Cricket's global governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday, 24th of December announced the official schedule and fixture list of the upcoming ICC Mega-Event, the 2025 Champions Trophy. The competition, featuring the top eight One-Day International teams, will be played between 19th of February to 9th of March, with matches to be help in Dubai and Pakistan. 
The opening fixture of the tournament will be played between Pakistan and New Zealand in the city of Karachi as both teams will be kicking off the tournament. A total of 15 games will be played over a span of 19 days, with the city's of Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi playing host to the games in Pakistan. UAE's Dubai will also host several encounters, including the all-important group-stage phase contests of the Indian Cricket Team and the first semi-final as well. 
The all-important Final is scheduled to be played on the 9th of March in the city of Lahore, unless Team India qualifies for the marquee match, in which case the summit clash will be shifted to Dubai. Both the semi-finals and the final will have reserve days if rain interrupts the proceedings of the contests.
The highly anticipated India vs Pakistan match will be played on the 23rd of February in Dubai, which is also going to be a highlight of the competition. Other key matches include Australia vs England on the 22nd of February in the city of Lahore and South Africa vs Afghanistan in Karachi on 21st of February. 
Each of the three Pakistani venues will play host to three group-stage encounters, with Lahore also set to host the 2nd Semi-Final. The Dubai leg of the Champions Trophy kicks off on 20th February, with the Men in Blue squaring off versus Asian-rivals Bangladesh. 
The 2025 edition of the Champions Trophy will witness the top eight teams from the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup competing versus each other to get their hands on the prestigious Trophy. Fans are eagerly waiting for this exciting tournament, with hosts Pakistan aiming to defend their title. 
<h2>Group Stages  </h2>
<h2>All of the participating teams are divided into two groups:  </h2>
- Group A: India, New Zealand, Bangladesh and Pakistan
- Group B: South Africa, England, Australia and Afghanistan

<h2>Champions Trophy 2025: Full schedule of the competition</h2>
19th of February, Wednesday: New Zealand versus Pakistan in the city of Karachi, Pakistan
 
20th of February, Thursday: Bangladesh versus India in the city of Dubai, UAE
 
21st of February, Friday: South Africa versus Afghanistan in the city of Karachi, Pakistan
 
22nd of February, Saturday: England versus Australia in the city of Lahore, Pakistan
 
23rd of February, Sunday: Pakistan versus India in the city of Dubai, UAE
 
24th of February, Monday: Bangladesh versus New Zealand in the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan

25th of February, Tuesday: South Africa versus Australia in the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan
 
26th of February, Wednesday: Afghanistan versus England in the city of Lahore, Pakistan
 
27th of February, Thursday: Bangladesh versus Pakistan in the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan
 
28th of February, Friday: Australia versus Afghanistan in the city of Lahore, Pakistan

1st of March, Saturday: England versus South Africa in the city of Karachi, Pakistan
 
2nd of March, Sunday: New Zealand versus India in the city of Dubai, UAE
 
4th of March, Tuesday: First Semi-Final in the city of Dubai, UAE
 
5th of March, Wednesday: Second Semi-Final in the city of Lahore, Pakistan
 
9th of March, Sunday: The All-important Final in the city of Lahore (If Team India qualifies, then the match will get shifted to the city of Dubai, UAE) 
 
10th of March, Monday: Reserve-day for the Final

Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/3-players-who-can-prove-to-be-long-term-replacements-for-ravi-ashwin-in-india-s-test-team/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3 Players who can prove to be long-term replacements for Ravi Ashwin in India's Test Team</a>

The Champions Trophy on display in the city of Karachi, Pakistan | Image: Getty Images

The eight-team tournament runs from February 19 to March 9. The highly-awaited India versus Pakistan match wi be played on the 23rd of February in the city of Dubai.

ICC unveil the official Champions Trophy 2025 schedule, know all the details regarding India's matches

icc-unveil-the-official-champions-trophy-2025-schedule-know-all-the-details-regarding-india-s-matches

NZ vs ENG 3rd Test: The third and last test of the England tour of New Zealand 2024 came to an end after the home team cleared up the lower order of England and clinched a consolation win in the series. This win has pushed New Zealand up to the fourth rank from the sixth.
The hosts had already lost the series after heavy defeats in the first two Tests, but this final match carried special significance—it was Tim Southee’s farewell game. A victory here would have offered a much-needed silver lining. As the match ended, Southee picked up a stump and led his team off the field, basking in the applause from the crowd.
<img class="img-additional" src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/images/202412/image_430x256_6760ec257790c.jpg" alt="">
The moment was made even more special when he received a warm hug from former teammate and current England coach, Brendon McCullum, bringing a heartfelt close to his illustrious Test career.
England may have won the series, but their tour ended on a sour note with New Zealand’s commanding victory in the final Test. Despite the setback, England had plenty to celebrate, including Harry Brook’s brilliant batting and Brydon Carse’s leadership of a sharp seam attack in the first two matches. Beating New Zealand at home is a tough challenge, and England can still take pride in their overall performance.
<h2>WTC 2025 Points Table Updates</h2>
New Zealand are fairly happy with the win in the last test. However, they would have been a lot happier if they had won the series. The two back-to-back losses in the first two tests brought down the PCT of New Zealand and dropped them from 4th rank to sixth rank with a 44.230 winning percentage. 
Just after winning the last match, New Zealand got their rank back. The massive 423-run win helped New Zealand to go to a 48.21 winning percentage. England, who were in 5th spot with over 45 PCT, now are sixth again with 43.18 PCT.
<h2>WTC 2025 Points Table Updated after NZ vs ENG</h2>
<table id="table_1" border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 1140px; height: 191px; background-color: #dee5f7; border-color: #000000; border-style: double;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 11px;">
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.68" style="height: 11px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">POS</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.96" style="height: 11px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">TEAM</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.97" style="height: 11px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">PLAYED</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.85" style="height: 11px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">WON</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.97" style="height: 11px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">LOST</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.88" style="height: 11px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">DRAW</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.84" style="height: 11px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">DED</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.88" style="height: 11px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">POINTS</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.69" style="height: 11px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">PCT</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 20px;">
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.79" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.93" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">SOUTH AFRICA</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.84" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">10</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.72" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">6</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.79" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">3</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.87" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=98.17" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">0</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.94" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">76</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=97.51" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">63.33</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 20px;">
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.6" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.91" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">AUSTRALIA</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.81" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">14</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.96" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">9</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.65" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">4</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.84" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.83" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">10</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.94" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">102</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=98.8" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">60.71</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 20px;">
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.89" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">3</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.73" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">INDIA</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.87" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">16</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.95" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">9</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.75" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">6</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.7" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.79" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.87" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">110</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.33" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">57.29</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 20px;">
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.9" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">4</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.91" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">NEW ZEALAND</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.83" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">14</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.59" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">7</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.7" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">7</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=97.5" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">0</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.6" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">3</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.84" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">81</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=97.56" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">48.21</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 20px;">
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.83" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">5</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.67" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">SRI LANKA</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.75" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">11</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.76" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">5</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.81" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">6</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=98.37" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">0</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=97.5" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">0</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.76" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">60</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=97.23" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">45.45</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 20px;">
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.92" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">6</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.73" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">ENGLAND</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.83" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">22</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.9" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">11</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.92" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">10</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.75" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.93" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">22</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.87" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">114</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.66" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">43.18</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 20px;">
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.78" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">7</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.55" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">PAKISTAN</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.91" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">10</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.77" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">4</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.86" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">6</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=98.7" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">0</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.49" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">8</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.88" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">40</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=95.09" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">33.33</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 20px;">
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.85" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">8</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.76" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">BANGLADESH</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.84" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">12</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.77" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">4</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.89" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">8</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=98.39" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">0</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.73" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">3</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.94" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">45</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=92.24" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">31.25</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 20px;">
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.92" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">9</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=69.77" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">F WEST INDIES</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.88" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">11</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.69" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.49" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">7</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.77" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=91.54" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">0</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.87" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">32</td>
<td title="Character Accurarcy=99.06" style="height: 20px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">24.24</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/rishabh-pant-is-struggling-to-trouble-the-aussies-with-the-bat-this-bowler-has-found-a-way-to-stop-his-rampage/">Rishabh Pant is struggling to trouble the Aussies with the bat, this bowler has found a way to stop his rampage</a> 
SOURCE- <a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/world-test-championship/standings">WTC OFFICIAL</a>

The farewell test of Tim Southee and the New Zealand team gifted him the win in his last test. NZ secured a massive win of 423 runs in the last test of the series.

New Zealand made a big jump on the WTC points table after the win in the last Test of the series.

WTC 2025 Points Table Updated after New Zealand's Massive win against England in Farewell test for Tim Southee

wtc-2025-points-table-updated-after-new-zealands-massive-win-against-england-in-farewell-test-for-tim-southee

SL vs NZ ODI Series: Sri Lanka bags the third consecutive ODI series win after the last ODI of a three-match series against New Zealand, which was called off due to rain in Pallekele International Stadium. 



