In the wake of the T20 cricket revolution, the enduring legacy of Test cricket faces a dual onslaught. Renowned Australian cricket luminary Ian Chappell, in a compelling piece for ESPNcricinfo, delves into the alarming state of the red-ball game, spotlighting what he terms the “abysmal pace of play.”

Chappell directs his scrutiny towards the batters, holding them responsible for the stagnation of Test cricket’s rhythm. In his incisive analysis, he decries the sluggish pace, pointing out the lack of initiative from cricket administrators. Despite commendable efforts from players like Ben Stokes to elevate Test cricket’s entertainment factor, Chappell argues that progress is hampered by a lack of proactive measures.

“Why do mid-pitch discussions happen without penalty? Shouldn’t etiquette dictate that batters are ready for their stance when a bowler is poised to deliver?”

Chappell queries, addressing issues ranging from extended breaks, frequent glove changes, and unnecessary boundary replays. He also raised concerns about the Decision Review System (DRS), attributing it to the prolonged nature of decisions and disputes.

Chappell’s critique extends to player behaviour, calling out the allowance for charging at umpires during appeals and the inconsistency in permitting abrupt changes to a batter’s stance.

“Fairness should be a consideration when framing cricket’s laws,”

he asserts, highlighting the need for equitable regulations in the face of evolving cricket dynamics.

After colleague Aaron Finch announced that he was hanging up his boots from the BBL, he announced his own retirement.

“I have loved playing for the Renegades, I’ve met some great people over the last five years and the friendships I’ve made will last a lifetime. This playing group is special. They’ve been amazing to me, amazing team-mates and even better friends,” said Marsh.

“To the Renegades’ coaches and staff and everyone behind the scenes – thank you for backing me in from the start and over my final years. It’s made my job a little easier out in the middle,” he added.

Marsh scored the most runs in the first season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). In the same year, he played his first One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) matches during the West Indies tour.

Marsh scored a total of 2265 runs in 38 Tests, 2773 runs in 73 ODIs, and 255 runs in 15 T20Is for Australia. He notched up 13 centuries and 25 half-centuries in these formats.

The 34-year-old veteran, chosen unexpectedly over Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris, and Matt Renshaw, will be opening for Australia in the upcoming Test series against the West Indies in Adelaide. This marks his debut in the new role, starting Wednesday.

“They (selectors) were obviously very keen to get Cameron (Green) in the side as well and play our best six batters, and for me it didn’t sit right to have him come in and bat up top,” he told reporters.

“I’ve played for a long time and I’m an experienced player, and I think it’s something I should have done.”

Mitchell Marsh’s resurgence in the all-rounder role has led to the sidelining of the highly rated Green. In a strategic move, Smith has been shifted up the order instead of selecting a specialist opener, allowing Green to return primarily as a batsman. Smith had been considering this idea since the Ashes in England last year, and it finally materialized during the third Test against Pakistan in Sydney this month.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity of getting in and facing the new ball,” he said.

“It’s something that isn’t really foreign to me. I’ve batted on numerous occasions where I’ve come in early doors and I batted at number three for quite a while.”

Ex-captain Smith, with 105 Tests and 9,514 runs under his belt, prefers batting early because “I don’t like waiting to bat.

“I actually don’t like watching cricket that much, believe it or not,” he said.

“I’d prefer to be out there batting. It gets a bit boring sitting there (with the pads on) but I don’t have to do that any more.”

South Africa is set to host the 2024 U-19 World Cup, but David Teeger, the Proteas captain, has stepped down from his role. He stepped down as captain because people were worried about possible protests due to his supportive comments about the Israel Army. Cricket South Africa (CSA) released a statement, stating that Teeger’s presence as captain could lead to unrest among supporters.

Teeger had expressed his support for the Israel Army in late 2023, two weeks after Hamas’ attack on the country during the conflict in Gaza. Despite an investigation into his comments, CSA initially cleared him to play and appointed him captain. However, ahead of the U-19 World Cup, they decided to relieve him of his captaincy due to concerns about potential disruptions.

The tournament was supposed to be in Sri Lanka, but it had to change to South Africa because the ICC suspended the Sri Lanka Cricket Board. The U-19 World Cup will now take place in smaller grounds like Benoni, Potchefstroom, Kimberley, and East London, as South Africa is also currently hosting SA20.

