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The BBC has dropped Michael Vaughan from its coverage of the upcoming Ashes series in Australia, and BT Sport may yet follow suit, after he was named in the Azeem Rafiq racism probe.Vaughan, the former England captain turned commentator, was stood down from his BBC Radio 5 Live show earlier this month after it emerged that he was the subject of a complaint by Rafiq in Yorkshire’s report into Rafiq’s allegations of racism at the club.On Wednesday, the BBC released a statement saying that Vaughan would also not be involved in its “wider coverage of the sport at the moment”.”While he is involved in a significant story in cricket, for editorial reasons we do not believe that it would be appropriate for Michael Vaughan to have a role in our Ashes team or wider coverage of the sport at the moment,” the BBC statement said.”We require our contributors to talk about relevant topics and his involvement in the Yorkshire story represents a conflict of interest.”Related

• Former Yorkshire player Rana Naved-ul-Hasan says he heard Vaughan's alleged racist comments

• Adil Rashid backs up Azeem Rafiq's recollections on Michael Vaughan comment

• Azeem Rafiq: Joe Root's comments about not seeing racism at Yorkshire were 'hurtful'

• David Lloyd issues apology to Azeem Rafiq over comments on Asian players

• Azeem Rafiq: 'Before we move forward, the game needs to listen to a lot of people who have suffered'

Responding in a post on Instagram, Vaughan admitted he was “very disappointed” at the decision, and would “miss working with great colleagues & friends”.However, he confirmed that he will still be a part of the Ashes coverage in his TV role with Fox Cricket in Australia, which is also due to be heard in the UK, following BT Sport’s decision not to send a bespoke commentary team.”The issues facing cricket are bigger than any individual case,” Vaughan added. “I want to be part of the solution, listening, educating myself and helping to make it a more welcoming sport for all.”Now, however, BT Sport too are considering Vaughan’s place in their plans, with a spokesman confirming that the decision to share the Australian host broadcasting feed – originally made “as a result of Covid and travel restrictions” – was now under review.”The recent report presented to UK Parliament uncovering institutional racism within cricket and specifically Yorkshire County Cricket Club is extremely disappointing and a concern for all,” the BT Sport spokesman added. “Given these recent events we are reviewing and discussing our commentary plans with Cricket Australia.”The issue stems from Rafiq’s allegation that Vaughan had noted the inclusion of four players of Asian heritage in the Yorkshire side playing a county fixture against Nottinghamshire in 2009 and said: “There are too many of you lot; we need to do something about it.” Vaughan has denied the allegations against him.Rafiq’s account was supported by former Pakistan bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and England leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who said they heard the comment.Appearing before a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee hearing last week, Rafiq said: “I think it’s important on Michael [Vaughan] that we don’t make it all about Michael. It was a long time ago, Michael might not remember it as I said about earlier because it doesn’t mean anything. But three of us remember it.”Vaughan joined the BBC’s Test Match Special radio team as a summariser in 2009.

Marcus Stoinis believes every member of Australia’s squad will likely play at some stage of the T20 World Cup, after Ashton Agar’s shock axing for their tournament-opening win over South Africa.Agar, who is Australia’s top-ranked bowler in the format, was the unlucky omission that allowed selectors to unleash Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins in the same T20I attack for the first time. He has been a mainstay in Australia’s T20I side during recent years, featuring in 24 of the 30 matches since his recall in 2018, with the only games he has missed being through injury.Coach Justin Langer usually picks five specialist bowlers in his XI but there was only room for the three quicks and Adam Zampa in Abu Dhabi, where Stoinis stroked the winning runs in the final over of a stop-start chase of 119.Glenn Maxwell delivered four overs – the first time he had completed his allocation in a T20I since 2018 – including the second of the match that featured the dismissal of Temba Bavuma, as Australia did well to restrict South Africa to 118 for 9.”There’s an argument for everyone to be in the team,” Stoinis said. “There’s no easy answers and we’ll probably just see what happens as the tournament goes on. I think everyone’s going to get used in this tournament.”With these conditions, we’ve got to adapt as we go. He [Agar] has got such a good record, has been so good for us. So I wouldn’t be counting anything out.”Related

