There is nothing quite like the IPL mega auction. There is no cricket being played, but how teams play over a three-year cycle can be a function of how executives, cricketers-turned-coaches, scouts and analysts use hours of prep work to navigate little nuances in a tense board-room setting. Seventeen years on, the auction is still entertaining and yet can be equally confusing or unfulfilling if you are looking for traditional sporting narratives. It will run for several hours over two days, at the end of which there are no winners or losers. There are no trophies given out either. The bid values will boggle and teams strategies may not always make sense. There have been five previous mega auctions and each of them has revealed a bit more about how teams plan to set up for a three-year cycle. T20 has arguably become the most tactical and intricate of the three formats. Trends keep evolving. In fact, analysts opine that T20 data that is more than two years old is probably outdated. Newer metrics are used to judge T20 potential - such as balls per boundary, or strike-rate in the first 10 balls. Batters have super specialisations - spin hitter, high-pace hitter etc. This will, however, be the first mega auction in the Impact Player-era, and that will force teams to apportion their INR 120 crore purse very differently as they make their 25-member roster. Here are a few pointers on which types of players are likely to be in demand, and which ones perhaps not. IPL 2024 saw spinners concede at an economy of 8.69 - the worst for spin in an IPL season ever. It's a significant 11.7% jump from 2022 when the IPL was last played without the Impact Player. In this time, the spin average has also jumped up by 16.7% (29.11 to 33.97). But here are some counterpoints. The three best teams of the last cycle had two top spinners bowling in tandem: Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad for Gujarat Titans, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin for Rajasthan Royals, and Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy for Kolkata Knight Riders. The three teams with fewest wickets for spinners were also those with the lowest win percentage in the cycle. 2XnX98oWJVQ Of the nine spinners to take 10+ wickets in IPL 2024, seven are wrist spinners, one a mystery spinner (Narine), with the lone exception being Axar Patel, who is a left-arm orthodox spinner. As has been evident for a while, there is a concerted shift away from the idea of a pure spinner: a spin bowler is viewed as what he can offer as a package: someone capable of contributing with the bat and as a match-up option with the ball. A specialist spinner therefore is likely a wrist spinner, or at best offers an element of mystery. With Rashid Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi already retained, teams have very few top-drawer picks to choose from in this category: Chahal, Noor, Rahul Chahar, Wanindu Hasaranga and Allah Ghazanfar. This demand-supply mismatch could lead to a big bidding battle for a select few. While Chahal's auction price of INR 6.25 crores in 2022 was also a result of the spinners set coming up late in the auction order, IPL's leading wicket-taker should be a beneficiary of being placed in the marquee set this time around when the teams still have a large purse to splurge on him. 3Mb28JOXeMR That T20 is a hitter's game was made amply clear in the 2024 season that saw 41 scores of 200 or more, including the highest total (287/3) and the highest successful chase (262/2) in the league's history. With an additional batting resource in the form of the Impact Player now available, there's more freedom as well as a greater demand on the need to maximise the fielding restrictions. Seven of the top ten PowerPlay totals in the league's history were achieved in the recent season. Two of the sides - SRH (11.18) and KKR (11.07) - scored at over 11 an over in this phase, and unsurprisingly played the final. Amid the batting (r)evolution in the IPL, the scoring rate in the first six overs has seen a significant increase of 21.1% when compared to the increase in the other two phases of the game. 04V7lnx99nd This is a particularly deep pool to dip into with the likes of Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Will Jacks, Finn Allen, Prithvi Shaw, Rahul Tripathi, Evin Lewis, Faf du Plessis, Mitchell Marsh, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and even Ben Duckett to choose from. While there are enough options to go around, the elite hitters who can marry speed with volume like Salt, Buttler and those that can offer a secondary value (like wicket-keeping) could find teams clamouring for them. The 2023 mini auction saw the three highest bids in the history of the auction up until that point - Sam Curran (INR 18.5 cr to PBKS), Cameron Green (INR 17.5 cr to MI), and Ben Stokes (INR 16.25 cr to CSK). The Impact Player rule was announced right after this auction, days before the start of the season. While genuine all-rounders have held fort and were even largely retained ahead of this auction, the lesser but still multi-skilled have been left with a bit of an identity crisis. Their involvement in games dropped substantially when viewed by the metric of average number of balls involved per match. 07jMVkKM8 The likes of Shardul Thakur (10.75 cr), Washington Sundar (8.75 cr), Krunal Pandya (8.25 cr) and Deepak Hooda (5.75 cr) were signed for big money in the last mega auction. They could attract a lower proportion of the auction purse from the teams this time around. The last mega auction in 2022 saw a distinct trend of fast bowlers commanding high prices. As many as 15 fast/fast medium bowlers fetched bids in excess of INR 7 crores - which was nearly 13% of the purse available (INR 90 crores per team). Interestingly enough, barring Pat Cummins and the withdrawn Jofra Archer, every other quick sold then is back in the pool this time around. Given how batters have dominated the retention list, it is only fair to expect demand and competition to be high when these fast bowlers come out of the bag. It might also seem prudent to envision a proportional 33 percent increase to their value, in the range of INR 9 crores. KbO9e09l3J But not all fast bowlers are equal in T20. There are those like Arshdeep Singh, Mitchell Starc and Trent Boult, who offer a point of difference with their left-arm angle, swing the new ball and also operate at the other end of a T20 innings. However, there is a growing requirement for hit-the-deck quicks to take over in the middle-overs of a T20 to counter those spin hitters. Andre Russell (12 wickets), Cummins/ Mathreesha Pathirana (8 wickets) and Cam Green/Harshit Rana/Harshal Patel (7 wickets) were the highest wicket-takers in the middle overs of IPL 2024 and unsurprisingly, four of these six have been retained while the injured Green is not part of this auction. Even with enough supply, expect pitched battles for the quicks, particularly those that offer definitive skills. 8qVme7dN4V

