Musheer Reveals Chat With Sarfaraz After Brother's Maiden Test Call Up

As Sarfaraz Khan earned his maiden Test call-up for the second match between India and England in Vizag, younger brother Musheer is taking Under-19 World Cup by storm, having already slammed two centuries in the tournament. After his ton took India past New Zealand in the Super Six clash of the World cup, Musheer revealed how Sarfaraz called up to inform him about his selection into the Indian team for the second Test against England. Musheer, understandably, couldn't be happier for his elder brother.

"My brother called me yesterday and he said that he has been selected in the Indian squad for the second Test. I want to congratulate hi for this," said Musheer after scoring a centrury against New Zealand on Tuesday.

Speaking of his own heroics in the U19 World Cup, Musheer said that he is quite confident of doing well, having already slammed two hundreds in the tournament.

"It feels really good that I have scored two centuries and I want to continue batting well. It gives a sense of confidence. It was a bit of a slow pitch and our bowlers are in good flow and we got the results. I focus on the process and focus on bowling in tight areas," said Musheer.

On a perfect batting wicket here at the Mangaung Oval, Musheer tore apart the Kiwis bowling line-up to become the first batter in the current competition to breach the 300-run mark, going past Pakistan's Shahzaib Khan with his stupendous effort.

En route his 131, Musheer blasted 13 fours and three sixes off just 125 balls and once showed admirable temperament to up the ante just when it was required.

Busy at the crease constantly, the 18-year-old Musheer motored on from one end unleashing strokes in all directions, while he began with an upper-cut for a four.

His innings was spruced with fine running between the wickets and ended in the death overs when he was looking to accelerate.

With PTI inputs

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"He's Better Than Me": Sarfaraz Khan As Brother Takes U19 World Cup By Storm

After scoring truckloads of runs on the domestic circuit, Sarfaraz Khan finally earned his maiden India call-up as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) added him to the roster for the second Test against England. Sarfaraz's maiden call-up came as a result of injuries to KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja. But, as the uncapped star prepares for the second Test against England in Vizag, he revealed looking up to his younger brother, who is making waves for India in Under-19 cricket, during tough times.

Sarfaraz, in fact, admitted that his brother Musheer is a batter batter than him. Musheer famously scored a century against Ireland in the ongoing U19 World Cup in South Africa, leaving Sarfaraz in awe of his technique.

"He's a better batter than me. I'm not saying this because he's my brother. Sometimes, I may be struggling, but watching his technique and trying to work out what he's doing would give me confidence. His mannerisms, bat flow is very good. Sometimes when I'm not batting well, I look at him and learn," Sarfaraz told ESPNcricinfo.

"If I batted 300 balls, Musheer would bat for 300 balls even if he'd done a lot of bowling. Our middle brother, Moin, would do the throwdowns. Having two cricketers in the house, he decided to switch to training," Sarfaraz said.

Inside Sarfaraz's family, there's a lot of healthy competition, with him and Musheer looking to outdo each other. The comparison even comes down to different shots, with Sarfaraz suggesting that his sweep shot is better than Musheer's but when it comes to reverse-sweep, the younger brother has a better technique.

"Musheer's reverse sweep is better than mine. Sweep, I think mine is better, since I have better judgment that has come from experience. We always want the other to do better. Now when he bowls and I bat, there's a lot of healthy competition," he added.

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U-19 World Cup: Musheer's 131, Saumy's Magic Seals 214-Run Win Over NZ

Musheer Khan's blitz and clinical bowling performance saw India continue their hot run of form and prevail over New Zealand with a 214-run victory in the Super Six stage of the ongoing U-19 World Cup on Tuesday at the Mangaung Oval. India made early inroads, with Raj Limbani's pace setting the tone of the game. He dismissed opener Tom Jones for a golden duck and Snehith Reddy for a four-ball duck in the first over. Left-arm spinner Saumy Pandey came in from the other end, weaved his magic and chipped in with a couple of wickets. NZ skipper Oscar Jackson was one player who tried to take the fight against the Indian bowlers but got bowled while attempting to fend the ball towards the leg side.

New Zealand batters struggled to deal with India's disciplined bowling and fell like a house of cards.

Throughout the chase of 296, only four Kiwi batters were able to cross the double-digit mark which more or less depicted the story of the entire innings.

Saumy ended the game with a four-wicket haul to his name, while Limbani in his six-over spell claimed two while giving away just 17 runs.

Earlier in the innings, after New Zealand won the toss and opted to field, Musheer scored a brilliant 131, taking the New Zealand bowlers to the fences, and Adarsh contributed a valuable 52 runs. India finished at 295/8.

The leading wicket-taker for Blackcaps was Clarke who snapped four wickets in his spell of eight overs while conceding 62 runs. Ryan Tsourgas, Ewald Schreuder, Zac Cummingand Oliver Tewatiya got a wicket each.

Adarsh Singh and Arshin Kulkarni came to the crease to open the innings for Team India and put on 28 runs for the first wicket. Arshin was dismissed after scoring just nine runs in the fifth over of the bowling of Mason Clarke.

After Arshin's departure, Musheer Khan came to bat and steadied the innings. Both the youngsters put on a partnership of 77 runs as India lost their second wicket at a score of 105 runs. Adarsh's 52 runs came from 58 balls and included six boundaries.

India skipper Uday Saharan was next on the crease and built a partnership of 87 runs with Musheer. India lost the skipper at the score of 192 runs in the 37th over. Uday went back to the dressing room after scoring 34 runs.

Musheer went on to score a century and his 131 runs from 126 balls included 13 fours and three sixes. He was on the crease till the 48th over of the innings and got out of the bowling of Clarke.

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West Indies Pacer Shamar Joseph Signs For Peshawar Zalmi In PSL

Following West Indies pacer Shamar Joseph's match-winning spell against Australia in the second Test match at the Gabba, the Caribbean seamer on Monday signed for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) side Peshawar Zalmi. According to ESPNcricinfo, Joseph replaced Gus Atkinson in the squad and he will stay with the franchise for the entire season even after when the English pacer returns to the team. Atkinson is currently with the English squad in India for the ongoing five-match Test series which will end on March 11. The English pacer would miss all the matches of the tournament except for the playoff games.

Shamar signed for the Zalmi's via the replacement draft.

The 2024 season of the PSL will start on February 17 at the Gaddafi Stadium and will conclude on March 18. The final game of the tournament will be played at the National Stadium in Karachi. Last year, Lahore Qalandars were the champions of the tournament.

On the second Test match between West Indies and Australia, Joseph was named the 'Player of the Match' following his seven-wicket spell in the second inning. The young pacer dismissed Cameron Green, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood.

