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Steve Smith was sidelined from the third Ashes Test in Adelaide due to a potential vestibular issue but is expected to return for the fourth Test on Boxing Day.

Steve Smith Aims Ashes Return; Misses Third Test Due to Health

Steve Smith was sidelined from the third Ashes Test in Adelaide due to a potential vestibular issue but is expected to return for the fourth Test on Boxing Day.

Steve Smith is aiming to be back in Ashes action for Australia on Boxing Day after being ruled out shortly before play started Wednesday in the third test at Adelaide.
Smith was talking to Australian coach Andrew McDonald on the field in the hour before the toss of the coin, when it appeared the final decision was made to leave him out of the XI so he can continue recovering from dizziness and nausea.
That allowed Usman Khawaja an unexpected recall for Australia, batting at No. 4 to replace Smith rather than opening the innings.
Australian team management later said Smith was being treated for a &ldquo;potential vestibular issue&rdquo; in the inner ear, ruling out speculation that the star batter had sustained a concussion during a net practice session.
He practiced with the Australia squad on Saturday and Sunday, skipped Monday's session, but returned on Tuesday and batted again in the nets on Wednesday morning.
&ldquo;Steve is feeling a little bit unwell the last couple of days,&rdquo; returning captain Pat Cummins said at the coin toss. "He came and gave it a crack this morning but didn't think he was going to get up for this one, so he's headed off home. But we're pretty lucky we have got someone like Usman who can step right in.&rdquo;
Team management said Smith, who has dealt with vertigo symptoms in the past, is likely to return for the fourth test starting Dec. 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
&ldquo;He was assessed and monitored closely and was close to being available to play," Australian team management said in a statement. &ldquo;However, given the persistence of symptoms, a decision was made not to proceed.&rdquo;
Smith led Australia to eight-wicket wins in Perth and Brisbane in the absence of Cummins. He hit the winning runs in Brisbane as Australia took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Cummins won the toss and elected to bat first in Adelaide, his first test since sustaining a back injury in July. England needs a victory in the third test to have any chance of reclaiming the Ashes.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill face intense scrutiny over poor form as India aim to seal the T20I series against South Africa in Lucknow.

India vs South Africa T20I: Suryakumar's Form in Focus

India captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill face intense scrutiny over poor form as India aim to seal the T20I series against South Africa in Lucknow.

Shubman Gill's lean patch has been the talking point but an equally "out of runs" skipper Suryakumar Yadav is also under intense scrutiny as India look to find the right balance and seal the five-match series against South Africa in the fourth T20I in Lucknow on Wednesday.
The third game was an ideal opportunity for Suryakumar to rediscover his touch while India chased a modest 118-run target, but the ease that once made him the top ranked batter in the world was noticeably missing. Shots that defined his dominance have been producing erratic results and the match in Dharamsala was no different as he fell to his trademark pick-up stroke, highlighting a continued struggle.
But he was defiant when it came to self-assessment. "The thing is, I've been batting beautifully in the nets. I'm trying everything that's in my control. When the runs have to come, they'll definitely come. I'm not out of form, but definitely out of runs," Suryakumar confidently said at the post-match presentation ceremony after India's win in Dharamsala on Sunday.
However, the numbers tell a worrying story. The Indian captain has been searching for fluency for over a year, averaging under 15 in the format this season. Additionally, he's still without a half-century in 2025, the longest such phase of his career. Only twice during this period has he managed to bat beyond 20 balls.
With the T20 World Cup less than two months away, the defending champions would want their leader and premier batter to rediscover his rhythm sooner rather than later.
Vice-captain Shubman Gill's struggles are as bad if not worse. His elevation to the opening slot has seemingly unsettled India's top order. Gill replaced a well-settled Sanju Samson. The Kerala wicketkeeper-batter was first pushed down the order and eventually dropped despite forming a promising partnership with Abhishek Sharma earlier.
Gill has shown his class in other formats, but in T20Is he is yet to come across the assured batter that he is in Tests and ODIs. While he survived during Sunday's low-target chase, his scratchy run-a-ball 28 did little to ease concerns with seven matches to go before the World Cup.
India have added Shahbaz Ahmed to the squad following Axar Patel's illness-enforced exit from the series, a move that could open the door for Kuldeep Yadav to get an extended run. Jasprit Bumrah's availability remains uncertain after missing the previous match for personal reasons. In his absence, Arshdeep Singh returned to form with a player-of-the-match performance, while Harshit Rana complemented him well in Dharamsala.
South Africa seek consistency
India currently lead the five-match series 2-1. Fortunes have swung wildly so far in the series. While South Africa dominated and the Indians looked completely out of sorts in the lung-opener, the roles were reversed in the next match.
South Africa have been comprehensively beaten twice so far and would be eager to win on Wednesday to keep the series alive. Since the T20 World Cup final last June, the Proteas have lost 18 of the 28 matches in the shortest format, highlighting a prolonged phase of inconsistency.
Still searching for a settled combination, the South African team management continues to ring in changes. The constant chopping and changing has contributed to a lack of rhythm in the players and has ultimately cost them many games.
The last edition's runners-up side has five matches remaining -- two against India and three at home against the West Indies -- to finalise the playing XI before its T20 World Cup opener on February 9. Whether the Proteas persist with rotation at the expense of results remains to be seen.
Teams (from):
India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, NT Tilak Verma, Shahbaz Ahmed, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla, Ottniel Baartman, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, George Linde. Match starts at 7 pm.

