Category: Cricket

The cricket rivalry between India and Australia has gotten more interesting, especially with a recent video that fans are talking about. In an interview, some Australian cricketers were asked to describe the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the International Cricket Council (ICC), and Indian cricket in just one word. Their answers, shared by ABC SPORT on social media, quickly went viral.

Australian batter Travis Head gave short but sharp answers. He called the BCCI “Rulers,” showing how powerful the board is in cricket. When asked about the ICC, he simply said “Second,” suggesting that the BCCI is stronger than the ICC.

Steve Smith, another top player, made things a bit lighter. He first called the BCCI a “powerhouse,” but then joked and settled on the word “leaders,” saying that the ICC doesn’t hold as much power.

Other cricketers like Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins also agreed that the BCCI is “powerful.”

Right now, India is on a tour of Australia, and the series is tied at 1-1. Both teams will play a very exciting match called the Boxing Day Test starting December 26. They want to win and take the lead before the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Fans have mixed feelings about the video. One person said that the comparison is “appropriate” because the BCCI really does run world cricket. Another person called it the “uncomfortable truth.” Someone else even asked why Australian cricketers seem so obsessed with Indians.

Australia cricketer Nathan McSweeney recently shared a conversation he had with fellow player Marnus Labuschagne after McSweeney was left out of the team for the last two Tests against India. McSweeney’s first series was tough because he faced the skilled bowler Jasprit Bumrah on his debut. Bumrah has been a challenge for Australian batters, especially in the first three Tests where the series is currently tied at 1-1. He has taken 21 wickets in this series, and the Aussie players need to find a way to handle him better.

Nathan McSweeney struggled to score runs, with the team’s batting not performing well. He scored only 10, 0, 39, 10 not out, 9, and 4 in his six innings. Bumrah dismissed him four times. McSweeney mentioned that Labuschagne motivated him by saying, “It’s not where you start, it’s where you end. A good story will have its ups and downs, and it’s all part of the journey.”

After his remarkable 78-run innings that helped the Brisbane Heat win against the Adelaide Strikers, McSweeney learned he would be dropped. Instead, 19-year-old Sam Konstas got the chance to play for Australia. If he plays in the Boxing Day Test, he will be the youngest debutant for Australia in over 70 years, following in the footsteps of skipper Pat Cummins.

India is getting ready for the fourth match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Boxing Day. This test is a big deal in every Australian summer, and India has played some amazing matches here before. Fans are hopeful that the Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, will be inspired by some of the best innings from Indian players at this historic ground.

Here are the top five highest scores by Indian players at the MCG:

1. Virender Sehwag: 195, 2003-04
Virender Sehwag put on a show against the Australian bowlers, hitting 130 runs just from boundaries, including 25 fours and 5 sixes. His thrilling innings made for an exciting Boxing Day, but sadly, India lost control of the match later on.

2. Virat Kohli: 169, 2014-15
After some ups and downs in earlier games, everyone was curious about how Virat Kohli would perform. He played a fantastic innings, thriving against the Australian bowlers and making sure India kept up with Australia’s big score.

3. Ajinkya Rahane: 147, 2014-15
Ajinkya Rahane also stepped up, partnering with Kohli for a 262-run partnership. With his own century, he helped India stay competitive in the game, even though India faced difficulties later on.

4. Sunil Gavaskar: 118, 1977-78
Sunil Gavaskar played a key role in India’s first-ever win in Australia at the MCG. His steady innings helped India take a big lead, paving the way for a memorable victory.

5. Sachin Tendulkar: 116, 1999-2000
Sachin Tendulkar shone in a tough match, scoring 116 runs while most teammates struggled. His effort nearly saved India from a follow-on, but they still lost against a strong Australian team.

India is gearing up for a big match against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. They need to win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which is known to be tough for teams. The players have to focus on bowling since the batting has been a bit weak lately, and the pitch has surprisingly favored bowlers in recent years.

