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Essex finished nine points clear of the bottom of Division One, but that cushion could vanish if Leicestershire win their appeal. Leicestershire were docked points for a breach of playing conditions at Grace Road and have taken the sanction to the ECB. Should the appeal succeed, Essex drop into Division Two. The final table stays on hold until the appeal panel rules.
Virat Kohli said conversations with Rohit Sharma about the 2027 World Cup have intensified, focusing on solving team problems and finishing unfinished business from previous tournaments.
Virat Kohli says the conversations with Rohit Sharma about the 2027 World Cup have grown more intense and specific. The two discuss how to spot problems quickly and fix them before the next match.
Kohli says the talks have always been about what helps the Indian team, never about personal numbers. Both have led the side, and during the transition from MS Dhoni they kept trading ideas on the job.
The 2027 tournament is unfinished business after the 2019 semifinal and 2023 final losses. Kohli says the aim is still the same: play a match-winning innings in the final.
Shastri defended Kohli and Rohit against reported plans to exclude them from the 2027 squad.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri said selectors trying to drop Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the 2027 World Cup squad should watch their own positions. He spoke at a broadcast event ahead of the first ODI against West Indies.
Shastri said both players never left the setup and will be available for selection. He called them giants of the white-ball game whose legacy will likely come from their final World Cup.
Reports in July suggested chief selector Ajit Agarkar planned to move on from Rohit before 2027. Shastri coached both during their most successful campaigns and still sees them as central to India's white-ball plans.
Ravi Shastri strongly defends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma against speculation about their 2027 World Cup selection prospects.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri launched an emotional defence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma amid ongoing speculation about their places in the 2027 World Cup squad. Shastri said the constant discussion about removing the two senior batters frustrates him and warned that those pushing for their exclusion should watch their own positions.
Shastri emphasised that both players remain central to India's white-ball plans and have earned the right to decide their own futures. He highlighted their legacy as role models for younger players and their continued ability to perform at the highest level. The comments come after reports suggested chief selector Ajit Agarkar wanted to move on from Rohit before the 2027 tournament.
Kohli and Rohit have both stated their intention to play in the 2027 World Cup as their final major tournament. Shastri's intervention reflects broader support within the cricket community for allowing the senior players to conclude their careers on their own terms.
India's wrist-spinner continues to face selection uncertainty despite proven match-winning ability in limited-overs cricket.
Kuldeep Yadav took 4 for 40 against West Indies in the opening ODI at Thiruvananthapuram. His spell proved decisive after West Indies reached 135 without loss in the first 25 overs. India won the match by eight wickets with Virat Kohli scoring an unbeaten 139.
India's selection pattern shows Kuldeep returning after extended absences and immediately facing pressure to reproduce his best. The wrist-spinner's career has followed a cycle of match-winning performances followed by omission for batting depth considerations. Players like Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar offer batting contributions that Kuldeep cannot match.
Captain Shubman Gill acknowledged Kuldeep's impact in middle overs during the series opener. The performance comes at a critical time as India finalises combinations for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.
Kuldeep Yadav's match-winning spells continue to force a reckoning with India's selection logic that prioritizes batsmen-friendly combinations over proven wicket-takers.
Kuldeep Yadav took 4 for 40 against West Indies in the first ODI at Thiruvananthapuram, restricting the visitors after they had reached 135 for 0. He bowled 34 dot balls in his 10 overs and dismissed Justin Greaves and Jewel Andrew in successive deliveries to finish the innings. India won by eight wickets.
Kuldeep has now produced match-winning spells after long absences from the side. His ODI returns dipped earlier this year, including a wicketless outing against Afghanistan, and those performances have been cited as reasons for his inconsistent selection. India have preferred combinations that include Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel or Washington Sundar because they offer additional batting depth.
Wrist-spin depends on rhythm and small technical details that suffer when a bowler plays only intermittently. Kuldeep's stop-start selection creates a cycle where ordinary comeback performances strengthen the argument for another combination, yet the evidence shows that when he receives enough overs to settle into a spell, he provides something those safer combinations cannot replicate.
Kuldeep Yadav's 4 for 40 against West Indies highlights India's pattern of dropping their most effective wrist-spinner when batting depth takes selection priority over proven wicket-takers.
Kuldeep Yadav took 4 for 40 against West Indies in the first ODI at Thiruvananthapuram, removing Justin Campbell, Shai Hope, Justin Greaves and Jewel Andrew after West Indies had posted 135 for no loss. His spell of 10 overs with 34 dot balls turned the match and earned him the player-of-the-match award despite Virat Kohli's unbeaten 139.
India's selection pattern shows Kuldeep repeatedly dropped after strong performances because selectors prioritise batting depth from all-round options like Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. Kuldeep cannot provide the same lower-order insurance, making his position less secure whenever India seeks additional batting cover without a genuine seam-bowling all-rounder.
