Top Stories: Things that made news in the cricket world today

Do You Know? Japan qualified for U19 World Cup after their opposition team was found guilty of robbery

• Indian team faced Japan in their second match of the ongoing ICC U19 World Cup in South Africa.
• Many of their players are purely ecstatic to play such a good quality of the game against some tough opponents.
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‘We have players who could become better than Virat Kohli if our board backs them’ – Abdul Razzaq

• Even the past, Razzaq had made similar claims, by saying that Virat can’t be placed on the same platform as Sachin Tendulkar.
• The Indian team will be travelling to New Zealand to play, 5 T20Is, 3 ODIs and 2 Test matches, starting from the 24th of January.
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Reports: Dale Steyn could be back in South Africa squad for England T20Is

• With the Test series with England coming towards an end, South Africa’s focus is increasingly turning towards the limited-over series.
• Last year, de Villiers reportedly tried to get into the national team to play in the 50-over World Cup in England but was not allowed.
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Michael Vaughan wants Tom Banton to skip IPL

• A bright young prospect, Tom Banton is being looked at as the next big thing in English cricket.
• With the best score of 31, the 21-year-old has not produced some astonishing numbers in his limited opportunities.
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‘His batting numbers just speak for themselves’ – Steve Smith showers praise on his batting rival Virat Kohli

• Steve Smith is often compared to India captain Virat Kohli in the debate over the modern-day batting greats.
• And yet amid going for the heights, the 30-year-old has not forgotten to salute the greatness of his batting rival Kohli.
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Reports: Injured Shikhar Dhawan might miss initial stages of IPL 2020

• Ace opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan received a shoulder injury in the third ODI against Australia in Bengaluru recently that prevented him from coming out with the bat.
• The 34-year-old dived while fielding in the fifth over of the match against Australia and hurt himself in the process.
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Here’s why Hardik Pandya wasn’t included in the ODI squad for New Zealand tour

• The white-ball leg of the tour will kickstart with Team India’s first-ever five-match T20I series.
• The Men in Blue will be without their star duo of Shikhar Dhawan and all-rounder Hardik Pandya for the entirety of the T20I and ODI series.
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‘We love options’ – Ravi Shastri on KL Rahul being used as Team India’s wicketkeeper

• The Indian team has been keeping an eye out for backups of their main players and this has led them to find out some surprises.
• However, with Rahul performing both roles in the third ODI, impressed the captain and coach enough.
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