Olympic size swimming pool, dressing room with gyms, 11 centre pitches: Complete guide to world's largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad

There were some new faces in the Indian squad&nbsp;for the five-match T20I series against England, starting from March 12 in Ahmedabad. Suryakumar Yadav, who has been piling runs in the domestic circuit and IPL, was one of&nbsp;the names who got his maiden Team India call-up for the series. After earning his Team India call-up, Suryakumar Yadav has said that he can’t wait to&nbsp;learn from Indian skipper Virat Kohli and other players from the team.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Suryakumar has been scoring runs for fun in the domestic arena and had amassed 480 runs for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2020. While fans were left disappointed to not see his name for&nbsp;the Australian tour, the Indian selectors rewarded him&nbsp;with a call-up for the England series.&nbsp;

"I have already started thinking about how I am going to spend time with all the greats over there,” Suryakumar&nbsp;told Sports Today.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/graeme-swann-names-key-player-for-england-in-the-pink-ball-test-365265" hreflang="en">Graeme Swann names key player for England in the pink-ball Test</a>

"I will get to learn so much from our captain Virat Kohli and then there is Rohit Sharma, everyone, A-Z all the players. I am really looking forward to spend quality time, grasp as much as I can," Suryakumar&nbsp;added.&nbsp;

SKY is one of the three maiden call-up earners in the Indian squad along with Mumbai Indians team-mate and Haryana all-rounder Rahul&nbsp;Tewatia.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"There were a few instances during the IPL where I used to dream about winning games for India and I think the opportunity for me has come at the right time. It's on me how I take it and how I make full use of it.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/focus-on-cricket-not-on-pitch-rohit-sharmas-message-to-experts-365259" hreflang="en">Focus on cricket, not on pitch: Rohit Sharma's message to experts</a>

"Not thinking about too much, I would say, I would go one step at a time, take one game at a time. I have a few&nbsp;plan. Obviously, I would love to go ahead and explore in this series," Surya said.&nbsp;

All five matches of the T20I series against England in Ahmedabad will be hosted by world’s largest stadium – Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

There were some new faces in the Indian squad for the five-match T20I series against England, starting from March 12 in Ahmedabad. Suryakumar Yadav, who has been piling runs in the domestic circuit and IPL, was one of the names who got his maiden Team India call-up for the series.

There were some new faces in the Indian squad for the five-match T20I series against England, starting from March 12 in Ahmedabad. Suryakumar Yadav, who has been piling runs in the domestic circuit and IPL, was one of the names who got his maiden Team India call-up for the series. After earning his Team India call-up, Suryakumar Yadav has said that he can’t wait to learn from Indian skipper Virat Kohli and other players from the team. Suryakumar has been scoring runs for fun in the domestic arena and had amassed 480 runs for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2020. While fans were left disappointed to not see his name for the Australian tour, the Indian selectors rewarded him with a call-up for the England series. "I have already started thinking about how I am going to spend time with all the greats over there,” Suryakumar told Sports Today. ALSO READ: Graeme Swann names key player for England in the pink-ball Test "I will get to learn so much from our captain Virat Kohli and then there is Rohit Sharma, everyone, A-Z all the players. I am really looking forward to spend quality time, grasp as much as I can," Suryakumar added. SKY is one of the three maiden call-up earners in the Indian squad along with Mumbai Indians team-mate and Haryana all-rounder Rahul Tewatia. "There were a few instances during the IPL where I used to dream about winning games for India and I think the opportunity for me has come at the right time. It's on me how I take it and how I make full use of it. ALSO READ: Focus on cricket, not on pitch: Rohit Sharma's message to experts "Not thinking about too much, I would say, I would go one step at a time, take one game at a time. I have a few plan. Obviously, I would love to go ahead and explore in this series," Surya said. All five matches of the T20I series against England in Ahmedabad will be hosted by world’s largest stadium – Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad.

'Will get to learn from Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma': Suryakumar Yadav on maiden India call-up

Jurgen Klopp slammed Liverpool's sloppy defending after Everton won at Anfield for the first time since 1999 with a 2-0 victory in Saturday's Merseyside derby.

Klopp's side were punished for mistakes at the back by Ozan Kabak and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Kabak was caught out by Richarlison for Everton's third minute opener and Alexander-Arnold conceded the 83rd minute penalty converted by Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Liverpool have lost four successive leagues games at Anfield for the first time since 1923 and Reds boss Klopp had no excuses for the troubled champions' latest flop.

"It is (tough to take) but we conceded this early goal which was completely unnecessary and have to defend it better," he said.

Klopp was also frustrated by Liverpool's failure to take the chances that came their way in a typically frantic derby.

"We had to chase the game and did it well creative wise, we created some in the first half and even more in the second half but we did not finish our situations off," he said.

"We made one mistake in the first half and they used it, I don't like to talk today about the good stuff because we lose the game and we feel that deeply, I have to use it tomorrow and it is our lifeline to keep going.&nbsp;

"We have to improve on the finishing stuff and then we will win football games."

Liverpool have now lost four in a row in the league and sit three points adrift of the top four after a first defeat against Everton since 2010.

Missing out on Champions League qualification would be an incredible fall from grace after they won the title for the first time in 30 years last term.

"Decisive margins, to score a goal you have to create a situation and finish it off," Klopp said.&nbsp;

"There is no alternative but to keep going. You concede which is not cool, lose Jordan Henderson which is not cool and I feel the boys dealt with it quite well, could they deal with it better? Maybe. We will keep going.

"We stand here having lost 2-0. I know how important it is. We feel it deep inside. But from tomorrow on I have to use all the good stuff.&nbsp;

"These good situations are the guarantee that we can change it but the decisive moments we have to change as well."

The potentially long-term injury to Henderson is the latest fitness blow for Klopp, who is already without Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Fabinho.

"It's in the region of his groin and abductor. It's not good. It's how it is. The rest we will know tomorrow," Klopp said.

Jurgen Klopp slammed Liverpool's sloppy defending after Everton won at Anfield for the first time since 1999 with a 2-0 victory in Saturday's Merseyside derby. Klopp's side were punished for mistakes at the back by Ozan Kabak and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Jurgen Klopp slammed Liverpool's sloppy defending after Everton won at Anfield for the first time since 1999 with a 2-0 victory in Saturday's Merseyside derby. Klopp's side were punished for mistakes at the back by Ozan Kabak and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Kabak was caught out by Richarlison for Everton's third minute opener and Alexander-Arnold conceded the 83rd minute penalty converted by Gylfi Sigurdsson. Liverpool have lost four successive leagues games at Anfield for the first time since 1923 and Reds boss Klopp had no excuses for the troubled champions' latest flop. "It is (tough to take) but we conceded this early goal which was completely unnecessary and have to defend it better," he said. Klopp was also frustrated by Liverpool's failure to take the chances that came their way in a typically frantic derby. "We had to chase the game and did it well creative wise, we created some in the first half and even more in the second half but we did not finish our situations off," he said. "We made one mistake in the first half and they used it, I don't like to talk today about the good stuff because we lose the game and we feel that deeply, I have to use it tomorrow and it is our lifeline to keep going. "We have to improve on the finishing stuff and then we will win football games." Liverpool have now lost four in a row in the league and sit three points adrift of the top four after a first defeat against Everton since 2010. Missing out on Champions League qualification would be an incredible fall from grace after they won the title for the first time in 30 years last term. "Decisive margins, to score a goal you have to create a situation and finish it off," Klopp said. "There is no alternative but to keep going. You concede which is not cool, lose Jordan Henderson which is not cool and I feel the boys dealt with it quite well, could they deal with it better? Maybe. We will keep going. "We stand here having lost 2-0. I know how important it is. We feel it deep inside. But from tomorrow on I have to use all the good stuff. "These good situations are the guarantee that we can change it but the decisive moments we have to change as well." The potentially long-term injury to Henderson is the latest fitness blow for Klopp, who is already without Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Fabinho. "It's in the region of his groin and abductor. It's not good. It's how it is. The rest we will know tomorrow," Klopp said.

Klopp blasts sloppy Liverpool as Everton party like its 1999

Real Madrid are back within touching distance of the top of La Liga after they punished another Atletico Madrid slip against Levante on Saturday by beating Real Valladolid 1-0.

Atletico had the chance to stretch their lead to 11 points this week by winning back-to-back games against Levante but instead they followed a 1-1 draw on Wednesday with a surprise 2-0 loss, meaning a five-point advantage became only six.

Real Madrid cranked up the pressure again by edging to a win over struggling Real Valladolid, Casemiro's second-half header cutting the gap to just three points, albeit with Atletico still owning a game in hand.

The swing in momentum comes at a bad time for Atletico, who face Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday, and it feels significant given it has coincided with a resurgence, in La Liga at least, for their chasing rivals.

Real Madrid's victory at the Jose Zorilla Stadium was their fourth in a row, three of those coming with clean sheets, which suggests a return to form for a defence that all but clinched them the title last season.

Zinedine Zidane's side have done it without several key players too. Karim Benzema is the latest absentee through injury, joining the likes of Eden Hazard, Sergio Ramos and Dani Carvajal on the sidelines.

It meant a rare start for Mariano Diaz up front against Valladolid, while Isco was the only senior player named by Zidane on the bench.

Barcelona, meanwhile, play at home to Cadiz on Sunday when Ronald Koeman's side will be hoping to ease the pain of the Champions League thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain in midweek with an eighth consecutive win in La Liga. Victory would put them six points behind Atletico.

<h2>- Atletico undone by Levante -</h2>

Atleti's defeat was only their second in the league this season and their first at the Wanda Metropolitano in any competition since Barca beat them there in December 2019.

They have now gone seven league games without a clean sheet, their longest run since Simeone became coach in 2011, and their hopes of tightening up will not be helped by an injury to Jose Gimenez, who hobbled off and may not be fit to face Chelsea.

"League campaigns are always the same, with big moments, difficulties, obstacles, for everyone, not only for Atletico Madrid," Simeone said. "The teams that are strong in those moments are the ones that will achieve their objectives."

Due to rearranged fixtures, they were facing Levante for the second time in four days and Levante proved their draw in midweek was no fluke, even if they had to survive 28 Atletico shots before the final whistle blew.

Luis Suarez went closest to finding an equaliser, his bending free-kick in the second half coming back off the post. Suarez has now gone three league games without scoring for the first time this season.

Jose Luis Morales had already put Levante in front with a deflected finish off Felipe and while Atletico huffed and puffed, they were unable to find a way past Levante's inspired goalkeeper Dani Cardenas.

Cardenas made 10 saves, the most from any La Liga keeper without conceding this term.

Atletico's goalkeeper Jan Oblak then went up for a corner in injury-time, leaving Jorge de Frutos to make it two from the halfway line by launching into an open net.

"In the first half we were flat," said Simeone. "In the second we created a lot of chances, Suarez hit the post -- there was a lot of positives to take."

For an hour, it looked like Real Madrid might suffer similar frustration against a determined Valladolid, who would have led had it not been for a string of excellent saves by Thibaut Courtois.&nbsp;

Courtois had to pull off a double stop to deny Fabian Orellana and Saidy Janko in the first half and then in the second blocked Orellana, who had been bizarrely set up by Ferland Mendy launching a ball across his own penalty area.

The Belgian kept Madrid in it and then Casemiro put them in front. Casemiro had been allowed two free headers already by Valladolid's defence and he pounced at the third opportunity, nodding in Toni Kroos' free-kick to give Real Madrid hope.

Real Madrid are back within touching distance of the top of La Liga after they punished another Atletico Madrid slip against Levante on Saturday by beating Real Valladolid 1-0.

Real Madrid are back within touching distance of the top of La Liga after they punished another Atletico Madrid slip against Levante on Saturday by beating Real Valladolid 1-0. Atletico had the chance to stretch their lead to 11 points this week by winning back-to-back games against Levante but instead they followed a 1-1 draw on Wednesday with a surprise 2-0 loss, meaning a five-point advantage became only six. Real Madrid cranked up the pressure again by edging to a win over struggling Real Valladolid, Casemiro's second-half header cutting the gap to just three points, albeit with Atletico still owning a game in hand. The swing in momentum comes at a bad time for Atletico, who face Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday, and it feels significant given it has coincided with a resurgence, in La Liga at least, for their chasing rivals. Real Madrid's victory at the Jose Zorilla Stadium was their fourth in a row, three of those coming with clean sheets, which suggests a return to form for a defence that all but clinched them the title last season. Zinedine Zidane's side have done it without several key players too. Karim Benzema is the latest absentee through injury, joining the likes of Eden Hazard, Sergio Ramos and Dani Carvajal on the sidelines. It meant a rare start for Mariano Diaz up front against Valladolid, while Isco was the only senior player named by Zidane on the bench. Barcelona, meanwhile, play at home to Cadiz on Sunday when Ronald Koeman's side will be hoping to ease the pain of the Champions League thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain in midweek with an eighth consecutive win in La Liga. Victory would put them six points behind Atletico. - Atletico undone by Levante - Atleti's defeat was only their second in the league this season and their first at the Wanda Metropolitano in any competition since Barca beat them there in December 2019. They have now gone seven league games without a clean sheet, their longest run since Simeone became coach in 2011, and their hopes of tightening up will not be helped by an injury to Jose Gimenez, who hobbled off and may not be fit to face Chelsea. "League campaigns are always the same, with big moments, difficulties, obstacles, for everyone, not only for Atletico Madrid," Simeone said. "The teams that are strong in those moments are the ones that will achieve their objectives." Due to rearranged fixtures, they were facing Levante for the second time in four days and Levante proved their draw in midweek was no fluke, even if they had to survive 28 Atletico shots before the final whistle blew. Luis Suarez went closest to finding an equaliser, his bending free-kick in the second half coming back off the post. Suarez has now gone three league games without scoring for the first time this season. Jose Luis Morales had already put Levante in front with a deflected finish off Felipe and while Atletico huffed and puffed, they were unable to find a way past Levante's inspired goalkeeper Dani Cardenas. Cardenas made 10 saves, the most from any La Liga keeper without conceding this term. Atletico's goalkeeper Jan Oblak then went up for a corner in injury-time, leaving Jorge de Frutos to make it two from the halfway line by launching into an open net. "In the first half we were flat," said Simeone. "In the second we created a lot of chances, Suarez hit the post -- there was a lot of positives to take." For an hour, it looked like Real Madrid might suffer similar frustration against a determined Valladolid, who would have led had it not been for a string of excellent saves by Thibaut Courtois. Courtois had to pull off a double stop to deny Fabian Orellana and Saidy Janko in the first half and then in the second blocked Orellana, who had been bizarrely set up by Ferland Mendy launching a ball across his own penalty area. The Belgian kept Madrid in it and then Casemiro put them in front. Casemiro had been allowed two free headers already by Valladolid's defence and he pounced at the third opportunity, nodding in Toni Kroos' free-kick to give Real Madrid hope.

Real Madrid close on top spot after Atletico stumble again

Everton earned their first win at Liverpool since 1999 as the troubled Premier League champions crashed to a 2-0 defeat in the Merseyside derby, while Chelsea's revival under Thomas Tuchel stalled in a 1-1 draw against Southampton on Saturday.

Richarlison's early opener and Gylfi Sigurdsson's late penalty gave the Toffees a first win on any ground over Liverpool in 24 attempts dating back to 2010.

After a run of 68 league games unbeaten at Anfield, injury-ravaged Liverpool have lost their last four on home turf for the first time since 1923.

"I'm very pleased for the club and the supporters. I hope for sure that they are going to celebrate tonight," said Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti.

Liverpool have won just two of their last 11 league games to leave them in grave danger of missing out on Champions League football for the first time since Jurgen Klopp's first season in charge five years ago.

The Reds are languishing in sixth place and would be five points adrift of the top four if West Ham beat Tottenham on Sunday.

"The first goal which we have to defend better gave the direction of the game. It was unnecessary," said Klopp. "We had to chase the game and were not calm enough."

The sting from defeat in the 238th Merseyside derby will linger even longer given it was a bad tackle from Everton keeper Jordan Pickford in their meeting earlier this season that left Virgil van Dijk sidelined ever since with a serious knee injury.

Without the influential Dutch centre-back, Liverpool have endured a wretched time and their defensive flaws were exposed by Everton after just 145 seconds.

A weak headed Ozan Kabak clearance fell to James Rodriguez, who slipped in a pass behind the on-loan Schalke centre-back and Richarlison ran on to fire an angled drive past Alisson Becker.

Liverpool then suffered the latest in a series of injury blows when captain Jordan Henderson limped off with a groin problem.

The hosts applied all the pressure in the second half but they were hit with a sucker punch seven minutes from time when Dominic Calvert-Lewin was brought down by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Sigurdsson stroked home the penalty to take Everton level on points with their local rivals and with a game in hand to come.

<h2>- Hudson-Odoi targeted by Tuchel -</h2>

Chelsea remain in fourth for now as Tuchel is unbeaten in seven games since replacing the sacked Frank Lampard last month.

But the German endured some of the same frustrations that Lampard suffered earlier in the season as the Blues' domination of the ball created little, while one slack moment defensively cost them two points.

On-loan Liverpool midfielder Takumi Minamino did his parent club a favour by opening the scoring with a cool finish after sitting down Edouard Mendy and Cesar Azpilicueta on 33 minutes.

Tuchel sent on Callum Hudson-Odoi for the second half but was less than impressed with the England international as he was replaced just 21 minutes later by Hakim Ziyech.

By that point the visitors were level as Mason Mount converted from the penalty spot after he had been chopped down by Danny Ings.&nbsp;

"We brought in Callum Hudson-Odoi but I was not happy with his attitude, energy and counter-pressing. I took him off and we demand 100 percent," Tuchel said.

"I feel he is not in the right shape to help us. I was not happy with his body language."

After losing six consecutive league matches for the first time in their history, even a scrappy point was a welcome boost for Southampton.

At the bottom, Fulham closed to within three points of survival thanks to Ademola Lookman's strike to beat bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United 1-0.

West Brom's chances of beating the drop are diminishing after a 0-0 draw at Burnley left them still 11 points from safety.

Despite Semi Ajayi's 30th-minute red card for deliberate handball, the Baggies had the better chances at Turf Moor but have won just once in 13 games under Sam Allardyce.

Everton earned their first win at Liverpool since 1999 as the troubled Premier League champions crashed to a 2-0 defeat in the Merseyside derby, while Chelsea's revival under Thomas Tuchel stalled in a 1-1 draw against Southampton on Saturday.