• Impactful Adam Zampa turning it Australia's way when it matters

• Langer says Australia will be flexible in selections depending on conditions, opposition, match-ups

• Glenn Maxwell heads into T20 World Cup on the crest of a wave

Kane Richardson, Mitchell Swepson and Josh Inglis were the other members of Australia’s 15-man squad that didn’t make the cut in their tournament opener.Aaron Finch said after winning the toss they were on the wrong side of “brutally tough” calls. Finch, who didn’t ask Stoinis or Mitchell Marsh to deliver a single over, expanded on the logic of off-spinning allrounder Maxwell’s key role with the ball after the five-wicket victory.”We felt there were some really good match-ups in the powerplay,” Finch said. “He did a really good job.”Before the tournament, Maxwell had talked about how he had been working on his bowling to right-handers to make himself a more valuable option for Finch. “I suppose that’s the biggest thing I’ve been working really hard on, bowling from over the wicket and being able to attack right-handed batters and it feels like it’s going really well,” Maxwell said.Stoinis agreed and said Maxwell’s innovative approach to batting was part of what made him a “brilliant T20 bowler”.”One of the benefits of batting like he does, he understands the game and he understands what batters are trying to do,” Stoinis said. “He’s very smart. He’s obviously played so much.”I definitely think he’s someone we should be using in this World Cup. He did match up well to a few of their left-handers and the wickets suited it, but there’s no reason why he won’t be bowling.”

Riki Wessels offered most resistance•Getty Images

Whether that Nottinghamshire touch this summer will turn to gold will only become apparent this weekend at NatWest Blast Finals Day, but certainly they returned to Championship action after the mid-season break against Northants at Trent Bridge with their exuberance undimmed.A 50-point cushion over Northants, who lie third, with six matches remaining, promises immediate promotion from Division Two and most likely as champions – not that they would be so unprofessional as to admit it – and the Royal London One-Day Cup is already won. What chance three trophies in the venerable, chimney-potted pavilion come September to mark Peter Moores’ first season in charge?Nottinghamshire’s 213 was obviously a sturdy total on an extravagantly seaming pitch, but it looked gigantic once Northants took guard. Northants might be many neutrals’ favourite T20 side, a team of considerable heft, but the manner in which they capitulated to 141 all out – itself a recovery from 59 for 7 in 20 overs – suggested they do not remotely envisage grinding out a serious promotion challenge throughout September.As for Notts, assuming the pitch retains its character, they can anticipate the best part of two days off before heading to Edgbaston and switching their thoughts back to T20.For the first time this season a toss at Trent Bridge was contested: both counties eager to bat. The ground gleamed white under sunlit pale blue skies, the colour scheme of a coastal cottage, but a mottled brown pitch resembled the after-effects of an especially high tide. Even as Northants made inroads, they just seemed to be marking time before Notts got hold of the ball. Both attacks bowled splendidly.Azharullah bowled with commendable pep and skill for a season’s-best 5 for 63 for Northants and Richard Gleeson surfed some late waves for four wickets, but their efforts in bowling out Notts in two sessions were to no avail when Northants themselves fell in less than one.Notts’ innings was based around two half-centuries: another worthy affair at the top of the order from Steven Mullaney, fifth out for 58 when Rory Kleinveldt cut a ball back to bowl him, and 69 in 80 balls from Riki Wessels which was drawn increasingly from the limited-overs songbook.Mullaney coped with conditions as admirably as anybody, his streakiest moment coming with his ninth boundary which flashed through the slips to bring up his fifty. Wessels, a T20 opener given licence at No. 6 in the Championship, changed tack after Notts lost their sixth wicket, that of Chris Read, and took five boundaries off Kleinveldt’s next over before indulging in several unsuccessful ramp shots against the seaming ball. A last-wicket stand of 32 with Harry Gurney completed Notts’ escape before he skied Gleeson to be last out.If Cheteshwar Pujara, the Indian Test batsman, had returned to county cricket to extend his education in English conditions ahead of India’s tour next summer, the loss of his off-stump as he drove at Azharullah was a degree level question which he flunked by some distance. Samit Patel and Brett Hutton were bowled shouldering arms to Azharullah and the clamour for Alex Hales to be selected for England’s Ashes tour party as a middle-order batsman was briefly silenced when the same bowler dismissed him for 4, on the drive.The call for Hales carries some validity, but even allowing for bursts of brilliance in limited-overs cricket, he will need to add further substance in the Championship to the double century he made against Derbyshire three weeks ago.Northants can’t have been helped by Ben Duckett’s broken finger, nor by the late withdrawal of Max Holden, who had been secured from Middlesex for a second loan period only to be immediately summoned back to London by his director of cricket, Angus Fraser, because of injury concerns surrounding three senior batsmen, all of whom were ultimately passed fit.That entailed an unexpected call-up for David Murphy, a wicket-keeper batsman who has been laid low for much of the season with a back disc problem and who has already announced his intention to retire at the end of the season to take up a law post in London.Murphy and his fellow opener, Rob Newton, fell to catches at the wicket, Jake Ball yorked Alex Wakely, Luke Wood sent Richard Levi’s off stump many a mile and when Rob Keogh, Adam Rossington and Kleinveldt fell within nine balls, Northants were seven down and had still to avoid the follow-on. They did so with Josh Cobb to the fore in an unbeaten 46, but they have quite a task to turn this game on its head.

