<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/?s=The+Oval" rel="nofollow">The Oval</a> Pitch Report (Batting or Bowling), Kennington Weather Forecast | England vs Australia 5th Test, Head to Head Records:?<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/?s=England" rel="nofollow">England </a>and Australia will be playing the fifth test of the Ashes 2023 series at Kennington Oval Cricket Ground, London, and the Test match is scheduled from July 27-31, 2023.



The Oval witnessed some of the most memorable moments in English cricket history, including England's first-ever Test victory in 1880 against <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/?s=Australia" rel="nofollow">Australia </a>and their first Ashes victory on home soil in 1882. The ICC World Test Championship Final 2023 was held at this ground, and Australia defeated India.



The Kennington Oval Cricket Ground, or The Oval, is one of the world's oldest and most iconic cricket grounds. The Oval has a seating capacity of about 25,000 spectators, making it one of England's largest cricket grounds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Oval Test records:</h2>



Matches Played:-?105



Matches won Batting first:-?38 (36.19%)



Matches won Batting Second:-?29 (27.62%)



Matches won Winning Toss:-36 (34.29%)



Matches won Losing Toss:-31 (29.52%)



Match Drawn:-?37 (35.24%)



Highest Score:-903/7 Dec. (England)



Lowest Score:-&nbsp;44 (Australia)



Average Score:?346



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Oval Pitch Report:</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2023/07/oval2_11zon.jpg" alt="The Oval Pitch Report" class="wp-image-117011" width="719" height="539" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Oval Pitch Report | Image Credit: Twitter</figcaption></figure>



The pitch of The Oval cricket ground is generally favorable for batters, whereas later in the match, Bowlers may get some help from the pitch. The Teams that win the toss typically choose to bat first, but if there are Overcast Conditions, the decision might be different, and it will be good for Seamers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Oval Batting or Bowling Pitch?</h2>



As per the Reports, The Weather will be overcast on Thursday So, Fast bowlers may get some assistance from the surface early on, but as the game progresses, the pitch will become better for batters, and spinners will also get some help.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Kennington Oval, London Weather Forecast:</h2>



The Weather for the Fifth test at Kennington Oval, London, will be overcast, and there is a high chance of rain on Day 1, whereas Others Days will have a little bit cloudy, but the chance of rain is expected to be around 60%. The Temperature will be approx. 23 degrees Celsius, whereas the Wind speed is about 21 Km/h.



Read This Also:?<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/indias-home-series-of-season-2023-34/" rel="nofollow">BCCI announces India?s Blockbuster Home Series of Season 2023-34 | India set to host Australia, Afghanistan and England in their 2023-24 Home Season</a>



For More, Check the Official Site:?<a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/homepage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ICC</a>

The Oval Pitch Report (Batting or Bowling), Kennington Weather Forecast | England vs Australia 5th Test, Head to Head Records

the-oval-pitch-report-kennington

ENG vs AUS Day 3: What an entertaining day of cricket it was where we saw mind games from Stuart Broad, top-notch umpiring of Nitin Menon, and a courageous fight from numbers 9 and 10 of Australia! Australia are now leading by 12 runs and they will have new ball and slightly cloudy conditions in the morning session to push England into the backfoot. This post will lead you to Day 2 brief review, ENG vs AUS Day 3 Weather Forecast, and Pitch Report of Kennington Oval,?London.



<div class="wp-block-rank-math-toc-block" id="rank-math-toc"><nav><ul><li class=""><a href="#eng-vs-aus-day-3-weather-forecast">ENG vs AUS Day 3 Weather Forecast</a></li><li class=""><a href="#eng-vs-aus-day-3-pitch-report">ENG vs AUS Day 3 Pitch Report</a></li></ul></nav></div>



Australia would be pleased with their 12-run first-innings lead on Day 2, but they would be disappointed to have lost 6 wickets for just 94 runs. Australia's performance, in this regard, could possibly have been far better. Because the pitch is excellent for batting, England will be delighted about limiting Australia. Undoubtedly, Australia lost a fantastic chance to establish a solid lead.



