ashwin-shift-base-to-rr-452584">IPL 2022 mega auction: David Warner goes back to DC, Trent Boult and R Ashwin shift base to RR</a>

Shreyas Iyer was picked up by KKR for Rs 12.25 crore. India pacer Mohammed Shami was picked up by Gujarat Titans for Rs 6.25 crore. South Africa batter Faf du Plessis was picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for Rs 7 crore.

Lucknow Super Giants picked up Quinton de Kock for Rs 6.75 crore. Australia opening batter DaA total of 600 cricketers will go under the hammer in the auction that will be held on Saturday and Sunday.

INR 2 crore is the highest reserve price and as many as 48 players chose to place themselves in this bracket. There are 20 players on the auction list with a reserve price of INR 1.5 crore while 34 players are on the list of cricketers with a reserve price of INR 1 crore.

A total of 377 Indian players and 223 overseas players are up for grabs in what promises to be an action-packed IPL 2022 Player Auction in Bengaluru.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore on Saturday said that his franchise has two solid captaincy options in the form of Pat Cummins and Shreyas Iyer. KKR picked up Cummins for Rs 7.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore on Saturday said that his franchise has two solid captaincy options in the form of Pat Cummins and Shreyas Iyer. KKR picked up Cummins for Rs 7.25 crore and Iyer for Rs 12.25 crore in the ongoing IPL mega auction here in Bengaluru."First of all, delighted with how the first session went for us. To get back Pat Cummins at that price, actually, we thought he would go at a higher price so we are delighted with that. Obviously, Shreyas is a quality Indian batter, so that's fantastic and we are very excited," said Mysore while replying to an ANI query during a virtual press conference. ALSO READ: CSK stalwart Suresh Raina goes UNSOLD at IPL 2022 mega auction Replying to ANI about whether Shreyas will possibly be the captain of KKR, Mysore said: "That is the decision the coach and think-tank will take. We need to digest the activities of the auction. Between Cummins and Shreyas, you have two solid options for captaincy." Earlier in the auction, India opening batter Shikhar Dhawan was acquired by Punjab Kings for Rs 8.25 crore. Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 5 crore. Australia Test captain Pat Cummins was taken by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for Rs 7.25 crore. Proteas pacer Kagiso Rabada was acquired by Punjab Kings for Rs 9.25 crore. Kiwi pacer Trent Boult was sold to Rajasthan Royals for Rs 8 crore. ALSO READ: IPL 2022 mega auction: David Warner goes back to DC, Trent Boult and R Ashwin shift base to RR Shreyas Iyer was picked up by KKR for Rs 12.25 crore. India pacer Mohammed Shami was picked up by Gujarat Titans for Rs 6.25 crore. South Africa batter Faf du Plessis was picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for Rs 7 crore. Lucknow Super Giants picked up Quinton de Kock for Rs 6.75 crore. Australia opening batter DaA total of 600 cricketers will go under the hammer in the auction that will be held on Saturday and Sunday. INR 2 crore is the highest reserve price and as many as 48 players chose to place themselves in this bracket. There are 20 players on the auction list with a reserve price of INR 1.5 crore while 34 players are on the list of cricketers with a reserve price of INR 1 crore. A total of 377 Indian players and 223 overseas players are up for grabs in what promises to be an action-packed IPL 2022 Player Auction in Bengaluru.

Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer 'solid options' for captaincy: Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore

Former Australian captain Ian Chappell has taken a dig at past cricketers defending Justin Langer, terming them the ex-Australia coach`s `PR machine`.

Langer recently stepped down from his post of Australia`s head coach after the 51-year-old former opener was told by Cricket Australia (CA) that he will get only a fresh six-month contract after his first term expired in June this year.

Chappell voiced his displeasure over the criticism Test skipper Pat Cummins and CA have received from the likes of Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh, who were all Langer`s team-mates during his playing days.

Speaking to Wide World of Sports, Chappell said, "It`s easy to lambast Cricket Australia, because they are not very good, and it was only to be expected, their reaction."

"What annoys me is two things; the fact Pat Cummins, who has probably been as honest as you can be in this sort of thing, that he`s copped a bit of a pasting... and the Justin Langer PR machine has been at work, and in a lot of cases that`s been believed," he said.

Chappell said that Cummins, who alongside former Test skipper Tim Paine and white-ball captain Aaron Finch was involved in mediation with Langer and CA last year, should have a say in who coaches Australia next.

Langer reportedly had an uneasy relationship with some players in the squad, and things came to a boil following Australia`s away defeat to Bangladesh in a T20I series last year. The CA management, Paine, Cummins and Finch, among others, had to sit down to resolve the crisis.

"And within reason I think the captain has got to get the coach that he gets on with, and works well with," Chappell added.

Meanwhile, former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum expressed his doubt over how well Langer coached Australia from a performance perspective. While McCullum praised Langer for his work in restoring public faith in the team following the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal, he believes that Langer`s impact on the field has been overstated.

"England are hopeless, so I think anyone that was at the helm in the Ashes, they would have won that," he told SENZ Breakfast. "The T20 World Cup was a really good performance, but aside from that, the performance was just a bit middling for an Australian cricket side."

Former Australian captain Ian Chappell has taken a dig at past cricketers defending Justin Langer, terming them the ex-Australia coach`s `PR machine`. Langer recently stepped down from his post of Australia`s head coach after the 51-year-old former opener was told by Cricket Australia (CA) that he will get only a fresh six-month contract after his first term expired in June this year.