West Indies head coach Andre Coley said on Wednesday that they need to leave behind their disappointing home Test series against South Africa and look forward to ending the year on a high as they prepare to take on Bangladesh in the two-match Test series, scheduled to start in Antigua from November 22. Even though a part of the World Test Championship, the series hardly holds much meaning to both the teams as currently Bangladesh and West Indies are eighth and ninth on the WTC standings respectively, with a point percentage of 27.50 and 18.52. However, the host will be eager to close the year with a win in which their only Test success remains in the 1-1 drawn series against Australia. West Indies lost their way after the series against Australia as they earned three successive losses to England but came up with an improved performance against South Africa as they managed to draw the opening Test while losing the second Test by 40 runs, which according to Coley is a big disappointment. "Very important (to end the year on a winning note) because coming out of it disappointment all around South Africa series," Coley said ahead of the series opener against Bangladesh. "Previously, first three or four days were hampered by rain and we have since been able to have a couple of good sessions on the ground here in Antigua and everybody is in good spirits and everybody is fit and available," he said. "It's very important for us to come out with a winning result on home soil before we head off to (Pakistan)... this is the final four Test matches in this edition of the World Test Championship it is very important for us to do well here win the series and get a momentum heading into Pakistan. West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who was rested for the series against South Africa to manage his workload, returns for the two-Test series against Bangladesh at home. However, the host will miss the services of all-rounder Jason Holder in the series as he continues his rehabilitation from a shoulder injury. "Each player has an opportunity. We have players here who have played against Bangladesh home and away and were successful and won those series. You know players are familiar with each other and we also have some new players who have not played any of those series," said Corey. "It's an opportunity for senior players and emerging players you know to show we are capable of as a team and we continue to build and put everything together on the back of last year and year and half and as you said look to close on the year in really good form." The second Test is scheduled at Jamaica on November 30.

Bangladesh men's team batting coach David Hemp will not be involved with the side in the tour of West Indies, with newly appointed senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin will look after the batting department in the Caribbean. BCB had to rope in local coaches but the board's newly-appointed president Faruque Ahmed has changed that, by as the senior assistant coach of the men's team. Salahuddin, whose contract will run until March 15 next year, began his second stint with the tour of the West Indies. Hemp joined BCB as a High Performance head coach in May 2023 but later became the batting coach of the national team. It is understood Hemp, who did not travel with the team to West Indies and currently staying in Bangladesh, is expected to return as HP head coach again. "Hemp is not part of the team as we have appointed Mohammad Salahuddin as senior assistant coach. He will look after our batting," BCB cricket operation in-charge Shahriar Nafees told Cricbuzz on Wednesday. Nafees also added that Bangladesh have appointed India's Akshay Hiremath as performance analyst for the tour of West Indies. He replaced Mohsin Sheikh.

Sydney Thunder extended their stay at the top of the points table with a over Melbourne Stars in a last-over finish at the Drummoyne Oval in Sydney. On a tricky two-paced surface, Stars only managed a total of 108 after being put in to bat with Hannah Darlington (3-26) being the pick of the bowlers for Thunder. However, the score nearly proved enough for the visitors as they had the opposition at 15/3 including the big scalps of Phoebe Litchfield and Chamari Athapaththu. Marizanne Kapp (3-20) got the new ball hooping around under lights and had the batters in all sorts of trouble. It soon became 37/4 as Georgia Adams also perished, LBW to Maisy Gibson's wrist spin. That's when Tahlia Wilson (33) and Anika Learoyd (31*) got together to stitch a crucial 49-run stand to ease the nerves in the Thunder dug out. Once the ball got softer, batting was relatively easier although it was still tough to gather runs at a quick pace. Stars hung in there even as the partnership grew but were also guilty of conceding too many extras. There were 13 extras bowled, which in a target of 109 was extremely significant. They didn't help their cause by dropping simple catches either. Nevertheless, the game was still in the balance when Wilson fell to Kim Garth in the 17th over. Thunder still needed 23 from 19 balls but the fact that they still had the power surge meant that it was evenly poised. Annabel Sutherland bowled the first of the surge overs that just went for six, getting it down to 16 needed off 12 balls. Sophie Day, who bowled the second, was unlucky not to get Jo-Johnson caught in the deep and while she got her couple of balls later, that came at the cost of an extra boundary. Eight were needed off the final over that was bowled by Deepti Sharma who was strangely not used earlier in the innings. Learoyd struck a boundary and so did Darlington as Thunder scrapped home with two balls to spare. Stars would rue their batting performance as they were about 15-20 runs short of a potentially matchwinning total. It was Darlington who stole the show with the ball while the other Thunder bowlers all used the sluggish nature of the pitch to perfection. If not for Garth's quickfire 20 at the end, even the three-figure mark might not have been breached. Melbourne Stars 108/9 in 20 overs (Kim Garth 20; Hannah Darlington 3-26, Chamari Athapaththu 2-12) lost to Sydney Thunder 112/6 in 19.4 overs (Tahlia Wilson 33, Anika Learoyd 31*; Marizanne Kapp 3-20) by four wickets