IPL 2026 auction saw uncapped Indian players make history, Cameron Green emerge as costliest buy, and franchises spend over ₹215 crore on 77 players.

IPL 2026 auction wrap: Complete team squads and salary details

IPL 2026 auction saw uncapped Indian players make history, Cameron Green emerge as costliest buy, and franchises spend over ₹215 crore on 77 players.

The IPL 2026 auction threw up several notable patterns, with uncapped Indian players emerging as some of the biggest beneficiaries.&nbsp;
While Australia all-rounder Cameron Green ended as the most expensive buy at ₹25.20 crore, it was Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma who grabbed attention by becoming the joint costliest uncapped Indian players in IPL history, securing ₹14.20 crore each from Chennai Super Kings at the auction held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Overall, the 10 franchises collectively spent ₹215.45 crore to pick 77 players, including 29 overseas cricketers, reflecting a strong mix of domestic investment and international recruitment. Chennai Super Kings
Players bought: Kartik Sharma (₹14.20 cr), Prashant Veer (₹14.20 cr), Rahul Chahar (₹5.20 cr), Akeal Hosein (₹2 cr), Matt Henry (₹2 cr), Matthew Short (₹1.50 cr), Aman Khan (₹40 L), Sarfaraz Khan (₹75 L), Zakary Foulkes (₹75 L) Retained: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ayush Mhatre, M.S. Dhoni, Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Shreyas Gopal, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis
Traded in: Sanju Samson (from RR)
Purse remaining: ₹2.40 crore
------------------------------------------- Mumbai Indians
Players bought: Quinton de Kock (₹1 cr), Mohammad Izhar (₹30 L), Danish Malewar (₹30 L), Atharva Ankolekar (₹30 L), Mayank Rawat (₹30 L) Retained: Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ryan Rickleton, Robin Minz, Mitchell Santner, Corbin Bosch, Naman Dhir, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Allah Ghafanzar, Ashwani Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Will Jacks, Raghu Sharma, Raj Angad Bawa Traded in: Sherfane Rutherford (from GT), Mayank Markande (from KKR), Shardul Thakur (from LSG) Purse remaining: ₹55 lakh
------------------------------------------- Kolkata Knight Riders
Players bought: Cameron Green (₹25.20 cr), Matheesha Pathirana (₹18 cr), Mustafizur Rahman (₹9.20 cr), Tejasvi Singh (₹3 cr), Finn Allen (₹2 cr), Tim Seifert (₹1.50 cr), Rahul Tripathi (₹75 L), Kartik Tyagi (₹30 L), Daksh Kamra (₹30 L), Sarthak Ranjan (₹30 L), Prashant Solanki (₹30 L), Akashdeep (₹1 cr), Rachin Ravindra (₹2 cr) Retained: Ajinkya Rahane, Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Varun Chakravarthy, Ramandeep Singh, Ankul Roy, Rovman Powell, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik Purse remaining: ₹45 lakh
-------------------------------------------
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Players bought: Venkatesh Iyer (₹7 cr), Mangesh Yadav (₹5.20 cr), Jacob Duffy (₹2 cr), Satwik Deswal (₹30 L), Jordan Cox (₹75 L), Vihaan Malhotra (₹30 L), Kanishk Chouhan (₹30 L), Vicky Ostwal (₹30 L) Retained: Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Salam, Abhinandan Singh, Suyash Sharma Purse remaining: ₹25 lakh
-------------------------------------------
Punjab Kings
Players bought: Cooper Connolly (₹2 cr), Ben Dwarshuis (₹4.40 cr), Praveen Dubey (₹30 L), Vishal Nishad (₹30 L)
Retained: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyala Avinash, Harnoor Pannu, Suryansh Shedge, Mitchell Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Lockie Ferguson, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Vishnu Vinod Purse remaining: ₹3.50 crore
------------------------------------------- Gujarat Titans
Players bought: Jason Holder (₹7 cr), Ashok Sharma (₹90 L), Luke Wood (₹75 L), Prithvi Raj Yarra (₹30 L), Tom Banton (₹30 L) Retained: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Jos Buttler, Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Arshad Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ishant Sharma, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Rashid Khan, Manav Suthar, Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Glenn Phillips Purse remaining: ₹1.95 crore
------------------------------------------- Rajasthan Royals
Players bought: Ravi Bishnoi (₹7.20 cr), Ravi Singh (₹95 L), Sushant Mishra (₹90 L), Vignesh Puthur (₹30 L), Yash Raj Punja (₹30 L), Aman Rao (₹30 L), Brijesh Sharma (₹30 L), Kuldeep Sen (₹75 L), Adam Milne (₹2.40 cr) Retained: Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger Traded in: Ravindra Jadeja (from CSK), Sam Curran (from CSK) Purse remaining: ₹2.65 crore
------------------------------------------- Sunrisers Hyderabad
Players bought: Salil Arora (₹1.50 cr), Shivang Kumar (₹30 L), Sakib Hussain (₹30 L), Onkar Tarmale (₹30 L), Krains Fuletra (₹30 L), Praful Hinge (₹30 L), Amit Kumar (₹30 L), Shivam Mvi (₹75 L), Liam Livingstone (₹13 cr), Jack Edwards (₹3 cr) Retained: Pat Cummins (c), Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma, R. Smaran, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Kamindu Mendis, Harshal Patel, Brydon Carse, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga, Zeeshan Ansari Purse remaining: ₹5.45 crore -------------------------------------------
Lucknow Super Giants
Players bought: Josh Inglis (₹8.60 cr), Mukul Choudhary (₹2.60 cr), Akshat Raghuwanshi (₹2.20 cr), Anrich Nortje (₹2 cr), Wanindu Hasaranga (₹2 cr), Naman Tiwari (₹1 cr) Retained: Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Rishabh Pant (c), Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvijay Rathi, Prince Yadav, Akash Singh Traded in: Mohammed Shami (from SRH), Arjun Tendulkar (from MI) Purse remaining: ₹4.55 crore -------------------------------------------
Delhi Capitals
Players bought: Auqib Nabi Dar (₹8.40 cr), Pathum Nissanka (₹4 cr), Ben Duckett (₹2 cr), David Miller (₹2 cr), Lungi Ngidi (₹2 cr), Sahil Parakh (₹30 L), Prithvi Shaw (₹75 L), Kyle Jamieson (₹2 cr) Retained: Axar Patel (c), KL Rahul, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Madhav Tiwari, Tripurana Vijay, Ajay Mandal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, T. Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera Traded in: Nitish Rana (from RR) Purse remaining: ₹35 lakh

