
New addition Kamboj likely to be drafted into playing XI
The youngster smiled and over the next hour, he toiled hard in the nets, bowling long spells, alongside Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.
With the series on the line, Bumrah will be available for the fourth Test at Old Trafford, beginning on Wednesday. While Siraj is an automatic choice, Arshdeep and Akash Deep, yet to recover fully from a groin niggle, have been ruled out. India's third seaming option is now limited, and there are indications that the 24-year-old Kamboj could be drafted into the playing XI.
Known for his skiddy pace and the ability to extract sharp bounce, Kamboj was recently part of the India-A squad for the two 'Tests'. He claimed a four-wicket haul in the second match at Northampton, including two in a single over in the second innings.
That experience could come in handy for the Haryana seamer. As he bowled to K.L. Rahul, followed by Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant in the nets, head coach Gautam Gambhir and Morkel had frequent conversations with him, in an effort to make him feel comfortable.
Kamboj looked at ease, and often challenged the batters with his pace. In fact, in the middle of the session, the youngster could be seen picking the brains of Bumrah and Siraj as he was being monitored by the national selectors — Ajit Agarkar and Shiv Sunder Das.
Coming on the back of a successful domestic season, where he claimed 79 wickets in 24 games, Kamboj has also proved his mettle with the bat as he forged an unbeaten 149-run stand with Tanush Kotian to help India-A force a draw during the match at Nottingham.
While Bumrah's presence will be a huge boost, it will be interesting to see how the bowling unit handles the pressure. 'The combination is changing day by day. Our plan is to bowl in good areas, considering how the England batters played with a lot of patience in the last match,' Siraj said.
The team management may also consider tweaking the bowling combination, potentially favouring Kuldeep Yadav over Washington Sundar, given that the Old Trafford surface is expected to assist wrist spinners.
Pant ready
After skipping wicketkeeping duties, following a left index finger injury during the Lord's Test, Pant had a long session behind the stumps on Monday.
Initially monitored by fielding coach T. Dilip, Pant later joined a slip catching drill, along with Rahul, Gill, Karun Nair and B. Sai Sudharsan. He looked comfortable throughout and is expected to keep wickets.
Meanwhile, there are signs the team management may hand Sai Sudharsan the No. 3 spot, following a string of disappointing performances from Karun.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)

First Post
10 minutes ago
- First Post
How Divya Deshmukh can become Grandmaster by winning FIDE Women's Chess World Cup 2025
Divya Deshmukh has reached the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 final, creating history for Indian chess. Here's how winning the title can make her India's next Grandmaster and what happens if she loses. read more Divya Deshmukh was the first to reach the final of 2025 Women's World Cup. FIDE Divya Deshmukh made history on Wednesday by becoming the first Indian ever to reach the final of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025. The 19-year-old International Master stunned veteran Chinese Grandmaster Tan Zhongyi with a 1.5-0.5 victory in the semifinals in Batumi, Georgia. This incredible feat has also secured her a spot in next year's prestigious Women's Candidates Tournament, where she will fight for the right to challenge reigning world champion Ju Wenjun. Meanwhile, Divya also has an opportunity to take a major step in her career by becoming India's next Grandmaster (GM). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also Read: How winning the World Cup helps Divya in her GM dream Becoming a GM is one of the toughest achievements in chess. A player needs to earn three GM norms from FIDE-approved tournaments and a rating of over 2500. Without meeting both these conditions, a player cannot receive the title. Divya has already earned one GM norm by reaching the Women's World Cup final. Even if she crosses the 2500 rating, she will need two more GM norms to earn the prestigious title. However, there's another way to the GM title, known as Direct Titles. According to FIDE, winning certain elite competitions allows players to avoid the usual norm-and-rating requirements. The Women's World Cup is one of those events. Winning it gives a player an automatic GM title. Divya is slated to meet compatriot Koneru Humpy in the final of the Women's World Cup. So, if she defeats Humpy in the summit clash, the Indian IM will become a GM without waiting for norms or rating. Also Read: 'I just need some sleep and food': Divya Deshmukh's first reaction after making history at FIDE World Cup What if Divya loses the final? Even if Divya loses in the final, she can still help her cause. She has already secured one GM norm by reaching the final. She only needs to cross the 2500 rating mark. After that, she would need two more GM norms in future tournaments to officially become a Grandmaster.


India.com
10 minutes ago
- India.com
India vs England 4th Test Day 4 LIVE Score: Shubman Gill's team eyes quick wickets to rescue Test match against England
Summary Full Scorecardहिन्दी Commentary Schedule India vs England 4th Test Day 4 LIVE Score: Shubman Gill's team eyes quick wickets to rescue Test match against England England have bulldozed India in response to their 358-run total. Openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley started the innings in true Bazball style, immediately putting pressure on the Indian bowlers. From there, the attack kept building. Joe Root went on to smash 150, surpassing Ricky Ponting's tally and now sits just behind the great Sachin Tendulkar in terms of Test runs. However, India will look to take early wickets and proceed with caution in their second innings. With two days still left in the Test match and England already leading by 186 runs, there is a slight possibility that India could end up losing the match by an innings and runs.
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
10 minutes ago
- Business Standard
FIDE Women's World Cup Final: Koneru vs Divya live time, format, streaming
In a historic moment for Indian chess, Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh will face off in the final of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 on Saturday, ensuring the title goes to India for the first time. This is the first all-Indian final in the tournament's history, with both players also earning qualification for the Women's Candidates 2026. Humpy, 38, enters as the favourite due to her vast experience and recent triumphs in elite events. She staged a remarkable comeback to defeat China's top seed Tingjie Lei in the semi-finals. On the other hand, 19-year-old Deshmukh has impressed with fearless play, stunning top seeds including Jiner Zhu and former world champion Zhongyi Tan. While Humpy's steadiness and composure have been her strengths, Deshmukh's aggressive style has caught many off guard. The final will be contested over two Classical games, with tie-breaks if needed. Regardless of the outcome, Indian chess is set to celebrate a landmark victory. FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 Final: Format The FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 final between Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy will begin on Saturday, July 26. The final will consist of two Classical games — one each on July 26 and 27. If the scores are level after the two games, tie-breaks will be held on Monday, July 28. In the Classical format, each player will have 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by an additional 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment per move starting from move one. If a winner is not decided in Classical play, the match will move to a series of tie-breaks: first, two Rapid games with a time control of 10 minutes plus a 10-second increment; if still tied, two five-minute games with a three-second increment; and, if needed, two Blitz games of three minutes with a two-second increment. Should the match remain undecided, the players will continue playing 3+2 Blitz games until a winner emerges. FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 Final: Prize money The FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 champion will take home $50,000 (approximately ₹41.6 lakh), while the runner-up will earn $35,000 (around ₹29.1 lakh) in prize money. FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 Final: Live streaming and telecast details When will the final of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 be played? Game 1 of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 will take place on Saturday, July 26, while Game 2 will be played on Sunday, July 27. If needed, the tie-break will then be played on Monday, July 28. Who will play in the final of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025? India's Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh will play each other in the final of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025. What time will the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 final be played? The FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 final between Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh will take place at 4:30 p.m. IST. There will be no live telecast of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 final in India. The live streaming of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 final will be available on FIDE's official YouTube channel in India.