The Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2026 brings together the hosts, England and Sri Lanka for a 50-over tournament that runs from October 18 to October 31.
All seven matches will be played at two venues, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium and the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, with six league fixtures leading into a final between the top two sides.
The competition starts in Rawalpindi on October 18, when Pakistan take on Sri Lanka.
Pakistan's 16-member squad began its preparation at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi led the group through a three-hour session from 4 pm to 7 pm, held under head coach Mike Hesson and a support staff that includes batting coach Mike Smith, bowling coach Shaun Tait and fielding coach Mansoor Amjad.

#october #Pakistan #lanka #england

When was the last time England won an ODI series in the subcontinent? originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
England last won an ODI series in the subcontinent in January 2026, when they beat Sri Lanka 2-1 in Sri Lanka.
England have won 10 of 28 ODI series in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, with eight of their 14 defeats coming in India.
England face Pakistan in Rawalpindi on October 20 in their first ODI series in Pakistan since 2005.
England open their ODI tri-series campaign against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on October 20, their first ODI series in Pakistan since 2005. The tournament also features Sri Lanka and gives all three teams a block of 50-over cricket ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

#lanka #India #subcontinent

Babar Azam reached another milestone in his international career on Sunday, becoming the fifth Pakistan batter to score 16,000 international runs during the first ODI of the tri-series against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi.

Babar entered the match with 15,993 runs and needed seven more to reach the 16,000-run mark. He achieved the feat in the fourth over of the day, having come out to bat after Saim Ayub was dismissed by Dilshan Madushanka. Babar needed just six deliveries to complete the milestone, getting there with a three off Asitha Fernando.

Since making his international debut for Pakistan in 2015, Babar has established himself across formats. The match against Sri Lanka was his 355th in international cricket. However, he fell short of a half-century, getting out for 45 to Pavan Rathnayake off Eshan Malinga.

Before Babar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Javed Miandad were the four Pakistan batters to cross 16,000 international runs.

Inzamam leads Pakistan's run-scorers in international cricket with 20,541 runs in 495 matches across formats between 1991 and 2007. Younis is next with 17,790 runs, followed by Yousuf, who scored 17,134 runs in 374 matches.

Miandad, who represented Pakistan in Tests and ODIs from 1975 to 1996, finished his career with 16,213 runs in 357 matches.

India's Sachin Tendulkar holds the world record for the most runs in international cricket. He scored 34,357 runs during his career, which spanned from 1989 to 2013.

Virat Kohli is second on the list with 28,527 international runs.

#international #Pakistan #Career #inzamam

England had just been beaten by Sri Lanka in the second one-day international at Headingley and coach Brendon McCullum was speaking to his players in the dressing room.
"The game is slightly different now," he said. "The ball is playing a massive part."
The difference McCullum referenced is reverse swing - the way an older ball moves in the air in the opposite direction to convention.
The playing conditions in ODIs were changed in July 2025, allowing captains to choose after 34 overs which of the two white **** used at either end they would like to use to complete the rest of the innings.
With the chosen ball now able to get older and scruffier, the result has brought a reverse swing renaissance, something which is already having an impact on the format and poses intriguing possibilities for the future less than 12 months out from the next World Cup.

#ball #mccullum #playing #older

NEW DELHI: India pacer Kranti Gaud has been fined 10 per cent of her match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the Women's Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka in Dubai on Sunday.

Gaud was found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.
Gaud breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to "using language, actions or gestures which disparage, or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match."

The incident took place in the first over of Sri Lanka's innings. After dismissing opener Imesha Dulani, Gaud gestured in the direction of the pavilion.

Gaud admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Supriya Rani Das of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees. As a result, there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Saleema Imtiaz and Shathira Jakir Jesy, third umpire Rokeya Sultana and fourth umpire Humaira Farah levelled the charge.
Along with the 10 per cent fine, one demerit point has been added to Gaud's disciplinary record.

It was her first offence in a 24-month period.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player's match fee. They can also result in one or two demerit points.
Pakistan have been fined five per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate during their Women's Asia Cup semifinal against Sri Lanka on Friday.

G.S. Lakshmi of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after Pakistan were found to be one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.

Under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which deals with minimum over-rate offences, players are fined five per cent of their match fee for every over their team fails to bowl in the allotted time.

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction. Therefore, there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Vrinda Rathi and Shathira Jakir Jesy, third umpire Rokeya Sultana and fourth umpire Rabab Ahsan levelled the charge.

#code #conduct #cent #umpire

Former India cricketer Madan Lal reacted after the Indian women's cricket team did not accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi after winning the ***** le on Sunday.

Harmanpreet Kaur-led India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs to win a record-extending eighth Women's Asia Cup ***** le. However, the Indian players did not come out for the post-match presentation ceremony.
Madan, a member of India's 1983 World Cup-winning team, questioned the decision and said India should avoid playing Pakistan if such situations continue.

"Once again same old story. If we are going to behave like this then we should not play Pakistan any trophies. I know its Board decision," Madan said.

The Asia Cup trophy controversy has continued for the second year in a row.
The Indian women's team did not return to the field for the trophy presentation after their ***** le win.

India's decision came a year after the men's team also refused to receive the Asia Cup trophy and medals from Naqvi.

Naqvi is the ACC chairman and also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board. He is also the Interior Minister of Pakistan.
The Indian men's team had won the Asia Cup last year but did not accept the trophy from Naqvi.

India are yet to receive the trophy, which has since been kept at the ACC office.

The Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team instead celebrated on the presentation dais without the physical trophy.
Unlike the Indian team, the Sri Lankan players accepted their runners-up cheque from Naqvi. Before that, all the Sri Lankan players and support staff received medals from Sri Lanka Cricket interim chief Eran Wikramaratne.

Naqvi left the stadium immediately after presenting the award to Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu.

