The challenges in a post COVID-19 world were new and unusual but unlike other Indian sports, cricket could partially redeem itself, thanks to the deep pockets of the BCCI
IMAGES from Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test played between Australia and New Zealand at the MCG on Saturday.
Australian batting star Steve Smith has no time to think about how India might plot revenge in the second Test in Melbourne but he does have a word of advice for the visitors jolted by the first game's battering -- 'Let it go and move on'.
Steven Smith scored a brilliant century (192) as Australia recorded a massive 530 in the first innings as Indian bowlers were hammered all over the park. Losing the wicket of Shikhar Dhawan (28), India ended the day on 108 for 1 in their reply. Check out some of the images from the second day's play of the 3rd Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Captain Steven Smith was well-entrenched for his third century in successive Tests even though India restricted Australia to 259 for five on the opening day of the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. Electing to bat, he again was the visitors' main tormentor, anchoring the innings with an undefeated 72 at stumps. Check out some photos from the day's play.
'He did not involve himself in strategic discussions that would help us on the field', Tendulkar claims in his just-released autobiography.
'The pitch should have enough for the bowlers to be interested on all days of the Test.'
Cricket diplomacy was in abundance at a rare reception given to Narendra Modi at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground with the prime minister saying a "new journey" in India-Australia relationship has begun.
As the tournament gets to the business end here's a chance to predict the winner. Listed below are the eight quarter-finalists. Pick four who you think will make the semi-finals.
List of players who have claimed hat-tricks in the Cricket World Cup.
Former Pakistan pace spearhead Shoaib Akhtar has said that current skipper Misbah-ul Haq needs to adopt Imran Khan's frontline approach employed by the captain in 1992 if the 2015 squad wants to win this year's Cricket World Cup.
Opener David Warner thumped a maiden Twenty20 international century as Australia kicked off their home summer with a ruthless 134-run thrashing of Sri Lanka, at Adelaide Oval, on Sunday.
Check out the lowest totals in Ashes history after England bowled Australia out for 60 in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge on Thursday.
A strong fourth innings fightback that had nearly clinched a remarkable record run chase in the first Test loss to Australia in Brisbane had given Pakistan the confidence they needed for the rest of the series, captain Misbah-ul-haq has said. The visitors, who were dismissed for 142 in their first innings, had Australian cricket fans chewing their fingernails to the quick as they counter-attacked in chasing 490 for victory.
Australia captain Steve Smith brushed off concerns about his fitness on the eve of the fifth and final Ashes Test against England on Wednesday before Mitchell Starc's return to spearhead the pace attack was confirmed as the only change to his team.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose selfie with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang grabbed eyeballs across the globe, on Sunday, extended his 'selfie diplomacy' to Mongolia by clicking one with President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.
However, ECB chief executive Tom Harrison put the cold water on the prospect, saying that it was highly unlikely that a day-night Test would be there in the schedule when the Ashes series would return to England next year.
England skipper Joe Root has been more like a little boy than a leader under the immense pressure of the Ashes series and must step up, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has said.
Australia cricket coach Darren Lehmann has defended wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and the team's vocal aggression.
Overwhelmed by the ongoing World Cup's success, ICC CEO David Richardson said it has been the most followed cricket event.
Australia captain Michael Clarke will retire from One-day international cricket after Sunday's World Cup final against New Zealand. The 33-year-old will, however, continue playing Test cricket.
Archie, who suffers from a heart ailment, dreams of captaining Australia and it has been confirmed he would co-captain Tim Paine
India spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are both under an injury cloud ahead of the Boxing Day Test against Australia, leaving the tourists with a potential selection conundrum.
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup
Following is a factbox on the first Test match between Australia and England, which starts on Thursday:
India would start their campaign in the Asia Cup T20 Championship by taking on hosts Bangladesh in the tournament-opener at the Sher-E-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on February 24, according to the event schedule released on Monday. The eagerly awaited high-octane clash between India and Pakistan is slated three days later, on February 27, at the same venue. India's subsequent fixtures are slated against defending champions Sri Lanka (March 1) and a qualifier, from amongst Afghanistan, UAE, Oman and Hong Kong, on March 3.
'Ponting would have been dropped had he not retired in 2012'
Long retired from the game but Sachin Tendulkar's mere presence was good enough for a near-capacity crowd to go hysterical during India's World Cup game against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, in Melbourne on Sunday.
The batting icon claimed one of the challenges of his career was being among the best cricketers of his era.
India made two changes for this must-win game, with Gurkeerat Mann and Rishi Dhawan handed debuts on account of their all-round capabilities. Ravichandran Ashwin and Manish Pandey made way for them in the playing eleven.
The 2015 World Cup was, skipper Brendon McCollum said, the ride of a lifetime for New Zealand and even if Australia brought it to a shuddering halt in Sunday's final, their brilliant campaign will not quickly fade from the memory.
'We'll let them go play the game as they normally would' 'You don't want to clone them all into little choir boys'
England skipper Eoin Morgan has slammed as "ridiculous" plans to restrict the size of cricket bats to try and stem the flow of runs in the one-day game.
Australia will miss George Bailey in the next tri-series match against England as the skipper was on Monday handed a one-match suspension.
All the injuries that happened to top Indian cricketers prior to and during the Australia series along with their current status.
Injured Australian captain Michael Clarke said on Wednesday that his recovery from hamstring surgery was ahead of schedule though it's still unclear whether he will be fit to play the entire World Cup, beginning on February 14.
Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar will join Australia's squad for the fourth and final Test against India in Sydney, captain Steven Smith said on Tuesday.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni retired from Test cricket immediate effect and Virat Kohli will lead the team in the fourth Test against Australia in Sydney starting on January 6.
Virat Kohli became only the second Indian batsman after Sunil Gavaskar to score three Test hundreds in a series against Australia.
With Australia taking a 2-0 lead in the four-match Test series against India, the scales are titled highly in favour of the hosts. History also shows that the Melbourne Cricket Ground has been a happy hunting ground for the hosts. With the Boxing Day Test around the corner, here is a quick look at how the teams stand.