Former Australian captain Ian Chappell has taken a dig at past cricketers defending Justin Langer, terming them the ex-Australia coach`s `PR machine`. Langer recently stepped down from his post of Australia`s head coach after the 51-year-old former opener was told by Cricket Australia (CA) that he will get only a fresh six-month contract after his first term expired in June this year. Chappell voiced his displeasure over the criticism Test skipper Pat Cummins and CA have received from the likes of Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh, who were all Langer`s team-mates during his playing days. Speaking to Wide World of Sports, Chappell said, "It`s easy to lambast Cricket Australia, because they are not very good, and it was only to be expected, their reaction." "What annoys me is two things; the fact Pat Cummins, who has probably been as honest as you can be in this sort of thing, that he`s copped a bit of a pasting... and the Justin Langer PR machine has been at work, and in a lot of cases that`s been believed," he said. Chappell said that Cummins, who alongside former Test skipper Tim Paine and white-ball captain Aaron Finch was involved in mediation with Langer and CA last year, should have a say in who coaches Australia next. Langer reportedly had an uneasy relationship with some players in the squad, and things came to a boil following Australia`s away defeat to Bangladesh in a T20I series last year. The CA management, Paine, Cummins and Finch, among others, had to sit down to resolve the crisis. "And within reason I think the captain has got to get the coach that he gets on with, and works well with," Chappell added. Meanwhile, former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum expressed his doubt over how well Langer coached Australia from a performance perspective. While McCullum praised Langer for his work in restoring public faith in the team following the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal, he believes that Langer`s impact on the field has been overstated. "England are hopeless, so I think anyone that was at the helm in the Ashes, they would have won that," he told SENZ Breakfast. "The T20 World Cup was a really good performance, but aside from that, the performance was just a bit middling for an Australian cricket side."

Ian Chappell terms former cricketers 'PR Machine', backs Pat Cummins and CA amid Justin Langer saga

Former Australia skipper Michael Clarke has urged current Aussie captain Pat Cummins to clarify his stand on the ongoing saga involving Justin Langer's shock resignation as head coach. Cummins has been facing intense criticism from some former Australian cricketers, who have slammed him for not taking a stand for Langer and playing a role in his resignation as head coach.

Langer submitted his resignation from the head coach post last week, days after having helped Australia win the Ashes emphatically by 4-0 at home against arch-rivals England. He had last year inspired the team to a memorable maiden T20 World Cup triumph in the UAE and was expected to get an extension as the head coach of the side.

However, Langer was offered a short-term contract extension by Cricket Australia. The former Australia batter decided to turn down the offer and resigned from the post of head coach amid reports that the payers were not happy with his strict coaching style and wanted him to be pushed out.

As Cummins faces criticism for not taking a stand for Langer, Clarke said the Australian skipper needs to come out clear as his clean reputation has already taken a hit.

"The Australian public isn't stupid and this is my point with Pat Cummins. His reputation is squeaky-clean. Right now it has taken a hit, until he stands there and voices his opinion. Look what Mitchell Johnson said about Pat Cummins. A teammate, a friend of his has smoked him," Clarke said while speaking on The Big Sports Breakfast on Monday.

"My advice to Patty is he has got to stand there. He needs to tell the fans where he sits on this because everyone thinks it is Patty who made the decision. That accountability sits with him. He is trying to honour both parties and has done it very well. He is trying to look after Cricket Australia. I don't like seeing Pat get smacked for this because I think he is in a lose-lose situation. He sits right in the middle," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/days-after-winning-ashes-2021-22-justin-langer-resigns-as-australias-head-coach-450642">Days after winning Ashes 2021-22, Justin Langer resigns as Australia's head coach</a>

A number of former Australian cricketers including the likes of Mitchell Johnson and Steve Waugh among others have slammed Cummins for not standing up for Langer. Clarke urged Cummins to stand tall and explain to the former Aussie stars the exact situation which led to Langer's decision of quitting as the head coach of the team.

"I saw Mitchell Johnson's comments, he smoked him. I think a lot of people are thinking what Mitch is thinking. You've got the likes of Mark Taylor talking about it, Steve Waugh making comments, Ricky Ponting's comments are very strong. I'm suggesting to Pat Cummins as the leader, he needs to stand tall and explain to past players -- Mitchell Johnson, Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden -- plus the fans and cricket lovers, what the hell is going on here," said Clarke, who led Australia to a World Cup triumph in 2015.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Former Australia skipper Michael Clarke has urged current Aussie captain Pat Cummins to clarify his stand on the ongoing saga involving Justin Langer's shock resignation as head coach.

Former Australia skipper Michael Clarke has urged current Aussie captain Pat Cummins to clarify his stand on the ongoing saga involving Justin Langer's shock resignation as head coach. Cummins has been facing intense criticism from some former Australian cricketers, who have slammed him for not taking a stand for Langer and playing a role in his resignation as head coach. Langer submitted his resignation from the head coach post last week, days after having helped Australia win the Ashes emphatically by 4-0 at home against arch-rivals England. He had last year inspired the team to a memorable maiden T20 World Cup triumph in the UAE and was expected to get an extension as the head coach of the side. However, Langer was offered a short-term contract extension by Cricket Australia. The former Australia batter decided to turn down the offer and resigned from the post of head coach amid reports that the payers were not happy with his strict coaching style and wanted him to be pushed out. As Cummins faces criticism for not taking a stand for Langer, Clarke said the Australian skipper needs to come out clear as his clean reputation has already taken a hit. "The Australian public isn't stupid and this is my point with Pat Cummins. His reputation is squeaky-clean. Right now it has taken a hit, until he stands there and voices his opinion. Look what Mitchell Johnson said about Pat Cummins. A teammate, a friend of his has smoked him," Clarke said while speaking on The Big Sports Breakfast on Monday. "My advice to Patty is he has got to stand there. He needs to tell the fans where he sits on this because everyone thinks it is Patty who made the decision. That accountability sits with him. He is trying to honour both parties and has done it very well. He is trying to look after Cricket Australia. I don't like seeing Pat get smacked for this because I think he is in a lose-lose situation. He sits right in the middle," he added. Also Read: Days after winning Ashes 2021-22, Justin Langer resigns as Australia's head coach A number of former Australian cricketers including the likes of Mitchell Johnson and Steve Waugh among others have slammed Cummins for not standing up for Langer. Clarke urged Cummins to stand tall and explain to the former Aussie stars the exact situation which led to Langer's decision of quitting as the head coach of the team. "I saw Mitchell Johnson's comments, he smoked him. I think a lot of people are thinking what Mitch is thinking. You've got the likes of Mark Taylor talking about it, Steve Waugh making comments, Ricky Ponting's comments are very strong. I'm suggesting to Pat Cummins as the leader, he needs to stand tall and explain to past players -- Mitchell Johnson, Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden -- plus the fans and cricket lovers, what the hell is going on here," said Clarke, who led Australia to a World Cup triumph in 2015.