#lankan

India vs Sri Lanka Women's Asia Cup final: Start time, TV channel and live streaming details for IND-W vs SL-W originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
India will face Sri Lanka in the final of the 2026 Women's Asia Cup on Sunday.
The two sides faced each other in the 2024 finals as well, with Sri Lanka emerging as the winners.
This will be India's sixth consecutive finals since the tournament shifted to the T20 format.
After a thrilling semifinal that saw Sri Lanka W's win their game against Pakistan by the narrowest of margins, the finals of the 2026 Women's Asia Cup are all set for a repeat of 2024. Only this time, it will be Sri Lanka entering the final match as the defending champions.

#asia #source

India's road to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2027 has become much clearer following the recent Tests that were played.
As every match affects the percentage points table (PCT), India still finds themselves in the race, but with very little to spare as they move forward towards the end of the cycle.
In the first of the two Tests that India played against Sri Lanka, the visitors registered a massive 165-run victory in Galle and then aimed to complete a whitewash. However, a valiant performance from Sri Lanka in the final day of the 2nd Test in Colombo helped them to hold the visitors to a draw in the final match of the series.
After a surprise win over Australia in the first Test, Bangladesh succumbed to an embarrassing loss in the second and final match of the series in Mackay. Till date, Bangladesh hold on to the fourth position but India can overtake them if they win the second match.
England moved to the sixth position, replacing Sri Lanka after their 3-0 whitewash win over Pakistan on September 12.

#bangladesh

Bengaluru: The BCCI's decision to send a full-strength squad to the Asian Games later this month has brought one name into focus - Jasprit ***** rah. The premier India pacer has not played for India since the second ODI against England in Cardiff in July, when he limped off after suffering an impact injury to his left knee. He has since been undergoing rehabilitation and is part of India's squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, although his participation is subject to fitness clearance.

With the Asian Games in ***** an beginning later this month, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes the tournament could provide ***** rah with valuable game time ahead of India's next major ***** ignment, the New Zealand tour.

The Asian Games, then, is the perfect opportunity for ***** rah to ease back into competitive cricket before that series. "There's a fair gap between the Asian Games and the New Zealand series, so playing ***** rah in the Asian Games is actually a good idea because he has to get some bowling under his belt. In Sri Lanka, we heard Mohammad Siraj was not quite in rhythm because he hadn't played enough in competitive matches. The bowlers need to get some overs and ***** rah getting them is very essential," Gavaskar said.

Although Shreyas Iyer has lost six of the seven T20Is he has led India in this year, Sunil Gavaskar backed him. "He's very experienced as a captain, having led Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings. I don't think there should be any pressure on him at the Asian Games. "

'Asian Games ***** le defence won't be easy'

Gavaskar was quick to add that the ***** le defence won't be an easy ride for India. "It's going to be tough because it's a T20 tournament. Bangladesh are in form, Pakistan are always dangerous and Sri Lanka are a terrific team, not to forget Afghanistan, so it's not going to be easy at all," he said. Gavaskar pointed out that the Asian Games will be a huge learning experience for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. "To be able to meet sportspersons from other sports from across Asia can be an absolute treat. For Sooryavanshi, I hope it turns out to be even more inspirational because he will get to rub shoulders with athletes who he's looked up to."

(This interaction was facilitated by Sony Sports Network)

#asian #easy #sunil #zealand

CHENNAI: The road to the World Test Championship (WTC) final for India is getting tougher, with every series carrying greater significance. The task has become even more challenging after they failed to win the final Test against Sri Lanka recently.

India's next step takes them to New Zealand for a two-Test series, having not won there in a decade and a half. NZ's premier left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who is leading Edinburgh Castle Rockers in the ongoing European T20 Premier League (ETPL), told TOI in an exclusive chat that India's pace attack, led by Jasprit ***** rah, will play a major role in the final outcome of the series. Excerpts...

How crucial will it be for India to adapt to conditions given only a few players from the current set-up have played Tests in NZ?

The first thing is to try and understand the conditions as quickly as possible. A few players have been there before and done well. In Oct-Nov, the pitches can play differently compared to Feb-March. So, early in the season in New Zealand, the ball might move around a little bit. It is about getting your head around that.

What's your take on India's pace attack?

Bumrah leading the attack and being able to nip and swing the ball will hold the key. (Mohammed) Siraj has done it for a long time as well and (Prasidh) Krishna is obviously bowling well. There is a lot of variety, which is what you need.

Did you have a look at Manav Suthar?

He has been very impressive since he made his debut. He gets nice and tight to the stumps and gets good shape on the ball. He does bowl with good overspin when he needs to and that is the key in NZ, trying to get a bit of bounce especially if there is grass. I think there is still a role for a spinner in NZ, especially in Tests alongside the quicks, whether it is first or second innings when the pitch might be holding up. On days four and five, it could spin a bit. Whether it is Jadeja or Suthar, both are very good options.

What do you think about India's struggles in Test cricket recently?

I think it has always been a challenge. They always play the best teams, and then having to adapt to the conditions quickly is the main thing. But they have got all bases covered.

How important is ETPL for the European players, who don't always get to play a lot of top-quality cricket?

It is perfect for Scottish, Irish and players from Holland. It gives them more exposure and opportunity to play against some good players. We have seen how good they are in their own right. To be fair, in the last few years, we have had some great games against Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands. You throw a few overseas players in, and the tournament (ETPL) is really strong.

There is some great cricket on show already, which is good. And we are only halfway through.

#players

CHENNAI: There are five India 'A' 'Test' matches over the next two months against the Aussies at home and New Zealand away. The Duleep Trophy final here between East and South Zone here starting Sunday is an audition for that and the national selectors, including chairman Ajit Agarkar, will be in Chennai to check the performances of the aspirants.

The BCCI also wanted to add a bit of star quotient to the marquee domestic match with KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal and Mohammed Siraj being asked to join the South sq-uad. While Padikkal and Siraj will play the game, Rahul made himself unavailable. Padikkal is coming on the back of a superb series in Sri Lanka and South captain Tilak Varma confirmed on Saturday after a practice session that the left-hander will bat at No. 3.

"Padikkal will strengthen our batting line-up, especially with the kind of form we have seen from him in the last few games. He has done really well, so it will be a big boost for us," Tilak said.

