Australia Test captain Pat Cummins will rush home from India for personal reasons but is expected to be available for the third Test starting on Wednesday March 1.

Cummins' side were beaten by six wickets inside three days by India in the second Test in Delhi on Sunday, ensuring the hosts retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The skipper will travel back to Sydney for a few days for a family health issue, before linking back up with the squad in India.

Australia are due to face India in the third Test in Indore, having been moved from Dharamsala due to the condition of the ground.

Cummins has taken three wickets at 39.66 in the opening two Tests of the series, which has been dominated by spin bowlers.

If Cummins is unavailable for the third Test, vice-captain Steve Smith would lead the side, while fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland or Lance Morris could come into contention. 

Cummins was the only pace bowler selected for the second Test, going in with spinners Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy and debutant Matt Kuhnemann.

Rohit Sharma will miss the first ODI for India against Australia due to "family commitments" and Hardik Pandya will act as stand-in captain.

Rohit's absence means Pandya will captain the ODI team for the first time after making his debut in the format in 2016.

The opener is set to be played in Mumbai on March 17 after the ongoing Test series, in which India have already retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy by taking a 2-0 lead with two red-ball matches to play.

Ravindra Jadeja returned to Test cricket with career-best bowling figures of 7-42 in the second innings as India secured a six-wicket victory on Sunday, and he featured in the squad having not played an ODI since July 2022.

Shreyas Iyer was included after a back injury ruled him out of the 50-over series with New Zealand and the first Test with Australia, while Jasprit Bumrah remained absent as he recovers from a similar issue to Iyer.

There were no changes to the red-ball squad for the final two Tests of the series with Australia, but no vice-captain was named with KL Rahul, who acted as Rohit's deputy for the first two matches, struggling for form having mustered just 117 runs over his last five matches in the format.

Coach Lorne Donaldson believes Jamaica's Reggae Girlz needs to a better job at managing games following his team's 3-2 loss to the Czech Republic in the FFA Nations Cup in Australia on Sunday.

“There’s some stuff, but we’ve got to be able to manage games,” he said after Sunday’s loss. “We conceded in the last minute of the first half and in the second half, we decided to give up a goal because we’re thinking outside the box.

“Managing the game, especially when you’re tired is key and we were awful at that.”

In what was a much better showing than their 3-0 loss to Spain on Thursday, Jamaica conceded from the penalty spot in the 24th minute after Satara Murray was deemed to have fouled Kristyna Ruzickova, after she drove into the box.

Andrea Staskova converted from the spot.

Jamaica would pull level in the 42nd following some quality build-up play involving Havana Solaun, Drew Spence and Trudi Carter, whose pass found Jody Brown who buried her shot from just inside the box for her 14th international goal.

However, Klara Cahynova headed in from a corner in first-half stoppage time to give her team a 2-1 lead at the break.

Ten minutes after the resumption debutant Kameron Necole Simmons collected a rebound from a Spence attempt on goal and slotted into the bottom left corner to pull Jamaica level once again.

It was her first international goal for Jamaica.

However, Jamaica conceded in the 90th minute from a low cross that found Alena Peckova wide open at the far post for an easy tap-in and victory for the Czech Republic.

Jamaica will next play hosts Australia on February 22.

 

Rohit Sharma explained how India's bowling "masters" made sure not to panic before an Australia collapse gave them a comprehensive victory in the second Test.

Australia looked to have the edge at the start of day three, resuming on 61-1 after holding a one-run lead at the innings break.

India captain Rohit feared the hosts would struggle batting last on a difficult Delhi pitch, but instead it was Australia who bowed to the conditions.

The tourists were all out for 113 by lunch, with Ravindra Jadeja enjoying career-best bowling figures of 7-42.

Ravichandran Ashwin chipped in with three vital wickets, too, and Rohit credited the pair for turning the match in India's favour ahead of a routine chase.

"It is a fantastic result for us, looking at how things were yesterday," the skipper said. "How we came back and finished the job was a great effort from the bowlers.

