Cricket

Pakistan vs England 1st Test Day 5: Pakistan Fights Back, Trails by 115 RunsPakistan resumed Day 5 of the ongoing first Test against England from a precarious position of 152/6 in Multan, trailing by 115 runs. The visitors, buoyed by Harry Brook's sensational triple century and Joe Root's 262, were eager to wrap up the innings and secure victory by an innings.However, Pakistan's lower order showed resilience, with Agha Salman (41*) and Aamer Jamal (27*) putting up a defiant partnership to take the game into the final day. The duo weathered the storm, frustrating England's bowlers and keeping their team in the contest.England's bowlers, led by James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, had made early inroads on Day 4, reducing Pakistan to 82/6. But Salman and Jamal's partnership has given Pakistan a glimmer of hope.The match is evenly poised heading into the final day. England will be looking to dismiss the remaining Pakistan wickets quickly and secure a comprehensive victory. Pakistan, on the other hand, will be aiming to bat out the day and set a challenging target for England in the second innings.

England's batting maestro Joe Root has hailed the prodigious talent of young batter Harry Brook, predicting that the 25-year-old will continue to produce "monster scores" in the future. Brook's scintillating triple century in the Multan Test against Pakistan has left an indelible mark on the cricketing world, overshadowing even Root's own career-best 262.Root, who has recently surpassed Alastair Cook as England's leading Test run-getter, believes that Brook possesses the complete skillset to become one of the game's greats. "He's got such a complete game. He can score all around the wicket, he plays seam well, spin well, and high pace well. That's a pretty good recipe for scoring runs," Root said.Brook's calm demeanor and ability to pick runs effortlessly have impressed Root, who has witnessed the youngster's growth firsthand. "I'm not surprised at all in him going on and doing something special like that, but I don't think it'll be the last time we see him with a monster score by his name," Root added.The 454-run partnership between Root and Brook shattered numerous records and left Pakistan reeling. Pakistan's bowlers were unable to contain the onslaught, and their confidence plummeted as England piled on the runs.Root is hopeful that Brook's success will inspire other young players to strive for greatness. "You want to create an environment and a team where things are always improving and always getting better. You want the guys that come in to play with that belief that they can go and do really special things... If guys in the future are breaking records, then England are in a good place, and they're scoring a lot of runs, so hopefully that is the case," he said.Root has enjoyed playing alongside Brook, having first shared the crease with him at Yorkshire. "I love playing with Brooky. I've batted a lot together with him at Yorkshire, and seeing him come into this team and fit so seamlessly into Test cricket has been awesome. To get the opportunity to stand there at the other end and watch him go and smack 300 is pretty surreal, really," Root said.England's declaration at 823/7 left Pakistan with a daunting task of chasing down a mammoth total. Pakistan ended the day on 152/6, still trailing by 115 runs. The match remains finely poised, but England will be confident of securing a victory with their potent bowling attack.

Pakistan's star batter Babar Azam has been enduring a prolonged batting slump, particularly in Test cricket. Since his 161 against New Zealand in December 2022, Babar has failed to reach triple figures in the longest format. His struggles continued in the ongoing first Test against England, where he managed scores of 30 and 5.Babar's inability to capitalize on a pitch described as a "batting paradise" has drawn criticism from fans and experts. The nickname "Zimbabar" or "Zimbu," once used to mock his tendency to score against weaker teams, has reportedly become prevalent within the Pakistan dressing room.A viral video on social media has fueled speculation that pacer Shaheen Afridi used the term "Zimbu" to tease Babar. While the video lacks audio, fans believe Shaheen's gestures indicate the use of the nickname.The alleged rift between Babar and Shaheen stems from Shaheen's removal as T20 World Cup captain in favor of Babar. Babar subsequently relinquished the role, leaving Pakistan without a permanent captain.Meanwhile, Pakistan faces an imminent Test defeat in Multan. England's mammoth 823-7 declared gave them a 267-run lead, which they have extended to 382 runs. Pakistan's batting collapse has left them needing 115 runs to avoid an innings defeat on the final day.Harry Brook's 317 and Joe Root's record-breaking 262 were instrumental in England's dominant performance. Pakistan's bowlers have struggled to contain the English batters, who have amassed a massive total.