The final carries massive historic weight for East Zone, who reached the ****** le match after a gap of 14 years. Coincidentally, their last final appearance was also in Chennai, a match they won. This fixture also marks red-ball cricket's return to MA Chidambaram Stadium after two years.

"Yes, after 14 years. I was not part of each and every year, but I am part of East Zone this year, and we are in the finals...We played like an unit and cared for each other," East Zone skipper Ishan Kishan said. There's a lot of hype around 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who struck a crucial 92 in the semifinal against Central Zone.

#zone #east #match

NEW DELHI: The no-handshake saga between India and Pakistan continued in women's cricket as Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana once again refrained from exchanging the customary gesture during the toss ahead of their Women's Asia Cup 2026 clash in Dubai on Saturday.

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana won the toss and elected to bat first, with the latest India-Pakistan encounter beginning with the now-familiar absence of a handshake between the two captains.

The no-handshake stance has continued across India-Pakistan cricket encounters since last year, with the protocol also observed when the two sides met during the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup in Birmingham.

The focus, however, quickly shifted to the contest itself, with Pakistan looking to post a challenging total after opting to bat.

"We're gonna bat first because we want to put a maximum total here. [Did the last game influence this decision?] Yeah, because we know we have a good bowling side, so we will try to restrict them. [How have you addressed the batting wobble?] We had a good chat with the team, and we just want to play according to the pitch," Sana said.
India entered the contest in a strong position after winning their opening two matches against Thailand and Hong Kong, China, and securing a place in the semi-finals. Pakistan, meanwhile, began their campaign with a win over Thailand and still have a group-stage game against Hong Kong, China after the India clash.

India have also enjoyed a dominant recent record against their neighbours in T20Is, having won nine of their last 10 meetings, with their only defeat in that stretch coming during the 2022 Asia Cup.

Harmanpreet said India were happy to bowl first, backing their bowling attack to restrict Pakistan to a manageable total.

"Our bowling is doing great in this tournament, and good to get the opportunity to bowl first. [How challenging is chasing?] I think while batting it's always about giving ourselves some time and then going for your shots. And I think the first two games we did really well in that department, and hopefully we'll continue. [On leading for the 150th time in T20Is] Great achievement. But the key is to keep enjoying yourself on the field, and that is key; I try to keep up with that. [What score would you like to chase?] We'll try to restrict them to a short total, so there won't be pressure while chasing," she said.
The India captain also entered the record books on Saturday, becoming the first cricketer — male or female — to captain in 150 T20I matches.

Harmanpreet's landmark came in the same match in which India are aiming to complete a perfect three wins from three in the group stage.

Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu is second on the list with 121 matches as captain, followed by Australia's Meg Lanning on 100.

IND vs PAK Playing XIs:
India XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Nandani Sharm

A major age-fraud crackdown has hit Bengal cricket, with the BCCI suspending leg-spinner Rohit Yadav from domestic cricket for two years after discrepancies were found in his age-related documents.

The action comes shortly after Rohit was picked for India's Under-19 ******* ignments against Australia. The youngster had also featured in India's U-19 tour of Sri Lanka in July, where he took six wickets and helped the team secure victory in the final Test.

Rohit, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, had recently been part of India's U-19 tour of Sri Lanka in July. He claimed six wickets on the tour and played a key role in India's victory in the final Test. The spinner was subsequently selected for India's U-19 home ******* ignments against Australia, with multi-day and one-day matches scheduled to be played in Rajkot and Ahmedabad later this month. However, his selection came under scrutiny after inconsistencies were found in his age-related documents during the Sri Lanka tour.

According to the PTI report, Rohit has three birth certificates that list different years of birth - 2007, 2009 and 2010. The discrepancies make him ineligible for age-group cricket and prompted further verification of his records.

The 19-year-old, who has represented Bengal in age-group cricket, was found to have an age discrepancy of 27 months, according to the CAB. The ban is effective immediately, with all BCCI-affiliated state ******* ociations notified of the decision.
Rohit's case is part of a much wider crackdown by the CAB on age and documentation irregularities. The ******* ociation has declared 62 players ineligible for registration or transfer for competitions during the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons.

The CAB has also barred 62 other players over similar age discrepancies. Among them is former India Under-19 World Cup-winning pacer Ravi ******* ar, who played a key role in India's ******* le-winning campaign in the 2022 edition in the Caribbean.

Ravi, a left-arm pacer, made his senior debut for Bengal in 2022 but last featured for the state in 2023. His age-group records from his debut through the 2025-26 season will now be considered invalid. His age discrepancy is understood to be more than 40 months.
133763750

#bengal #lanka #discrepancies

England have named the uncapped Aneurin Donald and Henry Crocombe in their squads for the white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
Opener Donald has been included in the 16-player squad for the T20 series, while seamer Crocombe makes the 16-man line-up for the one-day internationals.
England men's national selector Marcus North said the pair are "two promising players who have earned their places on the back of impressive performances in domestic cricket".
He added: "Aneurin has had an exceptional season for Derbyshire in the Vitality Blast and also with Trent Rockets in The Hundred while Henry is a player we have had an eye on all summer."
England all-rounder Jacob Bethell "underwent successful surgery on his injured knee earlier this week" and is targeting the white-ball series against Australia in November for his comeback.

#series #crocombe

Back-to-back hat-tricks for Henry Crocombe: English pacer achieves unique feat in County Championship originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Sussex pacer Henry Crocombe took hat-tricks in two consecutive first-class matches, a feat achieved only seven times ever.
Crocombe's second hat-trick against Essex triggered a batting collapse, helping bowl the visitors out cheaply after Sussex's 275.
The Sussex quick earns an England ODI squad call-up for the Sri Lanka series, capping off a breakthrough summer.
Henry Crocombe pulled off hat-tricks in two matches running, and to top it all off, he's set to be rewarded with an England call-up this Friday.

#feat

Smriti Mandhana's record-breaking 124 and a clinical bowling effort helped India crush Hong Kong by 137 runs in their Women's Asia Cup 2026 clash in Dubai. After posting 193/5, India bowled Hong Kong out for just 56 in 16.2 overs to seal a massive win and book their place in the semi-finals.
Hong Kong won the toss and elected to field, but Mandhana quickly put their decision under pressure. The India opener and Shafali Verma gave their side a strong start, with Verma smashing 28 off 17 ***** before departing.

