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

BCCI announces T20I and ODI squads for upcoming series against Sri Lanka and Australia

• The Men in Blue finished their 2019 on a successful note as Virat Kohli and Co clinched the three-match ODI series against West Indies.
• After enduring a triumphant 2019, India’s campaign for 2020 kicks off against Sri Lanka and Australia.
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Shai Hope moves into top 10 of ODI rankings

• West Indies opener Shai Hope has entered the top 10 of the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings after showing fine form in the three-match series in India that ended on Sunday.
• The wicketkeeper-batsman has gained five places to reach ninth position after scoring 222 runs in the series including an unbeaten 102 in the opening match in Chennai, which his side won before going down in Visakhapatnam and Cuttack.
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‘I admire the god of cricket, he is an inspiration’: Yashasvi Jaiswal hails Sachin Tendulkar

• Yashasvi Jaiswal’s rise to stardom is a perfect ‘rags-to-riches’ story; one that is an epitome of what can be achieved if you that unrelenting desire burning in your heart every single day.
• Jaiswal lived that desire, that dream of playing cricket and making it as a career amidst all the struggles.
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Pat Cummins set to skip BBL and take a short break after ODI series against India

• Pat Cummins, the right-handed fast bowler from Australia, has certainly emerged as one of the best bowlers across the globe in the longer format.
• His name recently hogged the spotlight after he was bought Kolkata Knight Riders at a whopping fee of INR 15.5 Crore for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.
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Jasprit Bumrah and Shikhar Dhawan return to T20I and ODI squads; Rohit Sharma rested for Sri Lanka series

• India had a successful endeavour in 2019 as the Men in Blue ended their year on a high by clinching the three-match ODI series against West Indies.
• With an aim to continue their winning momentum forward, Virat Kohli and his troops will start their 2020 campaign by a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, followed by a three-match ODI series against Australia.
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David Warner suffers injury scare in the nets session ahead of the boxing day Test against New Zealand

• Australia is currently gearing up for the boxing day Test match against New Zealand.
• However, they have been met with a major blow as David Warner was struck with a thumb injury during the practice session ahead of the highly-anticipated game.
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At this time, India is a far greater security risk than Pakistan: PCB Chief Ehsan Mani

• Pakistan recently celebrated the return of Test cricket to their country as Sri Lanka visited for a two-match series, which the home side won 1-0.
• The first match at Rawalpindi proved to be a dud due to weather, but Azhar Ali’s side won the Karachi Test match and pocketed the series, along with their first points in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship.
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South Africa all-rounder Vernon Philander announces retirement from all forms of international cricket

• It has been a topsy-turvy journey for Cricket South Africa this year. It has rather been a forgetful year for the Proteas as they have failed to deliver any daunting performances throughout 2019.
• However, with Graeme Smith at the helm as the director of cricket, South Africa is expected to rediscover themselves and bounce back on the international stage next year.
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“He’s been like a big brother to me, a father-figure” – Nicholas Pooran thanks Kieron Pollard for his support

• Friendships or any other relationship for that matter are tested to the hilt in times of adversity.
• It is at this stage of our life when we realize the true colours of our close ones. It is also the time when we realize that most of the time, the help comes from the least expected source.
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Australia, England, India, and another top team will feature in ‘Super Series’ in 2021: BCCI President Sourav Ganguly

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) had planned to include an ICC event every year starting from 2023.
• However, the big three boards in Cricket Australia (CA), England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are not in agreement for the same given that it might affect them financially and have come up with a solution of their own.
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Reports: Suryakumar Yadav likely to be picked in Team India for the ODI series against Australia

• Suryakumar Yadav, the right-handed batsman from Mumbai has been knocking on Team India’s door for a while now.
• He is in stunning form with the bat as he did a commendable job in this season of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
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Reports: Rohit Sharma decides to take a break, to skip Sri Lanka T20Is at home

• Indian opener and limited-overs’ vice-captain Rohit Sharma has been playing non-stop cricket this year across formats.
• Without the shadow of any doubt, it has been a sensational year for him.
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Australia bowler Peter Siddle treated after inhaling bushfire smoke

• Australia’s raging environmental crisis left an impact on its cricketing landscape this weekend as senior bowler Peter Siddle had to be treated for smoke inhalation.
• It so happened that thick smoke engulfed the venue in Canberra during a game between Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers forcing the bowlers to go off the field and the 35-year-old Siddle was among them who had to be treated.
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It’s been one of the best years in Indian cricket apart from that 30-minutes at the World Cup: Virat Kohli

• In what turned out to be a tense run-chase, the Men in Blue kept their cool in the end, to overhaul the West Indian total of 315 and win the series decider at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.
• Kohli’s men not only won the series but also made sure they kept their proud record of having not an ODI bilateral series at home against the men from the Caribbean since 2002 and overall since their 1-4 defeat in 2006.
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Ravindra Jadeja reveals what he advised Shardul Thakur as he came into bat after Virat Kohli’s dismissal

• The series decider between India and West Indies looked to be slipping away from the hands of the Indian team as Virat Kohli directed Keemo Paul’s delivery onto his stumps on the first ball of the 47th over of the third ODI against West Indies.
• With only the tail-enders left to play, Kohli looked back in nervousness as he headed to the pavilion while Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja plotted a fantastic chase in such a crucial game.
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