New Zealand suffered a major setback before their final against India as fast bowler Matt Henry was ruled out due to shoulder injury. With just a week ago, Henry picked up a five-wicket haul against India at the same venue. As the Kiwis opted to bat first, their captain Mitchell Santner expressed hope for the wicket to slow down later in the game. India will have to counter the new addition, Nathan Smith to their playing XI.
After winning the toss, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner opted to bat first as they look to post a strong total on the board. With a fair idea of the pitch from a previous match in Dubai, Santner hopes that it slows down later on. However, the Kiwis have been forced to make a change with injured Matt Henry being replaced by Nathan Smith. On the other hand, Indian captain Rohit Sharma is confident in his team's ability to chase, despite losing the toss. He believes that the toss does not matter as long as his team plays well.
New Zealand's pace bowling spearhead Matt Henry will sit out of the 2025 Champions Trophy final against India due to an injury to his right shoulder. New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat first on the same pitch used for the India-Pakistan clash earlier in the tournament. Right-arm pacer Nathan Smith has been brought in as Henry's replacement for the crucial title clash.
On day four of the fourth cricket Test match between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Australian skipper Pat Cummins was left puzzled after a contentious umpire decision allowed Indian batsman Mohammed Siraj to continue batting. Despite a clear edge being caught by second slip Steve Smith, third umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat ruled Siraj not out, calling for closer scrutiny and sparking criticism from former cricketers Adam Gilchrist and Ravi Shastri. Although India's innings ended at 369, with Nathan Lyon dismissing centurion Nitish Kumar Reddy for 114, Australia held a first-innings lead of 105 runs.
After a delayed start due to rain, Jasprit Bumrah's impressive bowling performance, including dismissing Mitchell Starc, and Alex Carey's quick half-century helped India gain control of the third day of the third Test match against Australia at the Gabba. Carey showed his prowess with the bat, smashing a 108m six, and putting on a solid partnership with Nathan Lyon before India wrapped up Australia's innings in 117.1 overs. Australian batsman Steve Smith praised Indian seamer Akash Deep's bowling, saying it was the first time he faced him.
Rain interrupted the first ODI between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Dambulla, causing a break in play. Sri Lanka's captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and chose to bat first in the match. Three New Zealand players, all-rounder Nathan Smith, top-order batsman Tim Robinson, and wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay, will be making their ODI debuts in the game. The upcoming ODI series between the two teams is currently tied at 1-1 after a drawn T20 series.
After their outstanding performance in the first Test against New Zealand, Australian bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon have climbed the rankings to fourth and sixth place respectively, closing in on India's Jasprit Bumrah. New Zealand's Matt Henry and Glenn Phillips also made significant jumps in the rankings, while in the batting chart, Australia's Cameron Green improved by 22 places after his unbeaten century in the first Test. However, India's Virat Kohli, Yashaswi Jaiswal, and Rohit Sharma have all gained positions in the rankings while Australian batters Steve Smith, Travis Head, and Marnus Labuschagne have dropped down.