Wickets began to fall regularly after the opening stand, but Mandhana continued to attack from one end. She reached her half-century in 40 ***** before dramatically increasing the tempo, bringing up her century in just 57 deliveries.

Mandhana finished with a sensational 124 off 64 ***** , hitting 14 fours and seven sixes at a strike rate of 193.75. The innings took her to 18 international centuries, moving her past Meg Lanning's tally of 17 and making her the leading century-maker in women's international cricket.

She also broke Chamari Athapaththu's record for the highest individual score in Women's T20 Asia Cup history, surpassing the Sri Lankan's unbeaten 119.

Mandhana's innings eventually ended in the final over when she was run out after a mix-up with Bharti Fulmali. Her dismissal, however, came after she had already powered India to a formidable 193/5.
Hong Kong's chase never got going as India's spin-heavy attack strangled the batting lineup from the beginning. They slipped to 32/3 and struggled to score freely against India's disciplined bowling.

Deepti Sharma led the attack with 3/9 from three overs, removing key batters Natasha Miles and Yasmin Daswani while keeping the scoring rate under control. Prema Rawat, Nandani Sharma and Shree Charani then continued to chip away at the Hong Kong batting order.

Marina Lamplough offered some resistance with 14, but Shree Charani eventually removed her before the lower order folded quickly. Nandani Sharma claimed two wickets, while Prema Rawat finished with two as India's spinners kept the pressure on.

Hong Kong were eventually bowled out for just 56 in 16.2 overs. Shree Charani completed the victory by stumping Shanzeen Shahzad after a sharp piece of work from Richa Ghosh.

#hong #India #sharma #shree

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia on Thursday cleared the air over chief selector Ajit Agarkar's absence from the board's review meeting, while dismissing speculation about changes to the senior men's selection committee.

Agarkar was not present at the meeting, which focused on India's recent performances and the team's preparations for a packed international calendar leading up to the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Saikia explained that Agarkar was out of station when the meeting was called at short notice and was unable to join virtually because he was in an area with poor connectivity.

"Today he (Agarkar) was out of station, so he could not be a part of the meeting. Because this meeting was called at very short notice and our head of the selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, was not in town, he could not join it, and he was in such an area that he could not join online also, despite our best efforts," Saikia told to reporters after the meeting.
Saikia also rejected reports suggesting that Agarkar's tenure could be coming to an end or that the BCCI was considering changes to the senior men's selection committee.

"There was no such discussion on this in today's meeting. I do not comment on new rumours. We did not have any such discussions, nor did we have such intentions," he said.

The BCCI secretary also ruled out any discussion about appointing a director of cricket for the men's team. According to Saikia, the meeting was primarily focused on reviewing India's performances on recent tours and mapping out preparations for the next phase of the international calendar.

"There was no discussion on the selection committee. Our whole focus was on performances in England and Ireland, as well as the recent Test series in Sri Lanka and what we are going to do in the upcoming series before the ODI World Cup, which is our ultimate goal," he said.

The meeting, Saikia clarified, was not about deciding individual player selections or fixing format-wise combinations.

"We have not discussed all these things regarding the team selection, team combination, who will be playing in what format. For that, selectors will take a call. Today, the selectors were not part of the discussion. So when the selectors meet to select the team for the West Indies series, as well as thereafter for the New Zealand series, they will consider whatever parameters are to be considered by them," concluded Saikia.
India face a packed schedule over the next several months, with the team set to play Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series before the Asian Games in ****** an later this month. The West Indies will then tour India for three ODIs and five T20Is, followed by a demanding multi-format tour of New Zealand featuring two Tests, five ODIs and five T20Is.

India will subsequently host Sri Lanka for three ODIs and three T20Is before facing Zimbabwe in a three-match ODI series in January 2027. The marquee ****** ignment will be the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy again

England have named a 15-member squad for the third and final Rothesay Test against Pakistan, with the hosts looking to complete a 3-0 series sweep at Edgbaston from September 9. England have already secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series after a dominant innings-and-103-run victory at Headingley and a 194-run win at Lord's.

Fast bowler Brydon Carse remains absent from the squad as he continues to be under police investigation following his arrest in Derby last month.
Brydon Carse was left out of the second Test at Lord's after being arrested outside a nightclub on August 22. Derbyshire Police confirmed that an investigation is ongoing into allegations of ******* ault. Although Carse returned to domestic cricket last week and featured in Durham's County Championship win over Gloucestershire, he was not selected for their ongoing fixture against Northamptonshire and has not been recalled to the England squad.

Uncapped Hampshire seamer Sonny Baker, who replaced Carse ahead of the Lord's Test, retains his place in the squad. Matthew Fisher is the only player to be left out from the group that travelled to Lord's.
With England set to play six white-ball matches against Sri Lanka immediately after the Pakistan series, the management could opt to rotate some of its frontline quicks. Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue are among those who could be managed, potentially opening the door for Baker, Sam Cook or Shoaib Bashir to feature at Edgbaston.

Cook has played just one Test, against Zimbabwe last summer, while Bashir is yet to feature in the ongoing series after England opted for an all-pace attack. Baker, meanwhile, has one Test appearance to his name, having played against New Zealand at The Oval in June.
Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Jordan ******* , Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue.

#england #series #cook

Mumbai/New Delhi: The future of Rohit Sharma and the shape of India's ODI team for the next World Cup cycle are set to dominate discussions when the BCCI's top brass meets in Mumbai on Thursday for a wide-ranging performance review.

While recent defeats in Ireland, England and Sri Lanka will be ***** sed, board officials are understood to be more concerned about the lack of a clearly defined ODI roadmap at a time when preparations for the 2027 World Cup should be taking shape.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, president Mithun Manhas, head coach Gautam Gambhir, chief selector Ajit Agarkar and Centre of Excellence chief VVS Laxman will attend the meeting, with ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill and T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer also expected to be present.