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma visited Premanand Ji Maharaj at Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj Ashram in Vrindavan, seeking spiritual guidance and blessings.

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma visit Premanand Ji Maharaj in Vrindavan

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma visited Premanand Ji Maharaj at Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj Ashram in Vrindavan, seeking spiritual guidance and blessings.

Star Indian cricketer Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma visited Premanand Ji Maharaj at his Ashram Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj, Varah Ghat in Vrindavan.&nbsp;
In a video shared by Bhajan Marg's official Instagram handle, Kohli and Sharma were seen engaging in a spiritual conversation (Ekantik Vartalaap) with the Maharaj.
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During the interaction, Premanand Ji Maharaj advised the couple to treat their work as a service to God. He said, "Apne karyakshetra ko bhagwan ka seva smajhiye. Gambhir bhav se rahiye. Vinamra rahiye. Aur khub naam jap kijiye. (Treat your work as your service to God. Be serious and humble. And pray to the Almighty)."
This marked the couple&rsquo;s third visit to Vrindavan this year. They had returned to India last week from the UK. Earlier, in January, Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma, and their children visited Vrindavan to seek the blessings of Premanand Ji Maharaj.
The couple also sought blessings from the spiritual leader a day after Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket in May this year.

Kolkata Knight Riders broke records by bidding Rs 25.20 crore for Australia all-rounder Cameron Green at the IPL mini-auction, while Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan went unsold.

Cameron Green Becomes IPL's Most Expensive Overseas Player

Kolkata Knight Riders broke records by bidding Rs 25.20 crore for Australia all-rounder Cameron Green at the IPL mini-auction, while Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan went unsold.

Kolkata Knight Riders splurged a record-breaking Rs 25.20 to land top Australian all-rounder Cameron Green even as Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan went unsold in the Indian Premier League mini auction in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.&nbsp;
Green surpassed compatriot Mitchell Starc (Rs 24.75 crore) to become the most expensive overseas buy at an IPL auction. This was after Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings were involved in an intense bidding war for him before the latter emerged winner.
However, his salary for the season would still be Rs 18 crore (USD 1.9 million) as the rest of the amount will go towards the BCCI's player development programme as per the rules of the auction for foreign players.&nbsp;
Green, who previously turned up for Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has so far played 29 matches in the IPL to aggregate 707 runs and take 16 wickets.&nbsp;
Shaw, however, went unsold despite his fine run of form in the domestic circuit lately, and so was the case with Sarfaraz, who smashed a 22-ball 73 in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match for Mumbai on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The IPL 2026 will be held from March 26 to May 31, with RCB’s home opener at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium pending safety clearance following fan fatalities during 2025 celebrations.

IPL 2026: Uncertainty Over Opening Match Venue Amid Safety Concerns

The IPL 2026 will be held from March 26 to May 31, with RCB&rsquo;s home opener at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium pending safety clearance following fan fatalities during 2025 celebrations.

The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League will be held between the March 26 to May 31 window but it remains to be seen if Bengaluru, the home of RCB, holds the opening match.&nbsp;
As per the norms, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium should host the tournament opener given the home side, Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the IPL 2025 title.&nbsp;
While the venue has received conditional clearance from the Karnataka state government, it also needs to meet the necessary safety and security standards following the death of 11 fans in a stampede during RCB's victory celebrations in June this year.&nbsp;
The mini-auction for IPL 2026 will be held in Abu Dhabi today with three-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders coming in with the biggest purse

Veteran Usman Khawaja misses out on Australia’s playing XI for the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval, with Travis Head and Jake Weatherald leading the top order.

Khawaja Out as Australia Retains Head for Third Ashes Test

Veteran Usman Khawaja misses out on Australia&rsquo;s playing XI for the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval, with Travis Head and Jake Weatherald leading the top order.

