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Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad, who had been left out of the side’s training camp on disciplinary grounds at the start of May, was omitted from 22-man preliminary squad for the England tour in July-August as well. ESPNcricinfo understands that Shehzad was left out on disciplinary grounds again, despite being the leading run-getter in the 50-over Pakistan Cup with 372 runs at an average of 74.40, including a century and three fifties.The selectors picked the probables mainly from the ongoing boot camp at the Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad. After that camp, the selected players will report for a skills camp between May 20 and June 5.Mohammad Hafeez, who had missed the training camp because of a knee injury, and legspinner Yasir Shah who was undergoing rehabilitation for a knee injury of his own, found places in the list of probables.Hafeez underwent a medical test on Wednesday, which will determine his availability for the four-match Test series. Sami Aslam, Shan Masood and Khurram Manzoor were the other openers to be picked. Yasir, meanwhile, is expected to be fit in a week.The selection committee, headed by Inzamam-ul-Haq, called up two uncapped Karachi batsmen – Asif Zakir and Akbar-ur-Rehman. Asif had scored 791 runs in 10 first-class matches in 2015-16 at an average of 56.50, while Akbar-ur-Rehman made 761 runs in 10 first-class games at 58.53.Left-handed batsman Fawad Alam, who was picked in the squad for the England series in the UAE in 2015-16, was left out despite topping the fitness tests – he was joint top with Mohammad Rizwan and Masood. Instead, batsman Iftikhar Ahmed, who could bowl offspin, has been picked. Iftikhar, who is uncapped in Tests, had made his ODI debut against England last year.Inzamam said that Alam’s name was discussed, but Iftikhar got the nod because of his all-round ability. “We did consider him [Alam] for the selection, but we have a packed middle order with Younis Khan, Misbah, Asad Shafiq, and we have an option of Iftikhar Ahmed who can bowl offspin from which we can have an edge against left-hand batsmen.”Sarfaraz Ahmed, whose fitness has been a major talking point, also made the cut despite a poor showing in the fitness tests, with Rizwan as a back-up option. Zulfiqar Babar was the second specialist spinner in the squad, and Wahab Riaz, who is playing county cricket for Essex, was also named. Given Wahab is already in England, he will miss the skills camp but join the squad directly in England should he make the final squad. Mohammad Amir, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, Sohail Khan, Junaid Khan and Ehsan Adil are the other seam-bowling options.Inzamam admitted that Pakistan were struggling to find genuine allrounders. “Since Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood, we haven’t found a real allrounder who can come and can maintain the balance of the team. But still we can make an XI without an allrounder,” he said.The list of 22 players will be trimmed to 16 next month.The selectors also named the final squad for the A team’s tour of England for the tri-series also involving the hosts and Sri Lanka A. Opener Sharjeel Khan, seam-bowling allrounder Bilawal Bhatti, and left-arm spinning allrounder Mohammad Nawaz made the cut. The players chosen for the A squad will also attend the skills camp with the Test probables.Batsman Haris Sohail and left-arm spinner Imad Wasim were left out of both squads because of injuries.Pakistan’s probables for the England tour
Openers: Mohammad Hafeez (subject to fitness), Sami Aslam, Shan Masood, Khurram Manzoor
Middle-order batsmen: Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah ul Haq, Asad Shafiq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Asif Zakir, Akbar-ur-Rehman
Seamers: Mohammad Amir, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, Sohail Khan, Junaid Khan, Ehsan Adil, Wahab Riaz
Spinners: Yasir Shah (subject to fitness), Zulfiqar Babar
Wicketkeepers: Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan
Pakistan A players for the tri-series
Openers: Sharjeel Khan, Farukh Zaman, Jahid Ali
Middle-order batsmen: Saud Shakil, Babar Azam, Umer Siddique, Abdur Rehman Muzammil
Allrounders: Mohammad Nawaz
Seamers: Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Azeez Ullah, Bilawal Bhatti
Spinners: Mohammad Asghar, Shadab Khan