Match Facts

June 25, 2017
Start time 2.30pm local (1330 GMT)Andile Phehlukwayo sealed South Africa’s dramatic win in Taunton to level the series•Getty Images

Big Picture

If the character and fortitude of the tourists were at all in question after their thumping in the first T20 (not to mention a dismal Champions Trophy), South Africa delivered an emphatic riposte in Taunton. Jason Roy’s dismissal for obstructing the field took the focus but the real story was of a tenacious fightback, inspired by a fired-up Chris Morris, to level the series at 1-1.England had appeared to be cruising to another comprehensive win, with Roy and Jonny Bairstow putting on a century stand for the second wicket – but, from needing 50 off 39 balls, they instead stuttered down a dead end as South Africa silenced a boisterous crowd enjoying their first sight of an England men’s international since 1983.AB de Villiers, South Africa’s stand-in captain, had demanded a response and his bowlers delivered, as Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo and Dane Paterson successfully tied down a succession of new batsmen. Morris spoke afterwards of fronting up to justify wearing the shirt and his impassioned intervention as the match appeared to be slipping away may just have turned South Africa’s tour around.England could take plenty from the debut performance of Tom Curran, Roy’s return to form – his 67 ended a run of 10 international innings without a fifty – and the continued run-harvesting of Bairstow, but Eoin Morgan will have been disappointed to see another clutch moment go the opposition’s way. Liam Livingstone, another debutant, suffered a difficult baptism and he will hope to get a chance to prove his talent in the decider at Cardiff.There may not be much tangible resting on the final match – and England are set to bring in a couple more new faces having previously indicated they will blood all five uncapped players in the squad – but the result may take on greater significance for battles still to come.

Form guide

England LWLLW (completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa WLWLL

In the spotlight

The rapid rise of Tom Curran looks set to continue after his impressive first outing in an England shirt. Already a senior member of the Surrey attack at the age of 22, Curran took to international cricket with aplomb, showing an extra lick of pace and good variety to pick up 3 for 33. On this evidence, certainly in white-ball cricket, there will be plenty more caps to come.David Miller is the second-most experienced member of the South Africa squad in T20 internationals and a player blessed with awesome ball-striking ability. He has had chances to shape both games so far but, apart from one effortless straight six in Southampton, the runs haven’t come. South Africa could do with him firing to improve their chances of an above-par score.

