Former Australia Test skipper Tim Paine reckons England lack the depth to go toe to toe with Pat Cummins and Co in the ongoing Ashes series.
Star England batter Jonny Bairstow has credited his sensational run of form in the past five Test innings, including the two against India, to freedom from COVID-19 protocols and role clarity under new head coach Brendon McCullum.
Travis Head's counter-attacking hundred and his unbroken 251-run stand with Steve Smith put Australia in charge on 327/3 on the opening day of the WTC final against India.
England skipper Andrew Strauss said they were not sure of Kevin Pietersen's participation in the next week's third Ashes Test at Edgbaston.
Images from Day 2 in the third Test between India and England in Birmingham, on Thursday.
The India opener is returning from a shoulder surgery with very little preparation besides the two-day tour match against Northamptonshire last week.
When India lost the Wellington Test by 10 wickets, was it the worst defeat for Virat Kohli's team? Rajneesh Gupta has the answers.
The opportunity to play Test cricket for England again may not have come the way he would have expected, but for Ravi Bopara it is an opportunity nonetheless.
It has been decided that Rishabh Pant will not play the two T20 Internationals against Ireland and hence Hardik Pandya, who is his deputy for the South Africa series, is expected to lead the side.
Chasing 194 runs, India resumed their second innings at 110 for the loss of five wickets with Kohli and wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik needing 84 for victory.
England will become the third country to host a day-night Test match when they meet West Indies in Birmingham next August. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and hosts Warwickshire County Cricket Club said in a joint statement on Thursday that the first test of the series would be held under lights, probably with a 1400 local time start. "It's a great opportunity to attract more fans to the game and see how staging test cricket in the afternoon and evening fits with working patterns and modern lifestyles," said ECB chief executive Tom Harrison.
Lyon finished the last cycle of the World Test Championship in 2021-23 as its leading wicket-taker with 88 scalps, but Brook in undeterred.
Another insipid display by a once great cricketer as his side slumped to an embarrassing defeat to go 2-1 down in the Ashes series had Australian pundits questioning whether captain Michael Clarke was in terminal decline on Saturday.
Smith, however, had developed symptoms overnight and after further testing on Sunday, which is part of the process, Saw ruled him out of the fifth day.
Ben Stokes's delivery that got Virat Kohli out would have been unplayable to any batter from any era, Graeme Swann said.
Skipper Williamson cleared to play; spinner Patel included in 15-man squad
Ahead of the Ashes, Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon urged his teammates to remain calm in the face of the 'Bazball' threat.
'...It's just nice to show I can score runs. I am happy to be out there and show the real me. I don't know why I threw my bat in the air, but that is me.'
India will, in all likelihood, go into the second Test against England at Trent Bridge, beginning Friday, with two of their crucial players missing from the line-up. While Zaheer Khan is certain to miss the Test (and maybe the third in Edgbaston as well), Gautam Gambhir also appears heading in the same direction, having suffered an elbow injury while fielding at short leg during the opening Test.
India and England are set to lock horns in a five-match Test series.
Joe Root continued with his purple patch during the first Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston, bringing up his 30th Test century.
He is the first Indian player since Sachin Tendulkar in June 2011 to lead the rankings and ends Steve Smith's 32-month spell at the top.
Archer produced a sustained period of aggressive fast bowling in both of Australia's innings in the drawn second Test at Lord's, felling both Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne.
England pacer Jofra Archer will continue to prepare for the Ashes while playing in the IPL, and once the lucrative T20 tournament is over, he will straightaway get into the gruelling five-Test series against Australia, according to his country club coach.
With 36 different playing XIs in as many Tests under Kohli's captaincy, the Indian line-up is begging for some consistency.
England will 'play cricket that gets a result, our way', said their inspirational captain Ben Stokes, strengthening the team's commitment to stick to the hotly-debated 'Bazball' approach.
Urges others to step up in the all-rounder's absence
Khawaja steers calm course on Ashes rollercoaster
England fast bowler James Anderson will not play in the final Ashes test against Australia at The Oval due to a side strain, captain Alastair Cook said on Wednesday.
England will rest fast bowler James Anderson for the third and final Test against West Indies starting at Edgbaston on Thursday.
The cricket world was in awe of India's wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant following his outstanding innings on Day 1 of the fifth Test against England, at Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham, on Friday.
India remain third and have jumped by four points to 111, their highest ranking since the new system was introduced.
'I know we've got a big series but we can worry about that in a couple days' time. You only get a few of these moments in your career where you can sit back, acknowledge a pretty special achievement and that's one of these times.'
Ishant needs to figure out his role in the team, says McGrath
'I know how hard he has worked to try to get back fit and I hope it is not too bad and he can get back as soon as possible.'
'The position of the captain had been really unstable in the last few months'
Rishabh Pant smashed a blistering 146 and forged a 222-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja to drag India back into the contest in the rescheduled fifth Test against England in Edgbaston on Friday.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting described Aussies skipper Pat Cummins' captaincy as "old-fashioned" as he set fields and unravel plans over a long period of time.
England will draw confidence from India's strong comeback from a similar situation and continue to play aggressively when play resumes on Day 3 in the rescheduled fifth Test, at Edgbaston, Birmingham, says veteran seamer James Anderson.