Veteran Usman Khawaja has missed selection to Australia's team for the third Ashes test against England, with Travis Head kept at the top of the batting lineup alongside Jake Weatherald.
Just two days away from his 39th birthday, Khawaja was a notable omission Tuesday from Australia's XI for the test beginning Wednesday at Adelaide Oval. Australia leads the five-test series 2-0 and can retain the Ashes with a win or draw in Adelaide. England named its team Monday.
Captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon will return to the bowling attack at the expense of Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser, while the top seven is unchanged. That means Josh Inglis will remain in the side at No. 7, while Khawaja was not included after missing the Brisbane test with back spasms.
Khawaja had enjoyed one of the great late-career resurgences since his recall to the test team at the start of 2022, starring at the top of the order. He averaged 58.7 in his first two years back in the side, but has now passed 50 just twice in his past 27 test innings.
Cummins said he doesn't feel Khawaja is finished as a test player. &ldquo;The selectors have been quite adamant about picking a side each week,&rdquo; Cummins said. "It doesn't necessarily mean it's got to be exactly the same team as the previous week. We do that with bowlers.
&ldquo;One of Uzzy's great strengths is he's scored runs at the top. He's scored runs in the middle. So absolutely, I can see a path back at some point, if needed.&rdquo;
Steve Smith was the first in the nets to bat on Tuesday after missing Monday's session due to an unspecified illness. Smith captained Australia in the first two test victories due to Cummins' injury absence.
Lineups:
Australia: Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (captain), Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer.

England and Australia players will wear black armbands and flags will fly at half-staff during the Ashes Test in Adelaide to honour victims of the Bondi beach shootings.

Cricket Teams Pay Tribute to Bondi Beach Shooting Victims

England and Australia players will wear black armbands and flags will fly at half-staff during the Ashes Test in Adelaide to honour victims of the Bondi beach shootings.

England and Australia players will wear black armbands and flags at Adelaide Oval will be flown at half-staff on Wednesday in an Ashes tribute to the victims of the Bondi beach shootings.
On Sunday night, two gunmen killed 15 people and injured dozens more at the iconic beach in Sydney. Their target was members of Sydney's Jewish community celebrating the start of Hannukah in what authorities said was an antisemitic act of terrorism.
Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board issued a joint statement saying: "All of our thoughts are with the victims, their friends and families, the Jewish community and the people of Australia at this deeply distressing time. Our condolences go out to all those affected. We stand with you.&rdquo;
Australia captain Pat Cummins said "my heart goes out to the victims, their families, the people of Bondi and our Jewish community during this time. If you can, please book an appointment to donate blood.&rdquo;
Cricket Australia said Tuesday that veteran Australian folk singer John Williamson would join tributes to the victims at the start of Wednesday's match, the third in the five-test series which Australia leads 2-0.
Williamson will perform his fabled song &ldquo;True Blue&rdquo; before play begins. Williamson will follow a moment's silence and precede the Indigenous &ldquo;Welcome to Country&rdquo; and the Australian and England anthems.
&ldquo;This is a tragic time for all Australians and the thoughts of everyone in the cricket world are with the victims of this terrible event, their families, friends and the Jewish community," Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said in a statement Tuesday.
&ldquo;While sport can seem insignificant at times like this, we have the unusual opportunity to bring millions of people together to pay tribute, to console and to contemplate what we want our nation to be. I'm grateful John has agreed to perform True Blue' which has at its essence the ideal of Australians from all backgrounds sharing the same hopes and aspirations."

Travis Head scores his fourth straight Test century at Adelaide Oval as Australia takes a 356-run lead over England, putting Ashes series out of England’s reach.

Ashes 2025: Travis Head slams unbeaten 142 to crush England's Ashes hopes

Travis Head scores his fourth straight Test century at Adelaide Oval as Australia takes a 356-run lead over England, putting Ashes series out of England&rsquo;s reach.

