Ten questions about Kohli and Dhoni around RCB vs CSK encounters from the last 18 years
Sreshth Shah and Shubh Agarwal02-May-2025If the quiz does not appear below, disable your ad-blocker and click here to reload the page
It is not just professional football that Harry Kane is dedicated to, with the Bayern Munich striker "braving the cold" in order to "get 18 holes in" during a winter round of golf. The England captain can often be found on the fairways and is not ready to put his clubs away just yet, despite freezing weather descending on Europe. He is wrapping up against testing conditions.
World Cup-bound: Kane fired England to another tournament
Kane has been making the most of time off towards the end of the latest international break. He has been away with England, helping to complete a faultless qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.
He figured in meetings with Serbia and Albania, bagging a brace against the latter to seal a 2-0 win on the road. The Three Lions have reached another major tournament without dropping a point or conceding a goal.
Kane will captain them – fitness permitting – at next summer’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He will get more time in the Americas to work on his golf game, with it likely that a bag of woods and irons will make the journey with him over the Atlantic.
AdvertisementHitting the greens: Kane braves the cold
The 32-year-old never passes up the chance to hit the greens, with golf becoming his favourite pastime. Said game presents him with an opportunity to escape the stresses of his day job.
He has made a point of getting a few more rounds in before chilly conditions making playing impossible. Kane donned a woolly hat when breaking out his driver again. He posted on Instagram: "Winter golf. Anybody else been braving the cold to get 18 holes in?"
NFL or PGA Tour: Kane has not ruled out crossover
There will be a fair few joining Kane in getting more golf in before 2025 comes to a close. Some of those may fancy their chances of taking on the England skipper, with the prolific frontman revealing that he plays off a single-figure handicap of three.
He has not ruled out exploring a future on the PGA Tour once his playing days on the football field are over. Kane has told : "I’d still say ‘never say never’, because I don’t like to rule anything out. It takes such a lot of time and dedication, it would be really, really, really tough. I think sometimes people don’t appreciate how much work goes into it. You watch it on the TV and you see them doing it so effortlessly and you think ‘I could have a go at that’, but it’s really tough. I’d never say never, but I think it’s really unlikely that will happen."
While being more than competent with a club in hand, Kane has never achieved the ultimate goal in golf. He does, however, intend to right that wrong at some point in the not too distant future. He told his channel back in May: "I’ve never got a hole in one. One of my lifetime goals is to join the hole in one club!"
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GettyKane record: Goal tallies for Bayern and England
Kane has made a habit of hitting his targets down the years, with there seemingly nothing that he cannot do. He is able to drive the ball over 300 yards in golf, which will put him in position to grab the odd hole in one at some point.
With his clean striking of a ball with his foot also being taken into account, it has been suggested that Kane could move into American football once his soccer career is over. He is a big fan of NFL and has admitted to being keen on moving into place kicking.
For now, Kane is focused on scoring goals for Bayern and England. He has reached 108 through 113 appearances for the former, while taking his record-setting haul for the latter to 78 from 112 caps.
Bundesliga champions Bayern, who have dropped just two points through 10 fixtures in the German top-flight this season, will be back in action on Saturday when playing host to Freiburg.
