Virat Kohli requests fans to not boo Steve Smith during World Cup 2019

In the 2019 India vs Australia World Cup match, Steve Smith faced boos from the crowd at Kennington Oval due to his involvement in the ball-tampering incident. The incident marked his return to international cricket after serving a ban. As Smith fielded in the deep for Australia, some fans continued to boo him, which didn't sit well with the then-Indian captain Virat Kohli. Kohli gestured to the fans to stop booing and Smith appreciated the gesture by patting Kohli on the back and shaking his hand.

After the match, Kohli explained his actions, stating that Smith's mistake was in the past and he was now trying to play well for his side. Kohli didn't feel it was fair to see Smith being booed every time he played, as he didn't deserve such treatment.

Virat Kohli vs Adam Zampa

The upcoming ODI between India and Australia promises an exciting player-battle between two top performers in white-ball cricket. Virat Kohli has been in impressive form, having scored a century in various formats in the past six months. This is concerning for Australia, but they have a reliable weapon in leg-spinner Adam Zampa.

Despite Kohli having scored a remarkable 214 runs off 193 deliveries from Zampa in ODIs, the leg-spinner has dismissed the former Indian captain five times. This sets the stage for an interesting showdown between the two players, each vying for the upper hand in this contest. It will undoubtedly be a fascinating encounter to watch.

Kohli vs. Zampa in T20s: 104 runs in 79 balls, AVG of 34.6, SR 131.64

Kohli vs. Zampa in ODIs: 214 runs in 193 balls, AVG of 42.8, SR 110.9

Yes, Zampa has dismissed Kohli 8 times in international cricket but isn't as one-sided as people think.

Warner Returns as Captain in a Surprising Move

David Warner's future in Test cricket may be uncertain, but his reputation in white-ball cricket remains intact. He will lead the Delhi Capitals in the IPL as regular captain Rishabh Pant continues to recover from a car accident last year.

This is not the first time Warner has captained Delhi Capitals; he previously served as their interim captain between 2009 and 2013. He later moved to Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2014 and took over as captain in 2015, leading them to their first title in 2016. As captain, Warner has a strong record, having won 35 out of the 69 matches he has led in the tournament, making him the fifth-best captain in the IPL.

Warner will be working alongside Australian legend Ricky Ponting, who serves as head coach for the Delhi Capitals. In the previous season, Warner was the leading run-scorer for the Capitals, with 432 runs at an average of 48.

Although the 36-year-old is currently in India with the Australian ODI squad, it is unclear if he will be ready for the opening clash on Friday, following his recovery from a fractured elbow sustained during the second Test. His absence from the team opened up opportunities for Travis Head, who performed well in the top order. This has led to some speculation about Warner's future in Test cricket, particularly after his early series failures. However, Australian coach Andrew McDonald has assured fans that Warner remains a crucial part of the national team's plans for the World Test Championship final against India at The Oval in July. Despite retirement rumors, McDonald believes that each player's path is unique, and they will address the situation when the time comes.

"Warner Requires Medical Clearance, Mumbai to Assess," Says Source

Australian opener David Warner's participation in the first one-day match against India in Mumbai on Friday will depend on his medical clearance, as he works to regain fitness after suffering a hairline fracture of the elbow.

Warner, who was ruled out halfway through the second Test with a concussion during the just-completed series, returned home to recover from the elbow injury and missed the last two Tests. He joined the one-day squad in Mumbai on Monday after two final rehabilitation sessions in Australia.

Warner will be assessed by the team's medical staff after batting in the nets, and a final decision will be made on his availability for the opening game of the three-match series.

"They will look at Dave in Mumbai for game one and make a call from there," said a team spokesman.

Coach Andrew McDonald expressed optimism that Warner would be fit for the full one-day series, including matches in Vizag on Sunday and Chennai next Wednesday. "He's recovered from his injury, so we'll see Dave back in Australian colours on the 17th and we'll go from there," McDonald said.

Shaun Marsh, Experienced Australian Batsman, Announces Retirement from First-Class and ODI Cricket

Shaun Marsh, a veteran batter, has announced his retirement from first-class and ODI cricket after playing for Western Australia for 22 years. Marsh, who made his first-class debut in 2001 at the age of 17, led his team to victory in the prestigious Sheffield Shield competition in 2022 while captaining in the absence of his brother, Mitchell Marsh.

Marsh played 177 List-A matches and scored 7158 runs at an average of 44.45. He won multiple trophies for Western Australia during his illustrious career and was considered a legend of the game. In his Australia career, Marsh played in 38 Test matches and scored 2265 runs at an average of 34.31. He made his red-ball debut against Sri Lanka in September 2011 and played his last match against India in the Australian summer of 2019. Marsh is also on the elite list of players who made a century on their Test debut.

