Hamstring forces Sean Abbott to return to Australia after brief maiden county stint

Ravi Shastri supported me after my father passed away: Mohammed Siraj

India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has revealed that it was coach Ravi Shastri who encouraged him to stay in Australia and play for the national side after his father’s sad demise. Siraj was in Australia with the Indian team when his father passed away. "'You play the Test match. You will get 5 wickets as your father's blessings are with you," was what Shastri told Siraj before the second Test in Melbourne. The right-arm fast bowler returned with a fifer during his debut game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Siraj further added that he gained a lot of confidence after he was backed by the coach. "Ravi sir said after the match 'I told you that you will be getting five wickets.' I became very confident after my coaches encouraged me in such a way," Siraj told ABP news. "When I lost my father during the Australia tour, both Ravi sir and bowling coach Bharat Arun sir were so supportive," he said. India made a brilliant return in the series against Australia after they were bowled out for 36 in the first Test. The Indian team suffered some blows on and off the field during the four-match series. They were racially abused while having injury concerns with some key players getting ruled out. But the youngsters took the onus on themselves and fought back in a magnificent manner to hand India a 2-1 win in the series eventually.

Dinesh Karthik harbours hopes of India return, says can captain KKR if the team wants

India wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik, who recently celebrated his 36th birthday still has hopes of playing for the country in white-ball cricket. The right-handed batsman believes that there is still a place for a finisher in the Indian middle order and he can be that guy. "India need a batsman in the middle-order who can be a finisher and I believe I can do that job," Karthik was quoted as saying in an interview with TOI. Karthik has so far played 26 Tests, 94 ODIs and 32 T20Is for the Indian team, scoring a total of 3173 international runs. He also has 153 dismissals including catches and stumpings to his name. The Tamil Nadu skipper, who has captained Kolkata Knight Riders before, said that he has no qualms in captaining the side in Eoin Morgan and Pat Cummins’ absence during the UAE leg of the IPL in September-October this year. "Pat Cummins has himself said that he will not come. But when it comes to Eoin Morgan, there are still three months to go. A lot can change from now till September,” he said. “But if I am asked to lead, I will be ready for it," Karthik added. While Cummins would most probably like to spend some time with his family with his partner being pregnant, ECB has disallowed its players from IPL participation before the all-important T20 World Cup.

I am better off as a player: Rashid Khan denies Afghanistan captaincy

Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan has declined the offer to take up captaincy of the national team in T20 format, stating that it might affect his performance. “I am very much clear in my mind that I am better off as a player. I am good in the role of vice-captain and help the captain wherever I am needed. It’s better for me that I stay away from this position,” Rashid told ESPNcricinfo. The right-arm leggie further added that his performance as a player is more importnat for the side. “I want to do well for the team as a player and my performance is a bit more crucial for the team rather than me thinking about different things being a captain.” The 22 year old also pointed out that the World T20 is round the corner and it would take time for him to get into the groove if he takes up the role. “Also, it takes time, and right now the most important thing is the World Cup which is quite near and I feel it is too much for me to have,” he said. “If you have a year or two, you manage yourself and understand things only then it’s easier to deal with the role,” Rashid added. Afghanistan recently sacked their skipper Asghar Afghan across all formats following an investigation conducted by ACB's Investigative committee. The side suffered a defeat against Zimbabwe in the first Test of the two-match series but managed to win the second encounter to level it. Hashmatullah Shahidi was handed over the captain’s band for the ODIs and Tests while Rahmat Shah was appointed as his deputy. Rashid though has led the side for a short period of time after the Asian team had a dismal run in the 2019 World Cup under Gulbadin Naib’s captaincy, but was later removed after a disappointing outing against the West Indies, later that year.

Azam Khan recieves maiden Pakistan call up as PCB name squads for England and West Indies tour

Quetta Gladiators’ hard-hitting middle-order batsman and son of former Pakistan wicket-keeper batsman Moin Khan, Azama Khan has received his maiden Pakistan call up as the Pakistan Cricket Board announced squads for the team’s England and West Indies tour. The selection committee headed by Muhammad Wasim also recalled Middle-order batsman Haris Sohail, spinner Imad Wasim and fast bowlers Mohammad Abbas and Naseem Shah to various ODI and T20I squads as well. Among other important players in the side include Zahid Mahmood, who retained his place as Yasir Shah’s availability is still subject to fitness. Along with Zahid, left-arm spinner Nauman Ali and off-spinner Sajid Khan have also remained in the squad for the two Tests in Jamaica. Among uncapped players, Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha have been named in the squads as well. “We have remained consistent in our selection and kept the same core of cricketers who have been in the set-up for a while,” Wasim said in a press release on the announcement of the squad. Talking about the return of various players, the selector further added, “Mohammad Abbas has regained his form, Naseem Shah and Haris Sohail have reclaimed the required fitness standards, while Imad Wasim has been recalled considering the T20 World Cup is likely to be held in the UAE and he enjoys an excellent record there.” The team will depart from UAE on June 25 after the completion of the PSL’s sixth edition. It will depart on its return journey from Jamaica, after completing both tours, on August 25. Squads (in alphabetical order): ODIs: Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab), Shadab Khan (vice-captain) (Northern), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab), Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Haider Ali (Northern), Haris Rauf (Northern), Haris Sohail (Balochistan), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper) (Sindh), Saud Shakeel (Sindh), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Usman Qadir (Central Punjab). T20Is: Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab), Shadab Khan (vice-captain) (Northern), Arshad Iqbal (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Azam Khan (Sindh), Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Haider Ali (Northern), Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Imad Wasim (Northern), Mohammad Hafeez (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper) (Sindh), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Sharjeel Khan (Sindh) and Usman Qadir (Central Punjab). Tests: Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper) (vice-captain) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab), Abid Ali (Central Punjab), Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Imran Butt (Balochistan), Mohammad Abbas (Southern Punjab), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Naseem Shah (Central Punjab), Nauman Ali (Northern), Sajid Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper) (Sindh), Saud Shakeel (Sindh), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shahnawaz Dahani (Sindh), Yasir Shah (Balochistan, subject to fitness) and Zahid Mahmood (Southern Punjab).