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Recovering Rashid Khan To Miss Afghanistan's First-Ever Sri Lanka Test

Ace spinner Rashid Khan will miss Afghanistan's first-ever Test against Sri Lanka next month, selectors announced Monday, as he continues to recover from a back surgery. The 25-year-old is Afghanistan's highest Test wicket-taker -- with 34 in five matches --  and has been an integral part of the team in all formats of the game.  Selectors said Rashid was being cautiously monitored. "Rashid Khan continues to recover from the back surgery and is set to miss the one-off Test against Sri Lanka," the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said in a statement. The Test will be played in Colombo from February 2-6.

Another leg-spinning bowling all-rounder, Qais Ahmad, has been included in the squad as Rashid's replacement. 

Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead the squad, which also has Noor Ali Zadran and Naveed Zadran.

Afghanistan will also play three one-day internationals and as many Twenty20s on the tour, for which squads will be announced later.

Since being granted Test status in 2018, Afghanistan has played seven Tests, winning three and losing the other four.

"The year 2024 is packed with Test cricket for us, a sign of progression," said ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf.

Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Ishaq, Ibrahim Zadran, Noor Ali Zadran, Abdul Malik, Bahir Shah, Nasir Jamal, Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Nijat Masood, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Naveed Zadran.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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"Get Attacking": India Star Slams Rohit's 'Defensive' Tactics vs England

Veteran Indian cricket team wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik was not pleased with Rohit Sharma's 'defensive' approach on Day 4 of the first Test match against England on Sunday. Resuming at 316/6, Ollie Pope ended up scoring 196 as India were given a target of 231. Karthik said that India were very defensive in their approach from the start of the day and although it was understandable to be conservative in their tactics against Pope, he pointed out that against tail-enders like Tom Hartley, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja should have had attacking fielders to create pressure.

"India have been too defensive. I can understand being defensive to Pope but to Tom Hartley, Jadeja and Ashwin should get attacking fielders and not so many sweepers," Karthik said on JioCinema.

Legendary India cricketer Ravi Shastri also echoed similar sentiments as he said that it is 'unknown territory' for Rohit and Co for a visiting side to score over 400 runs in the third innings.

"The body language is dropping. This is an unknown territory for India. You can sense the home team is under pressure. They are not used to visiting teams pilling on 400-plus runs in the third innings," he said.

Pope hit 196 as England ended their second innings on 420 all out on Sunday's day four, with India needing 231 runs to win the opening Test.

Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah got four wickets and bowled Pope to wrap up the England innings in the first session in Hyderabad after the tourists resumed the day on 316-6.

England slipped to 163-5 on Saturday after starting the innings 190 runs behind, but Pope hit back with his fifth Test ton and a 112-run stand with Ben Foakes.

(With AFP inputs)

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'Not Easy For Batter To Breathe': IND Great's Big Praise For Ashwin-Jadeja

Amid the ongoing first Test against England in Hyderabad, former India captain Anil Kumble reserved high praise for veteran spin-twins Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. Both the players have picked more than 500 wickets between them in Test cricket, bagging three each in the first innings against England. In the 49 Tests they have played together, India have won 35 games while losing just four in the process. On Ashwin and Jadeja surpassing him and Harbhajan as India's most successful Test bowling pair, Kumble hailed the achievement as "incredible". 

"The pressure on these two spinners right from the first test match when they came together to the 41st has not changed, and to have been through those pressure moments and come out with match winning performances, either by Ashwin or Jadeja or both is incredible," said Kumble.

"Sometimes both of them have picked up five-fers. If someone has picked up five in the first, then the other guy picks five in the second, and to consistently do that for 40 games and ensure that your team wins 30 times out of that is incredible," he added.

The legendary spinner also suggested that Ashwin and Jadeja don't let the opposition batters breathe due to their aggressive mindset.

"These two are brilliant. And it's not easy for a batter to just breathe even for one ball, because these two are constantly at you. And the best thing about spin bowling and about Indian conditions is these two can go on. They will be coming at you and that is the beauty about these two bowlers," Kumble concluded.

For India, Kumble (281) and Harbhajan (220) had picked 501 in 54 Tests. Meanwhile, Ashwin and Jadeja have crossed the mark in their 50th Test together.

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IND vs US U-19 World Cup Live Streaming: Where To Watch Match Live?

IND vs US U-19 World Cup, Live Streaming: India will be squaring off against United States in the Under-19 World Cup Group A match on Sunday in Bloemfontein. The Uday Saharan-led side have won their first two games and have taken the top spot on the points table. On the other hand, United States have lost both of their matches and are yet to open their win tally. However, Team India will aim to continue their unbeatable run in the tournament. 

When will the India vs United States, Under-19 World Cup match be played?

The India vs United States, Under-19 World Cup match will be played on Sunday, January 28.

Where will the India vs United States, Under-19 World Cup match be played?

The India vs United States, Under-19 World Cup match will be played at the Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein.

What time will the India vs United States, Under-19 World Cup match start?

The India vs United States, Under-19 World Cup match will start at 1:30 PM IST (Toss at 1).

Where to follow the live telecast of the India vs United States, Under-19 World Cup match?

The India vs United States, Under-19 World Cup match will be aired on the Star Sports network.

Where to follow the live streaming of the India vs United States, Under-19 World Cup match?

The India vs United States, Under-19 World Cup match will be streamed live on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website absolutely free of cost.

(All the details are as per the information provided by the broadcaster)

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Watch: Bairstow's Stunned Reaction As He Leave Jadeja's Deceiving Delivery

For the second innings in a row, England batter Jonny Bairstow was bamboozled by an Indian spinner in the first Test. In the first innings, it was Axar Patel's unplayable delivery that outfoxed Bairstow. In the second innings, Bairstow was undone by a brilliant delivery from Ravindra Jadeja. Thinking the ball was going to turn away from him, Bairstow decided to leave Jadeja's delivery but it ended up coming in and shattered his stumps. The look on Bairstow's face explained how he fell for Jadeja's plot.

Bairstow, batting on 10 runs from 23 balls, completely failed to read Jadeja's delivery. The 24th ball of his innings turned out to be the one that sent him back to the dressing room. Here's the video:

Jaddu-gar

Bairstow is deceived by Jadeja's magical delivery! #JioCinemaSports #BazBowled #IDFCFirstBankTestSeries #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/O4BrpPKeRn

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) January 27, 2024

England looked to have started well, standing at 113 for 1 at one stage but Ben Duckett's dismissal triggered a mini-collapse for the tourists. Adding another 50 runs to the total, England lost 4 more wickets. Ben Stokes was the last England batter to depart before the match headed into Tea, with the team's score reading 172/5.

With half of the England team already back to pavilion, India took a gigantic step towards wrapping up the match inside 4 days and securing a 1-0 lead in the series.

