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Hardik Pandya, who didn’t bowl a single ball in IPL 2021 across both legs in India and the UAE, is still not fit enough to bowl. Virat Kohli, however, has said that India value his big-hitting so much that he will start the T20 World Cup as a specialist batter. Pandya has had to deal with a long-standing back issue, which has severely limited his bowling since he underwent surgery in 2019.”Honestly, I feel that Hardik presently with his physical condition is getting better in terms of being prepared to bowl at least two overs for us at a certain stage in this tournament,” Kohli said on the eve of India’s T20 World Cup opener against Pakistan in Dubai. “We strongly feel that we can make the most of the opportunity at hand till the time he starts bowling, we’ve considered a couple of other options to chip in for an over or two. So, we’re not bothered about that at all. What he brings at that No.6 spot is something you cannot create overnight.”Related

• Virat Kohli cautions against player burnout in trying to 'cover up' for cricket lost to Covid-19

• Hardik Pandya undergoes 'successful' back surgery

• Kohli: Mental health management will become 'a norm of the future'

• Hardik Pandya: 'When I am on the ground, I believe nothing's impossible. I don't feel fear'

Although Pandya’s recent batting form isn’t too encouraging – he managed only 127 runs in 11 innings in IPL 2021 – Kohli pointed out that his middle-order power-hitting had played a vital role in India winning the T20I series 2-1 in Australia last year. Pandya’s finishing salvo – 42 off 22 balls – had helped India hunt down 195 and wrap up the series in Sydney.”I was always in favour of backing him in Australia as a batter purely, and we saw what he did in the T20 series and how he can take the game away from the opposition when he is in full flow,” Kohli said. “So these things from a talking or discussion point of view seem very interesting that if he doesn’t bowl, will he be left out. But we understand the value he brings to the team as a No.6 batter, and in world cricket, if you look around, there are specialists who do that job. It’s very important to have that guy, especially in T20 cricket, who can play an impact innings at that stage. Even when the chips are down, he’s someone who can play a long innings in that way. So for us, that is way more valuable than forcing him to do something he’s not ready for at the moment.”The pitches in the UAE for the recent IPL were largely slow and low, curbing stroke-making. While Kohli was still wary of the relaid Sharjah tracks, he reckoned that the ones in Dubai and Abu Dhabi would play better at the T20 World Cup.”Looking at the IPL finals, I believe the quality of pitches is definitely going to be far better in this T20 World Cup,” he said. “Also it being an ICC tournament, we know that the standard of pitches has to be maintained to a certain degree, which is consistent across all venues. I understand that to protect the pitches for a tournament like the World Cup, there had to be some kind of compromise in terms of the playing conditions when we played the IPL. So, we all understood that the wicket in the IPL finals was very, very good.”I think the dew factor is becoming prominent as we head into this time of the year in Dubai and that is also going to help the pitches play much better. I presume Abu Dhabi and Dubai are probably going to be the best pitches out of all the venues. Sharjah, more or less, will stay true to its true nature, which is slow and low. I don’t see many high-scoring [matches] unless dew becomes such a massive factor there as well.”

Jos Buttler and Jack Leach have been recalled to England’s squad for the fifth and final Test at Old Trafford.Buttler returns after missing the fourth Test while on paternity leave, while Leach is in line to play his first Test since England’s innings defeat to India in Ahmedabad six months ago. Sam Billings, who was included in the fourth Test squad as cover in Buttler’s absence, has returned to Kent.With just three days between the fourth Test – which ended in victory for India by 157 runs after going the distance – and the start of the fifth on Friday, England face some big selection decisions, particularly in relation to their bowling attack.Related

• Joe Root rues England's 'missed opportunities' after Jasprit Bumrah throws fifth day into reverse

• Jos Buttler's Test career isn't over – Joe Root

• Does Jimmy Anderson hold the record for playing most Tests in one country?