<div class="wp-block-rank-math-toc-block" id="rank-math-toc"><nav><ul><li class=""><a href="#sl-vs-nz-odi-series-summary">SL vs NZ ODI Series Summary</a></li><li class=""><a href="#sl-vs-nz-3rd-odi-highlights">SL vs NZ 3rd ODI Highlights</a></li></ul></nav></div>



 Sri Lanka Cricket Team is becoming the home giants under the head coach Sanath Jayasuriya. They first defeated India 2-0 in August, then they hosted West Indies and defeated them 2-1 in the T20I series and also in the ODI series by 2-1. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/08/sl-VS-ind-SERIES.jpg" alt="IND vs SL 3rd ODI: Historic! Fernando-Mendis-Wellalage Trio Thrived as Sri Lanka defeated India by 110 Runs" class="wp-image-145341" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Historic! Wellalage's fifer helped Sri Lanka to sum up India (Associate Press)</figcaption></figure>



New Zealand's entire tour of Sri Lanka was a failure in itself. They could just win a T20I game and lose everything else. Sri Lanka are coming out as a strong home team in the Jayasuriya's era and it is time for them to dominated overseas as well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="sl-vs-nz-odi-series-summary">SL vs NZ ODI Series Summary</h2>



It was New Zealand's turn to visit Sri Lanka and they leveled the T20I series 1-1 in the first hand. Then, in the ODI series, Sri Lanka posed an unmatchable challenge against New Zealand in the first 2 ODIs and also came victorious. The last ODI, played on 19 November, the rain interrupted and only a 21-over game was played before the rain and officials had to call off the game. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="sl-vs-nz-3rd-odi-highlights">SL vs NZ 3rd ODI Highlights</h2>



Having already conceded the series after losses in the first two matches, New Zealand chose to bat first after winning the toss. The team started brightly, with Tim Robinson striking boundaries off Dilshan Madhushanka in the opening over. However, their momentum was cut short when Robinson, attempting a drive in the fourth over, mistimed his shot to mid-off, handing Mohamed Shiraz his maiden ODI wicket.



Despite the early setback, Will Young steadied the innings with a composed approach. He capitalized on loose deliveries, punishing both Shiraz and Chamindu Wickramasinghe with consecutive boundaries in successive overs. His confident stroke play kept the scoring rate steady, putting pressure back on the Sri Lankan bowlers.



Meanwhile, Henry Nicholls complemented Young by employing sweeps and laps to accumulate runs effectively. The duo maintained a solid rhythm, rotating the strike efficiently and building an unbeaten 88-run partnership that anchored New Zealand's innings.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/11/391258-1.jpg" alt="SL VS NZ ODI SERIES" class="wp-image-149609" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">SL vs NZ: Will Young (Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



Young reached his eighth ODI half-century shortly before rain interrupted play, ending New Zealand's hopes of a comeback in the series. With the match unable to resume, Sri Lanka secured a convincing 2-0 victory in the three-match SL vs NZ ODI series.



New Zealand wrapped up their subcontinent tour with mixed results. They began with a 2-0 loss in the Test series against Sri Lanka a few months ago but made an incredible comeback by whitewashing India 3-0 in India?a historic achievement in challenging conditions. Following that, they returned to Sri Lanka and shared the honors in the T20I series, which ended 1-1.



However, their performance dipped in the ODI series, where they suffered a 2-0 defeat against the hosts. Despite the setbacks, their emphatic Test series win over India will remain a significant highlight of the tour. The team now heads back to New Zealand to prepare for an upcoming three-match Test series against England, scheduled to start later this month.



Sri Lanka, on the other hand, will travel to South Africa for a two-match Test series. This series is set to commence at the end of November, marking an important challenge for the team as they aim to build on their recent performances and an eye on the WTC Points Table.



READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/top-5-most-expensive-indian-fast-bowlers-in-the-ipl-auction-2025-prediction/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/top-5-most-expensive-indian-fast-bowlers-in-the-ipl-auction-2025-prediction/">TOP 5 Most Expensive Indian Fast Bowlers in the IPL Auction 2025 Prediction</a>



SOURCE- <a href="https://srilankacricket.lk/" data-type="link" data-id="https://srilankacricket.lk/">SL CRICKET OFFICIAL</a>

SL vs NZ ODI Series: Sri Lanka Bags The ODI series after Rain Washes Out the 3rd ODI

sl-vs-nz-odi-series-sri-lanka-bags-the-odi-series-after-rain-washes-out-the-3rd-odi

India: Team India under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma suffered their first-ever home Test-Series whitewash in a three-match Test-Series, losing the 3rd and final Test-Match at Wankhede Cricket Stadium of Mumbai by a margin of 25 runs on Sunday 3rd of November.



Last week in the city of Pune, the Black Caps became just the third team after Australia in 2004 and England in 2012 to execute a Test-Series victory versus India in India in the 21st-century since the 1st of January, 2001.



Following their defeat in the Mumbai Test Match, the Men in Blue have dropped from the first position to the second rank in the overall standings of WTC, with their PCT dropping to 58.33, falling behind reigning-champions Australia who have a better PCT of 62.5.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/11/390288.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-149175" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Virat Kohli had a Forgetful Test-Series versus New Zealand | Image: Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



New Zealand on the other hand have jumped from the fifth spot to the fourth position, with their PCT increasing to 54.54 from 50, slightly above South Africa?s PCT of 54.17 and less than the PCT of Sri Lanka (55.54).



With India dropping to the second place, Sri Lanka in third position, New Zealand in fourth, and South Africa in fifth spot, separated by a PCT of less than 4.5, this outcome has now produced a logjam in the middle portion of the points table.



The Rohit Sharma-led team cannot afford to suffer another defeat in their remaining five Test-Matches if they want to qualify for the final of WTC. By winning all five matches in the Border Gavaskar 2024 series versus Australia, the two time runners up can reach a maximum points tally of 158 points with a maximum PCT of 69.29.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Updated WTC Points-Table Following New Zealand's historic series white wash over India</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2">Pos.</td><td rowspan="2">Team</td><td colspan="4">Matches</td><td rowspan="2">Ded.</td><td rowspan="2">PTS contested</td><td rowspan="2">Points</td><td rowspan="2">PCT</td></tr><tr><td>P</td><td>W</td><td>L</td><td>D</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Australia</td><td>12</td><td>8</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>10</td><td>144</td><td>90</td><td>62.5</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>India</td><td>14</td><td>8</td><td>5</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>168</td><td>98</td><td>58.33</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Sri Lanka</td><td>9</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>108</td><td>60</td><td>55.56</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>New Zealand</td><td>11</td><td>6</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>132</td><td>72</td><td>54.54</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>South Africa</td><td>8</td><td>4</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>96</td><td>52</td><td>54.16</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>England</td><td>19</td><td>9</td><td>9</td><td>1</td><td>19</td><td>228</td><td>93</td><td>40.79</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>Pakistan</td><td>10</td><td>4</td><td>6</td><td>0</td><td>8</td><td>120</td><td>40</td><td>33.33</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Bangladesh</td><td>10</td><td>3</td><td>7</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>120</td><td>33</td><td>27.5</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>West Indies</td><td>9</td><td>1</td><td>6</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>108</td><td>20</td><td>18.52</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ind-vs-nz-jadejas-five-for-and-sundars-four-for-land-india-an-early-upper-hand-on-day-1/">IND vs NZ: Jadeja?s five-for and Sundar?s four-for land India an early upper hand on Day 1</a>



For more information, visit the official website of <a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/world-test-championship/standings">ICC</a>

IND vs NZ: Updated WTC Points Table following New Zealand's historic series whitewash over India

ind-vs-nz-updated-wtc-points-table-following-new-zealands-historic-series-whitewash-over-india

IND vs NZ 3rd Test: This is the first time in the last 12 years when India lost a home test series and this has put the skipper Rohit Sharma and new head coach Gautam Gambhir under a lot of heat. There is a possibility of a couple of changes in the playing11 of India and here we are with the 2 Changes India might make for the IND vs NZ 3rd Test.