Everton earned their first win at Liverpool since 1999 as the troubled Premier League champions crashed to a 2-0 defeat in the Merseyside derby, while Chelsea's revival under Thomas Tuchel stalled in a 1-1 draw against Southampton on Saturday. Richarlison's early opener and Gylfi Sigurdsson's late penalty gave the Toffees a first win on any ground over Liverpool in 24 attempts dating back to 2010. After a run of 68 league games unbeaten at Anfield, injury-ravaged Liverpool have lost their last four on home turf for the first time since 1923. "I'm very pleased for the club and the supporters. I hope for sure that they are going to celebrate tonight," said Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti. Liverpool have won just two of their last 11 league games to leave them in grave danger of missing out on Champions League football for the first time since Jurgen Klopp's first season in charge five years ago. The Reds are languishing in sixth place and would be five points adrift of the top four if West Ham beat Tottenham on Sunday. "The first goal which we have to defend better gave the direction of the game. It was unnecessary," said Klopp. "We had to chase the game and were not calm enough." The sting from defeat in the 238th Merseyside derby will linger even longer given it was a bad tackle from Everton keeper Jordan Pickford in their meeting earlier this season that left Virgil van Dijk sidelined ever since with a serious knee injury. Without the influential Dutch centre-back, Liverpool have endured a wretched time and their defensive flaws were exposed by Everton after just 145 seconds. A weak headed Ozan Kabak clearance fell to James Rodriguez, who slipped in a pass behind the on-loan Schalke centre-back and Richarlison ran on to fire an angled drive past Alisson Becker. Liverpool then suffered the latest in a series of injury blows when captain Jordan Henderson limped off with a groin problem. The hosts applied all the pressure in the second half but they were hit with a sucker punch seven minutes from time when Dominic Calvert-Lewin was brought down by Trent Alexander-Arnold. Sigurdsson stroked home the penalty to take Everton level on points with their local rivals and with a game in hand to come. - Hudson-Odoi targeted by Tuchel - Chelsea remain in fourth for now as Tuchel is unbeaten in seven games since replacing the sacked Frank Lampard last month. But the German endured some of the same frustrations that Lampard suffered earlier in the season as the Blues' domination of the ball created little, while one slack moment defensively cost them two points. On-loan Liverpool midfielder Takumi Minamino did his parent club a favour by opening the scoring with a cool finish after sitting down Edouard Mendy and Cesar Azpilicueta on 33 minutes. Tuchel sent on Callum Hudson-Odoi for the second half but was less than impressed with the England international as he was replaced just 21 minutes later by Hakim Ziyech. By that point the visitors were level as Mason Mount converted from the penalty spot after he had been chopped down by Danny Ings. "We brought in Callum Hudson-Odoi but I was not happy with his attitude, energy and counter-pressing. I took him off and we demand 100 percent," Tuchel said. "I feel he is not in the right shape to help us. I was not happy with his body language." After losing six consecutive league matches for the first time in their history, even a scrappy point was a welcome boost for Southampton. At the bottom, Fulham closed to within three points of survival thanks to Ademola Lookman's strike to beat bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United 1-0. West Brom's chances of beating the drop are diminishing after a 0-0 draw at Burnley left them still 11 points from safety. Despite Semi Ajayi's 30th-minute red card for deliberate handball, the Baggies had the better chances at Turf Moor but have won just once in 13 games under Sam Allardyce.

Everton savour first win at Liverpool since 1999, Chelsea held

New Zealand and Australia go into a five-match Twenty20 series in Christchurch on Monday with one eye on winning the series and one on the World Cup in India later this year.

Rival captains Kane Williamson and Aaron Finch said Sunday the series offered a chance to look at the potential balance of their squads ahead of the championship eight months away.&nbsp;

"The first aim to is to win the series but there's also a bit of information grabbing throughout the series with guys in some different roles, potentially," Australia captain Finch said.&nbsp;

Neither captain was prepared to name their line up for game one although Finch indicated he would join Matthew Wade and the uncapped Josh Philippe at the top of the order with Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis rounding out the top five.

The Black Caps confirmed hard-hitting opener Martin Guptill, who had been under an injury cloud, had passed a fitness test and would open -- leaving no room for the uncapped Finn Allen who was the form player in New Zealand's domestic T20 series.

Guptill had averaged a low 11.5 before being injured in the home series while the 21-year-old Allen blazed away with 512 runs at an impressive 56.88.&nbsp;

"Every series you play is an opportunity to grow as a side and we have the World Twenty20s which are in the back of your mind," Williamson said.

"There's a lot of players around who are playing really, really well."

Preparation has not been ideal for Australia, who were scheduled to end their 14 days in managed isolation as part of New Zealand's strict Covid-19 regulations on Sunday -- 24 hours ahead of the first match.

But Williamson did not expect Australia to be rusty.

"Whatever Australian team is put out is strong. They do have the majority of their consistent Twenty20 side there, with also the opportunity of bringing in a lot of talented youngsters they do have," he said.

Game one takes place on the 10th anniversary of a destructive 6.3-magnitude earthquake that claimed 185 lives in Christchurch. Williamson and Finch will lay a wreath at the anniversary memorial service hours before the cricket starts.

New Zealand and Australia go into a five-match Twenty20 series in Christchurch on Monday with one eye on winning the series and one on the World Cup in India later this year.

New Zealand and Australia go into a five-match Twenty20 series in Christchurch on Monday with one eye on winning the series and one on the World Cup in India later this year. Rival captains Kane Williamson and Aaron Finch said Sunday the series offered a chance to look at the potential balance of their squads ahead of the championship eight months away. "The first aim to is to win the series but there's also a bit of information grabbing throughout the series with guys in some different roles, potentially," Australia captain Finch said. Neither captain was prepared to name their line up for game one although Finch indicated he would join Matthew Wade and the uncapped Josh Philippe at the top of the order with Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis rounding out the top five. The Black Caps confirmed hard-hitting opener Martin Guptill, who had been under an injury cloud, had passed a fitness test and would open -- leaving no room for the uncapped Finn Allen who was the form player in New Zealand's domestic T20 series. Guptill had averaged a low 11.5 before being injured in the home series while the 21-year-old Allen blazed away with 512 runs at an impressive 56.88. "Every series you play is an opportunity to grow as a side and we have the World Twenty20s which are in the back of your mind," Williamson said. "There's a lot of players around who are playing really, really well." Preparation has not been ideal for Australia, who were scheduled to end their 14 days in managed isolation as part of New Zealand's strict Covid-19 regulations on Sunday -- 24 hours ahead of the first match. But Williamson did not expect Australia to be rusty. "Whatever Australian team is put out is strong. They do have the majority of their consistent Twenty20 side there, with also the opportunity of bringing in a lot of talented youngsters they do have," he said. Game one takes place on the 10th anniversary of a destructive 6.3-magnitude earthquake that claimed 185 lives in Christchurch. Williamson and Finch will lay a wreath at the anniversary memorial service hours before the cricket starts.

World Cup options on show in New Zealand-Australia T20 series

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has said that the Premier League points table doesn't reflect the performance of his side following their 2-1 defeat to West Ham on Sunday. Tottenham Hotspur are currently lying eighth in the points table after suffering another defeat&nbsp;in the English top-flight.&nbsp;

Michail Antonio and Jesse Lingard netted a goal each to help West Ham win the match with Tottenham managing a goal through&nbsp;Brazilian&nbsp;forward Lucas Moura.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"I feel that we are not in the position in relation to our potential,”&nbsp;Mourinho&nbsp;said.&nbsp;

“Even if I think for a long, long time that we have problems in the team that I cannot resolve by myself as a coach.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/klopp-blasts-sloppy-liverpool-as-everton-party-like-its-1999-365161" hreflang="en">Klopp blasts sloppy Liverpool as Everton party like its 1999</a>

"Our potential is higher than where we are so of course there is frustration. We should be in a better position.&nbsp;

“To think about a top-four spot is getting very difficult. To play in the Europa League will give us a window of opportunity to get a Champions League spot by winning it. Of course, difficult, but it is possible."&nbsp;

However, Mourinho lavished praise on Tottenham Hotspur's goal-scorer Lucas Moura as he said that the Brazilian has a "big heart" whil adding he&nbsp;always gives 100 per cent effort for his team regardless of whether he is starting or coming off the bench.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tuchel-slams-hudson-odoi-after-chelsea-sub-hauled-off-in-saints-draw-365106" hreflang="en">Tuchel slams Hudson-Odoi after Chelsea sub hauled off in Saints draw</a>

"He is a team player. A big heart. Comes from the bench and gives everything, no regrets,” said the 58-year-old.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Starts the game and where you need him, he is there for you. Today his performance was really good and that's because he is a team player."&nbsp;

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has said that the Premier League points table doesn't reflect the performance of his side following their 2-1 defeat to West Ham on Sunday.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has said that the Premier League points table doesn't reflect the performance of his side following their 2-1 defeat to West Ham on Sunday. Tottenham Hotspur are currently lying eighth in the points table after suffering another defeat in the English top-flight. Michail Antonio and Jesse Lingard netted a goal each to help West Ham win the match with Tottenham managing a goal through Brazilian forward Lucas Moura. "I feel that we are not in the position in relation to our potential,” Mourinho said. “Even if I think for a long, long time that we have problems in the team that I cannot resolve by myself as a coach. ALSO READ: Klopp blasts sloppy Liverpool as Everton party like its 1999 "Our potential is higher than where we are so of course there is frustration. We should be in a better position. “To think about a top-four spot is getting very difficult. To play in the Europa League will give us a window of opportunity to get a Champions League spot by winning it. Of course, difficult, but it is possible." However, Mourinho lavished praise on Tottenham Hotspur's goal-scorer Lucas Moura as he said that the Brazilian has a "big heart" whil adding he always gives 100 per cent effort for his team regardless of whether he is starting or coming off the bench. ALSO READ: Tuchel slams Hudson-Odoi after Chelsea sub hauled off in Saints draw "He is a team player. A big heart. Comes from the bench and gives everything, no regrets,” said the 58-year-old. “Starts the game and where you need him, he is there for you. Today his performance was really good and that's because he is a team player."

Our potential is higher: Jose Mourinho gives his verdict as Tottenham Hotspur lose 2-1 against West Ham

Former England spinner Graeme Swann reckons veteran pacer James Anderson can swing the ongoing four-Test series in&nbsp;favour&nbsp;of England. The much-talked-about Test series between India and England is locked at 1-1 following the first two Tests with the next match – pink-ball Test – scheduled to be played at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad from February 24.&nbsp;

Swann, who has shared the dressing room with Anderson&nbsp;during his 60-Test career, was however baffled with&nbsp;England's decision to rest the paceman in the second Test, which the visitors lost by 317 runs.&nbsp;

“I believe this series is absolutely on a knife-edge,” said Swann&nbsp;as quoted by Mirror.&nbsp;“It is a brilliant place for England to be, and they've got a great chance to go ahead once more.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/focus-on-cricket-not-on-pitch-rohit-sharmas-message-to-experts-365259" hreflang="en">Focus on cricket, not on pitch: Rohit Sharma's message to experts</a>

“I'm full of optimism going into this game, mainly due to Jimmy coming back. He was irrepressible in the first match, and he just keeps defying the odds and gets better and better.&nbsp;

“I do wonder&nbsp;though,&nbsp;Jimmy is coming to the back end of his career and he is bowling better than ever before. What are we shielding him for?&nbsp;

Swann, lavishing high praise on Anderson, said he is the kingpin of the England pace attack and the line-up should be built around him while adding Anderson should be the first name in the England Test team&nbsp;during the Ashes.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/on-the-cusp-of-100th-test-delhis-lambu-stands-tall-365174" hreflang="en">On the cusp of 100th Test, Delhi's 'lambu' stands tall</a>

“Jimmy doesn't get fatigued when he's bowling like this. He is the kingpin of the attack. You build an attack around him. I can't wait to see him go again&nbsp;

“What his plan is for the Ashes later in the year I don't know, but I can't see any reason why you wouldn't have him first name on the team sheet, before Joe Root.”&nbsp;

Former England spinner Graeme Swann reckons veteran pacer James Anderson can swing the ongoing four-Test series in favour of England. The much-talked-about Test series between India and England is locked at 1-1 following the first two Tests with the next match – pink-ball Test – scheduled to be played at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad from February 24.

Former England spinner Graeme Swann reckons veteran pacer James Anderson can swing the ongoing four-Test series in favour of England. The much-talked-about Test series between India and England is locked at 1-1 following the first two Tests with the next match – pink-ball Test – scheduled to be played at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad from February 24. Swann, who has shared the dressing room with Anderson during his 60-Test career, was however baffled with England's decision to rest the paceman in the second Test, which the visitors lost by 317 runs. “I believe this series is absolutely on a knife-edge,” said Swann as quoted by Mirror. “It is a brilliant place for England to be, and they've got a great chance to go ahead once more. ALSO READ: Focus on cricket, not on pitch: Rohit Sharma's message to experts “I'm full of optimism going into this game, mainly due to Jimmy coming back. He was irrepressible in the first match, and he just keeps defying the odds and gets better and better. “I do wonder though, Jimmy is coming to the back end of his career and he is bowling better than ever before. What are we shielding him for? Swann, lavishing high praise on Anderson, said he is the kingpin of the England pace attack and the line-up should be built around him while adding Anderson should be the first name in the England Test team during the Ashes. ALSO READ: On the cusp of 100th Test, Delhi's 'lambu' stands tall “Jimmy doesn't get fatigued when he's bowling like this. He is the kingpin of the attack. You build an attack around him. I can't wait to see him go again “What his plan is for the Ashes later in the year I don't know, but I can't see any reason why you wouldn't have him first name on the team sheet, before Joe Root.”

Graeme Swann names key player for England in the pink-ball Test

Rohit Sharma on Sunday responded to the criticism around Indian pitches after a number of former England and Australian cricketers and experts termed the&nbsp;pitch in Chennai for the second Test as "sub-standard". Rohit, ahead of the much-awaited pink-ball Test against England in Ahmedabad, said that home teams are bound to take advantage of their conditions while adding that the Indian team never complains about conditions when they tour overseas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rohit had a clear message for experts as he said that they should focus on cricket and not the pitches as it is the same for both teams.&nbsp;The limited-overs vice-captain further said that players need to adapt to different conditions and that is the beauty of cricket in the home and away series.&nbsp;

"The pitch is the same for both teams. I don't know why there's so much talk about the pitch. People say that the pitch shouldn't be a certain type of way, but they have been like this in India for years. Every team plays to their strengths at home, and similarly, we do what our team prefers in India,” Rohit said in the virtual press conference.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"We need to go with our team's preference. That's the meaning of home advantage. Else, just take it away. The ICC should come up with a uniform rule everywhere for pitches in India and outside India. When we go abroad, people make our life difficult. I don't think pitchers should be debated at all. Debates can be held on players, their performances, and how they are batting or bowling, but don't debate pitches. Both teams play on the same pitch and whoever plays better wins."

"As batsmen, we never think about the pitch. We only think about our plans. If it's a turning pitch, whether we have to play the sweep or come down the track. If it's a seaming pitch, whether we have to leave balls, stand outside the crease or play defensively.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/can-ashwin-make-a-comeback-in-indias-limited-overs-team-sunil-gavaskar-opines-365187" hreflang="en">Can Ashwin make a comeback in India's limited overs team? Sunil Gavaskar opines</a>

"We need to prepare our mind according to the pitch. You are at this level playing for India because you know how to adjust to the conditions. In these challenging conditions, you need to prove that. Team India loves playing in challenging conditions, where things are against you,” Rohit, who slammed a classic 161 in the second Test against England in Chennai.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🗣️🗣️ Every team has the right to home advantage, reckons <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/Paytm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Paytm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZbF7ufj01M">pic.twitter.com/ZbF7ufj01M</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1363474667152015361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

However, the Indian opener gave a slight hint on what to expect from the pitch in Ahmedabad as he said that it is going to be on similar lines to what the cricket world witnessed in Chennai.&nbsp;

"Still, early days to talk about the pitch, I do not see anything changing in the pitch, what we played in the second Test, it is going to be more or less the same, it is going to turn a little, we are preparing according to that, when the day comes, we still need to assess the conditions, it has been a while since a last international game was played here," he added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-would-have-played-t20-world-cup-in-2020-says-former-team-india-selector-365171" hreflang="en">MS Dhoni would have played T20 World Cup in 2020, says former Team India selector</a>

The third match, the pink-ball Test, is set to played at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad – the world's largest stadium. While both England and Indian players have been lavishly praising the facilities in&nbsp;Motera&nbsp;Stadium, Rohit said he cannot wait to see the spectators flocking into&nbsp;the stadium.&nbsp;

"It is the largest stadium in the world, we were all excited to come down to the ground and see the outfield, we had a couple of good sessions, the facility looks quite good. We have got a gym inside the&nbsp;ground,&nbsp;it looks a pretty good stadium and I cannot wait to see the spectators coming around and seeing the pink-ball Test."&nbsp;&nbsp;

With the series firmly locked at 1-1, the Virat Kohli-led side would be looking to take the lead in the four-Test series when they take the field in Ahmedabad on February 24.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma on Sunday responded to the criticism around Indian pitches after a number of former England and Australian cricketers and experts termed the pitch in Chennai for the second Test as "sub-standard".

Rohit Sharma on Sunday responded to the criticism around Indian pitches after a number of former England and Australian cricketers and experts termed the pitch in Chennai for the second Test as "sub-standard". Rohit, ahead of the much-awaited pink-ball Test against England in Ahmedabad, said that home teams are bound to take advantage of their conditions while adding that the Indian team never complains about conditions when they tour overseas. Rohit had a clear message for experts as he said that they should focus on cricket and not the pitches as it is the same for both teams. The limited-overs vice-captain further said that players need to adapt to different conditions and that is the beauty of cricket in the home and away series. "The pitch is the same for both teams. I don't know why there's so much talk about the pitch. People say that the pitch shouldn't be a certain type of way, but they have been like this in India for years. Every team plays to their strengths at home, and similarly, we do what our team prefers in India,” Rohit said in the virtual press conference. "We need to go with our team's preference. That's the meaning of home advantage. Else, just take it away. The ICC should come up with a uniform rule everywhere for pitches in India and outside India. When we go abroad, people make our life difficult. I don't think pitchers should be debated at all. Debates can be held on players, their performances, and how they are batting or bowling, but don't debate pitches. Both teams play on the same pitch and whoever plays better wins." "As batsmen, we never think about the pitch. We only think about our plans. If it's a turning pitch, whether we have to play the sweep or come down the track. If it's a seaming pitch, whether we have to leave balls, stand outside the crease or play defensively. ALSO READ: Can Ashwin make a comeback in India's limited overs team? Sunil Gavaskar opines "We need to prepare our mind according to the pitch. You are at this level playing for India because you know how to adjust to the conditions. In these challenging conditions, you need to prove that. Team India loves playing in challenging conditions, where things are against you,” Rohit, who slammed a classic 161 in the second Test against England in Chennai. 🗣️🗣️ Every team has the right to home advantage, reckons @ImRo45. @Paytm #INDvENG #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/ZbF7ufj01M — BCCI (@BCCI) February 21, 2021 × However, the Indian opener gave a slight hint on what to expect from the pitch in Ahmedabad as he said that it is going to be on similar lines to what the cricket world witnessed in Chennai. "Still, early days to talk about the pitch, I do not see anything changing in the pitch, what we played in the second Test, it is going to be more or less the same, it is going to turn a little, we are preparing according to that, when the day comes, we still need to assess the conditions, it has been a while since a last international game was played here," he added. ALSO READ: MS Dhoni would have played T20 World Cup in 2020, says former Team India selector The third match, the pink-ball Test, is set to played at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad – the world's largest stadium. While both England and Indian players have been lavishly praising the facilities in Motera Stadium, Rohit said he cannot wait to see the spectators flocking into the stadium. "It is the largest stadium in the world, we were all excited to come down to the ground and see the outfield, we had a couple of good sessions, the facility looks quite good. We have got a gym inside the ground, it looks a pretty good stadium and I cannot wait to see the spectators coming around and seeing the pink-ball Test." With the series firmly locked at 1-1, the Virat Kohli-led side would be looking to take the lead in the four-Test series when they take the field in Ahmedabad on February 24.