Team news

Bairstow has left the squad to head off on Yorkshire duty in the round of pink-ball Championship games, which should open up a spot for Dawid Malan to make his international debut. Craig Overton is the other uncapped man, with Chris Jordan perhaps likeliest to make way after an erratic performance, while Sam Billings could also be squeezed out as deputy opener by Alex Hales’ return.England (possible): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Liam Dawson, 8 David Willey, 9 Craig Overton, 10 Liam Plunkett, 11 Tom CurranSouth Africa found a better balance to their attack in Taunton, with Morris winning the Man-of-the-Match award. They could be unchanged, but for the temptation to bring back the No. 1-ranked T20 bowler, Imran Tahir.South Africa (possible): 1 JJ Smuts, 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 AB de Villiers (capt), 4 David Miller, 5 Farhaan Berhardien, 6 Mangaliso Mosehle (wk), 7 Chris Morris, 8 Andile Phehlukwayo, 9 Morne Morkel, 10 Dane Paterson, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi/Imran Tahir

Pitch and conditions

England will return to the scene of their Champions Trophy semi-final defeat – hoping for a fresh surface this time. The short, straight boundaries at Cardiff often mitigate against spin, while a cool afternoon, with the chance of some rain early on, may assist the seamers.

Stats and trivia

• England have previously played three T20 internationals at Cardiff, winning all of them.
• Only eight batsmen have been given out obstructing the field in international cricket – four of them since 2013.

Quotes

“The last couple of seasons I’ve bowled a lot of overs that may have limited my pace. But I think I may have gathered a yard. I’m getting stronger, I know my action and I’m developing.”
“First and foremost there’s that honour of playing for South Africa and the honour of playing international cricket. Not many people have ever lived the dream that we’re living. But there was a lot for Russell. He’s going through a really tough time … Coach, this one’s for you.”
Chris Morris dedicates South Africa’s Taunton win to absent coach Russell Domingo, who has returned home to be with his unwell mother

Match facts

July 14-18, 2017
Start time 1000 local (0430 GMT)

Big picture

When last these teams met, Zimbabwe almost survived in the first game, but were rolled over in the second, taking Sri Lanka’s Test-match winning streak to five. The world has changed dramatically since. Heading into this match at Khettarama, the hosts have a new captain, and new-ish head coach, and a startling dearth of confidence. As was the case with the ODI series, this spells opportunity for Zimbabwe.Opportunity, because Sri Lanka will have only three days to recover from one of the most dispiriting losses in their recent history. Opportunity, because Zimbabwe, though they haven’t played Tests since last November, have batsmen in form, a better set of fielders (on recent evidence), and are clearly the happier outfit in this tour.The real test will be for Zimbabwe’s bowlers. Though they triumphed in the ODIs, they took only 24 wickets compared to Sri Lanka’s 35, and never bowled the opposition out. Also, in last year’s Tests in Harare, Sri Lanka had scored 500 in each first innings, and controlled both matches from virtually the first day onwards. Graeme Cremer and his cohort of allrounders offer Zimbabwe a serviceable spin-bowling contingent, but the fast bowlers such as Tendai Chatara may have to contribute with early wickets – and he often did in the ODIs – to give their side a chance.In addition to adjusting to a new leader, Sri Lanka may also do well to rediscover the old, infectious joy that once defined their cricket, but has been in short supply in recent months.That SLC thought this would be a walkover tour is reflected in the packed schedule – three ODIs and a Test will be played in the space of 13 days. The reality is that Sri Lanka find themselves scrambling to avoid slipping on another banana skin, while Zimbabwe smell their first potential upset since 2013, when they defeated Pakistan at home.