Here are India’s best bowling performances in Test matches at the MCG:

– Jasprit Bumrah: 6 Wickets for 33 Runs in 2018-19
Jasprit Bumrah has been outstanding in the current series and made his mark in Australia from the start. On his first tour, he took 6 wickets for only 33 runs, which is the best by any Indian bowler at the MCG. His effort helped India bowl Australia out for just 151 runs, leading to a series win.

– BS Chandrasekhar: 6 Wickets for 52 Runs in 1977-78
BS Chandrasekhar, a key member of India’s famous spin attack, was incredible in the MCG Test where India won for the first time in Australia. He took 6 wickets for 52 runs in each inning, helping India bounce back after losing the first two matches in that series. His bowling was crucial in breaking important partnerships.

– Erapalli Prasanna: 6 Wickets for 141 Runs in 1967-68
Prasanna had a tough game but still made the list. After India scored only 173 runs, Australia quickly took a strong lead. Prasanna took 6 wickets but had to deal with three Australian players scoring centuries. The match is remembered for Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi’s brave innings while injured.

– Anil Kumble: 6 Wickets for 176 Runs in 2003-04
Anil Kumble, another legendary spinner, had a big task against a top Australian team. He bowled 51 overs and took 6 wickets, but gave up a lot of runs. India had played well initially, thanks to Virender Sehwag’s 195 runs. Despite Kumble’s six wickets, Australia overpowered them with powerful batting.

Afghanistan’s cricket team celebrated a great victory against Zimbabwe, winning the one-day international series 2-0. Young spinner Allah Ghazanfar, 18, shined with an impressive performance, taking five wickets for just 33 runs. This follows his amazing six-wicket haul against Bangladesh last month.

In the game held in Harare, Zimbabwe struggled after being put to bat first by Afghanistan’s captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi. Apart from Sean Williams, who scored 60 runs, the rest of the Zimbabwe team couldn’t do much and got all out for only 127 runs.

Afghanistan chased down the target easily, scoring 131 runs for just two wickets in 26.5 overs. Sediqullah Atal, who recently scored his first ODI century, was the top scorer for Afghanistan with 52 runs. Shahidi finished the match, sealing the victory with a huge 139 balls remaining.

This game marked Afghanistan’s seventh victory in ODI series against Zimbabwe. Shahidi praised young players like Ghazanfar for making a big impact. Ghazanfar’s journey includes being part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad that won the Indian Premier League this year.

As for Zimbabwe, they will need to regroup as they move to Bulawayo for a two-Test series starting on December 26.

Brief Scores
– Zimbabwe: 127 runs in 30.1 overs
– Afghanistan: 131 runs for 2 wickets in 26.5 overs
– Result: Afghanistan wins by 8 wickets
– Series: Afghanistan wins 2-0
– Toss: Afghanistan

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has some advice for captain Rohit Sharma. Bangar suggests that Rohit needs to spend more time batting in games, especially since he hasn’t been performing well lately. Rohit has struggled against fast bowlers and hasn’t scored many runs in recent matches.

In the last 13 Test innings, Rohit managed only one score of fifty. During the recent series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, he didn’t do well at the top of the batting order. He even had a tough time batting at number 6 in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Bangar thinks Rohit could come in to bat at number 3 to help the team’s bowling strength.

Bangar explained that something isn’t right with Rohit’s batting. He believes that Rohit is a little late in playing his shots, especially his favorite pull shot. This means he might not be in the best position to hit the ball effectively.

To improve, Bangar suggests that Rohit should get into position earlier when batting. By moving his feet quicker, he can play better shots and regain his rhythm. Batting is all about feeling good and if Rohit feels confident in his movements, he can find his lost confidence again.

India needs to win both matches ahead to reach the World Test Championship (WTC) final for the third time in a row without depending on other teams’ results.

The Gulf Cricket T20I Championship 2024 started on December 13, and the final match will be played between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait. This exciting game will take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium at 8 PM IST.

