India undecided on playing XI, England send strong signal

Right from IND vs ENG developments, to the ex-Pakistani players making explosive statement.. Monday saw it all. In fact, tensions continued to mount between the BCCI and the PCB, over the Asia Cup and the ACC AGM. But all that meant, an action-packed day for the cricket fans all over the country. InsideSport takes a look at all those, in brief.

England announce playing XI, Liam Dawson comes in

Ben Stokes once again made a bold statement, as the ECB announced the playing XI for the Manchester Test, two days prior to the match. That just shows the confidence the board has in the players and the team. The lone change was, Shoaib Bashir went out, while Liam Dawson came in. India continue to play the waiting game.

Mohammed Siraj confirms, “Jassi bhai to khelenge”

There were many doubts raised if Jasprit Bumrah will play the 4th Test.. now those have been dispelled. Mohammed Siraj revealed at the press conference, that the main bowler will turn up for the next match. The bowler refrained from commenting on the team combination any further.

India’s training session reveals all

Team India’s practice session on Monday, gave a hint as to what the team combination would be. For starters, Rishabh Pant not only batted, but also kept wickets. Shardul Thakur looks like a certainty for now, and so does Sai Sudharsan. With injuries in the pace department, Anshul Kamboj is also likely to make his debut.

Sarfaraz Khan sheds 17 Kg

Ignored India batter Sarfaraz Khan is on a road to redemption. In the two months he has been away from the team, he has reduced his weight by 17 Kg. That could be detrimental in him making a comeback to the Indian side, provided he performs well in the upcoming domestic season.

Shahid Afridi speaks again

It seems like the WCL 2025, IND vs PAK match cancellation hasn’t gone down well with Shahid Afridi. He said, “We’ve come here to play cricket. If (India) didn’t want to play against Pakistan, they should’ve refused before coming here. But now you’ve arrived, even held practice sessions, and then suddenly changed everything in a single day.”

Asia Cup hits another roadblock

Now, even before the fate of the Asia Cup 2025 is discussed at the ACC AGM, the BCCI and PCB find themselves at the loggerheads, over the venue of the meeting. Pakistan wants the meeting to be held in Bangladesh, while India wants another venue. If not, the BCCI has threatened to pull out of the meeting. Needless to say, the tournament is staring at cancellation.