Former Pakistan cricket captain Ramiz Raja has expressed his disappointment over the pitch prepared for the first Test match against England in Multan, which has resulted in a high-scoring affair with over 1,500 runs scored and only 23 wickets falling across four days.Raja, who is now a commentator, questioned why the pitch was not designed to assist Pakistan's bowling attack, especially considering the team's struggles in recent times. He pointed out that the bowlers have toiled hard but have not been rewarded with wickets."I'm sure bowlers will be questioning the quality of this track because they bend their back and nothing has happened," Raja said. "You start questioning why such a surface was provided and why are we playing on such a surface at home."England took full advantage of the flat pitch, posting a record-breaking first innings total of 823/7 declared. Harry Brook smashed a triple century, while Joe Root scored a double century. The duo helped England overtake Pakistan's first innings total of 556.Raja's criticism echoes the concerns raised by former Pakistan seamer Wasim Akram, who has previously denounced Raja's influence over the types of Test match pitches prepared in Pakistan.The second Test between Pakistan and England will also be played in Multan, before the final Test shifts to Rawalpindi. Given the high-scoring nature of the first Test, the groundstaff may undertake significant work during the gap days to ensure a more balanced contest in the remaining matches.

India's Test captain Rohit Sharma may miss one of the first two matches of the upcoming five-Test series in Australia due to personal reasons. The BCCI has been informed of the situation, and a decision on Rohit's availability will be made in the coming days.If Rohit is unavailable, Abhimanyu Easwaran is likely to replace him as the opener. Easwaran is currently leading the India A team on a tour of Australia. Shubman Gill and KL Rahul are also options for the opening slot, but Easwaran is considered the frontrunner.The absence of Rohit would be a significant blow to India's chances in Australia. The 37-year-old is one of the world's best batsmen and has been in excellent form in recent months. He scored a century in each of the two Tests against Bangladesh and was named Player of the Series.In the event that Rohit misses a Test, the vice-captaincy will be up for grabs. There are three main candidates for the role: Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rishabh Pant. Gill is Rohit's deputy in white-ball cricket, while Bumrah has led India in a Test match in England. Pant is another experienced player who has captained his IPL team, the Delhi Capitals.The decision on who will be vice-captain will be made by the team management, led by head coach Rahul Dravid. Dravid will also have to decide on the playing XI for the first Test, which begins on November 22 in Perth.India's tour of Australia is one of the most challenging in world cricket. The Aussies are the reigning World Test Champions and have a strong record at home. India will need to be at their best to win the series, and the absence of Rohit would be a major setback.

Former England captain Eoin Morgan has hailed the current Indian cricket team as one of the "greatest" in their own conditions, citing their remarkable home record. India has won 18 consecutive Test series on home soil, a feat unmatched by any other team in history.Morgan, who was part of the last visiting team to win a Test series in India in 2013, believes Rohit Sharma's side deserves to be considered among the all-time greats. "They (India) have to be considered one of the greatest in their conditions," Morgan said. "What makes them so good is their hunger and the desire to want to win. Their attitude towards that they never take for granted."India's dominance at home is a testament to their exceptional skills and unwavering determination. They have a well-balanced team with world-class players in all departments. Their batting lineup is formidable, with the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Cheteshwar Pujara providing solidity and experience. The bowling attack is equally impressive, led by the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.Morgan highlighted the unique challenges of playing in India, where the conditions often favor the home team. "We come from countries that have huge advantages for the home side," he said. "But yet, our records throughout generations are nowhere near as good as Indians."India is currently bidding for a third straight World Test Championship final appearance. They are well-positioned to qualify, sitting atop the team standings. They have five more Tests to play in the season, including three against New Zealand and two against Australia.The Indian team's success is a source of pride for the nation and has inspired a new generation of cricketers. Their dominance at home is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and unwavering belief in their abilities.