KL Rahul resorted to spinning the coin with his left hand and finally won India a toss for the first time in their last 21 ODIs. They followed it up with a nine-wicket win to show what a challenge it had been for them to stay competitive and force a decider against South Africa, despite losing both the earlier tosses in this series.The beleaguered Prasidh Krishna began India’s turnaround, bowling Quinton de Kock after a sensational century. Kuldeep Yadav – playing with the dry ball for the first time in the series – then ran through the lower middle order to restrict South Africa to 270, after they would have entertained thoughts of 350 at various points in the innings.

India penalised for slow over-rate

India’s players have been fined 10% of their match fees for their slow over-rate against South Africa in the second ODI in Raipur on December 3.

KL Rahul’s team was ruled to be two overs behind the target in match referee Richie Richardson’s estimation, and the team was penalised in accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC’s code of conduct for players.

The charge against India was levelled by on-field umpires Rod Tucker and Rohan Pandit, third umpire Sam Nogajski, and fourth umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal.

The low target allowed Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal to be measured in the initial overs, as the ball moved for longer and the dew appeared later than in the first two matches. Rohit shepherded Jaiswal in the early parts of his innings as the youngster found his tempo in a new format. However, Rohit didn’t stay long enough to watch him cruise to a maiden ODI hundred.In the end, the match wasn’t as simplistic as “win the toss, win the match” – it ebbed and flowed with a variety of conditions presenting themselves.Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana used the early moisture – perhaps a touch extra, to stop the pitch from drying out in the first innings – beautifully to tie South Africa down. Ryan Rickleton was opening, with Aiden Markram pushed down the order – to No. 5 – in Tony de Zorzi’s absence. Arshdeep took Rickleton’s edge in the first over. Rana followed it up with a maiden. India bowled three maidens in the first eight overs and only two edged boundaries from de Kock’s bat took South Africa to 25 for 1.Quinton de Kock brought up his seventh ODI ton against India•BCCI

The introduction of Prasidh, already under fire in this series, brought South Africa an opportunity to break free. De Kock took a special liking to him, pulling him for two sixes in his first two overs and playing the two shots of the day: an aerial extra-cover drive on the up for a six and one along the ground for four. Prasidh went for 27 in his first two, and runs started to flow in a 113-run stand between de Kock and Bavuma. The latter scored only 48 of those in 67 balls, which was more indicative of the conditions and the quality of bowling. De Kock, on the other hand, was already 63 off 55 at this point.The pitch had settled by now, and Matthew Breetzke took down the part-time spin of Tilak Varma, playing in place of Washington Sundar. By the end of the 26th over, the fifth-bowler combination of Prasidh and Tilak had leaked 56 runs from their five overs. De Kock was well on his way to a seventh century against India in just 23 innings. No one has scored more against India. Nor has any visiting batter scored more than his seven centuries in India.Related

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This is when, at 158 for 2, Prasidh started his second spell. His first over went for just two. Rana came on at the other end, with India desperate for a wicket. De Kock hit a four to take South Africa past a run a ball for the first time. In Prasidh’s next, Breetzke tried to get back to dominating him and made an error in judging length. He was out plumb lbw playing back and across the line to a ball hitting top of off. In the same over, Markram ended up chipping one to Virat Kohli, fielding close at short cover.Given the depth in their batting and the need to capitalise on the overs before the extra fielder went out for the last 10 overs, South Africa kept going. The run rate stayed up, but de Kock ended up playing all around a long half-volley from Prasidh, dismissed for 106 off 89 out of a score of 199 for 5 in 32.5 overs.Dewald Brevis and Marco Jansen kept attacking, but the return of Kuldeep brought new challenges. India needed to bowl five overs of spin in the last 14, which could have been tricky. However, Kuldeep was cherishing the dry ball for the first time this series as well as the older ball for the first time in his career, since the bowling side is now allowed to bowl with only one of the two balls after the 34th over.Brevis and Jansen were bullish in their response. They were not willing to play out Kuldeep, the leading wicket-taker in the series despite a predominantly wet ball in hand. When Kuldeep started the second over of this new spell, there had been 19 balls without a boundary. The extra fielder would go out in two overs as well. Aware of a big shot around the corner, Kuldeep kept tossing the ball wide and taking it away. Both of the batters holed out in the same over.Rohit Sharma celebrates with Kuldeep Yadav, who took four wickets•Associated Press

