India captain Virat Kohli and his deputy Rohit Sharma maintained their supremacy at the top of the ICC ODI rankings for batsmen, occupying the first and second spots respectively in the latest list released on Wednesday.
'I don't think he has spoken to (ECB chief executive) Tom Harrison. I have spoken to Tom and we have stuff running in the background.'
West Indies coach Phil Simmons says his side cannot afford the batting debacles that have often undermined their tours of England when the series starts behind closed doors next week. The first of three Tests begins at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton next Wednesday and Simmons says making sure they are mentally ready is the most important task.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
'I don't know how we approach this kind of an itinerary where you go for a holiday in between and then come back to play Test matches. One week break was enough post the WTC final. The thing is you need to play continuously. I am amazed this itinerary was approved.'
Last week, Team India roared into the final of the inaugural edition of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) following an emphatic 3-1 series win over England.
Deepak Chahar is the first Indian bowler ever to hold the record of best bowling figures in any format of international cricket (Test/ODI/T20I), points out Rajneesh Gupta.
Skipper Joe Root, who led England to a series-levelling win at the Headingley, expects an Indian backlash in the penultimate Test and said they're ready for all combinations including facing the "world-class" R Ashwin at Oval.
India and New Zealand will fight it out for the inaugural title at Southampton's Ageas Bowl
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.
England's decision to go with James Anderson, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood for the first Test in Southampton snapped Stuart Broad's run of 51 consecutive home Tests.
West Indies had handed Joe Root's men a 2-1 defeat when England travelled to the Caribbeans last year and Roach said the visiting team wants to emulate that result.
Crawley looks like a class player: Ganguly
Lungi Ngidi ruled out for 'at least a week to 10 days'; Amla recovering well
'Ghost-like stands repel rather than attract audiences,' observes Ashis Ray.
Mohammed Shami inspired India's fightback with a superb showing with the ball, on Day 5 of the World Test Championship Final.
Pakistan plan to send a 25-man squad to England in July to meet the demands of playing an entire tour in a 'bio-secure' bubble, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Wasim Khan said. Pakistan are scheduled to play three Tests in August followed by an equal number of Twenty20 Internationals, with the matches taking place behind closed doors as part of measures to combat coronavirus.
West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach is a "genuine great" and can easily achieve the milestone of 300 Test wickets with proper workload management, believes legendary pacer Courtney Walsh. Roach will be a key bowler for West Indies in the three-Test series against England, starting at Ageas Bowl in Southampton from Wednesday.
Not picking Bhuvneshwar for the WTC final and the five Tests against England starting August 4 is baffling, said Sarandeep
India's fast bowling unit is led by Jasprit Bumrah, one of the world's top bowlers in the ODI format, and also includes the likes of Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya.
West Indies coach Phil Simmons believes that the extended preparations after early arrival due to COVID-19 protocols have actually played a key part in his side's four-wicket win over England in the first Test at Southampton.
The T20 World Cup is expected to be postponed due to the challenges of hosting 16 international teams amid the pandemic, and the Indian board hopes to use that window for the IPL.
For Kohli, a trophy-less cabinet doesn't do justice to the champion performer that he has been for a decade.
Indian bowlers will look to target England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow's fractured finger should the 28-year-old be passed fit to play in the fourth Test, paceman Mohammed Shami has said.
Rahul Chahar would have added another dimension to India's attack.
He will become the seventh bowler overall and only the second England bowler, after James Anderson, to reach the landmark figure.
'I don't get caught up with it, to be honest. Journalists are there to write their stories, I am merely here to play cricket. It's always a good battle on the field when you face competitors like Stokesy, face competitors around the world'
Michael Vaughan backs Dom Sibley after his slow century invites criticism
Images from Day 3 of the third and final Test between England and West Indies at Old Trafford in Manchester on Sunday.
Fabinho's first-half goal earned Liverpool a 1-0 win at Burnley
Younis said the ongoing England-West Indies series has shown that the pitches at Southampton and Manchester are now slow and sluggish.
New Zealand vice-captain Tom Latham says losing the first day to rain will not change their approach to team selection.
'But when you get that click, that six or seven overs where everything is in sync and you see the ball flying down at 90mph-plus causing chaos, that's why you put Jofra Archer in your team.'
Brathwaite showed his displeasure after he was adjudged caught behind off England fast bowler Jofra Archer during the 44th over of the West Indies innings on Friday.
Hardik bowls with tweaked action, Bhuvi, Dhawan return.
Mitchell Starc feels the regulation will not have much affect in the limited overs formats.
Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson and Mitchell Santner are among 10 New Zealand players in the different franchises of the IPL.
West Indies Test captain Jason Holder on Tuesday said his team will treat Barbados-born speedster Jofra Archer as just another English cricketer when the opening Test begins in Southampton on July 8. Archer gained eligibility to represent England in 2018. He had played for West Indies Under-19 side in 2014.
Ben Stokes' match haul of 254 runs and three wickets fashioned England's series-levelling victory against West Indies in the second Test on Monday, also earning him the player-of-the-match award.
Roberto Firmino's 90th-minute header sent Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, whose 11-match unbeaten run came to an end on Wednesday.
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