Vote for the best individual Border-Gavaskar Trophy performance by an Indian in Australia since 2000

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Oct-2024Update: This poll has ended. Rishabh Pant’s performance goes into the quarter-finals. Check the other polls here.ESPNcricinfo LtdRishabh Pant helped India achieve the unimaginable at the Gabba•Patrick Hamilton/AFP/Getty Images

Rishabh Pant – 89* in Brisbane, 2021

India won by three wickets, and the series 2-1All the things that didn’t make sense on this tour – India all out for 36, their three jillion injuries, the hassle of cricket in quarantine – found meaning when Rishabh Pant began to play the innings of a lifetime. He was 23 and he helped obliterate a record that had stood for way longer than he’d been alive. Australia’s undefeated streak in Brisbane was 32 years old when it was finally laid to rest. “This is one of the biggest things in my life right now,” Pant said after a performance that proved just how dangerous a batter he could be when he adopts even the smallest bit of restraint.Chasing 328 at the Gabba – 324 on the final day – India still needed 161 runs with about 43 overs to go when Pant walked in at No. 5. He got going, and kept going, even as wickets fell and the overs ticked by. Eventually, with only minutes left on the clock, he lashed Josh Hazlewood down the ground to accomplish one of the greatest series wins in Test history.By Alagappan MuthuWatch the highlights of these performances on the Star Sports network at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm IST, from October 25 onwards.Ajit Agarkar razed Australia in Adelaide•Tony Lewis/Getty Images

Ajit Agarkar – 6-41 in Adelaide, 2003

India win by 4 wickets, lead the series 1-0On the previous tour of Australia in 1999-2000, Ajit Agarkar was given the infamous moniker of ‘Bombay duck’ after he was dismissed for five consecutive ducks – four of them first ball – in the Test series. On his second trip down under Agarkar, only 17 Tests old, had the responsibility of leading a young pace attack comprising injury-prone Ashish Nehra and debutant Irfan Pathan, after Zaheer Khan was injured.After conceding 556 to Australia in Adelaide, India narrowed the first-innings deficit to just 33, with less than two days remaining in the Test. In a stunning spell of swing bowling, Agarkar got Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting with the new ball, and then reversed the old one to dismiss Simon Katich and three lower-order batters in a jiffy. In just 16.2 overs, Agarkar picked up 6 for 41, and Australia were shot out for 196 in less than two sessions, giving India enough time to chase down the target.It was fitting he was at the crease when Rahul Dravid hit the winning runs that gave India their first Test win in Australia since 1981 and a 1-0 lead in the series.By Shashank Kishore

In three out of their four completed innings in this series, India have fallen short of 200 and, at 51 for 4 in Brisbane, a fourth looks likely

Andrew McGlashan16-Dec-2024In a Test where time is clearly going to be a precious commodity, it was a little odd to see Alex Carey and Nathan Lyon adding 22 runs in ten overs on the third morning at the Gabba.Clearly Australia wanted as many as they could first time around and those extra few runs may yet be important in keeping the follow-on as an option. Eventually, when Akash Deep picked up a much-deserved wicket by removing Carey, Australia could get to work with the ball. In this aspect, they made the most of the limited time available.In three out of their four innings in this series, India have yet to reach 200 and, at 51 for 4, a fourth is possible. There are also some patterns emerging about how Australia are working their way through the batting.Related