Form guide

Sri Lanka LWLLL (completed matches, most recent first)
Zimbabwe LLLLThe triumph in the one-day series has put Zimbabwe in a good frame of mind•AFP

In the spotlight

While in ODIs, Dinesh Chandimal‘s form has been patchy, in Tests, he has been a markedly improved batsman. While once a flasher only capable of playing at a rapid tempo, Chandimal’s two most-recent hundreds – against Australia at the SSC and against Bangladesh at P Sara – were hard fought and wrung out of difficult circumstances. It is partly that new determination that has seen him promoted to the captaincy now, and a quality he will require plenty of in this Test, as he attempts to inspire a team in significant flux.On the opposite side, stands Graeme Cremer who in the ODIs made confident statements before the deciding game, then backed it up with brave performances with bat and ball. Whether Zimbabwe will have a realistic chance of victory at Khettarama may pivot upon the quality of his legspin. The pitch may provide assistance to the quicks to begin with, but usually holds its greatest rewards for the slow bowlers. Cremer has also had success against Sri Lanka in Tests, taking 11 wickets in that series last year.

Team news

Sri Lanka have decisions to make on the bowling front. Rangana Herath is certain to play, and Suranga Lakmal is likely. Lahiru Kumara may be the preferred second seamer, but it is unclear whether they will favour the experience of Dilruwan Perera for the role of second spinner, or if they will go with the more aggressive Lakshan Sandakan.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (capt.), 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Asela Gunaratne, 7 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 8 Dilruwan Perera, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Suranga Lakmal, 11 Lahiru KumaraZimbabwe are likely to choose Chatara in their attack, given his success in the ODIs. Sikandar Raza may also earn a place in the XI on form. Perhaps to Sri Lanka’s relief, Solomon Mire is not in the Test side. Regis Chakabva may partner Hamilton Masakadza at the top of the order, and it is possible Tarisai Musakanda will debut, at No. 3.Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Regis Chakabva, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Tarisai Musakanda, 4 Craig Ervine, 5 Sean Williams, 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Malcolm Waller, 8 Peter Moor (wk), 9 Graeme Cremer (capt.), 10 Tendai Chatara, 11 Donald Tiripano

Pitch and conditions

There was a light cover of grass on the pitch on the eve of the match, which suggests there will be assistance for the seamers early on. However, rare is the Khettarama surface that doesn’t become spin-friendly eventually. There have been periodic showers in Colombo over the past week, and more of the same is expected during the Test.

Stats and trivia

• Dinesh Chandimal becomes Sri Lanka’s 15th Test captain. In the past, he has led Sri Lanka’s limited-overs teams, as well as captaining the Under-19 side in his senior school year.
• This is Zimbabwe’s first Test in Sri Lanka since January 2002. In 17 Tests between the two sides, Zimbabwe have lost 12 without ever winning a game.
• This is Zimbabwe’s first away Test since 2014, when they had lost 0-2 in Bangladesh.

Quotes

“More than anything, we have the self-belief that we can actually push Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, which is big for us. We have the potential to score the runs as well as take wickets. Confidence is what we will take into the Test match most.””As a player and a captain I will sacrifice my time and my effort to make sure Sri Lanka reclaims a good place in world cricket. I need a little time for that. I am hopeful that with the players that I have, I can take Sri Lankan cricket to where it used to be.”

