But the 32-year-old with 302 Test wickets didn't deny that it was indeed a great opportunity to gear up for the big battle against India.
Opener KL Rahul issued a stern warning to England that if their players try to sledge any Indian player then the remaining 10 will come hard at them, as was witnessed during the second Test at Lord's.
Trade analyst Vinod Mirani gives the box office verdict for the week.
An underwhelming India suffered their first ODI whitewash in more than three decades as New Zealand completed a 3-0 sweep with a five-wicket victory in the third match, in Mount Maunganui, on Tuesday. It is the first whitewash for India in 31 years in a series in which all matches have been played.
Choosing between cricketing ace Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Bollywood superstar Salman Khan is like choosing between 'mum and dad' for India player Kedar Jadhav. He made it clear that he could play many matches for India because of the support he received from the former captain.
Hasmukh just doesn't make you laugh and that's its biggest tragedy, complains Moumita Bhattacharjee.
Mumbai Indians beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 42 runs in their final league fixture in Abu Dhabi on Friday but still failed to qualify for the IPL play-offs.
'OTT is the present of the entertainment industry and it can be the future as well.'
England quick Stuart Broad reckons his total domination of Australia opener David Warner in last year's Ashes series was down to his strategy of denying the batsman any width to play his fierce cut shots and square drives. Broad dismissed Warner seven times in 10 innings as the subdued left-hander finished the drawn series with only 95 runs.
Neither side will be at full strength, as a string of first-team players will be missing due to injuries, when India and New Zealand meet in the opening match of the ODI series on Wednesday in Hamilton.
The Kerala youngster delighted once again with his magical batting at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Stuart Broad took 10 wickets in the Test -- for only the third time in his career -- and was named man of the series despite his surprise omission from the first Test in Southampton.
'We leave it up to the players to decide whether or not they want to participate and request NOCs'
The Hindi version of Rajinikanth's Kabali did not find much love outside Tamil Nadu
'I think anything over 220-230 is going to be pretty difficult, but not impossible obviously. It won't be easy.'
LSD: Love Scandal and Doctors keeps you engrossed right through, applauds Joginder Tuteja.
Australia's Steve Smith struck a superb 144 on his return to the side as they recovered from 122-8 to reach 284 all out against England in the first innings of the first Ashes Test before the hosts saw out two overs unscathed at Edgbaston on Thursday.
England fast bowler Mark Wood said on Thursday that players are using 'back sweat' rather than saliva to try and shine the ball in the first Test against West Indies at the Ageas Bowl. Strict health protocols are in place for the return of international cricket after a 117-day stoppage caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including a ban on saliva.
In India, 29 positive cases have been reported so far, including 16 Italian tourists. New Zealand Cricket said that the cricket board is in constant touch with the country's health, foreign affairs and sports ministry to get regular updates which will ensure health safety for its players.
Images from Tuesday's IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab, in Dubai.
Novak Djokovic cruised past Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday to reach a record-equalling eighth Western & Southern Open semi-final in New York where he will face Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.
James Anderson's ascension to the pantheon of Test bowlers when he claimed his 600th wicket on Tuesday can possibly be traced back to a prediction that current New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen made in 2008.
'The trick is that in England you've to get people on the front foot, because the wicket's slightly slow, so as soon as you're slightly short, you get murdered around the ground. Why Yasir did really well for Pakistan is that he bowled quick leg spin...didn't allow batsmen to go on the backfoot'
Fans who had poured in to see the Swiss master in action witnessed him fire down a 10,000th career ace and chalk up a record 85th win at Wimbledon, surpassing the benchmark he had shared with Jimmy Connors.
Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane jumped three places to enter the top-10 in batsman's list while Ravichandran Ashwin maintained his pole position among all-rounders in the latest Test rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Golfing great Tiger Woods has said that his strength has returned from 'busting his butt' in the gym pretty hard and the former World No 1 is on schedule to resume competition in December.
A gaggle of past presidents, prominent Senators, and other famous and eminent personalities gathered at Capitol Hill for the swearing-in ceremony of Donald J Trump as the 45th President of the United States.
England paceman James Anderson has been ruled out for six weeks with a shoulder problem but aims to be fit for the Test series against India later in the summer.
A mix of masala flicks that will release this month.
Boston Celtics' Kanter sparks backlash in China after comments on Tibet, Xi.
Tennis great Chris Evert has hit out at her former fiance Jimmy Connors for hinting that their relationship ended in the 1970s after she had an abortion against his wishes.
What was Bollywood up to on Maharashtra Day?
...it's Moonlight and not La La Land
All-rounder James Neesham has returned to the New Zealand Test squad for their three-Test tour of India.
An unwell Trent Boult skipped the New Zealand cricket team's training session at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Monday, staying away from the squad as a precautionary measure. The left-arm pacer is among eight players including Ross Taylor, Colin de Grandhomme, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner, who are attending the first half of the camp that started on Sunday.
The US maintained normal diplomatic relations with the government in Taiwan until 1979, when then-President Jimmy Carter abruptly cut off formal ties with Taipei and recognised the Communist regime in Beijing.
Some were brilliant while in others, the performances made them a great watch.
