Cricket
ICC Test rankings: 3 Indians in top 10; Conway enters at 77th
Kohli, who will lead India in the World Test Championship final against New Zealand from June 18 and the five-match Test series against England, is fifth with 814 points behind England skipper Joe Root. Pant and Sharma are joint sixth with 747 rating points each. Sharma, who was placed eighth in the previous cycle, has moved one spot past New Zealand batsman Henry Nicholls, who is now in eighth spot.
Top Aussie players may withdraw from WI tour due to bubble fatigue
The development comes a day after Cricket Australia announced six additions to their 23-member preliminary squad for the limited-overs cricket tours of West Indies and Bangladesh in July and August. A report in Nine Media on Wednesday said that the seven star players could pull out after having spent considerable periods in various cricketing bubbles over the past few months.
NZ keep an eye on WTC final, may rest frontline quicks from 2nd Test
New Zealand have already been bolstered by the arrival of left-arm pace bowler Trent Boult, who is likely to feature in the second Test. Southee, Wagner and Jamieson all bowled over 40 overs across two innings in the first Test at Lord's.
England team has accepted Robinson apology over old tweets: Anderson
Robinson, who took seven wickets on his Test debut against New Zealand, is unavailable for the second Test that begins at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Thursday. While speaking to the British media, Anderson said that Robinson apologised to the team and that it was accepted. The bowler was asked if some team members were uncomfortable with Robinson's apology, Anderson said: "No, I think it's been accepted."
WTC final: Follow-on mark to be 200 runs even after first day washout
With regard to the follow-on rule, ICC playing conditions for regular WTC matches (clause 14) state: "14.1.1: The side which bats first and leads by at least 200 runs shall have the option of requiring the other side to follow their innings. 14.1.2: The same option shall be available in matches of shorter duration with the minimum leads as follows: 150 runs in a match of 3 or 4 days; 100 runs in a 2-day match; 75 runs in a 1-day match."
First England-New Zealand Test ends in a draw
England were 170 for three wickets in their second innings in 70 overs on the fifth and final day when the match ended at Lord's. Earlier, they were 56 for two wickets at tea, and they probably decided to hang out there and kill time. Dominic Sibley with 60 (207 balls, 3x4s), scored in over five hours, and Ollie Pope (20 in 66 minutes, 41 balls, 3x4s) remained unbeaten at stumps. Captain Joe Root made 40 in 109 minutes.
Among Ian Chappell's 5 best bowlers, 3 Indians, Cummins No.1
Chappell's list of five includes Cummins, Kagiso Rabada, R. Ashwin, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma. "Pat Cummins, for everything he contributes, I have to go with him [as first pick]. An example that I have to cite is the last Test [against India in January] at the Gabba when Australia produced that ridiculous tactic of bowling short for an hour. Starc was shocked to pieces.
Ashwin better than Lyon as the Aussie hasn't done well of late: Chappell
"I think Ashwin is a better bowler than Nathan Lyon. Have a look at Nathan Lyon's strike rate, you are talking in the 70s and I am going back to 2018," said Chappell. Since 2018, Lyon has taken 113 wickets in 27 Test matches with a strike rate of 72.5 and an average of 33.43. Although he has six five-wicket hauls, as many as four of them have come against two teams -- India and New Zealand. His only 10-wicket haul has come against the Kiwis.
Chance for Kohli to end ICC title drought: Patel
"This is the ultimate format of cricket. Everyone wants to become a Test player and now there's a World Cup of Test Championship," said Patel. "Now there is a chance for Virat Kohli - who has been eluded from the ICC trophy, he has led India in couple of ICC tournaments, but this is big. Winning Test championship would be a big feather in his cap," said Patel on Star Sports.
Kohli's India team not a patch on Windies, Australia at peak
Apart from the fact that they are yet to win a Test series in South Africa, New Zealand and England, where they suffered humiliating series loss in 2018, India won series in Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21 only after close contests. Those wins can't be termed one-sided like the wins scored by West Indies of 1980s and Australia of 1990s and 2000s.
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