Spinner’s five-for sees Kent follow on, before hosts stumble to close five down
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-Sep-2025Kent 271 (Ekansh 71, Dawkins 61, Morley 5-99) and 136 for 5 (Compton 55*, Evison 53, Reece 4-33) trail Derbyshire 698 for 6 dec by 291 runsDerbyshire were closing in on a huge victory against Kent when bad light forced a premature end to day three of their Rothesay County Championship match at Canterbury.Kent were 135 for 5 in their seconds innings, still 291 behind, after Luis Reece ripped out their top order with 4 for 33.That came after Jack Morley took 5 for 99 as the visitors dismissed Kent for 271 in the first innings, a lead of 427. Ekansh Singh and Ben Dawkins both hit career-best scores of 71 and 61 respectively, but when the former was out Kent’s last four wickets went for just nine runs.Derbyshire enforced the follow on and Reece reduced them to 20 for 3 before Joey Evison and Ben Compton offered some resistance. Reece eventually got Evison for 53, but Compton was unbeaten on 55 when the light failed.The lights were on but very few people were at home when play began on time, with Kent on 117 for 2. Morley, who removed nightwatcher Michael Cohen with the final ball on day two, struck again in his first full over of the morning, getting Jaydn Denly lbw for a five-ball duck.Ekansh was given a life when Wayne Madsen couldn’t cling on to a slip catch after he flashed at Ben Aitchison, but Dawkins was strangled as soon as Zak Chappell returned from the Nackington Road End.Ollie Curtiss got his first first-class runs, but Morley had him brilliantly caught by Martin Andersson at midwicket for 14, leaving Kent on 217 for 5 at lunch.Morley claimed his fifth in style by clinging on to a violent return catch from Ekansh at the second attempt and in doing so he became the first Derbyshire spinner to claim five wickets at Canterbury since Les Townsend in 1931.There was raucous applause from the Nackington Road End when Evison hit Harry Came for successive boundaries to earn Kent a solitary bonus point, but he then slashed Reece to Aneurin Donald at first slip, before Aitchison got his second strangle of the day when Harry Finch flicked him behind for 14.Corey Flintoff went for a second-ball duck, hitting Aitchison straight to the sub fielder Nick Potts at square leg and Matt Parkinson lasted four balls before he edged Reece to Wayne Madsen, who took an outstanding one-handed grab at second slip.If that was bad, there was worse to come as Reece bowled Dawkins for nought with the second ball of the second innings and then had Denly caught behind for four in his next over. Reece got his third of the innings when Ekansh was caught behind for 4, but Compton and Evison steadied things.The latter was dropped by Amrit Basra off Chappell when he was on 28 in the final over before tea, at which point Kent were 61 for 3. He was dropped again on 52 when he drove Dal to midwicket, but Donald put him down, apparently while celebrating a catch he hadn’t actually taken.Donald’s embarrassment was fleeting as Evison chipped Reece to Andersson in the next over and Dal then bowled Curtiss for 4 but Compton swept Morley for four to pass 50 and bad light stopped play at 5.39pm, with eight overs remaining.
Giants pitcher Landen Roupp has had a solid season in 2025—but on Wednesday, his outing was destined to end early.
Padres center fielder Ramon Laureano struck Roupp directly in the knee with a line drive Wednesday night, sending the San Francisco hurler to the ground clutching his left knee. After some anxious time spent on the Petco Park grass, Roupp was removed from the premises on a cart.
In 2 1/3 innings pitched Wednesday, Roupp gave up five earned runs on five hits while walking two and striking out two. He departed with his team trailing 3–0 in the bottom of the third.
Roupp, a Rocky Mount, N.C., native and UNC Wilmington product, is in his second year with the Giants. He's 7-6 in '25 with a 3.45 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 104 1/3 innings.
Veteran pitcher Joey Lucchesi replaced Roupp against his former team, navigating San Francisco out of that third inning to forget.
The opener only made 4 and Kurtis Patterson was dismissed cheaply as NSW made a bad start
AAP04-Oct-2025Sam Konstas missed out in his first Ashes audition of the new Sheffield Shield summer as New South Wales slumped against Western Australia on a rain-shortened opening day at the WACA ground.The NSW opener, who turned 20 this week, fell for 4 off 25 balls before rain stopped play on Saturday in Perth. Team-mate Kurtis Patterson also was dismissed for 8 from 36 balls after WA won the toss and had no hesitation in sending NSW in on a moist green surface under overcast skies.Related
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Konstas’ low score came on a day when another Ashes hopeful, Tasmanian opener Jake Weatherald, made 67 from 99 balls against Queensland in Brisbane.When rain stopped play in Perth, NSW were in early strife at 35 for 3.Konstas came to Perth with a head of steam after scoring a century for Australia A in India but batting was much harder on the bowler-friendly surface at the WACA. He survived two lbw appeals, while wicketkeeper Joel Curtis dropped a tough catch off his inside edge from the bowling of Matt Kelly.But WA left-arm seamer Joel Paris was ultimately rewarded for an impressive opening spell when he trapped Konstas lbw. Paris bowled eight overs with seven maidens and has figures of 1 for 1.Cameron Gannon had Patterson caught behind and Test all-rounder Cameron Green took an outstanding catch at second slip off spinner Corey Rocchiccioli to dismiss opener Blake Nikitaras for 9 from 57 deliveries.Matthew Gilkes and Oliver Davies were trying to rebuild having come together at 23 for 3 in the 20th over but rain halted play after 25.1 overs and teams never got back on.