Danger man Travis Head crunched his fourth century in as many Tests at Adelaide Oval Friday as Australia built a 356-run lead over England to stand on the brink of retaining the Ashes.
The hosts were 271-4 at stumps on day three of the third Test with Head on 142 and first-innings century-maker Alex Carey not out 52, taking the five-match series out of England's reach.
England must win after crashing inside two days at the first Test in Perth and inside four in Brisbane, both by eight wickets.
But it appears to be an impossible task with the highest run chase at the ground 316 by Australia against England in 1902.
Head said the job was not finished yet and Australia had to "rock up again" on Saturday.
"We've had another really, really good day today.
"Tomorrow will be another huge day, the wicket is deteriorating and starting to spin.
"The goal is to try and put on as many as we can in the morning and get to work and try to win the Test match."
Head's crucial ton, his 11th, came off a composed 146 balls although he almost didn't get there, dropped on 99 by Harry Brook as impatience got the better of him.
He has now scored a century in four consecutive Tests on his home ground, following 140 against India last year and 119 and 175 against the West Indies.
 - 'It calls for heroes' -
"The way Head has batted is next level, and he has shown us how to go about it," conceded England spin coach Jeetan Patel.
"Every game of Test cricket we play, especially out here in Australia, calls for heroes.
"And we haven't had them just yet, but maybe we will have them tomorrow and the day after."
Australia suffered an early setback in a tense 20 minutes before lunch after England were all out for 286 on the back of Ben Stokes's gritty 83 in response to Australia's first innings 371.
Bryson Carse trapped Jake Weatherald lbw for one and he did not review although replays showed the ball was pitching outside leg stump.
It gave England a glimmer of hope, but after the break Head slammed the door shut, cutting and chopping boundaries all around the ground.
Marnus Labuschagne went for 13 when he edged Josh Tongue to Harry Brook at slip, with reviews showing it carried.
Usman Khawaja, who hit a defiant 82 in the first innings after his last-minute call-up for the ill Steve Smith, was a perfect foil for the more aggressive Head.
But on 40 he was caught behind off Will Jacks and Cameron Green followed soon after for seven, edging Tongue to Brook.
After getting through the nervous 90s, Head finally brought up his century with a four off Joe Root, taking off his helmet and kissing the turf before pumping his fists.
While not in the same vein as his match-winning 69-ball century in Perth, it was a critical knock, supported by Carey and aided by Stokes not bowling.
 - Gutsy Stokes -
Patel said Stokes, who batted for two sessions on Thursday in 40 Celsius heat, was not injured.
"From what I understand he is fit to bowl," said Patel.
"He's just knackered, he's taken a lot out of himself to get to this point in the game."
On Friday's resumption, Stokes and Jofra Archer kept England's dreams just about alive with a stirring 106-run ninth-wicket stand.
They began at 213-8 in muggy conditions with Stokes not out 45 and Archer on 30.
Stokes, who suffered leg cramps and dehydration during his gutsy rearguard action on Thursday, brought up his slowest ever 50 in Tests, off 159 balls.
He finally fell when Mitchell Starc took the new ball and bowled him, with Stokes one of the few players who showed the fight he had demanded before the game.
Archer was another, ably helping his captain.
The fast bowler was the last man out when caught by Labuschagne off Scott Boland for 51 -- his highest Test score and a maiden half-century
Boland ended with 3-45 while Pat Cummins took 3-69 in his first Test since July.

Cricket

Alex Carey slammed a heartfelt 106, Usman Khawaja scored 82, as Australia reached 326-8 on day one of the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval.

Emotional Carey slams ton to give Australia upper hand in 3rd Ashes Test

Alex Carey slammed a heartfelt 106, Usman Khawaja scored 82, as Australia reached 326-8 on day one of the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval.

An emotional Alex Carey slammed a majestic 106 on his home ground and Usman Khawaja hit a defiant 82 Wednesday to put Australia in the driving seat of the third Ashes Test against England.
Batting after captain Pat Cummins won the toss as temperatures topped 36 Celsius at Adelaide Oval, the hosts were 326-8 at stumps on day one after the shock of Steve Smith being ruled out with illness.
Mitchell Starc was not out 33 and Nathan Lyon yet to score.
"To make a hundred here in front of home fans and family was special," an emotional Carey told Australian TV.
As he celebrated his maiden Ashes ton, Carey gestured towards the sky in a nod to his father Gordon, who died from cancer in September.
"I guess you know as well why I was looking to the heavens. I'm trying not to tear up. But, no, it was great."
The wicketkeeper's wife Eloise was spotted in tears by TV cameras as he celebrated.
"To have, mum, brother, sister, Eloise, the kids (here), it was a special moment," Carey added.
A tireless Jofra Archer ended with 3-29 on a tough day for England's bowlers in the field.
"I thought it was a good performance from our bowlers, the heat took us a bit by surprise," said England bowling coach David Saker.
"The boys toiled away.
"(Archer) had a point to prove, he sustained his pace and bowled at the stumps, and he was well supported."
 - Khawaja reprieve -
Australia lead the five-Test series 2-0 and will retain the Ashes if they win or draw, after back-to-back eight-wicket thumpings in Perth and Brisbane.
Smith, who has more than 10,000 runs, had been feeling unwell in the lead-up but was on Tuesday named in the side.
He was on the field during the morning warm-up but left 20 minutes before the toss shaking his head.
His absence gave an unexpected reprieve to Khawaja, who turns 39 on Thursday and had been overlooked as opener in favour of Travis Head and Jake Weatherald.
Khawaja, who missed Brisbane after suffering back spasms in Perth, grabbed his chance in a stoic knock.
He was eventually out just before tea, slog-sweeping to Josh Tongue in the deep off the spin of Will Jacks.
Carey picked up the mantle, first alongside Josh Inglis (32), then Pat Cummins (13), and latterly Starc, who once more showed his prowess with the bat.
Carey hit eight fours and a six in his third Test century, bringing up the milestone in front of family, friends and 56,298 fans -- the biggest cricket crowd ever at the venue.
 - Archer burst -
A blistering first over after lunch from Archer had left Australia reeling at 94-4.
He removed Marnus Labuschagne for 19 with his first ball after the interval.
Two deliveries later Cameron Green was gone, with Brydon Carse collecting catches at midwicket to dismiss both.
Inglis and Cummins fell in the final session to Tongue and Carse respectively.
Players from both teams wore black armbands as a mark of respect to the victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting.
A moment of silence was held before the game with security tightened and flags flying at half-mast.
At the start, Weatherald raced to 18 off 27 balls but his gung-ho approach cost him against the pace of Archer, who fired down a bouncer and induced a top edge to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
Head followed next over for 10, with Zak Crawley taking a sensational instinctive catch low to his left off Carse.
Khawaja, on five, was fortunate to survive when Harry Brook dropped a sitter at second slip and went on to bring up his 28th Test 50 to big cheers.
Carey had a life on 52 when Carse put down a difficult chance in the covers and the 34-year-old made the most of it before falling when he top-edged Jacks to Smith just before the close.