'Australian public is not stupid': Clarke urges Pat Cummins to clear his stand on Langer's shock resignation

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday (February 01) announced the final list of 590 players who are set to go under the hammer at the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. The IPL mega auction will be conducted in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13 where&nbsp;some of the best players from across the globe will be&nbsp;up for grabs for the ten franchises.

The final list of 590 players consists of 370 Indians and 220 overseas stars. There are 228 capped players, 355 uncapped players and 7 players from associate nations who will be going under the hammer at the IPL mega auction this month. The players have been divided across seven different categories as per their base price.

The players who have opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) are in the top bracket followed by those in the brackets of Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million), Rs 1 crore (INR 10 million), Rs 75 lakh (INR 7.5 million), Rs 50 lakh (INR 5 million), Rs 40 lakh (INR 4 million) and Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million).

While the uncapped players, who are yet to make their international debut, can opt for a maximum base price of Rs 40 lakh (INR 4 million), a capped player is free to put his name under any of the seven brackets. Some of the top players from around the world, including the ten marquee stars, have opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore.

The likes of former Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer, former Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner, senior India spinner R Ashwin, South Africa's premier pacer Kagiso Rabada among others are part of the marquee set of ten players and are all under the base price of Rs 2 crore. India's explosive young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan is not among marquee names but is one of the players to watch out for in the Rs 2 crore category.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/370-indians-220-overseas-stars-up-for-grabs-complete-list-of-590-players-for-ipl-2022-mega-auction-449547">370 Indians, 220 overseas stars up for grabs: Complete list of 590 players for IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Here is the complete list of 48 players with base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) at IPL mega auction:

Indians - Ravichandran Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Shami, Devdutt Padikkal, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, Krunal Pandya, Harshal Patel, Ishan Kishan, Ambati Rayudu, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Dinesh Karthik

Overseas - &nbsp;Trent Boult, Pat Cummins, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Kagiso Rabada, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shakib Al Hasan, Dwayne Bravo, Jason Roy, Sam Billings, Matthew Wade, Lockie Ferguson, Josh Hazlewood, Mustafizur Rahman, Mark Wood, Imran Tahir, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Adam Zampa, Evin Lewis, Jofra Archer, James Vince, Marchant De Lange, Saqib Mahmood, Ashton Agar, Craig Overton, David Willey, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Marsh

 
&nbsp;

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday (February 01) announced the final list of 590 players who are set to go under the hammer at the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday (February 01) announced the final list of 590 players who are set to go under the hammer at the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. The IPL mega auction will be conducted in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13 where some of the best players from across the globe will be up for grabs for the ten franchises. The final list of 590 players consists of 370 Indians and 220 overseas stars. There are 228 capped players, 355 uncapped players and 7 players from associate nations who will be going under the hammer at the IPL mega auction this month. The players have been divided across seven different categories as per their base price. The players who have opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) are in the top bracket followed by those in the brackets of Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million), Rs 1 crore (INR 10 million), Rs 75 lakh (INR 7.5 million), Rs 50 lakh (INR 5 million), Rs 40 lakh (INR 4 million) and Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million). While the uncapped players, who are yet to make their international debut, can opt for a maximum base price of Rs 40 lakh (INR 4 million), a capped player is free to put his name under any of the seven brackets. Some of the top players from around the world, including the ten marquee stars, have opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore. The likes of former Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer, former Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner, senior India spinner R Ashwin, South Africa's premier pacer Kagiso Rabada among others are part of the marquee set of ten players and are all under the base price of Rs 2 crore. India's explosive young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan is not among marquee names but is one of the players to watch out for in the Rs 2 crore category. Also Read: 370 Indians, 220 overseas stars up for grabs: Complete list of 590 players for IPL 2022 mega auction Here is the complete list of 48 players with base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) at IPL mega auction: Indians - Ravichandran Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Shami, Devdutt Padikkal, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, Krunal Pandya, Harshal Patel, Ishan Kishan, Ambati Rayudu, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Dinesh Karthik Overseas - Trent Boult, Pat Cummins, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Kagiso Rabada, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shakib Al Hasan, Dwayne Bravo, Jason Roy, Sam Billings, Matthew Wade, Lockie Ferguson, Josh Hazlewood, Mustafizur Rahman, Mark Wood, Imran Tahir, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Adam Zampa, Evin Lewis, Jofra Archer, James Vince, Marchant De Lange, Saqib Mahmood, Ashton Agar, Craig Overton, David Willey, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Marsh

Ishan Kishan to Pat Cummins: Final list of players with highest base price of Rs 2 crore for IPL mega auction

The Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday (February 01) released the complete list of 590 players who are set to go under the hammer at the upcoming IPL 2022 mega auction. The showpiece event is scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13 where top players from across the globe will be hoping to be picked by one of ten IPL franchises.