It took some mind games from Stuart Broad to break the 30 runs partnership between Marnus and Khawaja (Vidio Embedded Below). Then from Maruns to Starc, none of the Australian batters looked comfortable and they lost 6 wickets (Marnus, Khawaja, Head, Carey, Marsh, and Starc) for just adding 94 runs. 



Steve Smith was at the center of it all again. He also escaped a close runout call because the third umpire did not have an extra camera angle to make an even more conclusive decision or it was Nitin Menon's brilliant decision. Smith's top-class 71 worked as Celexa for them. Cumming, Murphy, and Smith's valiant efforts put Australia in a better position. Australia are all out for 295 and ENG vs AUS Day 3 will start with England batting and Australia having the new ball in their hands.



Down below is the ENG vs AUS Day 3 Weather Forecast, and Pitch Report of Kennington Oval,?London:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="eng-vs-aus-day-3-weather-forecast">ENG vs AUS Day 3 Weather Forecast</h2>



The Ashes 2023 (Australia tour of England) | England vs Australia 5th Test match is being played at?Kennington Oval,?London?(England) from July 27 to July 31 starting at 10:30 AM Local and?3:00 PM IST.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2023/07/ENG-vs-AUS-day-3-1.png" alt="ENG vs AUS Day 2 Weather Forecast and Pitch Report of Kennington Oval, London (Weather.com)
" class="wp-image-117190" width="785" height="862" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">ENG vs AUS Day 3 Weather Forecast of Kennington Oval, London (<a href="https://weather.com/en-IN/weather/hourbyhour/l/591f47e65696d5b2bc6d59920e104a8cb20154f83228787ccac621c22fbada3f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Weather.com</a>)</figcaption></figure>



ACCORDING TO WEATHER.COM, the weather is predicted to be overcast in the first half of the day. As the weather websites show there are minimal chances of rain for Day 3. A 20+% chance of rain is predicted earlier in the day which drops to 0% later in the day. It hopefully ain?t going to interrupt the match. The Temperature in the morning is expected to be around 17? C and rise up to 22? C in the evening.



Winds with a speed of around 20-30KMPH will gust towards the West-Southwest. Humidity will also stay at the average rate of 60% (around 80% in the morning and falls to 50% in the evening). So, the possibilities of rain are always there when it is England but we can hope for a pretty healthy and decent ENG vs AUS day 3 of the 4th test match.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="eng-vs-aus-day-3-pitch-report">ENG vs AUS Day 3 Pitch Report</h2>



The Oval cricket ground?s pitch normally favors batsmen, the surface although has good bounce and pace, later in the game, may start to aid the bowlers. Usually, the team that wins the toss chooses to bat first but Pat has gone the other way.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2023/07/pitch-day-2.jpg" alt="ENG vs AUS Day 3 Weather Forecast and Pitch Report of ?Kennington Oval,?London (England) | 5th Test, The Ashes 2023" class="wp-image-117191" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">ENG vs AUS Day 3 Pitch Report of Kennington Oval,?London (England)</figcaption></figure>



The pitch resembles the one we saw during the WTC Final around two months ago in general. Despite having a lot of bounce and carry, Travis Head, Steve Smith, and Virat Kohli all showed how useful the surface was for scoring runs. The primary danger to the visiting squad is Mark Wood, who proved to be deadly once again.



READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ind-vs-wi-dream11-prediction-today-match-2nd-odi-india-vs-west-indies-dream11-team-pitch-report-preview-india-tour-of-west-indies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IND vs WI Dream11 Prediction Today Match 2nd ODI, India vs West Indies Dream11 Team, Pitch Report, Preview</a>



For more details head to ICC?s?<a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/homepage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">official?website.</a><a href="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/plugins/gumlet/assets/images/pixel.png"></a><a href="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/plugins/gumlet/assets/images/pixel.png"></a>

ENG vs AUS Day 3 Weather Forecast and Pitch Report of?Kennington Oval,?London (England) | 5th Test, The Ashes 2023

eng-vs-aus-day-3-weather-forecast-and-pitch-report-of-kennington-oval-london-england-5th-test-the-ashes-2023

ENG vs AUS Day 5: A day that began with Stuart Broad getting a guard of honor from the Australian cricket team after announcing his retirement finished with David Warner and Usman Khawaja's magnificent start at The Oval, where 384 seemed possible in the fourth innings. Rain ate half of the playing time of Day 4 and now all eyes will be on Day 5 weather. We present you the day 4 review, ENG vs AUS day 5 Weather forecast, and pitch report of Kennington Oval, London.



<div class="wp-block-rank-math-toc-block" id="rank-math-toc"><h2>Jump To:</h2><nav><ul><li class=""><a href="#eng-vs-aus-day-5-weather-forecast">ENG vs AUS Day 5 Weather Forecast</a></li><li class=""><a href="#eng-vs-aus-day-5-pitch-report">ENG vs AUS Day 5 Pitch Report</a></li></ul></nav></div>



Only 40 overs were offered overall on the fourth day before it started to rain, but they were virtually entirely dominated by Australia. They required 249 more runs when the rain began to pour during drinks in the afternoon session, and if the weather cooperates, we will have 98 overs on the ENG vs AUS day 5.



Australia would be enjoying themselves right now. They took the final England wicket in the morning for only 6 runs, and their openers did a fantastic job chasing down 384 runs. Warner withstood Broad's new ball assault, while Khawaja stood firm at the other end. In this inning, the couple played with greater intent and upped the rate of scoring.



England also regretted a trick by not letting in Wood until the 33rd over. Of the 38 overs, 14 were bowled by Root and Moeen, who barely troubled the openers. Australia has 10 wickets in hand and 98 overs left but still needs 249 runs. Australia will work hard to win their first away Ashes since 2001, while England will seek to tie the series.



Now, a thrilling scenario again on Day 5 of a test match of the Ashes 2023. Down below is the ENG vs AUS day 5 Weather forecast, and pitch report of Kennington Oval, London:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="eng-vs-aus-day-5-weather-forecast">ENG vs AUS Day 5 Weather Forecast</h2>



The Ashes 2023 (Australia tour of England) | England vs Australia 5th Test match is being played at&nbsp;Kennington Oval,&nbsp;London&nbsp;(England) from July 27 to July 31 starting at 10:30 AM Local and&nbsp;3:00 PM IST.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2023/07/ENG-vs-AUS-day-5-1.png" alt="ENG vs AUS Day 5 Weather Forecast and Pitch Report of?Kennington Oval,?London (England) | 5th Test, The Ashes 2023" class="wp-image-117240" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">ENG vs AUS Day 5 Weather Forecast&nbsp;Kennington Oval,&nbsp;London (<a href="https://weather.com/en-IN/weather/hourbyhour/l/591f47e65696d5b2bc6d59920e104a8cb20154f83228787ccac621c22fbada3f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Weather.com</a>)</figcaption></figure>



ACCORDING TO WEATHER.COM, the weather is predicted to be overcast and rainy past noon in the day. As the weather websites show there are quite high chances of rain for Day 5 around 2nd session. A 7% chance of rain is predicted earlier in the day which rises to ~75% after a few hours in the noon. It hopefully ain?t going to eat up the whole day 5 the match. The Temperature in the morning is expected to be around 18? C and 20?C in the evening.