The wrist-spinner's career has followed a cycle of match-winning spells followed by periods out of the side, with rhythm disrupted by inconsistent opportunities. His recent County Championship stint with Yorkshire produced a 10-wicket haul, and captain Shubman Gill credited Kuldeep's middle-over wicket-taking ability for getting India back into the contest after the West Indies opening stand.
Kuldeep's four-for-40 against West Indies shows the trade-off India keeps making when it chooses batting depth over a specialist wrist-spinner.
Kuldeep Yadav took four for 40 against West Indies in the first ODI, after the visitors had reached 135 without loss. He bowled 34 dot balls, broke the opening stand and removed centurion Justin Greaves.
India keep dropping him when they want an extra batter, whether that means Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel or Washington Sundar. The wrist-spinner has played 122 ODIs since 2017, yet the same selection doubts return after every quiet spell.
Captain Shubman Gill said Kuldeep turned the match when India were on the back foot. The spell followed a lean run that included limited chances across formats and a wicketless outing against Afghanistan earlier this year.
Kuldeep Yadav's 4/40 set up India's eight-wicket win in the series opener at Thiruvananthapuram.
Kuldeep Yadav took 4 for 40 as India beat West Indies by eight wickets in the first ODI at Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. The left-arm wrist-spinner claimed four wickets in 10 overs after West Indies reached 135 for no loss. Campbell fell to a sweep, followed by Hope, Greaves and Andrew.
Virat Kohli scored 139 not out and Shubman Gill made 110 as India chased 296 in 41.4 overs. The pair added 151 runs for the second wicket. Kohli reached 15,000 ODI runs during the innings, becoming the second player after Sachin Tendulkar to reach the milestone.
Kuldeep said he felt calm in his rhythm and bowled whatever he wanted. Gill said the wrist-spinner got India back in the game after the opening partnership threatened to take the match away. The result gives India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Eesa, son of Zimbabwe T20I captain Sikandar Raza, scored 279 off 146 balls for Hellenic Academy U14 against CBC. He struck 30 fours and 20 sixes, with boundaries accounting for 240 of his runs. Eesa came out to bat at number three in the second over and kept finding the boundaries even as wickets fell at the other end.
Eesa added 307 runs for the fourth wicket with Tawananyasha Zvobgo, who scored 92 off 66 balls. The pair helped Hellenic Academy reach 518. CBC collapsed to 85 in their chase, losing by 433 runs.
The CBC U14 bowlers used eight different bowlers and conceded 63 extras. Jonathan Masuku was the most expensive, conceding 101 in eight overs, while Dylan Ncube took 2 for 65 including the wicket of Eesa in the 48th over.
Eesa Raza smashed 279 including 20 sixes as Hellenic Academy posted 518 and won by 433 runs in a Zimbabwe schools match.
Eesa Raza scored 279 runs off 146 balls for Hellenic Academy U14 against CBC in Zimbabwe on Saturday. The son of Zimbabwe T20I captain Sikandar Raza struck 30 fours and 20 sixes during his 253-minute innings. He came in at number three and added 307 runs for the fourth wicket with Tawananyasha Zvobgo, who made 92. Hellenic Academy finished on 518 and bowled CBC out for 85 to win by 433 runs.
Shubman Gill scored his 10th ODI century as India chased 296 to beat West Indies by eight wickets in the first ODI at Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. Gill reached the landmark in the 31st over and finished with 110 from 108 balls. He had been cleared to play after suffering an elbow blow in the nets on Friday.
Gill won the toss and put West Indies in. Rohit Sharma made 32 before edging Alzarri Joseph. Gill then added 151 with Virat Kohli, who remained unbeaten on 139. Naman Dhir made his ODI debut for India.
The second and third ODIs will be played at Guwahati on Wednesday and Chandigarh on Saturday.
Sehwag said cricket's popularity does not depend on individual stars and audiences have grown.
Virender Sehwag dismissed concerns that fan interest would decline after Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin retired from Test cricket. The former India opener said the same claims were made when Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar stepped away, yet audiences have grown. He attributed the increase to cricket moving from television to mobile phones.
Sehwag said some fans had told him they stopped watching after his own retirement, but he did not believe them. He argued that if the game depended only on individual cricketers, it would have stopped long ago. Shubman Gill has taken over the Test captaincy since Kohli and Rohit stepped away.
The three retirements have left questions about who will fill the void in India's red-ball setup over the coming years.
Breetzke's 112 took him past Imam-ul-Haq's record for most ODI runs after 14 innings.
Matthew Breetzke scored 112 off 106 balls to help South Africa beat Australia by 67 runs in the first ODI in Durban on Thursday. The innings took Breetzke past Imam-ul-Haq's record for the most ODI runs after 14 innings. He has now scored 822 runs in his first 14 ODI innings, surpassing the previous mark of 763.