<div class="wp-block-rank-math-toc-block" id="rank-math-toc"><nav><ul><li class=""><a href="#2-changes-india-might-make-for-the-ind-vs-nz-3rd-test">2 Changes India might make for the IND vs NZ 3rd Test</a><ul><li class=""><a href="#1-mohammad-siraj-in-for-akash-deep">1- Mohammad Siraj IN for Akash Deep</a></li><li class=""><a href="#2-kl-rahul-in-for-sarfaraz-khan">2- KL Rahul IN for Sarfaraz Khan</a></li></ul></li><li class=""><a href="#india-playing-11-prediction">INDIA PLAYING11 Prediction For IND vs NZ 3rd Test</a></li></ul></nav></div>



India played a test series against Bangladesh at home prior to the current New Zealand Series. Team India's performance in that series set the strong foundation for the era of the new head coach Gautam Gambhir but no one would have imagined that building was just about to collapse in their next home series against New Zealand.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/10/Kiwis-script-iconic-history.webp" alt="IND vs NZ: Ravindra and Young led New Zealand to an iconic Test victory after 36 years; Match Summary, Updated WTC Standings and many more" class="wp-image-148736" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kiwis script iconic history after Test victory in India after 36-years: IND vs NZ (Image: India Today) </figcaption></figure>



After India's heroic win against Bangladesh in the two Tests, the stakes and expectations were high for India to slaughter the Kiwis down but the Blackcaps turned the table upside down and now they are in a dominating position with the series 2-0 in their pocket. 



Defeating India in India was something the world hadn't witnessed in the last 12 years, but this New Zealand side wrote the history of winning not just the Test Match but also the Test series. 



After the humiliating series loss, Rohit Sharma said "We are allowed one such performance in 12 years. If we were collapsing like this regularly then we would not have been winning at home. We have a lot of expectations. We are expected to win every game at our home, and it is because of our performances."



Now, the eyes are on the third and last match of the series. India would be highly anticipating a consolation win in the last match but this would require a lot more than what they did in the first two tests.



There are possibilities of a couple of changes in the playing11 of India and below are the 2 Changes India might make for the IND vs NZ 3rd Test:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="2-changes-india-might-make-for-the-ind-vs-nz-3rd-test">2 Changes India might make for the IND vs NZ 3rd Test</h2>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="1-mohammad-siraj-in-for-akash-deep">1- Mohammad Siraj IN for Akash Deep</h4>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/09/gettyimages-1406369659-612x612-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-147241" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mohammed Siraj (Photo by Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



Mohammad Siraj played the first test but his performance forced the skipper to replace him with Akash Deep. But, India need more experienced players in the last Test and Wankhede's Pitch suits more to Siraj. 



The team would also like to play Kuldeep Yadav but there is no spot in the team to place him in. The team would be more focused on strengthening the batting.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="2-kl-rahul-in-for-sarfaraz-khan">2- KL Rahul IN for Sarfaraz Khan</h4>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/01/KL-Rahul-1024x683.jpg" alt="IND vs ENG: Jasprit Bumrah to PLAY 3rd India vs England Test, India's Test Squad Selection in a day" class="wp-image-125743" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image: BCCI.tv</figcaption></figure>



Sarfaraz Khan tried his level best in the first test to save the match but it was not meant to happen. However, his big runs in the second innings of the first test secured his place in the playing11 for the second test. 



KL Rahul is a quality and defensible player, while Sarfaraz is an aggressive option and team in this situation requires a player with good techniques and experience and KL Rahul takes the lead here. Also, <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/sarfaraz-khan-642525">Sharfaraz</a> is a top-order batter while Rahul is comfortable batting down the order.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="india-playing-11-prediction">INDIA PLAYING11 Prediction For IND vs NZ 3rd Test</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
Rohit Sharma Yashasvi Jaiswal Shubman Gill Virat Kohli Rishabh Pant KL Rahul Ravindra Jadeja Washington Sunder Ravi Ashwin Jaspret Bumrah Mohammad Siraj
</blockquote>



READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/rajasthan-royals-target-many-players-for-the-mega-auction-as-they-reveal-retentions-to-espncricinfo-ft-yashasvi-jaiswal/">Rajasthan Royals target many players for the mega-auction as they reveal retentions to ESPNcricinfo ft. Yashasvi Jaiswal</a>

IND vs NZ: 2 Changes India might make for the 3rd Test against New Zealand; Check Out For Full Details

ind-vs-nz-2-changes-india-might-make-for-the-3rd-test-against-new-zealand-check-out-for-full-details

IND vs NZ 2nd Test: After a historic test match won by New Zealand, the eyes will be on the India vs New Zealand 2nd Test starting October 24. Here we are with the Full Squads, Probable Playing11s, Venue, and Pitch Report for the IND vs NZ 2nd Test.



<div class="wp-block-rank-math-toc-block" id="rank-math-toc"><h2>Table of Contents</h2><nav><ul><li class=""><a href="#match-overview">Match Overview</a></li><li class=""><a href="#ind-vs-nz-2nd-test-full-squads">IND vs NZ 2nd Test Full Squads</a></li><li class=""><a href="#ind-vs-nz-2nd-test-full-squads-1">IND vs NZ 2nd Test Probable Playing11s</a></li><li class=""><a href="#ind-vs-nz-2nd-test-pune-pitch-report">IND vs NZ 2nd Test MCA Stadium, Pune Pitch Report</a></li></ul></nav></div>



Despite the joy brought by Sarfaraz Khan?s impressive 150 and Rishabh Pant?s electrifying performance, India suffered a bitter defeat, losing the Test match in Bengaluru by eight wickets. This was some team game and performance by the Blackcaps in the Bengaluru test.



Batting first, India recorded the lowest total at home. New Zealand overtook India's 46 without losing a wicket and then summed up a big 1st innings total of over 400 runs. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/10/Will-Young-and-Rachin-Ravindra-help-NZ-win-first-Test.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-148735" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kiwis script iconic history after Test victory in India after 36-years (Image: India Today) </figcaption></figure>



India's bowling, which usually thrives in home conditions, fell short this time. Rohit Sharma?s selection choices were questionable, and the overall bowling performance was underwhelming, particularly during Tim Southee and Rachin Ravindra's partnership on Day 3.



However, India powered a strong comeback in the first two sessions of Day 4 but the last session saw another middle-order collapse and took the match out of India's palm. New Zealand needed just 107 runs in the second innings to seal the match and the kiwis did something they haven't been able to do since 1988. After 36 years, NZ defeated India in a test match in India and that too by 8 wickets.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/10/Kiwis-script-iconic-history.webp" alt="IND vs NZ: Ravindra and Young led New Zealand to an iconic Test victory after 36 years; Match Summary, Updated WTC Standings and many more" class="wp-image-148736" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kiwis script iconic history after Test victory in India after 36-years (Image: India Today) </figcaption></figure>



Now, both teams will be preparing for the second test of the series. India would try to check a couple of boxes around the playing11 while New Zealand would be looking to be more precise with their plans.



Let's take a look at the Overview, Full Squads, Probable Playing11s, Venue, and Pitch Report for the IND vs NZ 2nd Test.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="match-overview">Match Overview</h2>



Series: New Zealand tour of India 2024 Match: IND vs NZ 2nd Test Date: 24 Oct- 28 Oct Venue: <a href="https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/8395/new-zealand-tour-of-india-2024/venues/287/maharashtra-cricket-association-stadium">Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium,?Pune</a> Timing: 9:30 AM IST



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="ind-vs-nz-2nd-test-full-squads">IND vs NZ 2nd Test Full Squads</h2>



India Squad for 2nd Test: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Washington Sundar.



New Zealand Squad for 2nd Test: Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel, William ORourke, Kane Williamson, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Jacob Duffy



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="ind-vs-nz-2nd-test-full-squads-1">IND vs NZ 2nd Test Probable Playing11s</h2>



India Probable Playing11: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav/ Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj



New Zealand Probable Playing11: Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel, William ORourke



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="ind-vs-nz-2nd-test-pune-pitch-report">IND vs NZ 2nd Test MCA Stadium, Pune Pitch Report</h2>



Pune's Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium typically offers a favorable surface for batters. However, with a black soil pitch, the ball tends to come onto the bat more slowly. There's a strong possibility of a turning track, especially with India adding Washington Sundar to the squad for the remainder of the series.



Sundar's inclusion suggests a spin-friendly surface, and the black soil will likely enhance the spinners' impact. While batters may enjoy some freedom early in the game, the pitch is expected to favor spin as the match progresses.



READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/icc-mens-test-team-rankings-latest-updated-after-ind-vs-nz-1st-test/">ICC Men?s Test Team Rankings Latest Updated After IND vs NZ 1st Test</a><div></div><div class="tdb-author-name-wrap" style="align-items: baseline"></div><div></div>

IND vs NZ 2nd Test Date, Full Squads, Probable Playing11s, Venue and Pitch Report

ind-vs-nz-2nd-test-date-full-squads-probable-playing11s-venue-and-pitch-report

ICC Men's Test Team Rankings: New Zealand have just come up with a historic win against India in India after 36 long years and became the first team in the last few years to defeat India in India. The International Cricket Council have released the latest ICC Men's Test Team Rankings after IND vs NZ 1st Test and here we are with the latest updates.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/10/Kiwis-script-iconic-history.webp" alt="IND vs NZ: Ravindra and Young led New Zealand to an iconic Test victory after 36 years; Match Summary, Updated WTC Standings and many more" class="wp-image-148736" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kiwis script iconic history after Test victory in India after 36-years (Image: India Today) </figcaption></figure>



How often do we hear that India lost a home match? It happened quite a long time ago, and New Zealand have done it after so many years. Also, New Zealand defeated India in a home test 36 years ago, and they outclassed India. 



