November 12, 2025 12:07 PM

Team India banks on old recipe of spin and first-innings heft against South Africa

India will look to reprise their home template of big first-innings totals and sustained spin in the short two-test series against South Africa beginning in Kolkata on Friday. Shubman Gill's side sit third in the World Test Championship rankings after beginning their 2025-27 cycle with a 2-2 draw in England followed by a 2-0 sweep at home against West Indies. Reigning world champions South Africa forced a 1-1 draw in Pakistan but the squad, despite being bolstered by the return of their fit-ag...

November 6, 2025 1:27 PM

Australia captain Pat Cummins targets return in second Ashes test

Australia captain Pat Cummins is back bowling multiple overs on a reduced run-up and has targeted returning to the team for the second Ashes test against England, a day-nighter in Brisbane starting on December 4. The fast bowler has been sidelined by a lower-back issue since July and has already been ruled out of the series opener in Perth, where he will be replaced as skipper by Steve Smith. Scott Boland is expected to step in for the 32-year-old in the pace attack in Perth but Cummins said h...

October 29, 2025 2:53 PM

Australia captain Pat Cummins returns to bowling in buildup to Ashes

Australia captain Pat Cummins has eased back into bowling in his rehabilitation from a lower-back injury as he scrambles to be fit for the second Ashes test against England. Cummins was ruled out of the series-opener in Perth starting on November 21 but hopes to be available for the following match in Brisbane two weeks later. The 32-year-old paceman bowled off a short run-up in the nets at Cricket New South Wales' training base on Tuesday as staff watched on. Australia head coach Andrew McDo...

October 28, 2025 4:56 PM

Alex Carey hoping Australia fans can block out English taunts during Ashes

Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey remembers a hostile reception from English crowds after stumping Jonny Bairstow at Lord's during the 2023 Ashes and hopes home fans can drown out the taunts of the Barmy Army in the coming series. Carey sparked a 'Spirit of Cricket' row when he threw down the stumps as Bairstow left his crease at the end of an over on the final day of the second test at the game's spiritual home. Australia's players were subjected to abuse from MCC members in the stadium's Lon...

October 27, 2025 2:54 PM

Bavuma back to captain South Africa for tests in India

Captain Temba Bavuma will return to the South Africa test squad for a two-match series against India next month after a calf injury kept him out of the series in Pakistan this month. Bavuma will lead a 15-man squad for tests in Kolkata from November 14-18 and Guwahati from November 22-26. Bavuma replaces David Bedingham, who is dropped, while the only other change to the touring party to Pakistan sees spinner Prenelan Subrayen drop out of the squad. “We’ve kept the bulk of the squad that ...

October 16, 2025 5:46 PM

Former giants West Indies reeling after five straight defeats

West Indies have suffered back-to-back series whitewashes by Australia and India in a run of five straight losses that has exposed not just technical and structural gaps but a deeper erosion of the pride that once defined the famous maroon cap. The former behemoths of the game have been on a steady decline since the 1990s and often struggle to assemble a decent test squad having lost their best talents to the lure of franchise cricket. Few expected an overnight change in their fortunes when th...

September 25, 2025 4:37 PM

Bumrah unlikely to be rested as India balance Asia Cup with Windies test prep

India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to be rested for the remainder of the Asia Cup despite a two-match home test series against the West Indies starting early next month. Bumrah's workload has been managed this year due to back problems and the 31-year-old featured in only three of the five tests during India's tied 2-2 series in England. India, the defending champions at the Twenty20 tournament, will face Sri Lanka on Friday and are likely t...

August 14, 2025 1:53 PM

Root plans to use his experience to end Ashes win drought in Australia

England batter Joe Root said his experience of 158 tests makes him better equipped than ever to end a victory drought in Australia, as he ramps up preparations for the upcoming Ashes series. Root, who moved to second on the all-time test run-scorer charts during England's five-match series against India, which was drawn 2-2 earlier this month, has accumulated 13,543 runs in tests, trailing only India great Sachin Tendulkar (15,921). Despite his prolific record, the 34-year-old Root has yet to ...

August 5, 2025 9:52 AM

Stokes remains upbeat despite England’s painful loss to India

England captain Ben Stokes tried to focus on the positives after his team's agonising six-run loss to India in their riveting final test at The Oval on Monday. Stokes, who did not play in the match due to injury, watched on as the hosts collapsed from 301-3 to 367 all out to give India a share of the series. "Credit both teams. The amount of effort from both teams to end up here 2-2 is incredible," he told reporters. "The heart and passion and everything that was shown, especially in our seco...

August 4, 2025 7:00 PM

Team India’s Oval win lifts them to third in WTC standings

India’s thrilling six-run victory over England in the fifth Test at The Oval not only helped them draw the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2, but also gave their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 campaign a much-needed lift. With this result, India climbed to third place in the WTC standings, having earned 28 points from five matches with a points percentage (PCT) of 46.67. The win was hard-fought and dramatic. England started the final day needing just 35 runs with four wickets in han...