Mariners star Cal Raleigh may have all but locked up the American League MVP award on Wednesday night when he blasted his 60th home run of the season, becoming the seventh player in MLB history to hit 60 home runs or more in one campaign.
With four games to play, Raleigh sits just two home runs away from tying the American League record set by Aaron Judge in 2022, and three away from breaking it. Ironically, Judge and Raleigh are neck-and-neck in the AL MVP race.
Only Roger Maris, Judge, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds have hit more home runs in a single season than Raleigh. Raleigh's 60th home run tied Babe Ruth's mark set in 1927.
The Mariners went on to beat the Rockies on Wednesday night to move to 89-69 on the season. There's no doubt there's more to come from Raleigh in what remains of the regular season, and into what should be a raucous postseason atmosphere at T-Mobile Park.
Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos is reportedly poised to leave Mexican club Monterrey and return to European football, driven by a desire to represent Spain at the 2026 World Cup. The 39-year-old defender has decided against renewing his contract with Rayados, which is nearing its expiry, hoping to bow out with a Liga MX title.
Ramos prioritises family and national team ambitions
Ramos’s decision to depart Mexico stems from two primary factors: a preference for family life in Europe compared to Mexico, and a lingering ambition to play for the Spanish national team again. The states that Ramos believes consistent playing time in a top-level European competition brings him closer to the style of play preferred by Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, thereby increasing his chances of a recall.
Despite turning 40 next March, just months before the World Cup in North America, Ramos has not given up on adding to his record 180 caps for La Roja. He last played for his country in March 2021 and was subsequently omitted from the squads for Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and Euro 2024 by former coach Luis Enrique and current boss De la Fuente respectively.
A report from draws a parallel with Aymeric Laporte, who left Saudi Arabia to return to Europe with Athletic Club, a move that bolstered his standing with the national team. Ramos hopes a similar path will convince De la Fuente that he can still contribute at the highest international level.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportImpact during Monterrey spell
Ramos joined Monterrey on a one-year deal in 2025 and has made his mark during his brief time in Liga MX. He featured in the Club World Cup for the Mexican side, where he became the oldest goalscorer in the tournament's history. His time there also saw him receive the 30th red card of his illustrious career, further cementing his reputation as a fierce, if sometimes ill-disciplined, competitor.
Beyond his on-field contributions, where he provided defensive solidity for one of Mexico's biggest clubs, Ramos's presence brought significant commercial and media impact to Monterrey. However, with his contract running down, his departure now seems inevitable as he seeks a new challenge closer to home for the second half of the season.
Potential European destinations emerge
While a return to La Liga remains a possibility, it is considered difficult to imagine Ramos playing for any Spanish clubs other than his former teams, Real Madrid and Sevilla. Consequently, several other European options are reportedly being explored.
Reports suggest that Roma, Bayer Leverkusen and Marseille are among the clubs that could offer Ramos a route back into European football. Roma are currently mounting a surprising title challenge in Serie A under Gian Piero Gasperini and boast the league's meanest defence. Ramos's vast experience and leadership could prove invaluable to their relatively young backline during the title run-in.
Bayer Leverkusen, meanwhile, are recovering from a poor start to their Bundesliga campaign. Following a managerial change, they are looking to close the eight-point gap to leaders Bayern Munich. Having lost several key players in the summer, Ramos is viewed as a potential stopgap signing who could provide direction and stability.
In Ligue 1, Marseille are enjoying an excellent season under Roberto De Zerbi, sitting just two points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Given Ramos’s history with PSG, his arrival at their arch-rivals would add significant intrigue to the title race. His experience in high-pressure situations could help Marseille sustain their pursuit of a first league title in years.
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Getty Images SportWhat next for Sergio Ramos?
Ramos will now focus on finalising his departure from Monterrey as his contract winds down. His representatives will be aiming to secure a move to a European club in the upcoming January transfer window, ensuring he is playing regularly at a high level in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup. His performance in the second half of the European season will be crucial in determining whether his dream of a final international recall can become a reality.