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After consecutive first-innings ducks, Yashasvi Jaiswal squirted his opening ball from Mitchell Starc between the slips and gully to get off the mark. But against his second delivery, he flicked firmly off his pads into the hands of Mitchell Marsh at forward square leg. Starc has now removed Jaiswal in each of the first innings for a grand total of four runs across 11 deliveries – full deliveries, on varying lines, bringing his downfall each time. Six of Jaiswal’s 30 Test dismissals have now been against the left-arm pace of Starc and Nandre Burger.It was the full ball that struck next for Starc, but this one owed much more to Marsh. Shubman Gill drove, got a thick edge, and Marsh leapt to his left at gully. “The Bison can fly,” said Ravi Shastri on radio, in reference to Marsh’s nickname. Gully is the position filled by Cameron Green when he’s in the side and he has held some stunning catches. Marsh could barely control himself in the celebrations.”Since I’ve come back into the Test team, fielding at gully is probably the most nervous I get because Greeny’s probably going to go down as the best ever, and if you drop one there they always compare you to Greeny,” Marsh said. “The boys are always into me about how slow I move and how I can’t jump or move in the field, so any time I can do something like that – I probably didn’t even need to dive to be fair, but thought I’d add a bit mayo.”Mitchell Starc and Virat Kohli hopping and fending•AFP/Getty ImagesAlmost every ball from Australia’s quicks felt like a threat. It wasn’t quite Jasprit Bumrah or bust for India – Akash Deep bowled with heart and skill while Mohammed Siraj fought through injury – but it wasn’t far off. For India’s batters, however, there was rarely a let-off.Between Starc’s two early wickets, the first delivery KL Rahul received from Josh Hazlewood, who was back in the team after a side strain kept him out of Adelaide, spat from short of a length and smashed into his wrist. He immediately dropped the bat and walked away as assistance came from the dugout.The first ball of Hazlewood’s next over took Virat Kohli’s glove as it also climbed from a length but fell short of the bowler in his follow through. A couple of overs later, Starc made another one jump at Kohli, who did well to keep the ball down towards the vacant short leg area.With the threat of rain looming, Rahul hooked a sharp bouncer from Hazlewood towards fine leg. Starc sprinted around the rope and made a superb sliding save to keep the batters to a single, meaning Kohli was on strike.Pat Cummins dismissed Rishabh Pant for the third time in the series•AFP/Getty ImagesHazlewood’s next ball was in a wide channel outside off, but as he does often these days, Kohli played away from his body with a drive, it took the edge and Carey pouched the catch. In an instant, as Hazlewood began his celebration, Australia’s fielders also made a beeline for Starc, who was being high-fiving as though the wicket would go in his tally. It was, at the very least, a brilliant assist. Like in the case of Jaiswal, Kohli’s second-innings hundred in Perth is starting to look like an outlier.To add to India’s pain, moments after Kohli had walked off, so did the rest of the players, before another ball was bowled as the rain arrived in what would become a Groundhog Day experience.India got through the next two brief passages of play without losing a wicket, but during a seven-ball period of action suffered another serious dent to their hopes. Pat Cummins angled a length delivery across Rishabh Pant, which took the edge to Carey. Having not previously dismissed Pant, it was the third time that Cummins had claimed him this series.In a long Test series, duels take shape. Bumrah is all over Nathan McSweeney, Starc is dominating Jaiswal, Cummins has it over Pant (although nothing is quite as one-sided as Matt Henry’s record against Zak Crawley across the Tasman). The rain may prevent Australia pushing on for victory in Brisbane but it is starting to feel like their attack is getting a hold over India’s batting line-up that will be hard to break.

An overwhelmingly large crowd queued up at the Adelaide Oval to watch the visitors play some foot-volleyball, engage in friendly banter, and also work on their shot-making

Alagappan Muthu03-Dec-20242:54

Pujara: Rahul should bat at No. 3, Gill at No. 5

Cricket with the pink ball might be worth it just for the colours. There is a picture from the very first day-night Test. The players in white, the turf in green, the Adelaide Oval in grey. And then there was the sky, just erupting with red.That game, between Australia and New Zealand in 2015, drew crowds that totaled up to 123,768 and a TV audience of 3.19 million in the closing stages. An Ashes day-night Test holds the record for the highest first-day attendance, this is since this ground was redeveloped in 2013 – 55, 317 people came through the gates seven years ago. There is a strong chance that number would be beaten when Australia host India for the second match of the Border-Gavaskar series.Both teams’ practice sessions on Tuesday was open to the public, and while there was a smattering of people who did enjoy seeing Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne bat in the morning, India’s training in the evening attracted an audience that filled not just the area next to the nets but three tiers of walkways in the stands overlooking them. Which is the home team again at Adelaide?Related