In the clearest hint yet about the possibility of Nitish Reddy's Test debut in Perth, India's bowling coach Morne Morkel heaped praise on the 21-year-old and reckoned he can 'hold one end up' for India during the five Tests in Australia. The all-rounder from Andhra has made rapid strides in 2024, starting with an eye-catching IPL season and his T20I bow soon after. He has just 23 first-class games to his name but gives the team the profile of a player (seam-bowling allrounder) they've always wanted on overseas tours. Nitish played in both the A games in Mackay and Melbourne, forging two solid partnerships with Dhruv Jurel in the second fixtures. He also bowled 31 overs across four innings, conceding runs at under three-an-over in three of them. "He [Nitish Reddy] is one of the young guys. [There's] all-round ability. He'll be one guy who can hold one end up for us, especially for the first couple of days," Morkel said. "[He's a] wicket-to-wicket bowler. Any team in the world would want an all-rounder who can help pacers. It'll be on Jasprit [Bumrah] how he uses them. Definitely a guy to keep an eye on in the series." As far as keeping tabs goes, Indian management have also got their eyes on Mohammed Shami, who has made a strong comeback in a domestic game. He picked seven wickets across two innings in the Ranji game for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in his first competitive match back in action after a year of being sidelined with injury. He bowled a total 43.2 overs in the fixture and came away unscathed. Cricbuzz had that the team management is in no rush to send Shami to Australia. Interestingly, the 34-year-old has been picked in Bengal's squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which will take place from November 23 to December 15. "We are keeping a close eye on Shami. He has been out for a year. For us, it is a massive win that he is back playing. How can we give him the best support to find his feet again? [We're] Working closely with the people back home. He is a world-class bowler," Morkel said. Morkel also remained hopeful about Shubman Gill recovering in time for the series opener. The top-order batter had suffered a hairline fracture to his left thumb while taking a catch in the slip cordon during India's match simulation at the WACA in Perth on November 16. That injury was anticipated to rule him out of the first Test but Morkel reported improvement. India have also got Devdutt Padikkal after featuring for India A, as a top-order back-up. "Shubman [Gill] is improving on a day-by-day basis. We will take a call on the morning of the Test. He played well in the match simulation during the build-up, so fingers crossed," Morkel said.

A fluent performance from the top-three and a vicious new-ball spell from Megan Schutt (3-19) took Adelaide Strikers to a comfortable 30-run win over Perth Scorchers. The defending champions are already out of the tournament but these consolation wins will affect the teams that are in the playoffs race like the Scorchers. On a wonderful batting pitch at the Karen Rolton Oval, Strikers raced off in a flash through Smriti Mandhana (41 off 29) and Katie Mack (41 off 34) who put on a fluent 81-run opening stand to put the pressure on Scorchers straightaway. The latter was her usual trigger-happy self at the crease while using the pace of the bowlers. It gave Strikers the early impetus before Mandhana took charge with her brand of crisp strokeplay. Both batters fell in relatively quick succession as the Scorchers tried to pull things. Laura Wolvaardt (48 off 28) started slowly but Tahlia McGrath (18 off 14) kept the momentum going with a couple of sixes before the skipper perished in the power surge. It was at that point that Wolvaardt hit top gear with successive sixes off Chloe Ainsworth to increase the tempo. Scorchers skipper Sophie Devine (2-28) had an excellent outing, and along with Alana King, ensured that the final two overs went at a frugal pace. Strikers, who were aiming for 180-plus at one stage, fell marginally short of 170. It seemed an under-par total for this venue but the Strikers bowling line-up finally showed glimpses of the prowess that had won them the last two seasons of the WBBL. Schutt cranked it up by removing Maddy Darke and Dayalan Hemalatha in each of her first two overs. Scorchers improvised by promoting Amy Edgar but the guile of Schutt was too much for her. It got worse for the visitors as Beth Mooney fell in the final over of the PowerPlay to leave the side at 17/4. Devine (35 off 31) and WBBL debutant Brooke Halliday (47 off 44) tried to repair the innings but they never got the desired tempo to the chase. It was only a matter of time before the partnership was broken and Devine duly fell in trying to hit out. Halliday dug in a bit more but without much success. Alana King (29* off 19) produced a cameo at the end to ensure that the margin of defeat wasn't as big as it threatened to be. At the fag end of this tournament. net run rate could be a factor for the Scorchers. Adelaide Strikers 169/6 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 48, Smriti Mandhana 41; Alana King 3-29, Sophie Devine 2-28) beat Perth Scorchers 139/8 in 20 overs (Brooke Halliday 47, Sophie Devine 35; Megan Schutt 3-19, Amanda-Jade Wellington 2-26) by 30 runs

South Africa fast bowler Gerald Coetzee was reprimanded and handed one demerit point for showing dissent after one of his deliveries was called a 'wide' during the fourth T20I against India. The incident occurred when Coetzee made an inappropriate comment directed at the umpire, violating Article 2.8 of the ICC Code which relates to "showing dissent at an umpire's decision during an international match". He accepted the penalty, proposed by match referee Andy Pycroft, avoiding a formal hearing. Additionally, Netherlands captain Scott Edwards and Oman bowler Sufyan Mehmood have also faced sanctions for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the third T20I. Edwards committed two separate breaches. He first showed dissent by gesturing with his bat after being given out LBW and later threw his bat and gloves onto the field in frustration. These violations of Articles 2.8 ("showing dissent at an umpires decision during an international match") and 2.2 ("abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match") resulted in a 10% match fee fine and two demerit points for the Netherlands skipper. Oman's Sufyan Mehmood was also fined 10% of his match fee and given one demerit point for his actions following Teja Nidamanuru's dismissal. Mehmood pointed the batter towards the dressing room in a provocative manner, breaching Article 2.5 of the ICC Code. Both players admitted their offences and accepted the sanctions, eliminating the need for formal hearings. The charges were levelled by match officials from the ICC panel, with penalties aligned to Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct.

The third One-Day International between Sri Lanka and New Zealand was called off due to rain. Only 21 overs of play was possible on Sunday in the dead-rubber contest at the Pallekele International Stadium, in which New Zealand scored 112 for 1. New Zealand, who had already conceded the series after having lost the first two games, elected to bat after winning the toss. After having made a brisk start, punching and cutting Dilshan Madhushanka for boundaries in the opening over, Tim Robinson was dismissed in the fourth over of the innings. Robinson leaned into a drive and toe-ended the ball to the mid off fielder, handing Mohamed Shiraz his maiden ODI wicket. However, despite the early loss, Will Young kept cashing in on the errors in lengths by the bowlers, stroking Shiraz and Chamindu Wickramasinghe for two boundaries each in consecutive overs. Henry Nicholls, on the other hand, used the laps and sweeps to good effect. The duo kept rotating the strike through the course of their unbeaten 88-run partnership. Young notched up his eighth ODI fifty just before rain ended play and Sri Lanka finished the three-match series with a 2-0 margin. s: New Zealand 112/1 (Will Young 56*, Henry Nicholls 46*) vs Sri Lanka. Match was abandoned due to rain

Temba Bavuma has recovered from an elbow injury and been included in the squad to play two Tests against Sri Lanka as South Africa look to nail down a place in next year's WTC final. Bavuma, South Africa's captain, hasn't played since October 4, when he hurt himself diving to make his ground during an ODI against Ireland in Abu Dhabi. Consequently he missed the Lions' opening two first-class fixtures and won't be involved in the third, against Western Province at the Wanderers from Thursday, because South Africa will go into a two-day camp in Pretoria on the same day. On Saturday they will travel to Durban, where the first Test starts next Wednesday. When Bavuma walks out for the toss will have gone more than seven weeks without playing competitive cricket and more than three months without featuring in a Test, which he last did against West Indies in Guyana in August. He missed the Tests in Bangladesh last month, when South Africa won 2-0 under Aiden Markram's leadership. "Temba is going in cold on the back of not having played any matches, but we're going to simulate match situations during our camp," head coach Shukri Conrad told a press conference on Tuesday. "Whatever guys achieve and gain playing a four-day match, we feel we can do the same in two days in our camp. So I don't think it plays that much of a role [that Bavuma hasn't played domestic cricket]. "His fitness test was always going to be yesterday, and then it would be too close [to the first Test] for him to play in a four-day match. If we had asked him to or forced him to play last week, I think it could have been detrimental. And I don't think there was anything to gain from that." Conrad said Bavuma had passed his fitness test, which included assessing the state of his elbow as well as his aerobic conditioning, with flying colours. The concern was the impact [on the joint] when striking the ball; if there was any pain associated with that, which was the case when we were in Bangladesh, which ruled him out there. He had just under an hour-and-a-half of batting against quick bowlers and in a throw-down net. He got through that unscathed and with absolutely no pain." Bavuma is a divisive figure in South African Cricket. His detractors, many fuelled by racism, point to the fact that he has scored only two centuries in his 101 Test innings and say he scores too slowly in ODIs, where his strike rate is 88.71. Bavuma's supporters, some blinded by his blackness, point out that he has made 21 Test half-centuries, often in challenging conditions and situations - and that from his debut, against West Indies at St George's Park in December 2014, only Dean Elgar has scored more runs for South Africa. Conrad was firmly among Bavuma's fans: "We're thrilled to have Temba back. He's like a kid in a toy shop because he hasn't played Test cricket in a while. It's important to have him back. When I was appointed [in January 2023], I appointed him as captain. We work very well together." Also back in the mix is Kagiso Rabada, who was rested for the T20I series against India that ended on Friday, and Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee - who, in the India series, returned to international level from conditioning breaks. Jansen and Coetzee last played Tests in January and December against India. Coetzee left the field for three overs after tweaking a hamstring during the fourth T20I at the Wanderers on Friday. But he did bowl an over subsequent to coming back. "It was a little bit concerning seeing Gerald walking off the other evening," Conrad said. "But he had scans yesterday and everything's good to go." Conrad's faith in using a camp in Pretoria, rather than competitive cricket, to prepare for a series in Bangladesh's wholly foreign conditions was successful. So he is justified in sticking with that approach: "The bowlers will have at least three spells a day, and they'll spend enough time on their feet. We're comfortable we can get everything out of this two-day camp that the players would have got from playing a four-day match." Maybe more: "You play a four-day game and a guy gets the first bowler. Then what? Or the opposition get rolled and a bowler doesn't get in the spells he wanted." The series against India in December and January were South Africa's most recent Tests at home, and Elgar's last before he retired. Lungi Ngidi and Nandre Burger, who played in that rubber, are out with injuries. The selectorial casualties from that series compared to this are Keegan Petersen and Zubayr Hamza. Ryan Rickelton, Dane Paterson and Senuran Muthusamy are in the 14, which is one player fewer than usual to, a release quoted Conrad as saying, "allow players on the periphery of selection the opportunity to play first-class cricket for their respective provincial teams". Should South Africa win both Tests against the Lankans, and the two they will play at home against Pakistan in December and January, they will qualify for the WTC final at Lord's in June. South Africa are currently fifth in the standings with Sri Lanka third. Australia have a lead of 4.17 percentage points, and only 4.16 separate the second to fifth sides. "That table is going to be topsy-turvy over the next few months," Conrad said. South Africa Test squad: Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham), Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne. : Kingsmead, Durban, November 27 to December 1 : St George's Park, Gqeberha, December 5 to 9

