The era of 'randomly' scheduling bilateral series is over, but the ODI format can continue to survive and thrive with its place 'inextricably' linked to the World Cup, said ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta in an interview to PTI.
Aakash Chopra believes India faces a challenging path to the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 final, even if they register a 2-0 series sweep in Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh's Test squad for the upcoming series against Australia faces significant challenges with pace spearhead Ebadot Hossain unavailable due to personal reasons and Nahid Rana's participation uncertain due to injury. Despite these setbacks, the team remains optimistic about Litton Das's recovery and the batting unit's ability to perform, as they prepare with an early arrival and warm-up match in Darwin.
Simon Harmer believes franchise T20 cricket has softened the fierce Australia-South Africa rivalry by turning international opponents into teammates, though he expects intense competition in the Test series.
The BCCI has announced a 15-member India A squad for three unofficial Tests against New Zealand A, starting October 24. The squad includes senior players like KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, and Rishabh Pant (subject to fitness), raising questions about their availability for all 'A' matches due to overlapping ODI commitments.
India's premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, has received clearance from the BCCI's Centre of Excellence to participate in the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka. Bumrah had been recovering from an impact injury sustained during the recent ODI series against England, which forced him to miss the third ODI. His return is crucial for India's World Test Championship aspirations.
Matt Renshaw's outstanding performance in Australia's Test victory over South Africa has solidified his middle-order spot, but the team still faces uncertainty regarding its opening batting combination. Travis Head's suitability at the top of the order is questioned, while Nic Maddinson's inconsistent debut adds to the dilemma. The article also highlights strong bowling performances from Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, and the team's challenging schedule ahead.
Mumbai all-rounder Suryansh Shedge is a strong contender for India's ODI squad for the New Zealand tour, following impressive performances against Australia A. His recent form, coupled with injury concerns for other all-rounders like Nitish Kumar Reddy and Hardik Pandya, makes him an attractive option for the expanded squad needed due to a tight schedule.
Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne is 'extremely optimistic and well-prepared' for the upcoming two-match home Test series against Bangladesh, believing that runs will flow if he trusts his game, despite a recent drought of Test centuries.
Temba Bavuma blamed South Africa's lack of fight and mental lapses for their 214-run defeat to Australia, rejecting rustiness as an excuse ahead of the second Test.
Pakistan were ruled to be eight overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.
New Delhi organisers are confident of delivering a 'world-class spectacle' for the upcoming Badminton World Championships, having addressed previous concerns regarding venue cleanliness, air quality, and animal control that marred the India Open earlier this year.
Gambhir strongly advocates three-Test series, arguing they give teams that lose the opening match a genuine opportunity to recover, compete harder and still win the series.
With Kuldeep Yadav looking ineffective, India could look towards including off-spinner Saransh Jain in the playing XI in the second Test in Colombo, especially looking at three left-handers in the Sri Lankan top seven.
The Sydney Morning Herald, on Monday, reported that plans for a nine-nation Test championship were under way and the ICC was set to give the concept a green light on Friday at a meeting in Auckland.
India secured a comprehensive victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test, improving their World Test Championship points percentage. However, despite the win, their path to the WTC final has become significantly more challenging, requiring them to win almost all their remaining matches due to a tightly packed table and other teams' results.
Kemar Roach picked up four wickets as West Indies crushed Sri Lanka by an innings and 217 runs in the first Test on Sunday.
Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant trained with former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in Ranchi ahead of the challenging Test tour of Sri Lanka.
Organisers of the upcoming BWF World Championships have undertaken extensive upgrades at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Delhi, including anti-bird measures, non-toxic gels, and even 'monkey whisperers', to prevent a repeat of the hygiene and disruption issues experienced during the India Open earlier this year.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has announced that the SRY gene test will be mandatory for all athletes participating in its approved competitions across all age categories, effective from 2027. This decision, subject to legal formalities, aligns with new World Athletics regulations for female category eligibility.
