Cricket

Australia's upcoming tour of Sri Lanka in late January holds significant implications for both teams' aspirations in the World Test Championship and the Champions Trophy. The two-Test series in Galle could prove pivotal in determining who reaches the final of the World Test Championship at Lord's in June.The Tests, scheduled for January 29-February 2 and February 6-10, will be crucial for both Australia and Sri Lanka. Australia, currently ranked third in the World Test Championship standings, needs to perform well in this series to enhance their chances of reaching the final. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, is placed seventh and will be eager to make a statement against a formidable opponent.The tour also includes an ODI on February 13, which will serve as preparation for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Australia will be keen to fine-tune their limited-overs skills ahead of the tournament.Australia's last visit to Sri Lanka in 2022 resulted in a 1-1 Test series draw. The visitors won the first Test in dramatic fashion, but Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya claimed 12 wickets on debut to level the series in the second Test.Australia may be without captain Pat Cummins for all or part of the tour due to the birth of his second child. Head coach Andrew McDonald has indicated that they will respect Cummins' decision if he chooses to miss a Test for family reasons.The selectors are expected to prioritize red-ball preparation for the spinners selected to support Nathan Lyon. Glenn Maxwell is in contention for a return, while left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann could be an option to supplement Lyon. Former Australia spinner Steve O'Keefe has urged the selectors to focus on developing the spinners' skills in Sri Lankan conditions.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) retention deadline of October 31st has passed, revealing a list of prominent players who will enter the auction pool for the 2025 season. These notable absentees include:Rishabh Pant: The star Indian wicketkeeper-batsman has been released by the Delhi Capitals, ending his eight-year stint with the franchise. Pant's absence is a significant surprise, given his status as one of the most dynamic players in the league.KL Rahul: The former Lucknow Super Giants skipper has parted ways with the franchise after three seasons. Rahul led LSG to two playoff appearances and is expected to be a highly sought-after player in the auction.Mitchell Starc: The veteran Australian pacer was not retained by the Kolkata Knight Riders despite his impressive performance in the 2024 season. Starc's release is a testament to the competitive nature of the IPL auction.Arshdeep Singh: The left-arm pacer has been released by the Punjab Kings after a consistent run in India's T20I team. Arshdeep's 19 wickets in the 2024 IPL season highlight his value as a reliable bowler.Shreyas Iyer: The former Kolkata Knight Riders captain has been released after leading the team to the IPL title in 2024. Iyer's omission is a setback for the player, who was also left out of the BCCI's contracted players list earlier this year.Ishan Kishan: The big-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman has been released by the Mumbai Indians due to the franchise's retention of five capped players. Kishan's absence is a blow to MI, who have relied heavily on his explosive batting in recent seasons.Jos Buttler: The England white-ball captain has been released by the Rajasthan Royals despite his impressive run as an opener. Buttler's 359 runs in 11 matches in 2024 were not enough to convince the Royals to retain him.Glenn Maxwell: The Australian batting all-rounder has been released by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru after a disappointing 2024 season. Maxwell's failure to live up to expectations has led to his omission from the franchise's retained players list.Mohammed Siraj: The Indian pacer has been released by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru after taking 15 wickets in 14 matches in 2024. Siraj's release is a sign of the competitive nature of the IPL auction.Mitchell Marsh: The Australian T20I captain has been released by the Delhi Capitals after playing just four matches in the 2024 season. Marsh's injury-plagued campaign has contributed to his omission from the franchise's retained players list.These high-profile releases have set the stage for an exciting IPL auction, where teams will compete fiercely to acquire the services of these talented players.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has retained five key players ahead of the upcoming IPL 2025 auction, including captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, and the legendary MS Dhoni. Dhoni's retention at a modest price of INR 4 crore has sparked discussions among fans and experts.The new IPL rule classifies players who have not represented India in the past five years as "uncapped." This rule has drawn criticism from former India cricketers Mohammad Kaif and Sanjay Manjrekar.Kaif believes that CSK has cleverly exploited the rule to save money and acquire big-name players at the auction. He argues that Dhoni, despite his age and lack of recent international appearances, should not be considered uncapped due to his exceptional IPL performances.Manjrekar echoed Kaif's sentiments, stating that the rule has been reintroduced solely to accommodate Dhoni's return. He humorously pointed out that even Kaif and himself would now be considered uncapped players under this rule.The retention of Dhoni has been a major talking point, with fans and experts debating the value of his experience and leadership. Some argue that his presence is invaluable to CSK, while others question whether he can still perform at the highest level.Despite the controversy surrounding the uncapped rule, CSK's retention strategy has been praised by many. The team has managed to retain its core players while also freeing up funds to acquire new talent at the auction.The IPL 2025 auction is expected to be highly competitive, with several teams looking to strengthen their squads. CSK's shrewd retention strategy has positioned them well to compete for the title once again.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore has revealed the challenges faced in selecting the team's six retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. After winning the previous season, KKR had to make tough decisions, ultimately retaining Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Ramandeep Singh.Mysore emphasized the difficulty in narrowing down the list, stating that "trying to trim that down to six was very challenging." He highlighted the long-standing relationships with players like Narine and Russell, as well as the contributions of Chakaravarthy and Rinku.The CEO also discussed the process of communicating with players who were not retained. He emphasized transparency and understanding, acknowledging that "leaving out some of the players is never easy." Mysore noted that retention is a mutual agreement and that players may choose to explore other options.Regarding the upcoming mega auction, Mysore acknowledged the unique challenges KKR faces with a purse of INR 51 crore and no Right-To-Match (RTM) cards. He emphasized the need for a well-thought-out strategy and expressed confidence in the team's think tank.Mysore also highlighted the involvement of the support staff, particularly after the departure of Gautam Gambhir, Abhishek Nayar, and Ryan ten Doeschate. He praised the contributions of DJ Bravo, Chandrakant Pandit, Bharathi Arun, Carl Crowe, and Nathan Leamon in the decision-making process.

