Category: SPORTS

India captain Virat Kohli on Friday opted out of the day-night warm-up game against Australia A, deciding to give his body some rest after having played in all the preceding limited-overs matches. India won the toss and elected to bat in the three-day game that started here on Friday. With Kohli sitting out of the pink-ball tour match, the seasoned Ajinkya Rahane is leading the team at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The game is more of a simulation ahead of the series opening day-night Test, which will be played with…

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Former skipper Michael Clarke believes in-form wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade can be a makeshift opener in an injury-hit Australia squad for the first Test against India beginning at Adelaide on December 17. Australia are grappling with injury issues ahead of the day-night Test with David Warner being ruled out due to a groin injury, while Will Pucovski, who was considered a sure-short selection for the opening Test, is now a doubtful starter after suffering a concussion in a warm-up game against India A in Sydney. Joe Burns’ awful run of form…

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 Australia opener David Warner has been ruled out of the opening Test against India in Adelaide due to a groin injury that he suffered during the limited-overs series. The opening Test of the series, to begin on December 17, will be a day-night affair and Warner said he wants to be cent percent ready for the rigours of traditional format and was targeting a return in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. “The injury feels a lot better, but I need to be able to satisfy in my own mind…

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The dark clouds that gathered over Seddon Park on Saturday on the third day of the first cricket test between New Zealand and West Indies were good omens for New Zealand fast bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult. Boult and Southee play for Northern Districts province which counts Seddon Park at Hamilton among its home grounds. They have an intimate knowledge of local conditions and are especially aware than when low cloud settles over the ground the ball will swing. The West Indies resumed at 49-0 Saturday after openers John…

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The West Indies might have been having a good day on the second day of the first cricket test against New Zealand on Friday if it hadn’t been for Kane Williamson, who stood almost single-handed against them to post his third double century. The tourists picked up the wickets of Ross Taylor (38), Henry Nicholls (7), Tom Blundell (14) and Daryl Mitchell (9) in the first two sessions with a bowling performance much improved on the first day when they won the toss and fielded. But Williamson was an impregnable…

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Lionel Messi was fined 600 euros ( 720) for taking his jersey off to pay tribute to Diego Maradona, the Spanish soccer federation said. The federation’s competitions committee fined the Argentine player for his actions after scoring in Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Osasuna in the Spanish league on Sunday. After a strike from outside the box, Messi took off Barcelona’s blue-and-burgundy to reveal the red-and-black of Maradona’s jersey from his stint at Newell’s Old Boys. Messi then blew a kiss with both hands to the sky as he looked upward.…

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A groin injury has ruled David Warner out of at least the first Test against India and Australia coach Justin Langer says the temporarily vacant opening slot will go to the one who performs well for Australia A in the upcoming tour games against the visitors. The Australian cricket fraternity has been debating about Warner’s opening partner in the Test series with a few backing the struggling Joe Burns to keep his place while others want the young William Pucovski to open. However, the injury to Warner has changed the…

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In-form Australian opener David Warner has been ruled out of the remainder of the limited-overs series against India due to a groin injury that he suffered during the second ODI here, while top pacer Pat Cummins has been rested as part of his workload management. Warner, who scored 69 and 83 in the first two ODIs, hurt himself on Sunday while fielding at the SCG in the second one-dayer which Australia won by 51 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. The dashing opener has returned home…

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Arsenal’s academy products helped the team cruise into to the knockout stage of the Europa League while Leicester needed a late equalizer from Jamie Vardy to advance. Arsenal’s record signing Nicolas P p showed his better side after he was sent off in a 0-0 draw at Leeds in the Premier League on Sunday, scoring the opening goal in a 3-0 away victory at Norway’s Molde. The homegrown talents did the rest as Reiss Nelson doubled the lead and Folarin Balogun less than a minute after coming on as a…

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 A new world and a different shade of retro blue awaits a circumspect Indian cricket team which re-enters the international arena without a white-ball colossus in Rohit Sharma, facing the might of a menacing Australia in the first ODI here on Friday. The absence of an injured Rohit Sharma will certainly leave a gaping hole at the top of the order, something that skipper Virat Kohli wouldn’t have fancied at the onset of a gruelling two-month tour. Kohli’s men, who had been on a COVID-enforced international break since the disastrous…

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