India’s captain said she always had belief in her team even when things got tough in the World Cup
Sruthi Ravindranath03-Nov-2025
Harmanpreet Kaur sprints off after taking the final catch of the tournament•ICC/Getty Images
If the semi-final win against Australia was emotional – captain Harmanpreet Kaur was unable to hold back tears in the dugout – the day India finally lifted their first-ever Women’s World Cup was filled with nothing but smiles. A beaming Harmanpreet walked into the press conference room, bringing the trophy along. The emotion this time was of a different kind, like the buzz of a dream realised. And the one word she kept returning to was “self-belief”.One of the first questions, inevitably, was about the feeling of finally touching a trophy that had long eluded India.”I’m just trying to express what I’m feeling. I’m numb, I’m not able to understand,” Harmanpreet said. “So, it’s just that there were ups and downs, but the team had self-belief. I’ve been saying this since day one. We weren’t looking to the left or right. We were only looking at our main end goal.Related
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“We felt we could win from the first ball itself because the way our team was playing in the last three games, a lot of things changed for us, especially our self-belief. We have played good cricket for a long time. We knew what we could do as a team. We knew there would be tough conditions for batting, but credit goes to Smriti [Mandhana] and Shafali [Verma]; they handled the first 10 overs very well.”There was laughter, too. Harmanpreet’s luck with the toss hadn’t improved all tournament – she won one in nine attempts – and she lost it again on the day of the final. “From the first ball itself, I had the belief that it doesn’t matter – because we don’t normally win the toss – we knew we had to bat first,” she said, smiling.There was belief, but there were also nerves. Laura Wolvaardt’s century had kept South Africa in the chase before her dismissal in the 42nd over finally swung momentum India’s way.”Our aim was simple. We knew that if we thought of a big target, we would come under pressure,” Harmanpreet said. “The main thing was to keep batting and keep playing our game. We tried to score 300 runs on the board; we were one run short. But after that, I think we came onto the field as a strong unit. Whenever we needed it, we got a breakthrough. It was a very good match.”It seems easy to say now, but there was a lot of tension in between when they were batting – like Laura, she was not giving a chance. But at the end of the day, I’m feeling great. I don’t know how to express it, but I’m just trying to tell you what I’m feeling.”After the final wicket fell – fittingly, with Harmanpreet taking the catch – India took a victory lap around a roaring DY Patil Stadium. At one point, former India players Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami and Anjum Chopra joined the team and were handed the trophy. Goswami was in tears as she embraced Harmanpreet and a few other team-mates in the middle.Pratika Rawal gets off her wheelchair to celebrate with her team-mates•ICC/Getty Images”Jhulan was my biggest support,” Harmanpreet said, when asked what it meant to share that moment with former players. “When I joined the team, she was leading it. She always supported me in my early days when I was very raw and didn’t know much about cricket. Anjum , too. Both of them have been a great support for me. I’m very grateful that I got to share a special moment with them. It was a very emotional moment. I think we all were waiting for this. Finally, we were able to touch this trophy.”The campaign itself had been a deeply emotional one. Harmanpreet revealed how injuries to Yastika Bhatia and Pratika Rawal had left the dressing room in tears.”When she [Pratika] got injured, everybody was crying…yet, everybody was so positive. Everyone was thinking that our end goal was this trophy. We had to keep working hard day and night. And this is the result.”India’s journey through the tournament was far from smooth. Two early wins were followed by three straight losses – to South Africa, Australia and England – before a recovery against New Zealand sealed their semi-final berth. Beating Australia in the semi-final was the breakthrough they needed.