Kuldeep’s wizardry picked up two more wickets – only Adam Zampa has taken more hauls of four or more since Kuldeep’s debut – and Prasidh wiped off the last man.If South Africa had to compete in this defence, they needed early wickets. The ball moved around for Jansen and Lungi Ngidi, but seven wides in the first two overs and the occasional calculated strike from Rohit kept India in touch with the asking rate.Even as Jaiswal struggled, Rohit took the game on, charging and pulling Ngidi for a six and chipping Keshav Maharaj for a four against the turn. His trademark imperious pull made an appearance soon enough. While Jaiswal’s strike rate hovered around 50, Rohit got to his 94th score of 50 or more at a run a ball, buying Jaiswal time.It hasn’t been an ideal scenario for Jaiswal, filling in for the injured captain Shubman Gill. He was obligated to hit out in the first two ODIs as India strived for above-par scored to counter the toss disadvantage, but here, he could use the extra time and post a big score before Gill takes over again.The innings flowed smoothly after he reached 50 off 75 balls. He reached his hundred in just 36 more balls, becoming the sixth batter to be a centurion for India in all three formats. He batted with the two others in this chase. After Rohit fell 25 short of what would have been a 34th ODI hundred, Kohli displayed yet another upgrade to his game: he took his sixes tally to 12 – more than he has ever hit in a series before. He finished unbeaten on 65 off 45, as India won with more than 10 overs to spare.