The complete list of 590 cricketers consists of some of the biggest names in world cricket. 228 out of the 590 players are capped players while 355 are uncapped. 7 players from associate nations have also been included in the final list ahead of the mega auction where all ten teams will be focused on building strong squads.

The list released by IPL also mentions the base price of every player and the set in which they will be going under the hammer at the mega auction. Ten out of the 590 players have been placed in the marquee category. The marquee set consists of some of the prominent Indian names and overseas stars.

Former Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain David Warner and former Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Shreyas Iyer among potential captaincy candidates who are part of the marquee set. Besides the duo, the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Faf du Plessis, R Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan and Trent Boult are also part of the marquee set.

Here is the complete list of ten players in the marquee set for IPL 2022 mega auction:

David Warner, R Ashwin, Trent Boult, Pat Cummins, Quinton de Kock, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Kagiso Rabada, Faf du Plessis and Mohammed Shami

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kohli-opens-up-on-delhi-franchises-decision-to-choose-pradeep-sangwan-over-him-in-maiden-ipl-auction-449482">Kohli opens up on Delhi franchise's decision to choose Pradeep Sangwan over him in maiden IPL auction</a>

All ten players in the marquee category have opted for the base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) at the mega auction. All ten teams will be looking to secure the services of some of these top players who fit in their plans ahead of the new season.

There are a total of 48 players who have opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore while 20 players have chosen the secon-highest bracket of Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million) at the mega auction.

&nbsp;

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday (February 01) released the complete list of 590 players who are set to go under the hammer at the upcoming IPL 2022 mega auction.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday (February 01) released the complete list of 590 players who are set to go under the hammer at the upcoming IPL 2022 mega auction. The showpiece event is scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13 where top players from across the globe will be hoping to be picked by one of ten IPL franchises. The complete list of 590 cricketers consists of some of the biggest names in world cricket. 228 out of the 590 players are capped players while 355 are uncapped. 7 players from associate nations have also been included in the final list ahead of the mega auction where all ten teams will be focused on building strong squads. The list released by IPL also mentions the base price of every player and the set in which they will be going under the hammer at the mega auction. Ten out of the 590 players have been placed in the marquee category. The marquee set consists of some of the prominent Indian names and overseas stars. Former Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain David Warner and former Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Shreyas Iyer among potential captaincy candidates who are part of the marquee set. Besides the duo, the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Faf du Plessis, R Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan and Trent Boult are also part of the marquee set. Here is the complete list of ten players in the marquee set for IPL 2022 mega auction: David Warner, R Ashwin, Trent Boult, Pat Cummins, Quinton de Kock, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Kagiso Rabada, Faf du Plessis and Mohammed Shami Also Read: Kohli opens up on Delhi franchise's decision to choose Pradeep Sangwan over him in maiden IPL auction All ten players in the marquee category have opted for the base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) at the mega auction. All ten teams will be looking to secure the services of some of these top players who fit in their plans ahead of the new season. There are a total of 48 players who have opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore while 20 players have chosen the secon-highest bracket of Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million) at the mega auction.

Warner, Iyer, Rabada and 7 others part of marquee set at IPL 2022 mega auction, see full list

The IPL 2022 edition is still two months away. The BCCI is planning to host the 15th edition in India, from late March. Before the upcoming season begins, all eyes are on the mega auction. It is set to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February. Before the auction proceedings, seven out of the ten teams don't have to worry about choosing a captain as they have either retained their respective skippers or named new captains.

However, the likes of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) need to choose a captain as well in the forthcoming mega auction. While Virat Kohli resigned as the RCB captain post IPL 2021, KL Rahul left PBKS and will captain the Lucknow Super Giants in the forthcoming edition. Despite taking KKR to the IPL 14 finale, Eoin Morgan wasn't retained by the two-time winners and, hence, the Kolkata-based franchise will have to look for a captain in the auction proceedings.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-he-wanted-me-to-ahmedabad-captain-hardik-pandya-hails-ms-dhoni-for-grooming-him-447459">IPL 2022: 'He wanted me to....'- Ahmedabad captain Hardik Pandya hails MS Dhoni for grooming him</a>

Speaking on&nbsp;Cricbuzz, former KKR captain Dinesh Karthik -- who has also registered himself in the mega auction --&nbsp;named three players who can take up captaincy roles. He named Shreyas Iyer as one of the options and further said, "If you go by recent history, obviously David Warner. He has captained a franchise, he's available. If you go by the current international standards, Pat Cummins. He is put his name in so he obviously has an opportunity to be a captain if he goes to a franchise that believes he could be a captain."

“If you throw an outside name, obviously Ishan Kishan has led the U-19s. He has led Jharkhand. So, they seem as options,” he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pune-intended-how-csk-rajasthan-royals-reacted-to-lucknow-super-giants-name-announcement-447482">'Pun(e) intended': How CSK, Rajasthan Royals reacted to Lucknow Super Giants' name announcement</a>

It will be interesting to see who all are named the captains for the three franchises who are in need of a skipper at the moment. The likes of Shreyas, Ishan, Warner, Cummins will surely be expensive buys and can also serve as captains. Some other options are Morgan, Jason Holder, Ben Stokes, etc.

The IPL 2022 edition is still two months away. The BCCI is planning to host the 15th edition in India, from late March. Before the upcoming season begins, all eyes are on the mega auction.

