June 7, 2025
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India vs England: Ben Stokes handed massive Jofra Archer injury boost ahead of Test series; England's selector shares update | Cricket News

India vs England: Ben Stokes handed massive Jofra Archer injury boost ahead of Test series; England’s selector shares update | Cricket News

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Jofra Archer of England bowls (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images for ECB) NEW DELHI: England’s chief selector Luke Wright announced on Thursday that fast bowler Jofra Archer might return in the second Test against India, following a four-year absence from the longer format.The five-match series’ second Test is set to begin from July 2 at Edgbaston, running until July 6. Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Since 2021, Archer, aged 30, has been away from first-class cricket due to various injuries. He wasn’t available for the first Test at Headingley whilst recovering from a thumb fracture sustained during the recent Indian Premier League.“Joff’s trucking on really well, actually. The plans for him, he’s playing a few second-team games,” Wright said.“The plan is for him to play a few second team games, loading up in the second team for Sussex. And then the idea for him is to play for Sussex against Durham during the first Test.“So, he’ll play for Sussex if all things go well, and then if all things go well fingers crossed he should be available for the second Test,” added Wright, who previously played alongside Archer at Sussex.“Like anything with all these bowlers, he’s got to keep ticking things off everyday with no setbacks but if all goes well and he gets through that Durham game then he’s available potentially for selection for that second Test.”The thumb injury resulted in Archer’s absence from England’s ODI series against the West Indies between May 29 and June 3. Virat Kohli’s love for ‘dhaba’ food, priority for family & more | RCB bus driver shares stories The Test series schedule against India comprises: first Test at Headingley (from June 20), second at Edgbaston (from July 2), third at Lord’s (from July 10), fourth at Old Trafford (from July 23), and fifth at The Oval (from July 31).England’s pace attack currently lacks depth and experience without Archer and Mark Wood.Wood has been sidelined since March due to a knee injury with a four-month recovery period. Why no Shreyas Iyer for England tour? Coach Gautam Gambhir opens up Wright indicated that Wood could potentially return for the final Tests of the India series.“I think Woody’s now started bowling just lightly, to be honest. He’s just off a few paces, but that’s been a great sign,” Wright said.“So, he’s on the road to recovery. I think he’s more long-term, if we can get him back, he might have an option for the fourth or fifth Test. But again, each day it’s ticking off each box and making sure he’s okay,” the former England batter stated.

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French Open 2025: Aryna Sabalenka ends Iga Swiatek's winning streak, reaches first Roland Garros final | Tennis News

French Open 2025: Aryna Sabalenka ends Iga Swiatek’s winning streak, reaches first Roland Garros final | Tennis News

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Winner Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, right, and Poland’s Iga Swiatek hug after their semifinal match of the French Tennis Open (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: In a remarkable semifinal match at the French Open, Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1, halted Iga Swiatek’s 26-match winning streak at Roland Garros with a commanding 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-0 victory on Thursday.This victory not only prevented Swiatek from achieving a historic fourth consecutive French Open title in the professional era but also positioned Sabalenka for her fourth major championship, potentially her first on clay courts.“It feels incredible, but I also understand that the job is not done yet,” said Sabalenka, the 27-year-old Belarusian who claimed the top WTA ranking from Swiatek last October. “She’s the toughest opponent, especially on the clay, especially at Roland Garros. I’m proud that I was able to get this win. It was a tough match. … but I managed it, somehow.” Poland’s Iga Swiatek celebrates as she won the quarterfinal match of the French Tennis Open against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) Sabalenka’s next challenge awaits in Saturday’s final against either No. 2 Coco Gauff or French wild-card entry Loïs Boisson, ranked 361st. She playfully addressed the crowd: “I’m pretty sure you’re going to be cheering for one person like crazy, and I’m not sure if I really want her to win.”The match, played under Court Philippe-Chatrier’s closed roof due to rain, showcased exceptional tennis from both players. However, Sabalenka’s decisive third-set performance, marked by zero unforced errors compared to Swiatek’s twelve, proved decisive.For Swiatek, this defeat extends a challenging period since her last French Open victory 12 months ago. The 24-year-old Polish player, now ranked fifth, has struggled to reach finals, faced an unexpected Olympics semifinal exit, and experienced a one-month ban following a contaminated medicine incident. Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates as she won the semifinal match of the French Tennis Open against Poland’s Iga Swiatek at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Thursday, June 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Sabalenka’s dominance in women’s tennis is evident, with her six title match appearances this year setting a benchmark not seen since Serena Williams in 2013. Her powerful game, traditionally suited to faster courts, proved equally effective on clay, as demonstrated by her commanding performance.The match dynamics shifted throughout, with Sabalenka initially leading 4-1 before Swiatek fought back to 5-4 in the first set. After winning the tiebreaker, Swiatek briefly regained momentum in the second set, but Sabalenka ultimately prevailed with an impressive display of power tennis.The atmosphere was notably pro-Swiatek, with the 15,000-strong crowd frequently chanting “I-ga!” Sabalenka responded to this partial support by actively encouraging crowd engagement after her successful points.

