Author: WebDesk

Robin Smith, a tough-as-teak middle-order batter who was considered England’s best for a period In the early 1990s, passed away suddenly in Perth on December 1. He was 62. The Durban-born Smith played 62 Tests and 71 ODIs between 1988 and 1996, and gained a reputation as one of the few with the steel to take on the fearsome West Indies pace attacks of the day. “It is with the deepest and most profound sense of sadness and loss that we must announce the passing of Robin Arnold Smith, beloved father of Harrison and Margaux and cherished brother of Christopher,”…

Veteran Australian batter Usman Khawaja is all but ruled out of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane after failing to prove his fitness two days ahead of the series opener on Thursday. Due to a back spasm, Khawaja, the designated opener, was unable to bat in either innings of the first Test in Perth. The 38-year-old underwent a 30-minute net session on Tuesday in a bid to prove his fitness but appeared uncomfortable. Stand-in captain Steve Smith, head coach Andrew McDonald, and chief selector George Bailey closely monitored the session before releasing a statement. “Usman Khawaja remains short of full…

England pacer Brydon Carse has revealed that his team has prepared specific plans if centurion of the last game, Travis Head, decides to open again in the second Ashes Test at the Gabba, Brisbane, starting December 4. In the Ashes series opener at Perth Stadium, Australia surprised England by promoting Travis Head to open in the fourth innings. The South Australian thwarted all of England’s plans against him en route to a match-winning century. Head will return to the Gabba, a venue where he scored a hundred last summer against India. Carse, who was on the receiving end of Head’s…

Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell on Tuesday confirmed that he will put his name forward for the upcoming IPL 2026 auction, scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16. Maxwell took to social media to announce that he will not take part in the next season after a great deal of deliberation. The 37-year-old cricketer was released by the Punjab Kings, who had acquired him for Rs 4.2 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. It was a forgettable season for Maxwell, who scored only 78 runs and took four wickets in the nine games he played before being ruled…

Australia batter Travis Head has affirmed that he is open to the idea of batting anywhere amidst the speculations regarding his position for the second Test in Brisbane. Replacing Usman Khawaja at the top of the order at late notice, Head blasted a match-winning hundred while opening the innings on Day 2 of the Perth Test. Speculations are rife about Head potentially opening the batting at the Gabba, leaving Khawaja, who’s having fitness issues, out of the XI. Head underlined Pat Cummins’ comment when he said the batting orders are overrated. The current Australian Test line-up lives by the idea…

Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan praised Abhishek Sharma’s work ethic and acknowledged the role of Yuvraj Singh in the rise of India’s T20I opener. Ranked number one in the ICC T20I rankings, Abhishek has been the most impactful batter since the last T20 World Cup. No Indian batter has dominated the 20-over format quite like him. With over 1,000 T20I runs at an average of 37.48 and a strike rate of 189.51, these numbers speak volumes about Abhishek’s impact. Having seen the dynamic left-hander from close quarters at SRH, Ishan shared a debrief on his teammate’s preparation. “He is someone who works…

Former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis has decided not to register for the upcoming IPL auction, which will be held in Abu Dhabi on December 16. Instead, he will take on a ‘new challenge’ by playing in the PSL next year. This announcement comes days after he was released by the Delhi Capitals, who bought him in the last auction and made him vice-captain. For the last 14 seasons, du Plessis has been part of the IPL, in which he has played 154 matches and scored 4,773 runs. The former Proteas batter spent most of his time in the…

Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have been ruled out of the second Ashes Test, which starts on December 4, as Cricket Australia have named an unchanged squad for the day–night affair. Both pacers, who are nursing injuries, were unable to prove their fitness. While the chances of Hazlewood playing the second Test were bleak, Cummins had been tipped to play after his intense training session at the SCG on Friday. The incumbent captain will now have two weeks to prepare for the third Test, scheduled to be played at the Adelaide Oval. Usman Khawaja has retained his place in the…

Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal on Thursday confirmed that an Indian player will lead the franchise in next year’s WPL. His remark came after DC picked South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt from the marquee set at the auction for Rs 1.10 crore. DC retained five players from last season, and this did not include Meg Lanning, who led them to three successive finals and was also their highest run-scorer. Wolvaardt has led South Africa to two ICC finals in the last two years. After securing her services, she was seen as a possible captaincy option for DC. However, Parth clarified…

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rated the pitch on which the shortest Ashes Test in 137 years was played at Perth Stadium as ‘very good’. Ranjan Madugalle, the match referee, gave the pitch its rating. According to the ICC’s four-tier pitch rating system, ‘very good’ is the highest rating. This rating is awarded when the pitch meets the following criteria: good carry, limited seam movement, and consistent bounce throughout the game. The first Test of the ongoing five-match Ashes series saw the match conclude in just two days, with a total of nineteen wickets falling on the first day…