Usman Khawaja says he has learned plenty from his two underwhelming tours of England as he prepares for what he calls the toughest test for a top-order batter.The 36-year-old opener will be integral to Australia’s chances of retaining the Ashes when the first of five Tests begin in Birmingham on June 16, following the World Test Championship [WTC] final against India at The Oval.Khawaja toured England in 2013 and 2019 for a meagre return of 236 runs in six Tests at an average of 19.66. He was dropped midway through the 2019 Ashes and spent almost three years on the outer before a triumphant return to the Test side that has reaped 1608 runs in 16 Tests at an average of 69.91, including six centuries.Related

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“England is, in my opinion, the toughest place in the world to bat for top-three batsmen,” Khawaja said. “In 2013, I was quite young and it was a pretty s*** tour, if I am being honest. It was tough work. I learned a lot from that tour.””My last series there [in 2019] it was a tough series for batsmen. The whole tour will show you that, other than Steven Smith who was on another planet.”Khawaja said it was a “learning experience” with a couple of key takeaways.”If I’ve learned anything, it is work hard, train hard and [when] going to England, go with low expectations,” he grinned. “You are going to fail as a batsman, but when you do score you try to cash in as much as you can.”It is the challenge against the England pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad that has Khawaja enthused.”Anderson and Broad…they are unbelievable bowlers and tough work at the start,” he said. “That’s what makes it so awesome when you do score runs and you contribute to a winning team, which hopefully I’ll do and others will do over there.”When you do it against guys like Broad and Anderson in England, it’s just that much more satisfying.”Khawaja believed that Australia had been too “reactive” in dropping players in the past, including himself, after the odd failure.”I’ve always been big on just picking your best players and sticking with them because they’ll score you the most runs consistently, and I think over the years in selection for Australian cricket, we have chased our tail a little bit trying to pick players in form,” he said.”Form is temporary. Class is not. I think the new selectors, with [coach] Andrew McDonald up the top, understand that part of the game and hence there has been a lot more stability in selecting and picking players and sticking with them.””I’ve been dropped seven times in Test cricket and I’ve come back, and there’s a reason for that…because I’ve always scored runs consistently in first-class cricket and fought my way back.”

Hardik Pandya captains the side which will play five games against West Indies in August, with Suryakumar Yadav named his deputy

Alagappan Muthu05-Jul-2023

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma’s stellar performances in the IPL have paved a way to the Indian T20I squad with the two quick-scoring left-handers chosen as part of a 15-member squad to play against West Indies from August 3. It is their first call-up to the senior side in the shortest format.Hardik Pandya captains the team which will play five games in the Caribbean and the USA, with Suryakumar Yadav named his deputy. Some of the other heavy hitters are missing though. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli haven’t represented India in T20Is since their semi-final exit at the 2022 T20 World Cup. Ravindra Jadeja, the hero of the 2023 IPL final, was absent as well. Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has not been picked either.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

This is the first squad chosen by the newly installed men’s senior selection panel and they appear to have bought into the idea of needing batters who can go big from ball one, starting with the two rookies. Jaiswal has already developed a reputation as a powerplay smasher, with a particular emphasis on taking apart the first over of the innings. Varma, who had a fan in Mahela Jayawardene even before he faced a ball of IPL cricket, has only grown in stature since then. The middle-order batter averages almost 40 from 47 T20s, without compromising on his strike rate, which is a healthy 142.54.Shubman Gill and Hardik might act as failsafes if things go wrong but Ajit Agarkar, the new chief of selectors, and his panel have put their trust in a line-up that hits boundaries first and asks questions later. Rinku Singh, who became a revelation by playing that very same brand of cricket in this year’s IPL, remains on the outside. This despite the squad looking light on finishers with Hardik being the only recognised option.India last played T20Is in February 2023, against New Zealand, and seven members of that squad have been sidelined. They are Prithvi Shaw, Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar and Jitesh Sharma, who has been left out without getting a go in the XI.Related

