Jason Gillespie (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Former Australia fast-bowling great Jason Gillespie has spoken candidly about his turbulent nine-month stint as Pakistan’s Test team head coach, saying a series of decisions by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) left him feeling “completely humiliated” and ultimately forced his resignation.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Gillespie was appointed Pakistan’s red-ball coach in April 2024, with former South Africa batter Gary Kirsten taking charge of white-ball formats. But the dual-coach experiment quickly unravelled. Kirsten stepped down in October, and Gillespie followed in December after the PCB abruptly removed senior assistant Tim Nielsen without consulting him.

“I was coaching the Pakistan Test side. The PCB sacked our senior assistant coach with ZERO communication with me about it,” Gillespie wrote on X. “As head coach I found this situation completely unacceptable. There were a number of other issues which left me completely humiliated.”

Nielsen, a former Australia head coach, had been appointed as high-performance red-ball coach in August 2024 but was informed his services were no longer required ahead of Pakistan’s 2024–25 tour of South Africa. Gillespie said the decision blindsided him and became the final breaking point.Speaking to ABC Sport, Gillespie said he had entered the role aware of the challenges. “I went into the job eyes wide open. I knew Pakistan had cycled through a number of coaches in a pretty short space of time,” he said. “But the straw that broke the camel’s back was being completely and utterly blindsided by that decision.”

He added that the lack of communication extended well beyond Nielsen’s axing. “I just thought, ‘I’m not really sure if they actually want me to do this job or not’.”Gillespie also revealed how marginalised he felt in the role. “I felt I was basically hitting catches and that was about it on the morning of a game,” he said, stressing the importance of clear dialogue with selectors and administrators.After briefly serving as interim white-ball coach, Gillespie was replaced by Aaqib Javed across formats. According to ESPNCricinfo, Gillespie and the PCB are now embroiled in a financial dispute, with the former coach claiming unpaid dues, while the board argues he failed to provide the required four-month notice.

Sarfaraz Khan and Musheer Khan (Image credit: Instagram)

JAIPUR: Mumbai have their own Khan show — and it’s quickly becoming unmissable. Sarfaraz and Musheer Khan are giving the city’s storied domestic side a fresh jolt of swagger, skill and sparkle, looking every bit the kind of brothers who can shape matches — and seasons — together.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Regulars for Mumbai across formats, the siblings bring different strengths to the same cause. Musheer, the batting all-rounder, adds energy in the field and value with his left-arm orthodox spin. Batter Sarfaraz, meanwhile, is as dependable as they come and is also a safe catcher who lifts the group with his intensity and encouragement. There’s never a dull moment when the two are playing together.

In the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy (Elite Group C) in Jaipur, Mumbai have stayed on top with four straight wins and the Khan brothers have been central to that surge.Against Uttarakhand and then Goa, they underlined their impact with the bat. Sarfaraz’s blistering 157 off 75 balls against Goa — featuring 14 sixes — lit up the contest as Mumbai piled on a massive 444/8 and sealed an 87-run win. The innings has also reignited the familiar selection debate around Sarfaraz, a conversation that has only grown louder in recent months.

Speaking to TOI after the Goa match, Sarfaraz opened up about the bond he shares with his younger brother. “We’ve played together for years, so we understand each other’s game really well. We learn from each other’s successes and failures. Even though he’s much younger, Musheer’s guidance matters because he thinks differently. He’s street-smart and always gives his best,” Sarfaraz said.Sarfaraz, who had endured a lean patch in the Ranji Trophy, has responded with productive outings in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and now the Vijay Hazare Trophy.Musheer, 20, has been equally steady, scoring runs and chipping in with wickets with his left-arm spin. “When we’re in the middle, we keep talking about how to handle a bowler or pace the innings. Musheer always tells me something or the other. Sometimes I get angry, but I never take his suggestions lightly. And I’ve also advised him when he wasn’t doing well,” Sarfaraz added.For now, the 28-year-old isn’t looking too far ahead. If anything, the mission seems simple: keep scoring, keep winning and keep the Khan show rolling.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane (AP/PTI)

Robin Uthappa has delivered a sharp assessment of the MCG Test pitch, calling it challenging and seam-friendly but far from unplayable. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former India batter argued that such surfaces appear extreme largely because modern batting has moved away from patience and problem-solving. Uthappa’s central argument is that teams need to reset expectations. On wickets like these, totals around 250 can be competitive, provided batters are willing to grind, show discipline and resist the urge to force the game.

