Australia’s Alex Carey (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Australia’s wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey produced an emotional century as he guided the hosts to a commanding 326 for 8 at the end of the opening day of the third Test against England at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday. Australia had a shaky start, slipping to 94 for 4 soon after lunch, but Carey and the late addition of Usman Khawaja put together a 91-run partnership for the fifth wicket to steady the innings. Carey finished with 106 off 143 balls, marking his third Test century. After reaching the milestone, the South Australian looked skyward in tribute to his late father, Gordon, who passed away in September following a prolonged battle with cancer.

“You know the reasons why – I’m probably a bit emotional now,” Carey said after the day’s play. “It was obviously a really good feeling to score a hundred on home soil. Family and friends were here… they would have been proud. They love coming to the cricket and watching me play. My kids are here, Eloise and mum and nieces – it would have been a really nice moment for them. “We were in a little bit of a sticky situation there straight after lunch as well. So to form a partnership with Uzzie and, I guess, keep us in the fixture was great. “I would have loved to have scored more runs and been there a bit longer. But to be able to take the helmet off and look up to the heavens, it was a really nice moment.” Steve Smith was ruled out of the match due to a potential vestibular issue, which allowed Khawaja to return to the side after missing the first two Tests with a back spasm. Carey praised Khawaja’s contribution, saying, “I still think he’s got so much to give to this group. We saw him again today, and he played really well.” Despite wickets falling at the other end, Carey remained steadfast, producing his first home Test century and surpassing Steve Smith’s 618 runs to become Australia’s leading Test run-scorer for the year. His tally now ranks sixth globally for the year in the format. The innings was not without controversy. Carey survived an early chance on 72 when he edged the first ball of the 63rd over from Josh Tongue. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith and the fielders appealed and celebrated, but the standing umpire, Ahsan Raza, ruled him not out after England reviewed the decision. The snickometer showed a spike two to three frames before the ball passed the bat. Television umpire Chris Gaffaney explained, “There’s a clear gap, no spike. The ball appeared to have gone well under the bat.” Carey reflected on the moment, saying, “I thought there was a bit of a feather or some sort of noise when it passed the bat. It looked a bit funny on the replay, didn’t it, with the noise coming early? If I were given out, I think I would have reviewed it – probably not confidently though. It was a nice sound as it passed the bat. Snicko obviously didn’t line up, did it? That’s just the way cricket goes sometimes. You have a bit of luck, and maybe it went my way today.”

Ashok Sharma celebrates after taking a wicket in the Ranji Trophy (Special Arrangement)

NEW DELHI: Rajasthan head coach Anshu Jain vividly recalls his first impression of Ashok Sharma when he saw him bowling in the nets in Jaipur.“Erratic but fast,” Jain tells TimesofIndia.com.

The 23-year-old Rajasthan pacer was roped in by Gujarat Titans for ₹90 lakh at the IPL 2026 auction held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. But Ashok isn’t making headlines for the money — he’s in the spotlight for his raw pace. The young fast bowler shattered an 11-year-old record in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and, with 22 wickets, finished as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“I’m not surprised at all. He has worked on his length, and now with the speed, there is accuracy as well. In our match against Hyderabad, he didn’t pick any wickets in one over, but all six balls he bowled were above 145 kph, with one touching the 150 mark,” says Jain, who has closely tracked Ashok’s rise since his U-19 days.

Ashok Sharma has clocked 150 kph in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (screengrab)

For Ashok, who hails from a farming background, fast bowling came naturally — inspired by his elder brother Akshay Sharma.“I was naturally quick. Ever since I started bowling, I’ve always had good pace,” Ashok tells TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.“I’ve learnt everything from my elder brother Akshay. He was a bowler. I used to watch his school matches. He taught me the basics of fast bowling and even took me to the academy,” he says.Growing up in Rampur, a village near Jaipur, the Sharma family had to make a tough decision about the future of their sons. Nathulal, a farmer, wanted them to either focus on education or help in the fields. Akshay stepped up, sacrificed his own cricketing ambitions, and convinced their parents to let Ashok pursue the game.