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England name squad for first Test against India

England name squad for first Test against India

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New Delhi: As India ready themselves to take on England in the five-match Test series starting on June 20, there will be a certain reassurance in knowing that while Shubman Gill-led India is undergoing a transition, England too have several challenges to overcome. England’s Jamie Overton was on Thursday handed a surprise recall to the England squad for the first Test against India. (AFP) With several returnees and the rest missing due to injuries, England too seem to be testing the waters based on their announcement of a 14-player squad for the first Test match at Headingley. In what was a rather surprising call-up, bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton, will return to the red-ball setup for the first time since earning his sole cap against New Zealand at Headingley in June 2022. The 31-year-old sustained a broken little finger in the right hand during the ODI against the West Indies last week but continues to be assessed and reviewed daily by the England medical team. Oveton’s call-up can be attributed to England’s growing list of injury concerns in their pace potential. Gus Atkinson was another absentee in the squad as he remained unavailable for selection due to the right hamstring injury sustained during the recent Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge. Atkinson’s absence will particularly sting as he has been a consistent red-ball threat with the red-ball 55 wickets in his first 12 matches. Additionally, they are missing out on experience with Mark Wood and Olly Stone both out of the series with knee injuries and Jofra Archer unlikely to attain match fitness until the second Test at the earliest after a thumb issue. Seamer Brydon Carse, who has played five Tests and picked up 27 wickets, has been included in the squad. Chris Woakes is their most-capped seamer, having played 57 Tests and picked up 181 wickets. Carse and Woakes last featured during England’s Test tour of New Zealand in December. There could also be a direct fight for the same spot between Woakes and Josh Tongue and it will be interesting to see if Woakes’ experience will be prioritised over Tongue’s form. On the batting front, Jacob Bethell’s inclusion is a significant one. He missed the Zimbabwe Test due to IPL duties but finding a place for him in the Playing XI will give England a headache. Bethell, who has the backing of captain Ben Stokes, scored three half-centuries at No. 3 on his debut series in New Zealand but Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope – his immediate competition – both scored centuries against Zimbabwe. Jamie Smith, who was set to get a break before the India series will now have to step in for Phil Salt, who is on a paternity leave for the West Indies T20Is. However, their batting line-up will look to largely harness the experience of the in-form Joe Root and Ben Duckett. Harry Brook, who scored 58 against Zimbabwe, will be hoping to do more against India. Both the squads have changed significantly since England’s 1-4 series defeat in India 18 months ago. Shubman Gill will take over India’s Test captaincy for the first time as he leads a squad without the towering presence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin. England, meanwhile, will be without James Anderson, who retired shortly after that tour, while having moved on from Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson. Squad: Ben Stokes (C), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (WK), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.

