Author: WebDesk

England captain Ben Stokes has come to the defence of Ben Duckett, who is facing scrutiny after a viral video showed him appearing drunk while speaking to a local in Australia during the team’s mini-break to Noosa between the second and third Ashes Tests. Stokes and his team were in Noosa on a four-day break to refresh themselves after losing the first two Tests. Hours after ECB managing director Rob Key confirmed that there would be an investigation into the trip, the video went viral on X and subsequently across other social media platforms. The ECB is carrying out an…

In a major blow to England, Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes due to a side strain, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed on Wednesday while announcing the playing XI for the fourth Test, which will be played in Melbourne from December 26. Gus Atkinson, who missed the Adelaide Test, has come into the side in place of Archer. This is the second injury setback for England after Mark Wood was ruled out following the second Test. After a limited workload in the second innings of the Adelaide Test, Archer was sent for…

Australia pacer Mitchell Starc has urged the ICC to appoint a single provider across all international matches in order to avoid the inconsistencies in decision-making that have been evident during the ongoing Ashes series. Twice during the third Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval, Real Time Snicko (RTS) came under scrutiny for malfunctioning. While the third Test was in progress, Starc did not hold back in expressing his frustration and criticising the technology. “I’m sure it’s frustrating for everyone, viewers, officials and broadcasters, no doubt,” Starc said. “One thing I will say, and I’m only speaking for myself here, the…

Kane Williamson will miss the white-ball tour of India due to prior SA20 commitments, as New Zealand announced their squads for the three-match ODI and five-match T20I series. Uncapped Jayden Lennox has earned his maiden international call-up. Speaking about the selection, head coach Rob Walter said the left-arm spinner has the potential to be a consistent performer at international level. With Mitchell Santner available only for the five-match T20I series, Lennox has been included as the sole left-arm spin-bowling option. “Jayden has been an identified player of interest for some time and has some good New Zealand A experience under…

Steve Smith is set to lead Australia for the remainder of the Ashes, with Pat Cummins ruled out to manage his back injury. Cricket Australia (CA) announced the squad for the fourth Test, which will be played in Melbourne. Todd Murphy and Jhye Richardson have been called up as replacements for Nathan Lyon and Cummins. Cummins made his much-awaited comeback in the Adelaide Test, which proved to be the series decider as Australia took an unassailable 3–0 lead in the five-match series. After the match, the Australian captain addressed the media and hinted that he would not be available for…

England head coach Brendon McCullum is uncertain about his future with the team but has expressed his keenness to continue in what he described as a “pretty good and fun gig”. Arriving in Australia with high hopes, the Ben Stokes-led England side have failed to recreate the magic of 2010–11, the last time England won the Ashes. The defeat in Adelaide meant they conceded a 0–3 lead to the hosts in the five-match series, leaving them with no chance of reclaiming the urn. Compared to the first two Tests, England showed more fight in the third Test, but it was…

Two days after being shockingly snubbed from India’s World Cup squad, Shubman Gill has been named in Punjab’s squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The Indian ODI skipper is expected to be available for the first few matches before linking up with the national team for the three-match ODI series. Along with Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Arshdeep Singh have also been named in the 18-member squad. The Punjab Cricket Association has not named a captain, but Gill is expected to lead the team. When he is away on national duty, he will be replaced temporarily. Despite being left out of…

New Zealand batter Kane Williamson has not yet decided on his international future and will continue to assess his availability on a “series-by-series” basis. The 35-year-old Kiwi stalwart is not part of New Zealand Cricket’s central contract system, instead holding a casual contract. Since signing it, Williamson and the board have worked together to determine which bilateral series and multi-nation events the former New Zealand skipper will feature in. After a lengthy stint in England, Williamson missed the Zimbabwe and West Indies white-ball series before making his return in the three-match Test series, which New Zealand won 2-0. “Yeah, it’s…

Newly appointed Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach Shane Watson is excited to work with his countryman Cameron Green in next year’s IPL. After rounds of an intense bidding war, Green was snapped up for INR 25.5 crore, making him the most expensive pick of the IPL 2026 auction and the most expensive overseas buy in IPL history. “I’ve always been a massive fan of Cameron Green,” Watson said in an interview on the franchise’s website. “I’m an all-rounder at heart, so I know what it takes to push the limits to be the best all-rounder that you possibly can be.…

Australia captain Pat Cummins has hinted that he is likely to sit out the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne and believes Nathan Lyon could also miss the match after suffering a right hamstring injury on the final day of the Adelaide Test. Cummins and Lyon returned to play the third Test after missing the second game of the series. Both bowlers played key roles in Australia’s 82-run win, with Cummins taking six wickets and Lyon claiming five in the match. With the series in the bag, Australia could ring in a few changes. Cummins is unlikely to feature in the…