Mumbai Indians (MI), the five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions, have retained their core group of Indian players ahead of the 2025 season. The franchise secured the services of Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, and Tilak Varma.Bumrah, the star pacer, emerged as the highest-paid player with a salary of Rs 18 crore. Skipper Pandya, who led MI to a disappointing last-place finish in IPL 2024, will earn Rs 16.35 crore. Suryakumar Yadav, the prolific batter, will also receive Rs 16.35 crore. Rohit Sharma, the former captain, will earn Rs 16.30 crore, while young all-rounder Tilak Varma will receive Rs 8 crore.The retention process involved extensive discussions within the MI management. According to sources, Rohit Sharma played a key role in determining the salaries of his teammates. He reportedly suggested that Bumrah, Pandya, and Suryakumar should be paid more than him, as they are still active members of the Indian T20I team.All three batters agreed that Bumrah deserved the highest salary among the retained players. Sources attributed this decision to the respect and importance Bumrah holds within the team.Another topic of debate within MI was the captaincy. Pandya's performance as captain in IPL 2024 drew criticism, and some members of the management considered a change. However, the franchise ultimately decided against it, believing that three captains in three years would be detrimental to the team's stability.

India, seeking to salvage some pride after losing the first two Tests of the series, made a solitary change to their playing XI for the third and final Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.With the World Test Championship (WTC) points and a place in the final on the line, India opted to field first after losing the toss to the visiting Black Caps. The only change for the hosts was the inclusion of seamer Mohammed Siraj in place of Jasprit Bumrah, who was ruled out due to a viral illness.India captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged the team's poor performance in the first two Tests, stating, "We accept that we didn't play well this series. But this is an opportunity to correct that. Hopefully we can restrict them quickly."Meanwhile, New Zealand made two changes to their lineup, with Mitchell Santner and Tim Southee missing out due to injury. Matt Henry and Ish Sodhi replaced them in the playing XI.New Zealand skipper Tom Latham explained their decision to bat first, saying, "Reasonably good surface. Want to put runs on the board and put pressure later on. Focusing on this game. That's what we did in Pune after Bengaluru win too. But last week was last week. New opportunity this game."New Zealand ended India's 12-year unbeaten run in home Test series, which had stretched back to 2012. India had won 18 consecutive Test series at home before the defeats in October.

