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Former Australian pacer Michael Kasprowicz wants his side to play to its strengths and go for a three-pronged pace attack in Mitchell Starc, Cameron Green and Scott Boland for the third Test against India at Indore beginning on Wednesday. Australia had gone into the second Test in New Delhi with just one pacer in skipper Pat Cummins and three specialist spinners and still lost the match by six wickets to concede a series-retaining 0-2 lead to India. "I don't mind (three quicks) -- and I'm going out on a limb here I suppose -- not taking India on in the spin department," Kasprowicz told SEN Radio, batting for the inclusion of Boland. Boland could not take a single wicket in the first Test at Nagpur, but was economical conceding 34 runs from 17 overs. Boland was dropped for the Delhi Test with Australia opting for a spin-heavy attack in Lyon, Murphy and Kuhnemann. "We don't need three spinners, if it's (Todd) Murphy or (Matthew) Kunhemann (with Nathan L...

Eyeing a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, India hold a 2-0 lead in the four-match series, heading into the third Test against Australia at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. However, the hosts face a selection dilemma with opening batter KL Rahul going through a rough patch. Rahul, who was named vice-captain for the first two Tests, has struggled to score runs so far, could be dropped to make way for the in-form Shubman Gill , who has showcased breathtaking form since the start of the year. Australia, on the other hand, could be boosted by the possible returns of Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc . However, the hosts will be without the services of captain Pat Cummins and veteran batter David Warner .. When will the India vs Australia, 3rd Test match be played? The India vs Australia, 3rd Test match will be played from Wednesday, March 1. Where will the India vs Australia, 3rd Test match be played? The India vs Australia, 3rd Test match will be played at the Holkar St...

Babar Azam and Virat Kohli are two hot properties in world cricket currently. The star batters are always the prized scalps of rival teams. Dismissing them means putting a big dent in their respective teams' chances. While Kohli was the captain of the Indian team, Babar is the current skipper of the Pakistan cricket team. With the ODI World Cup in a few months' time in India, the duo's performance will be crucial for their side if they are to leave a big impact. Needless to say, their wickets will be in demand.  However, it's not only the rivals who are gunning for Babar's scalp. In a video posted by Pakistan Super League (PSL) team Lahore Qalandars, Pakistan pacer can be seen indulging in a funny chat with Babar. The conversation goes as below:     Haris Rauf : "No matter what happens, I just need to take your wicket. Only you and Kohli are the exception now. Williamson was saved from slip twice but these three-four players are in my mind."  Babar Az...

MS Dhoni 's rise started a new chapter in Indian cricket. The youngster from Ranchi, Jharkhand, who rose to become a giant in world cricket is an inspiration to many. A few months before Dhoni's debut for India in December, 2004, against Bangladesh, another wicketkeeper-batter started his journey for the Men in Blue. His name was Dinesh Karthik . He made his debut in an ODI against England at Lord's in September, 2004. However, Dhoni's dominance was such that Karthik soon became an understudy of the former India skipper.  While Dhoni went on to win three ICC title as India captain, Karthik worked hard and is still playing at the top level. He even played the 2022 T20 World Cup for India. Recently, Karthik shared his thoughts on making his debut at a time when Dhoni-mania was just starting. "I made my debut before him. We went together on an India A tour and from there I got picked for the Indian team, he was still there in India A team," Karthik said on the ...

Following on from their first innings total of 209, New Zealand made a strong comeback on Day 4 of the ongoing second Test against England at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Monday. Riding on Kane Williamson 's century, New Zealand posted a total of 483, handing England a decent target of 258. However, an interesting incident occured during the final session when the cameraman spotted a female fan, who was sitting alongside her boyfriend, with a unique placard for 'Ben'.  The placard read: "Ben, my boyfriend's here to see the cricket. I'm here to see you." However, the confusion arised when the camera was panned at the three 'Ben's in the England side -- Stokes, Duckett and Foakes'. pic.twitter.com/gvfcOlzYzZ — Anna 24GhanteChaukanna (@Anna24GhanteCh2) February 27, 2023 On Day 4, Williamson earned two standing ovations at the Basin Reserve during a superb innings which brought up his 26th Test century. He raised his bat fleetingly af...