Winds with a speed of around 20KMPH will gust towards the West-Southwest. Humidity will also stay at the average rate of 60-80% (around 80% in the morning and dips to 60% in the evening). So, the possibilities of rain are there when it is England but we can hope for a pretty healthy and decent part of ENG vs AUS day 5 of the 5th test match.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="eng-vs-aus-day-5-pitch-report">ENG vs AUS Day 5 Pitch Report</h2>



The Oval cricket ground's surface frequently benefits batters, although later in the game, despite having a good bounce and pace, it could start to aid the bowlers. The team that wins the toss typically bats first, but Pat decided to go the other way and still, they are in a better position.<a href="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/plugins/gumlet/assets/images/pixel.png"></a>



The pitch seems to have lost most of its life from its early days. The pitch is generally the same as the one we saw at the WTC Final around two months ago. Despite having a lot of bounce and carry, Harry Brook, Steve Smith, and Joe Root all showed how well the surface works for scoring runs. The batting surface is excellent, but Mark Wood, who has repeatedly proven to be lethal, poses the biggest threat to the visiting squad.



READ:<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ind-vs-wi-t20i-schedule-ind-vs-wi-live-match-details-squad-live-streaming-broadcasting-india-vs-west-indies-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> IND vs WI T20I Schedule, IND vs WI Live Match Details, Squad, Live Streaming &amp; Broadcasting</a>



For more details head to ICC?s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/homepage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">official&nbsp;website.</a><a href="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/plugins/gumlet/assets/images/pixel.png"></a>

ENG vs AUS Day 5 Weather Forecast and Pitch Report of?Kennington Oval,?London (England) | 5th Test, The Ashes 2023

eng-vs-aus-day-5-weather-forecast-and-pitch-report-of-kennington-oval-london-england-5th-test-the-ashes-2023

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), as per the reports in News 18, has finalised the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The governing body soon will be making the official announcement as the deadline for the squad announcement is around the corner. 
As per the reports, it is learned that Rohit Sharma will be captaining the India team in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The senior batter will be opening the innings for the team in the tournament along with Shubman Gill, who of late has been India's best batter in the ODIs. 
Along with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal will be the third opener for the Indian team in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The left-hander is yet to make his debut for the team in the ODIs, but having been extremely successful in Tests and T20Is, he is likely to ace this format. 
The middle-order batters for India will see Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer. The duo were the backbone of the team in the ICC World Cup 2023 and were one of the main reasons behind the team reaching the final. They would be keen to emulate the same this time around as well and help a team win. 
India will be entering the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with two keepers in the team. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant will be performing the role for the team in the tournament. The two will be fighting for a place in the XI and it remains to be seen who among them will make it. 
The likes of Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel will be the three all-rounders in the Indian side for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Along with Jadeja and Axar, Kuldeep Yadav will be the third spinner in the team for the tournament. 
India also be going with four seamers in the team for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Jasprit Bumrah will be leading the attack, while Mohammed Shami will be making a comeback after injury. Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh will be the other two seamers in the team. 
<h2>India squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 </h2>
Here's the India squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh 
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/mohammed-shami-to-miss-the-icc-champions-trophy-2025-pacer-provides-a-massive-fitness-update-/">Mohammed Shami to miss the ICC Champions Trophy 2025? Pacer provides a massive fitness update</a>

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), as per the reports in News 18, has finalised the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