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India do not play this format very often. They’ve competed in four day-night Tests so far and their last one was nearly three years ago. By contrast, Australia play one of these things every season and they’ve been beaten only once. So the work that Rohit Sharma and his men do over these three days, the cues they can pick up about the way the pink ball behaves, is crucial. It’s just that they had to do that against a whole lot more noise than they might have perhaps anticipated, which may not have been ideal for them, but the families that came by with their kids, some of them carrying bats and jerseys to have autographed, they’ll have gone home with a story to tell over and over and over again and stories like these often get better (and wilder) with each retelling. Amit Mishra (not that one), who is part of the fan engagement arm of Cricket Australia, helped arrange all of this.India had a rousing three to four hours getting acquainted with the challenges they will face over the coming week, under both watchful eyes, with the head coach Gautam Gambhir rejoining the team, and awestruck ones, as the fans made their presence felt with every big shot that came off. There was a moment when Rohit played his swivel pull, connecting so sweetly that it soared away in front of square, that moved the crowd into instinctive cheers, which maybe, just maybe brought a shadow of a smile to his face. A distraction they might have been, but the fans certainly added to the occasion.Rohit and Rishabh Pant were the first to have a hit on Tuesday. This happened about half an hour ahead of schedule; a quick little drill where India’s captain seemed to be working on his front-foot play against balls in the off-stump corridor. He had repeated chats with batting coach Abhishek Nayar who spurred Rohit on, asking him to trust his method, pushing him on with feedback like “that last over was class,” and it was. He was picking length well and his balance at the crease – going both forward and back – was there for all to see.Then the entire team assembled at the main ground and played foot-volleyball with a row of chairs acting as the net, and it led to adorable little fights that you see in every playground, about line calls. Being a sportsperson must be the closest thing to being Peter Pan. There are times you can just be a kid. A kid with benefits. Because now you can curse like KL Rahul did when he was nicked off by Akash Deep, whose speed and sideways movement off the pitch made him a proper menace.The Indian team had an eventful nets session in Adelaide•Getty ImagesThese nets were intense. It featured a lot of shot-making, which in a way was just high-class batters reacting to what was coming at them. In Perth, with so many unknowns to deal with, and a desperation not to go 1-0 down, there was a lot of drilling down on defence.The best of the session was Virat Kohli vs Jasprit Bumrah. It started with a few easy leaves and then there was a tight one, the batter covering his stumps and then watching the ball fly just outside off stump. There was a knowing exchange of looks. The crispest shot Kohli hit was a back-foot punch against Bumrah and you could see, both how switched on he needed to be and how satisfied he was with his connection, in the way he just scampered across towards the other end, almost as if he was so wired that he needed to get rid of some of the excess energy.Bumrah was getting a substantial amount of movement off the pitch with the pink ball. He had Pant playing the angle into him from around the wicket and beat his leading edge so soundly that he had to offer up a wry smile. Non-verbal for “sorry bro. Didn’t mean to do you like that.” Bumrah had Jaiswal caught behind the first time they came head-to-head and he even hurried Rohit, the one batter in this team that never looks hurried against fast bowling. With every passing day, the feeling grows that the outcome of this series rests on his shoulders.India still have a question about the make-up of their top-order and the only clue, if any, came from who paired with whom in the net sessions. Jaiswal was with Rahul. No. 1 and 2. Kohli was with Shubman Gill. No. 4 and 3. And Rohit was with Pant. No. 5 and 6. That eventually changed – Kohli and Rahul faced spin together, Jaiswal and Washington Sundar faced throwdowns together – and sometimes they played without anybody waiting at the other end. It is likely that until the team sheets are presented at the toss on Friday, India will not be looking to offer any clarity on the subject. It’s useful to keep people – particularly the Australians – guessing.

Delhi and North Zone batter shows his range during his century against East Zone in the Duleep Trophy

Ashish Pant31-Aug-2025 [I am from Delhi and there, we play aggressive cricket.]This one line pretty much sums up Yash Dhull, the cricketer. The 22-year-old is continuously on the move when batting. He walks down to the fast bowlers, gives the spinners the charge and is always on the lookout for the quick singles when not hitting boundaries.It was the theme of Dhull’s innings both times during North Zone’s Duleep Trophy match against East Zone at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru. The aggression cost him his wicket relatively early in the first innings on 39, but against a weary East Zone attack, he ensured he didn’t miss out once again.Dhull stroked his way to 133 off just 157 balls on the third day of the Duleep Trophy opener, adding a 240-run stand with captain Ankit Kumar as North Zone sealed their semi-final spot. He not only tackled the spinners with a mix of caution and controlled aggression, but he was equally adept against pace.Related

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He scored 86 off 104 against spinners and 47 off 53 against the fast bowlers, with shots all around the field. Apart from defending solidly and using his feet to throw the bowlers off their lengths, he was innovative too: two upper-cuts against fast bowler Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, two paddle sweeps against left-arm spinner Manishi and a thrash through the covers off pacer Mukhtar Hussain.”My simple plan was that I would play my game. The wicket was seaming a little but I had planned that I will play attacking cricket,” Dhull said after his innings. “My first intent is to always score runs and score them quickly. I was also carrying plenty of confidence behind me. And I came here and played accordingly.”Dhull reached his fifty off 49 balls and his century off 112. There were a few nervous moments when he was stuck in the 90s for a while, and he played and missed several times, particularly against Mohammed Shami. But Dhull ensured that he didn’t lose focus.”Sometimes you collect runs quickly and then there are times when you can’t score and you have to bide your time”, he said. “That’s what happened. But I was calm, staying in the present and not taking any pressure. I was waiting for that right ball to score.”Yash Dhull plays the ball away on the off side•PTI Dhull is coming into the Duleep Trophy in top form. He was Delhi’s second-highest run-scorer in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy with 444 runs in ten innings at 49.33 and then had a stellar Delhi Premier League where he recorded 435 runs in nine innings at an average of 87 and strike rate of 167.31.Things are on the up now, but the circumstances were quite different just a year and a bit back in June, when Dhull had to undergo surgery to repair a 17mm hole in his heart. A cricketer is always on the move, jumping from one tournament to another, from one city to another, training, following a strict routine. For close to two months, though, Dhull’s life came to a standstill.”That time taught me a lot about myself, about my game, about my lifestyle, how to grow, how to improve,” Dhull said. “At the same time, I have to handle such things. There will be ups and downs. I have to go through them and move on. Right now, I just want to stay in the present. I don’t want to think about the past or future.”So much has happened. Now, I just enjoy my game. I spend time on it and that gives me all the happiness.”Dhull says he “didn’t have any option” but to get the surgery done. What he ensured during that time was not to think too much about the future. During the downtime, he also picked up a hobby. “I used to play snooker a lot and spent a lot of time there,” Dhull said. “That game also taught me a lot. My mind often used to wander around, I wasn’t concentrating much. That game taught me to stay more focused.”With a life-altering experience behind him, Dhull is now trying to take it one day at a time. He next has his sights set on South Zone, and having started on a positive note, he will hope his stocks continue to rise through the season.

He has moved around the batting order of late, but being a finisher looks like Maxwell’s role in India and Sri Lanka next year

Andrew McGlashan17-Aug-2025

Glenn Maxwell reverse sweeps over short third•Getty Images

Ahead of the deciding T20I against South Africa in Cairns, Glenn Maxwell was asked whether having retired from ODIs had given him pause to consider an overall end date for his international career. The answer, delivered in good spirits, was a succinct “No.”If he so desires, next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka would be a fitting stepping-off point for one of the format’s great players. It’s difficult to believe he could go for two more years even though the 2028 edition will be co-hosted by Australia, alongside New Zealand.Related

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On Saturday evening he showed what he can still bring with the bat, expertly guiding an uncertain chase over the line with a masterful unbeaten 62 off 36 balls, having earlier snaffled a match-changing catch at long-on to cut off Dewald Brevis’ destructive innings. When calling time on ODIs, Maxwell cited being unable to sustain 50 overs on the field but, as a couple of recent parried boundary catches have reinforced, he remains capable of spectacular moments.Australia are shaping up well ahead of the World Cup and Maxwell will be a vital component of their bid to win the title for just the second time, in all three facets of the game. His offspin is a crucial cog in the balance of the side and could well be a powerplay option at the World Cup.With Australia tweaking their batting order in the last two series against South Africa and West Indies, Maxwell has moved around the line-up. He made 47 off 18 balls opening in St Kitts last month and was used in three different spots in this latest series. There will likely always be a degree of situational flexibility, but No. 6 and 7 looks like his home for the World Cup tilt.There are times with the bat when Maxwell looks uncomfortable and there will, as ever, continue to be moments that exasperate: the “oh, why did you do that, Maxi?” shot. But then there are the times, such as the decider against South Africa, when he gets it spot on and everything comes off.Glenn Maxwell has produced some spectacular pieces of fielding in the last few weeks•AFP/Getty ImagesThe way he backed himself to finish the chase was a window into a brilliant mind. Declining singles – even, briefly, when a very capable No. 8 in Ben Dwarshuis was with him – and trying to read what Lungi Ngidi would bowl in the final over as he won the game by reversing a full toss over short third having turned down runs off the previous two deliveries to leave four from needed two.”I was thinking about doing it probably the ball before,” Maxwell said. “[But] I just felt like he was going to bowl a slower ball the ball before so I could knock it into midwicket for two. As soon as it was pace on, I realised I’d probably made a mistake in not going. I hit it too well to get back for two so I was like, that’s fine, I’ll hit one of the last two balls, hopefully for four. I just felt like he wasn’t going to go to the slower ball.”Even though I was able to get one off him earlier, I didn’t think it was going to be as easy. I think the point was just a little bit finer. I thought I needed pace on to get it there. As soon as I saw it coming out of his hand, I was just like, get any bat on it and it’s going to travel. Got the ball I wanted and was able to execute.”Explaining his tactics when Dwarshuis came in during the 14th over, with Australia needing 51 off 37 balls, Maxwell said it was so he could take advantage of the shorter boundary with the wind.”I wanted to control that over as well as I could and then trust [Dwarshuis] from the other end where he had a few more options,” he said. “I think if I had taken a single the first ball [with him] just starting his innings, it might have been tough for him to get going or get off strike straight away.”I thought it might have been a bit of a risk if I was at the non-striker’s end for five balls of that over hitting to the shorter side as a right-hander. In the end, I think I got 11 off it, which is a win. It kept the momentum going. From then on, I trusted him basically [at] both ends.”When Maxwell took 15 off Kagiso Rabada’s final over – launching a six from a free hit after a huge beamer had slipped out of Rabada’s grip – the game looked decided with Australia needing 12 off 12. However, Corbin Bosch provided a twist with a double-wicket maiden in the 19th over. But Adam Zampa had done his part by surviving two deliveries and Maxwell had the strike. He knew exactly what he needed to do.

A look at the players who made their ODI debuts during the 2022-25 cycle and who could shape their teams’ campaigns

Srinidhi Ramanujam26-Sep-2025Georgia Voll (Australia)Georgia Voll’s last 12 months have marked a breakout phase in her career. She debuted across all three formats, stepped in for the injured Alyssa Healy, and scored a commanding 101 in just her second ODI. She followed that with an unbeaten 99 for UP Warriorz in her maiden WPL stint, showing her comfort in subcontinental conditions. At 22, she’s earned a Cricket Australia central contract and heads into the World Cup as one of the team’s most promising young players. Though she may not be part of Australia’s first-choice top order, her ability to slot in seamlessly and perform under pressure makes her a valuable option.”It’s something I probably never imagined to happen so quickly,” Voll said of her rapid rise and she credits Australia’s strong domestic setup for her readiness. “You just prepare the same way as if you’re playing. You can’t get too wrapped up in the what-ifs and just making sure you’re best prepared if you’re called on or if you’re playing, like any other day.Georgia Voll has settled into a strong Australia squad•Getty Images”If you let the other things overtake you, it can probably not set you up as well. That’s probably what I’ll be looking to do is just prepare as if I’m ready to go if I’m playing or not playing… if you’re training the exact same way every time, you’re set up for success, if that is on the field or helping the team out running drinks or whatever.”Georgia Plimmer (New Zealand)Touted as one of New Zealand’s brightest talents, Georgia Plimmer played her first 13 ODIs in the middle order since debuting in 2022, before being promoted to open in April 2024. While her early ODI numbers don’t fully reflect her potential, the right-handed batter has demonstrated the ability to score big. After nine innings at the top, Plimmer converted her opportunity into a maiden ODI century against Sri Lanka in Nelson in March.In the recent A series in Derby, Plimmer also scored a century against England A in June. At just 21, she is already a World Cup winner, having been part of New Zealand’s T20I squad that claimed the title last year. Although she was a late injury replacement in New Zealand’s 2022 World Cup squad, she didn’t feature in any games.Georgia Plimmer celebrates her maiden ODI hundred•Getty ImagesKranti Goud (India)Kranti Goud’s rise has been nothing short of dramatic. As recently as April 2025, the 21-year-old seamer from Madhya Pradesh wasn’t in India’s ODI plans, only getting her debut due to an injury replacement. Left out of the initial England tour longlist in July, she forced her way in after impressing at a skills camp and then made history.At Chester-le-Street, she became the youngest Indian woman to take a five-for in ODIs, with a sensational 6 for 52 against England, drawing praise from captain Harmanpreet Kaur: “We’ve been dying for a fast bowler like you.”Kranti Goud dismisses Alyssa Healy•Getty ImagesKnown for her nip-backers, yorkers, and ability to hustle batters, Goud had already turned heads earlier by dismissing Meg Lanning in the WPL, and also the likes of Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alyssa Healy in bilateral series.Marufa Akter (Bangladesh)Marufa Akter has quickly become Bangladesh’s pace spearhead in a bowling attack traditionally dominated by spin. Just 20 years old, she already has 20 wickets from 26 ODIs at an average of 31.90 and brings a valuable point of difference with her ability to swing the ball both ways and strike early with the new ball.With a smooth, repeatable action and a bustling run-up, she brings energy and discipline, often sticking to stump-to-stump lines. Marufa was Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker at the 2023 Under-19 T20 World Cup, where she first caught wider attention. In a team stacked with spinners, her role as the pace leader could be key to Bangladesh unsettling stronger sides early in the innings.Marufa Akter belts out an appeal•ACCLauren Bell (England) Since the start of 2024, no England fast bowler has taken more wickets than Lauren Bell, who has picked up 24 in 16 ODIs at an economy of 5.17 – a sign of her growing consistency and impact. She has gone wicketless in just three of her 28 ODI appearances, underlining her reliability with the ball.Lauren Bell spearheads England’s seam attack•Getty ImagesWith senior seamer Kate Cross not in the World Cup squad, Bell will be expected to lead the pace attack. That responsibility is well-earned: in 2023, she remodelled her action to bowl more upright, unlocking the ability to swing the ball both ways. While subcontinental pitches may not offer much assistance, Bell’s height, accuracy, and ability to move the ball through the air make her a genuine threat with the new ball.Annerie Dercksen (South Africa)Annerie Dercksen has quickly established herself as a key allrounder across all formats for South Africa since her ODI debut in 2024. Although a seam-bowling top-order batter in domestic cricket, she has adapted to a middle-order role in the national team. She idolises Marizanne Kapp and brings a similar blend of grit and versatility.Annerie Dercksen celebrates reaching a century•SLCOne of only four South African batters to score an ODI hundred since the start of 2024 – a composed 104 against Sri Lanka in May – Dercksen has shown she can deliver in subcontinental conditions.With close to 400 ODI runs and useful medium pace, she adds depth to both departments. Her breakthrough year earned her a first national contract and the Women’s ODI Player of the Year award at the 2024-25 CSA awards.Sadaf Shamas (Pakistan)A composed top-order batter, Sadaf Shamas made her ODI debut in November 2022 but is still finding her feet at international level. In just her second innings, she struck a maiden half-century, against Ireland in Lahore – a promising glimpse of her temperament and technique.Sadaf Shamas has shown great temperament early•Getty ImagesWhile her international returns have been modest so far, the right-hander would be keen to get a big score at the World Cup and add stability to Pakistan’s top order. Recently, she suffered a left quadriceps tear during a practice session in Karachi in August but recovered in time to make the squad. With Pakistan looking to build a more reliable batting core, Shamas could have a key role to play if she finds form early in the tournament.Dewmi Vihanga (Sri Lanka)A tall offspinner with impressive control and variation, Dewmi Vihanga made her senior debut during the tri-series with India and South Africa in Colombo earlier this year and made an immediate impression. She picked up 11 wickets in her first four ODIs, including a five-wicket haul against South Africa where she dismantled the top and middle order in just her third international appearance.Dewmi Vihanga picked up a five-for•SLCThough the least experienced among Sri Lanka’s spin options – which include Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari, Chamari Athapaththu, and Kavisha Dilhari – her accuracy and deceptive flight make her a genuine threat. Vihanga was also Sri Lanka’s highest wicket-taker and second-highest run-scorer at the 2023 Under-19 World Cup, signalling her all-round potential early on.

Through planning, shadow tours and shared leadership, South Africa signalled early they were coming for India

Firdose Moonda26-Nov-20253:10

Philander: Takes an ‘epic effort’ to beat India at home

At the start of 2025, South Africa coach Shukri Conrad encouraged his team to “just dream a bit” because “some of the best things happen in dreams” and they ran with it. They had already qualified for the World Test Championship final and dreamt of winning it. But even after that, even in their wildest dreams, they didn’t go as far as thinking they would sweep a series in India, nevermind subject them to their worst home defeat. That was something they only believed when it became reality.
“Coming here, I would never have thought 2-0 would be the result of the series,” Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s still-undefeated captain, said at the post-match press conference. “What makes it sweeter is the fact that we’ve been on the other side of the result, so we know how dark it can be. It’s an incredible achievement for the group of players. Again, we’ve gone on to paint ourselves in history and we are creating some memorable moments.”The last time South Africa won a Test series in India was a quarter of a century ago, when Bavuma was a boy and two of his squad – both of whom made series-swaying contributions – Marco Jansen and Tristan Stubbs were not even born. To say that South Africa went into the India series with players who had mostly bad baggage or others who carried none at all is accurate.
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• Gambhir: 'This is exactly what transition is'

Those things combined to deepen their resolve to give as good an account of themselves as they could, especially as mace holders with a reputation to upkeep. Under Conrad, and with their first-choice side available, South Africa have not lost a series (their only defeat was to New Zealand in 2024 with an understrength squad) and Bavuma holds the record for the most Test wins as captain before a loss (ten before Guwahati, 11 in 12 Tests after). Against an Indian side in transition, South Africa fancied their chances but they didn’t fancy them much.”I would have never confidently thought we’d walk away with a 2-0 series win and maybe that apprehension would have forced us to bring a higher level of intensity in our play,” Bavuma said. “But also in our preparation, we made sure that no stone went unturned.”
South Africa players celebrate after sealing the 2-0 sweep•Associated PressApart from a helpful FTP, which saw South Africa tour Pakistan the month before heading to India, they also sent an A team, which Bauvma was part of, as an advance party for this series. That team played two four-day matches, albeit on benign surfaces in Bengaluru but against some of the Indian first-choice attack. The spoils were shared 1-1 and included South Africa A successfully chasing 417 in the second match, a sign that anything is possible. Bavuma scored 59 runs in the chase, which he described as the start of his uplevelling to meet the squad’s standards.
“The boys were in Pakistan and they got a proper taste and sense of what’s to come in subcontinental conditions, so the guys came in ready,” Bavuma said. “For me, it was a case of getting up to speed with the guys having been out with injury. But coming back into the team, I felt as if the guys were at a higher level and the onus was more on me to up my game.”
Bavuma missed both South Africa’s previous Test tours to the subcontinent through injury. He had an elbow injury last year when they beat Bangladesh 2-0 and a calf niggle sustained in a white-ball series in England kept him out of the Pakistan Tests. Despite those absences, there has never been any doubt that it is his South African team, with Conrad calling him both their best batter and their leader. And it’s clear that he is received that way. Bavuma received a standing ovation at Eden Gardens and was well celebrated in Guwahati and appears to have taken ownership of the job fully. He called his ascendency “a process of discovery” that has come from being “a lot more assured of myself as a person and as a captain and of what I’m trying to do out there”.

“Coming here, I never would’ve thought 2-0 would be the result of the series”Temba Bavuma