“See, it’s a dichotomous situation. It’s not like it’s an impossible wicket. There are such wickets in Melbourne which are very juicy for fast bowlers… I think it’s because of the way cricket is played today. I feel like these pitches are unsporty, but if you have the right technique and the right mindset and the fight in you, you’ll be able to figure out a solution for this kind of a wicket also. It’s not a high-scoring game, but it’s not... It won’t be a 300-plus game, but even a 250 on this wicket is possible. You gotta fight it out. Play it like Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Definitely, you’ll score runs,” Uthappa said. He made it clear that the pitch does not need to be “fair” in a balanced sense for batters to succeed. According to Uthappa, players still retain control if their defence is solid and their mindset clear, allowing them to weather tough spells and inch the score forward. That is why he highlighted Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane as ideal reference points, pointing to their ability to leave the ball well, trust time at the crease and view pressure as temporary rather than decisive. Uthappa also touched upon Joe Root’s struggles during the second Test in Brisbane, describing the England batter’s dismissal as an unfortunate reflection of where Test batting currently stands. “I am saying this with a grain of salt because the way we’re playing Test cricket has now changed. I don’t enjoy it a lot, like Ashes Test matches that finished in two days. What are we doing to the sport for entertainment? Joe Root too lost in that Test match. He didn’t know how to play, play attacking cricket, or play his own way in the second innings. It was quite unfortunate… I empathise with them,” he said. Taken together, Uthappa’s comments serve as a broader caution. If Test batting becomes driven only by instant intent, difficult pitches will not just lead to lower scores but deeper uncertainty. And once batters stop believing there is a method to survive, Test cricket risks losing its defining quality: the ability to endure and adapt under sustained pressure.

Mitchell Marsh (Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: Australian selectors have named a spin-heavy squad as the defending champions gear up for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka and India.The 2021 champions, announced on Thursday, have opted not to include a left-arm pacer following Mitchell Starc’s retirement from T20 Internationals. Starc, who stepped away from the format late last year, had missed just one of the past six ICC T20 events.

The biggest surprise in the squad is Cooper Connolly, who has not featured in any of Australia’s last 12 T20 Internationals.Australia will begin their campaign against Ireland in Colombo on February 11, before facing Zimbabwe at the same venue on February 13. They then travel to Kandy for group-stage fixtures against Sri Lanka on February 16 and Oman on February 20.Pat Cummins’ participation in the tournament remains uncertain, with a scan on his back scheduled later this month set to determine his availability. Josh Hazlewood and Tim David, meanwhile, are both working their way back from hamstring injuries.Under ICC regulations, teams are permitted to make changes to their squads until January 31.Australia will play a three-match T20I series against Pakistan later this month as part of their preparation.All of Australia’s group-stage matches will be played in Sri Lanka, though the side will travel to India for at least part of the Super Eights stage should they progress.Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Magnus Carlsen (Image credit: X)

If other elite chess players ask scientists to do a case study that proves that Magnus Carlsen is a different breed and hence should not be allowed to play against humans, they can be totally forgiven!By winning the World Rapid and Blitz titles in Doha, Qatar — his fifth such double and 20th overall world title in a jaw-dropping career — the 35-yearold once again proved that his competitors, including what Garry Kasparov termed “Vishy Anand’s children”, are kids in comparison.