"Even though the deficit was just one run, I felt we were very much behind – we had to bat last.

"On a pitch like that, you have to come out and try to do different things. We knew they were going to come and play shots. For us, it was about not panicking, and we had to hit those areas rather than panicking.

"I've seen them bowl enough and take wickets in these kind of conditions. We had discussed some things in the morning that we had to do, and that worked for us.

"Look, every game you play here there is some moisture, and what I noticed in three days is it has a lot to offer in the first session.

"Then the pitch gets slower and slower and there is not enough bite in the pitch – it's something we focused on.

"I had a good chat with the bowlers and they are masters of these conditions. It was important for us to stay calm and let the mistakes happen."

Jadeja and Ashwin had also crucially contributed with the bat in India's first innings, scoring 26 and 37 respectively.

Rohit added: "When you play Test cricket, there are a lot of [big] moments, but I thought the partnerships between Virat [Kohli] and Jadeja and Axar [Patel] and Ash [were big] – to get that hundred partnership [114 between Axar and Ashwin] was never going to be easy.

"Even then, we knew we had to bowl well and restrict them to as low as possible."

Australia captain Pat Cummins, whose side now trail 2-0 in the series, said: "I thought 260 was a decent score on the first-day wicket and the guys bounced back well.

"I think they batted well – one or two partnerships – and it was evenly matched at the innings break.

"[Australia's batting] was disappointing – the pressure was right on them, but we will have to review what we could have done differently.

"It's a similar story to Nagpur. Some of it is down to planning, and it wasn't easy when Ashwin and Jadeja were bowling.

"I think both defeats [hurt] – this one particularly when we were ahead of the game."

Axar Patel dug India out of trouble with the bat to keep the second Test against Australia finely balanced after two days.

The spinner followed up his 84 from India's innings victory in the first match of the series, this time making 74 in a rearguard action as the hosts fought back from 139-7 to post 262 all out.

That meant Australia held a one-run first-innings lead, with Nathan Lyon taking 5-67, and the tourists reached 61-1 at the close batting for a second time at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

India began the day on 21-0 but soon began to unravel. KL Rahul (17), captain Rohit Sharma (32) and Cheteshwar Pujara (0) departed in the space of three overs, with India sliding from 46-0 to 54-3 as Lyon gobbled up each wicket, bowling Rohit and getting two lbw verdicts.

Shreyas Iyer (4) soon followed, and although Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja added 59 for the fifth wicket, when the latter was dismissed lbw for 26 by Todd Murphy it heralded another collapse. Kohli became the fourth lbw victim of the innings when he fell to Matthew Kuhnemann for 44, and Srikar Bharat (6) did not hang about, leaving Axar and Ravichandran Ashwin with the task of salvaging something.

They proved up to the job, adding 114 for the fourth wicket before Ashwin (37) fell to Pat Cummins with the new ball, a loose delivery down the leg side flicked to Matt Renshaw at square leg. Axar was then caught brilliantly by Cummins off Murphy, ending hopes of a maiden Test century.

Australia, ultimately relieved to avoid a first-innings deficit in this latest instalment of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, then saw Travis Head's 39no help them overcome the early loss of Usman Khawaja (6) before the close.

David Warner will miss the rest of the game due to concussion, and has also suffered a hairline elbow fracture, it was announced earlier in the day.

Lyon closes in

Lyon took his Baggy Green career haul to 496 wickets, putting him on the brink of becoming the sixth Australia bowler to reach 500 at international level. A long-format specialist, some 466 of Lyon's scalps have come in Tests.

With the breakthrough wicket of Rahul, Lyon became the second Australia player to reach 100 wickets in all formats against India, after Brett Lee, who took 111 wickets. This haul also took him to 100 wickets in Border-Gavaskar Trophy matches.

Axar keeps hosts in touch

Axar's innings was a terrific concoction, as he struck three sixes and nine fours before going after another powerful shot and perishing to an exemplary catch from Cummins. He went wicket-less during 12 overs with the ball in Australia's first innings, but this was another reminder he is in the team as a bowling all-rounder.

He made a modest 249 runs in his first 13 Test innings, but has plundered 158 from his last two knocks.

Australia's David Warner is at risk of missing the rest of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series after suffering a double blow.

Warner was on Saturday ruled out of the ongoing second Test against India in Delhi with concussion, with Matthew Renshaw taking his place.

The veteran batter was later revealed to have sustained a fractured elbow.

Both issues arose during the first day of play on Friday, when Warner made 15 from a 44-ball knock in which he was struck on the elbow and helmet.

The latter blow left the 36-year-old with concussion, while the first inflicted a hairline fracture to his left elbow.

Warner did not return for fielding duties on day one and was ruled out on day two.

He is a major doubt for the third Test, which begins in Indore on March 1.

Australia made 263 in their first innings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Australia were bowled all out by India on the first day of their second Test at Arun Jaitley Stadium, but half-centuries from Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb ensured the contest remains in the balance.

The tourists, who trail the four-Test series 1-0 after an innings defeat in Nagpur, managed to reach 263 in Delhi after opener Khawaja made 81 and Handscomb 72 not out.

India skipper Rohit Sharma (13) and KL Rahul (4) guided India to 21-0 at the close of play on Friday to leave them trailing by 242 in the first innings.

Khawaja put on a 50-wicket stand with David Warner (15) for the opening wicket, but Ravichandran Ashwin – who finished with figures of 3-57 – dismissed Marnus Labuschagne (18) and Steve Smith (0) in the space of three balls.

Warner was struck on the helmet and elbow in separate incidents prior to being dismissed cheaply and was later unable to field.

The returning Travis Head could only add 12 runs before Handscomb joined Khawaja to share 59 for the fifth wicket, but the latter was caught by Rahul in the covers, shortly before Alex Carey went for a duck.

Australia were 168-6 at that point, though Handscomb put on another 59 with skipper Pat Cummins, who was sent packing lbw for 33 by Ravindra Jadeja, who also removed Todd Murphy (0) in the same over.

Mohammed Shami returned to remove Nathan Lyon and debutant Matthew Kuhnemann, seeing him finish with figures of 4-60, as Australia were sent packing inside 79 overs.

India managed nine overs in response, with Cummins, Kuhnemann and Lyon unable to remove Rohit and Rahul, who will resume play on Saturday.


Ravindra reaches milestone figure

Jadeja took three wickets in 21 overs to become only the fourth Indian, after Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev and Ravichandran Ashwin, to record 2,500 Test runs and 250 wickets in the format.

It leaves India in a good position to push on and record a third straight Test victory over Australia for the first time since 2013, when winning four in a row against their Border–Gavaskar Trophy rivals.

Khawaja keeps things interesting

After his double failure in the first Test, Khawaja was bold at the start of play in Delhi and his 81 runs came off 125 balls, though he looked devastated when Rahul's leaping one-handed snare denied him a century.

It could have been better for Khawaja and Australia, but it may yet be enough in the grand scheme of things.

"We actually don't know what a good score is on this wicket," the left-handed batter told BT Sport. "If we bowl well, then 260 will be a competitive score.

"There is something in the pitch and plates were moving already when we were batting. Tomorrow will tell the tale of where this game is going."

Australia are set to welcome back Travis Head for the second Test against India starting Friday, while also handing a debut to left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann.

Head, currently ranked as the fourth-best Test batsman in the world, was questionably dropped for the series opener in Nagpur despite an outstanding Australian summer.

He will come back into the side to replace Matt Renshaw after disappointing with two combined runs from his two innings in Nagpur.

Head will bat at number five, slotting in behind Steve Smith and in front of Peter Handscomb.

Meanwhile, fast bowler Scott Boland was replaced by Kuhnemann, leaving captain Pat Cummins as the only quick in the Australian team.

