AUS vs IND: Mitchell Starc reaches milestone of 250 Test wickets

Shadab Khan ruled out for six weeks, will miss home series against Proteas

Pakistan vice-captain for the limited-overs, Shadab Khan has been ruled out of the ongoing Test series against New Zealand also for the upcoming home series for the Men in Green against South Africa. The development has been made because of the injury sustained by the stand-in captain during the third and final T20I of the three-match series against New Zealand at McLean Park, Napier. The doctors after the conduction of MRI scans on Shadab in Tauranga on Thursday, advised the spin-bowling all-rounder to take six-week rest for a speedy recovery. Pakistan team doctor Sohail Saleem speaking about Shadab’s situation said, “The MRI reports have confirmed it is a fresh injury and not the one that had sidelined him from the Zimbabwe series last month.” “The latest injury will be treated conservatively and Shadab will undergo a six-week rehabilitation program during which he will have weekly ultrasound scans. After the competition of the six-week period, the medical panel will access and evaluate the injury before making a call on Shadab’s return to competitive cricket.” added the doctor. Zafar Gohar, a left-arm spinner, who has done exceedingly well in Pak domestic cricket has been named as Shadab’s replacement in the team.

Shikhar Dhawan to lead Delhi in Mushtaq Ali Trophy; Ishant also in the squad

Ace Indian speedster Ishant Sharma is all set to make a comeback to competitive cricket after being picked into the 42 members strong Delhi Team’s squad for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament. The announcement was made by the newly appointed selection committee for the senior team of the Delhi and District Cricket Association. The selectors made experienced opener Shikhar Dhawan the captain of the team. Senior players like Pradeep Sangwan, Nitish Rana, and Unmukt Chand have also been named in the squad alongside young guns like Manjot Kalra and Lalit Yadav. The Delhi team has been drafted into Group E of the Mushtaq Ali trophy along with the likes of Mumbai, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, and Kerala and begin its campaign against arch-rivals Mumbai on 11th January. All the games of Group E will be played in Mumbai. First, of this season’s domestic tournaments, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy begins on 10th December with the first round of games of Group A taking place in Bengaluru. The Indian domestic season has been marred by the covid-19 and thus a delayed domestic season might not see Ranji Trophy this year, also no confirmation in this regard has yet been intimated by the BCCI.

Hyderabad proud of Mohammed Siraj’s brilliant India debut

The 26-year-old from Tolichowki, Hyderabad gave all the reasons for all Hyderabadis to feel proud as their own boy picked two crucial wickets on debut for Team India against the mighty Aussies. Mohammed Siraj’s first outing at Melbourne Cricket Ground was hailed by one and all. Although still in mourning due to his father Mohammaed Ghouse’s death, the family of the Indian quick did not celebrate the moment but was happy with the achievement of their son. “The family is still in mourning and hence the mood is a bit mellowed. But all of us got up in the morning and watched the match,” Mohd Sameer, maternal brother of Siraj as well as a professional cricketer was quoted as saying to Times of India. “It is a dream come true not only for Siraj but for all of us here. We are happy that Siraj made his Test debut. His father always wanted to see him play a Test match, it would have been really wonderful, if he were still alive,” he added. It’s not just the family, the entire city is jubilant and full of stories of Siraj and how and where he played cricket. “Siraj was a brought young boy without any bad habits or vices. He was all about cricket, even though it got him into real trouble at home. But he never gave up on the game. All his friends are still from the Eid Gaah ground,” said one Shaik Abbas, who used to be Siraj’s neighbor when he lived in a rented house before debuting for Hyderabad. Along with the common people, even the seniors of Siraj are happy for what he has achieved. “I always feel Siraj is a better red bowler than the white ball. He always hits the right lengths and forces batsmen to commit mistakes. His lengths might be bad in white-ball cricket, but for red ball, it’s just perfect,” Pragyan Ojha, former India, and Hyderabad spin bowler said. “I am happy for him as a fellow Hyderabad cricketer, now it’s up to him to stay fit and longer his career,” Ojha added. Siraj finished his first innings of the first Test with figures of 2-40 in 15 overs.

Chandimal, de Silva put Lanka in top position against lacklustre Proteas

Senior Pro Dinesh Chandimal took upon the resp[onsibility to build the innings as Sri Lanka managed to finish strongly on the first day of the First Test at the Supersport Park, Centurion against the hosts South Africa. The Lankan Tigers courtesy fifties from 31-year-old Chandimal and 29-year-old Dhananjaya de Silva reached 340-6 at the Stumps with all-rounder Dasun Shanka on 25 not out, supported ably by paceman Kasun Rajitha who was not out on 7, having faced 27 balls and the partnership between the two a total of 20 runs. The early breakthroughs Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and decided to bat first on a lively Centurion first day track. The Islanders tried countering the pace of Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje through aggressive shots, but one shot too many led to the fall of the top three wickets in the form of Karunaratne, Kusla Parerea, and Kusal Medis on the score of 54 in only 11 overs. While Nortje got the better of Mendis, Karunaratne chopped on a rising Ngidi delivery. Wiaan Mulder who made a comeback into the South African side for the first time after playing his first test against Sri Lanka in 2019, took out Parera for 16. Chandimal-de Silva counterattack After the early breakthroughs, the pair of Chandimal and de Silva took it upon themselves to pull the team out of the miserable situation. The pair played some exquisite drives and while de Silva went on the aggressive, Chandimal mixed caution with delightful strokeplay to reach his 19th Test fifty. The Colombo born de Silva was fluently moving towards what would have been his seventh Test hundred before an untoward injury forced him to retire hurt on 79. Chandimal then put on a 99 run stand with wicket-keeper batsman Niroshan Dickwella before getting an unplayable delivery from Mulder which rose up from the good length to take the fine edge of his gloves and right into the hands of Faf du Plessis at first slip. He made 85. The tail wags in style If the Proteas would have thought that the fall of Chandimal’s wicket would open the floodgates and tail would be crumbled upon, they were in for a surprise as after Chandimal’s dismissal at the score of 284, the Lankan tail has wagged and quite nicely at that, having added 55 runs so far with four wickets remaining. Mulder remained the bright light for de Kock’s team. He picked up there out of the total six wickets to fall on the day. Along with him, Nortje too has been impressive while Lutho Simapla really needs to put in the hard yards tomorrow morning to add to the lone wicket he has had so far in the game.