Focus on cricket, not on pitch: Rohit Sharma's message to experts

Novak&nbsp;Djokovic&nbsp;extended his own record Australian Open wins to nine with a 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final on Sunday.

Here, AFP Sport recalls&nbsp;Djokovic's incredible run of success and the records he has set on the way to becoming the undoubted king of Melbourne Park:&nbsp;

<h2>- First Serb: 2008 -&nbsp;</h2>

Becomes first Serb to win a Grand Slam at the age of 20 in Melbourne, after bursting into the big time with an emphatic straight-sets victory in the semi-finals over world number one Roger Federer, who had been unbeaten at the tournament for 16 matches.

In the final he beat Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/2).

"Every player dreams of winning a Grand Slam. I am still not fully aware of what I have achieved these past two weeks," he said.

<h2>- Three-year wait ends: 2011 -</h2>

It was three long years before&nbsp;Djokovic&nbsp;secured a second major triumph, and he put his success down to a&nbsp;gluten-free diet.

It heralded a golden year where he won three of the four Grand Slam titles.

He lost only one set the entire fortnight including defeating defending champion Federer again in the semi-finals, before overpowering Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 in the championship decider.

Djokovic&nbsp;said he decided to change his back room team and behaviour, as well as his diet, after a disappointing 2010.&nbsp;

"Things off court were not working for me, you know.&nbsp;

"I had to try to find the best possible solution and try to get back on the right track. That's what I did."

<h2>- The longest final: 2012 -</h2>

Djokovic's first successful Grand Slam title defence involved feats of endurance rarely witnessed before on a tennis court.

After a five-set battle against Murray in the semi-final, he then had to fight for almost six hours in a war of attrition against Rafael Nadal to win the title.

It was the longest Grand Slam singles final in the Open era and ended at 1:37 am on Monday after the pair walked on court at 7:30 pm Sunday.

Djokovic&nbsp;ripped off his shirt and roared in celebration at the end of the epic match which he won 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5 in 5hr 53min.

"Physically it was the toughest match I ever played," said an exhausted Nadal, after addressing the crowd with: "Good morning!"&nbsp;

<h2>- Title hat-trick: 2013 -</h2>

Djokovic&nbsp;became the first man in the Open era to win three Australian titles in a row after overpowering Murray 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-2.

The Serb was also stretched all the way by Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round before prevailing 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7(5), 12-10.&nbsp;

"It's definitely my favourite Grand Slam, my most successful Grand Slam. I love this court," said&nbsp;Djokovic.

<h2>- Revenge over Wawrinka: 2015 -</h2>

Djokovic&nbsp;was upset in the 2014 quarter-finals by Wawrinka, the eventual champion, but was back to his punishing best a year later.

After exacting revenge on the Swiss in the semi-final he again rolled over Murray for the title, inflicting a humiliating 6-0 bagel on the Scot in the final set to tie Andre Agassi on the all-time list with eight Grand Slam titles.

His 7-6 (7/5), 6-7(4/7), 6-3, 6-0 victory was his first as a father after wife Jelena had given birth to Stefan three months earlier.

"I think it has deeper meaning, more intrinsic value now to my life because I'm a father and a husband," said&nbsp;Djokovic.

<h2>- 'Djokovic&nbsp;Slam': 2016 -</h2>

The records kept tumbling as he clinched a sixth Melbourne crown to equal Roy Emerson's pre-Open era record and win a third consecutive major title after Wimbledon and the US Open in 2015.

He would go on to complete the "Djokovic&nbsp;Slam" at the French Open to hold all four majors at the same time.

He defeated Murray for a fourth time in the championship match 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3).

"It's an incredible feeling, especially because of the fact that I managed to make history tonight and equal Roy Emerson's record of six Australian Opens," he said after winning his 11th Grand Slam crown to match Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg on the all-time list.&nbsp;

<h2>- Sampras eclipsed: 2019 -</h2>

After two years battling injury, including undergoing elbow surgery, he swatted aside the challenge of old rival Nadal in the final 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 to claim a record seventh Australian Open and 15th Grand Slam title to go ahead of his childhood idol, American great Pete Sampras.

"It was definitely a sign of destiny to start playing tennis, to aspire to be as good as Pete,"&nbsp;Djokovic&nbsp;said. "To surpass him with Grand Slam titles, I'm speechless."

<h2>- Great eight: 2020 -</h2>

Djokovic&nbsp;captured his eighth title and earned his 900th tour-level match win on the way.&nbsp;

Federer was dispatched in straight sets in the semi-final but 26-year-old Dominic Thiem gave&nbsp;Djokovic&nbsp;his hardest final battle since the Nadal epic in 2012.

Djokovic&nbsp;eventually fought back from two sets to one down to secure his 17th major 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

"Obviously at this stage of my career, Grand Slams are the ones I value the most. They are the ones I prioritise," he said.&nbsp;

<h2>- Stomach for the fight: 2021 -</h2>

Djokovic&nbsp;looked on his way out when he could barely run because of an abdominal injury in the third round against Taylor Fritz, but somehow survived in five sets.

He was unable to train between matches, but grew fitter and stronger with every passing round.

As his injury healed he recorded four-set wins against Milos Raonic and Alexander Zverev before racing past Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev in the semi-final.

Another Russian awaited in the championship decider, but world number four Daniil Medvedev went the way of the Serb's eight previous final opponents as it took a rampant&nbsp;Djokovic&nbsp;just 1hr 53 min to win 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 and extend his perfect record in finals at Melbourne Park.&nbsp;

Novak Djokovic extended his own record Australian Open wins to nine with a 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final on Sunday. Here, AFP Sport recalls Djokovic's incredible run of success and the records he has set on the way to becoming the undoubted king of Melbourne Park: - First Serb: 2008 - Becomes first Serb to win a Grand Slam at the age of 20 in Melbourne, after bursting into the big time with an emphatic straight-sets victory in the semi-finals over world number one Roger Federer, who had been unbeaten at the tournament for 16 matches.

Novak Djokovic extended his own record Australian Open wins to nine with a 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final on Sunday. Here, AFP Sport recalls Djokovic's incredible run of success and the records he has set on the way to becoming the undoubted king of Melbourne Park: - First Serb: 2008 - Becomes first Serb to win a Grand Slam at the age of 20 in Melbourne, after bursting into the big time with an emphatic straight-sets victory in the semi-finals over world number one Roger Federer, who had been unbeaten at the tournament for 16 matches. In the final he beat Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/2). "Every player dreams of winning a Grand Slam. I am still not fully aware of what I have achieved these past two weeks," he said. - Three-year wait ends: 2011 - It was three long years before Djokovic secured a second major triumph, and he put his success down to a gluten-free diet. It heralded a golden year where he won three of the four Grand Slam titles. He lost only one set the entire fortnight including defeating defending champion Federer again in the semi-finals, before overpowering Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 in the championship decider. Djokovic said he decided to change his back room team and behaviour, as well as his diet, after a disappointing 2010. "Things off court were not working for me, you know. "I had to try to find the best possible solution and try to get back on the right track. That's what I did." - The longest final: 2012 - Djokovic's first successful Grand Slam title defence involved feats of endurance rarely witnessed before on a tennis court. After a five-set battle against Murray in the semi-final, he then had to fight for almost six hours in a war of attrition against Rafael Nadal to win the title. It was the longest Grand Slam singles final in the Open era and ended at 1:37 am on Monday after the pair walked on court at 7:30 pm Sunday. Djokovic ripped off his shirt and roared in celebration at the end of the epic match which he won 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5 in 5hr 53min. "Physically it was the toughest match I ever played," said an exhausted Nadal, after addressing the crowd with: "Good morning!" - Title hat-trick: 2013 - Djokovic became the first man in the Open era to win three Australian titles in a row after overpowering Murray 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-2. The Serb was also stretched all the way by Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round before prevailing 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7(5), 12-10. "It's definitely my favourite Grand Slam, my most successful Grand Slam. I love this court," said Djokovic. - Revenge over Wawrinka: 2015 - Djokovic was upset in the 2014 quarter-finals by Wawrinka, the eventual champion, but was back to his punishing best a year later. After exacting revenge on the Swiss in the semi-final he again rolled over Murray for the title, inflicting a humiliating 6-0 bagel on the Scot in the final set to tie Andre Agassi on the all-time list with eight Grand Slam titles. His 7-6 (7/5), 6-7(4/7), 6-3, 6-0 victory was his first as a father after wife Jelena had given birth to Stefan three months earlier. "I think it has deeper meaning, more intrinsic value now to my life because I'm a father and a husband," said Djokovic. - 'Djokovic Slam': 2016 - The records kept tumbling as he clinched a sixth Melbourne crown to equal Roy Emerson's pre-Open era record and win a third consecutive major title after Wimbledon and the US Open in 2015. He would go on to complete the "Djokovic Slam" at the French Open to hold all four majors at the same time. He defeated Murray for a fourth time in the championship match 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3). "It's an incredible feeling, especially because of the fact that I managed to make history tonight and equal Roy Emerson's record of six Australian Opens," he said after winning his 11th Grand Slam crown to match Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg on the all-time list. - Sampras eclipsed: 2019 - After two years battling injury, including undergoing elbow surgery, he swatted aside the challenge of old rival Nadal in the final 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 to claim a record seventh Australian Open and 15th Grand Slam title to go ahead of his childhood idol, American great Pete Sampras. "It was definitely a sign of destiny to start playing tennis, to aspire to be as good as Pete," Djokovic said. "To surpass him with Grand Slam titles, I'm speechless." - Great eight: 2020 - Djokovic captured his eighth title and earned his 900th tour-level match win on the way. Federer was dispatched in straight sets in the semi-final but 26-year-old Dominic Thiem gave Djokovic his hardest final battle since the Nadal epic in 2012. Djokovic eventually fought back from two sets to one down to secure his 17th major 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. "Obviously at this stage of my career, Grand Slams are the ones I value the most. They are the ones I prioritise," he said. - Stomach for the fight: 2021 - Djokovic looked on his way out when he could barely run because of an abdominal injury in the third round against Taylor Fritz, but somehow survived in five sets. He was unable to train between matches, but grew fitter and stronger with every passing round. As his injury healed he recorded four-set wins against Milos Raonic and Alexander Zverev before racing past Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev in the semi-final. Another Russian awaited in the championship decider, but world number four Daniil Medvedev went the way of the Serb's eight previous final opponents as it took a rampant Djokovic just 1hr 53 min to win 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 and extend his perfect record in finals at Melbourne Park.

On cloud nine: Djokovic's dominance at Australian Open

Ivan Dodig and Filip Polasek won their first Grand Slam title together on Sunday, taking down defending Australian Open men’s doubles champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury 6-3 6-4 in the final.

It was the first Grand Slam triumph for Polasek, 35, who came out of retirement in 2018, while Croatia’s Dodig won his second men’s doubles title after winning the 2015 French Open with Marcelo Melo.

Polasek became only the second Slovakian player to win a Grand Slam after Daniela Hantuchova and dedicated the title to his newborn daughter.

“Since we started to play one and a half years ago, we are really enjoying and playing good tennis,” Dodig said during the trophy ceremony. “We are having a lot of fun and hopefully it is going to continue.”

The duo dominated the final at Rod Laver Arena, breaking their opponents’ serve once in each set during the 88-minute contest.

Such was their domination that they created 15 breakpoint opportunities in the match while not allowing Ram and Salisbury a single look at their own serve.

The defeat denied Ram, 36, a double at Melbourne Park this year after he paired with Barbora Krejcikova to win the mixed doubles title on Saturday.

“Filip, I know it’s your first Grand Slam,” Ram said. “That was way too good. Not sure what we could have done any different, so you guys played awesome.”

Ivan Dodig and Filip Polasek won their first Grand Slam title together on Sunday, taking down defending Australian Open men’s doubles champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury 6-3 6-4 in the final.

Ivan Dodig and Filip Polasek won their first Grand Slam title together on Sunday, taking down defending Australian Open men’s doubles champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury 6-3 6-4 in the final. It was the first Grand Slam triumph for Polasek, 35, who came out of retirement in 2018, while Croatia’s Dodig won his second men’s doubles title after winning the 2015 French Open with Marcelo Melo. Polasek became only the second Slovakian player to win a Grand Slam after Daniela Hantuchova and dedicated the title to his newborn daughter. “Since we started to play one and a half years ago, we are really enjoying and playing good tennis,” Dodig said during the trophy ceremony. “We are having a lot of fun and hopefully it is going to continue.” The duo dominated the final at Rod Laver Arena, breaking their opponents’ serve once in each set during the 88-minute contest. Such was their domination that they created 15 breakpoint opportunities in the match while not allowing Ram and Salisbury a single look at their own serve. The defeat denied Ram, 36, a double at Melbourne Park this year after he paired with Barbora Krejcikova to win the mixed doubles title on Saturday. “Filip, I know it’s your first Grand Slam,” Ram said. “That was way too good. Not sure what we could have done any different, so you guys played awesome.”

Dodig, Polasek win Australian Open men's doubles title

Ravichandran Ashwin has been India's one of the biggest match-winners in the longest format of the game. While Ashwin continues to impress in the Indian Premier League and domestic tournaments when it comes to white-ball cricket, the veteran&nbsp;hasn't been able to make a comeback in the Indian squad in the shorter formats of the game.&nbsp;

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has weighed in his opinion on Ashwin as he made a bold claim on his future in white-ball cricket for India.&nbsp;Gavaskar has said that there is no place for Ashwin in India's limited-overs squad. However, the Indian legend said that Ashwin will represent India in Test cricket for half a dozen years more.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Citing Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya's place in India's limited-overs squad, Gavaskar said Ashwin doesn't fit in the squad due to the current team balance.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-would-have-played-t20-world-cup-in-2020-says-former-team-india-selector-365171" hreflang="en">MS Dhoni would have played T20 World Cup in 2020, says former Team India selector</a>

“I somehow don’t think he will now make a comeback in the Indian limited-overs team because India have found in Hardik Pandya the all-rounder at No.7, there is Ravindra Jadeja and then they will have three seamers or maybe one spinner and two-seamers,” Sunil Gavaskar told Star&nbsp;Sports.&nbsp;

“I don’t think he will fit into the squad at the moment and therefore, he will be a Test match player for the next half a dozen years at least,” he added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/on-the-cusp-of-100th-test-delhis-lambu-stands-tall-365174" hreflang="en">On the cusp of 100th Test, Delhi's 'lambu' stands tall</a>

Meanwhile, Ashwin continues to shatter record books in Test cricket. In 76 Test matches, Ashwin has scalped 394 wickets while also accumulating 2626 runs at an average of 28.2. With two more Test matches remaining in the series against England, Ashwin is eyeing&nbsp;400 Test wickets to add another feather to his illustrious cap.&nbsp;&nbsp;

India will next face England in the third match, which will be a pink-ball Test, starting from February 24 in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;

Ravichandran Ashwin has been India's one of the biggest match-winners in the longest format of the game. While Ashwin continues to impress in the Indian Premier League and domestic tournaments when it comes to white-ball cricket, the veteran hasn't been able to make a comeback in the Indian squad in the shorter formats of the game.

Ravichandran Ashwin has been India's one of the biggest match-winners in the longest format of the game. While Ashwin continues to impress in the Indian Premier League and domestic tournaments when it comes to white-ball cricket, the veteran hasn't been able to make a comeback in the Indian squad in the shorter formats of the game. Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has weighed in his opinion on Ashwin as he made a bold claim on his future in white-ball cricket for India. Gavaskar has said that there is no place for Ashwin in India's limited-overs squad. However, the Indian legend said that Ashwin will represent India in Test cricket for half a dozen years more. Citing Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya's place in India's limited-overs squad, Gavaskar said Ashwin doesn't fit in the squad due to the current team balance. ALSO READ: MS Dhoni would have played T20 World Cup in 2020, says former Team India selector “I somehow don’t think he will now make a comeback in the Indian limited-overs team because India have found in Hardik Pandya the all-rounder at No.7, there is Ravindra Jadeja and then they will have three seamers or maybe one spinner and two-seamers,” Sunil Gavaskar told Star Sports. “I don’t think he will fit into the squad at the moment and therefore, he will be a Test match player for the next half a dozen years at least,” he added. ALSO READ: On the cusp of 100th Test, Delhi's 'lambu' stands tall Meanwhile, Ashwin continues to shatter record books in Test cricket. In 76 Test matches, Ashwin has scalped 394 wickets while also accumulating 2626 runs at an average of 28.2. With two more Test matches remaining in the series against England, Ashwin is eyeing 400 Test wickets to add another feather to his illustrious cap. India will next face England in the third match, which will be a pink-ball Test, starting from February 24 in Ahmedabad.

Can Ashwin make a comeback in India's limited overs team? Sunil Gavaskar opines

On the sidelines of a Ranji Trophy game in 2019, Ishant Sharma had called himself 'the last flicker in a lamp' while politely making his reluctance known to three scribes, who had approached the self-effacing beanpole for an interaction.

Ishant was then standing at 96 Tests. Nearly 14 months later, during which he missed five Tests due to an injury, Indian cricket's most adorable 'lambu' is shining bright.

He is on course to become only the second Indian fast bowler, after the great Kapil Dev, to complete 100 Tests for the country.

'Arre yaar mera interview karke kya karogey? Main toh bujhta huya diya hoon (Why do you want to interview me? I am like the last flicker in a lamp),' Ishant had said at the Kotla.

In terms of sheer talent and craft, Ishant wouldn't be in the same league as Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Shami or Javagal Srinath but with his longevity, he has proved that 'workhorse' isn't exactly an abused word, which is used to sum up the veteran pacer.

'I think I will say this with certainty...,' former India wicketkeeper and Ishant's ex-Delhi teammate and coach Vijay Dahiya said.

'Ishant will be the last Indian fast bowler to play 100 Test matches. I don't see anyone playing 100 Tests. With majority of the fast bowlers preserving themselves for IPL and white ball games, it will be increasingly difficult to play 100 Tests for India,' Dahiya made a statement.

Ishant's mate for the last 16 years, current Delhi captain Pradeep Sangwan felt that even when Virat Kohli and Ishant attended Delhi's U-17 trials, he looked a class apart.

'He was so tall and that long flowing mane of his, we used to pull his leg and tease him, 'dekh le bhai, lamba Shah Rukh aa gaya (watch out brothers, the tall Shah Rukh has come (referring to the actor),' Sangwan said.