Legspinner Abrar Ahmed, who has been a key figure in Pakistan's recent Test resurgence, is currently undergoing treatment in a Multan hospital after falling ill during the ongoing first Test against England.Abrar, who bowled 31 overs on day three of the match, complained of a high fever and body aches on the morning of the fourth day and did not take the field with the rest of his team-mates. A PCB statement said he had undergone a number of tests, and a further update would be issued once results were received.Abrar's illness is a major blow to Pakistan, who are already without several key players due to injury. The 25-year-old has been one of Pakistan's most consistent performers in recent months, taking 24 wickets in his last four Tests.He endured a difficult time with the ball against England, with the tourists singling him out for attack. For much of the second half of the day, he was reduced to bowling outside leg stump from around the wicket to Joe Root and Harry Brook. It did drag his economy rate down, but he was the only frontline bowler to go wicketless, with his final figures reading 35-0-174-0.It is in stark contrast to his debut on this very ground against the same opposition in 2022, when he took 11 wickets in the game - and five before lunch on day one - to catapult him to the top of Pakistan's red ball spin pecking order.But injuries have dogged him consistently throughout his career. He made his professional debut for Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL as an 18-year old but then spent a number of years out of the game with a persistent back injury. He sustained a nerve injury during a tour game ahead of Pakistan's three Test tour of Australia, ultimately missing all of them, as well as the first Test against Bangladesh in August.Pakistan named Noman Ali and Zahid Mahmood in the squad for the ongoing first Test against England, but released them ahead of the start of the game.

England's relentless dominance against Pakistan continued on Day 4 of the Multan Test, as they etched their name in the history books with a world-record partnership. Joe Root and Harry Brook forged an unprecedented 454-run stand for the fourth wicket, shattering the previous record of 449 set by Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh in 2015.This remarkable partnership is not only the highest for the fourth wicket in Test history but also the highest ever for any wicket by a pair away from home. It also surpasses the previous highest partnership against Pakistan, set by Australia in 1934.Root, who recently surpassed Alastair Cook as England's all-time leading Test run-scorer, looked set to challenge Brian Lara's 400-run total. However, he was dismissed for 262 by Agha Salman, just after he and Brook had broken the world record.Despite Root's departure, England's momentum remained unabated. Earlier on Wednesday, Root had achieved another significant milestone by becoming England's highest run-scorer in Test cricket, surpassing Cook's tally.In his illustrious career, Root has amassed over 20,000 runs in 350 international matches, including 51 centuries and 108 half-centuries. His record-breaking performance in Multan has elevated him to the fifth-highest run-scorer in Test history, surpassing cricketing legends like Younis Khan, Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara, and Mahela Jayawardene.Root's remarkable achievement is a testament to his exceptional talent and unwavering determination. As he continues to climb the ranks of Test cricket's all-time greats, England will undoubtedly look to him for further inspiration and success in the years to come.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has heaped praise on Joe Root after the latter scored his 35th Test century, surpassing the likes of Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Lara. However, despite Root's remarkable consistency, Vaughan believes he has a weakness against one particular bowler: India's Jasprit Bumrah.Vaughan acknowledged that Bumrah is the "only" bowler who poses a significant challenge to Root. "The only bowler he does not quite line up is Jasprit Bumrah, I reckon, but who does?" Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph UK.Vaughan attributed Root's difficulty against Bumrah to the latter's exceptional pace and ability to release the ball quickly. "To be as good as he is you have to pick up the ball so quickly out of the hand, which gives him that extra bit of time," Vaughan explained.Despite this weakness, Vaughan emphasized that Root has no major flaws in his technique. "There is no obvious way to get him out, against pace or spin. At the moment, bowlers are waiting for him to make a mistake," Vaughan said.Root's 35th Test century came in the first Test against Pakistan in Multan, where he remained unbeaten on 176 at the end of Day 3. He is now eyeing his sixth double century on Day 4.Bumrah and Root are likely to face off again in June 2025 when India tours England for a five-match Test series. This series will be part of the next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle (2025-27).