Keep up to date with all the movements around the counties as preparations are made for the 2026 men’s county seasonDerbyshireIN: Matt Montgomery (Nottinghamshire)
OUT: David Lloyd (retired), Alex Thomson (released)
OVERSEAS: Caleb JewellDurhamIN: Kasey Aldridge (Somerset), Archie Bailey (Gloucestershire)
OUT: Mitchell Killeen (Essex), Paul Coughlin (Lancashire)
OVERSEAS:EssexIN: Mitchell Killeen (Durham), Zaman Akhter (Gloucestershire)
OUT: Nick Browne (retired), Adam Rossington, Jamal Richards (both released)
OVERSEAS: Simon HarmerGlamorganIN: Sean Dickson (Somerset)
OUT: Sam Northeast (Kent), Tom Bevan (released)
OVERSEAS: Colin IngramGloucestershireIN: Craig Miles (Warwickshire), Will Williams (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire)
OUT: Archie Bailey (Durham), Ajeet Singh Dale (Lancashire), Zaman Akhter (Essex), Dom Goodman (Sussex), Tom Price (Sussex), Josh Shaw (Somerset)
OVERSEAS: Cameron Bancroft, Gabe Bell (April-May), D’Arcy Short (T20), Liam Scott (May-July)HampshireIN: Jake Lehmann (UK passport)
OUT: Keith Barker (Warwickshire), Benny Howell (Nottinghamshire), Joseph Eckland (released)
OVERSEAS: Kyle Abbott, Michael Neser (April-May)KentIN: Sam Northeast (Glamorgan), Matt Milnes (Yorkshire)
OUT: Jack Leaning (Sussex), Nathan Gilchrist (Warwickshire), George Garrett (retired), Marcus O’Riordan, Mohammed Rizvi (both released)
OVERSEAS: Keith DudgeonLancashireIN: Paul Coughlin (Durham), Ajeet Singh Dale (Gloucestershire)
OUT: Will Williams (Gloucestershire), Josh Boyden (released)
OVERSEAS: Marcus Harris, Chris Green (T20)LeicestershireIN: Stephen Eskinazi (Middlesex), Jonny Tattersall (Yorkshire), Josh Davey (Somerset), Ben Green (Somerset)
OUT: Louis Kimber (Northamptonshire), Chris Wright, Harry Swindells (both retired), Matt Salisbury, Roman Walker (both released)
OVERSEAS: Peter Handscomb, Keshav Maharaj (April-July)MiddlesexIN: Caleb Falconer (academy)
OUT: Stephen Eskinazi (Leicestershire)
OVERSEAS:NorthamptonshireIN: Louis Kimber (Leicestershire), Calvin Harrison (Nottinghamshire)
OUT: Freddie Heldreich (released)
OVERSEAS: Matthew Breetzke, Nathan McSweeney, Harry Conway (April-May), Yuzvendra Chahal (July-Sept)NottinghamshireIN: Benny Howell
OUT: Calvin Harrison (Northamptonshire), Matthew Montgomery (Derbyshire), Sammy King, Dane Schadendorf (both released)
OVERSEAS: Kyle Verreynne, Fergus O’Neil (April-June)SomersetIN: Josh Shaw (Gloucestershire)
OUT: Kasey Aldridge (Durham), Sean Dickson (Glamorgan), Josh Davey (Leicestershire), Ben Green (Leicestershire), Andrew Umeed (released)
OVERSEAS: Riley Meredith (T20), Migael PretoriusSurreyIN: Ralphie Albert (academy)
OUT:
OVERSEAS:SussexIN: Danny Briggs (Warwickshire), Jack Leaning (Kent), Dom Goodman (Gloucestershire), Tom Price (Gloucestershire)
OUT: Ari Karvelas, Bertie Foreman, Archie Lenham, Zach Lion-Cachet, Henry Rogers (all released)
OVERSEAS: Jaydev Unadkat (June-Sept)WarwickshireIN: Keith Barker (Hampshire), Nathan Gilchrist (Kent), Jordan Thompson (Yorkshire)
OUT: Danny Briggs (Sussex), Craig Miles (Gloucestershire), Moeen Ali (retired)
OVERSEAS: Beau Webster (April-July)WorcestershireIN:
OUT: Tom Hinley, Yadvinder Singh (both released)
OVERSEAS: Usama Mir (T20), Ben Dwarshuis (T20)YorkshireIN:
OUT: Matt Milnes (Kent), Jordan Thompson (Warwickshire), Jonny Tattersall (Leicestershire), Dawid Malan (Gloucestershire)
OVERSEAS:

In an unprecedented move, the PCB has appointed its current Test captain Shan Masood as its Consultant for International Cricket and Player Affairs, a role that could soon become that of Director International Cricket – a senior administrative role in most cricket boards. The PCB declined to say whether this meant Masood was leaving his position as international cricketer or Test captain, or whether he would do both jobs concurrently.The PCB is currently actively recruiting for the position of Director International Cricket, with applications closing on November 2. ESPNcricinfo understands it is that vacancy Masood could eventually fill, while expected to perform that task on a caretaker basis in the interim.The previous Director International Cricket was Usman Wahla, appointed in May 2023. He was suspended from the role in September this year, though there has been no official confirmation from the PCB concerning his employment status since. It has been reported that Masood, and the players, were informed of his new role at a dinner reception hosted by the Prime Minister in honour of the visiting South African side.The PCB’s official statement is shrouded in uncertainty, saying nothing about Masood’s specific responsibilities, how long he will be in the job for, or how it affects his status as captain and player. The decision comes just a day after the conclusion of Pakistan’s Test series against South Africa, which Masood captained, and which the sides shared 1-1. Masood was the joint-highest scorer for Pakistan in the series.There’s no word from Masood in the statement the PCB put out on Friday. Masood has had the reins of the Test team for just over two years now, a period in which his position as captain has come under considerable scrutiny. He has won only one Test series – against England last winter – but before that he had become the first Pakistan captain to lose a Test series against Bangladesh. His tenure – ten losses and four wins – includes a drawn series at home against West Indies and whitewashes in Australia (3-0) and South Africa (2-0). Pakistan finished last in the last WTC cycle.Masood’s own batting performances as captain have actually shown an improvement on his overall career record. It hasn’t prevented his leadership from being subject to almost permanent uncertainty, however, and it was only shortly before the South Africa series that it became clear he would remain captain.Masood’s appointment as consultant is all but unprecedented, however, and surprising even by the standards of this PCB administration. Given the demands of what such an administrative role would ordinarily require, it can’t help but raise questions about his playing future. It could also potentially raise any number of conflicts of interest, with an active cricketer looking over the affairs of players who play under him or alongside him.Pakistan’s next Test assignments are two-match series against Bangladesh and West Indies next year, before a three-match tour of England in August 2026.