The India vs New Zealand 1st Test started with Day 1 being washed away by rain. India won the toss and opted to bat first. New Zealand wrapped up Indian innings for just 46 runs and that became the lowest total of Indian team in India. 



New Zealand didn't let go of the advantage and scored over 400 runs in their first Innings. India then batted the way they are known to bat and recovered the deficit but the second new ball wrote the story of their second collapse in the same test. India managed to get a lead of 106 and New Zealand covered it with just losing two wickets. 



Along with New Zealand, Pakistan won a home test after 1300+ days defeating England. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/10/389300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-148680" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Pakistani players celebrate the dismissal of England's Jamie Smith | Image: Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



In the latest Rankings update, India is ranked second with a rating of 121. Australia is at the top of the table with a 124 rating in 30 matches. 



England is ranked third with 108 ratings and South Africa follows them with 104 ratings. New Zealand are ranked sixth with 89 ratings in 25 matches played and Pakistan are ranked 8th with 76 rating points. 



Let's take a look at the <a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/team-rankings/mens/test">ICC</a> Men's Test Team Rankings updated after IND vs NZ 1st Test:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">ICC Men's Test Team Rankings</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Matches</th><th>Pts</th><th>Rating</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>01</td><td>AUSTRALIA</td><td>30</td><td>3715</td><td>124</td></tr><tr><td>02</td><td>INDIA</td><td>29</td><td>3498</td><td>121</td></tr><tr><td>03</td><td>ENGLAND</td><td>38</td><td>4111</td><td>108</td></tr><tr><td>04</td><td>SOUTH AFRICA</td><td>21</td><td>2179</td><td>104</td></tr><tr><td>05</td><td>SRI LANKA</td><td>25</td><td>2271</td><td>91</td></tr><tr><td>06</td><td>NEW ZEALAND</td><td>25</td><td>2220</td><td>89</td></tr><tr><td>07</td><td>WEST INDIES</td><td>26</td><td>1992</td><td>77</td></tr><tr><td>08</td><td>PAKISTAN</td><td>20</td><td>1528</td><td>76</td></tr><tr><td>09</td><td>BANGLADESH</td><td>23</td><td>1491</td><td>65</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>IRELAND</td><td>5</td><td>131</td><td>26</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Zimbabwe</td><td>3</td><td>11</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Afghanistan</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">ICC Men's Test Team Rankings</figcaption></figure>



READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ind-vs-nz-after-first-test-loss-skipper-rohits-bold-claim-to-shubman-gill-and-akash-deep-back-at-the-nets-every-possible-update-ahead-of-indias-second-test-against-new-zealand/">IND vs NZ: After First Test loss, skipper Rohit?s bold claim to Shubman Gill and Akash Deep back at the nets; Every possible update ahead of India?s second Test against New Zealand</a><div></div><div class="tdb-author-name-wrap" style="align-items: baseline"></div><div></div>

ICC Men's Test Team Rankings Latest Updated After IND vs NZ 1st Test

icc-mens-test-team-rankings-latest-updated-after-ind-vs-nz-1st-test

Women's T20 World Cup Final 2024: We are just a few hours away from the historic Women's T20 World Cup Final 2024 where both the finalists have never won a single T20I cup. Here we are with the Full squads, Probable Playing11s, and Pitch Report of Dubai International Cricket Stadium for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Final 2024.



<div class="wp-block-rank-math-toc-block" id="rank-math-toc"><nav><ul><li class=""><a href="#womens-t-20-world-cup-final-2024-qualified-teams">Women's T20 World Cup Final 2024 Qualified Teams</a></li><li class=""><a href="#new-zealand-south-africa">NEW ZEALAND
SOUTH AFRICA</a></li><li class=""><a href="#womens-t-20-world-cup-final-2024-squads">Women's T20 World Cup Final 2024 Squads</a></li><li class=""><a href="#womens-t-20-world-cup-final-2024-playing-11-s">Women's T20 World Cup Final 2024 Probable Playing11s</a></li><li class=""><a href="#dubai-international-cricket-stadium-pitch-report">Dubai International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report</a></li></ul></nav></div>



South Africa are in their second final in a row and this time they don't have the mighty Australia in the opposite corner. In the last final, South Africa lost to Australia but they took equal revenge by eliminating Australia in the semifinals this year. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/10/389281.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-148654" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Chole Tryon embraces Anneke Bosch | Image: Getty Images / ICC</figcaption></figure>



South Africa were not the favorites to reach the final but they broke the delusion by first defeating West Indies by 10 wickets in the tournament and now they are in the finals. They will have their heads up and confident for the match tonight.



New Zealand, on the other hand, entered the tournament with a 10-match losing streak and everyone sidelined them in the top four teams. With a meticulously crafted year-long strategy, Sophie Devine and her team delivered a shocking blow to one of the tournament favorites in their opener. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/10/NZ-W-to-play-final-against-SA-W-1024x576.webp" alt="Women T20 World Cup: Clash of the Titans! The world is set to see a new face as Champions of the Women's T20 World Cup as South Africa Women and New Zealand Women emerge as finalists" class="wp-image-148698" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">NZ-W (Image: Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



This victory virtually secured their spot in the knockout stage, where they later exacted revenge on the team that had previously denied them a semifinal berth and they are high on the confidence for the final today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="womens-t-20-world-cup-final-2024-qualified-teams">Women's T20 World Cup Final 2024 Qualified Teams</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="new-zealand-south-africa">NEW ZEALAND SOUTH AFRICA</h2>
</blockquote>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="womens-t-20-world-cup-final-2024-squads">Women's T20 World Cup Final 2024 Squads</h2>



New Zealand Women?Squad: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine(c), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze(w), Rosemary Mair, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas, Molly Penfold, Jess Kerr, Hannah Rowe, Leigh Kasperek



South Africa Women Squad: Laura Wolvaardt(c), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Chloe Tryon, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta(w), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka, Tumi Sekhukhune, Ayanda Hlubi, Seshnie Naidu, Mieke de Ridder



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="womens-t-20-world-cup-final-2024-playing-11-s">Women's T20 World Cup Final 2024 Probable Playing11s</h2>



New Zealand Women Playing11: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (C), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Rosemary Mair, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas



South Africa Women Playing11: Laura Wolvaardt (C), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Sune Luus, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="dubai-international-cricket-stadium-pitch-report">Dubai International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report</h2>



In Dubai, chasing teams have emerged victorious in 7 out of 11 matches, with four of those wins coming in the last five games played, all of which were night matches. Both West Indies and South Africa successfully chased targets in their recent games to secure spots in the semifinals and final, respectively.



The surface is expected to be fresh but still, it didn't seem to be a high-scoring final. Expect a low-scoring but thrilling contest between two quality teams in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024.



READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/pakistan-vs-england-pcb-likely-to-prepare-a-spin-friendly-surface-for-the-3rd-test-match/">Pakistan vs England: PCB likely to prepare a spin-friendly surface for the 3rd Test Match</a><div></div><div class="tdb-author-name-wrap" style="align-items: baseline"></div><div></div>



SOURCE: <a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/womens-t20-worldcup">ICC OFFICIAL </a>

Women's T20 World Cup Final 2024: Full Squads, Probable Playing11s, and Pitch Report of Dubai International Cricket Stadium

womens-t20-world-cup-final-2024-full-squads-probable-playing11s-and-pitch-report-of-dubai-international-cricket-stadium

IND vs NZ Day 3: It was pretty hectic Day 2 of India vs New Zealand 1st Test and New Zealand were all over India for the entirety of the day. The Weather was overcast for the whole day and the same is expected today. This post reads the Weather Forecast and Pitch report of M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for IND vs NZ Day 3.



<div class="wp-block-rank-math-toc-block" id="rank-math-toc"><nav><ul><li class=""><a href="#ind-vs-nz-day-3-weather-forecast-of-bengaluru">IND vs NZ Day 3 Weather forecast of Bengaluru</a></li><li class=""><a href="#ind-vs-nz-day-3-pitch-report-of-m-chinnaswamy-stadium">IND vs NZ Day 3 Pitch Report of M. Chinnaswamy Stadium </a></li></ul></nav></div>



Day 1 was fully washed away by rain and the test match had just four days left. India won the toss and opted to bat first. Some experts say this wasn't a good decision while other pundits are in favor of the call. 



New Zealand were fully prepared for any decision and they welcomed the Indian call. Rohit and Jaiswal were troubled right from the first over and Rohit's struggle ended in the 7th over when Southee bowled him out. India lost the first wicket in 9 runs and then lost another two for just one run. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/10/NZ-pacers-wreak-havoc-1024x640.jpg" alt="IND vs NZ: 46 ALL OUT! Danger Looms over the Indian Team at Chinnaswamy: Register second below 50-score by a full-member nation in the history of WTC" class="wp-image-148620" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">NZ pacers wreak havoc at Chinnaswamy under Overcast conditions (Image: Cricketnmore)</figcaption></figure>



Just under 31 overs, the complete Indian innings was wrapped up and India were bowled out for 46- their lowest total at home. New Zealand didn't struggle much but India definitely missed a couple of chances. 



New Zealand at the end of day 2 scored 180 for three wickets. India is having a good morning session so far and hopefully, they will recover the damage today. The rain did interrupt the play yesterday and similar conditions are predicted for today as well by <a href="https://weather.com/en-IN/weather/hourbyhour/l/f5720f935015d866abbc8f4d5beefe74b16a77fe84928669d117dd882d7de136">weather.com</a>, let's take a look at the Weather Forecast and Pitch report of M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for IND vs NZ Day 3.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="ind-vs-nz-day-3-weather-forecast-of-bengaluru">IND vs NZ Day 3 Weather forecast of Bengaluru</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/10/IND-vs-NZ-Day-3.jpg" alt="IND vs NZ Day 3 Weather forecast of Bengaluru" class="wp-image-148664" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">IND vs NZ Day 3 Weather forecast of Bengaluru</figcaption></figure>



It was an overcast yesterday in Bengaluru! We are having a good weather condition so far but there is rain predicted for the afternoon. Though the drainage system of M. Chinnaswamy is exceptionally good, there might be some stoppage in the play due to rain.



The temperature of the city is expected to hover around 27?C during the day. The rain probability is around 70% in the afternoon session and evening session, which reduces to below 22% during the last hour of the game. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="ind-vs-nz-day-3-pitch-report-of-m-chinnaswamy-stadium">IND vs NZ Day 3 Pitch Report of M. Chinnaswamy Stadium </h2>



The pitch is a lot drier in comparison to what it was yesterday. Batting is slightly more easier against pacers but now, the spinners have come into the game. The ball is gripping and it is going to be a big challenge for India ahead. 



READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/womens-t20-world-cup-2024-australia-eliminated-as-south-africa-stun-them-in-the-1st-semi-final/">Women?s T20 World Cup 2024: Australia eliminated as South Africa stun them in the 1st semi-final</a><div></div><div class="tdb-author-name-wrap" style="align-items: baseline"></div><div></div>

IND vs NZ Day 3 Weather Forecast, Rain Prediction, and Pitch Report of M. Chinnaswamy Stadium

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ICC Women's T20 World Cup Semifinal 2024: The Women's T20 World Cup 2024 is now in its penultimate stage with the four teams in the semifinals. The Schedule and fixtures are out and this post reads the Women's T20 World Cup Semifinal Schedule, Venues, Timing, and More Details 2024.



<div class="wp-block-rank-math-toc-block" id="rank-math-toc"><h2>JUMP TO:</h2><nav><ul><li class=""><a href="#womens-t-20-world-cup-semifinal-qualified-teams">Women's T20 World Cup Semifinal Qualified Teams</a></li><li class=""><a href="#womens-t-20-world-cup-semifinal-qualified-teams-1">Women's T20 World Cup Semifinal Schedule</a></li><li class=""><a href="#womens-t-20-world-cup-semifinalists-squad">Women's T20 World Cup Semifinalists' Squad</a></li></ul></nav></div>



I was heartbroken for Indian fans on their last match of the group stage but the competition is not done yet! The top four quality teams are in the semifinals and all the eyes are on the coveted shining World Cup 2024 Trophy.



India lost their first match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 against New Zealand and that made them pay in the form of elimination in the first round. However, they had a chance against Australia but it was not meant to happen.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/10/389037.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-148547" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Harmanpreet Kaur walks back to the dugout | Image: Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



Australia are the real mighty in Women's cricket and their 15-match winning streak is pretty heavy proof of the statement and they are again the best side in the contest for the cup.



Let's take a look at the Women's T20 World Cup Semifinal Schedule, Venues, Timing, and More Details 2024: 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="womens-t-20-world-cup-semifinal-qualified-teams">Women's T20 World Cup Semifinal Qualified Teams</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
Australia New Zealand South Africa West Indies
</blockquote>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="womens-t-20-world-cup-semifinal-qualified-teams-1">Women's T20 World Cup Semifinal Schedule</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Date</th><th>Match</th><th>Fixture</th><th>Venue</th><th>Timing</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>17 Oct</td><td>Semifinal 1</td><td>Australia vs South Africa</td><td>Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai</td><td>07:30 PM</td></tr><tr><td>18 Oct</td><td>Semifinal 2</td><td>West Indies vs New Zealand</td><td>Sharjah Cricket Ground</td><td>07:30 PM</td></tr><tr><td>20 Oct</td><td>Final</td><td>SF 1 Winner vs SF 2 Winner</td><td>Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai</td><td>07:30 PM</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="womens-t-20-world-cup-semifinalists-squad">Women's T20 World Cup Semifinalists' Squad</h2>



Australia Women Squad: Grace Harris, Beth Mooney(w), Georgia Wareham, Tahlia McGrath(c), Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown, Alyssa Healy, Kim Garth, Alana King, Heather Graham



New Zealand Women Squad: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (c), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Rosemary Mair, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas, Leigh Kasperek, Hannah Rowe, Jess Kerr, Molly Penfold



West Indies Women Squad: Hayley Matthews (c), Qiana Joseph, Shemaine Campbelle (wk), Deandra Dottin, Chinelle Henry, Chedean Nation, Zaida James, Ashmini Munisar, Aaliyah Alleyne, Afy Fletcher, Karishma Ramharack, Stafanie Taylor, Mandy Mangru, Nerissa Crafton, Shamilia Connell



South Africa Women Squad: Laura Wolvaardt(c), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Sune Luus, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta(w), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka, Tumi Sekhukhune, Ayanda Hlubi, Seshnie Naidu, Mieke de Ridder



READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/pakistan-cricket-in-crisis-in-depth-analysis-of-downfall-of-pakistan-cricket-team/">Pakistan Cricket in Crisis: In-depth Analysis of Downfall of Pakistan Cricket Team</a>



<div></div><div class="tdb-author-name-wrap" style="align-items: baseline"></div><div></div>



SOURCE: <a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/womens-t20-worldcup">ICC OFFICIAL WEBSITE</a>

Women's T20 World Cup Semifinal Schedule, Venues, Timing, and More Details 2024

womens-t20-world-cup-semifinal-schedule-venues-timing-and-more-details-2024

The New Zealand national cricket team represents New Zealand in men's international cricket. Nicknamed the Blackcaps, they played their first Test in 1930 against England in Christchurch, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket

New Zealand

India Cricket Team is all set to have massive changes going into the last match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The Showdown will be taking place at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, and it surely will be more than just a match for the visitors. 
As per the reports in Indian Express, it is learned that Rohit Sharma is all set to be rested for the final game of the series. The Indian captain has himself opted out of the Sydney Test and conveyed the same to head coach Gautam Gambhir and the chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar. 
Both Agarkar and Gambhir accepted Rohit Sharma's decision and the team will be playing the game without their captain. In his absence, Jasprit Bumrah will be captaining the team and Shubman Gill will be replacing Rohit in the XI and will be batting at No.3 in the last game of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. 
Rohit Sharma opting out of the Sydney Test means that the India captain has played his last game in whites. The reports claimed that he might not be in the scheme of things for the next World Test Championship Cycle, which begins with a tour to England in June-July this year. 
Jasprit Bumrah captained the Indian team in the opening game of the series in Perth and under his leadership team won the match. The reports claimed that Shubman Gill will be batting at No.3 and KL Rahul will open the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. 
<h2> Prasidh Krishna will be drafted into the XI in place of Akash Deep</h2>
The reports also added that Prasidh Krishna will be drafted into the XI in place of Akash Deep. The latter got injured in the practice session and has been ruled out of the match. It will be a massive opportunity for Krishna to make an impact and help the team draw the series and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. 
Also, there were reports which stated that Rishabh Pant will be dropped for Dhruv Jurel but Indian Express has confirmed that the Southpaw will be playing the match. He faced a lot of criticism getting out to wild shots in the last two games and would be hoping to silence all his critics.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/india-s-record-at-sydney-cricket-ground-before-the-ind-vs-aus-5th-test/">India's Record at Sydney Cricket Ground Before the IND vs AUS 5th Test</a>

India Cricket Team is all set to have massive changes going into the last match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

IND vs AUS: Rohit Sharma opts out of Sydney Test, massive updates about Indian XI arrive