India's squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 finalised

india-s-squad-for-the-icc-champions-trophy-2025-finalised-

The Indian Cricket Team suffered a humiliating 1-3 series defeat in the five-match 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy versus the Aussies and this defeat has made them suffer a huge loss. Not only did this series defeat cost the Rohit Sharma-led team the chance to qualify for the WTC Final, it also led them dropping down to the third position in the recently updated ICC Test-Team Rankings. The Men in Blue had qualified for two successive WTC Finals in 2021 &amp; 2023 but Rohit Sharma &amp; CO failed to qualify this time around, suffering embarrassing defeats versus New Zealand (NZ) &amp; Australia (AUS) in the bilateral Test-Series. 
<h2>Australia lead the ICC Test-Team Rankings </h2>
Talking about the Test Team Rankings, the Mighty Australians are sitting at the pole position with 126 rating points next to their name. On the other hand, after defeating the Shan Masood-led Pakistan in the two-match Test-Series, the South Africans have secured the second spot of the rankings with 112 rating points to their name. 
The Indian Team are sitting at the third position with 109 rating points after having a poor WTC Test-Cycle. Let us tell you that South Africa (RSA) and Australia (AUS) have successfully qualified for the 2023-25 WTC Final which will be taking place at the iconic Lord's Cricket Stadium and this fascinating contest will be played in June of this year.
Before competing in the two-match Test-Series versus the Shaheens, the Temba Bavuma-led South Africa were at the third position in the Test Team Rankings. But, Team India's 1-3 defeat versus the Kangaroos and then their easy 2-0 win over the Green Shirts helped them to snatch the 2nd spot of the rankings away from the Indian Team. 
Talking about other teams, the fifth spot of the rankings is occupied by England (ENG) who have 106 Rating Points to their name and New Zealand (NZ) and the others are quite far away from the top-5 ranks. Fierce-Rivals of India, Pakistan are at the seventh position. 
<h2>Team India have failed to qualify for the WTC Final for the very 1st time</h2>
When the first even World Test Championship (WTC) final was played in 2021, Team India had locked horns versus the Kane Williamson-led New Zealand (NZ). However, much to dismay of the Indian fans, the Virat Kohli-led team had to face an embarrassing defeat as the Kiwis secured a comfortable eight-wicket win and lifted the WTC Test-Mace for the very first time. 
The Men in Blue then qualified for then qualified for yet another WTC Final in 2023 where they faced the Mighty Aussies but even in that game, they had to suffer a defeat as the Pat Cummins-led team won by a margin of 209 runs. This time around, it's going to be the first time ever in the history of the competition that a Final will be played without the participation of the Indian Team.
<h2>Updated ICC Test-Team Rankings</h2>
<table class="ds-w-full ds-table ds-table-md ds-table-auto" style="width: 100.732%;">
<thead class="ds-bg-fill-content-alternate ds-text-left">
<tr class="">
<th class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 20%;">Position</th>
<th class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 28.1356%;">Team</th>
<th class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 20.339%;">Matches</th>
<th class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.5932%;">Points</th>
<th class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.9322%;">Rating</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody class="">
<tr class="">
<td class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 20%;">1</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-flex ds-items-center ds-gap-1" style="width: 28.1356%;">Australia</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 20.339%;">36</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.5932%;">4531</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.9322%;">126</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 20%;">2</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-flex ds-items-center ds-gap-1" style="width: 28.1356%;">India</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 20.339%;">39</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.5932%;">4248</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.9322%;">109</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 20%;">3</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-flex ds-items-center ds-gap-1" style="width: 28.1356%;">South Africa</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 20.339%;">27</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.5932%;">2932</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.9322%;">109</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 20%;">4</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-flex ds-items-center ds-gap-1" style="width: 28.1356%;">England</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 20.339%;">46</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.5932%;">4815</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.9322%;">105</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 20%;">5</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-flex ds-items-center ds-gap-1" style="width: 28.1356%;">New Zealand</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 20.339%;">33</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.5932%;">3216</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.9322%;">97</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 20%;">6</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-flex ds-items-center ds-gap-1" style="width: 28.1356%;">Sri Lanka</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 20.339%;">25</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.5932%;">2271</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.9322%;">91</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 20%;">7</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-flex ds-items-center ds-gap-1" style="width: 28.1356%;">Pakistan</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 20.339%;">27</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.5932%;">2225</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.9322%;">82</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 20%;">8</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-flex ds-items-center ds-gap-1" style="width: 28.1356%;">West Indies</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 20.339%;">29</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.5932%;">2184</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.9322%;">75</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 20%;">9</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-flex ds-items-center ds-gap-1" style="width: 28.1356%;">Bangladesh</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 20.339%;">29</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.5932%;">1884</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.9322%;">65</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 20%;">10</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-flex ds-items-center ds-gap-1" style="width: 28.1356%;">Ireland</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 20.339%;">5</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.5932%;">131</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.9322%;">26</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 20%;">11</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-flex ds-items-center ds-gap-1" style="width: 28.1356%;">Afghanistan</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 20.339%;">6</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.5932%;">112</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.9322%;">19</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="ds-min-w-max" style="width: 20%;">12</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-flex ds-items-center ds-gap-1" style="width: 28.1356%;">Zimbabwe</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 20.339%;">6</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.5932%;">0</td>
<td class="ds-min-w-max ds-text-right" style="width: 15.9322%;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

