Australia's cricket team is struggling in their Test match against India, with frustrations mounting after two poor days of play. Despite standout performances from Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, Australia's batting and fielding have been subpar, leading to a significant lead for India. The team is grappling with unexpected pitch conditions and internal tensions, as coach Andrew McDonald remains calm but acknowledges the challenges ahead. Pat Cummins' underperformance and fielding errors have further compounded Australia's difficulties.
Kolkata Knight Riders won their third IPL title by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets. KKR's bowlers, led by Mitchell Starc, dismantled SRH for the lowest total in an IPL final, 113. Venkatesh Iyer's quickfire 52 off 26 balls ensured KKR chased down the target with 57 balls to spare.
Australia Women's team captain Alyssa Healy has expressed her support for her husband, Mitchell Starc, after he became the highest-paid player in IPL history with a record-breaking Rs 24.75 crore deal with the Kolkata Knight Riders. Healy stated that Starc deserved the windfall due to his hard work and sacrifices for the national team. She dismissed a video circulating on social media that showed her enjoying a beer during the auction, clarifying that she was actually in the gym at the time.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra criticized the record-breaking deals of Australian pacers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins in the IPL 2024 auction, stating that it is unfair to Indian stars like Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah. Chopra suggested implementing a cap on spending for foreign players to address the discrepancy and create parity in the IPL.
Mitchell Starc becomes the most expensive player in IPL auction history after being bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 24.75 crore, surpassing Pat Cummins' record bid of INR 20.50 crore made by Sunrisers Hyderabad earlier in the auction. Starc, who last played in the IPL in 2015, expressed his excitement and hopes to contribute to KKR's success. Other notable signings include Mitchell Marsh, Ravindra Jadeja, and uncapped Indian players Sameer Rizvi, Kumar Kushagra, and Shubham Dubey.
India beat Australia by five wickets in the first ODI in Mumbai, with KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja leading the way with an unbroken stand of 108. Chasing 189, India were reduced to 16 for 3 and then 39 for 4 before Rahul and Jadeja soaked up the pressure. Earlier, Mohammed Shami triggered a collapse as Australia went from 129 for 2 to 188 all out. Mitchell Marsh top-scored with 81.