Earlier, in reply to England's first innings total of 246, India were all out for 436 in the morning session on Saturday. At Tea, England trail India by 18 runs.

Resuming at overnight 421 for seven, Jadeja (87 off 180 balls) and Axar Patel (44) shared 78 runs for the eighth wicket to hand India a big 190-run first innings lead over the visitors.

At the tea break, Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes were batting on 67 and 2 respectively.

With PTI inputs

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Not Stokes Or Hardik! England Great Picks 'Best All-Rounder In The World'

Former England cricket team skipper Michael Vaughan took to social media to praise Ravindra Jadeja for his all-round performance in the ongoing Test match in Hyderabad. Jadeja took three wickets to bowl out England in the first innings on Day 1 of the first Test and the all-rounder ended Day 1 with a gritty half-century. Vaughan was in awe of the Indian cricket team all-rounder and ended up saying that he is the 'best all-rounder in the world at the moment". "He has to be the best allrounder in the world at the moment @imjadeja," he posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).

KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja hit half-centuries to put India in command of the opening Test against England on Friday with a lead of 175 at stumps on the second day in Hyderabad.

Jadeja remained unbeaten on 81 and took charge after Rahul's 86 to steer the hosts to 421-7.

He and fellow left-hander Axar Patel, on 35, were batting in a partnership of 63 at the close of play.

"It was a tough day," England assistant coach Jeetan Patel told reporters.

He has to be the best allrounder in the world at the moment @imjadeja ..

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) January 26, 2024

"I think the effort the guys put in were immense. I think the way we created chances today, if they'd gone... it would be different."

Jadeja's fifth-wicket stand of 65 with Rahul, who looked assured in his knock laced with eight fours and two sixes, stood out in a dominant day for India, who resumed on 119-1.

The world's top-ranked Test all-rounder then kept up the charge with wicketkeeper-batsman K.S. Bharat, who made 41 before being dismissed by Joe Root.

Root and debutant Tom Hartley have taken two wickets each on a grinding day for the tourists, who bowled 87 overs after an extended final session.

England's Jack Leach bowled just 16 overs in the day without long spells and Patel said the senior spinner struggled with his knee after getting injured while fielding on day one and two.

"I believe he'll be back in the fourth innings. He just landed on his knee funny," Jeetan said.

(With AFP inputs)

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Watch: Recovering From Ankle Injury, Pandya Begins Bowling Full Tilt

Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has begun bowling full tilt after rehabilitation from his ankle injury, clearly indicating that he is on course for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League where he will captain Mumbai Indians. Pandya, who sustained an ankle injury during World Cup last year, was seen bowling here in a video footage shared on his Instagram. "I feel good to be back. My journey started 17 years back at this same ground," said Pandya, who was seen sending down a few deliveries while also doing some running drills and exercises.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hardik Himanshu Pandya (@hardikpandya93)

"I am giving it all I got, every single day." Pandya, who was named Mumbai Indians captain in place of highly-successful Rohit Sharma on December 15 following a high-profile trade from Gujarat Titans, has been out of action after sustaining the injury in November during World Cup clash against Bangladesh.

He missed the home T20I series against Afghanistan earlier this month.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Australia vs West Indies 2nd Test Day 3 Live Score Updates

Australia vs West Indies 2nd Test Day 3 Live Score Updates: West Indies look to strengthen their position on Day 3 of the second Test match against Australia. At stumps, West Indies were 13-1 with a lead of 35 runs but they lost the wicket of Tagenarine Chanderpaul. Earlier, West Indies were all out for 311 in the first innings and in reply, Australia declared at 289-9 late in the night session. (Live Scorecard)

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Root Surpasses Sachin To Claim Massive Test Feat Despite England Collapse

Joe Root surpassed Sachin Tendulkar to claim a huge feat despite England's batting collapse on Day 1 of the first Test match between England and India on Thursday. While the veteran England batter could manage to score just 29 in 60 balls, he became the highest run-scorer in India-England Test matches as he went past Sachin's tally. Root currently has 2553 runs in 26 matches while Sachin scored 2535 in 32 matches against England. Root also claimed another major record as he became the first batter ever to score 4000 runs in World Test Championship (WTC) encounters.

India were comfortably placed at 119 for one at stumps after bowling out England for 246 on the opening day of the first Test on Thursday.

Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was batting on a 70-ball 76 while Shubman Gill was unbeaten on 14 at the end of the day's play, as India trailed by 127 runs after losing skipper Rohit Sharma (24).

England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and opted to bat first.

The visitors were off to a decant start with openers Zak Crawley (20) and Ben Duckett (35) adding 55 runs at a fairly good pace before Ravichandran Ashwin gave India their first breakthrough by having Duckett trapped in front of the wicket.

Stokes top-scored with 70 off 88 balls and was the last English wicket to fall, bowled by Jasprit Bumrah (28).

Jonny Bairstow contributed 37 off 58 balls before he was done in by a beautiful delivery from Axar Patel (2/33).

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin bagged three wickets apiece while there were two each for Axar and Bumrah.

(With PTI inputs)

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Pak's On-Field Performances Not Affected By Changes In PCB: Acting Chief

The newly-appointed acting chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shah Khawar on Friday said frequent changes in the board are not responsible for the national team's poor on-field performances in the last one year. Addressing the media on Friday, Khawar asserted that there were several other reasons for the team's below-par showing. "I don't think changes in the board in the last one year have affected the team. It might be a minor reason, but there are other other factors and once the new board of governors is formed and the new chairman takes charge, they will look into this," he said.

Khawar also insisted that there was no interference from the government in the cricket board's affairs.

"It is a wrong impression that the ministry of inter provincial coordination or government interferes in cricket affairs or is taking decisions," he said.

"The patron in chief of the board, as per powers vested in him and laid out in the PCB constitution, has taken decisions and is authorised to do this," he added.

Khawar said the board remains an independent body and functions as such, adding that normalcy will be restored once the new board of governors is formed.

Khawar also confirmed being informed by Mohammad Hafeez, the incumbent director of the Pakistan team, that many players were more worried about their contracts in white-ball leagues rather than being focussed on job, during recent tours of Australia and New Zealand.

"This is an issue which needs serious reflection because while we don't want players to suffer financially, it is also important to make them realise, especially those centrally contracted to the board, that their first priority should always be the national team," he said.

Khawar confirmed Hafeez met him informally on Thursday and that he did not call him for a meeting.

"Hafeez was in the board offices and he wished to see me, so I met him with chief selector, Wahab Riaz and the chief operating officer Salman Naseer and he informally conveyed his concerns to us," he said.

Khawar said that Hafeez had also asked about getting his three-year contract in place, but was informed in return that the patron in chief would decide.

Additionally, a proper advertising process had to be followed before hiring anyone to this main post.

