Zimbabwe to tour Sri Lanka for ODI series in January 2022

SA vs IND | 1st Test, Day 3: Lungi Ngidi picks up six-wicket haul to jolt India

Continuing his dream run of form with the ball against India in Centurion, Lungi Ngidi picked up a five-wicket haul on the third day of the first Test between South Africa and India at SuperSport Park. He reached the landmark with the big wicket of Rishabh Pant after taking four massive wickets of Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwwar Pujara and Mayank Agarwal. India were in a dominant position on the first day of the Test before the persistent rain washed the entire day’s play on the second day of the Test. South Africa came roaring back in the game in the first hour of the third day with consecutive wickets of centurion KL Rahul, Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin and Pant. Kagiso Rabada was on the top of his game and bounced out Rahul and also dismissed Ashwin to help Proteas come back in the game.

In good shape and fitness, Ambati Rayudu intends to play on for at least three more years

Almost three years into his abrupt and unceremonious decision to quit all forms of international cricket, India batsman Ambati Rayudu is eager to extend his playing days by at least three more years. He had announced retirement after being snubbed from the team squad for the ICC ODI World Cup in 2019 but has been an active member of the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League until the last edition earlier this year. He has also been playing domestic cricket in India and played for Andhra Pradesh in the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy. Discussing his time on the field in the tournament, Rayudu said that he could sustain through five 50-over matches in a span of six days and hence he believes his fitness is at par and in good shape to allow him to play for the next three years. “I recently played the Vijay Hazare Trophy which is five one-day games in six days which I got through well. I am in good shape and I hope to continue to play at least for the next three years,” PTI quoted Rayudu as saying. Rayudu made his ODI debut in the year 2013 against Zimbabwe while his debut in the shortest format came against England in 2014. He could not get the opportunity to play in the longest format for India despite being in the scheme of things for a long time. He bemoaned missing out on the opportunity to play Test cricket as “unfortunate” but said that he has no regrets about it and rather savours representing the country in the other two formats. “It is a great honour to represent India and I am happy that I represented India in the white-ball format - ODIs and T20s,” he said. “I feel unfortunate about missing out on the Test cap. But I don’t regret it as I have given my best. I am happy for the opportunities I got to represent the team and that in itself is a great honour.” Rayudu was not retained by the Super Kings for the next editions of the IPL and he will have to go through the mega auction to find a new base in the tournament.

Indian ODI team selection for South Africa postponed: Report

The selection for India’s One Day International squad to South Africa has been delayed over Rohit Sharma’s fitness concerns suggests a report published at Firstpost. Quoting a source in the Board of Control for Cricket in India Firstpost stated that the selection was supposed to take place after the Vijay Hazare Trophy finals, but has been delayed to at least 30-31st December. The Chetan Sharma-led panel is apparently waiting for the news on Sharma’s fitness. The source further added that Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja will be unavailable for the tour. “It has been learnt that Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are unavailable for selection. About Rohit, a call will be taken closer to the selection date,” Firstpost quoted the source.

The Ashes | 3rd Test: We're gutted & bitterly disappointed, says Joe Root

England’s dismal show in the on-going Ashes series has continued and this time the Joe Root-side suffered a thumping defeat by an innings and 14 runs where they bundled out for 68 in the second innings. Root has admitted that the dressing room is “gutted” and disappointed after the show in Melbourne. "Everyone in that dressing room is gutted," Root said. "We're bitterly disappointed to find ourselves in this position. You turn up today and you walk out with Ben Stokes and you feel like anything's possible. It's bitterly disappointing to be 3-0 down but there are still two Test matches to go. We have to try and make sure we come away from this tour with a couple of wins." But Root also put his weight behind the players and said that the best 18 players are on the tour. "I'd say that the best 18 players from the county game are definitely on this tour," he pointed out. "There are some very talented players within this squad and we have to find ways of upskilling ourselves and each other, and managing pressure points within the game better.” Australia have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. Scott Boland rattled the English batting unit and scalped a six-for while Mitchell Starc bagged a three-wicket haul during the course. For England, it was only Root and Ben Stokes who went past the double-figure mark.