Offspinner Harbhajan Singh has asked for India’s domestic cricketers to be given contracts in order to ensure their financial security. The uncertainty over income, according to Harbhajan, was forcing some players to reconsider their future in the game.To ease such concerns, Harbhajan sought the intervention of India coach Anil Kumble, who is scheduled to meet the Committee of Administrators and BCCI office bearers in Hyderabad on May 20 and 21 to discuss the contracts of the international players.Harbhajan said he became aware of the issue while playing for Punjab over the last few years. “I hate that I’ve found constant struggle around me in the financial situation of my first-class team-mates,” Harbhajan told Kumble in a phone message reported by . “Even though Ranji Trophy is hosted by the richest cricket board in the world, I appeal to you as a player, who is an inspiration and role model for all Ranji players.”Harbhajan told Kumble that former India players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag needed to push for a hike in the match fees of domestic players. “Imagine in today’s day and age, how can you call yourself a professional if your ‘job’ doesn’t even tell you how much you will earn yearly?” he wrote. “How can you sign up and commit your life to a job which doesn’t promise you a fixed income every year. And that too, you are paid one year after you complete your work.”It is understood that Kumble acknowledged Harbhajan’s message and said he would look into the matter.The issue came to Harbhajan’s attention when a former Punjab team-mate highlighted his plight. Harbhajan realised the player had no money to support himself or his family. He was still young but not playing anymore, having been injured for two years. Harbhajan said the player had no insurance if he got injured during the season.”The guys can’t even plan their future because they don’t know whether they would earn Rs 1 lakh or Rs 10 lakh in that year, and it leads to huge issues in their lives and families and (affects) state of mind,” Harbhajan said. “Anyway, let’s try and gently make a change for our brothers.”According to Harbhajan, other countries have a support system in place for domestic players, something that the BCCI also needs to consider.”An international player has a contract, he has everything. But there are domestic cricketers I have played with who don’t have money to pay EMI,” Harbhajan told ESPNcricinfo. “There are some who played just two matches in which they did not perform well and then were in doubt about playing in the next season.”Harbhajan said he would be happy to talk with the COA if given an opportunity. “We need to make sure that the domestic players earn enough to run a household. We need to have domestic contracts in place, regardless of whether the cricketer plays or not. In case the player gets injured, the state association should bear his expenses and assure him about his future on his return.”A BCCI official agreed with Harbhajan but said it was the responsibility of the state association to create such contracts. “The BCCI does not have any control on the selections of players and such stuff. It is the state associations that manage that. The BCCI only pays the money to players.”The money paid to domestic players is in the form of two components: the match fee and a percentage of gross revenue from the media rights income the BCCI earns annually from the home season. The match fee is not standard and depends on the media rights income. The BCCI allots 13% of the media rights income to domestic players and junior cricketers. Domestic players get 10.40% and the rest goes to the junior cricketers. On an average, a domestic player might earn anywhere between INR 80,000 and 100,000 per first-class match.

Sanju Samson came into Indian cricket with the reputation that he could become the next big thing. He was 16 when he made his T20 debut for Kerala, and in little over a year, was part of an IPL franchise. The teenager’s temperament stood out, to the point that he made a half-century batting at No. 3 in only his second game for Rajasthan Royals. Eventually though, the surprise factor faded, and the pressure got to him. Two middling IPL seasons followed in 2015 and 2016 but, on Tuesday, he took a step towards putting those memories behind him with a maiden T20 hundred that set up Delhi Daredevils’ biggest ever win.”I am very happy about this day. It’s one of the special days of my life,” Samson said at the post-match press conference. “Every cricketer here in India, his dream is to play for Indian team, which is the world’s best cricket team. So if you want to get into it, you have to be something special, you have to do something special. So I’m happy that I played one innings but there’s a long way to go.”He was bought by the Daredevils in 2016, and despite playing all 14 matches that year, he was dismissed for less than 20 seven times and finished with an unimpressive strike-rate of 112. Now, after his team had begun the new season by losing a game they should have won, Samson walked out to bat in the second over and was 35 off 19 balls with six fours by the end of the Powerplay. Then after seeing off the Rising Pune Supergiant spinners, Imran Tahir, the No. 1-ranked bowler in limited-overs cricket, among them, he made 41 off 16 balls to help push the total to 205. There were times in the past when quality bowling would force Samson into choosing the wrong shot, but he was able to keep that weakness in check and later praised the Daredevils support staff for backing him.”I think Rahul Dravid, Zubin Bharucha, Paddy Upton and each member of the team who has supported me throughout,” Samson told . “Last IPL season was not a great season for me, but they supported me throughout and I dedicate this knock to them.”I was 17 when I was with the Rajasthan Royals and since then I have been working with Dravid and feel very blessed to be learning under his guidance. Not too many people get this chance and I feel I am extremely lucky to have him around and guide me.”This success came on the back of a disappointing first-class season for Samson. Besides the lack of runs – he averaged 30.36 from 11 innings for Kerala – he was pulled up for disciplinary issues by the state association. It was alleged that he had left the team in the middle of a match, after being dismissed for a duck, and did not return until 8 or 9 pm. This led to an in-house inquiry and a KCA panel let Samson off with a warning. On Tuesday night, he said lows like that helped shape the person he was.”You need to have bad times to learn what life is about, I think. If you keep on achieving success, I think, you do not learn. If you do mistakes in cricket, or if you do mistakes in life, you learn from it and you become a better person. I think my past has helped me become a better cricketer and a better human being.”