• Jasprit Bumrah happens. And England's challenge ends

• England have looked outgunned and outplayed by India

James Anderson, Chris Woakes and Ollie Robinson looked weary having toiled for nearly 150 overs in India’s second innings and Craig Overton suffered a blow to the elbow while batting, although he has been included in the latest 16-man squad announced on Tuesday.England could opt for two spinners, while Mark Wood, returning from injury, and Sam Curran, who was dropped for the fourth Test, are available to freshen up the seam stocks. Wood resumed bowling practice at the end of the third Test after injuring his right shoulder in the previous match at Lord’s.Chris Silverwood, England head coach, confirmed that Wood would come into contention for a place in the starting XI.”We have got some aching bodies, I’m not going to deny that,” Silverwood said. “So we obviously have to keep an eye on that. He could come back and if he does, he will obviously add that pace for us. If the pitch is abrasive as it usually is at Old Trafford there should be reverse swing.”Silverwood also said he would liaise with Anderson about whether he needed to be rested.”It’ll be a discussion that he and I will have together,” Silverwood said. “He will have input into that, without a shadow of a doubt. James knows his own body. He will certainly give me an honest opinion of where he is at, and it’s certainly something I will listen to.”I know what it’s like, he won’t want to miss any cricket. We have to make sure we look after him. Although there is a gap between the final Test and what’s in front of him, he’s certainly someone I want to make sure is looked after.”Meanwhile, England will be seeking a sharper performance in the field if they are to secure a series-levelling victory in Manchester, having missed six chances at The Oval.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Their batting, as ever in recent times, needs to improve to an extent where they can drop their reliance on the in-form Joe Root – especially in the absence of Ben Stokes, who remains out indefinitely on a mental health break. While half-centuries to Ollie Pope and Chris Woakes in the first innings and openers Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed in the second were useful, England lost 10 for 110 in their second innings with no one from No. 5 down reaching 20 amid a pivotal spell from Jasprit Bumrah, who removed Pope and Jonny Bairstow cheaply as England lost 4 for 6.”We have to recognise situations first and foremost,” Silverwood said. “The spell from Bumrah was as good a Test bowling spell as you are going to see but at the same time if we want to be where they are we’ve got to manage those situations.”He blew us away with that spell and made it very difficult for us but it is certainly something that we have to learn and that is what being ruthless is being all about.”India at times have proved a really tough nut to crack… it was an outstanding bowling performance. It seems they get half an opportunity and they push the door open and go for it.”India will be without Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun and R Srindhar, their head coach and bowling and fielding coaches, after the three tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday. The rest of the India squad returned negative PCR tests the following day and Silverwood had no concerns about the possibility of the fifth Test being called off.”I hope the guys who have Covid are fine and well, and obviously wish them a speedy recovery,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned and from what I’m hearing the final Test is going ahead as planned and we’re looking forward to it. Obviously we want it to go ahead because we want to bounce back and even this series up.”

ScorecardBrendon McCullum revived Middlesex’s fortunes•Getty Images

Middlesex revived their T20 hopes with a 16-run defeat of Kent Spitfires at Richmond as their captain Brendon McCullum provided runs to go with his inspirational qualities to once again fill their season with optimism.McCullum’s captain’s innings of 88 in 51 balls – his first major knock of the season – looked set to be the launchpad for a formidable total but Calum Haggett’s 3-27, and a Matt Coles’ hat-trick, restricted the hosts to 179 for 8. However, Kent started poorly and while half-centuries from Sam Northeast and James Neesham kept them in the hunt the rate climbed steadily. With wickets falling too they fell to their third defeat of the competition.Victory will be a boon, too, for their coach Dan Vettori, one of only two specialist T20 coaches in the competition, after a sluggish start to the season.Steve Finn, Middlesex’s England fast bowler, was bullish about their chances after McCullum had led them to victory. “It was an exceptional innings and great to watch,” he said. “He hit so cleanly. Everyone is happy in the dressing room right now. We have an exceptional top order.”This is the strongest team I have played in since since making the final in 2008. We’ve been found wanting in T20 since so it is important we have put this structure into place, We are still getting to know the coaches and captain anf haven’t fired consistently as a team yet, but we don’t want to peak too early.”Put into bat on a greenish pitch, Middlesex began with alacrity, but also with the benefit of fortune. Matt Coles surprised McCullum when the Kiwi was on six but though the ball popped up temptingly it fell between fielders. McCullum had scored another 11 when he drove the same bowler to Northeast at cover only for his Kent counterpart to drop him. On both occasions, to Coles’ chagrin, the next ball was smacked for four.With McCullum reaching his 50 in the ninth over, and the opening partnership into the 80s, 200-plus beckoned. Even after England call-up Dawid Malan, having pulled Coles for six into the food tents, gloved the next ball to depart for 33 it was 125 for 1 after 13. But James Tredwell (1-22) and Haggett staunched the flow of runs.Frustrated, McCallum played one bold shot too many, bowled trying to ramp, and a clatter of wickets ensued. Morgan followed successive sixes by holing out then Coles took a last-over hat-trick completed by bowling Tim Southee first ball.Southee fared better with ball in hand, having Daniel Bell-Drummond leg before to the opener’s first ball. The in-form Joe Denly, having survived a very sharp chance to McCullum, then edged Finn to leave Kent 2-2. Sam Billings soon followed but Northeast and Neesham, running excellently for a pair only recently acquainted, and finding hitherto unseen gaps in this small outground, added 75 in nine overs. However, boundaries were sporadic and by the time Northeast skied the rate had crept above 11-an-over.Darren Stevens quickly followed but Kent have a long battery of hitters. Blake joined Neesham and it came down to 38 off three overs, then 29 off two, but when that pair perished the game was done.