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The bowling group will be led by Yuzvendra Chahal, who is India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is, and he will have two other wristspinners, including his old friend Kuldeep Yadav, for company. Axar Patel ticks the fingerspin requirement.The seam attack looks a bit inexperienced but it does contain variety with Arshdeep Singh providing swing and seam from a left-arm angle and Umran Malik providing raw pace. Mukesh Kumar retains his place in the T20I team as well having earlier secured his first-ever Test call-up. Avesh Khan, who played the last of his 15 T20Is in August 2022, has been given another shot. IPL winner Deepak Chahar, who returned from injury to play the latter half of the campaign for Chennai Super Kings, wasn’t picked.Sanju Samson, who is part of the ODI squad on tour, and Ishan Kishan are the wicketkeeping options.India’s tour of West Indies begins with the first of two Tests in Dominica on July 12. Then they play three ODIs from July 27 to August 1 before moving on to the T20Is, the final two of which will be played in Florida, USA.

MatériaMais Notícias

da doce： Classificado para a fase de grupos da Libertadores no ano que vem e sem chances de chegar à segunda colocação do Campeonato Brasileiro, a última rodada da competição nacional para o Corinthians será meramente protocolar. Com isso, a atenção será voltada muito mais para o pós-jogo, no qual existe a expectativa do anúncio se o técnico Vítor Pereira vai ou não permanecer no clube alvinegro no ano que vem.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansDiagnóstico de Vítor Pereira afasta Pedro Raul do CorinthiansCorinthians12/11/2022CorinthiansCorinthians encaminha contratação de Romero, mas irá segurar o anúncioCorinthians12/11/2022CorinthiansNão é só Romero! Corinthians buscará outros atacantes de beiradaCorinthians12/11/2022

da wazamba： +Corinthians fecha ano com seu 7º melhor aproveitamento como visitante no Brasileirão; relembre campanhas

Expulso contra o Coritiba, na última rodada do Brasileirão, o treinador não dirigirá o Timão na beirada do campo. No entanto, há expectativa de que ele esteja na entrevista coletiva após o jogo contra o Atlético-MG, neste domingo (13), na Neo Química Arena, junto com o presidente Duílio Monteiro Alves.

A reportagem ouviu diferentes fontes no Corinthians sobre a possibilidade de resposta de Vítor Pereira em relação ao seu futuro ser logo após a partida diante do Galo. Uma frente crê que ela acontecerá, outra entende que será dado alguns dias para que o profissional bata o martelo, muito por conta da chegada da família de VP ao Brasil na próxima semana. No entanto, se ocorrer o prazo pós-Brasileirão ele será curto.

+ Confira a tabela do Brasileirão e simule a última rodada da competição

Segundo apurou o LANCE!, a vinda dos familiares de Vítor a São Paulo seria uma última cartada para que o treinador permanecesse no Timão, algo que tanto ele próprio, quanto o clube querem. Porém, problemas pessoas que geram algumas divergências, principalmente com a esposa, podem atrapalhar esse desejo que Pereira tem de ficar.

Há também quem diga que a decisão de Vítor Pereira já está tomada e não depende da viagem da família à capital paulista. Inclusive, o treinador estaria incomodado com a exposição dos familiares durante o período de indefinição sobre o seu futuro no Corinthians, principalmente com o vazamento das informações sobre a vinda dos seus ao Brasil.

Wrexham’s promotion fate rests in their own hands, but what happens if they finish level with Wycombe on points and goal difference?

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Article continues below

Article continues below

• Red Dragons sit second with two games left
• Chairboys still in the promotion picture
• Dramatic finish to 2024-25 campaign

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  That remains a possibility in League One, while Charlton Athletic will believe that they are not out of the top-two picture just yet. There are just two more rounds of fixtures to be taken in by teams in the third tier of English football.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  As it stands, Wrexham – who have welcomed Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney to fixtures in recent weeks – occupy second place. If they can cling on to that position, then history will be made when taking a third successive step up the EFL ladder.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Wycombe are, however, just two points adrift of the Red Dragons. There are a number of scenarios that could play out and see the Red Dragons finish on the same number of points as the Chairboys. They are also level pegging in the goal difference department at present.