At the centre of the discussions lies the most sensitive issue facing Indian cricket: Rohit's future. Though there is immense respect for the veteran opener's stature and achievements, selectors and members of the team management are increasingly aware of the need to prepare for a post-Rohit era.

According to sources, one option under consideration is to evaluate Rohit's role on a series-by-series basis rather than committing to a long-term plan through the entire World Cup cycle.

"It's very tough on a young captain like Shubman Gill when there is no clear direction. The dressing-room environment in the ODI team hasn't been the best, especially when it comes to dealing with stalwarts," a BCCI source said.

The uncertainty around Rohit reflects a broader concern. Of India's three national teams, the ODI side is regarded as the least settled. Injuries and workload management have prevented selectors from identifying a stable core, leaving several key positions unresolved.

The fast-bowling allrounder's role remains a particular headache. Hardik Pandya continues on a managed workload programme after recurring fitness issues, while Nitish ***** ar Reddy is yet to receive full clearance following rehabilitation.

"Hardik, at the moment, has been cleared to bowl six overs in a day. Reddy is still to clear his fitness tests. The ODI team doesn't have even half of the core ODI team ready. It has to be a joint effort between the CoE and the team management to zero in on players and formulate a roadmap to get them all on the park as soon as possible," the source said.

The review was initially planned after the Ireland and England tours but was postponed because of the subsequent Sri Lanka ***** ignment. It will now cover India's performances across multiple tours, including Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

India's 2-0 T20I series defeat in Ireland and the 4-0 drubbing in England raised alarm bells, with the 125-run loss at Nottingham viewed internally as one of the team's poorest performances in recent years. Gill's ODI side also lost the England series 2-1.

However, officials insist the exercise will focus on solutions rather than ***** igning blame, with particular emphasis on recurri

Ravindra Jadeja has been a mainstay of India's Test team for more than a decade, but former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta believes the time has come for the team to start looking beyond the veteran all-rounder in the longest format.

Jadeja aged 37, finished India's recent two-Test tour of Sri Lanka with eight wickets across four innings. However, Dasgupta felt the Indian spin attack failed to consistently exert pressure on the hosts, particularly on surfaces where the visitors would have expected their spinners to play a major role.

The former India player singled out the second Test in Colombo, where Sri Lanka were forced to follow on but managed to fight back strongly. Sonal Dinusha's century helped the hosts frustrate India and build a substantial lead before the match eventually ended in a draw.
While Jadeja picked up three wickets in Sri Lanka's second innings, Dasgupta felt India needed more penetration from their experienced spinners.

"Apart from Manav, our spinners didn't look as lethal as we expected. I'm not saying there is no ability. On such pitches, Jadeja has always been very destructive and lethal. I thought he would be crucial on the fifth day. He has been a great servant, but it's done now. He was not as accurate as he is. His action is very shoulder-dominant," Dasgupta said on his YouTube channel.
The Sri Lanka series also highlighted an issue with India's bowling discipline, with the spinners repeatedly overstepping. Saransh Jain, making his Test debut in Colombo, bowled four no-balls, while Jadeja overstepped once. Dasgupta believes such problems need to be addressed during training rather than waiting for them to surface in matches.

"If you are not careful in the nets, it will happen. Even when I was playing, a lot of them would bowl from ahead and say it would not happen in the match, but they would repeat the same thing in the match. You need to avoid this in the nets. This issue is not new with Jadeja; it has only gotten worse," he added.
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India won the two-match series 1-0, with victory by 165 runs in the opening Test in Galle before the second Test in Colombo ended in a draw. India's next Test ******* ignments will come with a tour of New Zealand scheduled for November before Australia travel to India for a five match Test series beginning in January 2027.

#India #dasgupta #colombo #second

In the longer format, patience and discipline are traditional routes to building an innings. The beauty lies in embracing that challenge when the situation demands it.

South Zone found themselves in a similar situation on Monday. At 80/5, they were staring at the prospect of conceding first-innings lead to North Zone, who had posted 195 in their Duleep Trophy semifinal at the BCCI Centre of Excellence here.

What followed over the next 271 minutes was an exhibition of restraint and disciplined batsmanship as Tilak Varma (106 batting, 225b, 7x4) and Shreyas Gopal (87, 169b, 11x4) took centre stage with a 175-run sixth-wicket partnership. Their stand eventually turned the tide, helping South secure a first-innings lead. They were 285/9 at stumps, 90 runs ahead on the second day.

South, who resumed on 40/2, were rocked by the brilliance of pacer Gurnoor Brar (4/70), who arrived in the city from the Sri Lanka tour on Friday. Making the most of windy conditions, Brar produced a peach in his fifth delivery of the day to disturb Narayan Jagadeesan's stumps. He struck again soon after, producing a similar delivery to castle R Smaran's off stump before dismissing Kodimela Himateja for a duck.

With their backs against the wall, Tilak and Shreyas joined hands and tested the North bowlers' patience.

The Karnataka all-rounder brought up his first four off the 42nd ball he faced. Tilak did not find the boundary again until his 154th delivery, with that four taking South into the lead. Having curbed his instincts and reached his fifty without a boundary, the Hyderabad batter gradually shifted gears.

Shreyas, meanwhile, completed his fifty in 107 ******* and looked in control as he appeared on course for his seventh first-class hundred. But pacer Arshdeep Singh ended his vigil when he edged one through to stand-in wicketkeeper Abdul Samad.

With South's tail beginning to crumble, Tilak was in danger of missing out on a deserved century. The Hyderabad batter, though, held his nerve, smashing two successive fours off Gurnoor to bring up his eighth first-class hundred in 219 ******* .

Interestingly, all seven of Tilak's fours came after he reached his fifty — a reflection of the restraint that underpinned his innings. With South nine down, he will be eager to carry that momentum into the third day and stretch their lead into three figures and beyond.
Brief scores: North Zone 195 vs South Zone 285/9 in 94 overs (o/n: 40/2) (Narayan Jagadeesan 36, Tilak Varma 106 batting, Shreyas Gopal 87; Arshdeep Singh 2-59, Anshul Kamboj 2-53, Gurnoor Brar 4-70).