'But then even during those U-17 days, he was so tall and generated so much pace, you knew that he was special. And if you see when Virat was leading us at the 2008 U-19 World Cup, Ishant was already a Test player by then and didn't need to play that tournament.' His first 79 Test matches yielded 226 wickets and the last 20 fetched him 76 scalps, which shows how the man from West Delhi's Patel Nagar moulded himself according to the team's needs.

Ishant, as well as the current crop of Indian fast bowling line-up's most memorable three years, started in 2018 in South Africa with the introduction of Jasprit Bumrah in the Test arena.

'MS used him as a defensive bowler who would hold one end up. Ishant was his man to do the job. You know why he has lasted this long: because it's very important to know what your leader wants and deliver accordingly,' Dahiya said.

'He wasn't the wicket-taking bowler but kudos to him, he did the job of bowling 20 plus overs a day with elan, which primarily the spinners do in Tests,' he added.

It's his hardwork and ability to maintain fitness standards that allows him to bowl those 8 to 9 over spells Test after Test.

'He was bowling those 8 to 9 overs spells at 18 years at a pace of 140 plus. Today he is nearing 33 and he is still bowling those long spells consistently in late 130 kmph and cranking it up to 140 kmph at times,' said Sangwan.

First-class cricket has its own set of benefits but there are a few pitfalls, too, and often the example of former England batsman Graeme Hick is cited. Hick played seven years of county cricket before international level and by then, according to experts, the 'bad habits of domestic cricket had crept into his system'.

'Best part about Ishant was that he escaped that grind of first-class cricket and was fast-tracked pretty early.

'The moment a fast bowler is stuck for three plus years in Ranji Trophy, he can stagnate, compromise for pace and also lack quality from the other end. Ishant didn't have to endure that,' said Dahiya, who was also the pacer's senior team coach.

Ishant is probably someone who doesn't feel the need to be funny, interjected Sangwan, narrating an incident during their U-19 days.

'It was Delhi U-19 trials and as you know in DDCA, one approach-wala chap (a typical Delhi term used for back-door entry of boys with influential parents) was thrust upon the sports committee for trials.

'Sunil Dev, who was then the sports secretary, was so angry that he came up to us and told Ishant and myself 'if that fellow scores 20, you two will be out of the team'.

'Ishant was like 'sir, humari kya galti hai ki, isko trials pe bulaya (sir, what is our fault that he has ben called for trials)'.' Dev was unyielding but then, Ishant and Sangwan got him out four or five times and also embarrassed him with a barrage of short balls, which hit him on the ribs. Recalling that story, Sangwan chuckled.

While former Australian pacer Jason Gillespie sorted his wrist position at Sussex, Ishant remains a nightmare for keepers even after playing so many matches. Ask Wriddhiman Saha, who finds Ishant the most difficult to keep as the seam wobbles.

Dahiya, who is known for his self-deprecating humour, hit the parting shot.

'I still tell Ishant that it was his late movement that led to my early retirement as he was young and I was ageing. I tell him tune mere budhaape mein maze le liye (You enjoyed at the expense of my old age).'

On the sidelines of a Ranji Trophy game in 2019, Ishant Sharma had called himself 'the last flicker in a lamp' while politely making his reluctance known to three scribes, who had approached the self-effacing beanpole for an interaction.

On the sidelines of a Ranji Trophy game in 2019, Ishant Sharma had called himself 'the last flicker in a lamp' while politely making his reluctance known to three scribes, who had approached the self-effacing beanpole for an interaction. Ishant was then standing at 96 Tests. Nearly 14 months later, during which he missed five Tests due to an injury, Indian cricket's most adorable 'lambu' is shining bright. He is on course to become only the second Indian fast bowler, after the great Kapil Dev, to complete 100 Tests for the country. 'Arre yaar mera interview karke kya karogey? Main toh bujhta huya diya hoon (Why do you want to interview me? I am like the last flicker in a lamp),' Ishant had said at the Kotla. In terms of sheer talent and craft, Ishant wouldn't be in the same league as Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Shami or Javagal Srinath but with his longevity, he has proved that 'workhorse' isn't exactly an abused word, which is used to sum up the veteran pacer. 'I think I will say this with certainty...,' former India wicketkeeper and Ishant's ex-Delhi teammate and coach Vijay Dahiya said. 'Ishant will be the last Indian fast bowler to play 100 Test matches. I don't see anyone playing 100 Tests. With majority of the fast bowlers preserving themselves for IPL and white ball games, it will be increasingly difficult to play 100 Tests for India,' Dahiya made a statement. Ishant's mate for the last 16 years, current Delhi captain Pradeep Sangwan felt that even when Virat Kohli and Ishant attended Delhi's U-17 trials, he looked a class apart. 'He was so tall and that long flowing mane of his, we used to pull his leg and tease him, 'dekh le bhai, lamba Shah Rukh aa gaya (watch out brothers, the tall Shah Rukh has come (referring to the actor),' Sangwan said. 'But then even during those U-17 days, he was so tall and generated so much pace, you knew that he was special. And if you see when Virat was leading us at the 2008 U-19 World Cup, Ishant was already a Test player by then and didn't need to play that tournament.' His first 79 Test matches yielded 226 wickets and the last 20 fetched him 76 scalps, which shows how the man from West Delhi's Patel Nagar moulded himself according to the team's needs. Ishant, as well as the current crop of Indian fast bowling line-up's most memorable three years, started in 2018 in South Africa with the introduction of Jasprit Bumrah in the Test arena. 'MS used him as a defensive bowler who would hold one end up. Ishant was his man to do the job. You know why he has lasted this long: because it's very important to know what your leader wants and deliver accordingly,' Dahiya said. 'He wasn't the wicket-taking bowler but kudos to him, he did the job of bowling 20 plus overs a day with elan, which primarily the spinners do in Tests,' he added. It's his hardwork and ability to maintain fitness standards that allows him to bowl those 8 to 9 over spells Test after Test. 'He was bowling those 8 to 9 overs spells at 18 years at a pace of 140 plus. Today he is nearing 33 and he is still bowling those long spells consistently in late 130 kmph and cranking it up to 140 kmph at times,' said Sangwan. First-class cricket has its own set of benefits but there are a few pitfalls, too, and often the example of former England batsman Graeme Hick is cited. Hick played seven years of county cricket before international level and by then, according to experts, the 'bad habits of domestic cricket had crept into his system'. 'Best part about Ishant was that he escaped that grind of first-class cricket and was fast-tracked pretty early. 'The moment a fast bowler is stuck for three plus years in Ranji Trophy, he can stagnate, compromise for pace and also lack quality from the other end. Ishant didn't have to endure that,' said Dahiya, who was also the pacer's senior team coach. Ishant is probably someone who doesn't feel the need to be funny, interjected Sangwan, narrating an incident during their U-19 days. 'It was Delhi U-19 trials and as you know in DDCA, one approach-wala chap (a typical Delhi term used for back-door entry of boys with influential parents) was thrust upon the sports committee for trials. 'Sunil Dev, who was then the sports secretary, was so angry that he came up to us and told Ishant and myself 'if that fellow scores 20, you two will be out of the team'. 'Ishant was like 'sir, humari kya galti hai ki, isko trials pe bulaya (sir, what is our fault that he has ben called for trials)'.' Dev was unyielding but then, Ishant and Sangwan got him out four or five times and also embarrassed him with a barrage of short balls, which hit him on the ribs. Recalling that story, Sangwan chuckled. While former Australian pacer Jason Gillespie sorted his wrist position at Sussex, Ishant remains a nightmare for keepers even after playing so many matches. Ask Wriddhiman Saha, who finds Ishant the most difficult to keep as the seam wobbles. Dahiya, who is known for his self-deprecating humour, hit the parting shot. 'I still tell Ishant that it was his late movement that led to my early retirement as he was young and I was ageing. I tell him tune mere budhaape mein maze le liye (You enjoyed at the expense of my old age).'

On the cusp of 100th Test, Delhi's 'lambu' stands tall

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was all set to play in the T20 World Cup for India in the year 2020 had the marquee event not been postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic, former Team India selector Sarandeep Singh has said.&nbsp;With cricket, like other sports, coming&nbsp;to a screeching halt due to the pandemic, all the series and major events were either cancelled or postponed. Dhoni went on to announce his international retirement on August 15, 2020.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dhoni last played for India in the semi-final of the ICC World Cup 2019 versus New Zealand and then opted for a sabbatical from the game.&nbsp;Sarandeep has now said that Dhoni was one of the fittest players in the Indian dressing room while revealing the former India skipper was in contention to play the T20 World Cup which could have been his last major tournament for India.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cant-wait-to-share-dressing-room-with-the-likes-of-kohli-says-rahul-tewatia-365097" hreflang="en">Can't wait to share dressing room with the likes of Kohli, says Rahul Tewatia</a>

“Definitely, he would have played (had COVID-19 not interrupted). We were also thinking that he should have definitely played the World T20. He was fit. There was no reason for him to not play. We always see the fitness of the players first to see how long they can play. And Mahi was the fittest. He never took a break from practice. Even in optional practice, Mahi was there. And you see it never happened that he missed a game because of injury. That’s why he got so much respect from everyone,” Sarandeep, former India selector,&nbsp;told&nbsp;Sportskeeda.&nbsp;

The former India selector went on to add that all the members of the selection committee thought that Dhoni deserved to play the T20 World Cup for what he has achieved for the Men in Blue.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-take-a-call-on-county-stint-after-ipl-says-csks-latest-recruit-cheteshwar-pujara-365075" hreflang="en">Will take a call on county stint after IPL, says CSK's latest recruit Cheteshwar Pujara</a>

“We always felt that a player who played so much for India and won so many trophies – there’s not a single trophy he hasn’t won – deserved that chance. It was my personal opinion and opinion of everyone in the selection committee that MS Dhoni should have played the World T20,” said Sarandeep.&nbsp;

Dhoni continues to be a part of the Indian Premier League for Chennai Super Kings and will be seen in the 14 edition of the cash-rich tournament.&nbsp;

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was all set to play in the T20 World Cup for India in the year 2020 had the marquee event not been postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic, former Team India selector Sarandeep Singh has said.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was all set to play in the T20 World Cup for India in the year 2020 had the marquee event not been postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic, former Team India selector Sarandeep Singh has said. With cricket, like other sports, coming to a screeching halt due to the pandemic, all the series and major events were either cancelled or postponed. Dhoni went on to announce his international retirement on August 15, 2020. Dhoni last played for India in the semi-final of the ICC World Cup 2019 versus New Zealand and then opted for a sabbatical from the game. Sarandeep has now said that Dhoni was one of the fittest players in the Indian dressing room while revealing the former India skipper was in contention to play the T20 World Cup which could have been his last major tournament for India. ALSO READ: Can't wait to share dressing room with the likes of Kohli, says Rahul Tewatia “Definitely, he would have played (had COVID-19 not interrupted). We were also thinking that he should have definitely played the World T20. He was fit. There was no reason for him to not play. We always see the fitness of the players first to see how long they can play. And Mahi was the fittest. He never took a break from practice. Even in optional practice, Mahi was there. And you see it never happened that he missed a game because of injury. That’s why he got so much respect from everyone,” Sarandeep, former India selector, told Sportskeeda. The former India selector went on to add that all the members of the selection committee thought that Dhoni deserved to play the T20 World Cup for what he has achieved for the Men in Blue. ALSO READ: Will take a call on county stint after IPL, says CSK's latest recruit Cheteshwar Pujara “We always felt that a player who played so much for India and won so many trophies – there’s not a single trophy he hasn’t won – deserved that chance. It was my personal opinion and opinion of everyone in the selection committee that MS Dhoni should have played the World T20,” said Sarandeep. Dhoni continues to be a part of the Indian Premier League for Chennai Super Kings and will be seen in the 14 edition of the cash-rich tournament.

MS Dhoni would have played T20 World Cup in 2020, says former Team India selector

World number one Novak Djokovic is set to take on youngster Daniil Medvedev in the final of Australian Open 2021 on Sunday as year's first Grand Slam event nears its conclusion. Both Djokovic and Medvedev head into the match following a straight-set win over their respective opponents in the semi-finals.&nbsp;

While Djokovic thumped&nbsp;Karatsev&nbsp;6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the semi-final in what was a dominating performance by the Serb, Medvedev sailed past Stefanos&nbsp;Tsitsipas&nbsp;6-4, 6-2, 7-5 to book a spot in the summit clash of Australian Open 2021.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Djokovic would be looking to lift his 18th&nbsp;Grand Slam title as he looks to close in on Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who have 20 Major titles. Whereas Medvedev continues to rise in the tennis world and will be looking to lift the&nbsp;title after losing his only Grand Slam final to Rafael Nadal in US Open 2019.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/king-novak-faces-challenger-medvedev-in-australian-open-final-365001">King Novak faces 'challenger' Medvedev in Australian Open final</a>

<h2 lang="EN-US" paraeid="{bf6da42a-7a9e-42ae-a05b-7315b94d249d}{120}" paraid="1330028084" >All you need to know about the Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev:&nbsp;</h2>

<h2 lang="EN-US" paraeid="{8aecc300-ff66-484f-92fc-6779c15a1c7d}{85}" paraid="2107462644" >When will the Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev be played?&nbsp;</h2>

The Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev will take place on Sunday (February 21)&nbsp;with the summit clash&nbsp;kicking-off at 2:00 PM IST.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2 lang="EN-US" paraeid="{8aecc300-ff66-484f-92fc-6779c15a1c7d}{113}" paraid="1592045183" >Where will the Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev&nbsp;be held?&nbsp;</h2>

The Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev will&nbsp;be hosted by&nbsp;Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park.&nbsp;

<h2 lang="EN-US" paraeid="{8aecc300-ff66-484f-92fc-6779c15a1c7d}{141}" paraid="1192315669" >Which channel will telecast the Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev&nbsp;live&nbsp;on television?&nbsp;</h2>

The Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev will have a live telecast on Sony Sports&nbsp;Network.&nbsp;

<h2 lang="EN-US" paraeid="{8aecc300-ff66-484f-92fc-6779c15a1c7d}{169}" paraid="997839155" >How to watch&nbsp;live-streaming of&nbsp;the Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev&nbsp;online?&nbsp;</h2>

The Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev will be&nbsp;live-streamed on the&nbsp;SonyLiv&nbsp;app.&nbsp;

World number one Novak Djokovic is set to take on youngster Daniil Medvedev in the final of Australian Open 2021 on Sunday as year's first Grand Slam event nears its conclusion.

World number one Novak Djokovic is set to take on youngster Daniil Medvedev in the final of Australian Open 2021 on Sunday as year's first Grand Slam event nears its conclusion. Both Djokovic and Medvedev head into the match following a straight-set win over their respective opponents in the semi-finals. While Djokovic thumped Karatsev 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the semi-final in what was a dominating performance by the Serb, Medvedev sailed past Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 to book a spot in the summit clash of Australian Open 2021. Djokovic would be looking to lift his 18th Grand Slam title as he looks to close in on Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who have 20 Major titles. Whereas Medvedev continues to rise in the tennis world and will be looking to lift the title after losing his only Grand Slam final to Rafael Nadal in US Open 2019. ALSO READ: King Novak faces 'challenger' Medvedev in Australian Open final All you need to know about the Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev: When will the Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev be played? The Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev will take place on Sunday (February 21) with the summit clash kicking-off at 2:00 PM IST. Where will the Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev be held? The Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev will be hosted by Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park. Which channel will telecast the Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev live on television? The Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev will have a live telecast on Sony Sports Network. How to watch live-streaming of the Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev online? The Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev will be live-streamed on the SonyLiv app.

Novak Djokovic vs Daniil Medvedev, Australian Open Final, Live Streaming: When and where to watch AUS Open 2021 final?

Thomas Tuchel admitted he was "unhappy" with Callum Hudson-Odoi's attitude after dragging off the Chelsea winger soon after his introduction as a substitute in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Southampton.

Hudson-Odoi was sent on as a half-time replacement for Tammy Abraham, but his afternoon ended in embarrassment when he was replaced to make way for Hakim Ziyech in the 76th minute.

Blues boss Tuchel made no attempt to hide his frustration with the England international's lack of effort.

"We brought in Callum Hudson-Odoi but I was not happy with his attitude, energy and counter-pressing. I took him off and we demand 100 percent," Tuchel said.&nbsp;

"I feel he is not in the right shape to help us. I was not happy with his body language.

"It was a hard decision but tomorrow it is forgotten and he has all possibilities to start against Atletico Madrid," Tuchel said, referring to the Champions League last 16 game on Tuesday.

Chelsea trailed to a first half goal from Japan star&nbsp;Takumi Minamino at St Mary's.

Mason Mount came to the rescue as he won and converted the second half spot-kick that extended Tuchel's unbeaten run to seven matches in all competitions since he replaced Frank Lampard in January.

Chelsea remain fourth in the Premier League after their run of five successive wins came to an end and they will fall out of the top four if West Ham beat Tottenham on Sunday.

In a performance reminiscent of the issues that plagued Lampard, Chelsea monopolised possession without delivering the knockout blow and paid for a defensive lapse.

Former Paris Saint Germain boss Tuchel will demand a much-improved display against Atletico.

"Clearly yes, we had all the chances and all possibilities to take the win, it would have been deserved, sometimes in football you concede one chance and they score," Tuchel said.

After losing six consecutive league matches for the first time in their history, even a scrappy point was a welcome boost for Southampton.

N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Kurt Zouma and Reece James had come back into the Chelsea team as Tuchel made four changes from Monday's win against Newcastle.

James has had less opportunities under Tuchel than he did with Lampard and the England defender made a bid to catch Tuchel's eye with a fine cross to Marcos Alonso, whose volley flashed just wide.

Chelsea had over 70 percent of the possession but lacked the cutting edge to turn that territorial dominance into a tangible reward.

<h2>- Bitter blow -</h2>

Chelsea had conceded just one goal in the six games, but Southampton sliced them open in the 33rd minute.

Nathan Redmond cut infield and slipped a superb pass between Zouma and Cesar Azpilicueta.

With the centre-backs caught out of position, on-loan Liverpool forward Minamino scampered clear and cleverly dummied Mendy and Azpilicueta before flicking a cool finish past the Chelsea keeper.

It was the first time Chelsea had trailed in the Tuchel era and they threatened an immediate equaliser when Zouma's header from Alonso's free-kick was pushed away by Alex McCarthy.

Hampered by an ankle injury, Abraham was replaced by Hudson-Odoi for his brief appearance.

Werner fired into the side-netting from a tight angle, but it was an incisive break from Mount that led to Chelsea's 54th minute equaliser.

Mount's burst into the Southampton area prompted a rash lunge from Danny Ings and he converted the penalty for his fifth club goal of the season.

Jan Vestergaard was inches away from restoring Southampton's lead when his header from Moussa Djenepo's cross beat Mendy and cannoned back off the bar.

James could have won it for Chelsea in the closing minutes but he side-footed over from Mount's pass.

Thomas Tuchel admitted he was "unhappy" with Callum Hudson-Odoi's attitude after dragging off the Chelsea winger soon after his introduction as a substitute in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Southampton.

