Nitin Menon, the youngest member in the ICC elite panel of umpires, considers the Ashes series as the ultimate test for any umpire but he says the biggest challenge in prevailing circumstances is to ensure that the players, knowingly or unknowingly, don't apply saliva on the ball. Besides ensuring that players don't use saliva, umpires will have to monitor that they adhere to social distancing and that their hands are sanitised regularly after they come in contact with the ball.
Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had made it clear to their Bangladesh counterparts that it will not host them on a neutral venue during the upcoming home series in January-February.
'So many different emotions are coming out right now, I'm that excited'
In a career of cross-roads, the 29-year-old feared he had reached a dead end some 20 months ago, when he suffered a fourth back stress fracture that ruled him out of the 2017/18 series on home soil.
Factbox on the second Test match between Australia and England, which starts on Saturday:
Rajneesh Gupta gives all the numbers in another record breaking day in the skipper's career.
Injured fast bowler James Pattinson has returned to the Australia set-up when he was named on Tuesday for the One-day series against England in January.
Images from the opening day's play of the fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday.
As the curtains fall on another year, Rediff.com brings you all the action from the sports field that defined 2019.
Josh Hazlewood took five for eight as Australia romped to an emphatic victory by eight wickets inside three days in the first Test at Adelaide Oval on Saturday after skittling India for 36, their lowest innings score in 88 years of Test cricket.
Australia look to make statement a year ahead of T20 World Cup
As India and England prepare to square off in the first Test of the four-match series at Lord's, Rajneesh Gupta presents the many landmarks on the road to the 2000th match of cricket's longest version.
Rajneesh Gupta lists some amazing coincidences in cricket -- a feature guaranteed to amuse you in these anxious times.
The men's T20 World Cup is slated to begin with the pre-qualifiers from October 18-23 followed by the main 12-team competition from October 24. Cricket Australia is planning to host the men's T20 World Cup as per schedule
New Zealand moved to temper expectations ahead of the Cricket World Cup after their six-wicket victory over India in the warm-up match on Saturday, with conditions likely to be more conducive to batting during the tournament.
Dashing England batsman Kevin Pietersen named Kanpur's Green Park and Ahmedabad's Motera among the 10 worst stadiums where he has played cricket in all these years. Green Park and Motera does have company from other notable venues like Guyana and Manchester's Old Trafford to name a few. Pietersen also termed Gabba as the "11th worst ground" after being asked name 10 by his followers on Twitter. The other grounds that did not find favour with Pietersen are Chelmsford, Colwyn Bay, Canberra, Multan, Leicester and St Kitts. However he rated Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium as one of the 10 best venues that he has played cricket on.
Once in a while, everyone is allowed a bit of slump in form and Steve Smith is no exception, stated David Warner, who can relate to his former skipper's woes against India having endured a similarly wretched run during the 2019 Ashes in England.
Shafali Verma (744 points) had grabbed the top spot at the end of the league stage of the just-concluded women's T20 World Cup in Australia which the hosts won for an unprecedented fifth time.
Ricky Ponting believes all-rounder Marcus Stoinis is playing 'five times better' than what he was a year ago and could take up multiple roles for Australian cricket in limited overs cricket, including the job of a finisher.
'As such, the pitch did not allow an even contest between the bat and the ball as it neither favoured the batsmen too much nor it gave the bowlers sufficient opportunity to take wickets'
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has warned Australia not to get too carried away with their victory in the first Test and backed his team to battle back in the second in Sydney this week.
Rajneesh Gupta highlights important numbers featuring the India team from the World Cups.
Only two Indians have scored a 50 in the first innings of a debut Test outside India: Sunil Gavaskar in 1971 and Mayank Agrawal in 2018.
CA chief executive Kevin Roberts said the schedule could change depending on the travel restrictions due to the health crisis.
Peter Siddle has been brought into Australia's squad while uncapped fast bowler Kyle Jamieson has been called into the New Zealand squad.
'We have learnt quite a bit (in Test cricket). Capitalising when the situation is with us and needing to control damage when things are stacked up against us. That is the most important part of Test cricket. You can't lose six wickets in a session and then expect to comeback'
Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the Board of Control for Cricket in India for allowing the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni to skip domestic cricket
Rohit bats in the middle order in the longest format but has never really flourished as a Test batsman.
The Women's Twenty20 World Cup gets underway when hosts and defending champions Australia meet India in Sydney on Friday and hopes are high that the seventh edition of the tournament will prove transformational for the game.
Ricciardo joined Renault from Red Bull last year with a contract that runs to the end of 2020.
As the legend turns 40, we take a look at his journey in cricket and life.
Since an acrimonious series defeat at home to South Africa a year ago, Australia have won nine of their past 13 Tests.
Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie feels the current Indian bowling attack led by Jasprit Bumrah makes the team one of the favourites for the upcoming ICC World Cup, along side hosts England.
West Indian batting star Chris Gayle has courted fresh controversy when he made 'inappropriate' remarks to a female television presenter live on air after a Big Bash League cricket match. Gayle, who plays for the Melbourne Renegades in the T20 competition, was speaking to Channel 10 presenter Mel McLaughlin after he made a quick-fire 41 runs of 15 balls in his team's victory against Tasmania.
The 31-year-old, who is breaking new ground for women cricket officials has previously stood in 15 women's ODIs, the first one in November 2016 between Australia and South Africa.
England's World Cup opener is only two days away, but captain Eoin Morgan will delve into the past for inspiration to reverse his poor batting form and help his team cope with their demons facing Australia on home soil.
Nathan Lyon has failed to take a wicket in Australia's ongoing One-day series against India but captain Aaron Finch is pleased with the off-spinner's role as they head into a series-decider against India in Melbourne on Friday.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's hopes of playing in the Melbourne match increased after the pacer went through the nets session without any discomfort in Melbourne, on Tuesday.
The India captain dropped three points despite a first innings score of 82 in the third Test in Melbourne, but still enjoys a 34-point lead over Kane Williamson.
Toronto FC's Justin Morrow, executive director of the Black Players for Change organization, said MLS players wanted to add their voices to the movement.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances