Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Ashwin takes four as India lead Australia by 62

Ravi Ashwin bagged four wickets as a dominant India held a 62-run lead at stumps on day two of the Adelaide day-night Test after Australian captain Tim Paine ran out of batting partners.

Paine was left stranded on 73 not out when the Australian innings ended at 191 to trail India's 244 by 53 runs.


Ashwin had figures of 4-55 while Umesh Yadav took 3-40.

At stumps, India in their second innings were one down for nine with Mayank Agarwal on five and nightwatchman Jasprit Bumrah yet to score. The under-pressure Prithvi Shaw, who was out for a duck in the first innings, was bowled by Pat Cummins for four.

Fifteen wickets fell on the day which started when Cummins and Mitchell Starc took just 25 deliveries to knock off the final four India batsmen.

Australia in turn struggled to make headway as Bumrah, Ashwin and Yadav worked their way through the batting order.

"It certainly wasn't our best performance, but give India credit they bowled really well," said Paine.

"They put us under pressure and we just couldn't get any momentum or build any partnerships together. But anything can happen tomorrow.

"The main thing is to keep the scoreboard under control and hopefully one of our great bowlers has a bit of a run on and gets some momentum."

Even with India spilling five chances, they never allowed Australia to settle apart from a determined Paine who plugged on to his eighth half century, aided in part by being dropped by Agarwal on 26.

It was Paine's only misstep and he brought up his 50 off 68 deliveries with an assured cut to the boundary.

As his confidence grew he produced a reverse sweep to move into the 60s with a four off Ashwin.

- Big wicket -

After Australia took 28 balls to get their first runs on the board, Bumrah stepped up to remove makeshift opener Matthew Wade and the out-of-form Joe Burns for eight each before dinner.

Ashwin's spin captured the wickets of Steve Smith, Travis Head and debutant Cameron Green between dinner and tea with Smith, the world's premier batsman, facing 29 deliveries for his sole run.

In the final session Yadav snared Marnus Labuschagne and Cummins to expose the tail and joined Ashwin to take the final two wickets of Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood.

Labuschagne survived long enough in the middle to be Australia's second-highest scorer with 47, but his wicket was always under threat.

He was dropped three times before his luck ran out after tea when he was trapped in front by Yadav.

It was a fruitful over for Yadav, who removed Cummins before he could score.

"I'm just so happy to be playing Test cricket again, it's been a long while, it felt like I was making my debut all over again," said Ashwin.

"Obviously Steve Smith was a big wicket, in the context of the game a very important wicket."

India's first innings wrapped up quickly on the second morning with the last four wickets adding just 11 runs in 25 balls.

But the tourists' problems started in the final session the previous day at 188 for three, when Virat Kohli was run out to spark a spectacular collapse which saw their last seven wickets fall for 56 runs.

Starc and Cummins, who shared the final four dismissals, were the pick of the Australian bowlers, Starc finishing with 4-53 and Cummins 3-48.

More For You

Tom cruise

'The Final Reckoning' is expected to mark the conclusion of Ethan Hunt’s storyline

Getty

This food fuels Tom Cruise before he performs daring stunts for action films

Tom Cruise, 62, has shared details of his high-calorie breakfast routine that fuels his extreme stunt work in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. The actor, known for performing his own action sequences, revealed in an interview with People magazine that he consumes a “massive breakfast” before attempting high-risk feats such as wing-walking, plane jumps, and mountain climbs.

Cruise explained the importance of his morning meal in maintaining energy during physically demanding scenes, particularly those performed at high altitude. “I actually eat a massive breakfast,” he said. “The amount of energy it takes — I train so hard for that wing-walking. I’ll eat, like, sausage and almost a dozen eggs and bacon and toast and coffee and fluids. Oh, I’m eating! Picture: It’s cold up there. We’re at high altitude. My body is burning a lot.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Tim Friede’s Snakebite Trials Pave Way for Universal Antivenom

Traditional antivenoms are made by injecting venom into animals

iStock

Tim Friede survives 200 snakebites to help create universal antivenom

Scientists have developed a potentially groundbreaking snake antivenom using the blood of Tim Friede, a US man who has spent nearly two decades injecting himself with venom from some of the world’s deadliest snakes. The research has led to the discovery of antibodies offering unprecedented protection against a broad range of venomous species.

Friede, a former truck mechanic, has been bitten more than 200 times and injected himself with venom over 700 times in an attempt to build immunity. His goal, initially motivated by personal safety while handling snakes, evolved into a mission to aid global snakebite victims. Each year, snakebites kill up to 140,000 people and cause permanent injury or disability in many more, particularly in developing countries.

Keep ReadingShow less
shubman gill

Shubman Gill of Gujarat Titans play a shot during the 2025 IPL match between Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Ahmedabad.

Getty Images

Gill, Buttler star as Gujarat beat Hyderabad in IPL

SHUBMAN GILL and Jos Buttler scored half-centuries as Gujarat Titans defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 38 runs in the IPL match on Friday.

Gujarat posted 224 for 6 after being asked to bat first at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Gill scored 76 off 38 balls, while Buttler added 64 from 37.

Keep ReadingShow less
Alia Bhatt Joins Aishwarya Rai at Cannes as L’Oréal Ambassador

Alia Bhatt joins Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Viola Davis as L'Oréal Paris ambassadors at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival

Getty Images

Alia Bhatt to make Cannes debut as L’Oréal Paris ambassador alongside Aishwarya Rai

Alia Bhatt is stepping onto one of cinema’s most iconic stages: Cannes. The actor will walk the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival for the first time this May, representing L’Oréal Paris as their global ambassador.

This will in fact be a new chapter in her career, as she joins a line-up of international faces from the beauty brand, including Eva Longoria, Viola Davis, Jane Fonda and Elle Fanning. Cannes runs from 13 to 24 May this year, and Alia will also be seen alongside veteran Cannes attendee and fellow L’Oréal ambassador Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Keep ReadingShow less
Thousand Splendid Suns play

A Thousand Splendid Suns: A Gripping Tale of Resilience and Sisterhood at Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Sisterhood & Resilience at Birmingham Rep

The Birmingham Repertory Theatre is currently hosting a powerful and emotionally charged stage adaptation of A Thousand Splendid Suns, running until Saturday, 3 May. Based on the bestselling novel by Khaled Hosseini, the play vividly brings to life the heart-wrenching story of two Afghan women, Mariam and Laila, whose lives become inextricably linked against the backdrop of war, oppression, and the rise of the Taliban.

Set in a war-torn Kabul, the production explores the harsh realities of life under a brutal regime, while offering a deeply moving portrayal of human endurance and the strength found in unexpected companionship. As political turmoil intensifies, Mariam and Laila—initially strangers—form a bond that transcends suffering and evolves into an unbreakable sisterhood.

Keep ReadingShow less