The BCCI has been forced to put off the special general meeting (SGM) scheduled for Tuesday to ratify the three Lodha Committee recommendations shortlisted for reconsideration by the Supreme Court.The postponement was because some state associations – Tamil Nadu, Saurashtra, Kerala and Goa among them – objected to the short notice given for scheduling the SGM, saying it did not comply with BCCI regulations. The BCCI will now issue a 15-day notice for the next date of the SGM; it is expected to be held between July 25 and 27. The minimum notice period for calling an SGM is ten days.According to a BCCI official, the delay will not hinder the decision taken by the special committee, which was appointed to shortlist which Lodha Committee recommendations to put forth for reconsideration. “The special committee had met twice and three points were finally shortlisted,” the board official said. “That was all communicated to the COA. It will file a status report in any case.”Tuesday’s postponement is another example of the delaying tactics used by a section of the BCCI’s members who are against implementing the Lodha Committee recommendations, ever since the Supreme Court of India approved them in an order on July 18, 2016.At the previous SGM on June 27, the BCCI members were made aware of the lack of time to finalise the recommendations ahead of the Supreme Court hearing on July 14. Former BCCI president N Srinivasan, who was not in favour of the BCCI adopting a new constitution as per the Lodha Committee’s recommendations, was present at that June 27 SGM as the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association’s (TNCA) representative.On July 8, BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary had said in an email that the SGM had been called on July 11 as per the instructions of acting board president CK Khanna, and that the short notice was subject to the approval of the members.On July 10, the TNCA was the first to lodge a protest against the two-day notice for the SGM; its secretary RI Palani said it was “illegal”. “The meeting, should it be convened on July11, 2017, would be illegal and all decisions taken there would be of no consequence.”According to Palani, it was a “critical requirement” for members to have enough time to discuss the recommendations and the implications of implementing them. “Curtailing this process is antithetical to the democratic principles on which the BCCI and its members are based.”

Harmanpreet Kaur is set to become the first Indian to play in the Kia Super League, England’s domestic T20 tournament. The 28-year old was signed up by Surrey Stars for the upcoming season starting in August 2017.Harmanpreet has played 139 international matches, scoring 2915 runs and collecting 34 wickets. She was selected as India’s T20I captain in November 2016 and has been a vital cog in India’s top order across all formats. She already has experience playing franchise T20 cricket, having turned out for Sydney Thunder in the Women’s Big Bash League last year. She made 296 runs at an average of 59.20 in 12 matches but was pulled out during the final stages of the tournament to attend a training camp with the rest of her Indian team-mates. Harmanpreet was adjudged Sydney Thunder’s WBBL Player of the Tournament.The second season of the Kia Super League begins on August 10. It features six teams, with the one finishing on top after the league stage moving through to the final. The second and third placed teams participate in a play-off and the winner moves on to the title clash.

AB de Villiers, the ODI captain, and Hashim Amla are among eight marquee South Africa players for the inaugural franchise-based CSA T20 League to be played in November-December this year. This follows the signing of eight marquee international players – Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen, Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Bravo, Lasith Malinga, Eoin Morgan, Kieron Pollard and Jason Roy – last week.Each marquee South Africa player will represent a new franchise based in the city he’s been associated with or “a city which he can build a strong association.” The other marquee local players are Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, the T20 and Test captain, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir.”The selection of our own South African marquee players has been very exciting. It will be even more exciting when we engage fans to help us to allocate the hometown hero to each franchise team,” Haroon Lorgat, the CSA chief executive, said. “This announcement is another major step towards establishing our new T20 League.”We must not understate the world-class quality of our own players. They are household names across the world, and our fans in South Africa will finally get the chance to see them compete against one another at home. Together with the international marquee players announced last week, the Protea stars will add great value to the new franchise teams they will represent.”Along with the marquee local player, each franchise will also be allocated one international marquee player, effectively ensuring the eight franchises will start with two marquee players ahead of the draft system that will help complete the 17-member squad.

