Cricket

Temba Bavuma's elbow injury has ruled him out of the second Test against Bangladesh, scheduled to commence next Tuesday. Aiden Markram will assume the captaincy in his absence, with the expectation that Bavuma will be available for the upcoming home Tests against Sri Lanka.South Africa's Test coach, Shukri Conrad, confirmed the decision in Dhaka, stating that Bavuma's recovery has not progressed sufficiently for him to participate in the second Test. The rehabilitation program will be adjusted to ensure his readiness for the Sri Lankan series.It remains uncertain whether Bavuma will remain with the squad in Bangladesh or return home to continue his recovery and participate in domestic red-ball cricket. The first-class competition commences next week, and Bavuma's team, the Lions, will play three matches before the first Test against Sri Lanka.Conrad expressed his preference for Bavuma to stay with the squad, acknowledging his valuable role and the fact that it is still his team. However, he understands Bavuma's family responsibilities and will respect his decision.Bavuma sustained the injury earlier this month during an ODI against Ireland, falling awkwardly while completing a run. He retired hurt on 35 and was unable to field. The injury affects the same elbow that Bavuma injured in 2022 during a T20 tour of India, which subsequently ruled him out of South Africa's tour of England later that year.In Bavuma's absence, Matthew Breetzke, who made his debut in the Mirpur Test, could retain his position at No.6. Alternatively, South Africa may opt for an additional allrounder or bowler in their XI. Left-hander Senuran Muthusamy is a potential replacement, offering both batting and left-arm spin bowling capabilities.South Africa currently holds a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series after securing a seven-wicket victory in the first Test.

New Zealand's star batter Kane Williamson has been officially ruled out of the second Test against India, scheduled to commence on October 24 in Pune. Williamson continues to recuperate from a groin strain he sustained during the recent series against Sri Lanka.Head coach Gary Stead confirmed the decision, stating that while Williamson's recovery is progressing, he is not yet physically fit enough for the rigors of Test cricket. "Kane is moving in the right direction, but he's not at 100% fitness yet," Stead explained. "We're hopeful that he'll show further improvement and be available for the third Test."The New Zealand team is adopting a cautious approach with Williamson's recovery, ensuring he receives ample time to regain full fitness. "We'll give him as much time as possible to get himself ready, but certainly continue to take a cautious approach," Stead added.Williamson's absence is a setback for the Kiwis, who currently hold a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after a thrilling first Test victory in Bengaluru. The New Zealand camp remains optimistic about Williamson's availability for the third Test, with the team management closely monitoring his recovery.Meanwhile, New Zealand made history in the first Test by securing their first victory on Indian soil in 36 years. They chased down 107 runs on the final day, defeating India by eight wickets. Rachin Ravindra (39 not out) and Will Young (48 not out) led the successful chase with a 75-run partnership, giving the visitors a 1-0 series lead.

Indian Test captain Rohit Sharma has expressed uncertainty over the availability of fast bowler Mohammed Shami for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. Shami has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury during the 2023 ODI World Cup."It's difficult to make a call on him for the Australia series," Sharma said. "He had a setback and had swelling in his knees. That put him back a little bit and had to start again. He's at the NCA with doctors and physios. We don't want to bring undercooked Shami to Australia. We are keeping our fingers crossed."Shami's absence would be a significant blow to India's bowling attack. The 32-year-old is one of the most experienced and successful fast bowlers in the country, with 216 wickets in 61 Tests.He has not played since the ODI World Cup final against Australia in November 2023. He was included in the squad for India's two-Test tour of South Africa in December 2023, pending fitness approval. However, the BCCI medical team did not clear Shami for the tour, ruling him out of the matches.Shami's injury history is a concern for the Indian team. In 2015, he suffered a significant knee injury during the ODI World Cup in Australia. Nitin Patel, currently the head of the BCCI medical team, oversaw his recovery.The Indian team management will be hoping that Shami can recover in time for the Australia series. The first Test is scheduled to begin on February 9 in Nagpur.

Pakistan's fast-bowling woes have eased slightly with the news that Khurram Shahzad has avoided a serious injury. The 24-year-old quick was forced off the field during the final day of the second Test against Bangladesh, raising concerns about his fitness.Shahzad, who was the second-highest wicket-taker in the series with 11 scalps, played a crucial role in Bangladesh's first-innings collapse, taking 6 for 90. However, he was less effective in the second innings, managing only 1 for 40 in seven overs.After the match, Shahzad underwent scans to determine the extent of his injury. ESPNcricinfo understands that the results have ruled out a fracture, and doctors have advised him a brief period of rest. This means that Shahzad is expected to be fit for the upcoming Test series against England, which begins on October 7 in Multan.The side niggle was a major concern for Shahzad, given his recent injury history. On his debut in Perth last December, he suffered a stress fracture of the rib, which sidelined him for several months. He only returned to action for the two Tests against Bangladesh last month, having not bowled a single ball in first-class cricket since his injury in Perth.As a result, Shahzad will not participate in the Champions One-Day Cup, which starts next week. Pakistan is keen to nurse him back to full fitness before the first Test against England. He will undergo another MRI scan next week to monitor his progress.Pakistan has been plagued by injuries to its fast bowlers in recent times. Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Hasan Ali, and Ihsanullah have all suffered long-term injuries, putting the PCB's medical department under scrutiny.Earlier this year, an internal review criticized the management of Ihsanullah's injury and the quality of his treatment. Chief medical officer Dr. Sohail Saleem resigned on the same day.