#lead

Bengaluru: While the Indian cricket team made its Asian Games debut in Hangzhou in 2023, its first appearance at a multi-sport event came at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. In Kuala Lumpur, a star-studded side featuring Sachin Tendulkar, Anil ***** ble, VVS Laxman and Harbhajan Singh bowed out in the league phase. Twenty-five years later, Laxman returned to the multi-sport arena, this time as coach, guiding India to gold in Hangzhou.

Now, as the Shreyas Iyer-led Indian team prepares to defend its ***** le at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture, ***** an beginning with the quarterfinals on Sept 28, Laxman spoke exclusively to TOI of the unique appeal of multi-sport events, India's Asian Games campaign and the experience of being part of the cricket team's journey from its first CWG appearance to maiden Asian Games gold.

"My first experience of a multi-discipline event was at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. The whole experience of being part of the Indian contingent feels really great, and that kind of experience every young cricketer should get. It's great that I've had that opportunity both as a player and coach," said the head of cricket at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.

Recalling the Hangzhou experience, the former batting great said, "Obviously, it's not like your mainstream cricket series or tournaments that we've been part of since we started playing for the country. The Asian Games was a great experience and exposure because not often do we get to visit the Games village, meet a sportsperson from other disciplines, interact with them, see how they train and prepare. A group of us went to support the Indian badminton team, which was fantastic."

India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are the seeded teams making the quarterfinals directly, with Afghanistan, ***** an, Nepal, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Oman fighting for the other four knockout berths.

While India will start favourites, they can ill afford to take the other teams lightly, with Nepal giving them a run for their medal in the previous edition before India won by 23 runs to make the semifinals.

India will play a match against ***** an and train in Tokyo for three days before heading to the host city. Laxman pointed to the match against Nepal and said, "One thing which we have learnt playing the game is never underestimate your opponent."

Beyond the game, Laxman believes it is about knowledge sharing.

"Given the experience and the exposure the Indian cricketers have, at the end of the match it's also about sharing that experience with players from other countries. After Nepal ran us close in the previous edition of the Asian Games, their coach invited me to talk to the team, which was an opportunity to share knowledge. It's not just me, but that's the way the entire group of players will approach the experience," Laxman stated.

#experience #nepal #hangzhou

India's World Test Championship hopes have taken a hit after the Colombo Test ended in a draw, with former India cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth warning that the missed opportunity could have serious consequences for their qualification campaign.

India appeared well placed to complete a 2-0 series sweep after taking control of the second Test. Sri Lanka began the final day with six wickets down, leaving India needing only four more wickets to seal victory.

Instead, the visitors could manage just two wickets as Sonal Dinusha produced a stunning unbeaten century to frustrate India. The Sri Lankan batter remained unbeaten on 133 and stitched together vital partnerships with the lower order, helping the hosts survive and force a draw after following on.

The result meant India had to settle for a 1-0 series victory rather than the 2-0 sweep that had looked within reach.

The dropped opportunity in Colombo could prove significant in the race for the WTC Final. India remain fifth in the standings, with Sri Lanka sixth, and now have very little room for error across their remaining seven Tests.

According to Srikkanth, India may need an almost perfect run from here to stay in control of their qualification hopes.

"This draw will make it difficult for India to qualify for the WTC final. Even if India wins five or six of the last seven matches, they'll have to depend on other results. It's questionable if India can beat Australia 5-0 at home. If we give rank turners in that series, Australia can also beat India," Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.

India have seven Tests left in their WTC campaign and need to win at least six of them to control their own destiny.

A major challenge will come when Australia travel to India. Srikkanth cautioned against ****** uming that home conditions will guarantee results, particularly if India prepare heavily turning pitches.

Srikkanth was particularly critical of India's failure to close out the Colombo Test after creating a strong position.

He also highlighted Dinusha's contribution, with the Sri Lankan batter producing twin centuries at the Sinhalese Sports Club and playing a decisive role in keeping his team alive on the final day.

"India messed up big time. Sonal Dinusha was amazing throughout the series. This is where you miss a bowler like ****** rah. You need a finishing bowler like him. Though rain helped Sri Lanka a bit, India should have won the match hands down," said Srikkanth.

Dinusha's unbeaten 133 proved crucial as Sri Lanka survived India's late push and secured a draw, leaving the visitors with a 1-0 series win but also a potentially costly setback in their WTC campaign.

#India #lanka #final #draw

India head coach Gautam Gambhir praised his team for displaying the character and mental strength required in Test cricket after Shubman Gill's side secured a 1-0 series victory over Sri Lanka. India had a chance to complete a 2-0 sweep after winning the series opener in Galle, but Sri Lanka mounted a spirited fightback in Colombo to force a draw despite being asked to follow on.
Following the conclusion of the series, Gambhir took to social media to acknowledge India's performance while also highlighting the impact of Sri Lanka batter Sonal Dinusha.

"Test cricket needs character, patience and mental toughness that's shown by our boys! Special shoutout to Sonal Dinusha for his exceptional performance," Gambhir wrote on X.
Dinusha was the central figure in Sri Lanka's resistance. He scored centuries in both innings of the Colombo Test, including an unbeaten 133 in the second innings, frustrating India's efforts to wrap up the match.
India made a dominant start after choosing to bat first in Colombo. Devdutt Padikkal led the charge with a superb 117, while Dhruv Jurel remained unbeaten on 115. Rishabh Pant added 63 and captain Gill contributed 50 as India amassed 503/9 before declaring. Asitha Fernando was Sri Lanka's most successful bowler, finishing with four wickets.

Sri Lanka were dismissed for 290 in their first innings, but Dinusha once again stood out with a composed 103. Pasindu Sooriyabandara also played an important role, scoring 80, while India's Prasidh Krishna and Manav Suthar claimed three wickets each. Asked to follow on, Sri Lanka were in serious trouble at 218/6 and India appeared to be closing in on another victory. Dinusha, however, refused to give India an opening.
Dinusha joined forces with Keshara Nuwantha to produce a crucial 112-run partnership. Nuwantha's 46 came from 150 deliveries as the pair absorbed pressure and consumed valuable overs. Sri Lanka's lower order then provided further support, allowing Dinusha to remain at the crease until the close.