Two and a half years into the job of Test captain, and with the experience of the white-ball leadership under his belt, Bavuma’s biggest lesson is the ability to delegate so that he does not carry all the responsibility on his own. “We have a lot of leaders within the team and it’s understanding where certain guys provide value and allowing them to flourish within that space,” he said. “I’ve got your Keshav [Maharaj], I’ve got Aiden [Markram], I’ve got your KG [Rabada] even though he wasn’t there this time. From a tactical point of view, those are the guys, I can always bounce ideas around. I set that vision clear, but there’s other guys who help me make sure that we’re all on the same page.”
The other thing he has learnt to do is “separate the captain and the batter” and to ensure that he can be picked on the latter alone. “It’s important that you do your primary skill as well as you can,” he said. “Guys generally follow what they see, not necessarily what you tell them. I try to ensure that from a batting point of view, I’m contributing as much as I can to the team.”
<!–#cricinfo_insert
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caption: Temba Bavuma receives the series trophy from Devajit Saikia
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–>Since taking over the captaincy, Bavuma averages over 50, is second only to Markram in Test runs for South Africa and has scored three of his four hundreds. In this series, his 55 not out in the third innings in Kolkata turned the game, and ultimately the series, in South Africa's favour.That contribution may end up sitting in the shadows of bigger ones like Senuran Muthusamy's maiden Test hundred, Jansen and Stubbs' 93 and 94 respectively, Simon Harmer's 17 wickets and Markram's record catches but Bavuma doesn't mind. This South African team is not about superstars – and remember Rabada was injured for the series – it is about who does what when it matters.
“The team now is really in a good space. Winning obviously does that, but it’s also the way that we’re going about winning our games,” Bavuma said. “From a batting point of view, we don’t have the guys who are going in and getting the big hundreds but we’ve got four, five or six guys who are willing to contribute. That gets us to a formidable score. We know that from a bowling point of view, we’ve got enough to make sure that the result is on our side. It’s good times at the moment within the team.”
You can wake up, South Africa. The dream came true.

تحدث عمرو بسيوني مدير التعاقدات ونائب المدير الرياضي بنادي بيراميدز، على بيان الأهلي بشان دعم رمان صبحي لاعب الفريق السماوي بعد أزمة إيقافه لمدة 4 سنوات من قبل الوكالة الدولي لمكافحة المنشطات وأيضًا قضية حبسه بسبب التلاعب في أوراق رسمية. 

وقال عمرو بسيوني في تصريحات لقناة “النهار”: “بيراميدز على أتم الاستعداد للمواجهة المقبلة في بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا أمام باور ديناموز”.  

وأضاف: “استقبلنا بيان الأهلي بتقدير شديد عن دعم رمضان صبحي، شيء ليس غريب عن الأهلي ومجلسه بقيادة الخطيب، رمضان صبحي هو واحد من أفراد عائلة بيراميدز، يمر بمشكلتين كبار جدًا في وقت قصير”.

وتابع: “رمضان صبحي يحتاج إلى جهود كل شخص متواجد في المنظومة الكروية المصرية، رمضان شاب أعطى الكثير للكرة في مصر، لاعب دولي وكان له دور كبير في السنوات الماضية ببيراميدز”. 

طالع.. ترتيب مجموعة بيراميدز في دوري أبطال إفريقيا بعد فوز نهضة بركان على ريفرز يونايتد

وتابع: “الأهلي هو أكبر قلعة رياضية في مصر هو والزمالك، خطوات الخطيب محترمة ومشرفة جدًا، دائمًا في كل مواقفنا نحرص على التعاون المستمر والعلاقة التي تسودها الود والاحترام مع الأهلي، ودائمًا نتحدث كيف نقرب المسافات المتواجدة بين الناديين، المشاكل المتواجدة على السوشيال ميديا، والعلاقة بين الإدارتين محترمة جدًا”.

وأردف: “علاقتنا جيدة بمجلس إدارة الأهلي، دائمًا عندما نتقابل في المباريات تكون هناك حفاوة، العلاقات الشخصية في المسؤولين بالأهلي هائلة ومحترمة، ولو هناك فرصة نزور الأهلي سيكون شيئًا هائلًا أو العكس”.

وشدد: “رمضان صبحي يستحق مننا تظافر كل الجهود لكي نقف بجانبه، يجب أن يشعر أن هناك ناس في ظهره وتساعده بشتى الطرق، نحترم القضاء المصري، من حقنا ومن واجبنا نقف بجانبه، وبعض الشائعات ظهرت بالأمس أن النادي لن يجدد لرمضان صبحي؟ الموسم الماضي رمضان جدد عقده لمدة 4 سنوات، هو فرد من عائلة بيراميدز، المشاكل وارده في حياتنا أهم شيء يشعر أنه يوجد أحد في ظهره، لم يطرح من الأساس فكرة ايقاف التعاقد معه أو فسخ عقده، هذا الكلام ليس وقته”. 

وأكمل: “مايلي واسامة جلال عقودهما تنتهي بنهاية الموسم، محمد حمدي عقده مستمر لموسم مقبل، ومايلي افضل لاعب في إفريقيا ومهاجم كبير وإضافة كبيرة لبيراميدز وللدوري المصري بشكل عام، ونحاول أن نحافظ على اللاعبين المميزين، سنبدأ التفاوض معه على التجديد عقده، هو حاليًا أصبح أفضل لاعب في إفريقيا ومتبفي في عقده 6 أشهر”. 

واختتم: “مايلي حتى الآن لم يوقع بشكل رسمي على التجديد، ويجب أن تكون الرغبة متبادلة بين الطرفين، ونحن نريد استمراره، وهو سعيد بتواجده في بيراميدز، وأسامة جلال لاعب هائل وصادفه سوء حظ بسبب الإصابة وفتحنا التفاوض معه ومع وكيله وفي أقرب فرصة ملف أسامة سيكون منتهيًا”.