“If I am not mathematically eliminated, then ruling me out is probably not a good idea,” Carlsen told a press conference streamed on the FIDE webcast, inviting laughs of approval.Calling his 2016 Doha silver in blitz and bronze in rapid “unfinished business” — and admitting that not winning the blitz title then still bugged him — Carlsen said, “It was not a straightforward decision at all to play here. But once I decided to play, I thought I should give my very best. I have probably over-performed a little bit. Winning both (titles together) should not be a norm. But sometimes, the numbers don’t lie.”He also talked about his struggles in the blitz meet that forced him to score 4.5 in the last five rounds to qualify for the semis.“I was not doing many things right till the 14th round. My pace was too slow and I could not keep my cool in time trouble, which is a pretty bad combination when you are playing slowly.“But once we got to the knockouts, I thought I should really try and enjoy this. I did not necessarily expect to be there. It was a tough event but I am super happy because, at some point, I defied the odds.”When someone suggested his waning powers in reference to his struggles, Carlsen said, “I don’t think I am getting worse compared to my opponents!”He also boasted about his quality: “When I am on my game, I am usually very good in any format that you put in front of me.”Carlsen displayed his human side to fellow players and critics, his nerves on display as he stretched equal endgames into defeats in critical games of both tournaments — banging the table, spilling pieces and even pushing the cameraman’s equipment.But he was good enough to give his followers another reason to chant his name.When you dominate a fast-evolving cerebral sport in this fashion for 15 years — and uplift it with online initiatives during the Covid pandemic — some behavioural concessions are well-earned.Another eccentric player, Alireza Firouzja, said recently that he respects Carlsen. “Magnus says whatever he believes in and does whatever he believes in,” he had said in Mumbai.Carlsen explained: “I’m playing for the first place when I am playing here. A lot of players, a majority of the top boards, want a good prize and maybe a medal and maybe a win. For them, getting one of the top prizes is the most important thing. But for me, it’s different. That’s certainly a huge psychological advantage that I have and that’s one of the reasons why I sometimes am able to pull away at the end when others are sort of trying to consolidate.”World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura did not approve of Nodirbek Abdusattorov’s approach in the final.On his streaming platform, Nakamura said, “Though at some level, it’s good to treat Carlsen like any other player, in certain situations — especially endgames — you have to be mindful about whom you are playing. It’s better to simplify the position rather than getting into positional battles with Magnus.”The player knows how to cement his position as one of the absolute greats, even as the usual suspects with younger, sharper minds and AI backing come along.

Sherfane Rutherford of Pretoria Capitals plays a shot during match 8 of the Betway SA20 season 4 between MI Cape Town (MICT) and The Pretoria Capitals (PC) held at the Newlands Cricket Stadium in Cape Town , South Africa on the 31st December 2025. (Sportzpics)

New Year’s Eve turned into a night of fireworks for Pretoria Capitals as they registered their first win of SA20 Season 4 with an emphatic 85-run bonus-point victory over MI Cape Town at Newlands on Wednesday.Capitals piled up a daunting 220/5 before skittling the hosts for just 135, with Sherfane Rutherford delivering a sensational all-round performance on a memorable night in Cape Town.

After being put under pressure early, Capitals found themselves wobbling at 36/3 inside the Powerplay, thanks largely to a probing opening spell from a fit-again Kagiso Rabada. However, Shai Hope and Wihan Lubbe steadied the innings with a crucial fourth-wicket stand, arresting the slide with calculated aggression.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Hope struck a composed 45 off 30 balls while Lubbe anchored the recovery with a fluent 60 off 36, ensuring Capitals had a platform to launch from in the death overs. That platform was spectacularly exploited by Sherfane Rutherford and Dewald Brevis.The duo unleashed a breathtaking assault, adding 86 runs in just 27 balls. Rutherford’s unbeaten 47 came off only 15 deliveries and included six towering sixes, while Brevis matched the tempo with a rapid 36 not out from 13 balls. Capitals plundered 92 runs in the final five overs at a staggering run-rate of 18.2.Rutherford’s penultimate over assault on Dewald Pretorius stunned the Newlands crowd, as the West Indian smashed four consecutive sixes, part of a sequence of six maximums in a row across two overs.In reply, MI Cape Town’s hopes rested heavily on openers Ryan Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen, who provided a brisk start with a 60-run stand inside the Powerplay. But once both fell in quick succession, the chase unraveled rapidly.

Nicholas Pooran briefly threatened a counterattack, hammering Keshav Maharaj for four sixes in a row during a 25 off six balls. Maharaj, however, had the final say, dismissing Pooran and finishing with figures of 3/28 to break the spine of the middle order.Rutherford capped off a dream evening with career-best bowling figures of 4/24 as MI Cape Town collapsed, sealing a dominant victory for Pretoria Capitals and kickstarting their Season 4 campaign in emphatic fashion.Brief ScoresPretoria Capitals: 220 for 5 in 20 overs (Wihan Lubbe 60, Sherfane Rutherford 47 not out; Kagiso Rabada 2/48) MI Cape Town: 135 all out in 14.5 overs (Ryan Rickelton 33; Sherfane Rutherford 4/24, Keshav Maharaj 3/28)