We were waiting badly for this moment, and today we got a chance to live it. I don’t know how to express it, but I’m so happy and so proud of this teamHarmanpreet Kaur
“The last month has been very interesting,” Harmanpreet said. “It’s very rare that things don’t go according to your plan, and yet you stay so positive. After that day [the loss against England], a lot changed for us. Every time, we cannot go on repeating the same things. We had to come with a strong mind.”That defeat to England proved transformative. The squad turned inward, working on visualisation and meditation sessions to refocus.”That night changed a lot for us,” she added. “It had an impact on everyone. We were more prepared for the World Cup. We started visualisation and meditation. That showed we were here for something, and this time we had to do it.”There have been parallels drawn between this and India’s men’s World Cup win in 1983. For a side that had reached finals and semi-finals but always fallen just short, Harmanpreet saw this win as the long-awaited shift Indian women’s cricket.DY Patil Stadium was a sea of blue on Sunday•ICC/Getty Images”We have been talking about this for many years – we’ve been playing good cricket, but we had to win one big tournament. Without that, we couldn’t talk about change…we were waiting badly for this moment, and today we got a chance to live it. I don’t know how to express it, but I’m so happy and so proud of this team.”When the final wicket fell, Harmanpreet sprinted across the field, embracing each of her team-mates in celebration. But the longest hug was reserved for Smriti Mandhana, her partner across 106 ODIs.”I’ve played many World Cups with her [Mandhana]. Every time we lost, we went home heartbroken and stayed quiet for a few days. When we returned, we always said, ‘we have to start again from ball one’. It was heartbreaking because we played so many World Cups – reaching finals, semi-finals, and sometimes not even that far. We were always thinking, when will we break this?”The 39,555-strong Navi Mumbai crowd stayed through a two-hour rain delay, unrelenting in their chants for the home side. The DY Patil Stadium, which had hosted several women’s international and WPL fixtures, and long seen as the home of women’s cricket in India, once again proved a lucky venue. Harmanpreet also shared an anecdote about how the side felt relieved when the venue had changed from Bengaluru to Navi Mumbai in August.”As soon as we got to know that our venue had been changed to DY Patil Stadium, we all got so happy because we’ve always played good cricket there. We said, ‘We’ve come home now, and we’ll start fresh.’ We didn’t want to look back at previous World Cups, we left them there. The new World Cup had just started.”Celebrations stretched late into the night. After the victory lap and presentations, the team stayed on the ground with friends and family before heading to their hotel with a procession.”We’ve been waiting for this moment. The celebration will go on all night. And then let’s see what BCCI is planning for us,” Harmanpreet quipped.
Manchester City are now frontrunners in the race to sign a “world-class” £80m star, who Pep Guardiola has called “extraordinary”.
Man City eyeing new forward after Bayer Leverkusen defeat
Guardiola rung the changes on Tuesday evening, making 10 alterations to the side that lost 2-1 at Newcastle United at the weekend, and Bayer Leverkusen made them pay, emerging as 2-0 winners at the Etihad Stadium.
City did manage to create some chances, with Nathan Ake, Savinho and second-half substitute Erling Haaland all squandering big opportunities, but they weren’t clinical enough on the night, and the German side emerged as surprise winners.
Pep would’ve been hoping that his attackers would step up in the absence of Haaland, with Omar Marmoush being given the nod ahead of the Norwegian at centre-forward, but it was a subpar performance from the Egyptian, who received a 6.2 SofaScore match rating, the lowest of any player.
The defeat arguably underlined the need for the Blues to bring in another forward to support Haaland in the January transfer window, and there has now been a positive update on their interest in Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr.
According to a report from Football Insider, Man City are now frontrunners in the race to sign Vinicius, alongside Premier League rivals Chelsea, with the forward’s future at the Santiago Bernabeu in doubt, following a fallout with manager Xabi Alonso.
Talks over a contract extension have stalled, meaning the Brazilian could be set to depart the Spanish club, and City would have the financial muscle to get a deal over the line, with his current employers looking to receive £80m.
Should Madrid decide to cash-in this summer, with the 25-year-old’s current deal set to expire in 2027, a number of Saudi Pro League clubs would also join the Blues in the race, so there could be stiff competition for his signature.
"World-class" Vinicius could elevate Man City's forward line
With the likes of Savinho, Marmoush and Oscar Bobb failing to deliver against Leverkusen, Pep may be keen to bring in a forward who is already proven at the top level, and he is known to be a keen admirer of the Real Madrid star.
The City boss lauded the Brazil international as “extraordinary” last year, while he has also received high praise from Jurgen Klopp, who described the winger as “world-class” and a Real Madrid “legend”.
The former Flamengo man has been one of Madrid’s most important players for several years now, and he remained potent in front of goal right across the 2024-25 campaign, weighing in with 41 goal contributions in all competitions.
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As such, should Vinicius Jr become available, Man City should undoubtedly make a move, and £80m would be reasonable fee for a forward who is still young, and regarded as one of the best wingers in the world.