With Australia trailing India 0-2 in the four-match Test series, former cricketer Harbhajan Singh has labelled the visitors as a 'mentally fragile' side. With the the third Test starting in Indore on Wednesday, India have a chance to go 3-0 up and clinch the series. The hosts have already retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, thanks to the Australian batters inability to tackle India's spin trio -- Ravindra Jadeja , Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel . Harbhajan feels that the Australian team, which is currently in India, has looked "clueless" at times. "If you compare to other Australian teams which toured earlier - we don't want to go 30-40 years back but even if we go that far - I think this is probably the weakest team. Not in terms of skills, mentally they are very fragile. They are not able to handle pressure the way the Aussies used to. It'll be fair to say this is not the Aussie-Aussie kind of team that we used to see or play against," H...

One of the finest pace bowlers in the history of cricket, Wasim Akram is a name that needs no introduction in the cricketing spectrum. The former Pakistan speedster enjoys a great fan following all across the world. But, if there's one country where Akram is loved the most after Pakistan, it would arguably be India. It was this love for the cricketer that saw his late wife receive urgent medical treatment in 2009, and Akram couldn't me more thankful to the Indian people. In a chat with Sportstar , Akram revealed a chilling tale from 2009 when his flight had to land in Chennai but the cricketer and his wife didn't have visas for the country. Akram revealed how his wife was unconscious when the flight landed, and the medical team there took her to a hospital despite them not having valid visas. "I was flying to Singapore with my late wife and there was a stop in Chennai for refueling. When he landed, she was unconscious, I was crying and people recognized me at the a...

Record-breaker Kane Williamson stroked a superb century Monday to steer New Zealand to 483 all out in their second innings and set England a target of 258 runs to win the second Test in Wellington. Former captain Williamson hit 132 and Tom Blundell was last man out for 90 as the hosts fought back after being asked to follow on. England were 48-1 in their second innings at stumps after opener Zak Crawley , on 24, was bowled by a delivery that nipped back from New Zealand captain Tim Southee . Ben Duckett remained unbeaten on 23 and nightwatchman Ollie Robinson was on one, leaving England to score a further 210 runs on Tuesday's final day for a 2-0 sweep after winning the first Test by 267 runs.  New Zealand need nine wickets to pull off only the fourth victory by a side following on in the history of Test cricket and square the two-match series. The hosts resumed their second innings on Monday at 202-3, still trailing by 24, but Williamson led the charge with his 26th Test ce...

Batting sensation Azam Khan continues to hog limelight with his attacking game play. The right-handed power-hitter struck an imposing 42-ball 97 in his side Islamabad United's Pakistan Super League game against Quetta Gladiators on Friday. His innings was laced with eight sixes and nine fours. While being compared to another T20 star Suryakumar Yadav , Azam Khan said that not the India star, but Australian cricketer Tim David is his inspiration. The Pakistani star reasoned that he relates his game more to David as the two come out to bat at similar positions in franchise cricket. "The position I bat at, you know the situation is quite difficult. Either the score is about 40 for four or 180 or 160 for two, so then you need to go and finish the match. It is a really difficult role. But I am more inspired from Tim David nowadays. He hits big shots and I know and understand his batting role because I play at the same position. Suryakumar often plays one down which is like top o...

Karnataka skipper Mayank Agarwal will lead the Rest of India (ROI) team against Madhya Pradesh in the Irani Cup, which will be commencing from 1st of March at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior. Agarwal has been rewarded for being the leading run-scorer of the recently-concluded Ranji Trophy season where he scored 990 runs in 13 innings, with a highest score of 249. Agarwal last featured for India in March 2022 in a Test against Sri Lanka and has since failed to secure his place on the national side. The right-hander is eyeing a comeback after a stellar Ranji season. Sarfaraz Khan was unavailable for selection owing to a hairline fracture on his left little finger. The All-India Senior Selection Committee named Baba Indrajith as his replacement for the tournament. The Mumbai lad is the most noteworthy exclusion from the 16-member roster. The Irani Cup venue was shifted to Gwalior from Indore after the third India-Australia Test was assigned to the Holkar Stadium. As a result, ...

South Africa's Test series against the West Indies, which starts at SuperSport Park on Tuesday, could hardly be more low-key but it has the potential to launch a new era for the country's Test team. New coach Shukri Conrad has already stamped his authority on the team, appointing Temba Bavuma as the new captain -- the first Black African to skipper the Test team -- and clearing out several players who were found wanting in losing series in England and Australia. The Test series has had minimal build-up in a South African season which has been dominated by Twenty20 cricket.  There was the first SA20 franchise tournament, which was a crowd-pulling success, and the Women's T20 World Cup in which South Africa reached the final, hugely lifting the profile of women's cricket. The two matches against the West Indies are the only two Tests scheduled for the South African summer after Cricket South Africa took a decision to prioritise the SA20. The series is part of the Worl...