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IND vs AUS: The stage is set, and Team India will square off against Australia for the final time in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The hosts started the series brilliantly with a win over Australia in Perth. But that has been the only good performance for India so far.
After that the visitors are only chasing the momentum while Australia have been very dominant in their performances. Their relentless bowling attack with some game-changing contributions from the batters has helped them to take a 2-1 lead. For India, Jasprit Bumrah has been the shining light throughout the series, who has been the lone survivor for India.
The final test will kick off at 5 AM on Friday at the Sydney Cricket Stadium. India might be bringing in Shubman Gill and Prasidh Krishna in for Rohit Sharma and Akashdeep, and it will be Bumrah who will lead the team. He will also have some big records in front of him to achieve in the fifth and final test at the SCG.
<h2>IND vs AUS: Jasprit Bumrah eyes an all-time BGT record in the fifth and final test at SCG</h2>
Jasprit Bumrah has been superb in this series so far. He has taken a total of 30 wickets in four tests at an average of 12.83 and a strike rate of 28.26. He has taken three fifers and two four-wicket hauls. Meanwhile, the second highest wicket-taker in the series is Pat Cummins with 20 wickets. That tells the difference between Bmrah and the rest of the bowlers.
He has been phenomenal this series. But it is not over yet. The ace Indian pacer will have a couple of big records in front of him to achieve. One of them will be the record for most wickets in a Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Currently, former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh holds this record. He took 30 wickets in three tests during BGT 2000-01.
Bumrah is the only second bowler to take 30 wickets in a BGT trophy in history. He is just three wickets away from breaking Harbhajan's record and adding another milestone to his kitty. Apart from this, Bumrah is also near to breaking the 52-year-old record by Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, who took 35 wickets in a test series against England in 1972-73.
That tally of 35 wickets is the most wickets by an Indian bowler in a test series. Bumrah need six more wickets, and the way he is going, it looks possible that he might break this record as well. Notably, India need this win to retain the BGT trophy and also stay alive in the WTC final race.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/3-player-battles-to-watch-out-for-in-the-fifth-ind-vs-aus-test-at-the-scg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3 Player Battles to Watch out for in the fifth IND vs AUS Test at the SCG</a>

Jasprit Bumrah has taken 30 wickets in the four tests at a record-breaking average of 12.83. He is the leading wicket-taker in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Jasprit Bumrah on the cusp of rewriting history; eyes two all-time bowling records in the final test at SCG

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IND vs AUS: The fifth and final test between India and Australia will begin at 5 AM on January 3. This will be the last chance for Team India to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and stay in the race for the World Test Championship final. If they lose, they will lose both these great things. Australia are currently trailing 2-1 in the series and will enter the final test as favorites.
India need to find out ways to get runs from their batters and also support Jasprit Bumrah with other bowlers. We might see some changes in the playing XI for the final test. But all in all, it is expected to be a great battle between two powerhouses. Here we will talk about the top three player battles to watch out for in the fifth IND vs AUS test.
<h2>Three Top Player Battlers to watch out for in Fifth IND vs AUS test at SCG</h2>
1. Yashavi Jaiswal vs Mitchell Starc
Indian young opener Yashavi Jaiswal is the leading scorer for India in the ongoing IND vs AUS test series. He has scored 359 runs in four tests at an average of 51.29. Jasiwal scored 82 and 84 in two innings of the fourth test. India will hope he continues his form and scores runs.
If he gets set, he plays big innings; that's where Australia will rely on Mitchell Starc. This has been an exciting battle to watch so far in four tests. Jaiswal loves to take on Starc, and the pacer has had his number a few times. Starc has dismissed Jaiswal four times in tests this year, and Jaiswal scored 107 runs against him.
2. Rohit Sharma &amp; Virat Kohli vs Pat Cummins
The Australian captain, Pat Cummins, is one of the best modern-day bowlers for sure. He is just ahead of the opposition batter and loves to dominate. He played a crucial role in Australia winning the MCG test and won the Player of the Match award.
Meanwhile, for India, runs from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, as these two have struggled badly. There are questions on their position in the team, and they have this last chance. But Cummins will not make it easy for them. The Australian captain has troubled these two stars many times. Cummins has dismissed Rohit 8 times in tests and dismissed Virat 5 times.
3. Travis Head &amp; Steve Smith vs Jasprit Bumrah
India were able to contain Travis Head in the fourth test, but Steve Smith slammed a brilliant ton. These two have scored two centuries each in the IND vs AUS test and have become a big headache for India. Hence, the visitors will look to go with the plan against them.
That's where Jasprit Bumrah will have a vital role. Bumrah has enjoyed bowling against the best, and these two certainly are. Bumrah has dismissed Head six times in tests, including four in 2024, while Bumrah has dismissed Smith four times in tests, including three times in 2024.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/gambhir-vs-agarkar-selection-committee-declined-head-coach-s-request-of-cheteshwar-pujara-s-inclusion-for-bgt-2024-25-reports/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gambhir vs Agarkar? Selection Committee declined Head Coach's request of Cheteshwar Pujara's inclusion for BGT 2024-25: Reports</a>

Australia are leading the ongoing IND vs AUS test series 2-1. The fifth and final test will begin at 5 AM on Friday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

3 Player Battles to Watch out for in the fifth IND vs AUS Test at the SCG

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India captain Rohit Sharma is all set to be dropped from the playing XI for the final Test of the series against Australia. The match between the two teams will be played on Friday (3rd January) at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney. 
Rohit Sharma, as per the various media reports, won't be featuring in the final match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. This has been quite evident with the way things have been panning out in the practice session a day ahead of the match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. 
India captain also didn't bat much in the nets and came to bat after batters had their sessions. Various media outlets have suggested that Rohit Sharma will be replaced by Shubman Gill, who got the first preference in the nets and was also seen getting a pat on the back by Gautam Gambhir. 
The India head coach, Gautam Gambhir, was also seen having a conversation with Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, with the fast bowler being actively involved in the conversations with the head coach. This, in all fairness, suggests that fast bowlers will be leading the team. 
But there also has been some section of reports which has stated that Shubman Gill might be leading the team. This is because team management might look at the bigger picture and allow the youngster to take charge of the team. But so far no clarity seems to be there.
<h2>We are going to have a look at the wicket and finalise it tomorrow - Gautam Gambhir on Rohit Sharma </h2>
Even head coach Gautam Gambhir said refused to give any clarity about Rohit Sharma playing the final Test. He said that they would be taking the call after looking at the pitch. While speaking to reporters, he explained: 
"Everything is fine with Rohit and I don't think it's anything traditional. The head coach is here and that should be good enough. We are going to have a look at the wicket and finalise it tomorrow. As I just said we are going to have a look at the wicket and announce our playing XI tomorrow. The answer remains the same.” 
Rohit Sharma has witnessed a massive dip in the form. In the last 15 innings, the India captain has scored only 164 runs in 15 innings at a shocking average of just 10.93, with one half-century score. In the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, he has slammed just 31 runs. It remains to be seen now where will his future be heading.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/india-s-record-at-sydney-cricket-ground-before-the-ind-vs-aus-5th-test/">India's Record at Sydney Cricket Ground Before the IND vs AUS 5th Test</a>

India captain Rohit Sharma is all set to be dropped from the playing XI for the final Test of the series against Australia.

IND vs AUS: Rohit Sharma all set to be dropped for last Test; Shubman Gill to lead? Full details

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The Indian Men's National Cricket Team is set to suffer a major setback as it prepares to take on Fierce-Rivals Australia in the 5th &amp; final Test-Match of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Fresh Reports are emerging that the Men in Blue may lose the services of fast bowler Akash Deep for the crucial Do-or-Die Sydney Test-Match. There are also reports that have emerged recently which have suggested that the Indian team management are considering the place of wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant in the team. 
28-year-old Akash Deep has been dealt a major setback with a possible back injury. According to the news report of the Indian Express, the players is suffering a lot of pain in his back and will most likely miss out on selection from the Sydney Test-Match. On the other hand, some news reports suggest that the Team management is considering replacing Pant with Dhruv Jurel in Sydney. 
The absence of both players at such a crucial time is surely going to prove to be a major setback for the Indian team. Akash is a player who has performed well with both ball &amp; bat and this was pretty evident in the Melbourne Test-Match, where he saved the Rohit Sharma-led outfit from the follow-on threat by getting involved in a crucial 47 run partnership for the final wicket with fellow pacer Jasprit Bumrah.
<h2>Who will be the replacement of Akash Deep? </h2>
The injury to the 28-year-old seamer has halted the Rohit Sharma-led outfit's preparations for the 5th Test-Match in Sydney. The two time WTC Runner's-up now will be forced to rethink and rework their strategies and they also have to take care of vice captain Jasprit Bumrah's workload. 
With Akash Deep likely to sit out of the 5th Test-Match, Harshit Rana is likely to be given yet another opportunity to prove himself in Sydney and he will be looking to perform at his best and help the Indian Team retain the precious BGT Trophy. 
The Indian Think Tank might also consider the possibility of bringing in Prasidh Krishna into the playing 11 in place of Jadeja Or Sundar, but since the surface of the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is known to provide assistance to the spin bowlers, the Men in Blue will likely go ahead with two spinners. Also Jadeja and Sundar are handy batters so the Indian think tank might no want to hamper their batting at the expense of bringing in an extra bowler.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/5-reasons-why-team-india-lost-the-melbourne-test-match-versus-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5 Reasons why Team India lost the Melbourne Test match versus Australia</a>

Akash Deep of India caused a lot of problems for Steve Smith and Travis Head of Australia in the Gabba Test-Match | Image: Getty Images

Team India have been handed a major setback as Akash Deep is suffering back pain issues is likely to miss the 5th Test-Match in Sydney.

