IND vs NZ | 2nd Test: Curators shave off grass from Wankhede pitch as India eye 'home advantage'

India tour of South Africa likely to be postponed, BCCI to ask CSA to cut short Test series: Report

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to request Cricket South Africa (CSA) to postpone the Indian team’s tour to the African nation, according to a TOI report. The cricketing activities have once again be affected after the detection of the new Covid-19 variant. “We might request CSA to postpone the series by a week and and will then declare the schedule,” top BCCI sources said on Thursday The Indian team is scheduled to travel to South Africa for three Tests, three ODIs and four T20Is between December and January. Though, there is no official announcement of the postponement of the tour. The Indian team is presently playing the Test series against New Zealand at home. The first game of the two-match series in Kanpur ended in a draw while the second is slated to begin on Friday. India Test and ODI skipper Virat Kohli will be back in action after he was rested from the T20Is and the first Test against the Kiwis.

IND vs NZ | Wriddhiman Saha recovers from stiff neck as India mull 'combination based' selections

India’s wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha has fully recovered from the stiff neck issue that limited his role in the first Test of the series against New Zeland to only batting and a brief period of wicketkeeping on the second day. India are spoilt for choices in all the departments of the game and the team management led by the skipper Virat Kohli, who is returning from a break, and Rahul Dravid has their task cut in selecting the playing XI for the final Test. The second Test is scheduled to be played in Mumbai where intermittent rains have persisted over the last few days and it should play a spoilsport during the game as well. If weather conditions stay the same, the hosts might contemplate playing three pacers and two spinners in the final game of the series. Kohli, however, refused to assume that weather will stay gloomy and rainy through the entire course of the Test and hence he said that the playing XI is yet to be discussed. “Saha is fit as of now and he has completely recovered from a stiff neck issue. The combination of the playing XI we have to discuss, keeping in mind the weather conditions in Mumbai. We can’t assume that weather will be like this on all five days of the Test match,” Kohli said in the pre-match press conference. He was also asked about the composition of the middle order with him returning to bat at the number four position. He refused to divulge details of the team and instead emphasized the “team first” principle and “collective trust” in the side and said that whoever will be dropped, will be a decision based purely on conditions and combinations which will be communicated clearly with the players concerned. “All the members of the team understand where the team is placed. We always communicate well and if someone needs to be dropped it is combination based. This is not a difficult task when there is collective trust in the team as we prioritise the team first. The discussion always happens in our team in a rounded manner.” Kohli will be under pressure on selecting the playing XI as dropping either Ajinkya Rahane, Chetehswar Pujara or Shreyas Iyer will have some sort of bearing on his leadership style and team’s fortunes in both the near and far future.

T10 League 2021-22: Wanindu Hasaranga rattles Bangla Tigers with a fifer

Deccan Gladiators rode on some exceptional and brutal display of batting from Kohler-Cadmore and then some fine bowling from Wanindu Hasaranga to thump Bangla Tigers by 62 runs on Wednesday in the Abu Dhabi T10 League 2021. Batting first, the Gladiators posted 140/1 in 10 overs as Kohler-Cadmore struck a 39-ball 96, a knock which included five maximums and 12 fours during the course. Apart from him, Russell chipped in with an unbeaten 26 off 18 while Odean Smith scored 12 off 3. In reply, the Bangla Tigers never really got into the groove and lost wickets at regular intervals to get reduced to 65/5 and eventually get bundled out for 78 in the 9th over. The Bangla Tigers suffered a defeat by 62 runs. Hasaranga was the pick of the bowlers for the Gladiators after he bagged a fifer to return with figures of 5/8 in 2 overs. The Chennai Braves vs Delhi Bulls The second encounter of the day was between The Chennai Braves and Delhi Bulls. The Delhi side’s bowling unit was successful in restricting the opposition for a less total as the Chennai team could only manage to put 80/4 on the board and that too, courtesy a late surge from Angelo Perera who scored 40 off 24. But the runs were never really enough as Delhi Bulls went over the line by 10 wickets in just over 4 overs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 57* off 16 while Chandrapaul Hemraj was unbeaten at a 9-ball 24. The Bangla Tigers will play Northern Warriors while Delhi Bulls will lock horns with Team Abu Dhabi.

Concerned Virat Kohli expects BCCI to soon make things clear on South Africa tour

The doubts over India’s tour of South Africa have already begun to mount after the detection of a new Covid-19 variant. India Test and ODI skipper Virat Kohli has said that the team’s prime focus is on the game but admitted that the players need clarity. "It's pretty natural (to be concerned), we're not playing in normal times anyway. So there's a lot of planning involved. There's a lot of preparation involved in terms of understanding exactly what's going to go on,” Kohli said in the press conference on the eve of India's second Test against New Zealand. “Obviously Rahul bhai has initiated a conversation within the group, which is very important to know. At the end of the day we understand - our focus from the Test match will not shift regardless - but you want to have clarity and want to be in a situation where you know exactly what's going on,” he added. As of now, India have to travel to South Africa for three Tests, three ODIs and four T20Is. Talking about the Test series against New Zealand, the first match in Kanpur ended in a draw. Kohli was rested from this match and will now return for the second and final clash scheduled to begin on Friday in Mumbai.