L-R: Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh

On this day, 42 years ago, three of Australia’s greatest cricketers bid adieu to Test cricket together after record-breaking careers at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Batting legend Greg Chappell, pace great Dennis Lillee and master wicketkeeper Rod Marsh played their final international match during the fifth Test against Pakistan in Sydney, which concluded on January 6, 1984.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!It was a rare and poignant moment in cricket history — three stalwarts from different aspects of the game walking off the international stage together. Each of them had mastered his respective craft and left behind a legacy that shaped the identity of Australian Test cricket for generations.

That fateful day, Chappell signed off as Australia’s highest run-scorer in Test cricket with 7,110 runs, overtaking the legendary Sir Don Bradman’s long-standing record of 6,996. The right-hander retired from the game in emphatic fashion, producing a stunning 182 in his final innings for Australia in the first innings of the match. The majestic knock, his 24th Test hundred, underlined his class and composure and earned him the Player of the Match award in his final international appearance. Lillee, arguably the most feared fast bowler of his time, capped off his Test career as the highest wicket-taker in the world then, finishing with 355 scalps. In his final Test, the fiery pacer delivered one last reminder of his relentless competitiveness, returning figures of 4 for 65 in the first innings and 4 for 88 in the second, completing the match with a haul of 8 for 153. Marsh, meanwhile, bowed out with equal distinction behind the stumps. He ended his legendary career with 355 Test dismissals, a world record at the time. Interestingly, 95 of those dismissals came in the famous “caught Marsh, bowled Lillee” combination, a testament to one of the most iconic partnerships in cricket history. Over the last four decades, many of their individual records have been surpassed, but the timing and manner of their simultaneous farewell ensured the moment remained etched in cricketing folklore. Chappell’s tally now stands as the 12th-highest among Australian Test run-getters, Lillee’s wicket record is currently fifth among Australian bowlers and 26th overall, while Marsh’s dismissal record remained untouched for 15 years before Ian Healy surpassed it and now sits fourth on the list.On January 6, 1984, the legendary trio left the cricket field with more than a bagful of records. Here is how their final Test unfolded:Australia and Pakistan arrived at the SCG with the hosts leading the five-match series 1–0 after a dominant innings-and-nine-run victory at the WACA. The next three Tests in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne ended in draws, leaving Pakistan with an outside chance of leveling the series in Sydney.After winning the toss on January 2, Australian captain Kim Hughes elected to bowl first. Pakistan’s innings was anchored by half-centuries from opener Mudassar Nazar (84), Zaheer Abbas (61) and Saleem Malik (54), guiding the visitors to a competitive 278 all out. Geoff Lawson was the standout for Australia with a five-wicket haul (5/59), well supported by Lillee’s 4 for 65, while Greg Matthews chipped in with 1 for 59.Pakistan made early inroads in response, reducing Australia to 83/3 with the top order dismissed. However, Chappell and Hughes steadied the innings with a vital 171-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Hughes fell for 76 to Sarfraz Nawaz at 254/4, but Chappell ensured Australia seized control by adding another 153 runs for the fifth wicket with Allan Border, who contributed a composed 64.When Chappell was finally dismissed for his majestic 182, Australia already held a 158-run lead. The hosts later declared at 454 for 6, extending their advantage to 176 runs and placing Pakistan under significant pressure.Pakistan could not replicate their first-innings effort and were dismissed for 210 in the second innings. Javed Miandad top-scored with 60, while several others made starts without converting them into substantial scores. Once again, Lawson and Lillee led the Australian charge, sharing eight wickets between them. Lillee signed off with 4 for 88, Lawson returned figures of 4 for 48, and Rodney Hogg claimed the remaining two wickets.Australia then chased down the modest 35-run target in just 5.4 overs to complete a comprehensive 10-wicket victory and seal the series 2–0.In their final Test series, Chappell amassed 364 runs at an average of 72.80, Lillee claimed 20 wickets at 31.65 across nine innings, and Marsh registered 21 dismissals — all caught behind — a fitting statistical summary of a farewell that symbolised the end of a golden chapter in Australian cricket history.

Haryana is set to witness the launch of India’s first hydrogen-powered train, with Northern Railway’s pilot project between Jind and Sonipat entering its final stages.A Haryana government statement said a stable and uninterrupted 11 kV power supply has been ensured for the hydrogen plant at Jind, which will fuel the train during commissioning and regular operations.The hydrogen plant has a storage capacity of 3,000 kilograms and is currently in its final commissioning phase. Haryana chief secretary Anurag Rastogi recently reviewed the project with officials of Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam and directed regular monitoring of the power supply system to avoid any disruption. He also stressed the need for strong backup arrangements and quick-response mechanisms to support the project.Last month, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told the Lok Sabha that Indian Railways has taken up a state-of-the-art pilot project to run its first hydrogen-powered train. He said the train has been developed as per specifications framed by the Research, Design and Standards Organisation to demonstrate hydrogen-based train technology. Vaishnaw added that manufacturing of the hydrogen train-set has been completed and hydrogen for the train will be produced at the Jind plant using the electrolysis process, a key component of green hydrogen generation.The hydrogen train has already reached Jind junction and is expected to begin its maiden journey soon on the Jind–Gohana–Sonipat route. Trial runs have been completed successfully, officials said. The eight-coach train, built at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, has power cars at both ends and is designed with a metro-style layout, with doors that close fully before departure to enhance passenger safety.Special features of the train-

An official associated with the project said that all preparations are in place, though the final decision on the launch date rests with higher authorities.He said the train’s speed limit has been set at 110 km per hour and all technical aspects are being thoroughly checked.