The IPL 2022 edition is still two months away. The BCCI is planning to host the 15th edition in India, from late March. Before the upcoming season begins, all eyes are on the mega auction. It is set to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February. Before the auction proceedings, seven out of the ten teams don't have to worry about choosing a captain as they have either retained their respective skippers or named new captains. However, the likes of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) need to choose a captain as well in the forthcoming mega auction. While Virat Kohli resigned as the RCB captain post IPL 2021, KL Rahul left PBKS and will captain the Lucknow Super Giants in the forthcoming edition. Despite taking KKR to the IPL 14 finale, Eoin Morgan wasn't retained by the two-time winners and, hence, the Kolkata-based franchise will have to look for a captain in the auction proceedings. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: 'He wanted me to....'- Ahmedabad captain Hardik Pandya hails MS Dhoni for grooming him Speaking on Cricbuzz, former KKR captain Dinesh Karthik -- who has also registered himself in the mega auction -- named three players who can take up captaincy roles. He named Shreyas Iyer as one of the options and further said, "If you go by recent history, obviously David Warner. He has captained a franchise, he's available. If you go by the current international standards, Pat Cummins. He is put his name in so he obviously has an opportunity to be a captain if he goes to a franchise that believes he could be a captain." “If you throw an outside name, obviously Ishan Kishan has led the U-19s. He has led Jharkhand. So, they seem as options,” he added. ALSO READ | 'Pun(e) intended': How CSK, Rajasthan Royals reacted to Lucknow Super Giants' name announcement It will be interesting to see who all are named the captains for the three franchises who are in need of a skipper at the moment. The likes of Shreyas, Ishan, Warner, Cummins will surely be expensive buys and can also serve as captains. Some other options are Morgan, Jason Holder, Ben Stokes, etc.

IPL 2022: Dinesh Karthik names Indian youngster among 3 star players who could captain a franchise

Pat Cummins-led Australia thrashed England by 146 runs in the fifth and final Ashes Test to claim the series 4-0. The Joe Root-led England's&nbsp;disastrous run in the Ashes 2021/22 edition finally ended, as the Three Lions remain winless Down Under since 2010-11.&nbsp;

With the series done and dusted, Cummins &amp; Co. will look to carry on the momentum and go the distance in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship second cycle. On the other hand, Root-led England have plenty to ponder upon and need to&nbsp;revamp at the earliest in the red-ball format.

After the series ended, Aussie players such as Alex Carey, Player-of-the-Series Travis Head and Nathan Lyon were joined by England captain Root and experienced pacer James Anderson for some drinks. However, as the celebrations got 'too loud', the cricketers were reportedly thrown out of the Hobart brewery.

The players' celebrations were interrupted by the police, who had to intervene and ordered the cricketers to leave the brewery.

In a viral video, the four police officers identified the cricketers and could be heard saying, "Too loud. You have obviously been asked to pack up, so we’ve been asked to come. Time for bed. Thank you." However, no arrests were made.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-comes-a-stage-where-you-cant-afridi-opines-on-virat-kohlis-decision-to-quit-test-captaincy-445655">'There comes a stage where you can't...': Afridi opines on Virat Kohli's decision to quit Test captaincy</a>

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Surely the Aust cricket team can have a beer? Whats with the police all of a sudden, in all states <a href="https://t.co/4ITdJX3K0K">pic.twitter.com/4ITdJX3K0K</a>
— Ben Roads 🇦🇺 (@ben_roads) <a href="https://twitter.com/ben_roads/status/1483286548485668865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/stuff-of-dreams-pat-cummins-on-leading-australia-to-4-0-win-against-england-in-ashes-2021-22-445208">'Stuff of dreams': Pat Cummins on leading Australia to 4-0 win against England in Ashes 2021-22</a>

After England's shambolic performance, Captain Root said at the post-match presentation, "It's been a frustrating tour, tough tour for us. We have to keep learning to get better. Not go away from here and keep making the same mistakes. Not long before we play Test cricket again and an opportunity to turn things around. It's pretty obvious we need to be putting more runs on the board. Too often we have not given our bowlers enough. We have been outplayed by Australia. Sometimes you have to put your hand up and say a team outplayed us."

On the other hand, Cummins stated, "Really is (stuff of dreams). Pretty crazy. To be at the end of a 5-match series with so many positives and 4-0, yeah really pumped. I am really happy as a captain, not sure if he is (smiles, on not having to bowl Lyon in the entire game). We have had some 15 players used in this series, some tough calls. Certainly feels like we are on to something big."

In the latest WTC points table, Australia are now in the second position -- behind Sri Lanka -- whereas England have slipped to the bottom.

Pat Cummins-led Australia thrashed England by 146 runs in the fifth and final Ashes Test to claim the series 4-0. The Joe Root-led England's disastrous run in the Ashes 2021/22 edition finally ended, as the Three Lions remain winless Down Under since 2010-11.

