Team India is all set to lock horns with South Africa for the five-match T20I series. Ahead of the first match, the skipper of the home team, Suryakumar Yadav, said that his side looks good and strong, but the batsmen need to be flexible. He stated that Shivam Dube, being an all-rounder, can come to bat at any position, similar to how he went to bat at number three in Australia. "Dube is an all-rounder. All the batters from 3 to 7 are capable of batting at any position. For example, you might see Tilak Verma batting at 6. As you saw in Australia, Dube went in to bat at number 3. It depends on the entry point of the batter. We have to be really flexible during that. More likely, this is what the team and the squad look like. It looks good. It looks strong. So, I am very happy with it," he said. The skipper also stated that the preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 started after the conclusion of the previous edition. He added that a team cannot start their preparations for such a marquee event just months before its commencement. "Preparation for the T20 World Cup had already begun after the 2024 T20 World Cup ended. You can't just start preparing for a big tournament a month or two before it starts. It started a long way back. Since then, we have been trying new things, which have been working in our favour till now," said the 35-year-old cricketer. The first T20I match between Team India and South Africa is scheduled to be played on Tuesday at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Mullanpur will host the second T20I between India and South Africa on Thursday. The third T20I will be played at Dharamsala on Sunday, followed by the fourth on December 17 in Lucknow. Ahmedabad will host the fifth and final match of the series on December 19. India's squad for T20I series against South Africa: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar. (With ANI Inputs)
08 December,2025 05:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the first T20I match against South Africa, Team India's captain Suryakumar Yadav has provided updates on the fitness of Shubman Gill and star all-rounder Hardik Pandya. The skipper said both of them look "fit and healthy". "Right now, both of them look healthy and fit. They are in the team," said Yadav in the pre-match press conference. The first T20I match between Team India and South Africa will be played on Tuesday at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Mullanpur will host the second T20I between India and South Africa on Thursday. The third T20I will be played at Dharamsala on Sunday, December 14, followed by the fourth on December 17 in Lucknow. Ahmedabad will host the fifth and final match of the series on December 19. Gill was ruled out of the second Test match and three-match ODI series against South Africa due to the neck injury that he sustained in the first Test. Later, he was hospitalised and completed his rehabilitation at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence. On the other hand, Pandya suffered a quadriceps injury during the Asia Cup 2025. Following the injury, he missed out on Australia's white-ball tour. The all-rounder then proved his fitness by featuring in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Baroda. Yadav said that considering Pandya's experience, his inclusion in the squad will definitely provide a good balance. "What you saw in the Asia Cup also, when he [Hardik] was bowling with the new ball, he opened up a lot of options, combinations for us with respect to the playing XI. That's what he brings to the table. His experience, the way he has done well in all big games, all ICC events, and ACC events. I think that experience will count a lot and his presence will definitely give a good balance to the side," he stated, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. India's squad for T20I series against South Africa: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar. (With ANI Inputs)
08 December,2025 04:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the second Test match of the Ashes series, England suffered a loss by eight wickets against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane. Speaking after the loss, England skipper Ben Stokes said that Australia is not for the weak men, demanding more firepower from the "Three Lions". "There is a saying that we have said a lot here, Australia is not for weak men. A dressing room that I am captain of is not a place for weak men either," he told BCC. "Do we need to start thinking about what mentality we are taking into those pressure moments?" Stokes said. Further, he stated that when there are pressure situations during the match, the English players are not delivering performances enough to cope with it. "When we are on top we are great and when behind the game we are also very good but when that moment is neck and neck we are not coming out on top on enough occasions," said the 34-year-old cricketer. After suffering a loss in the second game, the "Three Lions" will now lock horns against the Aussies for the third Test