Travis Head, the Australia limited-overs batsman, will return to Headingley this summer as Yorkshire’s overseas player for the NatWest T20 Blast.Head, 23, played four times for the club in last season’s competition, scoring 113 runs at a strike rate of 134.52 before being called up for Australia’s ODI series in Sri Lanka.He has played 29 matches for Australia in white-ball cricket since January 2016, and has earned a reputation with Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League as one of the most explosive batsmen in T20 cricket.”I am looking forward to returning to Headingley to play for the Yorkshire Vikings in 2017,” said Head. “I really enjoyed my time in Yorkshire last year and I can’t wait to meet up with the lads again.”As an overseas player, I would like to help the team go further than last year and hopefully win the NatWest T20 Blast.”Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s director of cricket, confirmed the signing during the club’s Annual General Meeting at Headingley.”When Travis came over last year, although his stay was relatively brief, he showed his capabilities in that short period. He has gone from strength to strength since then, so it an easy decision to bring him back.”Travis is now an established international cricketer and we are really looking forward to having him on board. Together with Peter Handscomb, I believe that we have two outstanding overseas players.”We have all bases covered now, so it is something to look forward to.”Andrew Gale, the first XI coach, added: “It was a no-brainer to bring Travis back. If we had the opportunity to bring him back, we were always going to. He has gone from strength-to-strength since he left us last summer, getting into the Australia team and being a consistent performer for them.”We have been looking at someone to make a big impact and Travis did that for us last year. He is a fantastic player around the dressing room and a fantastic one on the pitch.”That middle order batting position has been key for us in T20 over the last few years, getting someone who is explosive and can win you a game. Travis did that for us last year and given his availability, we were always going to try and sign him again.”

Bangladesh opening batsman Imrul Kayes has been ruled out of contention for the one-off Test against India, which starts on Thursday in Hyderabad. Imrul injured his left thigh while fielding on day two of the Bangladeshis’ tour match against India A at the Gymkhana ground.According to BCB media manager Rabeed Imam, it is a recurrence of the same injury that ruled Imrul out of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch last month.In Imrul’s absence, Soumya Sarkar – who replaced him in Christchurch, opened for the first time in Tests, and scored 86 and 36 – is likely to open alongside Tamim Iqbal in Hyderabad. Bangladesh have not called up an opener as Imrul’s replacement, instead flying in the middle-order batsman Mosaddek Hossain, who played the ODIs and T20s in New Zealand but was overlooked for the Tests.Imrul’s injury comes as a significant blow to Bangladesh ahead of their first-ever Test on Indian soil. While Imrul’s Test record is modest – 1432 runs at 28.64 – he and Tamim have forged what is by far Bangladesh’s most successful opening partnership. Together, they have scored 2205 runs, and average an impressive 47.93as a pair with four century stands.Bangladesh squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), Tamim Iqbal, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Taijul Islam, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Subashis Roy, Liton Das (wk), Mominul Haque, Shafiul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain.

The spotlight on pitches has returned to Indian cricket following their defeat inside three days on a rank turner in Pune by an unfancied Australian team. Preparations at the venue for the second Test, Bangalore, though suggest the playing surface might not be as extreme.R Sudhakar Rao, secretary at the Karnataka State Cricket Association, said that the groundstaff at M Chinnaswamy stadium were working towards providing a strip that helps a Test match last its entire duration. He also said the Indian team has not arrived on site yet and have not left any instructions to be followed either.”So far we have not been told anything,” he told , “Once they arrive, we have to see if they make any suggestions.”Our intention is to prepare a sporting, Test-match pitch. We want a five-day match. We definitely don’t want to see the match end in two and a half days.”The last Test match at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, between India and South Africa in 2015, was washed out with only one day’s play possible. That prompted a large-scale renovation and though the pitches on the square were untouched, the outfield itself was dug out to install a state-of-the-art drainage system. Bangalore has already hosted an international match since then – the T20I between India and England – but this will be its first Test since its makeover. PR Vishwanathan, the South Zone head of the BCCI’s ground and pitches committee, is expected to oversee preparations before it begins on March 4.For now, the Chinnaswamy deck, under the supervision of the in-house curator K Sriram, continues to get water. “We like to keep some moisture underneath. So we haven’t stopped watering it,” Rao said. “We’ll water it until two or three days before the match. Then we will see what the pitch looks like, two days out, and take a call.”On the first two days, the pitch should be good for batting and help medium-pacers. On days two and three there should be slow turn. Then on the last two days there should be more turn. I have told Sriram to prepare that kind of wicket,” Rao said “At least, that is our intention.”