Adam Gilchrist has clarified that a quote attributed to him online about Pakistan’s performance in Australia is completely false.
In a tweet, he said, “I never said that.” Absolutely fake, it is a made-up quote.” Gilchrist praised Pakistan’s performance, noting that they were excellent at times during the summer against a world champion Australian team.
He stressed that the quote doesn’t represent his thoughts and praised Pakistan’s performance in the Test series. Gilchrist, recognized as one of the best wicket-keeper batters globally, played 96 Tests and 287 ODIs for Australia in his 13-year international career.

England’s versatile cricketer, Tom Curran, has bid an early farewell to his eventful Big Bash League (BBL) season with the Sydney Sixers, succumbing to a knee injury. The unfortunate incident occurred during his last appearance against the Melbourne Stars last Saturday, bringing an unexpected end to Curran’s stint with the Sixers. In an official statement, the franchise confirmed,

“Sydney Sixers international recruit Tom Curran has been ruled out for the remainder of the BBL|13 season, sustaining a knee injury in the Sixers’ last match against the Melbourne Stars on Saturday.”

The severity of Curran’s injury remains uncertain, prompting the all-rounder to return to England for further assessments.

Curran’s journey to the BBL took an eventful turn when he engaged in a dispute with an official before the Sixers’ penultimate match against the Hobart Hurricanes on December 11 in Launceston. His attempt to complete a practice run-up on the pitch during the warm-up led to a controversial incident. Despite the Sydney Sixers appealing the decision, the BBL upheld the ban, sidelining Curran for the subsequent three matches against the Melbourne Stars, Sydney Thunder and Brisbane Heat.

After serving his suspension, the 28-year-old all-rounder finally made a comeback to on-field action on January 3.

Alistair Dobson, BBL general manager, acknowledged Curran’s remorse during the appeal process but emphasized the importance of players respecting umpires.

“Umpires are part of the lifeblood of cricket, and it is essential they are respected and appreciated by players at all levels of the game. We acknowledge the remorse Tom’s shown following the appeal and look forward to seeing him back in Sixers colors,”

Dobson remarked, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

He further highlighted Curran’s significant contribution to the BBL, expressing hope for his continued integral role in the competition’s future.

“Tom has been a long-time contributor to the BBL and is a clear fan-favorite and someone we hope will continue to play an integral role in the competition moving forward,”

Dobson added.

In a striking turn of events, former cricket sensation Sandeep Lamichhane, once celebrated as Nepal’s cricket poster boy, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for rape. The 23-year-old leg spinner’s on-field prowess has elevated the sport’s stature in the Himalayan republic.

The legal saga began in 2022 when Lamichhane was accused of raping a young woman in a Kathmandu hotel. Despite being granted bail, he continued to represent the national team in international tournaments. However, the delayed trial concluded in December with his conviction, and the sentence was pronounced on Wednesday, as revealed by Kathmandu district court official Ramu Sharma.

Apart from the eight-year prison term, Lamichhane was ordered to pay a court fine of 300,000 Nepalese rupees (,255) and an additional 200,000 rupees (,500) to the victim, acknowledging the mental impact of the assault.

Lamichhane, currently not in custody, was absent from the courtroom during the sentencing. His lawyer, Saroj Ghimire, affirmed that they

“will appeal the decision in a higher court.”

The victim initially claimed she was a minor when assaulted, but the court ruled she was 18 in a previous decision. Lamichhane consistently denied the charges and maintained strong public support.

His legal troubles led to the loss of his captaincy and a brief arrest after he initially failed to return from the Caribbean Premier League in Jamaica, where he was playing when an arrest warrant was issued.

Despite the controversy, Lamichhane’s ban was lifted upon securing bail, allowing him to participate in national team activities, including World Cup qualifiers and the 2023 Asia Cup. His return to cricket sparked both support and opposition, with Scotland’s cricketers notably refusing to shake hands with him during an international tournament in Dubai.

While cricket has been gaining popularity in Nepal, the sport does not receive the same adulation as in other South Asian countries. Lamichhane played a pivotal role in Nepal’s cricket rise, becoming a sought-after player in lucrative leagues worldwide, starting with the Indian Premier League in 2018.