Thomas Tuchel admitted he was "unhappy" with Callum Hudson-Odoi's attitude after dragging off the Chelsea winger soon after his introduction as a substitute in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Southampton. Hudson-Odoi was sent on as a half-time replacement for Tammy Abraham, but his afternoon ended in embarrassment when he was replaced to make way for Hakim Ziyech in the 76th minute. Blues boss Tuchel made no attempt to hide his frustration with the England international's lack of effort. "We brought in Callum Hudson-Odoi but I was not happy with his attitude, energy and counter-pressing. I took him off and we demand 100 percent," Tuchel said. "I feel he is not in the right shape to help us. I was not happy with his body language. "It was a hard decision but tomorrow it is forgotten and he has all possibilities to start against Atletico Madrid," Tuchel said, referring to the Champions League last 16 game on Tuesday. Chelsea trailed to a first half goal from Japan star Takumi Minamino at St Mary's. Mason Mount came to the rescue as he won and converted the second half spot-kick that extended Tuchel's unbeaten run to seven matches in all competitions since he replaced Frank Lampard in January. Chelsea remain fourth in the Premier League after their run of five successive wins came to an end and they will fall out of the top four if West Ham beat Tottenham on Sunday. In a performance reminiscent of the issues that plagued Lampard, Chelsea monopolised possession without delivering the knockout blow and paid for a defensive lapse. Former Paris Saint Germain boss Tuchel will demand a much-improved display against Atletico. "Clearly yes, we had all the chances and all possibilities to take the win, it would have been deserved, sometimes in football you concede one chance and they score," Tuchel said. After losing six consecutive league matches for the first time in their history, even a scrappy point was a welcome boost for Southampton. N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Kurt Zouma and Reece James had come back into the Chelsea team as Tuchel made four changes from Monday's win against Newcastle. James has had less opportunities under Tuchel than he did with Lampard and the England defender made a bid to catch Tuchel's eye with a fine cross to Marcos Alonso, whose volley flashed just wide. Chelsea had over 70 percent of the possession but lacked the cutting edge to turn that territorial dominance into a tangible reward. - Bitter blow - Chelsea had conceded just one goal in the six games, but Southampton sliced them open in the 33rd minute. Nathan Redmond cut infield and slipped a superb pass between Zouma and Cesar Azpilicueta. With the centre-backs caught out of position, on-loan Liverpool forward Minamino scampered clear and cleverly dummied Mendy and Azpilicueta before flicking a cool finish past the Chelsea keeper. It was the first time Chelsea had trailed in the Tuchel era and they threatened an immediate equaliser when Zouma's header from Alonso's free-kick was pushed away by Alex McCarthy. Hampered by an ankle injury, Abraham was replaced by Hudson-Odoi for his brief appearance. Werner fired into the side-netting from a tight angle, but it was an incisive break from Mount that led to Chelsea's 54th minute equaliser. Mount's burst into the Southampton area prompted a rash lunge from Danny Ings and he converted the penalty for his fifth club goal of the season. Jan Vestergaard was inches away from restoring Southampton's lead when his header from Moussa Djenepo's cross beat Mendy and cannoned back off the bar. James could have won it for Chelsea in the closing minutes but he side-footed over from Mount's pass.

Tuchel slams Hudson-Odoi after Chelsea sub hauled off in Saints draw

Consistent showing for Haryana in domestic cricket and a brilliant IPL has seen all-rounder Rahul Tewatia break into the national team as the BCCI announced the Indian squad for the T20I matches against England on Saturday.

Tewatia might have stolen hearts with his showing in the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League, but the spin-bowling all-rounder believes it is the challenge he faced while playing for Haryana that has made him a better cricketer.

Speaking to ANI moments after being named in the Indian team, Tewatia said that breaking into the Haryana squad and cementing a place in the XI in the presence of quality performers made him mentally strong and helped his game.

“Imagine fighting it out for a place in the team which has legends like Amit Mishra bhai. Then you had Jayant Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal has also represented the state team whenever he hasn’t been busy playing for India. The level of competition for spinners in the Haryana team is one of the toughest I would say. Finding a place and performing for Haryana not only gave me confidence but also helped me back my skills,” he explained.

Asked how he would react to days when he didn’t perform considering the level of competition in the state team, Tewatia said that the support of the Haryana Cricket Association and former BCCI Treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry has helped him face all challenges.

“Yes, it can get tough some times when you have a bad game here and there, but there has been immense support from HCA. Not to forget how Anirudh sir has always instilled confidence in me. He was always a call away and ensured that I only looked at the positive side and backed my game,” he pointed.

Tewatia is also excited about sharing the dressing room with some of the biggest names in international cricket.

“So far, I played against Virat Kohli in the IPL. Now I will play with him and share the dressing room with him. Can’t wait to share the dressing room with him and some of the best cricketers in world cricket. It will be all about learning from them and understanding how they compete against the best in the business and succeed,” he smiled.

Tewatia also believes that a successful IPL was a big blessing. “You do know that the best in the world come over to play in the IPL. If you perform against them, it also helps build your confidence. I am glad that I could play match-winning knocks for Rajasthan Royals this season,” he signed off.&nbsp;

Consistent showing for Haryana in domestic cricket and a brilliant IPL has seen all-rounder Rahul Tewatia break into the national team as the BCCI announced the Indian squad for the T20I matches against England on Saturday.

Consistent showing for Haryana in domestic cricket and a brilliant IPL has seen all-rounder Rahul Tewatia break into the national team as the BCCI announced the Indian squad for the T20I matches against England on Saturday. Tewatia might have stolen hearts with his showing in the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League, but the spin-bowling all-rounder believes it is the challenge he faced while playing for Haryana that has made him a better cricketer. Speaking to ANI moments after being named in the Indian team, Tewatia said that breaking into the Haryana squad and cementing a place in the XI in the presence of quality performers made him mentally strong and helped his game. “Imagine fighting it out for a place in the team which has legends like Amit Mishra bhai. Then you had Jayant Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal has also represented the state team whenever he hasn’t been busy playing for India. The level of competition for spinners in the Haryana team is one of the toughest I would say. Finding a place and performing for Haryana not only gave me confidence but also helped me back my skills,” he explained. Asked how he would react to days when he didn’t perform considering the level of competition in the state team, Tewatia said that the support of the Haryana Cricket Association and former BCCI Treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry has helped him face all challenges. “Yes, it can get tough some times when you have a bad game here and there, but there has been immense support from HCA. Not to forget how Anirudh sir has always instilled confidence in me. He was always a call away and ensured that I only looked at the positive side and backed my game,” he pointed. Tewatia is also excited about sharing the dressing room with some of the biggest names in international cricket. “So far, I played against Virat Kohli in the IPL. Now I will play with him and share the dressing room with him. Can’t wait to share the dressing room with him and some of the best cricketers in world cricket. It will be all about learning from them and understanding how they compete against the best in the business and succeed,” he smiled. Tewatia also believes that a successful IPL was a big blessing. “You do know that the best in the world come over to play in the IPL. If you perform against them, it also helps build your confidence. I am glad that I could play match-winning knocks for Rajasthan Royals this season,” he signed off.

Can't wait to share dressing room with the likes of Kohli, says Rahul Tewatia

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced the Indian squad for the five-match T20I series against England. The likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, Ishank Kishan and Varun Chakravarthy have been handed major call-ups, the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar returns to the squad after a lengthy period on the sidelines due to injury.

Virat Kohli will lead the Indian side in the five-match T20I series against England, scheduled to start from March 12. All the matches of the T20I series will be played at the world's largest stadium - Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;

While some fresh faces have been added to the T20I squad, the likes of Sanju Samson and Manish Pandey missed the cut. Rahul Tewatia, who shot to fame in IPL 2020 where he whacked West Indies pacer, Sheldon Cottrell, for five sixes has been brought into the squad. Whereas Suryakumar Yadav, who has been in menacing form in the Indian domestic circuit and IPL for a few seasons now, finally gets rewarded. Varun Chakravarthy, who was originally drafted into the Indian squad for the T20I series against Australia but missed the series due to injury, gets another call-up.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-take-a-call-on-county-stint-after-ipl-says-csks-latest-recruit-cheteshwar-pujara-365075" hreflang="en">Will take a call on county stint after IPL, says CSK's latest recruit Cheteshwar Pujara</a>

Jasprit Bumrah has been rested given the hectic schedule of the Indian team in the year 2021 with the likes of Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan forming up the Indian pace battery. Axar Patel, too, has been included in the T20I side after a good outing in IPL 2020.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/felt-like-the-loneliest-guy-virat-kohli-opens-up-on-battle-with-depression-364757" hreflang="en">'Felt like the loneliest guy': Virat Kohli opens up on battle with depression</a>

<h2>India squad for England T20I series:</h2>

Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Y Chahal, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, W Sundar, R Tewatia, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep, Shardul Thakur.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Y Chahal, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, W Sundar, R Tewatia, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep, Shardul Thakur. <a href="https://t.co/KkunRWtwE6">https://t.co/KkunRWtwE6</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1363143754807316487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<table border="4" width="619">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td colspan="4" width="425">
			England’s tour of India, 2020/21 – T20I series
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td width="63">
			Sr .No.
			</td>
			<td width="112">
			Date
			</td>
			<td width="106">
			Match
			</td>
			<td width="144">
			Venue
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td width="63">
			1
			</td>
			<td width="112">
			12th&nbsp;March
			</td>
			<td width="106">
			1st&nbsp;T20I
			</td>
			<td width="144">
			Ahmedabad
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td width="63">
			2
			</td>
			<td width="112">
			14th&nbsp;March
			</td>
			<td width="106">
			2nd&nbsp;T20I
			</td>
			<td width="144">
			Ahmedabad
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td width="63">
			3
			</td>
			<td width="112">
			16th&nbsp;March
			</td>
			<td width="106">
			3rd&nbsp;T20I
			</td>
			<td width="144">
			Ahmedabad
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td width="63">
			4
			</td>
			<td width="112">
			18th&nbsp;March
			</td>
			<td width="106">
			4th&nbsp;T20I
			</td>
			<td width="144">
			Ahmedabad
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td width="63">
			5
			</td>
			<td width="112">
			20th&nbsp;March
			</td>
			<td width="106">
			5th&nbsp;T20I
			</td>
			<td width="144">
			Ahmedabad
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

&nbsp;

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced the Indian squad for the five-match T20I series against England. The likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, Ishank Kishan and Varun Chakravarthy have been handed major call-ups, the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar returns to the squad after a lengthy period on the sidelines due to injury.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced the Indian squad for the five-match T20I series against England. The likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, Ishank Kishan and Varun Chakravarthy have been handed major call-ups, the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar returns to the squad after a lengthy period on the sidelines due to injury. Virat Kohli will lead the Indian side in the five-match T20I series against England, scheduled to start from March 12. All the matches of the T20I series will be played at the world's largest stadium - Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad. While some fresh faces have been added to the T20I squad, the likes of Sanju Samson and Manish Pandey missed the cut. Rahul Tewatia, who shot to fame in IPL 2020 where he whacked West Indies pacer, Sheldon Cottrell, for five sixes has been brought into the squad. Whereas Suryakumar Yadav, who has been in menacing form in the Indian domestic circuit and IPL for a few seasons now, finally gets rewarded. Varun Chakravarthy, who was originally drafted into the Indian squad for the T20I series against Australia but missed the series due to injury, gets another call-up. ALSO READ: Will take a call on county stint after IPL, says CSK's latest recruit Cheteshwar Pujara Jasprit Bumrah has been rested given the hectic schedule of the Indian team in the year 2021 with the likes of Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan forming up the Indian pace battery. Axar Patel, too, has been included in the T20I side after a good outing in IPL 2020. ALSO READ: 'Felt like the loneliest guy': Virat Kohli opens up on battle with depression India squad for England T20I series: Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Y Chahal, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, W Sundar, R Tewatia, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep, Shardul Thakur. Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Y Chahal, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, W Sundar, R Tewatia, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep, Shardul Thakur. https://t.co/KkunRWtwE6 — BCCI (@BCCI) February 20, 2021 × England’s tour of India, 2020/21 – T20I series Sr .No. Date Match Venue 1 12th March 1st T20I Ahmedabad 2 14th March 2nd T20I Ahmedabad 3 16th March 3rd T20I Ahmedabad 4 18th March 4th T20I Ahmedabad 5 20th March 5th T20I Ahmedabad

India announce squad for England T20I series as Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan get call-ups

Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara on Saturday said that the pitch for the second Test played against England in Chennai was not "dangerous" at all while adding it&nbsp;players find it difficult to score runs when the ball spins. Pujara was even asked about the IPL 2021 auction, where he was signed by Chennai Super Kings.

India defeated England by 317 runs in the second Test in Chennai to level the series 1-1. Now the focus shifts to Ahmedabad, where the last two Tests of the series will be played at the world's largest stadium –&nbsp;Motera.&nbsp;

While there are still a few days to go before one could&nbsp;analyse&nbsp;the pitch in Ahmedabad, former players like Michael Vaughan and Mark Waugh termed the Chennai pitch as poor.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Sometimes you know when you are playing on a turning track, you find it difficult but at the same time, it was not a dangerous pitch at all. When the ball spins you know people find it difficult to score runs, especially the overseas teams. When we go overseas and we play on seaming tracks, the game finishes in three or four days. We still have to play on such wickets where there is a lot of grass or seam movement,"&nbsp;Pujara told&nbsp;a virtual press conference on Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/whopping-inr-6144-crore-in-14-years-of-ipl-auction-salary-money-spent-across-cricketers-globally-365017" hreflang="en">Whopping INR 6144 crore in 14 years of IPL: Auction, salary money spent across cricketers globally</a>

"In turning tracks, one cannot define how much the ball can spin. It is a very thin line in that way. I do not think it was a bad pitch, it always becomes difficult in the second innings, this is how it is. When we play in Australia, there are cracks on day four and five, it is a little dangerous, the oddball hits the crack and it might take off. As a team I do not think we had any issues, once opposition teams start playing more on these pitches, they will be fine," he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pujara was recently signed up by Chennai Super Kings for the 14th&nbsp;edition of the Indian Premier League for his base price. However, Pujara was all set to play County cricket in a bid to prepare for India's tour of England later this year. Now, with both IPL and County season clashing, Pujara&nbsp;said that he always wanted to play the shorter format of the game and will take a call on County cricket once the IPL gets over as he will have a small window to play some matches in England after the end of the cash-rich tournament.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"First of all, I am really glad to be a part of the IPL, it is good to be back again. I would like to thank the CSK team for picking me, but at the same time, when I am talking about county cricket, I still think I will have enough time before we play England in England. Once IPL gets over, there will be a window for me to play county games. That call I will take once IPL gets over. There will be enough time to play some county games. We also have a couple of practice games in England once the Test series begins there," said Pujara.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/proud-of-your-success-sachin-tendulkar-reacts-after-virat-kohli-opens-up-about-battle-with-depression-365026" hreflang="en">Proud of your success: Sachin Tendulkar reacts after Virat Kohli opens up about battle with depression</a>

"There is plenty of time to play county cricket but it is good to be back in the IPL. You know, I always want to play the short format of the game, IPL has produced so many great cricketers, some young talent we have got through the IPL, it has helped the Indian team. My focus once this Test series gets over will be on the IPL and once IPL gets over, I will think about county games and then there is a big series coming up against England. I am very hopeful that we will play the World Test Championship final as well which is in June," he added.&nbsp;

Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara on Saturday said that the pitch for the second Test played against England in Chennai was not "dangerous" at all while adding it players find it difficult to score runs when the ball spins.

Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara on Saturday said that the pitch for the second Test played against England in Chennai was not "dangerous" at all while adding it players find it difficult to score runs when the ball spins. Pujara was even asked about the IPL 2021 auction, where he was signed by Chennai Super Kings. India defeated England by 317 runs in the second Test in Chennai to level the series 1-1. Now the focus shifts to Ahmedabad, where the last two Tests of the series will be played at the world's largest stadium – Motera. While there are still a few days to go before one could analyse the pitch in Ahmedabad, former players like Michael Vaughan and Mark Waugh termed the Chennai pitch as poor. "Sometimes you know when you are playing on a turning track, you find it difficult but at the same time, it was not a dangerous pitch at all. When the ball spins you know people find it difficult to score runs, especially the overseas teams. When we go overseas and we play on seaming tracks, the game finishes in three or four days. We still have to play on such wickets where there is a lot of grass or seam movement," Pujara told a virtual press conference on Saturday. ALSO READ: Whopping INR 6144 crore in 14 years of IPL: Auction, salary money spent across cricketers globally "In turning tracks, one cannot define how much the ball can spin. It is a very thin line in that way. I do not think it was a bad pitch, it always becomes difficult in the second innings, this is how it is. When we play in Australia, there are cracks on day four and five, it is a little dangerous, the oddball hits the crack and it might take off. As a team I do not think we had any issues, once opposition teams start playing more on these pitches, they will be fine," he added. Pujara was recently signed up by Chennai Super Kings for the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League for his base price. However, Pujara was all set to play County cricket in a bid to prepare for India's tour of England later this year. Now, with both IPL and County season clashing, Pujara said that he always wanted to play the shorter format of the game and will take a call on County cricket once the IPL gets over as he will have a small window to play some matches in England after the end of the cash-rich tournament. "First of all, I am really glad to be a part of the IPL, it is good to be back again. I would like to thank the CSK team for picking me, but at the same time, when I am talking about county cricket, I still think I will have enough time before we play England in England. Once IPL gets over, there will be a window for me to play county games. That call I will take once IPL gets over. There will be enough time to play some county games. We also have a couple of practice games in England once the Test series begins there," said Pujara. ALSO READ: Proud of your success: Sachin Tendulkar reacts after Virat Kohli opens up about battle with depression "There is plenty of time to play county cricket but it is good to be back in the IPL. You know, I always want to play the short format of the game, IPL has produced so many great cricketers, some young talent we have got through the IPL, it has helped the Indian team. My focus once this Test series gets over will be on the IPL and once IPL gets over, I will think about county games and then there is a big series coming up against England. I am very hopeful that we will play the World Test Championship final as well which is in June," he added.

