Category: SPORTS

Openers Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch kept the Indian pacers at bay on a green top, taking Australia to 66 for no loss at lunch on day one of the second Test here on Friday. After the session lasting 26 overs, Finch was unbeaten on 28 runs (81 balls), while Harris was on 36 not out (76 balls). This was after the hosts won the toss and opted to bat. Australia named an unchanged eleven from the first Test, while India made two changes. Hanuma Vihari and Umesh Yadav came…

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Most Indian teams of the past would be wary of a green top but the Virat Kohli-led side will see it as an opportunity to bulldoze the Australians when the second Test begins on a pitch offering plenty of pace and bounce at the brand new Optus Stadium, here Friday. The mood in the Indian camp was summed up best by the skipper after a green pitch was unveiled on eve of the maiden Test at the new facility. “We get more excited than nervous looking at lively pitches now,” said Kohli,…

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P V Sindhu’s bid to end the season with a gold will be a tough one while debutante Sameer Verma too will need to produce his absolute best to make the knockout stage when the BWF World Tour Finals begins here Wednesday.Sindhu has been the most impressive among the Indian shuttlers as she claimed silver medals at all the major events — Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and World Championship — besides finishing runners-up at the India Open and Thailand Open.On Wednesday, the 23-year-old from Hyderabad, who had finished runners-up in…

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AC Milan missed a chance to pile pressure on local rivals and fellow Champions League chasers Inter Milan in Serie A after being held to a goalless draw by Torino at the San Siro on Sunday.Gennaro Gattuso’s fourth-placed Milan are three points behind Inter, who lost to leaders Juventus on Friday, after wasting opportunities to win the match, with forward Patrick Cutrone missing a golden chance with four minutes left and Gonzalo Higuain, returning from a two-match ban, also denied late.Milan’s wastefulness wasn’t punished by Torino, four points behind Milan…

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Indian bowlers once again exposed the chinks in jittery Australian batting line-up leaving the hosts tottering at 104 for 4 in pursuit of a tough target of 323 on the fourth day of the first Test on Sunday.With 219 runs required on a fifth day track, it will be an onerous job for the Australian batsmen, who have been struggling against a consistent Indian attack with their ultra defensive approach.Ravichandran Ashwin (2/44 in 19 overs) and Mohammed Shami (2/15 in 9 overs) were impressive during the final session as Australia…

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Australia batsman Travis Head feels India Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara has set an example for others with his first-innings century, calling his gritty knock a “blueprint” on this pitch.Taking a leaf out of Pujara’s book, Head scored a 167-ball 72 to steer Australia to 235 on the third day of first Test here Saturday.Head helped score 44 runs in the rain-affected first session on Saturday as Australia just about managed to close the gap after Pujara had produced a superb 123 on the opening day to guide India to 250…

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Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took 3 for 38 as Australia were restricted to 117 for 4 at tea on day two of the first Test against India here on Friday.At the break, Peter Handscomb was batting on 33 while Travis Head was unbeaten on 17 runs. Australia still trail by 133 runs, after India made 250 in their first innings.Post lunch, Ashwin bowled an incisive spell that tied down the Australian batsmen.First up, Shaun Marsh (2) gifted his wicket immediately after resumption of lunch break. In the very first over, he…

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With Australia in turmoil, India are “smelling blood” but Virat Kohli’s men would also be under great pressure to perform during the four-Test series starting here Thursday, coach Justin Langer said Wednesday.”You sense they’re smelling blood. Just like the great Australian cricket team of 2001 felt and we just fell short (of winning in India) and we were able to (win in) 2004,” Langer told Australian radio channel SEN’s Whateley.”You sense these moments. I’m sensing India feel that.” India have never won a Test series in Australia and their recent oversees…

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India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane on Tuesday tagged Australia as the favourites ahead of the first Test and said the visitors will have to come up with long partnerships to win their maiden series Down Under.Rahane cited the example of his 262-run partnership with Virat Kohli at Melbourne in 2014-15 and said that the Australian focus on the India’s star batsman helps other batsmen do their job silently at the other end.”Each and every batsman’s role will be to contribute for the team and I think for us it is important…

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The on-court “maturity” of Ankita Raina and the “observational” skills of Karman Kaur Thandi is making their newly-formed doubles partnership click, say India’s top two singles players.Ankita and Karman first nailed their career’s maiden WTA doubles title in Taipei before uniting to win the Pune Open last week, making it two trophies in a row.While the two players have not committed on how long they want to play together but if they are playing the same tournaments, there is no stopping this partnership.And given that they are ranked closer, just…

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