The ICC has released it's latest updated Test Team Rankings and Team India has suffered a setback following their defeat in the BGT series. South Africa have made an advancement in the rankings

ICC Test Rankings: India face a setback in the rankings after the defeat in BGT, Australia & South Africa make advancements

icc-test-rankings-india-face-a-setback-in-the-rankings-after-the-defeat-in-bgt-australia-south-africa-make-advancements

India fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been giving his best to return to cricket. The pacer has faced a lot of setbacks, and there is now massive speculation if he will be fit for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will be played in February-March this year. 
Mohammed Shami, who faced an ankle injury during the ICC World Cup 2023, missed a lot of cricketing action including the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 as well as the T20 World Cup 2024. However, after completing the rehab, the fast bowler finally made his comeback in domestic cricket. 
Mohammed Shami played for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25. He featured in one game and looked in a great rhythm. With the way he bowled, it was also certain that he would play a part for India at some stage in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. But that wasn't meant to as the NCA wasn't convinced with his fitness. 
Mohammed Shami then featured in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 for Bengal and made a solid impact for the Team in the white-ball tournament as well. The fast bowler was reportedly fit to play the last two games of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. But he faced another setback. 
Mohammed Shami had swelling in their knees, and it made BCCI release the official statement about the pacer. They revealed the fresh injury, saying that the fast bowler will be missing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, the medical team will monitor his progress, and he will be working at the National Cricket Academy. 
However now, Mohammed Shami has provided a fitness update about himself. The fast bowler returned to the nets and was seen bowling at full throttle. The pacer posted a video about himself in which he was seen bowling in the nets at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. 
Mohammed Shami looked in fine rhythm as he was seen bowling with accurate accuracy. The pacer hit the stumps on target and it gives a clear indication that he might be fit for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The BCCI reportedly is monitoring him, and there are high chances that he might play the tournament. 
Do Read:<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-2025-predicted-rcb-playing-xi-and-top-3-combos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> IPL 2025: Predicted RCB Playing XI and Top 3 Combos</a>
<h2>Watch: Mohammed Shami returns to action, bowls in full throttle in nets</h2>

India fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been giving his best to return to cricket.

Mohammed Shami to miss the ICC Champions Trophy 2025? Pacer provides a massive fitness update