Two Tests into Australia’s summer, Nathan Lyon’s position appeared to be in jeopardy. The interim chairman of selectors, Trevor Hohns, hinted ahead of the Adelaide Test against South Africa that had Steve O’Keefe not suffered a calf injury shortly before the squad was selected, he may well have taken the place of the struggling Lyon. Fast forward four Tests and Lyon is earning nothing but praise from within the Australian camp.If he was not exactly a match-winner at the SCG, he was at least a very valuable contributor, picking up five wickets in the victory. And with a four-Test tour of India beginning next month, Australia’s selectors are pleased to see Lyon returning to something close to his best. At the SCG, he often bowled in tandem with left-armer O’Keefe in what could be a preview of Australia’s spin attack for the India tour.”I thought Nathan was very good in Melbourne and brilliant in this Test match,” coach and selector Darren Lehmann said. “That’s the best he’s bowled for a long period of time. I think he’ll admit that. He used his variation really well, bowled well to right and left-handers, bowled over and around, and chopped and changed, which was really pleasing.”Sometimes he gets into the one way, he just wants to bowl over the wicket all the time. He was exceptional in this game and bowled really well. I’m looking forward to that sort of combination going to India.”Ashton Agar, who was part of Australia’s squad for the Sydney Test but was not included in the XI, also has a strong chance of being picked in the touring party. However, Lehmann also said that Victoria’s spin-bowling allrounder Glenn Maxwell would be another contender for a place in what is likely to be an expanded squad to cover for all eventualities.”He’ll certainly come under consideration with India coming up,” Lehmann said on ABC Radio on Saturday morning. “We know he plays spin bowling well and offers that extra dimension, and is a gun fielder. We want to see him make runs, and he’s had a reasonable start to the BBL. That’s the challenge for him, to keep going, and then hopefully [earn a place] in the one-day squad.”Glenn Maxwell, whose last Test was in 2014, could make a return to Australia’s scheme of things for the tour of India•Getty Images

Whichever spinners make the cut for Australia, they will need quickly to work out that bowling in India requires a very different approach compared to Australian pitches that offer plenty of bounce. Although Lyon was Australia’s leading wicket-taker on the 2013 tour of India, with 15 at 37.33, he had been dropped after leaking runs in the first Test in Chennai.”Nathan Lyon, at the moment, I think he is bowling very well,” Pakistan’s captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, said. “But if you compare Australian conditions with the Indian conditions, or any Asian conditions, there is difference of bounce, which normally spinners get in Australia. That’s why I think when our spinners come here, it is difficult for them because they have to get used to these conditions and utilize that bounce in their favour.”When the bowlers from here go to Asia, they find it difficult to utilize these sort of turning tracks, because there, under-cutter bowlers who bowl quicker are effective. Bowlers who bowl overspin and bowl slower normally get thrashed. It will be difficult for them. I think they can [do well], it’s about adjusting yourself to the conditions. The biggest challenge will be India’s strong batting line-up. They’re batting beautifully in their own conditions.”Australia’s batsmen will also face a significant challenge in India. The squad will spend two weeks in Dubai ahead of the tour, training on turning pitches at the ICC’s Academy and playing an unofficial three-day game there in an effort to acclimatise to Asian conditions. They then head to Mumbai for a tour match ahead of the first Test in Pune, which begins from February 23.”It’ll be a pretty tough camp,” Lehmann said of the Dubai leg of the journey. “Batting long periods of time is going to be the key. I think Alastair Cook summed it up really well on their tour, where they didn’t bat long enough. They got decent scores but still didn’t bat long enough. That’s going to be a challenge for the group.”We batted 135 overs in this first innings – we need to bat 150-plus in India, to post a big, big total. It’s a great challenge for the group going forward. They’re fit and strong, so they should be able to bat long periods of time.”