Indian cricket team's star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai due to a viral illness. The decision was announced by India skipper Rohit Sharma at the toss, with Mohammed Siraj replacing Bumrah in the playing XI."We understand that we haven't played well in this series. Looks like a good pitch. Hopefully we can restrict them as quickly as possible. Our focus is on this Test match. Bumrah is not well, Siraj comes in for him," Rohit said.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also confirmed Bumrah's absence on social media. "Mr Jasprit Bumrah has not fully recovered from his viral illness. He was unavailable for selection for the third Test in Mumbai," the BCCI tweeted.New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to bat first. "We are gonna have a bat. Looks a reasonably good surface, hopefully put some runs on the board again and put a little bit of pressure later on. Definitely focusing on this game," Latham said.Latham also announced two changes to his team, with Ish Sodhi replacing the injured Mitch Santner and Matt Henry coming in for Tim Southee.The teams for the third Test are as follows:New Zealand: Tom Latham(c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell(w), Glenn Phillips, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Ajaz Patel, William O'Rourke.India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj.The third Test between India and New Zealand is crucial for both teams, with India looking to avoid a series defeat and New Zealand aiming to clinch the series. The match is expected to be a closely contested affair, with both teams boasting strong batting and bowling lineups.

India's tour of Australia will commence with a training stint at the WACA, replacing the previously planned three-day intra-squad game. This decision marks a departure from India's previous tours, where they typically engaged in warm-up matches against Australian domestic sides.The Indian hierarchy has opted for training sessions and center wicket match simulations during the three days originally allocated for the intra-squad game. This move aims to provide players with limited match experience with valuable preparation in conditions similar to those they will encounter at Optus Stadium for the first Test.Australia is also expected to train at the WACA after India's stint, emphasizing the importance of center wicket practice for both teams. Steven Smith has expressed confidence in the effectiveness of this approach, stating that it will provide "good center wickets" and conditions akin to those at Optus Stadium.India's decision to forgo an intra-squad game differs from their previous tours, where they played three-day and four-day warm-up matches against Australia A and a Cricket Australia XI, respectively. The intra-squad game at the WACA was initially planned to be closed to the public, unlike India's two matches against a WA XI side before the 2022 T20 World Cup, which drew near-capacity crowds.India's squad is expected to depart for Australia shortly after the third and final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai concludes on November 5. Led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, India A was originally scheduled to play India's Test squad after their four-day matches against Australia A in Mackay and the MCG. However, with the cancellation of the intra-squad game, India A's role in the tour remains uncertain.

Evin Lewis's scintillating 94-run knock propelled West Indies to a resounding eight-wicket victory over England in the rain-affected opening ODI of the three-match series in Antigua.Chasing a revised target of 157 from 35 overs, Lewis unleashed a barrage of boundaries, smashing five fours and eight towering sixes in his 69-ball innings. He forged a crucial 118-run partnership with Brandon King (30) to lay the foundation for the West Indies' triumph.Lewis's pursuit of his sixth ODI century was halted by Jacob Bethell, who caught him off Adil Rashid's bowling with just 13 runs needed for victory. However, Keacy Carty (19) and captain Shai Hope (6) guided the West Indies home with 55 balls to spare.England, fielding four ODI debutants, were dismissed for 209 runs in 49.4 overs. Stand-in captain Liam Livingstone top-scored with 48, while Sam Curran contributed 37.Gudakesh Motie was the star of the West Indies bowling attack, claiming 4 for 41, while Jayden Seales took 2 for 22.The victory gives West Indies a 1-0 lead in the series, with the second match scheduled for Saturday at the same venue.