The Holliday family had a full circle baseball moment when Ethan Holliday, the son of former seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday, was selected by the Colorado Rockies with the No. 4 pick in the 2025 MLB draft on July 13. Not only was Ethan Holliday the second son of Matt to be drafted into the big leagues, but he was selected by the team where the elder Holliday began his baseball career.

But Holliday's selection was far from just a marquee moment for his career, as well as a monumental one for his family. It also led to the phenon making MLB history.

The Rockies signed Holliday to a $9 million deal, according to MLB.com. The deal set a draft bonus record, surpassing the previous mark, which was set by 2025 No. 1 pick Eli Willits of the Washington Nationals. The record before that was held by none other than Holliday's older brother Jackson, of the Baltimore Orioles.

Holliday, a 6' 4" infielder, is regarded by MLB Pipeline as the top prospect in the 2025 draft. He hit .617 with 16 home runs in just 32 games during his senior year at Stillwater High School.

Now, he'll literally be following in his father's footsteps.

"This is a really incredible opportunity," Holliday said on MLB Network after being selected in the draft. "I'm so driven by faith, I'm so grateful. The Lord has really been the centerpiece of my life. I don't even know what words I can put to this. The Rockies organization, I'm so thankful, obviously with the family, the background, and my dad being drafted by them, that just adds such a cool thing. Knowing everyone in the organization since I was born, I'm just so grateful."

Wolves and their search for a new manager took a dramatic twist on Saturday with news of Rob Edwards standing down from the dugout for Middlesbrough’s clash against Birmingham, but he hasn’t been the only tactician on the Old Gold’s shortlist.

Their disastrous season has plunged from bad to worse, with the club now desperately scrambling to appoint Edwards after Vitor Pereira was sacked on November 2.

Wolves’ winless start has left them rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, and they remain the only side without a victory in England’s top four divisions, having taken just two points from their opening 10 top flight games.

History is firmly against them – no club has ever survived with two or fewer points at this stage of a Premier League season — a stat which seriously threatens to condemn Wolves to relegation after eight straight years in the top tier.

Wolves 0-4 Man City

Bournemouth 1-0 Wolves

Wolves 2-3 Everton

Newcastle 1-0 Wolves

Wolves 1-3 Leeds United

Tottenham 1-1 Wolves

Wolves 1-1 Brighton

Sunderland 2-0 Wolves

Wolves 2-3 Burnley

Fulham 3-0 Wolves

Wolves have also become only the third side in Premier League history to concede 20 or more goals in their opening 10 games of two consecutive seasons, shipping 27 last season and 22 this campaign.

After Pereira’s dismissal, and following their week-long managerial search, Fosun have now turned their attention to Edwards.

The 42-year-old was once part of the club’s coaching staff, working with the U18s in 2014 before being promoted to a first-team coaching role in 2015. Since then, Edwards guided Luton Town to Premier League promotion in 2023, and made a fine start to life at Boro this season.

However, he could now be on the move just months after signing a three-year contract.

The situation reached breaking point today when Edwards was stood down from taking charge of Boro’s home game against Birmingham amid continued interest from Wolves. Edwards also didn’t take Boro training on Friday, and his pre-match press conference was cancelled, after Boro rejected Wolves’ approach seeking permission to hold talks on Thursday (Sky Sports).

Now, it is believed that Edwards is “looking likely to join Wolves” as he eyes a return to the top flight.

Boro released a statement today too, confirming that they’ve now granted Edwards permission to speak to Wolves.

All of this comes after Wolves initially explored bringing back former manager Gary O’Neil, but he withdrew from the race citing a timing issue.

Major twist on Gary O'Neil's future after advanced talks to re-join Wolves

Now, as per TEAMtalk, there’s been a “major twist” on O’Neil’s own future after his “advanced talks” to re-join Wolves.

According to their information, following a “dramatic U-turn” over returning to Molineux, with O’Neil once believed to be closing in on an agreement, it is now believed that Southampton is his most likely destination.

The Saints have made an approach to O’Neil, and talks are expected to intensify in the coming days as all parties seek to reach a swift deal.

Taking this into account, it is a wonder why O’Neil ruled himself out of the Wolves job but could now take up a position with the struggling Championship side.

O’Neil was appointed Wolves head coach in August 2023 and led the club to a 14th-placed finish and the FA Cup quarter-finals in his first season. More impressively, despite inheriting a squad in turmoil just days before the season began following Julen Lopetegui’s abrupt exit, and with minimal transfer backing, he steered the side to a respectable finish and earned plaudits for steadying the ship.

His first season included victories over Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, with Wolves reaching eighth at their peak that campaign.

O’Neil apparently remains “highly respected” in Premier League circles too (Miguel Delaney), but after his rejection, Edwards appears to be closing in on the role.