match, which is scheduled to begin on December 17 at the Adelaide Oval. What could turn out to be bad news for the visitors is the potential return of Australia's captain Pat Cummins. The pacer said that he will be “good to go” for the third Ashes Test after missing the first two with a back injury. The 32-year-old pace spearhead has not played since picking up the issue against the West Indies mid-year. Selectors flirted with including him for the second Test at Brisbane, but erred on the side of caution. “First of all, yeah, I should be right for Adelaide. I’ll have one more bowl [on Sunday], and then we’ll go to Adelaide and have another bowl there. So, barring any hiccups, I’ll be good to go. Body feels great,” Cummins said on Fox Sports. The hosts were also without fellow quick Josh Hazlewood for the first two Tests, and the news from him was less encouraging. He was back bowling after tweaking a hamstring, but reported Achilles soreness this week. (With AFP Inputs)
08 December,2025 03:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSkipper Salman Ali Agha has said that Pakistan will decide their squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka. Speaking about the squad for the World Cup, he said that the players have been given their roles and will have to deliver performances consistently before the global showpiece. "I don't think there will be any major changes before the World Cup; this will be the combination. All players have been given their roles, and we will move forward with these roles. Six matches are left before the T20 World Cup, we will have to play with consistency. We cannot make big changes in these six matches," said Salman on a podcast as quoted by the ICC. Further speaking, he also said that the "Green Shirts" will enter the tournament under his leadership. He also said that the Sri Lanka series will help the players before the global showpiece. "As of now, Pakistan will play the T20 World Cup under my captaincy. Senior players understand Sri Lankan pitches; the Sri Lanka series will benefit the new players before the World Cup. The team is on the right track, but there is still room for improvement. We want Pakistan to reach the level where everyone hopes to see it," said the 32-year-old cricketer. Ahead of the shortest format World Cup, Pakistan is placed in Group A along with Team India, USA, Netherlands and Namibia. The T20 World Cup 2026 will kick start from February 7, which will see 20 teams competing against each other. The "Green Shirts" will open their campaign against Namibia on February 7. The high-voltage match between arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, is scheduled to be played on February 15. The title clash of the marquee event is scheduled to be played on February 8. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai), Arun Jaitley Stadium (New Delhi), Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai), Eden Gardens (Kolkata), R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo), Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground (Colombo) and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (Kandy) round out the complete list of host venues. (With ANI Inputs)
08 December,2025 02:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the second Test match of the Ashes series, Australia emerged victorious by eight wickets against England at the Gabba in Brisbane. During the match, Australia's star spinner Nathan Lyon was not included in the playing XI. On being dropped for the game, the spinner described his mood as "absolutely filthy". This was also the first time in 13 years that the Aussies had dropped him in a home Test game. George Bailey, who is Australia's chairman of selectors, said that the decision was just for the one Test match and the spinner will find a place in the team for the upcoming match. Speaking on Lyon's exclusion, stand-in skipper Steve Smith said that he was dropped to strengthen the batting lineup, and there is nothing against the spinner. "It could have gone a few different ways, and it's certainly nothing against Nathan. He's a freak. He's (Lyon) been our spinner for such a long time, but the extra batting and the way the tail hung in for 50 overs gave us the balance we were after," he said as quoted by Fix Sports. The veteran batsman then said that Michael Neser is the player who keeps things tight during the match and forces batsmen to take risks. "(Neser) offers something different. We can bring the keeper up, he hits the stumps, he keeps things tight, and forces batters to take risks when the ball isn't as quick or is skidding. But it's nothing against Nathan. He's unbelievable and he's done it for so long," said Smith. However, after winning the second match, the Aussies have taken a lead by 2-0 in the five-match Ashes Test series against the "Three Lions". The third Test match of the ongoing Ashes Test series is scheduled to be played from December 17 at the Adelaide Oval. Australia captain Pat Cummins said he will be “good to go” for the third Ashes Test after missing the first two with a back injury in more bad news for struggling England. The 32-year-old pace spearhead has not played since picking up the issue against the West Indies mid-year. Selectors flirted with including him for the second Test at Brisbane, but erred on the side of caution. (With inputs from Agencies)