The 2025 Ashes series between Australia and England promises high drama, historic rivalries, and key battles featuring stars like Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Steven Smith, and Mitchell Starc, across five Tests starting in Perth.

The Ashes: What to know about cricket's most storied rivalry

The 2025 Ashes series between Australia and England promises high drama, historic rivalries, and key battles featuring stars like Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Steven Smith, and Mitchell Starc, across five Tests starting in Perth.

Few sporting contests carry the history, drama, and aura of the Ashes.&nbsp;
Born from a mock newspaper obituary in 1882 and symbolized by a tiny urn, the rivalry between Australia and England has shaped more than a century of Test cricket.&nbsp;
Ahead of one of the biggest contests on the cricket calendar, here's what to know about the upcoming five-match series.
<h3> The Origins</h3>
The Ashes is one of the oldest and most iconic rivalries in international sport, featuring Test cricket contests between Australia and England. Cricket tests between English and Australian teams started in 1877.
According to the Marylebone Cricket Club, the Lord's-based custodian of the laws of the game, the term &ldquo;Ashes&rdquo; was first used in August 1882 in a satirical obituary for English cricket printed in The Sporting Times after the representative team lost on home soil to Australia for the first time.
The obituary reported that the body of English cricket would be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia.
English captain Ivo Bligh led a team to Australia later that year with a vow to reclaim &ldquo;the ashes.&rdquo;
A fan presented Bligh with a small terracotta urn as a symbol of the Ashes after an England victory &mdash; and that's how the Ashes and the urn became intrinsically connected.
<img src="https://cdn.editorji.com/691c03853da10_1763443589.jpg" width="576" height="523">
Bligh met his future wife on that day. The couple moved to England and took the urn with them, keeping it in the family until after Bligh died, when it was bequeathed to the MCC.
The Ashes series has evolved into a regular event, held approximately every two years and alternating between the two countries.
<h3> Some Classic Moments</h3>
1932&ndash;33 &ldquo;Bodyline&rdquo; Series: England used hostile &ldquo;fast leg theory&rdquo; bowling tactics to intimidate Australian batters, especially Don Bradman. England reclaimed the Ashes, but the rules were later modified to restrict similar tactics.
<img src="https://cdn.editorji.com/691c04265d4fe_1763443750.png" width="575" height="320">
&nbsp;
Shane Warne&rsquo;s &ldquo;Ball of the Century&rdquo; (1993): At Old Trafford, Warne&rsquo;s first Ashes delivery for Australia drifted and spun almost incomprehensibly to bowl Mike Gatting, announcing Warne as a generational star.
<img src="https://cdn.editorji.com/691c04922a6e8_1763443858.png" width="570" height="317">
&nbsp;
Ben Stokes&rsquo; Headingley Innings (2019): His unbeaten 135, mixing supreme composure with fearless hitting, dragged England to an improbable one-wicket victory and etched a new legend into Ashes folklore.
<img src="https://cdn.editorji.com/691c057bbba75_1763444091.jpg" width="565" height="315">
&nbsp;
Jonny Bairstow Controversy (2023): England&rsquo;s Jonny Bairstow was controversially stumped at Lord's after wandering out of his crease, believing the ball to be out of play.
<img src="https://cdn.editorji.com/691c0605be560_1763444229.jpg" width="567" height="316">
While entirely within the laws, the incident sparked fierce debate over the spirit of cricket, igniting a storm across the cricketing world.
<h3> Recent History</h3>
Australia has held the Ashes since 2017, retaining the urn with series wins at home and drawn series in England, including a 2-2 result in a highly charged tour two years ago.
<img src="https://cdn.editorji.com/691c06e08fe61_1763444448.jpg" width="562" height="313">
England has not won an Ashes Test in Australia since 2011 &mdash; also the last time it won a series in Australia. That span includes a 5-0 loss in 2013-14, and 4-0 defeats in 2017-18 and 2021-22.
The 3-1 series loss to England in 2010-11 was Australia&rsquo;s only Ashes series loss at home since it reclaimed the urn in England in 1989.
<h3> England Players to Watch</h3>
Joe Root: No. 1-ranked batter and second-highest scorer in Test cricket, but he has never scored an Ashes century in Australia. His average of 35.68 in 14 Tests here lags far behind his career mark of 51.29.
Ben Stokes: England&rsquo;s talismanic captain and &ldquo;Bazball&rdquo; figurehead. Stokes can win matches almost single-handedly. Despite being Test cricket's leading six-hitter, he averages just 28.61 with the bat and 41 with the ball in Australia.
Jofra Archer: Playing his first Ashes in Australia but already famous for his express pace, including the 2019 blows to Smith and Labuschagne. Injuries have stalled his career since his 22-wicket breakout series, and England will hope he stays fit.
<h3> Australia Players to Watch</h3>
Steven Smith: Australia&rsquo;s premier batter for more than a decade and anchor of an unsettled lineup. With 10,447 runs, 36 centuries, and an average of 56.02, he sits just behind Bradman among Australia&rsquo;s Test greats. Smith has 12 Ashes hundreds, including a best of 239 at Perth.
Mitchell Starc: The last fit member of Australia&rsquo;s first-choice pace trio, with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood sidelined due to injuries. Starc has 402 wickets in 100 Tests, placing him fourth on Australia&rsquo;s all-time list.
Scott Boland: A cult hero since his remarkable 6-7 on debut at the MCG in 2021. His 62 wickets at 16.53 in 14 Tests would make him an automatic pick, though the 36-year-old has often been squeezed out behind Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood.
<h3> The Schedule</h3>
The five-Test series starts Friday in Perth, Western Australia.
Second Test: Day-nighter at the Gabba in Brisbane, starting Dec. 4.
Third Test: Adelaide Oval, Dec. 17&ndash;21.
Fourth Test: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Boxing Day Test, starting Dec. 26.
Fifth Test: Sydney, starting Jan. 4.