Zak Foulkes, the 22-year-old New Zealand fast bowler, has joined Durham for their T20 Blast campaign.Foulkes has made eight international white-ball appearances to date, having made his debut in April 2024. As a tall right-arm seamer, who hits the deck hard, seven of those have come in T20Is, in which he has claimed nine wickets at 26.33, with a best of 3 for 20 against Sri Lanka.Foulkes has previous experience in the Vitality Blast, having played seven games for Birmingham Bears last summer, claiming eight wickets.”I am really excited to be joining Durham for the Vitality Blast this season,” Foulkes said. “I have heard great things about the Club and can’t wait to get involved.”Marcus North, Director of Cricket, said: “We are very pleased to have recruited Zak for our T20 Blast season.”It was important we brought in a player who will provide us with a clear point of difference within our bowling attack and that is exactly what Zak brings.”At only 22, Zak has already shown across the international and domestic game how much of a dynamic and well-rounded player he is in the T20 format.”We look forward to welcoming him to Durham this summer.”

Richard Thompson, the ECB’s chair, has revealed a target to raise at least £350 million in the Hundred’s sales process – a target that he believes the board will surpass “comfortably” when deals are signed off early next year.The private equity group Bridgepoint made a lucrative offer to buy a majority stake in the whole competition two years ago, which was turned down due to the ECB’s desire to retain control of the Hundred. Thompson said the offer had informed the benchmark that the ECB are attempting to clear during its ongoing sales process.The ECB is selling 49% stakes in each of the eight teams in the Hundred, which will be turned into franchises and will initially be run as joint-ventures with host counties (or, in the case of London Spirit, MCC). The sales process launched in early September and has progressed into the second of three rounds, with a final target deadline in January 2025.Thompson said last month that the pool of prospective investors was “way broader and bigger” than the Raine Group – the US investment bank who are running the process – had anticipated. The ECB have not previously committed to a projected figure from the sale in public, but Thompson has now revealed that £350 million is seen as the minimum target.Related

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“Our target was to raise £350 million from sales,” Thompson told . “I think we’re going to exceed that comfortably, but we’ve still got some way to go. I think all of us have been genuinely shocked over the quality and quantity of interest… There’s hardly anyone in sport that isn’t at the table.”The ECB was questioned last week by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee on the sale of the Hundred. Chief executive Richard Gould responded in writing to a letter from the committee’s chair Caroline Dinenage and defended the sale after questions around its likely impact on English cricket.”This process presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for a significant capital injection into cricket in England and Wales,” Gould wrote. “It is a rare moment when we have the collective power to ensure that these funds are utilised fully in ways that will provide long-term financial sustainability for the whole game.”Gould also revealed that the ECB will soon establish a ‘Hundred committee’ designed to “lead, scrutinise and monitor the administration, operation and commercialisation” of the competition. Its members will comprise ECB non-executive directors, representatives from the franchises and independent appointments.