He finished unbeaten on 133 from 264 ****** , with eight fours and two sixes, as Sri Lanka reached 429/9 to secure the draw. The result ended India's hopes of a clean sweep but secured them a 1-0 series victory.

India had established their series advantage in the opening Test at Galle, where they secured a 165-run victory. Manav Suthar was the star of the contest, claiming his maiden 10-wicket haul in Test cricket, while Padikkal played a pivotal role with a 167 in India's first innings.

#dinusha #lanka #victory

Sri Lanka batter Sonal Dinusha emerged as one of the biggest positives from the drawn two-Test series against India, producing a remarkable display of resilience and consistency to thwart the visitors' hopes of a series clean sweep.

Dinusha scored three centuries across his four innings in the series, finishing as the leading run-scorer with 420 runs at an average of 140.00. He also faced 722 deliveries, the most by any batter in the series, underlining the patience and endurance that made him such a difficult player for India to dislodge.

His performance has now earned high praise from former India Test batter Cheteshwar Pujara, who believes the young Sri Lankan has shown glimpses of two of the country's greatest modern-day batters, ****** ar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.

"The way he has batted throughout the series has been phenomenal. He takes me into that era of batters like ****** ar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. When I was growing up, I used to look up to those Sri Lankan players," Pujara said in a video on ESPNcricinfo.

Pujara believes Dinusha has the potential to become one of Sri Lanka's leading batters in the years to come.

"In five to 10 years, Sonal Dinusha can be one of the greats of Sri Lankan cricket. He has shown that potential. The way he batted on the last day of the second Test match, it was a commendable effort," he added.

Dinusha's finest contribution came in the second Test at Colombo, where his unbeaten 133 off 264 ****** ensured Sri Lanka held India to a draw and denied the visitors a series clean sweep.
Coming to the match, India opted to bat first, with centuries from Padikkal (117 in 193 ****** , with 12 fours), Dhruv Jurel (115* in 177 ****** , with nine fours and two sixes) and half-centuries from Rishabh Pant (63 in 89 ****** , with six fours and two sixes) and skipper Gill (50 in 108 ****** , with six fours) taking India to 503/9, with Asitha Fernando taking four-fer.

In their first innings, SL was skittled out for 290, with Dinusha's second century (103 in 162 ****** , with eight fours and three sixes) and a fine 80 from Pasindu Sooriyabandara (in 133 ****** , with nine fours) standing out. Prasidh Krishna and Suthar were among the wickets for India with three each.

During the follow-on, India had SL down for 218/6, but a 112-run stand between Dinusha and Keshara Nuwantha (46 in 150 ****** , with four boundaries) pushed Sri Lanka towards a sizeable lead. Dinusha (133* in 264 ****** , with eight fours and two sixes) reached his third ton of the series, with the resistance from lower order, who soaked in deliveries to support him. SL ended at 429/9, drawing the Test.
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#dinusha

Ravichandran Ashwin believes Rishabh Pant needs to show greater awareness of match situations and take more responsibility with the bat, despite the wicketkeeper-batter putting together a respectable series against Sri Lanka.

Pant finished the two-Test series with 168 runs and two half-centuries. However, Ashwin feels the numbers do not tell the complete story and wants the India batter to exercise more judgement when deciding how to attack.

Pant's aggressive approach has come under scrutiny over the past few months, with questions being raised about whether he sometimes takes unnecessary risks and fails to put enough value on his wicket.

The former India spinner pointed to Pant's dismissal against South Africa in Guwahati last year as an example. While captaining India in the absence of Shubman Gill, Pant charged down the track against Marco Jansen and edged the delivery to the wicketkeeper.

Pant is currently a Test-only player for India after falling out of favour in the white-ball formats. Ashwin believes his decision-making in Test cricket remains an area that needs attention.

"My expectation from Rishabh Pant hasn't been fulfilled till now. I am very sorry. Sonal Dinusha had his strike rate up there. But the difference is high-risk options. When you have the game in your hand, these are all statements: 'That's how Rishabh plays.' It is about what your team needs," Ashwin said on 'Ash Ki Baat'.
During the discussion, the host argued that Pant's unique ability and his history of producing match-winning performances meant he should be given some freedom to play his natural game.

Ashwin, however, insisted that even an exceptional player cannot be exempt from the demands of the situation.

"Rishabh played a class knock in Sydney and Brisbane, but you couldn't have won that match without Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur. It takes 11 cricketers to build a Test and win it in the last session of the game, but it takes only 1 moment of foolishness to lose a Test," said Ashwin.

The former off-spinner clarified that his criticism was not directed at Pant's attacking style itself. Instead, he wants the batter to recognise when the situation demands a different approach.

"I am just talking about the times when these chances are being taken when the game is on the line. I love Rishabh the player. It is about playing situations in this format. Sehwag and Gilchrist played high brand of cricket, but these two don't get edged out while dancing down to Marco Jansen when your team is trailing by 500 runs. Don't place these marketing lines in front of me ever again," he added.
Ashwin also called for more straightforward feedback for Pant, arguing that his status as a special talent should not shield him from criticism.

The former India spinner pointed out that Pant has now played 50 Tests and believes his experience means he should be expected to take greater responsibility.

"Don't give one player special treatment. Thi

India have won seven of the nine Women's Asia Cup editions played so far, across ODI and T20I formats, making them the most successful team in the history of the tournament.

Given the historic dominance of the Indian team in the tournament, former India cricketer and ex-women's team coach WV Raman believes anything less than a **** le in the upcoming 2026 Women's Asia Cup would be a "major disappointment" for Harmanpreet Kaur's team.

"Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be tough competition for India, and let's not also discount Thailand, because they've shown a lot of enthusiasm, they've shown they've got some real good talent there, and you cannot take them lightly, too. As far as the Indian team is concerned, I think anything less than a victory will be seen as a major disappointment," Raman said in an exclusive interview with TimesofIndia.com, organised by Sony Sports Network.

