AUS vs IND: Labuschagne offers to open in place of injured Warner

AUS vs IND: 2nd ODI creates history, becomes highest rated on pay-TV in AUS

The second ODI between Australia and India in Sydney has become the most-watched ODI on Pay-TV in the history of the game claimed famous TV commentator Harsha Bhogle. Mr. Bhogle shared this news claiming sports to be a big factor in people’s lives, especially at the times of Covid-19. “Close on the heels of record #IPL viewership comes news of yesterday's game being the highest rated ODI on pay-TV in Australia. Further proof of the joy that live sport can bring in these times. The times will, hopefully,change but the happiness that sport can provide will endure,” Bhogle, 59, wrote on his Twitter handle. Although he claimed it be a growth of the reach of sports, several people countered him, saying that since pay per view was the only option, people couldn’t really do anything but watch the game and in comparison to the free to air services, the number views in the pay-TV system was like a drop in the ocean. Earlier BCCI had claimed that the 13th edition of the IPL was the most-watched season of the league so far, trying to implicate that sports, especially cricket has brought relief to the people in the times of covid-19. The third and final ODI between the two sides will take place on 2nd December in Canberra.

Can’t understand that kind of captaincy: Gambhir lambasts Kohli

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir threw a barrage of questions toward the Indian captain Virat Kohli for his lack of planning, or rather the non-synchronization of it. Gambhir’s locus-standi, though was Jasprit Bumrah being taken off the attack after bowling just two overs in his opening spell. "I can't understand the captaincy, to be honest. We kept talking about how important is to take wickets upfront if we have to stop this kind of batting line-up and then you make your premier bowler bowl two overs,” asked Gambhir during a talk show on a cricket website. “Normally, in a One Day game, there are three spells of 4-3-3 overs. Or probably the maximum is four overs," he added. The 39-year-old Parliamentarian from Delhi also accused Kohli of following a T20 model of captaincy in ODI cricket. "But if you stop your premier fast bowler just by bowling two overs upfront with the new ball, I can't understand that kind of captaincy. I probably can't even explain that captaincy. It is not T20 cricket. I probably can't understand the reason to be honest because that was poor captaincy," he said. The lack of sixth bowler topic was also raised by the former Delhi captain, saying that it was an error on the part of selectors that they went to Australia with just one all-rounder in one squad. "They could have given someone like Washington Sundar or Shivam Dube or whoever was there in the squad to play the next game and see how they go into the one-day format. But if you don't have anyone in Australia then it is a selection error as well," Gambhir said.

David Warner to miss last ODI, T20 series, likely to play in Test series

Australia suffered a big blow for their upcoming T20I series against India when their ace opening batsman David Warner was ruled out of that bilateral event. The left-handed batsman had to limp off the field during India's innings in the second ODI against India played at the Sydney Cricket Ground after sustaining a groin strain. Since the ODI series has already been won by the Aussies, his absence in the third and final match of the series won't be such a big issue. However, the home team would be desperately hoping for the prolific run-scorer to get fit before the all-important Test series against India begins on December 17. D'Arcy Short, a highly-talented left-handed opening batsman who has made a big splash in the Big Bash League, has been drafted into the Aussie squad to replace Warner. Short has played international cricket but hasn't been able to pin down his place in the team. He gets another chance to make his case for a place in the team for shorter formats. Apart from Warner, pacer Pat Cummins is also set to miss the last ODI against India, in his case to get some well-deserved rest before the key Test series. This match will be played on December 2 at Canberra. With the match being part of the ICC World Cup Super League, the match is more than a dead rubber. Warner, who got two fifties in the first two games, would have been a key player if fit.

World Test Championship could be scrapped, ICC Chairman hints

The new chairman of International Cricket Council (ICC), Greg Barclays, has expressed his disappointment with the way World Test Championship (WTC) has had to be conducted. He candidly told journalists in a press conference that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely damaged the value of the ongoing Test tournament. Answering a specific question about whether the WTC has achieved the intended goal of making Test cricket more appealing, Barclays answered, "In short, I don’t think so. The COVID has probably highlighted its shortcomings of the championship." The chairman further added that: "The issues that we have already got, I wonder whether some of it was because of an attempt to develop a Test Championship, clearly designed to drive interest back into Test cricket, provide a bit of context and relevance around the Test matches. "From an idealist’s point of view, probably it had a lot of merit but practically, I do disagree, I am not sure whether it has achieved what it intended to do." The WTC began last year and was progressing as per the schedule but then COVID-19 threw the calendar into a muddle. As a result, many of the bilateral series that teams had to play can no longer take place before the date of the final, set to take place at Lord's Cricket Ground next year. ICC had to change the rules of the tournament in order to accomodate the altered circumstances. What is even more ominous is the fact that the ICC chairman dropped a hint of actually scrapping the tournament altogether after the first edition gets finished. "My personal view is let’s get through with the little bit that we can in this COVID-19, with reallocation of points and all that. But once we have done that, let’s go back to the drawing board as I am not quite sure whether it (WTC) entirely fits the purpose and has achieved what it intended to after being conceptualised four to five years back," Barclays commented. The new chairman discussed several other issues like making changes to the cricket calendar, providing context to bilateral series, and handling T20 leagues around the world. Now, at the helm, he will have to face all these issues head-on.