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Teams that win the championships play great defence: Payton

Teams that win the championships play great defence: Payton

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Mumbai: For a seventh consecutive season, the NBA will see a different champion as the Indiana Pacers compete with Oklahoma City Thunder in the seven-game Finals series, starting on Friday. The Pacers have never won the marquee basketball title in their history, while the Thunder won the 1979 season, then as the Seattle SuperSonics. Gary Payton explained that both teams in the final — Indiana Pacers compete with Oklahoma City Thunder — have a defensive style. (Reuters) For Gary Payton, the two teams with the most attractive style of play have made it to the final. Payton, the 2006 NBA champion with Miami Heat and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer explained that both teams play a defensive style. “I would rather see a lot of defence than offence,” Payton said. “The two teams that have reached the final, (they are there) because they play defence, they make big stops. “I think all the time in the playoffs, the teams that win the championships are the teams that play great defence. They both play defence, they both play great. They have five guys on the floor at all times that can go at each other. This is going to be a great series, I really think it is going to go to seven games. The Pacers got to the finals for the first time since they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000, after beating the New York Knicks in the Western Conference Finals. Meanwhile, Thunder reached this far by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Eastern finals. They last reached the NBA final in 2012, when they lost to Miami. The staunch defence from both teams reminds Payton of the style that was dominant during his playing days. “In my era, we were only averaging about 85 points a game, in the 1990s. That’s what it was about. And if you can do that, you win games. If you are struggling with offence, but you hold them to 68 points, you are always in that match,” said Payton, who is in Mumbai to launch the NBA House. “I don’t want to go to a game and see a team score 130 points – one player has 50 points and another has 55. I want to see somebody stop somebody. I want to see someone take accountability and take someone, who is valuable to a team, out of the game.” Defensive discipline was a specialty for Payton, who was the first point guard (a typically attacking position) to be named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, when he won the accolade in 1996. Marcus Smart in 2022 has been the only other point guard to win the award so far. “I didn’t care about scoring, I cared about stopping the best opponent. If I stopped him, that means I stopped the (opposition) – because they cannot function without him,” Payton said when asked about what kind of legacy he hoped he left behind. “I want to be remembered as the first two-way player to play at both ends of the floor. But really, my legacy started as just being a complete basketball player, both ends of the floor. If I’m struggling with my offence, I don’t worry about it and just focus on the defence and stopping the other team. That’s my legacy, I don’t want anything else.”

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Shubman Gill shows first sign of bold captaincy in addressing Kohli, Rohit's Test exit: 'No different pressure'

Shubman Gill shows first sign of bold captaincy in addressing Kohli, Rohit’s Test exit: ‘No different pressure’

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Jun 05, 2025 11:06 PM IST Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket last month While the world will still have to wait for another fortnight to get a true glimpse of Shubman Gill’s captaincy in Test cricket, with the India star set to become the youngest leader of the team in this century, come the Test series against England, the 25-year-old gave the first sign of his bold leadership when he addressed the sudden retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma before the tour. Indian cricket captain Shubman Gill addresses a pre-departure presser at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters in Mumbai on June 5, 2025, ahead of India’s tour of England for Test series(AFP) Less than a month before the Indian team’s departure for the tour of England, Rohit announced his retirement from Test cricket via Instagram. Just five days later, Kohli did the same. The back-to-back announcements left an air of uncertainty around the strength of the Indian team, especially before the crucial series against England. However, Gill boldly dismissed questions about any pressure on the young Indian team in the absence of the two stalwarts, saying it was just like any tough situation they had faced before. “Pressure is always there in every tour. Definitely, two very experienced players who played for such a long time and won so many times, very difficult to fill their space. But it is not a different kind of pressure, all of us players are used to it,” he said in the pre-tour presser on Wednesday. India will have experienced players in KL Rahul, returning Karun Nair, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and of course, Jasprit Bumrah. Gill also opened up about the kind of captain he wanted to be, saying that he wanted to make players feel secure during his tenure through communication. “No particular style that I want to follow. I like communication with the players, making them feel secure. Making a bond with the players is very important for me as a captain. It is only when players are secure that they will give you their 100 percent,” he said. The England series will begin on June 20 at the Headingley. News / Cricket News / Shubman Gill shows first sign of bold captaincy in addressing Kohli, Rohit’s Test exit: ‘No different pressure’ See Less

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