Test Cricket

Auqib Nabi receives maiden India Test call-up, replaces Bumrah in SL Tests

Jammu and Kashmir seamer Auqib Nabi on Monday replaced injured Jasprit Bumrah for the upcoming two-match Test tour of Sri Lanka, becoming the first player from the Kashmir valley to get selected in India's Test squad. Bumrah, originally named in the squad, has been ruled out of the tour as he has not yet fully recovered from the left knee injury sustained during the ODI series against England. It is Nabi's maiden call-up to the senior national team. "The Men's Selection Committee has named Auqib Nabi as Bumrah's replacement. The Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler earns his maiden call-up to the senior national team," the BCCI said in a statement. The 29-year-old Nabi, who hails from a remote village in Kashmir's Baramulla, is the third player from J&K after Parvez Rasool and Umran Malik to get a senior national team call-up. Rasool and Malik played for India in limited overs format. Nabi had claimed 104 wickets across the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, including 60 wickets in the ...

Injury blow for India! Jasprit Bumrah ruled out of Test series vs Sri Lanka

Premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah is set to miss India's two-Test tour of Sri Lanka as he is yet to recover from his knee injury. The swelling in his knee seems to be more serious than it initially looked and the Sports Science team at Bengaluru's Centre of Excellence doesn't want to rush the seasoned pacer to the grind of international cricket, keeping in mind a packed calendar ahead. The Sri Lanka series begins August 15 in Galle. The 32 year old had missed out on the third ODI against England at Lord's after sustaining an impact injury. He recently reported at the Centre Of Excellence in Bengaluru and was expected to be match-fit by the time series begins in two weeks. However it has been learnt that Bumrah is still feeling some discomfort and even if he gets fit before August 15 or the second Test starting August 23, the medical team isn't sure if Test match is correct format due to a massive workload on the docile tracks. It will be interesting to see of selectors pick Jammu and

India load up on spin for Sri Lanka Tests as WTC hopes face stern test

Four spinners give India variety for conditions expected to favour turn, but concerns remain over batting against spin, Bumrah's fitness and the side's demanding WTC qualification equation

Australia's 'Big Four' quicks back in mix for Bangladesh Test series

The so-called Big Four could be reunited in Australia's bowling attack with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon returning from injuries for a two-test cricket series next month against Bangladesh. Pace bowlers Cummins, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc and offspinner Lyon have been the long-time frontline attack for Australia but injuries have limited the frequency of all four combining in the same XI in recent series. Australia's selection committee chairman George Bailey on Tuesday said there was no certainties to start, but the returning bowlers are "all fit to go." "As you would expect, we won't be locking in an XI this far out, but we do know that across this two-test series the depth is there," Bailey said. "I'm sure that there will be (future) tests that that (Big Four) group play together." Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon, he said, "have worked extremely hard, individually and with the (fitness) teams, over the past few months to return from their respective injuries." The

Muzumdar credits aggression and patience for India's Test triumph at Lord's

Tons of patience mixed with the right amount of aggression was the key to Indian women's cricket team's epic Test win over England, said chief coach Amol Muzumdar as he lauded centurion Yastika Bhatia for her "special knock" and pacer Kranti Gaud for her "controlled line and length." Gaud's seven-wicket match haul and Bhatia's hundred played a big role in India's historic 270-run win over England in what was the first ever women's Test played on the hallowed turf of Lord's. "Yeah, you can say that (it was a perfect game). We batted well, we bowled extremely well and we fielded even better, it was a good game for us," Muzumdar said during the press-conference. "I wouldn't be able to pinpoint one particular thing ... I think we were disciplined in our approach towards our batting. And disciplined in our bowling as well, sticking to the basics of cricket. "While bowling, as I said, good line and length, controlled line and length. Aggression mixed with patience. So I think that was a

One for history: How India dominated first-ever women's Test at Lord's

Harmanpreet Kaur's side became the first team to win a women's Test at the Home of Cricket, with Yastika Bhatia and Kranti Gaud earning places on the iconic Lord's honours boards

Kranti Gaud cherishes place on Lord's Honours Board with immense pride

India pacer Kranti Gaud said becoming the first woman to have her name etched on the Lord's Honours Board after claiming a five-wicket haul in the one-off Test against England was a moment of immense pride for her and her family. Gaud's superb 5/37 helped India bundle out England for 170, securing a commanding 115-run first-innings lead. India then extended their advantage to 269 by stumps on Day 2, reaching 154/1 in the second innings with Smriti Mandhana unbeaten on 69. "It's a completely different feeling for me. I am very proud to be the first woman to get my name on the Lord's Honours Board. It's a proud moment for my family," said the 22-year-old Gaud after the day's play. Gaud had also claimed a five-wicket haul (6/52) in an ODI against England last year. "Every player dreams of taking a five-wicket haul. It's the first time we are playing at Lord's, so I was thinking if I can take five wickets and get my name on the board and also take wickets for the team and help it win,"