Will take a call on county stint after IPL, says CSK's latest recruit Cheteshwar Pujara

A host of Bangladesh cricketers and support staffers including the likes of Tamim Iqbal and Russell Domingo have been administered COVID-19 vaccines in Dhaka, ahead of the team's departure for New Zealand&nbsp;for their limited-overs international series.&nbsp;

Star player Soumya Sarkar was the first&nbsp;Bangladesh&nbsp;cricketer to be vaccinated at the&nbsp;Kurmitola&nbsp;General Hospital and was followed by the likes of&nbsp;Mehidy&nbsp;Hasan, Mohammad Naim and Taskin Ahmed. They were followed by support staffers as special arrangements were made for the overseas coaches. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)&nbsp;director Jalal Yunus was also among those vaccinated as he will be travelling with the team for the New Zealand tour, according to&nbsp;ESPNCricinfo.&nbsp;

Whereas some more Bangladeshi cricketers who will be travelling to New Zealand will be vaccinated on February 20 and the BCB will make further arrangements for more vaccines to be administered following the tour, if needed.&nbsp;

"The thing about vaccinations is that if you know how helpful it is for you then I think your fear will go. I will not deny that I was afraid.&nbsp;I was not sure whether to take it or not. But after talking to the BCB and finding out that it is normal to have symptoms, it made sense to take it,” Tamim Iqbal said.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/proud-of-your-success-sachin-tendulkar-reacts-after-virat-kohli-opens-up-about-battle-with-depression-365026" hreflang="en">Proud of your success: Sachin Tendulkar reacts after Virat Kohli opens up about battle with depression</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Alhamdulillah, I am grateful to Allah, as I have just taken the first doze of Covid-19 Vaccine. Thanks to BCB and the Government of Bangladesh as well. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vaccine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vaccine</a> <a href="https://t.co/QfM51hc4RQ">pic.twitter.com/QfM51hc4RQ</a>
— Tamim Iqbal Khan (@TamimOfficial28) <a href="https://twitter.com/TamimOfficial28/status/1362295047173984262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
National Team Players and Coaching Staff take COVID-19 Vaccine today.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCB</a> <a href="https://t.co/6fhm7cDxRE">pic.twitter.com/6fhm7cDxRE</a>
— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCBtigers/status/1362407326729314306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The&nbsp;Surokkha&nbsp;app was also launched at the same time in the presence of health minister Zahid&nbsp;Maleque&nbsp;and BCB president Nazmul Hassan, and Sarkar was the first to use it.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/whopping-inr-6144-crore-in-14-years-of-ipl-auction-salary-money-spent-across-cricketers-globally-365017" hreflang="en">Whopping INR 6144 crore in 14 years of IPL: Auction, salary money spent across cricketers globally</a>

Taskin&nbsp;Ahmed&nbsp;said:&nbsp;&nbsp;"I am feeling quite good after being inoculated," he told Prothom Alo. "There's no physical problem yet. I would like to thank the&nbsp;honourable&nbsp;prime minister and BCB for making it so easily available for us. I urge everyone to be vaccinated. The&nbsp;Surokkha&nbsp;app has also made it a simpler process."&nbsp;

With the Bangladesh government rolling out the vaccination drive earlier in February, more than one million Bangladeshis have taken the vaccines as of now. Notably,&nbsp;India had gifted Bangladesh&nbsp;2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in January.

The Bangladesh team will depart for New Zealand on 23 February to play three ICC Cricket World Cup Super League ODIs and three T20 internationals

A host of Bangladesh cricketers and support staffers including the likes of Tamim Iqbal and Russell Domingo have been administered COVID-19 vaccines in Dhaka, ahead of the team's departure for New Zealand for their limited-overs international series.

A host of Bangladesh cricketers and support staffers including the likes of Tamim Iqbal and Russell Domingo have been administered COVID-19 vaccines in Dhaka, ahead of the team's departure for New Zealand for their limited-overs international series. Star player Soumya Sarkar was the first Bangladesh cricketer to be vaccinated at the Kurmitola General Hospital and was followed by the likes of Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Naim and Taskin Ahmed. They were followed by support staffers as special arrangements were made for the overseas coaches. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Jalal Yunus was also among those vaccinated as he will be travelling with the team for the New Zealand tour, according to ESPNCricinfo. Whereas some more Bangladeshi cricketers who will be travelling to New Zealand will be vaccinated on February 20 and the BCB will make further arrangements for more vaccines to be administered following the tour, if needed. "The thing about vaccinations is that if you know how helpful it is for you then I think your fear will go. I will not deny that I was afraid. I was not sure whether to take it or not. But after talking to the BCB and finding out that it is normal to have symptoms, it made sense to take it,” Tamim Iqbal said. ALSO READ: Proud of your success: Sachin Tendulkar reacts after Virat Kohli opens up about battle with depression Alhamdulillah, I am grateful to Allah, as I have just taken the first doze of Covid-19 Vaccine. Thanks to BCB and the Government of Bangladesh as well. #vaccine pic.twitter.com/QfM51hc4RQ — Tamim Iqbal Khan (@TamimOfficial28) February 18, 2021 × National Team Players and Coaching Staff take COVID-19 Vaccine today.#BCB pic.twitter.com/6fhm7cDxRE — Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) February 18, 2021 × The Surokkha app was also launched at the same time in the presence of health minister Zahid Maleque and BCB president Nazmul Hassan, and Sarkar was the first to use it. ALSO READ: Whopping INR 6144 crore in 14 years of IPL: Auction, salary money spent across cricketers globally Taskin Ahmed said: "I am feeling quite good after being inoculated," he told Prothom Alo. "There's no physical problem yet. I would like to thank the honourable prime minister and BCB for making it so easily available for us. I urge everyone to be vaccinated. The Surokkha app has also made it a simpler process." With the Bangladesh government rolling out the vaccination drive earlier in February, more than one million Bangladeshis have taken the vaccines as of now. Notably, India had gifted Bangladesh 2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in January. The Bangladesh team will depart for New Zealand on 23 February to play three ICC Cricket World Cup Super League ODIs and three T20 internationals

New Zealand-bound Bangladesh cricketers, staff administered COVID-19 vaccines

Japan's Naomi Osaka on Saturday defeated Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-3 to win the Australian Open final as she continued her unbeaten streak to 21 matches (14 Grand Slam matches). Osaka, with the dominating win, becomes only the fourth active WTA player to win more than three major singles titles. Osaka also closed the gap with world number one Ashleigh&nbsp;Barty after finding herself second in the rankings following the win over Brady.

The 23-year-old becomes only the third player after Monica Seles and Roger Federer to win their first four major finals. This was Osaka's second Australian Open win as she continues to rise in the world of tennis.

Osaka won the tight first set while breaking Brady twice in the second to win the match 6-4, 6-3 in 77 minutes in front of thousands of cheerful fans at the Rod Laver Arena. Third-seeded Osaka now holds a 100 per cent record in Grand Slam finals following her win in 2018 and 2020 US Opens and 2019 win in Melbourne.

"We played in the semis of the US Open a couple of months ago and I told everyone that you're going to be a problem," Osaka told Brady at the trophy presentation.

"And I was right. It's really incredible to me to see your growth over the past few months, it's really cool for me to see."

<img alt="osaka" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4b53cea7-687a-43d2-baa7-4138452fa7e1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_93E9CH.jpg" />

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/king-novak-faces-challenger-medvedev-in-australian-open-final-365001" hreflang="en">King Novak faces 'challenger' Medvedev in Australian Open final</a>

Osaka saved two match points in the fourth round against Garbine Muguruza before lifting the coveted Australian Open trophy.

Osaka, who also beat her idol, Serena Williams, in straight sets in the semi-finals, has not lost a match in more than a year.

Brady belatedly conjured some resistance to break Osaka against the flow of play and claw back to 5-3. But the American bowed out as she started, with errors flying off her racket. Osaka served out the match to love, with a big serve sealing it when Brady thumped a forehand return long

More to follow...

Japan's Naomi Osaka on Saturday defeated Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-3 to win the Australian Open final as she continued her unbeaten streak to 21 matches (14 Grand Slam matches).

Japan's Naomi Osaka on Saturday defeated Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-3 to win the Australian Open final as she continued her unbeaten streak to 21 matches (14 Grand Slam matches). Osaka, with the dominating win, becomes only the fourth active WTA player to win more than three major singles titles. Osaka also closed the gap with world number one Ashleigh Barty after finding herself second in the rankings following the win over Brady. The 23-year-old becomes only the third player after Monica Seles and Roger Federer to win their first four major finals. This was Osaka's second Australian Open win as she continues to rise in the world of tennis. Osaka won the tight first set while breaking Brady twice in the second to win the match 6-4, 6-3 in 77 minutes in front of thousands of cheerful fans at the Rod Laver Arena. Third-seeded Osaka now holds a 100 per cent record in Grand Slam finals following her win in 2018 and 2020 US Opens and 2019 win in Melbourne. "We played in the semis of the US Open a couple of months ago and I told everyone that you're going to be a problem," Osaka told Brady at the trophy presentation. "And I was right. It's really incredible to me to see your growth over the past few months, it's really cool for me to see." ALSO READ: King Novak faces 'challenger' Medvedev in Australian Open final Osaka saved two match points in the fourth round against Garbine Muguruza before lifting the coveted Australian Open trophy. Osaka, who also beat her idol, Serena Williams, in straight sets in the semi-finals, has not lost a match in more than a year. Brady belatedly conjured some resistance to break Osaka against the flow of play and claw back to 5-3. But the American bowed out as she started, with errors flying off her racket. Osaka served out the match to love, with a big serve sealing it when Brady thumped a forehand return long More to follow...

Naomi Osaka dominates Jennifer Brady to win Australian Open final

Naomi Osaka clinched her fourth Grand Slam title Saturday after beating American Jennifer Brady at the Australian Open.&nbsp;

The 23-year-old became the first women's player to win her first four Grand Slam finals since Monica Seles in 1991.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Here, AFP describes how her two US Opens and two Australian Opens were won:

<h2>- US Open 2018 -&nbsp;</h2>

Osaka, 20, became the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles title by beating her idol Serena Williams 6-2 6-4 in a match marred by the American calling chair umpire Carlos Ramos "a thief" after being penalised.&nbsp;

A composed Osaka brushed aside the drama to record just her second career title, but her triumph was soured when the&nbsp;American crowd booed during the trophy presentation. Osaka tried to hide her tears and was consoled by Williams.&nbsp;

Seeded 20th, Osaka dropped just one set during the tournament and became the youngest US Open champion since Maria Sharapova in 2006.

<h2>- Australian Open 2019 -&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>

Osaka backed up her New York breakthrough by battling&nbsp;past Czech eighth seed Petra Kvitova 7-6 (7/2), 5-7, 6-4 in a gripping final at Melbourne Park.&nbsp;

She overcame a trio of three-set matches en route to the final, but her hard-fought triumph meant she became&nbsp;the first Asian, male or female, to ascend to the world's top ranking.&nbsp;

Osaka, who wept tears of joy after a titanic battle lasting more than two hours, became the youngest woman to win back-to-back majors since Martina Hingis in 1998 and the youngest number one since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010.

<h2>- US Open 2020 -&nbsp;</h2>

The 22-year-old&nbsp;came from a set down to beat Victoria Azarenka to clinch her third Grand Slam title.&nbsp;

The fourth seed fought back from 1-6, 0-2 behind to overcome her unseeded opponent from Belarus 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 inside an Arthur Ashe Stadium devoid of fans at Flushing Meadows.&nbsp;

Osaka walked on to the court wearing a mask bearing the name of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old African-American boy who was shot dead by a white police officer in Cleveland, Ohio in 2014.&nbsp;

Osaka, of Japanese and Haitian heritage, won widespread praise for her support of the Black Lives Matter movement by wearing different masks each round to honour victims of racial injustice and police brutality.

&nbsp;

<h2>- Australian Open 2021 -</h2>

Beats Brady 6-4, 6-3 in just 77 minutes to complete a remarkable Covid-interrupted 12 months and 21 matches without a defeat on court.

Osaka broke the American twice in each set, and although Brady clawed back one of the breaks each time, she was ultimately undone by the firepower of the Japanese superstar in front of thousands of fans at Rod Laver Arena.

The world's top-earning female athlete, Osaka was pushed hardest in the fourth round when she had to save two match points against Garbine Muguruza but thereafter never looked in danger.

Naomi Osaka clinched her fourth Grand Slam title Saturday after beating American Jennifer Brady at the Australian Open. The 23-year-old became the first women's player to win her first four Grand Slam finals since Monica Seles in 1991.

Naomi Osaka clinched her fourth Grand Slam title Saturday after beating American Jennifer Brady at the Australian Open. The 23-year-old became the first women's player to win her first four Grand Slam finals since Monica Seles in 1991. Here, AFP describes how her two US Opens and two Australian Opens were won: - US Open 2018 - Osaka, 20, became the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles title by beating her idol Serena Williams 6-2 6-4 in a match marred by the American calling chair umpire Carlos Ramos "a thief" after being penalised. A composed Osaka brushed aside the drama to record just her second career title, but her triumph was soured when the American crowd booed during the trophy presentation. Osaka tried to hide her tears and was consoled by Williams. Seeded 20th, Osaka dropped just one set during the tournament and became the youngest US Open champion since Maria Sharapova in 2006. - Australian Open 2019 - Osaka backed up her New York breakthrough by battling past Czech eighth seed Petra Kvitova 7-6 (7/2), 5-7, 6-4 in a gripping final at Melbourne Park. She overcame a trio of three-set matches en route to the final, but her hard-fought triumph meant she became the first Asian, male or female, to ascend to the world's top ranking. Osaka, who wept tears of joy after a titanic battle lasting more than two hours, became the youngest woman to win back-to-back majors since Martina Hingis in 1998 and the youngest number one since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010. - US Open 2020 - The 22-year-old came from a set down to beat Victoria Azarenka to clinch her third Grand Slam title. The fourth seed fought back from 1-6, 0-2 behind to overcome her unseeded opponent from Belarus 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 inside an Arthur Ashe Stadium devoid of fans at Flushing Meadows. Osaka walked on to the court wearing a mask bearing the name of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old African-American boy who was shot dead by a white police officer in Cleveland, Ohio in 2014. Osaka, of Japanese and Haitian heritage, won widespread praise for her support of the Black Lives Matter movement by wearing different masks each round to honour victims of racial injustice and police brutality. - Australian Open 2021 - Beats Brady 6-4, 6-3 in just 77 minutes to complete a remarkable Covid-interrupted 12 months and 21 matches without a defeat on court. Osaka broke the American twice in each set, and although Brady clawed back one of the breaks each time, she was ultimately undone by the firepower of the Japanese superstar in front of thousands of fans at Rod Laver Arena. The world's top-earning female athlete, Osaka was pushed hardest in the fourth round when she had to save two match points against Garbine Muguruza but thereafter never looked in danger.

Four for Osaka: How Naomi's Grand Slams were won

As the much-anticipated Indian Premier League auction took place in Chennai on 18th&nbsp;February 2021, Delhi Capitals went all out to ensure their fans felt like an integral part of the crucial evening for the team.

Continuing with last season’s initiatives to involve fans directly, the team launched an array of innovative engagement initiatives, taking another decisive step towards further cementing a loyal fandom for the Delhi-based franchise.

In the build-up to the auction,&nbsp;community polls&nbsp;were hosted on social media and in-person vox populi was conducted with fans at different locations in the city to get their opinion on preferred picks for the auction. The team’s official fan club, the&nbsp;DC Toli, also shared a customised digital filter to enable fans to send in digital vox populi.

The team’s buys reflected popular fan choice as Steve Smith and Umesh Yadav had emerged as the most wanted batsman and bowler, respectively.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-auction-2021-complete-players-list-of-all-eight-squads-364617" hreflang="en">IPL Auction 2021: Complete players list of all eight squads</a>

On the day of the auction, the team organised a live, virtual “DC Watch Party” hosted by renowned RJ Rahul Makin from Fever 104 FM. The party gave fans an auction experience like never-before, with real-time discussions with fellow fans, welcoming new players, celebrating the team of 2021 as well as technical discussions utilizing stat screens, recent performances, and insightful analyses. The various fans that participated in the live watch party included international fans from countries like Canada and Scotland, budding school and college-level cricketers from the city, influencers like Sam Kachru and Gaurav Sethi, as well fans from other IPL teams who were invited as special guests for an exchange of views.

The lucky fans also got a surprise visit from DC spinner Amit Mishra, who candidly answered their questions and joined them in cheering on the franchise at the auction.

Hosted live across Facebook, Youtube and Delhi Capitals’ website, the Watch Party garnered more than 1.8 lakh views.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-auction-highlights-from-chris-morris-to-glenn-maxwell-all-the-details-from-mini-auction-364497" hreflang="en">IPL 2021 Auction, Highlights: From Chris Morris to Glenn Maxwell - all the details from mini-auction</a>

Another social media initiative that caught the fans’ eyes, was Delhi Capitals own version of Dude with The Sign – “DC Fan with A Sign”. Dressed in the team jersey, the fan travelled to various iconic locations across the city and held placards featuring tongue-in-cheek messaging reflecting real-time updates from the auction, be it poking fun at the intense bidding wars or hailing the new additions to the team.

The “DC Reporter” series, which enables young and energetic fans from across the city to create content by the fans and for the fans, also released 5 special episodes covering all aspects of the auction such as fan reviews, welcoming new players and interviewing DC academy players.

Along with various micro-engagement activities, these initiatives further cement Delhi Capitals’ commitment towards bringing the fans closer to the team as they gear up to clinch their elusive first IPL crown.

<h2>DELHI CAPITALS, IPL 2021 SQUAD:</h2>

Shreyas Iyer (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk),&nbsp;Shimron&nbsp;Hetmyer, Marcus&nbsp;Stoinis, Chris&nbsp;Woakes, R Ashwin,&nbsp;Axar&nbsp;Patel, Amit Mishra, Lalit Yadav, Pravin Dubey, Kagiso&nbsp;Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ishant Sharma, Avesh Khan, Steve Smith, Umesh Yadav, Ripal Patel, Vishnu Vinod, Lukman&nbsp;Meriwala, M Siddarth, Tom Curran, Sam Billings&nbsp;

As the much-anticipated Indian Premier League auction took place in Chennai on 18th February 2021, Delhi Capitals went all out to ensure their fans felt like an integral part of the crucial evening for the team.