"He also wanted to know about some dues from the board as he had gone on a one month contract which expired on 15th December," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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How Jaiswal Vindicated Dravid's Belief In Him As All-Format Opener

The rollicking 80 that Yashasvi Jaiswal made against England in the first Test in Hyderabad is a validation of the team management's belief that the left-hander is India's next all-format opener. Jaiswal might have used a cliche - intent to play positive cricket - to describe his 74-ball blitz that gave India early momentum against the visitors, but the knock is certain to resonate more deeply within the walls of the dressing room. "I don't think it was any tactic (attacking England spinners early on Thursday evening), as I was just thinking to play well against certain balls, play some positive shots," Jaiswal humbly offered in his post-day press meet on Friday.

But the positive mien Jaiswal showed in snatching the initiative from England would have reminded many of a certain Virender Sehwag, as he made his runs at a strike-rate of 108.

Another school of thought will ascribe that innings to him being a child of the T20 era. Yes, the 22-year-old is a brilliant T20 player as well, but that is taking an easy and lazy route to label an innings that has a whole lot more significance.

Jaiswal was scrupulous in his shot-selection and there was hardly a moment when Jaiswal looked ill at ease in the crease.

His footwork was precise, as he seldom found himself in an ungainly position while executing a shot. It was madness with a method.

Now, roll back the memory to his debut Test hundred against the West Indies last year - a 387-ball 171 that spanned over 501 minutes.

It was a classic Test innings, built with care and patience.

So, now we have two Jaiswal knocks at the opposite ends of the spectrum and that adaptability to the situations makes the Mumbai lad a valuable entity in the eyes of the think tank led by head coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Rohit Sharma.

Jaiswal could have stuck in and nurdled the ball around on Friday morning to get another hundred but he looked to continue his dominance over England bowlers.

But a moment of over-enthusiasm cost him the wicket against Joe Root.

Jaiswal admitted that it would have been nice to get a hundred, but was not a repentant person.

"Yes, it would have been amazing if I scored a hundred but I think what brought me here was my process and thinking," Jaiswal said, hinting at the desire to follow his natural game.

That path can be fraught with danger, but one Jaiswal is ready to tread.

"I was trying to do my best and sometimes it (playing aggressive cricket) can work well, sometimes it won't.

"I can commit a mistake and get out but I am trying to make sure that I learn from my mistakes," he noted.

That thick layer of gray matter between his ears might have prompted Dravid recently to proclaim Jaiswal as the preferred partner of Rohit at the opening slot.

"As of now, we will certainly be opening with Rohit and Jaiswal. We're really happy with what Jaiswal has done as an opener for us. He gives us a left-right combination as well at the top," Dravid had said.

The judgment of Dravid rarely goes wrong.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Australia vs West Indies 2nd Test Day 2 Live Score Updates

Australia vs West Indies 2nd Test Day 2 Live Score Updates: Australia look to strengthen their grip on the game on Day 2 of the second Test match against West Indies. At stumps, West Indies were 266 for the loss of eight wickets thanks to gritty knocks from  Kavem Hodge and Joshua Da Silva. The duo put on 149 runs for the sixth wicket after the visitors were struggling at 64-5. Mitchell Starc was the top performer for Australia with four wickets while Josh Hazlewood took two. (Live Scorecard)

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Rohit Gives Reason Behind Picking Axar Over Kuldeep For First England Test

India picked a total of three spinners for the ongoing first Test match against England at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad but Kuldeep Yadav still failed to make a cut into the team. On the other hand, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel were the ones who were included for the game. At the toss, Rohit informed that the team management had to take call between Axar and Kuldeep Yadav but the former got preference due to his batting ability.

"It was a tough one (to leave out Kuldeep Yadav), we thought a lot about it. Axar (Patel), whenever he had played, he has done well and bats really well in these conditions. He got some really good score the last time we played against Australia. Probably the reason we went with Axar," said Rohit Sharma after England skipper Ben Stokes won the toss and opted to bat first.

Meanwhile, Rohit put a lot of trust in his team and said the at the side is up for the England challenge.

"A good series, I am playing for the first time - five Test matches. The guys are excited. It'll be challenging but we are up for it. We have played in these conditions before. We know what to expect and what we need to do, it's all about executing your skills, backing yourself and being brave enough to take the opportunity," said the captain.

Rohit already stated that the way England play isn't their concern but the story of the five-match series will be 'Bazball' against spin.

The last time England ended with a Test series win on Indian soil was in 2012 when Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen batted to perfection but the series fell in the visitors' favour because of Monty Panesar, Graeme Swann and James Anderson's heroics with the ball.

Since then only Australia managed to almost draw a Test series on Indian soil in 2016/17.

(With ANI Inputs)

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"Will Soon Find Out But...": De Villiers On Kohli's Test Withdrawal

There continues to remain mystery behind India stalwart Virat Kohli's decision to pull out from the first two Tests against England. Kohli decided to withdraw over 'personal issues' as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) advised against speculation on the matter. AB de Villiers, Kohli's former teamamte at Royal Challengers Banglore and a close friend, admitted that he too doesn't know what reason behind his exit is. But, he plans to find out soon.

De Villiers said that the reason behind Kohli's withdrawal could be because he wanted some time off or it could be a family issue. De Villiers plans to soon find out be he isn't going to reveal it to the public as his friendship with Kohli is too important to him.

"No one knows what has happened yet. I am sure we will get to know soon. If Virat talks about personal reasons, there must be a very good reason for that. Maybe he is also tired. He has been playing a lot of cricket. Could be family stuff. I will find out soon but I won't tell you guys. His friendship is too important to me," De Villiers said in a video on his YouTube channel.

De Villiers also spoke about the Test series between India and England, saying he feels that 'Bazball' will work well in India. There are other pundits who have doubts over Bazball's success against Indian spinners but the former South Africa captain feels it could succeed.

"I feel Bazball, or any attacking brand of cricket in Indian conditions will work very well. It can work in any rough conditions. In the Newlands with the ball moving around, who scored? Aiden Markram and a few Indian batters who took the attack to the opposition. Players who are conservative generally struggle," De Villiers further said.

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"Did Not Think Indian Openers Will Be...": England Star's Honest Take

Opener Ben Duckett believed that England's first innings total of 246 was above par and said they were not expecting Indian openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma to play belligerent cricket from the word go on the first day of the first Test on Thursday. At stumps, India were placed at 119 for one with Jaiswal making a quick, unbeaten 76 and he shared a fine 80-run stand with Rohit in just 12.2 overs. "I think we're over par. It was a tricky Day 1 pitch with consistent spin from earlier on. Stokes was fantastic. I just said come down Day 3, Day 4, that could be a match winning knock if that pitch keeps getting harder to bat on," said Duckett in the post-day press meet.