A 24-member Indian fencing contingent, comprising 12 men and 12 women athletes, is set to compete in the Senior World Fencing Championships in Hong Kong. The team will participate across Epee, Foil, and Sabre disciplines in both individual and team formats, aiming to make a mark on the global stage.
India is poised to secure its first overseas Test series victory in three years as they face Sri Lanka in the second and final match, with skipper Shubman Gill and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal under pressure to deliver substantial knocks.
India have continued from their early success of a 2-0 win in the West Indies and are now on 240 points after wresting the maximum of 120 points in both their series.
The BCCI has summoned Gautam Gambhir, Ajit Agarkar and V V S Laxman to Mumbai on Thursday to review India's disappointing performances in Ireland and England.
Sri Lanka's remarkable lower-order resistance helped deny India a series sweep, with the tailenders facing more deliveries than the team's openers across the series.
Images from Day 6 of the ICC World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand, at The Hampshire Bowl, in Southampton, on Wednesday.
The ICC launched the WTC last year to lend context to bilateral Test series, giving the format its standalone showpiece like the World Cup in other formats.
The most pressing issue for the governing ICC is what to do about the six Test series
Bangladesh secured a landmark nine-wicket victory over Australia in Darwin, marking their first-ever Test win in Australia and one of Test cricket's greatest upsets, despite a defiant century from Cameron Green.
Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald discusses how the Indian Premier League (IPL) can be integrated into the national team's demanding international schedule, emphasising the need for workload management, especially for fast bowlers. He highlights the IPL's benefits for player development while acknowledging the challenges of a packed calendar including major Test series and ICC events.
West Indies have secured their first Test series victory in three years, defeating Sri Lanka 1-0 after the second and final Test in North Sound ended in a rain-affected draw.
Devdutt Padikkal struck his second century of the series, capitalising on Sri Lanka's early dropped chances to make 117 and steer India towards a strong first-innings total.
England's aspirations for a maiden World Test Championship final appearance have been significantly impacted after they were docked 12 points due to a slow over-rate during their recent defeat to New Zealand at The Oval. The penalty, alongside a 50% match fee fine, has caused their points percentage to drop, making their path to the final more challenging.
Young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar's magnificent 10-wicket match haul and Devdutt Padikkal's century spearheaded India's dominant 165-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test, with skipper Shubman Gill praising Suthar's long-term potential for Indian cricket.
England to host New Zealand for two Tests in June.
India's women's football team, the Blue Tigresses, will play two international friendlies against 27th-ranked Russia in Kolkata. These matches serve as a crucial test for India's young squad, with an average age of 23, as they prepare for next year's AFC Women's Asian Cup. Head coach Crispin Chettri views this as an opportunity for emerging players to prove themselves against a stronger opponent.
Chief coach Amol Muzumdar lauded the Indian women's cricket team for their historic 270-run Test victory over England at Lord's, attributing the success to a blend of 'patience mixed with the right amount of aggression' and highlighting centurion Yastika Bhatia's 'special knock' and pacer Kranti Gaud's 'controlled line and length'.
Teenage shooter Anvii Rathord won a bronze medal in the women's 10m air rifle at the ISSF Junior World Championship in Suhl, Germany. However, India's campaign was marred by a team disqualification due to a breach of equipment stiffness standards by Shambhavi Shravan Kshirsagar. Despite this setback, India continues to lead the medal tally. The championship also saw another Indian shooter, Vanshika Chaudhary, miss a potential gold due to a costly error.
Pakistan faces a daunting chase in the opening Test against West Indies in Tarouba, grappling with a recurring batting collapse issue that has plagued them over the last 10 months. After being bowled out for 282, losing seven wickets for 38 runs, they now hope their pace attack can limit West Indies' lead.
Australia is set to host Bangladesh in a two-match Test series in the country's tropical north, marking the first time since 2003.
