Latest news with #No.4
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Photos: Chicago Cubs take the series with a 7-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds
Photos from the Chicago Cubs' 7-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field on Sunday, June 1, 2025. MLB players wore jersey patches with No. 4 in honor of Lou Gehrig Day.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Gill, Bumrah, Pant set to spearhead India's Test transition
Mumbai: The change that Indian cricket has been sitting on the cusp of for a while now is finally upon it and the upcoming tour of England will mark several new beginnings for India's Test scene. They will have a new captain, a new No.4 and a new specialist spinner. On Saturday, Ajit Agarkar, who has now been at the helm of the selection committee for close to two years, is expected to ring in the team transition and take decisions that will chart India's course in the new World Test Championship cycle (2025-27) and beyond. When the selectors meet in Mumbai, most of these decisions will be a culmination of informal back-room deliberations that have gone on over the past two months. Shubman Gill, 25, has already been sounded out by Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir about the captaincy situation. Not all experts agree with the idea – primarily because he is yet to realize his full batting potential - but the selectors appear convinced that Gill, India's T20I and ODI vice-captain, is the man for the long term. Rishabh Pant is in line to be named deputy. A churn was inevitable after many of the seniors struggled in Australia. R Ashwin and Rohit retired before they could be axed. Virat Kohli's exit was less anticipated. The right-hander's Test retirement has created a giant vacuum at No.4. Indications are that the selectors will count on Gill to step into Kohli's position. Other than the fact that batting at 4 over 3 may be easier after mentally exhausting days in the field as captain, the move would also open a playing eleven opportunity for the 23-year-old Sai Sudharsan, the most improved young batter over the past twelve months. Ashwin's departure should propel Kuldeep Yadav into the specialist spinner role. His unorthodox specialty could help him get more game time, even in overseas conditions. Although for now, the wrist spinner will compete with the 36-year-old Ravindra Jadeja, the one senior that the selectors appear to be happy to stay invested in for his all-round skills and athleticism. Talking of all-rounders, the selectors have to decide if they should add bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur and off spin all-rounder Washington Sundar to the mix in addition to batting all-rounder Nitish Reddy. All three can fit in, only, if India goes with a jumbo squad of 18; as five specialist pace bowlers will be a must for a five-Test series. Back-ups for Bumrah One of the lessons from the Australian tour is not to overexert Jasprit Bumrah. A one-of-a-kind all-format pace force, Bumrah's workload will be constantly monitored and that is the only reason why the pacer is set to lose out on captaincy. While India would hope the pace ace can feature in four of the five Tests, his body could even limit him to playing only three. The burden to push the limits will fall on Mohammed Siraj. However, the support Siraj and Bumrah got from the other inexperienced pacers wasn't enough Down Under. Ironically, Mohammed Shami, who India badly missed Down Under, may not even make the cut for England despite being available. His bowling is missing the zip of old ever since returning from a fourteen-month injury layoff. This is why the Agarkar-led panel must pick the pace battery with care. The selectors have to decide if Akash Deep (7 Tests) is indeed the obvious replacement for Shami. The Bengal pacer can touch 140 kph, hit English lengths and bowl long spells. Harshit Rana is even less experienced (2 Tests). But, by contrast, he can hit the deck hard with 140-plus speeds and his attitude has caught Gambhir's fancy. Prasidh Krishna, who has regained significant bowling fitness, is in a similar mould to Rana. But will India take only two between Deep, Rana and Krishna? Will left-armer Arshdeep Singh, looked upon as only a white-ball prospect, emerge as the dark horse for his ability to swing the ball? Talking of dark horses, there's also the other left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar and Anshul Kamboj, another steady right-arm pacer for English conditions, who has been picked for the shadow tour before the series. Sarfaraz or Karun Nair Abhimanyu Easwaran may again start as the reserve opener and will get to impress the selectors in matches for India A. It remains to be seen if the selectors retain Sarfaraz Khan or whether the Mumbai batter would be pigeon-holed as a batter for just home condition. Karun Nair, who began his Test career with a triple ton in his debut series in 2016, has put up a strong case for a comeback with consistent runs in domestic cricket and in a batting line-up short on experience, there may be a temptation to lean back on Nair, 33, in the middle order and see if he can conjure up a second wind.
