Wednesday, May 06
A dramatic opening day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground saw 20 wickets fall. Australia were bowled out for 152, and England followed for 110. This collapse has raised concerns for Cricket Australia about the impact of shortened Test matches on business.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will captain India's U-19 team on their South Africa tour, with Ayush Mhatre set to lead the squad for the 2026 U-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia. Injuries have ruled out Mhatre and Vihaan Malhotra from the South Africa leg, but they are expected to return for the World Cup.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy highlights the tournament's crucial role in India's domestic cricket. Player earnings are tiered by experience, not stardom, with seasoned cricketers like Kohli and Sharma earning Rs 60,000 per match, a fraction of their international fees. Daily allowances and performance-based awards supplement this income.
England achieved a significant victory in the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. This win ended an 18-match winless streak in Australia. The match concluded quickly due to pitch conditions. Stuart Broad's contrasting reactions from Perth to Melbourne captured the team's emotional journey. Despite the series outcome, the victory held immense emotional value for the English team.
"It probably started quite slow and it's hard to explain. Not tennis bally normally, that's from like the moisture of the wicket," Smith said during the post-match press conference. He added that the thickness of the grass affected how the ball behaved after pitching.
Virat Kohli played a strong innings of 77 for Delhi against Gujarat in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Gujarat spinner Vishal Jayswal took Kohli's wicket. After the match, Jayswal shared a memorable moment with Kohli, receiving an autograph and a photograph. Kohli had previously scored 131 in the tournament. He is not expected to play further matches.
"When you go out there and you're faced with those conditions, you've got to crack on and deal with it," Stokes said after England ended a 15-year wait for a Test win on Australian soil. Smith said the pitch had too much grass, which created excessive seam movement and made batting difficult.