Playing only his third List A game, K Shrijith struck an unbeaten 101-ball 150 to lead Karnataka home in the second-highest successful chase in Vijay Hazare Trophy history, as they hauled down a target of 383 with 3.4 overs to spare at the Narendra Modi Stadium’s B ground.Andhra’s successful chase of 384 against Goa in the 2011-12 season continues to hold the tournament record.Related

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Shrijith’s effort meant that Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 114 off just 55 balls went in vain for Mumbai. Iyer hit five fours and as many as ten sixes as he hurried Mumbai to a formidable total following a relatively sedate start. When Iyer walked out, Mumbai were 148 for 2 in the 30th over, following a 141-run second-wicket stand, off 160 balls, between Hardik Tamore (84 off 94) and Ayush Mhatre (78 off 82).Mumbai proceeded to up their scoring rate as Iyer added 30 off 22 with Tamore and 56 off 34 with Suryakumar Yadav (20 off 16). That set the stage for a frenetic finish, as Iyer and Shivam Dube proceeded to put on an unbroken 148 off the last 65 balls of Mumbai’s innings. While Dube scored an unbeaten 63 off 36 (5×4, 5×6), Iyer from the other end smashed 74 off the last 29 balls of his innings.Amid the carnage of Mumbai’s innings, new-ball operator Vasuki Koushik finished with the impressive figures of 0 for 45 from his ten overs.In contrast with Mumbai’s gradual build-up of steam, Karnataka kept pace with the required rate almost throughout their chase. They were 106 for 2 in the 15th over, with openers Nikin Jose (21 off 13) and Mayank Agarwal (47 off 48) having both departed, when Shrijith walked to the crease.The wicketkeeper-batter took charge of the innings thereafter, first putting on 94 with No. 3 KV Aneesh, who made a 66-ball 82 on his List A debut, and then dominating an unbroken stand of 183 off just 119 balls with the legspinning allrounder Praveen Dubey.While Dubey contributed 65 off 50 balls to the partnership, Shrijith smashed 107 off 69, as Karnataka charged towards their target. Mumbai’s bowlers came in for heavy punishment, none worse than Shardul Thakur who went for 72 in six wicketless overs.

In what could be the end of an illustrious Test career for Shakib Al Hasan, the allrounder has had to make himself unavailable for the first home Test against South Africa. He was unable to make it to Dhaka while traveling from New York earlier this week. Shakib has been replaced by uncapped left-arm spinner Hasan Murad for the first Test starting October 21 in Dhaka, which was supposed to be his farewell Test.Shakib, who was traveling from New York to Dhaka was asked to wait while in transit in Dubai on Wednesday, had expressed uncertainty around returning home because of protests against him in Dhaka amid political unrest. Shakib was initially included in the Test squad and it was supposed to be his farewell game at home, he had said on the tour of India last month.Shakib has not been able to return home in Bangladesh ever since the Awami League’s government resigned after 15 years in early August. Shakib, an MP with the Awami League, was already in Canada at the time for the Global T20 Canada and has not been to his home country since then. He flew to Pakistan for the two-Test series Bangladesh won, he went to the UK to play one first-class game for Surrey in the County Championship in September, before going to India for the two Tests. Unable to return home because of ongoing safety issues, he went to New York where he currently stays. Shakib has been named among 147 people in an FIR for an alleged murder during the unrest.Related

• Bangladesh look to begin post-Shakib era on winning note

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• What will life after Big Five be like for Bangladesh in T20Is?