Kuhnemann brings a different aspect to the Australian spin attack as the only left-armer, earning his Test debut after four appearances in the One Day side.

India announced only one change to their team that ran away with a comfortable victory in the series opener, with Shreyas Iyer slotting in at number five in place of Suryakumar Yadav.

Australia XI: D Warner, U Khawaja, S Smith, M Labuschagne, T Head, P Handscomb, A Carey (wk), P Cummins (c), T Murphy, N Lyon, M Kuhnemann.

India XI: KL Rahul, R Sharma (c), C Pujara, V Kohli, S Iyer, S Bharat (wk), A Patel, R Ashwin, R Jadeja, M Shami, M Siraj.

Pat Cummins does not believe Australia opener David Warner's place at the top of the order is under threat for the second Test against India.

Warner failed twice as the tourists were hammered by an innings and 132 runs in the first match of the Border-Gavaskar series in Nagpur.

The 36-year-old had eased the pressure on himself by scoring a magnificent double century in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa at the MCG, and Australia captain Cummins has given his backing to the left-hander.

He said on the eve of the second Test at Arun Jaitley Stadium: "I'm not a selector. I don't think they've had a meeting but I'm sure Davey will be there.

"You saw at the Boxing Day Test when he puts pressure back on the opposition, he's pretty hard to bowl to. You don't get as many bad balls, so he knows that. I'm sure that'd be part of his plan.

"He has been batting really well here. Even in the lead-up, I thought he was fantastic. I know there's a lot of talk about spin bowling through the middle but with that new ball it's sometimes the hardest time to bat as well."

There remains uncertainty over whether paceman Mitchell Starc and all-rounder Cameron Green will be fit to take their place in the side in Delhi on Friday.

The duo have been out with finger injuries and Cummins says the tourists are mulling over their options, with Starc potentially overlooked in favour of a third spinner as Matthew Kuhnemann stands by to make his debut and Ashton Agar awaits his chance.

Asked about playing three spinners, Cummins said: "I think there's a conversation. We'll work that out by the end of today, I hope.

"[Starc] is one of the world's premier bowlers in these types of conditions. We'll see. The wicket looks like it might turn a little bit. I thought last week with two pacers, that attack functioned quite well, but I think whether it's Starcy, another spinner, Scott [Boland], variety in the attack does help."

Cummins said of Green: "Having a right-hander helps and him providing our fifth bowling option also helps. He's a big player. It certainly helps the team function well from batting and bowling.

"You have got to be able to perform as well. He's still coming back from that injury. He's only had [one] session where he's catching with a hard ball. He had a really good session yesterday. We will see how he pulls up."

Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Spain in their opening match of the Cup of Nations at Central Coast Stadium in Australia on Thursday.

Mitchell Starc would like to be "further down the road" with his recovery from a finger injury but the Australia quick feels he has a "good chance" of being fit for the second Test against India.

Starc has been out since suffering an injury blow during the victory over South Africa in the Boxing Day Test.

The left-armer joined up with his team-mates in Delhi as they prepare for a second Test that starts at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday following a hammering by an innings and 132 runs in the opener in Nagpur.

Starc's injury has not healed as quickly as he had hoped, but the paceman thinks he could still make his return when the tourists attempt to hit back in the battle for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

He said: "There's still a fair bit of restriction there. Still lacking a bit of strength having been in a splint for six weeks.

"But it's progressing - not as fast as I would have liked, but it's as planned in terms of the medical stuff. There's a few boxes to tick, but it's on track.

"I'd like to be a little further down the road.

"Still a good chance. It'll come down to how it reacts by the end of the day, how the medical staff see it, how the selectors and Pat [Cummins] and Ronnie [Andrew McDonald] feel about it as well.

"I'll do everything I can to be fully available for selection. Then it's a discussion for the rest of the group involved."

All-rounder Cameron Green is also hoping to make his comeback in the second Test after being sidelined by a broken finger.

