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Just ahead of the opening Test of the five-match Test series, the Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue have been handed a massive blow as Virat Kohli after being named the in the quad for the two Tests, have withdrawn due to personal reasons. India will host England in the first Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad from January 25th to 29th. Moreover, it will be Brisbane Heat who will be taking on Sydney Sixers in the grand finale of the BBL 2023-24 in the repeat of the Qualifier.
Here in this article, we’ll look at all the big news that took place on Monday, January 22, but before that, let's check the matches scheduled for the day.
Today’s match preview:
SA20 2024: MI Cape Town vs Durban's Super Giants
Kieron Pollard-led MI Cape Town are scheduled to face Keshav Maharaj's Durban's Super Giants at the Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. IST. Both the teams will enter this fixture after a loss in their respective matches. Speaking of the standings in the SA20 2024, while the Super Giants are third with three wins from five games, the Cape Town are just below them at fourth place with two wins from five games.
Major cricket events that happened on January 22
Josh Brown's historic ton helps Brisbane Heat beat Adelaide Strikers by 54 runs; to face Sydney Sixers in final
Josh Brown's 140 off 57 balls helped Brisbane Heat beat Adelaide Strikers by 54 runs on Monday, January 22. With this, Brown smashed the joint second-fastest century in BBL history. The result meant a Qualifier rematch in the final at the SCG where Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat will lock horns again for the title clash.
Pretoria Capitals get out for lowest total in SA20 history against Sunrisers Eastern Cape
Pretoria Capitals were bundled out for 52, the lowest total in SA20's brief history as defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape captured a dominating bonus-point victory in Gqeberha. The chase seemed to be a formality for the Sunrisers as they reached the target inside seven overs.
Virat Kohli withdraws from first two Tests against England citing personal reasons
Mr. Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming Test series against England, citing personal reasons. Virat has spoken to Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasized that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention.
IPL 2024 to be played from March 22 until May 26
The 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to start from March 22, 2024. As per reports, the IPL 2024 is anticipated to commence just in a week's time after the conclusion of the WPL 2024. Moreover, the BCCI is considering holding the T20 tournament until May 26, with the T20 World Cup set to start on June 4 in the USA & West Indies.
CA announces Australia's squad for ODI series against West Indies
Cricket Australia have called up Big Bash League stars Jake Fraser-McGurk and Xavier Bartlett for the three-game ODI series against West Indies. These two uncapped stars come into the side after Glenn Maxwell and Jhye Richardson were ruled out of the ODI series against West Indies. CA has decided to rest Maxwell while Richardson is out due to an injury.
Sachin Tendulkar, Ravindra Jadeja, Anil Kumble and among others attend Ram Mandir 'Pran Pratishtha'
Cricketing greats like Sachin Tendulkar, Mithali Raj and Anil Kumble arrived at Ayodhya's holy Ram Mandir ahead of the auspicious Pran Pratishtha ceremony on January 22. Apart from these three legends of Indian cricket, former fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad, Ravindra Jadeja, Saina Nehwal enjoyed festivities ahead of the Ram Mandir ceremony.
Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant in contention for T20 WC 2024: Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid has dropped major hint on who could be there for the T20 WC 2024. He cleared that Ishan Kishan is still in the mix, along with Pant, Samson, KL Rahul and others. “We saw a couple of guys in this series, whether it is Sanju or Jitesh. You speak of Rahul, there is Ishan, Rishabh …. all of them are in the mix,” Dravid said.
Mohammad Haris gets deported from Bangladesh after PCB denies NOC
Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Haris was in the limelight after he was forced to return to his country. The batter was deported after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) denied him a Non-Objection Certificate (NOC) to play in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The cricketer took to Instagram to inform about his departure, writing, “Back to ������ ”.
Usman Khawaja cleared to play Brisbane Test after nasty blow
The Australian opening batter Usman Khawaja has been cleared to play the second and final Test of the series against West Indies at the Gabba in Brisbane after suffering a head blow in the previous match. The 37-year-old passed all the concussion assessments in the last couple of days, which would mean that he will continue opening alongside Steve Smith.
I think India will win: England legend Michael Atherton predicts Test series result
The former England captain Michael Atherton, one of the foremost voices in cricket, has given his verdict for upcoming five-match Test series in India. The 55-year-old predicted that India will win against England because their spinners are better than the visitors, and it will be the “defining thing” when the Test series is said and done.