Amidst these developments, Nepal grapples with a significant number of unreported sexual assault cases, with about 2,300 reported cases in the 2021-22 fiscal year. The MeToo movement has seen limited participation in Nepal, with little to no consequences for those accused.

Warner retired from Test cricket after the last match against Pakistan in Sydney, ending his 12-year stint as a top-order batsman. Initially, Bancroft, Harris, and Renshaw were considered for the opening role, but Smith expressed his interest last week.

Chief selector George Bailey announced, “Steve Smith will open, and Cameron Green will bat at number four. Steve is motivated and eager for the challenge. It’s something he believes he can do, and it fits our team.”

Green, who was temporarily sidelined by Mitchell Marsh’s excellent performance as an all-rounder, will return primarily as a batsman. Shifting Smith up the order allows selectors to utilize Green’s batting skills.

Renshaw, the only change in the 13-man squad for the upcoming two-Test series, got a Test lifeline. Bancroft and Harris were left out, a setback for Bancroft, the leading run-scorer in Sheffield Shield over the last two seasons.

The pace trio of Cummins, Hazlewood, and Starc, who played all three Tests against Pakistan, might face workload management challenges. If needed, Boland will step in.

The ODI squad for the West Indies series sees Cummins rested, and Smith taking over as captain. Marsh, Starc, and Hazlewood will also sit out the ODIs.

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (capt),  Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja,  Nathan Lyon,Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Matt Renshaw, Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc,Scott Boland,.

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (capt), Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Adam Zampa,Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Travis Head, Matt Short.

Sri Lanka faced a challenging task of chasing 209 runs to win. The left-arm seamer, Richard Ngarava, created difficulties for the batsmen with his extra bounce, taking the first four Sri Lankan wickets. He ended up taking five wickets for 32 runs, making it his best performance in his career. Despite the early struggles, Sri Lanka managed to recover, thanks to a 56-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Maheesh Theekshana and Liyanage. However, Liyanage fell short of his century by five runs while attempting to clear mid-off. Ngarava’s impressive bowling performance helped Sri Lanka gain some breathing room, and Liyanage’s inclusion in the team for this series was based on his excellent form in domestic cricket.

His 95 came off 127 deliveries with six fours and two sixes. “I wanted get to the hundred but was disappointed,” he said.

When Liyanage got out, Sri Lanka needed 37 runs with two wickets left. Jeffrey Vandersay (19) and Dushmantha Chameera (18) successfully chased the target, adding an unbroken 39 runs for the ninth wicket. Rain caused a delay of more than an hour during the Sri Lankan innings, but the game continued without reducing the overs. Spin bowler Sikandar Raza supported Ngarava, taking two wickets for 32 runs in his 10 overs, but the other bowlers didn’t provide enough support. Zimbabwe chose to bat first, and captain Craig Ervine scored the highest with 82 runs. Sadeera Samarawickrama’s one-handed diving catch at extra cover dismissed Ervine, leading to Zimbabwe’s struggle. From 182 for four, Zimbabwe collapsed, losing the last six wickets for 26 runs, and ended up with a total of 209 all out. Theekshana took four wickets, while Chameera and Vandersay claimed two wickets each.

Ervine called it a “well fought game” and was “proud” of his bowlers. “We have one more game and we need to look at squaring the series,” he said.

Sri Lanka is ahead in the three-match series with a 1-0 lead. The first game on Saturday was canceled due to rain, and there’s a chance of bad weather affecting the upcoming match on Thursday at the same venue.

The team will be in Colombo for the ODI series, playing all matches at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium. After that, they’ll head to Dambulla for the T20Is. Following this, the Blue Tigers will move to the UAE, hosting Ireland from February 28 to March 18. During this period, they will play a Test match and three white-ball format matches. The Test match will take place at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, while the white-ball series will be held in Sharjah. The ODIs are scheduled for March 7, 9, and 12, and the T20Is will begin on March 15. Naseeb Khan, CEO of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, believes that these series, along with the upcoming trip to India, will strengthen the team for future challenges, including the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA in June.

“The year 2024 is a very busy and full of high-voltage competitions for the Afghanistan national team”, Naseeb began.

“The upcoming tours of India, Sri Lanka, and then the home series against Ireland will help us to prepare the team for the much-important T20 World Cup. (We’re) eagerly looking forward to the multiple series.”

Afghanistan’s T20I tour of India starts on January 11 in Mohali.