08 December,2025 12:21 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAustralia captain Pat Cummins said he will be “good to go” for the third Ashes Test after missing the first two with a back injury in more bad news for struggling England. The 32-year-old pace spearhead has not played since picking up the issue against the West Indies mid-year. Selectors flirted with including him for the second Test at Brisbane, but erred on the side of caution. “First of all, yeah, I should be right for Adelaide,” Cummins said on Fox Sports, referring to the third Test that starts on December 17. “I’ll have one more bowl [on Sunday], and then we’ll go to Adelaide and have another bowl there. So, barring any hiccups, I’ll be good to go. Body feels great.” Asked how close he was to playing in Brisbane, Cummins said: “Relatively close, really. We thought it didn’t feel like the right Test match to take that risk, so kick it down the road for a week.” Australia have also been without fellow quick Josh Hazlewood for the first two Tests and the news from him was less encouraging. He was back bowling after tweaking a hamstring, but reported Achilles soreness this week. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 December,2025 12:01 PM IST | Brisbane | AFPFormer Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan has withdrawn his retirement decision from T20I and Test cricket, and has expressed his desire to represent the team in all three formats of the game, according to ESPNcricinfo. Shakib, who has been away from international cricket for over a year, announced his retirement from Tests and T20Is last year. Speaking about his retirement plans, the all-rounder said that he wants to feature in a full T20I, ODI, and Test series before hanging hos boots. "I am officially not retired from all formats. This is the first time I'll be revealing that. My plan is to go back to Bangladesh, play one full series of ODI, Test, and T20, and retire," he said on the Beard Before Wicket podcast, which features Moeen Ali. "I mean, [I can] retire from all formats in a series. So it can start from T20I, ODI and Test, or Test, ODI, T20I. Either way, I'm fine, but I want to play a whole series and retire. That's what I want," said the 38-year-old cricketer. He has not returned to Bangladesh since May 2024 after the expulsion of the Awami League government. The cricketer, along with a former MP for the party, was named in an FIR in an alleged murder case. Shakib's most recent international appearance was during the second Test match against Team India in Kanpur. When asked whether he will return to Bangladesh, he said, "I am hopeful. That's why I'm playing [T20 leagues]. I think it will happen". "I think when a player says something, they try to stick to their words. They normally don't change it all of a sudden. It doesn't matter if I play well or not. I might play a bad series after that, if I want to play. But I don't need to do that. I think this is enough. It's just a nicer way to say bye to the fans that they supported me always, give something back to them, playing a home series," added the 38-year-old cricketer. Over the years, Shakib Al Hasan has represented Bangladesh in 71 Test matches, 247 ODIs, and 129 T20I games. He has scored 4609 runs, including five tons and 31 half-centuries in Test cricket. In the 50-over format, the left-handed batsman has accumulated 7570 runs, which also includes nine centuries and 56 half-centuries. He has also garnered 2551 runs and registered 13 half-centuries in the shortest format of the game. (With ANI Inputs)
08 December,2025 12:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentVirat Kohli and Rohit Sharma deserve to be treated differently for their body of work over the years, and their place in the ODI side should have never been a topic of debate, reckons ex-India batting coach Sanjay Bangar. “I don’t think the place of Kohli and Rohit in the team should have been a question. Look at what they have done over so many years,” Bangar told JioStar. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 December,2025 11:34 AM IST | Visakhapatnam | PTIPumped-up Australia captain Steve Smith and England fast bowler Jofra Archer had a fiery verbal clash near the climax of the second Ashes Test on Sunday at the Gabba. Smith hit the winning runs including pulling Gus Atkinson for a huge six over square leg to finish the job in style. His verbal joust with express paceman Archer shortly before that made for captivating viewing. “Bowl fast when there’s nothing going on, champion,” stump mics captured Smith telling Archer. Smith laughed off the exchange later. “It stays on the field,” the ABC quoted Smith as saying. “It was good banter. He’s a good competitor and he comes hard at you, so it was good fun.” Despite another one-sided victory to go with the opening Test in Perth, Smith remains wary of Ben Stokes’s wounded men. “They’re obviously a really good side and they’ve played great cricket for a couple of years now,” he said. “They’re going to come back hard — whether they come back and play really aggressive or take the foot off the pedal a little bit and try and prolong the game a bit, we’ll wait and see. But they’ve got some really good players in their team and they’re going to come back hard at us.