A round-up of Saturday's fifth round action in the FA Cup
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 3rd Test played at The Gabba in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting advised struggling batters Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to trust their game akin to star India batter Virat Kohli.
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.
Konstas made his presence felt even while fielding, constantly talking to Indian batters from the cordon or close-in positions.
Though arguably Australia's finest batsman of the modern era, Steve Smith's only on-field role has been as a substitute at this World Cup, with selectors opting for the hard-hitting but inexperienced David in the middle order.
'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.
An injury concern looms over Australian skipper Pat Cummins ahead of next month's Champions Trophy with the pacer set to undergo a scan
'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.'
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.
Pat Cummins has promised to inundate Indian batters with bouncers at "some point" of the third Test
Matt Renshaw feels he figures way down in the Australian selection pecking order for the opener's slot.
Shreyas Iyer's ability to negotiate spin bowling effectively makes him a crucial asset for India in the ICC Champions Trophy.
Giving the 'social challenge' a new twist, the International Cricket Council called Australian batting sensation Marnus Labuschagne a duplicate of his team-mate Steve Smith. ICC used three different photos of Steve Smith indicating different profile pictures for Linkedin, Facebook, and Instagram. However, they replaced his Twitter picture with a duplicate account and used Labuschagne's photo to denote it, terming it as 'duplicate account'.
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.
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.
Virat Kohli and Steve Smith have indulged in fiery on field exchanges early in their careers but their relationship has evolved in recent times.
Travis Head scored his second successive hundred while veteran Steve Smith wore the opposition down with a statement century to put Australia in control
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.
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.
Uncapped McSweeney to open with Khawaja in India series
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.
Virat Kohli's refusal to make changes in his batting to overcome a weakness outside the off-stump has seen his average drop from the 50s to 48.13, says former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar.
IMAGES from the Group B Champions Trophy match between Australia and England in Lahore on Saturday
Australia must avoid defeat in Melbourne to keep their hopes alive of taking back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Smith has rarely, if ever, doubted his own talent but even he was aware that his spell at the top of the order was proving unpopular.
Travis Head played down concerns over his fitness after appearing to struggle with a potential groin issue
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.
If the humiliation of India being able to declare their second innings on 487/6 reflected poorly on the bowling unit, it was the Australian batting line-up dismissed for 104 in their first innings that bore the brunt of the blame.
Australia's Steve Smith wants to adopt a proactive approach against Ravichandran Ashwin in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Smith had a base price of Rs 2 crore heading into the auction and RCB made the starting bid for him, but in the end, Smith was picked up by Delhi Capitals
Chappell said the upcoming five-match Test series in Australia "will be as much a battle of wits and endurance as it will be of skill, with each player needing to summon the drive and adaptability of their younger selves."
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 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 announced a 16-member squad on Thursday with several fresh faces added to the group that played India in the fifth and final Test at Sydney last week. Australia won the marquee series 3-1.
Yashasvi Jaiswal's run out will be huge in the broader context of the fourth Test match against India as it also affected Virat Kohli's concentration
Selectors will likely opt for another batter to cover for all-rounder Green in the India series and possibly an opener if Steve Smith is restored to the number four spot.
Jasprit Bumrah has reached an impressive milestone in the ICC Men's Test Bowling Rankings, sitting at 904 rating points
Nathan McSweeney, who opened in the first three Tests with little success, has been dropped.
Images from Day 5 in the fourth Test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday.
