India captain Virat Kohli continued to top the ICC Test batsmen's ranking but his deputy Ajinkya Rahane slipped a place to ninth spot. Kohli has 928 points, 17 more than second-placed Australian run-machine Steve Smith, in the latest edition of the rankings released on Saturday.
The 33-year-old has played 118 Tests for England, scoring 7,727 runs and winning five Ashes series since becoming a regular in the side following his debut in 2004, but disappointed in the recently concluded series against Pakistan.
Twenty20 stalwarts Rashid Khan of Afghanistan and West Indian Andre Russell, with an identical 100,000 pounds reserve price, are among 239 players from outside the UK to enter the draft.
Since 2011, England have managed to eke out just a single draw in 13 Ashes Tests over three tours and their last two Tests in Sydney have resulted in humiliating defeats.
'India are very, very patient but if you are willing to be patient and bowl all day you will take wickets'
Joe Root scored a breezy, unbeaten 67 and will resume on the third morning with Jonny Bairstow, who has 24.
South Africa trail by 439 runs and will need to bat for much of the weekend to stay in the contest and avoid going 2-1 behind in the four-Test series.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 3rd Ashes Test played between Australia and England at the MCG on Tuesday.
England produced a brilliant comeback to beat Australia by two runs on the final ball of their first T20 international in Southampton on Friday after the visitors looked to be cruising to victory in their first competitive match for six months.
Golfer Rory McIlroy won the US Open by eight shots in record style on Sunday, confirming his rich promise as a potential golfing great by becoming the championship's youngest winner since 1923. At the age of 22, the mop-haired Northern Irishman clinched his first major title by an astonishing eight shots, raising comparisons with the record 15-shot margin achieved by Tiger Woods at the 2000 US Open. Bikash Mohapatra takes a look at a few athletes who made a mark at an ea
England skipper Joe Root has backed James Anderson to hit peak form again, saying on Wednesday that the pace bowler's spot in the team is not in question ahead of the second Test against Pakistan starting on Thursday.
Ben Stokes has been named in England's 14-man squad for the three one-day internationals (ODIs) against India next month, with the all-rounder on the mend from a hamstring injury.
Images from Day 4 of the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord's in London on Saturday.
Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop said Jasprit Bumrah's career can only be managed by picking and choosing tournaments amid the relentless schedule.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has reclaimed the No.1 position in the MRF Tyres ICC Men's Test Player Rankings after leading his side to the ICC World Test Championship title in Southampton last week.
England's most successful bowler James Anderson feels he and Stuart Broad should be paired together to lead the bid for a series win in the decisive Test against the West Indies. The hosts are spoilt for choice ahead of Friday's start of the third Test at Old Trafford with Anderson, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood all looking to return to the team.
Pakistan beat England by nine wickets in the first Test at Lord's on Sunday.
The ball moved enough in last week's Southampton Test between England and West Indies to erase any lingering doubt about swing bowling under cricket's COVID-19 protocols, manufacturer of the Dukes ball said.
Manjummel Boys gets so many things right, applauds Arjun Menon.
Former captain Michael Vaughan questioned if England are giving priority to Test cricket.
England's sporting global ambitions have never been fully realised since Sir Alf Ramsey's team won the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Whether it is Gary Linekar or Hary Kane, the 'Cup' that they desperately want never came home during the last five and half decades.
'We often in England, talk about express pace, but that's not what I'm seeing. It's relentlessness with the ball. It's (Glenn) McGrath-like that you do for a long period of time. It's not bowling bad balls and releasing the pressure.'
Chris Rogers fell for 95, failing to turn a half-century into a hundred for the seventh Test innings in a row as Australia ended the second day of the first Test on 264 for five, 166 behind England on Thursday.
Images from Day 5 in the second Test between England and India, at Lord's, on Monday.
Veteran fast bowler James Anderson is pretty sure that the newly laid track at the Motera Stadium will be devoid of any grass for the upcoming day-night Test against India even though there is a nice green cover on it at the moment.
Pakistan dominated the first day of the opening Test after bowling out England for 184 and battling to 50 for one in overcast conditions at Lord's in London on Thursday.
Pakistan's Sarfraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik shared a fluent partnership of 163 to lead the tourists to a consolation four-wicket win over England in the fifth and final one-day international in Cardiff on Sunday.
England have by far been the best team in the tournament.
Travis Head returned from COVID-19 to smash a belligerent 101 and Cameron Green made 74 to revive Australia after a top-order collapse on the opening day of the day-night final Ashes Test against England on Friday.
Pakistan declared their first innings on 523 for eight shortly after Shoaib Malik's marathon knock of 245 came to an end in the final session of the second day's play in the opening test against England in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
England's selectors are acutely aware of the impact on players of bio-secure bubbles and with a demanding year ahead, are making sure they protect their key performers.
With the two-year anniversary of his last tournament win fast approaching, Tiger Woods is preparing for next month's Australian Open amid growing doubts over whether he can ever regain his former dominance.
In the bowling department, pacer Mohammad Abbas (13th) and experienced leg-spinner Yasir Shah (24th), who have in the past, been ranked third and first, respectively, and left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi (32nd) are other Pakistan players to watch.
'We are not entirely out of the woods.' 'The broader trajectory remains tentative.' 'However, we may expect some near-term bounce.'
England shot out India for a paltry 78 and cruised to 120 for no loss in their robust reply to take early control of the third Test at Headingley on Wednesday.
England fast bowler James Anderson has been ruled out for the rest of the Ashes series against Australia due to a niggling calf injury.
Rahul and Pant, both match-winners in their own rights even with the bat, will like to seize the initiative in these early rounds.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 3rd Ashes Test played in Melbourne on Sunday.
Misbah helped steady his side after two brilliant morning catches by the indomitable Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson's 418th Test wicket from the first ball of the afternoon had reduced Pakistan to 85-3.
With two days remaining and 17 wickets still potentially to fall, a draw looks the probable outcome, although Wahab Riaz's removal of Bell (63) and Mark Wood (4) in successive overs near the close again put the hosts in the ascendancy.
