Tuesday, July 14
Liverpool, soaring in the Premier League and Champions League under manager Arne Slot, is poised to match Manchester United's 20 titles. In contrast, United faces another turbulent season with relegation fears under Ruben Amorim. Liverpool's smart transfers and stable ownership have underpinned their success, while United struggles with costly transfer errors and managerial instability.
Australia captain Pat Cummins praised Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah for his exceptional form ahead of the final Test. Cummins noted Bumrah's consistent ability to challenge batters in all formats. Australia, leading 2-1, aim to clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Changes include Beau Webster's debut and Mitch Marsh's exclusion, while Mitchell Starc remains in the lineup despite an injury.
Australia captain Pat Cummins praised Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah for his exceptional form ahead of the final Test. Cummins noted Bumrah's consistent ability to challenge batters in all formats. Australia, leading 2-1, aim to clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Changes include Beau Webster's debut and Mitch Marsh's exclusion, while Mitchell Starc remains in the lineup despite an injury.
Mitchell Starc is included in Australia's XI for the final Border-Gavaskar Test against India despite a rib issue. Starc, along with Cummins, Boland, and Lyon, will spearhead the bowling attack in Sydney. Beau Webster replaces struggling Mitch Marsh for his debut. A win or draw secures Australia's series victory and a spot in the World Test Championship final.
Rohit Sharma, India's T20 World Cup-winning captain, is expected to quietly end his Test career following underwhelming performances. His situation mirrors the abrupt retirements of legends like MS Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and R Ashwin, marking another significant departure in Indian cricket history. Rohit’s recent Test form has been underwhelming, averaging just 6.2 across his last three matches in Australia and 10.93 in the past nine Tests. Combined with India’s struggles in the current World Test Championship cycle, his place in the squad had come under question.
Rohit Sharma will not lead Team India in the final Test against Australia due to his poor form with the bat. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal are set to open, while Jasprit Bumrah will captain the team. Shubman Gill returns, and all-rounders Jadeja and Washington Sundar retain their spots. The SCG Test lineup aims to revive India’s fortunes.
Devajit Saikia is poised to become the next BCCI secretary and Prabhtej Singh Bhatia the treasurer at the BCCI Special General Meeting. Saikia has been acting as secretary since Jay Shah’s move to the ICC. The election is expected to be unopposed at the Mumbai headquarters. Saikia represents Assam Cricket Association, and Bhatia is a BCCI Apex Council member.
Arsenal overcame Brentford 3-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium, closing the gap with Premier League leaders Liverpool. Key goals by Gabriel Jesus, Mikel Merino, and Gabriel Martinelli ensured Arsenal's victory, pushing them to second place. Manager Mikel Arteta praised the team's resilience and emphasized the ongoing title race challenge.
In 2024, India skipper Rohit Sharma’s performance in Tests declined significantly, marked by low scores and technical issues. His struggles culminated in being dropped from the final Test against Australia. With only 619 runs from 14 Tests in 2024 and an average of 24.76, questions arise about his future in cricket.