Australian skipper Meg Lanning now has the highest number of major International Cricket Council (ICC) trophies as a captain in the history of the sport. Lanning accomplished this milestone during her side's ICC Women's T20 World Cup final against South Africa on Sunday. In the match, after posting 156/6 in 20 overs while batting first after winning the toss, the Aussies were able to defend the total and keep South Africa away from their first-ever world title across men's and women's senior teams, defeating them by 19 runs. Lanning as a skipper has won a total of five tournaments. These tournaments include the 2022 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup and 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2023 editions of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup. This makes her the most decorated captain in the history of the sport. Behind Lanning is her compatriot and legendary Australian batter Ricky Ponting, who took his side to new heights in men's cricket. Under his leadership, Australia won fo...

Australia added a new feather to their cap on Sunday as the Meg Lanning -side lifted their sixth Women's T20 World Cup title after defeating South Africa in the summit clash on Sunday. This was Australia's third title on the trot and Meg Lanning's fifth ICC trophy as a captain. Opting to bat first, Australia posted a total of 156/6 in 20 overs after Beth Mooney plays an unbeaten knock of 74 off 53 balls. Later, South Africa fell short of 19 runs despite a powerful knock of 61 off 48 balls by Laura Wolvaardt . As Australia created a new record in Cape Town, fans took to Twitter to congratulate the team on their spectacular win. 6th Title it is for the Aussies in #T20WorldCup Their dominance is unmatched! SA did put up a fight #AUSvsSA #T20WorldCup2023 pic.twitter.com/agCckayv4T — Shreyas Srinivasan (@ShreyasS_) February 26, 2023 I am proud to be a fan of the most dominant Sports Team in the World @AusWomenCricket #AUSvsSA #T20WorldCup #T20WorldCup2023 pic.tw...

India defeated Australia by 6 wickets in the second Test match in New Delhi to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The hosts now lead the series 2-0 after registering convincing wins in the first two matches. Australia, who had failed to give a fight to India in the Nagpur Test, did improve a bit but couldn't prevent a loss. Results of both the matches came within three days. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed an interesting conversation with a fan, who asked him why both the matches ended within three days. "One of the guys who traveled with me on the flight was like, 'Why did you guys finish the Test match in just three days? I feel bad'. I replied, 'Sir, two things have changed. One is the mentality of the cricketers. They wanna play fast-paced these days. They wanna score runs quickly'," said Ashwin on his YouTube channel . "Cricketers these days don't wanna take time and then score runs. But just because of that, we should not co...

Former India head coach and all-rounder Ravi Shastri said on Saturday that Australian batters' lack of application has let them down in the ongoing Test series. He added that Australia lacked belief in their own defence and need to go back to basics ahead of the third Test at Indore. The third Test between India and Australia will take place from March 1 in Indore. Australia trail by 2-0 in the series and have disappointed with the bat in both the matches. "I think application (has let them down) more than anything else. The lack of belief in their own defence," Shastri said in the latest edition of ICC Review. "The lack of application and the lack of discipline was unreal and Australia paid for it big time," added the former India coach. Shastri believes Australia's batters should look to occupy the crease during the remaining Test matches, rather than using the aggressive approach that has proved their downfall so far. "It is very important to go ...

With a few days to go for the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, the Indian cricket team faces a few questions. The most prominent being the place of opener KL Rahul in the XI. The star batter has scored only 38 in the first two Tests. Former players, including Venkatesh Prasad , has been questioning why Rahul has been getting a long rope. With a highest score of 23 in his last 10 Test innings, Rahul's place is under scrutiny as India chase a third successive victory that would seal their place in the final of the World Test Championship in June. In the midst of this, Rahul, the designated vice-captain of the Indian team in the first two Tests, no longer holds the title for the final two Tests. Ex-BCCI selector Saba Karim pointed out the reason on why Rahul was removed from vice-captaincy. "His performance has not been great and that's why he has been removed from vice-captaincy. This does not mean that he will not be played in the XI. This only...

