Cricket world

Will India rest Bumrah? PC – RevSportz. Subhayan Chakraborty in Birmingham  India are yet to announce their squad for the upcoming Test, likely holding off until the toss to finalise their decision on Jasprit Bumrah. The top-ranked fast bowler is expected to sit out this match, with indications suggesting he may only feature in three of the five Tests in the series.  The visitors are poised to make additional tweaks to their lineup. Nitish Kumar Reddy could be brought in to strengthen the batting, while Akash Deep is a likely replacement for Bumrah. Additionally, India might opt for all-rounder Washington Sundar in place of Shardul Thakur to add another spin option with Kuldeep Yadav set to warm the bench yet again. It remains to be seen whether Arshdeep Singh gets his maiden Test cap or not.  “Bumrah is ready to play if needed,” said assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate. “We’re weighing our options for these four Tests, considering factors like weather and pitch con...

Rishabh Pant and Boria Majumdar at Edgbaston (Image: Debasis Sen) Boria Majumdar in Birmingham Rishabh Pant was the star for India in the first Test at Headingley. Hundreds in both innings of a Test match on English soil is a very rare achievement. No Indian keeper has been there and chances are it won’t happen again very soon. Add keeping wickets for 182 overs and you understand the magnitude of his achievement. When you add the medical miracle he has been through a year earlier, you realise why he is a generational talent. Rishabh has been someone I have always had time for. Over the years I have seen him evolve as a very good red-ball player, perhaps one of the best India currently have. In all of this, his humility has stayed the same. He is one of the warmest cricketers going around and is an extremely good human being. Having had a close shave with death, he knows how fickle life can be and has emerged a better person in the process. Yesterday, while all of his teammates h...

Steve Smith (PC: X) Steve Smith, who suffered a compound fracture during the World Test Championship final at Lord’s against South Africa, is likely to return for the second Test against the West Indies, currently underway in the Caribbean. Australian head coach Andrew McDonald has expressed optimism about Smith’s availability and expects him to resume his role at No. 4 in the batting order. If Smith returns, Josh Inglis is expected to make way. “It’s really about functionality around the finger rather than anything else. There’ll be no risk to the long-term health of that finger. He’ll return, and I think it’s likely he’ll play. Leading into the next game, he’ll have the main session two days out,” McDonald said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “We want to keep him at four” – McDonald on Smith The Australian coach also addressed questions about Smith’s position in the batting order. While acknowledging that Smith has performed well at No. 3 in the past, McDonald made it clear that t...

Smith missed out against West Indies in the first Test due to an injury. (PC: X/cricket.com.au) Australia’s Test vice-captain Steve Smith is on track to feature in the second Test of the ongoing series against the West Indies in Grenada. Captain Pat Cummins confirmed that Smith has resumed batting practice after dislocating his finger during the World Test Championship (WTC) Final. After the final, Smith returned to his home in New York to continue rehabilitation. Cummins revealed that Smith had begun light training, picking up a bat several times to get accustomed to the protective split he must wear on his right little finger for eight weeks due to the compound dislocation. If declared fit, Smith is expected to return at number four, likely replacing either Cameron Green—who has scored just 3, 15, 4, and 0 in recent outings—or Josh Inglis, who was dismissed for 5 and 12 in the Barbados Test. “He’s had a few hits over in New York, which I think was with a tennis ball and an Inc...

Indian Women’s Cricket Team in Nottingham. Image: Debasis Sen Trisha Ghosal in Nottingham   The dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup 2026 will commence this evening. India’s women’s team will take on hosts England in a five-match T20I series. India haven’t played a T20I series since December last year. England, on the other hand, are in a rebuilding phase, with Charlotte Edwards and Nat Sciver-Brunt having taken the reins after a shambolic 16-0 loss in the Ashes. This T20I series will be important for both teams—even in an ODI World Cup year.   Players to Watch Out For   Shafali Verma Shafali Verma doesn’t carry fond memories of England. It was here that her weakness against the short ball was exposed and repeatedly targeted by Katherine Brunt. She’s now making a comeback and would want to utilise the hard yards put in during the domestic season to push for a place in the ODI side too. At the nets yesterday, Shafali had an extended session, facing mostly short...

England’s mixed disability team (PC: By Arrangments) Rohan Chowdhury, England  England’s mixed disability team produced a commanding performance to defeat India by 73 runs in the fourth T20I of the Vitality IT20 Mixed Disability Series at Worcestershire County Cricket Club on Friday, taking a 3-1 lead in the seven-match series. After electing to bat, England posted a strong total of 172/4, led by opener J Price’s fluent 81 off 60 balls, which included 10 boundaries and a six. He was well supported by quickfire contributions from Liam O’Brien (38 off 23 balls) and A Brown (24 off 17 balls). Indian pacer Vivek Kumar impressed with figures of 3/30 in his four-over spell. In response, India’s batting crumbled under pressure, slumping to 32/7 by the 10th over. English fast bowler J Dixon ran through the top order with a fiery spell, finishing with sensational figures of 5/11 from his four overs. Narendra Mangore’s defiant 46 was the lone highlight for India as they limped to 99/9...