India lost the 2024 Women's Asia Cup final to Chamari Athapaththu's Sri Lanka by eight wickets in Dambulla, and Raman said "India can regain the Asia Cup" in Dubai.

However, the road ahead is not as smooth for India as it seems. India have been missing two of their pace-bowling all-rounders, Amanjot Kaur and Kashvee Gautam, for over five months, and just before the Asia Cup they faced another setback as Jemimah Rodrigues was also ruled out of the tournament due to a hamstring injury.
Pratika Rawal has received her maiden India T20I call-up as Jemimah was ruled out of the tournament, and is expected to walk straight into the playing XI when India face Thailand on Sunday. However, the bigger question is where the right-handed batter fits into India's batting order.

"Pratika Rawal has done extremely well in Test cricket. She's done well in ODIs, but in T20s, we haven't seen much of her so far. And also the other thing that they need to work out is her slot in the batting order. So where does she bat is something they've got to try and work out," former women's team coach Raman said.

Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana will most likely not be separated as an opening pair, and Bharti Fulmali and Richa Ghosh could play the role of lower-order enforcers. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur bats at four when Jemimah plays at three in T20Is; however, Raman argued that Kaur should instead bat at three in the Asia Cup.
"I doubt if they will have Pratika Rawal at number three. I would rather imagine that Harmanpreet Kaur herself might bat at number three because she needs to spend a lot of time there at the crease, have more overs at her disposal to try and pace the innings," WV Raman said in an interview with TimesofIndia.com, adding, "Will India play Pratika at number four is something that will be a big question. As I see it, they need to obviously find ways and methods to use the 20 overs allotted to them in the most productive manner possible. So it's up to them to try and see."
Fulmali ended her seven-year exile from international cricket earlier this year when she was picked

NEW DELHI: India captain Shubman Gill said "Test cricket won today" after Sri Lanka fought hard to force a draw in the second Test in Colombo on Thursday. India had controlled much of the match and were in a strong position to push for victory.

However, Sonal Dinusha produced another outstanding innings, scoring his second century of the match and staying unbeaten as Sri Lanka survived 154 overs.

The result saw India finish the two-Test series with a 1-0 victory.
Gill said India made every possible effort during Sri Lanka's long second innings but could not break through their resistance.

"We fielded for about 150 overs, we did everything that we can. I don't think we could have done anything differently. Keeping the weather in mind, we could talk about these things (enforcing follow-on) only in hindsight.

"You take the best decision you can in the moment and something didn't go our way. But it was a brilliant game and I think Test cricket won today," Gill said after the match here on Thursday.

Gill also gave credit to Sri Lanka for their fightback and said India could learn from the way the hosts responded under pressure.

"A lot of positives for us, learning from the opposition. The way they came back, it was tremendous to see. I don't think we could have done things differently. They bowled brilliantly in this game."
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Gill also spoke highly of left-arm spinner Manav Suthar and backed him to play an important role for India in the future.

"How well he releases the ball, I think he's going to be crucial for us in the upcoming years," Gill said.

#India

India begin their Women's Asia Cup 2026 journey in UAE against Thailand on August 30, with Harmanpreet Kaur's side looking to reclaim the continental ******* le.
This is the 10th edition of the tournament and sixth since it switched from the 50-over format to T20I cricket, taking place in Dubai between August 28 and September 13, with India placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Thailand and Hong Kong.
The eight teams taking part in the tournament are split into two groups of four, and India's path to the final of the tournament will be determined by how well they perform in their group.
Whereas defending champions Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia and hosts UAE make up Group B of the tournament, and India have won the tournament a record seven out of nine times.
With all matches played at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, The Sporting News takes a look at India's complete Women's Asia Cup 2026 schedule, including fixtures, results and start times.

#group #august #taking #times

TimesofIndia.com in Colombo: In his first press conference of the tour, Shubman Gill termed qualifying for the World Test Championship as the "ultimate goal," a sentiment he maintained while preparing to leave the country. In between his two media interactions, the Indian captain saw his team register a comprehensive win in Galle and then settle for a draw in a fixture they were well positioned to win in Colombo. Although the series was won, the trophy secured, and his undefeated run as captain checked off crucial boxes, India left behind crucial WTC points needed to boost their win percentage.

As captain, he had his most challenging few days under the sun in Colombo when Sonal Dinusha and the Sri Lanka's tail frustrated the visitors and prevented them from getting the result they desperately wanted. There were moments he would helplessly stand and observe from the short-cover position, have an intense chat with head coach Gautam Gambhir when nothing worked and then even egg his teammates on when their shoulders started dropping.

"It gets very frustrating," he said regarding the challenges, explaining the questions that follow. "Was follow-on the best decision, was it not? But then you have to go back in the moment and see, what can I do? Did I make the best decision in that moment? Yes, I did. Then you can't do anything about it. You have to keep trying your best, and I think we did that," added the Indian captain.

While they struggled to remove the Sri Lankan tail in both innings, Gill was not ready to pin the blame on any of his teammates and lauded their effort.

"We tried all that we could, and at the end of the day, even from the players, you can expect them giving their 100%, their top efforts, and I don't think there was any lacking in intensity or the efforts that we put in," said Gill.
Highlighting the volume of overs the spinners bowled on a surface which became easier to bat as the game progressed, Gill gave them 10/10 for effort and intent, and continued to focus on the ultimate goal - the World Test Championship.

"The spinners bowled 50-60 overs on the trot for three days. Fielding for three days is not an easy task in these conditions with the heat. In terms of effort, I would say 10 out of 10 for the effort and the intent. A lot of learning, so many things won't always go as you plan, but as long as we still have a chance to qualify for the World Test Championship," added Gill.

India operated with in-out field positions for most of the match, offering significant protection against the sweep, especially when Sonal Dinusha was at the crease. While it did open up easy singles, Gill felt there couldn't have been a better plan as the slow turn off the surface meant bowled and LBW were the dismissals out of the equation.

"The ball was spinning but the wickets were not in play. As a batsman, if you know that your bowlers do not have 2 modes of dismissal in play, then it becomes easier to bat. Unless you are play