Duckett was quick to give credit to the Indian openers for producing a rollicking stand, and also considered it as a hint to the gradually deteriorating nature of the pitch.

"Credit to them. They played really well and were very attacking. You know, they don't always go about it like that. So, to go about it that way it shows that they probably think the pitch is going to get quite a bit worse," said Duckett.

The 29-year-old Kent batter defended the use of sweeps and reverse sweeps by his colleagues, saying it was not a sign of carelessness.

"We weren't reckless today. I thought we played well at times and people who normally strike at 150 were dug in and rotated pretty well." Duckett said England were just trying to stay positive on the day.

"We're trying to be positive and when you get a bit of pace on the ball, we're going to go even harder. But yeah, they bowled some very nice balls and I reckon I probably could have nicked off about 15 times.

"I missed them and then put the bat ball away, so yeah, really happy with how we started it," he added.

Tom Hartley had a tough initiation to international cricket as Jaiswal went after him. The left-arm spinner finished the day with the figures of 9-0-63-0.

However, Duckett had a word of consolation for him.

"We backed Tommy to turn to Stokes who decides for him how many overs to bowl. On some days captains might take you off after two overs and then you're hiding away for the rest of the game.

"But he nearly got Shubman Gill in the end and I am not quite sure how that's gonna miss the stumps. But I thought he came back really well," added Duckett. PTI UNG UNG AH AH

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Hayley Matthews Crowned As ICC Women's T20I Cricketer Of The Year

West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews on Wednesday was named the ICC Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year and became just the second women's cricketer from the Caribbean to get the honour. Before Matthews, former skipper Stafanie Taylor was crowned with the coveted accolade in 2015. Matthews was sensational with her skills from the bat and the ball. She defeated competition from Australia's Ellyse Perry, England's Sophie Ecclestone, and Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu. "I have been really blessed to have a pretty good year with West Indies wearing those colours, performing really well and helping the team," Matthews said, according to ICC.

"Growing up I saw many of my idols getting these type of awards a lot, so to be able to come out as a player with this award is special for me," she added.

The No.1 ranked ICC Women's T20I all-rounder embarked on a journey that saw her produce a remarkable performance for the ages against Australia in a bilateral T20I series.

During the series, she scored 99*, 132 and 79 as the West Indies skipper proved to be a major hurdle to the Australian side. The 25-year-old's 99* in the first game of the series went soon under the radar with her breathtaking 132 in a run-chase of 213 in Sydney.

The world-record run-chase in women's T20Is saw Matthews tumble several records which included the highest individual score in a women's T20I run-chase. Her overall score of 310 runs in the series set the milestone of most by any player in a women's T20I bilateral series.

Matthews also had a good outing in the T20 World Cup. She amassed 130 runs and picked up four wickets.

Overall, she added 700 runs to her name in 2023, the most by any player in a year in Women's T20Is. She also claimed 19 wickets at an average of 16.21 in the year.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Looks Like...": Dravid Gives Hint On Nature Of Pitch For IND-ENG 1st Test

India are all set to take on England in the five-match Test series at home, starting January 25 in Hyderabad. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already announced the squad for the first two games of the series. While England will aim to repeat the glory of 2012 where they won 2-1 in India, the hosts will eye to maintain their dominance against the Three Lions in Tests at home. Indian cricket team's head coach Rahul Dravid has given a hint on the kind of surface that will be offered for the first Test.

"It's hard to say. We will see once the game starts and figure it out. It looks like a good one from where I have seen it. The pitch may spin a little bit, how quickly and how fast that I don't know," Dravid said in the pre-match press conference.

Rahul Dravid on Tuesday also said that Virat Kohli, who will miss the first two Tests of the England series due to personal reasons, is a "phenomenal player" and other players will have opportunity to step up and put in some good performances in his absence.

Virat Kohli will miss the first two Tests of the five-match series against England due to personal reasons.

India will play against England in the first Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The second Test of the series will be played at Vishakapatnam, the third Test at Rajkot, the fourth Test at Ranchi and the fifth and final Test at Dharamshala.

Dravid said that any team will miss the absence of a player like Kohli.

"Any team will miss a quality player like Virat Kohli, there is no doubt about it. He is a phenomenal player and his records tell everything. He is a huge boost to the side but having said that it gives an opportunity to the other players to step up and put in some good performances," he said.

"We have got some good experience in the squad. We have players like Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja who have played in the team for over a decade in Tests. There are some other great players in the team like Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer but I will not call them youngsters...They have been there with the squad for a time now and they have the opportunity to perform and prove themselves in the five-match series," the former right-hand batter added.

(With ANI Inputs)

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Cummins Breaks Silence On Maxwell's Hospitalisation After Late-Night Party

They "didn't cross paths" but Australia captain Pat Cummins was at the same venue from where his World Cup-winning teammate Glenn Maxwell was rushed to hospital after a reported late-night drinking session and the star pacer responded to the incident by saying "any decision you make you've got to own it". Both Cummins and Maxwell were attending a concert by 'Six and Out', the band which features former pacer Brett Lee, in Adelaide. Cummins said he left the venue much before his teammate allegedly lost consciousness and had to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

"Potentially, I think only 'Maxy' can answer that one," Cummins was quoted as saying by 'The Sydney Morning Herald' when asked whether Maxwell needed to reconsider his choices.

"I was there at the Gov for the concert, but I left pretty early – I knew he was in town but I didn't cross paths with Maxy at all," he said.

The World Cup-winning captain added, "We're all adults and part of being an adult is you make your own decisions.

"In terms of this incident he wasn't on tour with Australia, he was over there for a private event, so he wasn't with the cricket team. So it is a little bit different, but absolutely, any decision you make you've got to own it and be comfortable with it."

Cricket Australia (CA) is already investigating the mishap. Maxwell was out drinking and watching a concert by 'Six and Out', the band featuring former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee, when he felt unwell.

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke also expressed his shock and said the thought of an ambulance made him "nervous".

"To have to be put into an ambulance, that makes me nervous. With these sort of things, with off-field stuff. I like to go, 'Benefit of the doubt and innocent until proven guilty'," Clarke said on 'Foxsports'.

"One thing I know, Cricket Australia will get to the bottom of it. These days there's cameras, there's people, so the truth will be told. The other thing we need to do is making sure he's OK. He didn't end up spending the night there (in hospital).

"I can't think of a time where I've had to call an ambulance or an ambulance had to be called for me, no matter how drunk I was. So I'm worried is there more to this and I just hope he's OK first and foremost."

Maxwell, who last week stepped down as captain of BBL side Melbourne Stars after failing to make the finals, was not named in the 13-man squad to face the West Indies in a three-match ODI series from February 2 and 6.

