Navdeep Saini a better choice at SCG: Ashish Nehra

Former India pacer Ashish Nehra has backed Navdeep Saini to be picked in the playing XI for the third Test against Australia in Sydney. The place for a third fast bowler is vacant after Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav were ruled out of the series due to respective injuries and T.Natarajan was included in the side.

According to the former left-arm pacer, Saini would be more useful in Sydney because of his pace and the extra bounce that he generates.

“Navdeep’s biggest assets are bounce and extra pace. This is a Test match. How does Natarajan normally gets his wickets? When people are trying to hit him. Also, you haven’t tested Natarajan by playing him for India A like you did with Mohd Siraj, who has risen through the ranks,” said Nehra.

“Similarly, Navdeep has also come up the ranks having been on multiple red ball tours of India A. In Test matches, batsmen normally don’t get out. You have to get them out. That’s the difference.”

India have been facing some injury concerns on the tour. After Shami and Yadav were ruled out, KL Rahul was also added to the list. Rahul sustained a wrist injury ahead of the third Test.

The four-match series is levelled at 1-1 with two more matches to be played in Sydney and Brisbane respectively. India had lost the first match by 8 wickets after getting bowled out for 36 in the second innings but made a strong comeback courtesy some fine piece of batting from stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane who scored a hundred in the first innings while remained unbeaten in the second to see India home.

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Richest board in the world gets richer, BCCI is now worth Rs 14,489 crore

The richest sports body in India and the richest cricket board in the entire world, the Board of Control for Cricket in India had gotten richer by a whopping Rs 2,597 crore in the financial year 2018-19 to reach a net worth of Rs 14,489 at the end of that year. Its earnings for the year 2019-20 and 2020-21 are still to be revealed and there is no doubt that by the time it is revealed the board might be touching the Rs 20,000 crore mark. The information was brought to the public forum by news agency IANS as BCCI till now haven’t published anything related to its income. The major source of BCCI’s 2018-19 growth was the Indian Premier League. While the board earned a total of Rs 4017 crore and it had liabilities or expenditure of Rs1592 crore, half of its earnings was courtesy the IPL. To be exact IPL earned the board Rs 2407 crore. Among others earning the media rights for Team India gave the board Rs 828 crore while the Team Sponsorships including the team and the kit were also the major sources of revenue. BCCI has seen a steady growth which has increased many folds from a modest Rs 5438 crore in the financial year 2014-15.

Very grateful to Kane: Centurion Daryl Mitchell thanks captain for not declaring early

New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell who scored his maiden Test century in a match against Pakistan was thrilled and grateful at the same moment for reaching the greatest milestone in a batsman’s career. He thanked skipper Kane Williamson for not declaring early and letting him reach the hundred. “I was told that I had only two overs after Tea and I started swinging heavily. After the end of teh two overs, I thought my time was up. But then I was given some more time and I am very grateful to Kane and the coaching staff for allowing me that time,” said Mitchell who made 102 not out at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Praising the captain not only for allowing him to complete his hundred but also for scoring two double hundreds in two series continuously, Mitchell said that he was so glad that Williamson was finally unleashing his best. “I played against Kane when we were 14 and today I got the opportunity to play alongside him. He is a freak, Isn't he? He makes batting look so easy. It’s really cool how he is scoring these runs. He will probably go down in history as New Zealand’s greatest,” the 29-year-old said. Williamson made 238 to score the fourth double hundred of his career. On his way, he also became only the third New Zealander to go past 7000 Test runs in history.

Drama over Fortune oil: Comapany says Ganguly shall remain Brand Ambassador

The famous Rice Bran cooking oil product Fortune has been trending in the country since its brand ambassador and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly had been admitted into a hospital with a heart ailment. The cooking oil claimed to be the best for cholesterol control while it's brand ambassador’s artery got blocked. This did not go down with people and as a result, the product was badly trolled and as a precautionary measure, Adani Wilmar, the company that manufactures Fortune Rice Bran oil decided to discontinue the tv commercials on an immediate basis. People speculated that it means an end of Ganguly’s association with Fortune Oil. However, now the Deputy CEO of teh company has confirmed that Ganguly has not been removed from teh ad. “Rice Bran is one of the healthiest oils in the entire world. It contains natural antioxidants. The Gamma Oryzonal present in the oil reduces cholesterol and improves the lipid profile. Sourav is our Brand Ambassador for this product. However it is no medicine but just a cooking oil and it should be kept in mind,” Mallick was quoted as saying by Times of India. “There are several factors that contribute to heart issues including dietary and hereditary problems. Sourav is our brand ambassador and he shall continue to be so. We have taken a temporary break with our TV commercials and we will sit with Sourav once again and decide on how to go about things forward,” teh CEO added pacifying fans of the 48-year-old former India skipper. The Woodlands hospital, where Ganguly had been admitted, said that Dada would be soon discharged and his condition would be monitored at home for a short span.

South Africa complete clean sweep of depleted Sri Lanka

As Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar went past the tiny total of 67 set up by a second strung Sri Lankan side, the South African team got a much-needed win, that too by 10 wickets. They claimed teh series victory, that too a clean sweep, which they had been seeking for, especially after the humiliation in the Tests by England last winter. It might not have been the best Sri Lankan side due to injury to their first-choice players ( five players in total), but that does not take away the hard work put in by the Proteas to deserve the phenomenal clean sweep. They had defeated Lankans by an innings and 45 runs in teh first Test of teh series played at SuperSport Park Centurion. In this game at the Wanderers Stadium, Sri Lanka were bundled out for 157 in their first innings courtesy of some scintillating display of pace bowling by Anrich Nortje who returned with figures of 6/56. Wiaan Mulder too got three scalps. In reply, Dean Elgar hit a brilliant century(127 runs), making up for the one which he missed out in Centurion after getting out on 95. Courtesy that century, South Africa got a handy 145 runs first-innings lead. Elgar for his match-winning performance was adjudged Man of the Match while his 258 runs in the entire series at an average of 129 got him the Man of the Series award as well. In the second innings for the Sri Lankan team, skipper Karunaratne showed some fight by scoring a 128 ball 103 in a very quick time. But he couldn’t hold on for long, neither could his men, bundling out for just 211 and giving a nothing target of 67 for the team from the Rainbow nation to chase. This time around, Lungi Ngidi and Lutho Sipamla were pick of the bowlers, picking four and three wickets respectively. Nortje got two while Mulder had a solitary wicket as well. With this win, South Africa moved to the fifth position in teh ICC World Test Championship points table, earning full 120 points and getting to a percentage point of 40. Although it would hardly make a difference as the four teams competing for the World Test Championship in any form are Australia, New Zealand, India, and England. However, this confidence can surely make a strong case for the team in the upcoming Test series against Australia in February.