Pakistan's fast-bowling allrounder Aamer Jamal will miss the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh due to an ongoing back injury, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Monday. Jamal was initially included in the squad with his participation contingent upon fitness clearance. However, his recovery has been slower than anticipated, ruling him out of both Tests.Jamal, who emerged as Pakistan's leading wicket-taker during the 2023-24 away series in Australia with 18 scalps in three Tests, has been battling lower back issues since May. The injury hampered his multi-format stint with Warwickshire in England, where he last played competitive cricket in June.As the lone seam-bowling allrounder in the squad, Jamal's absence leaves Pakistan with a 14-man roster for the first Test. Abrar Ahmed and Kamran Ghulam have also been released to play for the Shaheens. Consequently, Pakistan is likely to field an all-seam attack for the first Test, with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mir Hamza, Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Ali vying for selection.Jamal will now focus on regaining fitness at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. His aim is to be ready for the Test series against England in October.

Mohammed Shami, India's premier fast bowler, is on the road to recovery from an ankle injury that has kept him out of competitive cricket since the ODI World Cup 2023. The 33-year-old pacer has undergone surgery for Achilles tendon and has recently resumed bowling practice.Shami's return to fitness is a significant boost for Team India, who are preparing for a busy schedule of white-ball and Test matches. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar has confirmed that Shami has started bowling and is targeting a return to the Indian team for the first Test against Bangladesh on September 19."We more or less know who the guys are, there are some injuries at the moment and hope they will be back. Shami has started to bowl, which is a good sign. September 19 is the first Test (against Bangladesh) and that was always the goal. I don't know if that is his timeline for recovery, will have to ask the guys at the NCA about that," Agarkar said in a press conference.Agarkar also emphasized the importance of building depth in the Test team, especially with the upcoming series against Bangladesh and Australia. "There are so many Tests coming. We will need some depth. Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj have been around for a while, these are the obvious ones. But there will be some conversation around it. Got a lot of first-class cricket coming up so we can build guys up like that," he said.Shami's return will provide a much-needed boost to India's bowling attack, which has been weakened by injuries to Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. The pacer's ability to swing the ball both ways and generate pace will be crucial for India's success in the upcoming Test series.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has provided an update on the injury status of frontline pacer Deepak Chahar, stating that he is recovering from a minor niggle and will return to action soon.Chahar has been sidelined for the past few matches due to the injury, but Fleming assured that he is on the mend and undergoing rehabilitation. The coach emphasized that Chahar's absence has been well-covered by Shardul Thakur, who has performed admirably in his place."He is doing his rehabs well. It was a minor injury, nothing to worry about. Shardul Thakur bowled well in the last match against Mumbai, so we opted to give time to Chahar to recover well," Fleming said at a pre-match press conference.Thakur, who replaced Chahar in the playing XI against Mumbai Indians, conceded just 35 runs in his four overs without taking any wickets. CSK went on to win the match by 20 runs, thanks to a brilliant performance by Ruturaj Gaikwad.With Chahar's return imminent, CSK will have a stronger bowling attack at their disposal. The team currently sits third in the IPL 2024 standings with 8 points from 6 games.

Punjab Kings Skipper Shikhar Dhawan Misses Match Due to Injury, Sam Curran Leads TeamIn a surprising turn of events, Punjab Kings' regular captain Shikhar Dhawan was absent from the toss for their match against Rajasthan Royals at Mullanpur, Chandigarh on Saturday. Star all-rounder Sam Curran stepped in to represent PBKS at the toss with RR's Sanju Samson.After winning the toss, Curran revealed the reason behind Dhawan's absence. "Shikhar (Dhawan) picked up a niggle, that's why I'm here," said Curran.Curran also shared that PBKS would have preferred to bowl first, but would now have to bat first. He praised the team's balance and highlighted the contributions of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma in the middle order.For Rajasthan Royals, Jos Buttler and Ravichandran Ashwin were also absent due to injuries, as confirmed by captain Sanju Samson.Samson explained that RR would bowl first, as the wicket appeared conducive to bowling. He emphasized the team's focus on process and building a strong unit.Playing XIs:Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Tanush Kotian, Keshav Maharaj, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Sen, Yuzvendra ChahalPunjab Kings: Jonny Bairstow, Atharva Taide, Prabhsimran Singh, Sam Curran(c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Shashank Singh, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada

Lucknow Super Giants' promising fast bowler Mayank Yadav's impressive IPL debut was cut short by an injury during the match against Gujarat Titans. The young pacer, who had taken three wickets in each of his first two matches, missed the subsequent game against Delhi Capitals due to a minor swelling at the top of his hip.Following LSG's loss to Delhi Capitals, skipper KL Rahul provided an update on Mayank's condition. "Mayank is not too bad, he looks good, feeling good, but we also want to make sure we don't rush him back in too early," Rahul said. "He's young, we need to protect his body. He's itching to go, we just have to pull him back a little, maybe a couple of more games, before he comes back."LSG head coach Justin Langer revealed the extent of Mayank's injury. "He felt a little bit of tightness at the top of his hip leading into the last game, but that was about a one-out-of-ten pain, and we thought that they were clinical signs," Langer said. "Everything through the doctors and the physios seemed perfectly okay. He bowled that first over (against Titans) and started feeling something in his hip. But we had an MRI scan, and there is a very, very small swelling in there. So we are very hopeful he'll start building himself up and be back bowling again soon."Mayank's injury is a setback for LSG, who have relied heavily on his pace and control in the early stages of the tournament. The 21-year-old has already made a name for himself by bowling the fastest delivery of IPL 2024 at 156.7 kmph.The LSG management is taking a cautious approach with Mayank's recovery, recognizing the importance of protecting his long-term health. The team is hopeful that he will be back in action soon and continue to make a significant contribution to their campaign.