During the second Test in Adelaide, a floodlight malfunction twice interrupted play. Nathan Lyon clarified he inadvertently caused the outage while requesting lights for net practice. Australia ultimately won that match, leveling the series 1-1. Rain washed out the first day of the third Test.
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Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes Rohit Sharma and selectors will influence his retirement decision. Manjrekar also suggested Virat Kohli play County cricket to enhance his Test skills before the England series. Kohli's fitness could allow him to continue playing at a the highest level, asserted Sanjay Bangar.
West Indies fast bowling legend Andy Roberts lauded Mohammed Shami as India's best bowler, praising his control and swing. Roberts questioned India's decision to bat first in the second Test against Australia. Though injured, Shami's recent strong domestic performances raise hopes for his return to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a series currently tied 1-1.
A debate ignited over Rohit Sharma's batting position for the Brisbane Test. Sunil Gavaskar suggested Rohit return to opening, with KL Rahul at No. 6. Matthew Hayden, while initially opposing changes, mistakenly referred to "Rahul Dravid," attributing it to Dravid's memorable Adelaide double century from 2003/04.
New Zealand triumphed over Pakistan by five wickets in the tri-nations series final, with key performances from bowler Will O'Rourke, who took four wickets, and batsmen Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham, who both scored half centuries. New Zealand chased down Pakistan's total of 242 in 45.2 overs, securing victory at Karachi's National Stadium.
In 2024, India focused on the ICC T20 World Cup and the World Test Championship final. India played only three ODIs and lost the series to Sri Lanka 2-0. Washington Sundar was the leading wicket-taker, with spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel performing well. Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj and all-rounder Riyan Parag also contributed.
Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and chose to bat first against India in their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash. Pakistan made one change with Imam-ul-Haq replacing the injured Fakhar Zaman. India fielded an unchanged lineup. This crucial match at Dubai International Cricket Stadium will see both teams vying for a chance to advance in the tournament.
Falcon Risers Hyderabad and Srinagar Ke Veer began their ISPL Season 2 campaigns with emphatic victories. Hyderabad triumphed over Chennai Singams by eight wickets, chasing 69 runs easily. Srinagar Ke Veer then dominated KVN Bangalore Strikers, winning by 10 wickets, with Sagar Ali scoring the season's first half-century.
India captain Rohit Sharma praised Varun Chakravarthy's impressive performance against New Zealand, making the four-spinner strategy tempting for the Champions Trophy semifinal against Australia. Chakravarthy's accuracy and variations have improved, showcasing his capability. Rohit highlighted the crucial contributions of the middle-order, especially Axar Patel, ahead of the semifinal clash.
The UAE has been a historic venue for iconic India-Pakistan ODI clashes, featuring epic contests such as India's 38-run victory in the 1985 Rothmans Cup, Javed Miandad's famous last-ball six in the 1986 Austral-Asia Cup final, and Sachin Tendulkar's memorable century in the 1996 Pepsi Sharjah Cup. These matches have seen thrilling last-ball finishes and stellar individual performances.
Vidarbha captain Karun Nair continued his red-hot form with an unbeaten 44-ball 88, leading his team to 380 for 3 against Maharashtra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy semi-final. Nair has now amassed 752 runs in the tournament, including four consecutive tons. Openers Dhruv Shorey and Yash Rathod also scored centuries.