India have dominated Australia in  the Border-Gavaskar Trophy so far. After easy wins in the first two Tests, which the hosts achieved in less than three days on both occasions, the third Test starts in Indore on March 1. The Australian team has been dealt with several blows owing to injuries while their regular captain Pat Cummins too will not be available for the third Test as he has gone back home due to his mother's illness. Amidst this, former India captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has predicted that Australia will be clean-sweept.    "I see 4-0. It will be hard for Australia to beat India. In these conditions, we are a far superior team," Ganguly was quoted as saying to Rev Sportz . Meanwhile, citing Mike Tyson, Australian great Greg Chappell has slammed the team's forgettable performance in the first two Tests against India, saying the visitors "punched themselves in the mouth long before the first ball was even bowled". Australia hav...

New Zealand vs England, 2nd Test Day 3, Live: On Day 2, James Anderson validated his elevation to top spot in the world Test bowling rankings with a lethal opening spell as England took full control of the second Test against New Zealand on Saturday. Veteran seamer Anderson snared 3-37, sending the Black Caps crashing to 138-7 when rain forced an early end to day two in Wellington, after England declared their first innings at 435-8. Spinner Jack Leach also took three scalps, leaving New Zealand staring at a 297-run deficit with three days remaining. ( LIVE SCORECARD ) Here are the LIVE Updates of Day 3 of the 2nd Test Match between New Zealand and England straight from Basin Reserve, Wellington from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/8YXAWp7

James Anderson validated his elevation to top spot in the world Test bowling rankings with a lethal opening spell as England took full control of the second Test against New Zealand on Saturday. Veteran seamer Anderson snared 3-37, sending the Black Caps crashing to 138-7 when rain forced an early end to day two in Wellington, after England declared their first innings at 435-8. Spinner Jack Leach also took three scalps, leaving New Zealand staring at a 297-run deficit with three days remaining. Red-hot England are on course for a sweep of the two-match series, having won the first Test by 267 runs at Mount Maunganui with the same mix of aggressive batting and potent new-ball bowling. Joe Root was unbeaten on 153 when captain Ben Stokes made his assertive declaration, leaving the tourists half an hour to attack the Black Caps top order before lunch. Anderson answered the call, removing Devon Conway (0) and Kane Williamson (4) to have the hosts languishing at 12-2. The exactin...

The strong bond that Virat Kohli shares with Mahendra Singh Dhoni is well-known among Indian cricket fans. But what makes the relationship tick, on and off the field? While speaking on the RCB Podcast Season 2, the first of the 10 episodes, Kohli shared some insights into the working points of his kinship with Dhoni. "I have experienced a different kind of phase in my career currently. It's been a while since I felt (this) free in the sense how I felt all these years of playing at any level of cricket," said Virat Kohli on RCB Season 2 Podcast. Kohli has played 106 Tests, 271 ODIs and 115 T20Is for India in a career spanning 15 years scoring over 25000 international runs. "What is interesting is that throughout this phase apart from Anushka, who has been the biggest source of strength for me because she has been with me throughout this whole time and she has seen me very closely as how have I felt, things that I have gone through, the kind of things that have happe...

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has lashed out at Shoaib Akhtar , following his comments on star batter Babar Azam . During a recent appearance on a local news channel, Akhtar had criticised Babar's communications, saying that the Pakistan captain can't speak English properly. The 47-year-old faced a lot of flak for his comments on Babar, as well as former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal . Raja labelled Akhtar a "delusional superstar", adding that it is more important to become a human first than a brand. "Shoaib Akhtar is a delusional superstar. He also had an issue recently with Kamran Akmal. He wants everyone to become a brand, but it is more important to become a human first. First, become a human and then a brand. Our former players degrade our cricket brand by giving delusional statements. You will never see that happening in our neighbouring country. You will never see Sunil Gavaskar criticizing Rahul Dravid . It only h...

The confusion over the host venue of the 2023 Asia Cup still remains. Pakistan were originally accorded the host status. However, after BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who is also the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) head, said last year that India won't travel to Pakistan, there is confusion over the status of the continental event. According to a report in news agency PTI, in a possible solution to the Asia Cup logjam, Pakistan may remain the host and India could be offered to play its matches in the UAE where some games will be held, according to sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). In such a scenario, the UAE will also host the final if India qualifies for it, according to a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) source. An emergent meeting of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) was held in Bahrain on February 4 at the behest of PCB chief Najam Sethi after the continental body released its itinerary and Pakistan wasn't named the hosts of the tournament. Now, former Pakistan player Kamran A...