Oman was the first winner of the Gulf Cricket T20I Championship after they defeated the UAE by five wickets in the final last September.

In the tournament, the two teams faced off in match 8 at the ICC Academy Ground. The UAE won the toss and chose to bat first. Tanish Suri scored an impressive 77 runs, helping the UAE post a total of 168 runs for 8 wickets in 20 overs.

Kuwait tried hard to chase the target, with Muhammad Umar scoring 59 runs. However, the UAE’s bowlers Junaid Siddique and Muhammad Jawadullah both performed incredibly well, taking 3 wickets each and helping UAE win by just 11 runs.

You can watch the exciting final match between UAE and Kuwait live streaming on the FanCode app and website in India. Please note that it won’t be shown on TV.

On Saturday, 18-year-old spinner Allah Ghazanfar made headlines by taking five wickets in a One Day International (ODI) match against Zimbabwe in Harare. After winning the toss, Afghanistan chose to field first, and Ghazanfar didn’t let his team down. Zimbabwe struggled and found themselves at just 120 runs for 9 wickets in 28 overs. The talented bowler finished with impressive figures of 10 overs, 33 runs, and 5 wickets.

This was Ghazanfar’s second five-wicket haul in only 11 ODIs! Afghanistan is leading the three-match ODI series 1-0 after the first match was canceled due to rain.

Ghazanfar caught everyone’s attention when he was bought by the Mumbai Indians for Rs 4.8 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. He originally started his journey as a fast bowler, but former Afghanistan captain Dawlat Ahmadzai helped him become a mystery spinner. He shone brightly during the 2024 Under-19 World Cup, where he took 8 wickets in just 4 matches.

His impressive performances led to his senior team debut against Ireland. Ghazanfar also earned the Player of the Match award in the Emerging Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka A, where Afghanistan won the title.

While he was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team that won the IPL 2024 championship, he didn’t play any matches as he replaced Mujeeb Ur Rahman. KKR wanted to bring him back but in a bidding battle, the Mumbai Indians secured him instead.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have started an exciting program called the ‘Made of Bold Sports Development Programme.’ This initiative aims to find and develop young sports talents from different parts of India.

In a recent announcement, RCB shared their goal: to help young athletes grow and to create a strong sports culture in India. Rajesh Menon, RCB’s Vice President, said, “We believe that when communities come together through sports, everyone benefits. This program is designed to support young talent while also helping local communities.”

RCB’s star player Shreyanka Patil also expressed her excitement, saying, “This program will help athletes and their communities succeed. India has a lot of untapped sports talent, and this program is a good step forward.”

The journey of the ‘Made of Bold Sports Development Programme’ starts in Mundgod, a small town in the Uttara Kannada district. Here, talented young athletes from the Siddi Community admire Olympic champions like Usain Bolt. RCB hopes that Mundgod can become India’s “sprint capital.”

This program is developed in partnership with the GoSports Foundation and Bridges of Sports Foundation. It provides support that includes education, training, and nutrition to help these children thrive in sports.

What Will the Program Do?
The program will focus on supporting 25 young athletes who train with Bridges of Sports Foundation. Initially, over 400 children will take part in a fun 2-tier league. Out of these, 25 top performers will receive special training in 300 sessions to prepare for state and national competitions. Two outstanding athletes will even get advanced training from top coaches and therapists who have helped Olympic winners.

Deepthi Bopaiah, CEO of GoSports Foundation, shared her excitement about working with RCB. She said, “We know that having strong support at every level is key to an athlete’s success. We believe this program will give talented young athletes a chance to shine.”

Nitish Chiniwar, founder of the Bridges of Sports Foundation, noted that the program represents a major opportunity to help young athletes in Karnataka and throughout India. He said, “For athletes to succeed, they need ongoing support. We believe this program will help the talented athletes in Mundgod become champions.”

RCB also aims to discuss ways to improve sports in India and inspire more people to contribute to the sports community.