"It is not related to him being replaced in the ODI squad, a decision that was made following the BBL and based on his individual management plan. Maxwell is expected to return for the T20 series. No further comment will be made at this time," CA had said in a statement.

Last year, Maxwell faced a series of injuries but despite that, he performed admirably in the World Cup.

During the ODI World Cup in India, Maxwell suffered concussion when he fell off a golf cart in Ahmedabad.

In 2022, he broke his leg when he slipped while running at a friend's birthday party and remained out of action for more than three months.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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U19 WC: Bangladesh Bowler Reprimanded For Using Abusive Language vs India

Bangladesh bowler Maruf Mridha on Tuesday received a reprimand from the ICC for using "abusive language" during his team's U-19 World Cup match against India in Bloemfontein last Saturday. Mridha was found to have breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match." In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Mridha's disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period, the ICC said in a press release.

The incident occurred in the 44th over of India's innings when, after dismissing the batter, Mridha pointed aggressively to the changing room twice, giving the batter a send-off.

Mridha admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Shaid Wadvalla of the international panel of ICC match referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

Mridha picked up 5/43 in 8 overs to help Bangladesh restrict India to 251/7 in 50 overs but his team lost the match by 84 runs after being shot out for 167 in 455 overs.

On-field umpires Donovan Koch and Nigel Duguid, third umpire Allahudien Paleker and fourth umpire, Langton Rusere levelled the charge.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player's match fee, and one or two demerit points.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Karun Nair Returns To County Championship After Going Unsold In IPL Auction

Indian batter Karun Nair will be heading back to Northamptonshire for the upcoming County Championship after a successful outing with the English club last season. The 32-year-old player will be featuring in seven county games for the side. Nair played for the side last season in the final three matches of Division 1, as the team failed to survive relegation to Division 2. However, his overall stint with the side was a success, having played knocks of 78, 150 and 21 in three innings for an aggregate of 249 runs at an average of 83.00. "I'm thrilled to be returning to Northamptonshire for another stint of County Championship cricket. I would like to thank the coach and captain for believing in me and giving me this wonderful opportunity," Nair said in a release by the club.

Nair had a short international career with the Indian team, playing six Tests and two ODIs, and the highlight of his career was an unbeaten 303 versus England in Chennai in 2016, when he became only the second Indian after Virender Sehwag to score a triple hundred in a Test.

Expressing his delight at having Nair back, Northamptonshire head coach John Sadler said, "Because of the impact Karun had with us last season, he was always our main target to get back with us this season.

"We are delighted to get him on board with us again, and I'm sure he will be a super asset for us again this season." Nair will be replaced by Prithvi Shaw in the Northamptonshire team in the second half of the tournament.

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BCCI Awards: Smriti, Deepti Best Int'l Cricketers In Women's Category

India's vice-captain Smriti Mandhana was crowned as the Best International Cricketer in the women's category for the years 2020-21 and 2021-22 on Tuesday at the Naman Awards. On the other hand, Deepti Sharma was recognised as the Best International Cricketer in the women's category for the years 2019-20 and 2022-23. While the highest wicket-takers in the ODI format, Poonam Yadav, Jhulan Goswami, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Devika Vaidya for the years 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively. In terms of the highest run-getters in the 50-over format, Punam Raut, Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues bagged the awards for the years 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.

Coming to the women's Best International debut category Priya Punia, Shafali Verma, Sabbhineni Meghana and Amanjot Kaur won the award for the years 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.

In the Junior women's category, cricketer Kashvee Gautam won the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for the year 2019-2020 in the U-16 category. Madhya Pradesh's Soumya Tiwari and Vaishnavi Sharma won the award for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 respectively.

In the women's ODI category, Meghalya's Saee Purandare won the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for the year 2019-20. Jharkhand's Indrani Roy clinched the award for 2020-21. Punjab's Kanika Ahuja and Arunachal Pradesh's Nabam Yapu won the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.

In the men's category, the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for highest wicket-taker (U-16) in the Vijay Merchant Trophy was clinched by Meghalya's Nirdesh Baisoya and Punjab's Anmoljeet Singh for the year 2019-2020 and 2022-23 respectively.

While the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for the highest run-getter (U-16) in the Vijay Merchant Trophy went to Punjab's Uday Sharan and Vihaan Malhotra for the years 2019-20 and 2022-23 respectively.

Coming to the Under-19 category, the MA Chidambaram Trophy for the highest wicket-taker in the Cooch Behar Trophy was bagged by Harsh Dubey, AR Nishad and Manav Chothani for the years 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.

In the highest run-getter category, P Kanpillewar, Mayank Shandliya and Danish Malewar won the award for the years 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.

In the Under-23 category, the MA Chidambaram Trophy for the highest wicket-taker in Col CK Nayudu Trophy was clinched by Ankush Tyagi, Harsh Dubey and Vishal B Jayswal for the years 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.

In the highest run-getter category, Parth Palawat, YV Rathod and Kshitij Patel secured the award for the years 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Two Indian Spinners Feature In ICC Men's Test Team Of The Year

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday announced the Men's Test Team of the Year 2023 with five Australian players and two Indian spinners featuring in the eleven. Australia's World Test Championship-winning captain Pat Cummins was crowned as the skipper of the team while Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja found their way into the team. Usman Khawaja's rich vein in form saw him feature in the ICC Men's Test Team of the Year for a second consecutive year. He ended 2023 as the highest scorer in Tests, becoming the only batter to get past the 1000-run mark. The left-handed batter amassed 1210 runs in 13 matches at an average of 52.60, which included six centuries and six fifties. Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne was named the other opening batsman despite having played only six matches in 2023.

During Sri Lanka's away series against New Zealand, the experienced batter scored three fifties in four innings and amassed 207 runs. Overall, he scored 608 runs at an average of 60.8.

He also scored two tons against Ireland and played a crucial role in Sri Lanka's dominant 2-0 series win.

New Zealand's Kane Williamson, who had a slow start, went on to score 695 runs in red ball cricket.

Williamson was at his best during New Zealand's win against England in Wellington with his 132. His scintillating knock inspired the Kiwis to a one-run win over the Three Lions. He continued to ride high on confidence and struck three centuries in a row. He converted a century into double hundred in the second Test against Sri Lanka.

England's Joe Root featured in the ICC Men's Test Team of the Year for the fourth time in his career and also remains in contention for the Men's Test Player of the Year award.

Root kicked off the year on an impressive note with three 50-plus scores against New Zealand which also included 153* and 95.

He scored a fifty against Ireland in the one-off Test and began the Ashes series with 118* in Birmingham as England ended on the losing side.

After going through a barren run in the next two Tests, he returned to form and helped England finish the Ashes on level terms.

Australia's match-winner Travis Head had a memorable outing in 2023 across all formats. The left-handed batter stood out exceptionally in the red-ball format scoring 919 in 12 matches.