India's Akash Deep set to miss the 5th Test Match in Sydney, suffers am injury setback

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The 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series is currently going on in Australia between the Mighty Aussies and Team India. The series was tied at 1-1 after the two Fierce-Rivals played out a dramatic 3rd Test-Match in Brisbane but the hosts fought back in excellent fashion, securing a hard-fought victory by 184 runs in the Boxing-Day Test-Match in Melbourne and took a 2-1 lead. 
Except the Test-Match in Perth, Virat Kohli hasn't created any kind of impact with the bat and Rohit on the other hand, has looked completely out of touch since returning in the Adelaide Test-Match. Moreover, all of their shot choices have proven to be poor and mediocre. Even in the Melbourne Boxing-Day Test-Match, both players got punished after playing mediocre shots. 
<h2>Gambhir will have the final say in terms of deciding the Playing 11:</h2>
It has been reported that the Indian Team selectors and the chairman of the selection committee Ajit Agarkar have given Gambhir the full authority to select the Starting 11 for the Must-win Sydney Test-Match. 
Since the Sydney Test-Match is going to be a do-or-die one for the Rohit Sharma-led team, it's being said that the out-of-form players will most likely get dropped and the in-form players will be given the opportunity to prove themselves. There is a high possibility that the duo of Kohli &amp; Rohit might get dropped for the Sydney Test. 
During the net practice session, if both the experienced players perform in a satisfactory manner, only then they will be included in the Starting 11.The places of other players will also be decided through the net-practice sessions. 
Therefore, there are high chances of Dhruv Jurel getting a chance to play in the final Test-Match and the return of Shubman Gill is also going to be imminent. Mostly, he will replace the Indian captain Rohit Sharma in the playing 11.Also, there are chances that Nitish Kumar Reddy might get a chance to bat up the order. 
<h2>The Bowling-Attack is likely to see some changes</h2>
Except Jasprit Bumrah, the rest of the Indian bowlers have failed to live upto expectations and this over reliance on the Indian Vice-Captain is proving to be a big problem for the Men in Blue. Bumrah needs to get some support from his fellow bowlers and since he's not getting it, some hard changes are expected to be made. 
Siraj may have dismissed 16 batters in the ongoing BGT series but he has not looked at his best in the first four encounters versus the Aussies and this may be a good time to give some rest to the 30-year-old and bring in Prasidh Krishna. 
The 28-year-old seamer is someone who knows how to use the bouncer well and his deadly bouncers on the pitch of Sydney can prove to be a nightmare for the Australian batters. 
Talking about Akash Deep, he hasn't proven to be effective at all with the ball and while he may have scored some crucial runs as a tailender, they may not be enough to save him from getting dropped. Harshit Rana who took a four wicket haul in the Perth Test-Match is likely to replace Akash Deep in the Starting 11 for the Sydney Test. 
While the former wasn't effective in Adelaide, he can prove his doubters wrong by giving his best in the Sydney Test-Match. 
India's Strongest Playing XI (5th Test) - KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Reddy, Shubman Gill, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant (WK), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah (captain) &amp; Harshit Rana.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/jasprit-bumrah-crushes-ravichandran-ashwin-to-become-the-first-india-bowler-to-/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jasprit Bumrah crushes Ravichandran Ashwin to become the first India bowler to...</a>

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma of India | Image: Associated Press

The Sydney Test-Match is going to be a must win for the Indian Cricket Team and some harsh decisions will have to be taken in regards to playing 11 if the Rohit Sharma-led want to have any chance of retaining the BGT Trophy

IND vs AUS 5th Test: Team India's Strongest Playing 11 for the Perth Test Match

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Things are not at all going right for the Indian team currently at the moment in Test cricket. Amid all this, a fresh set of reports has emerged in the media, which has suggested that Virat Kohli might be back at the helm of things as a leader in Test cricket. 
Virat Kohli, who is the most successful Test captain of India, has expressed his desire to take over the Test captaincy of India. As per the reports in RevSportz, it is learned that the senior batter wants to continue playing till 2027 as he wants to give his best for the team and help them. 
There were reports in Indian Express, which claimed that one senior batter in the team, ahead of the series, had made his thought that he would be eyeing the captaincy and had mentioned at the start that he would be doing something special in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. 
Virat Kohli, who is expected to be that senior player, feels that he can help the team in the transition phase. He has touted himself as the ‘Mr Fix-It’, and he believes that no youngster so far is ready to take the charge and wants to take over the captaincy on an interim basis. 
<h2>Virat Kohli expressing his desire to take over the leadership role means that Rohit Sharma's tenure as the captain of the team is all set to end</h2>
Virat Kohli expressing his desire to take over the leadership role means that Rohit Sharma's tenure as the captain of the team is all set to end. The skipper of the team has come under massive scrutiny following his poor efforts in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. 
His poor performances with the bat, too, haven't helped his cause, as the captain has scored around 30 runs in the series. There have been several reports that have stated that Rohit Sharma might announce his retirement after the Sydney Test, which will be the last game of the series. 
Things are also not going right in the Indian dressing room. It is learned that senior players of the team aren't on the same page with Gautam Gambhir, and the head coach, too, hasn't been amazed by the way the players have played in the series so far. 
The Sydney Test will be a great opportunity for the entire team to reply to all the criticism. The match will be played from 3rd January and winning there will help the Rohit Sharma-led side to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. 
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/jasprit-bumrah-crushes-ravichandran-ashwin-to-become-the-first-india-bowler-to-/">Jasprit Bumrah crushes Ravichandran Ashwin to become the first India bowler to...</a>

Virat Kohli, who is the most successful Test captain of India, has expressed his desire to take over the Test captaincy of India

Virat Kohli wants India Test captaincy again, as he doesn't trust...

virat-kohli-wants-india-test-captaincy-again-as-he-doesn-t-trust-

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has come under massive scanner for his poor performances as the coach of the Indian team. But things are turning worse for him because of the team's disappointing effort in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. 
Gautam Gambhir has come under massive scrutiny as the things in the Indian dressing room are great. As per the reports in PTI, it is learned that the senior players of the team and the head coach are not on the same page related to the decisions in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. 
The reports added that some of the players of the team haven't shown their confidence in Gautam Gambhir. This is because of his experiments of playing 11 and the way he handled Shubman Gill, who was dropped from the team for the fourth Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. 
Some of the senior players are not feeling good with Gautam Gambhir. This is because they believe that communication isn't as good as it used to be during the time of Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid. This has come under the notice of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). 
<h2>If the performance doesn't improve, even Gautam Gambhir's position wouldn't be safe - BCCI source</h2>
The BCCI source said that Gautam Gambhir's position as a head coach isn't safe. He said that if results don't come good in the last match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 along with ICC Champions Trophy 2025 then he is likely to be sacked. Speaking to PTI, he said: 
"There is a Test match to be played and then there is Champions Trophy. If the performance doesn't improve, even Gautam Gambhir's position wouldn't be safe." 
The source, while calling Gautam Gambhir a "compromise", said that he wasn't even first choice for the role. He mentioned that VVS Laxman and other foreign coaches didn't want to take the role and hence he was given the opportunity. He added: 
"He was never BCCI's first choice (it was VVS Laxman) and some of the well-known overseas names didn't want to coach all three formats, so he was a compromise. Some other compulsions were also there." 
It remains to be seen how Gautam Gambhir bounces back from this situation. The India team will be next seen in action on 3rd January when they will be playing the next match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/-for-all-the-ups-downs-rohit-sharma-bids-adieu-to-/">"For all the ups &amp; downs" - Rohit Sharma bids adieu to.....</a>

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has come under massive scanner for his poor performances as the coach of the Indian team.

