Usman Khawaja did not come out to bat in the 2nd innings for Australia as they went on to secure an 8-wicket win. (Images via Getty)

Australia’s opening Test of the Ashes produced an unusual subplot around senior batter Usman Khawaja, whose back spasms on day one triggered a reshuffle that carried into the second innings — and later prompted clarification from Cricket Australia. Khawaja, 38, spent a lengthy period off the field during England’s first innings on day one, leaving him short of the minimum on-field time required under ICC rules to open Australia’s reply. Despite returning shortly before England were bowled out, the window was too small for him to regain eligibility. That forced Marnus Labuschagne to open with debutant Jake Weatherald, while stand-in captain Steve Smith walked in at No. 3. Weatherald lasted only two balls, and Khawaja — still ineligible — remained in the dressing room as Australia slipped early. He finally came in at No. 4 after Labuschagne’s dismissal but managed only two runs before falling. The situation placed scrutiny on Khawaja’s preparation after images of him playing golf in the lead-up to the Test circulated online. Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg rejected any link between that session and the spasms. “It (playing golf) has held him in good stead over the last couple of years. It’s not uncommon for a lot of them to play golf a day prior,” Greenberg told SEN Radio. “Did that correlate to any of the issues? I personally don’t think so. Usman’s a very seasoned campaigner… that is drawing a long bow.” Greenberg added that the players were trusted to manage their own routines, saying, “The individual performance inside a team environment, and then ultimately you’re held accountable for your performance.”

By day two, Khawaja’s back had eased enough for him to field without trouble. But he did not open again as Australia chased 205 for victory. Instead, Travis Head took the role and produced a defining innings, smashing 123 off 83 balls to secure an eight-wicket win. With Smith and Labuschagne finishing the chase unbeaten, Khawaja did not bat in the second innings at all, leaving his position and preparation a talking point as Australia move deeper into the five-match series.

Bangladesh A reach ACC Rising Stars final after defeating India A in dramatic Super Over. (Image: ANI)

Bangladesh A secured a thrilling victory over India A in the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025/26 semifinal in Doha, Qatar, through a remarkable Super Over performance by Ripon Mondol. The young pacer delivered a perfect Super Over, taking two wickets without conceding any runs, leading his team to the final after both teams tied at 194/6 in regular play.India A captain Jitesh Sharma won the toss and chose to bowl first on a batting-friendly surface. Bangladesh A capitalized on the conditions effectively, with opener Habibur Rahman Sohan scoring 65 off 46 balls.Jishan Alam contributed 26 off 14 balls, while Zawad Abrar added 13 off 19 balls in the top order for Bangladesh A.The Indian spinners Harsh Dubey and Suyash Sharma fought back, reducing Bangladesh A from 108/2 to 130/6. However, S M Meherob Hasan’s explosive innings of 48 not out off 18 balls, including six sixes, changed the momentum.Meherob and Yasir Ali (17 not out off 9) partnered to score 50 runs in the final two overs, helping Bangladesh A post 194/6 in their 20 overs.India A started their chase aggressively with Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashing 38 off 15 balls, taking the team to 49/0 in three overs before falling to Abdul Gaffar Saqlain.Priyansh Arya maintained the momentum with 44 off 23 balls, but regular wickets slowed India’s progress. Naman Dhir’s slow innings of 7 off 12 balls contributed to India A reaching 101/3 at the halfway mark.The match went down to the final over with India A needing 16 runs. A last-ball misfield resulted in three runs, forcing the game into a Super Over with both teams tied.Ripon Mondol’s exceptional Super Over saw him dismiss both Jitesh Sharma and Ashutosh Sharma in consecutive deliveries, keeping India A scoreless.Defending just one run, India A’s Suyash Sharma removed Yasir Ali in the Super Over, but a wide delivery on the next ball sealed Bangladesh A’s victory and their place in the final.The official scorecard showed Bangladesh A scoring 194/6 with Habibur Rahman making 65 and SM Meherib remaining unbeaten on 48. Gurjaoneet Singh took 2/39 and Suyash Sharma 1/17 for India A.India A matched the score with 194/6, with Priyansh Arya scoring 44 and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi contributing 38. Rakibul Hasan (2/39) and Abu Hider Rony (2/44) were the leading bowlers for Bangladesh A.The Super Over ended with India A at 0/2 in 0.2 overs while Bangladesh A secured victory with 1/1 in 0.1 over.

