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The fifth Ashes Test at the SCG will not just end the exhilarating Ashes series at 4-1 or 3-2; it will also close the final chapter of one of Australian cricket’s most meaningful modern careers. Usman Khawaja has confirmed he will retire from international cricket after this week’s Test against England, bringing the curtain down on a 15-year journey that began at the very same ground. The 39-year-old informed teammates on Friday morning, ending any uncertainty around his future. The SCG, where he made his first-class debut in 2008 and Test debut in 2011, will now also be the venue of his farewell. Australia have already won the Ashes after winning the first three Tests. Usman Khawaja announces retirement In an emotional address, Khawaja reflected on the improbable road that took him from a two-bedroom apartment near Cook Road to 88 Test caps for Australia. “I lived just up the road from the SCG, on Cook Road, to be exact. And I’ll never forget when I was younger, I saw Michael Slate...

Australia has some positive news, and Pakistan has some negative news about the T20 World Cup 2026. In the Test arena, Brendon McCullum’s job might be in danger. Shubman Gill has received some advice to improve his captaincy. Have selectors treated Sarfaraz Khan harshly? And is ODI cricket dying? Cricket 13 mins India cricket fans’ wishlist for 2026: Defend T20 World Cup title & treat fans better Future of ODI cricket Ravichandran Ashwin fears for the future of ODI cricket. The former Indian cricketer isn’t certain that the 50-over format can sustain itself once Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retire. Ashwin has suggested stopping all bilateral cricket and keeping the format for just the ODI World Cup, much like the FIFA World Cup. Australia’s T20 World Cup squad Australia have announced their squad for the T20 World Cup . Mitchell Marsh continues as captain, with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Tim David included despite injury concerns. Australia have...

Australia’s T20 World Cup 2026 thinking is now out in the open. With less than six weeks to go before the tournament begins in India and Sri Lanka, the selectors have shown their hand by naming a provisional 15-man squad built around experience, even if that means carrying a few fitness risks. Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Tim David have all been included despite carrying fitness concerns, exactly as expected . Mitchell Marsh will lead the side, with Cameron Green and Cooper Connolly returning after missing the recent T20I series against India. There’s a logical call of including spin options, as the tournament is in the subcontinent. Considering all of Australia’s league stage matches will be played in Sri Lanka, it is an obvious call. Adam Zampa will spearhead the attack, backed by Matthew Kuhnemann, Connolly and part-time options in Glenn Maxwell and Matthew Short. Chairman of selectors George Bailey said the panel had the luxury of selecting a group suited for India and Sri Lan...

The BCCI has answered questions related to Mustafizur Rahman. The squad for the ODI series against New Zealand will be out in a couple of days, with Mohammed Shami, Dhruv Jurel, and Devdutt Padikkal as the major talking points. Sarfaraz Khan has been asked to bat in the middle order for CSK. Cricket 14 mins Rating KKR squad after IPL 2026 auction: Can Cam Green solve Kolkata’s problem after Russell’s retirement? BCCI speaks on Bangladesh players In an exclusive conversation with InsideSport, the BCCI has confirmed that Mustafizur Rahman will play the IPL 2026 season. All Bangladesh players and coaches will be granted visas for the T20 World Cup 2026, which India is co-hosting with Sri Lanka. In Mustafizur’s case, his visa will be extended for IPL. However, fans and journalists could face issues with visas . The BCCI is trying to make sure that no problem arises in granting visas to all Bangladeshi nationals. India ODI squad vs NZ date BCCI will hold a mee...

Sad news for Shreyas Iyer Shreyas Iyer’s return to competitive cricket has been pushed back after the medical team at the Centre of Excellence decided not to rush his recovery. The India ODI vice-captain, who has not played since October 25, cleared his first RTP test on December 28 but still lacks full match fitness after losing around six kilos following a spleen injury suffered in Australia. While his batting is sharp, doctors feel his muscle strength has not returned to optimal levels. As a result, Shreyas will miss Mumbai’s upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy matches and is now targeting a fitness clearance around January 9, just ahead of the New Zealand ODI series. Read more here . Rohit-Kohli forced to retire? Robin Uthappa has questioned the sudden Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, sharing their exits did not appear natural. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Uthappa said the decision, announced in May, caught everyone off guard and felt more like a forced surre...

Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa opined Hardik Pandya’s return to the Test team will be a big boost for just the team, but for the all-rounder as well. The Baroda cricketer last played a Test way back in 2018 following which he has restricted himself to white-ball formats only. Uthappa pointed out that Hardik was fit enough to resume playing Tests while explaining why India needed Pandya in the longest format of the game. Should Pandya return to Tests? In a video on his YouTube channel, Uthappa claimed that it would be wonderful to see Hardik return as India’s number 7 in Tests. He pointed out that the BCCI wouldn’t stop the all-rounder from playing Tests if he wants to, while adding that all-rounders like Nitish Kumar Reddy weren’t bowling 20 overs at present. Uthappa said that Hardik could very well bowl 12-15 overs given his current fitness, but admitted that it was left up to the all-rounder to decide if he wants to return to Tests. “If Hardik Pandya returns to the number 7...

India cricket team are eyeing to keep their best talents fresh for the T20 World Cup 2026 which will start in February 2026. This means the likes of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah wil not feature in the IND vs NZ ODI series. Round 3 of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025/26 saw some of the Team India regulars like Risabh Pant anf Abhishek Sharma disappoint while some young IPL talents had good outings. Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir has been advised to take notes from Ranji Trophy coaches in order to improve his track record as coach in the red-ball format. On that note, let’s take a look at some of the top headlines from Monday (December 29). Cricket 11 mins DC strongest playing XI for IPL 2026: KL Rahul to open with Prithvi Shaw, will David Miller find spot? Bumrah, Pandya to skip ODI series To manage the workload of X-factor players, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to prioritize certain players for certain formats. In a major development, ...