Pat Cummins-led Australia thrashed England by 146 runs in the fifth and final Ashes Test to claim the series 4-0. The Joe Root-led England's disastrous run in the Ashes 2021/22 edition finally ended, as the Three Lions remain winless Down Under since 2010-11. With the series done and dusted, Cummins & Co. will look to carry on the momentum and go the distance in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship second cycle. On the other hand, Root-led England have plenty to ponder upon and need to revamp at the earliest in the red-ball format. After the series ended, Aussie players such as Alex Carey, Player-of-the-Series Travis Head and Nathan Lyon were joined by England captain Root and experienced pacer James Anderson for some drinks. However, as the celebrations got 'too loud', the cricketers were reportedly thrown out of the Hobart brewery. The players' celebrations were interrupted by the police, who had to intervene and ordered the cricketers to leave the brewery. In a viral video, the four police officers identified the cricketers and could be heard saying, "Too loud. You have obviously been asked to pack up, so we’ve been asked to come. Time for bed. Thank you." However, no arrests were made. ALSO READ | 'There comes a stage where you can't...': Afridi opines on Virat Kohli's decision to quit Test captaincy Surely the Aust cricket team can have a beer? Whats with the police all of a sudden, in all states pic.twitter.com/4ITdJX3K0K — Ben Roads 🇦🇺 (@ben_roads) January 18, 2022 × ALSO READ | 'Stuff of dreams': Pat Cummins on leading Australia to 4-0 win against England in Ashes 2021-22 After England's shambolic performance, Captain Root said at the post-match presentation, "It's been a frustrating tour, tough tour for us. We have to keep learning to get better. Not go away from here and keep making the same mistakes. Not long before we play Test cricket again and an opportunity to turn things around. It's pretty obvious we need to be putting more runs on the board. Too often we have not given our bowlers enough. We have been outplayed by Australia. Sometimes you have to put your hand up and say a team outplayed us." On the other hand, Cummins stated, "Really is (stuff of dreams). Pretty crazy. To be at the end of a 5-match series with so many positives and 4-0, yeah really pumped. I am really happy as a captain, not sure if he is (smiles, on not having to bowl Lyon in the entire game). We have had some 15 players used in this series, some tough calls. Certainly feels like we are on to something big." In the latest WTC points table, Australia are now in the second position -- behind Sri Lanka -- whereas England have slipped to the bottom.

WATCH: Police intervene as Australia get 'too loud' during celebrations after thumping Ashes win

The IPL 2022 mega auction is less than a month away. During the recently-held IPL General Council Meeting, the BCCI finalised the auction date, i.e. February 12 and 13, as the showpiece event took place in Bengaluru. All eyes will be on the non-retained players, which comprises several marquee players such as KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, David Warner, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, Ishan Kishan, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan and the likes. Six of them will be picked by the two new IPL franchises -- Lucknow and Ahmedabad -- who have the luxury to choose three players each before the auction proceedings.&nbsp;

The IPL auction has always hogged the limelight, since 2008, as franchises shed a huge chunk of money on players from various countries or of different age bracket. Over the years, many rising talents or established names have earned big during the IPL auctions. Before the IPL 2022 auction kicks off in Bengaluru, here's a look at the most expensive players in each auction:&nbsp;

The list includes some marquee players such as MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Dinesh Karthik, Glenn Maxwell, Chris Morris and some underrated names -- Jaydev Unadkat, Varun Chakravarthy.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ben-stokes-pat-cummins-and-other-top-england-australia-players-in-doubt-over-entering-ipl-mega-auction-445477">Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins and other top England, Australia players in doubt over entering IPL mega auction</a>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>&nbsp; Year</td>
			<td>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Players &amp; Teams</td>
			<td>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Price&nbsp;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2008</td>
			<td>MS Dhoni (CSK)</td>
			<td>INR 9.5 crore (95 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2009</td>
			<td>Kevin Pietersen (RCB), Andrew Flintoff (CSK)</td>
			<td>INR 9.8 crore (98 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2010</td>
			<td>Shane Bond (KKR), Kieron Pollard (MI)</td>
			<td>INR 4.2 crore (42 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2011</td>
			<td>Gautam Gambhir (KKR)</td>
			<td>INR 14.9 crore (149 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2012</td>
			<td>Ravindra Jadeja (CSK)</td>
			<td>INR 12.8 crore (128 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2013</td>
			<td>Glenn Maxwell (MI)</td>
			<td>INR 6.3 crore (63 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2014</td>
			<td>Yuvraj Singh (RCB)</td>
			<td>INR 12.5 crore (125 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2015</td>
			<td>Yuvraj Singh (DC)</td>
			<td>INR 16 crore (160 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2016</td>
			<td>Shane Watson (RCB)</td>
			<td>INR 9.5 crore (95 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2017</td>
			<td>Ben Stokes (RPS)</td>
			<td>INR 14.5 crore (145 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2018</td>
			<td>Ben Stokes (RR)</td>
			<td>INR 12.5 crore (125 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2019</td>
			<td>Jaydev Unadkat (RR), Varun Chakravarthy (KKR)</td>
			<td>INR 8.4 crore (84 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2020</td>
			<td>Pat Cummins (KKR)</td>
			<td>INR 15.5 crore (155 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2021</td>
			<td>Chris Morris (RR)</td>
			<td>INR 16.25 crore (162.5 million)</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2022-which-side-be-the-richest-revealing-purse-of-8-existing-teams-before-mega-auction-433317#punjab-kings---inr-720-million-433214">IPL 2022: Which side be the richest? Revealing purse of 8 existing teams before mega auction</a>

Talking about the IPL 2022 edition, the BCCI will once again be under the scanner for hosting the 15th edition smoothly, with the Covid-19 pandemic still not over. As of now, no final decision has been taken regarding the venues for the upcoming season. The Sourav Ganguly-led board will finalise the venues and share the full schedule after monitoring the Covid-19 situation nationwide. If hosting the cash-rich league in India becomes out of the picture, BCCI will look to take the IPL in Sri Lanka, South Africa or the UAE (as per reports).

The IPL 2022 mega auction is less than a month away. During the recently-held IPL General Council Meeting, the BCCI finalised the auction date, i.e. February 12 and 13, as the showpiece event took place in Bengaluru.