Shardul Thakur and MS Dhoni (X)

Mumbai: Soon after leading his team to an innings and 222-run annihilation of Pondicherry at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, Shardul Thakur posed for selfies and pictures with fans who had gathered near the Mumbai dressing-room staircase. Even though he is not part of the Indian team currently, ‘Lord’ Thakur has reason to be pleased with how his life is going at the moment.Asked to take up the Mumbai captaincy after ex-India captain Ajinkya Rahane quit the post, the 34-year-old has led Mumbai, who are now topping their group with 24 points, to three outright wins in their first five matches of the 2025-26 edition of the Ranji Trophy.After enduring a 2024-25 season during which they looked in danger of exiting at the league stage of the Ranji Trophy, suffering a stunning five-wicket defeat to Jammu and Kashmir at the MCA ground in BKC, and eventually losing by 80 runs to Vidarbha in the semifinals, the domestic giants are looking at their best again this season.Clearly, the Mumbai team seems to be enjoying their cricket under Thakur’s captaincy. While bidding for an India comeback, the veteran allrounder appears to be relishing his role as the new leader of a team that always faces the pressure of expectations.Asked how exactly the Mumbai captaincy came about for him at the start of this season, Thakur said, “They asked me whether I’m ready to lead the team or not. I immediately said ‘yes, of course I’m ready to lead the team.’Elaborating on his captaincy mantra, which seems to be working well for the Mumbai team, Thakur said, “I have my own style, and I keep telling these boys when we are on the field that we shouldn’t be afraid of making tactical changes in our games. If you feel something is necessary or we could apply these tactics, then you should go ahead with it, and you should keep bringing fresh ideas to the table. So, that’s my motto. And of course, don’t go overboard with things. We also need to know our limits as players, and within the limit, whatever your game allows you, you should be able to do that. That’s my simple message for everyone.”Having played under illustrious captains like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for India and Chennai Super Kings, Thakur has imbibed the art of leading a team from all three modern-day India greats, though he rates Dhoni as the “No. 1 captain” in his book. “For me, Mahi bhai is always No. 1 (captain). But yes, I take a leaf out of all three’s captaincy style. I’ve watched them closely… how they lead the team and handle things. It’s important for me to keep taking positives from their captaincy,” Thakur said.The homecoming to MI, at lastThakur is also pleased with his city’s IPL team, the Mumbai Indians, having traded him from Lucknow Super Giants for IPL 2026. “Everyone likes to play at their home venue. This has been pending for a long time. But when the time comes… that’s when it becomes possible. So the time has finally come,” he said, smiling.

In the potential absence of Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant will step up to lead the side. (PTI Photo/Shahbaz Khan)

Rishabh Pant offered a brief look into India’s preparations for the must-win Guwahati Test, sharing a set of photos with teammates and captioning them, “In good company.” The post came at a time when the team is under scrutiny after going 1–0 down in the two-match series against South Africa.

Pant appeared at ease in the images, a contrast to the pressure India face heading into the second Test. With Shubman Gill still a question mark for the 2nd Test due to a neck spasm, Pant may lead India for the first time in Test cricket. His debut as captain will make him only the second wicketkeeper to lead India in the format, after MS Dhoni.

Rishabh Pant’s post on X

Notably, in the pictures, Shubman Gill was absent, as the vice captain and teammates Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Akash Deep & Kuldeep Yadav posed for pictures. India will also be adapting to modified playing hours in Guwahati. Owing to early sunsets in the region, the match will begin 30 minutes ahead of the usual start time. The opening session will be followed by a shorter tea break, with lunch moved to early afternoon to maximise daylight. His comments and energy from behind the stumps have stood out, adding layers to an otherwise difficult match for India, who were bowled out for 93 in the fourth innings at Eden Gardens.