Marsh is Western Australia's all-time, all-format leading runs scorer with 12,811 runs to his name, surpassing his former coach Justin Langer's 12,780 runs. Injuries have been a consistent part of his career, and he could only play one match in the Sheffield Shield this season due to multiple injuries. Despite being in the squad for the 2019 World Cup, he was ruled out after sustaining a fractured arm. Marsh's retirement from cricket marks the end of an era and cements his legacy as a legend of Australian cricket.

Ricky Ponting anticipates a rejuvenated Australian team for the Ashes and the World Test Championship Final

Australia is currently trailing 2-1 against India in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but former captain Ricky Ponting has pointed out that there have been several positive aspects for Pat Cummins-led side in the series. However, Ponting believes that tough decisions need to be made and squad changes need to be implemented in order for Australia to perform well in the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final and the Ashes.

Ponting noted that the spinners have done well against the hosts in the current series, and among the batsmen, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steve Smith have demonstrated their ability to withstand and succeed in India's testing conditions. He expressed disappointment that it took Australia until the beginning of the third Test match to find the right playing style.

"I think all the spinners have performed well... and at different times, most of the batters have actually shown that they can cope and survive in those conditions. The quicks haven't had a chance to bowl, and Australia have had players in and out of the squad as well. But I believe there are some real positives in Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, and all of the spinners that have played. It's just a shame that Australia took so long to find the right style of play," Ponting said in the latest episode of The ICC Review.

Steve Smith left frustrated after being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja for the third time in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023

The ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy sees India facing Australia in the fourth and final test. However, despite the crucial nature of the game, Rohit Sharma and his team got off to a rocky start on Day 1. Nevertheless, a highlight for India came when Ravindra Jadeja, who has been performing exceptionally with the ball throughout the series, dismissed Steve Smith once again.

At the time of Jadeja's delivery, Smith and Usman Khawaja had built a strong partnership of 79 runs for the third wicket and seemed to be in a comfortable position until the Tea Break. However, in the second over after tea, Jadeja bowled a straight delivery that skidded towards Smith and left him with no room to manoeuvre. Smith attempted to guide the ball towards the offside but instead found the inside edge, leading the ball to crash into the stumps.

Smith, who had set his sights on scoring more runs, was visibly frustrated as he walked back after scoring 38. It's noteworthy that this is the third time in the series that Jadeja has dismissed Smith, with the left-arm spinner having claimed the wicket of the star batsman a staggering seven times in Tests in India.

Blame placed on PM's 'bizarre' act for 'shoddy' start to Test match

The start of the fourth Test match was marred by chaotic scenes, with the prime ministers of Australia and India partly to blame, according to reports. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Australian captain Steve Smith and his team were forced outside the stadium for warm-ups due to an over-the-top ceremony featuring Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The prime ministers rode around the boundary in an automobile and then joined the teams for national anthems, after which chaos ensued, with the first over of the match being described as "shoddy" by commentators. The poor start was attributed to the teams not getting a feel for the game due to the bizarre start to the Test match.

Khawaja criticizes selectors following achievement of 'special' milestone

Usman Khawaja took a dig at the Australian selectors who kept him out of the Test team for over two years after he achieved a "special" career milestone in India. The left-hander scored an unbeaten century on day one of the fourth Test against India, finishing the day on 104 not out, and shared an unbeaten 85-run partnership with Cameron Green. While Khawaja had toured India before in 2013 and 2017, he was left on the sidelines in both series. His century in this match was his first in India and against India, and he expressed his emotions over achieving this feat.

In his press conference at the end of day one, Khawaja criticised the team for not supporting him enough in his earlier career, particularly in Asia, and for repeatedly dropping him despite his abilities. Khawaja was dropped during the 2019 Ashes series in England and did not make it back into the Test side until January 2022. Since then, he has made a remarkable comeback with six centuries in 15 Tests, with an average of 69.53.

Khawaja displayed a gritty side to his game on day one of the fourth Test, with his century coming off 246 deliveries. He said that he didn't want to give his wicket away on such a nice wicket.

Concerning prediction by legend about Smith's future in Test cricket

Former Australian cricket players Mark Waugh and Brad Haddin have expressed concerns about Steve Smith's future in the sport after the 34-year-old dropped hints about retirement. During the recent Australian Test summer, Smith refused to confirm whether he would play another Test on home soil, leading Waugh and Haddin to speculate that he could make an abrupt retirement decision. Waugh noted that Smith had mentioned retirement a few times on the current tour, while Haddin pointed out that Smith had said he didn't have as many games left in him during the Australian summer. If Smith does retire soon, it may coincide with David Warner's retirement, as the 36-year-old's career is also uncertain. Despite Smith's recent drop in productivity, his average of 49.03 in 24 Tests between 2020 and 2023 is still respectable, although it falls short of his career average of 59.74 and his average of 72.02 in 56 Tests between 2014 and 2019.