Virat Kohli's much-anticipated return to the Ranji Trophy ended early with a dismissal for just six runs. Himanshu Sangwan claimed the prized wicket as Kohli's brief stay at the crease left Delhi trailing Railways.

Virat Kohli dismissed for six runs in Ranji Trophy return leaving fans disappointed

Virat Kohli's much-anticipated return to the Ranji Trophy ended early with a dismissal for just six runs. Himanshu Sangwan claimed the prized wicket as Kohli's brief stay at the crease left Delhi trailing Railways.

Virat Kohli's return to the Ranji Trophy was cut short as he was dismissed for just six runs on Friday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.&nbsp;
Kohli's brief innings was ended by Himanshu Sangwan, who claimed the prized wicket after Kohli had faced only 15 deliveries.
Kohli displayed a brief moment of brilliance, playing a beautiful straight drive off Sangwan, but the very next delivery proved his downfall.&nbsp;
The ball, angled in on a fullish length just outside off, seamed in sharply as Kohli attempted another drive but missed, leaving a gap between his bat and pad. The ball clipped the off-stump, sending the bails flying.
The dismissal was a significant moment for Sangwan, whose wicket of Kohli seemed to deflate the stadium, as thousands of fans who had gathered to witness a Kohli masterclass were left disappointed. Following Kohli's exit, Delhi was at 87/3, still trailing Railways by 140 runs.
However, there may still be a chance for redemption. If Delhi gets a second innings, Kohli will have another opportunity to shine.&nbsp;
On Day 1 of the match, the stadium was buzzing with excitement as fans turned out in large numbers to support their cricketing icon, whose recent performances have been below expectations.
Over 15,000 fans attended the match, with additional gates opened and increased security. In a dramatic turn, a fan managed to breach security, rushing onto the field to meet Kohli.&nbsp;
The fan touched Kohli&rsquo;s feet before being escorted off by security personnel. Kohli, displaying his characteristic calm, requested security to handle the fan gently and avoid any harsh treatment.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Delhi's opening bowlers, Navdeep Saini and Siddhant Sharma, had put Railways in trouble at 21/3, showing promise for the remainder of the match.

Jasprit Bumrah has been awarded the prestigious ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2024 and the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy after an exceptional performance across formats.

Jasprit Bumrah named ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2024, wins Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy

Jasprit Bumrah has been awarded the prestigious ICC Men&rsquo;s Cricketer of the Year 2024 and the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy after an exceptional performance across formats.

Jasprit Bumrah has added another incredible achievement to his already impressive career, being named the ICC Men&rsquo;s Cricketer of the Year for 2024.&nbsp;
Following his win as the ICC Men&rsquo;s Test Cricketer of the Year, Bumrah also claimed the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, solidifying his status as one of the world&rsquo;s best fast bowlers.
Bumrah triumphed over fellow nominees Travis Head, Joe Root, and Harry Brook to secure the award, becoming the fifth Indian player to receive this recognition.&nbsp;
Previous Indian recipients include Rahul Dravid (2004), Sachin Tendulkar (2010), Ravichandran Ashwin (2016), and Virat Kohli (2017, 2018).
The ICC highlighted Bumrah&rsquo;s exceptional performances across formats in 2024, describing his year as a &ldquo;masterclass in skill, precision, and relentless consistency,&rdquo; with the fast bowler continuing to break records and establish himself as the world&rsquo;s premier pacer.
Bumrah had a stellar year in both T20Is and Tests. He played a pivotal role in India&rsquo;s triumph at the T20 World Cup 2024, finishing as the Player of the Tournament with 15 wickets at an extraordinary average of 8.26 and an economy rate of just 4.17.
In Tests, Bumrah took 71 wickets, outpacing England&rsquo;s Gus Atkinson, who claimed 52 wickets in 11 matches. Bumrah's average was a phenomenal 14.92, and his strike rate was just 30.1 for the year.&nbsp;
His 71 wickets made him only the fourth Indian bowler in history to take more than 70 Test wickets in a calendar year, joining the ranks of Ravichandran Ashwin, Anil Kumble, and Kapil Dev.
Bumrah&rsquo;s year began with a stellar performance in the Cape Town Test against South Africa, where he took eight wickets across two innings, helping India to victory. He then dominated England at home, claiming 19 wickets in four Tests as India won 1-4. H
owever, his finest performance came during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) tour of Australia, where he bagged an incredible 32 wickets in five Tests and was named Player of the Series.
Bumrah&rsquo;s remarkable year saw him surpass the milestone of 200 Test wickets, becoming the 12th Indian bowler to achieve this feat. He also became the fastest Indian pacer to reach this mark, with a bowling average of less than 20, the best in history.
Bumrah&rsquo;s dominance was further reflected in his ICC Test Bowling Rankings, where he surpassed 900 rating points, ending the year with an unprecedented 907 points&mdash;setting a new record for the most points by any Indian bowler in history.