Chasing a 173-run target against Australia in the semi-final of the Women's T20 World Cup semi-final, India were batting confidently at one stage, till skipper Harmanpreet Kaur 's run out happened. The match turned dramatically when Harmanpreet was run out with just 40 runs needed off 32 balls. Kaur batted superbly to make 52 off 34 balls. She hit a ball to deep midwicket and seemed set to complete a comfortable two runs only for her bat to jab into the turf just short of the crease. Kaur threw her bat angrily as she walked off. That dismissal pegged back India ultimately.  Harmanpreet's run out was the turning point of the game and former Indian women's cricket team captain Diana Edulji felt the India skipper could have done better. "She is thinking the bat got stuck but if you see the second run she was jogging. Why are you running in a relaxed manner when you know when your wicket is so important? You have to play professional cricket to win. Look at the dive ...

There's no denying Virat Kohli 's stature. The superstar batter has done wonders for the Indian cricket team over the years, establishing his stature as one of the finest in the world. It isn't just India where Virat enjoys a terriric fan-following but also outside the globe. Not just that, even some of Kohli's teammates are his fans, and an epic story of one such fan was narrated by India's former bowling coach Bharat Arun. And, that player was none other than pacer Mohammed Siraj . Siraj entered the Indian team having already played under the captaincy of Kohli at Royal Challengers Bangalore. It was there that the pacer had a chat with Arun, revealing how much he admired the then-franchise skipper Kohli. "Siraj was Virat's biggest fan. After the first season with RCB, he came and told me 'Sir, mujhe Virat ki tarah banna hai (Sir, I want to be like Virat)," Arun revealed on Cricbuzz Special show 'The Rise of New India'. "I think i...

NZ vs ENG, 2nd Test Day 2, Live Updates : England will begin Day 2 of the 2nd Test against New Zealand at 315/3 with Harry Brook (184*) and Joe Root (101*) standing unbeaten at the crease. Red-hot Harry Brook made a majestic 184 not out to put England firmly in control against New Zealand in Wellington on Friday in the second Test. Joe Root was unbeaten on a classy 101 as the tourists rampaged their way to 315-3 before rain ended the opening day of the series decider early. ( LIVE SCORECARD ) Here are the Live Updates of Day 2 of the 2nd Test Match between New Zealand and England straight from Basin Reserve, Wellington  from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/MCXSJGb

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah lauded Team India for their efforts against Australia in the semi-finals of ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023 despite suffering a heartbreaking defeat against Aussies by 5-runs on Thursday. India's wait for a world title continued as they succumbed to a heartbreaking five-run loss to Australia in the semifinal of the ongoing ICC Women's T20 World Cup on Thursday, where nerves of Aussies prevailed over top knocks from skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues. Australia are through to the finals. They will play either England or South Africa in the summit clash. A tough loss for @BCCIWomen against Australia in the #ICCWomensT20WorldCup , but we couldn't be prouder of our girls for their spirit on the field. The team gave it their all & showed that they are true warriors. We stand with you, Women in Blue! #INDWvsAUSW — Jay Shah (@JayShah) February 23, 2023 "A tough loss for @BCCIWomen aga...

The Indian women's cricket team fell at the penultimate hurdle as Australia book their seventh successive Women's T20 World Cup final spot. Despite a disappointing fielding performance, India did well with the bat in phases to come close to Australia's total of 172 runs. Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues kept India's hopes alive before the skipper got run out in the most bizarre fashion. When Harmanpreet was asked about her dismissal, she admitted that there can't be a more 'unlucky' way to get dismissed. It was the 15th over of India's chase, with Harmapreet keeping the team afloat. During the 4the delivery of the over, Harmanpreet's bat got stuck into the ground while running. The batter was found just inches shy of her crease as the bails were dislodged. The incident changed the momentum of the game, with Australia taking the driving seat. Speaking of the incident, Harmanpreet said that she couldn't have been unluckier. "Can...

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh urged fans to back KL Rahul amid discussions over his current Test form and also asked fellow ex-cricketers to consider the situation that Rahul currently faces before passing judgement. In the recent past, Venkatesh Prasad and Aakash Chopra have been involved in a massive conversation about Rahul's disappointing run against Australia and the possibility of the in-form Shubman Gill replacing him in the national side. Harbhajan asked both experts and fans to extend their support for Rahul and backed him to ‘come good' for the Indian cricket team very soon. “If any player does not do well the first to feel bad are the player himself and his family. We all love those cricketers. If you are loving those cricketers then your anger is evident. But don't get too overboard so that the player's mentality can be damaged,” he said in a video on his YouTube channel. “If you were in the place of KL Rahul what would you have done? Do you thi...