Breetzke added 107 runs for the sixth wicket with Marco Jansen, who scored 75 off 59 balls. South Africa posted 297 for 8 before Keshav Maharaj and Bjorn Fortuin combined to bowl Australia out for 230. Australia lost their last nine wickets for 101 runs after a strong start led by Mitch Marsh.
Breetzke has now scored two centuries and six half-centuries in 15 ODIs. South Africa lead the three-match series 1-0.
ILT20 mandates four Afghanistan and one Ireland player per squad for the 2026 season.
The International League T20 has introduced new squad rules requiring each franchise to sign at least four players from Afghanistan and one from Ireland ahead of the October 1 auction. Teams must also include a minimum of two Afghanistan players in their playing XI for every match. The changes follow concerns over player availability after several boards restricted participation in overseas T20 leagues.
Each squad must have between 18 and 23 players, including 11 from Full Member nations. At least four UAE players, one from Kuwait, one from Saudi Arabia and one additional player from an ICC Associate nation are also mandatory. The Afghanistan Cricket Board and Cricket Ireland have reached agreements with the league to allow their players.
The rules aim to maintain commercial value by ensuring a steady supply of Full Member talent despite scheduling clashes with the SA20 and Big Bash League.
Ishan Om's five-for restricts Australia to 217; India reach 8 for 0 at stumps on day one in Rajkot.
India Under-19 bowled Australia Under-19 out for 217 on the opening day of the first Youth Test at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Sunday. Ishan Om took five wickets for 53 runs while captain Yashbardhan Chauhan claimed two for 56. Mohit Ulva finished with three for 37. Blake Cattle scored 102 from 198 balls and added 147 for the fourth wicket with Zed Hollick, who made 59, after Australia slipped to 27 for three.
Australia lost their last six wickets for 43 runs after the stand was broken. Cattle was bowled by Chauhan shortly after reaching his hundred. India ended the day at eight without loss, with openers Lakshya Raichandani and Sagar Virk unbeaten.
India had completed a 3-0 sweep of the preceding Youth ODI series. Fast bowler Pranav Ragavendra was stretchered off with a foot injury during Australia's innings and will miss the rest of the match.
Ethan Bamber finished as the leading wicket-taker in the County Championship with 69 scalps in 14 matches as Warwickshire claimed their ninth title. The 26-year-old seamer took 32 wickets at an average of 12.71 in the Bears' final six matches after the Championship resumed in August. He claimed three of his four five-wicket hauls during that period.
Warwickshire secured 41 of a possible 42 bowling bonus points during the season. Bamber has taken more Championship wickets this year than Gus Atkinson did across three title-winning seasons with Surrey between 2022 and 2024.
Bamber has taken 103 wickets at Lord's and 67 at Edgbaston, more than at all other venues combined. Warwickshire teammates Chris Woakes and Olly Hannon-Dalby also featured in the title-winning attack.
Buttler injured his hamstring against Sri Lanka and will miss the Pakistan white-ball tour.
Jos Buttler will miss England's upcoming white-ball tour of Pakistan after sustaining a hamstring injury during the second ODI against Sri Lanka at Headingley last week. Limited-overs coach Brendon McCullum confirmed that Buttler will not travel and said Jordan Cox will receive an extended opportunity in the veteran's absence. Buttler is also in doubt for England's subsequent tour of Australia in November.
Rohit Sharma dismissed retirement speculation and said he is focused on the 2027 World Cup.
Rohit Sharma said the thought that his business is finished will never cross his mind as long as he keeps playing. The former India captain dismissed speculation about his retirement ahead of the three-match ODI series against the West Indies. He said he remains fully focused on playing a fourth ODI World Cup for India in 2027.
Rohit has already retired from T20Is and Tests, leaving the 50-over format as his only remaining international commitment. He said ICC tournaments bring unique challenges that require different preparation and thinking. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia publicly rejected earlier reports that the selection panel intended to move on from Rohit after the England tour.
Rohit scored 138 in the third ODI at Lord's earlier this year, his first century at the venue, after speculation about his future intensified.
Jasprit Bumrah returns to the XI for India's Asian Games quarterfinal against Afghanistan, with 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in contention to replace Shivam Dube.
Jasprit Bumrah will return to India's playing XI for the Asian Games quarterfinal against Afghanistan on Monday. The match is scheduled at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. Bumrah is expected to replace Vidarbha pacer Yash Thakur, who played the third T20I against Afghanistan and the one-off match against Japan but did not bowl in the rain-shortened contest.
The Indian team management could also consider including 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in place of Shivam Dube. Sooryavanshi has not played a T20I since July 26. If selected, he could open with Abhishek Sharma, with Sanju Samson moving to number three. Abhishek won the Player of the Series award in the recent T20I rubber against Afghanistan.
India's likely playing XI for the quarterfinal reads Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh. Shreyas Iyer will captain the side as India defend their gold medal from the 2022 Games.
Editorially curated cricket coverage · May contain inaccuracies. Verify from official sources.