The IPL 2022 mega auction is less than a month away. During the recently-held IPL General Council Meeting, the BCCI finalised the auction date, i.e. February 12 and 13, as the showpiece event took place in Bengaluru. All eyes will be on the non-retained players, which comprises several marquee players such as KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, David Warner, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, Ishan Kishan, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan and the likes. Six of them will be picked by the two new IPL franchises -- Lucknow and Ahmedabad -- who have the luxury to choose three players each before the auction proceedings. The IPL auction has always hogged the limelight, since 2008, as franchises shed a huge chunk of money on players from various countries or of different age bracket. Over the years, many rising talents or established names have earned big during the IPL auctions. Before the IPL 2022 auction kicks off in Bengaluru, here's a look at the most expensive players in each auction: The list includes some marquee players such as MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Dinesh Karthik, Glenn Maxwell, Chris Morris and some underrated names -- Jaydev Unadkat, Varun Chakravarthy. ALSO READ | Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins and other top England, Australia players in doubt over entering IPL mega auction Year Players & Teams Price 2008 MS Dhoni (CSK) INR 9.5 crore (95 million) 2009 Kevin Pietersen (RCB), Andrew Flintoff (CSK) INR 9.8 crore (98 million) 2010 Shane Bond (KKR), Kieron Pollard (MI) INR 4.2 crore (42 million) 2011 Gautam Gambhir (KKR) INR 14.9 crore (149 million) 2012 Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) INR 12.8 crore (128 million) 2013 Glenn Maxwell (MI) INR 6.3 crore (63 million) 2014 Yuvraj Singh (RCB) INR 12.5 crore (125 million) 2015 Yuvraj Singh (DC) INR 16 crore (160 million) 2016 Shane Watson (RCB) INR 9.5 crore (95 million) 2017 Ben Stokes (RPS) INR 14.5 crore (145 million) 2018 Ben Stokes (RR) INR 12.5 crore (125 million) 2019 Jaydev Unadkat (RR), Varun Chakravarthy (KKR) INR 8.4 crore (84 million) 2020 Pat Cummins (KKR) INR 15.5 crore (155 million) 2021 Chris Morris (RR) INR 16.25 crore (162.5 million) ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Which side be the richest? Revealing purse of 8 existing teams before mega auction Talking about the IPL 2022 edition, the BCCI will once again be under the scanner for hosting the 15th edition smoothly, with the Covid-19 pandemic still not over. As of now, no final decision has been taken regarding the venues for the upcoming season. The Sourav Ganguly-led board will finalise the venues and share the full schedule after monitoring the Covid-19 situation nationwide. If hosting the cash-rich league in India becomes out of the picture, BCCI will look to take the IPL in Sri Lanka, South Africa or the UAE (as per reports).

From MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Ben Stokes to Chris Morris: Most expensive players in IPL auction

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction has begun ahead of the 2022 edition of the tournament. IPL 2022 mega auction is all set to be conducted in Bengaluru next month with a number of top players in line to go under the hammer. However, there are doubts over the participation of some of the top Australian and English players in the mega auction this time around.

As per a report in Cricbuzz, a number of top England and Australia players, including the likes of Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Joe Root are weighing in their options whether to give their names in the auction pool or not due to bio-bubble fatigue. Root has already confirmed he will not be a part of the IPL mega auction.

As per the report, Stokes' participation is also in doubt after the all-rounder was released by Rajasthan Royals on retention day. The Australian players are worried about a packed schedule ahead in the run-up to the IPL which would mean staying in the bio-bubble environment for months.

Australia recently defeated England 4-0 in the Ashes 2021-22 and are set to host trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in a limited-overs series from January 30 which will be followed by a T20I series against Sri Lanka at home. Australia are scheduled to tour Pakistan in February for three Tests, as many ODIs and one T20I which will be followed by IPL 2022 in April.

Starc had recently hinted at taking part in the upcoming IPL mega auction but as per Cricbuzz, his participation is now in doubt.&nbsp;"I've got two days to get my paperwork in, so that might be something to do today before training. I've not put my name down just yet, but I've got a couple more days to decide on that. It's certainly on the table regardless of what the schedule has got coming up," the Australian pacer had said after the conclusion of Ashes 2021-22.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shreyas-iyer-to-replace-virat-kohli-as-rcb-captain-three-ipl-teams-eye-ex-dc-skipper-at-mega-auction-445384">Shreyas Iyer to replace Virat Kohli as RCB captain? Three IPL teams eye ex-DC skipper at mega auction</a>

Cummins, who was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad in IPL 2021, had pulled out of the second phase of the league due to personal reasons and might consider not entering the mega auction this year. The BCCI has extended the deadline for player enrolment in mega auction till January 20.

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The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction has begun ahead of the 2022 edition of the tournament. IPL 2022 mega auction is all set to be conducted in Bengaluru next month with a number of top players in line to go under the hammer.

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction has begun ahead of the 2022 edition of the tournament. IPL 2022 mega auction is all set to be conducted in Bengaluru next month with a number of top players in line to go under the hammer. However, there are doubts over the participation of some of the top Australian and English players in the mega auction this time around. As per a report in Cricbuzz, a number of top England and Australia players, including the likes of Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Joe Root are weighing in their options whether to give their names in the auction pool or not due to bio-bubble fatigue. Root has already confirmed he will not be a part of the IPL mega auction. As per the report, Stokes' participation is also in doubt after the all-rounder was released by Rajasthan Royals on retention day. The Australian players are worried about a packed schedule ahead in the run-up to the IPL which would mean staying in the bio-bubble environment for months. Australia recently defeated England 4-0 in the Ashes 2021-22 and are set to host trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in a limited-overs series from January 30 which will be followed by a T20I series against Sri Lanka at home. Australia are scheduled to tour Pakistan in February for three Tests, as many ODIs and one T20I which will be followed by IPL 2022 in April. Starc had recently hinted at taking part in the upcoming IPL mega auction but as per Cricbuzz, his participation is now in doubt. "I've got two days to get my paperwork in, so that might be something to do today before training. I've not put my name down just yet, but I've got a couple more days to decide on that. It's certainly on the table regardless of what the schedule has got coming up," the Australian pacer had said after the conclusion of Ashes 2021-22. Also Read: Shreyas Iyer to replace Virat Kohli as RCB captain? Three IPL teams eye ex-DC skipper at mega auction Cummins, who was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad in IPL 2021, had pulled out of the second phase of the league due to personal reasons and might consider not entering the mega auction this year. The BCCI has extended the deadline for player enrolment in mega auction till January 20.

Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins and other top England, Australia players in doubt over entering IPL mega auction

After winning the Ashes 4-0, Australia skipper Pat Cummins on Sunday said that to win the series so comprehensively is really a "stuff of dreams".

Cameron Green and Scott Boland took three wickets each in the second innings as Australia defeated England by 146 runs in the fifth Ashes Test here at the Blundstone Arena on Sunday.

"It really is the stuff of dreams. Pretty crazy. To be at the end of a 5-match series with so many positives and 4-0, yeah really pumped. I am really happy as a captain. We have had some 15 players used in this series, some tough calls. Certainly feels like we are on to something big," said Cummins after the fifth Ashes Test concluded."

Read Also |<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/australia-thrash-england-by-146-runs-in-5th-test-clinch-ashes-4-0-445200">&nbsp;Australia thrash England by 146 runs in 5th Test, clinch Ashes 4-0</a>

Cam Green with bat and ball has been outstanding. Scotty Boland was fantastic. And hope the old pros continue their good work. I am super excited about overseas Test cricket. One thing in the pandemic we haven`t done is not to play too much Test cricket," he added.

Further talking about the win, Cummins said: "So looking forward to adapting. Special thanks to ECB and Cricket Australia for putting this together in these times. Thanks for your (support) despite these tough times. We had an absolute ball."

With this win, Australia won the five-match Ashes 4-0. Australian skipper Pat Cummins also took three wickets in the second innings as the hosts completed a perfect bowling performance. Resuming the third and final session on Day 3 at 68/1, England batters Dawid Malan and Zak Crawley added 14 more runs to the total, but Australia came storming back as Cameron Green dismissed Malan (10) and Crawley (36) in quick succession, reducing England to 83/3 in the 23rd over.

Read Also |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/he-wants-to-make-himself-unsackable-manjrekar-on-kohlis-shocking-decision-to-resign-as-test-captain-445199">'He wants to make himself unsackable': Manjrekar on Kohli's shocking decision to resign as Test captain</a>

Left-handed batter Ben Stokes (5) failed to leave a mark with the bat as he was scalped by Mitchell Starc in the 28th over. Nine runs later, Scott Boland went through Root`s (11) defence, and England found itself reeling at 101/5, still, 170 runs away from the target.

Boland struck once again and this time he sent Sam Billings (1) back to the pavilion and hence England was in danger of losing the fifth Ashes Test inside three days. In the very next over, Ollie Pope (5) was bowled by skipper Pat Cummins and the wheels started to come off for England.

In the end, the Three Lions were bowled out for 124, handing Australia a 146-run win in the fifth and final Ashes Test.

After winning the Ashes 4-0, Australia skipper Pat Cummins on Sunday said that to win the series so comprehensively is really a "stuff of dreams". Cameron Green and Scott Boland took three wickets each in the second innings as Australia defeated England by 146 runs in the fifth Ashes Test here at the Blundstone Arena on Sunday.

After winning the Ashes 4-0, Australia skipper Pat Cummins on Sunday said that to win the series so comprehensively is really a "stuff of dreams". Cameron Green and Scott Boland took three wickets each in the second innings as Australia defeated England by 146 runs in the fifth Ashes Test here at the Blundstone Arena on Sunday. "It really is the stuff of dreams. Pretty crazy. To be at the end of a 5-match series with so many positives and 4-0, yeah really pumped. I am really happy as a captain. We have had some 15 players used in this series, some tough calls. Certainly feels like we are on to something big," said Cummins after the fifth Ashes Test concluded." Read Also | Australia thrash England by 146 runs in 5th Test, clinch Ashes 4-0 Cam Green with bat and ball has been outstanding. Scotty Boland was fantastic. And hope the old pros continue their good work. I am super excited about overseas Test cricket. One thing in the pandemic we haven`t done is not to play too much Test cricket," he added. Further talking about the win, Cummins said: "So looking forward to adapting. Special thanks to ECB and Cricket Australia for putting this together in these times. Thanks for your (support) despite these tough times. We had an absolute ball." With this win, Australia won the five-match Ashes 4-0. Australian skipper Pat Cummins also took three wickets in the second innings as the hosts completed a perfect bowling performance. Resuming the third and final session on Day 3 at 68/1, England batters Dawid Malan and Zak Crawley added 14 more runs to the total, but Australia came storming back as Cameron Green dismissed Malan (10) and Crawley (36) in quick succession, reducing England to 83/3 in the 23rd over. Read Also | 'He wants to make himself unsackable': Manjrekar on Kohli's shocking decision to resign as Test captain Left-handed batter Ben Stokes (5) failed to leave a mark with the bat as he was scalped by Mitchell Starc in the 28th over. Nine runs later, Scott Boland went through Root`s (11) defence, and England found itself reeling at 101/5, still, 170 runs away from the target. Boland struck once again and this time he sent Sam Billings (1) back to the pavilion and hence England was in danger of losing the fifth Ashes Test inside three days. In the very next over, Ollie Pope (5) was bowled by skipper Pat Cummins and the wheels started to come off for England. In the end, the Three Lions were bowled out for 124, handing Australia a 146-run win in the fifth and final Ashes Test.

'Stuff of dreams': Pat Cummins on leading Australia to 4-0 win against England in Ashes 2021-22

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