As the much-anticipated Indian Premier League auction took place in Chennai on 18th February 2021, Delhi Capitals went all out to ensure their fans felt like an integral part of the crucial evening for the team. Continuing with last season’s initiatives to involve fans directly, the team launched an array of innovative engagement initiatives, taking another decisive step towards further cementing a loyal fandom for the Delhi-based franchise. In the build-up to the auction, community polls were hosted on social media and in-person vox populi was conducted with fans at different locations in the city to get their opinion on preferred picks for the auction. The team’s official fan club, the DC Toli, also shared a customised digital filter to enable fans to send in digital vox populi. The team’s buys reflected popular fan choice as Steve Smith and Umesh Yadav had emerged as the most wanted batsman and bowler, respectively. ALSO READ: IPL Auction 2021: Complete players list of all eight squads On the day of the auction, the team organised a live, virtual “DC Watch Party” hosted by renowned RJ Rahul Makin from Fever 104 FM. The party gave fans an auction experience like never-before, with real-time discussions with fellow fans, welcoming new players, celebrating the team of 2021 as well as technical discussions utilizing stat screens, recent performances, and insightful analyses. The various fans that participated in the live watch party included international fans from countries like Canada and Scotland, budding school and college-level cricketers from the city, influencers like Sam Kachru and Gaurav Sethi, as well fans from other IPL teams who were invited as special guests for an exchange of views. The lucky fans also got a surprise visit from DC spinner Amit Mishra, who candidly answered their questions and joined them in cheering on the franchise at the auction. Hosted live across Facebook, Youtube and Delhi Capitals’ website, the Watch Party garnered more than 1.8 lakh views. ALSO READ: IPL 2021 Auction, Highlights: From Chris Morris to Glenn Maxwell - all the details from mini-auction Another social media initiative that caught the fans’ eyes, was Delhi Capitals own version of Dude with The Sign – “DC Fan with A Sign”. Dressed in the team jersey, the fan travelled to various iconic locations across the city and held placards featuring tongue-in-cheek messaging reflecting real-time updates from the auction, be it poking fun at the intense bidding wars or hailing the new additions to the team. The “DC Reporter” series, which enables young and energetic fans from across the city to create content by the fans and for the fans, also released 5 special episodes covering all aspects of the auction such as fan reviews, welcoming new players and interviewing DC academy players. Along with various micro-engagement activities, these initiatives further cement Delhi Capitals’ commitment towards bringing the fans closer to the team as they gear up to clinch their elusive first IPL crown. DELHI CAPITALS, IPL 2021 SQUAD: Shreyas Iyer (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Woakes, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, Lalit Yadav, Pravin Dubey, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ishant Sharma, Avesh Khan, Steve Smith, Umesh Yadav, Ripal Patel, Vishnu Vinod, Lukman Meriwala, M Siddarth, Tom Curran, Sam Billings

Delhi Capitals’ fans take centre-stage at IPL auction 2021

Former Indian cricketer and a legend of the game,&nbsp;Sachin&nbsp;Tendulkar on Saturday reacted to Virat Kohli opening up about his battle with depression, where the Indian captain also revealed how a conversation with the Master Blaster&nbsp;"opened up" his mindset.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tendulkar took to social media platform Twitter as he wrote he is proud of his success and decision to share personal experiences. The former Indian cricketer added that these days youngsters are&nbsp;relentlessly&nbsp;judged on social media while adding we need to listen to them and help them flourish.&nbsp;

".@imVkohli, proud of your success &amp; decision to share such personal experiences.&nbsp;These days youngsters are constantly judged on social media. Thousands speak about them but not to them.&nbsp;We need to be able to listen to them and help them flourish,” Tendulkar tweeted.&nbsp;

<img alt="Sachin Tendulkar tweet on Virat Kohli" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a4c7c830-eb3d-4d46-bd5e-48f0c139740d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Sachin.JPG" />

Kohli, on Mark Nicholas’ podcast 'Not Just Cricket' said that he felt depressed during India's tour of England in 2014 – when he went through the worst form of his life – but said that a chat with Tendulkar helped him&nbsp;during that phase.&nbsp;

"I did have a chat with him about the mental side of things as well and the thing that he told me was, in cricket what he experienced was if you are going through a strong negative feeling and if that is coming into your system regularly, it is best to let it pass. If you start fighting that feeling, it grows stronger. So, that is the advice I took on board and my mindset really opened up from then on," Kohli told renowned broadcaster Mark Nicholas on the latter’s podcast ‘Not Just Cricket’.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/felt-like-the-loneliest-guy-virat-kohli-opens-up-on-battle-with-depression-364757" hreflang="en">'Felt like the loneliest guy': Virat Kohli opens up on battle with depression</a>

The Indian skipper further revealed he failed to understand how he would get over the phase while adding he felt like he was the "loneliest guy" in the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"I did (feel depressed). It's not a great feeling when wake up knowing that you won't be able to score any runs and I think all batsmen have felt that at some stage or the other that you are not in control of anything at all. And you just don't understand how to get over it. I think when you look back at a very difficult phase, you&nbsp;realise&nbsp;that you had to go through that phase fully to be able to understand what is wrong and rectify and move forward and open yourself up for change. That was a phase where I literally couldn't do anything to overturn what I was going through. I felt like I was the loneliest guy in the world," said Kohli, recalling the England tour back in 2014.&nbsp;

Kohli had averaged a mere 13.50 in India's tour of England in 2014 where he failed to even register a half-century in 10 innings.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He also said: "For me, personally, that was a revelation that you could feel that lonely even though you a part of a big group. I won't say I didn't have people that I could speak to but not having a professional to speak to who could understand what I am going through completely, I think is a huge factor. I think I would like to see it change. Someone that you can go to at any stage, have a conversation around, and say 'Listen this is what I am feeling, I am finding it hard to even go to sleep, I feel like I don't want to wake up in the morning. I have no confidence in myself, what do I do?'"&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/whopping-inr-6144-crore-in-14-years-of-ipl-auction-salary-money-spent-across-cricketers-globally-365017" hreflang="en">Whopping INR 6144 crore in 14 years of IPL: Auction, salary money spent across cricketers globally</a>

Kohli will be seen in action against England when both teams take the field for the third Test in Ahmedabad from February 24.&nbsp;

Former Indian cricketer and a legend of the game, Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday reacted to Virat Kohli opening up about his battle with depression, where the Indian captain also revealed how a conversation with the Master Blaster "opened up" his mindset.

Former Indian cricketer and a legend of the game, Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday reacted to Virat Kohli opening up about his battle with depression, where the Indian captain also revealed how a conversation with the Master Blaster "opened up" his mindset. Tendulkar took to social media platform Twitter as he wrote he is proud of his success and decision to share personal experiences. The former Indian cricketer added that these days youngsters are relentlessly judged on social media while adding we need to listen to them and help them flourish. ".@imVkohli, proud of your success & decision to share such personal experiences. These days youngsters are constantly judged on social media. Thousands speak about them but not to them. We need to be able to listen to them and help them flourish,” Tendulkar tweeted. Kohli, on Mark Nicholas’ podcast 'Not Just Cricket' said that he felt depressed during India's tour of England in 2014 – when he went through the worst form of his life – but said that a chat with Tendulkar helped him during that phase. "I did have a chat with him about the mental side of things as well and the thing that he told me was, in cricket what he experienced was if you are going through a strong negative feeling and if that is coming into your system regularly, it is best to let it pass. If you start fighting that feeling, it grows stronger. So, that is the advice I took on board and my mindset really opened up from then on," Kohli told renowned broadcaster Mark Nicholas on the latter’s podcast ‘Not Just Cricket’. ALSO READ: 'Felt like the loneliest guy': Virat Kohli opens up on battle with depression The Indian skipper further revealed he failed to understand how he would get over the phase while adding he felt like he was the "loneliest guy" in the world. "I did (feel depressed). It's not a great feeling when wake up knowing that you won't be able to score any runs and I think all batsmen have felt that at some stage or the other that you are not in control of anything at all. And you just don't understand how to get over it. I think when you look back at a very difficult phase, you realise that you had to go through that phase fully to be able to understand what is wrong and rectify and move forward and open yourself up for change. That was a phase where I literally couldn't do anything to overturn what I was going through. I felt like I was the loneliest guy in the world," said Kohli, recalling the England tour back in 2014. Kohli had averaged a mere 13.50 in India's tour of England in 2014 where he failed to even register a half-century in 10 innings. He also said: "For me, personally, that was a revelation that you could feel that lonely even though you a part of a big group. I won't say I didn't have people that I could speak to but not having a professional to speak to who could understand what I am going through completely, I think is a huge factor. I think I would like to see it change. Someone that you can go to at any stage, have a conversation around, and say 'Listen this is what I am feeling, I am finding it hard to even go to sleep, I feel like I don't want to wake up in the morning. I have no confidence in myself, what do I do?'" ALSO READ: Whopping INR 6144 crore in 14 years of IPL: Auction, salary money spent across cricketers globally Kohli will be seen in action against England when both teams take the field for the third Test in Ahmedabad from February 24.

Proud of your success: Sachin Tendulkar reacts after Virat Kohli opens up about battle with depression

The Indian Premier League (IPL), hailed as the best T20 tournament in the world, on Thursday surpassed the INR 6000 crore mark of spending in auctions and salaries&nbsp;following the completion of mini-auction ahead of IPL 2021.&nbsp;&nbsp;

At the IPL auction 2021, franchises spent heavily in a bid to bolster their respective squads as the likes of&nbsp;Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals&nbsp;signed up as many as 57 players.&nbsp;

According to a report in&nbsp;Insidesport, the IPL franchises have now spent a total of INR 6144 crore across 14 seasons with the 2021 auction seeing the amount locked at INR 145.30 crore. Since IPL started in 2008, a total of 789 players have seen their lives changed having earned lucrative IPL contracts.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-auction-2021-complete-players-list-of-all-eight-squads-364617" hreflang="en">IPL Auction 2021: Complete players list of all eight squads</a>

While naturally, Indian players have earned the majority of the chunk from IPL auctions, Australian and South African players follow them with the likes of West Indies, England and New Zealand players next in the list.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-ms-dhoni-yuvraj-singh-to-chris-morris-most-expensive-buys-in-every-ipl-auctions-364071" hreflang="en">From MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh to Chris Morris: Most expensive buys in every IPL auctions</a>

<h2 lang="EN-US" paraeid="{ff839fe7-07c8-4301-8418-6cca28b1ec04}{255}" paraid="2091365710" >Let us take a look at how the distribution of IPL auction and salary&nbsp;money across players from different countries have happened over the years:&nbsp;</h2>

India: Indian domestic players have earned a staggering INR 3433 crore from 14 IPL seasons.&nbsp;

Australia: With 94 Aussie cricketers having played in IPL in 14 years, they have bagged INR 905.9 crore.&nbsp;

South Africa: The players from the rainbow nation are third on the list. As many as 56 Proteas players have participated in IPL while earning INR 539 crore from the cash-rich tournament.&nbsp;

West Indies: The&nbsp;Windies&nbsp;players have earned INR 458 crore with a total of 33 West Indies players having played in the IPL in 14 seasons.&nbsp;

England: A total of 33 English players have participated in the IPL while earning a mammoth INR 285.96 crore.&nbsp;

New Zealand: A total of 31 players from New Zealand have played in IPL, earning INR 211.6 crore.&nbsp;

Sri Lanka: Despite no players participating in IPL 2021, the Islanders have earned INR 195.93 after participation of 27 players in the tournament over the years.&nbsp;

Afghanistan: Only four Afghani players have played in IPL thus far having earned INR 58.4 crore.&nbsp;

Bangladesh: Only six Bangladesh players have participated in IPL in 14 editions with their earning standing at INR 34.78 crore.&nbsp;

Pakistan: While Pakistan players were only allowed in the IPL during the initial phase of the tournament, a total of 11 players played in the tournament, earning INR 12.84 crore.&nbsp;

Netherlands: Only two players have made the cut from the Netherlands in IPL while&nbsp;earning INR 5.27 crore.&nbsp;

Zimbabwe:&nbsp;Just three players have played in IPL from Zimbabwe, earning INR 1 crore.&nbsp;

The Indian Premier League (IPL), hailed as the best T20 tournament in the world, on Thursday surpassed the INR 6000 crore mark of spending in auctions and salaries following the completion of mini-auction ahead of IPL 2021.

The Indian Premier League (IPL), hailed as the best T20 tournament in the world, on Thursday surpassed the INR 6000 crore mark of spending in auctions and salaries following the completion of mini-auction ahead of IPL 2021. At the IPL auction 2021, franchises spent heavily in a bid to bolster their respective squads as the likes of Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals signed up as many as 57 players. According to a report in Insidesport, the IPL franchises have now spent a total of INR 6144 crore across 14 seasons with the 2021 auction seeing the amount locked at INR 145.30 crore. Since IPL started in 2008, a total of 789 players have seen their lives changed having earned lucrative IPL contracts. ALSO READ: IPL Auction 2021: Complete players list of all eight squads While naturally, Indian players have earned the majority of the chunk from IPL auctions, Australian and South African players follow them with the likes of West Indies, England and New Zealand players next in the list. ALSO READ: From MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh to Chris Morris: Most expensive buys in every IPL auctions Let us take a look at how the distribution of IPL auction and salary money across players from different countries have happened over the years: India: Indian domestic players have earned a staggering INR 3433 crore from 14 IPL seasons. Australia: With 94 Aussie cricketers having played in IPL in 14 years, they have bagged INR 905.9 crore. South Africa: The players from the rainbow nation are third on the list. As many as 56 Proteas players have participated in IPL while earning INR 539 crore from the cash-rich tournament. West Indies: The Windies players have earned INR 458 crore with a total of 33 West Indies players having played in the IPL in 14 seasons. England: A total of 33 English players have participated in the IPL while earning a mammoth INR 285.96 crore. New Zealand: A total of 31 players from New Zealand have played in IPL, earning INR 211.6 crore. Sri Lanka: Despite no players participating in IPL 2021, the Islanders have earned INR 195.93 after participation of 27 players in the tournament over the years. Afghanistan: Only four Afghani players have played in IPL thus far having earned INR 58.4 crore. Bangladesh: Only six Bangladesh players have participated in IPL in 14 editions with their earning standing at INR 34.78 crore. Pakistan: While Pakistan players were only allowed in the IPL during the initial phase of the tournament, a total of 11 players played in the tournament, earning INR 12.84 crore. Netherlands: Only two players have made the cut from the Netherlands in IPL while earning INR 5.27 crore. Zimbabwe: Just three players have played in IPL from Zimbabwe, earning INR 1 crore.

Whopping INR 6144 crore in 14 years of IPL: Auction, salary money spent across cricketers globally

Wolves made it three wins in four Premier League matches as an own goal from Leeds keeper Illan Meslier handed the hosts a 1-0 victory on Friday.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side took the points in the second half at Molineux when Adama Traore's shot hit the bar and bounced into the net off Meslier.

Leeds pushed hard for an equaliser but Mateusz Klich hit a post and Patrick Bamford had a goal ruled out for offside.

Wolves moved above Leeds into 11th place after extending their recent upturn in form, while Leeds have lost three of their last four league games.

"Players like Adama, when they have the ball and start running, are really dangerous. It was a beautiful strike," Nuno said. "It is a hard moment for their keeper.

"We still have some issues to assess but the approach that we have during these tough moments, always believing, always committing.&nbsp;

"You can't say anything about the attitude of the players. We chase the high standards we have and let's keep on doing that."

The tone for an entertaining encounter was set when Raphinha slipped in Klich and the midfielder's low effort ricocheted off the near post.

Pascal Struijk's follow-up was saved by Rui Patricio and Raphinha eventually fired wide.

Wolves responded and Meslier had to parry Nelson Semedo's angled effort.

Meslier needed to be alert to deny Semedo again just before the break.

Wolves forward Pedro Neto seized on Jack Harrison's loose pass to fire over early in the second half.

Raphinha's whipped delivery was met by Liam Cooper and his header was parried by Patricio, with Bamford's follow up smuggled away.

That save proved crucial as Wolves instantly regrouped to snatch their fortuitous 64th minute winner.

Traore collected the ball on the left and shrug off Luke Ayling as he surged towards the Leeds area.&nbsp;

The winger's 25-yard drive rattled the underside of the bar and the ball bounced out, hit Meslier on the back and rolled across the line.

Patricio saved from Cooper as Leeds sought a quick response and Bamford had an emphatic finish ruled out for offside.

Yet a leveller never came thanks to two smart stoppage-time saves from Patricio, who denied Helder Costa and turned away Raphinha's header.

Wolves made it three wins in four Premier League matches as an own goal from Leeds keeper Illan Meslier handed the hosts a 1-0 victory on Friday. Nuno Espirito Santo's side took the points in the second half at Molineux when Adama Traore's shot hit the bar and bounced into the net off Meslier.

Wolves made it three wins in four Premier League matches as an own goal from Leeds keeper Illan Meslier handed the hosts a 1-0 victory on Friday. Nuno Espirito Santo's side took the points in the second half at Molineux when Adama Traore's shot hit the bar and bounced into the net off Meslier. Leeds pushed hard for an equaliser but Mateusz Klich hit a post and Patrick Bamford had a goal ruled out for offside. Wolves moved above Leeds into 11th place after extending their recent upturn in form, while Leeds have lost three of their last four league games. "Players like Adama, when they have the ball and start running, are really dangerous. It was a beautiful strike," Nuno said. "It is a hard moment for their keeper. "We still have some issues to assess but the approach that we have during these tough moments, always believing, always committing. "You can't say anything about the attitude of the players. We chase the high standards we have and let's keep on doing that." The tone for an entertaining encounter was set when Raphinha slipped in Klich and the midfielder's low effort ricocheted off the near post. Pascal Struijk's follow-up was saved by Rui Patricio and Raphinha eventually fired wide. Wolves responded and Meslier had to parry Nelson Semedo's angled effort. Meslier needed to be alert to deny Semedo again just before the break. Wolves forward Pedro Neto seized on Jack Harrison's loose pass to fire over early in the second half. Raphinha's whipped delivery was met by Liam Cooper and his header was parried by Patricio, with Bamford's follow up smuggled away. That save proved crucial as Wolves instantly regrouped to snatch their fortuitous 64th minute winner. Traore collected the ball on the left and shrug off Luke Ayling as he surged towards the Leeds area. The winger's 25-yard drive rattled the underside of the bar and the ball bounced out, hit Meslier on the back and rolled across the line. Patricio saved from Cooper as Leeds sought a quick response and Bamford had an emphatic finish ruled out for offside. Yet a leveller never came thanks to two smart stoppage-time saves from Patricio, who denied Helder Costa and turned away Raphinha's header.

Meslier's own goal lifts Wolves above Leeds

Twitter will not end the practice of allowing people to post from anonymous accounts despite protests from Premier League chiefs over the abuse suffered by several of their star players.

Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham said this week that abuse endured by black players on social media sites is the "biggest problem" in football.

On Friday, Arsenal winger Willian called for change after revealing he was called a "monkey" by two different Instagram users following Arsenal's 1-1 Europa League draw against Benfica.

Willian's Arsenal team-mate Eddie Nketiah, Manchester United's Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial and Chelsea's Reece James are among the others to have suffered racist abuse on social media.

A number of the abusive messages have come from accounts where an individual hides behind a pseudonym, and it has been repeatedly mentioned within football that social media companies should prevent anonymous users.

Defending its policy, Twitter said: "At Twitter, we are guided by our values, and never more so than when it comes to fundamental issues like identity.

"We believe everyone has the right to share their voice without requiring a government ID to do so.

"Pseudonymity has been a vital tool for speaking out in oppressive regimes, it is no less critical in democratic societies."

The American company did promise to work alongside the UK Government and football authorities, including anti-racism group Kick It Out, to fight the issue.

"We join our partners in condemning racism and we will continue to play our part in tackling this unacceptable behaviour - both online and offline. We want to reiterate - there is no room for racist abuse on Twitter," the statement added.

Twitter will not end the practice of allowing people to post from anonymous accounts despite protests from Premier League chiefs over the abuse suffered by several of their star players.

Twitter will not end the practice of allowing people to post from anonymous accounts despite protests from Premier League chiefs over the abuse suffered by several of their star players. Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham said this week that abuse endured by black players on social media sites is the "biggest problem" in football. On Friday, Arsenal winger Willian called for change after revealing he was called a "monkey" by two different Instagram users following Arsenal's 1-1 Europa League draw against Benfica. Willian's Arsenal team-mate Eddie Nketiah, Manchester United's Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial and Chelsea's Reece James are among the others to have suffered racist abuse on social media. A number of the abusive messages have come from accounts where an individual hides behind a pseudonym, and it has been repeatedly mentioned within football that social media companies should prevent anonymous users. Defending its policy, Twitter said: "At Twitter, we are guided by our values, and never more so than when it comes to fundamental issues like identity. "We believe everyone has the right to share their voice without requiring a government ID to do so. "Pseudonymity has been a vital tool for speaking out in oppressive regimes, it is no less critical in democratic societies." The American company did promise to work alongside the UK Government and football authorities, including anti-racism group Kick It Out, to fight the issue. "We join our partners in condemning racism and we will continue to play our part in tackling this unacceptable behaviour - both online and offline. We want to reiterate - there is no room for racist abuse on Twitter," the statement added.