. The rain had already started to get heavier, but Virat Kohli was in no mood to stop batting. Nor was he keen on letting Dhruv Jurel leave either, as he urged the stylish right-hander to stay put batting. Kohli had been in there for over 40 minutes by then and had faced the first group of seamers led by Prasidh Krishna. He'd then moved to the adjoining net to take on Mukesh Kumar and the rest, as the rain started pelting down. Wiping his bat on his pants in between facing deliveries, Kohli soldiered on, and so did Jurel, before both had to bail out, sticking their equipment under their shirts. While a lot of attention was focused on Kohli, as he went through his routines, pulling off exquisite drives in between plays and misses, Jurel probably looked the best of all the Indian batters on show on Tuesday (November 19) morning. And if anything, the 23-year-old from Uttar Pradesh should have been the one hogging the spotlight at the Optus Stadium, three days out from the opening Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy series. Jurel had impressed with the bat across both innings at the MCG . He'd also looked solid during his knock in the match simulation at the WACA. And now, here he was priming to make a return to the Test XI, as a specialist batter. You'd think so with some certainty too when the reserve wicket-keeper of the Test squad is spotted spending 15-20 minutes each taking catches at silly-point and third slip. Like Jurel was on Tuesday. It started with him being put through the test in close-in positions by the coaching staff. He was soon joined by Devdutt Padikkal, who'd started the fielding session at first slip alongside Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. Padikkal, who till three days ago was all set to leave Australia along with the other India A players, had only been after Shubman Gill had picked up a thumb injury at the WACA. His presence in the cordon at the start of India's first training session at the venue of the opening Test was another strong indication about the make-up of India's playing XI, at least in terms of batting options. Padikkal was also the first to hit the main practice area at the back of the stadium along with Rahul in an adjoining net. The two were soon joined by the other batters. With Rahul paired with fellow opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, Padikkal with Kohli, and Rishabh Pant with Jurel, it more or less gave a clear enough picture of India's batting line-up come Friday, November 22. Padikkal, like Jurel, was among the runs against Australia A, but also looked the part facing Jasprit Bumrah on a tricky WACA pitch on Saturday during the match simulation. He was also one of the few batters not to be dismissed and ended up batting through the entire first session before being retired out. Perfect time as it turns out now for the stylish left-hander to remind the selectors of his ability to potentially succeed in these conditions. For the record, Sarfaraz Khan, the incumbent No 6 for India, did have a go in the nets too, though he was mainly seen facing throwdowns after being paired up with Ravindra Jadeja. Sarfaraz also spent some time at first slip once Padikkal was done having a go first. Abhimanyu Easwaran, the specialist opener picked in the squad, was a quiet bystander for large parts of training, before getting a late opportunity to face a few deliveries once the rain subsided briefly. So, if the make-up of India's top-six does look like Rahul, Jaiswal, Padikkal, Kohli, Pant and Jurel, then the big question is what their bowling attack will comprise of. What is certain for now is that Bumrah will captain the team in Perth and share the new-ball with Mohammed Siraj, both of whom didn't bowl on Tuesday, though they both delivered multiple spells on Saturday and had a lengthy go in the nets on Sunday morning. The intrigue firstly surrounds the identity of the third member of the pace attack. Krishna was the one who seemed to do most of the bowling with regards to the rest of the fast bowlers in the squad. He was effective too, just like he'd been in the 'A' games. Using his height and his ability to generate bounce, he was a handful for most of the Indian batters, including having Kohli edging at a catchable height towards the virtual slip cordon. Kohli was also spotted giving Krishna some words of advice with an arm around the tall seamer's shoulders. And Krishna had walked towards the net arm in arm with bowling coach Morne Morkel. Harshit Rana, who has looked the part every time he's had a ball in his hand so far in Perth, didn't get a bowl during the truncated session, standing at the back of the practice area by the sight-screen along with reserve pacer Yash Dayal. Krishna, with two Tests under the belt, could be the front-runner at the moment to come in to the side, but Rana cannot be too far behind in terms of the pecking order. Akash Deep the incumbent No 3 of the pace attack did join the net which had Mukesh and Navdeep Saini operating in it for an impressive burst late in the session, including to Kohli and Jurel before the interruption. At one point he had Kohli reaching out to a widish full delivery, missing it and hitting the floor as he lost his balance, but also more due to slight annoyance at having reached out that far. Then you have the question of the No 8. You'd think it'd be a very justifiable pick if the Indian team management does go in with the experience of R Ashwin on a surface that Nathan Lyon has flourished on over the years. Head coach Gautam Gambhir was spotted having a chat with both Ashwin and Jadeja by the Test pitch before Ashwin went and studied the pitch alongside the team analyst, Hari. Ashwin then joined Jadeja and Washington Sundar in the 'spin' net and wheeled away for a good 45 minutes before the rain came down, and he also then had a brief batting session. The veteran off-spinner had bowled for over an hour during the centre-wicket net session at the WACA on Sunday too, while Jadeja had not bowled at all during the three days that India were at Perth's older cricket centre. The only reason Ashwin doesn't play is if either India pick a fourth seamer in Rana, who is also handy with the bat, or they take a real punt by handing Nitish Kumar Reddy the Test cap, as the seam-bowling all-rounder. Reddy did bowl quite a bit along with Krishna to the likes of Kohli, Padikkal and Rahul. He was quite nippy too with his skiddish trajectory off the surface, with the senior batters constantly in his ear about what he was doing right and what he could be working on more. There are a few questions for India to answer over the next two days before things kick off in Perth, even if they seem to have found a formula to come up with a playing XI that still should be a handful despite some key missing boxes.

