Sri Lanka has announced its 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship series against Pakistan. Kusal Mendis will captain the side for the first time in Tests, taking over from Dhananjaya de Silva. The series, part of the WTC cycle, begins November 9 in Pakistan.
Top-order batter Kevin Wickham has received his first Test call-up for the West Indies' two-match series against Bangladesh. The squad sees changes with Shai Hope rested and Alzarri Joseph withdrawn due to workload management, replaced by Keemo Paul. John Campbell returns from injury, as West Indies aim to improve their ICC World Test Championship ranking.
'But sometimes I am cuckoo in the head. I sit late at night, and I think of how I want to play and how I want to be as a cricketer.'
Sunil Gavaskar has questioned men's T20I records involving Associate nations, proposing separate categories to account for differences in playing standards.
India's three-match ODI series against the West Indies, starting Sunday, is a vital preparatory stage for the ICC World Cup 2027. The series will focus on giving game time to young players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and assessing the form of key players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who is nearing a significant ODI milestone. The development of all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is also a priority. The West Indies team, grappling with recent losses and financial issues, will aim to overcome these challenges and deliver a competitive performance.
After India's 2-1 ODI series win over West Indies, Shubman Gill says it is time to settle the team's World Cup combination and reduce experiments.
Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf has expressed his strong desire to play Test cricket, aiming for a spot in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, as the team grapples with significant struggles in its pace department.
Pakistan's cricket team has been fined 50 per cent of their match fee and docked 11 World Test Championship points due to a slow over-rate during their third Test against England in Birmingham, a match they lost by 8 wickets, contributing to a 0-3 series whitewash.
The ICC has announced the schedule for the men's World Cup, detailing India's opening match against Australia, a crucial clash with Pakistan, and other group stage fixtures, along with the dates and venues for the semi-finals and final.
The draw in the second Test saw India miss out on a chance to improve their position in the ICC World Test Championship standings.
Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has become the country's highest run-scorer in ICC World Test Championship history, surpassing Shubman Gill, and also overtook MS Dhoni as India's highest run-scorer as a designated wicketkeeper in away or neutral Tests.
The World Cricketers' Association (WCA) has expressed 'concern' over the International Cricket Council's (ICC) decision to revise the format of next year's 50-over World Cup without consulting the players, stating that such significant changes deserve genuine consultation and transparency.
Australian left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc has become the leading wicket-taker in ICC World Test Championship (WTC) history, surpassing teammates Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon.
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has strongly criticised current skipper Babar Azam following Pakistan's disastrous Test series against England. Akram questioned Babar's awareness of team changes and suggested he should not have taken on the captaincy again, especially after the team's poor performance and subsequent sanctions.
Bangladesh have moved above India to fourth position in the ICC World Test Championship standings after securing a historic nine-wicket victory against Australia in the first Test in Darwin.
Sri Lanka's remarkable lower-order resistance helped deny India a series sweep, with the tailenders facing more deliveries than the team's openers across the series.
England have called up pacer Sonny Baker to their squad for the second ICC World Test Championship clash against Pakistan, replacing Brydon Carse, who has been omitted while the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) investigates an incident from the weekend.
Pakistan pacer Mohammad Abbas expressed deep concern over the team's persistent issues, including poor fielding and an inexperienced pace attack, following their heavy 194-run defeat to England at Lord's, marking their 10th loss in 11 away Tests.
Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam sustained a hand injury during a warm-up match, raising concerns about his availability for the upcoming three-match Test series against England, which is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27.
Sri Lanka Cricket has announced a 16-member squad for the first Test against India, featuring the return of wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella.
India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka bowler Asitha Fernando have been fined 25 per cent of their match fees and received one demerit point each for 'inappropriate physical contact' during the second Test in Colombo.
Sri Lanka spinner Prabath Jayasuriya received a reprimand and one demerit point for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct by abusing cricket equipment after his dismissal on day two of the second Test against India.
Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has resigned from the men's national selection committee and as a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy.
The BCCI has summoned Gautam Gambhir, Ajit Agarkar and V V S Laxman to Mumbai on Thursday to review India's disappointing performances in Ireland and England.
India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, hosted both the Indian and Sri Lankan men's cricket teams at the India House in Colombo, emphasising cricket's role in strengthening bilateral ties ahead of their second Test match.
The Oval in London has been confirmed as the venue for the 2027 ICC World Test Championship Final, scheduled from June 9-13. This marks the second time The Oval will host the final, having previously done so in 2023. Nine teams are currently competing in the ongoing WTC cycle, with Australia leading the standings, followed by South Africa and New Zealand, as the race intensifies with crucial upcoming series.
Rohit Sharma's ODI future was a major point of discussion during the review meeting, while also considering the recent fitness woes of key players like Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has expressed confidence in his team's readiness for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, starting August 15. Gambhir also welcomed new squad members Saransh Jain and Auqib Nabi, emphasising the team's preparation for their first ICC World Test Championship assignment since a previous home defeat.
With Kuldeep Yadav looking ineffective, India could look towards including off-spinner Saransh Jain in the playing XI in the second Test in Colombo, especially looking at three left-handers in the Sri Lankan top seven.
To select the best from the abundance of talent in India is no easy task. Talent can win matches, but it is the right selection that will herald a golden era, points out K R Nayar.
Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc dethroned Jasprit Bumrah to reach a career-high No. 1 in the ICC Test rankings for bowlers, after a stellar 10-wicket haul against Bangladesh.
Aakash Chopra believes India faces a challenging path to the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 final, even if they register a 2-0 series sweep in Sri Lanka.
Two-time finalists India are placed fifth and face a challenging path to secure a top-two finish.
Former Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane believes India's recent Test struggles stem from the departure of senior players, emphasising the need for a core of seven to eight experienced cricketers in the longer format.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam confirmed that Shan Masood fractured his finger during the first ICC World Test Championship match against the West Indies, contributing to Pakistan's 90-run defeat. The injury forced Masood to bat at No. 8, and Babar highlighted the team's top-order batting failures and lack of partnerships. West Indies' Justin Greaves was named Player of the Match for his five-wicket haul.
Bangladesh's Test squad for the upcoming series against Australia faces significant challenges with pace spearhead Ebadot Hossain unavailable due to personal reasons and Nahid Rana's participation uncertain due to injury. Despite these setbacks, the team remains optimistic about Litton Das's recovery and the batting unit's ability to perform, as they prepare with an early arrival and warm-up match in Darwin.
Pakistan's Test team head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed has acknowledged ongoing fitness issues within the squad, despite a recent training camp. A new conditioning camp is planned to address these concerns before the team's crucial tours to the Caribbean and England. New Test captain Babar Azam is focused on improving fitness and discipline for better performance in red-ball cricket.
Sri Lanka have gone more than a decade since their last Test match win against India, having last beaten them in the Galle Test in 2015.
Australia coach Andrew McDonald believes former England captain Ben Stokes could be persuaded to reverse his Test retirement and feature in the Ashes 2027 series, said Australia coach Andrew McDonald.
Veteran Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane has announced his immediate retirement from all formats of international cricket, stating that the time is right for him to 'move on' after a career spanning over a decade.