Australia’s premier all-rounder Annabel Sutherland has once again stamped her authority at the top of world cricket, reclaiming the No.1 position in the latest ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings. The updated list, released on Tuesday, sees India’s Deepti Sharma slip to second, marking another significant twist in an intense battle for supremacy among elite bowlers in the shortest format.

A familiar peak for Annabel Sutherland

Sutherland returned to the top with a rating of 736, mirroring the exact tally she held when she first ascended to No.1 in August 2025. The achievement underlines her remarkable consistency across conditions and opposition. Known for her ability to strike at crucial moments and maintain control through the middle overs, the Australian all-rounder continues to set the benchmark in T20I bowling.

While Deepti’s time at the summit was brief, her drop does little to dent her standing among the world’s best. The Indian off-spinner remains a vital cog in India’s white-ball setup and firmly entrenched in the upper echelon of the rankings.

India vs Sri Lanka clash drives batting gains

The latest rankings update has been influenced heavily by the recent Women’s T20I in Thiruvananthapuram on December 30, where India posted a competitive 175 for 7. The match saw three Indian batters cross the fifty-run mark, highlighting the depth and form of the home side’s batting unit.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur played a defining role with a commanding 68 off 43 deliveries. Her knock, blending power with composure, helped her climb two places to 13th in the T20I batting rankings, taking her rating to 634 points and reinforcing her status as one of the format’s most influential batters.

Also READ: Aakash Chopra predicts the winner and Orange Cap holder for WPL 2026 edition

Sri Lankan batters make rapid strides

Despite Sri Lanka falling short in the chase, the visitors found major positives with the bat. Opener Hasini Perera led the resistance with a fluent 65 from 42 balls. Her performance resulted in a dramatic jump of 31 places, lifting her to 40th in the batting rankings with 490 points, one of the biggest gains in the latest update.

Perera received strong support from Imesh Dulani, who impressed with an assured 50 off 39 balls, laced with eight boundaries. Remarkably, just six matches into her international T20 career, Dulani surged 77 places to enter the top 100 batters for the first time, signalling a promising future.

All-round impact of Deepti Sharma

Although Deepti lost the No.1 bowling ranking, she enjoyed a solid outing, returning figures of 1 for 28 from her four overs. That display ensured she retained third place in the T20I all-rounder rankings with 382 points. Fellow Indian Arundhati Reddy also made notable progress, jumping 21 places to 44th in the all-rounder list after scoring a brisk 27 not out off 11 balls and picking up a wicket. Away from international rankings, Sutherland will miss the upcoming Women’s Premier League (WPL) season after withdrawing from the tournament. Her franchise, Delhi Capitals, have named Alana King as her replacement, adding another experienced Australian to their squad.

Also READ: From emerging player to WPL 2026 winner: Deepti Sharma shares bold predictions for the Women’s Premier League

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

MUMBAI: The era of the high-stakes, “do-or-die” final exam may soon be a thing of the past. Educationists, policymakers, and parents who gathered at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre on Sunday called for a radical shift from the current marks-centric evaluation to a continuous, year-long assessment of a student’s true potential.Speaking at the 16th state-level education conference, themed “National Education Policy 2020: New Directions in Assessment,” experts warned that the obsession with scores is creating a “mental health crisis” among city students.‘Focus on Journey, Not Just Grades’Addressing the gathering, MP and Yashwantrao Chavan Centre executive president Supriya Sule emphasized that education must move beyond the narrow lens of grading. “Assessment is about understanding a student’s learning journey and overall development, not just awarding marks,” she said.Sule flagged the rising stress levels caused by cut-throat competition and parental expectations. She urged schools to adopt “ability-based” education, reminding the audience that every child learns at a different pace.Continuous Tracking via PARAKHThe keynote address by MKCL chief mentor Vivek Sawant struck a similar chord, describing conventional exams as a “terminal exercise” that kills the joy of learning. “When marks become the sole objective, education itself suffers,” Sawant noted.He highlighted national-level reforms like PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), which aims to replace the traditional report card with a multidimensional progress evaluation.The ChallengesWhile the conference celebrated the move toward critical thinking and value-oriented learning, attendees raised concerns about ground-level implementation. Key hurdles such as the digital divide which means ensuring algorithms and digital tools don’t replace the human touch in classrooms. Teacher training which is the urgent need for capacity-building to help educators transition from checking answer sheets to evaluating “learning outcomes.” And lastly critical thinking which should serve as a call for schools to prioritize logic and analysis over rote memorization.

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