Rishabh Pant, sold to Lucknow Super Giants for a record Rs 27 crores in the IPL 2025 auction, has been named captain of the franchise. 

Rishabh Pant named Lucknow Super Giants captain for IPL 2025

Rishabh Pant, sold to Lucknow Super Giants for a record Rs 27 crores in the IPL 2025 auction, has been named captain of the franchise.&nbsp;

Rishabh Pant, the trailblazing wicketkeeper, has been appointed as the captain of the Lucknow Super Giants for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season, the franchise announced on Monday.
The 27-year-old, who made history during the IPL auction in November by being sold to Lucknow for Rs 27 crores ($3.2 million), joins the team for the upcoming edition of the lucrative T20 tournament.
Pant, known for his flamboyant left-handed batting, returned to captain Delhi Capitals last season after a 14-month hiatus from elite cricket due to a car accident. However, he parted ways with the Capitals after the team finished sixth in the 2024 IPL season standings.
"I see a born leader in Rishabh Pant. From my point of view, he will be probably the best captain IPL has seen," said Sanjiv Goenka, the owner of Lucknow, during a special TV broadcast. "Surely Rishabh Pant will play for at least 14-15 years for us, we hope at least five IPL titles in these years."
Pant has represented India in 150 international matches across all three formats, amassing 5,028 runs, including seven centuries.
The 18th edition of the IPL is set to commence on March 21, with the opening match scheduled to be held in Kolkata, while the final will take place on May 25, according to reports from Indian media.
The IPL continues to be a major revenue generator for Indian cricket, contributing more than $11 billion annually to the economy. It has also played a pivotal role in popularizing T20 cricket globally, inspiring similar events worldwide.

Australia defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and 242 runs in the first Test, with Matthew Kuhnemann taking career-best figures of 9-149. Sri Lanka’s batting collapse saw them lose their last five wickets for just nine runs, sealing the heavy defeat.

Australia crushes Sri Lanka by an innings and 242 runs in historic Test victory

Australia defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and 242 runs in the first Test, with Matthew Kuhnemann taking career-best figures of 9-149. Sri Lanka&rsquo;s batting collapse saw them lose their last five wickets for just nine runs, sealing the heavy defeat.

Sri Lanka suffered their heaviest defeat in Test cricket history on Saturday as Australia flexed their muscles to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series with a crushing victory by an innings and 242 runs.
The contest was wrapped up before tea on day four, with rookie left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann's match-winning spell delivering him career-best figures of 9-149 over both innings.
"We were put under pressure," Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva said afterwards. "The batters should have put up a better show."
Kuhnemann underwent surgery only two weeks ago on a broken right thumb sustained during the Big Bash League and battled through the match in pain, requiring constant medical attention.
He was well-supported by the ever-dependable Nathan Lyon, who spun a web around the Sri Lankan batters to finish with seven match wickets.
Sri Lanka's heaviest defeat before Saturday was in Nagpur in 2017, when India hammered them by an innings and 239.
Sri Lanka resumed on 136 for five overnight but their first innings folded for 165, losing their last five wickets for a mere nine runs.
Put straight back in to bat chasing 489, they lost three wickets before lunch and then capitulated in the second session -- a humiliating finish for a team once renowned for its prowess on turning tracks.
Dinesh Chandimal had waged a lonely battle in the first innings to top-score with 72 and, with Angelo Mathews, stitched together one of only two 50-plus partnerships in the second.
However, he was sent back for 31 on the last ball before lunch when he gloved Lyon to Travis Head at short leg.
Oshada Fernando failed to make an impact in his return to the side, undone by a sharp inswinger from Mitchell Starc that trapped him plumb in front for six to go with his first innings seven.
Former skipper Dimuth Karunaratne's horror run with the bat continued after an avoidable dismissal for nought by Todd Murphy.
 - 'Tough place to play' -
Rain forced an early lunch on day three before washing out the final two sessions.
Australia declared on 654-6 late on the second day after opener Usman Khawaja's career-best 232.
"Galle is a tough place to play cricket and we are very happy with this win," Khawaja said.
"I've played a lot of cricket in Sri Lanka, this being my fifth tour. I've made lot of mistakes before. I guess all that experience came in handy in this game."
Stand-in skipper Steve Smith also had a game to remember, becoming only the fourth Australian to breach the 10,000-run mark in Test cricket on the first ball he faced.
He finished his innings with a masterful 141, while wicketkeeper Josh Inglis hit a century on debut.
Galle will host the second and final match of the series next week before a two-match ODI series in Colombo.

Cricket

Ashes 2025: Travis Head slams unbeaten 142 to crush England's Ashes hopes

Emotional Carey slams ton to give Australia upper hand in 3rd Ashes Test

The Ashes: What to know about cricket's most storied rivalry

Virat Kohli dismissed for six runs in Ranji Trophy return leaving fans disappointed

Jasprit Bumrah named ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2024, wins Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy

Rishabh Pant named Lucknow Super Giants captain for IPL 2025

Australia crushes Sri Lanka by an innings and 242 runs in historic Test victory

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