• Shakib's final Test under cloud due to protests against him in Dhaka

Murad, 23, has taken 136 wickets in 30 first-class matches since his debut in 2021, and has already played two T20Is, in the Asian Games last year.”We have been informed that Shakib is unavailable for the first Test,” chairman of BCB’s national selection panel Gazi Ashraf Hossain said in a press release. “He is at the end of his Test career but along with his experience, we still do not have someone of that calibre with both bat and the ball to replace him.”However, Hasan Murad has performed consistently in first-class cricket and has been in our system. He will lend balance to our bowling, especially in home conditions. We believe he has the potential to deliver at this level.”The second Test between Bangladesh and South Africa will be played in Chattogram from October 29.

An inspection by the Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department has found that one of the stands at Green Park stadium is unsafe, and the state officials have advised the stadium authorities not to fill it up to capacity.On Tuesday, a delegation from the PWD along with members of the engineering department at Harcourt Butler Technical University in Kanpur were at Green Park to check for structural frailties. Sanjay Kapoor, the venue director, said this was routine.”Whenever an event is held anywhere, government departments conduct their own surveys,” Kapoor said. “PWD and HBTU also conducted their inspection three days before the match and found that some seats in C block cannot be used for spectators as it is not safe.”Related

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The C stand is one of the oldest structures at Green Park. It has been undergoing repair work for the past two days. The upper block can seat 4800 people but on the PWD’s advice, only a limited number of those seats will go on sale.”About 1750 seats of the upper block of are still available for spectators,” Kapoor said, “We are going for full capacity in the lower block.”The last time Green Park hosted a Test match, against New Zealand in 2021, there were visibility concerns, even though the floodlights were in operation. The final day’s play ended 12 minutes early with New Zealand’s 10th wicket pair holding on for a dramatic draw. Kapoor insisted that the floodlights are “ready to use” if they become needed and considering the forecast for at least the first three days of the game, they might be.”When you organise an international match, you have to take permission from government departments,” he said. “But it is useless to say that we are organising this match without any government permission. Apart from this, all the floodlights are fine and ready to use. To avoid the terror of monkeys, we have made two-tier arrangements.”The Kanpur Test will begin on Friday, September 27. India will be looking to sweep the series having already won the Chennai Test last week, by 280 runs.

Ricky Ponting has tipped Australia to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India later this year by a 3-1 margin.He said the hosts will have a “bit of a point to prove” after losing their previous two home Test series to India 2-1 in 2018-19 and 2020-21. Australia have not beaten India in a Test series since 2014-15.”It’s going to be a competitive series and, as I said, I think Australia’s got a bit of a point to prove against India in Australia on the back of what’s happened the last two series here,” Ponting said on the . “We are back to five Tests as well, which is the other really important thing about this series. It’s only been four Tests the last couple of times. Five tests, I think everyone’s really excited by that and I don’t know if there’d be too many drawn games.”I’m obviously going to tip Australia to win and I’m never going to tip against Australia. There will be a draw somewhere and there will be some bad weather somewhere, so I’m going to say 3-1 to Australia.”

Should Steven Smith continue to open?

Ponting said the Australian side would “pretty much pick itself” but he wasn’t sure whether Steven Smith should continue to open or not, after the spot was left vacant by David Warner’s retirement at the SCG earlier this year.”Probably the only one question there might be with Australia again, is if Smith’s the right man to be opening the batting. That would be the only query that I can see there. But that was all about obviously bringing Cameron Green back into the side.”So I’ll rephrase it, not whether Smith’s the right man to open the batting but whether he thinks it’s the right spot for him. Because I think if he doesn’t think it’s the right spot then they’ll make a change and get someone else back up there.”In his last Test series, in New Zealand in March, Smith scored just 51 runs in four innings while opening. His promotion to the top after Warner retired was to also accommodate Cameron Green in the XI, which paid dividends when Green was the top scorer on the tour with 238 runs in four innings including a career-best 174 not out in Wellington.Though the sample size is small – eight innings as opener – the numbers aren’t in Smith’s favour. Apart from a high score of 91 against West Indies at the Gabba this year, he has passed 30 only once and averages 28.50.