India retain Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia announce squad for Sydney Test and more - Cricket News Today, 30th December 2018

Although they were initially left frustrated by a rain shower, India did not take long to pick the remaining two Australian wickets and wrap-up a convincing triumph at Melbourne. The 137-run victory helped the visitors take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the four-match series.

Australian commentator Kerry O'Keeffe, who has been under fire for his controversial remarks on Indian cricket, issued an apology in an open letter.

Following a lacklustre performance at the MCG, Australia have made one change to their squad for the upcoming fourth Test at Sydney.

Here are all of today's top developments from the cricket world.

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#5 India seal victory at MCG and retain Border-Gavaskar Trophy

With just two wickets away from victory, a confident Indian team arrived at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday for the final day of the third Test. However, a thunderstorm swept through the venue to result in a washed-out first session.

Much to the cheers of a vibrant Indian contingent present at the venue, the weather cleared after lunch and play resumed with Australia tottering at 258/8. All it took was just 27 balls for the Indian bowlers to breach the hosts' last line of defence.

Jasprit Bumrah removed the well-set Pat Cummins by getting one to move away after creating an illusion of coming in. Soon thereafter, Ishant Sharma spark jubilant celebrations on the field when he had Nathan Lyon top-edge a sharp bouncer to wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant.

Their 137-run triumph at the MCG ensured that India took an unassailable 2-1 series lead and allowed them to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy irrespective of the result of the final match at Sydney.

#4 Under-fire Kerry O'Keeffe apologises to Indian cricket through open letter

Kerry O'Keeffe's insensitive comments during the MCG Test generated a massive backlash

Under-fire Australian commentator Kerry O'Keeffe has penned an open letter and apologised to the Indian cricket team as well as their supporters.

The former leg-spinner, who had generated a storm by taking insensitive jibes at India's first-class cricket and names of prominent players, attributed those controversial remarks to his ostensibly humorous style of commentary.

In a brief letter released on Fox Cricket's official website, Kerry O'Keeffe wrote, "I have been devastated by the reaction to my on-air comments on Fox Cricket during the recently completed Third Test between Australia and India. I am coming to terms with how negatively those words have been interpreted."

He added, "That interpretation is not who I am. It is not what I represent. My style as a commentator is to attempt to find a quirky view to lighten up some of the serious analysis. When I made a remark about Indian first-class batting averages within their domestic cricket competition being made against a “canteen” bowling attack, I was being entirely tongue in cheek. I was certainly not disrespecting Indian cricket, where I toured as a schoolboy and for which I have the greatest admiration as a cricketing nation."

#3 Angelo Mathews likely to miss Australia tour

Angelo Mathews suffered a grade two hamstring strain during the Christchurch Test

Sri Lanka batsman Angelo Mathews is all but ruled out of their upcoming tour of Australia. Having picked up a grade two hamstring strain during the Christchurch Test, the veteran right-hander finds himself on the sidelines for the next four weeks at least.

Mathews pulled his hamstring while attempting a run during the penultimate day's play of the second Test against New Zealand. At the end of the match which the visitors lost by 423 runs, Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal confirmed that scans had revealed a grade two strain in the 31-year old's left hamstring.

Aside from playing no further part in the remainder of Sri Lanka's ongoing tour of New Zealand, Mathews is also expected to miss their subsequent two-Test series on Australian soil.

#2 Kohli anoints Bumrah as world's best bowler

Jasprit Bumrah's match-winning spell at MCG received high praise from skipper Virat Kohli

Indian captain Virat Kohli has anointed 25-year old pacer Jasprit Bumrah as the world's best bowler. Impressed by the right-arm fast bowler's game-changing spell against Australia at the MCG, the seasoned batsman admitted that he would not want to face his own teammate on a fiery surface like Perth.

Bumrah, who made his Test debut earlier this year, burgeoned his glowing reputation with a match-winning effort at Melbourne. He broke the back of Australia's batting lineup to register figures of 6/33 in the first innings. Upon picking three wickets in the second innings, the rising pacer was adjudged Player of the Match.

Speaking to reporters at the post-match press conference, Kohli asserted, "Jasprit (Bumrah) obviously is the best bowler in the world, as per me. He is a match winner, without a doubt, even if he has only been playing (Test cricket) for 12 months."

The master batsman elaborated, "I mean if there was a pitch like Perth, I wouldn't want to face Jasprit Bumrah to be honest because if he gets on a roll, he can really crank it up. The way he bowls is so much more different to anyone and I think he realizes that more than the batsmen. That's why he is so confident about his skills."

#1 Australia add Marnus Labuschagne in Sydney-bound Test squad

Marnus Labuschagne played both Tests in Australia's series against Pakistan at UAE

Australia have added leg-spinning all-rounder Marnus Labuschagne to their squad for the final Test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The 24-year old's inclusion is the only change from the squad which had been named for the third Test at MCG.

Labuschagne made his Test debut in the two-Test series against Pakistan at UAE. Although he could only score 81 runs from four innings, his useful leg-breaks fetched him seven wickets at 22.42.

With the SCG track expected to offer substantial turn, the hosts included Labuschagne in order to present an extra spin option to the team management. If he plays at Sydney, the South Africa-born cricketer should slot in the lower middle-order and help ease the workload of Australia's four-man bowling attack.

Australia Squad for Sydney Test: Tim Paine (c) (wk), Josh Hazlewood (vc), Mitchell Marsh (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc and Marnus Labuschagne