Batter Shreyas Iyer is back in the India squad after recovering from a back injury.

India batter Shreyas Iyer has been passed fit for the second Test against Australia after recovering from a back injury.

Iyer has not played for a month, but is back in contention after completing his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy.

The number one T20 International batter in the world will be hoping to force his way back into the middle order, although he may have to be patient after India hammered the tourists by an innings and 132 runs in Nagpur.

Iyer averages an impressive 56.72 from his seven matches in the longest format.

One player who will not feature in a second Test that starts at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Friday is paceman Jaydev Unadkat, who was released from the squad to play for Saurashtra against Bengal in the Ranji Trophy final.

A resounding victory for India over Pat Cummins side put them 1-0 up in the battle for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and also enhanced their chance of playing in the World Test Championship final at The Oval in June.

Australia are also on course to secure their place in the showdown in London, leading the race to qualify with India second.

The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the third Test in Dharamsala of the four-game India-Australia series has been relocated to Indore due to the ground being fit.

A potential switch had previously been mooted, with reports that the outfield at Dharamsala's Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium was not ready after being re-laid.

The BCCI confirmed the move on Monday for the third Test due to commence on March 1.

"Owing to harsh winter conditions in the region, the outfield lacks sufficient grass density and will need some time to develop fully," the BCCI statement said.

The schedule remains the same, with the Test starting on March 1, but to be played at Holkar Stadium in Indore in Madhya Pradesh, roughly 600 kilometres north-east of Mumbai.

India lead the series 1-0 after a comprehensive first Test triumph in Nagpur, winning by an innings and 132 runs inside three days.

India and Australia face a major change to their series itinerary, with the third Test reportedly set to be moved from Dharamsala owing to pitch concerns.

The penultimate encounter in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy contest is scheduled to take place between March 1 and March 5 at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium.

But the fixture looks set to be relocated, with Bengaluru or Visakhapatnam potentially in line to stage the game.

The Times of India quoted an unnamed source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India as saying the outfield in Dharamsala was not ready after being relaid.

Australia's last visit for a Test to Dharamsala came in March 2017, when India clinched a 2-1 series victory with an eight-wicket triumph over the tourists.

The hosts are already one up in the current series, after racing to an innings-and-132-run win inside three days in Nagpur.

Pat Cummins' touring side will hope to level matters when the second Test rolls around, with the game set to start in Delhi on Friday.

India, meanwhile, have announced the departure of Jaydev Unadkat from their squad ahead of the second Test, allowing him to play in Thursday's Ranji Trophy final for Saurashtra.

Uncapped spinner Matthew Kuhnemann has been called up to the Australia squad ahead of the second Test against India in the absence of Mitchell Swepson.

Swepson, who did not feature in a crushing innings-and-132-run defeat in the first Test in Nagpur, has decided to fly home as his wife is due to give birth.

Left-arm tweaker Kuhnemann could make his Test debut at the age of 26 when the tourists set about trying to level the four-match series at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday.

The 26-year-old, who made his ODI bow against Sri Lanka last June, has only played 13 first-class matches for Queensland but may get the nod in Delhi.

He said after playing for Queensland against Victoria in the Sheffield Shield: "I was just lucky enough that my passport was in my bag.

"I watched every day [of the first Test] just being such a fan. These series are so good to watch. Todd Murphy was exceptional and sort of watched how [Ravindra] Jadeja bowled. So just really excited to get over there.

"I was fortunate enough to stay with the Test guys and bowl to them in the nets in Sri Lanka so that's still pretty fresh in my memory. I learned heaps just being over there for a couple of months. If I got the opportunity I'd like to think I'd be okay."

India all-rounder Jadeja was named player of the match after taking 5-47 in the first innings and 2-34 as Australia were skittled out for only 91 on day three of a one-sided first Test, while he also made 70 with the bat.

The performance of spinner Murphy, who claimed 7-124 on debut, was one huge positive in a dismal start to the tourists' bid to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

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