Mumbai batsman Shreyas Iyer has been called up to Dharamsala as cover for Virat Kohli, who still hasn’t completely recovered from his shoulder injury.Even as India maintained Iyer is cover – and not a replacement – for Kolhi, ESPNcricinfo understands that the team is sweating over the fitness of the captain, who took a pain-killing injection two days before the Test and didn’t bat in the nets.Iyer is expected to join the team on Friday, the eve of the match. Besides a hundred for India A against the touring Bangladesh side in Hyderabad, Iyer smashed an unbeaten double hundred against Australia in a tour game at Brabourne Stadium last month.”It made sense to have a back-up batsman because in case of a contingency it is very difficult to reach a place like Dharamsala,” a BCCI source told ESPNcricinfo. “We will know more on Virat tomorrow.”Kohli hurt his shoulder while making a diving stop on the boundary on the first day in Ranchi. He spent the rest of Australia’s first innings off the field, but batted at his usual No. 4 slot and fielded in the second innings – though at slip even against the spinners rather than his usual station in the covers or midwicket.Iyer had initially been named in the India Blue squad for the Deodhar Trophy one-day tournament scheduled to also begin on Saturday in Visakhapatnam. He had a breakout first-class season in 2015-16 where he scored 1321 run to become the leading scorer in the Ranji Trophy. He finished as Mumbai’s highest run-getter (725 runs at 42.94, including two hundreds) in Ranji Trophy 2016-17, when they finished runners-up.