Dynamic opener Shafali Verma has been left out of India's squad for the forthcoming three-match ODI series in and against Australia. Verma's exclusion comes on the back of a poor run of form, having aggregated just 56 runs in the recent home series against New Zealand. In fact, the last of Verma's four ODI half-centuries came in July 2022. Another notable absentee in the 16-member squad is the highly-rated offspinner Shreyanka Patil, who didn't feature in the XI during the New Zealand series due to shin splints. In fact, she played in the T20 World Cup only after a period on the sidelines with a hand injury. D. Hemalatha, Uma Chetry and Sayali Satgare are the others to miss out from the squad that beat New Zealand. Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Priya Punia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Yastika Bhatia (WK), Richa Ghosh (WK), Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Radha Yadav, Titas Sadhu, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Saima Thakor Meanwhile, India's travelling contingent to Australia will see the return of Harleen Deol, who played her last game for India in December 2023. Deol suffered a knee injury while playing for Gujarat Giants, one that restricted her participation to just three WPL games this year and needed a lengthy recovery and rehabilitation period. Meanwhile, Richa Ghosh makes a comeback to the squad having missed out on the New Zealand series due to her Grade 12 board exams. There are no returns yet for legspinner Asha Sobhana and seamer Pooja Vastrakar, who missed that series after suffering injuries during the preceding T20 World Cup. The selectors also chose to reward Minnu Mani with a maiden call-up to the ODI squad while also including fast bowler Titas Sadhu. The 20-year-old Sadhu was an unused member of the ODI squad in last year's home series against Australia. She made a mark in the opening T20Is against the same opposition in Navi Mumbai, bagging a memorable 4 for 17. Sadhu also featured in a pair of T20Is against Bangladesh in May this year but was then laid low by an injury that necessitated a stint at the NCA. Mani previously captained the India A side to a 2-1 series defeat against Australia A back in August, this year. She was rewarded for her handy contributions with the bat lower down the order, having scored 62 runs and picked up four wickets at a decent economy across three games. Tejal Hasabnis retains her place in the squad after having played a gritty knock of 42 in the first ODI against New Zealand which allowed India to post a competitive total after they were in trouble early on. Priya Puniya, who last featured in a home ODI against South Africa and subsequently played in Australia with the 'A' side, has been welcomed back to the squad. 1st ODI - December 5, Allan Border Field, Brisbane 2nd ODI - December 8, Allan Border Field, Brisbane 3rd ODI - December 11, WACA, Perth

Fast-bowler Kasun Rajitha has been included in a 17-man Sri Lanka Test squad for the two-match Test series against South Africa beginning on November 29). Another notable inclusion is that of left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya who has been recalled to the squad after more than two years. The duo have replaced all-rounder Ramesh Mendis and left-arm spinner Jeffrey Vandersay from the squad that faced New Zealand at home in September. Rajitha was not named in the squad for the 2-0 series win against New Zealand as the home conditions largely favoured the spinners. He was part of the travelling contingent to England in August but didn't feature in the XI. He last played a Test against Bangladesh in Sylhet where he picked up eight wickets. Rajitha was also part of the famous 2-0 series win against South Africa back in 2019 where he was the second-highest wicket-taker in the series with nine wickets behind teammate Vishwa Fernando, who had picked up 12 wickets. Meanwhile, Embuldeniya last played a Test back in 2022 against Australia in Galle, where he went wicketless. This resulted in him being dropped thereafter on the basis of modest form for the home series against Pakistan. He too was part of the 2019 series win where he picked up six wickets in two matches. Embuledniya also picked up 17 wickets in six matches in the 2023/24 National Super League 4-Day Tournament for Kandy who finished runners-up to Galle. The rest of the squad is on expected lines with the batters comprising Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunanratne, and Oshada Fernando while Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal and Sadeera Samarawickrama offer an option with the gloves as well. Skipper Dhananjaya de Silva will lead the side and the other all-rounders include breakaway star Kamindu Mendis, veteran Angelo Matthews and Milan Rathnayake. Vishwa, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara and Rajitha bolster the pace attack while Player of the Series against New Zealand, Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris and Embuldeniya complete the 17-man squad. The series is part of the World Test Championship cycle of 2023-25 and both sides will push for a berth at the if they win the series. The first Test will be played at Kingsmead in Durban from November 29 while the second will be held at St. George's Park in Gqeberha. Sri Lanka will travel to South Africa on November 22. Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Oshada Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris, Lasith Embuldeniya, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha

Brendan Doggett's first reaction was that of concern when he heard his phone ringing last week at 11 pm and saw Nathan McSweeney's name pop up. It was of course quite late. But according to Doggett, it was also probably a case of him not being able to stop the inherent elder brotherly instincts towards his former housemate kicking in. "Buddha, is everything alright?" was his worried response only to find out that the young man he'd moved states with a few years ago had made the biggest move yet, to become the next Test opener for Australia. Doggett reveals to have been immediately overcome with emotion along with a feeling of immense pride. Even if he knew, McSweeney would, true to his nature, try to underplay it. "He's a special kid and I have always wanted the best for him. I've rarely seen anyone work harder or have a better work ethic than he does. So, when he told me about becoming the next Test opener, my first thought was he totally deserves this. He won't like me saying this but there was also a lot of emotion, from both of us," Doggett tells How could there not have been when you hear about the lovely relationship between the two former Queensland teammates turned South Australians and the bond they've managed to build in the last few years. Though at different stages of their respective careers and lives, Doggett and McSweeney had made an unofficial pact that if they were to leave Queensland, they'd do it together. McSweeney had made a start to his first-class career but not got going in a handful of matches while Doggett had peaked to an extent, having even come close to a Test debut a couple of years prior. So, when South Australia came calling in the middle of 2021, the younger of the two was moving to enhance his chances of making it as a first-class cricketer while the seasoned fast bowler was keener on a change of scenery. "And a change of pace in life," Doggett explains, "I was 27, while he was 21-22 but we'd hit it off from the moment we met. So, our pact included us moving states together but also then moving in together once we got there." And having found a plush house to rent near West Beach, plans were put in place to do a three-day road trip in separate cars. Only for the borders to be shut again owing to a Covid outbreak. "We had our cars packed and were all set to leave. Nath had even gone and got us a pair of two-way radios so that we could communicate with each other. But then the outbreak happened. I had some things to sort out at home, but he was very eager to leave and flew out. It meant that he had to move in by himself a month earlier," reveals Doggett. "We did end up using the radios at home by the way, since it was two-storeyed, and we each had our own floor." And here's where the big contrast in their backgrounds came to the fore, though at times in comical fashion. McSweeney had largely lived with his parents and never left home before the interstate transfer. Doggett, meanwhile, had spent a large part of his early years as a cricketer balancing life as a full-time carpenter. It also meant that he was tasked with being the 'adult' in their relationship and sort everything out for the move. "Well, to be honest he was a bit of a pain in the arse about that," Doggett says with a chuckle when asked about what role McSweeney had played in finding the house. "All he did was constantly call me with the same question. 'Dogga have we found a house yet?' I had to sort everything out but he moved in first. I had to kick him out for two weeks when I came and had to quarantine. But it was so much fun once we started living together. I did teach him a lot of life lessons, including paying the rent and maintaining your own house, and he was so quick to pick it up." Though it was a quick learning curve, Doggett does attribute McSweeney's maturity to his upbringing and the lessons he'd learnt from his father and grandfather, both of whom have played a big role in the young right-hander's life. What proved to be a bigger challenge however was adjusting to life in Adelaide for the true-maroon Queenslander. "Oh, his first mistake was bringing his surfboard with him and then realising there was nowhere to surf in Adelaide. So he had to send that back. He tried so hard to fit into the lifestyle here, but it took him a while. He even went and bought fishing rods but again never got the time to use them. Our garage in there was filled with hobby items of Nathan's which would just be lying there," Doggett says with a giggle. 2Myk0mDK02 It didn't end there though. For all his calmness on the field, Doggett reveals that his former housemate is extremely hyperactive off it and someone who simply cannot sit still. "Oh mate, he's all over the place. My idea of a good day is putting my feet up at home and just relaxing while Buddha would want to do a million things. 'Dogga, can we do this or go there' Let's go get a ping-pong table, which led to him getting a ping-pong table. Or he'd want to go to the driving range or go play tennis. He also loves to socialise, a lot more than I do," he reveals. On the topic of socialising, Doggett recalls the period of time where McSweeney was turning a lot of heads wherever he went with his thick and lustrous mop of hair, which he sported pretty proudly even in his early days in the BBL. "Oh he got a lot of attention for his hair, and quietly enjoyed it too. However, he didn't get any love from his teammates in Queensland, who said they couldn't take him seriously with that hair. He stuck with it for a while. I remember its evolution from an Afro to what it would become. He was proud of it and well, the first sponsor he got in his career was a shampoo brand," Doggett says. "I can't see it coming back. But I was probably the only person around him that liked it." The now 30-year-old fast bowler, who recently finished with a six-fer against India A, does admit that McSweeney's natural eagerness to get better at his craft and to make it to the next level may have impacted his development on the field in the early days of his move. "He wasn't getting a regular run in the SA playing XI. It was a tough move for him overall, to be away from is family, being as close to them as he is, And I guess the learning for him with his cricket was that it's tough and not everything will come easily to you. You have to be patient and he just worked is backside off from that point on," he adds. Doggett does recall the many batting sessions that McSweeney would share with his other close mate, Marnus Labuschagne, when they were all together in Queensland. The Marnus connection, though well-publicised now, is even stronger than most people imagine in the McSweeney story, according to the mutual friend. "People have started to notice similarities in their batting techniques. There's more to it though. I am friends with both and I've seen the amount of work they both put into their games. They are both cricket tragics. They are always talking batting or thinking about their batting or discussing it with each other. Marnus and Buddha have the same amount