McCullum to step down as England Test coach after four years in charge

Former New Zealand captain will continue to lead England's white-ball teams as ECB begins search for a new Test coach

Deepti confident India can make early inroads on crucial second day vs ENG

Seasoned India all-rounder Deepti Sharma said the first hour of the second day will be crucial, adding that the visitors will look to strike early and put England under pressure in the one-off women's Test here. Invited to bat, India posted 285 in their first innings, courtesy half-centuries from senior batters Smriti Mandhana (83), Harmanpreet Kaur (58) and Deepti (57). The visitors then removed opener Tammy Beaumont before stumps, leaving England at 21 for 1. "Initial one hour is really important," Deepti said after the end of the opening day's play on Friday. "I think the total is decent. If there were 20-25 more runs, there would have been an extra margin. But the earlier we take wickets tomorrow, the better it will be for us," she added. England left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone claimed three wickets, exploiting variable bounce and turn on the surface and Deepti expects the pitch to continue assisting the bowlers. "The wicket is turning slightly and sometimes keeping low. Th

ENG-W vs IND-W One-Off Test: Playing 11, live match time (IST), streaming

The one-off Test between England women and India women will mark the first women's Test at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground, 142 years after it staged its inaugural men's Test

McCullum says he tried to change Ben Stokes' mind over retirement call

England head coach Brendon McCullum revealed that he tried to persuade Ben Stokes to reconsider his decision to retire from international cricket, but said the captain had made up his mind by then. England lost the third and final Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge by 160 on Monday, conceding the series 1-2. But Stokes announced his adieu on the fourth day of the match itself, shocking everyone around. But McCullum said he "tried to talk him down." "When he confirmed to me that he was going to retire, first I tried to talk him down (laughs) and... (it) became pretty obvious that he had made his decision and he was at peace within," McCullum told Sky Sports. "From that point of view, I guess your emotion then leads on to just a bit of sadness really because you have been on this journey together for four years and it's been a real thrill. I feel very privileged that I've been able to work intimately with Stokesy throughout that and consider him a friend, a good friend." McCul

England Test skipper Ben Stokes announces retirement from int'l cricket

Stokes bows out as one of England's most accomplished all-rounders, having played pivotal roles in the country's ODI World Cup triumph in 2019 and the T20 World Cup title in 2022

Latham-Conway's 317 rewrites New Zealand's Test record book vs England

Latham and Conway became only the third visiting opening pair to post a 300-plus stand in a Test in England, after Australia's Marsh-Taylor (329, 1989) and South Africa's Smith-Gibbs (338, 2003).

Can India solve their spin problem before Sri Lanka Test challenge?

India have lost five of their last nine Tests on spin-friendly tracks and now face a Sri Lankan side whose home success still rests heavily on slow bowling

IND vs AFG Test: Manav Suthar joins elite list with fifer on Test debut

Manav is now the tenth Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut

IND vs AFG Test, Day 2: Manav's dream debut leaves Afghanistan reeling

After declaring their first innings at a commanding 564/8, India struck regularly with the ball, with Suthar claiming three wickets and Prasidh Krishna adding two

IND vs AFG Test Day 2: Sundar slams unbeaten 52 as India declare on 564/8

Rishabh Pant missed out on his hundred while Washington Sundar hit an unbeaten 52 as India declared their first innings at a formidable 564 for eight against Afghanistan on the second day of the one-off Test here Sunday. KL Rahul had struck a patient 100 off 165 balls while Sai Sudharsan contributed 81 on the opening day. Skipper Shubhman Gill led from the front with a commanding 126 before getting out in the morning session on Sunday. Pant added an entertaining 81 as India's top and middle order batters dominated the Afghanistan attack after resuming at overnight 368 for three. Lower down the order, Sundar remained unbeaten on 52, while Manav Suthar made 28 and Mohammed Siraj chipped in with a quickfire 22 as India accelerated before captain Gill called his batters back after 127 overs. For Afghanistan, pacer Mohammad Saleem was the standout performer with figures of 6/140 from 27 overs. Ziaur Rahman and Hashmatullah Shahidi claimed a wicket each, but the visitors struggled to ..

Who is Saleem Safi? First Afghan pacer to take a fifer vs India in Tests

Saleem, who went wicketless in his Test debut against Sri Lanka, performed with brilliant consistency and added big names like Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan to his wicket column in Mullanpur

IND vs AFG Test, Day 1: Centuries from Gill and Rahul propel India to 368/3

Sai Sudharsan and Rishabh Pant also dominated the Afghanistan bowling attack with brilliant half-centuries

IND vs AFG Test: Manav Suthar becomes 319th player to debut for India

Manav is the first specialist spinner to make his India debut in red-ball cricket since Axar Patel in 2021