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  WHAT THE EFL HANDBOOK SAYS

  If there was to be no separating the two teams on those fronts come the end of play on May 3, then Reynolds and McElhenney would face an agonising end to the regular season. That is because the EFL handbook states: “If any two or more Clubs have scored the same number of points and have the same goal difference, the higher or highest placed Club shall be the Club having scored the most goals in League Matches in that Season.”

The Titans hero also spelt out his gameplan: “bigger boundaries if they are bowling in good areas, look for doubles; smaller boundaries, you can take it on”

ESPNcricinfo staff26-May-20231:54

Manjrekar: Gill took his T20 game to the next level in 2022

Shubman Gill’s third century of the season – a 60-ball 129 – has put Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2023 final, their second appearance in the title round in just their second year in the tournament. But for someone who scored at a strike rate of 215.00, with seven fours and ten sixes, the feeling of “this is my day” came only in the 12th over of the innings, which started with him on 59 off 37, when he hit Akash Madhwal for three sixes in a 21-run over.”For me, it’s all about playing ball to ball, assessing the situation over by over,” Gill said on the official broadcast after his Player-of-the-Match performance. “Maybe the over in which I hit three sixes, that’s when I got the momentum to go big and I realised maybe this is my day and I have to make it big, because it is a good wicket to bat on.”Gill doesn’t come across as a six-hitter – he was No. 42 in the list of six-hitters in IPL 2022 – but has become one – he has 33 sixes this year, joint-second-highest with Shivam Dube and only behind Faf du Plessis’ 36. Is the change a conscious one?Related

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“[Six-hitting] is not a conscious decision. Obviously, you keep practicing, you want to keep growing, want to keep evolving as a batsman,” he said. “But I feel the belief is more important and that’s what I have had this year and the last year as well.”Gill is in the middle of a purple patch. In international cricket this year, he has one Test century, three ODI centuries (including 208 against New Zealand in Hyderabad) and one T20I century, and averages 51.33, 78.00 and 40.40 in the three formats respectively. Cut to the IPL, and he has the Orange Cap now, for a total of 851 runs so far, scored at an average of 60.78 and strike rate of 156.43. And this was his third century in his last four innings.”It helps when you are coming off a good international season with runs under the belt,” he said. “With me, I know it’s about starting [well]; I know once I start, I can keep going.”Last year, from the West Indies tour, that’s when I shifted gears. I got injured in 2021 leading up to the IPL and I was out for a couple of months. That’s when I started realising the areas to work on and made some technical changes in my batting around December, when I was called up for the New Zealand series just after the T20 World Cup.”ESPNcricinfo LtdOn Friday, Gill got to his century off the first ball of the 15th over, off 49 balls, bringing the 75,655 people at the stadium to their feet. The journey from 50 to 100 took just 17 balls.”The first couple of overs, it [held] a bit on the surface and after that because there was not as much grass on the wicket, the ball was coming on nicely,” Gill said at the halfway stage of the match. “I think also because of the outfield being a little wet [because of rain in the lead-up to the match], the ball stopped swinging after two overs and it got easier as we progressed into the innings.”Titans began a bit slow with Gill on 20 off 15 after five overs. Opening partner Wriddhiman Saha (18 off 16) and No. 3 B Sai Sudharsan (43 off 31) also found the going tough. Gill was dropped by Tim David in the last over of the powerplay when he was on 30 off 19. But he changed gears gradually, teeing off after getting to his half-century. Along with the 17 hits to the boundary, there were lots of singles and doubles at a ground where one square boundary was much shorter than the other.”Definitely [the shorter boundary] plays a part,” he said. “As a batsman, you have to be aware which side to target and you have to take on the bowlers according to that. This is something I had in mind… bigger boundaries if they are bowling in good areas, look for doubles. Smaller boundaries, you can take it on.”