Head's moment of the year came in the WTC final as he shone against India by inspiring Australia with his heroic knock of 163 in the first innings.

India's star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja made his way to the team with his handy contributions from hand and the ball. The experienced all-rounder stood out in the Test series against Australia with a five-wicket haul and a half-century in Nagpur. He then went on to claim a 10-wicket haul in the next game.

Australia's Alex Carey will take the role behind the stumps following his remarkable year with the gloves. With 54 dismissals, no wicketkeeper had more dismissals than Carey in 2023.

He had a forgetful start to the year with the bat but showed grit against India in the WTC final. Carey scored 44 off 68 in the first innings and 66* in the second which helped Australia take the game away.

Cummins had a dream year as everything he touched turned to gold. He led Australia to WTC glory and then to record-extending World Cup glory.

The Australian skipper led the wicket-takers charts for pacers with 42 wickets in 11 matches. He had his ups and downs throughout 2023 but capped off his exceptional year with a five-wicket haul in each innings in the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan.

India's experienced spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was the leading wicket-taker for India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He was awarded the Player of the Series, but even his stellar performance couldn't clinch him a spot in India's playing XI for the WTC final.

He made a comeback in the Test team with 12 wickets against West Indies.

Australia's Mitchell Starc was named alongside his compatriot Cummins as the second pacer. The left-arm pacer secured an impressive 38 wickets in nine matches in 2023.

After failing to impress in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the left-arm pacer rose on the occasion by taking four wickets and also putting up a crucial 41 in the second innings during Australia's WTC victory.

Starc dominated the Ashes as he led the charts in the series bagging 25 wickets in total and taking away the Player of the Series award.

England's experienced pacer Stuart Broad, who announced retirement from international cricket, was lethal in the final year of his career.

He made headlines with a four-wicket haul in each match against New Zealand. He finished the series as the leading wicket-taker for England with 10 wickets.

He capped off his career by taking the final wicket during England's closely fought contest in the final game of the Ashes against Australia.

ICC Men's Test Team of the Year: Usman Khawaja, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, Travis Head, Ravindra Jadeja, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mitchell Starc, Stuart Broad.

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Kohli Lookalike Mobbed By Fans For Selfies In Ayodhya, Video Goes Viral

Indian cricket team star batter Virat Kohli opted out of the first two Tests in the upcoming five-match series against England citing 'personal reasons' on Monday. Kohli and wife Anushka Sharma were both invited for the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya but they ended up not attending. However, a lookalike of Kohli was mobbed by fans for selfies and the video of the entire incident has gone viral on social media. The video showed that fans were excited to catch a glimpse of the Virat Kohli lookalike and there was a huge crowd gathered around the individual who wanted to meet him and take selfies.

Meanwhile, Kohli has pulled out of the first two Tests against England due to personal reasons which "demand his presence and undivided attention", the BCCI said on Monday.

The BCCI urged the fans and media to refrain from speculating about the exact reason for his forced break before the five-match series begins in Hyderabad on January 25. The Board said it will name a replacement for the star batter soon.

Duplicate Virat Kohli at Ayodhya.

- People going crazy after seeing Duplicate Virat Kohli. [Piyush Rai]pic.twitter.com/eJeWkr5TBJ

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 22, 2024

"Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.

The BCCI also said that Kohli has discussed his decision with skipper Rohit Sharma and the team management.

"Virat has spoken to captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasized that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention," the release further stated.

Shah also said that BCCI completely backs its star player and has faith in the team and its ability to get results even without its best batter.

"The BCCI respects his decision and the Board and team management has extended its support to the star batter and is confident in the abilities of the remaining squad members to step up and deliver commendable performances in the Test series," the secretary said.

He also urged everyone to respect Kohli's privacy.

"The BCCI requests the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli's privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons.

"The focus should remain on supporting the Indian cricket team as they embark on the upcoming challenges in the Test series," Shah said.

(With PTI inputs)

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"If He Wants To Play World Cup...": Ex-India Star's Advice For KL Rahul

With the clean sweep against Afghanistan in the recently-concluded T20I series, Team India started their preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup on a positive note. The series marked the return of India skipper Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli in the T20I format after a gap of 14 months. It is highly likely that both the players will feature in India's squad at the marquee event. However, there are doubts over the selection of wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul.

Team India has found potential batters in the form of Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh and even wicketkeeper like Jitesh Sharma, who is known for his destructive batting. So, it will be quite a challenge for Rahul to find a place for himself in the squad.

Former India opener Aakash Chopra stated that to find a spot in the World Cup squad, Rahul needs to bat at No 4 in IPL 2024. Rahul, who is the captain of IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants, plays the role of an opener.

"You might see KL Rahul at No. 4. If he wants to play the World Cup, he probably needs to bat at No. 4. You might see one among Deepak Hooda, Ayush Badoni and Prerak Mankad playing at No. 3. They have plenty of options available to get the work done," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

"After No. 4, they have Nicholas Pooran, Marcus Stoinis, and Ayush Badoni along with Krunal Pandya down the order. Suddenly you see a lot of depth in the batting. So they have prepared a very good team," Chopra further added.

After missing out on the T20Is against Afghanistan, Rahul will now be seen in action against England in the five-match Test series. The first Test match will start from January 25 in Hyderabad.

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Watch: Indian-Origin NZ U-19 WC Player Copies Gill's Celebration Style

Shubman Gill has got an admirer in India-origin Snehith Reddy, a member of the New Zealand U-19 World Cup team, who copied the Indian opener's batting and celebration style. Snehith took off his helmet, raised his bat and bowed down to the crowd, similar to the trademark celebration of Gill, after reaching his century against Nepal in an U-19 World Cup match at Buffalo Park on Sunday. "We were talking before the game, the boys, on what the celebrations are gonna be. I decided the Shubman Gill bow is my celebration, it was special," Snehith said later.

"One of my favourite players, I love the way he makes contact with the ball, his timing is exceptional and I tried to copy that to my batting a little bit," he said in a video footage uploaded by the ICC.

A moment shared with family
? Enjoying the occasion
Shubman Gill's influence

New Zealand's Snehith Reddy reflects on his #U19WorldCup centurypic.twitter.com/szYB81B0yi

— ICC (@ICC) January 22, 2024

His parents were also present at the ground when Snehith achieved the feat.

"That was extremely special. I think, them (parents) coming over and seeing the first game on the world stage was extremely special. They enjoyed it and I loved it.

"They just told me to enjoy, it's a massive occasion and there'll be nerves but I had fun and that's the key," he said.

The 17-year-old Snehith, who was born in Vijayawada, smashed an unbeaten 147 off 125 balls to help New Zealand reach 302 for 8 in 50 overs after electing to bat.

