The big story: Sachin Tendulkar praises BCCI and calls for even contests

Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, while speaking at a Hindustan Times leadership summit, stated that Indian players must get acclimatised to all kinds of surfaces in domestic cricket. To counter the Kookaburra ball away from home, he suggested Ranji Trophy matches to be played on two different surfaces, with one that assists seam.

Tendulkar also heaped praise on the under-fire Board of Control for Cricket in India, stating that they have done a lot for Indian cricket.

Tendulkar also lauded the Mumbai Cricket Association and recalled that the local board had incorporated his suggestion of fielding 14 squad members in a team play school cricket. The owner of 100 international centuries also refuted any doubts about Test cricket’s dwindling popularity but went on to lament about the lack of rivalries (duels) in modern-day cricket.

Other top stories:

  1. The Pakistan Cricket Board refused to get drawn into the decision made by the Pakistan Hockey Federation to boycott future international tournaments in India. PCB chairman Shahrayar Khan said, “By boycotting matches with India, we will only hurt ourselves.”
  2. A Deloitte Audit report on the Hyderabad Cricket Association revealed that there were discrepancies amounting to Rs 87.91 crores. The Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee have asked for the reports, reported Indian Express. 
  3. Australia and New Zealand face-off in the Chappell-Hadlee series, with the first of three One-Day Internationals starting on December 4 at Sydney. 
  4. India and Pakistan women will battle it out in the final of the T20 Asia Cup at Bangkok on Sunday.
  5. Rajshahi Kings hammered Chittagong Vikings in the Bangladesh Premier League courtesy of a five-wicket haul by 17-year-old off-spinner Afif Hossain. He became the youngest T20 bowler to take a five-wicket haul.