Pat Cummins exceeded expectations of even Australia’s coaching staff by snaring three wickets on the third day in Ranchi, to add to his one from Friday. Cummins finished the day with 4 for 59 from 25 overs, bowling with pace and venom on a good batting pitch. Among his victims were Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, two key batsmen who fell cheaply.Sending Cummins to India to replace the injured Mitchell Starc was always going to be a gamble for Australia’s selectors, given his history of significant injuries. Although he was Man of the Match on his Test debut in Johannesburg as an 18-year-old in 2011, Cummins has spent such long periods in injury recovery that this Test is just his 10th first-class match.Earlier this month, he completed his first Sheffield Shield game in nearly six years. That game was also his first first-class game of any type since mid-2015. But with the series locked at 1-1 and a historic series win in India up for grabs, Australia risked rushing Cummins in for the Ranchi Test, and his efforts on day three have given them hope.”It’s superb. I thought last night he bowled particularly well, but today he backed that up and to produce some of the balls he produced to get wickets is pretty exciting,” David Saker, Australia’s bowling coach, said. “Hats off to the selectors to go with him. Ball speed in India is a big thing because the wickets don’t generate any pace. But he was way higher than the expectations we had.”Cummins has sent down the fewest overs of any of Australia’s four frontline bowlers so far in this Test, but has looked by far the most dangerous. Saker said no restrictions had been placed on Cummins’ workload in this Test, but they did not expect him to have too much to do over the next two days.”It’s a really important Test match for us,” Saker said. “If he ends up bowling more overs than first expected, then so be it. It’s tough cricket over here and because he’s bowling so well the captain will want to keep going to him. I can’t see him bowling too many overs tomorrow and maybe if we do have a bowl on the final day, I think it will be more a spinning wicket.”The return of Cummins at Test level has also coincided with a strong domestic comeback from James Pattinson, another injury-prone fast bowler who has thrived when available. Their respective returns will leave Australia’s selectors salivating over the prospect of having Cummins, Pattinson, Starc and Josh Hazlewood all available at the same time.”It will be a bit of a headache for the selectors when it does happen,” Saker said. “It’s really good to see. Patty [Cummins] today going really well, Josh and Mitch had a fantastic summer. Then we’ve got Jimmy Pattinson, the way he’s come back in the last few Shield games and he’s got another chance in a Shield final, so that’s really good for him and good for Australian cricket.”To be strong in world cricket and especially the Australian team you need a good crop of fast bowlers and we’ve got that at the moment. But we’ve had a lot of problems getting them on the park. There are still other back-up bowlers.”Jackson Bird is here, he does a fantastic job when he’s called upon. Peter Siddle’s been outstanding for long periods of time. Chadd Sayers again, probably one of the unlucky fast bowlers in Australian cricket. We’ve got a good crop so that’s exciting for me and the Australian cricket team.”

AB de Villiers was frustrated that South Africa lacked a “spark” in the field in Hamilton but defended the team selection believing an extra spinner would not have made a difference.The opening match of the series had been played on the same ground (this was the game moved from Napier due to their outfield problems) and batting was difficult throughout. The latest surface, an adjacent strip, was not expected to be quite so helpful but spin and the use of cutters was still likely to be a key weapon.New Zealand played two frontline spinners, plus cutters from Tim Southee and James Neesham proved effective in the middle of the innings, but South Africa chose Chris Morris over left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi to replace Andile Phehlukwayo who had a groin injury. There was also less variation from the South Africa pacemen in conditions that de Villiers felt had eased up towards the second innings.”They played Imran Tahir, who is the No. 1 bowler in the world, very well tonight. I’ve no reason to think it would have been different with another spinner,” de Villiers said. “I tried to bowl JP Duminy, but it didn’t turn as much as I expected it to. I felt there was more turn very early on in the afternoon, which was weird because in the last game it turned in the evening. But all in all, the wicket played pretty well over the 100 overs and we were beaten by the better team.”Given memories of the previous game, where conditions prompted de Villiers to call them the toughest he had faced, he admitted thinking South Africa’s 279 for 8 – which included 100 off the last eight overs – would be a winning total only for Martin Guptill to make it look wholly inadequate.”I thought it was enough because of what happened in the last game. The wicket started breaking up, turned a lot, got really slow, it was exploding, but there was not a lot of that tonight which means it was a really good ODI wicket. We just came unstuck against a better team and didn’t play our best especially in the second half. I wasn’t entirely happy with our skills. While in the rest of the series we have been bowling really well, there wasn’t a spark in the field [on Wednesday] so we need to get our act together for the final now.”Throughout the series, South Africa have needed de Villiers and the lower to bail them out of middle-order wobbles. In Hamilton they lost for 4 for 30 to slip to 158 for 6 before Chris Morris and Wayne Parnell helped haul the innings around. Duminy, who was promoted to No. 4 in this game, and David Miller have had a lean time with 108 runs in seven innings but they retained the utmost faith of their captain.”They are world-class players and will come to the party when it matters most which is hopefully the next game. We all go through patches but luckily we bat deep. There is no need to panic. I believe our top order is the best in the world.”