As the team regroups, Pant’s social-media post has been read as a sign of calm within the camp. The squad arrived in Guwahati knowing that only a win will help them salvage a draw in this series, and Pant’s leadership, if asked to do so, will be under close watch as he steps into a role previously held by MS Dhoni. The second Test at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium begins on Saturday, with India seeking to avoid back-to-back home series defeats and reshape the narrative after a challenging start.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was recently asked to pick his best no. 4 batter in Test cricket ahead of the Ashes series beginning Friday.At first, given the choice to pick between Kevin Pietersen and Mahela Jayawardene, Ponting picked Pietersen. Then Ponting chose Kevin Pietersen (KP) over Mark Waugh, and then Pakistan’s former cricketer Javed Miandad over KP. Thereafter, the former Australian men’s cricket team captain chose fellow countryman Steve Smith over Miandad. He then picked Steve Smith over West Indies legend Brian Lara, and former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis. Then put forward with a tough of choosing between Steve Smith and Virat Kohli, Ponting went with Smith. Then he also chose Smith over England batter Joe Root, saying, “Smith’s average is obviously better, Root has got 13,500 runs. I’m gonna go with Steve Smith still.”Lastly, he was asked to choose between Steve Smith and Sachin Tendulkar, and Ponting chose Smith as the best No.4 in Test cricket. Ricky Ponting has also delivered his predictions on the upcoming Ashes series. While Australia have held the Ashes since 2018 and has lost just four Test matches to England on home soil since the turn of the century, Ponting believes England will be competitive during the five-match Test series Down Under.“I don’t think there’ll be any draws, just the way that England play,” Ponting declared, as quoted from the official website of the ICC.“If there’s reasonable weather through the Australian summer, we know that the biggest concern for the last 15 years has been Sydney with the amount of days we’ve lost there,” he said.“Perth and Brisbane this time of year are normally great. So I don’t foresee any drawn games and I just think it’s going to be really, really close,” he added.“So I’m going 3-2 Australia,” he noted.

South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Kolkata: Temba Bavuma has a record that every captain will envy. He has never lost a Test as South Africa captain. He has led the nation in 11 Tests, winning 10 and drawing one. The wins included the WTC final against Australia and the one on Sunday against India. “Amazing, isn’t it?” South Africa coach Shukri Conrad said with a smile. “He is an amazing guy.”Amazing, unassuming, softspoken, sensible, ice-cool, composed… All these adjectives work for Bavuma. “He has a giant heart too,” Conrad said, as an answer to some of the jibes the skipper has to face on the field for his short stature.

“It’s probably true that we beat them (India) in their own game,” Bavuma said after the win over India on Sunday. Spinner Simon Harmer, who was the Man of the Match, commented on Saturday that although they had their backs against the wall, “a lot of cricket is still left in this game.” Prophetic words, those. “I think the wicket that was prepared is what I understand was asked from their side,” Bavuma continued. “Obviously we’ve come here knowing that the wickets are going to be spinner-friendly.“But I think there are areas that we can improve with our batting,” the modest skipper added. “With all the emotion, the joy, we have to make sure that we take the little learnings from it and in the second Test we come out as a better outfit.”Bavuma’s unbeaten 55 in the second innings was worth its weight in gold and set up what was one of the best rearguard knocks seen in India. His approach stood out in stark contrast to that of his teammates, and also some Indians, who struggled against the turn and bounce.There were no demons in the pitch, he said. India and South Africa coaches Gautam Gambhir and Shukri Conrad echoed his words that application was crucial on this wicket.“I think there weren’t any demons from the pace point of view. Nothing at least that you wouldn’t expect in terms of how they were trying to get you out,” he said. “I felt that it was a bit tricky to trust the bounce of the wicket. Some balls were bouncing nicely, others were keeping low. I’ll always back my defence and my game is that simple. I tried to play around my defence this morning. I thought it was a better wicket this morning. It would have been nice on our side if we had wickets. I think we would have been able to get more than just a 125-run lead. Maybe from a spin point of view, the way the wicket played, you’d expect that from Day Three or Four onwards.”Bavuma used his resources very well, particularly in the second innings. Starting off with Marco Jansen to give them the early breakthrough, he rotated Harmer and Keshav Maharaj well. “Simon’s got over a thousand First-Class wickets, so he knows what he’s doing. He’s tall, so the ball obviously comes from a higher trajectory and he has good control in terms of pace. We’ve relied heavily on Keshav (Maharaj), but Simon, as we saw today, he’s really upped our resources.”A good captain, after all, is someone who knows how to use his resources.