A round-up of Saturday's fifth round action in the FA Cup
'There is no question that Putin's preference will be to avoid unpleasantness with Trump, leave alone a collision course,' observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Australian captain Pat Cummins expressed disappointment over the rain interruptions that prevented a decisive result.
Sam Konstas had the Indian camp in disbelief with his bold ramp shots off Bumrah
Former pacer Mitchell Johnson reckons that Australia should drop out-of-form Marnus Labuschagne from the playing XI for the day-night Adelaide Test against India.
The Prayagraj airport in India is experiencing a surge in air traffic due to the Maha Kumbh, a major religious festival. The airport is handling an average of 40 non-scheduled charters and private jets daily, with figures reaching 70 on weekends. This is in addition to the average 148 scheduled commercial passenger aircraft operating daily. The airport recently received a contingent of about 180 politicians from Rajasthan and has seen corporate bigwigs like the Ambani brothers, Gautam Adani, and Pawan Munjal pass through. The airport has also hosted four international flights since the beginning of the Maha Kumbh, including a flight carrying Laurene Powell Jobs, the wife of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The airport is currently undergoing an upgrade and expansion, and officials are looking forward to the government's plans to integrate Prayagraj with the airports at Kashi and Ayodhya to promote tourism in the region.
Bumrah, who claimed an eight-wicket match haul in India's 295-run win in the series opener, showed signs of discomfort while bowling the 81st over of Australia's innings.
Konstas heads home but not out of Test team's plans
Images from Day 4 of the fourth Test between Australia and India at the MCG on Sunday.
Virat Kohli's subdued 17 off 69 balls extended his lean patch in the series.
Former all-rounder Shane Watson has advised the Australian team to avoid getting into confrontations with Virat Kohli in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Smith took a leaf out of Hussey's book and did not train on the day before the Adelaide Test, hoping to be fresh for a big score.
With the series locked at 1-1, Brisbane could well decide the course of the rubber and whether Rohit's men would continue to be the master of their fate in the ongoing World Test Championship.
The Australian team doesn't have the time to think about India's incredible victory at the Gabba in 2021 and ahead of their face-off at the same venue almost four years later.
Shreyas Iyer's ability to negotiate spin bowling effectively makes him a crucial asset for India in the ICC Champions Trophy.
The entire Australian top-order that is feeling the "pressure" despite the series-levelling win in Adelaide
Konstas made his presence felt even while fielding, constantly talking to Indian batters from the cordon or close-in positions.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 3rd Test played at The Gabba in Brisbane on Wednesday.
An injury concern looms over Australian skipper Pat Cummins ahead of next month's Champions Trophy with the pacer set to undergo a scan
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting advised struggling batters Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to trust their game akin to star India batter Virat Kohli.
Matt Renshaw feels he figures way down in the Australian selection pecking order for the opener's slot.
'Greatness isn't just about what they achieve in their prime. It's about how they adapt, endure, and finish.'
'Kohli, Smith, and Root are writing the final chapters of their stories, and we should honour their courage as much as their brilliance.'
Nasser Hussain hailed Pakistan's debutant batter Kamran Ghulam for his century during the second Test against Three Lions at Multa
Pat Cummins has promised to inundate Indian batters with bouncers at "some point" of the third Test
Rohit Sharma's decision-making has come under intense scrutiny, especially after the team's failure to contain Australia's innings in the first session of Day 2.
Australia will be without their premier pacers but their envious pedigree in ICC tournaments make them favourites to progress to the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy from Group B.
Despite the challenging build-up, Gambhir said he is "extremely confident" of retaining the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The players will hope to be as confident as they prepare for the fight to keep their World Test Final chances alive.
India's batters will need to fire on all cylinders when they come out to bat and former India spinner Harbhajan Singh lists key strategies the visitors will need to adopt to claw back into the game.
IMAGES from the Group B Champions Trophy match between Australia and England in Lahore on Saturday
Australia hope to unlock Steve Smith's potential in Twenty20 cricket ahead of this year's World Cup
The Maha Kumbh, billed as the world's largest gathering, concluded on Wednesday after 45 days, with lakhs of devotees taking a dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers. Despite a stampede that killed at least 30 people, millions continued to visit the Kumbh, seeking salvation through the ritual bath. The event saw a mix of faith, tradition, and technology, drawing pilgrims and tourists from across the globe.
Travis Head scored his second successive hundred while veteran Steve Smith wore the opposition down with a statement century to put Australia in control
'There's no way in the world he was trying to change Rishabh Pant's guard.'
Steve Smith hasn't enjoyed an ideal start in his new role as as opener, with 171 runs from four Tests at an average of 28.
Key players, such as pacer Mitchell Starc, are hitting form at the right time, while star batter Steve Smith is facing early setbacks in his preparations.
Uncapped McSweeney to open with Khawaja in India series
Smith couldn't hide his emotions while recalling their work in the early days that paved the way for the entry of six IPL franchises in the league.
Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood claimed the Men's Test Player-of-the-Year award. It marked his first Australian Cricket Award, with Hazlewood taking 30 wickets at just 13.16 in Tests against the West Indies, New Zealand, and India.
Smith said he did not regard his injury as a major issue.
Australia must avoid defeat in Melbourne to keep their hopes alive of taking back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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