Tim Paine backs Joe Burns over Will Pucovski

Ishant Sharma on course to be fit for Australia Test series: Report

Leader of the Indian pace attack in Tests, Ishant Sharma is working hard to get back to full fitness in order to return on the field in the upcoming tour of Australia. He has been in close consultation of the head coach of the Indian U-19 team, Paras Mhambrey at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. As per a report by news agency ANI, Rahul Dravid who now heads the NCA has taken upon himself to make Ishant fit for the Test series against Australia starting December 17. "As NCA head, Dravid has informed the board that Ishant is working with Mhambrey to be fit in time for the Test matches. Ishant will definitely have a big role to play and his presence will not just give India another strike bowler, but also his experience will bring a lot to the table in Kohli's absence," ANI quoted an unnamed source as saying. Ishant was not included in the Test squad for the series against Australia but the selection committee had put his name on the watchlist of the BCCI medical team. He may well come back into the Test team but team management will be wary of his rushed comeback to bowling. Earlier in the year, he was suggested rest for 6 weeks by the physio of the Delhi Ranji team to heal his ankle but he expedited his recovery plans and took the flight to New Zealand after passing the fitness Test. He featured in the first Test and grabbed a five-wicket haul before the ankle injury resurfaced to cut short his participation in the series that India went on to lose 2-0.

David Warner assures; Sunrisers Hyderabad will not 'lose' Kane Williamson

Calm down Sunrisers Hyderabad Fans! Kane Williamson is not going anywhere. Captain David Warner in reply to a question posed by an anxious fan of the team assured that the Sunrisers will not lose the services of Kane Williamson. Kane Williamson played crucial knocks for the Sunrises in the just-concluded edition of the Indian Premier League where the team had a bit of on and off season. Although the team peaked at the right time and marched into the playoffs, they were proved deficient in the knockout phase. Williamson, himself helped the side in the Eliminator game against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, stitching an unbeaten match-winning partnership with Jason Holder. The talk surrounding the release of Kane Williamson started doing rounds after the BCCI hinted of a mega auction before the IPL 2021 auction that will force franchises to retain a maximum of two players which in case for the Sunrises will be David Warner and leg-spinner Rashid Khan. Kane Williamson did not start the season but after a series of poor performances from the middle order batsmen, he was inducted in the playing XI. He repaid the faith with masterful knocks before injury spelled trouble for the New Zealand captain and he could make a comeback into the tournament only after chips were down for the Sunrisers and they were facing must-win situations every game. He featured in 12 games this season and piled on 317 runs with an outstanding average of 45.28.

Aus vs Ind: Australian cricketers to stand in barefoot circle in ant-racism drive

Australian Cricket team will stand barefoot in a circle at the start of the Australian summer in order to recognise the anti-racism protest across the world and acknowledge the indigenous people, pace bowler Pat Cummins said. The drive will begin with the start of the ODI series against India on November 27. Cummins’ statement comes as a word from the leadership group of the Australian team as he has been promoted to Vice-captain role in the team. He also assured that all the players in the setup would work well to learn the history of Australia and its people. “In Australia, we think the most, I guess, marginalised group is the first nations people and the indigenous peoples. And we think the barefoot circle's a great way to celebrate them. Some people might want to take the knee, some people might want to show it in different ways and absolutely we're all for that. But we've kind of come together as a team and think this is the best way we can demonstrate anti-racism as well as celebrating the indigenous culture here," Cummins said in a video-conference with reporters. The call of standing barefoot is a departure from the earlier stance when the Australian captain in ODIs and T20s, Aaron Finch had refused to take the knee against racism in Cricket which was promoted into the game by the English and West Indian players in their Test series started in July.

Ajit Agrkar, Maninder Singh top contender for chief selector's post

Former Indian all-rounder Ajit Agarkar is set to be the frontrunner to lead the 5-member panel of the selection committee of the Indian cricket team after he applied for a post of national selector. Agarkar had missed out earlier this year when vacancies opened up in the panel after the then chairman MSK Prasad and Gagan Khoda had completed their four-year-term in the selection panel reportedly due to a zonal policy which the BCCI had discarded on paper. Notably, there are four more contenders for posts in selection committee after former Indian left-arm spinner Maninder Singh, Chetan Sharma, Ranadeb Bose and Shiv Sunder Das have also thrown in their hats in the ring to be the part of a committee that has a role in shaping the future of Indian cricket and finding and backing new talents in the game. There are three vacancies available in the selection committee which have been created by the departure of Sarandeep Singh, Jatin Paranjpe and Devang Gandhi after completion of their terms. The selection committee is currently headed by Sunil Joshi and his position as the chairman of the committee is on the brink as if either of Agarkar or Maninder will find their ways into the selection committee, one of them will lead the panel based on their longer Test career than that of Sunil Joshi. Maninder Singh has played 33 Test matches which are highest among all the contenders followed by Ajit Agarkar who has played 26 Test matches while both Chetan Sharma and Shiv Sunder Das have played 23 matches each in the longest format of the game. Sunil Joshi-led committee had picked the Indian squads for the tour of Australia and the next assignment is a bit far away as there is no certainty on the itinerary of the England tour of India and the BCCI has the time in its hands to decide how it wants to take forward the induction of newcomers into the selection committee.