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We are just five weeks away from the start of the ICC Champions Trophy. This will be the ninth edition of the ICC event, which is scheduled to take place in Pakistan and the UAE with the top 8 teams taking part in it, including Team India.
The Men in Blue are part of Group A, which also have Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. India will start the campaign on February 20, with a match against Bangladesh in Dubai. India are likely to announce their provision squad by January 12. This will be the first major ICC tournament for Gautam Gambhir as head coach.
India won the T20 World Cup 2024, and the expectation from the team will be very high. But there are a few things that they need to plan. One of them is the opening combination for the team. Hence, we will talk here about three possible opening combinations that India can try for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
<h2>Three Opening Combinations India can Opt for the Champions Trophy 2025</h2>
1. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill
The pair of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill is likely to be the first-choice opening duo that will start the innings in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. These two have been batting together since 2023 and had great numbers. As a pair, they have played in 25 innings and scored 1732 runs at an average of 72.16. They have five hundred and eleven 50-run stands between the two. India will look at them as the first-choice opening duo.
2. Rohit Sharma and Yashavi Jaiswal
Being captain, Rohit Sharma is almost a certainty at the top, irrespective of his current form. That's where India can try to change his partner. Yashavi Jaiswal has been in excellent form in the last year or so and scored the most runs for India in the BGT 2024-25. He is a flamboyant opener who likes to take on the bowling. Rohit and Jasiwal have opened the innings for India in Tests, and it has been successful. This also gives India a left-hand and right-hand option at the top.
3. Yashavi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill
Rohit is not in his best form, but it doesn't mean that he won't be part of the playing XI. One thing, India can try to make some changes in the batting order. India will face Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh in their group, and these teams have good left-arm pacers, which has been a weakness of Rohit. Hence, there is a possibility that India can try Jaiswal and Gill to open the innings. Both are young and complete each other in many ways. Jaiswal is attacking, and Gill is a traditional striker of the ball.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/is-virat-kohli-s-and-rohit-sharma-s-form-a-worry-for-india-ahead-of-champions-trophy-2025-here-s-how-these-two-have-performed-in-ct-history/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Is Virat Kohli's and Rohit Sharma's form a worry for India ahead of Champions Trophy 2025? Here's how these two have performed in CT history</a>

India will open their campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with a match against Bangladesh on February 20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai.

3 Dynamic Opening Combinations India can try in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

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The Australian Men's Cricket Team defeated Team India in the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series by a margin of 3-1 and this series victory helped them to qualify for their 2nd successive World Test Championship (WTC) final. While thier final qualification is already secured, the Kangaroos are scheduled to take part in one more Test-Series in the ongoing WTC cycle. 
They will be travelling to Sri Lank to take part in a two-match Test-Series and their Test Skipper Pat Cummins will not be a part of this tour as he will be away on paternal duty. Moreover, the Kangaroos will also be travelling without ace seamer Josh Hazlewood who injured himself in the India Test-Series. 
According to a news report of the Sydney Herald, since the Aussies have already confirmed their WTC final spot, they don't want to take any kind of risks with Hazlewood.The 33-year-old who hurt his calf in the Gabba Test-Match versus the Men in Blue got ruled out of the remainder of the BGT series and he had previously said that he was aiming to make a comeback to Australia's first Test-Series versus the Sri Lankans since 2022.
<h2>The trio of Starc, Boland and Abbott will go on the tour of Sri Lanka</h2>
According to some sources of the Sydney Morning Herald, since Josh won't get the opportunity to travel to Sri Lanka as the selectors don't want to risk him, the duo of Sean Abbot and the in-form Scott Boland will be travelling as the seamers alongside Mitchell Starc. 
Boland was in red hot form in the BGT series versus the Indians, dismissing 21 batters in just six innings with a mind blowing average of 13.19. He also picked up an important fifer in the series and his performance with the ball were crucial in his team's success in the five-match Series. 
Abbot on the other hand was called up to the squad but he didn't get a chance to feature in any of the matches. With Cummins and Hazlewood missing the Sri Lanka series, there are high chances of Abbott playing versus the Island nation. 
<h2>What's the news about Australian skipper Pat Cummins</h2>
The selectors will meet on Wednesday of this week to finalise their squad. 16 players can be selected for the tour and The team is expected to be announced on Thursday, 9th of January
Captain Pat Cummins has indicated that he will not be available for part or all of the tour as he awaits the birth of his 2nd child. It will also have to be seen how he recovers from fatigue after playing five consecutive Test matches against India. Cummins and Starc were selected as Australia's only two frontline fast bowlers for the Sri Lanka tour three years ago, which was tied 1-1.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/icc-champions-trophy-2025-rohit-sharma-s-career-under-danger-bcci-wants-yashasvi-jaiswal-in-the-squad-/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma's career under danger! BCCI wants Yashasvi Jaiswal in the squad</a>

The selection woes of Australia have increased following the injury of Hazlewood and it's reported that he won't be travelling to Sri Lanka for taking part in the two-match Test-Series