Ashok Sharma with his elder brother Akshay Sharma (Special Arrangement)

“He sacrificed his career. We come from a farming background, and only one of us could play. My brother is my everything,” says an emotional Ashok.Ashok found a mentor in Vivek Yadav, a former Ranji Trophy cricketer, who took him under his wings and was instantly drawn to his pace — much like Anshu Jain.“He played a big role in my life. When I joined the academy, I was 17. He supported me a lot. On my very first day in the morning nets, he asked me what I did. He watched me bowl, put me straight into the senior team of the academy and told the coach that I must play all matches. He supported me in everything. I could talk to him like an elder brother — ask him anything — and he always helped me,” Ashok shares.But during the Covid-19 pandemic, Vivek Yadav — a part of Rajasthan’s back-to-back Ranji Trophy title-winning teams in 2010–11 and 2011–12 — passed away in a Jaipur hospital due to complications. The loss devastated Ashok.

Ashok Sharma with his late mentor Vivek Yadav, who passed during the Covid in 2021 (Special Arrangement)

“That was the last time I shed tears. I thought my career was over. He wanted me to play for India. He used to say, ‘You’ll play for India very soon, you’ll play top-level cricket very soon,’” he says.After Vivek’s passing, Anshu Jain, then the coach of the Jaipur district team, picked Ashok for the inter-district tournament, backing him despite resistance.

Ashok Sharma with Rajasthan head coach Anshu Jain (Special Arrangement)

“He was quick even then, but the problem was line and length. He bowled a bit short. Selectors didn’t like him because he leaked runs. But he was an X-factor. I used to have big fights with selectors. How many 140-plus bowlers do you see? There aren’t many,” Jain recalls.“I was the U-23 coach last year, picked him again and played him in all matches. He worked hard on his length. He bowled well in the Ranji Trophy, and now in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, everyone is praising him. He must have bowled around 300 overs this season. He’s a gun fielder, has very strong hands, is quick and agile, and can hit big sixes with the bat as well,” Jain adds.

(L-R) Harshit Rana, Tim Southee, Pat Cummins and Ashok Sharma (special arrangement)

Ashok landed his first IPL deal in 2022 when Kolkata Knight Riders signed him for ₹55 lakh. He was later released and spent a season as a net bowler with Rajasthan Royals. In the 2025 mega auction, Royals picked him for his base price of ₹30 lakh, only to release him again without giving him a game.Despite the ups and downs, one thing remained constant — the advice he received from Pat Cummins during his stint with KKR.“I never thought about slowing down. I just wanted to keep my pace and hit the right length. In 2022, I spent a lot of time with Pat Cummins,” Ashok recalls.“I spoke to him about length and what I could do better. He asked me a simple question: ‘What is your strength?’ Every bowler has one — some swing it, some seam it. He asked me what I felt my strength was. I told him I could hit a hard length at good pace. He told me to stick to that. Whenever I practise, I remember his words. They still echo in my ears.”

Ashok Sharma with former India bowling coach Bharat Arun during their KKR days (Special Arrangement)

At KKR, former India bowling coach Bharat Arun also fine-tuned Ashok’s action and run-up.“When I was picked, I knew nothing. My only thought was to bowl fast. Bharat Arun sir taught me what it takes to stay fit as a fast bowler — diet, training, recovery and how to take care of my body,” Ashok says.Jain vouches for the transformation he’s seen over the last two years.“He’s very particular about training and diet. He bowls long spells. Even though modern fast bowlers are advised against it, you need overs under your belt to get accuracy right. This season, he’s bowled with the old ball as well. I’ve seen batters get scared. I strongly believe he will play for India,” Jain says confidently.Despite the praise, Ashok remains grounded.“The one person I miss the most is Vivek bhaiya,” he says softly.“Ab jisne mujhe itna ready kiya, itna kaam kiya, mujhe ready kiya, ab woh hi nahi hai dekhne ko, toh bura lagta hai (The person who prepared me so thoroughly, who worked so hard to make me ready, is no longer here to see it — that hurts deeply),” he adds.“There’s an extra responsibility on me now. I regularly talk to Vivek bhaiya’s family. His mother, wife and daughter — I keep visiting them,” Ashok says.Bowling fast is Ashok’s obsession, and he wants to get quicker. But one dream tops even speed — meeting Dale Steyn.