Gautam Gambhir to be sacked as reports of his poor equation with senior players puts him under gun

gautam-gambhir-to-be-sacked-as-reports-of-his-poor-equation-with-senior-players-puts-him-under-gun-

Team India, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma are currently taking part in the five-match 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series versus the Australiana on Australian soil. The fourth Test-Match of this series ended on the 30th of December in Melbourne where the Indian Team suffered an embarrassing 184-runs defeat. 
The win in Melbourne allowed the home side to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Let us tell you that the Men in Blue had been given a target of 340 runs to secure the win, but they got all-out for just 155 runs. Following this defeat, a lot of weaknesses of the Rohit Sharma-led team have been exposed. 
The two teams will now travel to Sydney where they will be squaring off versus each other in the fifth &amp; the final Test-Match of the series. The forthcoming contest will commence from the 3rd of January, 2025 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
If the Men in Blue want to save the series, then they have to win the Sydney Test-Match by any means possible and they have to find solutions to their five problems which got exposed in Melbourne. Let's take a look at five reasons why the Indian Team lost the Melbourne Test-Match. 
<h2>Five Reasons why Team India lost the Melbourne Boxing-Day Test-Match versus Australia</h2>
<h3>5. The flop performance of the Top order</h3>
If we exclude the Perth Test-Match, then the performance of the top order of the Indian Team has not been good in the other three tests. They have failed to create a big partnership for the Men in Blue. The opening duo of KL Rahul &amp; Yashasvi Jaiswal got involved in a magnificent 201 run partnership for the first wicket. 
But since that match, the Indian Team in every other contest of the BGT Series have struggled to create big partnerships for the first and second wickets. In this case, the team management of Team India needs to make the players prepare in a special manner otherwise their chances of winning in Sydney will reduce.

<h3>4. Poor fielding display, many catches got dropped</h3>
In the Melbourne Boxing-Day Test-Match, the Indian team showcased a lackluster fielding performance, where they dropped four catches in the 2nd inning of the contest and these dropped catches proved to be very costly. Yashasvi Jaiswal alone dropped three catches while the other one was dropped by Siraj. If Rohit Sharma &amp; CO want to finish out on top in the Sydney Test-Match, then they have to show improvisations in the fielding.

<h3>3. Poor performance with the bat of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma</h3>
The below par performance of the duo of Virat Kohli and Captain Rohit Sharma with the bat have proven to be a major reason behind Team India's lackluster performance in the ongoing BGT 2024-25 series. Opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal is currently the highest run getter for the Men in Blue in the ongoing BGT series having amassed 359 runs in four contests. 
Kohli is at the fourth position in the list of Team India's highest run getters, having scored 167 runs in seven innings. He scored an incredible century in the Perth test but besides that, he hasn't done much and his bat has stayed silent in the other three matches. 
Talking about Rohit Sharma, his condition is even more worse in terms of batting performance. The 37-year-old has hit the Australian bowlers for just 31 runs in five innings in three BGT tests. He is currently averaging just 6.20, which is considered as miserable when you take into consideration the standards which the skipper has set for himself. 
The Indian fast bowlers have scored more runs than the skipper, which makes it even more embarrassing for the Indian skipper. Seamer Akash Deep has scored 38 runs in three innings in the ongoing BGT series. If the two time WTC runners-up want to have any chances of winning in Sydney, then both Kohli and Rohit will have to start firing with the bat. 

<h3>2. Weak Captaincy of Rohit Sharma</h3>
The Men in Blue have won just a single contest in the ongoing series, where they secured a dominant victory in Perth under the leadership of Jasprit Bumrah. The seamer led the team in the absence of Rohit as he missed the opening test due to being on a paternity-leave. 
However, ever since he returned to lead the team in Adelaide, things started to go all wrong for India. The team wasn't able to win a single match and now they are on the verge of losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. 
Somewhere down the line, the leadership of Rohit Sharma has proven to be weak. An example of this can be seen in the Melbourne Boxing-Day Test-Match where in the 2nd inning, the Indian bowlers had dismissed six Australian batters for a mere score of 91 runs and the situation was looking really good for the team. 
However, after this Rohit looked very relax and took things lightly that the last four wickets fell after the hosts had reached the score of 234 runs. Post the fall of six wickets, the Indian skipper was supposed to implement a tight fielding setup in order to create pressure on the lower order of the Aussies. 
Instead, he implemented a spread out fielding setup which allowed the lower middle order Australian batters to take easy doubles and singles and they got involved in big partnerships which helped their team to get in a strong position.The duo of skipper Pat Cummins and Marnus Labuschagne stiched a 57 run partnership for the 7th wicket and tailenders Scott Boland &amp; Nathan Lyon got involved in a partnership of 61 runs for the final wicket which caused issues for the Indian team. 
The 37-year-old will have to showcase strong captaincy in the Sydney Test-Match if the Men in Blue want to save the BGT series.

<h3>1. Complete dependency on Jasprit Bumrah</h3>
If we look at it closely, Team India has been heavily dependent on vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah in the entire BGT 2024-25 series. This dependency has been the highest in the Melbourne Boxing-Day Test-Match. You can guess this from the fact that the 29-year-old is the highest wicket taker in the current series as he has dismissed batters 30 times in four encounters. 
Australian skipper Pat Cummins is the 2nd highest wicket getter of the series, with 20 scalps next to his name. While in terms of Indian bowlers, Siraj has dismissed 16 Australian batters, Akash Deep has five scalps and Harshit Rana has taken just four wickets in two matches and Jadeja has also taken the same number of scalps too. 
In this way, these four bowlers have dismissed a combined number of 29 batters in comparison to the 30 scalps of Bumrah. These stats show how dependent Team India has been on Bumrah alone and the other bowlers have to start taking the initiative if they want to help the Rohit Sharma-led retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/virat-kohli-wants-india-test-captaincy-again-as-he-doesn-t-trust-/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virat Kohli wants India Test captaincy again, as he doesn't trust...</a>

Jasprit Bumrah of India walks back after getting dismissed in the Melbourne Test-Match | Image: X(CriccrazyJohns)

The Indian Team suffered an embarrassing defeat in the Melbourne Boxing-Day Test-Match and that defeat exposed many problems of the Men in Blue. We will take a look at those problems in this article.

5 Reasons why Team India lost the Melbourne Test match versus Australia

5-reasons-why-team-india-lost-the-melbourne-test-match-versus-australia

India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah dethroned Ravichandran Ashwin to become the highest-ever ranked bowler in the history of the Test rankings of ICC. The fast bowler achieved a rating point of 907, which no ever bowler from a has achieved. 
Jasprit Bumrah surpassed Ravichandran Ashwin's rating points of 904 to become the highest-ranked Indian bowler in the ICC rankings. The former Indian off-spinner achieved 904 rating points in December 2016 and scripted history, highlighting the legacy that he created. 
Jasprit Bumrah achieved the feat after his incredible performances with the ball in the Boxing Day Test against Australia. The fourth match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 between the teams took place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, and it saw the hosts winning the match. 
Jasprit Bumrah picked 9 wickets in the match with a fifer in the second innings. Ahead of the match, the fast bowler had a rating of 904, and his exceptional performance saw him getting at the top of the list in the ICC Test rankings for bowlers in the longest format of the game. 
<h2>List of the highest rank Indian bowlers </h2>
Here's the list of the highest rank Indian bowlers 
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Name
</td>
<td valign="top">
Rating
</td>
<td valign="top">
Date
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Jasprit Bumrah
</td>
<td valign="top">
907
</td>
<td valign="top">
31 Dec 2024
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
R Ashwin
</td>
<td valign="top">
904
</td>
<td valign="top">
12 Dec 2016
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Ravindra Jadeja
</td>
<td valign="top">
899
</td>
<td valign="top">
20 Mar 2017
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Kapil Dev
</td>
<td valign="top">
877
</td>
<td valign="top">
19 Jan 1980
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Anil Kumble
</td>
<td valign="top">
859
</td>
<td valign="top">
30 Jan 1994
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Vinoo Mankad
</td>
<td valign="top">
811
</td>
<td valign="top">
17 Nov 1952
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Subhash Gupte
</td>
<td valign="top">
806
</td>
<td valign="top">
10 Jan 1956
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Bishan Singh Bedi
</td>
<td valign="top">
804
</td>
<td valign="top">
20 Dec 1977
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Dilip Doshi
</td>
<td valign="top">
794
</td>
<td valign="top">
3 Feb 1982
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Mohammed Shami
</td>
<td valign="top">
790
</td>
<td valign="top">
16 Nov 2019
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Jasprit Bumrah has been nothing short of exceptional in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He has been a major reason behind the team fighting hard in the series. The premier fast bowler has been single-handedly carrying the bowling lineup of the team. 
Jasprit Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker in the history of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The pacer has picked 30 wickets in the 4 games, and with one more match remaining in the series, he is expected to take a few more wickets for the team.
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India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah dethroned Ravichandran Ashwin to become the highest-ever ranked bowler in the history of the Test rankings of ICC.