  Jofra Archer (PC: Sussex) Subhayan Chakraborty in Birmingham  Jofra Archer is poised for a potential Test comeback after over four years, included in England’s 15-player squad for the upcoming match against India at Edgbaston. The 30-year-old, who burst onto the international scene in 2019, hasn’t featured in a Test since 2021 due to persistent injuries. Multiple surgeries for a recurring elbow stress fracture and a back injury that sidelined him for the entire 2022 summer disrupted his career. Archer resumed white-ball cricket in 2023, but further elbow issues kept him out for another summer. He joins an unchanged squad from England’s incredible five-wicket first-Test victory at Headingley, with the second Test set to start in Birmingham on Wednesday. His return bolsters an England pace attack depleted by injuries to Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, Olly Stone, Josh Hull, and the uncapped Sonny Baker. Archer joins Chris W...

Zimbabwe players in practice. (PC: X) Zimbabwe is all set to host Sri Lanka for a white-ball series from 29 August to 7 September. The tour will comprise five matches—two ODIs and three T20Is—all scheduled to be played at Harare Sports Club. Before the Sri Lanka series, Zimbabwe will face South Africa in two Tests in Bulawayo. Following that, they will take part in a T20I tri-series featuring South Africa and New Zealand, before concluding the busy period with a two-Test series against New Zealand starting on 3 August. This hectic schedule comes ahead of the T20 World Cup Africa Regional Qualifiers, which Zimbabwe is set to host from 19 September to 4 October. They failed to qualify for the last edition of the T20 World Cup, although they did feature in the 2022 tournament. In addition to the qualifiers, Zimbabwe are also scheduled to host Afghanistan later this year for an all-format tour. Sri Lanka last toured Zimbabwe during the 2023 ODI World Cup Qualifiers. This upcoming se...

England vs India, Leeds Test (PC: Debasis Sen) We did a show at 5pm yesterday where, among other things, we discussed fandom in India and how it is mostly toxic. This was because the ‘questions’ that were being asked, and there were hundreds of them, ranged from “sack Gautam Gambhir” to “Shubman Gill is useless”. One person, and there is no point naming them here, messaged 93 times asking the same thing. “Why did you not ask tough questions of Gautam Gambhir?” There is no two ways about it that Gambhir has a poor record as head coach of the Test side. India have lost 7 of the last 9 Test matches under . It is also true that some of his calls haven’t been the best. Gill, on the other hand, just captained his first game here in Leeds and will surely need more time. And yet, he was compared to Virat Kohli and castigated. That’s what the issue is. The truth is Gambhir was asked all the right questions. He was asked about the batting collapse and the inability to pick up 20 wickets. ...

Joe Root in Leeds (PC: Debasis Sen) Talismanic England batter Joe Root anchored yet another record run chase as England defeated India in the first match of the five-match series at Headingley, Leeds, to take a 1–0 lead. On the decisive fifth day of the series opener, openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley provided a solid foundation, putting on a 188-run partnership. After Crawley fell, Root joined Duckett at the crease in the 45th over with the score at 206/2, and India’s hopes were beginning to fade. Had India managed to pick up two quick wickets at that stage, the match might have opened up again. However, Root ensured that did not happen, forming a composed 47-run stand off 59 balls with Duckett to stabilise the innings. Following Duckett’s and Harry Brook’s dismissals off consecutive deliveries bowled by Shardul Thakur, India sensed a way back into the game. But Root then forged a vital 49-run partnership with captain Ben Stokes to steer England closer to the target. After Sto...

Alyssa Healy (PC: Australia Women’s Cricket) Emerging all-rounder Tess Flintoff has been given a golden opportunity to showcase her abilities ahead of the ODI World Cup in India this August, having been included in the Australia A squad to face India. Flintoff, who has also received her first national contract for the 2025–26 season, joins captain Alyssa Healy, who returns from a lengthy injury break for the 50-over leg of the multi-format tour. Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath will lead Australia A in the three one-dayers in Brisbane, with Charli Knott acting as her deputy. Healy will feature in the T20 squad, marking her return to competitive cricket after missing part of the Ashes, an ODI series in India, and the WPL due to a stress fracture and knee issues. The 35-year-old Healy will be eager to give her best following the injuries that ruled her out of key matches, including last year’s T20 World Cup semi-final and several WBBL fixtures. These Australia A matches serve...