of hunger to succeed too," he says. While Doggett is not surprised with why the national selectors see a future leader in McSweeney, whether it's due to his ability to bring out the best in those around him or the keenness to take up responsibility, the youngster's progress as a batter in South Australia is a journey the paceman has enjoyed observing from up close. "His 99 not out against NSW when SA won their first Shield game in two years was a turning point. Over the three years here, he's become more calculated. He's problem solved and planned a lot. His batting has become very organised. He's backed his game, how he wants to score and where he wants to score. What percentage is in his favour against a bowler. He now knows what he needs to do to score runs in all conditions," he says. 06372zJYlrq Doggett does count his contribution of 1 not out in 42 balls while helping McSweeney get to his century against Tasmania as being one of his favourite on-field experiences with his former housemate. You tell him about how 5 out of McSweeney's 6 first-class centuries have come in wins for South Australia, and he uses that stat to further emphasize the burgeoning maturity of Australia's latest Test opener. Former Test captain, Tim Paine, had recently spoken about how impressed he was with McSweeney during his time as assistant coach with the Australia A team, highlighting how often he heard him use, "thank you" as part of it. You relay that to Doggett and he isn't surprised at all. "That's just Buddha. He's polite and respects everyone and just wants the best for everyone," Doggett says before recalling a story that illustrates the human qualities of the man who'll partner Usman Khawaja to the middle at the Optus Stadium in Perth later this week. "He was so close to us that he stayed with us even after my fiancee had moved in and was 8 months pregnant. One day, Nathan said that he didn't want to be a hindrance and that he'd move out even if we never had a problem with him being around. Anyway, he moved into a tiny unit in Grange, and it was so small that he couldn't even fit his refrigerator inside and would leave it outside the house. To compromise his own standard of living for our convenience. That's who Nathan McSweeney is," he says. You mention the chat to McSweeney on the sidelines of training at the WACA on what is his first day as an official member of an Australian Test squad, and he goes, "Dogga was the best housemate anyone could ask for," while blushing. In a few days' time, Doggett will be watching on keenly as McSweeney, who survived a high-profile challenge from the likes of Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc and Nathan Lyon on Monday (November 18), faces up to Jasprit Bumrah. And the fast bowler is confident that the man he considers his younger brother will take it in his stride and face it head-on. Much like he does his other two beloved pursuits. His impressive talents on the golf course, which is by now well known, but also the other one that Doggett says McSweeney keeps private but won't be able to for too long. "He's a great dancer. He loves to dance and has had issues with his knees, but he can really tear it up," he says. "Next stop, Dancing with the Stars?" you ask. "You bet," says Doggett with the same confidence with which he foresees McSweeney dance in his first foray with the biggest stars of the cricket planet come Friday.

Sharmin Akhter Supta and Jahanara Alam have been recalled to the ODI squad as the Bangladesh Cricket Board announced a 15-member team for the upcoming home series against Ireland. The squad features a few changes, with Taj Nehar and Shanjida Akhter Maghla earning their maiden ODI call-ups. Sharmin last played an ODI in July 2023, while veteran pacer Jahanara last featured in the format in May 2023. "Supta is batting really well and performed in the NCL, and as a result, earned her place in the squad for the series against Ireland," Sazzad Ahmed, head of the national women's selection panel, told Cricbuzz on Monday. "Jahanara is also performing and was part of the T20I set-up," he added. "I think Taj Nehar is a very big prospect in the middle-order, and we want to give her the opportunity to express herself in the 50-over format," Ahmed said. Meanwhile, Disha Bishwas, Sumaiya Akter, Nishita Akhter, and Farzana Haque Lisa have been left out of the ODI setup. Bangladesh will host Ireland for three ODIs and three T20Is as part of the ICC FTP programme. The ODIs will be played in Mirpur on November 27, November 30 and December 2, while the T20Is will take place in Sylhet on December 5, 7 and 9. Bangladesh squad for the Ireland ODIs: Nigar Sultana Joty (Captain), Nahida Akter (Vice-Captain), Murshida Khatun, Farzana Haque, Sharmin Akter Supta, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Rabeya Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam, Sultana Khatun, Taj Nehar, Shanjida Akhter Maghla. Standbys: Dilara Akter, Disha Biswas, Jannatul Ferdus Sumona, Sarmin Sultana, Fariha Islam Trisna.

Aaqib Javed, the former Pakistan pacer, will take over as the white-ball coach of the Pakistan Men's team on an interim basis till the end of Champions Trophy 2025. Javed, who currently serves as the chief selector of the national team, will double up in his role till the end of the mega-tournament. In the last one year, he will be the fifth individual to take over as the white-ball coach of the team. The Pakistan Cricket Board on Monday announced that it will initiate the recruitment process for a permanent white-ball head coach, aiming to complete the appointment by the end of the ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to be played from 19 February to 9 March. The post of Pakistan's white-ball coach which was vacated by Gary Kirsten even before he could lead the side in an ODI, was filled temporarily by Jason Gillespie, the team's red-ball coach. Under Gillespie, Pakistan secured a series win in the ODI leg of the Australian tour. In what is expected to be a packed schedule leading up to the Champions Trophy, Javed will have to overlook the side's campaigns against Zimbabwe in three ODIs and three T20Is in Zimbabwe and as many white-ball matches in South Africa. It will be followed by a triangular home series, which will include New Zealand and South Africa.