The unholy union of flat, long-lasting pitches and quickly softening Dukes balls are making the contest totally one-sided
Sidharth Monga05-Jul-2025
Ben Stokes has a word with the umpire about the condition of the ball•Getty Images
Unless you are a hopeless cynic, you turn up to the first morning of a Test bursting with anticipation of watching a contest between the bat and the ball. Then, in the 16th over of the first morning, you see the bowler and the captain complaining to the umpires about the ball. Then again in the 18th. Then in the 30th. Then in the 30th again, when the umpire reluctantly pulls out the gauge and the ball passes through it. Eventually, in the 56th over, the ball is changed.It is a dance we are used to. The umpires are sympathetic but they can change the ball only if it goes out of shape and can’t go through that gauge. There’s a reason why teams are going on about it. It is not just, in this instance, England. India have had the same issue. The Dukes ball is going soft too soon. The pitches in the Bazball era are designed to offer very little movement to the bowlers, and the softer balls are adding to the nightmare.In seven innings so far in this series, the first 30 overs have produced 17 wickets at an average of 48.53. That in itself is bad enough, but wait until you see what has happened to the older, softer ball. Overs 31 to 80 have produced just 15 wickets at an average of 105.04. The control percentage has gone up from 80.59% to 86.3%.Related
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We have ball-by-ball records for over 50 bilateral Test series in England. Before this, the worst the old ball fared was 60.12. We have ball-by-ball records for over 420 bilateral Test series in the world. Only once – the notorious Sri Lanka in Pakistan, 2008-09 – has the old ball done worse.Gen Z, even you are old enough to remember when the Dukes ball, with its hard seam and longer life, was a batter’s “real” test against quick bowling. That is why even West Indies switched from the Kookaburra to the Dukes for their home Tests, to bring life to Test matches played there. The pitches are keeping the concurrent Tests in the West Indies lively, but even there, the ball is being complained about.Josh Hazlewood said he has never bowled with a softer 70-over-old ball. Shubman Gill said he was told by those Indians with experience of playing in England that these balls tend to go soft after the 40th over but not so soft, and tend to start doing a little after the 60th over.It is only for the manufacturers to say if the balls are going soft sooner by design, but they are under severe pressure. The ECB has introduced Kookaburra for two rounds of County Championship matches because it wants the ball to do less so that the system produces “fast” bowlers and not seamers who struggle on harder pitches in places such as the ones in Australia. It is fair to assume the manufacturers don’t want to lose business.In March 2023, Dilip Jajodia, the ball-maker, told that the balls in 2022 were, to quote Stuart Broad, “rubbish” because of a Covid-related manufacturing malfunction, one that he had stamped out.Harry Brook was cleaned up with the second new ball•Getty ImagesWhether by design or by any other reason, this unholy union of flat, long-lasting pitches and quickly-softening Dukes balls are making the contest totally one-sided. It has turned the precious little available with the new ball into a precious commodity to make the most out of. It has made for ridiculous scorecards such as England’s first innings at Edgbaston: five wickets in the first 22 overs of the first new ball, a 303-run stand with no wicket to the old ball, and then five more to the second new ball.Because India had runs in the bank, they could afford to go on a short-ball barrage with the 31-over-old ball, but even the tall Prasidh Krishna could neither get the ball high enough nor hurry the batters. When nothing worked, India went to just containing with ODI-style fields while they waited for the second new ball. England have more or less been the same, making Shoaib Bashir bowl ridiculously long spells with the old ball.Not just make batting easier and the contest non-existent, these frequently discarded balls leave the game more exposed than usual to quirky compromising of the contest as happened at The Oval in 2023, months after Jajodia said they were back to normal. The ball went out of shape in the 37th over, and the newer one did heaps more, derailing Australia’s chase of 384.These teams have tried most tricks bar use a wristspinner to get something out of the older ball this series, but it hasn’t really worked for them. So far the best way to go about has been to be direct with the attack from the new ball and not waste a single delivery, and then just keep complaining to the umpires about the ball and hoping to get a harder one as the replacement.India have done so again with the new ball in the fourth innings: going wider on the crease to bring the stumps into play more often. It is to their infinite credit that they have managed to bowl England out in those two brief windows with the two new balls in the first innings. They have taken three wickets in the 16 overs they had with the new ball on the fourth evening, giving themselves a great chance to level the series 1-1.However, if they end up needing the second new ball on the final evening, while it might make for a thrilling finish, the end should not justify the way we get there.