Collingwood 'amazed' by questions about Root's captaincy
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup.
Becomes second-fastest batsman to register 25 Test centuries
The disgraced Australian duo of Steve Smith and David Warner is not just staring at an ouster from IPL but is also also facing the prospect of missing the India series later this year, as speculations over a length ban for ball tampering gained credence.
With the world watching, Steve Smith crafted a sublime 144 to help Australia recover from 122 for eight to 284 all out of Day 1 of the first Ashes Test.
Former captains Bob Willis and David Gower have joined Ian Botham and Mike Atherton in urging the English team to return to India and play the two-Test series next month.
The 21-year-old Essex all-rounder, who made his one-day international debut against Australia in the recent series, is the surprise inclusion.
The left-hander was named as caretaker captain for the first Test against Pakistan while Andrew Flintoff recovers from a heel injury.
England named an unchanged 12-man squad for the second Ashes Test starting at Edgbaston, Birmingham on August 4.
Orissa Steelers beat Imphal Rangers via a golden goal to go to the top of the table with 12 points in Tier II in the Premier Hockey League.
It was the 34th ODI hundred for the Indian captain, who is now 15 shy of Sachin Tendulkar's mark of 49.
Mumbai get the money-spinning tournament rolling in Chennai on Friday, just four months after claiming their second successive title, with a match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, led by India captain Virat Kohli.
Smith top-scored with 73 not out for Rajasthan Royals in their relatively meagre total of 139 for three in Jaipur.
Reaction after Cricket Australia (CA) banned sacked captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner for 12 months and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft for nine months for their roles in the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town.
'England were playing with nine and a half men'
Rajneesh Gupta highlights all the important numbers for the England team from cricket World Cups.
Battle commences at Edgbaston on Thursday and the last time Australia won there was the opening match of the 2001 series which they ended up dominating 4-1.
'He is great to have as a captain -- he just keeps everything simple and doesn't change his emotions too much, which in the heat of the battle, (helps) to keep your mind clear'
Cheteshwar Pujara set a few records during his unbeaten ton.
India's history-making cricket team was showered with gushing praise by former players with batting great Sunil Gavaskar slamming criticism that the triumph came against a weakened Australian team.
Australia vice-captain David Warner found it "bizarre" that pundits and fans continue to criticise the team despite winning their last two Test matches after a run of five losses.
Ponting compared the spell with the one England's Steve Harmison bowled during the famous 2005 Ashes series, in which he hit Australian openers Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer before leaving the former skipper with a bloodied cheek.
Opening batsman Cameron Bancroft, the most junior member in the side at 25, was tasked with implementing the plan and was duly caught on camera using the tape.
'They're going to need to get some cricket before coming back into the squad. It's all part of the management. We'll have to wait and see'
England's Joe Root has moved to the top of the world Test batting rankings after scoring two centuries and two fifties in the first four Ashes Tests against Australia.
Reaction after Australia's Steve Smith, who has stepped down as captain, confessed on Saturday that the team's "leadership group" had hatched a plan to alter the condition of the ball during the third day of the third Test against South Africa.
Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has defended the nature of Jamtha track, saying it is poor "technique" of the batsmen and not any "demon" in the pitch that resulted in South Africa being bundled out for a paltry 79 during the third Test.
Under-fire captain Alastair Cook at last found his form but fell for 95 as he and century-maker Gary Ballance put England in control at the end of the first day of the third Test against India on Sunday.
Should India bolster its batting by including Rohit Sharma at No 6? Pick India's playing XI for the first Test.
Sachin's Blasters has Lara, Sehwag, Mahela, Murali and, of course, Tendulkar! Warne's Warriers has Ponting, Kallis, Sanga, Akram and Donald...
After four centuries on the trot with a strike rate of nearly 120, Sri Lanka's run machine Kumar Sangakkara (MVPI: 686) has raced to the top of the most valuable player standing at the ICC World Cup.
Rajneesh Gupta presents all the numbers from the first Test in Rajkot.
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