New Zealand then restricted Nepal to 238 for 9 for a 64-run win.

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How Pak Fans Reacted To Sania-Shoaib Divorce, Cricketer's Third Wedding

The world of social media stood still for a bit as former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik decided to marry actor Sana Javed, sharing their wedding pictures on social media on Saturday. While the rumours of Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik's divorce had been afloat for a few months, the two never released a statement on the matter. However, a day after Shoaib shared his wedding pictures of his third wedding, Sania's family confirmed her divorce from Shoaib, saying that they were legally separated for 'some months'. While several fans in India were shocked upon hearing the news, the reactions were pretty similar in Pakistan too.

Taking to his Instagram handle, the former Pakistan all-rounder shared several pictures of his nuptials with the divorced Pakistani actress.

Sana, too, took to her social media handles to share dazzling images from their 'Nikaah' ceremony.
The newlyweds shared the images from the wedding ceremony with the caption, "And We created you in pairs".

Here's how Pakistan fans reacted to the news on social media:

In a world full of Shoaib Malik ,be like Atif Aslam#ShoaibMalik#SanaJaved#SaniaMirza pic.twitter.com/qCjgT4IzaE

— khansa (@khansaykhan_) January 20, 2024

No fuss created, no blame game, no social media rants and no interviews or press conferences - Sania Mirza just released a statement and wished Shoaib Malik well for his future. She's an elite athlete and an elite woman too

You have my respect, @MirzaSania pic.twitter.com/w9tvDCRY5I

— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) January 21, 2024

Everything between Shoaib Malik and Sana Javed started from Fahad Mustafa's Jeeto Pakistan Show!
Can't believe they did all this while they were married already! Sad#ShoaibMalik #UmairJaswal#SaniaMirza #SanaJaved
VC-Mr Hamxay (IG) pic.twitter.com/2WDJnNgZ8B

— Shahzaib (@ShahzaabAli2) January 20, 2024

#SaniaMirza
Always respectful pic.twitter.com/8NzzbqtzvF

— Goat Williamson Fan (@williamsonfan22) January 21, 2024

The only people who deserve all the sympathies in this whole scenario are Sania Mirza, Umair Jaswal, and Baby Izhaan Mirza.

Truly feel sorry for them irrespective of the gender bias.

Wish best of luck to both of them.
May ALLAH make things easy for them. Ameen pic.twitter.com/jzf3g9qDP1

— Rizwan Babar Army (@RizwanBabarArmy) January 20, 2024

Team Sania for ever.

— Hasan Saeed (@hasansaeed6) January 20, 2024

Can I just say Sania Mirza was always too good for him?

— Saman Tariq (@stariq88) January 20, 2024

Taking to her personal handle on Instagram, Anam, who is married to former India skipper Mohammad Azharuddin's son Assaduddin, confirmed Sania's divorce from Shoaib, posting, "Sania has always kept her personal life away from the public eye. However, today the need has arisen for her to share that Shoaib and she have been divorced for a few months now. She wishes Shoaib well for his new journey ahead!"

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The statement comes a day after the former Pakistan all-rounder tied the knot with Pakistani actress Sana Javed.

Shoaib and Sania got married in 2010 and have been staying in Dubai ever since. They announced the birth of their son, Izhaan Mirza Malik, in 2018.

Sana became a household name in Pakistan with her exploits in the show-business space, Sana made her television debut in 2012 with 'Shehr-e-Zaat' and later on appeared in several other shows. She received recognition for her portrayal of the titular role in the romantic drama 'Khaani'.

The former batting all-rounder who contributed handsomely to many of Pakistan's memorable wins, Shoaib made his international debut in 1999 in ODIs.

Over the course of an illustrious cricketing career during which he also captained the national team across formats, Shoaib scored a whopping 7534 runs in 287 ODIs.In T20Is, he featured in 124 matches, aggregating 2435 runs at a strike rate of 125.64.

The 41-year-old also played 35 Test matches, scoring 1898 runs. He played his last international game for Pakistan against Bangladesh in 2021.

With ANI inputs

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"Things Were Done And Dusted...": Ex India Star's Huge Virat 'Fab 4' Take

The upcoming Test series between India and England will see two members of the 'Fab-4' of Test cricket square off against each other. India's Virat Kohli and England's Joe Root have been two of the most consistent batters in the format over the past decade. Australia's Steve Smith and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson are the other two members of the 'Fab-4' of Test cricket. After overcoming a lean patch with the bat, former India opener Aakash Chopra suggested that Kohli is back among his peers.

"Yours truly also said that he is no longer part of the Fab 4. He is now, by the way. It was about the runs at that time, in that period of two years, but he is back again. Steve Smith has fallen away. Kane Williamson is also going 50-50 but this guy is still there. He was there then also and has returned now," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Despite scoring runs, Kohli failed to score a century in over three years between 2019 and 2022.

Chopra added that Kohli has reignited his career, especially in Test cricket, after a three-year lean patch had raised doubts over his future.

"The way he has made a comeback has made his story even more beautiful. It seemed like things were done and dusted and you came and played a World Cup, and became the Player of the Tournament. You reinvented the wheel once again and reignited that passion," he added.

Kohli has been in sensational form of late. He was the top-scorer in the World Cup last year as India reached the final, only to go down against Australia.

In 11 matches, Kohli amassed 765 runs at an average of 95.62. He also broke Sachin Tendulkar's record of most ODI centuries with his knock in the semi-final against New Zealand.

He has also scored 8,848 runs in 113 Test matches for India at an average of 49.15, while scoring 30 fifties, 29 hundreds and seven double hundreds.

India's squad for first two Tests vs England

Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Avesh Khan

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"Play With His Ego...": Ex-Eng Star's 'Choker' Advice For Dismissing Kohli

Former England cricket team spinner Monty Panesar believes that England cricketers should sledge Virat Kohli and try to 'mentally pinch' him in the upcoming Test series in India starting January 25. India and England will play five Test matches and Kohli is expected to play a huge role in determining the result of the series. In a recent interaction, Panesar said that England bowlers need to play with Kohli's ego and sledge him on the lines of India being 'chokers' when it comes to international competitions.

"Play with his ego and get psychologically stuck into him. They should also say things to him like, you guys are chokers when it comes to the final. They should sledge him on those lines because Stokes has won the ODI and T20 WC and Kohli has not and that is going to mentally pinch him," Panesar told India.com.

When asked about which bowler will be most likely to dismiss Kohli during the series, Panesar picked veteran fast bowler James Anderson for his ability to produce the reverse-swing.

"I think it will be James Anderson and I think it will be the reverse-swing that would get Kohli," he added.

England Test squad: Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root and Mark Wood.

Indian Squad for the first two Tests: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and Avesh Khan.

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