Former India captain Kapil Dev feels star batter Rohit Sharma needs to improve his fitness as he looks overweight on TV. Earlier this month, Rohit became the first Indian to score international centuries in all three formats as captain. He achieved the feat after scoring 120 against Australia in the first Test in his hometown, Nagpur. Despite hailing Rohit for his batting prowess, Kapil raised concerns over the India captain's fitness, adding that the 35-year-old needs to work on his "weight". "It is very important (to be fit). More so for a captain. It's a shame if you are not fit. Rohit needs to put some hard work on it. He is a great batter but when you talk about his fitness, he looks a bit overweight, at least on TV. Yes, it's different when you look at someone on TV and then in real life. But from whatever I see, Rohit is a great player and a great captain, but he needs to get fit. Look at Virat, whenever you see him, you say, 'that's some fi...

Karachi Kings president, Wasim Akram , lost his cool after his side lost to Multan Sultans by 3 runs in a league match of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL). The defeat was Karachi's fourth in just five PSL outings so far, with three of those have been while chasing. Losing close encounters while chasing clearly took its toll on Akram as the former Pakistan captain kicked a sofa, which was kept in front of him. The moment was captured on live television, and has gone viral on social media. HAHAHAHAHAH pic.twitter.com/6w727GIhRy — a. (@yoonosenadaa) February 22, 2023 After being put into bat, Multan, on the back of captain Mohammad Rizwan's unbeaten, posted a total of 196/2 in 20 overs. Rizwan scored an unbeaten 110 off 64, smashing 10 fours and four sixes.  He and Shan Masood added 85 runs for the first wicket, with the latter scoring a quickfire 51 off 33 balls before losing his wicket. Rizwan then took up the role of the aggressor, hitting boundaries for fun dur...

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has revealed that he had a chance to become the captain of the national team, but refused to take on the responsibility due to various reasons. Regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers, Akhtar still holds the record for the fastest delivery in the history of cricket, clocking in at 161kph against New Zealand in 2002. During a recent appearance on a local news channel, Akhtar disclosed that he had turned down an opportunity to become the captain of Pakistan in 2002. Akhtar added that he was not fit enough to peform both, as a captain and a bowler. "I wasn't fit enough. I could play three matches out of five. I was offered captaincy in 2002, but then I would've played only 1.5-2 years (if I played all matches)," Cricket Pakistan quoted Akhtar as saying. Akhtar further revealed that while he had the backing of his teammates, the instability within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) prompted him to decline the leadership offer. ...

England named an unchanged team for the second and final Test against New Zealand in Wellington starting Friday, after captain Ben Stokes said they had played "the perfect game" to go 1-0 up in the series. The tourists dominated the first Test in Mount Maunganui to win by 267 runs with 40-year-old fast bowler James Anderson claiming seven wickets. The haul has seen him return to the top of the Test bowling world rankings for the sixth time in his career and the first time since 2018, deposing Australia captain Pat Cummins . Stokes was not surprised Anderson had returned to the pinnacle after claiming match figures of 7-54 at the Bay Oval, forming part of a potent pace trio with Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson . "I don't think he'll be that fussed by it, to be honest. He'll just keep doing his thing," Stokes said on Thursday. "I think, and a lot of guys in the dressing room do, that Jimmy has been certainly one of the best in the world for a lo...

The buzz around KL Rahul has gripped literally everyone in the cricketing spectrums. From fans and former cricketers to current stars, discussions over the opening batter's place in the Indian team are intensifying. Former India cricketers Venkatesh Prasad and Aakash Chopra have also been involved in a bitter social media feud on the situation while captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid have their own perspectives on the situation. As people differ in their opinions, we thought of seeking the help of ChatGPT -- the viral Artificial Intelligence-based platform -- to better understand the KL Rahul situation. On being asked the question, ChatGPT didn't really suggest if the batter should be dropped or retained in the team but called for the decision to be taken on certain factors. Question: " Should KL Rahul be dropped from the Indian Test Team?" Answer: " As an AI language model, I do not have personal opinions or biases about specific individual...