Twitter won't bow to pressure over abuse of Premier League stars

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool won't focus on catching Manchester City when he reviews what went wrong in their disastrous Premier League title defence.

City are 10 points clear at the top of the table and Liverpool boss Klopp has been forced to concede the champions are out of the title race.

The injury-plagued Reds are languishing 16 points behind City in sixth place after three successive league defeats.

But Klopp, whose team were thrashed 4-1 by Pep Guardiola's men recently, is adamant City are not going to be the driving force behind his own plans for improvement next term.

"We do not have to think about that now because we do not play them any more this year, probably. Maybe in the Champions League," Klopp told reporters on Friday.

"It was never the case where we thought 'how can we overtake City', or 'how can we become the finest team in English football again'?

"We just wanted to be the best version of ourselves. We have that chance again. If that is good enough, it is good enough. If another team is better, that's how sport works.

"We cannot do more than be the best version of ourselves and that is what we will try again as a team. For that we need a little bit more luck, of course. Slightly more luck with injuries and we can get closer to that."

Klopp has lost all three of his senior central defenders to injury, with first-choice pair Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez both suffering long-term problems within a couple of weeks of each other two months into the campaign.

Thiago Alcantara also missed 16 matches with an injury sustained in October, barely a month after arriving.

"We all agree, and I'm sure Pep would say that, in a normal season for both teams we would not be 16 points away. But we are. That's how it is. We accept it," Klopp said.

"This season it is not our concern how close we get to City. It is how far we can go up the table. That is enough work to do."

Having managed just two wins in their last 10 league matches, Saturday's visit of Everton - three points behind their local rivals with a game in hand - for the 238th Merseyside derby is a crucial one.

Liverpool have not lost to Everton at Anfield since September 1999, but their formidable home form has deserted them and they have gone five matches without a win.

October's derby at Goodison saw Thiago sidelined for two-and-a-half months and Van Dijk's season prematurely ended due to a reckless Jordan Pickford tackle.

And while Klopp said there would be no payback from his players, he does want them to be "emotional".

"We always are emotional. That is our way to play. What the other team does, I have no influence. Nothing to say about that," he said.

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool won't focus on catching Manchester City when he reviews what went wrong in their disastrous Premier League title defence. City are 10 points clear at the top of the table and Liverpool boss Klopp has been forced to concede the champions are out of the title race.

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool won't focus on catching Manchester City when he reviews what went wrong in their disastrous Premier League title defence. City are 10 points clear at the top of the table and Liverpool boss Klopp has been forced to concede the champions are out of the title race. The injury-plagued Reds are languishing 16 points behind City in sixth place after three successive league defeats. But Klopp, whose team were thrashed 4-1 by Pep Guardiola's men recently, is adamant City are not going to be the driving force behind his own plans for improvement next term. "We do not have to think about that now because we do not play them any more this year, probably. Maybe in the Champions League," Klopp told reporters on Friday. "It was never the case where we thought 'how can we overtake City', or 'how can we become the finest team in English football again'? "We just wanted to be the best version of ourselves. We have that chance again. If that is good enough, it is good enough. If another team is better, that's how sport works. "We cannot do more than be the best version of ourselves and that is what we will try again as a team. For that we need a little bit more luck, of course. Slightly more luck with injuries and we can get closer to that." Klopp has lost all three of his senior central defenders to injury, with first-choice pair Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez both suffering long-term problems within a couple of weeks of each other two months into the campaign. Thiago Alcantara also missed 16 matches with an injury sustained in October, barely a month after arriving. "We all agree, and I'm sure Pep would say that, in a normal season for both teams we would not be 16 points away. But we are. That's how it is. We accept it," Klopp said. "This season it is not our concern how close we get to City. It is how far we can go up the table. That is enough work to do." Having managed just two wins in their last 10 league matches, Saturday's visit of Everton - three points behind their local rivals with a game in hand - for the 238th Merseyside derby is a crucial one. Liverpool have not lost to Everton at Anfield since September 1999, but their formidable home form has deserted them and they have gone five matches without a win. October's derby at Goodison saw Thiago sidelined for two-and-a-half months and Van Dijk's season prematurely ended due to a reckless Jordan Pickford tackle. And while Klopp said there would be no payback from his players, he does want them to be "emotional". "We always are emotional. That is our way to play. What the other team does, I have no influence. Nothing to say about that," he said.

Klopp won't focus on Man City when Liverpool review title flop

Confidence is king and Daniil Medvedev has plenty of it, with the affable Russian morphing into not just one of tennis's best players and premier athletes, but among the smartest.

Standing at a lanky 6ft 6in and pencil-thin, he has emerged at the forefront of the next wave looking to smash the 'Big Three' monopoly of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

After reaching the 2019 US Open final, where he lost to Nadal, he has worked hard on his game and fitness to race through the rankings and goes into Sunday's Australian Open final against Djokovic on a 20-match win streak, demonstrating his mental and physical stamina.

Enjoying a career-high ranking of four, he has come to terms with his immense potential.

Before his rise in 2019, he could let his emotions get in the way and never shied away from admitting he did not do everything as professionally as possible.&nbsp;

He competed hard and did his work on the practice court, but his diet and recovery routines were not what they should be, with the 25-year-old enjoying sweets and croissants.

And if a long match went late, he would often skip the ice bath.

"I thought it was going to be the best rest, to just lay on the bed and watch some TV. And in fact, it's not," he said last year.

But Medvedev, nicknamed Bear, has changed and it has paid dividends.

During his 20-match run, he has beaten every top-10 player except Federer, who has been out injured.

When informed of this, he replied: "It's great to know this. It's a pity that Roger is not playing," suggesting he was also confident of taking his scalp.

<h2>- Unlocked everything -</h2>

Medvedev is an intelligent man. He excelled in physics and maths at school, graduating early and enrolling at a university in his native Moscow to study applied economics and commerce.

He opted instead to play tennis full-time, moving to the south of France, where his sister lived, to benefit from its high-quality coaching and facilities.&nbsp;

Fluent in Russian and English, he is also often heard conversing in French with his coach, Gilles Cervara, who has helped steer him to where he is today.

Despite leaving university early, Medvedev remains a tactical thinker, or as commentator Jim Courier put it this week: "He's a master chess player on court".

Medvedev keeps opponents guessing with his flat and low groundstrokes, while changing up the pace and angles, blending impenetrable defence with opportunistic offence.&nbsp;

His semi-final opponent Stefanos Tsitsipas once called Medvedev's playing style "boring" but even the Greek star has been won over.

"Let me tell you that he's a player who has unlocked pretty much everything in the game," he said after crashing to him in straighht sets.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"He tricks you. You know, he plays the game really smart. It's really interesting to see that."

While the Russian has refined his game, a key rule still applies and that is to "fight like crazy", a trait drilled him into by one of his first tennis coaches when he was still a small boy.

"Her golden rule was, 'The one who wins the match is the one who made more balls over the net', which is easy to understand," he said.&nbsp;

Confidence is king and Daniil Medvedev has plenty of it, with the affable Russian morphing into not just one of tennis's best players and premier athletes, but among the smartest.

Confidence is king and Daniil Medvedev has plenty of it, with the affable Russian morphing into not just one of tennis's best players and premier athletes, but among the smartest. Standing at a lanky 6ft 6in and pencil-thin, he has emerged at the forefront of the next wave looking to smash the 'Big Three' monopoly of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. After reaching the 2019 US Open final, where he lost to Nadal, he has worked hard on his game and fitness to race through the rankings and goes into Sunday's Australian Open final against Djokovic on a 20-match win streak, demonstrating his mental and physical stamina. Enjoying a career-high ranking of four, he has come to terms with his immense potential. Before his rise in 2019, he could let his emotions get in the way and never shied away from admitting he did not do everything as professionally as possible. He competed hard and did his work on the practice court, but his diet and recovery routines were not what they should be, with the 25-year-old enjoying sweets and croissants. And if a long match went late, he would often skip the ice bath. "I thought it was going to be the best rest, to just lay on the bed and watch some TV. And in fact, it's not," he said last year. But Medvedev, nicknamed Bear, has changed and it has paid dividends. During his 20-match run, he has beaten every top-10 player except Federer, who has been out injured. When informed of this, he replied: "It's great to know this. It's a pity that Roger is not playing," suggesting he was also confident of taking his scalp. - Unlocked everything - Medvedev is an intelligent man. He excelled in physics and maths at school, graduating early and enrolling at a university in his native Moscow to study applied economics and commerce. He opted instead to play tennis full-time, moving to the south of France, where his sister lived, to benefit from its high-quality coaching and facilities. Fluent in Russian and English, he is also often heard conversing in French with his coach, Gilles Cervara, who has helped steer him to where he is today. Despite leaving university early, Medvedev remains a tactical thinker, or as commentator Jim Courier put it this week: "He's a master chess player on court". Medvedev keeps opponents guessing with his flat and low groundstrokes, while changing up the pace and angles, blending impenetrable defence with opportunistic offence. His semi-final opponent Stefanos Tsitsipas once called Medvedev's playing style "boring" but even the Greek star has been won over. "Let me tell you that he's a player who has unlocked pretty much everything in the game," he said after crashing to him in straighht sets. "He tricks you. You know, he plays the game really smart. It's really interesting to see that." While the Russian has refined his game, a key rule still applies and that is to "fight like crazy", a trait drilled him into by one of his first tennis coaches when he was still a small boy. "Her golden rule was, 'The one who wins the match is the one who made more balls over the net', which is easy to understand," he said.

'He tricks you' - 'chess player' Medvedev keeps opponents in check

Novak Djokovic says going unbeaten in eight Australian Open finals will give him confidence in Sunday's decider, but he'll need more than that to overcome "the man to beat" -- red-hot Russian Daniil Medvedev.

The Serbian world number one is into his ninth decider at Melbourne Park as he targets an 18th Slam title to close the gap on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who have 20 each.

It has been a rollercoaster ride to get there, with Djokovic uncharacteristically dropping five sets as he battled an abdominal injury that nearly forced him to pull out.

But after his semi-final, Djokovic said he was feeling better than at any time during the past fortnight as he prepares to defend his crown against a man on a 20-match unbeaten streak.

The Serb heads into the showpiece on Sunday evening with the phenomenal record of never losing a final on Melbourne's famous blue courts in eight attempts spanning 13 years.

Djokovic will also be playing his 28th Grand Slam final, in contrast to the Russian's second.&nbsp;

But the 33-year-old, who swept past qualifier Aslan Karatsev in the semi-finals, said while experience was clearly an advantage, Medvedev was also in electric form.

"Of course it contributes to more confidence, prior to coming into the finals knowing that I never lost in the finals or semi-finals just makes me feel more comfortable being on the court," he said.

"But each year is different, although it does have a mental effect on me. Maybe on my opponents, I don't know, but on me it does definitely have a positive effect.

"But it's not a decisive factor in the way the match is going to go forward, because&nbsp;each year is different."

Medvedev is unbeaten since last November, including a straight-sets drubbing of the Serb at the ATP Finals in London, with Djokovic deeming him "the man to beat".

"He's just so solid. Also, I heard (commentator) Jim Courier calling him a master chess player because of the way he tactically positions himself on the court, and it's true," he said.

"You know, he's definitely a very smart tennis player."

<h2>- 'He's the favourite' -</h2>

Medvedev, who has dropped just two sets so far, insisted that despite having all the momentum he was still the underdog.

"He's the favourite because he didn't lose. On eight occasions that he was here in the semis he won the tournament," said the 25-year-old.

"Me, I'm... the challenger, the guy that challenges the guy who was eight times in the final and won eight times. And I'm happy about it.

"I know that to beat him you need to just show your best tennis, be at your best physically maybe four or five hours, and be at your best mentally maybe for five hours," he added.

Despite playing down his chances, Medvedev, who also reached the 2019 US Open final, losing to Nadal, has the weapons to trouble Djokovic, with a big serve, unrelenting returns and exceptional movement as he targets a maiden Grand Slam title.

Twelve of his 20 straight wins have been against top-10 players and he has won three of his last four against the 17-time Grand Slam-winning Serb.

"Playing Novak seven times already is just a huge experience," he said.

"(But) I think when he's in the zone he doesn't miss. He goes down the line, cross, forehand, backhand, he doesn't miss. That's what is the toughest part of playing against him."

Novak Djokovic says going unbeaten in eight Australian Open finals will give him confidence in Sunday's decider, but he'll need more than that to overcome "the man to beat" -- red-hot Russian Daniil Medvedev.

Novak Djokovic says going unbeaten in eight Australian Open finals will give him confidence in Sunday's decider, but he'll need more than that to overcome "the man to beat" -- red-hot Russian Daniil Medvedev. The Serbian world number one is into his ninth decider at Melbourne Park as he targets an 18th Slam title to close the gap on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who have 20 each. It has been a rollercoaster ride to get there, with Djokovic uncharacteristically dropping five sets as he battled an abdominal injury that nearly forced him to pull out. But after his semi-final, Djokovic said he was feeling better than at any time during the past fortnight as he prepares to defend his crown against a man on a 20-match unbeaten streak. The Serb heads into the showpiece on Sunday evening with the phenomenal record of never losing a final on Melbourne's famous blue courts in eight attempts spanning 13 years. Djokovic will also be playing his 28th Grand Slam final, in contrast to the Russian's second. But the 33-year-old, who swept past qualifier Aslan Karatsev in the semi-finals, said while experience was clearly an advantage, Medvedev was also in electric form. "Of course it contributes to more confidence, prior to coming into the finals knowing that I never lost in the finals or semi-finals just makes me feel more comfortable being on the court," he said. "But each year is different, although it does have a mental effect on me. Maybe on my opponents, I don't know, but on me it does definitely have a positive effect. "But it's not a decisive factor in the way the match is going to go forward, because each year is different." Medvedev is unbeaten since last November, including a straight-sets drubbing of the Serb at the ATP Finals in London, with Djokovic deeming him "the man to beat". "He's just so solid. Also, I heard (commentator) Jim Courier calling him a master chess player because of the way he tactically positions himself on the court, and it's true," he said. "You know, he's definitely a very smart tennis player." - 'He's the favourite' - Medvedev, who has dropped just two sets so far, insisted that despite having all the momentum he was still the underdog. "He's the favourite because he didn't lose. On eight occasions that he was here in the semis he won the tournament," said the 25-year-old. "Me, I'm... the challenger, the guy that challenges the guy who was eight times in the final and won eight times. And I'm happy about it. "I know that to beat him you need to just show your best tennis, be at your best physically maybe four or five hours, and be at your best mentally maybe for five hours," he added. Despite playing down his chances, Medvedev, who also reached the 2019 US Open final, losing to Nadal, has the weapons to trouble Djokovic, with a big serve, unrelenting returns and exceptional movement as he targets a maiden Grand Slam title. Twelve of his 20 straight wins have been against top-10 players and he has won three of his last four against the 17-time Grand Slam-winning Serb. "Playing Novak seven times already is just a huge experience," he said. "(But) I think when he's in the zone he doesn't miss. He goes down the line, cross, forehand, backhand, he doesn't miss. That's what is the toughest part of playing against him."

King Novak faces 'challenger' Medvedev in Australian Open final

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said on Friday it could be the "right time" to play Liverpool at Anfield after more than a decade without a win over their city rivals.

The Toffees last tasted victory against the Reds in 2010 and have not won away since 1999.

Until recent weeks the Premier League champions had looked invincible at home but they have lost their past three games on their own turf.

Ancelotti's men are seeking a response after defeats against Fulham and leaders Manchester City, while Jurgen Klopp's side got back to winning ways with a 2-0 Champions League victory over RB Leipzig in Budapest.

"It is a long time that Everton were able to win a derby and it can be the right time tomorrow," Ancelotti said.

"But it depends on what we are able to do on the pitch tomorrow.

"I don't think we feel pressure (of not winning against Liverpool for so long). I think we are better (now) compared to the past, so I think we can have more opportunity to get a result."

The Italian said the lack of spectators at Anfield due to coronavirus restrictions had hurt Liverpool, who lost defender Virgil van Dijk to a serious injury in the reverse fixture in October.

"For sure they have lost the support of their fans, in this sense Anfield was one of the most difficult stadiums to play (in)," he said.

"The fact that the supporters are not there can be an advantage for the away teams.

"But it is all the same what happened to us and the other teams in this particular season where you cannot have the support of your fans."

Ancelotti played down reports that Colombia playmaker James Rodriguez was unsettled and homesick.

"He is OK, he has no problem," he said. "I talk to him every day, he is happy here, is confident and motivated.

"He had a little problem in the last few games with his calf, but now he is in a good condition. He really feels good here because everyone takes care of him, and that is it."

Ancelotti added: "I don't know if he complains about the weather, but we know that is not the best (here), but there are a lot of things good in this area."

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said on Friday it could be the "right time" to play Liverpool at Anfield after more than a decade without a win over their city rivals.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said on Friday it could be the "right time" to play Liverpool at Anfield after more than a decade without a win over their city rivals. The Toffees last tasted victory against the Reds in 2010 and have not won away since 1999. Until recent weeks the Premier League champions had looked invincible at home but they have lost their past three games on their own turf. Ancelotti's men are seeking a response after defeats against Fulham and leaders Manchester City, while Jurgen Klopp's side got back to winning ways with a 2-0 Champions League victory over RB Leipzig in Budapest. "It is a long time that Everton were able to win a derby and it can be the right time tomorrow," Ancelotti said. "But it depends on what we are able to do on the pitch tomorrow. "I don't think we feel pressure (of not winning against Liverpool for so long). I think we are better (now) compared to the past, so I think we can have more opportunity to get a result." The Italian said the lack of spectators at Anfield due to coronavirus restrictions had hurt Liverpool, who lost defender Virgil van Dijk to a serious injury in the reverse fixture in October. "For sure they have lost the support of their fans, in this sense Anfield was one of the most difficult stadiums to play (in)," he said. "The fact that the supporters are not there can be an advantage for the away teams. "But it is all the same what happened to us and the other teams in this particular season where you cannot have the support of your fans." Ancelotti played down reports that Colombia playmaker James Rodriguez was unsettled and homesick. "He is OK, he has no problem," he said. "I talk to him every day, he is happy here, is confident and motivated. "He had a little problem in the last few games with his calf, but now he is in a good condition. He really feels good here because everyone takes care of him, and that is it." Ancelotti added: "I don't know if he complains about the weather, but we know that is not the best (here), but there are a lot of things good in this area."

Ancelotti says 'could be right time' for Everton to end Liverpool hoodoo

sports-news

Sports News, News on Sports News, stories on Sports News, articles on Sports News, Sports News stories at Wion, Sports News news, Sports News latest news

sports news