Ashok Sharma with Dale Steyn (Special Arrangement)

“My brother and I are big Dale Steyn fans. We had his poster in our room. I met him during the IPL when I was with KKR and he was Sunrisers Hyderabad’s bowling coach. Unse ek-do dafa mulaqat hui — baat nahi ho paayi — but saamne se mile, hello hua, utna hi kaafi hai. Jinko TV pe dekh ke bade hue, jinki poster deewar pe lagayi, unse milna hi sab kuch hota hai (I met him once or twice. We didn’t really get to talk, but even meeting him face to face and exchanging a hello felt enough. To meet the people you grew up watching on TV, whose posters were on your wall — that itself means everything),” Ashok laughs.The 2025–26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has largely belonged to batters, with records tumbling across the tournament. Amid the run-fest, only a handful of bowlers have stood out — and Ashok Sharma is one of them. Capable of clocking speeds up to 150 kph, Jain believes there’s even more pace to come. If Ashok sustains his form through the rest of the domestic season and the IPL, the doors of Indian selection may not remain shut for long.

NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill‘s struggle against straight deliveries is an area of concern, former national batting coach Sanjay Bangar said on Wednesday. The opener has scored just 32 runs in three games in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa. However, what worries Bangar more than the total runs is Gill’s strike rate, which dips noticeably against deliveries pitched on a straight line.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking on Game Plan on JioStar, Bangar explained that while Gill appears comfortable playing balls outside the off-stump, his performance against straight deliveries has been less convincing.

“In the beginning, his footwork was very positive. But if you remove three or four boundaries over 28 games, the issue has been on straighter lines. Against straight deliveries, his strike rate has fallen quite low,” Bangar said, urging the young opener to improve his footwork to counter this weakness.“Outside the off stump, his strike rate is good, but there have been a few edges as well. Overall, he has scored runs, but straight-line play is something he will want to improve. In the second (T20) game (against South Africa), the ball that got him out was a very good delivery. It could have dismissed any batter. His footwork has improved, and if he continues to play with clear footwork, he will be able to hit the same shots consistently, like the three or four boundaries we’ve seen.“Abhishek’s aggressive mindset laudedBangar also praised young opener Abhishek Sharma for his attacking approach, particularly his ability to clear the infield with big sixes over the covers. The former batting coach noted that Abhishek’s high backlift and powerful swing give him excellent reach, enabling him to hit the ball cleanly.“His attacking mindset is a key factor. He has the ability to strike the ball cleanly, especially over the covers, which is a special skill,” Bangar added.Hardik Pandya‘s dual impactBangar highlighted Hardik Pandya’s all-round contributions, emphasising the all-rounder’s capacity to dominate both with bat and ball. With the bat, Pandya’s wide base and deep stance allow him to generate power on all sides. With the ball, his fuller deliveries at around 132-133 kmph, along with his swing and yorkers, make him a crucial asset for India.“Pandya’s versatility provides India with a great balance,” said Bangar.

Babar Azam (Image credit: BBL)

NEW DELHI: Adelaide Strikers secured a thrilling three-wicket win over Sydney Sixers in the fourth match of the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26 season. Jamie Overton was named Player of the Match for his outstanding all-round performance.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!With this victory, the Strikers climb to third in the BBL standings with two points, while the Sixers, suffering consecutive defeats, remain at seventh.

Batting first, Sydney Sixers posted 159/9 in 20 overs. Babar Azam struggled again, scoring just nine runs off 10 balls, including a four, while wicketkeeper-batter Josh Phillippe top-scored with 46 from 28 deliveries, hitting eight fours and a six. Jack Edwards contributed a fighting 32 off 21 balls, including four boundaries, as the Sixers posted a competitive total. For Adelaide, Luke Wood (3/26), Jamie Overton (2/22), and Lloyd Pope (2/25) shared the wickets.During the chase, Liam Scott smashed 51 off 31 deliveries, including three fours and three sixes. Jamie Overton, after brilliant bowling figures, added 30 runs off 20 balls, including four boundaries, as the Strikers chased down the 160-run target in 19.2 overs.After receiving the Player of the Match award, Overton said the chase felt controlled.“I’d like to think so (if the chase was under control), but those first games of the season, you always just want to get over the line. So it’s nice to do that and get our first win on the board. Coming up against these guys is never easy; they’re one of the best franchises in the world, so to get the win in the opening game is very satisfying. Yeah, I think it’s been around 8 years, so it was great to break that duck. That makes it even more special,” Overton said.“We felt pretty comfortable at the break (chasing 160). At times it was a bit sloppy – I think we gave away around a dozen extras – and there was some swing early on. So the plan was to play the conditions, get through the start, and then try and take the game on at the back end. Once we did that, it felt like we were mostly in control. Absolutely (enjoying his time). It’s my third season here and I love coming back, playing in front of the Adelaide fans and travelling around Australia. It’s one of my favourite places in the world, so I’m really enjoying it,” Overton added.