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 December,2025 11:33 AM IST | Brisbane | AFPDifferently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI) Vice President Sumit Jain has written a letter to BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia and General Manager (Operations) Abey Kuruvilla alleging that Ravi Chauhan is ‘falsely representing himself as the General Secretary of the Differently Abled Cricket Council of India [DCCI].’ In the letter, a copy of which is with mid-day, Jain has written: “I wish to bring to your notice that Ravi Chauhan, who was formerly serving as the General Secretary of the DCCI as a representative of the Physically Challenged Cricket association of India [PCCAI] has been expelled from the PCCAI. Subsequently, the PCCAI has also resigned from the membership of DCCI. It is pertinent to clarify that membership of DCCI is accorded strictly to associations and not to individuals. Ravi Chauhan’s association with DCCI was purely in his capacity as a representative of PCCAI. Therefore, upon his expulsion from PCCAI, all responsibilities, roles, powers and authorisations vested in him by DCCI automatically stand withdrawn. Accordingly, any request made by Ravi Chauhan on behalf of DCCI must not be entertained under any circumstances.” Ravi Chauhan Former India cricketer and President of the All India Cricket Association for the Physically Challenged, Karsan Ghavri has also backed Jain’s claims. “The BCCI should not entertain Ravi Chauhan. He has already been expelled by DCCI, but still he is taking money from others by using BCCI’s name. I also spoke with Abey Kuruvilla and MCA [Mumbai Cricket Association] president Ajinkya Naik in this regard,” Ghavri told mid-day on Sunday. Meanwhile, Chauhan has told mid-day that he has no knowledge about any issue in this context. “If he [Jain] has written a letter [to BCCI] I don’t know anything about it. We are doing our work and I have never received any intimation from the BCCI nor have we had any discussion with them about this. I just want to say that Sumit Jain has no power to remove me without having a meeting,” Chauhan told mid-day over the phone from Delhi.
08 December,2025 10:19 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureAustralia cruised to an emphatic eight-wicket win over England in the day-night second Ashes Test in Brisbane on Sunday for an ominous 2-0 lead in the series. Set a paltry target of 65 for victory, Australia captain Steve Smith pulled Gus Atkinson for a huge six over square leg to get the job done in style. Although not as humiliating as the two-day loss in the first Test at Perth, England were comprehensively outplayed in every department. Australia are now overwhelming favourites to retain the Ashes with matches in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney to follow. ‘First two days were even’ “Great day. First two days were pretty even, game turned when we were able to extend to get the new ball under lights, that was crucial for us,” said Smith. “It can be tricky with the pink ball, it changes really quickly and you have to adapt.” For England it was more misery. Their batting, apart from Joe Root and Zak Crawley in the first innings and captain Ben Stokes and Will Jacks in the second, was just as rash as in Perth. They gave their wickets away with poor strokes on the bouncy Gabba surface. They also bowled poorly, pitching too short and wasting the new pink ball, in stark contrast to an Australian attack missing spearheads Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. To make matters worse, England dropped five catches in the first innings, whereas Australia’s fielders caught everything that came their way. Very disappointing: Stokes Josh Inglis’s brilliant run-out of Stokes in the first innings changed the course of the match. “Obviously very disappointing,” said Stokes. “A lot of it comes down to not being able to stand up to the pressure of this game, this format, when the game is on the line.” England were behind the game once they let Australia’s tail help the home side post 511 on Saturday, an overall lead of 177. They then lost six second-innings wickets under lights to end the third day 134-6, still 43 runs behind the Australian total. While many expected England to surrender meekly on Sunday, Stokes and Jacks defied the Australian pace attack on a fiercely hot day to edge their way past the initial deficit target and begin to set Australia something to chase. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 December,2025 10:16 AM IST | Brisbane | AFPADVERTISEMENT