West Australian
22-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
MITCHELL JOHNSON: Marnus Labuschagne should be dropped for Sam Konstas in World Test Championship final
As next month's World Test Championship final draws nearer, the Australian selectors face a series of crucial decisions about the batting line-up to take on South Africa at Lord's. What is clear is that there will be huge change from Australia's last Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle in February, when a conditions-specific top six comprised Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Alex Carey and Josh Inglis, with extra batting depth at No.7 and No.8 with Beau Webster and Cooper Connolly. As selectors weigh their options, the major challenge lies in determining where Cam Green fits into the batting line-up. With his impressive performances both in Tests and recently with two centuries in his county cricket comeback in recent weeks, he undoubtedly adds depth to the top order. Having not played a Test match since March 2024, Green's recent form for Gloucestershire is encouraging and his timing couldn't be better. So who among established players misses out? Ultimately, it will come down to recent form and the balance of the side. The key decision is who opens with Khawaja and once that call is made, the rest of the batting order should fall into place. Given Smith's established success at No.4, it's best to keep him there. This leads to the discussion of whether Green should take up the opener role or come in at No.3. There has been plenty of talk about promoting Labuschagne to open to allow Green to come in at first drop. I would instead be bold and recall Sam Konstas and leave out Labuschagne altogether. The WTC final is a huge occasion and Konstas will be confronting a quality seam attack. But the 19-year-old showed on his Boxing Day debut against India last summer that he has the ability to disrupt a top-class bowling attack. The selectors certainly have some tough decisions ahead, weighing the balance of experience and fresh talent to finalise the batting line-up. Konstas is a risk when he has no experience in English conditions, while Labuschagne has plenty of experience, but he hasn't really got the runs on the board over the past couple of years. Getting the order right is tough for Australia at a time they are a team in transition but have a one-off Test final to win. I would go with Khawaja and Konstas to open, followed by Green, Smith, Head and Webster. That leaves Labuschagne as the unlucky man to miss out, along with Inglis who is also in the 15-man Green not able to contribute with the ball at the moment as he comes back from back surgery, it raises the question of whether Australia needs an all-rounder at No.6. While it is possible they could get away with three quicks and a spinner, complemented by Head's off-spin, for a one-off match, Webster has done well so far and looms as the better option. Webster's strong batting skills combined with his capability as a bowler provide flexibility and he could excel in English conditions. The nagging line and length of his seamers, along with his height, would likely pose challenges for the South African batters. Australia having so many options for the batting line-up is definitely a positive sign. It indicates that players are in good form and pushing for selection, which is essential for a team's success. Tough selection decisions often mean that there is healthy competition among players, and that can only benefit the squad as a whole going forward. It creates an environment where everyone is pushed to perform at their best, and ultimately, that can lead to a stronger top order when it counts. The selectors will have their work cut out for them, but it's a luxury to have such talent to choose from.
USA Today
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Beyoncé bids farewell to a chilly Chicago with a fiery final show and heartfelt thank you
Beyoncé bids farewell to a chilly Chicago with a fiery final show and heartfelt thank you Beyoncé Knowles-Carter put on a scorching final show in Chicago, and despite the chilly temperatures in the the Windy City, the entire night was heated. The Grammy-winning singer kicked off her third concert at Solder Field around 8:22 p.m. CT on May 18. The performance marked Beyoncé's last of three concerts in Chicago on her Cowboy Carter and Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour, after taking the stage May 15, May 17 and May 18. Many fans made note of the cold temperatures on social media as they waited for Beyoncé to take the stage, and the singer even acknowledged them herself. 'Thank y'all for being here tonight. I hope y'all stay warm. We gone get it hot,' she told the crowd as the show began. Beyoncé first debuted the highly anticipated show at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on April 28 with 39 songs on the set list. She performed a total of five shows there, and the concerts proved to be revolutionary spectacle filled with fashion, different music genres and most notably country music and politics. The energy certainly carried over to her three-night run in Chicago, where she introduced several new looks — most recently, a sparkly oversized No. 4 jersey paired with thigh-high boots on the third night. Before closing the show, she took a moment to share her appreciation with the crowd. "Chicago, I want y'all to know y'all may be the best audience. I can't believe y'all have so much energy,' Beyoncé said. "It's 50 degrees, they say it feels like 41. Y'all been out here giving me so much warmth." As fans know, Beyoncé first released the 27-track project in March 2024. It has since made history and broken multiple records. As Beyoncé's first country album, she deliberately featured country legends and emerging Black country artists alike. She became the first Black woman to win best country album at the 2025 Grammys and also took home album of the year. The nine-city tour will span the U.S. and Europe with the grand finale taking place in Las Vegas on July 26. Beyoncé has already made history with her scheduled tour dates, including by playing the most dates at SoFi Stadium of any artist. Beyoncé heads to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for a total of five nights, starting May 22. Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network's Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.
News18
15-05-2025
- Sport
- News18
'You Couldn't Take Your Eyes Off Kohli...': Michael Atherton Lauds Virat Post Retirement
Last Updated: Michael Atherton has lauded Virat Kohli's Test career, noting his passion and impact on Indian cricket. Former England captain Michael Atherton has said that he loved watching Virat Kohli play every day of his 123 Tests, adding that one couldn't take their eyes off the latter, three days after the star India batter announced his retirement from the longest format, just over a month before India's five-Test tour of England. Kohli represented India in 123 Tests, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 hundreds. Kohli led India to 40 victories in 68 Tests, the most by any Indian captain to date, and he is widely considered the best Indian skipper in the longest format. 'I loved watching him play every day of his 123 Tests. You couldn't take your eyes off Kohli. He put his heart and soul into Test cricket, and that energy and passion never seemed to dim," Atherton said while speaking on Sky Sports Cricket. — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 14, 2025 Atherton said that Kohli needed to acknowledge the unique challenges of Tests, a format he not just embraced but elevated with unmatched intensity. 'You kind of pity the person who has to follow," Atherton said while speaking on a probable replacement for Kohli at No. 4. 'I've been a massive Virat Kohli fan over the last 14 years. But he was so more than just the stats, it was his aura, swagger and passion. No one embodied the meaning of cricket in India more than Kohli," Atherton's former teammate Nasser Hussain said. Under Kohli's captaincy, India became the No. 1 Test team in the world, holding that position for over three years. 'He is the ultimate winner. He can't go on the field and not be 100%. Everything for Kohli is about winning. That's why he was so good in run chases and why India became such a formidable force," Hussain said. England are scheduled to host India for a five-match Test series beginning June 20, which is the start of the 2025-2027 World Test Championship cycle as well. Watch CNN-News18 here. Stay updated with all the latest news on IPL 2025, including the schedule, Points Table, IPL Orange Cap, and IPL Purple Cap. Get latest Cricket news, live score and match results on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: May 15, 2025, 08:39 IST