India’s top men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty produced a remarkable comeback to defeat Olympic silver medallists Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in their opening Group B match at the BWF World Tour Finals on Wednesday. The world No. 3 Indian duo, the only representatives from the country at the season-ending event, overturned an early setback and even saved a match point to register a hard-fought 12-21, 22-20, 21-14 victory over the world No. 5 Chinese combination. Reflecting on the match, Chirag admitted the slow start. “In the first game we didn’t start off that well. Credit to them actually, they kept putting a lot of pressure on us and didn’t really let us get into the game. But I think in the second game onwards we knew we wanted to start on a good note, be as aggressive as possible and that’s what we did,” he said. Satwik and Chirag entered the contest trailing 3-7 in head-to-head meetings against Liang and Wang, and the opening game followed that script. Short, fast rallies dominated, with both pairs relying on attacking drives and sharp smashes. After being level at 7-7, the Chinese pair took control with a burst of points, capitalising on net interceptions and forcing errors to seal the first game comfortably in just 13 minutes. The second game saw a noticeable shift in momentum. Despite falling behind early again, the Indians began varying pace more effectively and used flatter lifts to disrupt their opponents. A series of long, gruelling rallies helped them claw back, and they edged ahead at the interval with improved aggression from Satwik. China fought back strongly and even earned a match point at 19-18, but Satwik and Chirag held their nerve. They saved the match point, forced errors from Liang, and capitalised on a moment of confusion to clinch the game, Chirag finishing it off with a decisive jump smash. The decider was tightly contested in the early stages, with neither side able to pull away. Liang and Wang briefly held the advantage, but the Indians responded with fierce body smashes and sharper interceptions. Signs of pressure began to show in the Chinese camp as service and net errors crept in, while Satwik and Chirag grew in confidence. From 13-10 onwards, the Indian pair took firm control, unleashing sustained attacks to move clear. They earned seven match points after another Chinese error, and although one was saved, the contest ended when Liang and Wang went wide, sealing a memorable comeback win for the Indians. The Asian Games champions, who have finished runners-up at the Hong Kong Open and China Masters earlier this year, now face another tough challenge against Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri on Thursday as they look to build on an impressive start to their campaign.

Australia’s Alex Carey, left, celebrates his century (AP Photo/James Elsby)

England were weighing up whether to formally approach the match referee over the use of Snickometer technology in Australia after the company supplying the system accepted responsibility for a possible operational mistake on the opening day of the third Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval. The controversy centred on Australia wicketkeeper batter Alex Carey, who was batting on 72 when he appeared to edge the first delivery of the 63rd over from Josh Tongue. England’s fielders, led by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, appealed immediately for a catch behind. On-field umpire Ahsan Raza turned the appeal down, prompting England to go upstairs for a review.

Replays using Real-Time Snickometer showed a distinct spike, but it appeared several frames before the ball passed the bat. Third umpire Chris Gaffaney explained during the review that the spike occurred “before the bat” and that the ball seemed to have gone “well under” the edge, concluding there was “a clear gap” and no evidence to overturn the decision. Carey went on to make the most of the let-off, adding 34 more runs on his way to a century. After the day’s play, the Australian admitted he believed he had made contact with the ball. “I thought there was a bit of a feather or some sort of noise as it went past the bat,” Carey said. “It looked strange on the replay with the sound coming early. If I’d been given out, I probably would have reviewed it, though not with full confidence. There was a nice sound as it went past.” Carey also made it clear that walking was not part of his approach. “Snicko didn’t line up, did it? That’s cricket sometimes. You need a bit of luck, and maybe it went my way today,” he added. According to ESPNcricinfo, Warren Brennan, founder of BBG Sports, the company responsible for Snickometer in Australian Tests, told The Age that an operator error was the likely cause. Brennan said the most plausible explanation was that the wrong stump microphone had been selected for audio processing and confirmed that BBG Sports accepted full responsibility for the mistake. On the field, Australia closed the opening day strongly at 326 for 8 after choosing to bat first. Carey scored 106, while Usman Khawaja contributed 82. For England, Jofra Archer was the standout bowler with figures of 3 for 23, while Brydon Carse and Will Jacks picked up two wickets each. Josh Tongue claimed one scalp.